Comparison: Why I Chose a Nissan Leaf Plus over a Tesla Model 3

[cornbinder89]

A Leaf with a JATO pack!

 

[chk]

We have my Dad's new 2014 Leaf since 2019, and swapped to a 62kwh battery Jan 2020.

Sorry, this is unclear for me. Did you swap the battery in the old (ZE0) or the car (to a ZE1)?

 

[Bombastinator2]

In the fall of 2022, we replaced our 2020 SV+ with a used Tesla Model 3 RWD Long Range. We have been driving Leafs since 2011 and put over 150,000 miles on them. We currently have a 2014 Leaf S, which we got new and have driven over 85,000 miles. Only one ten minute level 3 charge in over 8 years, so no noticable battery degradation. The only service cost has been tires and a 12 volt battery. It has been a great second car for city driving.

We got the Tesla for one reason: the public charging infrastructure for anything but a Tesla is abysmal. We took our first real road trip in the SV+ in September, 2022. 1,200 miles in EV friendly Oregon and California. We had no problem finding chargers. Finding one that worked without a call to customer service or worked at all was a challenge. After a drive home in 100° plus weather when I was ill and my wife had to do all the driving and where multiple chargers failed to work or died in the middle of a charge, we decided we would need either an ICE car, a PHEV or a Tesla. In over a year, we have never had a problem or a wait at a Tesla Supercharger. We drove the Tesla at 80 mph from Denver to Grand Junction (243 miles) on a single charge. We have had 2 mobile service calls. One was to replace the charging door and install a bar carrier, the other was to replace the 12 volt battery. Both were reasonably priced. The 12 volt battery was replaced after a warning on the screen which said it needed to be replaced and to schedule service. When our Leaf 12 volt battery failed, the car wouldn't start and the dash showed I didn't have my foot on the brake. The dealer's service department wouldn't give me any possible cause over the phone. A local independent shop did. New battery at Costco was $75. I installed it in about ten minutes.

Our Tesla doesn't have even the basic Autopilot. Cruise control is basic, not adaptive. The cruise on the SV+ was nicer and I like the blind spot warning better on the SV+. The RWD Tesla handles much better than the Leaf. Steering is much better. Controls are different, but better integrated. Voice commands work well. There is a learning curve, but once I understood Tesla's design philosophy, it worked fine for me. My wife still prefers the 2014 Leaf.

Public charging for the Leaf is only to get worse unless someone come up with a CCS or NACS adapter. Nissan has given the middle finger to Leaf owners. My next car may not be a Tesla. It won't be a Nissan.

That’s a totally different reason than the one that comes to mind for me. Tesla has the tech. No one else does. Leafs are probably #2 because they’ve been doing it longer in a major way than anyone else, but Tesla’s drive train tech is just flat out better than everything else. I got a leaf instead of a Tesla for two reasons:
1 I could fit in the leaf. The only Tesla I have a prayer of fitting in is the model y and I just don’t have the ducats.
2 I could afford it. When I went out car shopping it was the depths of COVID and I didn’t know if it would end or not. I had hoped to buy a used Tesla because I couldn’t afford a new one. They were actually TWICE as expensive as the new ones though. So I bought a leaf. I’m ok with it. The thing actually has more power than my old car, a type 4 GTI, which I was NOT expecting. I leave it in eco mode so it will go SLOWER. In eco mode it still out punched my GTI, just not by much. With eco mode off I would have gotten waaay too many tickets. You could go 70mph by accident. I did NOT expect a leaf to be a tire spinning hooligan, but it’s got more power than I even want, let alone need. The only thing that a Tesla would have on me is longer range, which while occasionally handy, doesn’t matter like 80% of the time. And of course the charge limiter. Having your batteries last twice as long is nice. Until Tesla comes out with a reasonably priced model I can fit in I doubt I’ll be buying one though

 

[Daklein]

Sorry, this is unclear for me. Did you swap the battery in the old (ZE0) or the car (to a ZE1)?

