...Or perhaps I should title this entry, "NOT servicing the LEAF" because I've had the car since May 2011, and I still haven't been back to the dealership for anything.
When I took delivery, I was told that the first service isn't until 7,500 miles - just to rotate the tires. Although I drive my LEAF every day, I never use it for long highway trips; so I've only managed to put 4,800 miles on the car in eight months, an average of about 20 miles per day for all commutes, shopping, and social events.
I've always taken very good care of my cars; and I was feeling a bit "guilty" that I hadn't ever been to the Nissan dealer's service department; so I called the Service Manager and asked him, "Shouldn't I be bringing my LEAF in for something?"
He chuckled and said, "What for? There's nothing to check! We don't need to see you until 7,500 miles to rotate your tires." He emphasized that there are no fluids to check or change. Unlike a gasoline engine's thousands of precision moving parts, the electric motor in the LEAF has only one moving part, the armature; so there's nothing to wear out or require servicing - no oil changes, no new oil filters, no replacing carburetor air filters, etc.
There's no service due on my Lexus either. The service department at the Lexus dealership is superb, the best I've ever experienced with any car. They've always given me First Class treatment, but I confess I don't miss them at all. I don't miss phoning for service appointments, taking time out of my day to drop off my Lexus and pick up a (free) loaner Lexus, then driving back to the dealership later to pick up my own car. I've only put 800 miles total on my Lexus since I got my LEAF; so no service is due; but one of these days I really must think of a reason to take the car in the dealership for something. Maybe the next time it rains I'll take the Lexus out of the garage and get it dirty - that will give me an excuse to visit the dealer for a free wash (which they're happy to do as often as you wish). Lexus service is the BEST... but I never get to use it any more. :-)
This May I will take my LEAF in for its first service... tire rotation!
I love my LEAF!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
19. Ah-HAH! Finally I can report a LEAF caveat…
Ever since I started this blog in May 2011 I've had nothing but superlatives to report about my LEAF: it's quick, quiet, fun, solid, smooth, roomy, has outstanding AC, etc.
But this week I finally discovered a minor caveat about the car.
For the past few days we've had our first "cold snap" of the winter - yesterday the temperature never got above 38° (northerners will chuckle, but that's COLD by Austin standards).
Batteries cannot deliver as much power when they're cold anyway; but then add to that the fact that the car's (electric) heater absolutely SUCKS power; and you end up with a dramatic decrease in range compared to the warmer months. Just turning on the heater drops the range on the battery display by 10-15 miles! Of course one could wear a parka and do without the heater to gain more mileage, but who wants to do that? (The newer model LEAF's have heated seats and steering wheel which should help.)
Fortunately I never drive more than 20-30 miles on a typical day; so even in winter I've always got a large reserve of battery power to run the heater full blast without worrying.
And it's nice that the electric heat is instantaneous - no waiting until you're almost at your destination before the gasoline engine warms up.
But when one compares this winter range loss of 10+ miles to the summer drop of only 3-6 miles with the AC blasting full force on a 105° day, it becomes clear that the LEAF may not be the best choice for folks who live where winters are long and brutal (poor devils).
I've been driving my LEAF for six months without burning a single drop of gas while my beautiful Lexus continues to sit alone and lonesome in the garage. I guess I'll drive the Lexus to the airport this week just to charge its battery.
And it's nice that the electric heat is instantaneous - no waiting until you're almost at your destination before the gasoline engine warms up.
But when one compares this winter range loss of 10+ miles to the summer drop of only 3-6 miles with the AC blasting full force on a 105° day, it becomes clear that the LEAF may not be the best choice for folks who live where winters are long and brutal (poor devils).
I've been driving my LEAF for six months without burning a single drop of gas while my beautiful Lexus continues to sit alone and lonesome in the garage. I guess I'll drive the Lexus to the airport this week just to charge its battery.
I LOVE my LEAF!
Monday, October 10, 2011
18. I HAD to Drive My Lexus Last Week...
Last week I had to drive from Austin to Houston; so I took my Lexus. This was only the third time the Lexus had been out of the garage since I got my LEAF three months ago (just a couple of prior airport trips).
I should preface this by saying I have really enjoyed my Lexus IS350 for the past several years. It's probably the finest gasoline automobile I've ever owned - quick, quiet, smooth, and elegant. Lexus service has always been exemplary.
