Are you sorry you bought a Leaf?

[JennyLeaf]

Just received it on Friday, but so far I Love It!! Absolutely no regrets.

 

[thankyouOB]

bought what?
All I got was a webtool and a promise.
A Vin and an iPhone app.
hahahahahhahahhahahahhahha

 

[derkraut]

Not sorry in the least. The car is endlessly fascinating to own and to drive. The quality seems to be excellent. The car is fun to drive and very smooth and silent, spacious and comfortable. I've had no issues so far.

On top of all of that, with the solar powerplant located on my roof making more power than we use at the house, I'll be driving 12,000 or more miles each year and paying NOTHING for gas OR electricity.

Just to keep everything in perspective: So....I guess you got that 5.16kw Sunpower Solar Roof for free? :roll:

 

[TRONZ]

The LEAF is wonderful! I had a feeling it would be a great car to own after our test drives. If the current range fits your lifestyle then not only is it a no compromise choice but has huge advantages over gas car performance and their unstable economics.

 

[IBELEAF]

Right now everyone is in their honeymoon with their Leafs, so I would say check back with your question in a year or so... Results might be similar, but at least everyone will get a better idea if something bothering them about the purchase

 

[DarkStar]

The only regret I have is driving an ICE for the previous 16 years of my driving life! My next vehicle will definitely be an EV too. Just saw the Tesla Model S on tour here in Portland on Saturday... The wife said she would like one in red! Now to figure out how to afford one! :shock:

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

The people coming to this forum, first, aren't likely to be the sorry buyers, right?

You'd get a different response if you wait a few months and poll the folks with listings in AutoTrader. That's where they would be posting.

I'm just saying that this is going to net one skewed perspective of people who (A) still have their cars, (B) spend time studying up on a forum, and (C) are motivated to post their thoughts.

 

[ERG4ALL]

As mentioned there is always a honeymoon period with a new car and that certainly has not worn off of ours yet. We've had it for almost 1,800 miles. We got it after seeing if it would meet our needs. Although advertised as 100 miles range we took that with a grain of salt and thought that it should meet our needs which is in the 50 mile round trip range.

So we got it and it meets our needs excellently. After I got accustomed to the LEAF and sharpened my skills we have started to venture out. I think this is a good thing to do. Try extending your range using new skills on increasing range, leaving some safety margin. That way after you have effectively defined your useful range you will have less range anxiety. We took ours to an event at a town 35 miles away over hilly terrain and 65 mph speed limits. Needless to say we didn't do 65 mph, but charged to 100% and came back with about 30 miles remaining and were able to set the cruise control at 55 mph on the way back.

Regarding charging the car, we have a 6.7 kWh PV array on our roof. Yes, it wasn't free but it was heavily subsidized by the utility (50% less income tax on the rebate) and 30% on Federal Income Tax. Between having only a $27.05 electric bill (for fixed non-generation charges) and saving over $500 per year on heat (because we switched from propane to heat pump heating and cooling) and saving about $200 per month on gasolene we figure our net outlay to pay back in about 5 years. I liken that to going to a bank and demanding a 20% return on your money and with increases in the next 25 years (as gas and electricity costs go up).

Thus, we couldn't be happier with the LEAF to round out our "going green".

 

[knightarmor]

I'm not getting on the list to get one until late 2012 and can't wait to get into one!!!!

 

[chuck58]

The number of replies to my Thread question has been very interesting.
All the responses have been very positive about the Leaf without any major disappointments in the vehicle. Maybe it is a skewed audience response
I was hoping to get some feedback positive and negative on the vehicle. It's not an electric Maserati.
No vehicle is perfect so there has to be some things that annoys owners.
Considering there only 500 vehicles delivered, the blog has thousands of posts. So it is generating a lot of conversation.
The Leaf has a nice niche market with the 100 mile +/- range.
No comments from the people who said the cabin stays very cold in the winter. How is the air conditioning system in Arizona now?
Can you put 4 adults in the car and still drive 80+ miles? Are you getting the distance you want out of the car?
Does anybody wish it would go 150-200 miles? Has anybody run out of juice on the road?
Do most people have the 220 Volt charging station in their garage?
Are you happy with hill climbing and handling in curves?
How will the battery life be after a year of steady charging and discharging?
Yes it is nice to whiz by a gas station relatively immune from the price of fuel. I say relatively because we all feel the high fuel prices in commodity prices, airfare, utility pricing, and anything that has to be transported via truck or airplane.
Ideally a Leaf and a nice small hybrid Prius or Civic, or if you have some extra money the Lexus CT200h should be in your garage. Use the hybrid for longer trips. Perfect solution for a 2 car family.

