occ
Well-known member
Question: I'm scheduled for Sunday 1:30pm for my test drive. I don't want to go to the car show. Do I still have to pay the car show ticket to get in to get to Nissan testdrive?
drive electric tour 10/8-10/10 @ OC Auto Show (Anaheim)
- Thread starter BruinLEAFer
- Start date
Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:
Boomer23
Well-known member
No.
The Leaf Drive is located on top of a parking structure near the west side of the Convention Center property. You can walk up to the Nissan Drive area without going inside the car show.
But parking is $12.
You could try parking in the residential area along West Street and walking onto the grounds. I don't know if they have parking restrictions in the residential area, so check the signs.
Have fun!
The Leaf Drive is located on top of a parking structure near the west side of the Convention Center property. You can walk up to the Nissan Drive area without going inside the car show.
But parking is $12.
You could try parking in the residential area along West Street and walking onto the grounds. I don't know if they have parking restrictions in the residential area, so check the signs.
Have fun!
hill
Well-known member
Another test drive completed. To quote another, "I really wanted to like it ... I really tried to like it..." but I'm sorry to say ... I LOVE IT!!
:lol:
:lol:
My test-drive experience for Friday, Oct 8, at Anaheim. I report below what the Nissan tour folks said that was new to me. They appeared to be more PR types than technical, so I was skeptical of some details. I know detailed discussion of some of these topics are better suited to other threads, but I am reporting them here because they came up during my 4 hours at the Nissan test-drive venue.
Friday at 10:30 was a good appointment time. They had 5 or 6 cars in the test-drive rotation, and the two waits (first for orientation, then for the test-drive) were about 15-20 minutes each.
I took pictures of all model colors in the direct sun, but since these cars were active in the test-drives, I had to shoot quickly.
M pictures are posted at my photo web site here:
http://tomnature.smugmug.com/Events/Nissan-Leaf-Test-Drive-Oct-8/14110836_UACGc
The blue is intense. To my eye, more saturated rather than darker. I also have a shot of the nice color rear-view camera display. With the limited rear mirror visibility when the rear seats are up, the camera will give me some peace-of-mind in the parking lot. It is the best feature that comes with the SL trim.
The battery pack is composed of 48 modules, each with 4 laminated batteries. The on-board computer can apparently detect some types of failures in one more of these modules, and a failed module can be replaced at a dealer. This replacement would be covered under the 8-year battery warranty. No more details.
I asked about temperature extremes that would stress the battery. The spokesperson answered that there was only a problem above 120 degrees F and below -20 degrees F. Although I know the Li-Mn chemistry of the Leaf battery extends the temperature range compared to other Li batteries, I am still somewhat skeptical of these extremes, especially the low end, but that discussion is for another thread.
I asked about the strain on the battery from L3 quick-charging. They said one QC per week would be no problem, but one QC per day would cause some degradation. If you attempt a road trip with more than one QC in the same day, the computer will slow the rate of charge of the second QC.
There is no spare tire. They do include a simple tire repair kit that garygid describes. They also tout their road-side-assistance, which is free for several years. It would be nice if their road-side-assistance brought an actual spare tire, but is that too much to expect ?
BTW, Gary, I did hear that marvelous "electric-car whine" during my test-drive that you failed to notice. The artificial sound, when they activate it, will only be on at low speed, right ?
At 5'9" I felt a little low in the seat during my test-drive, with difficulty judging where the front of the car extended, similar to Boomer23's experience:
I did not know about the seat height adjustment, so I don't know how much that would help. Not a big problem - I don't think I hit any of the cones on either my first or second drive.
The seats were adequately comfortable. Very minimal lumbar adjustment, but I expected that. With back issues, I usually drive with an extra lumbar support cushion.
The test-drive route did include the short ramp back up to the parking area. Like others have done, I tried short acceleration bursts, but there was just not enough room to judge how well the car would accelerate up a freeway on-ramp, but the pickup appeared adequate.
