Whats your opinion of the GM volt electric car?

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Seasoned Oak

Minister of Fire
Oct 17, 2008
7,215
Eastern Central PA
Weigh in on the GM volt. Yes its expensive but for those who dont mind leasing ,its available for $349 a month from some dealers. I feel that leasing is a good option cuz in 3 years there will likely be much better range from batteries, more selection of models ect ect. and you wont want to be stuck with "old" technology if you would have purchased the car outright.The last car i leased was $333 a month and i saved a fortune in trade in losses cuz the residual value dropped faster than usual.
 
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I think it's an extremely practical design.
I also believe if the economy wasn't weak it's target market would be absorbing more of them.

They need the next generation to address the Yaris/Prius C market.
Probably not there yet for building costs.
 
I think you need to do the math.
I hate to say this, as I am a proponent of electric cars, as well as a GM fan, but it has to make sense.
How many miles are you allowed to drive on the lease?
I think it is 12k/year.
So, 1000 miles for $350 plus tax or 35 cents a mile plus fuel.
Do the math, is it worth it?
I did the math on trading in my wife's (paid for) car, and even with free electricity, it didn't work out for me.
I am going to give it another year, and calculate again based on next years gas prices.

Other than the economy of making payments or buying gasoline, I think the Volt is a great start and a great car.
Some will go with the Leaf due to it's longer all electric range, but for the average driver (30 miles a day) the Volt's 40 mile electric range could allow one to drive without routinely having to by gas, yet at the same time, be able to drive hundreds of miles in a day, if need be.
Jay Leno has one with 10K miles on it without a gasoline fill yet.
 
I look at it from a "gotta start somewhere" point of view. Is it perfect -no. Should it be subsidized - probably not. Do I think its a good idea - yep. Gotta start somewhere. As PV panels become cheaper per watt, electric cars on the road, building codes improved, conservation happens, etc... we are at a turning point. The only bad part is that we should have been doing this in earnest years ago.

I would love to have a 10,000 Watt PV array in my yard and an electric car in my garage.
 
A while back I read the specs. on it and thoght they missed the mark by a mile.
 
Prosecond said:
Do we really need a coal powered car?

Right now, coal accounts for less than 45% of electricity generation, and is dropping fast. Additonaly, it is domestic coal, not imported oil, and as Jags pointed out, some people can generate their own electricity. Not many people can make their own gasoline.
 
oldspark said:
This article is a little over the top but has some valid points in it, I agree we have to start some where but the Volt has a short in it.
http://listofsuck.com/the-chevy-volt-sucks/

Well gee, that was full of crap. How about some valid reasons, if you have any?
Have you driven or even seen a volt?
 
The deal is - it's not for everybody. If you work 50 miles one way from home, not the right car. You work 4.5 miles across town, it might be a contender. Dang, if it had to be perfect out of the gate we would still not have electricity, cars, computers, etc.....

I really don't have any lost love for the Volt. Cost, tax breaks, short range is a couple of reasons, but it will fit the bill for a segment of the population. GOTTA START SOMEWHERE.
 
Thirty years ago all electric cars were in fleets wide and far. I drove one a couple of times in Hawaii. I am suspect their demise was the battery. Useless to keep wasting money on these production cars until the battery problem is solved.

There is a solar car race every other year fostered by the DOE. The cars are cutting edge race cars. Why? I have no idea.

If they would change the criteria for the cars to sixty mile range commuter vehicles, we as a country might develop something. But that practical approach would make sense. Something woefully lacking in DOE.

I donate money every year to a solar car team.
http://solarcar.mst.edu/solarcar/solarcar.html
I would continue to do that, even give more, if they were building commuter cars.
 
As a concept it has its detractions. Currently when you buy gas, you are paying for upkeep of the roads via the gas tax. In the short term, state and federal governments are not worried about electrics but if they get much market share be ready for $ per mile tax (used in other countries already). Insurance is usually based on replacement cost so it will be roughly double that of a honda fit or similiar high mileage gas car. NH has an excise tax of 1.8 % for the frist year that slowly ramps down over several years. It would be based on the purchase price not including rebate so $700 per year instead of $350 per year cost. For folks who pay sale tax on vehicles, they pay double the upfron sales tax.

I have seen many comparisions on electric vehicles and the usual outcome is if you need a commuter car that is within the range of an electric buy the cheapest one. When you want to go on a trip rent a regular gas vehicle. The volt like the the prir GM electric, EV1, were both built ot keep the government happy, they never would have been built bases on cost or loss.
 
Dune said:
oldspark said:
This article is a little over the top but has some valid points in it, I agree we have to start some where but the Volt has a short in it.
http://listofsuck.com/the-chevy-volt-sucks/

Well gee, that was full of crap. How about some valid reasons, if you have any?
Have you driven or even seen a volt?

