baustin said:
That doesn't tell you anything about the battery health, only about how the car has been driven since the counter was last reset. I would expect that number to normally be around 4 miles per kwh. The dash counter on mine shows 3.9, and the one in the Nav shows 4.5. I have never reset them, and I am not the most economical driver. It could possibly be a sign that the BMS has been reset (whether on purpose or through a software update) which would cause the capacity bars to show as 12, even if the battery is degraded. The battery capacity bars are a more important indicator than the Miles per kwh.
My advice on buying a Leaf is to find a 2013 or newer (SV or SL) model. Check the sticker on the door and buy one that was manufactured 4/13 or later. Check the battery state using LeafSpy. Try to avoid one that has spent its life in a warm climate. Make sure they have the SD card for the NAV system and prove that it works before purchase. Check the CarFax report for anything odd. Take the VIN number to a Nissan Service location and get the service history for the vehicle (or call the Nissan EV line and ask them 877-NOGASEV).
Fill in the location in your profile and we can give answers more tailored to your region of the world, especially concerning 2011/2012 Leafs.
Many many thanks for this important points and consolidating them
Currently there are many Lease returns in the market.
1) I noticed the car-fax shows the car service history , and for some cars , there are hardly any service records. Either the records are missing or the Lease owners did not bother to get them serviced. Does this matter ? Should this be a deal breaker ?
2) Whats the deal with this SD card? Is there special SD card / software , or do i need to get my own SD card with mp3 songs ?
3) To Check the battery state using LeafSpy, do i need the paid version called "LeafSpy" for 9.99 ?
4) Anything specific i need to ask the Nissan EV line / 877-NOGASEV ? what questions ?
5) I test drove a leaf with 2013 SV , 18K miles with Ok tires. It was not enjoyable ( I confess, i had recently driven a new kia EV, which made the old leaf specially unappealing. The Kia seamed very stable and well built. The B mode very was strong).
The car seamed to have build quality issues, and i could hear suspension noise and squeeks even at low speeds.
Is this normal. i wonder why at just 18k, the car did not feel solid, and felt worn out. Should i even consider a car of 35K miles ?