Australian release of Nissan LEAF

[mxp]

I'm from Melbourne, so the weather isn't that hot at all. Very short summers I'd say.

But waiting for the next model seems like a better idea, I'd much prefer a darker interior trim.

Can't you do a import? It's prolly cheaper.

BTW, a month ago, due to some personal circumstances I was almost at a point of considering shipping both my Leafs back to Melbourne and drive it as a "left-hand-drive vehicle". I didn't do the research yet as to how Vicroads would deal with this situation but I did find some Aussie bloke who would ship a vehicle from LA to Melbourne for around $3,500. His mate is in Lilydale which would be perfect for me since I be able to easily drive the Leaf home from Lilydale to Rowville.

http://www.gmh-torana.com.au/forums/topic/52101-shipping-from-la-to-melbourne/page__st__25" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The other situation is import taxes of which I would be exempt since there is a exclusion for ex-pats returning home to Australia and them bringing home their cars. I recall somebody mentioning that import duties are quite low so assuming you could buy a Leaf for around $25k almost new with 3,000 miles or so, plus shipping and taxes maybe totalling around USD$32k still way cheaper than buying it from Oz. The other dis-comfort is the left hand drive...

 

[edatoakrun]

I'm from Melbourne, so the weather isn't that hot at all. Very short summers I'd say.

But waiting for the next model seems like a better idea, I'd much prefer a darker interior trim.

Can't you do a import? It's prolly cheaper.

BTW, a month ago, due to some personal circumstances I was almost at a point of considering shipping both my Leafs back to Melbourne and drive it as a "left-hand-drive vehicle". I didn't do the research yet as to how Vicroads would deal with this situation but I did find some Aussie bloke who would ship a vehicle from LA to Melbourne for around $3,500. His mate is in Lilydale which would be perfect for me since I be able to easily drive the Leaf home from Lilydale to Rowville.

http://www.gmh-torana.com.au/forums/topic/52101-shipping-from-la-to-melbourne/page__st__25" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The other situation is import taxes of which I would be exempt since there is a exclusion for ex-pats returning home to Australia and them bringing home their cars. I recall somebody mentioning that import duties are quite low so assuming you could buy a Leaf for around $25k almost new with 3,000 miles or so, plus shipping and taxes maybe totalling around USD$32k still way cheaper than buying it from Oz. The other dis-comfort is the left hand drive...

What are the possibilities of importing used RHD LEAFs from Japan?

Off-topic: Are Japanese BEVs subject to the same expensive inspection regimes that tend to send used Japanese ICEVs to junkyards or export markets, when still relatively "new"? I would think the simpler drive-train (and lower regulatory costs) of BEVs might tend to encourage Japanese BEV owners to keep their cars on the road, for longer than is typical for ICEVs.

 

[DownUnderLeaf]

Immpretty sure there are very strict import rules. Like you must have a dealer/trader license to import over a certain number of cars that are newer than a certain age.

As for bringing a car home with you I'm not sure that would work either as you need to have owned it overseas for a certain amount of time and then you have to be taking it back to where it came from after around a year or two.

Single imports that anyone can do must be of a certain age, something in the early 80's if I'm not mistaken at the moment.

BUT I did notice this press release from Nissan on Friday;

http://www.nissan.com.au/webpages/about/Press_Releases/20120622_NissanLEAF_NFSA_MR.PDF#zoom=100

$599 per month on a 3 year lease with a garunteed buy back. This is the first of its kind in Australia if it's available to normal consumers and not just business owners. So I'll be on the phone at opening time to ask how this wrongs and for the fine print!

At that price it's only $21 more per month than my Prius!!

 

[Beleaf]

So $599 per month or $599 per month plus charges, and what are the conditions?

If it's $599 per month and you can hand the keys back at the end and walk away, that's $21600 out of pocket, $7200 per year, plus running costs.

That's probably comparable to depreciation on an equivalent priced car. I guess the issue still remains if this car represents value at $58k on the road.

DownUnderLeaf, are your Prius payments over 3 years, and what is the residual? There are lots of things you can do with finance to keep the payments low but they all stack the bitter pills at the end of the term one way or another. Maybe Nissan is having a little bet with itself that it will be able to resell the used Leaf's (Leaves?) for good money...

 

[Beleaf]

Can't you do a import? It's prolly cheaper.

