Are Used Electric Cars A BAD Idea? 4K

[@richardbrayshaw570]

Love that AutoTrader (and Rory!) are developing a strong presence in car journalism, not just reviewing new car releases, and especially around emerging trends like 2nd hand electric vehicles, charging, etc.

[@stormwindchampion3992]

I agree. These videos are quite good indeed. carwow is also good but can get a bit tiresome and "samey" so this presenter feels like a breath of fresh air, so to speak

[@craigcooperxyz]

Got an eye on Carwow innit.

[@tadas9181]

Autotrader promote used cars so these types of reviews are more aligned with their audience.

[@dennisalexanderreilly8624]

@@stormwindchampion3992 Yep, he's heads and tails above the rest. CarWow is just annoying.

[@alunhoskins4513]

What a brilliant presentation. It’s about the car, not the presenter’s ego. This channel is really refreshing.

[@mattsmith517]

In this video Rory is driving the original Japanese built Leaf, when they started building them in Sunderland they changed the battery chemistry which is a lot better. I have one that is almost as old as that one but the battery is in much better condition, only recently lost the 2nd health bar. If you are thinking of getting a Leaf and have the budget, get a Sunderland built one. You can spot the difference as follows: 1) Light under the charging port flap. 2) No electronic handbrake, there is a foot operated parking brake where the clutch would normally be. 3) Most Sunderland built Leafs have a 13 plate or newer, but some Japanese built ones have 13 plates too.

[@ALYDAVIDSON1]

Hi Matt, what sort of range are you getting out of your Leaf?

[@mattsmith517]

@@ALYDAVIDSON1 I reckon about 70-75 miles in good weather.

[@goosegog]

Well said Matt. I also have a 24kWh 2013 UK LEAF Tekna. I fitted lowering springs, LED main beam bulbs and a phone holder. I charge from home. My commute is only 32 miles a day so absolutely fine for me.

[@connwoolridge2077]

Another easy way to spot the newer (2013) version is in the boot: around 5:15 when he opens it, see the darker grey chunky panel that goes all the way across the boot? That's not there in the newer one. Also, the older ones tend to be pale interior and the newer ones dark interior. Great review

[@neilwalton7955]

The Sunderland ones also have a black interior.

[@chrisjones6699]

You dont need a petrol or diesel car to jump the leaf. You could use a jump pack….which is a battery 😉

[@panzerveps]

Or a 9v smoke detector battery. All it needs is enough voltage to activate the relays in the HV battery, and it powers itself.

[@rosen0662]

Or even another EV

[@otterylexa4499]

Yeah, that misinformation was not cool at all.

[@john_barnett]

Immediately said the same thing haha, anything with enough voltage will do, you don't need the CCA like an ICE car does 😁

[@andrewallen9918]

I know, that misinformation jumped out at me too.

[@JulianToler]

My 2014 Leaf (24kWh model) is fantastic and the battery shows no signs of degradation, despite the car being used as part of Kaluza's V2G trial for over a year (where it was used as a battery on wheels for the grid :-) Our Leaf is used for all our motoring when the journey is less than around 40 or 50 miles. Beyond that we would usually use our diesel :-( I feel pretty confident about 60 mile round trips as long as the weather does not require heavy use of the heater or air-con and there are no massive hills to cross (we live in the Peak District). Our Leaf is peppy and a joy to drive. It did not cost a fortune and when charged with solar or night rate electricity is costing peanuts to run. The maintenance costs are of course absolutely minimal. The low floor gives a large boot capacity, although most of the time we keep a floor platform (custom built) in place to give a flat loading platform which is ideal for a dog owner. Anyone buying a second hand model would be advised that the later models (after 2013??) have significant advantages - better, more durable batteries and heaters/air-con that uses a heat exchanger which is massively more efficient than the crude heating provided in the early cars. In summary... we love our Leaf and would highly recommend a second hand model - especially as a second car for use as a local runabout.

[@TrinidadGhost]

Perhaps one of the best reviews I’ve heard in a while. Pro tip: Nisan replaces the battery for free if the battery drops below a certain number of bars before 50k miles (I think) and it’s a specified number of years old. Did it twice so I actually ended up with 2 used Leafs for about 6k USD each - which were technically brand new. My daughter drives my second leaf and the car literally NEVER brakes. 90k miles with about 90 miles range. Perfect for college. It’s like owning a golf cart you never repair except for the tires. Unbelievable value for someone that has places to go on a very tight budget. Also great if you’re doing a delivery gig in a city!

[@JeroendeJong500]

A car that never brakes doesn't sound very safe to me 😇😝?

[@TrinidadGhost]

@@JeroendeJong500 😁 this is why I drive a Tesla! The Nissan’s were my introduction to EVs. Now, I just can’t justify selling it..it’s insanely reliable.

[@travis8665]

@@JeroendeJong500 You only have to look for a tree if it never brakes.

[@neilwalton7955]

That’s not correct. 8yrs or 100,000 miles on a 30kWh or more. The 24kWh warranty will have expired by now. The battery needs to show less than 8 bars.

[@kristoffer3000]

@@TrinidadGhost A reliable Tesla? Fuck off Elon, at least try to make it seem like a real person!

[@EmjayO]

The attention to detail of a 4grand car shows your level of love for cars. Still a great review. Awesome video just as ever

[@TD1237]

A true car enthusiast indeed.

[@julianshepherd2038]

You are admiring a man for loving inanimate objects. And you probably will never understand why that is weird. Takes all sorts, that's the joy of humanity.

