GM Chevy Volt

[ckessel]

If you normally have one driver then it really doesn't matter if the seats are manual. Obviously they could have added them but didn't to save weight (not likely price).

You can default to 12 amp in Gen IIs since they have location based charging settings (Like Tesla has).

I've driven in L (max regen) for 65K miles in our 2011 Volt. In the 2016 you can use (L and paddle) or (D and paddle). I still use L even on the highway. Let's me click cruise control down and the car will slow down quickly.

This thread gives you the details on the brake light with L and/or paddle: Brake Lamps in L, D and Regen - A Self-Test

Thanks for the link. We regularly have another driver. About 1/week I drive my wife's car. Having to refit all the settings after that is annoying. Plus our kids occasionally drive her car when they visit. Seat memory is a, perhaps surprisingly, high priority item. It's absolutely wonderful to tell folks that test my Tesla to do whatever to the seat because I can just hit "restore".

Yea...the regen/brake paddle. Feels like a hack (coming as an engineer). The Volt is fiddly. It does one thing in L, another in D, there's a paddle that does yet another thing. I just want to let up on the accelerator and the car does the right thing. Tesla has it right on configurable regen and brakes based on an accelerometer.

The cramped feeling was the most surprising part of the test drive. The Volt looks like a mid-sized car, but the interior is really tiny and tight. The back seat was almost laughably uncomfortable. I guess that's the drawback of having both a gas and ev engine in one car.

I know people love the Volt. I was genuinely looking forward to driving it and replacing my wife's car. It was sad when both of us were came away unimpressed.

 

[Drucifer]

The wife and I test drove a 2016 Volt today. It was a mixed reaction. The car drives well and feels nice, but coming from the Tesla or her 2008 RDX it felt like it fell short in several ways. Particularly since it costs quite a bit more than her RDX did.

* No power seats. No seat memory. Come on, even my wife's 2008 RDX ($28k new) has that.

* Charging defaults to 8 amps. You have to bump it to 12 every single time you charge. Given you charge a car like the Volt every day, that's annoying (I only plug in the S every 3-4 days). I suppose 8 amps still fills it overnight, so maybe it'd be a non-factor.

* Felt cramped. Front somewhat so, the back felt really cramped. Granted, that's in comparison to our Model S or an Acura RDX, but it even felt cramped compared to sitting in my daughter's Hyundai Accent.

* Regen is weird. In drive, it's incredibly mild. In Low, it felt right, but then you'd have to shift out of L when you're on the freeway. Also, regen does NOT turn on the brake lights according the sales guy (really knowledgeable, we honestly had a great experience at the dealership). But...there's a manual paddle on the steering wheel to activate the regen more in D and it causes the brake lights to come on. WTF...the whole bit with how the Volt does regen feels half-baked.

The cramped feeling was probably the most significant factor (and we're average height, not overweight). I was disappointed. I wanted to really like it, at least relative to her RDX. The idea was to replace her car with it as a lease to bridge to the Model 3.

No power seats means no extra weight from electric motors, no motors to break or drain the battery

Charging is GPS based in 2016, like the Model S. Set it for higher rate charging once and the car remembers

2016 is less cramped than 2011-2015. Feels more like a sports car. The battery tunnel does have an impact in perception, but the back still has a lot of utility to it.

Just drive in Low all the time unless you are on open interstates on a road trip, then D is better IMHO. No need to change out of Low due to higher speed. I drive in Low about 90% of the time in a Volt.

The Volt is a great car. Very easy to live with. Chevy dealers less so, but you don't need to see them very much.

 

[wws]

...

* Charging defaults to 8 amps. You have to bump it to 12 every single time you charge. Given you charge a car like the Volt every day, that's annoying (I only plug in the S every 3-4 days). I suppose 8 amps still fills it overnight, so maybe it'd be a non-factor.

As others have noted, there is a location based setting. So you can set it once and forget it. Should also be noted that it only applies to 120v charging. When using 240v, it follows the EVSE up to the 15 amp (3600 watts) max.

