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Post by johnmath on Jan 17, 2019 14:18:17 GMT 11
Another update on the import: I received about 100 detailed interior, exterior, under bonnet and undercarriage photographs of the car we have purchased. It's almost better than a brand new showroom car in Australia. We've been advised it should land in Adelaide on 24 February.
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Post by johnmath on Feb 13, 2019 19:49:12 GMT 11
Having not heard a thing about our import purchase since 29 December, I received advice yesterday (12 Feb) that our car is onboard a vehicle carrier due to dock in Brisbane tonight (13th), which will then will travel to Melbourne where our Leaf will be disembarked before being shipped to Adelaide for compliance and delivery.
Yesterday J-Spec also forwarded a number of documents to sign and forward to the freight forwarder so that Customs will release the vehicle when it arrives. We also received yesterday in the mail from the exporter the service history booklet for the car confirming it has been serviced according to the manufacturer's recommendations - all in Japanese of course but fortunately easy enough to decipher. We also found out that the vehicle was first sold in March 2016, so it will be exactly three years old when we receive it. For such a top specification vehicle we are very happy with the price. Things seem to be moving along to plan.
Meanwhile I have acquired a couple of secondhand solar systems totalling 3kW capacity (18 Sharp 165 watt panels) for about $50 per panel to bolster our off-grid system for charging the new Leaf. The ~10 year old Sharp PV panels still meet original output specifications!
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Post by johnmath on Feb 22, 2019 22:37:36 GMT 11
Got the next bill for our 2016 Leaf import from Japan yesterday, for freight from Japan, forwarding Melbourne to Adelaide, GST, customs fees, fumigation (heat treatment) in Japan, quarantine and declaration fees, all up ~$4,500 to be paid before the car is disembarked in a couple of weeks.
Meanwhile I have been installing extra PV panels to charge the new car. We live off grid and the car will likely use more energy than the house. Luckily I have been able to source retired Sharp panels very inexpensively from people upgrading their small 10 year old systems. The panels I've installed and measured still meet new specification for output.
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Post by electricfuture on Mar 5, 2019 16:12:34 GMT 11
You got a great deal! I've been trying to buy with J-Spec for almost 3months now, any 30X worth it's salt has been over 25k easily. At this point I'm about the cancel the search. It's just not worth that money with the model 3 being so close. It was really a stop gap until I got my 3.
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Post by johnmath on Mar 5, 2019 18:38:29 GMT 11
We bid into the market right after the Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn was fired following his arrest. I felt that the disruption might depress Nissan secondhand prices in Japan, and the AU$ was coincidentally up against the Yen at the time - both were tipping factors in the timing of our purchase. This was only the second car we considered bidding on. The first had a dud battery when inspected and J-Spec suggested this one. It does have accident history, which also impacts the price. The report of our mechanical inspection is that it was virtually impossible to see any evidence of accident damage except for the bolts on the front left guard obviously having been removed. We've received more than 120 detailed photographs of the vehicle inside, outside and underside, and by Australian standards it looks better than brand new. Here's hoping it turns out as well as we expect!
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Post by electricfuture on Mar 5, 2019 21:40:51 GMT 11
We bid into the market right after the Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn was fired following his arrest. I felt that the disruption might depress Nissan secondhand prices in Japan, and the AU$ was coincidentally up against the Yen at the time - both were tipping factors in the timing of our purchase. This was only the second car we considered bidding on. The first had a dud battery when inspected and J-Spec suggested this one. It does have accident history, which also impacts the price. The report of our mechanical inspection is that it was virtually impossible to see any evidence of accident damage except for the bolts on the front left guard obviously having been removed. We've received more than 120 detailed photographs of the vehicle inside, outside and underside, and by Australian standards it looks better than brand new. Here's hoping it turns out as well as we expect! Thanks fantastic! Well done. I REALLY want this car but it's too much of a sacrifice for me. They only have 3.3kw charging and I'm in an apartment. I was fine with leaving over night at the always empty public charging 5 mins down the road or going to Olympic park CHAdeMO but at this time the cons out weigh the gains. Also the possible 30kW software battery issue could be a problem and nowhere in Australia I know of can update it yet (although they can in NZ) . For the price you paid it's a perfect car, I am so jealous! How long did it take from when you bid until delivery date?