After the test-drive, I talked to an Edison representative. She was touting the TOU-EV1 tariff with the second-meter option, even though I had been told twice a month ago by different folks at the SCE call center that that program has been discontinued. She gave me a direct phone number of someone she said would really know. I left a message and call-back with him. If and when I hear from him I will report back on a more specialized thread.
Bottom line - I am confident I will have fun with this car.
Thomas
Friday at 10:30 was a good appointment time. They had 5 or 6 cars in the test-drive rotation, and the two waits (first for orientation, then for the test-drive) were about 15-20 minutes each.
I took pictures of all model colors in the direct sun, but since these cars were active in the test-drives, I had to shoot quickly.
M pictures are posted at my photo web site here:
http://tomnature.smugmug.com/Events/Nissan-Leaf-Test-Drive-Oct-8/14110836_UACGc
The blue is intense. To my eye, more saturated rather than darker. I also have a shot of the nice color rear-view camera display. With the limited rear mirror visibility when the rear seats are up, the camera will give me some peace-of-mind in the parking lot. It is the best feature that comes with the SL trim.
The battery pack is composed of 48 modules, each with 4 laminated batteries. The on-board computer can apparently detect some types of failures in one more of these modules, and a failed module can be replaced at a dealer. This replacement would be covered under the 8-year battery warranty. No more details.
I asked about temperature extremes that would stress the battery. The spokesperson answered that there was only a problem above 120 degrees F and below -20 degrees F. Although I know the Li-Mn chemistry of the Leaf battery extends the temperature range compared to other Li batteries, I am still somewhat skeptical of these extremes, especially the low end, but that discussion is for another thread.
I asked about the strain on the battery from L3 quick-charging. They said one QC per week would be no problem, but one QC per day would cause some degradation. If you attempt a road trip with more than one QC in the same day, the computer will slow the rate of charge of the second QC.
There is no spare tire. They do include a simple tire repair kit that garygid describes. They also tout their road-side-assistance, which is free for several years. It would be nice if their road-side-assistance brought an actual spare tire, but is that too much to expect ?
BTW, Gary, I did hear that marvelous "electric-car whine" during my test-drive that you failed to notice. The artificial sound, when they activate it, will only be on at low speed, right ?
At 5'9" I felt a little low in the seat during my test-drive, with difficulty judging where the front of the car extended, similar to Boomer23's experience:
Boomer23 said:
I did not know about the seat height adjustment, so I don't know how much that would help. Not a big problem - I don't think I hit any of the cones on either my first or second drive.
The seats were adequately comfortable. Very minimal lumbar adjustment, but I expected that. With back issues, I usually drive with an extra lumbar support cushion.
The test-drive route did include the short ramp back up to the parking area. Like others have done, I tried short acceleration bursts, but there was just not enough room to judge how well the car would accelerate up a freeway on-ramp, but the pickup appeared adequate.
After the test-drive, I talked to an Edison representative. She was touting the TOU-EV1 tariff with the second-meter option, even though I had been told twice a month ago by different folks at the SCE call center that that program has been discontinued. She gave me a direct phone number of someone she said would really know. I left a message and call-back with him. If and when I hear from him I will report back on a more specialized thread.
Bottom line - I am confident I will have fun with this car.
Thomas
sjfotos
Well-known member
Thanks for the thorough review! tbleakne.
evnow
Well-known member
Can someone take a SD card with music and check if Leaf plays music through that ?
LBCev
Well-known member
I'm just back home from my visit to the OC Auto Show in Anaheim. The California sunshine (it's different here, you know?) was beating down on the Nissan LEAF Drive Tour event "glass" tents, which started to feel a bit like green houses. Other than the heat and the glare of the sun on some of the LCD displays, I think that Nissan put on a fairly well organized tour and a wonderful educational opportunity, particularly for the uninitiated "looky Lous" who were drawn by curiosity. For those of us that follow this forum and other sites for any tidbit of LEAF news, the tour is all about the drive. I brought along my buddy Keith and my daughter Stella - she'll be spending a lot of commutes in the back seat so her opinion on the ride is invaluable to me. Keith and I both had a drive opportunity, so I was able to experience the car as both driver and passenger.
