We loved our Volt tremendously up until a driver pulled out in front of me at nearly 60mph. We hit the other car direct broadside and all 7 airbags deployed. The seat belt held and the car's 5star safety rating kept me from any major injuries. Once back to full awareness, I noticed that the car was still drive able and so I was able to pull forward and off the road. It ended up being totaled but it was a real testimony for how well it protected the driver. Miss the Volt a lot and one day we hope to own a 2017 or 2018 Deluxe model
I did my research in 2015 when I wanted to buy the Chevy Volt, and found out that the 2011 to 2015 Volt was rated at 30 miles of battery per charge, and the 2016 and newer Volt was rated at 50 miles of battery per charge. So I waited until I could get my hands on at least a 2016 Volt. I bought the 2016 Volt in 2018. It now has 110,000 miles on it. Still runs great. Also, for 2 years, I was getting 48 to 52 miles of battery per charge. Today, I'm seeing 42 miles per charge.
Actually the first gen Volt is rated at 38 miles (average… I’ve gotten up to 50 miles and still get up to 40 miles after 10yrs) second gen Volt is rated at 53 miles average …
@@pjkPA I agree the first Gen is way nicer build quality. A Spoiler ,extra rear window. First Gen actually has buttons for everything vs Gen 2 threw them in the screen. Ours was 43k sticker in 2013. Once the tax rebate of 7500 ended they made the car 8k cheaper. You get a little more range but that’s it. And who cares hit mountain mode and charge the battery up to half and use electric again.
I've put 184,000 miles on my 2011 Volt so far. After all these years I only had to replace the bearings along with other suspension work; other than that just cosmetic interior repairs. My battery delivers about half the miles (now that it's about 11 or 12 years old, I'm in Chicago). It's been incredibly reliable. I'm loving it and gonna see how far it goes!
What to look for before you buy---Right now mine has 112,000 miles and has problems that I can't figure out yet. They are a complicated vehicle and if I was buying 1 and it had any type of message or codes I personally would not buy it. They are usually expensive repairs also if you need it repaired.
@@keb990 That seems about right. As long as it hasn't been beaten in the city as an Uber or something, the price is roughly what I'd expect. I plan to keep mine a couple more years at least, should be well over $200K by then. Still no mechanical problems so far :)
1-24-23 I’ve had my 2013 Volt in PA for over 10yrs … I’ve owned and done my own repairs on 21 cars in the last 50yrs … this is by far the one with the least amount of maintenance … it’s the fastest … it’s the most quiet … 66k hard city bumpy hilly salt stop and go miles and it still runs as smooth and quiet as the day I bought it. I still get up to 40 miles on a charge in summer 30 or so in freezing weather. I think it would be a good choice of used car. I’ve used 94 gallons of gas total … I drove my other suv and spent $50 in a week… this Volt is costing $1200 less per year than the Camry my wife drives less miles in.
I know a guy that pretty much says the same about his Volt. I think it's about 5 years old and he said he's going to keep it until it dies. Great review!
I am an original owner of a 2012 Volt. Love it! The battery does degrade: from 40 miles per charge when new, it is now (12 years later) gets 25 - 29 miles per charge. It is an excellent town car. I still get about 250 m/p/g.
Update on my 2014 volt. And having it for almost 2 months I absolutely love it. I drive Uber eats during the day when I'm not doing my other job, and with charging it every night and having the electric pack actually being used I am getting 45-50 miles of electric range depending on my driving. When I first got the car the lifetime MPGs were at 27.6 with 88,000 miles. I am up to 91,XXX miles and the lifetime MPGs are now at 39.5. I dont think the previous owner of the car didn't charge it at all
Nope he ran the genny nonstop. Our 2013 volt has lifetime mileage of 101 mpg. Those are the ones to find. One that was used to commute 30 miles a day and never needed the genny.
Because of regen braking, rear brakes rust out before they wear out. Occasionally, shift to neutral to disable regen braking and apply brakes to keep rotors clean.
We got a 2016 volt in the spring. It gets anywhere between 80 and 100km on electric (most of the time around 90km except in extreme temperatures hot or cold) I love the smooth quite acceleration the regeneration braking and handling. It's definitely a low vehicle and you need to be mindful around speed bumps. Has nice strong AC great infotainment system and the front seats can be moved back really far so if you're tall it's very roomy in the front. Rarely use gas and can be charged from dead to 100% on 110v overnight. It cost us 19k cad tax included and unlike a full electric there is zero range anxiety. Gas engine gets about 5.5L/100km. Also just a note highway travel drains the battery way faster so I use the gas engine on the highway if Im going far and the electric in the city and on the trip home.
Bought a "totaled" (in fact jut the battery totaled and a few tubes torn) Volt2016. Replaced battery, tubing, a few front drivetrain wear parts and it's doing its job fantastically well.
@@kells288 $1850, from a 30K mile crashed donor car, about $200 to replace/reprogram it and another $350 to replace torn cooling tubes + $100 worth coolant
I have a 2018 with 45k miles, fit and finish is phenomenal. Bought new and with only one issue so far that was fixed under a technical service bulletin during its annual oil change, wiring harness for the transmission. If you're looking into a used car, this is worth consideration as this car has not only been trouble free but has a really low cost of ownership.
