An ICE based car as a second car...

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eHelmholtz

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2011
Messages
355
There's been a lot of talk in the popular media about the LEAF as a second car but for many of us on this forum, our LEAFs are our primary car. In fact, I should think that ICE based cars ought to be second cars, not the other way around. For me, the LEAF is my daily driver and I have a bit of fun driving it daily. Still, I make trips longer than the LEAF's range once or twice a month to visit family. These trips aren't that far really ~100 miles from San Diego to the LA area and so I've managed to go a few times, taking a few hours to charge in between (while visiting friends). DC chargers would have been perfect for these trips but unfortunately, those haven't become available. For awhile, I thought about a range extending trailer like a micro-turbine but the costs were prohibitive (and I didn't have the expertise to build one).

SO my solution was to get a gas guzzler as a second car for occasional use. I decided on a roadster and it's been a blast to drive! so different than our LEAFs - not nearly as comfortable but much better connection to the road (and gas mileage is surprisingly OK at about 28-30miles/gallon on the highway). Has anyone else decided to buy a second non-electric car for longer range or weekend use?
 
Yep and went similarly for a major contrast. I'm a fat bugger with a bad leg so the kind of roadster, Miatas et al., that gets your mpg, is not comfy for me; but I have a Mustang GT convertible for longer and fun trips - which for me are maybe once a month.

If I put it on cruise at 60 it gets maybe 24 tops. But it doesn't get driven much. Besides, by Leaf owner standards I am not all that environmentally sensitive in the first place.
 
Didn't have to buy a second car, just kept my old Toyota Camry for long trips I take about 4 times per year. The rest of the time I use the Leaf, which is definitely my primary car. I estimate I will put 10,000 to 12,000 miles a year on the Leaf and about 3,000 miles per year on the Camry.
 
Well, the missus and I are a four vehicle family, the Leaf, a 645Ci, and two motorcycles. We sold our '01 M3 to lease the Leaf and we assumed all along that it would be our primary car; my wife drives it daily and we also use it as a business write-off. We kept the 645Ci, much more luxurious than the M3, for longer trips. And I ride my motorcycle daily (it is my primary form of transportation).
 
We have a Leaf and a Prius. The Leaf is definitely our primary vehicle. The Prius is only used on the rare longer trip or in cases where we are both leaving the house in different directions.
 
adric22 said:
We have a Leaf and a Prius. The Leaf is definitely our primary vehicle. The Prius is only used on the rare longer trip or in cases where we are both leaving the house in different directions.

Ditto! I've only put gas in the Prius once in 3+ months. I think of the LEAF as my "primary" vehicle, certainly not my "second car".
 
We're a five vehicle family, lots of diesels and one BEV (We used to have six, but after my daughter totaled 3 Golf TDIs we cut her off -- maybe relent as a graduation present). As time goes on we expect to have fewer diesels and more BEVs. I like small cars, but one large diesel is always nice to have for hauling stuff.
 
I definitely think of the Leaf as the primary car, and the Toyota as the second car. Right now, our daughter is making frequent use of the Toyota, but after she buys her own car, we'll see what the usage is. If it gets to the point where it's cheaper to rent a vehicle for longer trips, versus insurance for the Toyota, we'll get rid of it.
 
Jagular said:
Well, the missus and I are a four vehicle family, the Leaf, a 645Ci, and two motorcycles. We sold our '01 M3 to lease the Leaf and we assumed all along that it would be our primary car; my wife drives it daily and we also use it as a business write-off. We kept the 645Ci, much more luxurious than the M3, for longer trips. And I ride my motorcycle daily (it is my primary form of transportation).

what is the point of the hidden plate gizmo, if I might ask? :)
 
At our house, LEAF is default choice. Other cars are only taken when LEAF is already taken or trip is beyond LEAF range. When multiple cars are needed, LEAF is assigned to the person with the longest trip within LEAF range. Basically all decisions are to minimize gasoline use. The exception is times when I want to drive the LEAF, in which case I get to take it regardless of other considerations, as I'm the one who pays for it.
 
LTLFTcomposite said:
At our house, LEAF is default choice. Other cars are only taken when LEAF is already taken or trip is beyond LEAF range. When multiple cars are needed, LEAF is assigned to the person with the longest trip within LEAF range. Basically all decisions are to minimize gasoline use. The exception is times when I want to drive the LEAF, in which case I get to take it regardless of other considerations, as I'm the one who pays for it.

what does LTLFT stand for, if I might ask?
 
