Interesting (to me) Exercise

[N5329K]

I just read an interesting review of the Chevrolet Bolt, written by a gentleman who owns a Model S. Read it here:

Chevy Bolt EV tested by Tesla Model S owner: his assessment

His generally positive review addressed some specific concerns I have about the Model 3 (cabin entry and head height). He was open to dinging the Bolt where dinging was justified. It prompted me to "configure" a Bolt and see how the numbers added up. Some likely Model 3 features were simply not available from Chevrolet. But most of the important ones were.
In the end, my Phantom Bolt came to $38,640 before the available state/federal incentives were applied. For me, that culls about $12,500 from the price, for a net (apart from taxes and registration and all the ridiculous little fees GM dealerships know and love) of $26,140.
Is the Bolt- in all its city car spud-ness, its "I know I'm not good looking but I'm almost an exact copy of a that real cool Japanese Honda Fit" disclaimers, worth $26,140 to me?
Maybe.
I know my wife couldn't care less about the M3's aesthetic superiority. Or the availability of the SC network (either car- the Bolt or the M3- would always charge at home). Or the Bolt's lack of autonomous driving gear.
I'm not ready to give up my reservation and head down to the dealership (yuck), but it was an interesting exercise all the same.
Robin

 

[Jason Bourne]

To me, another huge advantage the Model3 has over the Bolt is the OTA software updates.

 

[Booga]

To me, another huge advantage the Model3 has over the Bolt is the OTA software updates.

This, and a demonstrated history of providing updates. It's not in the DNA of other firms to be doing this so even if they do it, I anticipate it will be fairly minimal and only to fix bugs.

 

[BluestarE3]

When I first read rumors of an upcoming Chevy EV with 200+ mile range, I was intrigued. However, over time, I lost interest in it.

• I liked the edginess of the orange concept car. However, the production car, as is often the case, got homogenized into a run-of-the-mill hatchback.
  
• I dread the thought of having to go to a traditional car dealership.
• If GM hadn't been lobbying constantly to keep Tesla from selling cars directly to consumers in Michigan and elsewhere, I might have given their EV consideration as my next car.
• Some people have expressed concerns about Tesla's long-term viability and may be thinking of looking elsewhere for an EV. I have nagging concerns about GM's (and other traditional car markers') long-term commitment to supporting EVs, so I'm going with the only company currently selling production cars that's fully committed to EVs.
• Lastly, the Bolt isn't a Tesla.

 

[MTL_HABS1909]

Remember that GM is one of the manufacturers lobbying trump to relax the emissions/efficiency requirements. NEVER will I buy a car from any of these companies ever again.

 

[Vitold]

Has Bolt been tested for crash safety yet?

 

[McRat]

To me, another huge advantage the Model3 has over the Bolt is the OTA software updates.

I always get a chuckle out of this. I call it the Apple Mentality. Why bother testing software when you can always fix it later? Repeatedly.

OTA is critical when cars ship without full advertised functionality. Few car companies ever do that.

If OTA was an acceptable alternative, Super Cruise would already be in the Cadillac in 2012.

 

[andrewket]

• If GM hadn't been lobbying constantly to keep Tesla from selling cars directly to consumers in Michigan and elsewhere, I might have given their EV consideration as my next car.
• Some people have expressed concerns about Tesla's long-term viability and may be thinking of looking elsewhere for an EV. I have nagging concerns about GM's (and other traditional car markers') long-term commitment to supporting EVs, so I'm going with the only company currently selling production cars that's fully committed to EVs.

Remember that GM is one of the manufacturers lobbying trump to relax the emissions/efficiency requirements. NEVER will I buy a car from any of these companies ever again.

This sums it up for me.

 

[N5329K]

Has Bolt been tested for crash safety yet?

Maybe they'll take the "We don't need no stinkin' tests" approach. The first 500 customers will handle it live and in field conditions.
Robin

 

[CharlieLab]

Cars to me are more than just their piece parts and I know logically and financially we should look at these transportation devices through that lens, but emotion always gets in the way,l and I think that's a good thing. Although I'm not a huge fan of Jeremy Clarkson, he did exemplify that thought process with his Cool Wall. For me Tesla represents that cool factor, an idea, a future bet, something very fresh and ideals that appeal. While the Bolt will probably get you from A to B, the car and company are just plain boring, and I could never buy something from a company that is lobbying for lower MPG avg. side note, I got the chance to drive behind a Bolt today on 101, and the thing is just plain ugly and has absolutely no character.

