I had my first negative experience with my 2012 Nissan Leaf, Electra yesterday. Actually, I must say it wasn't actually Electra, rather it was ChargePoint and Walgreens. Let me explain.
If you've been following my blog, you know that on Saturdays I take my daughter to swim practice, and round-trip to the pool maxes out Electra's range. If I veer off the round-trip path by more than five miles, I won't make it home. Well, this past Saturday, I had to do a quick trip to the store before heading to practice, eating up my five-mile buffer zone. Therefore, after I dropped my daughter off at the pool, I concluded that I needed to get a quick charge in before heading home. Otherwise, I might not make it home.
Rather than going to the library as I often do because it's the closest charging station to the pool, and it's free, I decided to see what my other choices were. I found a Walgreens five miles from the pool, and the bonus?, it was right next to the mall. I figured I could plug Electra in, enjoy a quick trip to the mall for some last minute Christmas shopping, and then get Electra and my daughter and head home. Please note that the Walgreens is five miles further away from my house. If the charge failed, I could end up stranded.
Carwings took me directly to Walgreens. There, I swiped my ChargePoint card. Buzz! The LED display showed that I was at a pay station and my ChargePoint card was only good for free locations. No problem, I called the ChargePoint number. As usual, they were very friendly and the customer service was super...they gently reminded me to activate my ChargePoint card (which I'll do), took my Visa number, and unlocked the holster.
I plugged Electra in, but her charge lights wouldn't turn on. I called ChargePoint back. We went through the entire process again, and still Electra wouldn't start charging. We tried both holsters. Same results. Then I realized something unique! Holster One was plugged into HolsterTwo--the chargers were swapped! (Note to ChargePoint--color code the holsters!)
The ChargePoint rep and I worked together, and we managed to get both holsters unlocked so that I could get One in one, and Two in two. Next, I plugged Electra in again. Same results. Scratching my head, the ChargePoint rep and I did some analytics and discovered that although the LED display said One was charging, Two was plugged in. And visa versa. The holsters and LED screen were opposite each other due to an improper installation, perhaps?
Ultimately, we could never get the Walgreens' station to charge, and I ended up down the street at the AAA station. While Electra charged, I got the chance to enjoy some Starbucks and the front page for about forty-five minutes. I then scooped up my daugther and made it home with five miles to spare.
But here's my point. By choosing to be an early adopter of technology, we all must have patience. Early technology always has glitches no matter how much the technology's marketing machine might tell you otherwise. If you choose to own a Leaf, you also choose to have a bit more patience and kindness. Otherwise, you'll be frustrated and annoyed at times when things fail. Remembering this early adopter creed is important for you and the manufacturers--you offer to participate in a grand experiment, and the manufacturers must never abuse your attitude.
Fortunately, I had time, patience, and attitude on my side. Other days might be a big more challenging. Hopefully if those days come, ChargePoint's reps will have a sense of humor to guide my attitude, and Electra will get me home. So far, neither have failed me.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Friday, December 7, 2012
.0371428 a mile, unBELEAFable!
Electra, my 2012 Nissan Leaf, and I have been together now for two months. We have rolled 1981 miles, and both of us are extremely happy. Electra has juiced up with 110 volts at home and free 240s at various public venues. Folks pepper me with questions every where we go, and I am happy to answer. But the one question I hadn't been able to answer, yet, was how much per mile Electra costs me.
I will dismiss the capital costs, as I would have those with an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle as well. Ditto for the insurance. So, I'll limit my calculations to the "fuel" part....and my math comes down to $.0371428 a mile. That's just under 4 cents a mile for those whom might be decimally challenged. Holy cow. If I would have driven the equivalent distance in my husband's Prius, it would have been $.078/mile at $3.5 gallon.
So I started to think about other things that cost 4 cents. Well, someone can give me their 2 cents of opinion, twice, and that would be worth 4 cents. Someone else could also pay me a penny for my thoughts, 4 times. But I can't think of anything that costs 4 cents. Amazingly, when I googled "4 cents," I received several articles stating that gas had risen or fallen 4 cents. How ironic.
Moving past the 4 cents a mile thoughts, I wondered what I've gained and given up by cutting my fuel costs in half. What I've gained:
1. Money in my pocket
2. A feeling that I'm part of the solution, and not part of the problem any more
3. Quietness
4. An awareness about my driving and its impact
5. A beautiful car I adore
What I've given up:
1. The feeling of flexibility
2. Range
Many folks have commented about range anxiety. I must admit that I have to think much more about driving this car...I live 25 miles one way from most things I need, but I will be moving soon. I would not have purchased this car if I were to stay in my current home. Having to anticipate and manage every drive I make gets a bit exhausting. In the two months of owning the car, I have only not made one commitment due to too much range. And frankly, I could have figured how to make the event with a bit of creativity. But I *did* miss it, so I am counting it. When I move, though, I think I'll have much less range anxiety, and I won't feel that I've lost any flexibility. I'll let you know.
As for now, I feel quite wealthy. At 4 cents a mile, I think I'll take the extra change and splurge a bit at the mall. Maybe Electra needs some seat covers. :-)
I will dismiss the capital costs, as I would have those with an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle as well. Ditto for the insurance. So, I'll limit my calculations to the "fuel" part....and my math comes down to $.0371428 a mile. That's just under 4 cents a mile for those whom might be decimally challenged. Holy cow. If I would have driven the equivalent distance in my husband's Prius, it would have been $.078/mile at $3.5 gallon.
So I started to think about other things that cost 4 cents. Well, someone can give me their 2 cents of opinion, twice, and that would be worth 4 cents. Someone else could also pay me a penny for my thoughts, 4 times. But I can't think of anything that costs 4 cents. Amazingly, when I googled "4 cents," I received several articles stating that gas had risen or fallen 4 cents. How ironic.
Moving past the 4 cents a mile thoughts, I wondered what I've gained and given up by cutting my fuel costs in half. What I've gained:
1. Money in my pocket
2. A feeling that I'm part of the solution, and not part of the problem any more
3. Quietness
4. An awareness about my driving and its impact
5. A beautiful car I adore
What I've given up:
1. The feeling of flexibility
2. Range
Many folks have commented about range anxiety. I must admit that I have to think much more about driving this car...I live 25 miles one way from most things I need, but I will be moving soon. I would not have purchased this car if I were to stay in my current home. Having to anticipate and manage every drive I make gets a bit exhausting. In the two months of owning the car, I have only not made one commitment due to too much range. And frankly, I could have figured how to make the event with a bit of creativity. But I *did* miss it, so I am counting it. When I move, though, I think I'll have much less range anxiety, and I won't feel that I've lost any flexibility. I'll let you know.
As for now, I feel quite wealthy. At 4 cents a mile, I think I'll take the extra change and splurge a bit at the mall. Maybe Electra needs some seat covers. :-)
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Install an EV charger--good for business?
It was another typical Saturday for me--drive to swimming and return home. The roundtrip ride takes almost the entire charge on my Nissan 2012 Leaf, Electra, usually arriving home with less than five miles to spare. But today, I wanted to charge up Electra so I could do a little bit extra while I was out. Whereas last week I jolted up at the local library while my daughter swam, today I wanted to see my other options.
Here was the challenge: the reason I wanted to extend my range was to go to the local Whole Foods store, which is just out of range if I combine swimming with the trip. But the Whole Foods, shame on them, doesn't have an EV charger. If I wanted to go to Whole Foods after swimming, I'd need to extend my range by fifteen miles. After searching Carwings, I discovered that the Publix near the pool sponsored an electric vehicle charger. Great, I could fix up a few basics and grab a few miles.
