Home » Battle Of The Power Sources: 2001 BMW 525iT vs 2011 Nissan Leaf

Battle Of The Power Sources: 2001 BMW 525iT vs 2011 Nissan Leaf

Sbsd 8 9 2024
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Happy Friday, Autopians! Today we’re looking at a pair of cheap used cars that are the same color, close to the same price, and hold roughly the same amount of stuff, but differ in how they put the power to the road. Have we reached the era of the electric shitbox, or do we have a ways to go yet? You be the judge.

I’m honestly a little surprised that yesterday‘s final tally was so lopsided. I expected the Suzuki to put up a better showing. Was it the grubby interior? Or the faded paint? Or simply the fact that an Astra is actually a pretty nice little car, whatever badge it wears?

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Personally, I’ve never driven an Astra, but I did put several hundred miles on its smaller sibling, the Corsa, many years ago while on vacation in the UK, and I really enjoyed it. If the Astra is more or less the same thing only bigger, then it would be my choice as well – especially since I know I don’t like the Aerio’s dashboard.

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Now then: EVs are here, and they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. And at some point, older ones are going to become just plain old used cars. It won’t happen anytime soon, but eventually, based on the sheer numbers of them sold, I’ll be able to feature a $5,000 Tesla Model 3 on this column.

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But will anyone want it? Battery degradation is real, and while the technology is way better than it was, and improving all the time, the fact that an EV loses effective range over time while an ICE-powered car does not is going to have an effect on their value. So today, we’re going to look at one of each, within a hundred dollars of each other in price, and weigh the pros and cons of each.

2001 BMW 525iT – $1,700

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Engine/drivetrain: 2.5-liter dual overhead cam inline 6, five-speed automatic, RWD

Location: McHenry, IL

Odometer reading: 147,000 miles

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Operational status: Runs and drives, but has a check-engine light

There is nothing more expensive, the old line goes, than a cheap German car. German engineers tend to design things with a high level of precision and complexity, and then expect a degree of fastidiousness about maintenance that doesn’t really exist outside of the owner’s manual. When removed from the cold environment of a CAD program and subjected to typical road conditions and owners’ casual attitudes, German cars have a maddening and expensive tendency to fail, or at least make you keenly aware of every warning light on the dash.

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This wouldn’t matter if they weren’t so damned nice. If BMW’s E39-chassis 5 Series were any less wonderful to drive, we could simply ignore it and let it fade into the mists of automotive history, along with Hyundai Excels and Ford Tempos. But that smooth, powerful inline six, powering the rear wheels of a wonderfully balanced chassis, makes it worth putting up with all the German car bullshit. Sometimes.

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This 525i is powered by the smallest engine offered in America in the 5 Series, a 2.5 liter six making 192 horsepower. It drives the rear wheels through a five-speed automatic. Yes, of course, a manual would be more fun, but even with an automatic, a BMW of this era is a nice car to drive. This one runs and drives well, but it has a vacuum leak that causes a stumble in the idle sometimes, and the Check Engine light is on. It also burns a little oil. It does, however, have new catalytic converters, new brakes all around, and some other recent work.

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Unfortunately, however, this is a Midwestern car, and we all know what that means. Rust has had its way with the underside of this car, notably in the jack points, which will eventually make future repairs much more challenging. I once had to junk a Honda Accord that needed nothing but new rear brakes, because it was too rusty to jack up safely. This one is nowhere near that bad, but unless you have welding skills and a lift, know that its days are numbered.

2011 Nissan Leaf SL – $1,800

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Motor/drivetrain: 80 kW AC electric motor, single-speed gearbox, FWD

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Location: Los Angeles, CA

Odometer reading: 66,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives great – for short distances

It’s hard being a pioneer. Blazing a trail for others to follow means inventing whole new ways of doing things, failing to meet expectations even though you didn’t have those expectations yourself, occasionally dying of dysentery … it’s not easy. Nissan’s Leaf hatchback was the first EV produced in serious numbers, and as such, nobody quite knew what to expect of it. When it was new, it was compared to ICE cars, and not always favorably. Now, the first-generation Leaf gets compared to newer, better EVs. Poor thing can’t catch a break.

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The Leaf’s battery is a 24 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion pack, good for about 75 miles of range when it was new. This one, thirteen years and 66,000 miles later, is down to about 35 miles of range around town, and less than half that on the highway. Newer Leafs use a lithium-iron-phosphate battery, which suffers from a lot less degradation, but that doesn’t help this poor car. It does run and drive flawlessly; you just can’t stray too far from home.

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It looks like it’s in really nice shape inside, at least from the one photo we’re given. The Leaf was panned for being “cheap” inside when it was new, but that’s because reviewers were comparing it to other cars at the same price. This is an economy car; it was just an expensive one. Now, as a cheap used car, it’s fine.

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Outside, it’s fine, except for one crunched fender. But I lived in Los Angeles for a couple of years, and I remember what the traffic was like. A little body damage on a cheap used car isn’t necessarily a disadvantage; it’s more like a warning to other drivers: “Look what happened to the last person who wouldn’t let me merge.”

