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ShaneInDenver

New member
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
1
Hello all! I'm very new to EVs and I'm so thankful for this forum as a resource. I've been reading through posts and researching enough that I think now is the time to ask for help. I live in the suburbs of Denver, CO and drive roughly 45 miles round trip for work each day. This car would be replacing my 2000 Audi A6 as my primary vehicle and I would use my old Subaru or rent a car if I needed to drive further than the Leaf's range. I live in a home with a garage that has a 220 plug (though I'm not sure of NEMA plug type), so I would be using an L2 charger at home.

I would like to buy as much car as I can afford essentially and I have a budget of $10K. I have ordered an OBD-II adapter off of Amazon and I will use it with LeafSpy to determine battery health before buying. From what I've read I think I would like to look for a battery that has 60 ahr, but I'm certainly open to better advice.

I'm having a hard time figuring out trim levels just looking at the vehicle and a lot of the online listings don't seem to include trim level and the online VIN decoders don't seem to be very accurate at determining trim levels. I would like to get a model with a heat pump since I have heard how the resistant heat system really negatively effect the Leaf's range. In terms of other features, I think a backup camera would be nice and I would also like to have heated seats.

So based on these parameters I think I'm looking at 2013 and newer models with SV and SL trim levels. Honestly, I think I would be happy with all of the features the S trim has, but I think I really want the heat pump since it gets so cold here.

I'm going to a used car dealer called Green Eyed Motors in Boulder, CO after work today to take my first look, I don't plan on buying anything tonight, just getting my feet wet if you will. The used car dealership I'm going to look at tonight specializes in used EVs, so I'm hopeful that they will be able to educate me a little bit. But I fear that since they specialize in used EVs that I wont be getting any special deals since they presumably know what they have. The dealership does have really good reviews online, but I am not committed to buying through them by any means.

Here are a few local adds that I've found:

http://www.greeneyedmotors.com/vehicle-details/2013-nissan-leaf-sv-hatchback-9d20da02ad9b7245b7368bb626eb08c5/

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=80003&modelCode1=LEAF&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D80003%26showcaseOwnerId%3D84923%26startYear%3D2013%26endYear%3D2017%26modelCodeList%3DLEAF%26makeCodeList%3DNISSAN%26modelCode1%3DLEAF%26mmt%3D%255BNISSAN%255BLEAF%255B%255D%255D%255B%255D%255D%26sortBy%3DmileageASC%26makeCode1%3DNISSAN%26maxPrice%3D12000%26firstRecord%3D0%26searchRadius%3D25&showcaseOwnerId=84923&startYear=2013&numRecords=25&makeCode1=NISSAN&maxPrice=12000&firstRecord=0&endYear=2017&searchRadius=25&listingId=447212435&makeCode1=NISSAN&modelCode1=LEAF

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=80003&modelCode1=LEAF&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D80003%26showcaseOwnerId%3D84923%26startYear%3D2013%26endYear%3D2017%26modelCodeList%3DLEAF%26makeCodeList%3DNISSAN%26modelCode1%3DLEAF%26mmt%3D%255BNISSAN%255BLEAF%255B%255D%255D%255B%255D%255D%26sortBy%3DmileageASC%26makeCode1%3DNISSAN%26maxPrice%3D12000%26firstRecord%3D0%26searchRadius%3D25&showcaseOwnerId=84923&startYear=2013&numRecords=25&makeCode1=NISSAN&maxPrice=12000&firstRecord=0&endYear=2017&searchRadius=25&listingId=446923291&makeCode1=NISSAN&modelCode1=LEAF

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=80003&modelCode1=LEAF&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D80003%26showcaseOwnerId%3D84923%26startYear%3D2013%26endYear%3D2017%26modelCodeList%3DLEAF%26makeCodeList%3DNISSAN%26modelCode1%3DLEAF%26mmt%3D%255BNISSAN%255BLEAF%255B%255D%255D%255B%255D%255D%26sortBy%3DmileageASC%26makeCode1%3DNISSAN%26maxPrice%3D12000%26firstRecord%3D0%26searchRadius%3D25&showcaseOwnerId=84923&startYear=2013&numRecords=25&makeCode1=NISSAN&maxPrice=12000&firstRecord=0&endYear=2017&searchRadius=25&listingId=447928611&makeCode1=NISSAN&modelCode1=LEAF
 
ShaneInDenver said:
I live in the suburbs of Denver, CO and drive roughly 45 miles round trip for work each day. This car would be replacing my 2000 Audi A6 as my primary vehicle and I would use my old Subaru or rent a car if I needed to drive further than the Leaf's range. I live in a home with a garage that has a 220 plug (though I'm not sure of NEMA plug type), so I would be using an L2 charger at home.
...

