2013 LEAF Pricing and Features-S:28,800 SV:31,820 SL:34,840

[kubel]

Does anybody know how this will affect residual prices for those of us who have leased the Leaf?

I don't understand. A three year old car has a degraded battery and other wear and tear disadvantages. If newer cars are cheaper why wouldn't this make them less valuable?

The residual that you and I agreed to when we signed our lease is fixed, it never changes. It's not actually the REAL residual value of the car, only time will tell that. It's just a guess that NMAC made to help compute the lease payments (since we are paying for everything but the residual). If the residual from the lease agreement is different from what the car actually is worth at the end of the lease, we aren't expected to pay (or receive) the difference.

The residual that we signed is not what the car will actually be worth at the end of the lease, but the risks involved with overestimating the residual falls entirely on NMAC. And likewise, if NMAC underestimated the residual, it's their payday. We don't see anything either way because our lease residual is fixed.

In other words, those of us who leased got a good deal, NMAC got screwed, and people who are going to lease 2013 models are probably going to see a lower residual (meaning more expensive lease payments relative to the value of the car).

I'm loving the LEAF but it's getting turned in at the end of my lease. I'm so glad I leased!

 

[planet4ever]

And likewise, if NMAC underestimated the residual, it's their payday.

No, not really. If they underestimated, I can buy the car at their below-market price then turn right around and sell it on the open market. The truth is, if they estimate low, we win. If they estimate high, we win. If their estimate is spot on, they win by a little bit and we chalk it up as an insurance cost.

Ray

 

[wantonsoup]

This is getting a bit off-topic, but that's not entirely true. If they give you an artificially low residual, that means you've been paying too much all along (and paying too much tax also based on that higher amount). Buying the car to turn around and sell it also has more costs involved, like sales tax, registration fees, etc.

You want the highest residual you can negotiate. If they make it too low, they win. If they make it too high, bonanza for you.

 

[thankyouOB]

I'm loving the LEAF but it's getting turned in at the end of my lease. I'm so glad I leased!

and dozens of others like it

i dont get it.
you lease it for three years and pay between 9k and 8k in monthly, plus a down of 2k.
at the end, you lose all that and have nothing.


i buy for 20k in 2011 (with 5k CA rebate and tax credit, or even 22.5k with 2.5k rebate CA) and keep then sell it at the end of 3 years for 15k or even 13k?
i dont have to write checks every month or worry that i might drive over 1k miles a month.
and leasing is smarter?

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I'm loving the LEAF but it's getting turned in at the end of my lease. I'm so glad I leased!

and dozens of others like it

i dont get it.
you lease it for three years and pay between 9k and 8k in monthly, plus a down of 2k.
at the end, you lose all that and have nothing.


i buy for 20k (with 5k CA rebate and tax credit, or even 22.5k with 2.5k rebate CA) and keep then sell it at the end of 3 years for 15k or even 13k?
i dont have to write checks every month or worry that i might drive over 1k miles a month.
and leasing is smarter?

both options are valid for specific sets of circumstances. not all have the cash to buy, period. leasing allows one to get a LEAF when the very large lump of cash is not available. for TCO, paying cash outright eliminates loan fees, interest charges, etc. so it will always be cheaper (no investment suggestions please...)

another thing; you dont buy it for $20k. its $29K. and the selling price is all speculation and not all have the energy, patience or the time to sell their vehicle private party. if going to a dealer; their offers start at wholesale and goes down from there.

I originally was going to buy but now I am very glad I did not. extreme changes in our month to month expenses has made me VERY glad I had extra cash to pay out. This also means that there is no way I will be able to buy when my lease ends in a year and two days due to the much higher monthly payments and much larger down payment I am not likely to have.

 

[evnow]

i buy for 20k (with 5k CA rebate and tax credit, or even 22.5k with 2.5k rebate CA) and keep then sell it at the end of 3 years for 15k or even 13k?

Well, if you want to compare to after $5k tax credit, you would have paid only $4k for the lease. Phenominal deal.

Anyway, there are several lease vs buy threads. I'll start one more once more details of the 2013 lease are available.

 

[KJD]

Has Nissan announced the EPA numbers for the 2013 yet ?

 

[thankyouOB]

i buy for 20k (with 5k CA rebate and tax credit, or even 22.5k with 2.5k rebate CA) and keep then sell it at the end of 3 years for 15k or even 13k?

Well, if you want to compare to after $5k tax credit, you would have paid only $4k for the lease. Phenominal deal.

