jsdugan said:
I've been looking for a 13+ SL Leaf, and since there are really none around me, I'm looking at having one shipped from Platt Auto in Oregon to me in central Illinois. (I really wish there were some decent choices around me...) Here are the stats that I have from 2 I am looking at:
2013 / 16,xxx miles / 91% SOH / 2 Quick Charges / Owned in Vancouver, WA
2013 / 12,xxx miles / 89% SOH / 2 Quick Charges / Owned in Wilsonville, OR
Is the SOH low for miles and location?
Also, what is the chance of New 2015 Leaf's sitting on dealer lots for over a year having a healthy battery? There are 2 dealers within 90 minutes of me that each have a new 2015 SV.
Thanks in advance for the advice...
Those two cars seem like they are basically a wash. Miles, location, and SOH are close enough that I wouldn't care. SOH can even change slightly over the course of the year so a 1 or 2% difference is basically none in my book. 10% battery loss on a 3 year old car doesn't seem terrible even for the PNW. You would probably have another year or two before the first bar disappeared. I'd pick the one with the color you like or the better physical condition if it were me.
As far as 2015's that have sat on the lot go, I bought a 2015 S in Nov 2015 that had sat on the lot for 9 months including a hot Virginia summer (highs 80 - 90 degrees for most of June, July, and August with occasional spells in the mid 90s). All indications were that the dealer left it fully charged, it was rarely driven, and it sat in the sun all day (everything you are not supposed to do).
When I got the car it had
98% SOH
61 aHr
2 QCs
8 L1/L2
22 miles
I checked leafspy this morning
100% SOH
63 aHr
37 QCs
230 L1/L2 charges
6473 miles
For what it is worth I use mine daily, QC multiple times per week, charge it to 100% on a timer overnight, and top it off if I'm out and charging is available... my battery has gotten better since I bought it according to leafspy. There don't seem to be any real negative impacts of it sitting on the lot that long or my frequent QC's. Maybe I'm an unusual case or maybe the 2015 batteries are better somehow, hard to say.
New or used really depends on what your needs are and what you want to do with the car. I would think that if you qualify for the full federal tax credit you should pay no more than $16k - $17k net for a 2015 SV still on the lot, maybe less. I paid $15k net for a 2015 S (with charge package) and that was 6 months ago. Values have gone down since then.
Also, there is a guy in the Chicago area that is an independent dealer who sells them. Maybe you guys can work something out where he gets you a car at auction... see the thread below for info.
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=21692