LF deal on Leaf S with or w/out QC in Atlanta, October 2014

It's a new month and am wondering what I should expect to pay, or what would be considered a good deal, for a 2015 Leaf S (non-VPP) 24 month lease, with or without QC. I saw a few deals listed at ~$279 w/out QC last month. Also, am curious if any out there are considering purchasing their car at lease end and what the residual cost, purchase option fee, etc. costs are and opinions on if it's worth it or not?
Any details on current (or prior) purchases would be appreciated.

end of the month is always the best time to buy. we are picking ours up today (put deposit on it last night to hold pricing). Leaf S with Quick Charge, 24 month, 12k miles per year. $254/month VPP. Seems like most dealers were around $279/ but was able to find a lower price with a bit more searching. Not sure what specials or discounts Nissan will have this month but that was the best price we found by far and were happy to have gotten it that low.

should be the happy owner of a new Leaf by tonight!

now to go bug the folks on the EVSE section to get that aspect sorted out. lol...

I think I will pay attention to the replies km4x gets and use those recommendations to help me make my decision about a 24 month lease. I understand that end of month seems best time, and I'm in no hurry other than I would like to lease a Leaf this year. I'm nowhere close to the Thornton Road dealer mentioned in another thread, though. I see some of these deals online that require a couple of thousand dollars up front and would rather not do that, especially after seeing some of the deals other people mention on this site. I'm "non-VPP" (makes me feel a little sad to see all these good deals to people who work at the right place, by oh well). All things being equal it seems like I would like QC (why would someone not want this?). Anyway, I feel like I want to piggyback of of someone and if they get a good deal I just want to say "me too" and try to get that, not waste a salesperson's time and just know what I want. My credit is great and do't think that will be an issue. So I will watch this thread and see what happens.

speedyr said:

end of the month is always the best time to buy. we are picking ours up today (put deposit on it last night to hold pricing). Leaf S with Quick Charge, 24 month, 12k miles per year. $254/month VPP. Seems like most dealers were around $279/ but was able to find a lower price with a bit more searching. Not sure what specials or discounts Nissan will have this month but that was the best price we found by far and were happy to have gotten it that low.

should be the happy owner of a new Leaf by tonight!

now to go bug the folks on the EVSE section to get that aspect sorted out. lol...

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Congrats on your new Leaf! If you wouldn't mind sharing, what was the cap cost, residual, purchase option fee, etc. on the final deal? Also, which dealer did you go with?

will get the details final tonight, but $350 disposition fee at the end of the lease, no money down. Cronic Nissan in Griffin. We live on the north side but it was worth the drive. Shannon has been very easy to work with and so far he has been easy to communicate with and work out the pricing. We pick it up tonight so I'll post other details when I get the final paperwork. We did not want to put much down and we were able to "piggyback" on someones legwork as well (my wifes co-worker). Another friend used Aziz at Town Center and he was very up front with prices but couldn't match Cronic at the time. I'll ask Shannon about October and see if he has any pricing I can pass on that's valid this month.

I agree I don't understand why you wouldn't want QC unless you had a very short commute and didn't plan to use the car extensively or just lived somewhere you couldn't instal a level 2 charger (apt). I had really considered the SV model but after talking to folks about the Nav/Carwings/heater differences, the price didn't meet my needs, so we went with the S model w/ quick charge.

Babaluba said:

All things being equal it seems like I would like QC (why would someone not want this?).

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Hi Babaluba,
In addition to the monthly lease cost savings, my understanding as to why someone would opt for not getting the QC package is that it only makes ~2-3 hr. difference in charging time to fully charge when using a level 2, 240v charger only, the kind you would have professionally installed at home. I don't believe it makes any difference for Level 1, 120v charging (someone correct me if I'm wrong). It is true that you also get the larger CHAdeMO port for ~30 min. to 80% charging, but those are currently harder to find and I don't know of anyone who has one of those installed in their garage. :lol:

Well, now that I think about it, since I will be one of those people with a short commute I don't need QC if it adds to the lease amount. If that's my only choice I will roll with it (I seem to remember another thread where someone reported a dealer saying "Nissan is equipping all Leafs with QC now" but that may have been some kind of bluff).

Babaluba said:

Well, now that I think about it, since I will be one of those people with a short commute I don't need QC if it adds to the lease amount. If that's my only choice I will roll with it

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Certainly it wouldn't hurt to have the QC package. Like you, I will consider both because the ones w/ the QC package seem to be more widely available, I just don't *really* need it. In the end, I'm just looking to get the best deal.

Babaluba said:

(I seem to remember another thread where someone reported a dealer saying "Nissan is equipping all Leafs with QC now" but that may have been some kind of bluff).

