The Nissan Leaf is the best car I've ever owned

[cdub]

I said that when I bought it in June 2011, now 13k+ miles, and over a year later I still believe it.

1. Smooth
2. Quiet
3. Quick
4. Cheap to run
5. Fun
6. Did I mention it's smooth?

Don't be a Debbie Downer.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

glad to hear your car is not suffering from slow death :shock:

jk. we all die sooner or later and so do our cars. enjoy while you can, there is a lot to feel good about

 

[thankyouOB]

I said that when I bought it in June 2011, now 13k+ miles, and over a year later I still believe it.

1. Smooth
2. Quiet
3. Quick
4. Cheap to run
5. Fun
6. Did I mention it's smooth?

Don't be a Debbie Downer.

ditto.

 

[etracing]

I said that when I bought it in June 2011, now 13k+ miles, and over a year later I still believe it.

1. Smooth
2. Quiet
3. Quick
4. Cheap to run
5. Fun
6. Did I mention it's smooth?

Don't be a Debbie Downer.

Double Ditto?

 

[GeekEV]

Triple ditto...

 

[Nubo]

I rank my LEAF right up there with my other favorite car, a 1990 Mazda Miata.

That being said, I think I'm justifiably concerned about the battery longevity right now. But I am remaining optimistic that Nissan will rise to the occasion.

 

[Boomer23]

My LEAF ranks in the top five cars I've owned. But it is by far the most interesting of the bunch, and I'm having a lot of fun being an early adopter with this car.

Sixteen months in, and my LEAF is doing exactly what I expected of it: To reliably take me and my family anywhere we need to go for 95% or our driving and using no gas to do it, with the fun of electric drive on top of it all. I continue to expect it to keep doing that for as long as I expected it to when I drove it off the dealer's lot.

We're all learning as we go here, but we are all early adopters and we had good reasons to make the leap to electric. For me, those reasons are intact and the LEAF is doing everything I need it to do.

cdub, you might want to check in on this thread: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=9547" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[smkettner]

+1 to all the above.

For me I will add...
Effortless power, smoothest transmission. No stopping at a gas station. Love the car.

 

[Volusiano]

I said that when I bought it in June 2011, now 13k+ miles, and over a year later I still believe it.

1. Smooth
2. Quiet
3. Quick
4. Cheap to run
5. Fun
6. Did I mention it's smooth?

Don't be a Debbie Downer.

I'm OK with the point the OP is trying to make here that the LEAF is a great car despite the battery issue (the Debbie Downer reference and the timing of this thread implies it, of course). But don't call people who are rightly concerned about the battery issues Debbie Downers. That's condescending and not nice. There are a thousand different ways to say it that are much nicer and more polite. How would you like it if people call you an Ursula Upper who bury your head in the sand? Of course I would never want to call you that. I would only give you a quadruple ditto in agreement to your post. Except for the Debbie Downer reference, of course.

 

[TomT]

+1

It is certainly in the top three for me - perhaps not the best ever, everything considered, but up there...

I'm OK with the point the OP is trying to make here that the LEAF is a great car despite the battery issue (the Debbie Downer reference and the timing of this thread implies it, of course). But don't call people who are rightly concerned about the battery issues Debbie Downers. That's condescending and not nice. There are a thousand different ways to say it that are much nicer and more polite. How would you like it if people call you an Ursula Upper who bury your head in the sand?

 

[Herm]

The Leaf may be a great car, but Nissan has blundered with the battery issue and this will set back electrics for years.. just pure incompetence. Lets hope Nissan redeems itself and does the right thing.

GM knew what they were doing with the Volt.. they just do not allow the owner to abuse the battery, they even accounted for foolish people that live in Phoenix.

 

[TonyWilliams]

The Leaf may be a great car, but Nissan has blundered with the battery issue and this will set back electrics for years.. just pure incompetence. Lets hope Nissan redeems itself and does the right thing.

GM knew what they were doing with the Volt.. they just do not allow the owner to abuse the battery, they even accounted for foolish people that live in Phoenix.

I feel exactly the same way. Whoever signed off on what the engineers surely knew was a bad idea (battery with no TMS and extreme 93% of battery available to consumer) is gunna have some 'splainin' to do.

