I Bought A USED Nissan Leaf And I'm Not Sure I Like It...Should I Return It?
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In this video, Nathan shows off his new (to him) 2016 Nissan Leaf that he bought from Carmax. There are a couple iffy points about his purchase, but overall has it been a good experience?
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My daughter bought a 2014 Leaf used for about $9K and has now driven it for 3 years. She lives in the San Fran Bay area. So far, no problems. She charges it up from a drier outlet in her garage. Best feature: No Petrol Ever!
23 build, my exact sentiments as I live in Cal also. I enjoyed test driving an electric, For an errand only car 🚗 I think they make sense. Beats motorcycles and scooters as in my county of Kern about 7 to as many as 27 riders get smacked- many hit an run, due to over the border folks whom react according to country of origin collision practices. Hit! Run if you can, crawl away even.
California could care less. Its why I am over insured. The consumer has to pay more, so as to not lose his assets in this state of the state state of mind. 🙄
@@Chris-hw4mq It's her 3rd car. It is used mainly as a grocery and kid getter.
@@Chris-hw4mq she can do fast charging for road trips.
@@Prodigious1One if you take a trip where you can'tfind one or ac uses more power, some texas roads wouldn't trust it due too it's low range
I'd want at least 200 miles to feel comfortable but 250 or more would be my spot
@@Chris-hw4mq Rent a car from the savings!
Nathan's situation is a perfect example of how an EV can fit into a typical family. Think of all your vehicles together as a toolbox and everyday you pick the best tool for the job. Some days require a economical commute and other days require towing your trailer over the mountains. It would have been interesting to get your perspective on the safety features of the Leaf given that your daughter will be driving it.
Leaf is a perfect high school kid car. Peppy. Heavy = safe. Cheap.
That's exactly why I'd rather have 2 or 3 used cars than one new one.
@@camaroman101 Well said Gents
Good choice, Nathan. I bought a used 2013 Leaf for my 32 mile round trip commute for cheap from CarMax a few years ago and it costs me virtually nothing to drive to work and back. Mine had the Halogen headlights like yours and they are terrible at night, very dim. I replaced the bulbs with some quality LEDs and now I am very happy with my funky-looking commuter.
My mom has a 2012 and it had cost nothing, NOTHING to own for all these years. Yes the degradation is there, but degradation isn't reliability, and the Leaf has been absolutely and completely trouble free. Goes about 100 kms, which during COVID, is fine. Keep it and enjoy it. If you went top of the line, would enjoy how high tech it is for it's time. Really impressive. Stuff my mom's 2012 Leaf has, that my Model 3 doesn't. Like a tire inflation alert that honks to let you know it's reached the right pressure. Or a heated Steering Wheel... Amazing! Have fun with it!
Degradation cost money
Until the battery degrades enough that you have to replace it. Also 100 kms is about 62 miles in the US that’s pretty much the distance to the next town and back.
I drive a second-hand BMW i3. Went for it over the Leaf because: RWD, more power, much nicer interior, excellent liquid-cooled battery = less degradation. But as you said, all these cars are great for the price.
Darcer's Tech Those reasons are exactly why I went for a used i3 too.
Is it expensive to maintain Bmw i3 compared to Nissan leaf?
@@vivekfrancis7198 Not much of a difference in maintenance cost. In fact, the battery will last much longer because of the superior temperature management. Spare parts are much more expensive though, so if you get into an accident, it will cost you.
The BMw is almost three times expensive, right?
How do you conclude to that RWD is better then FWD???
Bought a 2013 Leaf just over a year ago as a cheap, commuter car. We charge it off the solar panels and the only thing I’ve done is refill the washer fluid. No buyer’s remorse at all :)
What kinda setup as far as panels for charging. Thanks!
@@SpectrumRob we have 13 panels for a 1750 sq ft home. Still connected to the grid so no powerwall or anything. Just using the normal 120v outlet to charge the Leaf. Living in New Mexico certainly helps us get the most out of the panels!
I don't know if this is still a thing, but it's something to keep in mind. when your battery goes, and it sounds like it's going to within the time you own it, there are aftermarket batteries with upgraded components that can give you more range. I believe LG sells/sold a version with great power density and lower weight.
just something I thought you should know just in case.
In Holland in communist controlled EU the replacement leaf packs are sold by maxsun.com
I had a 2013 leaf for 4 yrs, then traded it for a 2018 leaf. Never had issues. My only expenditure was $12 carbine air filter from Amazon. It is a great vehicle for someone who's daily drive isn't more than 70-80 miles. It's also great as a second vehicle.
What is going on with your foot? Weren't you in a cast over the spring? Blink twice if your being abused at home.......
Sadly, Nathan's foot problem goes back even further. I remember seeing him in that boot more than a year ago.
@@anthonyc1883 Thanks guys. All is well. I’m getting Reconstructive surgery soon.
@@NathanDAdlen Good to hear. We care about you!
A used Leaf is an excellent choice, especially as a second car. The degradation becomes an issue over time but while it meets your needs it's a fantastic and inexpensive car! I bought a used 2012 Leaf three years ago and my daily commute cost me under $100 per YEAR. So far I've spent $7 in maintenance on it (I had to top up the brake fluid). It's a great commuter car, not so much a road trip car. It has trouble getting the power down to the tarmac so I strongly recommend good tires though. Also, in the winter make sure you setup the cabin heat timer...trust me...no more windshield scraping in the morning!! Hands down the best secret feature of owning an EV.
