ButThere are so many great benefits available to drivers who opt to lease rather than purchase a car outright. One of best benefits to leasing over buying is that drivers who lease get to grab a new set of keys and zoom off in a new set of wheels every three years. Yes, there is nothing quite like having the new car smell at your disposal, whenever you desire. Go ahead, breathe it in….ahhhh, there you go.
Now that we have established the most beneficial reason to lease rather than own, imagine the following scenario: You leased a brand new vehicle. It’s your first lease and you are incredibly excited to have made the switch from ownership to the freedom that leasing has to offer. You plan to take full advantage of these benefits, and can’t imagine ever driving around in an outdated old model ever again. In fact, just thinking about it sends shivers up your spine. Once a leading skeptic, you are now a full-fledged supporter who tries to convert your friends and family the moment an opportunity to do so presents itself. You are the poster child of leasing, and you are about to trade in your first Nissan Leaf for the latest version. Yes! The best part of leasing and you are about to experience it for the first time ever. Finally. But, when you showed up at the dealership, you were told that the newest version of the Nissan Leaf has been delayed, and you will not be able to drive home in a brand-new version of your favorite electric car. Your excitement begins to deflate and your skepticism returns. Maybe leasing wasn’t your best choice?
So, Now What?
A nightmarish scenario for our little exercise was the reality for many Nissan Leaf lessees who came to the sudden realization that their beloved new car would not be available at their current lease term’s end. Over 30,000 new Nissan Leaf models were sold or leased in 2014, which means a whole lot of three-year leases are coming to an end in 2017. Nissan is working on revamping the Leaf all-electric car, promising to extend its electric range to at least 200 miles on a single charge. The second-generation Leaf has been famously delayed again and again, with Nissan just recently reporting that they expect the 2018 Leaf to become available by September of 2017. For lessees whose lease term is up now, or before this fall, that’s a long time to wait. The brand recognizes that Leaf drivers are devoted to the nameplate, and have taken action in order to calm the brewing storm of disgruntled Leaf owners.
In a tweet released by the automotive giant on March 9, Nissan confirms that Leaf owners can extend their lease with three months of courtesy payments while they wait for the next-generation Leaf to be released.
While this is welcome news for Leaf owners, it certainly is still not the quick solution most drivers were hoping for. Either way, they will get three free months of driving around in the capable EV and a definite spot on the 2018 Leaf waiting list.