* Felt cramped. Front somewhat so, the back felt really cramped. Granted, that's in comparison to our Model S or an Acura RDX, but it even felt cramped compared to sitting in my daughter's Hyundai Accent.

* Regen is weird. In drive, it's incredibly mild. In Low, it felt right, but then you'd have to shift out of L when you're on the freeway. Also, regen does NOT turn on the brake lights according the sales guy (really knowledgeable, we honestly had a great experience at the dealership). But...there's a manual paddle on the steering wheel to activate the regen more in D and it causes the brake lights to come on. WTF...the whole bit with how the Volt does regen feels half-baked.

Just leave it in L all the time. The paddle adds extra regen to L as well.

The cramped feeling was probably the most significant factor (and we're average height, not overweight). I was disappointed. I wanted to really like it, at least relative to her RDX. The idea was to replace her car with it as a lease to bridge to the Model 3.

Maybe you needed to set the front seats down a bit? Of course the rear seating is what it is.

 

[Ampster]

.........

Maybe you needed to set the front seats down a bit? Of course the rear seating is what it is.

I am 6' 7" and when I drive our Volt, the seat is all the way down. I don't ride in the back.

 

[gregincal]

No power seats means no extra weight from electric motors, no motors to break or drain the battery

They should switch to roll down windows then for the same reason. I hate cars with manual seats.

 

[Ampster]

I am fine with the Volt as I got it on a lease assumption. I would prefer seat position memory. I like it low and back, my wife likes it forward and up. I can adjust when I get in, but electric with memory would be worth some price. I wouldn't give up electric windows because I can't reach them all from drivers seat. The lease is up in six months and around that time I should be driving a Tesla. The Volt has been a nice interim car.

 

[Chickenlittle]

I am fine with the Volt as I got it on a lease assumption. I would prefer seat position memory. I like it low and back, my wife likes it forward and up. I can adjust when I get in, but electric with memory would be worth some price. I wouldn't give up electric windows because I can't reach them all from drivers seat. The lease is up in six months and around that time I should be driving a Tesla. The Volt has been a nice interim car.

Every day I seem to remember why I hate dealorship so much. My new volt working well but keep finding things I was charged for not installed on car
1. Cargo net missing
2. Parcel shelf missing
3. Flat tire repair kit missing
4. Accent lighting ( never would buy but on invoice)
5. Lighted charge port
6. Dealor protection package can't prove not done but why would I believe given the rest that it was

these are dealor "installed" options that were never installed. If not done in another week will go to small claims court and attempt to get listed price options missing refunded

watch out if you buy the car. Just tonight plugged it in first time at night so I was able to figure out that the charge port is not lit

 

[jdbob]

6. Dealor protection package can't prove not done but why would I believe given the rest that it was
hese are dealor "installed" options that were never installed.

What about the TrueCoat?

 

[scottf200]

Every day I seem to remember why I hate dealorship so much. My new volt working well but keep finding things I was charged for not installed on car
1. Cargo net missing
2. Parcel shelf missing
3. Flat tire repair kit missing
4. Accent lighting ( never would buy but on invoice)
5. Lighted charge port
6. Dealor protection package can't prove not done but why would I believe given the rest that it was

these are dealor "installed" options that were never installed. If not done in another week will go to small claims court and attempt to get listed price options missing refunded

watch out if you buy the car. Just tonight plugged it in first time at night so I was able to figure out that the charge port is not lit

I had zero problems like that and in fact the the dealer put on locking lugnuts for free.

You should post on gm-volt.com about it but I'm guessing your situation is rare and certainly would vary vastly by which dealership. If it was a problem then there would be a owner generated checklist like there is for the Model S (and X) <grin>

My local ones for service have treated me very well. I've used 3 (
1 when I got the 2011 before they had them in IL and my Volt adviser verified and then set it up,
2 when I got the battery reinforcement done (went to larger dealer that had experience), and
3 my closest local one that I consistently go to)

 

[tga]

these are dealor "installed" options that were never installed. If not done in another week will go to small claims court and attempt to get listed price options missing refunded

I don't argue that dealers suck, but why would you take possession of the car without verifying that it had all options that you paid for (factory or dealer installed)?