[@Mik3yBBQ]

@@julianshepherd2038 it's animate. It's a car, useless if it didn't move, right? :D

[@modo613]

Well worth pointing out that there is a massive difference between the battery chemistry used on these early Japan built cars and the slightly newer (almost identical looking) Sunderland UK built cars. The newer battery chemistry has far, far less degradation with a 20 year+ expected life. These Japan built cars are mostly ignored other than by people planning to fit a new battery from Clevely EV and likely some other new firms shortly. Liquid/air cooling issue is overrated and the simplicity of the Leaf works in it's favour as the cars age. The blue LED headlights coupled with the non-diamond finish wheels and light interior usually differentiate the two models. On the UK built cars blue LED headlights will always come with diamond cut alloys not the basic plain style on this car.

[@JackMott]

Isn't the degredation improvement due to thermal and electrical management rather than chemistry? Also, nice thing about leafs is people have figured out how to swap in newer battery packs! Hot Rodders FOREVERRRR

[@engleblerthumferlumpadinck6536]

The cooling issue isn't overrated at all. The car is hopeless on long journeys due to what has become known as "Rapidgate". There's no way that you're not aware of this. The newer Leafs with their - also not thermally managed 40kWh and 62kWh batteries - are worst for degradation. If you want to purchase an BEV outright with your own cash, avoid Nissan/Renault

[@modo613]

@@engleblerthumferlumpadinck6536 You've misunderstood the situation. Rapidgate affects ONLY the 40kWh in a practical way. The earlier cars did not throttle charge based on temperature. The 64kWh doesn't heat up at regular motorway speed, and besides you'd have to have a bigger country than the UK to do enough miles to trigger throttling due to temperature. I've driven all these cars long distances. There is a software update available for the 40's which reduces the throttling. I've seen no evidence of higher degradation on 40 and 64kWh cars - have you seen any?

[@gregb1599]

Who in their right mind would take any EV with a battery size of less the 60kwh long distances? The original Nissan Leaf was designed and works extremely well as a city car! If you want to do long distances then buy a long range Model 3 or fly

[@jimf4748]

@@gregb1599 The 62kWh Leaf is more than capable of long distances as it has a realistic range of 200 miles on a single charge. Model 3 is way too expensive and flying is bad for the environment.

[@dchamp1337]

Great review overall. A couple of issues: 1. Rory says you need a petrol car to jump start it. Why couldn't you jump start it from another EV's 12v battery? Or a jump pack? No need to specifically say you'd need a petrol car. 2. "It has rims". Yes, all cars have rims on their wheels, otherwise the tires would fall off.

[@landrewmackinnon4888]

Love this guy! Watching this video was like having a real chat with a buddy about his new used car. Felt honest, relevant and fun.

[@borinvlogs]

i might buy something like this. perfect to go to my work, charge there for free, and come home without spending anything on fuel cost. Update: 31/10/2021 Wow thanks so much for many likes. I ended up buying a Porsche 987 Boxster S 3.4litre PDK as my daily instead of a Nissan Leaf. 😁😁😁

[@alexpro60798]

It will break in 5 years engine’s last a life time

[@Kingpenguin94]

@@alexpro60798 lol

[@drewhender3999]

@@alexpro60798 engines don't last a lifetime 😂

[@alexpro60798]

@@drewhender3999 yes they do if you look after them properly

[@hyrise76]

@@alexpro60798 🤨

[@maggygwire]

I know I’m on my own here but I love the looks now. Hated them when they came out but they just look different and a bit classic now. Really appeal

[@joeb4294]

I agree but I think it helps that this one is white because it makes the headlights blend in better.

[@maggygwire]

@@joeb4294 the later mk1’s in white with diamond cut alloys look pretty good

[@terryjimfletcher]

Two corrections : 1 remote opening of the charging flap is dependant on model, our Tekna trim has remote button for this flap. 2 Any car can start an EV, including another EV. What an EV *shouldn't* do is jump start an ICE car due to the current required g this could bust the EV's inverter (also applied to hybrids - they shouldn't be the donor car) .

[@johnnelson5083]

Yep, I keep a usb jump box in mine for jumping other cars, and people are quite surprised when their car starts with that 3x7 USB charger plugged into it :-)

[@JacanaProductions]

I have been driving this car for past 3 years. I paid $4k with $1k shipping! These are great little cars as they were made in Japan. My leaf got a new battery in 2015 Lizzard because its previous owner lived in Florida. I still have all 12 bars (85% SOC ) and about 70 miles of range. It's somewhat noisy on the highway but is a blast to drive around town. I've basically just changed wiper blades and trunk struts in the past 3 years and we've only put on about 15k miles. It's also not too bad in the Colorado snow and we are running all weather Nokians on it now. I think the ball joints are shot as it doesn't ride as well as it used to - so to all the EV fans who say nothing but wipers and tires for 200k miles ...... suspension is suspension and it's going to wear out sometime. I think the issue is if you're not a car persons you won't notice issues like this - same goes for my 2008 Highlander that also has struts that are worn at 160k.

[@KurtzMista]

Man what a time to live in where used electrics give value. Looking forward to your mods, and thanks for keeping this channel up. Informative, entertaining, honest, and dare I say, enthusiastic!

