Get ready, Chevy Volt due this November. Update!!!

[kokxville]

Over here in Holland,they made that tree hugger car ( called the opel ampera over here ) the car of the year 2012
I guess our gouverment suc(k)seeds very wel in brainwashing the peoples minds about the environment.What kind of people are in the jury of this car contest? Back in the day they looked at value, style,luxury,safety and quality.
I should send this topic to the media here,but i probably get an answer like this: We managed to create new jobs cause we've had to remove all the chevy emblems and changed them to opel emblems.
Sorry sir,my bad.I was wrong.It indeed is a good car for the economy.It creates new jobs and is good for the environment.But what they don't say is that the new jobs are filled in by foreign people.

Jeeeesss....i can't believe i just wrote some of this as a reply to a chevy topic 

I'm going to take my prozac now and be right back 

So after taking my pills,a huge crap and my moment of zen....


I never saw on irl over here.The same as on our holiday last year to the us.We drove 2200 miles,and we haven't seen any volt either!
Opel is currently in big problems.GM ( owner of opel ) has anounced that they will invest a lot less in opel,and they think the rescue of this brand should be the ampera 
90% of the youtube videos i click on over here,have this commercial in it 
When you watch tv,every commercial block has one or two Opel commercials in it

To give you guys a little idea how this car is presented to the dutch crowd,here's the dutch review video.( with english subtitle )It costs 43000 euro's here and that's $57000 usd 
It's mostly about low costs and cheap driving if you lease one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOhp7q7LrEI&feature=related

Here's the commericial video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL8B-OJVij8

Will this car sell over here in the near future?
I'm not shure.I think yes because when you own one it's very cheap,but on the other hand i think no,bacause of the high sticker price.

[1969chargerrtse]

So guess what I drove yesterday?  Yup, da Volt. It was very nice. Solid and real quiet.  I could just hear the tire road noise which was very slight. Peppy for power also.  I felt a little low in the seat, I didn't care for that and I couldn't find any type of control to lift me though there may be one. At 350.00 a month lease, I have to pass.
He said he's sold quite a few and the owners really loved them, he also said people are finally hearing about them and coming in to see one.  Obviously sales are not anywhere near what I or some others thought, and like me he doesn't see it as a green Obama thing but a cool alternative to using gas.

[1969chargerrtse]

Canada has more oil than Saudia Arabia.  It's just a little more difficult to extract  Obama vetoing the pipeline wasn't a real smart move (instant work, more oil, what's not to like?).  The enviromentalists won but in general, Americans lost.  

As for the Volt, it's a good idea.  In theory.  In theory there's alot of good ideas, in reality, it doesn't really make sense to spend 30-40K on a car that gets 100MPG when there's already $1500 cars that get 40-50 MPG.  People are vain.  The Prius sells because it's an appeal to vanity.

The Volt isn't shiek right now.  Once it is, it will sell.  Simple.  Forget the environment, politics, whatever.  Appeal to the one thing people can relate to.  THEMSELVES!

Pragmatism has died in this day and age.  People would rather go broke driving a 10 MPG SUV/Truck (especially where I live) than be caught dead in a small fuel efficient car.  Go figure.  Our parents/grandparents were smart.  They look at value first, and the VERY rare person looked at Vanity.  You can tell because the super cars back in the day just didn't sell.  There's more Hemi's/SS's etc now than were made back in the day!!

Keep in mind the Prius was a huge loss on every car sold for years, and today they make a good profit.  The Volt and it's technology is brand spanking new, that's why the cost is so high, and like every other good thing, It'll come down.  I remember when the prius first came out, I never saw one either for a long time.  I've seen 4 volts on the road so far, and that's with me not looking for them, they do blend in as just another 4 door.  Go back to the first post here and read how people were saying It would never happen, can't do it, can't build batteries for it, can't have enough line power to feed the cars etc, well it's out there.

[myk]

Yup, I remember when demand for the Prius was so high that a friend of mine had to play a "lottery" with other buyers at a dealership for a year before he got a chance to buy his.  As it's been said the Volt is new and is technically on its shakedown cruise with the public and the industry.  Only time will tell if this thing will eventually be a success or not.  I actually saw one on the road the other day, and even though it is something I would never own I had to admit it isn't a bad looking little....thing...And hell, if some people could pick this up for $350 a month that isn't a bad deal...

