Used LEAF - Ways it could end badly?

[Deleted member 9549]

Instead, my discounted price was ($20,601 - $6,500 + $300 purchase fee) = $14,401 + tax and license. No thanks.

They've reduced the discount. -$6500 was last summer. Now it's only -$5000 on our 2013. Our residual is a similar. $20,000. Even extending to 3 years, the residual isn't dropping almost at all.
Started out as a crazy residual and getting crazier. Makes no sense.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Thanks again to all for the helpful input. This gives us a better idea what to look for, and look out for.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Back in the hunt, two of us in the family looking for deals now. Offleaseonly must have 20 of them on the lot in west palm, mostly 2013s but a couple 2012 and a seemingly growing number of 2014s. The latter is particularly interesting, because we'd still have a year left on the comprehensive part of the warranty.
The capacity coverage was written into the original language of the warranty starting in 2013 so I don't think any of the Klee settlement stuff would be a concern. What else could go wrong? Coverage denied because the leader didn't get the annual battery inspection after year 1?

 

[Evoforce]

LTLFT:


1) The lack of battery checks has made no difference and Nissan (has) been replacing degraded batteries (2011-12) anyway when qualifying at 8 bars and under 5 years/60,000 miles for capacity warranty. There has been one case with BBB that no longer had a capacity warranty, and having ALL battery checks, did help them to get a new battery under a battery defect warranty.

2) Nissan capacity warranty on 13s and newer is to repair to a minimum of 9 bars by swapping out modules or with reconditioned battery packs and as you correctly stated are not a part of Klee v. Nissan where they have to be replaced with (new) for class members. They may start repairing/reconditioning them in the future for 13+.

3) Lizard batteries do not hold up better in hot climates. You are in a hot climate. Maybe when buying that used car, If it was previously from the North, It may be better.

4) Other than the battery degradation, most are finding out that the cars are very well put together and holding up well.


Good luck! We love our two Leafs, but rapid battery degradation, not so much.

 

[HornsKeith]

I'm a similar position, evaluating mainly two Leaf paths that I've settled on:

1. Used Leaf for as cheap as possible, especially if 13+ with upgraded chemistry (regardless of features). So this mainly means off-lease 13 S models, many without even a quick charge package.
2. Discounted new 15 models aiming to get either exactly what we want (15 SV + QC) or close (base SV). Leases seem to be particularly attractive, but good offers exist for both options. Some dealers are far enough away that delivery would be necessary due to lack of either quick charge stations or the QC option on the car.

Still chewing on the options. Used 13 S models can be had for $9-10k without too much trouble, and the low (total) cost of entry is fairly attractive.

Keith

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

LTLFT:


1) The lack of battery checks has made no difference and Nissan (has) been replacing degraded batteries (2011-12) anyway when qualifying at 8 bars and under 5 years/60,000 miles for capacity warranty. There has been one case with BBB that no longer had a capacity warranty, and having ALL battery checks, did help them to get a new battery under a material defect warranty.

2) Nissan capacity warranty on 13s and newer is to repair to a minimum of 9 bars by swapping out modules with reconditioned battery packs and as you correctly stated are not a part of Klee v. Nissan where they have to be replaced with (new) for class members. They may start repairing/reconditioning them in the future for 13+.

3) Lizard batteries do not hold up better in hot climates. You are in a hot climate. Maybe when buying that used car, If it was previously from the North, It may be better.

4) Other than the battery degradation, most are finding out that the cars are very well put together and holding up well.


Good luck! We love our two Leafs, but rapid battery degradation, not so much.

Thanks for the reply. I hadn't heard that it was determined that the lizard pack wasn't really an improvement. Have they been out long enough now to confirm that?

Regarding packs being replaced with random collections of recycled modules and only brought up to 9 bars, previously my thinking was would they really do that... a lot of headache shipping old modules around, testing, warehousing... not to mention what happens if they restore it to 9 and a couple months later it drops below that again before the 6/60 period expires?

 

[Evoforce]

LTLFT:


1) The lack of battery checks has made no difference and Nissan (has) been replacing degraded batteries (2011-12) anyway when qualifying at 8 bars and under 5 years/60,000 miles for capacity warranty. There has been one case with BBB that no longer had a capacity warranty, and having ALL battery checks, did help them to get a new battery under a material defect warranty.

