Bay Area: San Jose Leaf test drive

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leaf561

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 28, 2010
Messages
99
Location
Bay Area, CA
Those going to the San Jose test drive event this weekend, can you post any logistic feedback here?

Based on the weather forecast, it is going to rain all 3 days :cry: I hope they will give us enough time behind the wheels.

Mine time slot is on Sunday.

Thanks
 
I'm Saturday at 3pm. I'll post the experience here on Sunday morning since I'll be out to a Halloween party afterward and wont be home until very late.
 
As I posted before for one of the drive events ...
Could someone take along a Kill-A-Watt, and on the off-chance (time available, permission) plug the car in with the included L1 to see how many amps and Watts it draws ?
 
I can also get one. But I doubt they will let us use it.

I am also curious to know what they are using for charging the cars at the test drive site. The Leaf I saw at the dealer display, didn't have L3. So if it is L2, then not sure how they are able to keep the car charged up for the entire day.
 
leaf561 said:
I am also curious to know what they are using for charging the cars at the test drive site. The Leaf I saw that the dealer display, didn't have L3. So if it is L2, then not sure how they are able to keep the car charged up for the entire day.

The use a mobile generator. I'm not sure how big it is, or what it delivers. They have like a dozen cars in total, with one on charge at any given time, between one and two on display, and the rest giving test drives.
 
palmermd said:
I have one, and I'll bring it along.
Thanks. Hope the opportunity to plug into 120V avails itself :) I am also curious about PF (Power Factor) ... which most Kill-A-Watts can display ...
 
mwalsh said:
leaf561 said:
I am also curious to know what they are using for charging the cars at the test drive site. The Leaf I saw that the dealer display, didn't have L3. So if it is L2, then not sure how they are able to keep the car charged up for the entire day.

The use a mobile generator. I'm not sure how big it is, or what it delivers. They have like a dozen cars in total, with one on charge at any given time, between one and two on display, and the rest giving test drives.

They have a huge Aerovironment power source on a truck. I don't know if it is a generator or a huge battery with stored power, but it has several AV EVSEs hanging off of it that look like the residential L2 EVSEs. Someone posted a picture of it from the Anaheim drive event.
 
Looking in Google Earth, there appears to be a pedestrian bridge across the Guadalupe River that ends right where I assume the drive registration will be. Does anyone know if that is true? If so, and if arriving on VTA, would it be better to get off the Light Rail at the Children's Discovery Museum and walk across the park and bridge, or to get off in front of the Convention Center and walk back on San Carlos and Almaden?
 
planet4ever said:
Looking in Google Earth, there appears to be a pedestrian bridge across the Guadalupe River that ends right where I assume the drive registration will be. Does anyone know if that is true? If so, and if arriving on VTA, would it be better to get off the Light Rail at the Children's Discovery Museum and walk across the park and bridge, or to get off in front of the Convention Center and walk back on San Carlos and Almaden?

It might depend on the day/time. Friday/Saturday you're probably better off walking across the meadow and bridge, but on Sunday they have the Marathon finish line in the meadow. I don't quite see how they can even do a test drive on city streets as Almaden and Woz way are shut down for the race. Here's a map of the race course:
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-states/ca/-san-jose/763128753049182245
 
I went there today at 9:00am for a 10:00am drive. They put you on a list as soon as you get there, so the reservation time is pretty irrelevant. I parked right in the same lot as the tour is set up at Woz Way and Almaden. It's a pay lot - $7 for all day - no hourly rate. I think either of those VTA stops are within an easy walk of the site. It wasn't raining then and isn't now, although it's supposed to start this afternoon or this evening and rain through tomorrow. Sunday is supposed clear up, but there will be the marathon in the morning, so it will probably be a zoo at least into early afternoon.
 
If you don't want to spend $7 for parking, there are a few meter parking spaces on the streets of woz way if you are lucky. pop in around a $1.50 or so and you should be good for 1.5hrs.
 
Thanks for the info. My drive is 3pm on Sunday. Hopefully the marathon will be winding down by then. Is the meter parking enforced on Sunday?
 
I was there this (Friday) morning at around 10 as well. Probably because it is a weekday morning, there were not too many people. Walk-ins get to go with the pre-registered people. After I registered, there was a wait for about 15 minutes. Then in groups of about 20 people, they moved us from one room to another.

First room : talk about the batteries
Second room : talk about various features
Third room: talk about the range

Then there were two Leafs parked outside for you to feel and touch (not drive) before lining for the actual test drive. If there is a big crowd, I suggest skipping the "feel and touch" and go directly to line up for the test drive. You can always come back to look at the cars later.

If you are test driving with a partner, you can request to switch over with your partner at the end of your drive, staying with the same car (you become the passenger at the back). All drivers must be registered.

