13th Aug 2017, 12:54
I don't think this guy buys new cars anyway in this new price range. You can buy a lot of gas for what a new Volt costs and simply go with a new Civic or Mazda 3. Not electric, but still. Other than fluid changes, we haven't had any maintenance or other repairs on our 4 year old Mazda 3. Mid 30s gas MPG is fine if your focus is thrift.
14th Aug 2017, 00:32
That not touching the headlight bulbs with your bare hands business only applies to the glass part of the bulb, not the plastic or metal base. You don't need gloves unless you are incapable of not touching the glass when replacing.
14th Aug 2017, 11:12
My comment beared mentioning for those that may be do it yourselfers. One other thing I might add. Work out if your actual time is worth it. If I spend an hour or two longer at work, paying someone else is often less. And less stress and busted knuckles and cuts. Especially items like bulbs. My work is actually easier than time under the hood. Some things I have no issue with. But taking a car apart in limited access areas isn't a joy.
14th Aug 2017, 21:03
As far as bulbs go, I do not skimp and buy the cheap aftermarket overseas bulbs. They have burned out in short order. I go right to the dealer and buy OEM bulbs, including others such as turn signal stop lights. Also I put on dielectric grease from a tube that lasts a very long time. I coat the bulbs to resist moisture and maintain good socket contact. There is a spray that I buy for battery posts when changing out car batteries. A little more expense; minimal but well worth it. You don't want to do this any more often than absolutely necessary.
16th Aug 2017, 15:04
Funny how every time I add to the review I get a slew of misguided comments.
First of all the current Volt is less than a year old. There has not been any news about a 3rd generation Volt because it is TOO EARLY in the product lifecycle to even discuss whatever the next one will be. Seeing as how the current Volt is selling better than the Plugin Prius, BMW i3, and even the Nissan Leaf tells me a third gen Volt is a no-brainer.
Secondly, I'd put money on it that My Volt easily costs a lot less than any other conventionally powered car. Yes. I bought mine used and as such used Volts are for some reason rather cheap. Go look up 2011-2013 Volts and some are actually under 10k. But even so, I can tell anyone reading this firsthand that this is a dirt-cheap car to own and run.
I spend only about $25 every 2 months in gas. Otherwise I only pay for charging at night and it's free at the office. I spend around $5 a week on charging the car. As mentioned the oil is only changed every 1.5 years. The brake pads are still almost entirely new and for some reason the tires seem to really hold up well. Considering the former car was a Prius, the Volt actually costs about 50% less to operate.
17th Aug 2017, 04:19
There are several reports that the Volt may be done in 2020. Let's wait and see if the "no brainer" third generation will be produced.
17th Aug 2017, 17:08
I think you could rewrite the word thrift after reading the last comments. The only way I could equal the mileage by battery to gas at my workplace would be to siphon my coworkers' gas tanks.
17th Aug 2017, 20:57
At this point, whether a 3rd gen Volt will be produced is pure speculation. Even so, the scant details suggests a replacement in the form of a crossover, which totally makes sense, given that America's appetite for crossovers seems insatiable. I have no problem with this. The Voltec platform has proven to be rock-solid.
And also, what gives with discounting my commentary just because I didn't buy the car brand-new? The fact of the matter is that I bought the car with less than 20k on the clock, and it even still smelled new. Unlike full sized trucks and some luxury cars, many EVs and Plugin EVs lose their value VERY rapidly. Let me ask you guys this, especially "Corvette guy"... So assume you would just love to have the latest generation Corvette, the much lauded Stingray. These ring in at about 80k new, but what if you could buy one a year later, ever so gently used for 30k? Is it REALLY worth 50k more just to have something new?
I am by no means poor and make well into a 6-figure income, and if I wanted to, I could buy a new Volt, Corvette, or whatever without a sweat. But I'm also not dumb with my money and spending 10's of thousands of dollars for a new(er) car smell is to me sort of stupid. Figuring as how the average person might buy 5-6 cars in their lifetimes means the potential of 100k+ worth in savings... savings that could be doing real work like in a stock portfolio, or on 10+ luxury vacations... or even a total home remodel or whatever. All I know is that I intend to retire at a younger age so I can do the things retirees do and do those when I am still relatively young, and if that means (gasp) I buy used cars... then so be it.
17th Aug 2017, 22:55
Just because someone buys new, it's not about you. If you can buy a one year old Stingray for the used price mentioned, it would be an absolute insanely priced steal, irregardless of mileage.
Congratulations on buying a GM product. Not everything in life has to be dirt cheap. Quality of life is worth even more. You may die young and has skimped so much. Retiring early sounds like a dream at a young age. You may find as I did that most all of your friends in your age bracket are still working and you may be bored. Retirement means you have 24 hours every day to go anywhere and everywhere you want to travel etc. That takes money. And with longevity increasing, you may want to rethink the dream. I like my job, catch up with family, friends, healthcare covered, keeping the brain sharp and still take lots of vacation. So if you retire at 50 for example and live til 90, will you accumulate enough to live 40 years? I'd rather work a nice job, enjoy what it offers and not fret over every dollar. Time for a fun drive now.
21st Aug 2017, 15:12
Its an interesting quandary isn't it? I think if someone just loves their job then they should keep doing it for as long as possible. I know for myself as someone who volunteers at various organizations, retirement would be a highly rewarding experience.
I grew up in a lower income family, and for years after school worked at low-paying jobs before gradually working my way up. If one spent years scraping dollars together for the basics like I did, it can in many ways really put a true value on financial priorities. Ironically, when I worked scrubbing pots and pans or working at lumber yards, I strove to save up for a new Mustang. But ultimately I decided that you know... in a few years that car would be almost worthless.
The used Volt was the first "new" car I've ever bought. Seeing as how few Americans actually understand how the Volt works or they have this unfounded fear of all things EV-related, the cars devalue almost instantly. Hence it's the best of both worlds: Get a "new" car but at 50% off.
12th Aug 2017, 10:04
Don't touch your new replacement headlight bulbs unless wearing gloves. The oil from your hands shortens its life and burns them out quickly. Buy a 1700.00 lift free standing drive on electric lift for your garage for maintenance. It's the best low profile car investment. Have had it for years.