Ever had a problem getting a charge at a Nissan dealership?

[larryvitale]

I was a very early Leaf buyer (may 2011 delivery) with the $1000+ option for a 440 charge port. At hat time the dealer 'steered' me towards ChargePoint and promised that if in need of a charge while traveling no problem top come into a any Nissan dealer. Also promised was a future network of 440 charge stations. ChargePoint has been fine and I use it only rarely; charging at a dealer, even more rarely. Then the dealer got 440 charging stations, but not ChargePoint. I went to a dealer today to ask if I could use the 440 charging since I was far from home and short on time. This was the first time ever. I was treated like some vagrant asking for a handout. After geeing bounced around between various impotent employees, I was told by the manager, ' you can't come in here everyday to get a charge, sign up with eVgo and get an account.'
Wow, they were all nice to me when they wanted me to sign up to buy, their new Leaf. OK, I guess I need to get another account. And when it's time to get another electric car, maybe I can find a company that remembers it customers and treats then with a bit more respect. Nissan seems to have a history of forgetting. First they didn't know if they were Datsun or Nisan, then they don't know who best to 'partner' with to support a charging network. I guess they don't know how to build a loyal customer base.
Maybe I'm off base here. I won't be offended to be set straight, its just left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.

 

[LightningLeaf]

This is why I have a feeling that EV won't survive the current setup of dealer based distribution and sales. Only Tesla has the correct business model at this time. Hopefully when Tesla Model 3 comes out we will see a paradigm shift in how vehicles are to be sold in this country.

I would write a letter all the way up to CEO Carlos Ghosn.

 

[Valdemar]

Most of the dealer chargers in SoCal are now managed by eVgo, which is very good as they actually work most of the time. To be fair, there was never a promise from Nissan that these chargers will be free, they are owned by dealerships and they set the rules. Some are more open and will scan their eVgo card for you without questions asked, others are less welcoming as you found out. Usually if you bought a car from them they let you charge with a smile. Tesla often comes up as an example of a good model but who knows how much longer Superchargers will remain free, this is just a not sustainable model. They already made some stink about people who apparently use SC too often.

 

[Firetruck41]

I was a very early Leaf buyer (may 2011 delivery) with the $1000+ option for a 440 charge port. At hat time the dealer 'steered' me towards ChargePoint and promised that if in need of a charge while traveling no problem top come into a any Nissan dealer. Also promised was a future network of 440 charge stations. ChargePoint has been fine and I use it only rarely; charging at a dealer, even more rarely. Then the dealer got 440 charging stations, but not ChargePoint. I went to a dealer today to ask if I could use the 440 charging since I was far from home and short on time. This was the first time ever. I was treated like some vagrant asking for a handout. After geeing bounced around between various impotent employees, I was told by the manager, ' you can't come in here everyday to get a charge, sign up with eVgo and get an account.'
Wow, they were all nice to me when they wanted me to sign up to buy, their new Leaf. OK, I guess I need to get another account. And when it's time to get another electric car, maybe I can find a company that remembers it customers and treats then with a bit more respect. Nissan seems to have a history of forgetting. First they didn't know if they were Datsun or Nisan, then they don't know who best to 'partner' with to support a charging network. I guess they don't know how to build a loyal customer base.
Maybe I'm off base here. I won't be offended to be set straight, its just left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.

The problem you are describing is pretty much universal in the car dealer world, regardless of make/model, and that problem is: Car Salesman routinely lie. Just so happens that this lie had to do with the EV aspect of the vehicle. I wouldn't hold it against Nissan more than any other salesman saying you would get a loaner whenever you brought your car in for service/oil change (and then you didn't), or any other lie of that sort. When a salesman is telling you something, if it is not in writing and signed, take it with a huge grain of salt!

That said, I happened to go to the local Nissan dealer today and found they have 2 level 2 chargers (free), and a chargepoint CHAdeMO charger that is actually free as well. And I am just a second owner of a Leaf I bought used from another dealer a hundred plus miles away. I wouldn't expect it at all Nissan dealers, but am sure happy to see how they are doing things at Alan Webb Nissan in Vancouver WA (gotta give a little props).

Also, I think you got a 220v charger, because the 440v would be a CHAdeMO which is about $15k+ to purchase from the best I can tell. EDIT: nevermind this last part, I thought you were saying you had a 440v charge station...

