Nissan Leaf 7 day test drive

[Andy665]

The Leaf was returned this morning and genuinely sorry to see it go - used it as I would normally use a car all week and it fitted in perfectly, cost me £1.40 in electricity

Getting back into an ICE car to come home made me realise just how much energy is wasted through braking, coating etc - also just how unrefined normal cars are

I have asked for figures, was told they could offer 22% discount plus £850 deposit contribution - to be honest that doesn't matter - its the monthly figure - if it stacks up then I'm going to seriously consider one

[gangzoom]

Andy665 said:

Getting back into an ICE car to come home made me realise just how much energy is wasted through braking, coating etc - also just how unrefined normal cars are

This was one of the reasons why after driving the Leaf for just 1 mile, I knew my much love BMW 335i had to go....ICE have had their time. If it wasn't a Leaf I would have bought a Tesla or i3...The fact Leaf deals are so cheap was the tiny push I needed to jump on board the EV train, and after living with the Leaf for the last 3 weeks, I cannot wait for the day EV cars out number ICE cars on the road

[irish boy]

Got a call from Nissan this morning as a follow up to an enquiry I made about a leaf. It's now a 4 day test drive and they've me booked in for this Friday! Looking forward to it.

[GreatGranny]

Andy665 said:

The Leaf was returned this morning and genuinely sorry to see it go - used it as I would normally use a car all week and it fitted in perfectly, cost me £1.40 in electricity

Getting back into an ICE car to come home made me realise just how much energy is wasted through braking, coating etc - also just how unrefined normal cars are

I have asked for figures, was told they could offer 22% discount plus £850 deposit contribution - to be honest that doesn't matter - its the monthly figure - if it stacks up then I'm going to seriously consider one

Do you have any figures?

Asked my local dealer to send my figures before Christmas but nothing yet.
I haven't chased him, not really in a position to buy/lease yet, but an idea of what deals they have would be interesting.

[DSLiverpool]

The good deals on Zoe's and leafs are £3800 for 2 years 12k miles, bit more for more miles etc - aim for that.

[Andy665]

Dealer eventually came back with £250 deposit and £209 per month over 24 months on a non-metallic Tekna - I told them I wanted the very best deal - one chance and I'd say either yes or no - I said no

[pboyall]

That's a better deal than I've seen for a while ...

[irish boy]

Still no where near the £3800 that's being achieved by many.

[stargazer30]

Well I'm 4 months and 4000 miles in on the Zoe. Hassle free/cheap and easy motoring. The main problem I have at the moment is keeping it within the 12500 mile/year limit. My CTR never used to break 10K as it hit my wallet weekly if I started to over use it. But since we got the Zoe the missus wants to drive it all the time too, its racking up the miles. I think she likes the way it drives itself and the free parking in the town centre/shops. Still petrol bill has gone from £350 a month to £100 so can't complain.

I agree on the refinement, I hate driving wifeys trashcan these days (aka her petrol qashqai). Heavy, clunky, aweful thing.

[pboyall]

irish boy said:

Still no where near the £3800 that's being achieved by many.

They were buying in March when dealers were selling at a loss to hit end of year targets. For the most part they were also using up last years employee discount codes (bit dodgy that).

For comparison, I'm paying ~£250 a month and that is better than a lot who bought at the same time as me, i.e. not during the March madness (6.6, non metallic, 12K PA)

[PKLD]

Andy665 said:

Dealer eventually came back with £250 deposit and £209 per month over 24 months on a non-metallic Tekna - I told them I wanted the very best deal - one chance and I'd say either yes or no - I said no

That's a very good deal if it's based on 10k miles given that as the other posters have said it now not worth the dealers to do the loss leading deals. That's also the Tekna model which is the one I've got and for the low deposit they are offering you that's a good deal.

Most of the deals were 6k miles, £1,500+ deposits and around £100-120 monthly for mid spec models

People want their cake and eat it! It's well worth £5k for 2 years - and you'll be saving £750-1800 on fuel cost each year depending on the miles remember!

My insurance also fell from £470 to £220 from my old £4k civic 1.8 to my new £25k leaf!?!

[M4cruiser]

Well I mentioned a Leaf to my other half this week, and she was suddenly dead against it - she's now heard about the electromagnetic field argument, and doesn't want us to have an electric car!

Shame, I was starting to get interested in a Leaf, although the repayment will be more than the fuel saved, overall it would be cheaper than a newish Astra-Focus class car.

I did some Googling and found there's no conclusive evidence of an electromagnetic problem for Hybrids, but I can't find sure results for a Leaf.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/08/my...
Can anyone help?

[pboyall]

You won't find any studies on the "electromagnetic field" danger from electric cars, because it would be like funding a study on whether it's dark at night.

Does your missus travel by train? They have rather larger electric motors than these cars.

Of course, it could be a ploy to avoid housework ;-) There's an electric motor in your washing machine which spins faster than the one in the car; the hoover; drill; hairdryer (which she holds right next to her head!!!)

Sorry to be sarcastic, but practically speaking you're onto a loser if she's going to fall for non-science stuff. Best stick to the petrol car and hope she doesn't read in the Daily Mail about petrol being carcinogenic, diesel causing asthma ... everything is dangerous, we're all going to die! Eventually ...

;-)

[ncbbmw]

M4cruiser said:

Well I mentioned a Leaf to my other half this week, and she was suddenly dead against it - she's now heard about the electromagnetic field argument, and doesn't want us to have an electric car!

Shame, I was starting to get interested in a Leaf, although the repayment will be more than the fuel saved, overall it would be cheaper than a newish Astra-Focus class car.

I did some Googling and found there's no conclusive evidence of an electromagnetic problem for Hybrids, but I can't find sure results for a Leaf.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/08/my...
Can anyone help?

I'm guessing she doesn't have a mobile phone then?

[DSLiverpool]

ncbbmw said:

M4cruiser said:

Well I mentioned a Leaf to my other half this week, and she was suddenly dead against it - she's now heard about the electromagnetic field argument, and doesn't want us to have an electric car!

Shame, I was starting to get interested in a Leaf, although the repayment will be more than the fuel saved, overall it would be cheaper than a newish Astra-Focus class car.

I did some Googling and found there's no conclusive evidence of an electromagnetic problem for Hybrids, but I can't find sure results for a Leaf.
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/08/my...
Can anyone help?

I'm guessing she doesn't have a mobile phone then?

Or a microwave, cordless home or even certain light bulbs

[M4cruiser]

DSLiverpool said:

Or a microwave, cordless home or even certain light bulbs

I think her issue is that other devices (mobile phones, hairdriers, etc) are in use for only a few minutes at a time, and in an open area, whereas the car is a metal box with magnetic rays trapped inside, and for an hour or two at a time.

I can see that part of the argument ... but can't prove or disprove it!

[pboyall]

If she is using terms like "magnetic rays" then I suggest the argument can easily be "ah but it leaves the 'magnetic rays' behind it as it moves along" :-)

I honestly really don't think it is worth your while arguing - buy a nice diesel and have a quiet life.

As they say - two ways to argue with a woman. Neither work.