I'm taking delivery of a 2017 Premier with ACC with 45K. I opted for the GM warranty for it, bumper to bumper for 48 months or 60K additional miles. Maybe I'll add OpenPilot. I've been driving a Prius since April 2001 when I got one of the first ones in the US, then 31 months later I took home a 2004 BC options and sold the 2001 for everything I put into it. It got hit in 2019 with 269K and declared a total loss. I got a 2012 Plug-in Advanced to replace it. Just drove it to NYC and back this week. I've had a similar track record that you've had with your Volts. I basically change the oil at factory recommended service intervals. Exhausts, brakes, an AC coolant line, two spark plug changes, and such over 16 years. Your video was a factor in my purchasing decision. Thanks for making it. It's good to see the Volt exhibiting some quality engineering. GM makes so innovative and well-built vehicles when they wan't and when they don't want, they make some truly bad cars. That new Escalade EV coming at the end of 2024 looks pretty amazing. I haven't had an American car since 1992. And my only other Chevy was a truly awful Citation. I'm looking for the Volt to take me to an EV with a next-gen battery technology.
I own a 2017 Volt. I think that it's the perfect car. It's too bad that it didn't catch on. I rented a Tesla S for my birthday recently and it's amazing but the Volt is still more sensible for the average person. I'd much rather have a backup generator for the occasional situation that I don't have enough juice to go all electric than to screw around with charging stations to get home. Even with a 300 mile range you'll need a station occasionally. Quadrupling the battery size for the rare occasion that you need extra range seems less sensible to me than adding a small, efficient gas generator. I've used about 2 gallons of gas in the last 4 months. That's close enough to pure electric for me. This tech in a luxury car, SUV, minivan, sports car, whatever could get us for the most part off of gas easier than attempting to go all electric.
I actually had a model 3 ordered when they 1st started taking orders.. After thinking about it I decided to buy the 2017 Volt for the very reasons speak of. And yes I think it was a mistake for GM to quit making the Volt. I felt it was best both worlds as you said, Thanks for watching and commenting!
We have two 2013 Volts. I'm looking at getting a 2018-2019. The old ones are only around 50,000 miles, but since we've had them they've been the most trouble-free cars I've ever owned. Both of them still go at least 35 miles on a charge.
I would never trade in my Gen 1 for a Gen 2. Gen 2 has no spoiler no extra low rear window, all the interior buttons have been switched to the screen. We paid 43k but once the tax credit of 7500 expired Chevy made the car cheaper by 8k and you sure can tell. Yes Gen 2 has more range but Gen 1’s are way nicer
I have a 2016 that was running great (got it in 2018). Then I started having some issues. First, the power steering module would randomly cut out. I had to replace the entire rack and pinion which was about $3000. Second, even when in park, half the time it said, "Shift to Park". That was a faulty switch fixed under warranty. Third, the car one morning just refused to start. They replaced the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) under warranty. Fourth, shortly after, the engine went to "Reduced Power" and finally "Not Available" so it was an electric only car. This was apparently due to the EGR valve failing. Unfortunately, it is HARD to get parts and they all have to be done by a Chevrolet dealer. Rack and Pinion took about 2 months, BECM took about 2 weeks but then took another 2 weeks to fully debug when installed, and I have been waiting now about a month for the EGR valve. Quick internet search shows these 4 issues (power steering, shift to park, BECM, EGR) are apparently pretty common failures on the Chevy Volt. The latter 3 were all covered by my VOLTEC warranty. So if buying a used one, check to see if the VOLTEC warranty is still active, and if these common failures have been repaired.
My daughter has a 2016 Volt that had a control module that went bad about 9 months ago, and since the Volt is out of production, Chevy is slow-rolling the replacement parts. The car is undriveable without the replacement part and there's no ETA for when a replacement will be available. So the Volt is just parked and my daughter had to buy a new car. I will NEVER buy another Chevy if they won't stand by their older cars.
My Jeep was costing me 25$ day in gas I had i3 Rex before and was looking for a car almost similar! I found a 2012 with 113k miles paid 5k cash it looks and feels brand new took it home and I am impressed
I own a 17 like this , I had same issue with wired smell , went away after a while , one bearing or hub sensor went bad they fixed it under warranty , overall I’m really happy with it
Wow. I have a 2018 (it's now 2022 and approaching 120,000 kms - 75,000 miles) and I've been getting 95 kms (60 miles) daily on electric. Ya, the recalls a couple years ago were brutal but zero issues otherwise. 👍👍
Owned the2012, Veridian Joule, same color, white dashboard and black leather with white stripes. Love it and trade it for a 2018, brand new on same year. Still have it and I will buy another one. No other vehicle match that technology.
We have had a 2012 Chevy Volt since new. When new typical battery charge range was 36-38 miles during the summer, and about 24 miles battery range during the typical great lakes winters. Every 5 years the AC Delco 12 volt car battery was replaced as a routine. Yearly engine oil & filter changes were done prior to winter. These were expected routine services. We had two quick and easy recall services with our 2012 Volt. With battery aging, our typical summertime/warm weather battery range is now about 34 miles/charge and the winter range has dropped to about 22 miles/charge....not bad for an 11 year old battery pack. The gas engine/ICE comes on seamlessly giving us a relatively unaffected total range. Gas mileage is about 36mpg. The typical combined gas and electric range is between 310 to 290 miles. Because of regenerative braking and the heavy use of road salt here in the Great Lakes region, brake rotor rusting required front and rear rotor and pad replacements about every 4 years, unlike the longer replacement intervals for conventional ICE cars. Like you, we have been delighted with our remarkably reliable, essentially trouble-free 2012 Volt with a lifetime average of 116 mpg. The Volt has been a great car for us. The only new equivalent cars on the market are the plug-in Toyota RAV4 Prime Hybrid or the Toyota Prius Prime Hybrid. If GM still had the Volt or equivalent in production, then we would have bought one.
I bought a 2014 used with 108k miles on it cash. No car payment, and use for my 8mile round-trip commute to work daily. Winter in Michigan uses more gas for compartment heat etc... but 6mos owned - so far no issues, and used less than 20gallons of gas for 2200 miles I've owned it. As a commuter car, and errand runner - this has been a great vehicle for me.