[@timm5997]

Have a 2013 Leaf with similar 8 bars and get around 80km realistic range. Paid about about 6,000 pounds for it a year and a half ago. Dark interior, better mags, and full set of airbags push the price up a bit here in NZ. We love the car. My wifes 20km daily commute (45min in traffic) is perfect. How much CO2 have we saved! We charge up at night on low energy prices. And we use it for most of our weekend driving in the city too. Its perfect for city driving. Great visibility. Fast of the line. We put some good tyres on it, made a huge difference. Much better traction and handling.

[@bid84]

My 2014 leaf has done 60k miles and still has 11 out of 12 health bars remaining. Fun fact the leaf has a Wade depth of 70cm! It doubles as a submarine!

[@ivar.andreassen3209]

My 2013 Leaf Tekna drove 118,000 miles before losing its first bar. By the way, I live in Norway.

[@DavidRichardOwen]

Great segment. These original LEAFs can be retrofitted with a 40KwH battery. It's not cheap - but if the car itself if only £4,500 and has very low running costs otherwise, it's worth considering.

[@gelisob]

40kwh's are in high demand and thats pushing the price. I fitted 30kwh to mine and sold my old one off for stationary battery. Upgrade cost after that ~2k. Video on channel if interested :) Makes cross country trips ~15min longer compared to 40kwh but I do that maybe few times a year so, i'm fine with that.

[@DavidRichardOwen]

@@gelisob Most of the articles I've read about updating the batteries to LEAFs rely on finding a donor car that's being scrapped. Mindful that this probably won't meet the demand as more EVs reach 5-10 years old - have you seen much around new battery packs being sold to refresh vehicles?

[@cloudlessx]

how much would it cost to replace the battery?

[@mach1nefan]

ok - i love this neutral approach to EVs! absolutely what we need more of in the car community!

[@EVinstructor]

Take it to Cleevely and get the battery checked. It could be a couple of cells taking the pack down that a module swap would fix. On James and Kate’s KZbin channel there’s a video of a Leaf having this work done. It took less than a day and cost about the same as a clutch swap. You could ask about a battery swap to a 40kWh or 62kWh while you’re there as well. I have a 40kWh Leaf now and previously a 30kWh. I got to like the looks of the MK1 30kWh. It was a brilliant car. The 40kWh is a big step up and a fantastic car but lacks the charm of the old model.

[@Brian-om2hh]

Exactly Colin, yet so many seem to believe that a costly full battery replacement is the *only* option. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing.....

[@EVinstructor]

@@Brian-om2hh with the Leaf having been around for 10 years and the Zoe and Tesla Model S just a bit less we have a lot of information about the long term use of batteries in cars. There are half million mile Teslas with the original batteries now and Leafs at 200,000 miles have batteries that are still working if a bit degraded. It is the perception of most people that EVs have one enormous battery. Rory’s Leaf has (I think) 96 cells. A fault in one can affect the whole battery pack. Because of its air cooling the Leaf does suffer a bit more degradation over time. Watching KZbin videos it looks easy to drop a Leafs battery and bolt in a new module. I guess the module can then be reconditioned and faulty cells replaced. With an 8 year 100,000 mile battery warranty it’s not really going to be a problem for a lot of owners.

[@edvoon]

@@EVinstructor In fact, the lack of a liquid cooling system makes it a cinch to replace the battery pack compared to other EVs. The very first LEAF will accept the battery pack from the very latest 62kWh LEAF (with a mounting bracket for its slightly larger size and a battery pairing tool). And in the future when some bright spark manages to cram LFP modules into a LEAF-shaped battery pack, the cooling issue won't be a problem anymore as LFP is less sensitive to higher temperatures and has a much longer service life with less degradation. There is potential for a LEAF to be better than it was when new, if an aftermarket solution becomes available.

[@TsLeng]

@@edvoon exactly the reason I will be considering one of these if I need a second car as a runaround. +8k for a 40kW battery swap makes this a very decent car.

[@Brian-om2hh]

@@EVinstructor I understand Tesla's can be more problematic if or when it comes to a battery upgrade or replacement. I believe the cells in the pack are fastened (glued?) together for whatever reason, and cannot easily be removed or replaced. But then not everyone buys a Tesla....

[@1MrBryn]

I still maintain that the shift knob in these is the most satisfying one to use in the industry.

[@CombustiveVideo]

Finally someone has mentioned this! Irks me when people say it's weird and just want a regular stick. Flicking it into eco when coasting down a hill is really satisfying. Why put a stick in there which takes more effort? It's not like it's moving cogs in a box.

[@badfairy9554]

I got one for myself. I love it. It truly puts a smile on my face each time I drive.

[@dennisalexanderreilly8624]

Great Review! My used Fiat 500e now only gets around 75 miles as a San Francisco city commuter, but it's a prefect machine to do exactly that an an occasional run out to Marin County for the grass and trees. Used EV's are the hidden bargain we all need!

[@amanda1271]

Hey, what year is your Fiat 500e? I'm looking at some in Fl and I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it for the range with a 2o mile commute

[@dennisalexanderreilly8624]

@@amanda1271 What you will save in gas will always make an EV worth it .Mine is a 2015, which I bought for 7k OTD with 22k miles. Batteries are warrantied for 100k miles. There is virtually no maintenance except for tires and wiper blades. I pay $ 3.25 to fully charge it.

[@amanda1271]

@@dennisalexanderreilly8624 that's exactly what I've been trying to explain to people but no one believes me😭 I'm gonna try and fight for my Fiat EV, thank you!