 

[Stoaty]

I was hoping to get some feedback positive and negative on the vehicle.

I think you should do a bit of research instead of expecting all of your questions to be answered in this thread. If you want the negative, see this thread:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3400

or, see the thread where people tell Nissan what they want fixed/improved:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3198

Can you put 4 adults in the car and still drive 80+ miles?

Simple research will tell you that this is marginal, since EPA range is 73 miles. It depends on how you drive, how much elevation, how fast, etc. There are threads on this.

How will the battery life be after a year of steady charging and discharging?

We will know in a year when the annual battery check is done.

Your thread title, "Are you sorry you bought a Leaf?" got the answer you were seeking. None of the participants here (obviously a biased sample) are sorry. Other concerns, wishes, etc. are found in other threads on the board.

 

[Googler]

I can't say I regret it completely, but there is also no way I would recommend it to a friend. I think it's accurate to say that I'm completely underwhelmed by it because I have a freeway commute that I was intending to use it for. The range on the freeway is pretty abysmal - about 70 miles under optimal conditions at the speed limit.

I have pretty much avoided posting to this forum because of the "fanboy" syndrome that tries to drown out all rational discussion about the disadvantages of an electric vehicle. I'm sure that there are many people who feel that their needs are fulfilled by this vehicle, but you should carefully consider whether it meets your needs before completing the purchase. I am planning to sell mine once I receive my carpool stickers, and I'll probably suffer a loss on it.

 

[smkettner]

ALL those questions on your list have been thoroughly discussed. Keep reading you find them all.

 

[Stoaty]

I'm sure that there are many people who feel that their needs are fulfilled by this vehicle, but you should carefully consider whether it meets your needs before completing the purchase.

That goes without saying. The Leaf isn't for everyone. If you can't get most of your usage in trips of 60 miles or less between charging sessions, the Leaf probably isn't for you, unless you don't mind driving conservatively/relatively slowly (55 MPH). In that case you may get 80-100 miles. There are many threads here stressing that the "100 miles range" is under specified conditions that may not apply to many peoples driving. That is why the EPA estimate of 73 miles is more of a real world number for the average driver. For those who have longer drives at higher speeds, the Prius is probably a better choice. For me, the Leaf is the perfect companion to my Toyota Camry and my brothers Prius, because I drive 40 miles round trip to work and take longer trips on the weekend (which I still may be able to use the Leaf for, but I am not counting on it). Evaluate your own situation carefully before purchasing the first generation Leaf.

 

[sparky]

I suppose I wouldn't recommend it to friend who does 70 mi/day freeway driving. But, I did my research, read what NIssan posted about how much range varies and didn't try to push the range envelope. That said:

I was hoping to get some feedback positive and negative on the vehicle. It's not an electric Maserati.

No it's not an electric Maserati, it's a much bigger deal. It's, finally, an electric car that is reasonably priced, practical and still pretty fun to drive.
Am I sorry my rooftop, cleanly, quietly and cheaply supplies the g-force to push my butt around town instead of paying Exxon/BP/Arco? Gee, no.
Am I sorry my kids have all ridden in or driven a clean, efficient means of transport so convenient they can actually envision transportation without $1B/day exported for oil? Nup.
Finally, I feel I landed in that zone where I keep rolling 7's; Great price, free fuel, cheap to insure, $7500 gift, $5k gift, watching $4.20 gas signs roll by… someone up there likes me.
Am I sorry, my wife now considers it her car and good luck getting it back?… well, a tad.
Granted, I live in the EV sweet spot (SoCal) where the climate and driving conditions can easily nurture a few million sunshine powered cars. I'm just so glad to get an early start.

When there are 10 mass produced EVs to choose from (hopefully in a few short years) this thread title might make me think about about my purchase. Until then, I'll just have to keep smilin'. /fanboy

 

[Boomer23]

Not sorry in the least. The car is endlessly fascinating to own and to drive. The quality seems to be excellent. The car is fun to drive and very smooth and silent, spacious and comfortable. I've had no issues so far.

On top of all of that, with the solar powerplant located on my roof making more power than we use at the house, I'll be driving 12,000 or more miles each year and paying NOTHING for gas OR electricity.

Just to keep everything in perspective: So....I guess you got that 5.16kw Sunpower Solar Roof for free? :roll:

Why no, derkraut, it wasn't free, how'd you manage to deduce that? :roll:

It cost me about as much as my Prius.

Instead of being free, it has given my family an electric bill of exactly zero for over four years, and will continue to do so for the next 20 plus years, regardless of how electric rates rise. In addition, it has added to my home's resale value an amount probably equal to the system's cost to me. So it was, and is, a done deal and self-funding home improvement long before an EV was in the cards.