I had one for 3 years (leased) loved it both of my sons learned to drive in it. we always charged it with the standard 110 outlet in the garage usually could fully charge over night. For a run around town local car it was amazing fun fact it will only go 96 miles an hour trust me my sons and I did a number of tries to see if could break the 100 mark lol down hill floored 96 mph was top speed enjoy
Not too bad in all honesty
Go with mooney rims and get 3% range back. Also go with low rolling resistance tires.
Not in the winter here in CO. Snow tires and rims.
Pizza pan wheel covers are a popular eco-mod that costs very little.
@@richfarfugnuven6308, having lived with snowy winters, steel rims have a nasty habit of filling with snow and slush, which can freeze and cause a nasty wheel imbalance. Having a smooth wheel cover gives fewer nooks and crannies for ice to form in.
*Edit: wheel covers can be used with winter tires, it's a separate issue.
Up to a point. I have steel rims and snow tires here in CO for my diesel trucks and the woman's Yukon, no problems. Just keep them clean and tire shine on them and everything cleans out easily.
In 2016, I bought my ‘13 Ford Focus Electric for $9500 just having been returned from a lease. Even with the limited range, I absolutely love the car and it’s needed essentially nothing except tires and a 12 volt battery. I’m frankly never buying another gasoline car again.
Do you still love the 2013 focus? Someone is selling one near me for 9750 with 30k on it. Think it’s worth it?
@@ericrieker6704 yes it's been great. I think that's a decent deal in today's market. Make sure to join the Ford Focus Electric group on Facebook
Hubcaps on steel wheels, are they coming back in style? No, seriously, Nathan is a considerate fella, and it takes some self confidence to
drive this... thing, in broad daylight! A bumper-sticker "My other cars are V8's" could help😎
I did the same 2 years ago. Love the leaf! It's perfect used car
We can get more range by driving 58mph. Ours will get us to Salinas from San Francisco. The Ecopia or Michelin will improve range. At 55k we still get over 100 miles. As far as 135 with the wind. However if you drive 65mph no way you will get even 90 miles. Coast down hills and use regen for braking.
CarMax is fantastic. Bought all but one of my last 7 trucks there (they don’t sell new in Texas so I couldn’t buy that there) but they are fantastic. The buy back is no joke either. I had a wrangler that was just too much garbage and they bought it back.
You bought seven trucks from Carmax? wow I guess Carmax doesn’t sell Toyota trucks Usually one Toyota last for a while
@@r134awhole5 maybe they just swap vehicles often? I buy a new truck every other year still completely reliable and low miles
Congrats on finding one with that much range available. I only could find one with 75 to 80 miles with the 30kw battery. Plus CarMax is usually more expensive, but their cars are in better shape. I was trying to go that route but the lack of range is scary. Looks like the updated M3 is the best option.
I have a 2014 Leaf S with the fast charging option. Purchased for a little less than $9000. Its been a great car. Great local transportation. I charge mainly at home. People said not to drive long distances, but I have driven it down to Hanford California and up to the Seattle area. It does take planning, but if you're not up for the adventure don't.
I haven't done any maintenance to my Leaf in 30k miles. It costs me 60 cents per day. I lost my first battery capacity bar at 40k miles during DC charging and I've DC charged once since then (20k miles later). Such a great commuter and it's my projects car that I put bags of mulch and everything in.
Just like any other EV, try to only charge it up to 80% as much as you can. Also, make sure that you have a decent level 2 charger at home. I have a juice box pro 40 with the internet connection. It's really helpful because leafs have problems maintaining the 12 volt battery, and the juice boxes programmed to separately charge the 12 volt battery when it's done charging the high voltage pack. I've seen other people that don't have this set up have a lot of problems with their 12 volt batteries.
Love my LEAF, great little car. I have a charger in my driveway so i just plug it in every couple of nights. Even better now that I am working from home, it does not get many miles so it will last that much longer.
I really think you should consider degradation, specially on hot weather and fast charging on that weather the leaf doesnt do good period. Specially the 30kwh battery has gotten a bit of a bad name as it actually seems to degrade faster than 24kwh so dont get used to that 90 mile range. Given that you're aming for ~100 mile range Soul Ev & Ioniq are just in the range and their batteries degrade significantly slower and fast charging is more negliable degradating temperature controlled batteries. Specially on Soul EV u can get a good deal but neither of these will be high performing either for than look into the Bolt EV really solves allot of your points, pleanty of extra power & range(pretty much x2 on those), i wont say better but definetly more sporty suspension set up to improve cornerning & degradation is allot less relevant but it may be a bit out of the range you're trying to stay under. If price is the true leader here its sibling the Spark EV might be worth a look, still more power than leaf and allot more capable at DC fast charging too (yes they both can take 50kw but only one will stay at 50kw all the way to 80% charge and staying at max charge rate longer means faster charge!) & with minimal degradation to compensate for reduced range but it does sit at subcopact 4 seater class. Also check in with your charge times specially lvl 2 is a little over optimistic actual rate is closer to 25mph charged.
Overall think you should really consider other EV/PHEV as their economics can't be denied if degradation/range are already dissaponting you unfortunately the Leaf just doesnt do a good enough job to protect its battery and to keeping it long term will only expose you to those dissatisfactions further.
Your range will be much lower in the winter. I lease a Bolt for the same reasons you mentioned. I got a great deal and pay $235/mo $2k down. It allows me to have an old Wrangler set up for off road.
Under 10 minutes and you slammed this out of the ball park with points of interest! There is a reason I like your style Nathan. lol. I heard about this car from Roman on TFLTalk, so I was not surprised today. You thought all this out very well. And the fact it will be passed onto your daughter down the line, again, well thought out plan. Cannot argue your choice or thought process, because I would have done very similar. Thanks for sharing your replacement to the Samurai and the pros and cons to it. :).
