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Sat 24 Jun 2023 11:22

Hmmmm - SLO76

I’ve seen a 66 plate 30kw Mk I Nissan Leaf for sale locally(ish) for £8,200 - before I kick him with my size 9’s. Say I get it for £8,000 tops (I’d be aiming for £7,700) that works out at around £150 a month for a bank loan. Now, currently I spend around £160 a month on fuel for old Terrance the Toyota plus £250 a year to tax him and he’s getting old and probably will need some money spending over the next 4/5yrs.

On paper it makes complete sense to flog the Avensis and to buy this cheap Leaf. It more than covers itself on fuel and tax savings alone and that’s without me factoring in the money I’d get from flogging my current car, as I’ll probably spend what it gives me on something a bit retro to play with.

I do go hill walking and use the car occasionally to transport my mountain bike but these are rare occasions and I usually go in the someone else’s car and chip in for fuel. These are the only occasions where the 90/100 mile real world range of the older gen 30kw Leaf wouldn’t manage in my lifestyle. It would offer free travel to and from my work and mean effectively a free car purely from fuel savings.

Do I or don’t I?

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 11:30

Hmmmm - paul 1963

Makes sense to me, wonder if it's worth getting a battery health check done before you commit?

What's Terrance worth? Could you afford to keep him until the Leaf proves to be OK?

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 11:35

Hmmmm - SLO76

Makes sense to me, wonder if it's worth getting a battery health check done before you commit?

What's Terrance worth? Could you afford to keep him until the Leaf proves to be OK?

Wise, I am also intending on keeping the old man until I assess the Leaf in use. I’d like to replace him with something older with a bit of character though, preferably something from the 90’s and use the Leaf as the transport appliance.

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 11:33

Hmmmm - nellyjak

Only you can know SLO...

Personally I'd be a bit nervous to have BOTH cars fully electric..atm I'd always want an ICE/Hybrid to fall back on as it were.

I'd doubt that Terence would cost you big bucks to keep rolling.

That may well be me being belt and braces but if it suits your driving needs then good luck.

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 11:36

Hmmmm - SLO76

Only you can know SLO...

Personally I'd be a bit nervous to have BOTH cars fully electric..atm I'd always want an ICE/Hybrid to fall back on as it were.

I'd doubt that Terence would cost you big bucks to keep rolling.

That may well be me being belt and braces but if it suits your driving needs then good luck.

True, I do like having a petrol car as a backup and intend on buying something a bit retro with the proceeds from the Toyota. Possibly £2,500-£3,000.

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 11:40

Hmmmm - badbusdriver

Given the short range of the Leaf, I think it would be wise to keep one ICE car in a two car household.

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 11:43

Hmmmm - SLO76

Given the short range of the Leaf, I think it would be wise to keep one ICE car in a two car household.

We’d become a three car household in time, I’d be looking to buy an older toy to go to the Festival of the Unexceptional etc. As much as I like the old Toyota it is a bit dull.

Edited by SLO76 on 24/06/2023 at 11:44

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 12:37

Hmmmm - badbusdriver

Given the short range of the Leaf, I think it would be wise to keep one ICE car in a two car household.

We’d become a three car household in time, I’d be looking to buy an older toy to go to the Festival of the Unexceptional etc. As much as I like the old Toyota it is a bit dull.

But would this older toy, Fiesta ST150 for example, be suitable if you wanted to go on holiday somewhere a few hundred miles away?

Terrence may be a bit dull, but once you get your toy he doesn't have to be anything other than reliable does he?

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 12:58

Hmmmm - SLO76

“ But would this older toy, Fiesta ST150 for example, be suitable if you wanted to go on holiday somewhere a few hundred miles away?”

We’ve every confidence in the Mk II Leaf for longer trips. It can do 130/140 miles on a charge and we’d stop before that for a break anyway. It can be charged using fast chargers while we nip in for a cuppa and a pee.

Edited by SLO76 on 24/06/2023 at 12:58

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 13:00

Hmmmm - primus 1

Wow SLO, you really have been bitten by the electric bug haven’t you:)

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 13:14

Hmmmm - SLO76

Wow SLO, you really have been bitten by the electric bug haven’t you:)

Purely numbers in my head. It’s an appliance, but then so are most modern cars with their numb electric steering etc. It technically pays for itself as long as the on street chargers remain free.

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 13:52

Hmmmm - FiestaOwner

These are the only occasions where the 90/100 mile real world range of the older gen 30kw Leaf wouldn’t manage in my lifestyle. It would offer free travel to and from my work and mean effectively a free car purely from fuel savings. Do I or don’t I?

How would winter driving affect the range? Especially allowing for the interior heater to be on, to keep the windows clear?

Also, I hear quoted that it’s best to charge to 80% and don’t drop below 10%. Does the 90/ 100 mile range take account of only using 70% of the battery capacity?

The days of free charging will be numbered. However, you should be able to charge at home on a cheap overnight tariff (Octopus?).

I don’t have any experience of EV’s, but am finding your EV threads very interesting. Look forward to seeing how your other Leaf (and potentially this one) works out, especially over winter.

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 15:23

Hmmmm - SLO76

“ How would winter driving affect the range? Especially allowing for the interior heater to be on, to keep the windows clear?”

It should take a few miles off, but I’d would still easily manage my daily commute.

“Also, I hear quoted that it’s best to charge to 80% and don’t drop below 10%. Does the 90/ 100 mile range take account of only using 70% of the battery capacity?”

We try to stick to the 20-80% recommendation with our current Leaf and 80% allows two days of commuting for SWMBO.

“The days of free charging will be numbered. However, you should be able to charge at home on a cheap overnight tariff (Octopus?).”