Private import is highly controlled. Apart from Duty, Stamp Duty, and GST charges, there is a list of suitable vehicles that has input from the vehicle manufacturers (tends not to allow private import of current models on the Australian market) For instance, we can private import the G45 (Skyline) because Nissan doesn't bring it to Aus.

So once you have permission to bring one in (unlikely for the Leaf), and the funds to buy the car, pay the freight and the taxes, then you have to have it complianced. It needs to meet the Australian Design Rules in force at the time of vehicle manufacture. Probably not much of an issue for the Leaf, but routinely things like Tyres need replacing and there may be issues with child safety mount points etc. Costs more $$, then you can register it and take it out on the road.

Driving LHD in a RHD country is painful. The only place you see it routinely in Australia is Alice Springs because there is a large contingent of US Armed Forces there who bring out their US cars and drive them locally. They have to take them back home with them too, or they'd be slugged costs as above...

 

[EdmondLeaf]

$599 per month on a 3 year lease with a garunteed buy back. This is the first of its kind in Australia if it's available to normal consumers and not just business owners.

so there was no lease available for regular customers just business owners, right?

 

[DownUnderLeaf]

So $599 per month or $599 per month plus charges, and what are the conditions?

If it's $599 per month and you can hand the keys back at the end and walk away, that's $21600 out of pocket, $7200 per year, plus running costs.

That's probably comparable to depreciation on an equivalent priced car. I guess the issue still remains if this car represents value at $58k on the road.

DownUnderLeaf, are your Prius payments over 3 years, and what is the residual? There are lots of things you can do with finance to keep the payments low but they all stack the bitter pills at the end of the term one way or another. Maybe Nissan is having a little bet with itself that it will be able to resell the used Leaf's (Leaves?) for good money...

Well...

Car price $57212
DEPOSIT $23004
Buy back $20620
Monthly payment $599
Max 45,000km over 3yrs.
So your put of pocket $44568 over 3 years. Crazy!

Ahhhh this still does not make it appealing. I can't believe they want almost 50% deposit!!

My Prius is over 4yrs with a 40% ballon of about $14000 with payments at $580 per month with no deposit. All on an interest rate of 3.9%.

 

[DownUnderLeaf]

$599 per month on a 3 year lease with a garunteed buy back. This is the first of its kind in Australia if it's available to normal consumers and not just business owners.

so there was no lease available for regular customers just business owners, right?

No it's available to anyone they said.

 

[Beleaf]

Car price $57212
DEPOSIT $23004
Buy back $20620
Monthly payment $599
Max 45,000km over 3yrs.
So your put of pocket $44568 over 3 years. Crazy!

Ahhhh this still does not make it appealing. I can't believe they want almost 50% deposit!!

My Prius is over 4yrs with a 40% ballon of about $14000 with payments at $580 per month with no deposit. All on an interest rate of 3.9%.

Ignoring interest charges and costs, you are out of pocket for:

$599/month ($21564)
deposit $23004
SubTotal $44568
Less Buyback $20620
Total $23948 <--- Total out of pocket assuming you don't come to grief with the Buyback km's or conditions.

The lease payments are roughly as small as your Prius payments because they're only financing $34k, about the same as you paid for your Prius!

 

[DownUnderLeaf]

Car price $57212
DEPOSIT $23004
Buy back $20620
Monthly payment $599
Max 45,000km over 3yrs.
So your put of pocket $44568 over 3 years. Crazy!

Ahhhh this still does not make it appealing. I can't believe they want almost 50% deposit!!

My Prius is over 4yrs with a 40% ballon of about $14000 with payments at $580 per month with no deposit. All on an interest rate of 3.9%.

Ignoring interest charges and costs, you are out of pocket for:

$599/month ($21564)
deposit $23004
SubTotal $44568
Less Buyback $20620
Total $23948 <--- Total out of pocket assuming you don't come to grief with the Buyback km's or conditions.

The lease payments are roughly as small as your Prius payments because they're only financing $34k, about the same as you paid for your Prius!

Hmm, I like the way you think, I did however get the impression the 'buy back' was some what of a residual that you wouldn't have to pay instead they take the car back. Not literally them giving you $20620 cash for the car...

 

[Beleaf]

What, so you pay the deposit and the monthly, and at the end of 3 years you give them back the car and a cheque for another 20k?

