zahmed1094 said:
You write that the battery health is the most important in the buying decision. Without Apps or tools, how would you determine the battery health?
Do you look at the bars on the dash or the range the car is showing or what? It’s what I don’t get.
Should I worry about all 2011 cars as the battery warranty has expired? Even if 10 bars and 70 miles range?
The 70 mile range should be okay for my purposes of commuting in town.
Yes 12/12 bars on the right side of the dash display is best but does not mean the battery is perfect because degradation has to reach a certain point before each bar is lost.
Do you know if the battery is OEM or has it been replaced by Nissan years later?
Our 2016 is showing 9/12 bars but I have not got the firmware update that may added the bars back. This is only a 30 kWh battery issue and not the 24 kWh batteries it seems.
2011-2012 Leafs came from Japan and used different motors and older battery technology that was addressed over the 2013-2014 model years but only officially in print in 2015.
If cheap enough a 2011 that has only lost 2 bars and still is good for 70 actual driving miles (not what is shown on the dash) may be a good option for you. I am looking to pick up a total of 4 EV's over time for the family so I when with newer technology since Nissan is still standing behind the drive train and battery.
Personally if I were to pick up a 2011 or 2012 I would first be willing to scrap out the car for a total loss in the event of a major repair cost and move on. A new battery in an old car does not add much of anything to its cash value in a trade or if it is totally out but an insurance company.
Trade-in Range
$1,835 - $3,152
Trade-in Value
$2,494
The above is for a 2011 Leaf from Kelly Blue Book trade-in value which is all I want to pay for a car that I will be its last owner. If the range was down to 30-40 miles I would move the value more towards ZERO. For the price of a new battery one could pick up a usable 2015 or better Leaf. A light passenger side side swipe would be an option if I was just going for function as long as some insurance company had not totaled it out.
A Leaf with a very weak battery to me has no value. This Leaf is my 6th Nissan to own and two make it to 200K miles. The Leaf is the first one without a gas tank however.
In the end it is your money and your choice so go with what seems best to you because I do not get my advice on used cars from others either.