Help buying used Leaf-2013 S

[ambera7]

I could use some expert advise regarding buying a used Leaf. I am in the PHX area and will commute 60 miles round trip on the freeway ideally going 65+ but realistically in heavy traffic. I have found a used 2013 S 22k with quick charge from a dealer for 9.5k out the door. When buying a used Leaf would you take it to Nissan and pay for an inspection ($120) or trust the clean car fax and 12 bars? The car was bought at auction and driven in Georgia. Any other things I should look for? Advice greatly appreciated!

 

[LeftieBiker]

Your commute, together with your hot climate, make a used Leaf a poor choice. An actual 12 capacity bar 2013 leaf (as opposed to one showing 12 bars but near losing one) might just barely make that 60 miles at 65MPH, but you'd be running very low on juice when you first got the car, and within a year or so you might not make it at all, due to heat-related battery degradation. Slowing down would work, but no one who already drives 65-70MPH seems able to drive at 55-60 instead. You need either a PHEV like the Volt, or a longer range EV. I suggest you lease (but not buy, because of the hot climate) a 2016 leaf SV, when lease prices fall later in the year, or wait for the Bolt.

 

[cwerdna]

Will you have the ability to charge at your work/destinations? If no, I tend to agree w/LeftieBiker.

Since it gets incredibly hot in Phoenix, you may luck out and lose 4 capacity bars within the 5 year/60K mile capacity warranty (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=13192) but that means you'll have to live with a car w/significant capacity loss until it hits 8 bars left, which is supposed to trigger once you've lost over 30%. And, since the '13 Leaf wasn't involved in the Klee class action lawsuit settlement, Nissan may not install a new battery, but rather one with somewhere between 9 and 12 bars. But that 5 year/60K capacity warranty at replacement time.

 

[LeftieBiker]

How many '13 and '14 Leafs have lost more than two bars, Cwerdna? It's my impression that very few lose that many that fast. For that reason I think that the 'battery lottery' approach wouldn't work with a '13, even an 11 bar '13. Now maybe a nice used '12 Leaf with 10 bars, but that too would only work with reliable workplace charging available...

 

[ambera7]

Will you have the ability to charge at your work/destinations? If no, I tend to agree w/LeftieBiker. /quote]

Yes, the company I work for has like to EV spots with free charging. The reason I am so interested in the LEAF is because it qualifies for the special plate which allows carpool driving. My commute is 1.5 hours each way so the LEAF would save me a lot of time in traffic but the Volt doesn't qualify. Maybe I should consider leasing. Any AZ Leaf owners out have any advice for me?

 

[DuncanCunningham]

Will you have the ability to charge at your work/destinations? If no, I tend to agree w/LeftieBiker. /quote]

Yes, the company I work for has like to EV spots with free charging. The reason I am so interested in the LEAF is because it qualifies for the special plate which allows carpool driving. My commute is 1.5 hours each way so the LEAF would save me a lot of time in traffic but the Volt doesn't qualify. Maybe I should consider leasing. Any AZ Leaf owners out have any advice for me?

+1 to LeftieBiker's comment.

If you have charging at work, this is good. I'd lease if I were you for a new Leaf or get a used one, with a NEW battery, replaced under warranty, or about to get replaced.

The issue with batteries is the heat. Your area is the hotest and will degrade your battery thus reducing the range. Driving to work with create heat, charging at work will create more heat, having is sat during the day in your area will get more heat and driving it home will add more. This is why your area had the most issues with Leaf battery issues reported.

 

[inphoenix]

I could use some expert advise regarding buying a used Leaf. I am in the PHX area and will commute 60 miles round trip on the freeway ideally going 65+ but realistically in heavy traffic. I have found a used 2013 S 22k with quick charge from a dealer for 9.5k out the door. When buying a used Leaf would you take it to Nissan and pay for an inspection ($120) or trust the clean car fax and 12 bars? The car was bought at auction and driven in Georgia. Any other things I should look for? Advice greatly appreciated!

