Next Car when LEAF Lease Ends?

[mihird]

By the way, my residual is set to $11,350 at end of lease. So, that is also quite enticing. Assuming (if) they throw in a $2-3k incentive at end of lease, this could be a keeper. The battery capacity warranty on the 2016 30Kwh pack is extended to 8 years/100,000 miles unlike 2013-2015 which was 5 years/60,000 miles.

This battery feels 25-30% more resilient to temperature & capacity degradation issues.

 

[LeftieBiker]

They are not likely to offer a discount on the residual when it's set below actual likely market value, instead of way above it like previous Leafs. Consider it enough that the car will be a good buy when the lease ends.

I figured 100 actual mileage range, with a few conservation measures, in Winter. My current range is maybe 60 miles in sub-freezing weather, maybe 45-50 in really frigid temps. I never turn the heat off for more than a couple of minutes, and you should be able to just set the temp to 75-78F, the vent to floor/defrost or just floor, and the fan to Low or 2, rather than go without cabin heat.

 

[mihird]

They are not likely to offer a discount on the residual when it's set below actual likely market value, instead of way above it like previous Leafs. Consider it enough that the car will be a good buy when the lease ends.

I figured 100 actual mileage range, with a few conservation measures, in Winter. My current range is maybe 60 miles in sub-freezing weather, maybe 45-50 in really frigid temps. I never turn the heat off for more than a couple of minutes, and you should be able to just set the temp to 75-78F, the vent to floor/defrost or just floor, and the fan to Low or 2, rather than go without cabin heat.

Yeah, my lease ends at 3 years/52,500 miles...it is perfect mileage to decide on how well the battery is holding up. I would want the slated 100,000 miles out of this battery (70% or better capacity) if I am to keep the car.

There is another fear though of keeping these cars. AT&T is going to shut down 2G network at end of this year - I think, 2G frequencies are being delegated to other jobs...Nissan has still not announced a road map on how the telematics on the 2011-2015 Leafs will work after the 2G network is shut down. The 2016 models have a 3G radio in them. I am likewise fearing when will they stop manufacturing the 24Kwh pack...I seriously doubt if they will continue to build them past 2020 (of course we all wish they offer the 30Kwh retrofit instead, which they most likely will). The 30Kwh pack might not exist after 10 years either..

If I buy a car, I want 200,000 miles/15 years out of it...I am not a guy who switches ownership cars that often.

--

The range on my 2013 SV after 46,000 miles on it was about 70 miles (+- 10 miles depending on weather) average across the year. I had lost 1 bar at 30K miles, and also since I was an early adopter of the 2013, mine was built in Jan. of 2013 - I think, the battery pack had improved after May.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I had lost 1 bar at 30K miles, and also since I was an early adopter of the 2013, mine was built in Jan. of 2013 - I think, the battery pack had improved after May.

They seem to have improved after March of 2013 - mine was built in April. Still, a bar lost by 30k miles is about what is expected of a 2013 in anything but a mild climate.

 

[mihird]

I had the premium package on my 2013 SV. I had to trade that off in the 2016 - they could not do my target lease nos. with the premium package included. I miss the round view monitor, not so much the Bose upgrade.

The 2013-2015 had crappy 4 speaker base sound system. The Bose was much better. However, with the 2016, they have addressed the base sound system. It now comes with 7 speakers - does not match Bose, but is much improved. Too bad, I lost the round view monitor. Round View monitor is parking assistance whereas Bose is infotainment upgrade. It does not make sense to package those 2 in 1 package. I heard Magellan just announced an aftermarket round view monitor system. I might invest in that for my 2016 a few months later. It makes parking so much easier and stress free.

 

[goodluckcharlie]

I am reading through this thread and I have to say, some of the information here is turning me off to owning a Nissan. I am not ever going to lease a car, but I certainly don't like what I'm reading. I know this sounds odd, but I kind of prefer companies that value their repeat customers, and I'm not getting that vibe here based on what I am reading. Maybe I am wrong?

 

[LeftieBiker]

I am reading through this thread and I have to say, some of the information here is turning me off to owning a Nissan. I am not ever going to lease a car, but I certainly don't like what I'm reading. I know this sounds odd, but I kind of prefer companies that value their repeat customers, and I'm not getting that vibe here based on what I am reading. Maybe I am wrong?

