Advice on buying 2013 Leaf SV

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RonSwanson

Well-known member
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Apr 7, 2017
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I am considering purchasing a 2013 Leaf SV with around 50k on the odometer. The most important thing is that the battery was replaced under warranty within the last 12 months and it has 12 bars and shows around 105 miles full charged. Looks to be in great condition and I think the price is right ($7250).

First question is there any concern with a 2013 SV with a new battery?

Anything else I should be aware of before purchasing this car? I saw it and took it for a test drive already but I'm meeting the lady again on Monday and want to be prepared for what I should check out before I hand over a check.
 
With the 2013’s, the first thing people here will ask you is “build date.” The battery is the reason; ones built before I think March 2013 have the older style battery that is very prone to heat-related degradation. Ones built later don’t have as much of a problem. However if your battery was replaced under warranty, that would make it moot since AFAIK the replacement batteries are of the more heat-resistant type used on the 2015 models.

Some early 2013’s had some build quality issues (first time they were assembled outside Japan) so things to look for are leaky windshields and a disconnected A/C drain line which will cause water to drip onto the front foot wells.

Ideally, you will want to check out the car with LeafSpy or similar tool but that requires a compatible OBDII dongle and you may not be able to get one in time before you meet with the owner. So ask to see the paperwork from the battery replacement to ensure that it really happened.
 
A lot of "battery replacements" in ads and vehicle history reports refer to the 12 volt accessory battery, NOT the drive battery. Definitely verify that it was the "traction battery" that was replaced. Also make sure that the heater works, and works well. The resistance heater fails sometimes on the 2013 cars, leaving only the heatpump to provide heat. That heat is weaker in normal weather, and nonexistent below about 20F.
 
Thanks everyone. She did show me paperwork when we met and it looked legit that the big battery was replaced. It showed 12 bars and 102 miles at 100% when we met. I live in a warm climate so the heater isn’t a huge concern but I’ll check it out.

What do you all think of the price $7250?
 
FWIW, I bought a 2013 Leaf SV with about 50k miles this past May for about $8500, but it had cosmetic body damage whose repair brought its real price up to more like $10k. Mine had 11 bars when I bought it, 10 bars now, battery at probably roughly 75% capacity. Its 100% range is probably around 70-75 miles. Still has the original big battery, though the lead battery & tires had recently been replaced. It also has the premium package & quick-charge port.

I would have a mechanic inspect the car you're thinking of buying, ideally at a Nissan dealership, because even really good auto mechanics for gas cars don't always know how to evaluate electric cars. And yeah, LeafSpy to verify the details would be a good idea.

I've been very happy with my car. But I'm aware of its limited range, and yeah, its heater doesn't work that great. The heated seats are fine, though. Yours sounds like a great deal, with 12 bars, a relatively new big battery, and a 105-mile range. I wouldn't mind getting some of that action myself. :)

How good a deal that price is probably depends a little on where you live. I'm not sure which areas tend to be more or less expensive for Leafs.
 
I've been very happy with my car. But I'm aware of its limited range, and yeah, its heater doesn't work that great.
Click to expand...

You may have a failed resistance heater or blown fuse for it. The heating system on the 2013+ cars generally works great.
 
I checked it out again today and she brought all the paperwork from the new battery install. Looked legit. I also did leafspy and everything looks good on that front as well. She also replaced the smaller battery earlier this year.

Meeting her again tomorrow to purchase.
 
@RonSwanson Yes, but it's a bit tricky now. See my post here:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=23716&start=40#p535946

If you get stuck, just post the VIN here and I'll check it for you.
 
Plus, don't count on the car going 105 miles per charge, expect much less. That is not an accurate representation of how many miles you can go. Guess-O-Meter value gets even worse at freeway speed too!
 
Evoforce said:
Plus, don't count on the car going 105 miles per charge, expect much less. That is not an accurate representation of how many miles you can go. Guess-O-Meter value gets even worse at freeway speed too!
Click to expand...
Yep. The '13 to '15 Leaf could achieve an 84 mile EPA range rating on a full charge on a new battery. At 70 mph or above, you can forget about achieving that.

Sure a 24 kWh Leaf can be driven 100+ miles on a charge (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=7022), but it must be done slowly. https://www.edmunds.com/nissan/leaf/2011/long-term-road-test/2011-nissan-leaf-driving-it-to-the-bitter-end.html achieved 132.0 miles on a charge at 35 mph.
 
cwerdna said:
Evoforce said:
Plus, don't count on the car going 105 miles per charge, expect much less. That is not an accurate representation of how many miles you can go. Guess-O-Meter value gets even worse at freeway speed too!
Click to expand...
Yep. The '13 to '15 Leaf could achieve an 84 mile EPA range rating on a full charge on a new battery. At 70 mph or above, you can forget about achieving that.