 

[N5329K]

The Bolt would be pinned way over at the Seriously Uncool end of the Cool Wall, with the Peugeot 307 and the Beetle Cabriolet.
Robin

 

[boiler81]

Maybe they'll take the "We don't need no stinkin' tests" approach. The first 500 customers will handle it live and in field conditions.

Wait, isn't Tesla the one not building "Beta prototypes" for it's new ground up car the Model 3?
GM's got a lot to be ashamed of, but their production testing program probably not one of them.
Has anyone seen even one Model 3 undergoing any real testing?

 

[S3XY]

Wait, isn't Tesla the one not building "Beta prototypes" for it's new ground up car the Model 3?
GM's got a lot to be ashamed of, but their production testing program probably not one of them.
Has anyone seen even one Model 3 undergoing any real testing?

I'm pretty sure Elon has.

 

[cheekedave]

The Bolt is a "practical" car except all the practical-ness gets taken away when the "dealer network" of GM/Chevy has their greedy hands on your purchase and service.

I have a Chevy Volt right now, purchased new. Within the first 1 year of ownership I was pressured into doing almost $1,200 of "maintenance" which did not need to be done and was against what even Chevy recommended in the manual.

I could only imagine the craziness they will try to come up with in the future with the Bolt in terms of trying to charge for crazy maintenance and ruin people's experience and go somewhere else.

 

[Jason Bourne]

I always get a chuckle out of this. I call it the Apple Mentality. Why bother testing software when you can always fix it later? Repeatedly.

OTA is critical when cars ship without full advertised functionality. Few car companies ever do that.

If OTA was an acceptable alternative, Super Cruise would already be in the Cadillac in 2012.

I guess that's one way to look at it. But maybe that perspective isn't all bad. Maybe it's a way to deliver the cars to consumers faster (even without the full advertised functionality) so they can begin enjoying them sooner. Then they wake up one day and the car has upgraded itself.

But maybe it's also different than how you see it. Maybe it's the ability to deliver more value and features to a car over time that keeps the owner engaged and excited about their ownership experience. Maybe it's also the ability to improve features that were working reliably at the time of delivery but now the technology exists to do it better/faster. Maybe it's also the ability to keep the cars safer from cyber-security threats. We've already seen connected cars get hacked remotely with potentially fatal consequences.

 

[jbcarioca]

The Bolt would be pinned way over at the Seriously Uncool end of the Cool Wall, with the Peugeot 307 and the Beetle Cabriolet.
Robin

How can you put the 307 in with those losers? I resemble that comment, because I've had three Peugeots, all of them great fun, smooth, and cool to the cognoscenti if nobody else. OK, I admit it, I have had Citroën too.
The only 'seriously uncool' parts of PSA today are Opel and Vauxhall, and that they've no notable BEV's unless you count the seriously uncool Ampera.

BTW, seriously cool is the person who still flies a Navion.

 

[McRat]

The Bolt is a "practical" car except all the practical-ness gets taken away when the "dealer network" of GM/Chevy has their greedy hands on your purchase and service.

I have a Chevy Volt right now, purchased new. Within the first 1 year of ownership I was pressured into doing almost $1,200 of "maintenance" which did not need to be done and was against what even Chevy recommended in the manual.

I could only imagine the craziness they will try to come up with in the future with the Bolt in terms of trying to charge for crazy maintenance and ruin people's experience and go somewhere else.

This I gotta hear. If you like, you can interpret that as you being full of 'it'.

 

[jbcarioca]

The Bolt is a "practical" car except all the practical-ness gets taken away when the "dealer network" of GM/Chevy has their greedy hands on your purchase and service.

I have a Chevy Volt right now, purchased new. Within the first 1 year of ownership I was pressured into doing almost $1,200 of "maintenance" which did not need to be done and was against what even Chevy recommended in the manual.

I could only imagine the craziness they will try to come up with in the future with the Bolt in terms of trying to charge for crazy maintenance and ruin people's experience and go somewhere else.

No problem. Your dealer will give special discounts on oil changes for the Bolt.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

The lack of a robust rapid charging infrastructure is a dealbreaker for me.

However, the wife may be in the market for a "city car" in the future....so never say never.

 

[dsvick]

Wait, isn't Tesla the one not building "Beta prototypes" for it's new ground up car the Model 3?
GM's got a lot to be ashamed of, but their production testing program probably not one of them.
Has anyone seen even one Model 3 undergoing any real testing?

Just because they aren't calling it a "beta" doesn't mean that they won't do all of the testing that they need to do on it. And, no, no one has seen one being tested, a lot of the tests happen behind closed doors, and road tests should be starting in a week or two Elon said.