A used Leaf is a perfect car for someone like you. You can charge it at home and at work, has plenty of range for your one way commute and could probably work for a round trip commute (although probably not in the winter). It doesn't cost much to buy and if you can charge it just for the cost of electricity almost all the time, it costs almost nothing compared to even an efficient ICE vehicle. As you said, the cost of gas + maintenance on an ICE vehicle really adds up when you are driving 80 miles a day.
Don't listen to the EV haters. Most of them don't know anything about electric vehicles, and most of the "facts" that they do try to tell you about how the batteries only last 10 years or how the electricity generation causes more pollution than gas or how the batteries cause more pollution than gas is completely baseless, i.e. not based in reality.
You can make the car look cool. Re: painting the wheels. Body color lips with satin black centers. Tint the all back windows with limo tint. There’s also an Aero upgrade. Then you’ll be styling!
I’m not sure about painting the wheels. change the wheels upgrade. 18”. window tint thumbs up
For some reason, I imagine Nathan driving an SUV hybrid than a small car. But from what I heard, the LEAF Is a good car
I don't know any men that actually buy a Nissan leaf.... but make your own assumptions.
@@littledaddy30 well, they are all over the San Francisco Bay Area
From what I heard, your mom has a fat ass.
Everyone I know who had a Leaf, loved it, but got rid of it because of the range and battery degradation. Nissan blew it by not liquid cooling the battery.
@@littledaddy30 I bought one. Very much a good car and I’m all man.
My 2013 looks exactly like your car! The most fun vehicle we have ever bought, and we have bought a lot of cars. Now they are in high demand and prices are high even for the used ones.
i miss u man, i grew up watching you and roman, feels like i dont see you as much anymore.
You will love the leaf, we are on our second, this will easily do your regular commute, and don't forget to frighten a few gas cars at the traffic lights!
I put 18” staggered 370z rims on my leaf. $500 on Craigslist with good tires. Handles like on rails. Changes the look and the way it drives. Bought with 18,000 miles. At 148,000 miles only changed tires, wipers, and washer fluid. Best A/C of any car I have had. Heat quit 5 years ago. Not worth the price to fix. Live in Florida. My 2007 5.7 v8 pickup has 130,000 less miles now and the 8125 gallons I did not buy over the last 6 years more than paid for the car. Have lost 4 bars on battery out of 12. Enjoy your leaf. Get a hitch and utility trailer. Won’t need a pickup after all.
Used Leaf doesn’t make sense unless you drive way less than the rated mileage per day to allow for future degradation, reduced range from driving at full highway speeds, cold weather, heater use, plus have an extra margin for comfort.
If you really drive less than 40 miles per day year round, then it’s a good choice and you could even charge at home on a standard 110 outlet at that low daily mileage.
Why not get a level 2 EVSE at work (or a 120V outlet in the car park)? 4 hours tops a near bottom charge. That way no worry heat or AC
@@steveurbach3093 Because you can’t always just get a place to charge at work.
What if your work doesn’t want to install one on their property?
What if someone else uses it?
What if it breaks?
What if you change jobs to a new place with nowhere to charge?
@@webcomment8895 I did not say FREE charging. They could charge ($), Many county locations have EVSE, part of a common network (Avoiding names) Soon it may not be an option in some areas (EV mandate). Level2 is very simple, so user damage is more likely than electronic. Etiquette says move when charged (your app notifies you). Different job may not NEED to charge (top off). 70 Miles (my range) is a LONG commute. Level 2 can put that back in 4 hours. That leave 4 hours or more for someone else.
There are double head units (and they can run @50% if 2 need to share a circuit.
This is truth. I learned this the hard way. 90 miles range in good weather equals 60 in cold weather combined with degradation equals a car you can’t realistically use in a few years. Plus the anxiety of not being able to go anywhere but where you planned for the day sucks. I ended up getting a used Chevy volt for my commute and I never worry about making it where I need to
Used Leaf to help keep miles and cost down on other vehicles you own makes sense. Mine costs me little more than registration fees every year, and still makes 60 miles trips no problem as an 8 year old. True when it's -10F you'll be down under 40 miles, but if it's an extra vehicle you have other options. With a little experience it's pretty obvious when you can use it and when you can't - you need to be realistic that it isn't an only car replacement. Electric miles are still 1/3 the cost of gas in most places and the heater, heated seats and steering wheel make it a joy in winter when range isn't an issue - heats up way quicker than a gas car would. But you still have to be seen in a Leaf :)
Used Leaf are really expensive in the UK, not the case a few years back.
Yeah, our LEAF has held it's price over 2.5 years and 30,000 miles in the US.
I wonder if that’s because petrol is SOOO much more expensive there and diesel cars have lost their resale value in recent years?
Electric cars in general and used ones in particular like this one are extremely affordable to run. Fueling costs are 1/2 to 1/3 vs gas and depreciation won’t be terribly high either. Used Leafs older than this don’t drop much beyond $5-6k. This was a smart buy.
Enjoy the Leaf! It should be very reliable. Car will live in a relatively cool area, so degradation should slow down.
My wife just bought a Rogue through CarMax we both really enjoyed the process so much easier.
I enjoyed your honest review of the Leaf.
I have a 2017 Leaf S, and I love it!
Got mine at CarMax as well, was about 9G as well.
leaf is very reliable and affordable and looks nice I 👍🏻the shape of the leaf very practical and big from the inside
After a sabbatical of some years I got back into riding motorcycles in a big way. In almost any weather I would ride while my Subaru STi gathered dust and bird poop in the driveway (garage full of bikes left the Subi outside). Eventually I shopped the STi Around and found that with its low mileage it was worth quit a bit so I sold it to a Carvana competitor that no longer exists. Needing some kind of vehicle I worked in a trade for a high mileage '11 LEAF, probably the weirdest trade ever. I figured friends could have a laugh at me in that car.
