LEAF in Kansas City

[ksnogas2112]

ahh Kansas, spend 4 months of the year wishing the battery would cool off, 4 months of the year wishing it would warm up and 4 months of the year wishing the rain would stop. if it weren't for the bbq why would we stay? =)

Pictures forthcoming but hit 2 battery temp bars over the weekend. The garage is occupied with Michael's Eagle project (btw, that means that you can fit [15] 2x4x8's in the back of the Leaf). 15*F will in fact leave you with a cold battery and 2 temp bars. Quite a change from the 7 in the middle of August...<whine> that was only 3 months ago. This was after a 100% charge at the library and about 30 miles of driving around town. I was curious how it would handle the cold temps so I reset the m/kwh. I did about 30 miles and ended at the house with a 50% used battery and a 5.5 m/kwh average. The first half of the trip I actually averaged 6.4 m/kwh. It helps when you're only driving 30 mph and the sun's out so you can avoid the heater. A 100 mile trip is certainly a no go. The battery was at 4 temp bars during that run.

This winter's going to be a very cold one imho. Probably going to hit 20k by Christmas.

Kathy, the winter fire get together sounds awesome.

 

[cdherman]

ahh Kansas, spend 4 months of the year wishing the battery would cool off, 4 months of the year wishing it would warm up and 4 months of the year wishing the rain would stop. if it weren't for the bbq why would we stay? =)

Pictures forthcoming but hit 2 battery temp bars over the weekend. The garage is occupied with Michael's Eagle project (btw, that means that you can fit [15] 2x4x8's in the back of the Leaf). 15*F will in fact leave you with a cold battery and 2 temp bars. Quite a change from the 7 in the middle of August...<whine> that was only 3 months ago. This was after a 100% charge at the library and about 30 miles of driving around town. I was curious how it would handle the cold temps so I reset the m/kwh. I did about 30 miles and ended at the house with a 50% used battery and a 5.5 m/kwh average. The first half of the trip I actually averaged 6.4 m/kwh. It helps when you're only driving 30 mph and the sun's out so you can avoid the heater. A 100 mile trip is certainly a no go. The battery was at 4 temp bars during that run.

This winter's going to be a very cold one imho. Probably going to hit 20k by Christmas.

Kathy, the winter fire get together sounds awesome.

I am pretty surprised that you got to two temp bars. Do you really mean the bottom two blue bars only, or just the bottom two, plus 2 above that (four total)????

I have never gotten to the bottom two only, AFAIK.... I was at three last winter all the time....

 

[ericvoll]

I spoke with a very nice person at the Clay County Accessor's office on Monday. She actually called me at work. I really appreciated the proactiveness. She spoke with their office manager and described the situation with my tax assessment being so high. They offered to reassess my 2012 LEAF to MSRP * 0.65 instead of MSRP * 0.85. This brought my property tax down to about six hundred something. Considering everything, I think this is a fair compromise. I was informed that it would take about four weeks to process, and that I should expect to see a new tax bill in the mail. Kathy....you should call them and see if you can get the same reassessment. Next year, it should be back down to normal.

Hi Mark! Seems like this thread's been abandoned! Hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season. Mine will be looking up if Eric reports back about his personal property tax after Monday, so maybe I can catch a break, too.

Wouldn't it be fun to do a LEAF holiday toasting at a local venue? Someplace nice we can sit inside around a firepit/fireplace and chit chat/have appetizers. Anybody know a place like that? Someplace we wouldn't have to worry much about charging to get there, or a place with nearby plugs? Sliding home with a flashing fuelbar and LBW last night was a bit freaky 'cause of the cold, but I'm game for another cold weather challenge.

 

[ksnogas2112]

I am pretty surprised that you got to two temp bars. Do you really mean the bottom two blue bars only, or just the bottom two, plus 2 above that (four total)????

I have never gotten to the bottom two only, AFAIK.... I was at three last winter all the time....

2
it was 14*F that morning

 

[eclecticflower]

I spoke with a very nice person at the Clay County Accessor's office on Monday. She actually called me at work. I really appreciated the proactiveness. She spoke with their office manager and described the situation with my tax assessment being so high. They offered to reassess my 2012 LEAF to MSRP * 0.65 instead of MSRP * 0.85. This brought my property tax down to about six hundred something. Considering everything, I think this is a fair compromise. I was informed that it would take about four weeks to process, and that I should expect to see a new tax bill in the mail. Kathy....you should call them and see if you can get the same reassessment. Next year, it should be back down to normal.

