SV buyers: Cheapskate losers or smartest guys in the room?

[LTLFTcomposite]

Overall no regrets saving the $$$ on the SV, but I have to admit those black plastic plugs where the fog lights would be bother me, even though I have no need for fog lights. On the other hand I actually like NOT having that little solar panel, it seems like such a gimmick.

 

[GlennD]

I purchased an orphan SL so I really did not have a choice. That said, This is my third vehicle with a back up camera and homelink. I really would not purchase a car without them. I do not see using the L3 in the near future so that is added expense.

Once you are used to a backup camera it is an essential. My traded in Tribeca had it built into the rear view mirror which is the best choice since you are already looking at the mirror. The Nav display is a good second choice since it gives you a larger view.

I had a Honda Accord that did not display the camera until the nav finished booting. I almost always was finished backing up before the display came to life. The Leaf is instant and much better.

 

[Vlad]

Got an SV, no buyers remorse, which is a rarity for me. Just didn't see extra features being worth the $$. I find view backward in Leaf to be better than in my still unsold TSX, maybe because leaf is a hatchback. Checking blindspots in Leaf is harder, but camera wouldn't help with that.

 

[Rat]

I bought the SL-e but wish I had stuck with the SV. I find the backup camera useless. You can't look at it while backing up as you must turn around and look out the rear window. If you sit still in reverse you can do a quick review of the screen for anyting like a toy or a cat that might be down low right behind the car, but the screen is so dark it's hard to see anything anyway, especially at night. I do like the Homelink, but my old trusty portable garage door opener worked faster, although it was a bit clunky looking and would fall of the visor if the passenger put it down. I really switched from the SV to the SL at Nissan's suggestion when the EV Project came to the area, thinking I would get a free EVSE, but that cost me almost $3K and isn't any better than the $200 EVSE available from ingineer so far as I can tell. in fact the EVSE that came with the car worked just fine off the 120V plug in the garage so far as I'm concerned. The little solar panel is worthless, of course. The only hope in getting my money's worth in paying for the upgrade is if they ever install level 3 chargers around the Bay Area, but even that is unlikely to help me much since I rarely have need to go farther than 30 miles from home, and have an ICE car for that anyway.

I am really surprised at all the love for the backup camera in this thread. I am also appalled at the recent federal government proposed rule to require all cars to have them. I doubt it will save many lives (the same people who fail to look behind them before backing now will fail to look at the camera before backing) and will add a lot of cost to new cars.

 

[cwerdna]

I am really surprised at all the love for the backup camera in this thread. I am also appalled at the recent federal government proposed rule to require all cars to have them. I doubt it will save many lives (the same people who fail to look behind them before backing now will fail to look at the camera before backing) and will add a lot of cost to new cars.

I'm semi-divided on the mandatory backup cameras but I like the one on my 06 Prius. But, I still have to look around and look back. No way I'm going to depend only on a backup camera.

Maybe http://www.npr.org/2012/03/02/147742760/government-backs-up-on-rearview-car-cameras" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (I heard this thanks to the NPR News app) and the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn0RocUSLmk&feature=player_embedded" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; points to might change your mind on that... Some folks might be looking back but the kids (could be someone else's) might be in a blind spot and the drivers forgot to look behind their vehicle before getting in and backing out.

From the story

The statistics are pretty grim — on average 300 people a year die after being hit by cars backing up, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Half of them are children younger than 5...

 

[thankyouOB]

i was absolutely NOT a camera guy until I got this car.
I would not have one without it.
Yes, feds should require it so that it adds just $150 to the cost 'sted of thousands as part of a package.
and Yes you do see way more than just directly behind the car, as it has a fisheye lens.

folks should use it before talking about its capabilities.

 

[tjz]

I find it very useful when backing out of angle-in downtown parking spaces when parked next to a monster SUV. That fisheye lens gets a view of the traffic behind you way before you do sitting in the drivers seat. Still not perfect, but better than backing up blind hoping some there isn't some careless driver coming by not watching the parked car line.

i was absolutely NOT a camera guy until I got this car.
I would not have one without it.
Yes, feds should require it so that it adds just $150 to the cost 'sted of thousands as part of a package.
and Yes you do see way more than just directly behind the car, as it has a fisheye lens.

folks should use it before talking about its capabilities.

 

[aqn]

Thanks all for the feedback. Bottom line no love for the SV.

Plenty of love from me, or at least, no SL-envy.

