The first Nissan LEAF was sold in California in December 2010. But when will the rest of us see a LEAF?

This is a follow-up to an entry I wrote about Nissan’s apparent but also unconfirmed decision to put new LEAF reservers from Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington who register starting May 2011 ahead of the several thousand people who reserved a LEAF in spring 2010 from the other 43 U.S. states in the line to purchase a LEAF.

Nearly a dozen folks posted messages on the Nissan LEAF Facebook page after I posted a series of questions about this issue. We also saw several responses here on SolarChargedDriving.Com.

I figured I’d re-publish some of the Facebook comments, since a lot of people who come here probably haven’t seen them.

First, though, a review of why I’m miffed at Nissan:

Nissan should have sent me and other LEAF reservers in non-rollout states the following message in an individual and separate e-mail when we reserved a LEAF in the Spring of 2010.

Thank you Christof Demont-Heinrich of Aurora, Colorado for placing a reservation for a Nissan LEAF on April 20, 2010. Because you live in a non-rollout state, you will see delivery of your LEAF no earlier than Dec. 15, 2011, etc.

In addition to sending every LEAF reserver in non-roll-out states an e-mail such as this, Nissan should have made sure that the same message – those of you reserving in non-rollout states will see a LEAF no earlier than “Date X”, got out in the media AND made it clear that it might allow people from the 7 rollout states (Ariz., Calif., Hawaii, Ore., Tenn., Texas, Wash.) to register later and still get a LEAF before those who had made a reservation earlier than they had from a non-rollout state.

Nissan did not do this. That’s the basic problem, not the fact that I might not get a LEAF until 2012, or the fact that people reserving a LEAF a year or more later than me who live in the rollout states will see their LEAF earlier than I will (OK, this would have grated if I’d known about it from the start, but at least I wouldn’t have had any false expectations.)

OK, here are a few of the comments from Facebook, which show I’m not the only one who’s peeved by Nissan’s latest reservations and delivery maneuvering. If you’re frustrated to, by all means go to the Nissan LEAF Facebook page, send them an e-mail, call them, etc. and let them know how you feel.

COMMENTS ON NISSAN LEAF FACEBOOK PAGE

George A. Klein
Seriously Nissan... Please give the folks in Phase #2 and #3 some kind of timetable for delivery of their LEAF. Even if the timetable is kind of vague. Please give us some kind of an idea! Is Phase #2 starting in July of 2011 or October of 2011 or January of 2012 or even later? The folks in Phase #2 and #3 need to plan ahead and it's YOUR responsibility to give us some idea of when we should expect delivery of our Nissan LEAF. Keeping us completely in the dark is UNACCEPTABLE!!!

Colin Mckinney
Just to clarify - if you DO NOT live in one of these states (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington). - but reserved with a $99 deposit in 2010 - does this mean you are effectively dropped?

Colin Mckinney
Regarding the initial 20,000 people that reserved with a $99 deposit; and the re-opening of reservations to select locations - I sent an email and left a voice message (Nissan chat and online help off for Easter Friday), also called my dealer to find out the deal - so far nothing. But I cannot believe Nissan would renege on the initial customers that reserved up to a year ago. If anyone knows the answer…....

Cody Osborne
I just think it's crap that they don't even respond to complaints on this site. I wouldn't want to do business with any company that actually ignores its potentially best customers.

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