BLOOMBERG: Nissan Aggravates Customers Attempting to Turn CE

[Herm]

Based on the post-order experience with Nissan, I am not sure that I would EVER ORDER another Nissan !

So the Nissan brand has been damaged, and that takes a long time to fix..

George, besides the range guesstimator and out-of-date maps.. what else have you found wrong with the Leaf?.. I will admit neither of those two issues would bother me in the least.. actually I would prefer not to pay for NAV or the fancy satellite radio I will never subscribe to.

 

[TomT]

Look up fairness in the dictionary and you most definitely will not find anything relating to cars, car manufacturers, or car dealerships listed there. If he had followed a "normal dealer process" of ordering such a car there is still no guarantee of when it would have come in, and he may have very well STILL missed the full rebate. I much prefer how the Leaf roll-out and ordering was handled as compared to the Volt...

And while it is by no means even close to perfect, I'm still VERY happy with my Leaf and definitely feel I made the right decision!

Dont you believe in fairness?.. is it fair that film will lose $2500 because he missed the good CA rebate?.. "Normal dealer crap" means you just have to find a better dealer... and yes, perhaps you would have paid a bit more but that just fair.

 

[rawhog]

.

 

[TomT]

Considering just the earthquake and tsunami, is anyone really surprised?

On a happier note :roll: KCRA Sacramento this morning had a piece on that said Nissan has now announced that Leaf deliveries for 2011 will only be 1/2 what they originally promised.

 

[thankyouOB]

I have my Leaf; I have had it since 17 February. I ordered on 31 August and was originally reported by Nissan "December 2010 delivery."

1-I was and am VERY happy with the way Nissan set up the original ordering process; it gave buyers leverage with dealers to get good prices and we got our Leaf for over $1700 UNDER MSRP.

2-But the Nissan corporate communication over the delivery delay was completely unsatisfactory. We have ordered new cars every 2-3 years for most of my adult life (e.g. for the last 30 years and cars from Lexus, Acura, BMW, Infiniti, Audi, VW, Honda and Toyota), and I have NEVER had such poor customer service and communication.

Based on the post-order experience with Nissan, I am not sure that I would EVER ORDER another Nissan !

I dont get how statements 1 and 2 are from the same person. You saved nearly 2k and are upset that the delivery process didnt follow the order process as smoothly as you wish, despite the earthquake?
or leave out the earthquake, I still dont get how 1 and 2 compute.

 

[ERG4ALL]

If Nissan had just come out a long time ago and spelled out all the factors that determine when everyone gets their car, this whole issue could be a lot more palatable. If people understand the process I believe they are more likely to accept the results. In my case, I'm not sure why we got ours (#404) on March 8th. Here are some possible reasons.

First, we started tracking the LEAF about two years ago when it was first on the internet. We signed up immediately to be on their emailing list. Then, we RSVP'd to view the prototype in December, 2009 in Phoenix. They had us on their list and gave us LEAF "T" shirts when we viewed the prototype. Next, we put our $99 down on the afternoon of April 20, 2010. Then, we ordered the car without ever driving one on September 30, 2010. An unusual thing happened when we ordered the car, even though we always wanted to lease the car, the order was put in as a purchase I'm told because of some computer glitch. Also, the car we ordered was an SL without the QC port and was Ocean Blue. Next, we went the charging route proscribed by Nissan and had the AeroVironment charger installed on November 20, 2010. We signed up on the dashboard and test drove the LEAF on December 4, 2010. We were invited and attended the arrival of the first LEAF in AZ in December, 2010. Finally we took delivery on the car, as a lease, on March 8, 2011.

I list all of that for those of you that have been bounced around as a possible comparison. As you can see we were very avid about getting a LEAF. I have no idea if any of that made a difference but it may be useful as a point of comparison. We were generating way more power than we were using from our PV set up so we were making ourselves known to Nissan at every opportunity.