From the driver's seat, the LEAF is nimble and quick off the line. Both Keith and I managed some wheel squeal when turning out of the parking area and onto the open road. As has been said, the LEAF is extremely quiet, though there is a faint electric whirring or whine that is barely audible. The dash is thoughtfully laid out and the NAV is intuitive to anyone who has used a modern mobile phone. It did feel very futuristic and between the whirring of the motor and the LCD displays, the whole thing put me in mind of a shuttlecraft form Star Trek. I felt that the steering was light but responsive. The short nose will take some getting used to and I discovered (thanks to Keith's 6' 3") that rear visibility is severely impacted when a tall person is in the back. This is attributable to the raised seating which accommodates the battery casing. As for ride, the LEAF felt very substantial - heavy even.
As a passenger, I enjoyed the quiet and smooth ride. The back seats were comfortable and I liked that we could talk about the car at room level volumes - something which isn't always possible in an ICE car. While sitting in the back, I paid close attention to the materials for the cloth and trim. To me, they did not seem as chintzy as some have described. Also, given the traffic that these cars are seeing, I was surprised at the lack of visible wear. Our Nissan rep said that the fleet is accommodating about 1,000 drives a day - about 100 per car, per day.
Overall, I'm leaving with very positive impressions of the LEAF and feel more confident about my purchase decision. My color choice, that might be another story.
From the driver's seat, the LEAF is nimble and quick off the line. Both Keith and I managed some wheel squeal when turning out of the parking area and onto the open road. As has been said, the LEAF is extremely quiet, though there is a faint electric whirring or whine that is barely audible. The dash is thoughtfully laid out and the NAV is intuitive to anyone who has used a modern mobile phone. It did feel very futuristic and between the whirring of the motor and the LCD displays, the whole thing put me in mind of a shuttlecraft form Star Trek. I felt that the steering was light but responsive. The short nose will take some getting used to and I discovered (thanks to Keith's 6' 3") that rear visibility is severely impacted when a tall person is in the back. This is attributable to the raised seating which accommodates the battery casing. As for ride, the LEAF felt very substantial - heavy even.
As a passenger, I enjoyed the quiet and smooth ride. The back seats were comfortable and I liked that we could talk about the car at room level volumes - something which isn't always possible in an ICE car. While sitting in the back, I paid close attention to the materials for the cloth and trim. To me, they did not seem as chintzy as some have described. Also, given the traffic that these cars are seeing, I was surprised at the lack of visible wear. Our Nissan rep said that the fleet is accommodating about 1,000 drives a day - about 100 per car, per day.
Overall, I'm leaving with very positive impressions of the LEAF and feel more confident about my purchase decision. My color choice, that might be another story.
garygid
Well-known member
Biggest unconfirmed news from the Test-Drive:
At the show, the guide was telling his groups that the NAV data would be updated via the LEAF's network connection, keeping the maps [constantly?] up to date. At least one time he mentioned "software" updates done that way as well.
If true, I suspect that this would be a BIG FIRST for a production automobile.
But, is it really true?
At the show, the guide was telling his groups that the NAV data would be updated via the LEAF's network connection, keeping the maps [constantly?] up to date. At least one time he mentioned "software" updates done that way as well.
If true, I suspect that this would be a BIG FIRST for a production automobile.
But, is it really true?
garygid
Well-known member
Pedestrian Warning Sound:
At the show I got two answers:
1. These cars do not have it.
2. Yes, it is there, and ON, but many just can't hear it.
One young man said he could hear the "weeeee", but with my high-frequency hearing loss, I could not. Maybe he was hearing electric "motor whine", and not the Pedestrian Warning Sound?
So, IF it is REALLY installed and ON, I am surprised.
At the show I got two answers:
1. These cars do not have it.
2. Yes, it is there, and ON, but many just can't hear it.
One young man said he could hear the "weeeee", but with my high-frequency hearing loss, I could not. Maybe he was hearing electric "motor whine", and not the Pedestrian Warning Sound?