You can look at it two ways: Nissan is a Mean, Crappy company, or they got burned by the EV market being much worse than expected. The weak market, combined with their less than stellar first attempt at a lithium battery pack, turned their decision to offer high lease residuals (and low monthly rates in 2013 and 2014) into a disaster, in the form of leased cars being turned in because they aren't worth the residual, and then losing lots of money when sold at auction. Nissan has obviously tried to correct both issues, with a better battery pack and with low residuals. This can either be viewed as the actions of a selfish company, or as reasonable market decision by a company that just happens to have less then wonderful customer relations. ;-)

 

[mihird]

I am reading through this thread and I have to say, some of the information here is turning me off to owning a Nissan. I am not ever going to lease a car, but I certainly don't like what I'm reading. I know this sounds odd, but I kind of prefer companies that value their repeat customers, and I'm not getting that vibe here based on what I am reading. Maybe I am wrong?

I am a repeat customer of Nissan. As such, there is nothing I read or experienced that says, Nissan treats its repeat customers any different from other companies.

Being an EV repeat customer or even a one time customer though, changes the dynamics quite a bit, both for the customer and manufacturer, because it is an EV and for now they suffer from steep depreciation issues etc.

I see this as a challenge across the board for all EV manufacturers...how to deal with this steep depreciation problem, which makes us all unhappy, consumer and manufacturer alike...

EVs do not have standardized battery cells...I can purchase 10 different after market parts and put it in a typical ICE...with EVs, I am stuck with one manufacturer and its rules around replacement parts etc.

EVs suffer from depreciating range..and cannot promise a 15 year lifespan of the vehicle unlike ICEs. Both, the customer and manufacturer are unhappy about this...

EVs use a lot of cutting edge technologies which like smartphones obsolete quickly...again hurts both customer and manufacturer...

These are the fundamental gripes with current EV adoption, across the board...not just Nissan.

 

[RonDawg]

I am reading through this thread and I have to say, some of the information here is turning me off to owning a Nissan. I am not ever going to lease a car, but I certainly don't like what I'm reading. I know this sounds odd, but I kind of prefer companies that value their repeat customers, and I'm not getting that vibe here based on what I am reading. Maybe I am wrong?

I am a repeat customer of Nissan. As such, there is nothing I read or experienced that says, Nissan treats its repeat customers any different from other companies.

This. Automotive history, particularly within the last two decades, is full of "the manufacturer screwed me" tales. Many Toyota V-6 engines suffer from sludging issues. Many larger Honda products (Odysseys in particular) have weak transmissions. Honda for the longest time denied there was a problem with airbags in many of its cars until the Takata scandal became public. Buying high end doesn't guarantee you better service either, just ask anybody with a 90's or 2000's model 911 or Boxster (Google "Porsche IMS bearing failure.") On and on and on...

 

[oilerlord]

It's kind of funny that my next car may be the car one of you turn in at the end of your lease. I'd love to pick up a low mileage 2013 that, four or five years from now, has an upgrade path to one of the new 30kWh (or larger) battery packs.

 

[mihird]

If your lifestyle allows for a shorter range car, go for it! The 2013 and onwards are quite livable with the 6.6kwh charger on board. I lived with a 2013 for 3 years trying to fit in a lengthy 86 mile commute. Except for its shortfall on range, for once I never felt the 2013 was not a great EV to be in...the car is well suited for short range 30-60 mile commutes and the occasional 100-150 mile one way run. If you have to go further out, it is a little difficult to live with. My 2 cents.

We are all hoping, Nissan eventually offers the 30kwh retrofit, which I think, they eventually will..probably 2-3 years down the road.

 

[oilerlord]

If your lifestyle allows for a shorter range car, go for it! The 2013 and onwards are quite livable with the 6.6kwh charger on board. I lived with a 2013 for 3 years trying to fit in a lengthy 86 mile commute. Except for its shortfall on range, for once I never felt the 2013 was not a great EV to be in...the car is well suited for short range 30-60 mile commutes and the occasional 100-150 mile one way run. If you have to go further out, it is a little difficult to live with. My 2 cents.