The thing is, I grew to love that car. A set of Pirellis vastly improved the ride and handling. I checked the MyNissanLEAF forum for tips and tweaks, learned about hypermiling, and got addicted to that game. It would feed my ADD need for engagement to try to squeeze the most miles out of a "tank." As a track day driver I found using the same techniques of looking ahead, conserving momentum, and precise throttle control could be used on the street w/o risking yet another speeding ticket. It was fun.
I moved on to another electric after a few years, now totally hooked, but that's not the end of the story. My cousin's kid needed a car for her 40 mile round trip commute. Gave it to her and she took it to the dealer for a new 12V battery only to find out there was a recall out for the degraded then 7 year old main battery. They installed a brand new one at no cost to her. Today that car has over 120,000 miles on it and is still in perfect condition. It has never broken down or needed a mechanical repair. Because of regen braking it still has the OEM brake pads.
I got accustomed to the quirky looks and now kinda miss it. Be forewarned that cold weather reduces range, especially using the heater. Dress for the weather and use heat sparingly. Preheat the car on cold days while it is still plugged in.
I would definitely say keep the leaf personally especially if you can get by with the range, and since you mentioned it was also for your family? I think that would be great city run about. :-)
Go with mooney rims and 3% range back. Also go with low rolking resistance tires. Or for the show get your battery updated to a 40 or 62kWh battery.
Nathan, as much as I would love to see your review on this vehicle, I cannot say, keep it. If you are worried about battery degradation, already, then what are you going to do in the deep cold of winter when you only get 60%-70% battery usability? There are trade offs, for YOU, but you also have your daughter to think about.
I have a 10 year 100,000 mile warranty on the battery. If it gets bad, it will be replaced by Nissan.
Regarding front or rear wheel drive; I believe you have forgotten something; a very large amount of the mass in an electric car is from the battery. The battery in that car is not over the front wheels. Also, let us know later how this does during winter. Let's see if you can actually get heat in that car and keep your windows clear. Should be interesting
Yeah, I think this leaf has resistive heating, which is horrible for range.
@@volvo09 it does and it is. Good luck keeping the windows clear during the Colorado winter. Not going to happen
The cars software comes with pre-heat capability, so that car is warm and toasty as soon as you get in it without draining the battery. Mine 40kW LEAF has heated seats and heated steering wheel. The car uses a heat-pump cabin heater reducing the amount of energy required to heat or cool the car. The cheap Chinese tyres on the car cause more degradation (rolling resistance) that heating the car. Better tyres could improve his distance by 5 or 10% adding a further 5-10 miles on the 100 he’s getting now. Battery has an 8 year warranty so it’s still covered for the next 4 years. I was sceptical about buying electric; best decision I’ve made about a car in a long time.
Kevin Barry I was able to keep windows clear on a 2012 in New York State when I had one. Granted it does not have the waste heat of an ICE but it will work.
@@patty109109 where exactly, big difference between Long Island and Buffalo for example
Nathan, both my son and daughter learnt to drive on the Nissan LEAF. Perfect vehicle as a learner vehicle. Instant torque is very confidence inspiring for a new driver. Modern ice turbo engines can be initially laggy which can be scary for a new driver especially on left turns.
#1 One of the reasons you have lower range is those off brand tires. You need Low Rolling Resistance tires to get anywhere near the rated range in a Leaf. Some of the best LRR tires on the market are the one that came on the 2nd generation Chevy Volt. They have a "self sealing version of that same tire on the Chevy Bolt.
#2 Gaining 40 miles of range on L2 will take you 2 hours, not a few minutes. You can get 40 miles of range on CHAdeMO in 15 or 20 min. You get 80% charge (80ish miles) in a half hour.
#3 FWD in an EV is little too no advantage in snow. The weight is concentrated in the middle in the battery pack, not in the tiny light weight electric motor up front. Not saying that they are horrible in snow, just that FWD EV doesn't have the snow advantage of a FWD ICE car.
Nathan, Charging the Leaf with the Chadomo does not damage the traction battery but, over heating it and charging it went the battery is not down at 50% or more will. Running the battery down and DC fast charging is good. Take it out of Eco mode and you will have more torque ( on the dash turn the Ego light out it's green). Learn to drive it by coasting too stop signs and many other refinements in driving will help the range GREATLY. Change the gear oil AFT in the gear reduction unit very 35,000 miles. Also in snow if put taller tires on it and the mileage didn't suffer but in snow it didn't pack up underneath the wheel wells. Two sized higher. use the torque that the electric motor produces to your advantage. DPB
I recently leased a couple new EVs for commutes and am buying a used v8 travel wagon this weekend. Neither purchase is a political statement, but a practical response to the habits of my household.
what's cool about the leaf is that at this point, it most likely won't depreciate much more. Also, if you want, instead of getting a new used car in a few years, just pop in a new battery, it will be cheaper than paying tax on a new car, registrations etc. etc.. you just have to have one car for it's utility and like you said, have a fun car on the side.. something that you can change out when you get bored.
Get yourself LeafSpyPro and an OBDII Bluetooth. It will tell you exactly the amount of charge in the drive battery. It measures in the form of GIDS and you can drive until there are 5 GIDS left. Much better than the GOM on the dash. You can note how many GIDS a particular trip requires and always know if you have enough charge.
We just sold our 2013 Leaf because the range was so bad in the winter. It was cheap yeah, but we still had to get places. They’re not really for highway driving.