So, IF it is REALLY installed and ON, I am surprised.
garygid
Well-known member
<snip> by author
garygid
Well-known member
The Test-Drive Breakthrough:
My wife, rather set against the LEAF (new car) idea, sat in the car and exclaimed, "Oh, I like it!" ... and now she wants one too.
She said that the interior is MUCH nicer than she thought it would be.
Then she drove, and said how "easy" it was to drive, and that "it had two pedals, just like her car". The "tunnel vision" rear view concerned her, and being short (just 5') that it was difficult for her to see the cones because of the "A" piller, especially on the driver's side.
But with the anxiety of driving something different out of the way, she suddenly became an enthusiast, explaining that, for [many, most, some] women, the "feeling" of the interior was the most important element. Of course, I (being a guy) said that was a total surprise to me! Yep, we [almost all] have no clue! :roll:
My wife, rather set against the LEAF (new car) idea, sat in the car and exclaimed, "Oh, I like it!" ... and now she wants one too.
She said that the interior is MUCH nicer than she thought it would be.
Then she drove, and said how "easy" it was to drive, and that "it had two pedals, just like her car". The "tunnel vision" rear view concerned her, and being short (just 5') that it was difficult for her to see the cones because of the "A" piller, especially on the driver's side.
But with the anxiety of driving something different out of the way, she suddenly became an enthusiast, explaining that, for [many, most, some] women, the "feeling" of the interior was the most important element. Of course, I (being a guy) said that was a total surprise to me! Yep, we [almost all] have no clue! :roll:
garygid
Well-known member
The electrical-adjustment of the two side view mirrors:
This seems to work well, using a small "joystick" knob on the forward part of the driver's "armrest" to do the adjustment.
Twist the knob counter-clockwise to "select" the left mirror, and clockwise for the right.
Then, tilting the joystick left (or right) moved the selected mirror to see further to the left (or right).
Finally, pushing the joystick forward moves the view up, and pulling back moves the view down.
Very intuitive, quick, and easy to use.
This seems to work well, using a small "joystick" knob on the forward part of the driver's "armrest" to do the adjustment.
Twist the knob counter-clockwise to "select" the left mirror, and clockwise for the right.
Then, tilting the joystick left (or right) moved the selected mirror to see further to the left (or right).
Finally, pushing the joystick forward moves the view up, and pulling back moves the view down.
Very intuitive, quick, and easy to use.
hill
Well-known member
garygid said:
It was probably me that put that bug in his head. I'd asked (around 10am) if (since the high end model has SAT access) the Leaf will be able to download map updates ... or does it use a DVD ... or? He said he "thought" so ... and as he spoke, he kind of talked him self into a more positive belief.
:roll:
Danny
Well-known member
Very nice ride. And I got to meet Gary. Nice card with all the Leaf info on it.
I will admit, the front of the vehicle does seem just out of view, but I'm sure it would only take a little practice to feel comfortable with it. The vehicle has a nice short turning radius, at least it felt that way on the short track before getting onto the street. Even my wife tried driving it and liked it. I don't expect two leafs, but nothing is impossible. She even wants me to get the SL instead of the SV which I currently have on my list. I guess I'll have to reevaluate that point.
The negatives for me are not being able to see the front very well and not having a spare tire. Other than that, I loved it.
I did think that they stretched the truth a little with their calculationd and the energy rates. They made it sound pretty good at $0.11/kWh. SCE is currently over $0.14 or maybe $0.13 as of August 1. Of course they did mention other night time rates, but I'm not sure everyone realized how much they would have to go through to get that. I'm still struggling with my meter placement. However, that will get resolved eventually, and I'm going to like it.
I will admit, the front of the vehicle does seem just out of view, but I'm sure it would only take a little practice to feel comfortable with it. The vehicle has a nice short turning radius, at least it felt that way on the short track before getting onto the street. Even my wife tried driving it and liked it. I don't expect two leafs, but nothing is impossible. She even wants me to get the SL instead of the SV which I currently have on my list. I guess I'll have to reevaluate that point.
The negatives for me are not being able to see the front very well and not having a spare tire. Other than that, I loved it.
