Calif potential buyers: Wld you still buy w/o the CA rebate?

[palmermd]

I already have an EV, so I probably would have skipped over the Leaf in favor of keeping my current one and just waiting for one of the Infinity EV's or the Tesla Model S. But the rebates made it possible to purchase a Leaf while I wait for the next best thing.

 

[evnow]

Just feeling really crushed today; I mean the whole waiting patiently and seeing all the DB dates changing around etc etc. I reserved 04/23/2010 and I am supposed to take delivery 06/23/2011. It will be 1 year and 2 months of waiting just to miss out on the $5k rebate.

I just can't help feeling being at a really low point today..... :-(

I think that is very understandable.

I'd put it this way - you are still paying about the same price (or less) as a Prius. A car that is 10 years old - compared to the first affordable EV in a century.

 

[MsLusty]

I would be dissapointed but I would still buy. Dissapointed because it was 5,000 when I signed up.

Today was kinda a low point for me throughout the whole Nissan Leaf saga....

Just feeling really crushed today; I mean the whole waiting patiently and seeing all the DB dates changing around etc etc. I reserved 04/23/2010 and I am supposed to take delivery 06/23/2011. It will be 1 year and 2 months of waiting just to miss out on the $5k rebate.

I just can't help feeling being at a really low point today..... :-(

That's exactly the way I've felt all day long today

 

[gmuzhik]

I have been waiting 13 months since reserving and am expecting delivery on June 28th. The $5K funds will be gone tomorrow and I am very bummed. So much for reserving far in advance which did no good. I made the decision to buy based on getting the full rebate. To miss it by 10 days really kills my enthusiasm for the car. To go through all that waiting and hoping, to miss it by so little is very disappointing. It will take a while for my jealousy of those who did get it to subside. I'll probably still buy it but now I'm hoping for a reduction in the sales tax and vehicle license fee on July 1. If it is reduced, that will save me about $500 by waiting a few days. A small consolation prize but better that nothing.

 

[edatoakrun]

I picked up my 10/1 order LEAF a month ago, and (I called to check) My CA rebate was mailed today.

Every potential LEAF owner has their own cost/benefit analysis to make. In my own case it was a close decision, and, very possibly, I would not have leased (or bought) without the full rebate.

However, the experience of driving my LEAF over the last month has convinced me it would have been a good decision to buy, even With the reduced rebate. The car has flaws, but the LEAF has, overall, exceeded my expectations, and I would now consider it a good value, even at the higher net cost.

 

[JCBNJB]

It is interesting how much people evaluate the price for an EV. When was the last time you heard someone say they weren't going to buy a Ford Expedition, Porsche Cayenne, BMW, Volvo, Mercedes, etc. because there wasn't a $5,000 rebate to bring the price down. Be interesting to have the same detailed costs of ownership and why did you spend over $25,000 for your vehicle of all the existing gas vehicles that reatail for $25,000 or more...

Why'd I get it? It's a great car and it's a responsive, reliable, very easy to control and park, serene, economical (relatively) driving experience for me that is unmatched by any vibrating gasoline vehicle.

Totally agree. Rebate or no rebate the total cost of operating the car is expected to be cheaper than a similar ICE. Plus you get the benefit of doing your little part to save the planet and being the first wave of the change in the auto industry.

What a great story for the grandkids in 40 years ("You really used to drive a car that was powered by gas???" = to my kids saying "you never had a computer/ipod/color tv when you were a kid??") :lol: :lol:

 

[lincomatic]

For SharonaLA who mentioned SL-e $37,000 with tax, title and license, and the dealer $1,000 off MSRP, I don't know.

The typical SL deal looks like:
Base 33720.00
QC 700.00
Mats 170.00
Dest 820.00
MSRP 35410.00 plus $3,700 for Ca taxes and rego.

That is why I said $40k-ish out-the-door.

My SL was 37519.09 w/ $1000 off MSRP.

 

[GeekEV]

I would still buy it. Even without the rebate, it's still cheaper than the Volt, and a heck of a lot cheaper than a Tesla Roadster...

 

[Boomer23]

I would be dissapointed but I would still buy. Dissapointed because it was 5,000 when I signed up.

Today was kinda a low point for me throughout the whole Nissan Leaf saga....

Just feeling really crushed today; I mean the whole waiting patiently and seeing all the DB dates changing around etc etc. I reserved 04/23/2010 and I am supposed to take delivery 06/23/2011. It will be 1 year and 2 months of waiting just to miss out on the $5k rebate.

