Used 2015 Nissan Leaf still worthwhile?

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thait84

Active member
Joined
Oct 19, 2012
Messages
42
Location
Los Angeles, CA
I've been following this forum on and off for years and years. It seems like the interest and enthusiasm in the Leaf has died down a little bit. Nissan doesn't seem to be aggressively promoting the sale of the Leaf anymore. There is general discontent with battery compatibility throughout the model years and Nissan's lack of support.

Am I wrong in my assessment? Would it still be worthwhile to plop down money on a used Leaf or should I be looking at options like Kia Souls, BMW i3s, Chevy Bolts, or the new Kia Niro?
 
thait84 said:
I've been following this forum on and off for years and years. It seems like the interest and enthusiasm in the Leaf has died down a little bit. Nissan doesn't seem to be aggressively promoting the sale of the Leaf anymore. There is general discontent with battery compatibility throughout the model years and Nissan's lack of support.

Am I wrong in my assessment?

You are accurate in your assessment. Another factor is the availability of competitive EV's (Bolt, Volt, Tesla), which has split the interest of die-hard EV fans.

thait84 said:
Would it still be worthwhile to plop down money on a used Leaf or should I be looking at options like Kia Souls, BMW i3s, Chevy Bolts, or the new Kia Niro?

The Kia Soul is a fantastically reliable car according to Consumer reports, but it's not an EV. Have you driven an EV? They are an absolute joy to drive. It's not just me saying that: https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news/electric-cars-less-stressful-to-drive-report-68987 If I needed a gas car for cross-country driving, I would absolutely consider the Soul.

You can pick up a 2011 Nissan Leaf with a like-new quality battery for $7,000 right now (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=26488), or a roughly equivalent deal local to you if you look around. 2015's are 8-10k. The cheapest used Bolt is $27k on cars.com. Teslas start at $45k for a model 3 or $40k used Model S. There's no comparison.

My 2c is a used Leaf is an excellent second car for a family if you don't need to drive far on a daily basis. It's very reliable, electricity is inexpensive, and the car is super cheap.
 
There is an EV version of the Kia Soul. I drove one and it's a decent car, but suffers from battery degradation. A 2015 Leaf that hasn't resided in a Hot climate is still the best overall affordable used EV, IMO.
 
I'll second what LeftieBiker said: A used LEAF with a battery in decent shape is an incredible bargain (if they range meets your needs).

Take my 2013 SL with 34500 miles and 12 bars (87% SOH). My summer range is still near 80 miles (at 4.4mi/kWh). At a price of about $9500 (*) this is a bargain for someone with a commute of 20-25 miles and the ability to charge at home. A 2015 probably sells for slightly more, but it's a range is likely the same.


(*) I recently priced it's value as, for other reasons, I'm considering selling it.
 
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