MIne started giving problems at about 1000,000 mi When the warranty ran out on the battery. Imagine that! What I can tell from what I know now, if it has over 100,000 miles on it and has ANY codes on it, RUN! don't buy it. It could be simple or very,very expensive. Battery repair will cost more than the vehicle is worth!
@@keb990 yeah - my buddy worked for GM and had G1 and G2 volt - told me if there's no major body, breaks, or major battery error codes (check the carfax history) get it. depends on what you are doing with it tho - as a commuter car - might be worth it to not purchase gas for a while - drives over 25 miles at a time might not be worth it ... up to you.
Hi Mike, really enjoyed your video! I own a 2016 Volt and love it! I put 16,000 miles on my car last year and 14,000 of those miles were pure electric, no gas. One comment about the range of your 2011 Volt. The official EPA all-electric range of the 2011 and 2012 Volts is 35 miles, so you were actually getting MORE than the advertised range! The fact that after nine years you are still getting close to the official range of 35 miles just goes to show how well engineered these battery packs really are. Battery degradation has been very minimal for these cars. The official EPA all-electric range of the 2013-2015 Volts is 38 miles, and for the 2016-2019 Volts it is 53 miles. I regularly get 50-55 miles in my mixed (city/interstate) driving here in Tennessee.
How come you got14k out of 16k on it the average is 50-55 on the 2016? so you car is more like tesla? I’m jus doing a research to clear up on what I need to buy, Thank You?
Ive owned 3 volts gen 1, first was a 2013. The only problem i had with it was a sensor went bad in the charge port battery area. It was 700 to replace. And thats the last time i took a volt to a shop
@@brandons9027 we had that go out as well they replaced the entire charge port in our 2013 we bought brand new and that’s been only problem we’ve had. It was still under factory warranty. I bought an 84 month bumper to bumper warranty and it was a waste of money as it’s been the most reliable car we’ve ever owned. Brakes still at 90% with 104k
I’m interested to hear your opinions on which one do you feel is better built in terms of solidity quality materials, fit and finish and the feeling of cheapness or luxury. Glad to see that you’re keeping the 2011 for to me it is more unique and more indicative of what the Volt was supposed to be in the first place. Also how has the 2011 held up insofar as paint and interior and just general wear and tear
I just test drove one a few moments ago here at the enterprise rental in concord ca. I was always curious about it and I thought overall the vehicle was gonna be slow. Well it’s not a corvette that’s for sure but she gets up pretty damn good. I was shocked about it. Wish I was aware of it when it was new and in production. Now we have the bolt that replaced it..
Mike... youre a mechanic. I trust your opinion. Im trying to decide between a Chevy Volt and a Ford C Max. Probably 2012-14. If youre a Chevy guy... youre probably going to say the Ford is junk. Lol. But ive had good luck with diffent ford and chevy models. But if personal opinion aside....which one is the wiser option. Thanks & God bless
I have a 2014 with 135,000 miles. I've had to replace the front cv axle at 120,000. I've had a few recalls and had to have the computer reprogrammed after I started getting high voltage charging errors. I haven't had a terrible amount of battery degradation. Instead of 38 mi I'll get 32 or 33 now. I think the high voltage charging error and computer reprogramming on the dealer had something to do with the battery degradation. I love the car and plan on keeping it for a lot longer.
CV axels should last a lifetime unless you live in a climate that uses a lot of road salt. Basically the CV boot rots, the grease leaks out and the axel is effed.
I had to part with my 2013 Volt after a transmission module died. The dealership strongly recommended a full transmission replacement for $6k and I couldn't float it. Sadly, this happened at 101.5k miles on a 100k warranty. Neither the dealership or Chevy would work with me and I now refuse to buy any of their products. I loved that car. It was, in many ways, my dream car. The main thing to keep in mind is availability of parts and service in the long term. I live near Atlanta, which was the second largest market for electric cars. There don't seem to be many Volt techs out here; Chevy dealerships need specially trained techs just to look at one.
They newer ones have a problem with Not turning off you have to turn it back on and restart it. also the radio will turn off and you have to restart the car to get the radio to restart it.
My 2006 Prius which has never been repaired in any way ,properly maintained for 200,000 is why I bought my current Prius .I kept the 2006 and still get 43 mpg used to get over fifty mpg.
@@TheDisgruntledMechanic I meant when these cars are driving around in a parking lot and I'm backing up and almost run into one because I can't hear it.
My 2014 had a button on the tip of the turn signal that would make kind of a trilling noise when you pushed it. I would use that if I was coming up behind pedestrians or cyclists or animals
Nice honest video👍I own a 2012, and a 2018 without any issues! Recalls on both, but never any issues. 63,000 on gen 1, 7500 on gen 2. Both great cars! What was the reason selling the gen 2 Volt, instead of the 1? I just can’t bring myself to sell 1 of mine🤔
I got $4500 and I am still looking for a volt since the beginning of the year. The problem is there are barely anybody selling it in Southern Texas. $4500 for a first gen or dealership for the second gen.
I have a 2018. I read that the odor was due to the engine heating up plastics under the hood. The odor in my 2018 stopped after the engine ran for 10 times or so.
Thanks for the review - love the sign off! Thinking of buying a first gen Volt in Australia, but know next to nothing about them. Apparently these are the same as the first gen Chevy Volt, and so trying to head off any problems at the pass before I go ahead and buy. Someone did mention something about problems with the coolant pump. Has that ever been your experience? And is that the coolant for the battery or engine? Apparently these have quite good battery management systems which is important in Australia as it gets crazy hot here in summer.
I was thinking about buying a 2013 for $5,000 but it already has 180,000 miles on it. Do you think this is a good idea. My teen would be driving it to work and school.