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Post by johnmath on Mar 8, 2019 18:37:23 GMT 11
I bid for the car on 12 December and it was loaded onboard in Osaka on 1 February after being prepared and cleared for export. The ship was delayed apparently and it is now due to offload in Melbourne on 12 March and arrive in Adelaide 18 March. Once it is complied I'll have to take the ferry from Kangaroo Island and drive up to Adelaide to collect the vehicle. It's taking about a month longer than I expected, but that's given me time to design and build a carport where the charging station will go and also time to bolster our off grid solar system to provide the extra electricity for charging the car. Because we live up a dirt track, I plan to lift the suspension 1.5cm at the front and 2.8cm at the back with spacers (https://www.spaccer.com/en_IL/makes-and-models/nissan/leaf.html), plus put larger diameter Toyo Nanoenergy tires (215/60R16), which will also give a little lift and a better ride over the rocky roads.
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Post by electricfuture on Mar 21, 2019 10:23:28 GMT 11
I bid for the car on 12 December and it was loaded onboard in Osaka on 1 February after being prepared and cleared for export. The ship was delayed apparently and it is now due to offload in Melbourne on 12 March and arrive in Adelaide 18 March. Once it is complied I'll have to take the ferry from Kangaroo Island and drive up to Adelaide to collect the vehicle. It's taking about a month longer than I expected, but that's given me time to design and build a carport where the charging station will go and also time to bolster our off grid solar system to provide the extra electricity for charging the car. Because we live up a dirt track, I plan to lift the suspension 1.5cm at the front and 2.8cm at the back with spacers (https://www.spaccer.com/en_IL/makes-and-models/nissan/leaf.html), plus put larger diameter Toyo Nanoenergy tires (215/60R16), which will also give a little lift and a better ride over the rocky roads. Any update for us
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Post by johnmath on Mar 21, 2019 17:37:08 GMT 11
Any update for us Unfortunately no. I've been rather too busy to worry about it either, but if I don't hear anything tomorrow, I'll chase up where it's at next week.
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Post by electricfuture on Mar 22, 2019 11:09:36 GMT 11
Any update for us Unfortunately no. I've been rather too busy to worry about it either, but if I don't hear anything tomorrow, I'll chase up where it's at next week. That's a shame, it's a pretty long time too if you had actually needed the car!
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Post by johnmath on Mar 23, 2019 11:01:28 GMT 11
That's a shame, it's a pretty long time too if you had actually needed the car! All part of the fun of private importing. I got my days wrong, the car was due to arrive in Adelaide (from Melbourne) yesterday, but didn't. It will be another week or two before it's ready for me.
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Post by johnmath on Mar 26, 2019 18:03:38 GMT 11
The Japanese Leaf I bought at auction on 12 December '18 has been delivered to GU Concepts in Adelaide today, where it will undergo Australian compliance work. Meanwhile, I've put up some more secondhand PV panels on the roof and sourced a choice of inexpensive secondhand Australian inverters either a Labtronics or a Selectronic 3.6kW sine-wave inverter for charging the car directly from my off-grid system. I plan to semi-permanently install a EVolution portable/switchable EVSE Charger 6/10/15 amp 1.4/2.4/3.6kW in the carport connected to the dedicated inverter (leaving the Nissan EVSE in the boot) and leaving the existing Selectronic 7.5/12kW inverter to run the house and everything else.
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Post by brunohill on Mar 26, 2019 23:02:16 GMT 11
The Japanese Leaf I bought at auction on 12 December '18 has been delivered to GU Concepts in Adelaide today, where it will undergo Australian compliance work. Meanwhile, I've put up some more secondhand PV panels on the roof and sourced a choice of inexpensive secondhand Australian inverters either a Labtronics or a Selectronic 3.6kW sine-wave inverter for charging the car directly from my off-grid system. I plan to semi-permanently install a EVolution portable/switchable EVSE Charger 6/10/15 amp 1.4/2.4/3.6kW in the carport connected to the dedicated inverter (leaving the Nissan EVSE in the boot) and leaving the existing Selectronic 7.5/12kW inverter to run the house and everything else. Sounds like a good plan to me. I wonder what sort of batteries you are using on your Selectronic inverter. I am using a hybrid system ( lead acid/Selectronic ) at the moment but I have more panels coming and some unused 2nd hand LiFePO4 batteries.
