Drove a Chevy Volt today...

And Electric cars are fun! I was really impressed by how that thing moved for being an electric vehicle, it felt every bit as fast in everyday classic as my DD, a 98 Lexus 300SC, and actually a bit more "effortless" during low speed accelerations. It's so weird having an electric motor tied to a CVT after driving older school cars for my whole life - it really did feel like it had the acceleration characteristics of a golf cart, just massively larger. Overall the car seemed very well constructed, very solid, with a space-age aesthetic I wasn't crazy about and some pretty big blind spots (with backup cam standard, though). It didn't feel like a light, tinny, piece of shit economy car - you know when you slam the doors or the trunk on a 2005 Corolla and feel like laughing? Not like that - like real steel. And the acceleration is unlike any conventional automobile - it's silent, constant, predictable, linear. My very long and very spirited test drive, done mostly in sport mode and with the AC on, had an average MPG of 111.

I'm super close to buying one. The only thing is the price is high at about 35,000-40,000 depending on the options, not counting a 7,500 tax credit. If the Volt were 10K less, which could be done with a greater economy of scale and a downsized gas-generator engine, I think it could become the next Ford Model T, a real car for a generation. Test drive the Volt for fun and laughs, if nothing else.

charliedontsurf said:

I'm super close to buying one.

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As long as the paint doesn't flake off in the summertime, you're good to go.

laugh at it all you want but my corolla hasn't needed anything but regular maintenance for 110,000 miles. it's nice that chevy is finally getting it together but they have a lot of ground to make up for me to trust them (or any) american auto company. hell, my last american ride had it's tranny die at 100,000.

But many other people had major problems with their Toyota's. You know that whole gas pedal getting stuck thing..

I don't mean to crap on the Corolla, at least not tooo much. My buddy has had a 05 for a few years now, and it's been completely trouble free. I just LOATHE it as an actual car. The tranny is jumpy, the build quality feels cheap, the doors and trunk feel like they're made of recycled aluminum cans, it somehow feels both slow while still being overpowered for its FWD platform, and it's just zero fun to drive. And it's the sportier, R edition or whatever it is! Now it's also completely, utterly reliable, and it gets excellent fuel economy. But I feel that Toyota has a habit of making appliances sometimes, not cars. My Lexus (and most Lexuses) feels like it was engineers to insulate the driver from the experience, not to maximize the joy of that experience - and that's just as reasonable a goal, it's just not one that I prioritize. The Volt felt far sportier than the average econobox, while getting four times the economy, while also costing almost three times as much money.. It's a great car hurt by stickershock.

But yeah, some American cars can be appalling reliability-wise depending on make and year, especially the autos.

lwien said:

charliedontsurf said:

I'm super close to buying one.

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As long as the paint doesn't flake off in the summertime, you're good to go.

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Damn organic ceramic paint.

charliedontsurf said:

And Electric cars are fun! I was really impressed by how that thing moved for being an electric vehicle, it felt every bit as fast in everyday classic as my DD, a 98 Lexus 300SC, and actually a bit more "effortless" during low speed accelerations. It's so weird having an electric motor tied to a CVT after driving older school cars for my whole life - it really did feel like it had the acceleration characteristics of a golf cart, just massively larger. Overall the car seemed very well constructed, very solid, with a space-age aesthetic I wasn't crazy about and some pretty big blind spots (with backup cam standard, though). It didn't feel like a light, tinny, piece of shit economy car - you know when you slam the doors or the trunk on a 2005 Corolla and feel like laughing? Not like that - like real steel. And the acceleration is unlike any conventional automobile - it's silent, constant, predictable, linear. My very long and very spirited test drive, done mostly in sport mode and with the AC on, had an average MPG of 111.

I'm super close to buying one. The only thing is the price is high at about 35,000-40,000 depending on the options, not counting a 7,500 tax credit. If the Volt were 10K less, which could be done with a greater economy of scale and a downsized gas-generator engine, I think it could become the next Ford Model T, a real car for a generation. Test drive the Volt for fun and laughs, if nothing else.