We are all hoping, Nissan eventually offers the 30kwh retrofit, which I think, they eventually will..probably 2-3 years down the road.

Thanks for that. Yeah, I wouldn't buy one without a 6.6kWh charger, and the first thing I'd do is hook up a 240v EVSE to the dryer outlet in our garage. I've been doing the math, and I rarely drive 86 kilometers in a day - much less 86 miles. That said, I'm sure there will be days that I'll be cutting it close and/or stopping at a L2 plug for a few extra miles. I do hypermile a bit so I'm sure that I'll be able to squeeze above-average range out of the car.

 

[LeftieBiker]

It's kind of funny that my next car may be the car one of you turn in at the end of your lease. I'd love to pick up a low mileage 2013 that, four or five years from now, has an upgrade path to one of the new 30kWh (or larger) battery packs.

Mine will only have about 15,000 miles on it, and I don't smoke or wear cologne. If you can spend $17k (with taxes and fees) I'll be happy to sell you her in May.

 

[oilerlord]

It's kind of funny that my next car may be the car one of you turn in at the end of your lease. I'd love to pick up a low mileage 2013 that, four or five years from now, has an upgrade path to one of the new 30kWh (or larger) battery packs.

Mine will only have about 15,000 miles on it, and I don't smoke or wear cologne. If you can spend $17k (with taxes and fees) I'll be happy to sell you her in May.

Thanks. My preference would be an SL with as many miles. I actually live in Edmonton, Alberta (Canada), so I'd like to get one closer to home (Wa or Or State) so I could pick it up with my own trailer.

Before the CAD became so weak vs the USD, I used to import a lot of cars into Canada. I still have access to dealer auctions, as I partnered with a friend who that owns a dealership. Nissan regularly auctions lease-returned Leafs to dealers. As of the week of Dec 31, dealers paid an average of $12,671 for a 2013 SL with 21,970 miles on the odo. Typically, dealers begin with trying to make about $3-4K per unit but that profit margin drops the longer the car stays on the lot. The best shopping tip I can offer is checking the carfax for the date that the car was put up for sale. If the car has been sitting on the lot for months - the dealer is motivated to make a skinny deal to move the unit.

 

[mkjayakumar]

My 2nd Leaf lease ends in two weeks. And so far Leaf leases have not been very encouraging for 2015 models, and 2016 models are no where to be seen here in DFW area. Although one dealer finally came back and offered a $300/month with zero down on a 2015 SV with LED lights.

But that is too late now, since I already reserved and waiting for a used CPO Tesla Model S 85kWh with Autopilot now.

 

[TomT]

Sorry, but with the collapse of Leaf resale values, I seriously doubt that a 2013 will bring anywhere near 17K...

Mine will only have about 15,000 miles on it, and I don't smoke or wear cologne. If you can spend $17k (with taxes and fees) I'll be happy to sell you her in May.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Sorry, but with the collapse of Leaf resale values, I seriously doubt that a 2013 will bring anywhere near 17K...

Mine will only have about 15,000 miles on it, and I don't smoke or wear cologne. If you can spend $17k (with taxes and fees) I'll be happy to sell you her in May.

Dry humor is hard to convey in written forums. We need some sort of icon, I guess. I'll just use this one more often. ;-)

 

[TomT]

Yeah, like that that I felt when Nissan offered me a 13K buyout option on my 2011 lease when I turn it in next month!
I hope they enjoy sending it to auction!

Dry humor is hard to convey in written forums. We need some sort of icon, I guess. I'll just use this one more often. ;-)

 

[NeilBlanchard]

The Chevy Bolt EV is at the top of the list.
The BMW i3 is next - if they improve the range more than the 30kWh Leaf

If they are out in the next couple of years, the next gen Leaf and the Tesla Model 3 will definitely be in the running.

 

[mihird]

I think, in 2017, we will almost have all 3 choices to pick from Bolt, Model 3 & new Leaf. Having just acquired a 2016, I won't be in the market until 2019, I am gunning for a best bet scenario of picking up a 1 year pre-owned 200 mile range EV...