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Yeah, I think I remember reading where someone said that a dealer told them that Nissan wasn't making the base Leaf S w/out the QC package any longer and that they better accept the deal they were being offered! LOL

We will see more than 100 QCDC in the metro Atlanta area within the next 24 months and probably within 12 months, making Quick Charging a must have option. http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2014/oct/01/charging-stations-coming-to-mall-of-georgia/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

speedyr said:

will get the details final tonight, but $350 disposition fee at the end of the lease, no money down...We pick it up tonight so I'll post other details when I get the final paperwork. We did not want to put much down and we were able to "piggyback" on someones legwork as well (my wifes co-worker)...I'll ask Shannon about October and see if he has any pricing I can pass on that's valid this month.

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speedyr, did you get your new Leaf? If so, please share your experience.

Picked up the car last night - black 2015 Leaf S w QC. We had made the first payment ($254) over the phone tuesday night to hold the deal as the pricing was only good in Sept. Shannon was good to work with. No hidden fees, etc. $254/month, no up front costs or anything. The disposition fee was $395 instead of $350 but that was fine as that seemed to be what other dealers were charging. His price was a deal he had set up with one of my wifes co-workers and I think he sold two or three at that rate. He did say that the Nissan "programs" change each month and that at least for now he could not do that same rate this month, but would do the best he could. I told him if he could put together some pricing for VPP/nonVPP I would be glad to post the info and send him some referrals. They don't sell a lot of Leaf's but he knew the car and was very up front and honest about the pricing and programs (and accessories ). It was well worth the drive and they were very helpful. I think he would do his best to get you the best deal on any Nissan, but he was very good about the leaf and explained everything about the car and even set up my wifes Bluetooth phone connection so we could talk on the way home.

Just for reference the best deal I could work out prior for VPP was $399 first month payment, $270/month, 24 months, 12k miles a year, Leaf S w/ QC.

Just a note about our first drive in the car- The car was charged 100% when we got there. My wife drove it around for a bit to just confirm everything was fine while I started paperwork. It showed 81 miles till "empty". We left around 7pm and headed home. We live on the north side of Atlanta, about 50 miles per google maps. Went up 19, connector thru town, 85 and home. Got off the freeway, dropped the sequoia at the house, went to Marta and picked up my TDI, then to dinner and home. Still showed 31 miles left and we had driven about 67 miles. Plugged the car in to 110v outlet in garage at 10pm, went out this morning at 7am and it was at 80% charge. I don't remember the miles, but seems like it was either 60 or 80 miles. I was surprised it did as well just on the 110.

will probably do the OpenEVSE 50A charger in the next couple of weeks. I will have a friend (electrician) help me wire in a 15-50r in the garage to plug it in to. I posted yesterday in the EVSE section about my plans for that setup.

Looking forward to a few years of EV usage.

Congrats, speedyr! And thanks for posting the details of your deal. I'm also interested in a 24month lease of a Black 2015 Leaf S with QC, but I don't have VPP status. If anyone else in the Atlanta wants to look into a group deal (to take delivery by the end of October), send an email or text me at six seven eight - 4 six 2 - two 114 . Maybe we can convince a dealer to provide a further discount to VPP pricing for a group of non-VPPs!

I'm not absolutely sure but I think the VPP deal is about $1000 that the company kicks in for employees but I think it depends upon the employer. that works out to about $40 a month "discount" from VPP to non VPP on a 24 month least if my math is correct. My wife is the accountant, not me, I'm just the negotiator.

Might be worth a call to shannon and see if you can round up a few folks, I know there were two or three of us that worked together to get that deal together, and that seemed to work for us. he was solid to work with and up front about all costs and pricing. Last night he didn't know what promos Nissan was going to offer this month and as you get closer to the end of the year the residual value of the cars goes up, so the costs for the lease go up. It seems that's been the trend over the last year or so from looking at the past "deals" that were on the table.

as you get closer to the end of the year the residual value of the cars goes up, so the costs for the lease go up.

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speedyr, I'm puzzled by this comment.
1. Why would proximity to the end of a calendar year have anything to do with residual value?
2. If the residual value is higher, wouldn't that cause the lease payment to be smaller (all other things being equal)?

Thanks for clarifying.

braineo said:

We will see more than 100 QCDC in the metro Atlanta area within the next 24 months and probably within 12 months, making Quick Charging a must have option. http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2014/oct/01/charging-stations-coming-to-mall-of-georgia/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Hi braineo,

That is great news - thanks for sharing that article! I live not too far from MoG and that sure will be convenient.

speedyr said:

We had made the first payment ($254) over the phone tuesday night to hold the deal as the pricing was only good in Sept. Shannon was good to work with. No hidden fees, etc. $254/month, no up front costs or anything. The disposition fee was $395 instead of $350 but that was fine as that seemed to be what other dealers were charging.

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Hi speedyr, you mentioned the "disposition fee" above being a different amount... is that something you pay at signing or at the end when you turn the car in? I'm asking because I don't recall anyone saying in other posts about having to pay that fee up front w/ a $0 down deal. Any specific numbers you can share/explain from your lease agreement (like cap cost, residual, purchase option fee, etc.) would be helpful. Thanks

km4x, the disposition fee is the fee you pay when you turn the car in at the end of the lease. basically it's their charge to get the leased vehicle ready to sell and sold off, or something like that. I've seen that fee on most of the vehicles we have leased in the past. Pretty sure if you purchase the car at the end of the lease (at the fee that's on the lease- residual value) then you avoid the disposition fee. I tend to buy a year or two old car and drive it till the wheels fall off of it - my last two cars were a VW TDI with 220k on the clock that I'm still driving, and before that a Jeep grand cherokee w/ 210k. my wife has leased a couple of cars but I just work on getting the payments down and no up front.