Nissan could have obviously done a better job of communicating to us early adopters. However, the car is a great car for a new technology. I have displayed the car at three local functions so far, purely to make people aware that the country is sending well over one billion dollars per day to foreign countries for oil and EVs are one way to lessen the blow. I've posted before that I've made a three ring binder with about eight pages of relevant items explaining our energy crisis and things about the LEAF. I've sent that to a couple of posters that I hope will use it to display their LEAFs. That way we can help to counter reporting that may not give both sides of the story. I've probably spoken with a hundred people so far which is a drop in the bucket, but at least when they talk to their friends they will be the "expert" and can say that they talked with someone who owns one.

 

[Glenn]

I have my Leaf; I have had it since 17 February. I ordered on 31 August and was originally reported by Nissan "December 2010 delivery."

1-I was and am VERY happy with the way Nissan set up the original ordering process; it gave buyers leverage with dealers to get good prices and we got our Leaf for over $1700 UNDER MSRP.

2-But the Nissan corporate communication over the delivery delay was completely unsatisfactory. We have ordered new cars every 2-3 years for most of my adult life (e.g. for the last 30 years and cars from Lexus, Acura, BMW, Infiniti, Audi, VW, Honda and Toyota), and I have NEVER had such poor customer service and communication.

Based on the post-order experience with Nissan, I am not sure that I would EVER ORDER another Nissan !

I dont get how statements 1 and 2 are from the same person. You saved nearly 2k and are upset that the delivery process didnt follow the order process as smoothly as you wish, despite the earthquake?
or leave out the earthquake, I still dont get how 1 and 2 compute.

My suspicion is that George perceived ordering and delivering as two mutually exclusive events. In this case it's easy to see how one could be positive and the other... not so much.

I'm sure many folks roll the whole "whatever I did before I actually got to drive my car" into one drawn-out, convoluted event, in which case the more recent negativities around delivering begin to outweigh the long forgotten positives regarding ordering.

Glenn

 

[Herm]

Look up fairness in the dictionary and you most definitely will not find anything relating to cars, car manufacturers, or car dealerships listed there. If he had followed a "normal dealer process" of ordering such a car there is still no guarantee of when it would have come in, and he may have very well STILL missed the full rebate. I much prefer how the Leaf roll-out and ordering was handled as compared to the Volt...

It sounds like you have never found the right dealership, one that you have built a relationship with over the years.. in any case the dealership would order cars, and customer buys whats available.. first come first served.

People have purchased Volts at MSRP.

 

[lonndoggie]

First, we started tracking the LEAF about two years ago when it was first on the internet. We signed up immediately to be on their emailing list.

Same here.

Then, we RSVP'd to view the prototype in December, 2009 in Phoenix. They had us on their list and gave us LEAF "T" shirts when we viewed the prototype.

Virtual same here (it was the Leaf Tour's stop in San Diego, at an alternative energy expo, in...ah...January, I think). Got me one of those pale blue T-shirts, too.

Next, we put our $99 down on the afternoon of April 20, 2010.

Same, except it was the morning.

Then, we ordered the car without ever driving one on September 30, 2010.

We got our OK to order on 10/1, and due to various hurdles of our own making, didn't actually place the order until 10/7.

No glitches with our order--what we wanted was what we ordered. Also, we were inspected and approved for the EV Project on 9/17.

We signed up on the dashboard and test drove the LEAF on December 4, 2010.

We signed up for the San Diego event on the Friday it was here, and my older son and I went and dropped in for another drive that Sunday.

We were invited and attended the arrival of the first LEAF in AZ in December, 2010.

Roger that, except the first Leaf in San Diego, AKA the second Leaf in the US, at the Nissan Design Center.

Finally we took delivery on the car, as a lease, on March 8, 2011.

Finally, eh? Congrats on that.

I'm still waiting.

Rhyme? Reason? Not so much. Fate, my friend. I view the Leaf manufacturing and distribution process like a giant Pachinko machine; the Leafs tumble thru, banging off pins, and it's impossible to predict where any given one will end up, or when.