I just can't help feeling being at a really low point today..... :-(

That's exactly the way I've felt all day long today

Just a note of support, if only moral support, which is all I can offer, for those of you in this situation. I know that I'd be feeling very much the same as you do as we all watch the rebate funds diminish. I've had my share of disappointments, too, as I didn't qualify for one of the last hybrid car rebates because I put in my solar power system the same year and the one disqualified the other because of AMT limits. Then this year, again because of AMT and living in the high tax state of CA, I couldn't qualify for a tax credit for my EVSE installation. And those of us who are not in EV Project areas were not qualified for the free EVSE and free Quick Charge options. I had problems with the AMEX card issue on 4/20/10 as I tried to register for the LEAF, and I had my share of high stress discussions with Nissan CS, including at one point having two reservations and confusion regarding my account because of that.

I was lucky enough not to be a victim of Nissan's vendor's screw-up that mis-scheduled some of the Sept-Dec orders, nor a victim of Nissan's production scheduling peculiarities that caused some LEAFs to be rescheduled for later builds, and the quake/tsunami delays, so I do count myself very lucky and I'm not smug about it at all.

My hope for you folks is that you are eligible for some of the perks that I missed out on, that some of the tax and registration fee reductions will help you save a bit of money, and that you can still benefit from the great car that the LEAF is and from reduced operating costs over your period of ownership of the car, compared to an ICE car. It really is a wonderful, new kind of driving to experience, and hopefully missing this part of the rebate will become the same kind of memory that my own missed opportunities have been, not pleasant, but certainly not something that will sour your experience with driving electric.

 

[trentr]

In my case, I also have an ICE car to trade in being a factor for "total pricing" being considered.

To compensate a bit from the diminished CA rebate, never trade in your car. Sell it out right at Craigslist. Get it detailed at AJ's in SJ including the top of the engine bay and sell it for greater than 30% more, assuming good condition! In my case, $3.5K more. That's what I did for my ICE. The detailing expense is money well spent.

http://ajautodetailing.com

I went with the Connoissuer's Detail (includes top of the engine) on a semi-rainy day and got a HUGE discount. My '00 ICE was shinier and cleaner than my brand new LEAF afterwards. No joke.

 

[LEAFfan]

Here is my view to share:
The typical purchase price of a SL LEAF is around $40k (incl CA taxes, delivery, rego etc) out the door, EXCLUDING factoring in the $7,500 tax rebate, $5k or $2.5k credits.
For $40k plus some more, I could easily get into a nice luxury marque with 1.99% finance or some similar luxury car promotion deal.

First of all, the total MSRP price (hardly anyone paid MSRP) with taxes is around $38K, not 40K and that depends on what options and accessories were added and what discounts (some got over $2000 in discounts) off MSRP was obtained.
Secondly, it sounds like you have different 'motives' for having a BEV. It isn't about the 'money' for me and many others, but the idea of not sending money to other countries and BIG OIL plus doing something to help our environment. You can't put a price on that. There is no way in hell I would ever buy another ICE car and that includes the CNG Honda I used to own. This is absolutely the BEST car I've ever had! After four years (PVs will be paid off), my energy cost to drive a BEV will be $ .0.

 

[Rat]

I think the simple answer to the question is yes, since I didn't know about the CA rebate when I reserved the car, but I certainly knew about it before I took delivery. No doubt price is a factor in any purchase and without the rebate it is an expensive car for something that is less than luxurious. As good as it handles, it still doesn't handle as well as my Volvo C70 did and doesn't have some its luxury features either, but I'm very happy with it overall. I might have considered waiting for something else without the rebate, but I squeezed in at the last minute and that certainly helped seal the deal for me. If you're interested in the larger data sample, though, be advised that the saleswoman at the dealer told me that 80% of her buyers have told her "I'm not buying the car, I'm buying the sticker." I think for the majority of well-heeled Silicon Valley buyers at least, they're willing to pay the extra for that HOV privilege. That's a bigger incentive than the rebate. For me, meh, I'm retired. I make it a point not to leave the house until after rush hour and to get back before the afternoon one starts.

 

[tps]

On the economic side, to be economical, don't buy a new car, get a reliable used car or if you can, avoid the expense of car ownership altogether and bike, walk, use public transit, telecommute, etc...