I dropped my daughter at the pool and headed to Publix, a Florida-based grocery store which is the darling of the grocery business. Publix cooks and cans their own organic line of food called Greenwise, which often sits next to the non-organic foods on the shelves. In my local Publix out in the 'burbs, the Greenwise foods intermingle with the regular foods, so it doesn't appear as though the Greenwise line is extensive. Well, Carwings directed me to a Publix-owned, free-standing Greenwise store in south Tampa. Who knew?
Humm. Let's put this in perspective. The reason I ended up at Publix Greenwise was to get a charge so I could go to its competitor, Whole Foods. The reason I needed to go to Whole Foods was because my local Publix doesn't carry Tofurkey nor soy-based yogurts. Maybe Publix's Greenwise would?
I plugged Electra in and entered the store. It was a Whole Foods copy-cat with a bit of Publix blended in. I found my Tofurkey, my yogurt, an entire gluten-free aisle for my husband, and plenty of non-organic items as well. Not only did I spend $100, but I was able to purchase everything I needed on my list without going to Whole Foods. Fantastic!
I asked for the manager. She gladly came over for a chat, and I told her the reason I came to her store--the charger--and how she just added $100 to her cash drawer for the day. I also stated that Whole Foods did not get the income, which made her smile instantly. Now, I'm not here to advocate Publix over Whole Foods, organic over non, tofu over turkey, but I am here to advocate for EV chargers.
I have no idea how much the EV charger costs Publix, but I do know they pocketed $100 of my money plus they kept me from visiting their competitor today. That sounds like a sound business decision to me. And, I'll go back to Greenwise as well. Thanks Publix for the free jolt and the extensive stock. You saved me time, money, and aggravation. Priceless.
Here was the challenge: the reason I wanted to extend my range was to go to the local Whole Foods store, which is just out of range if I combine swimming with the trip. But the Whole Foods, shame on them, doesn't have an EV charger. If I wanted to go to Whole Foods after swimming, I'd need to extend my range by fifteen miles. After searching Carwings, I discovered that the Publix near the pool sponsored an electric vehicle charger. Great, I could fix up a few basics and grab a few miles.
I dropped my daughter at the pool and headed to Publix, a Florida-based grocery store which is the darling of the grocery business. Publix cooks and cans their own organic line of food called Greenwise, which often sits next to the non-organic foods on the shelves. In my local Publix out in the 'burbs, the Greenwise foods intermingle with the regular foods, so it doesn't appear as though the Greenwise line is extensive. Well, Carwings directed me to a Publix-owned, free-standing Greenwise store in south Tampa. Who knew?
Humm. Let's put this in perspective. The reason I ended up at Publix Greenwise was to get a charge so I could go to its competitor, Whole Foods. The reason I needed to go to Whole Foods was because my local Publix doesn't carry Tofurkey nor soy-based yogurts. Maybe Publix's Greenwise would?
I plugged Electra in and entered the store. It was a Whole Foods copy-cat with a bit of Publix blended in. I found my Tofurkey, my yogurt, an entire gluten-free aisle for my husband, and plenty of non-organic items as well. Not only did I spend $100, but I was able to purchase everything I needed on my list without going to Whole Foods. Fantastic!
I asked for the manager. She gladly came over for a chat, and I told her the reason I came to her store--the charger--and how she just added $100 to her cash drawer for the day. I also stated that Whole Foods did not get the income, which made her smile instantly. Now, I'm not here to advocate Publix over Whole Foods, organic over non, tofu over turkey, but I am here to advocate for EV chargers.
I have no idea how much the EV charger costs Publix, but I do know they pocketed $100 of my money plus they kept me from visiting their competitor today. That sounds like a sound business decision to me. And, I'll go back to Greenwise as well. Thanks Publix for the free jolt and the extensive stock. You saved me time, money, and aggravation. Priceless.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Electra jolts up with ChargePoint!
Since I purchased my 2012 Nissan Leaf, Electra, 6 weeks ago, she's been juicing up every night via a 110 trickle charge. I am planning on upgrading my garage charge once I move into my new house, so in the meantime, we limp along with 13 and 14 hour charge times. But today, Electra's life line changed.
I decided to venture out to the public charging stations today. While my daughter was at swim practice, I journeyed to the public library and find my first charging station. Thanks to Carwings, it pointed me to a ChargePoint station in the county's parking lot. I have to admit, though, I wasn't sure what to do.
Electra fit nicely in the Electric Vehicle parking spot, nicely denoted by the green strips, parking block and sign. Next to the sign stood a Chargepoint station. I opened Electra's charging door and easily unhung the charging cord. I plugged her right in. Next, I figured I had to pay. Carwings told me the charging station was free. But why wouldn't it start?
I noticed on the front of ChargePoint I could tap my credit card, including all the major choices (Visa, MasterCard, AmericanExpress, etc.) But as I tapped, nothing happenend. Fortunately, there was a phone number. 888 758 4389. In one ring, a nice fellow asked my name. I told him that I was trying to tap my Visa, but nothing was happening.
He asked if my Visa had a chip in it. What? I told him it was a debit card, and I think he said I could only use a credit card. So I pulled out my American Express, but tapping it didn't work either. He asked if it had a chip in it. What? Apparently, tap-only charge spots require cards with chips in them. Humm, I'll have to research that one. He then asked if I had a ChargePoint card so that I could unlock the station. What?
Apparently I could use a ChargePoint card to start the electricity flowing. Fortunately for me, the charge was free as the kind man confirmed I was, in fact, at a free charging station. He pushed a magic button and within a few seconds, the station clicked and Electra started charging. The rep then asked if I wanted to have a ChargePoint card sent to me so that I could use it at future stations. Of course!
So, now I have some research to do. How to do I get a debit card with a chip inside, and do I want one? If I tap my card, does it automatically unlock a ChargePoint station? If I am at a free ChargePoint, how do I know except by what my Carwings tells me on my nav display? And, if I'm at a free station, is the only way to unlock the ChargePoint is with a ChargePoint card? Or will my chipped Visa unlock (but not pay), thus eliminating the need to carry yet another card. Or, can I link up my Visa to my ChargePoint so that I have a way to pay at a paying station? Wow, lots to think about.
I want to note something really neat though. The rep asked me if I wanted a 110 charge or a 240 charge. I chose the bigger as I only had 90 minutes before I needed to pick my daughter up. Thus, 240 jolted right into Electra, and in 90 minutes I had her back up to full charge. Good thing, I've got some birthday shopping to do and many miles to drive!
I decided to venture out to the public charging stations today. While my daughter was at swim practice, I journeyed to the public library and find my first charging station. Thanks to Carwings, it pointed me to a ChargePoint station in the county's parking lot. I have to admit, though, I wasn't sure what to do.
Electra fit nicely in the Electric Vehicle parking spot, nicely denoted by the green strips, parking block and sign. Next to the sign stood a Chargepoint station. I opened Electra's charging door and easily unhung the charging cord. I plugged her right in. Next, I figured I had to pay. Carwings told me the charging station was free. But why wouldn't it start?
I noticed on the front of ChargePoint I could tap my credit card, including all the major choices (Visa, MasterCard, AmericanExpress, etc.) But as I tapped, nothing happenend. Fortunately, there was a phone number. 888 758 4389. In one ring, a nice fellow asked my name. I told him that I was trying to tap my Visa, but nothing was happening.
He asked if my Visa had a chip in it. What? I told him it was a debit card, and I think he said I could only use a credit card. So I pulled out my American Express, but tapping it didn't work either. He asked if it had a chip in it. What? Apparently, tap-only charge spots require cards with chips in them. Humm, I'll have to research that one. He then asked if I had a ChargePoint card so that I could unlock the station. What?
