Buying a Leaf with 200 000 km on it

[mikkopoika]

I'm looking into buying a Leaf as my first electric car. With gasoline cars 200 000 km on it would be a big no-no, if it's needed daily. But what about electric cars? There's a 2018 Leaf with 40kWh battery and about 180 000 km on the Odo. In looking for a car that would get around 20 000 km on a year in it.

So the question: What is the no-no -level on Electric cars and Leafs specifically?

 

[LeftieBiker]

Welcome. Here's a link to my used Leaf buying guide. It's written for the Gen 1.x Leaf shopper, but if you look at the first few subsequent posts, I also tried to do a quick guide for the Gen II.

https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=538030#p538030

 

[mikkopoika]

Thank you!

 

[LeftieBiker]

It looks like the mini-guide for Gen II is farther back than I thought. I'll try to find it.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Here it is, from page 8:

I really need to write up a guide for the Gen 2, but in short:

* There were a significant number of bad or weak cells in the 2018 Leafs. Use LeafSpy Pro to check the battery of any prospective Leaf. Bad or weak cells will show much lower voltages than the rest of the pack on the voltage histogram chart. LS also gives the maximum difference in voltage between cells. If that voltage is over 50mv, be concerned. Smaller differences are normal.

* The 2018 Leaf has more issues with Pro Pilot than do later model years. The front radar units can ice up or fail from exposure to a lot of moisture. Nissan only replaces them when they throw error codes.

* Starting in, I believe, 2021, the accelerator pedal mapping was changed. Eco mode is now very underpowered, and Normal/D mode is also wimpier. I've gone from driving in Eco 90% of the time to driving in D mode most of the time.

* Starting in 2019 or 2020, the pedestrian warning sound (VSP) was made louder. It bothers some people, sounding a bit like the sonar sounds you hear in submarine movies. It is no longer adjustable/muteable, IIRC.

 

[dhyatt]

I'm looking into buying a Leaf as my first electric car. With gasoline cars 200 000 km on it would be a big no-no, if it's needed daily. But what about electric cars? There's a 2018 Leaf with 40kWh battery and about 180 000 km on the Odo. In looking for a car that would get around 20 000 km on a year in it.

So the question: What is the no-no -level on Electric cars and Leafs specifically?

Soon we expect refurbished batteries.. that is when they take several bad batteries and make N-1 good batteries. These might cost $1,000 or more.. but expect them to last tens of thousands of miles. The market price in US is about $2,000 for a 2015 with that many miles.

 

[Jbechtold]

Welcome. Here's a link to my used Leaf buying guide. It's written for the Gen 1.x Leaf shopper, but if you look at the first few subsequent posts, I also tried to do a quick guide for the Gen II.

https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=538030#p538030

Great guide, thank you! My only caveat is NEVER trust the capacity bars. I've had 5 Leafs, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2018, & 2020. None of them ever showed less than 12 bars, even at as low as 73% capacity actually remaining. One of the 2018's with a bad module that caused dead on the side of the road still registered 12 bars capacity. I have no idea how people get replacement warranty batteries. There are 8 dealerships within 50 miles of me, and they all say the same thing. "It charges, it drives, no error codes...no warranty!"

 

[Dooglas]

So the question: What is the no-no -level on Electric cars and Leafs specifically?

It looks like no one answered your actual question. The answer is that the primary issue with used EVs is battery condition, not the number of miles on the odometer. If the vehicle is in good to excellent condition and has recently had its traction battery replaced, then you are likely good to go even with high mileage. If the battery health gauge on the dash is down several bars or the LeafSpy SOH reading is in the 70s or lower, you don't want to have anything to do with the vehicle. And there are judgement calls in between.