[@MartinzW]

I had one like this (2013 model made in 2014) used. Keyfob did have charge port button to open it. My car had problems with the heater so it didn't feel quite warm enough with the heater on. I did enjoy the size of it. The biggest pain points was the short range on rare occasion and slow charging curve. It did serve well and never had problems in my short time of use. For daily needs it was perfect - always had enough charge, space and dynamic. Edit: I want to also add, I loved how solid it was - go over speed bumps and whatnot - no squeaks or rattle.

[@ethanwd]

Genuinely interested in the mods you do to make this car desirable - I’m keen for a cheap electric car, but this car isn’t exactly what you’d call a looker…. Very keen to see what you do with it!

[@chargeheadsuk]

Gotta be wheel upgrade, tint the lights and windows, dechrome and a slight drop i reckon. Maybe a spoiler 🤔

[@cianboy97]

The black one looks much nicer if you can find one

[@mrortega468]

If he makes it look desirable then I will consider buying one

[@gregb1599]

People buy these EV to save serious $ as a city car they are unbeatable, I have owned my Leaf for 5 years and am very happy I do not have to pay $2.30 per litre of fuel paying just 14 cents per kwh at home or zero at our local 25kw free charges. The Leaf has paid it's purchase price off in the first 3 years of ownership!

[@chargeheadsuk]

@@mrortega468 by the time you've made it look nice you might as well have bought something else with a better range thats the problem

[@JamesRosenberg]

This is going to be an AWESOME series! My wife and I have this as the grocery getting in addition to our Tesla. We just can not seem to let go of it, it keeps going.

[@ungedavid]

Made me appreciate my Leaf a lil more

[@antoniopalmero4063]

I recently sold my 63 plate acenta for £2500.oo, it had 8 bars left and 193000 on the clock. Drove perfectly and everything worked. 🇬🇧

[@JackMott]

I AM HYPED FOR THIS SERIES

[@HygienistDentist]

Same!!!!!

[@ewadge]

Me too.

[@ronaldmartin2274]

Really like this guy and the way he presents the program. No nonsense and straight to the point.

[@auliamate]

When I get my first car, this car might be my first option.

[@patrickjr11]

love my 2017 leaf, but if I had a criticism, its the headlights are a tad dimmer then I would like. They should be a lot brighter. and it could do with beepers at the back. Apart from that. Its an excellent car, especially when bought second hand. A real bargain

[@jimf4748]

I have a 2017 Tekna and I find the led headlights very bright. I did miss the beepers at first, but now I much prefer the reversing camera, as it gives much more accurate information of how close you are to an object.

[@patrickjr11]

@@jimf4748 sadly, I don't have the LEDs on mine. Shame. I am thinking of upgrading them to something better quality.

[@pigknickers2975]

I agree with you Patrick. I've got a 2017 Tekna and the lights do seem lacking. I think the full beams are LED and the usual ones are old school. Very weird choice I always thought. But generally it's been my favourite car in 30 years of buying them.

[@Appoloimperial]

@@pigknickers2975 Low beams definitely are LED and the high beams are 65W Halogens - at least on my 2012SL US Market model.😀

[@oliverwestmoreland-caunter5234]

Love what Rory is doing with this channel, one of the best 👌

[@sam_uk_123]

Rory is one of the best presenters out there. Great review!!!

[@yvs6663]

i bought a used 30kWh model and the keyfob actually does open the charge port. not that i ever use it since most of the time u will be plugging in right after u exit the car. good to hear battery degradation doesn't stop the car from being nippy.

[@ugonwogwugwu7988]

Yes it’s range not performance that gets affected

[@peterjordan-turner8789]

Really interesting stuff from Rory now - and he shows how much TG is missing a classy presenter.

[@cauthoncrazy]

I love my 2016 Kia Soul EV! Affordable and easy to drive, cheap to own, quiet. I got it with a new HV battery in 2020. Put 16k miles on it so far.

[@Mobile_Dom]

had nissan swapped out the type-1 and CHAdeMO for a CCS plug when they intro'd the 40kWh leaf it'd still be popular today, but the fact that 2021 leafs still use CHAdeMO outside of Japan is maddening

[@86msv]

With a name like CHAdeMO I understand why Nissan wants to keep it

[@GlynHudson]

New chademo rapid chargers are still being installed today, Chademo is going to be around for a long time to come

[@matthewburroughs9597]

Means "Time for a cup of tea" in Japanese. Normally 30 minutes, which is how long it takes to go from 20 -80% charge.

[@Mobile_Dom]

@@GlynHudson they're being installed yes but at significantly lower quantities than CCS is, older CHAdeMO and Type 2 50kW chargers are being replaced with dual CCS ones. Keeping the CHAdeMO plug in Japan makes sense, in the UK, Europe and even the US is asinine

[@Telcontarnz]

The shame is Chademo has 2-way standard and CCS not there yet. Annoying and stupid.

[@dangr3957]

I bought a facelift Model S 70 half year ago with 117K. It still drives like new now it’s over 120k. EV’s last longer than ice cars.

[@FlyingPhysicist]

I bought my first car a couple of years ago, for commuting. I'd genuinely have bought one of these if there was *any* public charging infrastructure in the area. Lamp-post chargers should be widespread by now, in my opinion. It's a shame as electric car adoption is being held back considerably by this lack of investment, in my opinion. (I ended up buying a small petrol)

[@fplbreakfast6463]

This is exactly the problem. Only people with a driveway can currently own an electric car in my opinion.

