Available now? LA? Home required? What is Orphan process?

[gadgetfreak]

Hi guys, I've been reading a ton of threads and stitching answers together but can't find the most important one.

If I wanted to lease one tomorrow, can I get the $409/month price? Or is that with a qualified reservation lease only?

I keep seeing "orphan" ones available.

I live in the bay area, but am about to take a job in LA where I commute at least for the next 6 months wed-fri.

The idea was to buy a Leaf, park it at LAX for FREE, charge it there and when I land I have a car available, which is cheaper than a taxi and more convenient then a rental. Bonus is that I'll be driving to Santa Monica in the carpool lane!

So do I need a "house?" in LA? meaning is it required to have a 240V charger installed at the house to buy a leaf? I plan to charge at the airport and the parking lot next to my office in santa monica.

Also, are these things available now? I see dealerships like Fontana having them available, but do I need to have already a reservation online to buy the orphans? Does his deal of $1K below msrp apply to Orphans?

Thanks!!

 

[azrael1234]

It is not required to have a 240V evse installed in your house. I've been charging with the 120V evse that comes with the car since day one.

I bought an orphan from Power Nissan of Southbay. I don't know about lease's but buying was like buying any other car.

As for your parking situation, are you flying in and out of LAX every day W-F? If so, I'd think just renting a studio in Santa Monica or renting a room in a house and getting a beater car would be more cost effective than 3 X airfare + leasing a leaf.

 

[mwalsh]

The idea was to buy a Leaf, park it at LAX for FREE, charge it there and when I land I have a car available, which is cheaper than a taxi and more convenient then a rental. Bonus is that I'll be driving to Santa Monica in the carpool lane!

I think your biggest issue in the near term would be making sure it's charged when you arrive at LAX - there are only two J1772 EVSEs at the airport right now and you have to be pretty lucky to snag one, especially if you're hitting a hard deadline like a departing flight! Other than that, I think you have a fairly sound idea.

What about making sure your car was fully charged at your job site instead? Santa Monica is only 8 miles from LAX on surface streets and 15 miles from LAX on the freeway. You could leave work for the return flight home 100% charged and probably still have 70-75% charge for the first LAX to Santa Monica trip the following week.

I would offer to help at LAX, but can't be running over there several times a week for six months, plugging and unplugging you, without some kind of compensation offer, even if it were only beer money.

 

[gadgetfreak]

Thanks mwalsh

I didn't know there were only 2 chargers. But that's ok, it's more important that parking stays free. I'll probably charge it at work most of the time as there's a lot down the street from the office, although i run into possibility of not being able to charge there either. Given the distance, I figure I only need to get 100% charge every other trip. It's 30 mi. round trip lax-santa monica.

With the QC, does the lax chargers support a quick charge? If I land and I need a little juice I don't mind sitting in the lot for 20 min, do email and get a little juice.

 

[mwalsh]

With the QC, does the lax chargers support a quick charge? If I land and I need a little juice I don't mind sitting in the lot for 20 min, do email and get a little juice.

Nope. No QC. We only have one QC in SoCal and it's down here in the OC. It'll be L2 at the airport, which gives you ~15 miles of range per hour charged.

 

[gadgetfreak]

Thanks mwalsh.

I just got off the phone with Mossy

They have a SLE for $1K over MSRP for $35470 or an SL w/ QC at MSRP $35,440

I guess the SLE has the QC and was less expensive than an SL w/QC. Although I feel like I should be paying over MSRP.

Either way, the lease terms are Money Factor of .00204 w/ 45% residual. He said the payments would be $533 after tax, no money down. For every $1K down the payment would go down $33/month.

They also had a used one with 500 miles on it, for $29,500, but that seems expensive given after a 7500 rebate on a new msrp would be less, and I'd get the full 36 month warranty on it.

I was a bit shocked the lease payments were so high, I thought I was seeing $409 leases for the SL?

2012 lease is that much for a more expensive car. Am I better off waiting for a 2012? $100 more for a 2011 doesn't seem right.

Thanks!