It's a 2014 car, with a 2019 62kwh battery that I swapped in. I got lucky finding a salvage one from near Smyrna TN. Sit down, the pack was only $4400 in Nov '19. At the time, it was a really great deal to get a 200+ mile EV. Now a 62kwh swap is too expensive with all the Leaf lovers fighting over them.

These days, If I wanted another 200+ mile EV, I would be getting a used 2017-2019 Bolt with recent new recall battery, for around $15k, hopefully minus the $4k used EV tax credit. Earlier Bolts all got recall batteries or are still eligible for replacement, 2020+ Bolts may or may not have gotten the recall replaced battery. Similar used 2019+ 62kwh Leafs look like they're a bit more expensive. I'm intrigued by a Bolt, but definitely don't need another 200+ mile car.

I really want 300+ miles for trips, just the last 1-2% of usage. Some used M3 Long range cars are near the $25k upper limit for the used EV tax credit. So I'm interested but don't have a real need for another vehicle now.

 

[Yodrak]

Out of the S3XY lineup, I have always preferred the S, but it is a "bit" pricy for our family/budget.

After having Leafs for our only cars for a couple years until just recently, I do think a 300+ mile EV (2 cycle epa 300 miles, not 5 cycle) would be better for the all purpose vehicle. The 220ish usable summer freeway mile range can work, but still feels a bit comprised for road trips. The charging time isn't even the pain (I need the breaks), it's the mental weight of always thinking of your next charging solution for the trips...even with ample available charging infra. The extra 80ish miles would buy a lot of leeway.

I also prefer the S. Initially reserved a 3 in 2018 but cancelled that due to 'production hell' and ordered an S-75. Had to do the 'Tesla Stretch' to get the S (it was like paying for a second house for 5 years) but has been worth it. The trunk is cavernous yet fully accessible due to the hatchback, the 3's trunk is inadequate. Plus got some nice bonuses during that period - free supercharging and full connectivity for as long as I own the car, and FSD for $2,000. ( I would not get FSD today for $12,000, but I do love it for highway driving on long trips.). The nominal 259 mile range (now more like 240 miles) has been plenty adequate for the many 1,000 - 1,500 mile road trips my wife and I have taken (sooooo comfortable to ride in) and today the S with a 100 kwh battery gets almost 400 miles on some variants.

My 2013 Leaf is down to a nominal 68 mile range and is the 'go to' car for around town, and beyond for a 1-destination trip in-county.

If the S were to die I'd replace it with a recent, used, S. Or maybe a Y if the Y gets updates to make it smoother riding like the 3 has recently. Definitely a Tesla because of the extensive charging network and the way it works. For me, the charging network makes up for any of the issues people have with the company, its cars, and its CEO.

If the Leaf were to die I would not get another Nissan EV. Maybe look into a Mustang Mach-e, maybe a Tesla Y, or maybe become a 1-car family with the S.

 

[DougWantsALeaf]

We are likely 2 years from our next car, so that is still some runway for models and deals. My list changes monthy but it's fun to speculate. Timing is good, because I don't really want another EV until the US industry has switched over to NACS. My needs are now very different than our Leaf era when had 3 young kids (youngest still in a seat) and mega costco runs, and now just a couple years from being empty nest.

Top options right now (in no order).

1. Used M3. With M3s now already under 20K used (ex. Hertz has 1000s for sale already), if budget is concern then, guessing sub 15K for a middle used M3 is likely. I want less power for my own safety, so rwd is fine. Guessing nacs will have a route for non Tesla chargers by then.

2. Ionic 6. I want to see how these last, but attracted to the efficiency, charge speed, and odd ball design.

3. Any ev offering a solar roof. I really like the idea of a solar roof, but only in the Prius and Ocean right now. Ocean is still pretty early

4. Used Lucid. My friends with them enjoy them, and I do like the looks...if only they offered a solar roof. Hopefully 2 years will see whether they are viable or not. Current used Touring are down into the 70s (thats already 50% depreciation). So guessing 40-50K in 2 years.