The test drive is 1.3 miles. The route is as follows: exit the Woz/Almaden parking lot, immediate keep left and make a U, go north along Almaden Blvd for about 3 blocks, then make a right into Fernando, another right into Market, another right into San Carlos, and finally a left into Almaden Blvd to get back into the parking lot:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=S+Almaden+Blvd&daddr=37.3310872,-121.8925986+to:37.3333064,-121.8913703+to:S+Almaden+Blvd&hl=en&geocode=FbeROQIdthu8-A%3BFY-gOQIdChG8-CmzCF_5pMyPgDFtl20mS9VGsg%3BFTqpOQId1hW8-Cnn4QuwpMyPgDE_qlfZMZfyQQ%3BFXuTOQIdYBq8-A&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=17&via=1,2&sll=37.326949,-121.888558&sspn=0.004325,0.009645&ie=UTF8&ll=37.330072,-121.889126&spn=0.008258,0.018346&z=16

Some random thoughts:

The blue seems to be a darker hue in real life compared to the pictures I have seen online. The Leaf is very quiet and has good acceleration. When the ECO mode is switched on, there is a noticeable "drag" when coasting.
 
leaf561 said:
Rat said:
I went there today at 9:00am for a 10:00am drive.
Where did they let you drive and how long was it?
See my writeup in the Test Drives in the U.S. thread. You start in the parking lot and meander through a short course of cones to get used to it, then out onto the streets and do about a mile around downtown, through heavy traffic. We left in a group of about four Leafs in a line, with someone right on my tail and one ahead, so I couldn't do much besides follow like a duckling. The Leaf gal with us directed our route. No freeway. Not much of a test drive, really, but I got a feel for the car and liked it. Plenty of room in the rear seat and the cargo area. The displays are easy to read while driving. The email said to expect to spend 60-90 minutes and it took at least that altogether, mostly listening to an explanation of the car and its features that we already all know or waiting for your group to be called.
 
greenleaf said:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=S+Almaden+Blvd&daddr=37.3310872,-121.8925986+to:37.3333064,-121.8913703+to:S+Almaden+Blvd&hl=en&geocode=FbeROQIdthu8-A%3BFY-gOQIdChG8-CmzCF_5pMyPgDFtl20mS9VGsg%3BFTqpOQId1hW8-Cnn4QuwpMyPgDE_qlfZMZfyQQ%3BFXuTOQIdYBq8-A&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=17&via=1,2&sll=37.326949,-121.888558&sspn=0.004325,0.009645&ie=UTF8&ll=37.330072,-121.889126&spn=0.008258,0.018346&z=16
I like the map :D

greenleaf said:
The blue seems to be a darker hue in real life compared to the pictures I have seen online.

The timing for this test drive is good for me. I will be eligible to order in November and I really wanted to see the colors before I order. I prefer blue, but seems Red has become popular among most. Anyway, wife will make the final call ;)

Rat, thanks for your feedback also.
 
greenleaf said:
The test drive is 1.3 miles. The route is as follows: exit the Woz/Almaden parking lot, immediate keep left and make a U, go north along Almaden Blvd for about 3 blocks, then make a right into Fernando, another right into Market, another right into San Carlos, and finally a left into Almaden Blvd to get back into the parking lot:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=S+Almaden+Blvd&daddr=37.3310872,-121.8925986+to:37.3333064,-121.8913703+to:S+Almaden+Blvd&hl=en&geocode=FbeROQIdthu8-A%3BFY-gOQIdChG8-CmzCF_5pMyPgDFtl20mS9VGsg%3BFTqpOQId1hW8-Cnn4QuwpMyPgDE_qlfZMZfyQQ%3BFXuTOQIdYBq8-A&mra=dme&mrcr=0&mrsp=0&sz=17&via=1,2&sll=37.326949,-121.888558&sspn=0.004325,0.009645&ie=UTF8&ll=37.330072,-121.889126&spn=0.008258,0.018346&z=16

How am I supposed to test 0-60 on that route? Haha. Doesn't seem like much of a drive. I doubt I'll even see 30mph on that route. Better than nothing at this point though.
 
I went on the test drive this morning in San Jose. Three important things I learned:

1. I FIT!! This was really my only doubt about whether I would buy this car. I'm 6'7" with much of my height in my legs (38" inseam). There are some cars that I cannot drive because there is not enough room between the steering wheel and the center console for my right knee. The LEAF was OK, about the same as my Corolla. There is a bit more head room than in my Corolla. There is about 4 inches clearance above my head.

2. I asked two different people whether it was possible to remotely turn on the heater or air conditioner when the car in NOT plugged in. Both said yes. One was not sure when pressed with the fact that at another test drive event someone was told it was not possible. The other was sure.

3. Recently someone reported there was no coolant although there had been many reports before that there was. I checked carefully under the hood and asked. There are definitely two radiator style caps with warnings saying not to remove them when they are hot. There is also a coolant overflow tank that is labeled with the word "coolant." This leaves no doubt that there is coolant.
 
I was there around 10 on Friday. It all went very smoothly, but, no new information. I went primarily to see colors before ordering. I will probably stick to blue though I liked the pre-production shade better. I asked why they changed and got the surprising answer that the original paint was to costly. The test drive was too short, but it's what I expected. My drive did not bunch up and the first straight away was empty so the leaf rep suggested punching it. I did and was impressed. At the the finish I drove the cones aggressively and the car handled beautifully. Now the long wait to order day in January.
 
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