2012 Leaf I MIGHT buy

S

sy_trilogy

New Member
I would appreciate recommendations from members here. I will look at a 2012 Nissan Leaf that has under 30,000 miles on it that has been owned by two different households. It looks great in its recent pictures. What I am most concerned about is that it can only be brought up to a 60% charge with so few miles on it.

I will only use this as a second car for short trips around town. I will have access to a gas-powered vehicle for travel of any distance. I know I will need to replace the battery pack at some point, but I have no idea where in the future that will be! I do not know why the battery figure is so low. It is in Florida and always has been. I suspect it has been garaged from the shape of the paint job. I can't imagine how the battery could have sustained so much loss in so few miles! If I had to, I suppose I could replace the battery now by using credit, but I'd hate to have to do that right away. I do not need the car for work, but it would be nice to know I could use it for commuter purposes if I had to do that. I am in Florida as well, and the thought of driving the Leaf without air-conditioning because there isn't enough juice in the car to do that would drive me crazy. Is it possible to replace all of its lights with LED's at a dealership?

Any thoughts and recommendations will be greatly appreciated.
 
I would disregard the other comment and if you feel it will work for you at the limited SoH and the price is right, then go for it. You can keep looking as there are many used Leafs (and Teslas and other models) on the market now. Basically the main concern for any BEV would be the battery pack. Most of the other components are rock-solid and will last for long periods.
 
Kenneth Bokor said:
I would disregard the other comment and if you feel it will work for you at the limited SoH and the price is right, then go for it. You can keep looking as there are many used Leafs (and Teslas and other models) on the market now. Basically the main concern for any BEV would be the battery pack. Most of the other components are rock-solid and will last for long periods.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply, Ken. I just saw your kind reply today. I did purchase the Leaf 2012 SL, and I have since had the traction battery replaced by a nearby Nissan dealer that was offering the replacement for an OTD price of $4,746.46. That special offer ended on June 15. I got in just under the wire. The price then jumped to $8,500 just for the battery. I love the car, and I hate cars just on principle! I have turned my garage here in Florida into an intensive care unit for the Leaf which is partially air-conditioned and holding the temperature at no higher than 83 degrees during this very hot summer.
 
sy_trilogy said:
Thanks for the reply, Ken. I just saw your kind reply today. I did purchase the Leaf 2012 SL, and I have since had the traction battery replaced by a nearby Nissan dealer that was offering the replacement for an OTD price of $4,746.46. That special offer ended on June 15. I got in just under the wire. The price then jumped to $8,500 just for the battery. I love the car, and I hate cars just on principle! I have turned my garage here in Florida into an intensive care unit for the Leaf which is partially air-conditioned and holding the temperature at no higher than 83 degrees during this very hot summer.
Click to expand...

Hi and thanks for sharing your experiences! Great to hear you got a deal to extend the life of your Leaf! Wow, your garage is just as good as our house!
 
I lost this site for quite a while and just rediscovered it. Shame on me! Maybe I should post what follows new someplace here. I'm irritated by the notion that repairs on this car are not worth making because of fantasies about resale value. Not much goes wrong with them!


My used 2012 SL came, as they all did, with the ability to limit the charging to 80% I bought it for $5K three years ago from a used car dealer here in Florida. I am its third owner. It had 28K on the odometer when I bought it. It now has 35K. At 6 bars it was only capable of 35 miles round trip when I bought it and looked brand spanking new. It still does because I love it to bits. I had to have it brought to my home on a flatbed truck! I knew I'd have to replace the battery when I bought it and got fair deal from a Nissan dealership in a neighboring town, $4,776.76 (an out-the-door price). I don't do long trips, never charge it above 80%, have NEVER fast charged it. I ONLY charge it at home with a Duosida 220-volt portable EVSE that will charge at 110 volts with an inexpensive adapter that shares a 220 dryer outlet in my small garage. So far I have only lost two bars on the dash GOM even though LeafSpy says its SOC is currently 75.41%. If the EVs Enhanced replacement solution becomes available, I will jump at it if my new battery becomes severely degraded. My Leaf is still a perfect fit for this two-car family, and I have more fun driving it than any car I have ever owned including my first, a 1971 Mustang Mach 1 which had a 351 Cleveland Racing Engine and a Harley 4 barrel carburetor. I was 21; I’m wiser now. I want this to be my last car! Please, help me keep it.
 
I am where you were 3 years ago.
Except it's a 5-6 year old Leaf (2018) and so it became mine with a perfectly healthy battery, low mileage (17,500), and I'm not sure it ever spent the night outside. It's immaculate.

The resale value must be so low because of the battery reputation?

I too am charging very conservatively because I have no reason to rush, nor do I need the full 152 miles of range it showed when I did charge it to 100% the first charge. I now target 80-85% nightly with the internal charging timer.

Having a ball with the car. So quiet. So smooth. It's a bit eery.

20230719_081740.webp
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJP
sy_trilogy said:
I lost this site for quite a while and just rediscovered it. Shame on me! Maybe I should post what follows new someplace here. I'm irritated by the notion that repairs on this car are not worth making because of fantasies about resale value. Not much goes wrong with them!


My used 2012 SL came, as they all did, with the ability to limit the charging to 80% I bought it for $5K three years ago from a used car dealer here in Florida. I am its third owner. It had 28K on the odometer when I bought it. It now has 35K. At 6 bars it was only capable of 35 miles round trip when I bought it and looked brand spanking new. It still does because I love it to bits. I had to have it brought to my home on a flatbed truck! I knew I'd have to replace the battery when I bought it and got fair deal from a Nissan dealership in a neighboring town, $4,776.76 (an out-the-door price). I don't do long trips, never charge it above 80%, have NEVER fast charged it. I ONLY charge it at home with a Duosida 220-volt portable EVSE that will charge at 110 volts with an inexpensive adapter that shares a 220 dryer outlet in my small garage. So far I have only lost two bars on the dash GOM even though LeafSpy says its SOC is currently 75.41%. If the EVs Enhanced replacement solution becomes available, I will jump at it if my new battery becomes severely degraded. My Leaf is still a perfect fit for this two-car family, and I have more fun driving it than any car I have ever owned including my first, a 1971 Mustang Mach 1 which had a 351 Cleveland Racing Engine and a Harley 4 barrel carburetor. I was 21; I’m wiser now. I want this to be my last car! Please, help me keep it.
Click to expand...
My first one was 2012 manufacture date, great car for local trips although the pack did tend to heat up (130 degrees) with multiple DC charges.
At the time, the city I live in bought 2, and they are still on the road today (I see them every day). I am sure they are charged L2 and have never seen a DC fast charger...still going strong:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top