5. Used ETron GT. I do like the way these cars look. Prices as well are also dropping quickly, with many in the 50K arena already for a 2022.

6. Used Model S. Prices also have dropped quickly. 2020s can be had for 40K (so some battery warranty left).

 

[rschulze]

The last time I saw data, about 20% of Tesla owners bought FSD. Which is too bad, really, since FSD will not exceed the speed limit by more than 5 mph if memory serves, nor will it stomp on the go pedal from a stop. Your reasoning could use some work. I don't speak from any experience here since I have never tried FSD in city driving, only from what I have read.
All Teslas have 3 go-pedal mapping options.

My impression is that young people highly value fast cars and are at risk of using them in unsafe ways. I would not presume the same is true for those middle-aged or older, or those with families.

Actually FSD allows you to offset the marked speed limit from -25% to +30%. Most people use 10 to 15% over the speed limit. No tickets in that range.

 

[Bombastinator2]

I chose the leaf because the Tesla was 4 times the price, but it turns out I wouldn’t have been able to fit through the door anyway.. so Nissan wins by making an electric car that I can actually drive. Tesla doesn’t even make cars (well maybe the cybertruck now) I can ride in. Let alone own. They might as well not exist for me.

 

[BobLerwill]

I have several reasons for buying a Leaf rather than a Tesla (or any other electric car) but here are the two deciders.
#1 I know the technology is not out there to use it yet, but the Leaf is one of very few cars you can get power out of the battery. This can turn the car into part of national infrastructure for peak demand levelling. I could also save me a chunk of money if it means I can power my house at night using the electrical energy I stored off solar panels during the day.
#2 The Leaf is narrower than most electric cars. I live in a part of the UK with a lot of narrow country lanes. You used to be able to drive these without slowing down when another car approached, but with the proliferation of ULVs (unnecessarily large vehicles), this is getting increasingly difficult. Also I have a narrow entrance to my driveway. I know the Tesla3 is only 3” wider than a Leafe, but that 3” makes the difference between parking it or leaving it out on the road where it won’t get charged.
I don’t suppose Nissan intended the Leaf to be narrower, it’s just an older design. When are car designs going to stop getting fatter? It is already making life very difficult getting in and out of your car when you park in a car park.

 

[Bombastinator2]

I have several reasons for buying a Leaf rather than a Tesla (or any other electric car) but here are the two deciders.
#1 I know the technology is not out there to use it yet, but the Leaf is one of very few cars you can get power out of the battery. This can turn the car into part of national infrastructure for peak demand levelling. I could also save me a chunk of money if it means I can power my house at night using the electrical energy I stored off solar panels during the day.
#2 The Leaf is narrower than most electric cars. I live in a part of the UK with a lot of narrow country lanes. You used to be able to drive these without slowing down when another car approached, but with the proliferation of ULVs (unnecessarily large vehicles), this is getting increasingly difficult. Also I have a narrow entrance to my driveway. I know the Tesla3 is only 3” wider than a Leafe, but that 3” makes the difference between parking it or leaving it out on the road where it won’t get charged.
I don’t suppose Nissan intended the Leaf to be narrower, it’s just an older design. When are car designs going to stop getting fatter? It is already making life very difficult getting in and out of your car when you park in a car park.

It’s also got bigger door openings. It’s not the interior volume that gets me it’s the fricken door openings. If there was an electric mini that wasn’t a POS I’d be all over it… but there isn’t. They used only part of an already outdated technology to make a vehicle usable by nearly no one. And then attempted to charge you through the nose for it. It’s like they’re saying “we actually don’t want you to buy from us”

UPDATE: turns out I DO fit in a tesla Y (but not an s or a 3) and it’s about the same as a leaf. It’s got a pedestal seat with a lot of adjustment in it. If I put the drivers seat all the way down (which I do in the leaf) I can fit in it. I did leaf over Tesla because while I was planning to buy a Tesla the prices of used vehicles were double that of new ones(!) and I couldn’t afford a new one. I didn’t even look beyond the internet. This was not true of leafs. They were merely somewhat inflated. I had to buy during the pandemic so I have a leaf now.

