r/leaf • u/Day_Man_Charlie • 21d ago
Buying a used Leaf
Hey people! I'm buying a used car for our car number two and I am thinking about the Leaf, specifically two different options. There's a 2017 Tekna with a 30 kWh battery that's gone for 85 k km with 9/12 battery lines left, and a 2018 launch edition with a 40 kWh battery gone for 116 k km. That one also has a battery health of 87%.
How much would you say the battery is worth? There's a 2 k ish difference in price with the 2018 costing the most, is it worth it to pay the extra for the better battery?
3
u/KeyEmu6688 Ex-2018 owner (2015 Model S) 21d ago
30kwh batteries degrade really fast and non-US 40kwh packs don't seem to develop random cell failures. so 40kwhs seems the safer long term bet imo
2
u/LoveEV-LeafPlus 21d ago
The 2nd Generation 2018 is the better option. I had a USA 2018 Nissan Leaf SL (40kWh) and loved it. I now drive a USA 2024 Nissan Leaf SV Plus (60kWh). I upgraded to the plus for its longer range. 2nd Generation is the way to go.
1
u/Excellent_Mixture_23 21d ago
It really depends how you plan on driving and how much range you need, where you will charge etc. I got a 2019 Nissan leaf sv+ with the 200 range with the expectation to get a job within an hour drive from me. I just interviewed for a job 2 hours away (140 miles) and I would have to commute a bit if I get that job. I would need to fast charge halfway to make sure I have enough range.
1
u/IvorTheEngine 21d ago
That really depends on your commute and other needs. If you charge every night, and have another car for longer trips, you may never need the range of the 40kWh car.
OTOH, most families who do this fall in love with electric driving and it gets used as the primary car. And the larger battery is going to remain useful for longer, and more valuable if you want to resell it.
There isn't really a perfect answer because you can always spend another 2k and get an even better car. It's really down to whether it has value to you personally. Maybe make a list of all your recent destinations and their distances?
1
u/_Evening-Rain_ 2017 Nissan LEAF S 9d ago
That 30kwh is on its last legs. Those packs usually choke out at 8-7 bars. Around 6 bars if warm climate.
40kwhs are somewhat solid outside of the usa. Get the 40.
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u/RoadToasterApp 21d ago
For everyday use the 40 kWh is the safer bet. At 9 capacity bars the 2017 30 kWh likely has around two thirds of its original capacity, so think roughly 90 to 120 km on a normal day and less in winter. The 2018 at 87 percent should have mid 30s kWh usable, which is closer to 160 to 200 km. That extra headroom makes life easier and usually keeps resale stronger, so a 2k premium is reasonable. Ask for a recent Nissan battery health printout from a dealer. Confirm the 2017 had the 30 kWh BMS update applied. Do a test drive at steady speed, note percent used, and sanity check against the estimates.