Anyway, there are several lease vs buy threads. I'll start one more once more details of the 2013 lease are available.

that doesnt make sense. the tax credit is 7.5k. the rebate is 5k or now 2.5k.
how does either make the least 4k for three years--that would be $111 a month with nothing down.

 

[evnow]

that doesnt make sense. the tax credit is 7.5k. the rebate is 5k or now 2.5k.
how does either make the least 4k for three years--that would be $111 a month with nothing down.

Will answer in a different thread, when I start it.

 

[naednek]

Welcome, naednek!

So the tough spot is... Do I wait for the 2013 and risk the lease price going to a "cheaper model" or do I skip the newness factor and go for the 2012 that is in stock now?

If I were you, I would wait a month or so and lease the 2013. It might be slightly more money to get the SV or SL version, but it is also a somewhat better vehicle than the 2012 or the 2013 S which you can get for $199/mo.

Do we know the S is going to be at the $199 lease? I really don't want to settle for a LEAF without a GPS that shows me where the charging stations are located. I don't really care for the camera or the other features, but I think the nav is the must have for these types of cars.

 

[evnow]

Do we know the S is going to be at the $199 lease? I really don't want to settle for a LEAF without a GPS that shows me where the charging stations are located. I don't really care for the camera or the other features, but I think the nav is the must have for these types of cars.

Yes $199 lease was announced as well.

Since all smartphones have GPS, why is nav a must have ?

 

[naednek]

Do we know the S is going to be at the $199 lease? I really don't want to settle for a LEAF without a GPS that shows me where the charging stations are located. I don't really care for the camera or the other features, but I think the nav is the must have for these types of cars.

Yes $199 lease was announced as well.

Since all smartphones have GPS, why is nav a must have ?

because in CA I can't use my phone while driving Good ol nanny state

 

[TomT]

Sorry, I disagree. A good vehicle nav system (the 2011/2012 Leaf does not qualify) can do a lot that a phone can not do at all or can not do safely... It is also not dependent on cellular coverage as most cellphone navs are...

Since all smartphones have GPS, why is nav a must have ?

 

[TomT]

And hopefully it will soon be a national law!

because in CA I can't use my phone while driving

 

[KJD]

Do we know the S is going to be at the $199 lease? I really don't want to settle for a LEAF without a GPS that shows me where the charging stations are located. I don't really care for the camera or the other features, but I think the nav is the must have for these types of cars.

The Nav unit in the 2012 is OK, but it is way over priced. My wife bought a Garmin GPS for her car and it has a much nicer user interface. The cost was less than $200.

 

[evnow]

because in CA I can't use my phone while driving Good ol nanny state

When you really need to find a charging station, stop at the side and find the station, start the nav directions and resume your journey ...

 

[evnow]

Sorry, I disagree. A good vehicle nav system (the 2011/2012 Leaf does not qualify) can do a lot that a phone can not do at all or can not do safely... It is also not dependent on cellular coverage as most cellphone navs are...

Since all smartphones have GPS, why is nav a must have ?

Agreed - but why would that make the nav a "must have" ? BTW, some cell phones allow you to download maps beforehand.

 

[TomT]

Agreed, that is why I said most and not all...

Agreed - but why would that make the nav a "must have" ? BTW, some cell phones allow you to download maps beforehand.

 

[naednek]

Do we know the S is going to be at the $199 lease? I really don't want to settle for a LEAF without a GPS that shows me where the charging stations are located. I don't really care for the camera or the other features, but I think the nav is the must have for these types of cars.

The Nav unit in the 2012 is OK, but it is way over priced. My wife bought a Garmin GPS for her car and it has a much nicer user interface. The cost was less than $200.

Does your wife's gps list charging stations?

 

[Jay]

Hello from the Great White North, has anybody seen the Canadian prices? For the 2012 we were paying a $4800 premium, hopefully it will better now.

I inquired about Canadian pricing/availability to a couple Canada Nissan execs...and self-servingly turned it into a little story (if you care to read it):

http://insideevs.com/2013-nissan-leaf-199-lease-details-sale-date-for-canada-more-battery-production-in-the-us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interestingly (but not really), I got the same quote I got from Travis Parman (Nissan USA Rep) a month or two ago, about sitting tight and wait for closer to the on-sale date... which we speculated at the time to mean "just wait for the darn autoshow."

So playing the same game I'd say Canadian pricing will be at the Canadian International Auto Show in Toronto on the 15th of February.

Also of interest, while select USA dealers expect to start getting inventory in around 3 weeks, you are looking more like April in Canada, as the Canadian rep told me not to expect sales until the spring.