Chevy Bolt?

bflynn

bflynn

Final Approach
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Brian Flynn
it is new car time. Because I have never owned a new car before, the spouse is pushing for me to get a new car. I may still not do that and buy used anyway (‘72 Beetle?), but I started looking and the Bolt has some interesting things going on.

Does anyone with direct experience have feedback on the car?
 
Don’t think anyone here has yet admitted to buying one, but it took Car of the Year from Motor Trend last year. Kinda hard to ignore that award, if one is in the market for an EV. We had a Tesla thread that had a bunch of discussion about it, should be able to find it with the search box.
 
bflynn said:
and the Bolt has some interesting things going on
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Perhaps you meant Volt?

If that's what it was, I can tell you from the salvage yard perspective that I get maybe 1 to 2 calls a month for Chevy Volt items. And none of the requests are for drive train. Mostly lamps and mirrors.

So either very few are out there in the public world, or the drive train items are built well enough to survive use/abuse over time.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Perhaps you meant Volt?

If that's what it was, I can tell you from the salvage yard perspective that I get maybe 1 to 2 calls a month for Chevy Volt items. And none of the requests are for drive train. Mostly lamps and mirrors.

So either very few are out there in the public world, or the drive train items are built well enough to survive use/abuse over time.
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Maybe it was the Bolt: https://www.chevrolet.com/electric/bolt-ev-electric-car

I wasn't familiar with it until now.
 
Ahh... gotcha.... Well we have never had any requests for Bolt parts. Likely due to low population numbers "in the wild"
 
Don’t care for the looks of the Bolt. MT car of the year last year so they saw something in it. I went with a used Gen 1 Volt earlier this year. Good car and get 37 EV and 37 ICE. Great time to buy used Volts. $43K car new and can get at ridiculously cheap prices now. Don’t care for the looks of the new Gen 2s though. Better range but that zig zag styling isn’t for me.
 
I drove it last winter. Nice car, very zippy. Handling is bland.

Looks better than many futuristic looking evs. Therefore its shape should age well imho.

Battery actually lasts as long as advertized, maybe 20% less in winter.

I would say comparable to a Toyota Matrix in terms of performance and driveability. This is not an enthusiast's car.

No need to change oil or filter, no need to replace coolant. Brake pads last forever since the braking is used to recharge the batteries.
 
bflynn said:
Bolt, the EV. The Volt is a plug-in hybrid that gets 50 miles on the battery. The Bolt is all electric and gets ~280.

This is the Tesla thread
https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/tesla-trolling.111025/
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If you are going to be technical, Volt is not a hybrid as it never uses gas engine for propulsion. The engine is only used to generate electricity. Think of diesel-electric locomotive.

Edit: evidently, the second gen Volt is a more conventional Plug-in hybrid
 
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Velocity173 said:
Don’t care for the looks of the Bolt.
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You don't buy for looks any more. :lol:

Just look at the new cars. The only thing worth having for looks is the retro looking Mustangs and Challengers.

I am going to skip the electric cars and wait for these.....:yesnod:

windup-key-beetles.jpg
 
Nissan Leaf is also an option if looking for a cheaper new EV.

 
Zeldman said:
You don't buy for looks any more. :lol:

Just look at the new cars. The only thing worth having for looks is the retro looking Mustangs and Challengers.

I am going to skip the electric cars and wait for these.....:yesnod:

windup-key-beetles.jpg
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There used to be a Smart car in my area where the owner had the wind up key on a small motor, so it would "unwind" as he drove it.
 
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Bold may be nice, but in the end, it's a $30+K car in a $20K car body(see Honda Fit). That's a lot of MX and gas to make it worth it.
 
genna said:
If you are going to be technical, Volt is not a hybrid as it never uses gas engine for propulsion. The engine is only used to generate electricity. Think of diesel-electric locomotive.
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The Volt does use the engine to assist in propulsion above approx 70 MPH. That’s only after the batt is depleted and operating in ICE or “extended range mode.”
 
Velocity173 said:
The Volt does use the engine to assist in propulsion above approx 70 MPH. That’s only after the batt is depleted and operating in ICE or “extended range mode.”
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I was going to write up a big paragraph about how you are wrong, but, apparently, GM changed the configuration in a second gen Volt. :). My previous statement applies to the 1st gen. :)
 
AggieMike88 said:
Ahh... gotcha.... Well we have never had any requests for Bolt parts. Likely due to low population numbers "in the wild"
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Bolt was released in California to start with, and then slowly rolled out to the rest of the country. Bolts are all over the place in the Bay Area, and are even more numerous than Tesla 3s.
 
The Bay Area seems to be the EV capital of the world. Living and parking in SF can be problematic nd expensive.
 
clear_prop said:
Bolt was released in California to start with, and then slowly rolled out to the rest of the country. Bolts are all over the place in the Bay Area, and are even more numerous than Tesla 3s.
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Sounds like they know their marketing targets.
 
Yah, the price. 40k gives a 6 year loan at $700/mon?!! Yikes, at that price there are a lot of cars I like better. Or a car and an airplane.

Maybe that paisley purple beetle isn't so bad.
 