 

[gadgetfreak]

Oh, and one more thing, I don't plan to keep the Leaf for the whole 3 years. My plan is to get a Tesla S. So figure 1 1/2 years for the Leaf

Would love suggestions on where to lease/buy and how much.

thanks!

 

[mitch672]

Oh, and one more thing, I don't plan to keep the Leaf for the whole 3 years. My plan is to get a Tesla S. So figure 1 1/2 years for the Leaf

Would love suggestions on where to lease/buy and how much.

thanks!

My plan is also to get a Model S, but I really don't want to spend $90K on the 300 mile version, I figure by the time the 160 and 240 miles versions are actually availble on the east coast, my 3 year Leaf lease will be up anyway. I think your 1.5 year estimate is on the low side...

 

[gadgetfreak]

Oh, and one more thing, I don't plan to keep the Leaf for the whole 3 years. My plan is to get a Tesla S. So figure 1 1/2 years for the Leaf

Would love suggestions on where to lease/buy and how much.

thanks!

My plan is also to get a Model S, but I really don't want to spend $90K on the 300 mile version, I figure by the time the 160 and 240 miles versions are actually availble on the east coast, my 3 year Leaf lease will be up anyway. I think your 1.5 year estimate is on the low side...

You are probably right. I want to get the 240mi version. I have some friends at Tesla, I think I can score a 240 one a bit early but who knows.

Based on the leaf now, should i get a 2011 or wait for 2012? seems like I'd rather pay $409 than $500/month??

 

[mitch672]

You are probably right. I want to get the 240mi version. I have some friends at Tesla, I think I can score a 240 one a bit early but who knows.

Based on the leaf now, should i get a 2011 or wait for 2012? seems like I'd rather pay $409 than $500/month??

Assuming you are in CA (sounds like you are), the 2012 has nothing that will really matter to you, other than it has the DC Fast charge port included (it also has the cold weather package that probably will be useless to you). The 2012 will have a higher resale value, being 1 model year newer, but if you are leasing, I don't think thats a factor assuming you are planning on turning in the Leaf after 3 years anyway.

I'm in MA, I really don't have a choice, unless I want to venture out to CA, put it on a car carrier, and transport it back, by the time that's all done, I've probably paid the 2012 price anyway, for a 2011 Orphan...

 

[planet4ever]

Based on the leaf now, should i get a 2011 or wait for 2012? seems like I'd rather pay $409 than $500/month??

That $409 is pre tax. I don't think you can get a 2012 for less than a 2011.

 

[TonyWilliams]

after tax savings, net value as low as $29,750
MSRP $37,250 – 2012 Nissan LEAF™ SL
with federal tax savings from 0-$7,500
$409/Month – 36 months – $2,599 Initial Payment

MSRP excludes tax, title, license and $850 destination charge.

 

[planet4ever]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. What I meant was that I'm sure the $409 does not include California state sales tax, which you pay every month when leasing. That was included in the quote from Mossy.

Ray

 

[gadgetfreak]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. What I meant was that I'm sure the $409 does not include California state sales tax, which you pay every month when leasing. That was included in the quote from Mossy.

Ray

Ah, thanks... So $533/mo lease no money down seems right? If I put down $3K payments would be $434/month. Although I'm probably expensing most of this to the company, so I might not put anything down.

Any thoughts on SL at MSRP vs. SLE at $1K over? Kind of bugs me that they'd sell the SLE over MSRP. I thought for forum members they'd stick with the MSRP.

 

[planet4ever]

Any thoughts on SL at MSRP vs. SLE at $1K over?

AFAIK there is no physical difference between the SL and SLE except that the SLE always has the QC port, and the 2011 SL may or may not have it, but that difference (if it applies) is already reflected in the MSRP. The SLE was supposed to be a designation that you could get into the ETEC program for a free Blink charging station and a rebate from Nissan of the cost of the QC port. If that is still true even on an orphan then, yes, most people would consider those two financial differences together to be worth well over $1K, despite all the complaints people have had about the Blinks.