I'll see if I can find the paperwork tonight and see the numbers. the only numbers I was concerned about were any up front charges (there were none), the monthly bill including taxes and such, and the final payment/disposition fee. the rest is all greek to me, she's the accountant.

if we extend it month to month at the end we may do that but I doubt if we would purchase the car when the lease is up, but who knows. She really wanted a Tesla but that wasn't in the cards right now. Hard to say what cars will be on the lots and at what prices (and gas prices) Most local dealers I talked to, with a little bargaining, were at $279/month for 23 months, $399 first month (included fees, taxes, docs, etc) and $400 disposition fee. that was for 24 month, 12k mile, Leaf S w/ QC and VPP.

hope it helps someone else. enjoyed driving mine to work today. need to get started on the level 2 charger at the house.

speedyr said:

km4x, the disposition fee is the fee you pay when you turn the car in at the end of the lease. basically it's their charge to get the leased vehicle ready to sell and sold off, or something like that. I've seen that fee on most of the vehicles we have leased in the past. Pretty sure if you purchase the car at the end of the lease (at the fee that's on the lease- residual value) then you avoid the disposition fee. I tend to buy a year or two old car and drive it till the wheels fall off of it - my last two cars were a VW TDI with 220k on the clock that I'm still driving, and before that a Jeep grand cherokee w/ 210k. my wife has leased a couple of cars but I just work on getting the payments down and no up front.

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speedyr, thanks for all the insight on leasing you've shared. Leasing is all new to me (I've only "purchased" in the past). I also currently have older vehicles, one of which is right at 200k miles.

speedyr said:

I'll see if I can find the paperwork tonight and see the numbers. the only numbers I was concerned about were any up front charges (there were none), the monthly bill including taxes and such, and the final payment/disposition fee. the rest is all greek to me, she's the accountant.

if we extend it month to month at the end we may do that but I doubt if we would purchase the car when the lease is up, but who knows. She really wanted a Tesla but that wasn't in the cards right now.

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FYI: Speaking of Tesla, Elon Musk is going to make an announcement this Thursday (10/09/14) about a new Model "D" and "some other news". Maybe this news will be the ~$35K car many of us have hoped for. We'll see...

Spoke to Shannon at Cronic last night and the best deal he has for October (Nissan has monthly programs, rebates, etc) for VPP Leaf S with Quick Charge is $259/ month for 24 months. Nothing down, and the $395 disposition fee at the end of the lease when you turn the car in. Nothing up front, just the $259/ month, plus the tag when you go to register the car (we'll pay the extra $60 fee for the HOV tag). If you are interested in talking to him about any options or other 'versions', give him a shout. they had the best pricing I found around the ATL area and were very easy to work with. No pressure sales, the car was ready when promised, plenty of inventory to choose from, etc. Your haggling has already been done up front. Again I have no connection with them other than a happy purchaser of a car from them. I worked in the motorcycle industry for a long time and it's surprisingly hard to find good dealers sometimes!

Cronic Nissan- Shannon
2624 N Express Way, Griffin, GA 30223
(678) 967-2277

2015leafin2014 I don't think I ever answered your question but yes I typed that wrong- a higher residual value will lower your payments. A lower residual value will raise your payments. he said that as the year goes on the residual value will lower. not sure why.

My understanding with Tesla is that they have the Model S out now, supposedly a long delayed model X that's an SUV maybe in 2015? and eventually a Model III (they wanted to call it the Model E but I think Ford had issues with that) that's supposed to be in the $35k range and be out in late 2017 (about when our lease on the Leaf is up). Read a bit about the Model D but no one seems to know what it is. plus maybe a CPO program for Model S's.

leasing was new to me but the wife enjoys newer cars and has leased an S2000 and a TL type S in the past. For something you don't plan to keep a long time it's a good option if the number make sense. My main concern is the "down payment", the monthly fee, and the disposition fee. I have some interest in the residual value of the car/lease, as that's what you would pay at the end if you want to purchase the car. sometimes it's best to walk away from the car at the end of the lease, sometimes the residual value is much lower than the actual value of the car so you may want to purchase the car and sell it on the open market and make a few bucks if it's worth your time and effort. if you have much lower miles than you "paid" for, and the car didn't depreciate as much as they thought, you can make a few thousand dollars doing this. Or it might be worth a lot less than the residual value, so you just turn it in, pay your $400 and walk away.

Jalopnik thinks the D will be an AWD model S.

Jalopnik has a history of being accurate in this type of thing.

http://jalopnik.com/this-has-to-be-confirmation-teslas-d-is-an-awd-model-s-1642042896" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;