This is why I'll be leasing

[Ready2plugin]

My fear is that I have a 60 mile, mainly freeway speed commute. What happens in 3-4 years if I start hitting turtle mode on the way home? Still no promises from my employer that I'll ever get to plug in. I guess if I buy I just hope Nissan would give a decent trade-in for a fresh battery pack or car if I buy other than lease. I keep going back and forth between a 4 year lease and buying. As with a lot of others, I've never leased before...like to purchase my cars for cash.

 

[Gonewild]

times 2. this is 5th new car purchase in nearly 7 years but unlike the last 4 when i paid cash, i will lease.

one reason; new technology
2nd reason; possibly significant advances in technology in the 3 year lease period

3rd reason; wont get the entire tax credit unless i lease then buy.

I am trying to figure out is not getting all the rebate or if buying and getting a low 2.9% rate would I pay less buying then the lost of $1,500 of the rebate I may not get. My company is doing furlough again which will lower my income again this year.

I am still waiting for a call from Todd of Rairdon's to return my calls. He is not on the ball like Greg.

 

[charlie1300]

I'm also still debating lease vs purchase, but as a member of the "forgotten 36" I've got a year to mull it over. I also have never leased, and usually purchase cash and keep the car until it dies. Leasing seemed like throwing money away. But this is different - the value of the Leaf in three years could be unusually low because the battery pack capacity is way down, or could be unusually high because the pack turned out to be robust and gas is $5.00 a gallon. So I view leasing as an insurance cost to allow me the choice to keep the car or walk away in three years. The question is how much am I willing to pay for that insurance, which is pretty much a personal question that's based on my perception of the risk. I still haven't figured that out.

As far as technology is concerned, the only change that would lead me to want to replace the Leaf in three years is a significant upgrade in battery capacity. IMHO, I don't see that in less than 5 years. For a new battery technology to be available in a production car in three years, it would need to be pretty far along in development right now. There's been lot of possibilities talked about on this forum in addition to the article in the OP, but it all seems to be in the basic research stage.

 

[Gonewild]

I'm also still debating lease vs purchase, but as a member of the "forgotten 36" I've got a year to mull it over. I also have never leased, and usually purchase cash and keep the car until it dies. Leasing seemed like throwing money away. But this is different - the value of the Leaf in three years could be unusually low because the battery pack capacity is way down, or could be unusually high because the pack turned out to be robust and gas is $5.00 a gallon. So I view leasing as an insurance cost to allow me the choice to keep the car or walk away in three years. The question is how much am I willing to pay for that insurance, which is pretty much a personal question that's based on my perception of the risk. I still haven't figured that out.

As far as technology is concerned, the only change that would lead me to want to replace the Leaf in three years is a significant upgrade in battery capacity. IMHO, I don't see that in less than 5 years. For a new battery technology to be available in a production car in three years, it would need to be pretty far along in development right now. There's been lot of possibilities talked about on this forum in addition to the article in the OP, but it all seems to be in the basic research stage.

Yes I agree, even if I could save money buying over leasing it could be nice to have a wait and see then buy if it is still going 100 miles and no new battery.

What if any restiction do a lease put on the car? I want to buy the bummper guard and tint my windows is that aloud?

 

[sjfotos]

I'm also still debating lease vs purchase, but as a member of the "forgotten 36" I've got a year to mull it over. I also have never leased, and usually purchase cash and keep the car until it dies. Leasing seemed like throwing money away. But this is different - the value of the Leaf in three years could be unusually low because the battery pack capacity is way down, or could be unusually high because the pack turned out to be robust and gas is $5.00 a gallon. So I view leasing as an insurance cost to allow me the choice to keep the car or walk away in three years. The question is how much am I willing to pay for that insurance, which is pretty much a personal question that's based on my perception of the risk. I still haven't figured that out.

As far as technology is concerned, the only change that would lead me to want to replace the Leaf in three years is a significant upgrade in battery capacity. IMHO, I don't see that in less than 5 years. For a new battery technology to be available in a production car in three years, it would need to be pretty far along in development right now. There's been lot of possibilities talked about on this forum in addition to the article in the OP, but it all seems to be in the basic research stage.

Yes I agree, even if I could save money buying over leasing it could be nice to have a wait and see then buy if it is still going 100 miles and no new battery.

What if any restiction do a lease put on the car? I want to buy the bummper guard and tint my windows is that aloud?