Ray

 

[gadgetfreak]

Thanks so much for all the tips here guys. I've spent almost all day reading about other things about the leaf, charging, etc.

As I mentioned previously, I hope to get the Tesla S in a year or so, and replace the leaf. Does that mean I should buy the leaf so I can just sell it? I've never leased a car before, so not sure how a 3yr lease works if I want to end at 18 months. Do I put it up on swap a lease?

Also, if I bought, what credit unions are the best right now? i read but can't find the ones that even discount for electric cars?

Thanks again

 

[cwerdna]

As I mentioned previously, I hope to get the Tesla S in a year or so, and replace the leaf. Does that mean I should buy the leaf so I can just sell it? I've never leased a car before, so not sure how a 3yr lease works if I want to end at 18 months. Do I put it up on swap a lease?

You really think you can get a Tesla Model S in a "year or so" given http://www.autoblog.com/2011/11/01/musk-says-tesla-model-s-sold-out/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;? Have you put down a deposit?

As for buying it to sell it, have you ever looked into how much of a bath you take if you buy and sell in car within 1-2 years? It's a pretty big hit, percentage-wise. Are you prepared to "throw away" that money? Are you made of money?

I can't speak to ending the lease (as I've never leased either) but there bunch of lease swapping sites like leasertrader.com. I suppose you get try to get someone here to takeover your lease. At minimum, you will have lost the initial payment + whatever lease payments you made.

Since I'd never leased, all the terminology and numbers seemed like Greek to me, until I started digging into the details. These might help:
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=2192" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=3823" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=127828#p127828" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.cars.com/go/advice/Story.jsp?section=lease&story=leaseGlossary&subject=buy_lease" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.edmunds.com/car-leasing/leasing-glossary.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.edmunds.com/car-leasing/get-out-of-your-lease-the-cheap-and-easy-way.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; has an interesting caveat (don't know if it's still true):

According to Swapalease's Executive Vice President of Operations Scot Hall, some 80 percent of leases can be transferred completely with no strings attached. But approximately 10 percent of leasing companies require the original leaseholder to retain some liability for the vehicle even after it is transferred. Nissan/Infiniti and Honda/Acura fall under this category...

You also might run into complications w/the $2500 CVRP if keeping a car for such a short duration.

If the LA car is going to be temporary, from a financial POV, I'd recommend you just get a cheap used car (preferably a model that holds its value well) for that purpose and sell it when you're done. If it's old enough, you won't take much of a depreciation hit. I posted a real life story about this at http://my350z.com/forum/other-vehicles/139801-trying-to-get-a-commuter-car-2.html#post1681784" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. He lost a whopping $50 on the value of his car after ~3 months.

 

[gadgetfreak]

Thanks cwerdna

I know I'll take a hit if I sell it in 2 yrs, just trying to figure out if I should do that with a lease or buy.

re: tesla s, i'm not too concerned about not being able to get one beginning 2013

 

[tps]

I'm in MA, I really don't have a choice, unless I want to venture out to CA, put it on a car carrier, and transport it back, by the time that's all done, I've probably paid the 2012 price anyway, for a 2011 Orphan...

Exactly! I'm in PA, and the nearest source of potential orphans right now is TN, too far for me to consider, but in a couple months the situation will be different for me when MD orphans become available.

 

[mitch672]

I'm in MA, I really don't have a choice, unless I want to venture out to CA, put it on a car carrier, and transport it back, by the time that's all done, I've probably paid the 2012 price anyway, for a 2011 Orphan...

Exactly! I'm in PA, and the nearest source of potential orphans right now is TN, too far for me to consider, but in a couple months the situation will be different for me when MD orphans become available.

Yes, but my car is already ordered, delivery "January 2012", so I doubt an orphan will be availble that is closer, in that time... you never know, but its probably just going to have to wait until January. There was one dude who had a Leaf who was taking questions after the 6:45PM showing of "Revenge" in Cambridge, MA on Friday, he hasn't had any weather related range issues (other than using the heater), and he's had the Leaf in MA since March.