Your car made it through the process cleanly, while mine got jumbled a bit, still managed to make it out of Japan before the disaster, then went into suspended animation at the port; now I've been swapped for a new VIN, and now the waiting game has begun again for that one.

That said: I STILL CAN'T WAIT TO GET IT! I'm still excited about it, but, of course, unhappy about how this has gone down.

To the OP: Thanks for sharing. When I spoke with Brendan Jones he said he was about to get on a call with a Bloomberg reporter--no doubt for that article.

-- LDog

 

[evnow]

My "connection" to the reporter, who has been writing about the Asian auto makers extensively for a long time, was pure coincidence... I was put in contact with him through another Bloomberg reporter who's daughter plays softball with my 6 year old daughter... I happened to tell him, in late April, about my Leaf story... he gave my contact information to Alan O., who wrote the story.

Thanks.

That is what I've always suspected, people interviewed are always somehow connected to the writer through "networking".

ps : People will attack you if you posted the story and highlighted something you said, that was nagative. There were actually some other interesting quotes from Nissan in that story that would have been interesting for the members here.

 

[evnow]

Here are some interesting pieces ...

The company expected “challenges” with its first electric car and first “built-to-order” model sold via the Internet in the U.S., said Brendan Jones, manager of Leaf sales in the country. The prospect proved true when orders were delayed due to technical glitches and communications problems, compounded by Japan’s earthquake in March that slowed deliveries of all models.

In April, Nissan began revamping the program, re-training agents staffing the vehicle’s sales website and promoting Jones, who had been a manager of general sales and marketing, to director of the same for the plug-in brand.

The first Leaf buyers, who Jones described as more affluent and tech-savvy than typical Nissan customers, require special handling. One Californian on the waiting list was so anxious about his order that “he even got a helicopter to fly over the port to see how many Leafs had arrived,” Jones said in a telephone interview on June 3.

 

[TomT]

I've never owned a Nissan before so, no, I didn't have a dealership track record with that brand. BMW, Acura and others over the years, yes, but not Nissan... That said, I DID find Fontana Nissan, which, at least for my Leaf, turned out to be the best dealership, purchase, and dealer experience of any I have ever had with ANY make or model!

Look up fairness in the dictionary and you most definitely will not find anything relating to cars, car manufacturers, or car dealerships listed there. If he had followed a "normal dealer process" of ordering such a car there is still no guarantee of when it would have come in, and he may have very well STILL missed the full rebate. I much prefer how the Leaf roll-out and ordering was handled as compared to the Volt...

It sounds like you have never found the right dealership, one that you have built a relationship with over the years..

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

This forum offers a somewhat 'slanted' view of the "Leaf ordering population". Mostly folks who reserved within the first hours, and ordered as soon as able.

I know at least five other enthusiasts who have ordered a Leaf and never posted or read anything here. They might have reserved in the evening instead of morning.

I can say with certainty that Nissan's Image, as a result of what can only be called a Reservation/Order Fiasco is absolute crap. Nobody but nobody is happy to not have a car, and no accurate communication from Nissan.

If you step outside of MNL and ask random people who have ordered the car, you won't find a lot of apologists and fanboys. You will find more than a few people in the "Never Another Nissan" camp. It really is that bad, regardless of how much slack we cut them here.

And as for the article, you can be mad about the 'angle', but you have to admit it is largely factual. Feel free to write a second article that contains factual positive info as well. ABG seems to like those.

 

[FilmMixer]

My "connection" to the reporter, who has been writing about the Asian auto makers extensively for a long time, was pure coincidence... I was put in contact with him through another Bloomberg reporter who's daughter plays softball with my 6 year old daughter... I happened to tell him, in late April, about my Leaf story... he gave my contact information to Alan O., who wrote the story.

Thanks.

That is what I've always suspected, people interviewed are always somehow connected to the writer through "networking".

ps : People will attack you if you posted the story and highlighted something you said, that was nagative. There were actually some other interesting quotes from Nissan in that story that would have been interesting for the members here.