I did think that they stretched the truth a little with their calculationd and the energy rates. They made it sound pretty good at $0.11/kWh. SCE is currently over $0.14 or maybe $0.13 as of August 1. Of course they did mention other night time rates, but I'm not sure everyone realized how much they would have to go through to get that. I'm still struggling with my meter placement. However, that will get resolved eventually, and I'm going to like it.
hill
Well-known member
Danny said:
Actually SCE charges on 5 different tiers ... depending how much you use:
http://www.sce.com/customerservice/billing/tiered-rates/
They way COOL thing is that if you have PV solar ... you may not have to pay ANYTHING
And since CA now requires electric utilities to pay for any excess you leave on your account, the utility will have to pay YOU. Think of it ... with a large enough PV system, not only can you get to work with free electricity ... SCE may still have to write you a check for any excess you pump back onto the grid. Stickin' it to the man.
.
hill
Well-known member
Here's the cool stuff I saw at the O.C. auto show:
Aerovironment recharge trailer. It had a MASSIVE diesel generator to run it. You'll see only ONE of the L3 charger cables ... and man, it's huge:
Next, I noticed the Bridgestone tires were Ecopias ... P205/55 16's. These have good rolling resistance, but the Michelin Energy has an even lower coefficiency. I'm guessing there was a tradeoff for comfort over function:
They had a nice little traction pack set up, for those who wondered where they sticik 'em:
Since we ordered Pearl White - here's the one we test rode in:
Then for fun ~ sweet roll and Starbucks. They're supposed to have these available online for download by 5am Central time tomorrow:
Here's to crossing my fingers for a December delivery date!
.
Aerovironment recharge trailer. It had a MASSIVE diesel generator to run it. You'll see only ONE of the L3 charger cables ... and man, it's huge:
Next, I noticed the Bridgestone tires were Ecopias ... P205/55 16's. These have good rolling resistance, but the Michelin Energy has an even lower coefficiency. I'm guessing there was a tradeoff for comfort over function:
They had a nice little traction pack set up, for those who wondered where they sticik 'em:
Since we ordered Pearl White - here's the one we test rode in:
Then for fun ~ sweet roll and Starbucks. They're supposed to have these available online for download by 5am Central time tomorrow:
Here's to crossing my fingers for a December delivery date!
.
Randy
Well-known member
Thanks for the great photos...I had to smile when looking at Aerovironment's "quality" install job on the portable L2 EVSEs....$2,200 install for the public, but screw it to a board and lay it on the ground for them
You'd think they could spring for a pedestal or two or three...
You'd think they could spring for a pedestal or two or three...
Boomer23
Well-known member
garygid said:I presume that those of you who did NOT pay the "VIP Fee" ... did not get a LEAF cap at the Test-Drive? Of course, if asked, they are instructed to say that the caps are not available (at least to the general public).
You may see mine at the 16 Oct, 2010 breakfast (Gathering #2).
Gary, I respectfully suggest that you retire the "VIP fee" joke. With our mutual interest in keeping new members well informed, you'll inevitably find some who are confused and feeling left out. We love you, but put this one in the archives, please.
Boomer23
Well-known member
A slightly different review of the event this afternoon. (Yes, my second day back at Anaheim and my third visit to the Drive Tour, hate me if you wish.)
I brought my wife back for the all-important final Leaf approval drive by the family CFO.
We arrived around 1:45 for our 2 pm reservation. Temps in the 80s and sunny. Couldn't park anywhere along the west side of the Convention Center because the structures were full. Tried to park in the residential area across West Street but it is posted no parking except with resident permit. We were directed to park in Lot 1 off Katella. Joined a four lane-wide crawl into the toll booths. Parked in Lot 1 and tried to find a direct route to Lot 6 where Nissan is set up. Found out that you either need to go north or south around the main convention hall, there is no "through" unless you buy auto show tickets, which we weren't planning to do. Chose the south route which was a mistake. Wife was hot and disgusted by the mile long walk (no lie), some of it in driveways without sidewalks, during which we found that one of the lots on West Street that was blocked when we tried it was NOW open.