 

[Bombastinator2]

Nah, it is an electric vehicle for suckers who listen to salesmen BS and don't understand just how bad an EV could be. I was surprised at how bad the charge issue was after buying it in the summer. But winter?
Expect to have a very cold and uncomfortable winter driving experience. If you use the heater, you'll loose AT LEAST 25% of the charge. And then, using the fan to spread heat will hit you even harder if you run it at any setting above minimum.
So, the Nissan Leaf winter experience means wearing long underwear, gloves, a hat, snow boots, and a lap blanket. This is a terrible car.
And remember, there are so few rapid charge stations that service Nissan's unique charging program, that you won't be able to go more than about 80 miles from home base without staying overnight (or more) to recharge the pathetic battery.
Also, you'll get to drive past the numerous Tesla charging stations knowing that they don't work for Nissan cars.
Buying a Nissan Leaf to spite the megalomaniac of Tesla is like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Didn’t experience this. It might have hit the range that hard though. To hit harder I refused to buy a car without butt warmers (heated seats) because they’re awesome. I found I was able to commute about 20 min just fine and had about 40% battery left when I got home in the dead of Minnesota winter with an unheated garage and temps (not windchill) in the negative farhenheits. With windchill it would have been a heckuva lot lower. -40 once, which I mention because that is the cross point between Fahrenheit and Celsius. They’re the same. Heat and fan blasting. The butt warmers I did turn off about 1/3rd of the way in because I got too hot. I do want more battery though as I have had issues with picking someone up across town, ferrying them somewhere else, ferrying them back, and then going home. It sounds like you’re pissed about cold weather battery drop, and you wished the salesman mentioned it. I think range might be listed as x to y depending on temperature. While it’s a well known thing it’s not the sort of thing I would expect a salesman to mention. They may do it more in the future, I don’t know. My car does 140some in the summer but only 100 in the winter. I do wish I had more. I may be getting a bigger battery for my car when this one dies. 100mi is limiting. When the temp is merely near freezing though I only experience some drop. I’ve seen the battery full at 118mi and 128 mi as well. This one is going to vary by local climate a lot.

 

[Bombastinator2]

blasting

We are likely 2 years from our next car, so that is still some runway for models and deals. My list changes monthy but it's fun to speculate. Timing is good, because I don't really want another EV until the US industry has switched over to NACS. My needs are now very different than our Leaf era when had 3 young kids (youngest still in a seat) and mega costco runs, and now just a couple years from being empty nest.

Top options right now (in no order).

1. Used M3. With M3s now already under 20K used (ex. Hertz has 1000s for sale already), if budget is concern then, guessing sub 15K for a middle used M3 is likely. I want less power for my own safety, so rwd is fine. Guessing nacs will have a route for non Tesla chargers by then.

2. Ionic 6. I want to see how these last, but attracted to the efficiency, charge speed, and odd ball design.

3. Any ev offering a solar roof. I really like the idea of a solar roof, but only in the Prius and Ocean right now. Ocean is still pretty early

4. Used Lucid. My friends with them enjoy them, and I do like the looks...if only they offered a solar roof. Hopefully 2 years will see whether they are viable or not. Current used Touring are down into the 70s (thats already 50% depreciation). So guessing 40-50K in 2 years.

5. Used ETron GT. I do like the way these cars look. Prices as well are also dropping quickly, with many in the 50K arena already for a 2022.

6. Used Model S. Prices also have dropped quickly. 2020s can be had for 40K (so some battery warranty left).

My memory of such things is BMW’s electric car tech is atrocious, but I’m looking at the mini cooper.

Leaf doesn’t seem to be bad. In cold places like where I live you want to plan for cold weather battery drop and make sure you’ve got the heat pump rather than heat tape on the batteries because it eats a lot less juice.