[@kimekholm7178]

@@fplbreakfast6463 I have charging at my parking lot (in the city). Doesn't have to be a driveway but rather a place where chargers can be installed (eg. parking lots or parking garages)

[@Brian-om2hh]

You do know that most UK Local Authorities are able to secure funding to install street light chargers if members of the public request them? The Government funding is there, the Local Authority simply has to apply for it. Some Councils may not realise that the funding is available, such is their apathy. Free charging is available at Tesco, Sainsburys, LDL and Ikea though.....

[@fplbreakfast6463]

@@Brian-om2hh That's good to know thanks 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@Brian-om2hh]

@@fplbreakfast6463 No so Jacob. Most Councils are able to access funding to pay for the civils work involved in fitting a grid in the pavement outside a property. The grids allegedly take around 30 minutes to install, and allow a charging cable to pass underneath a pavement, rather than over it..... No driveway required. Workplace and car park charging should also go some way to solving the problem in the years ahead. Employers are able to access grants to have chargers installed at workplaces, but probably not all will know this...

[@chickenfortress7956]

Most of us dont have the money to go around experiencing the latest and greatest electric vehicles out there and also cannot afford to run the risk of spending our short money on the wrong tech. I almost bought a Kia Soul EV last year but ended up with PCP a petrol Juke because I was afraid to lose my investment. What you are doing here is showing what the real normal people would experience should they buy one electric affordable vehicle and if its safe to make the move. Thank you!

[@davidmccarthy6061]

When enough EV's of different types hit the used market, that's when the ICE market begins to drop rapidly. No long will the lower income need to spend 4 grand on a car and constantly need to spend more to keep it running.

[@faywhite7886]

This the cheap point a to point b car.

[@houssamalucad753]

Yeah but don't forget that at some point those cars will need a new battery, which is just as expensive if not more than a new engine, and it needs to be done more often, so not so much for savings

[@Markcain268]

I spent £600 on a 2001 ford focus, got it for £250 as gearbox was noisy, had that rebuilt for less than £300, changed oil,brake pads and brake fluid, drives spot on, no need to spend £4k on an ev😀

[@matthewpowell2744]

@@Markcain268 Good for you ! Sounds like a bargain. Include Road tax and fuel costs into the calcs for an apples with apples comparision though. EVs pay £0.00 raod tax and around £0.04 /mile fuel cost. If your mileage is high, tilts the table.

[@Brian-om2hh]

@@Markcain268 You'll certainly still need to keep spending though. You won't keep a 2001 car going if you don't....... The advantage of even a £4k EV, is that it has no engine, no oil changes, no cooling system , no clutch, no gearbox, no fan belt or timing belt, no exhaust system etc, needing maintaining...... As Rory pointed out in the video, there is virtually no wear on the electric motor and drive train, and the Leaf still pulled as well as the day it was new. The Leaf would also still be a efficient in it's use of energy as when it was new. A 2001 ICE car wouldn't....... And *then* there's the issue of emissions charging schemes. We'll be seeing lots more of these schemes appearing in the next 5 years. Oxford are kicking their scheme off next month, and this will charge owners of *all* ICE cars and vans which enter certain parts of the city centre. The Birmingham scheme, which began a while back, charges the owners of cars and vans which do not meet Euro 6 standards, £8 per day - payable 7 days a week - to enter the city centre. So Rob, maybe those cheaper EV's will begin to make *much* more sense very soon?

[@stuey36]

One of the most useful reviews right now... Rory is an amazing presenter. Miss you buddy :/

[@janpruijser8649]

Bit of Marques Brownlee there. “I’ve been living with this car for a weeks now” Cracking review as always dude!!

[@johndean3475]

the original Leaf is a modern classic ! brilliant smart car ! I love it.

[@MarkGaudie]

I could open my leaf charging flap with the key fob. Mine was a 2014 Tekna model though. Loved our Leaf.

[@vedranart]

yeah, same. 2014 version has it.

[@fredthesavannahcat2899]

I think that ALL motoring journalists should buy the cars with their own money and then review them. You'll get a much better and honest review...just like this Rory. I can feel your honesty. Well done

[@simonmckenna3075]

No CCS, That's the one problem with a leaf, but as a second runabout car a cheap leaf makes sense. At least gridserve are still ensuring at least one chademo point at a location..

[@Brian-om2hh]

You can buy a CCS adaptor, but they aren't cheap.... (£100+)

[@philipc239]

Finally!!! A return back down to Earth review for everyday people

[@TraciBinIT]

Standing by! 😄. You got me actually researching this car. Good stuff 👍

[@TheLongonot62]

Go for the later 24kwh, or 30kwh and with the 6kw charging option.

[@ugonwogwugwu7988]

Exactly, watched this and i want to buy one now!

[@jimbojjz]

Great cars love ours

[@SteadVex]

had a leaf for 5 years, never knew the headlines were to help with wind noise, if the sales person had told us that I would of been impressed! only thing we did over 60k was change tyres and brake fluid

[@nigelsmith6077]

How long on a single charge are the batteries as green as they say, can they be recycled??

[@roodick85]

60mi at his health and you can use the old pack for home battery backup still. Most likely he has a couple bad modules

[@Brian-om2hh]

Yes, the batteries can be recycled Nigel. The recycling industry is in it's infancy just now, but will grow. The lithium and cobalt within the batteries can be recovered to around 90% and reused.

[@jghall00]

Loads of used batteries on eBay.

[@deanchur]

@@roodick85 Do you know if individual modules can be replaced? Would be something I'd be interested in if it's easy to repair/can be done myself.

