ordering information (simplified)

[CampbellNelson]

1. Somebody on the PriusChat forum has a shipping/delivery tracking "site".

2. After production, cars might have to sit there for a week before there is a suitable ship available.

3. Unloading cars would usually be quick, to get the ship on its way (unless the port is "backed up").

4. Trucking cars from the lot could take a week just waiting for a truck, and then some days to deliver the load to different dealers.

So, the time (a bit over 3 to 4 weeks) sounds about right (to me).

The question is, when will one know the date of delivery-at-the-dealer (for making the CA Rebate application)?

According to Nissan, you will be able to get an ETA as early as next month.

 

[garygid]

Yes, one needs a good "E" in the ETA just about 13.9 days before dealer delivery.

 

[Frank]

So, to make the LEAF work as intended, I need at least 3 subscriptions: a web-capable cell-phone, XM-Radio (for current traffic), and the US "LeafWings" system?

That's perhaps $100 per month for LEAF-life (except perhaps less for the first 3 years)?

It isn't very clear to me exactly how one will communicate with the Leaf remotely, and what is needed to do so. Both the Blink charger and Leaf have remote capabilities. Blink uses a wireless connection to your home's Wi-Fi access point, and the Leaf will use AT&T's GSM network. Here are some questions that I would like to get answered:

1. Is a Smartphone needed to communicate with the Leaf and Blink? Could you use a PC connected to either your home network or a PC at your workplace instead of a Smartphone? A Smartphone would be more convenient but at home you wouldn't need it to communicate with either the Leaf or Blink, right?

2. Communicating with the Leaf from either a Smartphone or PC would require the use of AT&T's network right? What I mean is that the Leaf cannot connect directly to your home's Wi-Fi network I'm pretty sure. So if your home does not have good AT&T network coverage (i.e. in the garage where your Leaf is located), remote communications will not be possible?

3. Because Blink is connecting to the home's wi-fi, communications with it from your home shouldn't be a problem. But if you want to remotely communicate with the home charger when away from the home, it may be difficult because it is likely behind the network firewall. This is a similiar setup to a wireless network camera. To avoid this problem companies like Panasonic offer free access to a remote server (I forgot what the technical term for this is) but it makes it easy to access remotely without having to breach your home network.

4. When would you want to remotely communicate with Blink versus the Leaf? Blink seems to have the ability to track electricity usage and perhaps be accessed by the Utility to bill you for the kWhs it uses. Will the user be able to also access the kWh usage data stored in Blink and will Blink be able to display it in $$ or only kWhs?

5. CARWINGS seems to be a required subscription service for remote communications with the Leaf. Does the purchase price of the Leaf include a limited or lifetime subscription to CARWINGS?

6. Still no information on what type of applications will be available to remotely communicate with Leaf. My assumption is that when using a PC it will be simply typing in a URL with a security code. But will there be apps for iPhone, iPad, Droid, or other types of Smartphones? When will this be known?

 

[derkraut]

So, to make the LEAF work as intended, I need at least 3 subscriptions: a web-capable cell-phone, XM-Radio (for current traffic), and the US "LeafWings" system?

That's perhaps $100 per month for LEAF-life (except perhaps less for the first 3 years)?

It isn't very clear to me exactly how one will communicate with the Leaf remotely, and what is needed to do so. Both the Blink charger and Leaf have remote capabilities. Blink uses a wireless connection to your home's Wi-Fi access point, and the Leaf will use AT&T's GSM network. Here are some questions that I would like to get answered:

1. Is a Smartphone needed to communicate with the Leaf and Blink? Could you use a PC connected to either your home network or a PC at your workplace instead of a Smartphone? A Smartphone would be more convenient but at home you wouldn't need it to communicate with either the Leaf or Blink, right?

2. Communicating with the Leaf from either a Smartphone or PC would require the use of AT&T's network right? What I mean is that the Leaf cannot connect directly to your home's Wi-Fi network I'm pretty sure. So if your home does not have good AT&T network coverage (i.e. in the garage where your Leaf is located), remote communications will not be possible?