I do like the car, and I am impressed that the folks who have gotten rid of the LEAF and have replaced it with another (leased) LEAF or other EV-esque vehicle. Once you've gone EV, you won't go back.

I love my LEASED LEAF !!!!

One piece of good news. Even if the LEAF is ultimately cancelled (Nissan will still have to support purchased LEAFs in the USA with parts for 10 years), as long as the state of California's CARB doesn't fold again, we will have many limited production, lease only compliance cars available from virtually every manufacturer for many years.

My only real holdout now is Tesla. I hope they make it. Both BMW and Tesla could be the next real player in the mass EV market. Nissan could also be there, but this battery blunder is of such magnitude in cost and breadth, that I honestly could see them pulling the plug on everything EV in the next two years.

 

[TomT]

My guess is that the bean counters were heavily involved: "A TMS will cost HOW much!? Do we REALLY need it?! Is there any way we can get by without it?!"

I feel exactly the same way. Whoever signed off on what the engineers surely knew was a bad idea (battery with no TMS and extreme 93% of battery available to consumer) is gunna have some 'splainin' to do.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

My guess is that the bean counters were heavily involved: "A TMS will cost HOW much!? Do we REALLY need it?! Is there any way we can get by without it?!"

I feel exactly the same way. Whoever signed off on what the engineers surely knew was a bad idea (battery with no TMS and extreme 93% of battery available to consumer) is gunna have some 'splainin' to do.

Tom, i guessed the same especially when TMS is not needed everywhere. i am guessing it would be pretty much a waste of money for me. granted i prefer not to lose that 15 miles of range every winter, but it always comes back in summer and that is when i do most of the driving anyway.

when TN comes online, the cost structure is nearly re-written making many previously expensive options very viable.

 

[TonyWilliams]

when TN comes online, the cost structure is nearly re-written making many previously expensive options very viable.

They absolutely will not change the battery when production starts in Tennesse. At best, the cell manufacturer will be pressed to tweak the chemistry a little, but remember, they knew all along the issues. Now it's just buying time and mitigating bad press.

I honestly don't expect any substantial battery changes until the new battery technology is unveiled for the 2015 model year. There may be some scrambling with other planned EV's from Nissan, but even then, it's cheaper to write a warranty disclaimer to not cover battery degradation than engineer and tool up a factory to implement an improved battery.

They will choose the cheap path, every time.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

when TN comes online, the cost structure is nearly re-written making many previously expensive options very viable.

They absolutely will not change the battery when production starts in Tennesse. At best, the cell manufacturer will be pressed to tweak the chemistry a little, but remember, they knew all along the issues. Now it's just buying time and mitigating bad press.

I honestly don't expect any substantial battery changes until the new battery technology is unveiled for the 2015 model year. There may be some scrambling with other planned EV's from Nissan, but even then, it's cheaper to write a warranty disclaimer to not cover battery degradation than engineer and tool up a factory to implement an improved battery.

They will choose the cheap path, every time.

not changing the battery, i agree but that is not what i was implying either

 

[ksnogas2112]

luv my LEAF. it's just plain fun to drive.

 

[dandrewk]

My Leaf is great, but it is only the second best car I've owned. Number one is:

1967 Firebird.

My first car. Nothing ever, EVER will be able to match it!

 

[RegGuheert]

My Leaf is great, but it is only the second best car I've owned. Number one is:

1967 Firebird.

My first car. Nothing ever, EVER will be able to match it!

400? Incredible car!

 

[TonyWilliams]

My Leaf is great, but it is only the second best car I've owned. Number one is:

1967 Firebird.

My first car. Nothing ever, EVER will be able to match it!

That's a pretty nice first car. I had the sister car, a 1968 Camaro Super Sport, 396, 4 speed. It wasn't first, though. Had a 1970 Chevelle for an extremely short time before that, 454 (LS-5), automatic. Also, 1970 1/2 Camaro, 350, 4 speed (converted from automatic). First car was 1964 Chevy Impala, 4 door, 283, three on the tree, plus overdrive; $40.