That is certainly allowed, they just adjust the lease price for the added options. The restrictions are the yearly mileage allowed and the 'penalty' rates for each mile exceeded, as well as being required to return the car in decent condition. Note to those with kids, dogs and a Home Depot addiction....that can be hard to do!

 

[Gonewild]

Home depot you mean any head liner damage or dirt?

I hear door dings are costly?

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

Another reason I'm leasing is because I am betting that in three years there will be an Infiniti-badged EV.

I'm getting the Leaf not because it's a perfect fit, but because it's FIRST. I don't expect EV range to be significantly over 100 miles in three years, or other technological leaps. But I do expect the Leaf's EV design to make it into other models of different styles and price-points.

So, in three years, it seems highly likely that there is another EV I'd rather drive than the Leaf.

If that EV is a hard-top convertible with excellent tech package, higher output motor, and some luxury elements, then I'm paying cash and keeping it for more than three years.

 

[evnow]

Another reason I'm leasing is because I am betting that in three years there will be an Infiniti-badged EV.

Not just Infinity - but also EVs from Audi & BMW (Megacity).If Tesla comes up with a decent lease program, may be even Model S.

 

[sjfotos]

Home depot you mean any head liner damage or dirt?

I hear door dings are costly?

You got it! Those 2x4's, etc. do not mesh well with interior surfaces

 

[PDXLeafGuy]

Imagine if the EV-1 was still in production after all these years and during that time had proven itself to be a great EV including its reliability record. Thats an EV i could see buying and holding onto for a long time.

The Leaf is cool but i don't really love the exterior look from every angle. With all the factory EV and PHEV activity going on, i appreciate the opportunity to be able to "toss the keys back" to the dealer after 36 months and hop into another EV.

This plus the good reasons that others have already posted made the decision to lease a pretty easy one especially after reading up a little bit about it online.

Now there's one caveat: i haven't actually placed an order yet. It hasn't felt right yet and i didn't want to place an order and then have a change of heart about it.

Then recently i saw Toyota's Prius lease special for $199/mo and the nearest Toyota dealer says they will do a 24 month lease. There may be some advantages at this point in letting the Leaf dust settle a bit, U.S. production to ramp up, and availability on dealer lots and showroom floors to become widespread. Finally the old Volvo hand-me-down here may not make it until a Leaf arrives anyway. So I'm sort of under the gun to get a new vehicle here as soon as possible. I've tried to do the right thing not purchasing a new vehicle unless really necessary, but i may have pushed it too far this time!

 

[wwhitney]

I am trying to figure out is not getting all the rebate or if buying and getting a low 2.9% rate would I pay less buying then the lost of $1,500 of the rebate I may not get.

This is a straightforward math problem. You should be able to use the spreadsheet posted in the lease thread to figure this out. I haven't looked at that particular spreadsheet, but you should be able to enter 2.9% either as the loan rate in a "lease versus buy with financing" comparison, or just use 2.9% as the discount rate for the present value calculations in a "lease versus buy with cash" comparison.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[jwhitehouse]

[quote.... I may still buy though because I can't stand the thought of another monthly payment.[/quote]

One option on many leases is to pay the entire contract up front. I don't know how Nissan works such deals, but some leasing companies used to save you a portion of interest expense and retain the 'guaranteed' residual at the end of the term.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

[quote.... I may still buy though because I can't stand the thought of another monthly payment.

One option on many leases is to pay the entire contract up front. I don't know how Nissan works such deals, but some leasing companies used to save you a portion of interest expense and retain the 'guaranteed' residual at the end of the term.[/quote]

i can give you "some" info on that.

i asked NMAC and they said, payout would be residual+ purchase fee ($300 for me) plus prorated depreciation (which is purchase price- downpayment-tax credit-payments made* depreciation/35)

now, i had asked dealer about payoff when signing lease and they were ZERO help. but when i got info from NMAC, the actual change from lease to purchase would be done thru dealer which, quite frankly disappoints me

but my payoff was ahh...hmm... well misplaced that piece of paper but i posted it on lease v buy thread, but was around $17,500 or so which would be about right.

my car was around $34,600 or so. i put 10,000 down so, add $7500 tax credit that reduces cost to $17,100

 

[Glenn]

my car was around $34,600 or so. i put 10,000 down so, add $7500 tax credit that reduces cost to $17,100

Dave, are you planning on paying off the remaining 17K right away, or will you wait the three years and then then decide? Any pros or cons either way?

Thanks for paving the way for many of us to have yet another purchasing option,

Glenn