Sure a 24 kWh Leaf can be driven 100+ miles on a charge (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=7022), but it must be done slowly. https://www.edmunds.com/nissan/leaf/2011/long-term-road-test/2011-nissan-leaf-driving-it-to-the-bitter-end.html achieved 132.0 miles on a charge at 35 mph.
Click to expand...

What kind of range should I expect on a '13 Leaf with newish battery with 12 bars at highway speeds? 60 miles? I live in a warm climate (Southern California) and would be using it as a commuter car mainly freeway driving.
 
RonSwanson said:
cwerdna said:
Evoforce said:
Plus, don't count on the car going 105 miles per charge, expect much less. That is not an accurate representation of how many miles you can go. Guess-O-Meter value gets even worse at freeway speed too!
Click to expand...
Yep. The '13 to '15 Leaf could achieve an 84 mile EPA range rating on a full charge on a new battery. At 70 mph or above, you can forget about achieving that.

Sure a 24 kWh Leaf can be driven 100+ miles on a charge (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=7022), but it must be done slowly. https://www.edmunds.com/nissan/leaf/2011/long-term-road-test/2011-nissan-leaf-driving-it-to-the-bitter-end.html achieved 132.0 miles on a charge at 35 mph.
Click to expand...

What kind of range should I expect on a '13 Leaf with newish battery with 12 bars at highway speeds? 60 miles? I live in a warm climate (Southern California) and would be using it as a commuter car mainly freeway driving.
Click to expand...

At "typical" SoCal freeway speeds (when it's not gridlocked)? 60 miles or less.

Tony Williams, former Leaf owner himself, came up with a range estimator guide based on speed/"fuel" economy. Scroll down to 24 kWH since that is the size battery on your car: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=4295

As you can see from his chart, driving at the legal 65 MPH will give you almost 21% more range than driving at the more typical 75 MPH. So speed definitely does kill...your range. Of course just like with the EPA fuel economy estimates, your actual range will vary depending on a variety of factors.
 
RonDawg said:
RonSwanson said:
cwerdna said:
Yep. The '13 to '15 Leaf could achieve an 84 mile EPA range rating on a full charge on a new battery. At 70 mph or above, you can forget about achieving that.

Sure a 24 kWh Leaf can be driven 100+ miles on a charge (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=7022), but it must be done slowly. https://www.edmunds.com/nissan/leaf/2011/long-term-road-test/2011-nissan-leaf-driving-it-to-the-bitter-end.html achieved 132.0 miles on a charge at 35 mph.
Click to expand...

What kind of range should I expect on a '13 Leaf with newish battery with 12 bars at highway speeds? 60 miles? I live in a warm climate (Southern California) and would be using it as a commuter car mainly freeway driving.
Click to expand...

At "typical" SoCal freeway speeds (when it's not gridlocked)? 60 miles or less.

Tony Williams, former Leaf owner himself, came up with a range estimator guide based on speed/"fuel" economy. Scroll down to 24 kWH since that is the size battery on your car: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=4295

As you can see from his chart, driving at the legal 65 MPH will give you almost 21% more range than driving at the more typical 75 MPH. So speed definitely does kill...your range. Of course just like with the EPA fuel economy estimates, your actual range will vary depending on a variety of factors.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the insight. This definitely puts my possible purchase in question. I never expected the range to take an approximate 30% hit or more to go on the freeway.
 
RonSwanson said:
RonDawg said:
RonSwanson said:
What kind of range should I expect on a '13 Leaf with newish battery with 12 bars at highway speeds? 60 miles? I live in a warm climate (Southern California) and would be using it as a commuter car mainly freeway driving.
Click to expand...

At "typical" SoCal freeway speeds (when it's not gridlocked)? 60 miles or less.

Tony Williams, former Leaf owner himself, came up with a range estimator guide based on speed/"fuel" economy. Scroll down to 24 kWH since that is the size battery on your car: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=4295

As you can see from his chart, driving at the legal 65 MPH will give you almost 21% more range than driving at the more typical 75 MPH. So speed definitely does kill...your range. Of course just like with the EPA fuel economy estimates, your actual range will vary depending on a variety of factors.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the insight. This definitely puts my possible purchase in question. I never expected the range to take an approximate 30% hit or more to go on the freeway.
Click to expand...

How far do you drive everyday?

If it's 50 miles or less, you should be fine, even allowing for some degradation, as long as you keep your speed reasonable. I drive 65 in the far right lane most of the time and it's doable.
 
RonDawg said:
RonSwanson said:
RonDawg said:
At "typical" SoCal freeway speeds (when it's not gridlocked)? 60 miles or less.

Tony Williams, former Leaf owner himself, came up with a range estimator guide based on speed/"fuel" economy. Scroll down to 24 kWH since that is the size battery on your car: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=4295

As you can see from his chart, driving at the legal 65 MPH will give you almost 21% more range than driving at the more typical 75 MPH. So speed definitely does kill...your range. Of course just like with the EPA fuel economy estimates, your actual range will vary depending on a variety of factors.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the insight. This definitely puts my possible purchase in question. I never expected the range to take an approximate 30% hit or more to go on the freeway.
Click to expand...