[@johnphillip1711]

@@Brian-om2hh Lithium isn't generally recovered...instead its burnt away using pyrolytic (?) material recovery. Saying battery recycling is a bit of a misnomer at the moment, instead its closer to battery incineration with limited recovery of a small amount of the total battery pack

[@Pique147]

30 grand for 80 miles range. 4.5 grand for 60 mile range. Like you say, the trim pieces can be replaced and anyone in a city would have a perfect daily driver. Plus it has a CD Player!!!

[@minuslr]

I loved my early Leaf we bought at £10K cost with 10K miles seemed a bargain in 2014, and nothing went wrong and little needed spending in its time with us. It was a prius that led us to this which I did not like for the unnatural engine rev feel but the Ampera after the Leaf was a joy and pain free too. My dad's had two later model Leafs now and with a bit of planning he travels long distance. Genie and Instavolt charging stations we would recommend for long trips (I have a Tesla now but if you want to go to the lake district for instance you need to find alternatives to superchargers and all the major charging providers are expanding big time)

[@nr5494]

So pleased you’re doing this Rory. We don’t all want to waste £25-35k on a new car (and thanks to depreciation it truly is a waste), and for pottering around cheaply, this looks unbeatable. Looking forward to seeing how you mod it.

[@JustAutoChannel]

Another great content from you my favorite auto reviewer on KZbin. You do an amazing job.

[@jestronixhanderson9898]

I bought a 2014 for about 5k , 86% battery still. Build quality is good, no rattles. Battery degradation in early leafs was terrible and scared people away. 7 years and 14% , im happy. Also if your buying a leaf use leafspy. And be prepared to be extremely surprised by the zippy performance in city driving. I was going to grab a tesla and then looked at what 99% of my driving range was, i would have mostly been carting expensive batteries around. Its not a tesla, but for the price its near the same for city use. Im seeing lots of them on the road now. The secrets out. Hes right about that new feeling too, silky smooth, no play or rattles.

[@ryanhawtin9639]

I own a leaf, I'm looking forward to seeing what you do to improve it. 👍

[@Sneaker_Net]

Great review! I purchased a used LEAF several years ago and love it. I wish it had more range, but it's still a great car.

[@stevezephyr]

Love Rory's reviews, plenty of info and very interesting, keep them coming Rory.

[@nickborrrego]

Looking forward to this series! Picked up a 2012 last year and I feel almost exactly as you do on these points. New in Australia is was $55000. I got it for $16000 with 33,000 kms and 9 bars on the battery. Very happy!

[@darroncrick9993]

we bought a 2018 Leaf for 34k. No one here in Oz wants them so they are a bargain. We charge for free at Stocklands then bring back and feed the power into our house with a V2H from Setec, happy days!

[@nickborrrego]

@@darroncrick9993 nice! Is the Setec working out well?

[@darroncrick9993]

@@nickborrrego yeah Nick it works fine. Uses about 200w/hr. You need a Chademo port on the car which only the Leaf has.

[@seanoleary]

I have a Leaf and I can open the charging port using my key. Maybe that was a later feature? Mine is the 2017 model

[@nickbartlett5928]

I can also open the charging port of my 2015 Leaf Tekna using my key.

[@sheepcute]

The 2013 'upgrade' added that feature, along with the charge port LED.

[@sevensixtysteve8662]

OMG, how have I not seen any of Rory's work up till now. Awesome content and one of the best presenters out there, great work !

[@architarora2180]

Now thats an "Electric Review" ! Looking forward to the next episode!

[@Lovejazz01]

I loved the Leaf, and wanted a used one for a few years until I could afford a Tesla Model 3, which I’ve had now for a year. My wife couldn’t understand why I would want such a car back then. But we test drove one and I saw in real life( after internet and KZbin videos) that it was so well built , still like new , and smooth driving. At the time it was on sale at $7500 US dollars , at only 20,000 miles on the odometer. Basically a new car that would have been basically a free car with no gas and low maintenance. I’ve often said , if people find out about a used car deal like a used Leaf for the same money as a used gas/petrol money pit, they would buy this car used in droves. But unfortunately here in the US not a lot of people are in the know about electric vehicles period, sadly. Enjoy your petrol free driving!

[@muhammad_aliraqi9312]

So this thing is just as fast as a mazda MX5 so basically I can just floor it all the time and no one will tell me to slow down

[@HygienistDentist]

😹

[@wojciechmuras553]

Honestly? Off the line, Leaf is zippier. Mazda will catch up eventually, and it will overtake in the first corner, but if all you care about is launching on green light? Leaf ain't bad at all!

[@muhammad_aliraqi9312]

@@wojciechmuras553 true but if someone wants to mod their car you have to go with the MX5 because well does the leaf have any after market support?

[@wojciechmuras553]

@@muhammad_aliraqi9312 Sure, the Miata was born to be modded, while the Leaf was precision engineered to need nothing but a windshield fluid refill. There's nothing you can do with one, aside from replacing the traction battery. That drastically improves range, but not performance... Although you might be able to swap in a brand new "e+" engine from a modern Leaf. That one has double the power, and gives this little thing the performance almost on par with an SR+ Tesla Model 3. Haven't heard of such swaps though... But they should be completely compatible.

[@joebloggs4191]

Maybe but you will still have more fun in the MX5 than this!

[@murdockscott]

I purchased a used 2014 Fiat 500e about 4 years ago for an astonishingly low price and it has been a great car! I recommend them all the time IF you have a place to charge it at home and if you really don’t need a great deal of range. It makes a wonderful run around car in a two car family.

