Speculation on near term used 2013 Leaf Prices

Hi all, I have been following this website for over a year and learning many of the ins and outs of the Leaf. Thanks to all that have contributed, it is a wonderful asset to those getting into the e propulsion marketplace. I am now, finally, in the market for a used leaf. With the near release of the 2016 model year coming up sometime in early September do any of you have thoughts on whether the used market will get lower than it already is? If so, I don't mind waiting into fall as I do have my motorcycle for commuting/errands. However, when it does finally rain here in NorCal, I would like to be comfortably behind the wheel of a Leaf. So any ideas on what the used market might be like in the next month or two for a 2013 off lease SV or SL model. Just wondering if there has been some pent up demand for the 2016 that may loosen the used market?
FYI, commute is less than 10 miles round trip in the San Jose area all on city streets and expressways (<50mph).
Cheers, sharksfan

I don't think we have a definitive date yet for the features/enhancements of the '16 Leaf (e.g. 30 kWh battery rumor that's been floating around for months), pricing, etc. let alone a first availability date.

I'd imagine when resale values will be depressed by the above. We're still going to continue having '13 2 year lease returns showing up at auction and eventually 3 year. I got a notification from the used car dealer last night that my lease return (returned at end of lease on 7/27/15) has shown up at Manheim.

This is the latest I've seen on the 2016.

http://www.franchiseherald.com/articles/35986/20150820/nissan-leaf-2016.htm

I recently bought a used 2013 and we are very happy with it. The better range (if true) with the 2016 models will be great, future years will probably be even better. The way I look at it is we can get a lot of use out of the one we have now, and will make the best of it for the next few years (or more) and then evaluate whether to trade in or replace with a new battery.

About the only way to stem the supply of lease returns flooding the used car market (depressing prices) is to either give really cheap lease extensions or to give much bigger discounts off the residual/buyout price.

It was simply ~$3K to $3.5K too high vs. the Bay Area market price for what I had. I can't speak to lower trim levels though, like base S.

I decided that the used market prices are as good now as anytime in the near future. So I finally did it and bought a used 2013 SV with only 7,000 miles on it from an independent dealer . Had the local Nissan dealership check the battery prior to purchase and passed with all five stars. Waiting on OBDII to check with Leafspy to see the details. So far my wife and I are loving it. We have been a one car and one motorcycle household. Now with the Leaf we are taking turns on who uses it!
cheers to all on this board who contributed to us newbies...

sharksfan said:

Had the local Nissan dealership check the battery prior to purchase and passed with all five stars. Waiting on OBDII to check with Leafspy to see the details.

Click to expand...

Nissan's battery check printout and what's provided to consumers is worthless. Google for site:mynissanleaf.com battery check worthless.

What we can't see but what's sent to Nissan, the company, is more interesting: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=8260.

I should be receiving a modest but significant bequest in the next nine months, so what once seemed undo-able - buying my 2013 SV off lease, is now possible, especially if I finance about half the cost. I still don't know, however, if it will be worth it. This would be especially true if the car finally loses a bar, or is very near it. I keep thinking I should turn the car in and try to 'follow' it to auction, and buy it for ~$10k, but I doubt it would work. Ironically, if I buy it off lease here in NY, I get to pay the extra sales tax owed from when it was new, but if I buy it at auction, I pay just the amount owed on that...

Got my OBD and set up leafspy. Here are the numbers I recorded after a 100% charger.

96.4 SOC, 270 GID (96.1), 20.9 Kwh, 60.45Ah, 394.5 V, battery temp was at 81.2F with 79.2 miles to 5%, 14mV Diff on all cells

I have only briefly looked at other leafspy data on this board and it looks like my used (new to me) Leaf battery is in good shape for a 2013. However, please comment as I am still learning the leafspy app.

I am already seeing S model 13's under $10,000.

Last week I turned down a 2013 SV with 23K miles, no qc.. minor damage history, but nice now.
$9500 they will throw in 2 new front tires.

This kind of deal is not hard to find in Bay Area.

Santa Rosa Nissan has 30-40 New 2015's on the lot... and 2016's wont be here till maybe November.

I think the lease return cycles pretty steadily... regardless of new models. those cars were bought ..and get returned based on time.

There are lease returns flooding the bay area from other parts of the country.

I personally think.. that this is as good as it is going to get.. in the short term.

Stock market just tanked.. new car sales will go flat.. and good used cars will go up.

Just like last time.


El Predicto Has Spoken.. ( ignore the little man behind the curtain)

Otherwise..my crystal ball is in the shop, waiting for parts. :mrgreen:

After looking into a Leaf for a few weeks, it is clear that the EV market has been distorted by the Colorado tax rebates available here.

If you look on Craigslist, the source of all market knowledge, there are two tiers of Leaf pricing: cars that originated in Colorado, and cars that did not. The cars that originated in CO are $2-4K lower than those from outside the state, because any car that has not received the rebate is eligible to get a reduced Colorado state rebate as a used EV.

There is a dealer in Boulder that is importing EVs of all kinds from outside of CO. I suspect most of these are coming from CA. They are bringing truckloads of EVs in and helping the buyers through the process of getting the rebate on a used EV.

http://greeneyedmotors.com

Their asking prices on Leafs are really high - I can get a new one for less than they are selling a 2013, after rebates. I guess they are targeting the people who don't have a Federal tax bill high enough to get the federal rebate.