Be careful what you wish for...

[Bob]

We got another snowstorm in New England Sunday. This storm was very minor, only 2" of powder, but still enough to make it hard to get the car into the garage, so my wife and I both parked in the driveway. She got home first, so her car was further in. I got home later, so my car was behind hers.

Monday morning, she had to leave before me, so she had to swap car positions. She brushed off both cars, pulled out my Leaf, pulled out her Civic, then put in my Leaf and finally put in her Civic. She came back into the house and told me that she she really likes the Leaf. It was so easy to brush the snow off the windshield. It was frozen on the windshield of the Civic, but just powder on the windshield of the Leaf. She said that she wants what I have!?! This from a lady who is terrified of running out of battery charge.

Though it hurt, I had to explain to her that my windshield was clear because last night, I was too frugal to run the defrost with heat so my windshield never heated up.

Score 1 for the Leaf...or just a cheap shot?

Bob

 

[garsh]

"We're not taking the Leaf unless you turn on the heater."

Oh, how many times have I heard that...

 

[adric22]

Funny story.. But even if the Leaf had ice on the windshield, couldn't you leave the Leaf plugged in and then turn on the defroster 15 minutes or so before you need to go? I mean, I guess you could do that in a gasoline car too, but it wastes a lot of gas and you typically have to leave the key in the car which is a security risk.

 

[garsh]

I mean, I guess you could do that in a gasoline car too, but it wastes a lot of gas and you typically have to leave the key in the car which is a security risk.

Unless you have a remote starter, then there's no need for a key. I used to do that with a truck I used to drive.

 

[LeftieBiker]

Most vehicles - with some exceptions - still require a key in the ignition.

My housemate drove my Leaf alone for the first time yesterday morning. She has a 43 RT mile commute and it was cold, but I used to have the same commute before I retired, and I assured her that she'd be fine. She was, and in fact arrived back home with 32% charge left even though temps were in the single digits in the AM and in the teens in the evening. Does she long to drive my car now? Nope. Her range anxiety is strong enough that, even after she arrived at work with 9 bars left and I told her she was Golden, she turned the heat off for the highway portion of the return trip.

 

[adric22]

I mean, I guess you could do that in a gasoline car too, but it wastes a lot of gas and you typically have to leave the key in the car which is a security risk.

Unless you have a remote starter, then there's no need for a key. I used to do that with a truck I used to drive.

And it would start the defroster?

 

[RegGuheert]

I mean, I guess you could do that in a gasoline car too, but it wastes a lot of gas and you typically have to leave the key in the car which is a security risk.

Unless you have a remote starter, then there's no need for a key. I used to do that with a truck I used to drive.

And it would start the defroster?

When I had a car with a remote starter, I would turn on the defroster before turning off the car. But that was back in the days of manual controls. Now I can barely operate the LEAF's climate control when I am sitting there pushing the buttons!

 

[garsh]

When I had a car with a remote starter, I would turn on the defroster before turning off the car.

Exactly. Park the car. Turn on the defroster, full heat, fan high, then shut it off. The car was then all set for keyless remote defrosting.