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Buying a cheap used car is always a gamble, and it’s always a compromise. Do you look for something dull but sturdy, or something that’s more fun but occasionally might not make it home? In this case, the compromise is potentially high maintenance costs, or the need for a reeeeally long extension cord. Which way are you going to go?

(Image credits: Facebook Marketplace sellers)

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Highland Green Miata
Highland Green Miata
2 months ago

It is a sad(?) reflection of how much of my perfectly good time I spend(waste?) on this site that I immediately recognized both cars by their owners…. And no reflection on either of the owners but no thanks to either one.

Last edited 2 months ago by Highland Green Miata
Ecsta C3PO
Ecsta C3PO
2 months ago

The BMW is pretty distinctive, for the Leaf i had to scroll to confirm the quarter panel damage

Vic Vinegar
Vic Vinegar
2 months ago

The Leaf would be near useless to me without a new battery. And in that case, I’d rather sink the money into the E39 wagon, which actually has redeeming qualities when it is running well.

Cheap Bastard
Cheap Bastard
2 months ago

If you smash a BMW and Leaf together you just might get the world’s best REX EV!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GuENAWds5B0

Do it! For science!

Griznant
Griznant
2 months ago

I read both of these articles and genuinely thought if either one of them would fit into a need we have in our household. My son is turning 16 next month and he goes to school 5 miles from our house. If that Leaf could go there and back, maybe another quick run to town every day then it might be worth it to drive a safer modern car than the shitbox I have for him already. The BMW would be far cooler and could go longer distances, and truthfully, I wouldn’t fix the rust, just let it return to the earth until it’s unsafe. I went with the BMW though on this poll.

SteamTroller45
SteamTroller45
2 months ago
Reply to  Griznant

The Leaf is not a safer modern car. Major safety issues, particularly in the area where this one already has damage.

Mercedes Streeter
Mercedes Streeter
2 months ago
Reply to  Griznant

Sadly, David’s Leaf comes pre-crashed, and to my eye, the damage almost certainly extends to the unibody. Never call insurance on the thing because it’ll be totaled out in an instant.

So your choice is between better, but compromised safety from 2011, or worse, and still compromised safety from 2001. lol

Last edited 2 months ago by Mercedes Streeter
JShaawbaru
JShaawbaru
2 months ago

The Leaf would be useless to be with that abysmal range, my 500e sometimes cuts it close as-is with 3-4 times the range. Plus, not living in California, I get no rebates, and have to ship it all the way to Michigan, so it’s not a very good deal at all. Also, David needs to work on the visual parts of his facebook ads; they give you 20 slots, and he’s using 6? 7? not only on the Leaf, but on the much higher priced i3 as well!

The BMW seems to have sold (congratulations if true!), but that would have been my pick, although only if I had to choose, since the last thing I need is another rusty sub-$2000 car added to my fleet.

Gubbin
Gubbin
2 months ago

LEAF all the way! (even if that isn’t very far)
It’s in decent condition and rust free, I could have GreenTec do a pack swap and get a nice commuter, or buy a wrecked LEAF from Copart and DIY a pack swap as practice for electrifying an older Datsun/Nissan pickup.

Steve Wilson
Steve Wilson
2 months ago

At least the Mercedes-BMW offers the possibility of actual transportation before it breaks itself worse. A car with a range of 35 miles and falling is a lot like having no car. Plus…just look at the two.

Icouldntfindaclevername
Icouldntfindaclevername
2 months ago

I’m taking the BMW, just so I can roll some coal 🙂
Plus, it’d take a year to drive the leaf to my house

Canopysaurus
Canopysaurus
2 months ago

I can actually make the Leaf work for me as a town car. But to really clinch the deal, DT is going to have to autograph it and include a picture of himself driving it.

Cheap Bastard
Cheap Bastard
2 months ago
Reply to  Canopysaurus

Oh I’m sure not only will you get that autograph and pic you’ll get Autopian decals and bumper stickers covering every square inch of it.

Geoff Buchholz
Geoff Buchholz
2 months ago

Well, both cars have impeccable provenance, but I’ll vote BMW because trailering a Leaf from Los Angeles to Chicago seems silly. Perhaps the Autopian staff can recommend a car hauler …

Mrbrown89
Mrbrown89
2 months ago

I love how the ownership was not mentioned anywhere in the article and we treat this as random vehicles on the internet lol

Wanda has my vote, that Leaf looks like a coconut tree fell on it.

Shop-Teacher
Shop-Teacher
2 months ago

I mean, the real answer is “LOL, NO!” But that’s not how the game works, so I’ll take the BMW since the Leaf couldn’t even get me to my friend’s house.

Stef Schrader
Stef Schrader
2 months ago

lol lmao lol

You forgot the part where a seriously degraded Leaf will bring out the dumbest people on the internet to take your posts out of context and yell at you.

Last edited 2 months ago by Stef Schrader
Shop-Teacher
Shop-Teacher
2 months ago
Reply to  Stef Schrader

Depending on your point of view, some might call that a feature!