Hello there. I am not too far from Chandler and my commute is similar to yours. I have a 2014 S and it works just fine at this time. I will send you a PM.

 

[Reddy]

I could use some expert advise regarding buying a used Leaf. I am in the PHX area and will commute 60 miles round trip on the freeway ideally going 65+ but realistically in heavy traffic. I have found a used 2013 S 22k with quick charge from a dealer for 9.5k out the door. When buying a used Leaf would you take it to Nissan and pay for an inspection ($120) or trust the clean car fax and 12 bars? The car was bought at auction and driven in Georgia. Any other things I should look for? Advice greatly appreciated!

This might be a VERY good deal for you. However, the battery will absolutely degrade in AZ. Be ready for that. Make sure the car hasn't "opted out" of the warranty (which needs less than 60,000 mi, 5 years, and MORE than 3 bars lost. Then you win the new battery warranty.

Wait a minute. Do the 2013's qualify for replacement when the 4th bar is lost? I don't remember.

For more information, please feel free to read a bit on some of these very long threads:
http://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=8802&hilit=degradation
http://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=18905&hilit=degradation+warranty
http://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=21514&hilit=degradation+warranty
http://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=21597&hilit=degradation

 

[cwerdna]

^^^
The opt-out stuff shouldn’t apply to the ’13 since (IIRC) the Klee class action lawsuit applied to ’11 and ’12 Leafs.

‘13+ Leafs include the capacity warranty already. See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=13192 and warranty booklet at https://owners.nissanusa.com/content/techpub/ManualsAndGuides/LEAF/2013/2013-LEAF-warranty-booklet.pdf. Booklets and manuals can be downloaded via https://owners.nissanusa.com/nowners/navigation/manualsGuide.

However, since the ’13 isn’t part of the settlement, AFAIK, it’s possible Nissan on ’13+ Leafs might give you a used replacement pack instead of a new one. And worse yet, it might not be one w/the latest technology (at this moment, the "lizard battery").

 

[ambera7]

Thank you everyone for the advice. I think i am leaning towards the used car. If the battery lasts long enough to make the commute for 3 years then I am still saving compared to leasing. If I luck out and get a new battery then i have truly hit the jackpot. Do you know approximate range (or have a link) for each bar? For instance, at 9 bars would i make it 30 miles on a charge?

 

[cwerdna]

Do you know approximate range (or have a link) for each bar? For instance, at 9 bars would i make it 30 miles on a charge?

Please see my response at http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=455225#p455225.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I'm still not convinced that a 2013 Leaf will degrade to 8 bars while under warranty. I think that Nissan's primary motivation in improving the battery in early 2013 was to avoid more warranty claims. If you really want a 2013, though, and want lots of degradation (heh), then look for one made January through March of 2013. Leafs made April and later seem to resist losing bars much better.

 

[Aussie]

Given you have charging at work, the 30 mile commute won't be an issue. In my 8-bar I could still get about 35 miles at 70MPH. If i was getting a little worried I'd just slow down a bit.

These depreciate like crazy. Your best bang for your buck will be to get a 2012 with a few bars lost and play the battery replacement game. You should have no issues getting down to 8 bars in Phoenix with your commute. Then you essentially get a late model car with brand new battery for <$10k.

 

[caffeinekid]

Also figured it might be worth determining the manufacture date on the vehicle. Personally, I wouldn't buy a 2013 unless it was one of the late-13 models that got the same battery as the 2014.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Also figured it might be worth determining the manufacture date on the vehicle. Personally, I wouldn't buy a 2013 unless it was one of the late-13 models that got the same battery as the 2014.

If you are basing this on what I have written about Jan-March 2013 leafs, it isn't the same issue. A few '14 leafs built late in the year got the "Lizard Pack" but from April of '13 through the rest of the year the packs all seem to be the same. And the only evidence that the Jan-March MY'13 'Canary Packs' packs are different is their apparent track record for losing more bars than the later month builds.