3. Because Blink is connecting to the home's wi-fi, communications with it from your home shouldn't be a problem. But if you want to remotely communicate with the home charger when away from the home, it may be difficult because it is likely behind the network firewall. This is a similiar setup to a wireless network camera. To avoid this problem companies like Panasonic offer free access to a remote server (I forgot what the technical term for this is) but it makes it easy to access remotely without having to breach your home network.

4. When would you want to remotely communicate with Blink versus the Leaf? Blink seems to have the ability to track electricity usage and perhaps be accessed by the Utility to bill you for the kWhs it uses. Will the user be able to also access the kWh usage data stored in Blink and will Blink be able to display it in $$ or only kWhs?

5. CARWINGS seems to be a required subscription service for remote communications with the Leaf. Does the purchase price of the Leaf include a limited or lifetime subscription to CARWINGS?

6. Still no information on what type of applications will be available to remotely communicate with Leaf. My assumption is that when using a PC it will be simply typing in a URL with a security code. But will there be apps for iPhone, iPad, Droid, or other types of Smartphones? When will this be known?

Well.....I guess I'm a little dense. What reason could you have to want to "communicate remotely" with your car? To find out where it is? to see if it's happy? I'm confused, folks!

 

[Frank]

Well.....I guess I'm a little dense. What reason could you have to want to "communicate remotely" with your car? To find out where it is? to see if it's happy? I'm confused, folks!

To check the charging status, schedule a charge, start a charging cycle, start preheating/cooling of the cabin, schedule the preheating/cooling of the cabin, and checking the battery level. There may be other functions that can be performed remotely but I can't think of any others.

 

[LakeLeaf]

There are 2 major distribution points in the country......

Nice info - thanks!

 

[LakeLeaf]

.....

C. Choose how you are planning to pay (purchase or lease), if you are adding the cost of the Home charging station (Nissan preferred only) and if you have a trade in.

...

Is this supposed to lock you into either the purchase or the lease option?

I was just looking at "Pricing" on the NissanUSA site and the fine print there now says that their prices they've had for leases ($379 and $349) are really just placeholders and subject to change. It also says that Nissan doesn't plan to announce the residual until December.

Without knowing what the lease is going to cost until shortly before delivery, how is one to make a financial decision in August or September.

Hopefully step C doesn't lock you into the option that you choose at such an uninformed time in the ordering process.

 

[EVDRIVER]

I'm sure anything can be changed at the dealer so why is everyone speculating and so concerned over every detail before anything has been announced? In a week or two all the real info will be available and all this speculation will be over. What's the point in playing "telephone". People will change their minds over buy/lease/trade in, etc and Nissan will deal with that like any other car purchase. People will also cancel along the way, certainly no one is bound to anything except the options they ordered as that is how the car was delivered. And no one will likely die charging their car. Just wait for the next email and the answers will be there. Leases are usually case by case, but the price quote may be "best qualified", I'm sure dealers will find some way to mess with people, they always do.

 

[LakeLeaf]

.. so why is everyone speculating and so concerned over every detail before anything has been announced? ....

It would be pretty dull around here if we actually waited for facts!

 

[CampbellNelson]

.....

C. Choose how you are planning to pay (purchase or lease), if you are adding the cost of the Home charging station (Nissan preferred only) and if you have a trade in.

...

Is this supposed to lock you into either the purchase or the lease option?

I was just looking at "Pricing" on the NissanUSA site and the fine print there now says that their prices they've had for leases ($379 and $349) are really just placeholders and subject to change. It also says that Nissan doesn't plan to announce the residual until December.

Without knowing what the lease is going to cost until shortly before delivery, how is one to make a financial decision in August or September.

Hopefully step C doesn't lock you into the option that you choose at such an uninformed time in the ordering process.