 

[bobskat]

my local dealer has it outside their gate, very easy to use. (Tulsa, Ok)

 

[Roadburner440]

Yes there is a place up the road from me that has been very aggressive toward EV owners.. I did manage to DCQC there a few weeks ago, and since the Chademo was put in I thought maybe management changed and things were going to change for the better. However on Plugshare I see they are back to their old tactics, and someone has had to call Nissan on them about it. I used to just avoid the place like the plague, and I see that I am going to continue having to. Don't have to take my work for it, just have to read the plugshare comments here: http://api.plugshare.com/view/location/1943 along with photos of their new sign that wasn't up when I got my QC, lol. Just sucks because that place is around the corner from me and would be convenient for service. However I drove 16 miles away to both buy my car, and get service in the adjoining town. Oh well... So to answer your question no you are not alone. At least all the other dealerships including other brands in the area are friendly though. So for me is just this one place.

 

[caffeinekid]

I was a very early Leaf buyer (may 2011 delivery) with the $1000+ option for a 440 charge port. At hat time the dealer 'steered' me towards ChargePoint and promised that if in need of a charge while traveling no problem top come into a any Nissan dealer. Also promised was a future network of 440 charge stations. ChargePoint has been fine and I use it only rarely; charging at a dealer, even more rarely. Then the dealer got 440 charging stations, but not ChargePoint. I went to a dealer today to ask if I could use the 440 charging since I was far from home and short on time. This was the first time ever. I was treated like some vagrant asking for a handout. After geeing bounced around between various impotent employees, I was told by the manager, ' you can't come in here everyday to get a charge, sign up with eVgo and get an account.'
Wow, they were all nice to me when they wanted me to sign up to buy, their new Leaf. OK, I guess I need to get another account. And when it's time to get another electric car, maybe I can find a company that remembers it customers and treats then with a bit more respect. Nissan seems to have a history of forgetting. First they didn't know if they were Datsun or Nisan, then they don't know who best to 'partner' with to support a charging network. I guess they don't know how to build a loyal customer base.
Maybe I'm off base here. I won't be offended to be set straight, its just left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.

A few things:

First and foremost, the majority of dealers are crap. Like so many other businesses, it is a damned shame that there isn't some sort of point system in place that would reject their business license after a certain level of malfeasance. Not that car dealers have exclusivity on this fact, but they almost always rank right up there with telecoms for the most aggregious/ridiculous tactics and subsequent customer complaints.

Second, if I recall correctly Chargepoint WAS going to be the provider at the beginning, but that has since changed...kind of like what happened with Blink. It is unfortunate given eVGo's lackluster reliability, but it is how things are nonetheless. If your local dealer's eVGo stations actually work, you are already ahead. Here in Houston, I have yet to come across one that does, let alone a dealership that even knows who services the things or generally even cares. EVGo's L3 kiosks run about a 70% success rate IME over the last 4 years.

Third, familiarize yourself with recording any encounters you have with these people and use social media. Good or bad, that seems to be the modus operandi for getting anything accomplished these days. I doubt that writing letters to Nissan is going to do anything for you.

 

[jjdoe]

At the EV fair this week, I asked the guy at the booth who sold home chargers. In their defense, he said one problem was that so many people came for a charge, the dealers couldn't charge their own cars. And fights would break out, amongst those waiting in line.
The Prius we tested had the $199 charge for nitrogen. Does anyone really pay that? For a couple of bucks worth of gas? When we got a price from the Nissan dealer, and balked, that price quickly vanished! (and one for some protective paint?)
I've read nitrogen doesn't really do that much.

 

[davewill]

To be fair, your original dealer made a promise they couldn't keep (imagine, a car dealer that will say anything to sell a car :roll: ). They had no control over whether other dealers would let you charge, much less for free. That said, it sounds like these guys were pretty rude, and that's never cool.

 

[boba]

No problems with at least 2 Nissan (no cost) dealers in Maine. Topsham (one L2 and one QC) and Augusta (Two L2). I have heard that Bangor (L2 and QC) and Auburn (L2 and QC) are fine.

 

[jamieo]

I have charged at 3 local dealers here without any issues at all. There are 4 in the area, but one is in a part of town that I rarely visit. I've had the sales guys and managers come by and chat for a few minutes also. Everyone here has been friendly.