I spoke to Mona at the CC Assessor's office yesterday and she remembered you, Eric. She got in touch with her management and they are going to drop my car's assessed value from $10,560 to $8,070 and send a corrected tax bill (not sure how much it will be - ideas anyone??). She said next year the value would be about half that first ($10,560) assessment...hmmm, couldn't they have done that this year? :roll: Grateful for the help, though. Since it'll take weeks to get a new bill, I'll be checking for it online so I avoid a late payment penalty.

Dr. Hermanns, did you get a fair assessment up in (I assume) Platte County?

 

[eclecticflower]

I spoke to Mona at the CC Assessor's office yesterday and she remembered you, Eric. She got in touch with her management and they are going to drop my car's assessed value from $10,560 to $8,070 and send a corrected tax bill (not sure how much it will be - ideas anyone??).

FYI, Clay County posted my new tax bill, based upon the reduced assessment ($8,070) and I was able to break out the amount for the car @ about $696. This is saving me about $218. Thanks, Eric, for your help!

 

[ksnogas2112]

So yesterday, left the house with 5 battery temp bars. Drove to office, lunch, home. When I got home I had 3 battery temp bars.

This morning, left the house (garage) with 4...going to be interesting to see what happens with the single digit temps this a.m.

<edit>
3 bars at 1pm (lunch)

 

[IraqiInvaderGnr]

I am pretty surprised that you got to two temp bars. Do you really mean the bottom two blue bars only, or just the bottom two, plus 2 above that (four total)????

I have never gotten to the bottom two only, AFAIK.... I was at three last winter all the time....

2
it was 14*F that morning

That's odd. My battery pack was 15°F (according to leafsp pro) and the car had 3 temp bars. That left me a little confused. Temp outside was in the single digits and only made it up to 10°F for a high.

 

[eclecticflower]

Mine was at 2 temp bars yesterday after sitting in our work parking garage all day. It gained a bar after having been driven ~6 highway miles, just before getting home (8 miles). Outside temp was fluctuating between 15 & 17 for that duration. Too darned cold!!!

 

[DaveInKansas]

Mine has also been at 2 temp bars several times recently. The big thing I've noticed is how the cold affects the driving range. I have to plug in every night when it's this cold. During the summer months I can easily go two days between charges driving to and from work every day.

And two nights ago when I pulled into the garage and began charging, I heard the heat pump start up and run for about 5 minutes. I guess it was trying to warm the battery.

Dave

 

[eclecticflower]

Mine has also been at 2 temp bars several times recently. The big thing I've noticed is how the cold affects the driving range. I have to plug in every night when it's this cold. During the summer months I can easily go two days between charges driving to and from work every day.

And two nights ago when I pulled into the garage and began charging, I heard the heat pump start up and run for about 5 minutes. I guess it was trying to warm the battery.

Dave

Heat pump? We don't have no stinkin' heat pumps (2012s we are)! :lol: Nice to hear from you, Dave! Yes, I've seen 2 temp bars regularly the last week and I plug in every night, too, since I have my Climate Control timer set to warm my car (from the wall) before I leave from work. I can go a couple days between charges normally, but adding the battery-zapping heater into the driving equation, it's best I plug in to have some reserve juice. Happy Holidays!

 

[cdherman]

Dr. Hermanns, did you get a fair assessment up in (I assume) Platte County?

Well, its like this. I got my personal property tax bill last month and the Leaf was not on it. I could swear that I filled out the Platte Co form that they send out every year asking for new purchases. But who knows for sure....

Finally called Monday -- found a pleasant person in the Assessors office, who was able to look ownership up on line. He then informed me that the state required him to use the 2012 NADA book for trade in value, of which they then divide by three. That's the valuation, used for tax. For instance, my 2011 Prius has a tax base of 5900, which reflects a approx. trade in value of 17,700, based on value at end of 2012 (not 2013).

But guess what? The 2012 NADA book did not show the 2012 Leaf trade in value. So the fellow initially finds some other source showing a trade in value of $33,000. I politely informed him that trade in value was absurd, and then he seems to have went to KBB or Edmunds and promptly exclaimed "Wow, that car has lost value!"....

Long story short: Tax value 5780 (based on $17,340 trade estimate) which results in Platte Co taxes of $452.31

Not bad. I *think* that the reason I did not get a tax bill initially is that some data entry flunkie got my original form reporting the Leaf, opened up the NADA book, did not find a Nissan Leaf in the book, and either put the form on a "pile to be processed later" or threw it away altogether.

