The September 8th - Ordering now open - Check your dashboard

[LEAFfan]

I asked Nissan about what date they go by and it isn't the date the deposit cleared, but the date/time of reservation. I reserved on 4/20 around 3 PM MST/PDT, but it didn't clear my credit union until 4/28.

I should have said when the charge was approved, not cleared. This is because there seemed to be some inconsistency/delay (hours, not days) for some who entered orders on 4/20. But maybe there were so many reservations being made that processing them got backed up. What is your order date?

My order month is Sept., and Nissan finally changed my dashboard to "eTec approved" last Sat. night, but I haven't been able to order yet...hoping for today or Fri.

 

[evnow]

... with a large number of bugs in the system resulting in some people being able to order earlier...

I like this. This can explain all the inconsistancies we see :lol:

 

[LEAFfan]

I think you make a questionable assumption, that "there is alread[y] a reservation number attached to each LEAF that will be manufactured..."

It would make more sense to give each customer a priority number. If the customer places an order within some set time (many reservation holders will not!) then that customer's car will be built in the order established by her/his priority. If the customer does not order within the time frame, she/he looses the place in line, and perhaps is dumped out of the early-order process. This way there are no "orphan cars." Your way, there could be as many orphan cars on dealer lots as early-order cars for early-order customers, and people willing to pay dealer mark-ups could have a Leaf before most of the people on this list.

Here's how I think it will work:

You get an opportunity to place an order based on when you reserved, with a large number of bugs in the system resulting in some people being able to order earlier, and others being pushed later. If you get your order in early enough, you'll keep your reservation-based priority, with a large number of bugs resulting in some people getting promoted or demoted in the priority list. If you complain, they'll make a half-hearted attempt to fix the bug, which might or might not be successful. When production begins, each car will be assigned to the next person on the priority list and configured accordingly, with a large number of bugs resulting in some people falling off the list and maybe a few people getting promoted up the list with no discernible system. If people walk away from the purchase, either the region will assign the car to a favored dealership, or the dealer may have the opportunity to choose to keep the car to sell or trade it to another dealer or return it to the region.
That's my guess.
Of course, it's also possible that just as certain regions get to order first, they make give production priority to certain sub-regions. E.g. they might build all Los Angeles cars before starting on the Seattle cars, and postpone all Spokane cars until after all coastal region cars, or some such arrangement.
We don't know because they've never said. This would violate the delivery-priority promises they've been making, but it would not surprise

That's exactly the way I thought it would be done, except I remember them saying that the EV Project participants would get priority delivery.

 

[evnow]

That's exactly the way I thought it would be done, except I remember them saying that the EV Project participants would get priority delivery.

I've actually never seen that directly from Nissan - I think it is just speculation by some.

 

[daniel]

Yeah, I knew the "orphan" concept was kind of a stretch, but I still think it is a good idea.

I know it is pure speculation, but what is your guess on the percentage of reservations that become actual orders. My guess >95%.

As for cars that are ordered but but are not picked up (customer decides he does not want it, or can not get financing), a dealer I talked to said they then get the car, which he said he would be happy to take.

Do you really think it would be a good idea if the initial production run of cars went half to the people who have played by the rules, and half to line-jumpers who are willing to pay high dealer mark-ups for orphan cars? I don't.

Since the $99 deposit is fully refundable, I'm guessing 50% will order. Obviously, anyone else's guess is as good as mine. I'll guess the percentage will be higher for people who reserved on the first day. Maybe 90% for them.

 

[WWBD]

That's exactly the way I thought it would be done, except I remember them saying that the EV Project participants would get priority delivery.

I've actually never seen that directly from Nissan - I think it is just speculation by some.

Could just be a rumor I guess.