[1969chargerrtse]

Yup, I remember when demand for the Prius was so high that a friend of mine had to play a "lottery" with other buyers at a dealership for a year before he got a chance to buy his.  As it's been said the Volt is new and is technically on its shakedown cruise with the public and the industry.  Only time will tell if this thing will eventually be a success or not.  I actually saw one on the road the other day, and even though it is something I would never own I had to admit it isn't a bad looking little....thing...And hell, if some people could pick this up for $350 a month that isn't a bad deal...

Wow. When I saw a new post listed I said to myself, here we go more unfair political directed Volt bashing. Well said my friend. True and fair. It is a cool car to drive. Smooth quiet power and gas backed up. Love the idea. And it's a nice looking and sized car. Remember the first Prius body style?  Ugly as sin.

[BB1]

How about a race from New York to LA, I'll drive a Cadillac CTS. 

Hey, it's about the same price.

I heard the Dodo bird is coming back.... 

[69finder]

This car will be boon to taxi drivers, cops?? and other high mileage drivers.  $350/lease?  That's FREE!! They already use Prius's in Vancouver for taxi's, the Volt should easily replace them if they can figure out good lease rates.

The problem with the Volt as I see it is going to be cold climates like up here.  It's easily -20 deg and often -40 deg.  CELSIUS!!

But I am still fundamentally against cars like this and Prius.  What happens if this was the 'defacto' city driver in cities like LA?  What happens to the batteries and cool stuff in 10 years? 

Also, N HEXANE!    (Probably not in this car, but I forsee something like it in the Volt). 

[1969chargerrtse]

How about a race from New York to LA, I'll drive a Cadillac CTS. 

Hey, it's about the same price.

I heard the Dodo bird is coming back.... 

They are two different cars built for two different reasons. That makes no sense, or you make no sense. The dodo was something that was and went extinct. The Volt is something that never was but now is.

[1969chargerrtse]

This car will be boon to taxi drivers, cops?? and other high mileage drivers.  $350/lease?  That's FREE!! They already use Prius's in Vancouver for taxi's, the Volt should easily replace them if they can figure out good lease rates.

The problem with the Volt as I see it is going to be cold climates like up here.  It's easily -20 deg and often -40 deg.  CELSIUS!!

But I am still fundamentally against cars like this and Prius.  What happens if this was the 'defacto' city driver in cities like LA?  What happens to the batteries and cool stuff in 10 years? 

Also, N HEXANE!    (Probably not in this car, but I forsee something like it in the Volt). 

No one car is best suited for all climates. We were driving around with the A/C on, it was comfortable.

[1969chargerrtse]

Suck on this you Volt haters!

" Chevrolet isn't building the Volt right now, but it's selling more of them than it ever has.
The plug-in hybrid car had its best month ever in March with 2289 sold, more than double its February result of 1,023 and an increase of almost 50 percent over its previous best mark of 1,529 set in December 2011. The fuel-efficient compact even managed to outsell a couple of cars sitting next to it in Chevy showrooms, the Corvette and Avalanche pickup truck, and beat its top electrified rival, the Nissan Leaf, nearly four to one. The Japanese automaker only able to move 579 of the battery-powered compacts in March.
Chevrolet originally expected to sell 45,000 Volts in the United States in 2012, but backed off of that estimate after moving less than 8,000 units in 2011. If it holds up, the March sales rate puts Chevy on track to sell approximately 25,000 Volts this year. "

Aahhh ha. Move over you gas cuzzlings pigs.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2012/04/03/chevy-volt-sales-double-in-march/#ixzz1sbGWFvld

[Ghoste]

So you're saying its on a red hot track to sell just over half of the estimated sales?  That is awesome.

[1969chargerrtse]

Little more info.


By Eric Rosenbaum, The Street


NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- As high gas prices dominate the headlines and pain at the pump multiplies, General Motors'(GM) Chevy Volt is finding more consumers willing to buy into the plug-in electric hybrid vehicle concept.

In fact, initial concerns that the record sales number posted by the Chevy Volt in March was driven by a big fleet purchase from GE(GE) were premature and didn't reflect just how quickly the Volt's fortunes shifted in March.

It's fair to say the Volt ran right over those cautious assumptions. Between the high gas prices and headlines about a Volt battery fire earlier this year possibly receding from the consumer landscape, the sales picture improved.