+1

The LEAF, a first generation, new EV is definitely expensive transportation, but it's less than, say, a Tesla roadster. I'll be buying a new LEAF, my first new car ever, not for economic reasons, but because I want to drive an EV for a few years while I still have a chance to enjoy it. In my younger days, I'd probably have waited for a used first gen EV or even a second gen EV, but I'm getting to the stage of my life where I feel that I probably shouldn't wait as much. My dad died at 67; I'm 55. I hope to live many more years with a good quality of life, but one never knows what tomorrow will bring. I've driven ICE cars for almost 40 years, and have never felt at home with the intricate mechanics required. OTOH, I have enjoyed all things electrical and electronic from a young age. The LEAF seems like a perfect fit for me.

And, BTW, I'm planning to buy the LEAF here in PA, part of the "forgotten 36" where the wait will be long and there will be no state incentive. I've had the chance, for a price, to drive the Hertz LEAF in NYC and am planning to rent it again while I'm waiting...

 

[derkraut]

On the economic side, to be economical, don't buy a new car, get a reliable used car or if you can, avoid the expense of car ownership altogether and bike, walk, use public transit, telecommute, etc...

+1

The LEAF, a first generation, new EV is definitely expensive transportation, but it's less than, say, a Tesla roadster. I'll be buying a new LEAF, my first new car ever, not for economic reasons, but because I want to drive an EV for a few years while I still have a chance to enjoy it. In my younger days, I'd probably have waited for a used first gen EV or even a second gen EV, but I'm getting to the stage of my life where I feel that I probably shouldn't wait as much. My dad died at 67; I'm 55. I hope to live many more years with a good quality of life, but one never knows what tomorrow will bring. I've driven ICE cars for almost 40 years, and have never felt at home with the intricate mechanics required. OTOH, I have enjoyed all things electrical and electronic from a young age. The LEAF seems like a perfect fit for me.

And, BTW, I'm planning to buy the LEAF here in PA, part of the "forgotten 36" where the wait will be long and there will be no state incentive. I've had the chance, for a price, to drive the Hertz LEAF in NYC and am planning to rent it again while I'm waiting...

Hey tps.....I couldn't have said it any better than you have here; I'm in the same situation as you, except that I'm "over 70 yrs old" and I already have my Leaf. It was touch-and-go financially for me; but I was able to squeak thru in time to get the $5k CA rebate. Even though I've only had it for a week (211 miles so far), I am absolutely amazed with this car. I'm just happy that I've lived long enough to be able to experience driving it. In the past, every time I sat in traffic and saw all those ICE vehicles sitting there wasting fuel, I kept thinking there must be a better way. Well.....this is the beginning of a better way, I think. And, I feel privileged to have been a part of it.

 

[Boomer23]

Hey tps.....I couldn't have said it any better than you have here; I'm in the same situation as you, except that I'm "over 70 yrs old" and I already have my Leaf. It was touch-and-go financially for me; but I was able to squeak thru in time to get the $5k CA rebate. Even though I've only had it for a week (211 miles so far), I am absolutely amazed with this car. I'm just happy that I've lived long enough to be able to experience driving it. In the past, every time I sat in traffic and saw all those ICE vehicles sitting there wasting fuel, I kept thinking there must be a better way. Well.....this is the beginning of a better way, I think. And, I feel privileged to have been a part of it.

So nice to hear that you're so happy with your car, derkraut.

Hey, I wonder if it was you that I saw driving a Red LEAF with Mossy paper plates in Poway last evening around 7:30 pm at the intersection of Titan and Espola heading north on Espola?

 

[derkraut]

Hey tps.....I couldn't have said it any better than you have here; I'm in the same situation as you, except that I'm "over 70 yrs old" and I already have my Leaf. It was touch-and-go financially for me; but I was able to squeak thru in time to get the $5k CA rebate. Even though I've only had it for a week (211 miles so far), I am absolutely amazed with this car. I'm just happy that I've lived long enough to be able to experience driving it. In the past, every time I sat in traffic and saw all those ICE vehicles sitting there wasting fuel, I kept thinking there must be a better way. Well.....this is the beginning of a better way, I think. And, I feel privileged to have been a part of it.

So nice to hear that you're so happy with your car, derkraut.

Hey, I wonder if it was you that I saw driving a Red LEAF with Mossy paper plates in Poway last evening around 7:30 pm at the intersection of Titan and Espola heading north on Espola?

Nope....wasn't me. Could have been "Leafguy". He has a red one just like mine and lives in CMR area.