Buying Leaf Secondhand

mylesm

HI

I am going to Buy a Leaf in the new year as our second car we live in Dublin and most of our driving is local so I feel an EV is ideal

I am clueless as to the different models,chargers, etc etc but I am retired Electrican so installing a home charge point is no problem but which one

I would probably go for 2014 or 2013 and would like some advise re which model people would advise re comfort and charging options etc

Then the search begins

Thanks

mylesm

Hi mylesm,

It's good that you are considering the 2013+ because the batteries are much more durable than those in the 2011-2013, there was a change in July + Built leafs, easy spotted because they have the darker interior rather than the bright one in the original leaf, so those are the ones to get.

Range will be about 110-135 Kms Winter/Summer 100-110 Kph and about 130-140 Kms Summer 80-100 Kph but traveling at 140 Kph will reduce this more including foul weather, high winds and surface water.

In the updated leaf from 132 reg leafs + (darker interior) there are 3 trims, XE (basic) and then the SV (mid spec) which included things like sat nav and the much more efficient heater which uses a heat pump and sat nav and the ability to remote activate the heating and AC which can be pretty handy.

The top spec (SVE) includes 17 Inch alloys which make the ride firmer. You get LED lights , heated seats front and rear and heated steering. They too can be set to come on during pre heating and when you get in it's nice and warm.

You set the normal charging and heating timers via the sat nav head unit.

regarding charging, the majority of leafs imported by Nissan Ireland come with a built in AC charger rated at 3.3 kw and will charge in under 7 hrs mostly because you won't arrive with a very low battery most of the time so charging can be anything "up" to 7 hrs.

There is an optional 6.6kw AC charger which will charge in half the time of the 3.3 Kw to about 90% after which the charge rate slows down but to 80-90 % is much faster with the 6.6 kw. The 6.6 kw is rare and most people buy what's already in stock with the dealer and they don;t import many 6.6 kw chargers because they cost 900 Extra but if you can find a 2nd hand one with it get it, better have the ability to charge faster at home than want to. Most of your charging will be done at night on the cheaper night rate, though whether that's worth while to you is depending on how much you will need to charge, the night meter costs 50 Euro's per year more and to me was paid back after just over a month. You can use the washing machine, dishwasher and clothes dryer at night also along with the immersion in Summer, most modern appliances come with timers so you can set them for night rate.

All cars apart from a few early XE trims on the 132 trims have fast DC charging capability meaning a 18%-80 % in about 30 mins, this time increases the colder the battery gets, extended cold periods could see 10 mins added to charge times at the fast charger.

When you install your home charge point (called EVSE) wire it from the consumer unit to the EVSE for about 40 amps if you go for the 6.6 Kw charger and even if not it would save you the hassle of re-running a higher current cable in the future or if you got 2 electric cars or if you intend to install 2 EVSE's for when relitives visit if they happen to get an ev in the future you can run 2x 3.3 Kw leafs.

Protection at the consumer comes from a 16 amp RCBO or 32 amp depending on the charger specs 3.3 or 6.6 Kw.

I suggest you take a leaf for a test drive.

There is a 30 Kwh longer range Leaf available now which will get 140-170 Kms 100-110 Kph.

2017 , early 2018 will see Gen II leaf with 300-340 Kms range with most likely an optional 60 Kwh battery but there may be a 40 kwh mid spec battery also.

You'll love it.

mylesm

Deleted User wrote: »

Hi mylesm,

It's good that you are considering the 2013+ because the batteries are much more durable than those in the 2011-2013, there was a change in July + Built leafs, easy spotted because they have the darker interior rather than the bright one in the original leaf, so those are the ones to get.

Range will be about 110-135 Kms Winter/Summer 100-110 Kph and about 130-140 Kms Summer 80-100 Kph but traveling at 140 Kph will reduce this more including foul weather, high winds and surface water.

In the updated leaf from 132 reg leafs + (darker interior) there are 3 trims, XE (basic) and then the SV (mid spec) which included things like sat nav and the much more efficient heater which uses a heat pump and sat nav and the ability to remote activate the heating and AC which can be pretty handy.

