Pre-Reserved a 2011 Nissan LEAF? Here’s What Happens Next
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John Duncan takes delivery of one of the first 2011 Nissan LEAF EVs, near Portland OR, 12/15/2010
Enlarge PhotoWe know it may seem like an age since pre-reservations started for the 2011 Nissan LEAF, but unless you’re one of the lucky few who already either has a car or knows when to expect you probably don't know what should be happening after your first $99 has been taken to secure you a place in the Nissan LEAF reservation queue.
Fear not. Production increases from Nissan's Oppama plant should mean that more NIssan LEAFs will be reaching expectant owners in the near future, but we also know how frustrating the wait has been so far.
So what should happen after your initial online $99 deposit has been cashed?
After receiving an email confirming your pre-reservation you should eventually receive an email asking you to choose a local dealer. At the moment not all Nissan dealerships will necessarily sell the LEAF, but if you live in one of Nissan’s initial rollout areas you should have at least one dealer within the 100 mile manufacturer’s quoted range of the LEAF.
However, many states may not even see the sales machine for the LEAF winding up until later on this year. Frustrating as it may seem, Nissan is staging the U.S. launch of the LEAF in a state-by-state and county-by-county way.
After choosing your dealer, you will be contacted to arrange a time to visit the dealership to talk over options and more importantly, give a LEAF a test-drive.
On arrival, you’ll be taken out with the LEAF specialist, who will give you a chance to test-drive the car on a variety of roads. Length of test-drive seems to vary on dealer location and demand for the car that day. Expect at least ten miles or so of driving.
After returning, you’ll have a chance to ask more questions about the car before progressing to finalizing your order.
Your dealer should talk you through the available options, including any accessories, trade-in, purchase protection, charging station installation and lease or purchase plans.
If you’re happy with everything you’ll be asked for a further deposit to confirm the order. You’re unlikely to be given a specific Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or a confirmed delivery date, however. These will follow later.
After this, there’s not a lot else to do but wait. Your dealer should keep you up-to-date with the order, including any changes to predicted time-scales.
Have you ordered a LEAF? How is your dealer experience thus far? Is it different to this? Leave us your thoughts in the Comments below.
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Why do you keep "roiling the innards" of the faithful Leaf orderers, the problem is the Paper Work for the REBATE in Japan. Mr. Shiga, in his plant in Oppama, is only running one Leaf for every seven (7) cars being built on his line...3000?? He could have built 20,000+ by now!
Carlos Ghosn should get his two most eloquent Japanese speaking "Hot Shot" salesmen to the Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce after they have placated Messrs. Honda and Toyota...we are witnessing the classic "slow walk" once again. It's going to cost Carlos the sale of 4000 cars in Japan and many more in America!
George Parrott Posted: 1/26/2011 8:24am PST
WHERE are all those LEAF cars supposedly coming off that production line in Japan? Clearly even Japanese deliveries are being held up, and obviously US deliveries amount to something below a "trickle."
YIKES!
I still don't have a VIN# nor a confirmed delivery date for my 31 August accepted LEAF order, though my LEAF "dashboard" still says "February 2011."
Compared to the feedback process after ordering my Chevy Volt, now sitting on the Coulomb charger in my garage patiently waiting for it's LEAF brother, where I was able to track the whole production and delivery process including where the car was on the rail shipment between Detroit and California, the Nissan customer followup has been below atrocious.
rick501 Posted: 1/26/2011 8:41am PST
The latest announcement...Kitty Poon/Sect. of Environment for Hong Kong: "Nissan (Carlos) is shipping an a advance "batch" (Is that a shipload, a sh*t load or thousands) of Leafs to Hong Cong to arrive on or before April???
I don't know if it will effect Japan or America most?
I think Carlos has given up on Japan after being beautifully "slow walked" and he now is going to play "Whack a Mole!"
Tell you one thing Ghosn has cars ready to roll!