The easiest thing to do is to lock in the base selling price. Regardless of rebates, payment method, term and/or down payment, the RAQ process locks in the dealer selling price. After that it is simple math and you can change how you will pay for the car all the way up to delivery. Nissan cannot force you to lease if that was your original choice and you decided to change that.

 

[cdub]

If you get a quote from your preferred dealer and it is too high... and you then request a quote from another dealer... do you then risk losing your place in line?

Do you then risk getting a later delivery date?

 

[LEAFfan]

.....

C. Choose how you are planning to pay (purchase or lease), if you are adding the cost of the Home charging station (Nissan preferred only) and if you have a trade in.

...

Is this supposed to lock you into either the purchase or the lease option?

I was just looking at "Pricing" on the NissanUSA site and the fine print there now says that their prices they've had for leases ($379 and $349) are really just placeholders and subject to change. It also says that Nissan doesn't plan to announce the residual until December.

Without knowing what the lease is going to cost until shortly before delivery, how is one to make a financial decision in August or September.

Hopefully step C doesn't lock you into the option that you choose at such an uninformed time in the ordering process.

The easiest thing to do is to lock in the base selling price. Regardless of rebates, payment method, term and/or down payment, the RAQ process locks in the dealer selling price. After that it is simple math and you can change how you will pay for the car all the way up to delivery. Nissan cannot force you to lease if that was your original choice and you decided to change that.

So if I'm saying I'm leasing, the dealer can't lock in a price? They can only do that if buying, so I should just say I'm buying on the RAQ?

 

[CampbellNelson]

If you get a quote from your preferred dealer and it is too high... and you then request a quote from another dealer... do you then risk losing your place in line?

Do you then risk getting a later delivery date?

The way the system is set up by Nissan suggests that, although I do not think it will unless we are talking about a 5+day delay. The note that suggests that is " the moment you accept your price offer, your order is automatically sent to Nissan for production".

The Selling price is locked. The "price" is the same if you are purchasing or leasing. The "cost" is different.

 

[garygid]

Is there a place to add "comments" to the dealer on the RFQ Dashboard ... like "MyNissanLeaf member", pre-arranged, special shipping, etc.?

Is there a place on the dealer Dashboard to include "custom contract conditions" (maybe "free Floor Mats", "fully charged", "no other fees") in the Quote back to the potential customer?

Will the quoted price include everything, a real out-the-door price?

If not, this "quote" will be incomplete, and the price might be subject to "padding" 3 months later at delivery!

 

[CampbellNelson]

Is there a place to add "comments" to the dealer on the RFQ Dashboard ... like "MyNissanLeaf member", pre-arranged, special shipping, etc.?

Is there a place on the dealer Dashboard to include "custom contract conditions" (maybe "free Floor Mats", "fully charged", "no other fees") in the Quote back to the potential customer?

Will the quoted price include everything, a real out-the-door price?

If not, this "quote" will be incomplete, and the price might be subject to "padding" 3 months later at delivery!

Based on what i saw, there is a comment box that the dealer can fill out. the dealer price quote is more or less a tool to lock in the selling price (Lease or purchase). My recommendation is to get everything done the day prior to the quote. Contact your preferred dealer, have them fax you what ever commitment you need signed by them. after you are satisfied, send the RAQ, accept their offer and your order is sent to Nissan. You have 3 months to decide the best way to pay for it.

 

[evnow]

Any information on Sept orders ? Someone suggested that would be on the 1st ... seems optimistic.

 

[Gavin]

seams optimistic.

A rather positive seamstress?

I, being a September order person, would like sept. 1st.

That said, I have 3 dealers to pick from...guess I better make up my mind soon

Gavin

 

[evnow]

seams optimistic.

A rather positive seamstress?

Very

 

[LEAFfan]

Any information on Sept orders ? Someone suggested that would be on the 1st ... seems optimistic.

Dee said that, but that was before the Aug. delay. I'm thinking at the most it will be 2 business days (TH), like the delay for Aug.

 

[stanley]

Does anyone have the dealer form they use for responding to an RAQ for buying ( not leasing) the Leaf?

Please post if it is available