2011 versus 2012, 2013, 2014?

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gringostar said:
Any idea how long the battery should last?
An open ended question in my view. Depends on what you mean by "last" - my 2011 has 132K miles on the battery. If you need to drive less than 50 miles a day and have access to charging half way, it is going to last a very long time and battery longevity shouldn't be an issue.

In my opinion, the best way to evaluate a LEAF is to look at the charging costs and equate that to your current car's mpg. If it makes sense (and it made more sense when gas was more expensive) then that should be what drives your decision. Worrying about range, battery life are issues each person has to decide. But you need to be honest with yourself and not base things on your once a year trip across the state. Things will change a bit with an EV - you have to plan and you need to be disciplined in following a charging program that minimizes damage to the battery.

Enjoy the 2011. These may be one of the best used car deals out there.
 
^ Important for the OP to know that up in the PNW, LEAF batteries fare much better than the ones in our neck of the woods. You should not expect the same longevity from an original 2011/2012 battery pack in Southern California (unless you maybe keep it in an air conditioned garage for 8 months a year).
 
mwalsh said:
^ Important for the OP to know that up in the PNW, LEAF batteries fare much better than the ones in our neck of the woods. You should not expect the same longevity from an original 2011/2012 battery pack in Southern California (unless you maybe keep it in an air conditioned garage for 8 months a year).

Especially not with last years record heat, and what is shaping up to be a repeat this year.
 
TaylorSFGuy said:
gringostar said:
Any idea how long the battery should last?
An open ended question in my view. Depends on what you mean by "last" - my 2011 has 132K miles on the battery. If you need to drive less than 50 miles a day and have access to charging half way, it is going to last a very long time and battery longevity shouldn't be an issue.

Wow. Very impressive. How long can you drive currently (range) after 132 k miles?
 
Current range is 50 miles without charging. All freeway. Steady driving at 60. But that is using LEAF spy for remaining range info. Not GOM. otherwise I would be panicking much sooner.
 
gringostar said:
LeftieBiker said:
Sometimes I think threads like this are just elaborate trolls. 'My commute is just 8 miles', followed, much later by "Oh, but I want to drive 80 miles a day." ;-(

What would I gain by trolling? My commute to work is 7 miles one way. Currently my average use is 41 miles per day. But that includes several road trips per year in my Prius. I never said 80 miles per day.
Go with the 2011 for in town use, and switch to the Prius (or rent a car) for the out of town use. That extra $5000 savings will pay for a lot of car rentals or save for your next EV. If your commute is 15 mi RT, you can always "top" up the battery when you get home if you need to go out. I have a friend with a Plug-in-Prius who has eliminated more than 50% of their gasoline use, just because they plug in after every short trip. Their only complaint is "having to plug in" (they want wireless charging).
 
I was in the same boat as you until recently. I was torn between the cheaper 2011 & 2012 models and the newer ones with the faster 6.6kw on board charger. I wanted the SL trim, regardless of the model year. The heated seats, the navigation, the alloy rims, the little solar panel which is a cool talking point, but is more of a novelty than a necessity, I wanted it all! Before I tell you what I settled with, I need to warn you about the Nissan Leaf; once you drive it, you are going to absolutely LOVE it. I put a deposit down at vroom.com on a 2012 and while my funds were transferring to a centralized location so I could get a cashiers check, I found my white rhino, a reasonably priced, 2013 Nissan Leaf SL. Long story short, I purchased the 2013 Leaf SL and could not have been happier. My wife had no idea I was saving up for it and was floored when she pulled her Smart ForTwo into the driveway to see her 'new' Leaf, car bow and all. A lot of people get by fine with the 2011 and 2012 Leafs and even the newer ones with the 3.3kw charger. With a 7 mile commute to work, it probably would work well for you if you have a 16 amp level 2 charger. DO NOT buy a 30 Amp charger if you decide to go with a leaf that has a 3.3kw charger as it will not charge your leaf any faster. I could not be happier with my decision to get a Leaf with a 6.6kw charger as my wife and I are now able to use the vehicle more often during the weekends and travel farther than we would if we were limited to a 3.3kw charger. The cars all get pretty much the same range, but having a faster onboard charger means you can charge faster and get going sooner. I ended up purchasing from offleaseonly.com as I live in Florida. I picked up an accident free, 2013 Nissan Leaf SL with 17,500 miles as well as a 30A level 2 charger by Bosch from Amazon. I highly recommend you check your fuse box and make sure you have room to install a level 2 charger because a larger panel swap out is extremely expensive. I had the electrician double up two mostly unused zones to free up a spot for my charger to be installed. Hope this helps!
 
brazin said:
DO NOT buy a 30 Amp charger if you decide to go with a leaf that has a 3.3kw charger as it will not charge your leaf any faster.
Good points, although I would say instead of "do not buy" that you "shouldn't pay more" for the 30Amp charger if you have a 3.3kW charger.
I know people talk about being future proof, but if you won't be needed one for a few years, tech and prices can change quite a bit in that period.
However, I've seen some sales and such on the 30A units (almost never see price drops on the 16A ones) that make them almost the same price.
If that happens, you might want to consider it.
But I do agree, there's not any advantage while you have the 2012. Agreed, it won't charge any faster. ;-)

desiv
(There is also the "resale" to consider tho.. If you are selling later, a 30A will probably resell for more than a 16A.)
 
desiv said:
brazin said:
DO NOT buy a 30 Amp charger if you decide to go with a leaf that has a 3.3kw charger as it will not charge your leaf any faster.
Good points, although I would say instead of "do not buy" that you "shouldn't pay more" for the 30Amp charger if you have a 3.3kW charger.
I know people talk about being future proof, but if you won't be needed one for a few years, tech and prices can change quite a bit in that period.
However, I've seen some sales and such on the 30A units (almost never see price drops on the 16A ones) that make them almost the same price.
If that happens, you might want to consider it.
But I do agree, there's not any advantage while you have the 2012. Agreed, it won't charge any faster. ;-)

desiv
(There is also the "resale" to consider tho.. If you are selling later, a 30A will probably resell for more than a 16A.)

In the case of Clipper Creek, there is less than $200 difference between a 15A unit (for some reason they don't make a 16A one) and their 32A unit. The only reason to buy a less than 30A unit is because your current electrical infrastructure won't accommodate something that large without a significant upgrade, but can handle a 16A unit.
 
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