George Parrott Posted: 1/26/2011 9:57am PST
Just got an email from my dealer, who has been WONDERFUL to work with from order discussion through the MONTHS of followup, and he reports that I now have a VIN #.
My LEAF is VIN #320, so I now actually optimistic that it will arrive perhaps even "early" in February.
Well, I am always "optimistic" about the future.
Under further review it looks like it may be only 200 and 200 going to Hong Kong's DOE in Febuary,2011 but that's another 400 cars not getting to California on time!!
Larry Posted: 1/26/2011 11:16am PST
had the home inspection; installed the docking station; ordered the car, yet I haven't received a VN#;I've called the dealer on 4 occasions - who remain clueless about their product, much less expected delivery information.
I wonder if the April reservation has any meaning?
All dealer contacts have been initiated by me and all relevant information has come from nissanusa by email, not my dealer.
All dealer contacts have been initiated by me and all relevant information has come from nissanusa by email, not my dealer.
I think Carlos Ghosn has released a batch of cars that were earmarked for Japan to the UK, Hong Kong and yes California even...one thing their will not be any "Friday" cars in these batches because ya know the Japanese Quality Control guys all work for Dr. No!
Enjoy your cars, I think we are all going to get some now...always knew there was a reason why I didn't buy a Toyota or a Honda...
Where did you hear this process ? Is this for MY2012 ?
This is the process as we experienced it earlier this week in the U.K. - we'd been told the U.S. had a similar process.
George Parrott Posted: 1/27/2011 8:58am PST
As Ev Now-now has noted, the US has a major different procedure for ordering the LEAF, but if you were told by Nissan UK that the US approach was similar, than that is just another example of the POOR Nissan Corporate communication we are experiencing relative to the LEAF rollout.
I just this morning found my LEAF dashboard finally updated to show my VIN # and further to now note "delivery the week of February 18, 2011." When I check my calendar, Feb 18 is a FRIDAY, so what week IS delivery suggested? Do they mean the week that typically STARTS on 13 or 14 February (depending on one's calendar format) or the following week that goes typically to Feb. 26 or 27? For many of us in the US, virtually nothing that has come from Nissan corporate as substantive information has been "reliable." It would seem that those of you in the UK should also be most critical of anything sent from Nissan's corporate representatives....
LBCev Posted: 1/27/2011 6:26pm PST
To echo some of the coments by Ev Now-now and George, the LEAF order process as experienced by those of us in the U.S. is nothing like you described. Even now, the only chance you're likely to get for a test drive is at a Drive Electric tour event. I placed my firm order, negotiated pricing, made my color choice and selected my options before the first drive events ever took place. At that time - early September - the U.S. website had no pictures of interior options, such as the kick plates, "eco trim" and cargo organizer, and relatively non-representative color swatches. Furthermore, my dealer, while very gracious and sympathetic, has had few answers during the roll out. Meanwhile, communication from Nissan Corporate has left a lot to be desire. I sincerely hope that for the sake of the LEAF and vehicle electrification in general that the process in the rest of this country and beyond is more transparent and customer focused than what I've experienced.
George Parrott Posted: 1/28/2011 7:24am PST
As LBCev comments, the Nissan Corporate feedback to those of us waiting and waiting for our early LEAF confirmed orders in the US has been absolutely horrible. We have been treated to a series of insulting mailings to distract us from the reality that Nissan Corporate kept changing and delaying our delivery schedule as first outlined to all of us.
I have taken some "heat" on the NissanLEAF forum here in the US because I keep complaining about Nissan's lack of feedback and communication, and some of the more patient customers simply tell me to "wait and all will be fine."
After a 40 years of actual new vehicle order experience across corporations from Europe, the US, and Japan, I have NEVER had such POOR communication, miscommunication, and outright obfuscation on WHEN my car would arrive as I have gotten from Nissan with this LEAF order. Given my current experience with Nissan, I am still going to accept my car when it arrives ONLY because there is really no other reasonable value choice available. I am not sure I will EVER do business with Nissan again given this experience with the LEAF.
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