What I learned in 2 years with a Leaf

[DeaneG]

Here's a short list of what I've learned after 24 months with my Leaf:

1) I really, really like the way an EV drives, and enjoy day-to-day life with an EV.

2) I will not buy another car that makes me press a lawyer button every time I get in. Kind of funny that Nissan would rather piss off 90% of their customers rather than risk a lawsuit from 0.001%.

3) I will not buy another car that shocks me every time I get out. Makes you wonder why they stopped there; why not add a poke with a sharp stick as well.

What have you learned during your ownership?

 

[LEAFfan]

2. Nissan listened because on the 2013, you touch OK only once every 30 days.

3. If you get cloth seat covers ($30), no shocks.

 

[EVDRIVER]

Here's a short list of what I've learned after 24 months with my Leaf:

1) I really, really like the way an EV drives, and enjoy day-to-day life with an EV.

2) I will not buy another car that makes me press a lawyer button every time I get in. Kind of funny that Nissan would rather piss off 90% of their customers rather than risk a lawsuit from 0.001%.

3) I will not buy another car that shocks me every time I get out. Makes you wonder why they stopped there; why not add a poke with a sharp stick as well.

What have you learned during your ownership?

Get a grounding strip. I never get shocked.

 

[smkettner]

4) Getting gas is a bigger PITN than I realized.

 

[JeremyW]

5) A ton of my driving is well within the range of the leaf. People with gas cars tend to focus on that one long trip they take in a year.

6) The smell of gas is different after driving electric. I notice the smell (exhaust or just the raw vapor) a lot more and its more offensive to me. It just comes across as so unnecessary.

 

[Stoaty]

2. Nissan listened because on the 2013, you touch OK only once every 30 days.

I wish they would update the 2011-2012 Leafs to fix the problem for the rest of us.

 

[Nubo]

I realized that every car I'd ever driven was this:

 

[TomT]

I will not buy another EV that does not have a battery TMS.

What have you learned during your ownership?

 

[TimLee]

On a very new first of its kind product that is likely to evolve quickly, would have been better to lease than to buy.

 

[TimLee]

I will not buy another car that shocks me every time I get out.

Get a grounding strip. I never get shocked.

Details?
You have a copper grounding strip hanging down from the car dragging on the ground?

 

[leafedbehind]

I will not buy another car that shocks me every time I get out.

Get a grounding strip. I never get shocked.

Details?
You have a copper grounding strip hanging down from the car dragging on the ground?

There are probably many out there -- here is one : http://www.amazon.com/Mitzer-Vehicle-Ground-Strap/dp/B0005I3F0O" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[apvbguy]

2) I will not buy another car that makes me press a lawyer button every time I get in. Kind of funny that Nissan would rather piss off 90% of their customers rather than risk a lawsuit from 0.001%.

you may not be buying many cars in the future, this society is so fearful of lawsuits that one day you may need to sign a waiver just to get out of bed in the morning

 

[adric22]

I realized that every car I'd ever driven was this:

You nailed it! This is exactly how I feel when I get into a gasoline car these days. It is soooo hard to explain this to somebody who doesn't drive an EV every day. And even though our Volt does use a bit of gas every now and then... It still feels like driving an EV even when it is running on gas. You never hear the sound of a low-RPM starter motor. And the ICE really only runs at higher speeds where you're less likely to hear it.

 

[garymelora]

As I sat on I-76 this morning late to work because a burning SUV and several fire trucks were blocking the highway, I realized that I am much safer now that I am not dragging 20 gallons of explosive fuel around with me everywhere I go.

 

[EatsShootsandLeafs]

Years ago I got into the habit of closing doors with elbow and now I never get shocked, at least not so that it hurts.

 

[ksnogas2112]

4) Getting gas is a bigger PITN than I realized.

+100

 

[thankyouOB]

Here's a short list of what I've learned after 24 months with my Leaf:

1) I really, really like the way an EV drives, and enjoy day-to-day life with an EV.

2) I will not buy another car that makes me press a lawyer button every time I get in. Kind of funny that Nissan would rather piss off 90% of their customers rather than risk a lawsuit from 0.001%.

3) I will not buy another car that shocks me every time I get out. Makes you wonder why they stopped there; why not add a poke with a sharp stick as well.

What have you learned during your ownership?

your 2 and 3 are so low on my list that they dont get on the first 5 pieces of paper. sorry to see you are maddened by such small matters.

--
i look at all those people driving ICEs who commute less than 50 miles and wonder whether their wake-up call is this year, or the next, or the one after that.
they will all wake up, most certainly those in two-car families.

 

[SuperBlack]

There are probably many out there -- here is one : http://www.amazon.com/Mitzer-Vehicle-Ground-Strap/dp/B0005I3F0O" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Where did you attach it? This shock is so annoying in the winter that it's almost enough to make me upgrade to the 2013 SL for the leather.

 

[thew]

1. Dont Trust the GOM.
2. get Ready to explane to all the ICE users out there that you don't get stranded. And you can beat them off the line all day long
3. Cover those Cloth Seats with Leather ( Helps with the Static Discharge)
3. Stop thinking so much and enjoy the Quiet Tail pipe Free Driving.

 

[rumpole]

Things I love:

-having the "Home" destination button, to quickly show how to get home, with the usual choice of shortest, fastest, etc.
-having emergency back-up power available. I hooked up a 1000W inverter to be able to run my fridge for three days.
-I'm pretty modest by nature, but I do kind of like it when people point and stare
-turning on climate control with Carwings is nice, (assuming I remember to)
-not feeling like a chump at the gas station.
-being able to merge into traffic very quickly

Thing that annoy me:
-you have to manually connect to each Bluetooth device. My iPhone, my wife's iPhone, the kids iPods all seem to have to be selected manually. I wish it could auto-detect whatever was in the car.
-The feature where you can use Carwings to turn on climate control and have the car use the evse power, instead of the battery is good. I wish there was a button you could push to do the same thing without Carwings. Turning on CC manually just uses the Leaf battery, even when the evse is plugged in.
-Carwings only shows Chargepoint stations, or locations where your specific car has charged. It would be cool to have Plugshare on the nav screen.
-I show my Leaf publically quite often, and almost every bloody time, people look at the "manifold" under the hood and think its a hybrid. I have to explain ad nauseum that the "manifold" is actually the AC/DC converter. (Just had a brilliant thought: mount little signs to label stuff)
-I can never quite get comfortable in the seat, for some reason.