The top spec (SVE) includes 17 Inch alloys which make the ride firmer. You get LED lights , heated seats front and rear and heated steering. They too can be set to come on during pre heating and when you get in it's nice and warm.

You set the normal charging and heating timers via the sat nav head unit.

regarding charging, the majority of leafs imported by Nissan Ireland come with a built in AC charger rated at 3.3 kw and will charge in under 7 hrs mostly because you won't arrive with a very low battery most of the time so charging can be anything "up" to 7 hrs.

There is an optional 6.6kw AC charger which will charge in half the time of the 3.3 Kw to about 90% after which the charge rate slows down but to 80-90 % is much faster with the 6.6 kw. The 6.6 kw is rare and most people buy what's already in stock with the dealer and they don;t import many 6.6 kw chargers because they cost 900 Extra but if you can find a 2nd hand one with it get it, better have the ability to charge faster at home than want to. Most of your charging will be done at night on the cheaper night rate, though whether that's worth while to you is depending on how much you will need to charge, the night meter costs 50 Euro's per year more and to me was paid back after just over a month. You can use the washing machine, dishwasher and clothes dryer at night also along with the immersion in Summer, most modern appliances come with timers so you can set them for night rate.

All cars apart from a few early XE trims on the 132 trims have fast DC charging capability meaning a 18%-80 % in about 30 mins, this time increases the colder the battery gets, extended cold periods could see 10 mins added to charge times at the fast charger.

When you install your home charge point (called EVSE) wire it from the consumer unit to the EVSE for about 40 amps if you go for the 6.6 Kw charger and even if not it would save you the hassle of re-running a higher current cable in the future or if you got 2 electric cars or if you intend to install 2 EVSE's for when relitives visit if they happen to get an ev in the future you can run 2x 3.3 Kw leafs.

Protection at the consumer comes from a 16 amp RCBO or 32 amp depending on the charger specs 3.3 or 6.6 Kw.

I suggest you take a leaf for a test drive.

There is a 30 Kwh longer range Leaf available now which will get 140-170 Kms 100-110 Kph.

2017 , early 2018 will see Gen II leaf with 300-340 Kms range with most likely an optional 60 Kwh battery but there may be a 40 kwh mid spec battery also.

You'll love it.

Thanks madlad
I had a leaf for a test drive last year but didnt go for it then but I am certainly going now

the market for secondhand is limited here I may look in UK as I say I am Electrican so installation of charging point is not an issue

I see Nissan are doing 4000 scrappage now and we have a 01 yaris as our second car the leaf would be to replace this and become our main car as 90% + of our journeys are less than 50k so I might visit a dealer next week just to see what sort of a deal I could get

Seems to be some good deals in UK even allowing for poor exchange rate

eg http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201511279049561/sort/atcustom/radius/1500/latitude/52.725857912779475/longitude/-7.593891616600605/make/nissan/model/leaf/page/1/usedcars?polaAffiliate=isis&utm_medium=isis&utm_source=affiliates&utm_campaign=pola

Thanks again appreciate the help
mylesm

mylesm

mylesm wrote: »

Thanks madlad

I see Nissan are doing 4000 scrappage now and we have a 01 yaris as our second car the leaf would be to replace this and become our main car as 90% + of our journeys are less than 50k so I might visit a dealer next week just to see what sort of a deal I could get

Seems to be some good deals in UK even allowing for poor exchange rate

You're welcome !

In some cases , especially if you do low mileage a PCP deal can work out cheaper than buying 2nd hand but over the 3 years. The difference is you won't own it and will cost you more to buy it out.

Buying from the U.K might not save a lot but you'll have a far greater chance of getting the spec you want. You would be better off to buy close to the ports.

mylesm

Deleted User wrote: »

You're welcome !

In some cases , especially if you do low mileage a PCP deal can work out cheaper than buying 2nd hand but over the 3 years. The difference is you won't own it and will cost you more to buy it out.