[@nifatchoudhury3623]

Rory's content is always desirable and quality 👌🏼🔥

[@Staromil]

I just hope so much Rory won't follow in the footsteps of so many other auto journalists and switch to the high view count, , no-depth, drag races mostly bulls*it videos for kids. You hear me, Mat Watson of Carwow?! You used to produce great content like this!

[@warreng5257]

@@Staromil Matt still has his own content and own channel. Matt doesn't own Carwow, he's a presenter he doesn't have final say on the content 😂

[@Staromil]

@@warreng5257 you are mistaken in both cases! Congratulations! 1) Mat did not upload a single video on "his" channel in 3 months and 2) here is what cw webpage says: "Our team - Carwow Mat Watson. Chief Content Officer." 🥳

[@GeneralVanRyberg]

Only found this channel the other day and subscribed immediately. The few videos that I watched, including this one, were really, really good. Very pleasant, calm, and "positive" style of reviewing and such a relief over those shouting and fake angry types. Please keep up your excellent work.

[@atefelabed8365]

Very interested in this series. Please do a range comparison when using AC and heating and when not. No one mentions this but it's pretty important especially on very cold/hot days if you are doing a longer journey. Thanks

[@alexw9024]

Depends if is a gen 1 or gen 2, not that much difference on a gen 2 in all honest

[@JacanaProductions]

Resistive heating is a battery killer. Here in Colorado when it gets to be 10c or less I am grateful for he heated seats and steering wheel. The heater can use 3KWh or power and in my car can drop the range by 30% - yikes! There is a reason why they put the heated front and rear seats AND steering wheel in this cheap car - they knew you were going to get pretty chilly when it gets cold and only the foolhardy would use the heater! Obviously in merry England it may not get that cold :) The AC don't drop the range that much and if you use he heater sparingly it's not so bad perhaps 15 mile hit. I never get that close to TURTLE mode :)

[@nickborrrego]

Also how driving uphill requires a fair bit of its battery. It's one thing on a very short list of cons I have with my 2012.

[@romero1337]

Having a 12v battery in the "frunk" is very smart! If you ever need a jump from another vehicle at least you wont be stranded!

[@JackMott]

In the long run EV makers will get a supply chain going of wipers/headlights/radios etc that can run on the same voltage as the main battery, and we can shave ~30lbs off all the already heavy evs.

[@HygienistDentist]

I didn't think about how they would need a jump from a petrol. Maybe it's good that we have a few on the roads these days haha

[@sawyermaitland]

They don't@@HygienistDentisthe got that wrong

[@HairyCheese]

Come on Rory, educate the naysayers more. Autotrader may have an agenda to sell all used cars, but education allows people to make an informed choice. Make sure you show peeps LeafSpy and then maybe you can copy Robert and shove a 40kwh battery in it for £8k, sell the old battery for £1k and have a new range of 120-180 miles 🤪

[@ugonwogwugwu7988]

Excellent!

[@neilwelch7273]

Is that really possible?

[@cornovii3012]

Which brings the total to £6500 for a near 10 year old small car, you would need to be tapped in the head to think thats worth it.

[@bid84]

@@cornovii3012 Yes but EVs won’t age like ICE cars. They aren’t subjected to the same wear and tear like cars of yesteryear. You can simply upgrade the battery and keep on top of the bodywork, the cars will last for decades.

[@matthewpowell2744]

GBP 5k ? tell me where ? I'm in !! Cleevely want £8.5

[@n1ch0las51]

I bought my 10 year old leaf for £4.2K in Dec 2020. it has 10 bars of battery health. I agree its a great car for the money.

[@granfersteve3815]

Good review Rory, does the improvements list include upgraading the battery pack to 40Kwh ? and will you be telling us how much you spend overall?

[@asensibleyoungman2978]

The thing that puts me off is range anxiety. Most of the time my daily mileage is under 20 miles so the Leaf makes perfect sense but occasionally I make long trips and then I'm at the mercy of charging points.

[@beachboy0505]

Damm, I wish I bought this now the secret is out. Price goes up 💰 🤑 💸

[@dayganeagar7749]

Have a 2011 Nissan leaf with 11 bars on 14000km on the clock. The car drives like its only a year or two old. Love it.

[@JonathanEzor]

Has the built-in map of charging locations been updated since the car was sold? If so, how recently?

[@Brian-om2hh]

ZapMap is updated fairly regularly........ Most EV owners wouldn't use the onboard system, they'd download either ZapMap or A Better Route Planner to their phone, and use that....... way way better.

[@nickbull6603]

It is what it is. You wouldn't want to drive it 100s of miles, but for local running around its fine, and unbelievably cheap to buy and run.

[@hamvak]

3:50 False. You will NOT need a petrol car to "jump start" an EV if you run out of power. What you WILL need is a 12 V source to charge the 12 V battery. ANY 12 V source with sufficient amperage will do. It could be another car (EV or gas) that has a good battery, another 12 V battery, or one of those battery pack/power supplies used to jump start a gas car. What is needed in a dead battery situation is the ability to get the 12 V system active so that the contactors can be activated to connect the HV battery to the charger. Once enough charge is in the EV's 12 V battery, the external source can be disconnected and the car should charge normally.

