I think there is an important correct to make here. You should buy a leaf with little life on the pack, if you can get it super cheap. Because you can use the money savings to buy a bigger battery from a wrecked newer leaf.

I have a 130k kilometer (81k miles) 2012 model leaf, used to be my fathers from new but it was handed to me when he upgraded. It's a wonderful city car. I still have 9/12 battery bars (so around 100km of range) which is plenty for city use. Biggest repairs have been suspension and brake related - they wear out over time, but also get hit quite hard with rust. The original paint is also very thin, so body panels can quite easily rust. Be especially mindful of the underside of the car and the rear. Here in Norway, used Leaf parts are plentiful and cheap. Not sure they're so cheap it makes sense importing to the US, but it honestly might be worth asking someone to take a look, if you own a Leaf and know a Norwegian. I had to replace my original 12v battery just a week ago. 11 years old, the original flooded lead acid battery started giving up the ghost. When the 12v battery gets old the car starts acting a bit erratically, but still drives just like normal. For me, I would sometimes have to press the start button twice to engage the high voltage system. I would also get the ABS and ESP warning lights every now and again. All was resolved with a new, cheap FLA (

Great vid Kenny with useful tips, I didn't know any of these before watching your vid.

Great video. probably the most helpful video i've seen on what to look for in a used EV.

And will make sure to check all the stuff you mentioned definitely gonna bring it to get charged on my test drive

Also a 4th thing when buying one. Make sure the touch screen works correctly! They cot £4800 from a main dealership, very expensive!

Thank you, this is so helpful. I want an EV, but I like small cars, and the only EV I could possibly afford in 2023 is a used Leaf.

VERY INSIGHTFUL! Thank you for this video, now I am considering Nissan LEAF.

I just checked out your review, great job! I was checking out a 2013 model the other night and it made an unusual noise when the heat was turned on. I'll google it along with another issue I wondered about. Thank you very much!

Thank you. I had wished viewed this UKposts before purchasing my 2012 Leaf.

Thanks for the video. It might be a good idea to get it on a hoist and inspect if there's any rust.

I am considering buying a Leaf, and thanks to you I now know that one I was considering has 5 bars and another has only 3.

Haha! I love the questions around the 7 minute mark... haha I bet some people still ask those questions!!! This was a very helpful video, thank you! We had a 2013 Leaf and regret getting rid of it.

Excellent coverage simplistic to understand. Thanks!!

Best video i've seen about the Nissan leaf by far, Thanks!

Awesome info!! Thanks!! :)

Always a good idea to check everything. Power windows, door locks, radio, cd, Etc.

Informative video, thanks.

Been driving my leaf for 6yrs now (bought it in 2016 for $6995 and it had all 12 bars SOH), oh, and it had just under 30k miles on it and I'm still on the factory brakes (thanks to the regenerative brakes and a lot of one footed driving) To date I have spent $0 on maintenance, I'm on my 3rd set of tires and I've changed the wiper blades 5 times so far. The SOH (state of health) of the battery, like yours, is down to 10 bars and I'm getting close to 70k miles on the OD. I think your video is very helpful to newbies however at the same time... The only reason I was able to get such a great car at such a great price was because the average person didn't know anything about EV's and would not buy one. I bought mine at a dealer who had put new tires on it but still, no one was interested even though it looked brand new (it was a lease turn in) Your video, helpful as it is, will likely encourage others to buy one of these hidden gems which can only result in the price(s) going up. So.. good video, but bad for future owners who will not likely find these gems priced quite so low as before.

It would be also important to try the AC at full blown cold air cabin air recycle and then full hot heating without ECO mode to make sure that PTC heater Still Working great ! It may break very rare but this might be a backordered part (PTC heater)

Your odd yet but attractive demeanor is a nice way to enjoy this “to the point”video thank you!

Looking to buy one soon and as a first time EV driver this was so easy to digest, thank you!!

Thanks, useful information.