Sounds too good (for them) to be true... :mrgreen:

 

[DownUnderLeaf]

What, so you pay the deposit and the monthly, and at the end of 3 years you give them back the car and a cheque for another 20k?

Sounds too good (for them) to be true... :mrgreen:

No no, the car is the cheque. So you lose all that money and then no car. If you want to keep the car you pay them the 20k.

Like I said, that's the impression I got.

 

[Beleaf]

No no, the car is the cheque. So you lose all that money and then no car. If you want to keep the car you pay them the 20k.

Like I said, that's the impression I got.

Sounds right if you intend to keep it after the end of the 3yr lease:

Car price $57212
DEPOSIT $23004
Buy back $20620
Monthly payment $599
Max 45,000km over 3yrs.

Keep Car at end of lease costs:
23004 Deposit
21564 payments
20620 Buyback
65188 Total outgoings to lease over 3 years and buy at end.

Of course, always assuming Nissan allow you to buy the car for the guaranteed buyback price...

Quote from Ratecity (random Australian car loan calculator)

$57212 over 3 years, variable, secured.
Cheapest is cua, 1811.09/month, $65199.24 over 3 years

Or Lease from Stratton (again random selection from Google)

Loan amount (inc. GST): $57,212.00
Term: 3 years
Residual (inc. GST): $20,000.00
Interest rate: 8.50 %

Monthly repayment: $1,188.27 (plus GST of $118.83)
Total in GST: $47055.50 + Balloon $20k = $67055

Ha! Looks like any finance is going to cost about the same (at best) out of pocket.

Lastly, to mimic Nissan's deal, Lease 34208 over 3 years with a 20620 balloon, and add the deposit to the total costs. (don't know if anyone would do this for you, but just to compare apples with apples:

Loan amount (inc. GST): $34,208.00
Term: 3 years
Residual (inc. GST): $20,620.00
Interest rate: 8.50 %

Monthly repayment: $519.05 (plus GST of $51.90)
Total: $20554.38 inc GST + 23004 Deposit + 20620 residual = $64178

Considering the Nissan deal is guaranteed buy back, if you need buyback security and finance, and you don't need to borrow the deposit, it's not too bad methinks.

 

[DownUnderLeaf]

Agreed the Nissan lease is a good price overall after accepting the high initial price!

It's just the requirement for such a high deposit that I'm not interested in.

I'd much prefer they throw their 2.7% comparison rate at it like their other models.

 

[mxp]

Agreed the Nissan lease is a good price overall after accepting the high initial price!

It's just the requirement for such a high deposit that I'm not interested in.

I'd much prefer they throw their 2.7% comparison rate at it like their other models.

Perhaps leasing in Australia is the best route. I recall many years ago, there was Novated leasing which helps from a taxation point of view. I am not sure if that is still the norm.

And, I wonder if battery health is also factored in after 3 years when you return the vehicle. I am certain given normal driving and charging, one should not see any degradation within 3 years unless you're QC'ing 4 times per day...

 

[DownUnderLeaf]

The day finally arrived.

Our new LEAF is happily charging in the garage as I post!

Nissan offered some heavy discounts and competitive 0% - 5% interest rates.

I'm happy to report I paid a lot less that the initial price. Very close in fact to the US MSRP!!

*happy dancing around the house*

 

[RegGuheert]

Congratulations!

 

[EdmondLeaf]

The day finally arrived.

Our new LEAF is happily charging in the garage as I post!

Nissan offered some heavy discounts and competitive 0% - 5% interest rates.

I'm happy to report I paid a lot less that the initial price. Very close in fact to the US MSRP!!

*happy dancing around the house*

congrats, nice to hear that you got great deal

 

[aminorjourney]

Maybe you could snap us some photos of your spare tyre (tire) holder?

I'm in the UK, and curious about the Australian spare tyre holder as here in the UK, like, the US, we don't have one.

 

[mxp]

The day finally arrived.

Our new LEAF is happily charging in the garage as I post!

Nissan offered some heavy discounts and competitive 0% - 5% interest rates.

I'm happy to report I paid a lot less that the initial price. Very close in fact to the US MSRP!!

*happy dancing around the house*

Congrats! Sounds like you got a great deal.

Perhaps I am mis-reading your comment about "close to US MSRP".
Can you share some details of your deal? I assume the Australian MSRP was closer to $60k plus rego and GST?