Apparently I could use a ChargePoint card to start the electricity flowing. Fortunately for me, the charge was free as the kind man confirmed I was, in fact, at a free charging station. He pushed a magic button and within a few seconds, the station clicked and Electra started charging. The rep then asked if I wanted to have a ChargePoint card sent to me so that I could use it at future stations. Of course!
So, now I have some research to do. How to do I get a debit card with a chip inside, and do I want one? If I tap my card, does it automatically unlock a ChargePoint station? If I am at a free ChargePoint, how do I know except by what my Carwings tells me on my nav display? And, if I'm at a free station, is the only way to unlock the ChargePoint is with a ChargePoint card? Or will my chipped Visa unlock (but not pay), thus eliminating the need to carry yet another card. Or, can I link up my Visa to my ChargePoint so that I have a way to pay at a paying station? Wow, lots to think about.
I want to note something really neat though. The rep asked me if I wanted a 110 charge or a 240 charge. I chose the bigger as I only had 90 minutes before I needed to pick my daughter up. Thus, 240 jolted right into Electra, and in 90 minutes I had her back up to full charge. Good thing, I've got some birthday shopping to do and many miles to drive!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Leaf-ing Anxiety Behind
As I've posted before, 2012 Nissan Leaf math means that a mile isn't really a mile. Depending on how fast I drive, whether the air conditioner is on, and whether I'm in ECO or Drive mode, I can range from 82 to 106 of total miles. The faster I drive, the smaller my range.
I live 47 Leaf miles to the aiport. This mean that I drive on the interstate, and I might have to use the A/C or the heater, which could decrease my range as well. This week, Electra, my 2012 Leaf, and I had to go to the aiport. My Leaf anxiety clicked in when I arrived at the aiport with 46 range miles left. Range anxiety amped to an all-time high.
Here's why. Even though I had called the Tampa airport to find out what the recharging situation was, I found out I would have to trust someone else to plug in my car, confirm she was charged, and rely on someone to do the job correctly. If "someone" failed me, I'd be stuck at the aiport with a car not charged enough to get home.
I had four options at the Tampa aiport. Option one involved leaving my car unattended in the cell lot where a charger remained unstaffed. Although the charger is free, the rules of the cell phone lot state that someone must remain with the car. So option one was out.
Option two required for parking in the short-term lot. I would have access to the free charger there, too. I would have to plug Electra in and hope that no one unplugged her before she was charged. Since I would be returning late on a Friday night, I was a bit apprenhensive that I could trust no one would unplug before Electra was ready. Granted, there are not a lot of cars lined up to get charged, but it was a risk I didn't want to take.
Option three involved me parking in long-term parking and hijaking my own 110 plug somewhere in the lot. This would take some creative research prior to my departure, and I wasn't sure if I could sneak this maneuver past the Tampa Parking Authority.
Option four pointed me to Valet parking. Although the most expensive ($25 a day vs $17 in long term), the valet would manage Electra's charging. Not only could I pull right up to the curb, valet would park, charge, and return Electra to me upon my arrival. Considering I couldn't take the risk of Electra not fully charging, I chose this option.
It worked beautifully! What was nice? I didn't have to wait to get home to find out if Electra charged or not. While in Boston, I pulled up my Carwings. There, I found Electra was fully charged in plenty of time for my arrival home. And, thus, she was! I returned to her warmed seats and full charge and made it home without a blimp. No need for any anxiety after all.
I'm really starting to love this car.
I live 47 Leaf miles to the aiport. This mean that I drive on the interstate, and I might have to use the A/C or the heater, which could decrease my range as well. This week, Electra, my 2012 Leaf, and I had to go to the aiport. My Leaf anxiety clicked in when I arrived at the aiport with 46 range miles left. Range anxiety amped to an all-time high.
Here's why. Even though I had called the Tampa airport to find out what the recharging situation was, I found out I would have to trust someone else to plug in my car, confirm she was charged, and rely on someone to do the job correctly. If "someone" failed me, I'd be stuck at the aiport with a car not charged enough to get home.
I had four options at the Tampa aiport. Option one involved leaving my car unattended in the cell lot where a charger remained unstaffed. Although the charger is free, the rules of the cell phone lot state that someone must remain with the car. So option one was out.
Option two required for parking in the short-term lot. I would have access to the free charger there, too. I would have to plug Electra in and hope that no one unplugged her before she was charged. Since I would be returning late on a Friday night, I was a bit apprenhensive that I could trust no one would unplug before Electra was ready. Granted, there are not a lot of cars lined up to get charged, but it was a risk I didn't want to take.
Option three involved me parking in long-term parking and hijaking my own 110 plug somewhere in the lot. This would take some creative research prior to my departure, and I wasn't sure if I could sneak this maneuver past the Tampa Parking Authority.
Option four pointed me to Valet parking. Although the most expensive ($25 a day vs $17 in long term), the valet would manage Electra's charging. Not only could I pull right up to the curb, valet would park, charge, and return Electra to me upon my arrival. Considering I couldn't take the risk of Electra not fully charging, I chose this option.
It worked beautifully! What was nice? I didn't have to wait to get home to find out if Electra charged or not. While in Boston, I pulled up my Carwings. There, I found Electra was fully charged in plenty of time for my arrival home. And, thus, she was! I returned to her warmed seats and full charge and made it home without a blimp. No need for any anxiety after all.
I'm really starting to love this car.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
"It's Not a Gas Pedal, Mom," says the 9-year old
My BeLeafable life is taking on new vocabulary! Adapting to life in Electra, my 2012 Nissan Leaf, includes updating my vocabulary. I'm sure the manual denotes what things are called on my car, but I've uncovered my own way to describe Electra's parts.
"It's not a gas pedal, Mom," said my 9-year old. Hum, she has a point. So if it's not a gas pedal, I guess I should call it a Go pedal? Maybe a Power Pedal? Below is my list of new names for Eletra's parts.
Old terms New terms
Gas Pedal Power Pedal
Gas Tank Belly button
Fuel Gauge Range Gauge
Engine Motor???? I know there's a bunch of engineers that will correct me on the difference between motors and engines. If you're an engineer working on motors, does that make you a motorneer?
What vocabulary have you developed for your electric vehicle?
"It's not a gas pedal, Mom," said my 9-year old. Hum, she has a point. So if it's not a gas pedal, I guess I should call it a Go pedal? Maybe a Power Pedal? Below is my list of new names for Eletra's parts.
Old terms New terms
Gas Pedal Power Pedal
Gas Tank Belly button
Fuel Gauge Range Gauge
Engine Motor???? I know there's a bunch of engineers that will correct me on the difference between motors and engines. If you're an engineer working on motors, does that make you a motorneer?
What vocabulary have you developed for your electric vehicle?
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
A Binder Full of ___?
So after last night's political debate between Obama and Romney, I've been thinking about binders. I haven't used a binder in years--in this decade, who does? Binders flew the technology coop many years ago with the advent of electronic file structures and more recently mobile apps...Or perhaps when families were mom, dad, Junior and Sally. But none the less, and keeping political bias aside, I'm thinking about a binder and my 2012 Nissan Leaf, Electra.
So, if Electra could pull out her opposable thumbs and flip through a binder, what would be in it?
1. A sleeve of four squares to hold uncased CDs
2. A laminated map of charging stations
3. An FAQ of how she works for those strangers whom ask
4. Her insurance papers
5. ICE info (that's In-Case of Emergency, not internal combustion engine!)
But Romney referred to a binder full of women, which means that he had one large set of many examples. What would Electra want that would be one large set of many examples that would apply to her? I got it.
Electra's binder would have all the permits of all the gas drilling permits in North America. Then, as more people buy electric vehicles, there would be less need for the permits. She could then notify the permit owners that they didn't need to drill....and send thank you notes to them for their service!