I don’t know much about any of the others except that they will be like leaf or worse with the exception of Tesla who is better than EVERYONE else by a lot. Their motors are just way more efficient and they’ve got the best battery packs. If I had the ducats or thought I fit in one in the first place I would have bought one. During COVID though the used ones were twice the price of the new ones, so Leaf it was. At this point unless I lived rurally or had to tow a boat or something else really heavy a full ICE car in anything in North America but Alaska or northern Canada seems asinine to me. And then I would likely buy a plug-in hybrid. Has nothing to do with eco. It’s convenience and fuel cost. Eco is just a benny for me.

 

[Bombastinator2]

It's a 2014 car, with a 2019 62kwh battery that I swapped in. I got lucky finding a salvage one from near Smyrna TN. Sit down, the pack was only $4400 in Nov '19. At the time, it was a really great deal to get a 200+ mile EV. Now a 62kwh swap is too expensive with all the Leaf lovers fighting over them.

These days, If I wanted another 200+ mile EV, I would be getting a used 2017-2019 Bolt with recent new recall battery, for around $15k, hopefully minus the $4k used EV tax credit. Earlier Bolts all got recall batteries or are still eligible for replacement, 2020+ Bolts may or may not have gotten the recall replaced battery. Similar used 2019+ 62kwh Leafs look like they're a bit more expensive. I'm intrigued by a Bolt, but definitely don't need another 200+ mile car.

I really want 300+ miles for trips, just the last 1-2% of usage. Some used M3 Long range cars are near the $25k upper limit for the used EV tax credit. So I'm interested but don't have a real need for another vehicle now.

New battery in a ‘19 car?! Yes please. I can even fit in a bolt. No wonder I couldn’t find one when I went looking.

 

[LarryKaplan]

It's really pretty simple -- if you have the means to afford a Tesla, then buy one. It is a superior EV. But if you don't (like me, retired on a fixed income) the LEAF is a good alternative, as is the Bolt. In short, it's about the money, just like with ICE cars -- sure, if you can afford a Lexus/Benz/etc, you buy one vs a Chevy/Toyota/etc. That's how the world works, different price points for different consumers. I'm tired of hearing from rich guys who think they are better and smarter than everyone else (an old unfortunate story) -- show some respect.

 

[SageBrush]

It's really pretty simple -- if you have the means to afford a Tesla, then buy one. It is a superior EV. But if you don't (like me, retired on a fixed income) the LEAF is a good alternative, as is the Bolt. In short, it's about the money, just like with ICE cars -- sure, if you can afford a Lexus/Benz/etc, you buy one vs a Chevy/Toyota/etc. That's how the world works, different price points for different consumers. I'm tired of hearing from rich guys who think they are better and smarter than everyone else (an old unfortunate story) -- show some respect.

We have enough money to buy what we want. We have a Chevy Bolt, and a Tesla Model Y. Different tools for different tasks. My issue with the LEAF is not that it can be bought cheaply sometimes (that is what I did), but that it is often poor value that the buyer does not realize. Why sometimes poor value ? Because Nissan Corporate sucks, because clueless, blood sucking Nissan dealerships are all too common, and because the LEAF battery tech is not going to stand the test of time in non-cold climates.

 

[LarryKaplan]

When I bought my 2012 LEAF used in 2017, it was either that, a Fiat (no way!) or the Tesla -- and no way I could afford a Tesla. If I was buying a used EV today, I'd buy a Bolt, but it was not really an affordable used option 7 years ago. For now, my LEAF is fine -- I am semi-retired, work from home and live in the city, so only average 3500 miles a year and don't do road trips. In 5 years, when I move to a retirement town outside the big city, I will get a used EV, at which point there will be lots of affordable options.

 

[DougWantsALeaf]

For 3500 miles a year any of the 3 will suffice, and I would just choose the one most comfortable to drive.