For me (and many others)its not always about "how soon can this car pay for itself. Does any car pay for itself except a taxi?
People pay 40-50- 60K for cars and trucks all the time. There is no payback with any of them,only depreciation.
LIke i said the last car i leased was 333 a month,with no payback of any kind there,the volt at $349 a month at least does have other redeeming qualities besides paying for itself.
Its a pretty hi tech machine. When gas hits $5 they probably wont be available at $349 anymore.
 
jensent said:
Not a GM fan. While maybe not for everyone our Gen III Prius has been great for three yrs. Check it out!
Tom
Not a toyota fan
 
Personally, I'd rather burn more fuel (cause I'm saving it by heating the house with wood). You need to read up on these cars "bricking". Basically if you let the charge go to zero on these cars because of vacation, incompetence, whatever they become a brick. Meaning you will have to pay 30,000 for repairs and a new battery core. I'd steer clear of the Volt. Nothing more than another Green fad from the obummer czar admistration.

(I'm a chevy fan)
 
Seasoned Oak said:
Dune said:
oldspark said:
This article is a little over the top but has some valid points in it, I agree we have to start some where but the Volt has a short in it.
http://listofsuck.com/the-chevy-volt-sucks/

Well gee, that was full of crap. How about some valid reasons, if you have any?
Have you driven or even seen a volt?

For me (and many others)its not always about "how soon can this car pay for itself. Does any car pay for itself except a taxi?
People pay 40-50- 60K for cars and trucks all the time. There is no payback with any of them,only depreciation.
LIke i said the last car i leased was 333 a month,with no payback of any kind there,the volt at $349 a month at least does have other redeeming qualities besides paying for itself.
Its a pretty hi tech machine. When gas hits $5 they probably wont be available at $349 anymore.

I would certainly like a new Volt.
 
peakbagger said:
As a concept it has its detractions. Currently when you buy gas, you are paying for upkeep of the roads via the gas tax. In the short term, state and federal governments are not worried about electrics but if they get much market share be ready for $ per mile tax (used in other countries already). Insurance is usually based on replacement cost so it will be roughly double that of a honda fit or similiar high mileage gas car. NH has an excise tax of 1.8 % for the frist year that slowly ramps down over several years. It would be based on the purchase price not including rebate so $700 per year instead of $350 per year cost. For folks who pay sale tax on vehicles, they pay double the upfron sales tax.

I have seen many comparisions on electric vehicles and the usual outcome is if you need a commuter car that is within the range of an electric buy the cheapest one. When you want to go on a trip rent a regular gas vehicle. The volt like the the prir GM electric, EV1, were both built ot keep the government happy, they never would have been built bases on cost or loss.

You don't need to rent a car to go on trips if you have a Volt.
 
Rowcroprenegade
Were all guilty of exaggerating at one time or another but $30000 to repair or replace a $8000 battery is a lot of labor.Besides the battery is warranted for 8 years and 100000 miles, long after a lease is up.
 
I would have to lease anyway cuz i dont pay anywhere near $7500 in income taxes each year as many retired or semi-retired people do not as well,so i could not take the rebate without leasing. The lease agency gets it and is able to deduct it from the lease.
 
Runs on electricity around town and gets 40 on the highway? Seems like a winner to me. I could see a 10,000W PV system on the roof and a Volt in the garage this year. I'd go from having to carry two credit cards to fill the Suburban to rarely having to even get gas. Not sure how the math works out, but I'm not sure it makes sense without PV with our electric rates.
 
Electric cars are great but the tax man cometh. Sooner or later someone's going to have to pay for the roads we're all using. I can see truckers getting pissed as their prices keep going up while they're stuck behind a Leaf in the slow lane doing 45mph.

They're coming. I can't wait. I'm a perfect candidate because I live 7 miles from work and rarely travel more than 40 miles/day. But I already drive the best kind of car: The kind someone else pays for!
 
Dune said:
Seasoned Oak said:
Dune said:
oldspark said:
This article is a little over the top but has some valid points in it, I agree we have to start some where but the Volt has a short in it.
http://listofsuck.com/the-chevy-volt-sucks/

Well gee, that was full of crap. How about some valid reasons, if you have any?
Have you driven or even seen a volt?

For me (and many others)its not always about "how soon can this car pay for itself. Does any car pay for itself except a taxi?
People pay 40-50- 60K for cars and trucks all the time. There is no payback with any of them,only depreciation.
LIke i said the last car i leased was 333 a month,with no payback of any kind there,the volt at $349 a month at least does have other redeeming qualities besides paying for itself.
Its a pretty hi tech machine. When gas hits $5 they probably wont be available at $349 anymore.

I would certainly like a new Volt.
Well it wont work for me, I hope it works for you, been driving small cars for a long time and I wont pay 40 thousand for a new car.
 
Dune said:
oldspark said:
This article is a little over the top but has some valid points in it, I agree we have to start some where but the Volt has a short in it.
http://listofsuck.com/the-chevy-volt-sucks/

Well gee, that was full of crap. How about some valid reasons, if you have any?
Have you driven or even seen a volt?
What is it that you dont understand, the range is limited, its expensive and not selling worth a crap so I guess I am not the only one thinking they could do better.
 
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