GRG55 said:
Probably because when you buy one they actually deliver it, instead of assuming you were buying a gift for your unborn grandchild...:rolleyes:
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ROFLMAO! That was awesome.

I loved how the reviewers in the Edmunds thing kept referring to the $35,000 Tesla Model 3 as vaporware.
 
genna said:
I was going to write up a big paragraph about how you are wrong, but, apparently, GM changed the configuration in a second gen Volt. :). My previous statement applies to the 1st gen. :)
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Ya know, if everybody around this joint starts showing your type of restraint this place is gonna fall apart.;)
 
Zeldman said:
You don't buy for looks any more. :lol:

Just look at the new cars. The only thing worth having for looks is the retro looking Mustangs and Challengers.
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Lately, my head has been turned by a little Italian number named Giulia...
2017-alfa-romeo-giulia-veloce-42.jpg
 
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denverpilot said:
ROFLMAO! That was awesome.

I loved how the reviewers in the Edmunds thing kept referring to the $35,000 Tesla Model 3 as vaporware.
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It is.

Go to the Tesla website where you can configure your coveted Model 3 and the prices now start at $49,000.
https://3.tesla.com/model3/design#battery
Nobody should be surprised the company removed the $35,000 base model (on July 13).

(In before the lock :D)
 
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GRG55 said:
(In before the lock :D)
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Why would anyone lock a thread about a poorly run car company and their psycho founder?

You know, the guy who when his little toy submarine was threatened by actual cave diving experts at the rescue site for those kids, decided that was a good time to call the guy who found the kids a pedophile?

And then took it all down off of Twitter and covered it up?

Oh yeah. That freak. He’s a “genius” ... they say. :)

I think he’s either snapping under the pressure of all of his missed promises, or he’s sharing drugs with John McAfee. LOL.

https://techcrunch.com/2018/07/15/e...gned-dollar-that-thai-cave-rescuer-is-a-pedo/
 
bflynn said:
it is new car time. Because I have never owned a new car before, the spouse is pushing for me to get a new car. I may still not do that and buy used anyway (‘72 Beetle?), but I started looking and the Bolt has some interesting things going on.

Does anyone with direct experience have feedback on the car?
Click to expand...

Yes. I do have direct experience. I bought one last year in March and have about 13,000 miles on it so far. I absolutely love it, but ask away!
 
bflynn said:
Yah, the price. 40k gives a 6 year loan at $700/mon?!! Yikes, at that price there are a lot of cars I like better. Or a car and an airplane.

Maybe that paisley purple beetle isn't so bad.
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However, if you buy soon, you will get a $7500 federal income tax credit. That helps. Also you can go in the HOV lanes and no more smog checks. Also, no more visits to the gas station, no more oil changes, no more brake jobs, no more transmission service, no more tune ups... basically the service schedule amounts to rotating tires and changing the coolant every 3 years (The same they recommend for ICE power cars now.). The rest is all "inspect" type instruction.
 
denverpilot said:
Boy I’m glad you didn’t say Fiat 500 Abarth. :) :) :)
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The 500 Abarth looks like it could be a fun little buzzbomb, but it's not much to look at, and my wife would laugh me out of the house if I showed up with one. If I showed up with a Giulia, she'd want to drive it.
 
Friend of mind has one (Bolt), it tops out at 89 MPH, pretty small, zippy, pretty quiet. Boat load of money for it IMHO.


I've driven the Volt a few times but never on the highway. It was ok but I didn't like the UI of the throttle on it, this one seemed awfully squishy and didn't respond the way I wanted it to. Another boat load of money.
 
bnt83 said:
Friend of mind has one (Bolt), it tops out at 89 MPH, pretty small, zippy, pretty quiet. Boat load of money for it IMHO.


I've driven the Volt a few times but never on the highway. It was ok but I didn't like the UI of the throttle on it, this one seemed awfully squishy and didn't respond the way I wanted it to. Another boat load of money.
Click to expand...

Normal driving mode is like that on the Volt. I always select sport mode when I drive. Much better feel and acceleration vs pedal displacement in sport.
 
The bolt looks like one of those rental econo box cars you end up with when you wait till the last minute to try to book a car.
 
bnt83 said:
Friend of mind has one (Bolt), it tops out at 89 MPH, pretty small, zippy, pretty quiet...
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They got a fix coming for that.
I want mine to sound like a 12-cylinder Ferrari. :D

New System Creates Engine Sound for Electric/Hybrid Vehicles
July 16, 2018

Norwood, Mass.-based Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) has introduced an embedded system for generating engine sound for electric and hybrid electric vehicles.

According to the company, the ADSP-BF706 digital signal processor and electric vehicle warning sound system (EVWSS) firmware can enable automobile manufacturers in North America and other global regions to comply with future safety regulations mandating external engine sound for EVs and HEVs traveling at low speeds...

...The ADSP-BF706 can also be used to create in-cabin engine sound to contribute to an improved driving experience for vehicle owners...​
 
Giulia is quite yummy, but it's all auto in USA. :(. Pretty much kills the regular version for me. The QF is is nice, but too much $$ and unknown. You can get very sweet lease deals on non-QF alphas, btw. The only safe way to have an Alpha :)
 
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