Good video. I considered buying a leave a few times. Especially since my current employer offers free charging, but I drive and use my pickup truck so frequently during the week. I'll buy an EV they make a simple pickup truck that can go 500 mi on a charge while pulling a trailer and not cost $50,,000. 😂

Most important thing for me...does a German Shepherd fit comfortably in the back without putting the rear seats down!😂

Wow thanks for this valuable information about this little car…!

You the man bro I didn’t know about the battery life bars 👍

Thanks man!

Great Video, you now have me subscribed> was looking on CL found a 2014 with 56k from Arizona great price 4500 but the battery capacity reads 5 Bars! Nearly useless when it comes to range

Thanks for your help

Let buyers know that best to drive in B mode to get the regen braking and longer range. I’m averaging 5.1 miles per KWH on my 2019 Leaf

Thank You

Great job- thanks for the info

I just brought a 2019 best video I’ve seen about these cars thanks

I own a 2017 1st Gen I average 60 miles a day I bought it as a work car testing Imo's a good feeling making a little difference in the world

My 2014 Leaf is still running great. Best car I've ever had.

Thanks for sharing

there is one, often overlooked, maintenance item on these vehicules. reduction gear oil. check your maintenance manual.

Nice Pura Vida T-shirt!

Saved me from buying a lemon! Thanks! Noticed the battery health bars were

Very reassuring.

Great info. Subbed.

Great advice I’m in the market but I am worried about getting a leaf as I was worried about battery cost

In the U.K. London, the used LEAF has shot up in price. The cheapest i can find one for(2011) is $8,000. a few weeks ago I was lucky to get a fantastic 2017 example with 24kwh. The battery is in a perfect state of Health SOH. I only planned to get this as a temporary car as I wait for my Model Y. I am so impressed with it, that I am going to keep it. I seriously love this car. Oh the cherry on top, TAX, Parking, Traffic zones, electricity is all FREE.

good video. I mostly agree. Look at the other comments. a lot of good stuff there to !

Looking for a leaf. Thanks for the info!

So with that regenerative braking thing, can you actually drive more than 70 miles without charging because I drive between 100-120 miles normally per day,

Thank You for All that you are doing for our Planet Earth.... Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste 🙏🏻 😊 🌈 ✌ ☮ ❤

Thank u good video.

Thanks, tho a correction is that Leaf’s DO have a single gear reduction and differential for transmitting power from the motor to the drive shafts that uses a splash lubrication system. Its oil has specified change intervals of 30k miles. If not changed regularly, unnecessary wear & tear will result & present as slipping. So something else to watch for…

If I had to get an electric car, I’d go for this. Being early, it should be relatively simple except for the digital display but most importantly, it’s cheap. Looking online, they’re between 3-7,000 pounds compared to the cheapest new electric car being £22,000. Simplicity is what I want but the only other simple EV I like is inefficient and unreliable as well as being rare, so I’m hoping this will be the best option.

Thanks

Finally! A honest and simple car review. Thank you. Want an ebike? Get the Jetson Bolt Pro. I just did. Great fun!

hi kenny, tyvm. this was very informative. i appreciate that it was short and to the point. ive already memorized the 3 things to ck for and i got the info from the commentor adding to ck the ac and heater on the list too. ty commentor. one more thing, is the 2018 Leaf a good yr to buy? i read by then the battery degradation issue was resolved. ty

Gracias

Great video for 73 yr old grandma looking for a car

Hey man thanks for this video I saw a Nissan leaf in my price range for sale and I was on the fence about it but now I know what to look for and that's great thanks man If I could ask you a question I live in an apartment what kind of an extension cord can I buy to run it from my apartment window to the leaf or can I even do that? My apartment does not have charging stations and how long does it get a full charge how many hours

True! I purchased a 2019 Nissan Leaf SL Plus new in 2019. This vehicle currently shows 100% battery capacity on dashboard indicator. at about 40,000 miles. I have done zero maintenance other than rotate tires and 1 cabin filter. Vehicle drives perfectly and is as good as it was on date of purchase. For comparison, my wife purchased a 2019 Subaru new about the same time I purchased my Leaf. Subaru has been ok, but we did have to replace the thermostat, plus, dealer installed it incorrectly, and the vehicle almost ran HOT. That is in addition to normal ICE vehicle oil changes, etc. I have become to where I hate to go to gas station with the Subaru.

