Just signed up to respond to this thread. Bumped in to it while searching for new lease clarity fuel cell. Got 2017 Clarity fuel cell late April 2017. Extremely happy with it minus hydrogen filling pain last year that lasted June - Dec. Fuel cell stack was replaced last year March 2019. Even before there were any problems visible to me, out of the blue Honda called me end of Feb 2019 and asked to make an appointment to replace the fuel cell stack with less than 0.5 kg in the tank. They told me that the car sends diagnostic data and they project potential fuel cell problem. Preemptive action would be to replace the fuel cell. Made an appointment and it was replaced in a week. Car was driven additional 300 miles after fuel cell replacement for quality assurance. Got a enterprise rental for the duration of repair. Drove 15K miles after the fuel cell replacement. No problems. Looking forward to lease another hydrogen vehicle. Tried Nexo but it is a different class of vehicle and hard to justify the additional $$$ compared to Clarity. Mirai is cheaper to lease but 4 seater so no go. Most likely I will end up with Clarity fuel cell 2019 or 2020.
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Review of Honda Clarity Fuel Cell Vehicle (plus planned switch to Tesla)
- Thread starter tps5352
- Start date
That is very good to hear, that Honda did the right thing no matter what it cost them, even when you only had a few months of the lease left.
I find the Helium stuff really suspicious. Never heard of this. Don't know if your dealer is just trying to do unnecessary stuff to get more money from Honda. The stack can be replaced without any need to empty the tank. The tank can withstand 10000 psi (actually a lot more than that). So I don't see any reason why it needed to be filled up with He.
For your situation with a ton of money left on the fuel card, extending looks like a good option (to me).
As for the two pictures, it depends on what you want to pay for HOV access:
$$ or $$$$$$ ( Tesla S/X leases are $1100-$1200 a month)
Cost wise, a Model 3 is closer to the Clarity lease cost. There will also be a third option soon.
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mspohr
Well-Known Member
Epilogue
- As already reported, due to the uncertainties of 2020 and rumors of a major Tesla "refresh" I extended my 2017 Honda Clarity FCV lease for an extra year (from 2020 to 2021). (I was hoping for significant Tesla Model S and X range increases.)
- Concerning the Clarity, that additional 12 months was more of the same: chronic West Sacramento hydrogen fueling station problems; one serious car maintenance issue (requiring a tow).
- On January 27, 2021 Tesla finally released details about Models S and X refresh features (e.g., yoke steering wheel, display changes, no Model X range increase).
- On January 29, 2021, with the few remaining pre-refresh S and X cars rapidly disappearing in the lower 48, I used the Tesla online inventory webpage to search out and put $100 down on probably one of the last remaining new, 2021 inventory Model X (Long Range, 5-seater) cars, which happened to be located in Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Unbeknownst to me, my perfectly valid and innocent off-shore "purchase" apparently created a minor brouhaha within Tesla. (Honolulu, HI versus Rocklin, CA Service Center staff debate?) Time dragged on.
- Fortunately, the car (with 15 miles on the odometer but 5,000 miles in ocean travel) was finally delivered to me on March 17, 2021.
- Today? I LOVE my Model X.
AdamMacDon
Member
Only one question about the conclusion to an epic saga: did the hula bobblehead come with the car?
Only one question about the conclusion to an epic saga: did the hula bobblehead come with the car?
Ha, ha. Isn't she sweet? Her name is "Lulu," and she watches over me and the car's wheel rims as I drive around in suburbia-land trying desperately to avoid "curb rash."
It just seemed appropriate. I soon sent for her from a (tourist gift-shop) business on eBay actually located in Kahului, Hawaii (hawaiicity). (Unfortunately, I have not yet visited the beautiful 50th U.S. State [as of August 21, 1959].)
I now understand that Honda will discontinue the two remaining Clarity models (fuel cell and plug-in hybrid) at the end of the 2021 model year.
Despite possible ongoing programs by Toyota and Hyundai, I suspect that hydrogen fuel cell cars are losing the sales battle against all-battery cars here in the U.S. Well-read American customers are probably beginning to understand that hydrogen appears to be not as energy-efficient and overall "clean" as all-electricity vehicles. And all drivers can see that the hydrogen fuel infrastructure is still extremely limited--i.e., after four years there remain relatively few places to fill-up, and those pretty much only in the major metropolitan areas of California.
Despite possible ongoing programs by Toyota and Hyundai, I suspect that hydrogen fuel cell cars are losing the sales battle against all-battery cars here in the U.S. Well-read American customers are probably beginning to understand that hydrogen appears to be not as energy-efficient and overall "clean" as all-electricity vehicles. And all drivers can see that the hydrogen fuel infrastructure is still extremely limited--i.e., after four years there remain relatively few places to fill-up, and those pretty much only in the major metropolitan areas of California.
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