I’ve looked into dual tariff supply, but while your evening supply is very much cheaper your daytime prices are higher so for the cost of charging the car occasionally (when I can’t be bothered walking to and from the street charger) it would mean paying more for the rest of our usage. I haven’t fully done the calculations but it looks like a false economy to me. At our current rate the gaffers car costs around £7 to take it to 100% with a theoretical range of 168 miles (130-140 really) which is still a fraction of the cost of petrol or diesel to do the same. I do agree that free charging will come to an end but while they’re still trying to convince us to go electric it’ll continue, I suspect few several years yet.

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 15:27

Hmmmm - SLO76

“ I don’t have any experience of EV’s, but am finding your EV threads very interesting. Look forward to seeing how your other Leaf (and potentially this one) works out, especially over winter.”

It’s all new to me, and the economics of it to me simply don’t stack up when buying or leasing a new EV thanks to the ludicrous new cost and heavy depreciation. But the Leaf is now entering contention on the used market and I’m interested in seeing just how cheap I can go on electric. Im currently (sorry) scanning Autotrader and Gumtree for cheap electric cars (the 24kw Leaf is too limited) to see if there’s a wee bargain to be had that I could get my money back on if it doesn’t work out. As a car the Mk II Leaf is very much a normal family hatchback, it’s actually very conventional. Winter will be the real test.

Edited by SLO76 on 24/06/2023 at 15:28

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Sun 25 Jun 2023 09:46

Hmmmm - groaver

As a car the Mk II Leaf is very much a normal family hatchback, it’s actually very conventional. Winter will be the real test.

Others with electric will tell you of their experience.

Having used a fleet of Zoes for a couple of years now, I have found that in summer I could easily get 190 miles from their theoretical 220.

In the winter with minimal heating and lighting that dropped on all of them to around 145 - 150.

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 18:26

Hmmmm - Heidfirst

surprised that it is costing you £250 to tax Terence, it doesn't cost me that to tax my 2017 1.8 Avensis.

Remind me, is your Avensis an estate? if so do you use it's load carrying capacities at all & if so how does the Leaf's dimensions stack up?

& of course Scottish Govt /Transport for Scotland will be ending free charging.

Edited by Heidfirst on 24/06/2023 at 18:27

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Sat 24 Jun 2023 19:20

Hmmmm - SLO76

surprised that it is costing you £250 to tax Terence, it doesn't cost me that to tax my 2017 1.8 Avensis.

Remind me, is your Avensis an estate? if so do you use it's load carrying capacities at all & if so how does the Leaf's dimensions stack up?

& of course Scottish Govt /Transport for Scotland will be ending free charging.

The bands changed for cars registered from 31st March 2017, mine is sadly dearer to tax despite causing no more damage to the environment. It is an estate and is used occasionally for tip runs and to ferry my bike. It’s very practical but then so is the Mk II Leaf which has a very large boot. The Mk I is however noticeably smaller. Of course they’ll end free charging, but since uptake into electric cars is still quite poor I predict that it’ll continue for a good few years yet then perhaps a token gesture charge will begin. Even so, it still a fraction of the cost of a diesel or petrol car when using our home charging point, approx £7 to give us approximately 140 miles.

Edited by SLO76 on 24/06/2023 at 19:23

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Mon 26 Jun 2023 04:37

Hmmmm - expat

Of course they’ll end free charging, but since uptake into electric cars is still quite poor I predict that it’ll continue for a good few years yet then perhaps a token gesture charge will begin. Even so, it still a fraction of the cost of a diesel or petrol car when using our home charging point, approx £7 to give us approximately 140 miles.

When the free charging ends you should get photo voltaic cells on your roof. Being on the sunny Costa Clyde you should be right on the long summer days if less so in winter. ;)

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Mon 26 Jun 2023 10:26

Hmmmm - Terry W

With off road charging capability, and preferably PVs on roof, motoring becomes very cheap for journey within range. Free roadside charging will not last long.

Going EV would mean some level of travel compromise on longer journeys - mainly time to charge enroute, Whether this is an issue depends on journey frequency - if infrequent the cost of public chargers is unlikely to be a major issue.

Personally I would want to retain one ICE in a household with two cars - but that may change over the next couple of years.

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Mon 26 Jun 2023 11:03

Hmmmm - John F

On paper it makes complete sense to flog the Avensis and to buy this cheap Leaf. It more than covers itself on fuel and tax savings alone ....... I’ll probably spend what it gives me on something a bit retro to play with......... Do I or don’t I?

Do. You are approaching your second childhood (I'm already there) and toys are a useful adjunct to mental health. As for the 'something retro', late model TR7 DHCs are still available at amazingly low prices ;-)......

www.carandclassic.com/car/C1558148

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Mon 26 Jun 2023 11:27

Hmmmm - SLO76

“ Do. You are approaching your second childhood (I'm already there) and toys are a useful adjunct to mental health. As for the 'something retro', late model TR7 DHCs are still available at amazingly low prices ;-)......

www.carandclassic.com/car/C1558148”

Agree, but the TR7 doesn’t do it for me, I hanker for something I wanted as a teenager. A nice mild/hot hatch from the 80’s or 90’s would be grand, ditto a rep mobile from the same era.

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Mon 26 Jun 2023 11:47

Hmmmm - Andrew-T

I hanker for something I wanted as a teenager. A nice mild/hot hatch from the 80’s or 90’s would be grand, ditto a rep mobile from the same era.

I got myself a present last Christmas : a Pug 205 GR 1.4 with 77K on the clock, complete service history and one lady owner from new (31 years - not many like that) .... It's had some fettling and looks pretty good for its age. Cost a bit over a grand.

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