Chevy Volt

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:50 am

my nephew just bought a new Volt -he got a what i think is a great deal on it.
$27,000 but I'm not sure if id go though all the crap he is to get it.
he works at the GM corvette plant in Bowling Green Ky. he had to fly to Oregon to pick it up and drive it back . if not they wanted to charge him a extra $4000 to have it delivered to his local dealer. he is on his way back with it right now and in Nebraska someplace. I'm wondering what type of mpg he getting I'm sure he cant be using the electric power or able to charge the car up while on this road trip . what would make me a bit shaky about owning this car is service .trying to find a dealership that has a person who knows and is any good at finding problems if it should arise. then theres what if down the road after your factory warranty's up you have problems .how hard and how much is this car going to cost him /you to get serviced. I will say I do like the looks and general design of the car. just not ready to commit owning a electric car yet.do to these factors I just made. also how well is it for lets say the motor if you are a owner that 99 % of the time running the car under battery. then after a long period decide to take a trip and use the gas engine because you ran out of battery power. also what keep the gas from going bad when just sitting in the tank . in lawn mower and such you really need to add gas stabilizers . is the same true for electric cars ?

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:44 pm

Yeah I have wondered the same think about this type of setup. If you drive in EV mode 90% of the time and don't use the gas engine for several months what does that do to it and the gas?

Also are there separate odometers/chronometers for the engine/motor? How do you rate how "used" the car is?

I know some larger PTO trucks will have both an odometer and a chronometer so you can judge how much it was driven and run on the PTO to get an estimate on how much wear the engine/drive train have on them.

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 1:58 pm

small update - talked to my nephew and he driving the car here to michigan . looks like i may get this car in my driveway from tomorrow - new years and i will get to drive it /use it. unless his mom and dads garage is open to store it for the week. if thats the case and i do drive it i let you know pugley about the dual gage !

b-man1 · Post by **b-man1** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:17 pm

he thinks he will be driving to Michigan...hope he makes it with the storm!

eGoCeNTRoNiX · Post by **eGoCeNTRoNiX** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:20 pm

I am interested in picking up a Volt myself.. It would have to be for less than that though. I'd have to get one for around $20k in order to justify the cost. At $27k it would take 3 years before it would start paying for itself... But at $20k it would only take about 1.5-2 years and I could see that..

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 2:33 pm

ya no kidding he said so far so good. just called him he was in Iowa about 1 hour from Illinois im thinking he coming across I-80 .said the car only been cost him like $22.00 a tank on gas getting about 33 mpg!

eGoCeNTRoNiX · Post by **eGoCeNTRoNiX** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 3:10 pm

33mpg ouch.. I can get that in my 00' Hyundai Accent lol

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 3:23 pm

Eco - that was with the GM employee discount and who know what other incentives. he tight so i know they had to really drop the retail price for him to jump. I understand list on them is $39,995. plain jane and not counting the home faster charging system and any extras on the car. he talked about wanting one from day 1 of there release . and for him to go so far to get one im sure it had to be a steal . like i said he so tight he squeak.not sure if its a 2012 or 2013 he bought .

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 4:49 pm

I am still happy with my 03 TDI. If VW were to ever build a Diesel Volt type setup I would get it. Then it would get 45-50 mpg with the dead battery and who knows with it charged.

Err · Post by **Err** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:22 pm

eGoCeNTRoNiX wrote:33mpg ouch.. I can get that in my 00' Hyundai Accent lol

That's terrible for what the Volt is supposed to be. You'd get better highway mileage dropping the electric drivetrain entirely and saving weight. However, if you only drive 10 to 20 miles a day and have a way to plug it in every night, you're golden.

I just can't justify buying a Volt even at 27K. There are much more efficient cars in that price range. Honestly, if you live within the rage that the volt is effective, you probably not using much gas to begin with.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:44 pm

Working at a forklift dealer, I have quite a bit of experience with electric vehicles. Honestly, they are incredibly reliable. It's the batteries that are the problem 50% of the time & contactors the rest of the time. Other than that you only have control boards & brushes that can really go bad. I'd mostly be afraid of the fuel side of the system.

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:04 pm

I would think that the volt would use a brushless motor. Way more efficient, easier to control, and durable.

The thought has crossed my mind to get the traction motors out of a forklift and put them on a S10 pickup with a battery in the bed.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 7:11 am

Pugsley wrote:I would think that the volt would use a brushless motor. Way more efficient, easier to control, and durable.

The thought has crossed my mind to get the traction motors out of a forklift and put them on a S10 pickup with a battery in the bed.

I've actually seen someone do this on a Geo Metro. Worked out pretty well. The weight savings from pulling the tank, fuel lines, engine, radiator, etc. almost equalized the battery weight. The only issue is the lack of heat & A/C. Though I'm sure if you cared enough, you could find a way to get both working at the expense of battery power.

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:26 am

well not going to be driving the car

it is the 2012 model he got. he made it here about 10 pm last night. he is keeping it in his parents garage. they are pulling his mom car behind the motor-home this trip to Florida. talk about MPG .wonder what there 37 ft gas v-10 ford fleetwood motor-home will be getting ? the motor-home is front engine unit. they will be driving from here to bowling green ,KY to pick up his wife and kid's then going to Orlando . from Orlando to Tampa then back here by New Years Day . they wanted us (wife and I) to join them on this trip . we opted to baby sit there dogs

. to the wife and I 2 hours in a plane each way . sure is a lot more fun then. then being behind a wheel for 2 plus days. and were refresh when we arrive in the sunshine state. we have made that trip many times by car and your whip . so you loose a extra day from drive there. we also fine its cheaper to fly . when you look at gas prices.

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Sat Dec 22, 2012 7:40 am

talked to my nephew about the odometers/chronometers for the engine/motor? he said when you turn off the car what percent of your trip you were on battery . this resets every time you restart the car. but there is no visable chronometers to see for total miles driven .he said he thinks the dealers can scan the car computer and get that info do.