We kept our hybrid highlander for the long trips and hauling. It sits and collects moss most of the time. like many, we originally thought the Leaf would be our "second car" and instead, we use it as the primary car. It just illustrates how even someone who was excited about the Leaf before buying it grossly under estimated it's utility. I don't know how we can get this across to more would be owners.
 
thankyouOB said:
what does LTLFT stand for, if I might ask?

Quite the puzzlement.

The only thing I can say about that screen name is that I brought it over from the Aptera forum, where I had a keen interest in that revolutionary vehicle. It seemed any plans for that vehicle to be available in Florida were quite distant (as it turned out to be everywhere) so I was a reader of messages on that board long before I ever posted any questions or comments there.

Incidentally, I do regret some of the things I may have said on that board, although I don't remember any specifics, I recall saying things that might have been mean spirited as time went on and I became frustrated with that company never moving forward to produce a product.
 
I think most people would keep existing car instead of replacing it with Leaf and for 2 car households it's a no brainier.
 
Hello All,
Our Leaf is our primary vehicle. We had to defer to our 03 Prius when the Leaf charger popped in May last year so we only got to use it for 65% of our commuter miles.
We are a 5 vehicle family, 2011 stats:
1. 11 Leaf (8000 mi.)
2. 03 Prius (2500 mi.)
3. 84 Gmc full sized van (tow vehicle 1200 mi.)
4. 76 750 Honda motorcycle (2000 mi. recreation only)
5. 66 Mustang (0 mi.)

On Edit: OK, I'll add my XR250 dirt bike (not street legal). Do I need to add the ATC-70 too?

I have kept and still use every vehicle I have bought over the years unless it got totaled into submission or just plain wore out and was not worth fixing (87 Caravan & 95 Tercel). Was planning on converting the Tercel to an EV but bought the leaf instead.
 
Leaf is my primary car--2,500 miles
'06 Honda Civic Hybrid my second car--115,000 miles
'03 Mazda MPV wife's car--119,000 miles
'07 Audi A4 daughter's car--58,000 miles
'03 Harley FLHTC "daily rider"--49,000 miles
'72 Triumph T120--backup motorcycle--7,270 miles
 
IBELEAF said:
I think most people would keep existing car instead of replacing it with Leaf and for 2 car households it's a no brainier.

Our old Honda Odyssey has 125k miles on it but functionally it's nearly as good as new one. I didn't even ask what they would have given me on a trade, peanuts I'm sure. The biggest negative to keeping it is the $50 or so a month to insure it. Still I wouldn't want to bring home 30 bags of mulch in the LEAF.
 
thankyouOB said:
Jagular said:
Well, the missus and I are a four vehicle family, the Leaf, a 645Ci, and two motorcycles. We sold our '01 M3 to lease the Leaf and we assumed all along that it would be our primary car; my wife drives it daily and we also use it as a business write-off. We kept the 645Ci, much more luxurious than the M3, for longer trips. And I ride my motorcycle daily (it is my primary form of transportation).

what is the point of the hidden plate gizmo, if I might ask? :)

Style. I hate the look of the front plate on cars. I don't have one on the Leaf. But in California (and Colorado where I lived when I installed the hidden plate), there's a law requiring one. I was pulled over in Colorado for not having one, paid a rather large fine and went hunting for an option. I drive with the plate hidden. I was pulled over, again (in Colorado the 6 is a rare car and the local popo look at it as rolling ATM), and I knew that the officer was going to ticket me for not having a plate. He pulls me over, I activate the plate. Officer comes to my side, asks for license and registration.

"I'm pulling you over because you don't have a front license plate."

"I do have a front license plate."

Officer walks to the front of the car. Sees the plate. Returns my license and registration.

"Sorry, my mistake. Have a nice day."
 
I kept my F150 as hauling big, heavy, caddywhompus stuff in the Leaf is just not going to happen.
The old man mostly sits in storage with my RV trailer. For a longer car trip we take the Forester.
Otherwise the Leaf is by far getting the most miles of the three. :cool:
 
Still a one car LEAF family after 7 months and going strong. I have rented a flatulent car only once so far. Can honestly say I am forgetting how to pump gas.

I agree that once you have peace of mind securing an EV, you pretty much have freedom to pick whatever car you want for occasional use. Freedom is good!
 
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