cgaydos
Well-known member
Rat said:All in all I'm very happy with the purchase of the car. It's peppy, reliable, cheap to operate, handles great, is fun to drive and is the perfect size and has good range for my family. However, to answer the OP's question, I wish I had known:
1. that Level 1 charging at home would easily fit my needs;
2. that the "free" EVSE from The EV Project would costs almost $3,000;
3. that QC stations in my area would take so long to roll out and would be so unreliable;
4. that the backup camera and photovoltaic cells on the SL would be so useless;
Based on these factors, I wish I had stuck with my original decision to buy the SV, but I let myself be talked into upgrading to the SL. However, I have the 2011 and these factors may not apply to you and may not be true on later models. In addition, perhaps the infrastructure will appear before the useful life of the car is gone and the decision to upgrade will pay off after all.
All good points, but for someone acquiring a 2013, a few notes may be helpful. First, the SV/SL distinction in 2011/2012 was completely different than what it is for 2013. Second, in 2011 home charging options were new and generally way overpriced - the options today are also completely different and generally much cheaper. Third, the backup camera in the earlier years has been replaced by a lesser (I'm told) backup camera in the S-model and an optional all-around-view system in the higher models that is getting very good reviews. (And for the record, we love the backup camera in the older LEAFs - it's perfect for our parking situation.)