The Volt -- a month after GM temporarily shuttered production of the car -- reached sales of 2,289 in March, 50% higher than December 2011, which previously was the vehicle's best month since launch. More importantly, only 160 of the purchases were by fleet buyers, while 2,129 Volts were purchased by retail car buyers. The fleet buying was only 5% of Volt

[1969chargerrtse]

So you're saying its on a red hot track to sell just over half of the estimated sales?  That is awesome.

Love how you take the fact and subject of a 50% increase from previous months and spin it into a negative. Your very talented in that area.
What the article is saying is that for those of you that pass fast judgment and made it look like a loser, guess what?  My theory that it just wasn't main stream and most people weren't aware of it was correct. A US made designed and built product is taking off. Let's bash it. Yeah that makes sense. Guess what you negative voters. It's here and selling 4 to 1 over the Leaf, some of you claimed you would rather have. Volts rocks. Grow up and be proud.  

[Ghoste]

I only spin it negative because its so easy to do.  Once those lithium batteries hit the landfills and the true environmental costs of these things begin to total up then you really see them start to get bashed.  You love it now but I wonder if you will still be the head cheerleader in a couple of years.

[PocketThunder]

Just reading the paper at lunch time and the local VW dealer has Jetta TDI's starting around $23,000...  advertised at 43 mpg hwy. 

http://www.schmelzvw.com/VehicleDetails/new-2012-Volkswagen-Jetta_Sedan-4dr_Manual_TDI_Sedan-Saint_Paul-MN/1647232373

I'd rather have one of these.   

[1969chargerrtse]

We'll see. We went through this with the Prius batteries. Oh they'll never last. Oh they cost to much. Oh what do we do with them?  
For all we know years from now they'll roll them in some machine that nukes them and will create twice the power of any other fuel source, and pure clean water spits out. What will happen is all these electric battery pack cars will change into Hydrogen cars. Feel free to look that thread up I did about Hydrogen cars of the future and watch me get told how that will never work, yet there are 1,000's of them already out there for daily use.  I know, Hydrogen is to expensive. It won't happen.  
Every aspect of the Volt was thought out 100 fold before it was even built. I never read up on what will happen with drained and ruined battery packs but I'd bet anything it's been long planned and designed. They are the most expensive part of the car. I'm sure disposal or re use is thought out.

[1969chargerrtse]

Just reading the paper at lunch time and the local VW dealer has Jetta TDI's starting around $23,000...  advertised at 43 mpg hwy.  

http://www.schmelzvw.com/VehicleDetails/new-2012-Volkswagen-Jetta_Sedan-4dr_Manual_TDI_Sedan-Saint_Paul-MN/1647232373

I'd rather have one of these.  

So for less than double the money I can get a American made car and support my country and get more than double the mileage?  Wow even though the Volt is new and expensive, it may be a great deal after all.

[1969chargerrtse]

I don't get it?  I thought Troy said no politics?  For a car that has a rating of 93 mpg with gas prices over 4.00, how on earth do you justify anything negative to say if it's not politically motivated?

1. 93 MPGe for all-electric range, combined city highway. This is expressed as miles per gallon equivalents showing how far the car can drive purely on the amount of electric energy that would be contained in a gallon of gas (33.7kwh)
2. Official full charge time is 4 hours at 240-v
3. EV Range is 35 miles officially, GM still says 25 to 50, based on driving style, temperature, and terrain.
4. Extended range charge-sustaining combined city and highway fuel economy is 37 mpg. It is 35 mpg city and 40 mpg highway.
5. Total range is 379 miles, 344 of gas range plus 35 miles electric range.
6. 60 MPG is the official overall combined number (MPGe + MPG) of fuel economy behavior over lifetime of the vehicle. It would be 93 if driving purely electric and 37 if you only drove using gas. This is the highest, of course, in the segment.

[TUFCAT]

Just reading the paper at lunch time and the local VW dealer has Jetta TDI's starting around $23,000...  advertised at 43 mpg hwy.  

http://www.schmelzvw.com/VehicleDetails/new-2012-Volkswagen-Jetta_Sedan-4dr_Manual_TDI_Sedan-Saint_Paul-MN/1647232373

I'd rather have one of these.  

So for less than double the money I can get a American made car and support my country and get more than double the mileage?  Wow even though the Volt is new and expensive, it may be a great deal after all.

I totally agree Rob ....and let's support the USA!  

Diesel is $4.29/gal in my area.  Gasoline is $3.79/gal. Think about the overall cost per mile to feed this "economical" diesel engine...