That said, here are just a few reasons I prefer driving my LEAF for all my in-town travel:
1. When I pressed the button to start my Lexus that morning, I could actually feel vibrations as the engine turned over, then idled. How "primitive"!
2. I could hear muted sounds from the engine compartment, not the LEAF's utter silence.
3. When I pressed the accelerator I could feel the Lexus' internal combustion engine rev up and shift repeatedly (albeit very subtly) - a really noticeable difference when one has become accustomed to the LEAF's silky smooth and silent acceleration at all speeds.
4. Before the drive I stopped off to fill up the Lexus, and it was annoying to have to buy 12 gallons of gas for about $44 (the first gas I'd bought in three months). When the pump stopped I couldn't help calculating that at 3¢/mile for electricity, I could have driven my LEAF for almost 1,500 miles (!) with this $44.
What's not to like about this car? I haven't found anything yet.
17. My LEAF Makes the Christian Science Monitor
The reporter loved my LEAF:
"Something new and a bit odd is happening here in Texas, where history and the economy are so tightly interwoven with oil: Some drivers are ditching their gasoline vehicles and turning over a new leaf – literally.'
http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Tech/2011/1009/Post-oil-In-oil-country-maverick-Nissan-Leaf-driver-gives-up-gas-VIDEO
"Something new and a bit odd is happening here in Texas, where history and the economy are so tightly interwoven with oil: Some drivers are ditching their gasoline vehicles and turning over a new leaf – literally.'
http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Tech/2011/1009/Post-oil-In-oil-country-maverick-Nissan-Leaf-driver-gives-up-gas-VIDEO
Sunday, September 4, 2011
16. My LEAF Stays Cool Even In a Blast Furnace
For the past two months Austin has had an unbroken string of 100º+ days, but my LEAF's air conditioning has performed like a champ.
After the car has been parked in the sun all day at my office, the cabin temperature often reaches 140º; but within a couple of minutes, the powerful AC is blowing out delightfully chilled 40º air - more than 60º cooler than the air outside!
When I remember to turn on the AC from my iPhone a few minutes before I leave my office, I don't even have to wait two minutes for "coolth" because the car is already pre-cooled when I get in.
But here's why the LEAF is better in this heat than any other car I've even owned:
When I'm running a series of errands over several hours, I simply leave the AC on while I'm inside stores and malls. Yes, that's right, I just leave the electric AC turned on when I park and lock the car; so it stays just as cool inside when parked as it does when I'm driving.
"Doesn't that run down the battery?" Nope. Remember that only the electric AC is running. Not one erg of energy is being wasted to keep a hot internal combustion engine idling. Since the car is already cooled down, the AC barely sips electricity to keep it cool, no more than 1.0kW for every hour it's parked. Since the LEAF's battery holds 24kWh, this minor drain from the AC has a negligible effect on mileage at the end of the day.
"Isn't it expensive to leave the AC on when the car is parked?" Again, nope. Even at Austin's exorbitant "green" electric rates of $0.14/kWh, it costs only 14¢ to keep my LEAF cooled for an hour in the mall parking lot. Is it worth 14¢ to come back to a thoroughly cool car (that would otherwise be 140º? It is to me!
You'd never leave a gasoline-powered car running like this for long periods because the engine would overheat, but it makes no difference to the LEAF's electrically-powered AC whether the car is moving or parked.
As I've said before, I'll report it in this blog if I ever discover anything about the LEAF that I don't like. So far, I haven't discovered anything negative to say about the LEAF.
I LOVE my LEAF!
After the car has been parked in the sun all day at my office, the cabin temperature often reaches 140º; but within a couple of minutes, the powerful AC is blowing out delightfully chilled 40º air - more than 60º cooler than the air outside!
When I remember to turn on the AC from my iPhone a few minutes before I leave my office, I don't even have to wait two minutes for "coolth" because the car is already pre-cooled when I get in.
But here's why the LEAF is better in this heat than any other car I've even owned:
When I'm running a series of errands over several hours, I simply leave the AC on while I'm inside stores and malls. Yes, that's right, I just leave the electric AC turned on when I park and lock the car; so it stays just as cool inside when parked as it does when I'm driving.