What's in your Leaf's binder?
So, if Electra could pull out her opposable thumbs and flip through a binder, what would be in it?
1. A sleeve of four squares to hold uncased CDs
2. A laminated map of charging stations
3. An FAQ of how she works for those strangers whom ask
4. Her insurance papers
5. ICE info (that's In-Case of Emergency, not internal combustion engine!)
But Romney referred to a binder full of women, which means that he had one large set of many examples. What would Electra want that would be one large set of many examples that would apply to her? I got it.
Electra's binder would have all the permits of all the gas drilling permits in North America. Then, as more people buy electric vehicles, there would be less need for the permits. She could then notify the permit owners that they didn't need to drill....and send thank you notes to them for their service!
What's in your Leaf's binder?
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Driving on Empty
A long time ago in a galaxy, far, far away (aka two weeks ago), I used to drive a gas-driven vehicle. At that time, I thought that ICE stood for In Case of Emergency. It still does. But it also stands for Internal Combustion Engine, which is now what ICE means to me. Yet, when I drove an ICE, the only time I thought about my driving range was when the gas needle dropped to right around E.
Now, my LEAFable life is always on E. Let me explain. In the ICE age, I would fill my tank with gas at around $3.75 a gallon. I would drive about 14 gallons worth, and my gas meter would start to glow yellow, signifying that the tank was close to empty. If I tuned on the onboard computer, I would visually see an estimation that I had 75 miles to go whenever the yellow E light came on. I also knew, because I tested it many times, that even when the range finder zeroed out, I still had about 15 miles to go to empty. Despite numerous attempts to almost running out of gas, I never did. So, I never truly ever learned exactly how many miles I had left in the tank for yellow light to dead engine.
What is different now, post ICE-age? I'm always on E. That is to say, I'm always less than 100 miles away from a dead engine. It's actually an odd revelation. I used to never really pay attention much to how much range I had--now, I pay attention to it all the time, and I'm virtually on E all the time. I have to say, I'm having a tough time relaxing into my E. I have to learn to trust that what I where I need to drive, Electra will get me there and back.
Today I got the chance to "test" Electra, my 2012 Nissan Leaf. I had two things to do; take my daughter to a birthday party and go to the mall to return some clothes. Round-trip, the mileage sat at 84 miles. With a full charge, driving in ECO, and with the A/C on, Electra designated a 101 range this morning. The problem? A good portion of the 84 miles was highway driving at 75 mph or greater. Would Electra make it?
My daughter and I headed out; I dropped her at her party and drove to the mall with ECO and A/C. By the time I got to the mall, I had 48 left on range. I had left my charger at home, and there were no charge stations in sight. What's an EV driver to do? Well, to start off with, I turned off Electra's A/C. Fortunately, today the temp topped 80, a nice indicator of the coming Fall. I cut my spend on the interstate down to 70, and I made my way north. At the point I had to get off the interstate to stop to pick up my daughter, I had 15 miles range left and 14 miles to drive. Would I make it?
At the stop light, I looked up AAA's phone number just in case I'd need a roadside charge. But then the goodness of Electra kicked in! Slowing down to a stop, starting, stopping, and driving on surface roads to get my daughter pumped up my range to 17 rather than dropping it! I picked my daughter up and had 9 miles range to my 7 miles of driving left to do.
Flash, flash, flash went the range number on my display. The yellow warning light popped. The yellow plug-in shined. The navigation screen showed low battery. I have to say, Electra, there was no way to miss that you were low on energy. But we made it! With two miles left on my range, we pulled into my garage, and I plugged Electra in. We all sighed relief, and I wondered, humm, at what point will the turtle pop up? Exactly how far can I push Electra to really using up all her juice? Was 2 miles range left on the display really just a hint that I had 10 miles left for real? Hummmm....
Now, my LEAFable life is always on E. Let me explain. In the ICE age, I would fill my tank with gas at around $3.75 a gallon. I would drive about 14 gallons worth, and my gas meter would start to glow yellow, signifying that the tank was close to empty. If I tuned on the onboard computer, I would visually see an estimation that I had 75 miles to go whenever the yellow E light came on. I also knew, because I tested it many times, that even when the range finder zeroed out, I still had about 15 miles to go to empty. Despite numerous attempts to almost running out of gas, I never did. So, I never truly ever learned exactly how many miles I had left in the tank for yellow light to dead engine.
What is different now, post ICE-age? I'm always on E. That is to say, I'm always less than 100 miles away from a dead engine. It's actually an odd revelation. I used to never really pay attention much to how much range I had--now, I pay attention to it all the time, and I'm virtually on E all the time. I have to say, I'm having a tough time relaxing into my E. I have to learn to trust that what I where I need to drive, Electra will get me there and back.
Today I got the chance to "test" Electra, my 2012 Nissan Leaf. I had two things to do; take my daughter to a birthday party and go to the mall to return some clothes. Round-trip, the mileage sat at 84 miles. With a full charge, driving in ECO, and with the A/C on, Electra designated a 101 range this morning. The problem? A good portion of the 84 miles was highway driving at 75 mph or greater. Would Electra make it?
My daughter and I headed out; I dropped her at her party and drove to the mall with ECO and A/C. By the time I got to the mall, I had 48 left on range. I had left my charger at home, and there were no charge stations in sight. What's an EV driver to do? Well, to start off with, I turned off Electra's A/C. Fortunately, today the temp topped 80, a nice indicator of the coming Fall. I cut my spend on the interstate down to 70, and I made my way north. At the point I had to get off the interstate to stop to pick up my daughter, I had 15 miles range left and 14 miles to drive. Would I make it?
At the stop light, I looked up AAA's phone number just in case I'd need a roadside charge. But then the goodness of Electra kicked in! Slowing down to a stop, starting, stopping, and driving on surface roads to get my daughter pumped up my range to 17 rather than dropping it! I picked my daughter up and had 9 miles range to my 7 miles of driving left to do.
Flash, flash, flash went the range number on my display. The yellow warning light popped. The yellow plug-in shined. The navigation screen showed low battery. I have to say, Electra, there was no way to miss that you were low on energy. But we made it! With two miles left on my range, we pulled into my garage, and I plugged Electra in. We all sighed relief, and I wondered, humm, at what point will the turtle pop up? Exactly how far can I push Electra to really using up all her juice? Was 2 miles range left on the display really just a hint that I had 10 miles left for real? Hummmm....
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Electra Is Whole Again!
Nine inches. By the time Melvin removed Electra's (my 2012 Nissan Leaf) windshield, the crack had grown to nine inches. One tiny ding in the windshield! I could hardly see the ding; it slammed into the windshield just above the rubber in the bottom left corner. The crack creeped its way up diagonally toward the center of the windshield, bugging my left eye's vision. See picture one.
Enter Melvin. What a super guy he was! I totally recommend his services (2Extreme Auto Glass Inc 813 453 1011). Nissan recommended him to me, and my insurance company concurred. I called him on Wednesday, he confirmed an appointment for Friday, and he verified he would get me OEM (original parts from Nissan). On Friday, he called an hour before arrival to tell me he was running late. He then called around arrival time to let me know he was approaching. How professional is that!
Melvin's dad ran an auto shop on Puerto Rico, and everyday after school Melvin would go hang out in the shop. When I pulled Electra out of the garage, his sweet grin exposed his love for cars. After the basic spiel to his many questions about Electra, (yup, about 100 miles, yup I charge her every night, yup it rides like a dream), he got to work. See image below.
First he gently removed the molding and the trip, displaced the rearview mirrow, and detached Electra from her windshield. He then laid out a new piece of glass, and cleaned it with magic cleaners. Next, he pulled out his spidey suction cups and moved the old glass out and the new glass in. See image.