I am finding out as the Volt ages it can have problems that are expensive to fix if the parts are even available. with that knowledge I will let you decide.
I have a second-hand 2012 chevrolet volt, (I paid 15,000 Canadian dollars) and I am seeing that the sale of the chrolet volt is more expensive now than the price I bought it, the negative thing about my car is that the repair at the dealer is very expensive.
I just bought a 2014 volt today, and I absolutely love it so far. Can I ask everyone what they are getting mileage wise just on gas without electric? I'm just curious to see where mine stacks up
@@TheDisgruntledMechanic I drive Uber full time. I charged it fully last night. My total electric range was 32 at full charge. I drove from 11am-6:30pm drove about 172 miles and I was driving in hold mode. Only used 2.9 gallons the whole day. My question in hold mode is the car working proper if its on electric motor at stoplights and electric up to about 15 mph then it switches to gas engine?
@@nikolaip4947 hold mode is essentially a simulation of extended range mode initiated by the driver. Gen 1 Volts tried to minimize the amount of time that the engine was running, but that meant when the generator kicked on, it ran pretty hard until it had built up a mile or two of range and then kicked off again (at lower city speeds at least). One of the biggest changes going into gen 2 was that engine speed more closely matched wheel speed and had several different engine speeds for different amounts of driving load and less of an on/off state like the gen 1 Volts. Your Volt is running fine, just keep premium gas in it and do your tire rotations! :)
I just bought a 2017 Volt Premier, and I'm in love with it. It was Certified Pre Owned, and I got an Ally maintenance plan. They said the battery should be covered under that, but not the charging system. There is one spot on the leather dash where the brown flaked off, know of a good touch up I could use?
So I got the 2016 volt premier with 63k miles on it. Drove it 45 miles home on hold and check engine light came on with two messages. Propulsion speed reduced and engine overheating. Fuck my life right. Got it from a Toyota dealer and they are working on tonight. Got a loaner. Man I'd I can't even drive the 1st 50 miles without a problem idk if this car is for me or my family. Dealer said it was the thermostat.... any experience with them on the volts?
Also it was a 110 mile drive home. So I didn't even get a chance to make it home. Spent all day on this headache. Got a tow to take it back to the dealer.
Battery degradation is a factor in very hot climates as well will be less in hot states batteries don't like the heat and they don't like extreamly cold climates either
I have a 2017 with 138,672 miles. I need 2 recalls dealt with. Emissions pipe may rub against a/c hose connector and software update for Hybrid powertrain control module HPCM2.
I have a 2014 with 73k miles I get about 33 miles battery. I can air idel with ac on eco mode for 6-7 hours plus drive 6 miles to and from work where I sit in my car every night watching a construction yard
The 2 things I didn’t like about mine was that smell you mentioned and while I was buckling up our kid, I had to lean over and reach for something, so I put my hand on the roof about 5 seconds before my wife slammed the hatchback door. It came close to taking my finger off and my finger was stuck in the trunk door. She had to go open it so I could take my finger out. It seems like a poor design.
Actually, that is not true. There are sensors that detect when the gas is going stale (bad) and the engine runs to run the bad gas out of the tank. Also, the tanks are made of stainless steel to eliminate any kind of corrosion.
Is having all the bells and whistles worth it? I like the idea of blind spot assist. The LT used are nice but spending abother 2k i can get a preimer with all the packages. (2016 to 2017)
When I got them I felt I did not need the bells and whistles and none of my other vehicles had them. Once I had them I really decided they are great to have. But I still like to keep vigilant when driving. Blind spot assist is nice but adaptive cruise is my favorite once I got used to it.
@@TheDisgruntledMechanic I'm interested In the adaptive but wary of it. More concerned of it failing one day and crashing into someone. That's coming from a 33yo who grew up in his family RadioShack HA! If you ever do a update let people know about the 4k rebate for used phev!
I put the adaptive cruise through the paces. I would scare the crap out of my girlfriend when I would let it coast to a stop behind a car at a red light. Always worked great but I argee with you, never know when it may fail.
Is it important to consider the charging station when buying one of these cars? Is it a problem if you're are told no charging station is included in the purchase? How could you find a charging station, Etc?
Hi! been watching your content for awhile, but I was wondering; Have you ever had to replace a radiator on your gen 1 volt? Me and my wife have just returned from our honeymoon after a long drive from michigan to myrtle beach. When we got home, our radiator seems to be leaking coolant, and if i fill it with an entire jug, it will drain it if it sits overnight. I do NOT know where it might be leaking from (i am hoping not from the center fanned grill part), but if its on the side/plastic walls, would some JB Weld extreme heat work on the sides to plug the hole or crack if i find one? The dealer wants to charge me $2000+ to replace it and frankly, thats more than 4 of my car payments...its WAY too pricy to repair for me
My coworker has a 2014 Volt and says it all of a suddenly got about 5 miles less per charge. He thinks GM did a programming change to help the batteries last longer, that it keeps more battery in reserve. This may be what happened to your 2011.
Just bought a used 2013 Volt. Curious to know how yours are doing since youve put more miles on them. Ive heard horror stories of the battery going out at 150k miles.
my 2011 Volt battery has had problems for a few years. part of my issue was that the tractuon battery heater went and I never replaced it which is very detrimental to battery health. But yes the traction battery tends to have problems as they age.
Thanks Artie! I want to take a course on electric vehicle repair either at Weber or TST. The classes are rather expensive. And I have watched Dan's videos. Love his channel!
Yes he is good. Right now I am just learning today’s electrical systems. Been taking Brandon Steckler, ATG courses, courses given by Brian Mann and of course Paul at Scannerdanner premium channel. Great having friends like your self to stay in touch with. ❤️ Artie
Hey, thanks so much for this incredible video. Are there any good indicators to look out for in a used vehicle (dealership) in terms of how much life the battery has left in it? i know that's an expensive replacement.