Great video. I've owned a used 2015 Leaf SV since Fall of 2016 and a new 2019 SV since the Spring of 2020. First off you're absolutely correct. If you can get one that hasn't been abused these cars are near bullet proof and virtually maintenance free. The Nissan Leaf has won awards from CR and KBB for being the one of the lowest cost to own cars PERIOD. Except for being butt-ugly they're easily one of the most dependable and most reliable cars ever made. With no accessory belts, no alternator, no hydraulic power steering pump or hydraulic fluids (the Leaf uses an EPS - electronic power assist), no engine coolant system to speak of, no mechanical belt driven water pump, no complex Internal Combustion Engine with hundreds of moving parts, no engine lubricants, no transmission or transmission fluids, no exhaust or emissions systems, there's simply very little that can go wrong with them. Compared to an ICE vehicle this actually makes buying a used Leaf very worry free and except for the traction battery there's little that could have been abused by a previous owner. However, IMHO there are a few important things one needs to know about these cars especially if buying a used one. Well, anyway, these are things I've learned. Your readers should take them with a grain of salt :-).
-1st, if buying any used Leaf, you'll need to invest in an app called "Leaf Spy" and a BlueTooth OBDII port monitor to quickly check the traction battery's state of health. Especially true if buying from a non-Nissan dealership. Contrary to popular myth it's not that the early battery packs are particularly prone to have issues. Rather it's that these batteries can be easily abused by careless owners and often without them even knowing it. Leaf batteries don't like being rapid charged when their core temperature is over 100F. An elevated battery core temperature can easily result from extended periods of high speed (>80mph) driving especially when ambient temperatures are very high to begin with (think Arizona's 115F summer daytime temperatures). There is plenty of anecdotal as well as empirical evidence for these early Leaf batteries lasting well beyond their warranties with no problems. Owners simply need to understand that Nissan wasn't using an active cooling system (liquid cooling) for these early Leaf batteries. This is not a problem for the vast majority of owners who will never experience problems. However, if you're someone that needs to cruise for long periods above 80mph during >100F summer days then realize that you shouldn't stop a rapid charger and immediately plug in. Let the battery cool off first. Practicing a little caution will go far to keep your Leaf battery in good health for a very long time.
- 2nd, you should check the Car-Fax to see if the car was previously owned by anyone living in Arizona (this is where most of the battery issues occurred).
- 3rd, if the car is a 2016 or 2017 model (30kWh battery), it will likely "incorrectly" show excessive premature battery degradation. This is due to a BMS software issue which now has a correction. Every 2016 or 2017 should be returned to the dealership for the FREE update. Most owners incorrectly believed something was wrong with their battery and traded the car in without having the update. If there are missing capacity bars Leaf Spy can be used to show the battery's true State of Health (SOH). A dealer will also be able to tell if the vehicle has received the update.
-4th, if the car is a 2018 or 2019 you may have trouble if repeatedly needing to use a rapid charger on a long trip when the battery core temperature is elevated. This was called "Rapid Gate" and was due to the BMS software being overly protective. It wouldn't allow the highest charging rates when using at a rapid charging station. This will not be an issue for the vast majority of owners who will likely never experience this.
- 5th, there was a new "heat tolerant" battery upgrade starting with 2015 models. Also, with 2015 models, Nissan began using a very efficient Heat Pump instead of the crude glowing resistive heating element. This greatly helps to preserve range in cold weather.
-6th, the type of tires used is very important to achieve the best range with these vehicles. They are VERY sensitive to tire type. I lost nearly 7% of my range by simply changing to a high performance tire that wasn't designed for low rolling resistance. The Michelin low rolling resistance tires that these vehicles come with were chosen by Nissan engineers for a good reason. THEY ARE NECESSARY.
-7th, if buying an early model (pre 2018), be sure to get the heated steering wheel and heated seats. It makes a difference since they draw much less battery current than using the the heating system, especially on pre 2015 models.
- 8th, do not leave them charged to 100% for long term storage. If allowing the car to sit for more than a month than leave it somewhere between 40% and 70% SOC (I'm drawing from memory on this, the owners manual should state the exact storage times and proper SOC percentages). Also, try to limit the number of times you drive until the battery is completely drained. You should only do this in an emergency. It's not good to do this often. It's also not good to leave them in a drained state for any length of time.
-9th, don't worry so much about battery life and replacement costs, they have dropped substantially. For the early Leaf you can now purchase a refurbished 24kWh pack for $2800 and a brand new one for roughly $5800. The 30kWh version isn't much higher (these figures are over a year old and costs may have gone down even further). As far as upgrades are concerned, I have not found where this is available but I've heard that some dealerships and private shops are now offering to upgrade 24kWh models to a 30kWh pack for a reasonable price. Some shops are claiming to offer to upgrade them to the new 40kWh pack. Anyway, upgrading the early 24kWh Leaf to 30kWh and even 40kWh battery packs is absolutely possible and is being done. Google "Leaf battery replacement" and "Leaf battery upgrade".
-10th, using the CHAdeMO fast charger should not significantly affect battery life unless its repeatedly used when battery core temperatures are elevated. Using rapid charging exclusively will degrade the battery faster. Caveat here is that rapid charging is thought to be a lot less stressful on these batteries when performed on a cool of cold battery.
- 11th, I see you're wearing a Steelers hat. Sorry but the Ravens are going to take it all this year :-)
Great advice, Steelers imploded, being correct might take you to Tampa, FL.
This was most helpful, thank you.
Woooow amazing explain. Thank you
So helpful thank you
fwiw... Snowy Canadian here... For snow, rear-wheel drive electrics are a lot better than ICE cars, because the battery being in the middle means there is a lot more weight on the rear axle. My rwd electric was really good in the snow during the one winter I have had it so far. yeah, and watch out for the range in winter... I lose about 30-40%. Also beware of winter traffic, You expect EV's to use no power in traffic, but what actually happens in the winter is you spend more energy on heating, so the range hit is much worse than one would expect.
