My LEAF has moved on without us…

[Bombastinator2]

Last week we sold our 11½ year old 2012 LEAF SL, purchased in February of 2012 after placing our $99 order deposit in 2010. The LEAF was our gateway drug to EV ownership and a then-marvel of wow, fun, and learning. We added our Tesla Model 3 in 2018, then our 2023 Ioniq5 late last year.

We look back fondly on our years with the LEAF and its advantages even over our much newer EVs. The LEAF was the best of the three in several respects: MUCH easier to get into and out of, absolutely no phantom battery drain, had to learn exactly nothing to transition from the physical controls of ICE vehicles (the learning was on the refueling/charging and driving sides), and the cloth seats were more comfortable than the others even though they were only manually adjusted.

But then there was the lack of range, now at about 35 in-town miles. My battery was pretty much a longevity disaster though it did not deteriorate quickly enough to benefit from either the 5- or 8-year battery warranties. When sold, it showed 7 capacity bars.

In retrospect, we probably did not get an appropriate amount of actual car utility from this $40,000 purchase in 2022, about $54,000 today after inflation, given its range. But it was an amazing EV introduction, a most enjoyable learning platform, and delivered a very reliable and fun driving experience.

We drive maybe 5000-7500 miles a year now, no work commutes, and have absolutely no need for three cars let alone three EVs. It was time for at least of our vehicles to go. As the oldest and the one with the least range, the LEAF fell victim. We celebrated with a tear, a smile, some champagne and a nice dinner at a local restaurant. It was a more emotional experience than we anticipated.

I know this is not an airport and we don’t have to announce departures here. I’m still a member, will continue to be, and am interested in the EV evolution with existing and new EV manufacturers. Who knows what car will replace our Model 3 when the time comes, other than it will not be another Tesla, hence my ongoing interest in MyNissanLEAF.

To the rest of you LEAF owners and enthusiasts: enjoy the ride!

The impression I get is that a person with one car should have a plug in hybrid. And a place to plug it in, because it’s going to spend 90% of its life in electric only. 2 cars an electric and a plug-in. 3 cars probably something to tow big stuff with because there’s probably also a boat and a cabin or something.

I would have bought a bolt but I can’t fit through the damn doors. I literally cannot drive one. Or any Tesla except maybe the cybertruck or the model Y. Haven’t tried.

 

[BillAinCT]

Those of us who got lucky are happy. Or happy that we got lucky. I bought my 2022 sight unseen (pictures only) and had eyes wide open to the 2 biggies. CHAdeMO and an unmanaged thermal battery. I hoped for a CHAdeMO to CCS adapter (much closer now) and didn't need more than one charge longer trips. 200 mile range 5+ years was great. Gen 1 owners have a gripe or 2, yes, but Nissan hasn't done me wrong. And 0% financing and $10k off (rebate and tax credits) I was stoked. I had a Rogue SL and loved it too. The dealer was fine but my involvement was to go in and pay. Easy sale. Didn't even drive it. I could have gotten $3k more going to car max but live and learn.

My gripe is with having an SL Rogue I expected memory power seats. I didn't read that carefully. And back heated seats would be nice for not a huge production cost.

Generally are gen 2 owners happier than gen 1 owners? From 2 years reading this forum it seems that way.

 

[Bombastinator2]

Those of us who got lucky are happy. Or happy that we got lucky. I bought my 2022 sight unseen (pictures only) and had eyes wide open to the 2 biggies. CHAdeMO and an unmanaged thermal battery. I hoped for a CHAdeMO to CCS adapter (much closer now) and didn't need more than one charge longer trips. 200 mile range 5+ years was great. Gen 1 owners have a gripe or 2, yes, but Nissan hasn't done me wrong. And 0% financing and $10k off (rebate and tax credits) I was stoked. I had a Rogue SL and loved it too. The dealer was fine but my involvement was to go in and pay. Easy sale. Didn't even drive it. I could have gotten $3k more going to car max but live and learn.

My gripe is with having an SL Rogue I expected memory power seats. I didn't read that carefully. And back heated seats would be nice for not a huge production cost.

Generally are gen 2 owners happier than gen 1 owners? From 2 years reading this forum it seems that way.

