Padding MSRP With Accessories

[Loggerhead]

Hello, All. I’m planning to purchase a 2023 Leaf in January. I’ve done the usual due diligence and noticed that the window stickers for Leafs in my area have about $1500 in “Options included by the Manufacturer” added to the MSRP. Is it possible to order a car and specify what, if any, accessories are wanted?

[Toby]

One thing I've noticed with car dealers (all of them, not just Nissan) is their temptation to pad their costs. Find out just exactly is included in "Options included by the Manufacturer” above and beyond the version you select. For example, if you order a Leaf SV, what is the dealer adding? I can imagine gloss coating the paint and undercoating areas that might rust. They should tell you.

[Loggerhead]

Nothing is being added by the dealer. The window sticker says the accessories have been added by the manufacturer. My question is whether it is possible to specify through the dealer just what I want to buy. Has anyone had experience ordering a car as opposed to buying a car that had already been delivered to the dealership ?

[LeftieBiker]

I believe that GerryAZ orders his Leafs. He should be able to answer this.

[jjeff]

Don't know about a new Leaf but my recently delivered RAV4 prime included over a thousand dollars of manufacture-installed options I didn't ask for nor want. Things like sill plate guards, hatch guards, nice weather-tech like floor mats, etc. As they were manufacture-installed they were on the Monrey sticker and the dealer would not take it off, I could have said no and turned down the vehicle but as I'd already been waiting over 2 years for it and who knows how long it would be for one that didn't include the crap, I bit the bullet I just figured it was part of the price of the vehicle and I'm sure Nissan is doing the same.

[Triggerhappy007]

Don't know about a new Leaf but my recently delivered RAV4 prime included over a thousand dollars of manufacture-installed options I didn't ask for nor want. Things like sill plate guards, hatch guards, nice weather-tech like floor mats, etc. As they were manufacture-installed they were on the Monrey sticker and the dealer would not take it off, I could have said no and turned down the vehicle but as I'd already been waiting over 2 years for it and who knows how long it would be for one that didn't include the crap, I bit the bullet I just figured it was part of the price of the vehicle and I'm sure Nissan is doing the same.

Toyota does port installed accessories and it's pricey compared to everyone else.

BTW, why did you decide to keep the Prime knowing you lost the $7500 tax credit?

[Nubo]

Is it possible to order a car and specify what, if any, accessories are wanted?

I'd certainly hope so. I've done this in the past with other makes though in each case there was a substantial wait time. I did have one experience where a Toyota salesperson flatly refused a custom order. I promptly walked next door to a Mazda dealership who were more than happy to accomodate me.

[jjeff]

Don't know about a new Leaf but my recently delivered RAV4 prime included over a thousand dollars of manufacture-installed options I didn't ask for nor want. Things like sill plate guards, hatch guards, nice weather-tech like floor mats, etc. As they were manufacture-installed they were on the Monrey sticker and the dealer would not take it off, I could have said no and turned down the vehicle but as I'd already been waiting over 2 years for it and who knows how long it would be for one that didn't include the crap, I bit the bullet I just figured it was part of the price of the vehicle and I'm sure Nissan is doing the same.

Toyota does port installed accessories and it's pricey compared to everyone else.

BTW, why did you decide to keep the Prime knowing you lost the $7500 tax credit?

We were starting to worry about the overall reliability of our '07 Prius and also wanted to get something higher as well as AWD, oh and the kicker was I wanted something with decent(>30 miles) EV range. We had been waiting over 2-years and truthfully didn't believe anything else fitting our bill would materialize in the next 2-years. Sure you hear and see a lot about vehicles that would have met all our requirements but when it comes down to actually purchasing one, the numbers drop to zero to make matters worse many aren't even available in my state, a state not mandating a certain fuel economy average. Yes it sucked we missed out on the $7500 but I didn't see that changing again in the next couple of years and it was time to make a move.
In hind site we would have flown out to RI back in '20-'21 near the pandemic and drove a Prime back then but hind site is 20/20.
In one way a decent<$50k 250-mile EV would have probably been a better fit for us and then either rent or car swap with a friend for our couple times/year longer range trips but even those kind of vehicles with our wishlist are basically non-existent in our state, maybe in 10-15 years when we'll probably be in the market for another vehicle they'll finally be commonplace but for now, they are not, no matter what advertising or the media would like you to believe!
In the meantime I've got 2 older Leafs to sell as well as a Prius, not to mention my old Scion Xb that I probably have sold, time to get down on the number of vehicles in my driveway, it's a PIA to keep them driven and brushed off of all the daily snow we've been getting as of late.

[SageBrush]

Yes it sucked we missed out on the $7500

Why did that happen ?

[Triggerhappy007]

Yes it sucked we missed out on the $7500

Why did that happen ?

When Biden signed the IRA on 8/16, it made all plug ins not built in North America ineligible for the tax credit. A lot of cars are ineligible now: Kia, Hyundai, Toyota, VW built overseas, Ariya, etc. Starting next year, the tax credit could be $0, $3750, or $7500 depending on the battery. There will be an income limit too.