I first posed the link, but didn't want to come back later and say, BTW, that was me he interviewed..

I didn't mean to omit the other info in the article.. just wanted to clarify my connection to the story...

And just to further clarify, the article was in the works before my chance conversation with my "connection..." purely accident and a random discussion (that just occurred at the softball game that day as my date got pushed to July that morning and I was frustrated..)

I didn't think I was gloating.. but now I know better......

 

[Desertstraw]

I really don't understand all this discussion. The article is true. There are a few lucky people whom the system somehow jumped ahead and they seem pretty smug. Most of us have experienced numerous delays. My experience is that based on what Nissan said January 2000, I expected delivery in December at the latest. Then in November, C.S. told me that the most likely delivery date would be in February. Then it was April, followed by May, and now June. C.S. now tells me that my car is at the port so maybe I will get it soon.

There is an old expression for this: "It is a helluva way to run a railroad".

 

[tps]

Nope, I have to strongly disagree! Warts and all, I believe this was a MUCH better way for Nissan to handle it!

Yes, I think that certain future LEAF owners should chill out a bit. Most of the complaints are from people who HAVE ordered, but have not received their LEAF. What about those of us who can't order yet and have no idea when our chance will come? Everyone, including those of us in the forgotten 36, will eventually get our cars. My advice is to be patient and let the process unfold.

 

[ERG4ALL]

I agree, an 11 year wait is unacceptable! :lol:

 

[GaslessInSeattle]

Maybe I'm just one of those self righteous "line jumpers" who is smugly driving around someone else's car and feeling damn happy about it but I have to admit I don't see what yet another thread about the ordering fiasco is going to accomplish. I think it's well established that it was poorly handled and time to move on. One can hope that the folks who have been shorted will get their car in short order now that production is recovering from the earthquake. Then again, I fear that all the bashing has done little to speed up the process and may even have contributed to convincing someone high up in Nissan corporate that the car is not a hot seller and instead of upping production to fill back orders, they have been ordered to cut it in half and focus energies elsewhere.

If I were waiting around for a car, I would do what I did a few months ago, find a dealer who gets decent allocation, be nice to the "Leaf specialist", let him/her know how enthusiastic I am about the Leaf and get on a list for an orphan, but instead plead my case for not paying the up-charge. Give a dealer a chance to look good and they would be foolish not to quickly take care of the folks who have a history of issues. If such a large number of folks who have ordered the car are declining delivery, then there should be plenty of extras to help those who got the crappy end of the stick.

Also, as an aside, does anyone know how many leaf's washed out to sea?

g

 

[cdub]

Well... the whole process wasn't ideal. But I can't really blame them... the tsunami messed alot up. It's a whole new ballgame.

But I too LOVE that the dealers were competing for our business and I was able to get it $1000 off MSRP.

The whole dealer process (the most painful process of buying a car) was completely painless. Alot like when I bought my Saturn.

I didn't feel swindled. I didn't feel taken advantage of.

As to whether people will buy a Nissan again? Well.... I buy a car for the car itself. Not the customer support. If it's a good product I'll buy it again.

And you know what... the Leaf is a VERY GOOD PRODUCT.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Iwe put our $99 down on the afternoon of April 20, 2010. Then, we ordered the car without ever driving one on September 30, 2010. An unusual thing happened when we ordered the car, even though we always wanted to lease the car, the order was put in as a purchase I'm told because of some computer glitch. Also, the car we ordered was an SL without the QC port and was Ocean Blue.... We signed up on the dashboard and test drove the LEAF on December 4, 2010.... Finally we took delivery on the car, as a lease, on March 8, 2011.

My experience is virtually identical, except I drove the car earlier in Oct 2010 and took delivery on 3 May 2011. The earthquake can be blamed for some / much of that delivery date difference.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are other 30 Sept orders that still haven't been filled. It's a mess that doesn't seem to be getting cleaned up quickly.