Can you install a new battery and if you can , for how much would it be done

I would say 4 - check tyre tread depth - if low get the dealer to change them! But thanks for the info!

fairly bullet proof cars… if the battery is really bad… you can get refurbished batteries fairly cheap… 4 grandish depending on size and location… also DO check the heating and cooling system… they are not prone to failure… but are fairly expensive to repair…

I just bought a 2015 with 46k miles and all 12 bars. Car only has one charge port, so no fast charge, that may have something to do with the battery being still 100% capacity.

As a lifetime petrol head I was dead against electric then last month my spouse bought a Leaf. I winged and whined. First trip out we couldnt find an appropriate charger BUT once we formalated a charging plan and did a few hundred miles....well guess what...Im now a toatal convert. Smooth, quiet, no smelly fuel and oil....I love it!

Doesn’t the leaf have a single speed gearbox? If so it has lubricant that should be changed at intervals

Bought a 2017 Leaf from a dealer. Battery health shown was 85%. But on a full charge could only get 60km. Took it to a mechanic - apparently the dash had been reset in some manner. It now shows the real battery health: 3 bars. But apparently only Nissan has the diagnostics to prove when the reset occurred and they won't for inexplicable reasons, so don't have conclusive evidence the dealer did it. Still going to court on the weaker than desired evidence though, as 60km range is almost unusable.

I just bought a 2011 and took it back to the dealer the next day because the battery is bad. I’ll get my money back but it’s a real shame because this car is so fun to drive! Thank you for providing the details about the indicator light. If the battery life is good, and you just need a solid commuter car, it’s a good investment.

I just bought a 2013 with 9 bars for 3k. I haven't used it besides driving it home, but I love the way it handles.

You should know my 2023 SV Plus fast charger connectors have been redesigned.My old hookups will not work. I have to get an electrician to install the newly designed 220--240 volt 50 amps dedicated garage junction box. Neither the Dealer nor Nissan will halp with the cost or even finding a source to make the switchover. BUT I love this vehicle!

I got a 2015 the other day and it runs the main fan quite loudly when I plug in the level 1 charger. The fan runs as long as the charger is plugged in. It's summertime here, but not super hot, so it really surpried me that the fan runs this much. It's almost as loud as a running ICE. Is this normal?

Great video! Makes me want to buy a car now! If I do, I will be buying a Leaf! :)

Hi Kenny, Thx for these videos...I have a 2013 with 7 bars of battery life left...is it time to replace or should I continue with this battery. Also, can the battery pack be upgraded to 64? And how much does it cost to replace. I know you mentioned that you have a friend who does this...I live in the Denver area too.

Here are three MORE things I'd check: - Does it FAST charge (ChaDeMO). Can't test this at home, so make sure you are prepared during test drive. - Does it come with a charge cable (from your orange charge port (type 1 / SAE j1772) to a 'Mennekes' or whatever public charging stations in your area use. SO that should be different on both sides and both should be female. This what you'll use when NOT charging at home and in some cases when you are charging at home but you have a charger that comes without an attached cable. These cables don't come cheap, about €200. - Does it come with the 'granny charger', which is also type 1 / SAE j1772 but goes to a big charge box which plugs into a wall socket. You may need this once or twice a year only, but boy will you be glad it's there. Should come with the car. As to the brakes: they will rust before they wear out. Noisy/grinding brakes means something has rusted. Replacing that is not the biggest deal in the world. I've had it done after about six years and any garage can do it. Does need to be factored into the price. Also look at the tyres: worn tyres cause a lot of noise (usually masked by the engine) and influence the range. You'll want low resistance tyres. Also check: does it come with 2 keyless entry keys & does it drift left or right whilst driving.