I think I have a gen 2 not a gen 1. I do remember the leaf being a car that sorta looked like it was wearing a full diaper. I think history will put that design up there with the AMC pacer. People will rewire them and use them for sleeper drag cars. I was expecting those when I got to the dealership, but the cars they had didn’t have that. So I assume mine is a gen 2 with the small battery. There was one more if you happen to live in northernly climes: the heat pump instead of tape. If you’ve got the heat pump you lose a whole lot less of your battery if you have to leave it out overnight in the winter. I read it was up to 30% which seemed like a lot. That seemed like something that might happen, so I made sure I got one. I thought the small 140mi. Range battery would be ok. And it mostly is. For one person. Only one. The big battery would have been handy. Just handy though. I do ok. Maybe this is why I think a plug-in hybrid would be best if you’re only going to have one car though. If I had the big battery I might think differently. The small battery car would make a fine second vehicle for a family I think. It’s fine for a commute (if you plug it in every day) or for getting groceries or picking up kids. You can even run it off a light bulb socket. I’ve got a charger that can do stage2 and my garage is even wired for it but I’ve never bothered. Stage 1 is fine for my use. I don’t even plug it in every day. The CHAdeMO thing I could see being real annoying. I could never take the thing cross country. It’s just a city car. Hasn’t been an issue yet though. It’s a hard problem to wrestle. Maybe I’ll get lucky and one will come out eventually. If it does I’ll buy one. I may never use it though. I didn’t even go to the dealer about a mini though even though I knew it would be by far the most comfortable car the mini is great for really big people. Weird but true. It’s because it’s a redesign of a much smaller car that had to maximize space. The electric one has only 80mi though. Which is flat out not enough. BMW needs to make a deal with Tesla or something if they’re going to keep pulling that though because it Will. Not. Fly.

Re: heated seats
In Minnesota they often get called butt warmers. As in “ does your car have butt warmers? Oh thank god! Turn them on. TURN THEM ON!!” I insisted on them. I put up with the electronic dash and the gps system (which I think is a flat out downgrade) to get them.
I could see em being real useless in warmer climes though.
The electronic dash I could take or leave, but if I could rip the map garbage out of my car, leave it on the side of the road, and then drive away I probably would (when are car companies going to grow a brain cell and just do software for a tablet? It’s cheaper, easier, and would work better) but I can’t. The car won’t work without it. The butt warmers though? The butt warmers I need now. Best feature in modern vehicles though imho. Someone in California, or even Illinois might think differently though.

I want Ed China to do a stream where he puts a plaid motor on each wheel of a gen 1, beats a Ferrari, and then does a sunset walk off to spinal tap’s “big bottoms”.

 

[Yodrak]

I would have bought a bolt but I can’t fit through the damn doors. I literally cannot drive one. Or any Tesla except maybe the cybertruck or the model Y. Haven’t tried.

You can't get through the door of a Model X?

 

[cornbinder89]

Those of us who got lucky are happy. Or happy that we got lucky. I bought my 2022 sight unseen (pictures only) and had eyes wide open to the 2 biggies. CHAdeMO and an unmanaged thermal battery. I hoped for a CHAdeMO to CCS adapter (much closer now) and didn't need more than one charge longer trips. 200 mile range 5+ years was great. Gen 1 owners have a gripe or 2, yes, but Nissan hasn't done me wrong. And 0% financing and $10k off (rebate and tax credits) I was stoked. I had a Rogue SL and loved it too. The dealer was fine but my involvement was to go in and pay. Easy sale. Didn't even drive it. I could have gotten $3k more going to car max but live and learn.

My gripe is with having an SL Rogue I expected memory power seats. I didn't read that carefully. And back heated seats would be nice for not a huge production cost.

Generally are gen 2 owners happier than gen 1 owners? From 2 years reading this forum it seems that way.

I think those of us who are 2nd or 3rd or? owners are more likely to have realistic expectations and not listening to what a sales person is saying. Nothing destroys satisfaction than trying to do something the car is not capable of.
Heated seats? my 1984 Saab has them. They are great.
I am 6'3"-6'4", have size 15 feet and am in the mid 200 lb range. I fit well into the front of the Leaf, something not a given on most vehicle. back seat? not so much.
I too was surprised by the manual seats in the SL, not unhappy about, but pleasantly surprised. I prefer them, faster to move than electric.
I keep a few ICE cars around but rarely use them. Longer trips or heavy loads. I bought a tow dolly for moving my Leaf long distances. If I can't talk my brother into moving with his Toyota van, I have a 1941 IHC 3 ton truck I can pull it with. So far I only had to dolly it home, but I would love to see the looks on the dealership personnel if I pulled in with the '41 and Leaf in tow! At 10 MPG, it will be a wake-up if I ever have to.

 

[Bombastinator2]

You can't get through the door of a Model X?

Never tried. Theyre 100k though so it doesn’t matter. If I’m gonna spend 100k on a car (yeah, right) I’d get a cybertruck beast. Beast over Ferrari I think. The X is waay down the list. I might sped 40k on an X. Just found a 2018x with 50k on it for 40. Might be an option. I’m not sure that it’s all that much better than what I got now though.