• Back-up camera: I don't see the big deal; twisting and turning to look behind is no big deal. (Judging by the number of complaints about the placement of the charge port cover release, I'd guess that some people do not share that sentiment.)
• Cargo cover: I don't see much value in it. My tinted windows make it difficult to see what's in the car. And if/when I do want a cargo cover, it's available from Nissan.
• Auto-on headlights: turning a knob is not a chore for me. In fact, I like involvement in operation of my vehicles. Auto-on headlights suit people who don't like having to hit "OK" every time they power the car on .
• Home-Link: I have one remote, one button; where the button happens to be matters not.
• CHAdeMO: there are none in Austin, TX. And in any case, I don't see the desirability of stopping for 30 minutes every hour of travel. If I have to go somewhere that far, I'd rent a Prius. Austin is not that big of a town (yet) that round-trips are more than 60-70 miles.
• Fog light: they do look kinda cool; fortunately, I don't usually see the front of my car (or the outside of it, for that matter) when I drive it so I don't care what it looks like.
• Solar panel: I think SL buyers should get a discount for having to get that thing as part of the SL package!

All that said, it's not like I saved a boat load of $$$ getting the SV instead of the SL; it's not a question of money for me. It's simply buying what suits my needs the most.

 

[aqn]

I find it very useful when backing out of angle-in downtown parking spaces when parked next to a monster SUV. That fisheye lens gets a view of the traffic behind you way before you do sitting in the drivers seat.

Good point! That is very useful.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

[*]Solar panel: I think SL buyers should get a discount for having to get that thing as part of the SL package!

+1. I actually might have been more inclined to go for the SL if it didn't have the solar panel.

 

[garsh]

[*]Home-Link: I have one remote, one button; where the button happens to be matters not.

I ordered an SV, but the lack of Home-Link is the one thing that bothers me. I have two garage doors, so I like being able to open/close either one. And I usually program that third button for my mother's garage door. I don't have to worry about somebody stealing the garage door opener from the car in order to get into the house (minor issue - I rarely leave my cars outside). And most importantly, I never have to worry about the battery getting weak or dying.

But I don't think I'd pay $100 to get homelink, let alone the SL premium.

 

[Rat]

I find it very useful when backing out of angle-in downtown parking spaces when parked next to a monster SUV. That fisheye lens gets a view of the traffic behind you way before you do sitting in the drivers seat.

Good point! That is very useful.

I'm glad it works for you, but it doesn't for me. I would not describe my backup camera as having a fisheye lens. It only shows the view directly behind the car. The backing danger for me is backing out of my driveway. There is a hedge along my driveway most of the way to the street, and no sidewalks. Cars, bikes, pedestrians often travel along near the curb and I can only see them if I turn my head to look over my right shoulder as I get to the point where the hedge does not block the view, and my car's rear bumper is only 4 feet or so from the curb and moving when that happens. The cross traffic is at an angle of 45 to 60 degrees from my direction of travel at that point, well out of the viewing angle of the camera. If I were looking at the camera screen I would back right into them as they drove or walked behind me. As long as I back slowly and look over both shoulders, I can see the traffic coming from the sides just fine. I also have trouble making out images on the screen, it's so dark, and it provides no depth perception.

I don't know if it is illegal to back up while looking forward at the backup screen in California, but I do know that you will be flunked in your driver's test if you do. You must turn your head and look behind you out the window while backing unless you have a truck or similar vehicle with no view through a rear window and those need the large mirrors with the fisheye circle on both sides. This is another reason I find the proposed federal rule so odd; why mandate the camera if you aren't allowed to look at it while backing?

P.S. Please don't tell me to trim the hedge. I've done that repeatedly and it helps for a while, but then it grows back. It is so thick I can't do it myself. I had to hire a tree service the last time to get it down far enough (two guys with big chain saws). Turning my head and looking works fine. The hedge isn't the problem; the limited angle of the camera is what makes it useless. Even if there were no hedge, the backup camera would not catch the cross traffic until it is too late.

 

[TomT]

With properly adjusted side view mirrors (most are adjusted way too far in), you will see far more looking at a combination of the side view mirrors, rear view mirror and backup camera than you will ever be able to see just by looking over your shoulder when backing up.
And you won't even need to turn your head to do all of that... Looking over your shoulder is an anachronism left over from years ago when most cars did not even have side mirrors, let alone convex ones... With the poor rearward visibility of the Leaf, you are almost assured of hitting something just looking backward only...

You must turn your head and look behind you out the window while backing unless you have a truck or similar vehicle with no view through a rear window and those need the large mirrors with the fisheye circle on both sides. This is another reason I find the proposed federal rule so odd; why mandate the camera if you aren't allowed to look at it while backing?

 

[mkjayakumar]

I specficially choose the SV (lower) model to save $2K over an SL model:

- Backup camera: I have it in my Lexus, very nice, but no big deal

- Garage openers: nice to have, but I have two in my home that I can use. Not a deal breaker.