So I choose not to include the cost of the system in my calculations. The existence of a TOU rate plan makes the combination of EV and PV a clear winner.

The title of this thread is whether we're sorry we bought a LEAF. No, I'm not. :roll:

 

[cdub]

So I choose not to include the cost of the system in my calculations. The existence of a TOU rate plan makes the combination of EV and PV a clear winner.

Yes, PV panels are my next big investment as well... but one step a time.

 

[Boomer23]

So I choose not to include the cost of the system in my calculations. The existence of a TOU rate plan makes the combination of EV and PV a clear winner.

Yes, PV panels are my next big investment as well... but one step a time.

Great plan!

 

[EVDrive]

In looking at the long posts and threads of problems and dealer ineptitude is anyone regretting their purchase of the Leaf?
I have my $99.00 deposit in for 10 months. No roll out on the east coast yet which maybe has been good for me to see what others are experiencing.
Don't get me wrong, i am on board with the whole electric car idea and want to be an early adopter.

Regrets... Are you kidding, the Leaf drives like a tech guys gas free mobility dream come true. The GPS is 1000 times better that my Garmin and way better than my phone (which works great as well). Phone/USB drive music connectivity works like a charm. The stereo sounds excellent for a low watt system. It is not a BOSE but who cares except people who like to complain. The bluetooth connection to my Android phone is easy to set up and works exceptionally well. I can call from my car truly hands free with Voice Commands and verbally operate the GPS. The car remembers each charge spot I plug into which is cool.

It drives just like my 08 Prius without the engine sound plus it lacks all the wind noise. It's quit and super comfortable to drive even on the rough Bay Area freeways. Of course it doesn't go 400 miles on a tank like my Prius but that is the point. HAHA, there's no poison air generating gas tank and engine.

As for the range on the freeway...
55-57mph on the freeway gives me the advertized 99miles of range when it's 65 degrees without AC in ECO mode.
69-75mph on the freeway gives me 60-70 miles of aggressive driving range in a headwind. Works out great for me.
I'm using it to commute 100 miles a day to work (I have several L2 chargers there .

I like the fact that the car calculates how far I can go at my present rate of battery consumption. So if I have farther to go then I can drive more gingerly and make it. I keep an eye on the 12 bars of battery charge to avoid range confusion like when I'm going up a steep hill and the range estimate temporarily drops to 60 miles based on current driving conditions with 11 of 12 bars left (2kw/bar = 24kw total). The GPS also tells you if you can make the location you pick with the current battery power level which is cool. If you have a long ways to go, you can pick a charger location on the way as a detour.

The only thing I didn't like so far is that the optional floor mats stink so much that I had to take them out of the car. I washed them, that didn't help. So I plan to leave them in the sun to bake until they finish off-gassing all the VOC's. Now I am using $15 one size fits all mats from Ross (not a perfect fit but they don't stink like crazy). I also plan to buy seat covers so I can keep the light colored seats like new for years to come. The fabric is very similar in quality to my prius (I plan to buy seat covers for that car as well to keep it nice).

The Blue Leaf stands out in a crowd unlike the other colored cars which some owners report go unnoticed. When I park it out in the wild, I have a constant stream of people asking how and where I got the car.

Sure, heated seats would have been nice, and a bigger battery, and ultra premium BOSE sound. But I wasn't willing to wait moths or years for all that jazz and I am glad that I didn't.

Thanks Nissan for making a the real deal.

Go Leaf!

EVDrive
Blue SL
Off the Gas Since 4/20/2011

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I can't say I regret it completely, but there is also no way I would recommend it to a friend. I think it's accurate to say that I'm completely underwhelmed by it because I have a freeway commute that I was intending to use it for. The range on the freeway is pretty abysmal - about 70 miles under optimal conditions at the speed limit.

I have pretty much avoided posting to this forum because of the "fanboy" syndrome that tries to drown out all rational discussion about the disadvantages of an electric vehicle. I'm sure that there are many people who feel that their needs are fulfilled by this vehicle, but you should carefully consider whether it meets your needs before completing the purchase. I am planning to sell mine once I receive my carpool stickers, and I'll probably suffer a loss on it.

so you read Nissan's range predictions, the EPA estimates then went out and bought a car you knew would not cover your apparently one and only need?

your comment about your hesitancy to post invites derision.

there has been a few posts here with "valid" concerns here by people who received great information relating to their concerns. now some were enlightened, others did not find an acceptable solution, but they tried.

not all responses will be accepted or on topic or even "nice". that is LIFE.

if you want a "yes" forum, create a blog with no option to respond