Have the seller, whoever it may be to fully charge when you go to look at it. If you want to hear the engine run just open the hood or take for a ride and put it in mountain mode. the engine will than come on.
Even if the Volt battery diminishes the generator just works more and even on all generator you still get about 50mph … my battery after 10 yrs is still getting the rated 38 miles all electric range.
Have you looked into renewing or upgrading the battery pack? I know the car battery is probably out of warranty on the 2011 so just wondering how much it would cost you out of pocket. The Prius batteries can be refurbed for around $1000 to $1500. I’m guessing the Volt would cost quite a bit more if it’s even possible.
I honestly have not. The classes I have been in talked about the Prius battery refurb but not the Volt. Next class I will ask! Thanks for the question!
How much battery degradation do you see on the 2017 Volt? New it charges to 14KWH. Where is it now at what mileage? I have a 2017 with about 50k miles and it charges to 13KWH. Just wondering how age and mileage affects charge capability?
I have all the proper equipment to do it. I have seen removals which were done OK but sometimes bad things can happen if you don't use proper techniques.
I have a 2013 Volt Premium. This past summer I was getting 40-44 miles on a full charge. In the dead of winter here in Columbus, OH I am getting 30-32 miles on a full charge. I am charging it outside. Last winter, I was getting 35-38 miles on a full charge, but I was charging it inside the garage.
These shine in the city.. Long highway miles start to pull the mileage rating down. I drive a lot of highway. I may go cruze diesel instead but I like the volt design better
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We loved our Volt tremendously up until a driver pulled out in front of me at nearly 60mph. We hit the other car direct broadside and all 7 airbags deployed. The seat belt held and the car's 5star safety rating kept me from any major injuries. Once back to full awareness, I noticed that the car was still drive able and so I was able to pull forward and off the road. It ended up being totaled but it was a real testimony for how well it protected the driver. Miss the Volt a lot and one day we hope to own a 2017 or 2018 Deluxe model
Gen one volts are the best.
I did my research in 2015 when I wanted to buy the Chevy Volt, and found out that the 2011 to 2015 Volt was rated at 30 miles of battery per charge, and the 2016 and newer Volt was rated at 50 miles of battery per charge. So I waited until I could get my hands on at least a 2016 Volt. I bought the 2016 Volt in 2018. It now has 110,000 miles on it. Still runs great. Also, for 2 years, I was getting 48 to 52 miles of battery per charge. Today, I'm seeing 42 miles per charge.
U looking to sell it?
Actually the first gen Volt is rated at 38 miles (average… I’ve gotten up to 50 miles and still get up to 40 miles after 10yrs) second gen Volt is rated at 53 miles average …
@@pjkPA I agree the first Gen is way nicer build quality. A Spoiler ,extra rear window. First Gen actually has buttons for everything vs Gen 2 threw them in the screen. Ours was 43k sticker in 2013. Once the tax rebate of 7500 ended they made the car 8k cheaper. You get a little more range but that’s it. And who cares hit mountain mode and charge the battery up to half and use electric again.
Great advice for anyone looking to buy the Volt from an actual owner not just a salesman.
Thanks Jim!
I've put 184,000 miles on my 2011 Volt so far. After all these years I only had to replace the bearings along with other suspension work; other than that just cosmetic interior repairs. My battery delivers about half the miles (now that it's about 11 or 12 years old, I'm in Chicago). It's been incredibly reliable. I'm loving it and gonna see how far it goes!
Yep gonna drive mine until it won't drive no more!
I’m looking at buying a 2012 with 125k miles for $7k. Thoughts?
What to look for before you buy---Right now mine has 112,000 miles and has problems that I can't figure out yet. They are a complicated vehicle and if I was buying 1 and it had any type of message or codes I personally would not buy it. They are usually expensive repairs also if you need it repaired.
@@keb990 That seems about right. As long as it hasn't been beaten in the city as an Uber or something, the price is roughly what I'd expect. I plan to keep mine a couple more years at least, should be well over $200K by then. Still no mechanical problems so far :)
And take what I'm saying with a grain of salt-maybe I've just been lucky, the Disgruntled Mechanic probably has a better perspective than I do!
1-24-23 I’ve had my 2013 Volt in PA for over 10yrs …
I’ve owned and done my own repairs on 21 cars in the last 50yrs … this is by far the one with the least amount of maintenance … it’s the fastest … it’s the most quiet … 66k hard city bumpy hilly salt stop and go miles and it still runs as smooth and quiet as the day I bought it. I still get up to 40 miles on a charge in summer 30 or so in freezing weather.
I think it would be a good choice of used car. I’ve used 94 gallons of gas total … I drove my other suv and spent $50 in a week… this Volt is costing $1200 less per year than the Camry my wife drives less miles in.
I know a guy that pretty much says the same about his Volt. I think it's about 5 years old and he said he's going to keep it until it dies. Great review!
They do seem to hold up!
I have a 2013 Volt premium and it is hands down....HANDS DOWN the best car I've ever owned. Also...my battery hasn't degraded at all.
me too ...70k mi and same mileage!!!
I am an original owner of a 2012 Volt. Love it! The battery does degrade: from 40 miles per charge when new, it is now (12 years later) gets 25 - 29 miles per charge. It is an excellent town car. I still get about 250 m/p/g.
Update on my 2014 volt. And having it for almost 2 months I absolutely love it. I drive Uber eats during the day when I'm not doing my other job, and with charging it every night and having the electric pack actually being used I am getting 45-50 miles of electric range depending on my driving.
