I dont post that often if at all now a days,  but my octavia with 165k virtually trouble free miles is going into semi retirement.  i have been stressing which car to get for months and months but just couldnt come up with a decent family car that caters for our needs, then a friend of my wife got a nissan leaf on a 7 day test drive. I was of course sceptical (milk floats and clarkson test drives etc) putting me off.

 

But we decided to get one on test even just to use nissans car for a week, until i drove it! all i can say is wow! now  admittedly im used to a 10+ year old diesel so not the greatest comparison but it was a revelation! smooth, fast (never expected that) comfortable really well made and loaded with so much tech!

 

we debated about the range of course but most of my wifes journeys are within a 15 mile radius and nissan will lend you a "proper car" for 14 days a year if you need to do any long trips.  we got a really good deal from nissan so it just seemed a no brainer.  The octavia is staying with me so i will still be haunting this forum daily but i just thought id share my experiance with you guys.

 

Tom

Edited 23 February, 201511 yr by speedy1

I'm sure it's a great car but I think the back looks like an elephant has sat on a volvo c30!

LOL yeah  i think its a bit of a marmite car thats for sure! but  for what its worth i quite like it but pays your money i suppose!

Glad you like it.  I really loved it, but really long term, couldn't make it work.

AS long as you go into it with open eyes re: range (cold weather reduces it more) and over time (5 years plus when the warranty runs out) you're ok with the reduction in battery capacity (sounds like you will with short journeys)

then the LEAF makes a very compelling argument for itself.  I very nearly bought one, but as I do high mileage, the warranty would have been exhausted in little over 2 years and the replacement battery cost is, IIRC, around £4700.

 

Which trim level did you go for?  Spec the 6.6kw charger?  The 'Free' home charger points from british gas look ok, but if you want something potentially looking more like an external plug soccket assembly rather than a serving platter, Rolec will also do 'free', including the higher 32 Amp ones, at least until end of March (probably too late now you've singed up to the nissan one?)

As long as you like it, that's what counts  

 

You know on top gear they were on about someone coming around unplugging electric cars for a joke. Is that actually possible? Or is the plug inside the car with the wire trailing out?

ive been watching a blog on you tube by a guy called ian sampson in rural gloucestershire, which as im in quite a rural area (Shropshire) i thought it would open my eyes to the possible pit falls.  He really pushes it to its limits on motorways etc and its convinced me it would suit our lifstyle.  weve only got it on a 2 year pcp agreement with a £250 deposit and £200 a month payment i wouldnt have gone for it if the payments were more but i thought this was a good deal.  i dont think i would "buy" one even if i could afford it  as the new 2017 leaf is going to have a range of over 150 (real world) miles apparently so the mark2s wont be worth much then i suspect. thats why i think pcp is the best way to go and then see what improvments come along. 

 

Ive gone for the "tekna spec 3.3 " its not because im posh (im really not lol) i actually wanted the mid range but  it was only 2 pounds a month between the mid and top of the range because of depretiation? i dont really understand it but hey ho

 

Weve gone for the british gas charger as this was the one recommended by nissan.

 

As far as people removing the charger i'm pretty sure you can lock it in but i will look into it, otherwise my German shepherd has got a new place he has to sleep 

Edited 23 February, 201511 yr by speedy1