Wife wanted some water when we arrived, Nissan only had water in the post drive "Recharge Center" and no water or refreshments anywhere in the entry area. I quickly rectified that, knowing the lay of the land, by going directly to the recharge center and getting her some water and a brownie, which much improved her attitude. Nissan's showrooms for the pre-drive tour are hot and airless, despite the fans in the main waiting space. Restrooms are either not available or not visible. I never learned where one would need to go for that need, but if it was inside the Convention Center, we didn't have tickets, so ??
Wife was about at the end of her tolerance level, so we went straight to the drive waiting line without waiting through all of the presentations. If we hadn't done that, she would have given up waiting before we got to drive.
She really liked the Leaf, roomy, comfortable, very smooth handling, including REALLY smooth on the dips in the road, responsive, stopped and turned when she wanted it to.
The only other part that got her attention was that the drive route turned left onto West Street through TWO lanes of stop and go traffic that was full of show-goers testing Fords and Chevies. Not a comforting situation. To avoid holding up a line of Leafs behind us, she was forced to put the nose of her Leaf out through the gap in the first lane and then gingerly into the second lane that was flowing with intermittent traffic. Luckily, no accident, but not a good situation! The traffic eased up upon our return from the drive, so it is intermittently crowded depending on Disneyland traffic lights.
By the way, the So Cal Edison rep that was there, Dick Cromie, was very helpful and well informed. More on what I learned from him in the SCE Utility thread.
I brought my wife back for the all-important final Leaf approval drive by the family CFO.
We arrived around 1:45 for our 2 pm reservation. Temps in the 80s and sunny. Couldn't park anywhere along the west side of the Convention Center because the structures were full. Tried to park in the residential area across West Street but it is posted no parking except with resident permit. We were directed to park in Lot 1 off Katella. Joined a four lane-wide crawl into the toll booths. Parked in Lot 1 and tried to find a direct route to Lot 6 where Nissan is set up. Found out that you either need to go north or south around the main convention hall, there is no "through" unless you buy auto show tickets, which we weren't planning to do. Chose the south route which was a mistake. Wife was hot and disgusted by the mile long walk (no lie), some of it in driveways without sidewalks, during which we found that one of the lots on West Street that was blocked when we tried it was NOW open.
Wife wanted some water when we arrived, Nissan only had water in the post drive "Recharge Center" and no water or refreshments anywhere in the entry area. I quickly rectified that, knowing the lay of the land, by going directly to the recharge center and getting her some water and a brownie, which much improved her attitude. Nissan's showrooms for the pre-drive tour are hot and airless, despite the fans in the main waiting space. Restrooms are either not available or not visible. I never learned where one would need to go for that need, but if it was inside the Convention Center, we didn't have tickets, so ??
Wife was about at the end of her tolerance level, so we went straight to the drive waiting line without waiting through all of the presentations. If we hadn't done that, she would have given up waiting before we got to drive.
She really liked the Leaf, roomy, comfortable, very smooth handling, including REALLY smooth on the dips in the road, responsive, stopped and turned when she wanted it to.
The only other part that got her attention was that the drive route turned left onto West Street through TWO lanes of stop and go traffic that was full of show-goers testing Fords and Chevies. Not a comforting situation. To avoid holding up a line of Leafs behind us, she was forced to put the nose of her Leaf out through the gap in the first lane and then gingerly into the second lane that was flowing with intermittent traffic. Luckily, no accident, but not a good situation! The traffic eased up upon our return from the drive, so it is intermittently crowded depending on Disneyland traffic lights.
By the way, the So Cal Edison rep that was there, Dick Cromie, was very helpful and well informed. More on what I learned from him in the SCE Utility thread.
garygid
Well-known member
Boomer,
You are right. No more "VIP Fee" stories.
This fabrication was not a kind thing to do.
I apologise to all of you for my lapse in good judgment.
SORRY!
(I purged as much as I could.)
You are right. No more "VIP Fee" stories.
This fabrication was not a kind thing to do.
I apologise to all of you for my lapse in good judgment.
SORRY!
(I purged as much as I could.)