Should I buy this used Nissan Leaf?

My Nissan Leaf Forum

Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

misterno

Active member
Joined
Nov 4, 2014
Messages
37
Location
77477
here is the link

https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?listingId=472495419&zip=77477&referrer=%2Fcars-for-sale%2Fsearchresults.xhtml%3Fzip%3D77477%26startYear%3D1981%26numRecords%3D100%26sortBy%3DderivedpriceASC%26incremental%3Dall%26firstRecord%3D0%26endYear%3D2019%26modelCodeList%3DLEAF%26makeCodeList%3DNISSAN%26searchRadius%3D50&startYear=1981&numRecords=100&firstRecord=0&endYear=2019&modelCodeList=LEAF&makeCodeList=NISSAN&searchRadius=50&makeCode1=NISSAN&modelCode1=LEAF


How do I figure how many months or years of battery life left?

how do I check what is the max range it can do now with one charge? What should I ask to sales person?
 
It was in Texas, so because of the heat and degradation you'll probably have to think about a battery replacement soon...
 
rocolema said:
You can see from the pictures, it only has 9 bars (out of 12) left.

so if only 9 out of 12 bars remaining what should I expect for max driving range?

If it needs a 5K battery replacement soon what should I offer?
 
$5k, as I wrote above. A new battery is actually $6k. As for range, figure 50 miles at best, 25 at worst, depending on your climate and driving habits. If you want to be able to drive 30 miles or more in cold weather, pass on the car.
 
It has 9 capacity bars showing, but more miles than my 2011 had when it dropped to 8 capacity bars. Therefore, consider that it is close to 8 capacity bars. I still made my 52-mile roundtrip commute with normal A/C use with 8 capacity bars before Nissan replaced the original battery in my 2011, but would not have been able to make it during winter months. Also, I had essentially no energy left when I got home after my mostly freeway (carpool lane) commute. Range really depends upon speed, temperature, weather, and tires (low rolling resistance vs. sport performance). High speeds combined with rain, cold temperature, and sport performance tires could drop your range down to 25 miles.
 
25 miles range?

I will pass on this car. But I am wondering who would buy this? Maybe hard bargain and drop the price to $6K and then pay another $5K for brand new battery?

Total cost say $11K, the question is does it worth it?
 
Agreed, pass. Car looks sharp and is cheap, but Leaf usefulness and driveability are all about the battery condition and range. Someone (not necessarily you) might choose to use this for a local runabout, where you drive very few daily local miles and just leave it charging constantly. As I tell my friends, a Leaf is a great second car, not a great only car. I had to use the wife's PT Snoozer for a quick 560-mile round trip blast to Las Vegas yesterday from LA. Would have taken a week in my Leaf, if it could even make it at all. Not sure if there are places to charge every 60 miles out in the desert.

Fair price is fairly related to battery condition. It's a shame that many of these low-battery cars that are fine in every other regard will be probably be scrapped because they are "totalled", in that their value is less than that of a replacement battery.

That said, even with a brand new battery ($5-6K), the max range on these is very short compared with newer EVs, which get better every year.

But when $10K in state & fed tax incentives go away for new cars, that will make a better case for keeping older cars going. Hopefully battery tech improves, prices drop and someone steps up to make or repair your battery for $3000. Prius owners have lots more options, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSwUEVx5G3U
 
misterno said:
25 miles range?

I will pass on this car. But I am wondering who would buy this? Maybe hard bargain and drop the price to $6K and then pay another $5K for brand new battery?

Total cost say $11K, the question is does it worth it?

Someone who knows nothing about the Leaf and/or its battery degradation issues. I live in Texas and have been looking at these off and on for about two years now and increasingly, most of the ones I see coming up for sale are usually at 9 bars or less. The best thing would be to use Leaf Spy to check the battery, but that's hard if you're not local to where the car is. My existing plan is to pick up a used gen 1 Leaf sometime in the next two years once I have enough saved up to pay for the car in cash and then start setting aside replacement pack money for down the road. I cannot afford any of the new EV offerings, so I have to buy used and the Leaf is the only one priced even remotely close to what I could realistically afford (unless i3s start dropping significantly and used Bolts start showing up for like twelve grand).
 
I’ve passed on 2 Volts priced in the $3000 area, one had a dent, the other needed an oil pump.

Both would return roughly the same usable EV range as the leaf in question.

The Volt bypasses the degradation and temperature issue with a gas Brick for that purpose .

Of the first generation cars the Volt seems to have the fewest battery problems, PIP, Leaf, I3 and Fords offerings all have had major issues with degradation or simple mechanical issues (cough BMW)

Good Luck
 
LeftieBiker said:
Our PIP has lost maybe 20% range in 4 years but is fine otherwise.

I’ve gained 3% capacity (dash and kwhrs out the wall) in the 4 years I’ve had the volt and my EV range has gone up slightly each year as I’ve learned more about the car.

PIPs loose 3-10% a year
https://priuschat.com/threads/pip-ev-range-falloff.170014/page-7

Ford Energi owners have a mixed bag and no degradation warranty even if they loose half their capacity.
 
PIP, Leaf, i3 and Fords offerings all have had major issues with degradation

We have NOT had a "major issue with degradation" which by your chosen definition apparently means "any degradation at all." It's great that GM decided to hide capacity and understate actual available range, but that isn't a realistic standard by which to judge other vehicles.
 
LeftieBiker said:
PIP, Leaf, i3 and Fords offerings all have had major issues with degradation

We have NOT had a "major issue with degradation" which by your chosen definition apparently means "any degradation at all." It's great that GM decided to hide capacity and understate actual available range, but that isn't a realistic standard by which to judge other vehicles.

I think of all the existing EVs though, the Leaf seems to be the main one we hear about. I've actively been researching these for a few years now and the Leaf is the only car that keeps coming up as needing battery replacements. Now that's not saying that other cars haven't needed them, I've heard of a few Teslas needing replacements and there is the obvious issue with a few of the Bolts. In either case, the Leaf seems to be the primary culprit with fairly significant battery issues. I was really hoping they would go with a good thermal management system for the new model, but I guess not.
 
tattoogunman said:
LeftieBiker said:
PIP, Leaf, i3 and Fords offerings all have had major issues with degradation

We have NOT had a "major issue with degradation" which by your chosen definition apparently means "any degradation at all." It's great that GM decided to hide capacity and understate actual available range, but that isn't a realistic standard by which to judge other vehicles.

I think of all the existing EVs though, the Leaf seems to be the main one we hear about. I've actively been researching these for a few years now and the Leaf is the only car that keeps coming up as needing battery replacements. Now that's not saying that other cars haven't needed them, I've heard of a few Teslas needing replacements and there is the obvious issue with a few of the Bolts. In either case, the Leaf seems to be the primary culprit with fairly significant battery issues. I was really hoping they would go with a good thermal management system for the new model, but I guess not.

You don't hear about the Ford Focus because Ford did not sell many in hot climates (most go to CA for CARB credits). You don't hear about the Kia Soul because it is only available in CARB states. Also, many more LEAFs have been sold around the world than other EVs.
 
Back
Top