I'm having a hard time figuring out trim levels just looking at the vehicle and a lot of the online listings don't seem to include trim level and the online VIN decoders don't seem to be very accurate at determining trim levels. I would like to get a model with a heat pump since I have heard how the resistant heat system really negatively effect the Leaf's range. In terms of other features, I think a backup camera would be nice and I would also like to have heated seats.

So based on these parameters I think I'm looking at 2013 and newer models with SV and SL trim levels. Honestly, I think I would be happy with all of the features the S trim has, but I think I really want the heat pump since it gets so cold here.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/162244573806988/A%20Guide%20for%20Buying%20a%20Used%20LEAF/1100737373291032/ may help except the comment "The only way to accurately measure a used LEAF’s battery capacity is to bring it to a dealer or use the LeafSpy app" is wrong. Bringing it to the dealer is useless, unless they also have Leaf Spy and know how to use and read it.

Specs tab of http://nissannews.com/en-US/nissan/usa/presskits/us-2013-nissan-leaf-press-kit may help. Replace 2013 w/other years, as needed. I've never bothered w/VIN decoders in trying to figure out the trim. And yes, often listings don't indicate the trim or they're wrong!

Can you update your location info via your user name in the upper right > User Control Panel > Profile tab? That way, we don't need to ask in future posts/threads or do sleuthing to deduce it. Yes, it's currently Denver, but you may move...

45 miles roundtrip on a single charge can be tough in the dead of winter unless you have at least level 1 (120 volt) charging at work.
 
Sounds like you have a good plan!
You can make an adaptor/jumper for your 220v dryer socket to whatever your EVSE has (mine is NEMA 10-30 to P6-20).
I would stay away from the "S" trim for multiple reasons, but looks like you've already figured that out.
 
cwerdna said:
45 miles roundtrip on a single charge can be tough in the dead of winter unless you have at least level 1 (120 volt) charging at work.

I disagree...especially if he keeps his speed < 60 mph.
 
I agree with Cwerdna. He said it would be "tough," not impossible, and that's true. When I visit my Sister in frigid weather, the 44 mile round trip requires a bit less heat and speed than I'd prefer. Much less speed than 60MPH. I still have 12 bars and the heatpump.
 
I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest leasing a new 2016/2017 30kwh leaf instead. The gas & maintenance savings (from the A6) should cover most of the lease payments. By doing a lease instead of purchase, he can take advantage of all the federal and state tax credits.

The bigger battery will ensure that 45mile commute will be a piece of cake. And is Denver one of those group-buy areas? If so, do the group-buy instead: http://driveelectricnoco.org/group-buy/ ($11,840 for a NEW leaf!)

Hope this helps!
 
I live here in the Denver area too. I commute 70 miles every day to Boulder and back (up and downhills and 50-60mph highway driving).

It hasn't been super cold since I bought my used '13 Leaf, but it's been down under 20F at least a few times. I can make the 70 mile round trip on 1 charge, but I have to drive very carefully. The heater hasn't really been an issue, I preheat the car while it's still plugged in and then primarily use the seat and steering wheel heaters because they are awesome, and cycle the heat on/off as I like.

I have L2 charging at work now so I just drive like a normal car but a few days I did the drive without charging mid-day. All in all 45 miles a day would be easy from my experience. Green Eyed Motors is about a block away from where I work and I've bummed a free charge off them a couple times. They just brought in a load of new cars but be careful I heard the salesman say they were bringing in a truckload of Leafs from Phoenix. Those might have suffered heat problems so be very thorough.
 
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