- Quick charger: Now this one was hard to decide. There are very few chargers in the DFW area at this time (EVGO & Blink have nothing), but even if a few sprung up, I am not sure I would plan my trips around using those with adding half hour to the trip. It could only come in handy if and when I stray too far from my home without planning, and I am hoping that won't happen. This was a hard decision and I could be wrong, atleast from a resale perspective.

 

[adric22]

- Quick charger: Now this one was hard to decide. There are very few chargers in the DFW area at this time (EVGO & Blink have nothing), but even if a few sprung up, I am not sure I would plan my trips around using those with adding half hour to the trip. It could only come in handy if and when I stray too far from my home without planning, and I am hoping that won't happen. This was a hard decision and I could be wrong, atleast from a resale perspective.

Yep - I'm also in the DF/W area. I have an SL but it does not have QC on it. There is only one QC in the metroplex and it is on the opposite side of the metroplex from me. In many ways, I suppose that is good because if I ever needed a QC it would likely be on the other side of town. I leased my Leaf so if I felt the QC became an issue I could always trade out in another 2 years. But the way it looks so far, I think I made the right choice.

DF/W is a pretty big area. When you look at places like Austin and RoundRock, the diameter of the cities are much smaller. The longest trip you'd be likely to make is 30 miles one way. But in DF/W it can be 70 miles from one side of the metroplex to the other. That means areas like Plano, Garland, Denton and Mesquite are off the radar for me without some way to charge.

 

[NYLEAF]

I have an SL (2012, so with QC) and it was a hard choice for me. I really wanted to save the money and go with the SV, especially because I felt like most of the features in the SL were pure garbage. I don't have a garage, so HomeLink is worthless to me. The solar panel is a joke, and at the time, I felt as though a back up camera was stupid, but I had never had one before in a car. The ONLY reason I got the SL was for the QC, because I knew that in a year or two, if I came across a QC, I'd be absolutely kicking myself for not getting the SL. For me, having the QC port gives me that sense of security that ICE drivers get from having access to gasoline everywhere. I know (hope) that one day soon, I'll be able to not worry so much about range, because more is just a quickcharge away. When I show off the car, I call the QC port the "road trip port". I try to show people that the car is more practical than they think. 80% in 30 minutes is impressive. I just wish the infrastructure would catch up!

 

[Dino]

I hope someday there are enough quick chargers around to make me regret not getting the QC option. But I just wanted a commuter, nothing more. I used the NAV a couple times but I don’t need that either.

 

[eHelmholtz]

I ordered an SV, but the lack of Home-Link is the one thing that bothers me. I have two garage doors, so I like being able to open/close either one. And I usually program that third button for my mother's garage door. I don't have to worry about somebody stealing the garage door opener from the car in order to get into the house (minor issue - I rarely leave my cars outside). And most importantly, I never have to worry about the battery getting weak or dying.

But I don't think I'd pay $100 to get homelink, let alone the SL premium.

It's a simple mod to add homelink buttons to your LEAF and you can get the homelink remote from eBay for about $25. I just did it for my ICE based weekend car. See this photo (not my car but similar):

 

[ljwobker]

It's a simple mod to add homelink buttons to your LEAF and you can get the homelink remote from eBay for about $25. I just did it for my ICE based weekend car. ]

I'm intrigued... what did you search on to find this on Ebay? My search showed nothing but full rearview mirrors with homelink buttons integrated there... ?

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I specficially choose the SV (lower) model to save $2K over an SL model:

- Backup camera: I have it in my Lexus, very nice, but no big deal

- Garage openers: nice to have, but I have two in my home that I can use. Not a deal breaker.

- Quick charger: Now this one was hard to decide. There are very few chargers in the DFW area at this time (EVGO & Blink have nothing), but even if a few sprung up, I am not sure I would plan my trips around using those with adding half hour to the trip. It could only come in handy if and when I stray too far from my home without planning, and I am hoping that won't happen. This was a hard decision and I could be wrong, atleast from a resale perspective.

your current view of quick chargers matches my previous view exactly. then they were put in my neighborhood and everything changed.

to clarify; i have only once charged for 30 minutes, a few times in the 23-24 minute range but most of my charging is in the 7-11 minute range.

i can get a 35-40 mile boost in 11 minutes. then i gain about 20-25 miles in the next 19 but who needs it? the next charge station is 25 miles down the road.

I did a 140 mile round trip with 2 stops at QC total time was about 25 minutes although one time i was plugged in for 15 minutes but only charged about 12 minutes because i plugged in and went across the street to grab food and the charger beat the restaurant!