 

[Ampster]

If not installed but paid for you should get a "due bill". That documents items still to be instaaled.

 

[Chickenlittle]

If not installed but paid for you should get a "due bill". That documents items still to be instaaled.

Some of the items had to be seen in the dark and I took possession during the day. Did get we owe you but only when I went back and pointed out the missing items. It's been almost a month now how long should I wait. Truth be told at this point I would take back the thousand dollars these options cost. Nobody could have looked over this car and not missed these items. In 25 yrs of buying cars I have never seen this

 

[JohnSnowNW]

I doubt there are going to be much in the way of lease incentives for the Volt, at least not early on, so I was wondering what kind of lease numbers people are seeing. When I contacted a dealership around here they couldn't even give me a ballpark, but said they didn't expect it to be greater than $400/month. Our Volt configuration comes to just under $40k, and we have no plans to put down anymore than required at signing.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[RobStark]

 

[jas]

Every day I seem to remember why I hate dealorship so much.

I've used auto brokers several times and saved thousands every time. There's a hidden beauty in M.S.R.P.

 

[ebwb]

This article has all the lease program information on Volt, as well as a handy lease calculator:

http://leasehackr.com/blog/2016/1/18/californians-you-can-now-get-a-volt-for-the-price-of-a-prius

For California, it's $168/mo, $0 down if you factor in the $1,500 CVRP as a down payment. Works out to $183/month after 9% tax and $2,770 total due at signing (registration, first month's payment, doc fee, upfront taxes, $1,500 down, etc).

 

[LargeHamCollider]

That, of course, is not true.

Uh, yes it is, too early to do your research for you.

 

[AndY1]

Uh, yes it is, too early to do your research for you.

You don't have to. I own Opel Ampera (EU Chevy Volt) for 3.5 years with 98.000km and not once has the engine started because I was in Sport mode with maximum acceleration, if the battery wasn't empty.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

You don't have to. I own Opel Ampera (EU Chevy Volt) for 3.5 years with 98.000km and not once has the engine started because I was in Sport mode with maximum acceleration, if the battery wasn't empty.

eloder was writing about how the transmission works, not what makes the engine run.

To avoid a rush to dogma, that's all I'll say.

 

[Skotty]

A lot of folks get the Volt's drivetrain info wrong. For the 2011-2015 Volts, the engine does help propel the car most of the time when the engine is running, and for good reason -- it is more efficient to do so. So when does the engine run?

1) Periodically whenever battery is depleted around town, and constantly whenever battery is depleted and driving on the highway. Basically, if battery is depleted, it operates much like a hybrid. (also true with Hold mode engaged).
2) Periodically whenever outside temperature drops below a certain threshold (referred to as ERDTT -- Engine Running Due To Temperature).
3) On rare occasions when in "maintenance mode", which happens if you almost never drive on gas and the car thinks it needs to run the engine or burn some gas to keep everything in working order and keep gas from getting too old.
4) When the hood is open.

On the Volt, the electric motor is actually far more powerful than the gas engine is, and on 2011-2015 Volts, the power of both cannot be combined beyond the max power of the electric motor due to how the transmission works. If you stomp the gas, it will use only the electric motor to accelerate the car, whether the gas engine is running or not; in fact, there can be a slight delay if the engine is helping move the car, as the transmission has to shift over to the electric motor, which occasionally annoys some Volt drivers.

Sport mode, as far as I can tell, has no effect on power or engine/motor operation. The only thing it seems to do is remap how far down you have to press the gas pedal to request power; basically, you don't have to push the pedal as far down, which makes it feel sportier but really changes nothing else.

My understanding is that a lot has changed for the transmission in the 2016+ Volts, and I cannot speak to those.

Back on topic, the Bolt sounds pretty good as far as EVs go, and I think it will see some success. Though it will still be handicapped by not having a logical long distance charging network. It could look a little nicer, but it's not as frumpy as a lot of other EVs, so in that context, it looks pretty good.