I am very curious to see what how the gen 2 battery does over time. The oldest 2018s are at 6 years now, and Pluses touching 5 years. Need 4-5 more years to have a clean look. We have been satisfied with our 2 Pluses, but are not the heaviest of drivers.

 

[Bombastinator2]

We have enough money to buy what we want. We have a Chevy Bolt, and a Tesla Model Y. Different tools for different tasks. My issue with the LEAF is not that it can be bought cheaply sometimes (that is what I did), but that it is often poor value that the buyer does not realize. Why sometimes poor value ? Because Nissan Corporate sucks, because clueless, blood sucking Nissan dealerships are all too common, and because the LEAF battery tech is not going to stand the test of time in non-cold climates.

Your whys are largely made semantically null by all the vitriolic modifiers. There seems to be no why at all other than you don’t like them in most cases. The only one that had any value was the thing about cold climates. Nissan is known to have more primitive battery health systems than Tesla, who has better systems than everyone. Are they more primitive than other companies besides Tesla? No info. Is a Nissan leaf less car than another vehicle costing 30-300% more? Of course. That doesn’t automatically make it a bad value though. Nor does it make a less expensive car a better one. Again, there is no info. Now there might for example be a commission system or something that forces salesmen to push for higher commissions or something. I’m not saying you’re necessarily wrong, I’m just saying you haven’t said why you’re right. Corporate sucks compared to what? Corporate everything generally sucks everywhere. I do agree that the tracking thing if true is downright offensive. But no details are given so I don’t even know if that is what you are referring to. One sort of niche advantage of the leaf seems to be that ironically BECAUSE it is “chadmo” it can be used as more-or-less a powerwall. So powerwall that moves has its points. Its battery pack is much less expensive than the Tesla, (though still a lot) and the vehicle seems to cost somewhere between 30-300% less, depending on how one does it. Trump seems to have ruined name calling. These days name calling just means “isn’t useful to me personally”. It has no meaning.

 

[DougWantsALeaf]

I mentioned this in an earlier post, in 2022 when I was debating getting another new Leaf, post all discounts and the then tax credit, a new Leaf S+ was literally half the price of a new M3 SR+. The equation is much different today..but my 2 Pluses are doing just fine with very flattened degradation curves around 10% and 7% after 4 1/2 years each respectively.

 

[Bombastinator2]

After a week of research, I bought a new 2022 Leaf instead of a Tesla Model 3. Tesla Model 3 is a beautiful car, and I'm sure I would have been happy to get it, but here are the reasons why I chose to get a Leaf instead in December of 2021. If you found this forum because you are pondering the same question, I hope this will be useful as you decide which car is better for you. (Apologies in advance if any of my facts are wrong, e.g., vertical trunk space, warranty details, etc.)


LEAF BENEFITS:
Reasonable sticker price despite the pandemic supply chain inflation.
Immediate availability at many dealerships.
$7500 tax rebate, unlike Tesla.
8-year/100k-mile battery warranty, same as Tesla's.
5-year/60k-mile EV system and powertrain warranty, better than Tesla's.
Less in-cabin road and wind noise than the Tesla 3 (search YouTube).
Nissan build quality versus Tesla, e.g., Tesla door handles.
Vertical trunk space better than Tesla's, possibly total volume too.
charger plug at the front is more convenient than at the back.
Nissan dealerships are very common nationwide in the USA for any repairs or parts.
Regenerative braking might be more efficient than Tesla's, but this is uncertain.
Comes with floormats (saves $100, less annoying).
Comes with NEMA 14-50 electrical adapter (saves $35, less annoying).
LeafSpy Pro phone app is useful and fun (costs $15, plus $30 for the OBDII module).