I can't see how diesel passenger cars will continue to sell in the US.  Spending  considerably more in fuel costs hardly makes up for the MPG increase.  A comparable gasoline powered vehicle costs less to operate.  For me to even consider a diesel, it should be priced about $5,000 below a comparable  gasoline vehicle.

[1969chargerrtse]

Thanks. My last post says it all and I've posted that comment before. There can only be 2 reasons to bash this awesome American made car. Politics or stupidity. End of story.
My brother just sent me a picture of one up In Mass where he lives. Oh no!!  There out there.
You don't think it's the cats ass? ( sorry TUFCAT ). Then don't buy one.  But there is no justification for bad mouthing the technology.

[TUFCAT]

Just reading the paper at lunch time and the local VW dealer has Jetta TDI's starting around $23,000...  advertised at 43 mpg hwy.  

http://www.schmelzvw.com/VehicleDetails/new-2012-Volkswagen-Jetta_Sedan-4dr_Manual_TDI_Sedan-Saint_Paul-MN/1647232373

I'd rather have one of these.  

I did some research and found the Jetta TDI gets the best mpg of any diesel sold in America, and is the cheapest to buy.

2012 Jetta TDI -  30 city/42 hwy, for a combined rating of 34 mpg (automatic trans).
2012 Ford Focus -  28 city/38 hwy, for a combined rating of 31 MPG (automatic trans).

Gasoline is 3.79 in Metro Detroit, and Diesel is $4.29.

(Diesel fuel costs compared to gasoline) =  13% higher

2012 Jetta TDI combined fuel economy 34/mpg
2012 Ford Focus combined fuel economy 31/mpg

(Jetta TDI fuel economy vs gasoline Ford Focus) = 9% better.

2012 VW Jetta TDI  MSRP:  $22,775
2012 Ford Focus SEL 4 door sedan (comparable to TDI eq pkg) MSRP:  $20,105

(Jetta TDI vs. Ford Focus MSRP) =  13% higher

Bottom Line..... Ford Focus costs 13% less, saves 13% at the pump, gets 3 mpg less than a Jetta Diesel, and made in DETROIT! (Wayne, Michigan).  

[TUFCAT]

continued....

A Jetta TDI must travel OVER 100,000 MILES JUST TO BREAK EVEN with the fuel cost of operating a Ford Focus!

100,000 miles @ 34 mpg = 2941 gallons of fuel @ $4.29 per gal = $12,616 total fuel cost
100,000 miles @ 31 mpg = 3225 gallons of fuel @ $3.70 per gal = $12,227 total fuel cost  

The JETTA TDI is also priced $2,670 higher than a Ford Focus!!

There's no way to EVER "break even"! 

[ACUDANUT]

A focus and Jetta have nothing to do with this post. 

[Chargen69]

I plan on switching my 9mpg truck and Big block Charger over to CNG and filling up at the house for less than a $1 = to a gallon of gas and driving the mess out of both of them.

(of course there is that matter of reassembling the car first)

[Ghoste]

My negative comments have nothing to do with politics but they do likely have a great deal to do with stupidity.  That is to say the stupidity that sees electric cars as an environmentally sound idea.  If you recall, I was the one who provided you with the link to Bob Lutz comments in which he was speaking as a Republican who wanted the politics taken out of the issue.
Electricity is not the clean renewable cheap source of energy too many people want to believe.  The batteries in the Volt and its ilk are a hazard in their own right from an environmental standpoint and if enough of these cars hit the road there will be penalties to be paid.
If you want to play the patriot card and force me to choose between a Leaf and a Volt, then I pick American.  Choosing between electric and gas, I still choose gas.  FWIW,  I detest both Leaf and Volt equally and I can't recall this discussion ever being about Leaf versus Volt.  Maybe it did come up and someone preferred the Leaf I dont remember and I cant be bothered to go back and look. 
I do agree with you that fuel cells are much more likely to be the future but they are not new either and there is much work to go yet before they can be widely utilized.
As for being stupid, anyone who thinks the electric cars are not 100% political are blinding themselves to fact.  Chevy Nissan et al are building these in the hopes of getting good press so they can sell the gasoline powered cars that generate profit.  It may not be partisan, but its damned sure about manipulating public opinion to sway that public over to your agenda (which for car makers isnt saving the world, its about selling profitable cars) and that to me is the essence of politics.