When I first got the car the lifetime MPGs were at 27.6 with 88,000 miles. I am up to 91,XXX miles and the lifetime MPGs are now at 39.5. I dont think the previous owner of the car didn't charge it at all
Nope he ran the genny nonstop.
Our 2013 volt has lifetime mileage of 101 mpg. Those are the ones to find. One that was used to commute 30 miles a day and never needed the genny.
Because of regen braking, rear brakes rust out before they wear out. Occasionally, shift to neutral to disable regen braking and apply brakes to keep rotors clean.
Yeah pretty sure I mention that in the video.
I just got a 2013 volt with 127k on the clock, I am getting around 40-45 miles on electric only in florida with a/c on.
We got a 2016 volt in the spring. It gets anywhere between 80 and 100km on electric (most of the time around 90km except in extreme temperatures hot or cold) I love the smooth quite acceleration the regeneration braking and handling. It's definitely a low vehicle and you need to be mindful around speed bumps. Has nice strong AC great infotainment system and the front seats can be moved back really far so if you're tall it's very roomy in the front. Rarely use gas and can be charged from dead to 100% on 110v overnight. It cost us 19k cad tax included and unlike a full electric there is zero range anxiety. Gas engine gets about 5.5L/100km.
Also just a note highway travel drains the battery way faster so I use the gas engine on the highway if Im going far and the electric in the city and on the trip home.
How many KM did your used 2016 have on it to get at 19k?
@@adamduke1122 Buying a 2017 today in Ottawa for $20k and it has 100,000kms
Bought a "totaled" (in fact jut the battery totaled and a few tubes torn) Volt2016.
Replaced battery, tubing, a few front drivetrain wear parts and it's doing its job fantastically well.
I'm looking to do the same. Were the batteries expensive to replace?
@@kells288 $1850, from a 30K mile crashed donor car, about $200 to replace/reprogram it and another $350 to replace torn cooling tubes + $100 worth coolant
I have a 2018 with 45k miles, fit and finish is phenomenal. Bought new and with only one issue so far that was fixed under a technical service bulletin during its annual oil change, wiring harness for the transmission. If you're looking into a used car, this is worth consideration as this car has not only been trouble free but has a really low cost of ownership.
I'm taking delivery of a 2017 Premier with ACC with 45K. I opted for the GM warranty for it, bumper to bumper for 48 months or 60K additional miles. Maybe I'll add OpenPilot. I've been driving a Prius since April 2001 when I got one of the first ones in the US, then 31 months later I took home a 2004 BC options and sold the 2001 for everything I put into it. It got hit in 2019 with 269K and declared a total loss. I got a 2012 Plug-in Advanced to replace it. Just drove it to NYC and back this week. I've had a similar track record that you've had with your Volts. I basically change the oil at factory recommended service intervals. Exhausts, brakes, an AC coolant line, two spark plug changes, and such over 16 years. Your video was a factor in my purchasing decision. Thanks for making it.
It's good to see the Volt exhibiting some quality engineering. GM makes so innovative and well-built vehicles when they wan't and when they don't want, they make some truly bad cars. That new Escalade EV coming at the end of 2024 looks pretty amazing. I haven't had an American car since 1992. And my only other Chevy was a truly awful Citation. I'm looking for the Volt to take me to an EV with a next-gen battery technology.
I own a 2017 Volt. I think that it's the perfect car. It's too bad that it didn't catch on. I rented a Tesla S for my birthday recently and it's amazing but the Volt is still more sensible for the average person. I'd much rather have a backup generator for the occasional situation that I don't have enough juice to go all electric than to screw around with charging stations to get home. Even with a 300 mile range you'll need a station occasionally. Quadrupling the battery size for the rare occasion that you need extra range seems less sensible to me than adding a small, efficient gas generator. I've used about 2 gallons of gas in the last 4 months. That's close enough to pure electric for me. This tech in a luxury car, SUV, minivan, sports car, whatever could get us for the most part off of gas easier than attempting to go all electric.
I actually had a model 3 ordered when they 1st started taking orders.. After thinking about it I decided to buy the 2017 Volt for the very reasons speak of. And yes I think it was a mistake for GM to quit making the Volt. I felt it was best both worlds as you said, Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@TheDisgruntledMechanic the real mistake was to price the ELR the way they did but it blessed the second hand market for a lucky few.
We have two 2013 Volts. I'm looking at getting a 2018-2019. The old ones are only around 50,000 miles, but since we've had them they've been the most trouble-free cars I've ever owned. Both of them still go at least 35 miles on a charge.
what makes u want a newer one
Is everything out of warranty is that why you want to get rid of them and get newer ones?
I would never trade in my Gen 1 for a Gen 2. Gen 2 has no spoiler no extra low rear window, all the interior buttons have been switched to the screen. We paid 43k but once the tax credit of 7500 expired Chevy made the car cheaper by 8k and you sure can tell. Yes Gen 2 has more range but Gen 1’s are way nicer
Im getting mine in a few months! Super excited! 2017 or 18 model premier.
I have a 2016 that was running great (got it in 2018). Then I started having some issues. First, the power steering module would randomly cut out. I had to replace the entire rack and pinion which was about $3000. Second, even when in park, half the time it said, "Shift to Park". That was a faulty switch fixed under warranty. Third, the car one morning just refused to start. They replaced the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) under warranty. Fourth, shortly after, the engine went to "Reduced Power" and finally "Not Available" so it was an electric only car. This was apparently due to the EGR valve failing. Unfortunately, it is HARD to get parts and they all have to be done by a Chevrolet dealer. Rack and Pinion took about 2 months, BECM took about 2 weeks but then took another 2 weeks to fully debug when installed, and I have been waiting now about a month for the EGR valve. Quick internet search shows these 4 issues (power steering, shift to park, BECM, EGR) are apparently pretty common failures on the Chevy Volt. The latter 3 were all covered by my VOLTEC warranty. So if buying a used one, check to see if the VOLTEC warranty is still active, and if these common failures have been repaired.
