Resale value for used LEAF w/a new battery

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jspunshon71

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Nov 28, 2017
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Good afternoon. I have a 2012 LEAF and just received a replacement battery since mine had degraded to 60 percent. Does anyone have any idea or experience on what value a new battery adds to a used leaf resale amount? I love the range again, and having less range anxiety!! However, as my family is about to grow, I might need to sell it and upsize. Not really the best room in the backseat for infant seats!!

Thanks for all your help,

Jefc
 
It would likely depend on how well educated the potential buyer is. I would think you could get about the same as a comparably equipped 2013, but not more, despite the new battery. Just a guess though, you are on the frontier :)
 
I saw someone on my local Craigslist trying to sell a '12SL for $10k, saying he had proof it had a new battery, it stayed listed for several months! Not sure if it finally sold(and for how much) or if he just gave up. If it had been a '13 or newer I might have been interested but IMO they made lots of improvements in the '13 model year and I just wasn't interested in a '12, new battery or not.
AFA pricing, I guess I'd look up the blue book for your Leaf and price it at the highest price for model year and mileage, and hope you find a buyer who knows the advantage yours has :)
 
No question that most of the changes introduced for 2013 production in Smyrna are improvements. But personal preferences can come into play.
For example, I value the Asian/European influence of having the side repeater indicator lights on the 2011/12 - a good safety feature, if you are not going to have that function in the side mirrors.
And I really dislike a foot-operated parking brake, especially in a small car - although most N. Americans won't agree with me and probably see the 2011/12 electric parking brake on the console as gimmicky and a potentially expensive fix if it ever goes wrong.
So, even though I might lean toward a 2012 with a new battery over a 2013 with its bigger cargo space, greater range, better HVAC, etc., etc. most other used Leaf buyers would not.
 
macnut said:
No question that most of the changes introduced for 2013 production in Smyrna are improvements. But personal preferences can come into play.
For example, I value the Asian/European influence of having the side repeater indicator lights on the 2011/12 - a good safety feature, if you are not going to have that function in the side mirrors.
And I really dislike a foot-operated parking brake, especially in a small car - although most N. Americans won't agree with me and probably see the 2011/12 electric parking brake on the console as gimmicky and a potentially expensive fix if it ever goes wrong.
So, even though I might lean toward a 2012 with a new battery over a 2013 with its bigger cargo space, greater range, better HVAC, etc., etc. most other used Leaf buyers would not.

Add to that a faster off the line acceleration!
 
How many kids do you have? Since the back seats in the Leaf sit up so high, I would think that would actually be convenient for getting kids in and out of car seats. The cost of ownership for the Leaf will be much lower than any other vehicle you replace it with.
 
jspunshon71 said:
Good afternoon. I have a 2012 LEAF and just received a replacement battery since mine had degraded to 60 percent. Does anyone have any idea or experience on what value a new battery adds to a used leaf resale amount? I love the range again, and having less range anxiety!! However, as my family is about to grow, I might need to sell it and upsize. Not really the best room in the backseat for infant seats!!

Thanks for all your help,

Jefc
Where are you located, color, SL or SV?
 
At the time, I felt http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=20452 was overpriced.

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=486597#p486597 was a screaming deal, but I talked to TonyWilliams about this a few months ago, and apparently, the deal fell thru. The seller sold it to someone else. Sounds like the seller realized he could get more for it.
 
FWIW, I have an infant in the back seat and it's been no problem for me and my wife up front. However, I'm the taller of us at 5'5". Maybe we can get away with it more easily, but I've had taller folks ride up front and in back with no issues. I really like how far the rear doors open to get the carrier in and out.

Put your seats where you need them, then try it with your carrier. We regularly have a full sized stroller in the back seat, with the carrier in the middle, and a dog in the back. It still fits 2 adults comfortably with the car seat in the middle position. When it's on one side or the other, it was too cramped for 2 adults back there.
 
I'd say that for most people out there, you aren't going to get any more for it with a new battery. It's going to be for the same reason why people try to sell their used cars tricked out with various mods and what not, most of them are not going to be able to recoup the money they put into the car. Think of someone selling a used car with a new motor in it, generally the price isn't going to be affected that much. Me personally, I'd be open to paying a bit more for a car with a new battery, but not too much since used Leafs are so stupid cheap to begin with (especially ones that still have warranties) - it would just depend on what the person was asking for it. My .02
 
Craigslist in Austin, TX has 2011 with 40K miles, battery 9/12 bars. Has been posted now for 23 days at $6950.

I am ready to unload my Leaf, but at with 6/12 bars at 65K miles, I don't expect to get a lot for the car. I might be lucky to get $4K. I definitely do not plan to install a new battery.

This was the first Nissan I have ever owned, and likely the last.
 
It depends on where you are, out here in Southern California, there definitely is a direct link to the price a Leaf sells for and the health of the battery.

It will also depend on the model of the car, but in general, you will always get a much better price for the 2013 models and newer since they have the 6kw chargers.

For example, with a new battery in Southern California, a 2012 will sell for around $8,000 and a comparably equipped 2013 for around $10,000. If the battery is degraded that drops significantly, for example, I bought my 2013 with 10 bars of battery for about $6,000 and last month it dropped to 8 bars, so I got a brand new battery. You won't get what you paid for the battery, if you bought it, but it will be more than what it would sell for without a new battery.
 
mbutter said:
Craigslist in Austin, TX has 2011 with 40K miles, battery 9/12 bars. Has been posted now for 23 days at $6950.

I am ready to unload my Leaf, but at with 6/12 bars at 65K miles, I don't expect to get a lot for the car. I might be lucky to get $4K. I definitely do not plan to install a new battery.

This was the first Nissan I have ever owned, and likely the last.

We also live in such a bad climate for these things here in Texas. However, almost every used Leaf I see showing up online (where the seller posts a pic of the gauge cluster) has nine bars or less. The exception are the later model ones like 2014 and up. It's also why I was surprised that Nissan did not go with an active thermal management system on the new cars.
 
I just bought a 2011 for $7600 BECAUSE of the new battery. Got a free car with 50k miles for free with the new battery! Happy as can be.
 
FYI, I would not have paid over $1500 for the car with original battery so that explains added value from my perspective. I have had 2 leafs already so I know the pros and cons well
 
Yes, getting a Leaf with a new battery is a gift from heaven!... I have recently priced them at Nissan, and the price has also gone up .... From $6500 to $7500 minus $1000 back for the old battery... So even if you paid $8000 for a car, that would mean that you got the car for only $1500 or less...

I would do a no brainer buy of a Leaf with a new battery..
 
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