Thinking of Leaf - best package, recommendations, lease?

[planet4ever]

Haven't read the rest of the replies but for my area (South Bay area of Nor Cal), the CHAdeMO port was a waste of money. I posted about why at http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11426&p=327440&#p327440" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11426&p=329172&#p329172" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

I also live in the South Bay, even farther south than cwerdna, but I don't consider the CHAdeMO a waste. True, Premier Nissan is the only QC within 25 miles, and there are no QCs (within hundreds of miles) in any direction but North. But Premier has saved me twice in the past few months from a long wait for L2 charging. And any time I want to go very far up the Peninsula I am dependent on one of the QCs along 101. I've also depended on I-680 QCs to make the hop up to my granddaughter's house in Antioch.

Ray

 

[asimba2]

The way I see it, without CHAdeMO, you have a 70 mile car. With it, you can reasonably travel further distances. I would potentially lease a car without it, but I would NOT buy one that didn't have it. Quick charging stations will only go up in number.

 

[cwerdna]

Haven't read the rest of the replies but for my area (South Bay area of Nor Cal), the CHAdeMO port was a waste of money. I posted about why at http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11426&p=327440&#p327440" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11426&p=329172&#p329172" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

I also live in the South Bay, even farther south than cwerdna, but I don't consider the CHAdeMO a waste. True, Premier Nissan is the only QC within 25 miles, and there are no QCs (within hundreds of miles) in any direction but North. But Premier has saved me twice in the past few months from a long wait for L2 charging. And any time I want to go very far up the Peninsula I am dependent on one of the QCs along 101. I've also depended on I-680 QCs to make the hop up to my granddaughter's house in Antioch.

For me, Premier's not that far, and pointless for me to go there to use the CHAdeMO unless I really need to.

SF is 60 miles away (almost all highway), one way for me but I really don't relish making my already long drive each way even longer and depending on flaky or unreliable DC FC hardware along the way that may be down, ICEd, cost me $5, or have a long line.

I leased my Leaf from Boardwalk and yeah, their DC FC is free, but what if it's down or I'm #6 in line to use? No thanks.

On Sunday, I went to the SF Auto Show. I did research L2 and QC options but concluded they were either too risky, expensive due to the above and/or time consuming, or inaccessible for when I was leaving from the auto show (at close, at Sunday 10 pm). I also had to be at work on Monday morning.

I did what I'd usually done before I had a Leaf to attend anything that's near a BART station and where parking is real expensive: drove my Prius to Daly City BART, took BART to Powell station and walked to Moscone, then the reverse.

There's no charging at Daly City BART nor other BART stations south of it that I know. I didn't want to waste precious time otherwise spent at the show or sleeping by QCing on the way up, hunting for options or suffering range anxiety. I wasn't going to risk L2s being down or ICEd at garages near Moscone and the parking there was WAY too much $ for the time I was spending at Moscone (all day).

It all came down to time, value, money.

 

[tinaCA]

Well, there is FREE CHAdeMO charging within 4 miles of my house (available 24/7) plus the dealership (available during service hours and also right off the highway I take to work) which is 5 miles from me, and there is a Blink (fee) CHAdeMO 1.5 miles from my house in case I get home depleted and want to go out again.

So I decided the QC port was worth it since we only have a regular outlet at home, and don't want to pay for electrical work at this time with all the free level 2 charging within 2 miles of our house etc.

Of course, my lease is limited to 12k miles/year so with my commute I won't be able to run about after work much with this car without going over the miles. We are seriously thinking of trading in (more likely selling private really) our gas car and getting a second Leaf but we want to live with this for a bit and see how it works out.

One feature I really miss that the S doesn't have that all my other cars for the past many years have had is auto headlights. I HATE having to remember to turn them on and off! Also the hatch seems extraordinarily difficult to close firmly. I have to slam the thing off its hinges otherwise I get a caution light. With my Ford I just let the hatch drop softly and it closes. I may have the dealer check this out, seems abnormal. With the charger residing in the hatch obviously I open and close it every day!

 

[planet4ever]

One feature I really miss that the S doesn't have that all my other cars for the past many years have had is auto headlights. I HATE having to remember to turn them on and off! Also the hatch seems extraordinarily difficult to close firmly. I have to slam the thing off its hinges otherwise I get a caution light.

Sorry about the lights. I didn't think to mention that, and they don't bother me. That hatch behavior is not normal. It is probably just a minor adjustment, but do get it fixed.

Ray

 

[RonDawg]

The hatch on my 2012 does need a bit of a firm slam to get it to latch properly. I think it's because Nissan has fitted gas struts which are a bit too strong for the weight of the hatch. The ones on my Audi are "just right", strong enough to hold the hatch up but not so powerful that you have to fight with it to close it.

I can even leave the hatch on my Audi open in several different positions without it falling back down, or the struts forcing it back up all the way, that's how well balanced it is.

 

[tinaCA]

I think ours needs adjustment - it needs to be slammed HARD or the amber "!" light comes on. Now finding the time to stop by service for this...

 

[jjj240]

Someone mentioned there's a bill to have California sales tax only assessed on the post rebate price of EVs, making for an $800 savings based on 8% sales tax. Anyone have an update on that?

anyone confirms/opposes that CA sales tax is assessed on post-rebate price?

 

[cwerdna]

http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/what-fees-should-you-pay.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[jjj240]

My lease is for 24 months but I can extend it to 36, where I can apply and receive the $2500 CA rebate. I was looking for flexibility while waiting for the technology to develop further, so I went with the 24 month lease.

i don't think u can modify your lease term once it's filed thru NMAC.
Longer/shorter leasing term will change its residual, and it will affect monthly due.
There might be a possibility, but it's not going to be simple... may take an arm and a leg... good luck.

 

[jsongster]

The way I see Level 2 EVSEs and CHAdeMO DCFChargers... Use it or lose it! We are still pioneering these cars into practicality... the more we use the infrastructure... keep companies maintaining it... tell them what works (L2 at movie theaters and malls, DCFC for along highways ) and what doesn't work (L2 at convenience stores)

Even if it is sometimes a bit more moolah... keep stretching your range... use the chargers... complain that their aren't enough, or the forces of entropy will get us back to chopped off wires and abandoned stations. Think of it every time you go to charge and find the paddle chargers... they are from the crushed revolution of the 90s.

 

[RonDawg]

Someone mentioned there's a bill to have California sales tax only assessed on the post rebate price of EVs, making for an $800 savings based on 8% sales tax. Anyone have an update on that?

anyone confirms/opposes that CA sales tax is assessed on post-rebate price?

Californians will pay sales tax twice on a lease:

1. On the "Capitalized Cost Reduction" aka "down payment" to include the Federal tax credit passed onto the lessee by the manufacturer, as well as any additional cash added to the deal by the manufacturer and/or dealer.

2. Each monthly payment.

The rate you pay is based on the zip code where the car is registered, not where it's bought/leased. So it's possible to pay one rate at the time the car is leased, and then have the payment go up or down if you move during the term of the lease. The payment can also go up/down if the tax rate changes in the area where the car is registered (and that has happened to a few people here last July 1).