ot. one car family…

[cvmom]

We have a Leaf, bought new several years ago. We’ve been (and hope to continue to be) very happy with it. Extremely low maintenance. Range can be an issue for the older models.

[TeCKis300]

The combined federal and state incentives (~$10k) are the primary reason for the Leaf’s ridiculous depreciation.

It’s a great incentive new, that secondary buyers in the used market also benefit from.

[(former)FormerSanDiegan]

We bought a new LEAF when it was introduced in 2011. It was our second car and quickly became our primary car we used when we were out and about. 5+ years later we still love it… Won;t ever buy a purely gas-powered vehicle again.
After 5 years the range has dropped by about 15%. Doesn’t impact us much as 95% of the time we are within a 15-mile radius of home in a largely congested urban area in LA.

As for depreciation, it does seem poor. However, it might be impacted by the older, smaller battery packs used in the initial versions, and the impact of Government incentives.
For example, our 2011 was “priced” at ~ $33K, but we received $7500 federal tax credit and $5000 state tax rebate. So, the real out of pocket price for us was ~$20K.

I’m estimating that we saved about $8000 in fuel costs over the five years. Also, our maintenance costs have totaled less than $800 over those 5 years.

I don’t think the current Government subsidies are as generous today, but for us it’s been the least expensive car we have owned in terms of total cos over the initial 5 years (incl. fuel, maintenance, depreciation). Worth it even it depreciates to $0 over 8 or 10 years

[scaredyclassic]

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1098554_should-i-buy-a-used-nissan-leaf-or-another-electric-car/page-3
used leaf analysis.
could be undervalued in the marketplace

[outtamojo]

Ok you people have me interested in a used Leaf now. With 2 kids having practices all the time at different locales and their friends bumming rides too an EV might save me a chunk of change.

[scaredyclassic]

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/12/31/nissan-leaf-depreciates-worse-than-any-other-car/

highest depreciation of any car! im interested.

i was opposed initially but im gonna check em out…i think this might be for me..

[ocrenter]

[quote=TeCKis300]Leaf’s have proven to be very reliable. Since it’s a rather new vehicle, it has all the latest safety technology. And also has all the connectivity, options, and gadgets you would want from a new car. Plus that warranty!

The great thing is, as cheap as the corolla is to operate, this thing will be cheaper still! Practically pennies for “gas”, and very very low maintenance requirements.

As you’ll be someone new to EV’s, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. The motors instant torque, no heat/exhaust from underneath (especially hot summer days, and never having to detour to the gas station (full “tank” every morning), as HUGE perks to EV’s.

For the record, I don’t own a Leaf. Many of my colleagues and coworkers do. My wife has a RAV4 EV that I haul the family around in on weekends. I personally like the aroma and sound of burning lots of dinosaurs, but can’t deny the advantages of EVs.[/quote]

The reliability is intrinsic to EV itself, gone are the thousands of parts needed for a typical ICE. no oil change, no transmission service, no annual 16 point inspection…

The cost of operation is extremely low as well. Especially if you have solar, it is like having an oil well in the backyard and bypassing the varios stages of prehistoric vegitations–> dinosaurs–> decomposing bodies–> millions of years of fossilization–> exploration–> drilling–> transport–> refining–> more transport–> driving to gas station. How many middle men and middle lizards did that pass through? As a kid I actually dreamed of having an oil well in my backyard, with an EV and solar, I can honestly say this is a dream come true. LOL!

[ocrenter]

[quote=scaredyclassic]http://www.autoblog.com/2015/12/31/nissan-leaf-depreciates-worse-than-any-other-car/

highest depreciation of any car! im interested.

i was opposed initially but im gonna check em out…i think this might be for me..[/quote]

you think you are getting a second car, in reality it will end up being your main vehicle of operation.

[svelte]

[quote=scaredyclassic]http://www.autoblog.com/2015/12/31/nissan-leaf-depreciates-worse-than-any-other-car/

highest depreciation of any car! im interested.

i was opposed initially but im gonna check em out…i think this might be for me..[/quote]

Leaf prices falling like a rock have been discussed before on here:

http://piggington.com/how_much_did_you_pay_for_solar?page=5

[quote=svelte]

[quote=svelte]

2015 Leafs (98) – $31.7K average
2013 Leafs (13) – $15.3K average
Average drop: 30% (if rebate factored in)
Average drop: 52% (without factoring rebate)

2015 Jukes (7) – $28.2 average
2013 Jukes (11) = $19.2 average
Average drop: 32%

2015 Volts (96) – $35.3K average
2013 Volts (3) – $20.4K average
Average drop: 19.5% (if rebate factored in)
Average drop: 43% (without factoring rebate)

[/quote]

Not sure how this popped up on the thread list, but let’s revisit this almost a year later. I’m not going to do a 2016 vs 2013 comparison because the 2016 Volt is all new – wouldn’t be a fair comparison.

But let’s look at 2013 prices within 25 miles of my home:

2013 Leafs (14): $11,900 average

2013 Volts (15): $17,900 average

2013 Jukes (8): $16,400 average

Looks like the Volt is still doing significantly better than the Leaf in resale value.

[/quote]

On used Leafs, don’t forget to factor in a new battery which can run $3000-5000.

I prefer the Volt to alleviate range anxiety, especially as battery range decreases over time. But a used Volt will cost more $$.

[ocrenter]

[quote=svelte]

On used Leafs, don’t forget to factor in a new battery which can run $3000-5000.

I prefer the Volt to alleviate range anxiety, especially as battery range decreases over time. But a used Volt will cost more $$.[/quote]

one major problem with the LEAF is you have to document significant range reduction to even get that new battery.

whereas Tesla and BMW are both committed to the idea of battery replacement when upgrades are available in the future.

[bobby]

some have car ADD, they get a different car every few years. I have only kept one car for 15 years. The only saving grace for the wallet is that I don’t mind used cars. Cars are made so well these days that used one isn’t unreliable.

[EJ]

I share a car with my wife. We supplement with Uber and Lyft, as well as riding bikes. $14,211 buys a lot of rides! For us, the cost of rides per month is much less than a car payment (or opportunity cost of a lump sum), so it was an easy choice. Plus, parking is tight in our ‘hood, so helps with that too. We live near the beach and typically are not going very far, so cost per ride is usually the minimum fair ($5.75 for either). If I recall correctly, you are in east lizardia, so you might need to factor in more expensive rides.

[spdrun]

Uber/Lyft are evil — they’re basically a conspiracy to replace private travel with “renting,” tied to a credit card and identity, and where your travel info is recorded forever in a database. The surveillance state’s cum-stained wet dream.

Bike more, Uber less. Biking is also good for weight loss.

[FlyerInHi]

Spdrun, creepy but there’s no getting around the surveillance state. If you use CC, your movements can be tracked during the day. Phone companies and even stores look at your unique phone wifi MAC address to track your visits.

I’m a bonadide resident of NV, but I spend a lot of time in CA. I make sure my CC spending is mostly out of CA lest the state argues I’m a resident of CA and therefore must pay state taxes.

Tesla has GPS tracking and LTE built in. GM OnStar, Toyota, etc…
Electronic discovery is kinda fascinating in legal cases. That’s what Khirz Khan does.

[spdrun]

Pay cash, don’t carry a e-leash, cut the antenna on your car. Generic Morons ceases to care once you cancel your subscription. Better yet, don’t give hoot, pollute, drive an older smog-exempt diesel car with next to no eelectronic geegaws.

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