 

[Yodrak]

Never tried. Theyre 100k though so it doesn’t matter. If I’m gonna spend 100k on a car (yeah, right) I’d get a cybertruck beast.

Yes, the Model X is expensive, even used.

 

[Bombastinator2]

You can't get through the door of a Model X?

It’s not the rear doors that are the issue. It’s the front driver’s door. I’ll check though. There’s a 2018 that might be in financial range…. Assuming of course I can even fit in it.

 

[Yodrak]

It’s not the rear doors that are the issue. It’s the front driver’s door. I’ll check though. There’s a 2018 that might be in financial range…. Assuming of course I can even fit in it.

When you find out, please et us know if the driver's front door of a Model X is big enough for you. Thanks.

 

[Bombastinator2]

I got a friend who is an electric afficianado and a Tesla head. He said I likely wouldn’t fit in an x but I might in a Y, which I don’t, so my expectations are not high. He may have been looking at headroom though which isn’t the actual problem.

 

[tesladriver]

Too many things we don’t or no longer like about our 2018 Tesla Model 3 to consider getting another Tesla. Lots of things we DO like but they’re outweighed by the bad. Here are, for us, the not-so-nice characteristics:

• OTA software updates that cripple features that used to work well. Examples: AutoPark, Summon (mostly in and out of a tight garage) and Smart Summon (driverlessly bringing itself to you in a private parking lot).
• More of the above: lower maximum speed for cruise control, greater minimum distance between cars (a killer in bumper-to-bumper traffic, either moving or not).
• Harsh ride, and in relatively uncomfortable seating.
• Phantom braking
• Auto windshield wiper performance that is, to be kind, spastic.
• Huge phantom power drain. I seem to spend more money keeping the car charged than driving it.
• Very noisy interior, lots of road and wind noise as well. Supposedly this is better in recent vehicles.
• New vehicles with yokes for steering and no stalks for turn signals/wipers/shifting gears. Just not ready to make that transition, nor have any need to do so.
• Total reliance on touchscreen inputs albeit this is mostly just an annoyance but it is a constant one.

Unless Tesla surprises us, we are one-and-done. We’ll likely keep the Model 3 for a few more years, then sell or donate it replacing it with whatever we like at that time. Currently, we’re absolutely loving our just over one year old Hyundai Ioniq5 and could be looking at an Ioniq6 or Genesis EV as a next sedan but there are so many coming out today that the choices should be many.

Have you tried re-calibration to help the phantom braking. Controls > Service > Camera Calibration > Clear Calibration

 

[SalisburySam]

Have you tried re-calibration to help the phantom braking. Controls > Service > Camera Calibration > Clear Calibration

Yes, both I and the service center have done this and it seems to have no correlation to phantom braking. The only thing that affects PB is the software version…PB improves or gets worse from version update to version update. We no longer care all that much as neither of us uses TACC much anymore and that definitively and positively eliminates PB on our car. Of course it also cripples all the AutoStuff features of the car as TACC is the prerequisite to their enablement.

 

[Bombastinator2]

Too many things we don’t or no longer like about our 2018 Tesla Model 3 to consider getting another Tesla. Lots of things we DO like but they’re outweighed by the bad. Here are, for us, the not-so-nice characteristics:

• OTA software updates that cripple features that used to work well. Examples: AutoPark, Summon (mostly in and out of a tight garage) and Smart Summon (driverlessly bringing itself to you in a private parking lot).
• More of the above: lower maximum speed for cruise control, greater minimum distance between cars (a killer in bumper-to-bumper traffic, either moving or not).
• Harsh ride, and in relatively uncomfortable seating.
• Phantom braking
• Auto windshield wiper performance that is, to be kind, spastic.
• Huge phantom power drain. I seem to spend more money keeping the car charged than driving it.
• Very noisy interior, lots of road and wind noise as well. Supposedly this is better in recent vehicles.
• New vehicles with yokes for steering and no stalks for turn signals/wipers/shifting gears. Just not ready to make that transition, nor have any need to do so.
• Total reliance on touchscreen inputs albeit this is mostly just an annoyance but it is a constant one.

Unless Tesla surprises us, we are one-and-done. We’ll likely keep the Model 3 for a few more years, then sell or donate it replacing it with whatever we like at that time. Currently, we’re absolutely loving our just over one year old Hyundai Ioniq5 and could be looking at an Ioniq6 or Genesis EV as a next sedan but there are so many coming out today that the choices should be many.

The thing I wish it had was a washer on the back window. I had to buy a squeegee to clean it.
The chadmo potentially kicks ass though if one gets the really expensive adaptor thing that allows the car to act as a powerwall. Obsolete tech FTW lol