Mike subasic from Calgary has a 2011 leaf and it is great in the snow he is on TH-cam
My fwd Pacifica Hybrid is like a boat coming ashore at max speed
So what is your experience with the Front Wheel drive EV in the snow?
@@r134awhole5 just stopping with so much added weight can be a struggle on ice and at stop signs sometimes. It is Big Betsy. The weight is distributed to the front and middle, so it is difficult to take it off track because it sits wide and low. The limiting factor then comes down to tires, not awd vs. fwd at the speeds I drive at.
@@mauriceetal1426 I have zero experience driving in the snow I’m in Florida but I do remember my mom telling me the best car in the snow was her VW beetle with the engine in the back. went through everything
I bought a 2014 nissan leaf with the 24kw battery. I used it when my main fast car is on jack stands and i am working on it to go to HPDE track days and primarily when going to the auto parts store, going to work, taking my kid to the park. No need to warm up the oil and coolant.
Other than range, there are basically no negatives.
Looks🤔
@@travisb9130 subjective
Design, interior, amenities, ...
@@jeffmorse645 nahhh some things can be objectively ugly...
www.nengun.com/impul/nissan-leaf-aero-kit?country=US
The only down side to owning a Leaf is running the heater in the winter. On gen 1 and I think gen 2 S, they run resistive heater which eats battery/range.
For booking around town it is a great car.
I can't believe that someone who's supposed to be an auto expert, gets a Mini and shops from Carvana and Car Max, the 2 most expensive places to buy a used vehicle.
If you live in the midwest or northeast, it is nearly impossible to get a california car from your local dealer. A 10yr car here is getting ready for the rustbucket. A 10yr car from california has a shiny undercarriage. Two years ago, my daughter needed a cheap local commuter car for work. For less than $8k Carvana brought me a 2011 low mileage california leaf to my doorstep in northeast Ohio. No rust. Cheap. Fully loaded. Even with battery degradation the Leaf easily does the 15m to work and back. On amazon found a level 2 charger to plug into the dryer outlet in the garage. Since then, only had to buy winter tires and replace the driver side window switch. Excellent buy for the purpose.
I love my leaf. The 30kwh battery has a design flaw were a section of the battery overheats more easily causing faster degradation. If you are down 4 bars within the warranty you get a free upgrade to 40kwh from Nissan.
Simone Gertz can help you turn that Leaf into a pickup. Instead of Truckla, it could be Truff? Also, if you can get another Leaf and weld the front end onto the back end of your Leaf, you can make it a long bed 4x4.
Winter range sucks, you'll go 25% further in summer. Not sure why you care about the wheels - lipstick on a pig, a waste of money. I own a 2013 SV and consider it a box on wheels, which is just fine with me because you can't get a less expensive car to run.
Don't worry about CHADEMO charging in your climate, except in perhaps the hottest few days of the year.
Put 40 psi pressure in the tires and change the gearcase oil - you'll notice a decent bump up in performance and handling.
The nerd in me has an idea, how about trying to find ways to extend the range? Like hypermiling, maybe lowering the car, maybe taking a bunch of crap out to get the weight down (like back seat, spare tire, etc), just think it would be an interesting experiment.
Nice find, Nathan! I drive its twin: a used 2016 S-30 in that same color that I can't get enough of! Good call on ditching the wheel covers--I'm running on the black steelies. It's taken me over Berthoud Pass to Lake Granby twice, and from Weld to Elbert counties. My understanding with the batteries is that Nissan still had some 24 kWh packs after the start of the 2016 model year, so they put them in S-trim LEAFs until they were gone, and then put in 30 kWh. Oh, and 205/65R16 fits with no rubbing!
I have a 2014 and it is great. But there is a major flaw.
Last month the original 12 volt battery went bad and that set a hard code. I replaced the battery and it still wouldn't work because of the code that set. Tried many different suggestions from the internet. After 4 days I had it towed to the Nissan dealer. They fixed it and told me about the code that only a dealer can reset. Cost $180. Plus the cost of the new car battery.
I have a few other cars and do all mechanical work myself. But if the leaf gets a dead 12 volt car battery then it can set a code my scanner can't reset and I have to tow it to a dealer. This is horrible. Eventually the dealer won't support this platform and won't reset the code anymore. So even if I put in an upgraded battery pack and kept it for 20 years, the 12volt battery could go bad and I would have no way to reset the code.
note on the Saludin tires (or however it's spelled) - bought a Highlander AWD at Carmax in 2014 that had that brand on it. They're serviceable for commuter duty in the sun and rain. I wouldn't brave a Colorado winter in them. I did eventually put some high quality all-terrain tires on that vehicle but I did wear the Carmax tires down before I did. Unless you like g-force cornering just get some snow tires and be done with it.
You want EV rated tires. EV means lowest rolling resistance. That is wanted for best range.
Your gauge did not show any degraded bars (there was a bar above the 1 )
I've changed my driving style. Foot off the pedal and allow the electro dynamic braking put a bit of charge every slow down. BTW I drove a ICE car (Sentra 240 miles and got 50MPG because i drove it EV style (I have a 2015 Leaf w/28KW)
Check again. one bar is missing. there should be 12 there is only 11 on the video. 1:53 mark
Found a 2011 SL with 35k on it for $6k out the door in Nov 2019. I have about ~40 Miles in the Winter and ~60 in the summer commute that. I have used the crap out of this car plenty of DC fast charging as needed mainly L2 charging at home. Meets about 95% of our driving needs. Long range vehicle is our trust 2009 Prius that we've put about 180k miles on over a decade. Taking a delivery of an R1T to replace the Prius as our Long Range vehicle. There are plenty of these used Leafs seemingly everywhere. If you can get access to L2 charging it's simply the best used EV around period.