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Post by johnmath on Mar 27, 2019 5:05:22 GMT 11
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Post by johnmath on Mar 30, 2019 13:17:49 GMT 11
I've had a chat now with the garage doing the compliance work. It seems to be quite extensive and will take 3 or 4 weeks, which is quite I bit longer than I had anticipated. When I finally get the car I'll detail all the things that needed to be done. Hopefully I will get a chance to visit the garage on Tuesday when I return to Adelaide for a few hours. That will be the first time I have seen a Nissan Leaf in the metal!
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Post by johnmath on Apr 3, 2019 13:33:39 GMT 11
I visited Adelaide briefly yesterday and sat in the Leaf at the compliance workshop. It is hard to imagine that it has been driven off the showroom floor, let alone has 30,000km on the clock. The garage has submitted all of the paperwork and now have to wait for advice as to exactly what must be done for compliance. It is likely to be another three or four weeks before the car is ready for delivery.
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Post by johnmath on Apr 27, 2019 8:50:29 GMT 11
Still waiting for the release of our new Leaf from the compliance workshop! I decided to sort out comprehensive insurance. After a bit of ringing around we got an a decent agreed value comprehensive policy for ~$450 including no windscreen excess.
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Post by pharmadave on Apr 27, 2019 10:16:32 GMT 11
May I ask who you are insured with? Our policy is more than double that.
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Post by johnmath on Apr 28, 2019 0:02:06 GMT 11
Hollard Insurance www.realinsurance.com.au/car-insurance/pay-as-you-drive We have no claims or penalty history, plus a rural location, which probably both help on the premium. The price reflects an expected 10,000 km per year usage (we drove ~7,000km in the past 12 months), and can be adjusted mid-term if that proves to be insufficient. Unused kms carry over to the next year.
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Post by johnmath on May 1, 2019 20:18:29 GMT 11
It's 1 May, 130 days or so since we paid for our Leaf in Japanese Yen, and we're still waiting for a shiny little piece of stamped aluminium from Canberra, a little thing not much thicker or larger than a business card, a little thing called a compliance plate. Only then can the car be driven to a vehicle inspection and registered.
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Post by johnmath on May 14, 2019 15:19:46 GMT 11
Well, the compliance plate (actually a sticker) finally arrived today. The agent suggested our vehicle may have been subjected to a random audit causing the delay.
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Post by johnmath on May 18, 2019 23:42:52 GMT 11
So now the car has been through mechanical/compliance/roadworthy inspection with no issues. Preventing registration now is that the car's chassis number hasn't been entered into the government data system by some unknown bureaucrat in some unknown place who's job it is to enter chassis numbers of cars granted (and paid for) an Australian license to import, as this vehicle was some many months ago. Registration will have to wait until the vehicle exists in the government database.
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Post by johnmath on May 28, 2019 19:51:12 GMT 11
Tomorrow the number plates should be fitted to our new (to us) Leaf. The next day after a five hour ferry and bus journey I hope to finally collect the vehicle, almost 6 months after purchasing it at auction in Japan, and a good three months after I had expected to have it. I'll soon know whether it was worth the wait!
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Sleepwalker
EV Enthusiast
I am your father. Bob's your uncle
Posts: 18
LEAF OWNER?: Yes
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Post by Sleepwalker on Jun 1, 2019 0:21:01 GMT 11
Tomorrow the number plates should be fitted to our new (to us) Leaf. The next day after a five hour ferry and bus journey I hope to finally collect the vehicle, almost 6 months after purchasing it at auction in Japan, and a good three months after I had expected to have it. I'll soon know whether it was worth the wait! Go johnmath! Make sure to post lotsa pictures!
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Post by johnmath on Jun 2, 2019 22:29:41 GMT 11
So I've picked up the car, fully charged and first impressions are very good. I doubt anyone would pick the car as being three years old. I ran some errands around the city and found the remaining kms did not fall as fast as the numbers of kms I drove. The battery still has 12 bars with 30,000 km on the odometer. I charged out of a powerpoint at 10 A overnight before the trek back to my island home. On the morning I was due to leave my friends wanted to be driven around and of course everyone wanted to know how fast the Leaf would go up steep hills, so a few trips up the mountainous Belair Road were entailed.