Buying from the U.K might not save a lot but you'll have a far greater chance of getting the spec you want. You would be better off to buy close to the ports.

Thanks

I was just in A Nissan Dealer and for a New 24Kw SV with cold pack I could take it away 21340Euro

What you Think makes a sechondhand one not too attractive now

mylesm

mylesm

anyone any thoughts on that price they are saying scrappage deal is only short term

thanks mylesm

mr.dunkey

mylesm wrote: »

anyone any thoughts on that price they are saying scrappage deal is only short term

thanks mylesm

Nissans scrappage deal runs for months, They say it running out to put pressure on the sale. They are under pressure for the Jan figures

mylesm

mylesm wrote: »

Thanks

I was just in A Nissan Dealer and for a New 24Kw SV with cold pack I could take it away 21340Euro

What you Think makes a sechondhand one not too attractive now

mylesm

21,340 is this a cash deal ? or after trade in ?

Think about the 30 kwh !

mylesm

Deleted User wrote: »

21,340 is this a cash deal ? or after trade in ?

Think about the 30 kwh !

That was including Scrappage I am Talking to Paul In Barlo now definitely considering the 30Kw as I will be buying car outright no PCP so have to consider resale in the future

mylesm

Rafal

I ordered a 30 kWh from Paul, too. I did it because we will use the extra range regularly a few times a month, especially when doing an airport run. It will also help when the battery capacity inevitably drops in a few years. However, I wonder if it is going to have a huge impact on the resale value, unless you plan to resell soon, because much larger batteries are on the horizon.

Having said that, if you can afford it, it seems to me like the #1 option to get, because of other benefits, too, like faster charging and a much longer warranty, which may have positive impact on the resell value.

I would imagine a 70-80 mile range car in 5 years would be ideal as a 2nd car for most people and even as their main car. And you're quiet right, the larger battery will help offset capacity loss down the road but chances are you'll have sold it before you'd actually notice it unless you monitor it like me then again I wouldn't notice a 5% loss myself and possibly more with the 24 Kwh battery.

The 30 kwh is a brand new chemistry and in theory longer lasting than the current chemistry which is doing pretty good.

My Leaf shows 0 loss in capacity after almost a year and 26,600 Kms , this is pretty positive. If it's shown 0% after a year it's certainly not going to be an issue after 3 years and 80 odd K Kms.

The other day after a full balanced charge leafspy showed I had 22 kwh in the battery ! That's excellent !

k123456

Rafal wrote: »

I ordered a 30 kWh from Paul, too. I did it because we will use the extra range regularly a few times a month, especially when doing an airport run. It will also help when the battery capacity inevitably drops in a few years. However, I wonder if it is going to have a huge impact on the resale value, unless you plan to resell soon, because much larger batteries are on the horizon.

Having said that, if you can afford it, it seems to me like the #1 option to get, because of other benefits, too, like faster charging and a much longer warranty, which may have positive impact on the resell value.

Tell me about the longer warranty, please

k123456

k123456 wrote: »

Tell me about the longer warranty, please

8 years 160,000 kms covers capacity loss , if the battery reaches below 70% within those 8 years they will repair it to in or around 70%.

The 24 Kwh gets 100 kms and 5 years warranty to below 70%.

cros13

Deleted User wrote: »

8 years 160,000 kms covers capacity loss , if the battery reaches below 70% within those 8 years they will repair it to in or around 70%.

The 24 Kwh gets 100 kms and 5 years warranty to below 70%.

While that's the letter of the warranty, in practice the battery warranty has been invoked on very few occasions (3 in 50,000 EU sales) replacing the entire pack with a brand new one of the latest production version has been the reality.

With the comparatively stable climate in Ireland protecting the batteries, if there is an issue even caused by other factors, it would be noticed first in other countries. And so far... apart from temperature related degradation in Arizona et al which only impacted Gen 1 batteries... we have yet to see an issue.

Most people won't reach 70% on the MK 1.5 leaf and less so with the 30 Kwh and probably never on the 60 Kwh.

Most likely not the first buyers anyway.