TY for the info!
Thanks for this
My daughter has a 2016 Volt that had a control module that went bad about 9 months ago, and since the Volt is out of production, Chevy is slow-rolling the replacement parts. The car is undriveable without the replacement part and there's no ETA for when a replacement will be available. So the Volt is just parked and my daughter had to buy a new car. I will NEVER buy another Chevy if they won't stand by their older cars.
My Jeep was costing me 25$ day in gas I had i3 Rex before and was looking for a car almost similar! I found a 2012 with 113k miles paid 5k cash it looks and feels brand new took it home and I am impressed
I to had so many recalls, that I decided to sell mine in 2014, but missed it so much, that I decided to get the newer model as well.
Great review! I was getting cold feet into buying one, but I guess I'm making a great choice on buying one.
I own a 17 like this , I had same issue with wired smell , went away after a while , one bearing or hub sensor went bad they fixed it under warranty , overall I’m really happy with it
Wow. I have a 2018 (it's now 2022 and approaching 120,000 kms - 75,000 miles) and I've been getting 95 kms (60 miles) daily on electric. Ya, the recalls a couple years ago were brutal but zero issues otherwise. 👍👍
Owned the2012, Veridian Joule, same color, white dashboard and black leather with white stripes. Love it and trade it for a 2018, brand new on same year. Still have it and I will buy another one. No other vehicle match that technology.
We have had a 2012 Chevy Volt since new. When new typical battery charge range was 36-38 miles during the summer, and about 24 miles battery range during the typical great lakes winters. Every 5 years the AC Delco 12 volt car battery was replaced as a routine. Yearly engine oil & filter changes were done prior to winter. These were expected routine services. We had two quick and easy recall services with our 2012 Volt.
With battery aging, our typical summertime/warm weather battery range is now about 34 miles/charge and the winter range has dropped to about 22 miles/charge....not bad for an 11 year old battery pack. The gas engine/ICE comes on seamlessly giving us a relatively unaffected total
range. Gas mileage is about 36mpg. The typical combined gas and electric range is between 310 to 290 miles.
Because of regenerative braking and the heavy use of road salt here in the Great Lakes region, brake rotor rusting required front and rear rotor and pad replacements about every 4 years, unlike the longer replacement intervals for conventional ICE cars.
Like you, we have been delighted with our remarkably reliable, essentially trouble-free 2012 Volt with a lifetime average of 116 mpg. The Volt has been a great car for us. The only new equivalent cars on the market are the plug-in Toyota RAV4 Prime Hybrid or the Toyota Prius Prime Hybrid. If GM still had the Volt or equivalent in production, then we would have bought one.
I bought a 2014 used with 108k miles on it cash. No car payment, and use for my 8mile round-trip commute to work daily. Winter in Michigan uses more gas for compartment heat etc... but 6mos owned - so far no issues, and used less than 20gallons of gas for 2200 miles I've owned it. As a commuter car, and errand runner - this has been a great vehicle for me.
I’m looking at a 2012 with 125k miles for $7k. Thoughts?
MIne started giving problems at about 1000,000 mi When the warranty ran out on the battery. Imagine that! What I can tell from what I know now, if it has over 100,000 miles on it and has ANY codes on it, RUN! don't buy it. It could be simple or very,very expensive. Battery repair will cost more than the vehicle is worth!
@@keb990 yeah - my buddy worked for GM and had G1 and G2 volt - told me if there's no major body, breaks, or major battery error codes (check the carfax history) get it. depends on what you are doing with it tho - as a commuter car - might be worth it to not purchase gas for a while - drives over 25 miles at a time might not be worth it ... up to you.
Hi Mike, really enjoyed your video!
I own a 2016 Volt and love it! I put 16,000 miles on my car last year and 14,000 of those miles were pure electric, no gas.
One comment about the range of your 2011 Volt. The official EPA all-electric range of the 2011 and 2012 Volts is 35 miles, so you were actually getting MORE than the advertised range! The fact that after nine years you are still getting close to the official range of 35 miles just goes to show how well engineered these battery packs really are. Battery degradation has been very minimal for these cars.
The official EPA all-electric range of the 2013-2015 Volts is 38 miles, and for the 2016-2019 Volts it is 53 miles. I regularly get 50-55 miles in my mixed (city/interstate) driving here in Tennessee.
How come you got14k out of 16k on it the average is 50-55 on the 2016? so you car is more like tesla? I’m jus doing a research to clear up on what I need to buy, Thank You?
Nice job Mike. Having ridden in them both I can say they are impressive vehicles
Yes as you know I do like them! Going to watch your latest video now. At camper so as you know limited internet!
Super helpful video was looking at buying a 2013! Gave me a lot to consider
Ive owned 3 volts gen 1, first was a 2013. The only problem i had with it was a sensor went bad in the charge port battery area. It was 700 to replace. And thats the last time i took a volt to a shop
@@brandons9027 we had that go out as well they replaced the entire charge port in our 2013 we bought brand new and that’s been only problem we’ve had. It was still under factory warranty. I bought an 84 month bumper to bumper warranty and it was a waste of money as it’s been the most reliable car we’ve ever owned. Brakes still at 90% with 104k
I’m interested to hear your opinions on which one do you feel is better built in terms of solidity quality materials, fit and finish and the feeling of cheapness or luxury. Glad to see that you’re keeping the 2011 for to me it is more unique and more indicative of what the Volt was supposed to be in the first place. Also how has the 2011 held up insofar as paint and interior and just general wear and tear
Over 128,000 SAE automotive engineers around the world voted the Volt as the ‘Best Engineered Car’ on the road.