"Doesn't that run down the battery?" Nope. Remember that only the electric AC is running. Not one erg of energy is being wasted to keep a hot internal combustion engine idling. Since the car is already cooled down, the AC barely sips electricity to keep it cool, no more than 1.0kW for every hour it's parked. Since the LEAF's battery holds 24kWh, this minor drain from the AC has a negligible effect on mileage at the end of the day.
"Isn't it expensive to leave the AC on when the car is parked?" Again, nope. Even at Austin's exorbitant "green" electric rates of $0.14/kWh, it costs only 14¢ to keep my LEAF cooled for an hour in the mall parking lot. Is it worth 14¢ to come back to a thoroughly cool car (that would otherwise be 140º? It is to me!
You'd never leave a gasoline-powered car running like this for long periods because the engine would overheat, but it makes no difference to the LEAF's electrically-powered AC whether the car is moving or parked.
As I've said before, I'll report it in this blog if I ever discover anything about the LEAF that I don't like. So far, I haven't discovered anything negative to say about the LEAF.
I LOVE my LEAF!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
15. Now There's Even LEAF Whiskey!
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAV97L4-x7g)
Monday, July 18, 2011
14. Starting the AC Remotely Is GREAT - Especially During a Heat Wave!
I've commented several times about the LEAF's superb air conditioning. The compressor is electrically driven (no fan belt); so it's not dependent on engine RPM and begins maximum cooling the moment it's turned on. Just for fun I've been monitoring the AC vent output air with an inexpensive thermometer probe, the type used by AC service techs.
Like much of the country, Texas has been running temperatures of 100+ every day for several weeks. After my LEAF has been parked in the sun for a few hours, I usually measure a temperature of about 140 degrees in the AC vent. The moment I turn on the AC, the temperature of the air from the vent plummets rapidly, typically reaching about 40 degrees (!) within a couple of minutes. This blast of instant "coolth" is truly delightful on a hot day.
Even better, though, I can start my LEAF's AC remotely with a couple of taps on my iPhone; so the car is already nice and cool by the time I get into it. It's a real luxury to get into a pre-cooled car the end of the workday or after spending an hour in Home Depot.
Does pre-cooling use up too much energy from the LEAF's battery? Not at all. The electricity drain from running the AC is negligible compared to the enormous energy required to actually propel this 3,500# car for 100 miles (the estimated battery range). Once the cabin has been fully cooled (in about 5 minutes) the AC throttles back, and the power monitor then indicates that the AC is only reducing the total range by an insignificant 3 miles.
"Range Anxiety" has proven to be an absolute non-issue for me. I've found the LEAF's range to be far more than I can possibly use up in a full day of normal intra-city driving. As a matter of fact, I've set my LEAF to charge itself only to 80% of total capacity on weekdays (which is supposed to improve the longevity of the battery). On weekends I charge to 100%; since I drive more and never want to run low. For occasional longer trips out of town I take my Lexus.
Like much of the country, Texas has been running temperatures of 100+ every day for several weeks. After my LEAF has been parked in the sun for a few hours, I usually measure a temperature of about 140 degrees in the AC vent. The moment I turn on the AC, the temperature of the air from the vent plummets rapidly, typically reaching about 40 degrees (!) within a couple of minutes. This blast of instant "coolth" is truly delightful on a hot day.
Even better, though, I can start my LEAF's AC remotely with a couple of taps on my iPhone; so the car is already nice and cool by the time I get into it. It's a real luxury to get into a pre-cooled car the end of the workday or after spending an hour in Home Depot.
Does pre-cooling use up too much energy from the LEAF's battery? Not at all. The electricity drain from running the AC is negligible compared to the enormous energy required to actually propel this 3,500# car for 100 miles (the estimated battery range). Once the cabin has been fully cooled (in about 5 minutes) the AC throttles back, and the power monitor then indicates that the AC is only reducing the total range by an insignificant 3 miles.
"Range Anxiety" has proven to be an absolute non-issue for me. I've found the LEAF's range to be far more than I can possibly use up in a full day of normal intra-city driving. As a matter of fact, I've set my LEAF to charge itself only to 80% of total capacity on weekdays (which is supposed to improve the longevity of the battery). On weekends I charge to 100%; since I drive more and never want to run low. For occasional longer trips out of town I take my Lexus.
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