LEAF NEGATIVES:
Batteries are not liquid-cooled like on the Tesla.
Obsolete CHAdeMO charger, not CCS or Tesla charger.
Dashboard is not as advanced or stylish as Tesla's.
Forward driving pedestrian warning noise is REALLY annoying; don't know about Tesla's.
Back seat leg room is OK for children, but cramped for adults; Tesla looks better.
Back seat headroom is not good for tall people; Tesla looks better.
Nissan Connect app works OK, but is not fast; cannot change charge scheduling.
No over-the-air software updates like on the Tesla, must go to dealer.
Back seats don't fold completely flat like on Tesla, only flat-ish.
No spare tire, like on Tesla (both have repair kits).
Storage space for small sundries around driver is OK, not great; Tesla looks better.
No option to limit max charge to 80% anymore, must adjust via charger scheduling.


CHAdeMO:
Rapid charging slightly damages batteries on any EV today, especially in hot weather. If you will charge 99% of the time at home at night, then 240V charging is better for battery life on both the Leaf and the Tesla. If you need to drive cross-country, then the Tesla is better for its fast-charging stations. The Leaf's CHAdeMO is obsolete and CHAdeMO charging stations will be very difficult to find in five years.

If your electric utility offers a reduced rate for evenings, then 240V charging at home is cheaper than using commercial rapid charging stations. My utility company has a "Free Nights and Weekends" plan that makes scheduled nighttime charging free (the higher weekday rate is offset by the free weekend days, then free EV charging at night). Your utility company may have a similar plan. You don't need to purchase a third-party EVSE to schedule your charging, it is built into the Leaf dashboard already.


BATTERY:
2014 and later Leaf batteries use a different internal design and chemistry (Nickel + Cobalt + Manganese) than the older batteries. Beware of old YouTube videos that warn about "the" Leaf battery.

Lack of liquid cooling is a big issue in hot climates. If you commute at highway speeds in hot climates, park in the sun all day at work, want to use rapid charging, and habitually use maximum acceleration, then a Tesla will be better for battery life because of its thermal management system.

With the 8-year/100k-mile battery warranty on the Leaf, I personally am betting that the cost of a replacement battery in 8 years, if necessary, will be much lower than today. Battery technology is rapidly advancing and prices are falling (I don't know what the future will bring, of course). Hopefully this will be true for Teslas too. There are aftermarket options to replace the battery on a Leaf from non-Nissan companies. Does Tesla allow third-party battery replacement or repair? I don't know.

For the Nissan battery warranty, remember than the Leaf records its operational details to local storage that a Nissan technician can retrieve. The battery warranty is voided if you 1) expose the Lear to ambient temperatures above 120F/49C for over 24 hours, 2) store the Leaf in temperatures below -13F/-25C for over seven days, 3) leave your vehicle for over 14 days where the battery reaches a zero or near zero state of charge, or 4) do not get a battery quality report every year by a Nissan-approved technician. It seems that Nissan has not been a stickler for the annual quality reports for battery warranty repairs, but this verbiage comes straight from the Nissan warranty booklet. If the LeafSpy app on your phone shows battery problems, then take the Leaf to a dealership for an official battery diagnostic report, or, if your favorite auto shop is capable, have the battery check done at the same time as your annual state inspection.

Here is a reliable and impartial source of information about batteries:

https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-lithium-based-batteries

BUILD QUALITY:
A major reason I chose the Leaf was build quality. Nissan has decades of experience building millions of cars worldwide and a decade of experience with prior Leaf models. (I have a 1998 Nissan Altima and it just keeps on running and running and running...) Tesla is the new kid on the block with a small fraction of that manufacturing record. The Nissan reputation for reliability and build quality is solid, even if it's not the best. Pre-2014 Leaf models certainly had battery problems, but what about the rest of the car?