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Do IT! My family has always been a chevy family & I fully support their quality. It is very good for economic domestic. . . There will be a level of elitism that other hybrids just don't have. I however will stick to petrol; one day maybe a diesel if audi start importing more TD
love dubs

aesthyrian said:

But many other people had major problems with their Toyota's. You know that whole gas pedal getting stuck thing..

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That was down to driver error. There was nothing wrong with the Toyotas just like there was nothing wrong with the Audis in the 80s when the same crap story broke.

I'll pass on the electric cars for now. The Volt is ugly, too expensive, and provides a very mundane driving experience ( I would think). If you want to be frugal at the pump, there are better and cheaper options out there. People seem to forget where electricity comes from as well..

"... according to the latest auto sales figures. Throughout July, a whopping 125 Chevy Volts were sold, making the seemingly low 281 units sold in February a groundbreaking month."

http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech-...les-plummet-as-the-electric-car-market-slumps

So with near zero sales, how long will this Volt be around? Propped up by government incentives... Green jobs, my ass...

BTW I don't want to subsidize ($7500 tax credit) your new car purchase... what a load...

I have only seen ONE Volt locally. They noted in the paper that our local Whole Foods Market (Whole Paycheck Market lol) had charging stations installed... not sure who is using them besides Stephen King as he has the only Volt in the area that I've seen or heard about.

aesthyrian said:

But many other people had major problems with their Toyota's. You know that whole gas pedal getting stuck thing..

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one thing about all those recalls.....most of them were not related to any part of the drive train. a gas pedal fix is a pretty easy one.

Carbon said:

aesthyrian said:

But many other people had major problems with their Toyota's. You know that whole gas pedal getting stuck thing..

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That was down to driver error. There was nothing wrong with the Toyotas just like there was nothing wrong with the Audis in the 80s when the same crap story broke.

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Last I heard it had to do with something computer control related, that and the floor mats, neither are the user's fault. But honestly I didn't keep up with it as much as I could have.

How can a stuck gas pedal be user error?

Purple-Days said:

BTW I don't want to subsidize ($7500 tax credit) your new car purchase... what a load...

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What about us subsidizing oil like a motherfucker? Well we're at it how bout corn and soy? Because at least the electric car subsidies are going to actual people, not a huge multi-national oil conglomerate that needs no help, and has no allegiance to our country. But if you think corporations are people then that's a whole other story. Were you also against the cash for clunkers program?

SSS said:

aesthyrian said:

But many other people had major problems with their Toyota's. You know that whole gas pedal getting stuck thing..

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one thing about all those recalls.....most of them were not related to any part of the drive train. a gas pedal fix is a pretty easy one.

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I guess the ease of repair makes Toyota totally innocent. Not like anyone died from driving their out of control Toyota's 80mph+ into a tree. Wait, that's a lie someone totally did. But hey, easy fix!

The point I'm trying to make is that all car companies have had problems, and many of them. So I guess that means they all suck. Chevy win's this one for me since they are actually making an electric car, Toyota did that years ago and gave up. They had electric Rav4's if you can believe it.

Has anyone seen or heard any comparisons between the Volt and the Nissan Leaf, and Ford Focus electric?

DrPiff said:

The Volt is ugly, too expensive, and provides a very mundane driving experience ( I would think). If you want to be frugal at the pump, there are better and cheaper options out there. People seem to forget where electricity comes from as well..

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I'll agree right off that it's not an attractive car. I don't find ANY modern car to be truly attractive, to be honest. The modern, late 90's Japanese-esque aesthetic which has taken over every single automaker looks like complete shit to me. Modern cars either look dull and mundane or like some sort of laughable, Bladerunner-era escape pod which automatically plays loud techno when you launch it.

And yes, electricity DOES have to come from somewhere, and an equivalent amount of power to a gallon of gas is far, far less expensive and in most case far less harmful. 1/6th the average cost is what is advertised.

