2014 sv vs 2015 sv

If I can sell my ice, I will be buying a used Leaf.
My ice is paid off So I will buy one with cash and have no monthly car payment on the leaf.
I see CarMax has a 2014 sv for $11k.
And from the photos it looks like 11 bars. 9 white and 2 red.
I drive 22 miles daily round trip.
I am thinking 2015 sv will be just more expensive and offer no real advantage for my use.
So I have been only searching for 2014 sv.

I live in Washington state.

Am I on the right path?

Thanks.

For short trips an 11 bar 2014 should be fine. Since you don't need DC Quick Charge, look for one with Premium package for extra parking convenience. No Premium and 11 bars means you should offer the least you think they might take. You can also include 11 bar '13s built AFTER March of 2013, although they are unlikely to have any 5yr powertrain warranty left.

I found another one with 11 bars but neither has premium pkg.
and they are both from California.
Would you pay premium for Washington state car?

tesleaf said:

I found another one with 11 bars but neither has premium pkg.
and they are both from California.
Would you pay premium for Washington state car?

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I would, but that's because I'd want 60 miles of range. You can pay much less for a good car with less range. Do you know if you want or need the (great) 4 camera parking system and Bose stereo (it does sound much better than the base unit, once adjusted) that come with Premium? If not, just look at all 11 and even 10 bar SV and SL ( leather interior only with those) Leafs made after 3/2013 and drive a real bargain for the 10 bar cars. I wouldn't get an S in your climate, but if you don't need bells & whistles, an S would work too with 11-12 bars. It would just have "winter range" whenever it wasn't sunny and mild.

tesleaf said:

I found another one with 11 bars but neither has premium pkg.
and they are both from California.
Would you pay premium for Washington state car?

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WHERE in California is just as important as whether or not it’s from Washington state. Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties are basically an extension of the Oregon coast, climate-wise. The areas that abut the larger part of the San Francisco Bay also have relatively cool summers for California. Same goes if the car spent its entire life in the Lake Tahoe region, or elsewhere in the Sierras.

OTOH eastern WA can have warm summers. Pasco’s average high temperature in July is 93 degrees, and Wenatchee’s is 89.

RonDawg said:

tesleaf said:

I found another one with 11 bars but neither has premium pkg.
and they are both from California.
Would you pay premium for Washington state car?

Click to expand...

WHERE in California is just as important as whether or not it’s from Washington state. Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties are basically an extension of the Oregon coast, climate-wise. The areas that abut the larger part of the San Francisco Bay also have relatively cool summers for California. Same goes if the car spent its entire life in the Lake Tahoe region, or elsewhere in the Sierras.

OTOH eastern WA can have warm summers. Pasco’s average high temperature in July is 93 degrees, and Wenatchee’s is 89.

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For the OP, even within the SF Bay Area, there's a HUGE variance in high and typical summer temps. See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=533224#p533224.

If all things are equal, a Leaf in cooler cities like city of SF, Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, etc. would be far better off in terms of degradation than one that was in the South Bay like South San Jose, Gilroy or Morgan Hill or roasted in Walnut Creek, Concord, Dublin or Livermore.

And, as I said, Pacifica to Walnut Creek is 38 miles. On that summer day, it hit 55 F in Pacifica vs. 95 F in Walnut Creek.

LeftieBiker said:

For short trips an 11 bar 2014 should be fine. Since you don't need DC Quick Charge, look for one with Premium package for extra parking convenience. No Premium and 11 bars means you should offer the least you think they might take. You can also include 11 bar '13s built AFTER March of 2013, although they are unlikely to have any 5yr powertrain warranty left.

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You don't need any premium package. He just likes it. The dealer will try to jump up the price by a couple of thousands... We can all happily drive our cars forever without "4 WAY CAMERAS". That is the biggest tech joke in cars not adays for people who do not know how to drive....

I would go for the Quick Charge package. If the car doesn't have the QC, then you could talk the price down $1k or so... As the car gets older, and there will be more quick charge stations, you will be able to use the quick stop and then you are on your way convenience...

Thanks for the inputs everyone.
No bites on my ice ad yet.

But there are far more 2015 sv than 2014 sv available.

I may go test drive one tomorrow.

Are CPO models worth the premium?

They have an extended drivetrain warranty, but if you just want the warranty to last long enough for you to make sure the car isn't defective, maybe not, as a 2015 has a drivetrain warranty that runs out in 2019.

There is a guy in our Facebook group trying to sell his 2014 SL in Kirkland, WA with less than 33K and about 90% SOH on it for $11K. He is moving and is very motivated to sell, too.

I have to get rid of my car first... or trade it in.
So buying from a private party doesn't work for me at the moment...
But thanks for letting me know.


That is an awesome price, btw, compared to what I have found on carguru and autotrader.

Is this normal wrinkle on the bottom of steering wheel?

IIRC, yes. The gaps are also normal.

Just bought one!!

I ended up buying a 2015 Leaf S in an excellent condition.
I test drove a few leafs at a dealer and this one felt just right.
I talked a lot with the very helpful owner of the place. and for my 25mile daily use, an S trim will work great with 110V outlet at home.

Thank you all for the help. Your replies helped me a lot. I did not feel completely lost going in.

I got a good price on the trade in also.

tesleaf said:

Just bought one!!

I ended up buying a 2015 Leaf S in an excellent condition.
I test drove a few leafs at a dealer and this one felt just right.
I talked a lot with the very helpful owner of the place. and for my 25mile daily use, an S trim will work great with 110V outlet at home.

Thank you all for the help. Your replies helped me a lot. I did not feel completely lost going in.

I got a good price on the trade in also.

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I'm looking at 2015 S this weekend and I also only drive about 25 miles a day, so we'll see what happens.

FYI, I paid $11300 otd. 33k miles 1 owner. Clean carfax. 12 bars.
No sales tax because I traded in a car that was worth more.
When I got home it had 13% left and it was fully charged overnight on 110V outlet.
Driving to work 12 miles mostly freeway took it down to 85% from 100%.

edit: It also has QC port.

tesleaf said:

FYI, I paid $11300 otd. 33k miles 1 owner. Clean carfax.
No sales tax because I traded in a car that was worth more.
When I got home it had 13% left and it was fully charged overnight on 110V outlet.
Driving to work 12 miles mostly freeway took it down to 85% from 100%.

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In that case don't recharge it every night. Wait until it's at least below 50% charge. That's better for the battery.

Maybe after I get over the range anxiety.

Congrats on the new car, hope you enjoy it for a long time. Great login name BTW :mrgreen:

tesleaf said:

Maybe after I get over the range anxiety.

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Then charge when it's below 75-80%. Charging from above 80% often isn't good for the battery.