Vinyl wrap it in Forest Service Green and put a leaf in the colors of the Forest Service logo on the doors.
But, you could have spent 3X on a Tesla and let Musk decide if your used car is worthy of using a supercharger or not.
But at least you would have a car you like😅
@@mr.monitor. not everyone is obsessed with 0-60 times, in fact most people aren't. if that was the case the Camry (while it is quick, it doesn't feel like it) would not be the best selling car year over year for the past decade.
Most people want a comfortable, affordable, reliable car. everything else is just "nice to have's" and this Leaf, provided the battery is good, fits that bill quite nicely.
@@roguedogx did I say 0-60 time was the most important thing?
@@mr.monitor. it's a term meant to be a catch all for features that only a specific subset of the population cares about.
This can include any features that are treated as a bid deal, but are rarely, if ever, used by the customer.
This means, ground clearance, 0-60, top speed, quarter mile time, locking low range, and other features car people swoon over, but most people never actually use.
I should come up with a name for these kinds if features.
@@roguedogx They're called gimmicks. Look good on paper and are essential for internet dick measuring, not particularly useful IRL.
Personally, I don't like the color. Don't like that it doesn't have the more efficient LED headlight option, the batteries on these don't have the durability and lifespan as actively cooled battery cars, and finally....the Chinese hubcaps and Chinese tires are a huge "ahww-hell-nah" from me! AT $9500 I am totally "meh" about the car just like you are. I'd be stoked if it had the OEM wheels, a more fun color, LED headlights and non-Chinese tires.
Actively cooled batteries are such the rage. Why is the isn’t the volt made anymore? I think it has the superior actively cooled batteries
For those commenting on buying this EV or that hybrid, do a search. At
Tires need to be LLR... Low resistance roll. If they put the wrong tires on there you can lose mileage. I know because I had a Leaf and that's what the dealer told me.
I put 370 Z rims on my car staggered 18 inch. the dealer didn’t care. Lost some miles. Who cares
Chademo has the distinct capability of being able to discharge from its charger as well, unlike tesla or others, so there are chargers that allow you to discharge the leaf battery into your home grid, such as in a power outage. Also for around 5.5k you can get brand new batteries for this model leaf. This was a good long term buy, especially for your situation.
I feel that way about my 74 Nova, I bought it, put 215s and 255s on 15" rally wheels, purchased new chrome bumpers and tucked them, and im just sort of over it. It runs, and it's straight, I just kind of don't care about it anymore.
Maybe that will change come spring and summer but right now, I'm over owning it.
I've just bought myself a flame red 16 plate 30kWh Tekna 12/12 for £10.6k. Cheapest I've seen by far for the spec.
It is funny when people say it isn't quick. Compared to my old car it is hilariously quick
I have a leaf and I charge using a Rolec which takes about 3-4 hours from flat battery to full and it just plugs into the normal charger and sits on the front of my house
I literally watched this vid and decided to buy a leaf. I have a Ford bronco lifted sitting on 35d and it gets maybe 6mpg on a miracle of a day. With that being said I needed something that would allow me to dump money into the bronco and not spending much. Great vid answered my concerns. I’ve had it for two days and I can say i understand the worries like range but like you said low maintenance. Also they make tires for ev vehicles that will help with Range. And as for the wheels any Nissan 5 lug car wheel will fit. Ebay has a nice set of white nismo wheels for 225 shipped.
Trying to talk my wife into letting me get one to offset gas from my Expedition EL. 11.2 mpg over 8280 miles 😭
@Art Uro I’m glad I don’t have that gas bill. Gas is probably going to get a lot more expensive as states and the federal government raise gas taxes to pay off debt.
@Art Uro I don’t know what hamberders are, but I think they’re delicious. Long live covfefe!
Chinese tires and Autozone hubcaps are a dealbreaker for me.
Just got my first electric or some what electric car a Chevy volt. 53 miles on the battery which allows me to do my daily commute all on electricity . Nice to know when I go out of town it simply switches over to the generator which charges the battery to drive the electric motors
Also, ours was a 2013 with more options and the same miles with no degradation. It cost $7,000 at a dealer a year ago. So you can probably get a better price.
Love my LEAF they are troopers ! perfect entry level EV to get your feet wet ! Feels AMAZING to be smog, gas & oil free ! luckily I have the Luxury of charging at work (Free) and at Home. A full charge even if you have to pay is $2 or $3 bucks I will pay that over a Full tank of Gas anyday ! I was on the fence for years about electric, one day I found a LEAF for 9k & that sparked my interest enough to pull the trigger ! any other brand EV you are looking upwards 20k to 80k Easy ! Maybe one day I will dive in for a Tesla after experiencing this wonderful life owning an EV
"I had to replace my beloved Suzuki" I hear ya bro, we had to say goodby to our 2003 Suzuki XL-7 last month. That vehicle gave us everything it had to give and then some.
Nothing beats Electric for a frugal city car. 👌😎
Get one free is the only way buy the new battery tires and drive delta power pack for on the go charging .
EV and badass aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.
Remember that time marches on, with all sorts of advancements in battery and motor tech.
This is essentially an electric Model A - more refined and mature than the T - but still ripe for hot rodding.
As you start getting comfortable with the tech, and this vehicle ages out as a daily driver, it opens the door to all manner of devilry.
Controller mod/swap, motor rewind, higher capacity and power battery.