But I do disagree about the performance of the Volt. Test drive one yourself, or pick up any automobile mag doing a review - every review I've read has been pleasantly surprised by the performance. It's a sportier driver than any econobox I've driven in years - the electric motor is a barrel of monkeys, and seems like it would be an endless novelty to anyone who likes cars and technology. It really does accelerate exactly like an RC car or a golf cart, just on a larger scale. While the 0-60 of 8.7 isn't exactly setting the world on fire, it -feels- alot faster than that number tells.

You're paying an extra cost for a less quick but more torquey, massively more fuel efficient powertrain - just like American BMW 3 series drivers are doing with the new, kickass diesel that just came to our shores.

I see where the Volt seems absurdly overpriced, but know that it is not slow and unsporty. If it were RWD and a little peppier, I wouldn't think twice about buying it at this price.

aesthyrian said:

Carbon said:

aesthyrian said:

But many other people had major problems with their Toyota's. You know that whole gas pedal getting stuck thing..

Click to expand...

That was down to driver error. There was nothing wrong with the Toyotas just like there was nothing wrong with the Audis in the 80s when the same crap story broke.

Click to expand...

Last I heard it had to do with something computer control related, that and the floor mats, neither are the user's fault. But honestly I didn't keep up with it as much as I could have.

How can a stuck gas pedal be user error?

Purple-Days said:

BTW I don't want to subsidize ($7500 tax credit) your new car purchase... what a load...

Click to expand...

What about us subsidizing oil like a motherfucker? Well we're at it how bout corn and soy? Because at least the electric car subsidies are going to actual people, not a huge multi-national oil conglomerate that needs no help, and has no allegiance to our country. But if you think corporations are people then that's a whole other story. Were you also against the cash for clunkers program?

SSS said:

aesthyrian said:

But many other people had major problems with their Toyota's. You know that whole gas pedal getting stuck thing..

Click to expand...

one thing about all those recalls.....most of them were not related to any part of the drive train. a gas pedal fix is a pretty easy one.

Click to expand...

I guess the ease of repair makes Toyota totally innocent. Not like anyone died from driving their out of control Toyota's 80mph+ into a tree. Wait, that's a lie someone totally did. But hey, easy fix!

The point I'm trying to make is that all car companies have had problems, and many of them. So I guess that means they all suck. Chevy win's this one for me since they are actually making an electric car, Toyota did that years ago and gave up. They had electric Rav4's if you can believe it.

Has anyone seen or heard any comparisons between the Volt and the Nissan Leaf, and Ford Focus electric?

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if i recall correctly, the fix for the pedal was to shorten it to keep it from catching the floor mat. no need to panic if your gas pedal sticks (which can happen to anyone in any car). put the car in neutral.

Yeah neutral and the parking break would be the common sense thing to do, but the fact is many people do panic and because of that they don't think rationally. As sad as that may sound.

Fuck that...

I want a Kestrel.

http://www.popsci.com/cars/article/2011-02/introducing-first-road-ready-hemp-mobile

I see Volts all the time, but I'm in SoCal. I actually think it's the most attractive of the super eco cars. I mean if you get in in black its downright classy compared to a Prius, Insight, or Leaf.

they failed HARD on the marketing this car.

Carbon said:

I see Volts all the time, but I'm in SoCal. I actually think it's the most attractive of the super eco cars. I mean if you get in in black its downright classy compared to a Prius, Insight, or Leaf.

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+1 I saw some on my last trip to San Diego on travel; the nicest was a matte black wrapped one on some sort of dirty wheel & offset. Sex none the less. Also the Volt would lose a lot of that torque if it was RWD but you know this

I do not desire any car that does not have rear wheel drive and a proper three pedal setup. Guess im a just a crazy enthusiast..

DrPiff said:

I do not desire any car that does not have rear wheel drive and a proper three pedal setup. Guess im a just a crazy enthusiast..