I left Adelaide with a bit of a dent in the battery charge, but thinking I would charge half way where I had seen a charging station on the ChargePoint App when I installed it a few months ago. When I got to the designated town I could not find the station and it had also mysteriously disappeared from the ChargePoint App! With still ~100k to home I was starting to know what charge anxiety feels like, but there was another charge station across the ferry about 20 km from home and thought I would stop there for an hour or so to ensure I could get up the long, steep hill out of the port.
By an absolute fluke when entering the ferry vehicle deck, I was directed to park at one end where there was a powerpoint just two meters from the front of the car. I couldn't help but sneak the EVSE out of the boot once the vehicle loading had finished and the deck was clear of passengers and staff. That gave me about an hour of charge or ~20km of added range during the ferry crossing.
Once landed at the terminal I headed to the charging station only to find the local hire car company hogging it with plug-in hybrids, so I had no choice but to press on home along a dark, potholed dirt road to our distant off-grid home in the wilderness. I watched the range drop from 45 to 23 just going up the steep hill out of town, with 18 km still to go, but then the range began to count up again as I reached the island plateaux. I crept along at 45kmh, which is the safe speed in any case to avoid sheep, cows, kangaroos, wallabies and possums, and arrived home with 21km of range left!
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Post by EVangelist on Jun 3, 2019 22:01:10 GMT 11
Well done @jonhmath. I had a holiday in Kangaroo Island last year so know about the charging stations there. The one at Penneshaw often had a Mitsubishi Outlander plugged into it which as you say I think is a rental. The one at Parndana didn’t seem to be working - not that I had an electric car to plug it into, but it was not responsive to my Chargepoint card. Didn’t know the ferry had 240V plugs in the hold
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Sleepwalker
EV Enthusiast
I am your father. Bob's your uncle
Posts: 18
LEAF OWNER?: Yes
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Post by Sleepwalker on Jun 5, 2019 15:14:57 GMT 11
So I've picked up the car, fully charged and first impressions are very good. I doubt anyone would pick the car as being three years old. I ran some errands around the city and found the remaining kms did not fall as fast as the numbers of kms I drove. The battery still has 12 bars with 30,000 km on the odometer. I charged out of a powerpoint at 10 A overnight before the trek back to my island home. Well done! How many km does gues-o-meter show on full charge? Do you find this to be accurate?
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Post by johnmath on Jun 5, 2019 19:17:26 GMT 11
Well done! How many km does gues-o-meter show on full charge? Do you find this to be accurate? The range guessometer has started up to 191km after charging. I can't say if it is accurate because I haven't driven that much whilst setting the trip meter. The average consumption is showing 6.9 km per kWh. I don't know how that compares with others' experiences. I haven't reset the average consumption meter so I guess that is the average since the car was new. I'll be doing a longish trip on Friday, so I might have more information after that. I love the idea of a range extender battery like this: muxsan.com
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Post by brunohill on Jun 5, 2019 21:09:09 GMT 11
I love the idea of a range extender battery like this: muxsan.comI am not sure how long the range extender batteries would last at 70 'C + in a car parked in the summer sun.
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Sleepwalker
EV Enthusiast
I am your father. Bob's your uncle
Posts: 18
LEAF OWNER?: Yes
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Post by Sleepwalker on Jun 6, 2019 12:27:37 GMT 11
The range guessometer has started up to 191km after charging. I love the idea of a range extender battery like this: muxsan.comVer nais. Keep us posted. If it does 191 km i would not be too worried about a range extender I had a look at muxsan: You will receive a 2-year 'factory defect' warranty on the extender. Hmm. 2 year warranty on a $10,000 product offered by a guy in a garage in Netherlands. Looks like it is located inside the car in the boot, presumably without thermal management. Hmmmmmm... Btw, it weighs 165 kg and requires replacing suspension in your Leaf. I'd venture a guess that after the upgrade it will handle like a Corvette from the Grand Thieft Auto V You will also be able to purchase other neat gadgets that work together with the extender electronics, e.g. an upgraded infotainment system and a high-speed granny charger."Granny charger". I don't even...
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