Before he placed the new glass, I got the chance to see inside Electra. I had read mynissanusa.com's Leaf blog to uncover how to turn off the back up beeper. Wow, soldering and recrossing wires are not my idea of a fun time. But when I could see down into Electra's insides, I did wonder if I could sneak in and alter her back up beep. I got the chance to look up into her roof and down her sides as well. Yes, her roots are the same color as her tires. :-) See images.
It took Melvin about thirty minutes. I found him intriguing...a great story, a professional, and the only Floridian I know who works outside without sunglasses. He has a super straw hat, though! When he noticed Electra's solar panel, he grinned again after I explained its function. He then proceeded to tell me of a fella back home whom had a straw hat with solar panels as well. The solar panels gathered energy to drive the fans on the inside of his hat. In Puerto Rico, I'm sure you need a cool hat like that!
Melvin finished up and kindly asked if I could refill his go-cup with ice and water. Gladly, I refreshed his drink. The last thing he mentioned was to let Electra's new window sit for about four hours. If I have any problems, I'm to call him right away.
Thanks Melvin! Electra thanks you! PS I think you should put Electra on your business car instead of that nasty ol gas guzzler! :-)
Melvin's dad ran an auto shop on Puerto Rico, and everyday after school Melvin would go hang out in the shop. When I pulled Electra out of the garage, his sweet grin exposed his love for cars. After the basic spiel to his many questions about Electra, (yup, about 100 miles, yup I charge her every night, yup it rides like a dream), he got to work. See image below.
Melvin finished up and kindly asked if I could refill his go-cup with ice and water. Gladly, I refreshed his drink. The last thing he mentioned was to let Electra's new window sit for about four hours. If I have any problems, I'm to call him right away.
Thanks Melvin! Electra thanks you! PS I think you should put Electra on your business car instead of that nasty ol gas guzzler! :-)
Thursday, October 11, 2012
When does 105-1 equal 83? Ah, LEAF math!
I am learning math all over again! It's Nissan Leaf math, and it goes something like this.
Every morning, I unplug Electra (my 2012 Nissan Leaf) from her feeding trough, and I anxiously see what her new range number is for the morning. Whereas I've only had her for a week, her number has generally been right around 90 or 91. But this morning, she juiced up to 105!
Why I thought? As with other mornings, Electra always filled to 100% of charge. But yesterday, at the end of the day, the temperatures here in Florida dropped...enough, actually for me to turn off the Air Conditioner! Thus, this morning, when I turned Electra on, she computed her range at 105 rather than the normal 90. Why? Because the A/C was off. So, I decided to do some more math.
Electra and I pulled out of the garage...beep beep goes the back up camera. (BTW, does anyone know how to turn the beep off?). While in Park and with the A/C off, the range read 105. I then turned the A/C on, and the range dropped to 90. Without even moving, I put her in Drive, and she dropped to 84, but when I put her in ECO, she bounced back up to 91. I turned the A/C off, left her in ECO, and she rocketed right back up to 105. LEAF math it is!
So, leave the windows down and drive in ECO, and I'll get the best range. Got it. This is super to know especially if I find my miles to get home might exceed my range. Now I know how to beat Electra at her own game. Perhaps. :-) Granted, though, in Florida, I'll use a lot of A/C. I wonder what things will be like when heater season comes between Feb 15 and Feb 20? heeheehee.
Every morning, I unplug Electra (my 2012 Nissan Leaf) from her feeding trough, and I anxiously see what her new range number is for the morning. Whereas I've only had her for a week, her number has generally been right around 90 or 91. But this morning, she juiced up to 105!
Why I thought? As with other mornings, Electra always filled to 100% of charge. But yesterday, at the end of the day, the temperatures here in Florida dropped...enough, actually for me to turn off the Air Conditioner! Thus, this morning, when I turned Electra on, she computed her range at 105 rather than the normal 90. Why? Because the A/C was off. So, I decided to do some more math.
Electra and I pulled out of the garage...beep beep goes the back up camera. (BTW, does anyone know how to turn the beep off?). While in Park and with the A/C off, the range read 105. I then turned the A/C on, and the range dropped to 90. Without even moving, I put her in Drive, and she dropped to 84, but when I put her in ECO, she bounced back up to 91. I turned the A/C off, left her in ECO, and she rocketed right back up to 105. LEAF math it is!
So, leave the windows down and drive in ECO, and I'll get the best range. Got it. This is super to know especially if I find my miles to get home might exceed my range. Now I know how to beat Electra at her own game. Perhaps. :-) Granted, though, in Florida, I'll use a lot of A/C. I wonder what things will be like when heater season comes between Feb 15 and Feb 20? heeheehee.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Cracked Windshield Disrupts my BeLEAFable Life
Four days into my LEAFable life, I have a cracked windshield. The crack starts in the bottom left corner of the passenger side below the rubber and moves diagonally up to the right about 5 inches. I will return to the dealer tomorrow and insist on a fix. I can't imagine this occurred from a rock, and we'll just have to see.
I goggled Windshield Crack on Leaf and came up with five hits of perceived stress cracks. I surely hope Nissan will repair at no charge. I'm sad.
In the meantime, it was an amazing day. I had to travel 80 miles today. Starting with 91 miles of charge, I came home with 16 miles of charge left. Granted, since I knew my mileage would be high today, I drove in Eco mode. It was a bit sluggish. But, I made my range with no problem and enjoyed the drive. With the exeption of the cracked windshield, I still love my 2012 Nissan Leaf. Except, I have decided to change her name from Suzi. She's reborn as Electra!
I'll update tomorrow once I get back from the dealer. Who wants to take bets on what the dealer says? Please note: I'm within three days of my lease. In Florida, I'm allowed to return anything within the three-day period on a signed a contract....I wonder how this will play out tomorrow. I'll let you know.
-----
I'm back from the dealer. They state that there is a rock impact, and the crack was caused by driving, not by stress. Oh well, c'est la Leaf. Here in Florida, we get free windshield replacement if we have comprehensive coverage on our insurance. So, my windshield folks will replace my windshield with OEM on Friday. I'll let you know how it goes.
Thus, Electra charged and now awaits her next outing...
I goggled Windshield Crack on Leaf and came up with five hits of perceived stress cracks. I surely hope Nissan will repair at no charge. I'm sad.
In the meantime, it was an amazing day. I had to travel 80 miles today. Starting with 91 miles of charge, I came home with 16 miles of charge left. Granted, since I knew my mileage would be high today, I drove in Eco mode. It was a bit sluggish. But, I made my range with no problem and enjoyed the drive. With the exeption of the cracked windshield, I still love my 2012 Nissan Leaf. Except, I have decided to change her name from Suzi. She's reborn as Electra!
I'll update tomorrow once I get back from the dealer. Who wants to take bets on what the dealer says? Please note: I'm within three days of my lease. In Florida, I'm allowed to return anything within the three-day period on a signed a contract....I wonder how this will play out tomorrow. I'll let you know.
-----
I'm back from the dealer. They state that there is a rock impact, and the crack was caused by driving, not by stress. Oh well, c'est la Leaf. Here in Florida, we get free windshield replacement if we have comprehensive coverage on our insurance. So, my windshield folks will replace my windshield with OEM on Friday. I'll let you know how it goes.
Thus, Electra charged and now awaits her next outing...
Sunday, October 7, 2012
How Many Hamsters Run that Thing?
"How many hamsters ya got in there?" was the first question of the day when I stopped by the local park. Suzi, My 2012 Nissan Leaf, draws much attention, and I find myself giving a sales pitch time after time. People can't believe how fast my Leaf goes, how far it travels, or how cheap it is to operate.