So that's the story from Platte Co.....

 

[eclecticflower]

Dr. Hermanns, did you get a fair assessment up in (I assume) Platte County?

Well, its like this. I got my personal property tax bill last month and the Leaf was not on it. I could swear that I filled out the Platte Co form that they send out every year asking for new purchases. But who knows for sure....

Finally called Monday -- found a pleasant person in the Assessors office, who was able to look ownership up on line. He then informed me that the state required him to use the 2012 NADA book for trade in value, of which they then divide by three. That's the valuation, used for tax. For instance, my 2011 Prius has a tax base of 5900, which reflects a approx. trade in value of 17,700, based on value at end of 2012 (not 2013).

But guess what? The 2012 NADA book did not show the 2012 Leaf trade in value. So the fellow initially finds some other source showing a trade in value of $33,000. I politely informed him that trade in value was absurd, and then he seems to have went to KBB or Edmunds and promptly exclaimed "Wow, that car has lost value!"....

Long story short: Tax value 5780 (based on $17,340 trade estimate) which results in Platte Co taxes of $452.31

Not bad. I *think* that the reason I did not get a tax bill initially is that some data entry flunkie got my original form reporting the Leaf, opened up the NADA book, did not find a Nissan Leaf in the book, and either put the form on a "pile to be processed later" or threw it away altogether.

So that's the story from Platte Co.....

You're lucky - same scenario Eric and I got, but we won't be getting the reduced valuation for taxing purposes until next year. I was told the valuation for next year would be about half of the original $10k assessment given this year. I was pleased we could get it down to around $8k, but you have a better assessor than we do, apparently. I'd love to have the name of the person who calculated your vehicle at $5780 this year ...congrats.

 

[IraqiInvaderGnr]

Anyone know if harley Davidson charging station is available after hours?

 

[eclecticflower]

Anyone know if harley Davidson charging station is available after hours?

Don't know about Worth Harley Davidson having a station, but Randy Reed Nissan (off I-29/Tiffany Springs Parkway on NW Prairie View Rd.) is a couple doors down and they have 3 each Level 2 stations. They may be blocked by parked cars, but the cables stretch pretty far and there is no gate blocking entry to the parking lot. I've used them after business hours a couple times, but it's been awhile (I'm not aware that they turn them off after business hours). They're listed on PlugShare as follows:

Randy Reed Nissan
Ports: 3 EV Plug (J1772)s
Address: 9600 NW Prairie View Rd., Kansas City, MO, 64153
Phone: (877) 216-2541
Hours: Dealership business hours

You could call ahead to check...
Kathy

 

[eclecticflower]

Thought you guys would get a kick out of this - I did! Guess what cut me off in traffic Monday morning? An electric delivery truck! Now that's a first for me. It was a box truck with a big white outlet painted on the back with some verbiage about it being the first electric delivery truck for (I believe) FastElectric. Can't say much for it's driver :roll: ...anyone else around here ever seen one?

Kathy

 

[IraqiInvaderGnr]

Anyone know if harley Davidson charging station is available after hours?

Don't know about Worth Harley Davidson having a station, but Randy Reed Nissan (off I-29/Tiffany Springs Parkway on NW Prairie View Rd.) is a couple doors down and they have 3 each Level 2 stations. They may be blocked by parked cars, but the cables stretch pretty far and there is no gate blocking entry to the parking lot. I've used them after business hours a couple times, but it's been awhile (I'm not aware that they turn them off after business hours). They're listed on PlugShare as follows:

Randy Reed Nissan
Ports: 3 EV Plug (J1772)s
Address: 9600 NW Prairie View Rd., Kansas City, MO, 64153
Phone: (877) 216-2541
Hours: Dealership business hours

You could call ahead to check...
Kathy

I wouldn't plan on using that dealer again as it seems they're closed permanently. Any other good charging spots on north end?

 

[ksnogas2112]

Anyone know if harley Davidson charging station is available after hours?

It's not the Worth dealership but rather the actual Harley manufacturing plant. You can reach their security at 816-270-8200 but I called them and the plug is available 24x7 and you don't need to contact them to use it. You will need a Chargepoint card first if you don't have one. Also, that is one of the original plugs in the Metro so it may become a pay to use at the end of the year but it should still be free until 12/31/13.

 

[ksnogas2112]

Anyone still thinking meet up for the holidays...this would include new years...i'm out on the 31st for sure... got a hot date

 

[eclecticflower]

Sorry, hadn't even gotten back to that one. I'm off work Christmas week...any time is good for me.