Thoughts on the good deals on the Chevy bolts? They have a range of 230 miles, used 2017s are going for 16k with fairly low mileage
My budget was for under 10K
@@NathanDAdlen yeah, im looking at the bolt and was curious if you reviewed it
@@DusanMilko we reviewed them in the past. I love the car, sadly they’re just to expensive used - for me
I'm looking to buy one for my son as he will get his license soon. I think they are an excellent value for 2017. Just make sure they come with the Fast Charger as that is an option and I definitely don't want one without it.
@@NathanDAdlen Hi Nathan!
Battery degradation slows down considerably after the first 10% degradation, but the Nissan Leaf has notoriously bad degradation. I would not count on unlocking extra range from a software update.
If you are confident that you can always charge the car both at work and at home, then I think this car will work out fine for you. But don't count on the car being fine for 80 mile trips 4 years from now.
New tires may give ya back some lost efficiency.
We put Perelli Cinturato P1s on our 17 Volt. No noticeable efficiency loss over stock energy savers. But we also went with the higher speed rated tires with thicker side walls, allowing higher operating PSI (40-44 PSI) without encroaching into maximum PSI territory.
Great starter EV. Also, Level 2 gets you 25 miles in an hour, not 40 miles in 20 mins.
You won't get near 90 miles in the winter. We have a 2016 24kwh and get only about 40-50 mile on that in the winter. I guess it depends on how much heat you use. As long as you can charge at both ends I don't see it being an issue for you. Try and test out the heater if you can. Ours was bad and we didn't notice it for a few months. Thankfully the dealer took the hit of the several 1000 dollar repair.
There is an issue with aged EVs. Battery degeneration with age, and the aging of the electronics modules. Eventually, the battery will have to be changed. With age electronic modules may start to fail. The Leaf is a terrific vehicle. There are a fair amount of people driving them in the area where I live.
Glad to see it! Keep your v8 for fun but ev for daily commute.
Good thing about Nissan leaf is that all the batteries from 24KWH to 64KHW are same form factor. The bad news is that upgrading battery is really difficult because Nissan doesn't want (or didn't intend) leaf owners to upgrade their battery pack and give old leaf(s) from 2010 the long long life that it deservers.
S30 packs have a longer warranty. Like 100k miles to 8 bars and 8 years.
Car Max or Carvana? I would say Car Max, not sure buying a car just off pictures, and, at Car Max, you can check every nook and cranny if you wish prior to purchase, and, bring it on home right then, and not have to wait days for it to be brought to you.
Sailun tires are pretty good for budget class tires
Now when car aficionados buy EVs you know we are at a tipping point.
I think being a car aficionado means you appreciate different vehicles for their strengths. Most non-car people know what a Mustang, Jeep or Mercedes are, but have no clue the difference between a 2015 Chevy SS and 2015 Chevy Impala, for example (clue: one is RWD V8, with manual available). It doesn't have to impress a non-car person for a car person to like it.
The Prius is similar; to non-car people it's a fuel efficient taxi or eco fashion statement, but I think many car enthusiasts can appreciate the engineering that went into making it amazing as a commuter, even if it's not backroad or track day focused.
@@questioner1596 Exactly. Anyone who thinks buying a ridiculously high-powered version of a poorly built car or pickup makes them an aficionado, is a different type of enthusiast than I am. A super reliable and economical platform is smart, especially if you find ways to push the corners of its envelope to suit your own needs. The commute from my Covid-era home is 108 miles round trip. Because I don't charge at work, in my 2017 Prius Prime, it costs me $1 of electricity plus 0.9 to 1.2 gallons of gas. In my 2005 Prius, it costs me 1.6 to 2.0 gallons of gas. In either one, I can carry an amazing amount of stuff, or a modest amount of 10ft lumber with the hatch closed. On the 2005, I have a receiver hitch cargo carrier so I can carry stuff you wouldn't believe. In the 2005, I've carried a Harbor Freight 56 inch roller cabinet with the hatch closed, a 500 pound 60x30 safe with the hatch almost closed with a bungee, and cruised down the interstate doing the 65mph speed limit (out of an abundance of caution, not a lack of power) with a boxed new 80 gallon hot water tank from Sears standing up on the cargo carrier. I've driven both of them offroad after putting bigger tires on them, though angle of approach still isn't their strength, to say the least.
@@EfficientRVer, I also appreciate practicality. I've carried a 30"x48" mostly assembled desk while still seating 3 in a Pontiac Vibe, a 1300 cc cruiser motorcycle in a Toyota Sienna, a 14' gutter sticking out the sunroof with the hatch closed on an Elantra hatch, among others, and am always amazed when people think they need to rent a truck for a few long boards. It's amazing what a roof rack and trailer hitch can add to a vehicle.
If you take this to Nissan for the software update, be sure to let us know how it effected the range.
You dolt. Tippy? On a skid track with good tires the Nissan Leaf was near a Porsche in lateral G's. With all the way down low these cars corner like go karts.
Slow? I'm a red light holeshot rockstar. If I put my foot into it off a red light I smoke everybody.
Second for around town running errands within 10, 15, 20 miles of my house it's perfect. Do you have a daily commute under 50 miles RT? Again perfect. I have a 2015 Nissan Leaf SV and that's what I use it for, second car to run errands.
I have a 2017 Chevy Volt. You should trade in for that. Get either the Premiere or the LT 2 package. The new Chevy Bolt is cool too. They have a larger version coming out. They're expensive though.
I have a 2012 Leaf with a new battery that I may be stuck with until I die. It just keeps going and going and going. 75 miles at a time.
When I test drove a leaf the high pitched electric motor whine bugged me. However putting it in sport mode solved the problem.