When I mentioned my amazing lease deal ($0 down, $252 a month for 24 months), two of my neighbors swear they will run down to the dealer tomorrow. To be able to have a very nice car at pennies and NOT have to pay for gas, they start to drool. Then, when I show them the CarWings and the ability to cool the car before entry, they can't believe it.
Nissan, will you give me a kickback on every car I sell for you? It seems that I'll be pitching until the novely wears off. When will that be? (Note, I'm not in any hurry to stop bragging about Suzi, I love her!)
When I mentioned my amazing lease deal ($0 down, $252 a month for 24 months), two of my neighbors swear they will run down to the dealer tomorrow. To be able to have a very nice car at pennies and NOT have to pay for gas, they start to drool. Then, when I show them the CarWings and the ability to cool the car before entry, they can't believe it.
Nissan, will you give me a kickback on every car I sell for you? It seems that I'll be pitching until the novely wears off. When will that be? (Note, I'm not in any hurry to stop bragging about Suzi, I love her!)
Day Three and I'm Leafing in My Dreams
Suzi filled my dreams all night. My 2012 Nissan Leaf has captured my dreams with a bit of anxiety. I don't quite trust her yet. I worry that the charging will fail over night, and I won't have transportation in the morning.
I get up and go check on her. She's still plugged in, and she's fully charged. I double check the Nissan app on my phone as well, and it's congruent with what I see. Suzi is charged and ready for her next adventure. I find myself starting to plan my days around Suzi.
Today, I want to run some errands which will cover about 50 miles. Most of the driving will be city driving. How much range will I get, especially since I will be braking and regenerating the charge?
Since I live in Florida, and it's still hot in October, I've already used the Nissan app twice to pre-cool Suzi. This feature is worth the monthly lease price alone! No longer do I have to get into a hot car...Suzi is chilled and waiting. Cheers!
I get up and go check on her. She's still plugged in, and she's fully charged. I double check the Nissan app on my phone as well, and it's congruent with what I see. Suzi is charged and ready for her next adventure. I find myself starting to plan my days around Suzi.
Today, I want to run some errands which will cover about 50 miles. Most of the driving will be city driving. How much range will I get, especially since I will be braking and regenerating the charge?
Since I live in Florida, and it's still hot in October, I've already used the Nissan app twice to pre-cool Suzi. This feature is worth the monthly lease price alone! No longer do I have to get into a hot car...Suzi is chilled and waiting. Cheers!
Picking up My 2012 Nissan Leaf
Picking up my Leaf was the most uneventful car dealership experience of my life. Since we negotiated the deal through email, we made an appointment for my arrival as well. My sales man greeted me at the door, I signed a few papers, he took me to the business manager where my lease documents awaited my signature, and out to my new 2012 Nissan Leaf we ventured. Light $252 for my first payment, (that was $235 a month plus tax and no down payment on a 24 month lease) my internal chesire cat smiled.
My Leaf shimmered in the sun like a beautiful a horse waiting for a bucket of oats. My sales man talked me through the exterior, the intelligent key system, the door handles and the solar panel. Next up, I slid into the driver's seat and he in the passenger, and he disclosed all the buttons, jingles and chimes. After a few my signatures and a promise on my part to survey him highly, we shook hands and away My Leaf and I galloped.
My drive home took me 12 miles. Whereas I had 91 miles on the meter when I left the dealer, I arrrived home with only 72. I had driven the interstate at 80 miles per hour. The sales man mentioned that my Leaf would take a little while to get used to me and my driving style, and once it understood how I drove, my range would adjust. The sales man had also synched up my phone for me, and of course, my first call on the way home was from Mom.
Mom had lots of questions, starting with, "What's a Leaf?" She had never heard of them, and she vowed to drive by her local Nissan dealer to get a sneak peak. How much range? How long to charge? What's it look like? Does it have doors? And a clock? Does it have a back up charger? Patiently, I answered 100, 4-10 hours depending on the voltage, kind of like a Juke, 4 doors with a hatch back, yes for a clock, and a navigation system, and a back up camera, and no on the back up charger. We finished the coversation, and of course, she asked when I would come see her again.
A bit later, my family and I journeyed out to dinner. We started to figure out the navigation system, and I finally started to put together all the set up I still had to do regarding CarWings. Suddenly, my yellow master warning indicator turned on and the car started randomly chiming. You know the sound the chime makes on a plane when you press the Call Attendent button? It sounded like that. It would occur at low speeds and high speeds. I had no clue what the sound meant.
On the way home from dinner, we still had the yellow indicator light and the chiming. Plus the low tire light popped up too. Good lord. I am no Luddite, but I was clearly intimidated by sounds I didn't understand. We got home, and I had about 50 miles left on my range, so I decided to plug my Leaf in.
I will be moving in a few months, so I won't be installing the 220 charger. I will trickle charge until I move. Out from the bag in the trunk, I pulled the charging cord. Quickly, I figured out how to pop the charging door and plug in the car. I plugged it into the 110 outlet right next to the vehicle which also charged our Verizon Fios set up. The outlet blew.
Well, what I mean is that the outlet has one of those resetting buttons. And it popped, but we did not trip the breaker. No problem, I just routed the cord to another outlet, and my Leaf's blue charging buttons on the dash lit up followed by the yellow charging button the display. I tucked my Leaf in for the night and pulled out the manuals. I wanted to solve the mystery of the chiming.
First, I goggled chiming. Although a few afcionados had chiming questions and answers, none addressed my scenario. I started reading and reading. I learned a lot about my Leaf, but nothing about my chiming. So I thought I'd set up my CarWings and maybe the "system" would look at my Leaf and tell me what was wrong.
Setting up CarWings was fun! The first thing I had to do was name my car. I knew instantly that my 2012 Leaf was a girl and her name was Suzi. Thus, Suzi was born. I set up my account at nissanusa.com and downloaded the Nissan Leaf app. I perused the FAQ a few times to determine what my various login and passwords should be, then I went to bed.
The next morning, I awoke and Suzi was fully charged! I did the final synching of CarWings, but I still did not have an answer to the chiming. No worries, I figured that if I inflated the tires, perhaps that would take care of the chiming. I made a quick trip to the gas station to inflate my tires.
Pulling into the gas station was surreal. No gas for me, thanks! Quickly, I unscrewed the tire caps and filled the tires with air. Suzi beeped everytime the tire pressure achieved its desired pressure. How nice! What was also nice? The yellow master light disappeared along with the low tire light. Unfortunately, on the drive home, the chiming continued.
I picked up my daughter, and off to swim practiced we journeyed. Chiming all the way. I had her start to document the chiming. 9 mph going faster. 21 mph slowing down. 59 mph steady. 39 mpg slowing down. We had over 30 chimes in a 20 miles drive. I called customer care again, and they still had no clue, even though they were very nice. They suggested my hatch might be open and that I should open and close it. I did, no change.
I called my sales man. No clue. He asked me to bring the car back on Monday for the technician to look at it. We made an appointment for 10 am.
But I refused to admit defeat. In my line of work, I troubleshoot my customers' software issues, and I couldn't believe I couldn't figure this out. I asked my husband to drive for a while, and I fiddled with the navigation system and all the buttons. I finally found the answer! I had disabled the audio voice on the navigation system, and its replacement is a warning chime if you've gone the wrong direction. I quickly realized that I had set navigation on my first night going out to dinner, and Suzi was just trying to get me to my nearest charging station! Because I was listening to a CD, I didn't have my map view up on my navigation screen, so I wasn't getting the visuals that corresponded with the chimes. Mystery solved!
Note to Nissan: Could we get a mini map display on the CD view?