[@tomsdaddy]

Fascinating fact: If you fold the rear Seats down you can fit a Bale of Straw and a couple of Sacks of Pig Food in it, too ! I've got a 2013 Tekna, with 70,000 miles and it's just a brilliant hack, and it's got leather seats, too, so you can take stuff to the Recycling Centre, and then vacuum it out easily, after ! I think the Leaf will become a design Classic, if it isn't one already, - an electric equivalent of the 2CV, - unique !

[@HygienistDentist]

Excited to see the mods

[@intergalacticsucker1724]

Troll :D

[@DariuszTech]

I had 2 Nissan Leaf's with 24kwh. Did over 70k miles in total. Didn't have a single issue. Range is still pretty decent. I made a video when I actually did 84 miles on 11bar battery . That's pretty impressive isn't it. The battery on 2015 car with over 74k still had 85% capacity of the battery 🔋

[@domtdoodar99]

Turn it into a Nissan Leaf Nismo😂

[@chargeheadsuk]

There is a Nismo body kit 😉

[@joelcrow]

As an enclosed golf cart for local grocery store runs, it’s current used price of about $6-8,000 is what it should have always cost. You cannot beat it as a super affordable car - cheap charges, no tax, no real maintenance. But as it’s always been, if you don’t own a house where you can charge it each night, it’s still not a practical option.

[@CheapskateMotorsports]

I'm really looking forward to when Rory puts his own flavour of modifications into this car. You don't really hear of ev mods outside of Tesla trying to sabotage them so it would be interesting to see where this goes.

[@roodick85]

They're like RC cars you just need to upgrade the controller and swap the motor out with a higher output one.

[@alexandermckenzie2767]

We just bought a 2015 24Kw Leaf and love it. Now is the ideal time to get one as the grants for home chargers in the UK are going away in March if you are a home owner. We love pulling up at traffic lights alongside boy racers and leaving them in the dust. Great fun!

[@Get-Native]

when theres no petrol for the v8? just buy an ev :P I want an electic ariel atom

[@randomdaveUK]

Now that's an idea! Would be incredible

[@macdaddywdf]

You’re gonna love you “new to you “ Leaf. LeafSpy is you friend. Keep up the good work!

[@CyberPunkSimms]

60 mile range, simply is not enough.

[@TroyHR123]

to be fair for someone that has a 5.0 Mustang and lives within 30 miles of 80% of their non-home activities; I can see this being a useful (potentially cost effective) second car. As an only car though you're right.

[@CyberPunkSimms]

@@TroyHR123 very true. I just like going for nighttime drives, out into the country which is 50 miles in itself. It isn't the car for me :)

[@vedranart]

This is 2011 Leaf, last made in Japan and sold in EU. With older, non-improved battery. But still, worth it :) All other Leafs after 2011 have gray/black interior and were made in UK.

[@Brian-om2hh]

And the UK built versions are generally considered to be better in most respects too......

[@vedranart]

Yes, that's true.

[@M1tZk1]

Well than... let's how it all ends up. I'm secretly waiting for an electric MX-5, if Mazda manages to still make it feel like a true Miata.

[@chargeheadsuk]

There are a few companies making similar, Check out Chesil Speedster, Caterham and electric AC cobra...yes you heard me right. 😉

[@rodgerreid2560]

OK no disrespect but I don't think this one suits you.. 😊.. But I love your choices of cars.. I love all the information you give us.. Blessed and keep up with the great work you are doing Mr Reid...

[@lesfernandez888]

FYI - Your MOT expires on the 24/10

[@chrisjones6699]

🤣

[@JGott0001]

8:09 in our family, we have a 2016 Nissan LEAF and a 2017 Nissan Rogue and I am constantly observing how much more road and engine noise there is in the Rogue. That's one of the great lesser perks of the LEAF is how comfortably quiet and peaceful it can be. I don't have to blast the stereo (according to my wife) in order to hear over the drive!

[@rs6437]

I very nearly purchased a used Leaf in the summer but decided to wait a bit longer. Now regretting it considerably given the fuel issues and the fact electric cars have increased in price. Great series and certainly shows I should have bit the bullet and gone for it!

[@toyotaprius79]

Transport Evolved had done this exact topic 4 years ago. It was highlighted how everything mechanically functional in an EV that we associate with high reliability and that with a refurbished battery pack (light-years ahead of Gen 1 tech) can be reused fruitfully

[@simonreeves2017]

Here in the U.K. a used Leaf is a good way into an EV for very little money. The downside with the Leaf is the lack of active thermal battery management, but the U.K. climate is fairly battery friendly - doesn’t get too hot. The range is low by today’s standards, but if you do less than 60 miles a day, plug it in overnight, in the morning it’s full again. The savings will surprise anyone new to an EV.

[@fabulousoffroaddesigns5080]

This is real fun! I've done some consulting work with dealers to help them buy electric cars. I have a 2013 Leaf SL in blue with leather and my wife has an '18 Ford Focus Electric. In my opinion the Focus is the enthusiasts electric car. Firstly it has race heritage with WRC, the RS and the ST. It's the only electric front drive hot hatch with reasonable range, great handling, and a proper hand brake. All the racy bits can be bolted on too. Wings, splitters, body kits, race seats, 30 mm suspension lift, full livery even. If I was 16 again that's what I'd want. It's definitely quicker then the Leaf and the battery doesn't seem to have the degradation issues. As a parent they are perfect for teens too, because the range is like a bit of a leash, and you can track the Ford on your phone. I'll be watching.

[@JohnAdams-kc8wx]

Rory - can I just say hello and that you are a total legend.