Stef Schrader
Stef Schrader
2 months ago
Reply to  Shop-Teacher

“Who wants a block today? Let me guess: you just ranted about this in a low-effort, non-fact-checked video posted from the front seat of your hooptie Ram.”

Last edited 2 months ago by Stef Schrader
Shop-Teacher
Shop-Teacher
2 months ago
Reply to  Stef Schrader

While crushing a Monster.

Bryan McIntosh
Bryan McIntosh
2 months ago
Reply to  Shop-Teacher

“I like my dogs rolled, and my Monsters cold!” *BELCH*

A. Barth
A. Barth
2 months ago

This one, thirteen years and 66,000 miles later, is down to about 35 miles of range around town, and less than half that on the highway.

“So why don’t you make like a tree… and get out of here.” Not too far, though.

For the seller:

1) There is a very old quasi-joke type statement that was deployed to get people to go away: “Why don’t you make like a tree and leaf?” (The idea was that ‘leaf’ was close enough to ‘leave’ to make the point.) However, this line has been irreversibly modified into the aforementioned version by a not-very-bright movie character named Biff.

1a) See also “Screen door on a battleship” vs “screen door on a submarine”.

2) Biff was a pivotal figure in a series of movies titled ‘Back to the Future’ I, II, and III. The films deal with time travel and paradoxes and DeLoreans. In many cases the full title will be abbreviated to “BttF”.

TDI in PNW
TDI in PNW
2 months ago

The real value is that each one was once owned by Jon Voight.

Rad Barchetta
Rad Barchetta
2 months ago
Reply to  TDI in PNW

I heard the Leaf was owned by some guy named Travid Dacy.

Freelivin2713
Freelivin2713
2 months ago
Reply to  TDI in PNW

Yeah, but is his pencil in the glovebox? (w/ bite marks)

CatMan
CatMan
2 months ago

Love this Showdown!!

My wife’s job, and the grocery store, are each only about 4 miles away from the house, so the Leaf makes sense in a warped view of the world sort of way. As for the BMW, I don’t have the financial resources to own a $1,700 German car

Farty McSprinkles
Farty McSprinkles
2 months ago
Reply to  CatMan

No one does.

Mercedes Streeter
Mercedes Streeter
2 months ago

Why do you think we got rid of it? lol

AlterId
AlterId
2 months ago

Only a short time ago. who would have imagined that in a matchup such as this the least rusted offering would have been David’s car?

I can’t weld and that Leaf will get me to pretty much everywhere I’m likely to go and back, so I guess if I’m compelled to make one, it’s a choice.

Automotiveflux
Automotiveflux
2 months ago

Leaf is only good for a rear engine motorcycle swap, I’d go BMW

Last edited 2 months ago by Automotiveflux
MATTinMKE
MATTinMKE
2 months ago

Nope. Neither. No reflection on the sellers, but I won’t put even imaginary money into them.

Fiji ST
Fiji ST
2 months ago

Sorry David, but I’m taking the BMW.

Nycbjr
Nycbjr
2 months ago

I had (have) a huge smile from this one, no word that these are writers cars! too cute, I went BMW, my dad had the sedan version, nice car it was!

Sorry DT that leaf is no better than a go cart atm. I wonder what a replacement battery would cost?

Last edited 2 months ago by Nycbjr
Brandon Forbes
Brandon Forbes
2 months ago
Reply to  Nycbjr

Go karts are more fun than the leaf.

Nycbjr
Nycbjr
2 months ago
Reply to  Brandon Forbes

truth!

StillNotATony
StillNotATony
2 months ago

I’ll take the Leaf! My commute is only about 6 miles each way, and I can charge at home. It would be perfect for me.

I just don’t wanna drive it from LA to OK 20 miles at a time, and even with the shipping partner of the site, it’s gonna cost as much to ship it as it would be to buy it.

Jack Trade
Jack Trade
2 months ago
Reply to  StillNotATony

My respect to you – you nailed the wonderful autopian-ness of this as a feature like 2 days ago!!

V10omous
V10omous
2 months ago

Nice test run of the Autopian classifieds!

StillNotATony
StillNotATony
2 months ago
Reply to  V10omous

And these are some real shitboxes being sold by shitbox connoisseurs!

D-dub
D-dub
2 months ago
Reply to  V10omous

Staff Lot Showdown ®

Last edited 2 months ago by D-dub
Drew
Drew
2 months ago

It looks like it’s in really nice shape inside, at least from the one photo we’re given.

I wonder if there’s any way to contact that seller and ask for more photos. Eh, that seller’s probably too busy being all Hollywood and stuff.

Lew Schiller
Lew Schiller
2 months ago
Reply to  Drew

Yeah..and now he has a girlfriend so…

Brandon Forbes
Brandon Forbes
2 months ago

Haha not even a single word about the fact that these are being sold by Mercedes and DT? Yeah a big no thanks to the leaf, I couldn’t get to work and back and have no way to charge at work.

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