[Darren Griffin]

If anyone is interested, MyElectricAvenue still have some vacant slots for social trials users like me.

You agree to an 18mth lease of an Acenta, all they ask is that you agree to participating in a small number of telephone surveys over the lease period.

It's a very low cost way of getting a Leaf, low deposit (mine was about £800 inc arrangement fees and first months rental) and a monthly payment of £219.00.

At the end of the lease you hand it back or get the option to buy as with any other PCP.

More information here:

http://myelectricavenue.info/social-trials

 

[brian orr]

Your numbers look identical to the offer I had, some months ago - but couldn't bring myself to pay 9.5% APR. I rather felt I could match the discount with my local dealer and avoid the interest payments. The car also had a limit of 10K per annum and an excess of 10ppm!
Considering I've done 18K in my Mitsu (in a year) - I would either have had to pay an additional £800 (+ VAT?). Or miss out on my trips!

 

[Darren Griffin]

It's still a very competitive lease deal when you compare with others that Nissan offer. My local dealer wanted £4k down and £299/mth for three years. This suits me perfectly, no risk of any loss due to depreciation and, in 18mths time, I'll be in the ideal place to pick from whatever new models are available at that point.

 

[Grant Thomas]

It's an amazing deal that I am recommending to family and friends; it's a shame the My Electric Avenue is not upfront with the costs; but glad someone's done the homework here.

 

[Andy]

Saw your tweet about this earlier today Grant so passed the link to a friend of mine who's now registered his interest as his wife is about to replace her car and he says the LEAF would fit the bill.

Darren, is there anything he should be aware of or is it all pretty straightforward ?

 

[Darren Griffin]

I found it all very simple and straightforward. I had to pay about £560 upfront and that was it. Had originally hoped to have the car before Christmas but in the end it came in the first week of January. I couldn't be happier with the service, they were very helpful and kept me informed all the way.

Delighted with the car and will be looking very closely at the options when the 18mth contract is up, one thing is for sure, it will be another EV, couldn't go back to an ICE now!

 

[Andy]

Thanks for that. I'll pass on the info (and point him to the forum too).

 

[SRELTD]

Thanks for the prompt - mine's ordered now, due for delivery early April. Handing back in 18 months in the hope that the Tesla Gen 3 might be ready!

 

[Darren Griffin]

Ah brill. It will be interesting to see what options are available when our 18mths are up.

 

[SRELTD]

We still need the distance so we're keeping our Qashqai for the next 18 months, it wouldn't have been affordable without My Electric Avenue

 

[Grant Thomas]

I think its a 24 month lease when I read the FAQs

 

[Darren Griffin]

No it was changed to 18mths. This was done so the Social Trials programme, which had started later than the main group users trial, would supposedly conclude at the same time.

But it seems they've struggled to fill all the slots so, as we see here, new members are still only just joining and will end their 18mths some time after the main group trial finishes.

I'm surprised they've struggled, I can only assume that its down to lack of awareness, as the actual trial is a great way to get into an EV with a low deposit and a relatively low monthly payment.

 

[brian orr]

There is something not ringing true about the Avenue Trials. From what I understood there were to be 10 communities of 10. Now, I read there are only 7 communities of 10?
I know there is positive feedback here about the lease deal - but for many of us who received an offer, it wan't at all interesting. I have also trawled in the usual sources to see which trials are running and who is blogging about it - but there is a district lack of 'rumble, let alone 'applause'?
After my appearance on Radio Berks, I offered to give the Chineham group free training sessions, but my offer is not being picked up by Fleetdrive? For a moment I though Paul_Ch has nipped in ahead of me - but then Saltash to Basingstoke is a huge commute.
I'm now thinking that Avenue is 3 groups down = 30 unallocated Leafs? So could it be that they desperately need people to sign up for the Social Trial? A trial which is not a trial at all (no technology test) - its just a way of moving the unallocated vehicles?
For those that like the Fleetdrive financial terms - there is a probably a car ready and waiting!

 

[Darren Griffin]

The Social Trial was always planned to be 100 Leaf's and was entirely separate to the cluster trials. If you were already in the market to lease a Leaf, as I was, then the Social Trials offer was a much more competitive route to ownership without any risks, lower deposit and lower monthly payments. I had been quoted nearly a £100pm more on a 3yr lease of an equivalent spec Leaf and needed to put £4k down to get that figure.

I wasn't keen on committing to three years when the technology is in such a state of flux so, for me, this was an excellent opportunity to get behind the wheel of an EV long term and leave me free to choose from the crop available in 18mths time.

 

[brian orr]

It would be good if the Avenue participants (Social and Cluster) share their experiences on Speak EV. I'm sure there are many in this community that wouldn't mind acting as a 'buddy' to an Avenue group!
Any takers from Chineham, or Marlow? Actually it would have been easier to lease 10 Teslas in Marlow, than 10 Leafs! Just as well there was no need for planning consent!

 

[fishpond]

For those that like the Fleetdrive financial terms - there is a probably a car ready and waiting!

You might think so, but I placed an order at the end of January and am still waiting for the paperwork to come through from the Nissan dealer (Benfield)!!!

 

[Darren Griffin]

You might think so, but I placed an order at the end of January and am still waiting for the paperwork to come through from the Nissan dealer (Benfield)!!!

Have you asked FleetDrive to chase this? Benfield were the slow point in my order too!

 

[fishpond]

Have you asked FleetDrive to chase this? Benfield were the slow point in my order too!

Yes - a couple of times now, but it seems they are still waiting on Benfield too.
Can't say I'm at all impressed with Benfield. Seems to be very poor service on their part.

 

[SRELTD]

To be fair - Gareth Chandler who's dealing with the Electric Ave stuff has only just got everything finalised with Fleetdrive from what I understand and he's been shifting 80 Leafs in the last 2 months with another load on order. I've ordered mine and been told 1st week in April at the latest.

 

[Darren Griffin]

Agreed, Gareth was very helpful and went out of his way to keep me informed. Not only that, he's a committed EV driver.