2) Nissan capacity warranty on 13s and newer is to repair to a minimum of 9 bars by swapping out modules with reconditioned battery packs and as you correctly stated are not a part of Klee v. Nissan where they have to be replaced with (new) for class members. They may start repairing/reconditioning them in the future for 13+.

3) Lizard batteries do not hold up better in hot climates. You are in a hot climate. Maybe when buying that used car, If it was previously from the North, It may be better.

4) Other than the battery degradation, most are finding out that the cars are very well put together and holding up well.


Good luck! We love our two Leafs, but rapid battery degradation, not so much.

Thanks for the reply. I hadn't heard that it was determined that the lizard pack wasn't really an improvement. Have they been out long enough now to confirm that?

Regarding packs being replaced with random collections of recycled modules and only brought up to 9 bars, previously my thinking was would they really do that... a lot of headache shipping old modules around, testing, warehousing... not to mention what happens if they restore it to 9 and a couple months later it drops below that again before the 6/60 period expires?

They have (in fact) repaired some batteries in the past before final settlement of Klee v. Nissan for the 2011-12 cars. For those members of the class they now must replace with new.

There is a member of this forum that had their battery repaired (hot climate) and it did NOT make it past the original warranty so then they replaced it with a free new battery.

If you only have (let's say 1 year as example) left on the original warranty, at the minimum repair, it would probably push you out past the original capacity warranty period in most climates. In hotter climates it would have to be near high 10 bars recondition to make it a year. Even the free (new) replacements are only warranted for 12 months/12,000 miles.

They do ship the depleted packs back to Nissan and have continued to state in each succeeding year warranty that they will repair to a minimum of 9 bars. I would imagine the repair would be better than 9 bars but it gives them wriggle room. I don't have a crystal ball but... they keep stating, and continue to state, that they will repair/recondition...

I have been providing stats on both of my leafs. Both now have Lizard batteries. One lizard battery is now 15 months old and is degrading the same as an original 2011 battery. The other is about 2 months old and won't start to show drop in SOH for about another 5 months.

 

[FlatBillz]

If you qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit buying a new "S" Leaf can be real cheap and have a 3/36 warranty. A base 2015 Leaf lists for about $32k. After a dealer discount of about $5k and NMAC cash for another $5k should be able to buy it for $22k or $24k with Tax Tag and Title out the door. If you qualify for the $7.5k fed tax credit your out of true cost is only $16.5. On top of that you get a 0% NMAC financing for 6 years.

You have a new car with a factory warranty,

We bought a loaded 2015 SL 2 months ago, the last 15 leaf on the lot at the Fort Myers dealership. We got $11k off between dealer discount and NMAC cash and $7.5k coming back from Uncle Sam as soon as I file my 2015 taxes.

We went for a Loaded SL. There's a white 2015 at the Delray dealer that may work for you
http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/657531976/overview/

Good luck.

Just curious -- how did you get so much discount via NMAC cash? 11k discount is huge..

 

[Flyct]

If you qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit buying a new "S" Leaf can be real cheap and have a 3/36 warranty. A base 2015 Leaf lists for about $32k. After a dealer discount of about $5k and NMAC cash for another $5k should be able to buy it for $22k or $24k with Tax Tag and Title out the door. If you qualify for the $7.5k fed tax credit your out of true cost is only $16.5. On top of that you get a 0% NMAC financing for 6 years.

You have a new car with a factory warranty,

We bought a loaded 2015 SL 2 months ago, the last 15 leaf on the lot at the Fort Myers dealership. We got $11k off between dealer discount and NMAC cash and $7.5k coming back from Uncle Sam as soon as I file my 2015 taxes.

We went for a Loaded SL. There's a white 2015 at the Delray dealer that may work for you
http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/657531976/overview/

Good luck.

Just curious -- how did you get so much discount via NMAC cash? 11k discount is huge..

I didn't get $11,000 via NMAC cash. I got $6,000 in rebates and a dealer discount of $5,000 off MSRP. The NMAC cash was $5,000 and I have no idea what the other $1,000 rebate was for. I was negotiating "out the door" price.

Rebates are treated just like a down payment which makes them taxable. The dealer discount is not taxable.