How far do you drive everyday?
Click to expand...

18 miles each way. I work early hours so traffic moves pretty well a good part of my commute which involves 3 freeways. Some stop and go but 60-70% at highway speeds I'd say.

It sounds like I'd be able to make this commute for at least easily but I admit I'll have much more range anxiety at an estimated 50-60 miles than 80. It's mental I guess.
 
Range anxiety is something all first-time EV owners will experience, until they get to know their car better. With an 18 mile one way commute in SoCal, I personally wouldn't worry as your Leaf will serve your needs for quite some time as long as your commute doesn't increase. And even if it does, if you can charge at work (even at 120 volts) that will help even more.

I took my brand new Leaf home 60 miles from Tustin and just barely made it home. That was in winter though and I was using the heater, and my 2012 has a more power-hungry heater than the 2013+ SV's and SL's. I also live in the foothills area so my drive home always uses more battery.

For SoCal you may want to sign up for the following charging networks: EVgo (expensive but they have the most fast charging stations in this area), ChargePoint, GreenLots (LA city and other municipalities tend to install their charging stations, particularly at curbside), and Bl!nk (once the most common, not so much now but you can still find them particularly at some IKEA locations like Burbank or West Covina). Some Metro train stations also have charging stations on the EVconnect network: https://www.metro.net/projects/ev/

You can use these to supplement home charging if you need to. Costs will vary by network and even location. For example, I "filled up" at a GreenLots curbside charging station in West LA for $2/hour. A couple of weeks ago I did so at another GreenLots station provided by SoCalEdison for a mere 70 cents/hour. OTOH fast charging (if your car is equipped with CHAdeMO) is often quite expensive; EVgo for instance charges a $4.95 connection fee on top of usage unless you are one of their monthly subscribers.

Oh and get the Plugshare app for your phone. It will show you where the charging stations are in any area and what networks they are on, including whether they are 24/7, costs (including parking costs), and sometimes detailed location information to make them easier to find. That also helps to soothe any range anxiety.
 
RonDawg said:
Range anxiety is something all first-time EV owners will experience, until they get to know their car better. With an 18 mile one way commute in SoCal, I personally wouldn't worry as your Leaf will serve your needs for quite some time as long as your commute doesn't increase. And even if it does, if you can charge at work (even at 120 volts) that will help even more.

I took my brand new Leaf home 60 miles from Tustin and just barely made it home. That was in winter though and I was using the heater, and my 2012 has a more power-hungry heater than the 2013+ SV's and SL's. I also live in the foothills area so my drive home always uses more battery.

For SoCal you may want to sign up for the following charging networks: EVgo (expensive but they have the most fast charging stations in this area), ChargePoint, GreenLots (LA city and other municipalities tend to install their charging stations, particularly at curbside), and Bl!nk (once the most common, not so much now but you can still find them particularly at some IKEA locations like Burbank or West Covina). Some Metro train stations also have charging stations on the EVconnect network: https://www.metro.net/projects/ev/

You can use these to supplement home charging if you need to. Costs will vary by network and even location. For example, I "filled up" at a GreenLots curbside charging station in West LA for $2/hour. A couple of weeks ago I did so at another GreenLots station provided by SoCalEdison for a mere 70 cents/hour. OTOH fast charging (if your car is equipped with CHAdeMO) is often quite expensive; EVgo for instance charges a $4.95 connection fee on top of usage unless you are one of their monthly subscribers.

Oh and get the Plugshare app for your phone. It will show you where the charging stations are in any area and what networks they are on, including whether they are 24/7, costs (including parking costs), and sometimes detailed location information to make them easier to find. That also helps to soothe any range anxiety.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ron - this does help ease my anxiety a bit. I will check out all the resources you mentioned so I'm very well prepared if I go through with this.

I do have access to chargers at work. This car doesn't have fast charge though but I can do the level 2 charging at work so this should help.

Also, one thing I forgot to mention in my original post is this car has a RED carpool sticker, which all of us in Southern California know is gold. I can use the carpool lanes until 2022.
 
RonSwanson said:
Also, one thing I forgot to mention in my original post is this car has a RED carpool sticker, which all of us in Southern California know is gold. I can use the carpool lanes until 2022.
Click to expand...

I wish they did that in Washington state. Traffic sucks here, and EVs don't get to use the carpool lanes.

I think you're going to be happy with your car with its new traction battery. You might want to experiment with different freeway speeds to see how big a hit the battery performance takes, but I can get about 50 miles on an 80% charge from my 10-bar 2013 Leaf, even with freeway driving, and its max 100% range is more like 70-75 miles than your 105.

That said, I typically only charge to 80%, and try not to go below 20%, so I'm basically operating in the middle 60% of the battery. That puts me at a usable range of about 40 miles. So even my car could handle your 18-mile commute, especially with charging options at work.

(edited to fix a typo from 100% to 80%)
 

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