'12 Red SL w/sunroof, side moldings, tint and Juke wheels!

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PatricioEV

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 19, 2011
Messages
176
Location
Austin, TX
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Boomer23 said:
Looks fabulous, Patricio! Very well done and clean modifications, and I really do like the wheels.


Thanks... the Leaf needs a bit of sprucing up in my opinion, but I like tasteful!
 
coolfilmaker said:
It's like you're trying to find things to reduce your range...

lol.. well, the side moldings certainly don't, and the sunroof has had zero impact. Wheels and tires maybe; will have to live with them for a week or so to see how they do.
 
PatricioEV said:
coolfilmaker said:
It's like you're trying to find things to reduce your range...

lol.. well, the side moldings certainly don't, and the sunroof has had zero impact. Wheels and tires maybe; will have to live with them for a week or so to see how they do.

I don't know about side molding but Prii are sold without sunroofs specifically for this reason. I'm sure the new wheels have a higher rolling resistance too. I frankly can't understand why anything you did makes the car any better.
 
Well, clearly some of us look beyond just range in our cars, thankfully!

I'm not a sunroof fan but I like all the other changes. I did notice that my range dropped by 20 percent when I put on the side moldings, added the LED DRLs, and tinted the windows, however! But I made up 25 percent when I replaced all the incandescents with LEDS, so I'm ahead! :lol:
coolfilmaker said:
I frankly can't understand why anything you did makes the car any better.
 
coolfilmaker said:
I frankly can't understand why anything you did makes the car any better.

Tint - this is TX, believe me, it makes the care MUCH better! (and certainly reduces cabin temps - making AC work less)
Molding - protects doors and makes the care look nicer (IMO)
Sunroof - see TX above, improves air flow and airiness of cabin, and is SIGNIFICANTLY quieter to drive with sunroof open rather than windows cracked (I use AC less often)
Tires - narrower and firmer side walls vastly improve driving feel (IMO - I like sporty) while only adding 1cm of width
Wheels - purely aesthetics. I like them WAY more than the stock wheels.

You must not appreciate the very existence of Mercedes, Lexus, etc... All the additions do make the care better for me and I am the one enjoying it everyday while not burning gas! FYI, Prii DO come with sunroofs because the market demanded them. I have no doubt that Nissan doesn't offer a sunroof on the Leaf for the same reason they installed the cheapest sun visors known to Man - cost savings.

I've had my sunroof for about a month now and I can tell you that it has had zero impact on my range. The tires I put on are also LRR like the stock Ecopias. The wheels will most certainly have some impact on range, but it's too early to tell. I will say that after driving 70 miles yesterday on the new setup (and mostly at higher speeds), my m/kwh rating matched exactly what it typically is on the weekends (worse than on my daily commute.) However, one day is simply too little data to make a statement as to the impact of the more open wheels and (1cm) wider tires.
 
Impressive! I never thought such a weird looking car could be made to look so good!

I am a big fan of sunroofs, and miss having one. I would look into doing the same if I weren't leasing the car. FWIW, even in cold upstate NY, a sunroof enhances a car. In the middle of the winter, when it's grey out, every little extra bit of light in the car helps one's mood! And in the summer, you don't even need A/C with a sunroof.
 
jsayre said:
PatricioEV said:
Molding - protects doors and makes the care look nicer (IMO)

Agreed on making it look nicer. Where did you source the molding from?

Molding thread...

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=111565&id=7a5152f83b3f0231b3c78e450ff027f6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Just wanted to login and say that the car looks great! I'm usually more a fan of OEM wheels vs. aftermarket and this is a perfect case. They actually look better on the Leaf than they do on the Juke.

Tints look great and the molds look factory too, just enough to break up the sea of metal door skin. I'm a sunroof guy too and like the look of it inside the car.

Mike S.
 
I frankly can't understand why anything you did makes the car any better.

I think the car looks great.
Nissan churns these things out with a cookie cutter, and we have to do something to make them our own, and that's what you have done, and done it well.

Range is not everything.
If this car is my "Driver", I have to look forward to getting into it.
I do..... Now.

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GetOffYourGas said:
Impressive! I never thought such a weird looking car could be made to look so good!

I am a big fan of sunroofs, and miss having one. I would look into doing the same if I weren't leasing the car. FWIW, even in cold upstate NY, a sunroof enhances a car. In the middle of the winter, when it's grey out, every little extra bit of light in the car helps one's mood! And in the summer, you don't even need A/C with a sunroof.

Love the sunroof! Does anyone know for certain if a lease prevents you from making mods like these? The one dealer I asked said as long as it's not adding wear and tear it's no problem and you should be fine at lease turn in time.
 
oxo said:
GetOffYourGas said:
Impressive! I never thought such a weird looking car could be made to look so good!

I am a big fan of sunroofs, and miss having one. I would look into doing the same if I weren't leasing the car. FWIW, even in cold upstate NY, a sunroof enhances a car. In the middle of the winter, when it's grey out, every little extra bit of light in the car helps one's mood! And in the summer, you don't even need A/C with a sunroof.

Love the sunroof! Does anyone know for certain if a lease prevents you from making mods like these? The one dealer I asked said as long as it's not adding wear and tear it's no problem and you should be fine at lease turn in time.


If it's a quality sunroof that's professionally installed then you're adding value to the car. Not that I'd spend more than a grand for a vehicle that I don't intend to keep but if you're going to do it the sooner the better.
 
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