TLeaf
Well-known member
So "Ginger" is finally turning 4 years old this week. Actually, I suppose she really turned 4 back in December according to her production date, but LEAF #225 was brought home for the first time 4 years ago this week. During that intervening time, she's covered almost 34,000 trouble-free miles (with an additional 8K miles racked up on my electric scooter). Though I've watched this forum closely to keep an eye out for possible troubles, and I strongly feel for those who've run into battery or other issues, I've got to admit that so far the LEAF is seemingly incredibly well-suited to life in the Pacific Northwest.
Some thoughts on 48 months of LEAF ownership:
- There's still all 12 capacity bars showing, but that first bar is close to dropping off (I saw my first "9 bar/80% charge" last month)
- Though they laugh at me at work, a lap blanket and gloves make a great replacement for my non-existent heated seat and heated steering wheel
- Once I was done experimenting in year two, I found that I've never actually had a need to quick charge (still glad I have the QC option)
- I've never "turtled" the car and have no intention of doing so; I also try to avoid the top 20% of the battery's capacity
- The biggest mistake I made was putting Aquapel on my windshield; that stuff is terrible on a typical foggy (i.e.- no big rain drops) northwest day
- My Ecopias are wearing well and should last another 16K miles easy; I suppose I should be concerned that they spin too readily on wet pavement, but it's so much fun
- For what it's worth, I keep the tires inflated to 44psi in the summer and 41psi in the winter
- Driving through a half-inch of standing water on the freeway is a real mileage-eater
- Even in the days of $2 gasoline, I'm so glad that I opted out of the petro pricing "game"
- Another thing I'm glad I didn't do was wait; though I could now buy a used LEAF for under $11K if I had waited, I've saved over $3K in gas and have greatly enjoyed the past 4 years of EV ownership, especially those first couple of years where EV owners actually waved at each other and LEAFs on the city streets were few and far between
Overall, it's been a great ride and here's to hoping that there's still enough range in that ol' battery to keep me commuting to and from work (34 miles) for another 16 years until retirement! I admit that a Tesla, or maybe even a --gasp!-- Chevy, might tempt me between now and then, but I bought the car intending to keep it for the long haul and it certainly hasn't let me down yet.
Some thoughts on 48 months of LEAF ownership:
- There's still all 12 capacity bars showing, but that first bar is close to dropping off (I saw my first "9 bar/80% charge" last month)
- Though they laugh at me at work, a lap blanket and gloves make a great replacement for my non-existent heated seat and heated steering wheel
- Once I was done experimenting in year two, I found that I've never actually had a need to quick charge (still glad I have the QC option)
- I've never "turtled" the car and have no intention of doing so; I also try to avoid the top 20% of the battery's capacity
- The biggest mistake I made was putting Aquapel on my windshield; that stuff is terrible on a typical foggy (i.e.- no big rain drops) northwest day
- My Ecopias are wearing well and should last another 16K miles easy; I suppose I should be concerned that they spin too readily on wet pavement, but it's so much fun
- For what it's worth, I keep the tires inflated to 44psi in the summer and 41psi in the winter
- Driving through a half-inch of standing water on the freeway is a real mileage-eater
- Even in the days of $2 gasoline, I'm so glad that I opted out of the petro pricing "game"
- Another thing I'm glad I didn't do was wait; though I could now buy a used LEAF for under $11K if I had waited, I've saved over $3K in gas and have greatly enjoyed the past 4 years of EV ownership, especially those first couple of years where EV owners actually waved at each other and LEAFs on the city streets were few and far between
Overall, it's been a great ride and here's to hoping that there's still enough range in that ol' battery to keep me commuting to and from work (34 miles) for another 16 years until retirement! I admit that a Tesla, or maybe even a --gasp!-- Chevy, might tempt me between now and then, but I bought the car intending to keep it for the long haul and it certainly hasn't let me down yet.