My Leaf shimmered in the sun like a beautiful a horse waiting for a bucket of oats. My sales man talked me through the exterior, the intelligent key system, the door handles and the solar panel. Next up, I slid into the driver's seat and he in the passenger, and he disclosed all the buttons, jingles and chimes. After a few my signatures and a promise on my part to survey him highly, we shook hands and away My Leaf and I galloped.
My drive home took me 12 miles. Whereas I had 91 miles on the meter when I left the dealer, I arrrived home with only 72. I had driven the interstate at 80 miles per hour. The sales man mentioned that my Leaf would take a little while to get used to me and my driving style, and once it understood how I drove, my range would adjust. The sales man had also synched up my phone for me, and of course, my first call on the way home was from Mom.
Mom had lots of questions, starting with, "What's a Leaf?" She had never heard of them, and she vowed to drive by her local Nissan dealer to get a sneak peak. How much range? How long to charge? What's it look like? Does it have doors? And a clock? Does it have a back up charger? Patiently, I answered 100, 4-10 hours depending on the voltage, kind of like a Juke, 4 doors with a hatch back, yes for a clock, and a navigation system, and a back up camera, and no on the back up charger. We finished the coversation, and of course, she asked when I would come see her again.
A bit later, my family and I journeyed out to dinner. We started to figure out the navigation system, and I finally started to put together all the set up I still had to do regarding CarWings. Suddenly, my yellow master warning indicator turned on and the car started randomly chiming. You know the sound the chime makes on a plane when you press the Call Attendent button? It sounded like that. It would occur at low speeds and high speeds. I had no clue what the sound meant.
On the way home from dinner, we still had the yellow indicator light and the chiming. Plus the low tire light popped up too. Good lord. I am no Luddite, but I was clearly intimidated by sounds I didn't understand. We got home, and I had about 50 miles left on my range, so I decided to plug my Leaf in.
I will be moving in a few months, so I won't be installing the 220 charger. I will trickle charge until I move. Out from the bag in the trunk, I pulled the charging cord. Quickly, I figured out how to pop the charging door and plug in the car. I plugged it into the 110 outlet right next to the vehicle which also charged our Verizon Fios set up. The outlet blew.
Well, what I mean is that the outlet has one of those resetting buttons. And it popped, but we did not trip the breaker. No problem, I just routed the cord to another outlet, and my Leaf's blue charging buttons on the dash lit up followed by the yellow charging button the display. I tucked my Leaf in for the night and pulled out the manuals. I wanted to solve the mystery of the chiming.
First, I goggled chiming. Although a few afcionados had chiming questions and answers, none addressed my scenario. I started reading and reading. I learned a lot about my Leaf, but nothing about my chiming. So I thought I'd set up my CarWings and maybe the "system" would look at my Leaf and tell me what was wrong.
Setting up CarWings was fun! The first thing I had to do was name my car. I knew instantly that my 2012 Leaf was a girl and her name was Suzi. Thus, Suzi was born. I set up my account at nissanusa.com and downloaded the Nissan Leaf app. I perused the FAQ a few times to determine what my various login and passwords should be, then I went to bed.
The next morning, I awoke and Suzi was fully charged! I did the final synching of CarWings, but I still did not have an answer to the chiming. No worries, I figured that if I inflated the tires, perhaps that would take care of the chiming. I made a quick trip to the gas station to inflate my tires.
Pulling into the gas station was surreal. No gas for me, thanks! Quickly, I unscrewed the tire caps and filled the tires with air. Suzi beeped everytime the tire pressure achieved its desired pressure. How nice! What was also nice? The yellow master light disappeared along with the low tire light. Unfortunately, on the drive home, the chiming continued.
I picked up my daughter, and off to swim practiced we journeyed. Chiming all the way. I had her start to document the chiming. 9 mph going faster. 21 mph slowing down. 59 mph steady. 39 mpg slowing down. We had over 30 chimes in a 20 miles drive. I called customer care again, and they still had no clue, even though they were very nice. They suggested my hatch might be open and that I should open and close it. I did, no change.
I called my sales man. No clue. He asked me to bring the car back on Monday for the technician to look at it. We made an appointment for 10 am.
But I refused to admit defeat. In my line of work, I troubleshoot my customers' software issues, and I couldn't believe I couldn't figure this out. I asked my husband to drive for a while, and I fiddled with the navigation system and all the buttons. I finally found the answer! I had disabled the audio voice on the navigation system, and its replacement is a warning chime if you've gone the wrong direction. I quickly realized that I had set navigation on my first night going out to dinner, and Suzi was just trying to get me to my nearest charging station! Because I was listening to a CD, I didn't have my map view up on my navigation screen, so I wasn't getting the visuals that corresponded with the chimes. Mystery solved!
Note to Nissan: Could we get a mini map display on the CD view?
Friday, October 5, 2012
Deciding the undecidable
Deciding to buy a 2012 Nissan Leaf journeyed me in and out of the American auto industry like a lost child in a candy store. I hadn't owned a vehicle in over twelve years, and the options overwhelmed me. But like a child looking for candy, I knew what I wanted.
Since 2001, my company provided me with a work vehicle and a gas card to go with it. So although my only choice in the matter was the color of the car, I got used to not having to worry about my transportation. I loved not having a car payment, not having an insurance payment, and not having to pay for gas. How could I translate those fabulous non-worries into reality when I actually had to purchase a car of my own?
Thus, my criteria looked like this: Greater than 40 city mpg, total monthly cost less than $500, 4-door hatchback, and if electric, a range of greater than 75. My husband owns a Prius. Immediately, Prius left the list as I think it's silly to have two of the same cars in one family. We are a family of three plus two....occasionally two step-children, whom are adults, visit. Although I didn't have much thought about lease versus own, I knew that if an alternative fuel vehicle made the list, I would lease it. I don't want to own unproven technology.
The only tool I trust for auto research is Consumer Reports. From reading many issues from multiple years, I narrowed my list to Lexus CT Hybrid, Ford Focus Hybrid and Electric, VW Golf TDI, Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, Honda Fit and Electric and the Mitsubishi I-EV. To the car lots I went.
First up was the VW Golf TDI. I have to say that the sales man was fantastic. He featured every bell and whistle, but I just couldn't buy diesel. Period.
Next up, I drove the Honda Fit. I couldn't get out of the piece of junk fast enough. Followed by the Mitushubishi i-EV--who put the VW Rabbit back in circulation?
The Ford Focus followed, and I must say Ford took me by the assumption and shook it right out of me. The car trimmed out nicely, drove smoothly, and Ford's syncing technology surpasses everyone's. Ford wins big points for me also because it didn't take any bail-out money on the Auto Bailout of 2011. It also sponsors my favorite show, _The Amazing Race_.
I followed the Focus with the Volt. Unfortunately, the demo model only had a few miles left on its charge, so the dealer only let me take it for a mile around a closed course. So, my first impresssion faltered, and the console seemed clunky and old-fashioned despite its high-tech look. Chevy can't help but be a Chevy.
The last drive for the day belonged to Lexus. How nice to walk into a premium dealer and work with seasoned professionals! We drove the 200 CT after a surreal experience of key finding, but ultimately I decided the Lexus looked too much like the Focus (or visa versa) and just couldn't justify spending $40000 on a look-alike car.
You'll notice I didn't drive the Leaf that day. I had already driven it two months before when I began thinking that I might need to buy a car. I loved it from the minute I jumped in.
So, I drew some conclusions. Golf=couldn't bring myself to consider a diesel vehicle. Fit=piece of junk. Lexus=overpriced for that particular model. I also discovered that it would be next to impossible to get a Focus EV or a Fit EV in Florida, as the distribution didn't cover my state. So, my shortlist became the Volt, the Leaf, and magically an oddball jumped in, the Mini Cooper Countryman. Although the Countryman didn't fit my 40 MPG City, it was somewhat close. And it was cute and fun to drive.
