Warning: Battery Replacement Cost Increase (now $8500)

[powersurge]

A 5 bar loser of any year is not worth $7500...… More like $4500...

[sabicao]

A 5 bar loser of any year is not worth $7500...… More like $4500...

True.

Mine is a 2011, owned it since 2012, took care of its battery like it was the last baby on Earth, lost 7 bars (yes, I drive a 5 bar leaf, now), 85.000 miles.

8700€ (that's over 9K in U$) to replace the battery. Nissan refused to partially subsidize the replacement (as they did with several others, my brother included), and they valued my car at 3000€ (roughly 3300$) if I traded it in to buy a new Leaf.

[RonSwanson]

A 5 bar loser of any year is not worth $7500...… More like $4500...

True.

Mine is a 2011, owned it since 2012, took care of its battery like it was the last baby on Earth, lost 7 bars (yes, I drive a 5 bar leaf, now), 85.000 miles.

8700€ (that's over 9K in U$) to replace the battery. Nissan refused to partially subsidize the replacement (as they did with several others, my brother included), and they valued my car at 3000€ (roughly 3300$) if I traded it in to buy a new Leaf.

What is your range now?

[DaveinOlyWA]

A 5 bar loser of any year is not worth $7500...… More like $4500...

I wouldn't think it was worth $7500 but his LEAF is hardly typical. It will get more than normal market value.

[powersurge]

Yes, In know you know EVs... Good luck... Either way, you got alot of use from that car...

[sabicao]

A 5 bar loser of any year is not worth $7500...… More like $4500...

True.

Mine is a 2011, owned it since 2012, took care of its battery like it was the last baby on Earth, lost 7 bars (yes, I drive a 5 bar leaf, now), 85.000 miles.

8700€ (that's over 9K in U$) to replace the battery. Nissan refused to partially subsidize the replacement (as they did with several others, my brother included), and they valued my car at 3000€ (roughly 3300$) if I traded it in to buy a new Leaf.

What is your range now?

roughly 35 miles. Depends on all the usual variables, but it is now Fall here, and it is hard to get it to go for more that 35 miles. I have 9.7 kWh available. I do my best not go under 0.7, and that leaves me with 35 miles.

was 40 just a month a go, but summer is definitely over, now.

[UBUYGAS]

A 5 bar loser of any year is not worth $7500...… More like $4500...

OK. So it's worth $4500. The question was "Is it a smart move to spend $7900 for a battery on a car that is only worth $4500"


Maybe if you bought the car used at $4500, then for $11,900 you'll have an EV that should work OK for at least 5 years.

But, if you originally bought the car for $38,500 ($26,000 after incentives) and paid it all off and it's only worth $4500. Is $7900 too much?

For me, it's too much. Doesn't make sense.

I'd rather sell it for $4500 or $4000 or $3500 and take my $7900 and put that money down on a Model 3


OR


Does it make better sense to pay some other company from $150 to $1500 to install a new 30kWh Battery and pay $99 a month for however long you want to keep using it?

[davewill]

A 5 bar loser of any year is not worth $7500...… More like $4500...

OK. So it's worth $4500. The question was "Is it a smart move to spend $7900 for a battery on a car that is only worth $4500"


Maybe if you bought the car used at $4500, then for $11,900 you'll have an EV that should work OK for at least 5 years.

But, if you originally bought the car for $38,500 ($26,000 after incentives) and paid it all off and it's only worth $4500. Is $7900 too much?

For me, it's too much. Doesn't make sense.

I'd rather sell it for $4500 or $4000 or $3500 and take my $7900 and put that money down on a Model 3


OR


Does it make better sense to pay some other company from $150 to $1500 to install a new 30kWh Battery and pay $99 a month for however long you want to keep using it?

Actually, I would argue that what you paid originally has no bearing on the decision. In fact, I think that the proposition is slightly BETTER for someone who already owns the car as they don't have to pay for the car as well as the battery and presumably know they have an otherwise sound vehicle. Of course the kind of person who would buy new in the first place may be less inclined to pay to keep driving an old car.

On the battery subscription model, if I'm otherwise really happy with the car, and there's no large loss risk associated with either the car being wrecked or the company going out of business (like the battery becomes mine in that situation), then $100 a month is much cheaper than I could replace the car with. The biggest downside is complications when/if I go to sell, or reach end of life of the car. They'll have to make that as painless as possible.

[powersurge]

This "leasing" issue is nonsense.....

There is no way that any business is going to put in an $8500 (or even a $4000) battery and patiently wait for years to recoup and take a chance of you paying only $100 per month.

No business is going to take the risk and accept only a monthly payment. The only logical transaction is for the Leaf driver to BUY the battery, and then FINANCE the cost of the battery. The battery provider gets paid in full, and the owner of the car takes his chances on what happens with the battery.

Anyone who thinks a battery company will install, support, and come to your house to remove the battery from your car whenever you like (all for $100/ month) is dreaming.

[DaveinOlyWA]

This "leasing" issue is nonsense.....

There is no way that any business is going to put in an $8500 (or even a $4000) battery and patiently wait for years to recoup and take a chance of you paying only $100 per month.

No business is going to take the risk and accept only a monthly payment. The only logical transaction is for the Leaf driver to BUY the battery, and then FINANCE the cost of the battery. The battery provider gets paid in full, and the owner of the car takes his chances on what happens with the battery.

Anyone who thinks a battery company will install, support, and come to your house to remove the battery from your car whenever you like (all for $100/ month) is dreaming.

Hmmm???

Lets go back about 20 years. There is no way a company would spend Billions to warehouse products (sometimes for years) just to repackage them and ship them all over the World knowing the profits on each package would be a few cents each...