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I am into cars as well and would probably never own one of these types of vehicles unless I took up riding motorcycles on the side, but I can still appreciate them for other people and the important steps we're making towards more eco friendly cars for the masses. You have certain preferences as a petrolhead, but for those who just want something that takes them from A to B these cars are important.

Well, for those who really want some grunt, there is the Tesla option: Tesla Roadster on Top Gear

And I love this video of a kid in the passenger seat of a Tesla as it accelerates.

A bit pricey though.

DrPiff said:

I do not desire any car that does not have rear wheel drive and a proper three pedal setup. Guess im a just a crazy enthusiast..

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Get older. I personally really do prefer a manual transmission, but as I age, and as I end up driving less sporty cars, automatics definitely take their place. Kind of like, if the car doesn't really have the power or handling or sportiness to make me want to shift it, then I'd rather the auto. Like my Sc300, for instance... Oi. Also, modern technology has often rendered the modern automatic more fuel efficient than the optional stick shift, so one defense we used to always use for rowing our gears has been eliminated.

Qbit, that kids reaction was priceless.

I don't think the Volt is at all opposed to the thinking and morays of a "petrol head." If anything, it should just convert him into an electro head. The way the Volt accelerates with the pedal to the floor does induce grins, you just automatically wish it were more powerful. Keep in mind that electric batteries in the future offer power potential far and above what any conventional motor of similar size and weight could offer. Do you guys know about the White Zombie, an old 70s Datsun run with electric-tool batteries in sequence? Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cf89tawZX8

And look at this 1997 top gear about the EV-1. They say that ungoverned EV-1s could do 180 on the salt flats!

I understand why these cars are important but I'll never own one. As far as automatics go, I don't care how efficient they are. An automatic transmission can NEVER compare to the satisfaction of rowing your own. I also refuse to own a car with fail wheel drive. Like I said, I'm an enthusiast and my cars must have soul. Unfortunately many modern cars leave something to be desired in that area.

i still question the 'greeness' of any hybrid/electric.. and thus their 'eco' properties.
how long do modern electric car batteries last before recharge/discharge rates become pathetic?
i know what happens to electric RC car batteries, cell phone, laptop, etc style batteries.. but i'll admit i have little knowledge on modern car batteries..do they have the same issues?

then how do you dispose of millions/billions of these kinda batteries? disposal fees? regulations? permits? blah blah blah

i'm being a bit devils advocate here, but, i really have only seen these types of cars pushed by the "green team"...and i'm quite honestly sick of the "go green" craze. not to say i'm pro-destruction of earth/environment. i'm just sick of people telling me i'm a bad person or making me feel bad for driving what i drive, and enjoying it.
if you choose to drive your 'green' car and 'save the planet' and so on, go for it, just don't make me out to be a bad person for doing things the way i choose.
</rant>
and this wasn't nec directed at anyone in particular..just fired up..
i have a bit of "don't tread on me" blood it seems.

btw, i think an electric car would be very fun w/ its gobs of torque. would make a great city car for that, no doubt.


HEY AMERICA, build some gd efficient turbo diesels already...VW/Audi has been building very efficient turbo diesels since the early 80s?? America has zero (?) turbo deisel cars???
Audi has proven performance can be had from a diesel too, and still get fuel mileage!
When a 2500 Duramax pickup gets better fuel mileage (20-25+) than MANY small/mid sized trucks, and even match the mileage of many cars....how can America be so blind to turbo diesels potential?
I'm convinced that american auto makers are in bed w/ oil companies, oil company says build inefficient gasoline engines so we can then force them to buy our fuel for rediculously high cost, because they'll have to, what other option is there.

I've become more n more pro-buy american, but gd are we some stupid and corrupt people...its sickening and saddening.. we shoot ourselves in our own feet..just to make a quick buck.
I can just hope some of our country will realize $$$ isn't end game in this life...

ok, now, really, </rant>
good night.