Leaf lease cheaper for me than driving current gas car?

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JeremyW

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 13, 2011
Messages
1,575
Location
San Gabriel, CA
On gas alone, I don't think so. My monthly average is $213 in 87 regular into my mom's old Honda CR-V. It's a 2002 with 163k on it and still running strong. I had for a long time wanted to get an older VW Golf or Jetta TDI, but the used market is small, and I'm worried about part costs (I'd do all the labor), and how it would save me from high oil prices- but for how long? I'm a hypermiler, and I regularly get 27 mpg in the CR-V (record is 30.5 tank average). I think I'd adapt well to the Leaf. :)

I see the CR-V's going for pretty good price used, I think now would be the time to sell it, when it is running strong and the suspension isn't worn out. Honda's run forever and this one has been well maintained. My mom also offered to pay for 6 months of my insurance and help me buy something in the $4k range if I sold her CR-V for her. I'm pretty sure leasing is the cheapest option for someone like me who can't qualify for the $7,500 tax rebate. Everything "due at lease signing" would be less then $4,000 I hope. Haven't sprung the idea on her though.

That being said, let me give you an intro to me! I'm Jeremy Whaling, a recent electrical engineering graduate from UC Irvine, and currently live in Laguna Hills. I am obsessed with solar power, good quality cfl's, and (increasingly) electric cars. I'm also in to ham radio, KG6JAD is my call. Down the road, I can see myself designing a solar array and charger to charge my leaf. Unfortunately I'm out of a job at the moment but I'm making connections and sending resumes out. I was reading in a power electronics magazine that a third of the recent engineering graduates are out of work, so I know I'm not alone.

I know I have a lot to read on this board. Realistically I won't be getting a Leaf till at least a month or two after I get a job, so I'll have to live through you guys going through the joy of early adoption. Maybe there will be a public Level 3 charger between here and LA by then. :roll: When I was working last I had a hell of a commute and was going through almost $100 a week in gas. If I end up in a situation like that for some reason, I know the Leaf will be the best option! :mrgreen:
 
JeremyW said:
That being said, let me give you an intro to me! I'm Jeremy Whaling, a recent electrical engineering graduate from UC Irvine, and currently live in Laguna Hills.

Congrats on your degree; may it bring you a life time of earnings and enjoyment.

Do you have any expertise in power transformers, and electric codes for buildings and industry?
 
I'd be wary of getting a Leaf until you know where you'll be working, the charging situation there (if any) and know whether its range will work for your commute. You might end up having get someone to take over your lease if it doesn't work for you.

I'm in that boat myself as I left my job last year and live pretty far from everything. I'm shying away from leasing or buying a Leaf as my 2nd car (even though I can afford it w/o issue) until I know its range can work for my to/from work commute.

Older VW == not very good reliability. Go take a look at a Consumer Reports auto buying guide at the newsstand of a bookstore. And, diesel costs more most of the year than unleaded regular. I'd suggest you consider a used Prius, but nothing older than a 2nd gen (04-09) model year that has was purchased, registered and operated in CA (or other CARB state) so that you get the 10 year/150K mile HV battery warranty and 15 year/150K mile emissions warranty.

Unfortunately, I doubt you can get any 2nd gen Prius that isn't a salvage title (not recommended) for $4K and I'd suggest you'd generally steer clear of 1st gens. Since you were thinking of leasing a Leaf, how about leasing a '11 Prius? I see some deals at http://southerncalifornia.buyatoyota.com/Specials/SpecialOffersDetails.aspx?series=prius" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. (I've always bought and never leased.)

If you hypermile and your drives are long enough, 50+ mpg should be no problem on a 2nd or 3rd gen. You can aim for achievements like http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05220/550484.stm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; or http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-hybrid-ev-alt-fuel-news/62944-1000-mile-tank-highway-challenge-japanese-hybrid-drivers-2.html#post869160" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. :) Special fueling technique: http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-hybrid-ev-alt-fuel-news/62944-1000-mile-tank-highway-challenge-japanese-hybrid-drivers.html#post868854" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; :D
 
JeremyW said:
That being said, let me give you an intro to me! I'm Jeremy Whaling, a recent electrical engineering graduate from UC Irvine, and currently live in Laguna Hills.
Welcome. I'm UCI Class of '77 with a BS in ICS!
 
cwerdna said:
I'd be wary of getting a Leaf until you know where you'll be working, the charging situation there (if any) and know whether its range will work for your commute. You might end up having get someone to take over your lease if it doesn't work for you.

Sigh, ya I know. :roll:

I do like the idea of the prius if I get stuck with a longer commute.... but luckily my current living situation is somewhat temporary until I find a job, so I'll probably move close to wherever I end up working. There's a job on coulomb tech (charge point) for a Customer Support Engineer that I could totally do. :lol: http://www.coulombtech.com/about-careers.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I just keep telling myself the longer I wait the better the charging infrastructure will get. :roll: DC fast chargers are quite the game changer. I wonder in ten years if we will be steering people away from the first gen leafs!

TonyWilliams said:
Congrats on your degree; may it bring you a life time of earnings and enjoyment.
Do you have any expertise in power transformers, and electric codes for buildings and industry?
Thanks. :)
I don't have a specialty on my EE, but I do know my fair share about power and a bit of the electrical codes. What I know mostly pertains to solar grid-tie setups and such. I also love the history of electronics so I tend to explain the war of the currents and how AC power is generated and distributed to people who don't care. :lol:

I've been a ham for a long time (since I was 12 so a bit over 10 years now), so communications systems runs in my blood. I guess you can say that's what I'm really good at. I still help some of the undergrads on campus as communications team lead for our little cubesat satellite project. I've been getting into switching mode power supplies and solar cell research like crazy over the last year or so.

I'm always learning though...I don't think any of us ever stop learning. :geek:
 
JeremyW said:
There's a job on coulomb tech (charge point) for a Customer Support Engineer that I could totally do.

Well I had a phone interview with Coulomb Tech today, they should get back to me soon. :)
 
Title should now read: Leaf not economically feasible for me yet! :p

I'm still quite the lurker on here, researching and continuing to follow what others are doing. This site has some truly gifted engineers. I love being able to see (and hopefully soon be a part of) the future of technology. Almost makes up for the lack of girls in this major. :lol:

As far as my car goes, I think I know what I'm eventually going to do. I want a first gen Honda Insight. I know it isn't a second gen Prius like cwerdna mentioned, but I could potentially find something drivable for less (there's a $4k one out in Diamond Bar on craigslist with no battery health stated, and a 6,500 one that had its pack replaced 40,000 miles ago). Secretly though, the main reason is that I could actually get a stick shift hybrid. One of the (few) things that I do not like about the CR-V or the Prius is that it is an automatic. My first two cars were stick ('78 Volvo 242 and a '97 BMW 318ti), and my left foot feels like it has nothing to do, although the feeling is fainter now. The awesomeness of stick shift driving along with decent mpg could hold me over until I've paid off most of my student debt and I could wait till Tennessee is producing Leafs like hotcakes if I have to. :mrgreen:

Ok now you can tell me how this is a horrible idea. :) My main concerns are the battery health and me being 6'3". Although I do love me a small car, and I would be searching for essentially one that only had a "functioning" pack that would allow the engine to run. Even running 100% on gas I would still crush my 23 mpg that I have been getting lately (too many short trips). I believe I would have similar concerns about the battery in a Prius of similar cost.

As a side note, I'm amazed at how lithium ion technology has come down in price, so much so that most ev conversion people are suggesting going to it over lead acid, as the cost of replacements every 2 years plus possible suspension upgrades negates much of the initial savings.
 
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