The disuse of brake pads in electric cars is actually an issue, as they gotta be changed more often because they rust away.

I've seen these go at dealer auction for $1500 bucks its a cheap good grocery getter

What does it mean if a 2012 leaf has 10 bars on the right, but only 30 miles range? Its for sale looks good except only 30 mile range.

Hey Kenny. I stumbled upon your channel when I am researching about used nissan leafs/leaves? Anyway, this video is so helpful specially for people like me who does not know much about leafs or EV in general. Question though. Does milage matter? Cheapest one I've seen so far here is a 2015 with a 158k km milage (around 93k in miles) battery health is 11/12 they sell it for 13k canadian. I live in Canada so the priing here might be different. The car drives solid though, no noise.

I've owed a 24kwh, a 30kwh and now a 40kwh (Japanese imports) None of them have broken down but... The 24kwh often got error codes when fast charging and there was noise from the left front wheel The 30kwh was perfect. The 40kwh has noise from the left front wheel and propilot sometimes cuts out when it's cold.

I'm thinking about upgrading to the 2023 Nissan Leaf Plus

The most important thing about buying a LEAF or any EV is battery health. Everything else can be easily fixed pretty cheaply, battery is most of the cost of the car.

I see one that's for sale near me, a 2011 for just over 3k with 9 bars for the battery 😬. So tempting. Definite 10 or no go? Or would you bend the rules a little for something with 9?

I just pray the battery is still good

Thanks, U saved me $4000 on a 2011 with 6 bars left.

How do they do in a Midwestern winter? Below zero temps, running the heater full blast and driving at night with the lights on could make for extremely short range.

I still have my 2017 the best car ever owned by Nissan Leaf I have 83 Thousand Miles now you don't have to worry about driving one day and a muffler falls off and takes out two cars behind you😊

What's your take on the issues with these cars not braking? I'm considering buying one but the brake issues is a concern.

Can we put larger or more batteries to increase the range and even solar because it’s just not enough for where I live.

sad thing in the UK they charge more insurance on electric, they will road tax from 2025 March and the Electricity costt more this time then petroL:)?

How much would it cost to change the battery is there a better battery aftermarket with longer range for the 2012s?

Me ave one it not charging

Say who those car still ave to check

Air conditioning?

New York state inspection cost $20 on an EV car when I go for my ear inspection

So I see this 2011 leaf at a local dealership not Nissan or anything big I’m test driving it Saturday with 50k miles would it be covered with warranty still?

Where do we find a battery pack on the market besides the Dealership

Hi i want to know about nissan leaf nippon dealer in Leicester he shaw me 2011 nisan leaf in 6000 pound and mileage is 56000 and it is japan export car in uk. Can you advice me it is good or which things i have to check in it. Thanks

I'm looking at buyjng a 2013 leaf, it has 28 miles of range, but only 1 WHITE bar for battery health. Should i stay away from it? Whats the worst the range can get to if you never replace the battery?

Yes always buy a leaf with 12 bars on the battery, but the only way to check this is that the seller as fully charged the car battery so you can check that it has 12 bars

would these leafs 🍃 do good in Alaska?

What exactly are we looking at on the new models? I watched your video but wasn't sure what I was seeing. Avoid rapid charging unless in extreme circumstances. I've owned 2 LEAFs a 2013 S and a 2015 SV. My 13 was wrecked with 45000 and still 12 bars. My 15 had 30000 and 12 bars when I got it but went to 11 before 35000. I rather enjoyed the hypermiling. Sadly she also got wrecked. Insurance is a little higher. But my savings in gas made my car payment.

I bought a 2020 nissan leaf for $13400 with 154 miles on a full charge. It was a little bit cheaper because it had 30900 miles on the odometer, and I've already driven it 1,500 miles