I spent the next two months making final decisions. And ultimiately I would change the final decision. Many times. My family got a bit worn. My delay circled around exactly when I would need a car. My company kept moving the pick-up date on my company vehicle. Finally, the company confirmed the pick up date, and the pressure was on.
I test drove the Volt, again. I liked it better than before. Now, only women will understand what I mean when I say this, and I apologize to humankind for this comment. Driving a Chevy makes me feel fat. Perhaps because Chevy rhymes with heavy, or because the gear shift console clunks its way into drive, I just don't feel it.
Mini kept screaming my name. I drove the cute little car twice. The dealer tried his hardest, but ultimately it came down to gas. Premium fuel, too. The Mini takes premium (and so does the Volt, by the way). Despite its charming appeal, I couldn't buy it.
Alas, my choices dwindled to the Leaf. I think I always knew from the first time I saw the Leaf at the mall, I knew I'd get it. But I had to think my way through unplugging my life from the gas pump just as much as when I unplugged my life from the house phone and went totally wireless. There will be trade offs, and I wouldn't be able to manage some of them if I didn't have access to another vehicle (my husband's). But I'm ready. Enter My BeLEAFable life.
I had several dealers courting me. Once I knew that the 2013 wouldn't deliver until January, and I couldn't wait any longer, I started the true shopping. I'd email the dealers via Edmunds and AAA buying service. They'd email back, again, and again, and again. I explicitedly stated in my emails not to call. If they called, I deleted their emails and told them I would not do business with them. Those whom respected my wishes got replies back. During this process, Nissan announced it'd buy back two Leafs from Arizona and a class-action suit was filed in California. It didn't deter me. Knowing I'd be leasing a Leaf, I trudged forward.
Finally, I had a sincere offer from a dealer who listened to what I wanted (an SL, not Black), and who would put an offer in writing. I then contacted another dealer and cited the offer along with the VIN number. Mistakingly, and I swear on my Camp Fire Girls honor, I typed in the wrong monthly payment in my email to the second dealer. I accidentally low-balled the monthly by $75. The second dealer responded with $80 less than the original offer. I countered back with $10 more off a month. He replied back, and we sealed the deal. I take delivery of my 2012 Nissan Leaf SL at $235 month, no money down, 24 month lease for 12000 annual miles (total 24,000), with is disposition fee at the end of lease at $305.
I pick up in 6 hours. More later!
Since 2001, my company provided me with a work vehicle and a gas card to go with it. So although my only choice in the matter was the color of the car, I got used to not having to worry about my transportation. I loved not having a car payment, not having an insurance payment, and not having to pay for gas. How could I translate those fabulous non-worries into reality when I actually had to purchase a car of my own?
Thus, my criteria looked like this: Greater than 40 city mpg, total monthly cost less than $500, 4-door hatchback, and if electric, a range of greater than 75. My husband owns a Prius. Immediately, Prius left the list as I think it's silly to have two of the same cars in one family. We are a family of three plus two....occasionally two step-children, whom are adults, visit. Although I didn't have much thought about lease versus own, I knew that if an alternative fuel vehicle made the list, I would lease it. I don't want to own unproven technology.
The only tool I trust for auto research is Consumer Reports. From reading many issues from multiple years, I narrowed my list to Lexus CT Hybrid, Ford Focus Hybrid and Electric, VW Golf TDI, Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, Honda Fit and Electric and the Mitsubishi I-EV. To the car lots I went.
First up was the VW Golf TDI. I have to say that the sales man was fantastic. He featured every bell and whistle, but I just couldn't buy diesel. Period.
Next up, I drove the Honda Fit. I couldn't get out of the piece of junk fast enough. Followed by the Mitushubishi i-EV--who put the VW Rabbit back in circulation?
The Ford Focus followed, and I must say Ford took me by the assumption and shook it right out of me. The car trimmed out nicely, drove smoothly, and Ford's syncing technology surpasses everyone's. Ford wins big points for me also because it didn't take any bail-out money on the Auto Bailout of 2011. It also sponsors my favorite show, _The Amazing Race_.
I followed the Focus with the Volt. Unfortunately, the demo model only had a few miles left on its charge, so the dealer only let me take it for a mile around a closed course. So, my first impresssion faltered, and the console seemed clunky and old-fashioned despite its high-tech look. Chevy can't help but be a Chevy.
The last drive for the day belonged to Lexus. How nice to walk into a premium dealer and work with seasoned professionals! We drove the 200 CT after a surreal experience of key finding, but ultimately I decided the Lexus looked too much like the Focus (or visa versa) and just couldn't justify spending $40000 on a look-alike car.
You'll notice I didn't drive the Leaf that day. I had already driven it two months before when I began thinking that I might need to buy a car. I loved it from the minute I jumped in.
So, I drew some conclusions. Golf=couldn't bring myself to consider a diesel vehicle. Fit=piece of junk. Lexus=overpriced for that particular model. I also discovered that it would be next to impossible to get a Focus EV or a Fit EV in Florida, as the distribution didn't cover my state. So, my shortlist became the Volt, the Leaf, and magically an oddball jumped in, the Mini Cooper Countryman. Although the Countryman didn't fit my 40 MPG City, it was somewhat close. And it was cute and fun to drive.
I spent the next two months making final decisions. And ultimiately I would change the final decision. Many times. My family got a bit worn. My delay circled around exactly when I would need a car. My company kept moving the pick-up date on my company vehicle. Finally, the company confirmed the pick up date, and the pressure was on.
I test drove the Volt, again. I liked it better than before. Now, only women will understand what I mean when I say this, and I apologize to humankind for this comment. Driving a Chevy makes me feel fat. Perhaps because Chevy rhymes with heavy, or because the gear shift console clunks its way into drive, I just don't feel it.
Mini kept screaming my name. I drove the cute little car twice. The dealer tried his hardest, but ultimately it came down to gas. Premium fuel, too. The Mini takes premium (and so does the Volt, by the way). Despite its charming appeal, I couldn't buy it.
Alas, my choices dwindled to the Leaf. I think I always knew from the first time I saw the Leaf at the mall, I knew I'd get it. But I had to think my way through unplugging my life from the gas pump just as much as when I unplugged my life from the house phone and went totally wireless. There will be trade offs, and I wouldn't be able to manage some of them if I didn't have access to another vehicle (my husband's). But I'm ready. Enter My BeLEAFable life.
I had several dealers courting me. Once I knew that the 2013 wouldn't deliver until January, and I couldn't wait any longer, I started the true shopping. I'd email the dealers via Edmunds and AAA buying service. They'd email back, again, and again, and again. I explicitedly stated in my emails not to call. If they called, I deleted their emails and told them I would not do business with them. Those whom respected my wishes got replies back. During this process, Nissan announced it'd buy back two Leafs from Arizona and a class-action suit was filed in California. It didn't deter me. Knowing I'd be leasing a Leaf, I trudged forward.
Finally, I had a sincere offer from a dealer who listened to what I wanted (an SL, not Black), and who would put an offer in writing. I then contacted another dealer and cited the offer along with the VIN number. Mistakingly, and I swear on my Camp Fire Girls honor, I typed in the wrong monthly payment in my email to the second dealer. I accidentally low-balled the monthly by $75. The second dealer responded with $80 less than the original offer. I countered back with $10 more off a month. He replied back, and we sealed the deal. I take delivery of my 2012 Nissan Leaf SL at $235 month, no money down, 24 month lease for 12000 annual miles (total 24,000), with is disposition fee at the end of lease at $305.
I pick up in 6 hours. More later!
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