Here are the Consumer Reports and JD Powers articles that influenced my decision in favor of the Leaf:

"Consumer Reports Still Ranks Tesla Reliability 27th Out Of 28" (19.Nov.2021)
https://insideevs.com/news/549130/consumerreports-tesla-reliability-poor-2021/
"Unlike other manufacturers, Tesla doesn’t grant J.D. Power permission to survey its owners..." (18.Feb.2021)
Tesla was fourth from the bottom for dependability; only Jaguar, Alpha and Land Rover were worse.
https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2021-us-vehicle-dependability-study-vds
"Nissan LEAF Awarded In 2020 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study" in the compact car category (15.Feb.2020)
https://insideevs.com/news/398848/nissan-leaf-award-vehicle-dependability-study/

DISTANCE TO DEALERSHIP:
While the Tesla is more sporty and stylish, those considerations kind of fade after a year, especially if you have to drive to a distant Tesla Service Center to fix a problem and wait in the lobby or at a hotel. My Nissan dealership is only 6 miles away if I need a repair, so I could take a Lyft/Uber back home if necessary. There are 49 Nissan dealerships in Pennsylvania, for example, but only 3 in the state for Tesla; there are 78 Nissan dealerships in Texas, but only 12 for Tesla.

Here is where you can check your state to see how far the drive will be when something inevitably needs fixing:

https://www.nissanusa.com/nissandealers/location/
https://www.tesla.com/findus/list/services/United States
There is also the cost of replacement parts and service work. Tesla owners complain about these things online. It seems that parts and labor for Nissans are less expensive than for Teslas, but I don't have any proof of this, I'm just going on what some Tesla owners say in YouTube videos. As a test, call a Nissan dealership and ask how much it would cost to, say, replace a door window, then call a Tesla service center and ask the same. In large cities, Nissan dealerships compete with each other, not just with other manufacturers. If there is only one Tesla center within a 100 miles of your home, you are more at their mercy.


ROAD NOISE:
Another big issue for me was road noise (I have tinnitus) and there are too many negative YouTube videos by the Tesla owners themselves about Model 3 road noise:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tesla+road+noise+wind+noise

IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY AND ZERO INTEREST FINANCING:
I don't know what kind of financing Tesla offers, but I got zero percent interest from Nissan for 6 years and drove the Leaf off the lot that afternoon, no waiting 4-9 months. Taking into account the $7500 tax rebate, rising inflation (versus my fixed payments), the lower sticker price of the Leaf, the lower expected maintenance costs/hassles versus the Tesla, and my plan to invest the $10,000+ I'm not paying extra for the Tesla, then the Leaf was just too good overall. (I'm a fanboy of financial independence, not cars.)


PRICE NEGOTIATIONS:
If car price is not a major concern, then this whole discussion is probably irrelevant to you. You can simply trade up every few years to whatever catches your fancy despite the trade-in losses.

When you negotiate the final price for a Leaf, talk about the "obsolete CHAdeMO charger" and "non-liquid cooled battery" with the sales manager to get a better price. Mention how the Nissan Ariya has abandoned CHAdeMO in favor of CCS and how the Ariya's dashboard looks much nicer. Once the pandemic inflation has subsided and the Nissan Ariya is widely available, you should be able to negotiate pretty aggressively.

Remember, no matter what you buy today, it won't be considered "cool" or "cutting edge" in a few years, there will always be something new and shiny to be jealous of, so maybe today it's better to not get suckered in or seduced. (Do you regret spending $1200 for a phone?) And if the streets are going to be packed with Tesla Model 3's with the same few paint colors in a couple years, perhaps you'll think about that missing $10,000 you could have spent on something else. The big question is whether you plan to drive cross-country and will need a Tesla (or CCS) rapid charging port, since CHAdeMO is obsolete.


THIS FORUM
This forum helped me make a decision regarding Leaf vs. Tesla (thank you!) so that's why I'm posting the above, to help others who find this site as they consider their options too. At first I just assumed I'd get a Tesla, until I thought about it more. If you get a Tesla, great, enjoy it! I'm very happy with my Leaf. Hopefully others in this forum can add useful things to think about for making an informed choice, all the things I've overlooked or got wrong.

One that is a bit niche, but may become handy: “chadmo” allows you to use the thing as a power wall. Costs tons for the adaptor, but a whole heckuva lot less than a powerwall. So it’s a powerwall that moves. I disagree about build quality, though if you’re talking cabin only, sure. Their running gear is better though. I bought a leaf for the same reason. The pandemic was crazy.