Agreed, love our new 2012 Volt. It’s an incredible car.
It's ashame they quit making them. I've never worked on any of them yet.
I feel it was a good way to combine electric and gas. I too think it is a shame that GM discontinued them.
I just test drove one a few moments ago here at the enterprise rental in concord ca. I was always curious about it and I thought overall the vehicle was gonna be slow. Well it’s not a corvette that’s for sure but she gets up pretty damn good.
I was shocked about it. Wish I was aware of it when it was new and in production. Now we have the bolt that replaced it..
The bolt kinda sucks
They take off from a stop like a rabbit. Electric instant torque is great.
Mike... youre a mechanic. I trust your opinion. Im trying to decide between a Chevy Volt and a Ford C Max. Probably 2012-14. If youre a Chevy guy... youre probably going to say the Ford is junk. Lol. But ive had good luck with diffent ford and chevy models. But if personal opinion aside....which one is the wiser option. Thanks & God bless
I have a 2014 with 135,000 miles. I've had to replace the front cv axle at 120,000. I've had a few recalls and had to have the computer reprogrammed after I started getting high voltage charging errors. I haven't had a terrible amount of battery degradation. Instead of 38 mi I'll get 32 or 33 now. I think the high voltage charging error and computer reprogramming on the dealer had something to do with the battery degradation. I love the car and plan on keeping it for a lot longer.
CV axels should last a lifetime unless you live in a climate that uses a lot of road salt. Basically the CV boot rots, the grease leaks out and the axel is effed.
check the condition of the 12V battery.. that runs almost all your electrics.. when it goes even a little low, wonky things happen
I have a 2018 Chevy Volt that has given me 58 miles per charge for neighborhood driving. Absolutely love it.
I am glad you love it! After 11 years I still love driving my 2011 Volt.
Thank you for your thoughts on the Chevy Volt. I've been looking at going hybrid for my commute and the Chevy Volt came up in a suggested search.
My pleasure! Good luck on your search!
Like the birds and nature sounds on the audio. Thanks for the review. Have been interested in the hybreds / plug in hybreds
No problem 👍
2018. All we've done is oil, filters, wiper blades and tires. Still on factory brakes and everything else. 65k on the odometer
I had to part with my 2013 Volt after a transmission module died. The dealership strongly recommended a full transmission replacement for $6k and I couldn't float it. Sadly, this happened at 101.5k miles on a 100k warranty. Neither the dealership or Chevy would work with me and I now refuse to buy any of their products.
I loved that car. It was, in many ways, my dream car. The main thing to keep in mind is availability of parts and service in the long term. I live near Atlanta, which was the second largest market for electric cars. There don't seem to be many Volt techs out here; Chevy dealerships need specially trained techs just to look at one.
Sadly all of that is true. I understand about the transmission. Trade in my 2011 Volt is about $6000 so no way I will spend $6000 on it!
They newer ones have a problem with Not turning off you have to turn it back on and restart it. also the radio will turn off and you have to restart the car to get the radio to restart it.
My 2006 Prius which has never been repaired in any way ,properly maintained for 200,000 is why I bought my current Prius .I kept the 2006 and still get 43 mpg used to get over fifty mpg.
Those things are too reliable, sell ‘em and buy something that breaks a lot so you can make repair vids! ;). Jk great info Mike!
Thanks Dave! Oh as you know I have other things that break to make videos of!
I agree with Dave Lmfao Keep up the great work Mike
One thing you really have to watch out for is you can't hear them coming.
yes some manufacturers have installed "engine noise" in them for that very reason.
@@TheDisgruntledMechanic I meant when these cars are driving around in a parking lot and I'm backing up and almost run into one because I can't hear it.
@@1970chevelle396 yes I know and they are adding electronic engine noise so they make a sound when moving for the reason you mention
@@TheDisgruntledMechanic The '17 has a noise maker behind the front grill at low speeds (Mine doesn't though because I pulled the fuse)
My 2014 had a button on the tip of the turn signal that would make kind of a trilling noise when you pushed it. I would use that if I was coming up behind pedestrians or cyclists or animals
Great video as always mate some great tips and advice there for people buying cars
Thanks Leon.
Nice honest video👍I own a 2012, and a 2018 without any issues! Recalls on both, but never any issues. 63,000 on gen 1, 7500 on gen 2. Both great cars! What was the reason selling the gen 2 Volt, instead of the 1? I just can’t bring myself to sell 1 of mine🤔
This gives explanation--ua-cam.com/video/LHkpW5E24LE/v-deo.html
Great review ..... From a real owner x 2 cars ..... IM thinking about buying one soon ..
I have a 2017 and I get max 59 miles on a charge . Sunny Southern California. Sometimes I get 55 and that bums me out . 45k miles 👍🏽
They are great cars for sure!
I got $4500 and I am still looking for a volt since the beginning of the year. The problem is there are barely anybody selling it in Southern Texas. $4500 for a first gen or dealership for the second gen.
I'm buying one fri from carmax theyhave a dozen around the area
I'm at 128,000 miles and still never even changed the brakes. So far, just struts and shocks and new tires every 50,000 miles.
I have a 2018. I read that the odor was due to the engine heating up plastics under the hood. The odor in my 2018 stopped after the engine ran for 10 times or so.
Thanks for the review - love the sign off! Thinking of buying a first gen Volt in Australia, but know next to nothing about them. Apparently these are the same as the first gen Chevy Volt, and so trying to head off any problems at the pass before I go ahead and buy. Someone did mention something about problems with the coolant pump. Has that ever been your experience? And is that the coolant for the battery or engine? Apparently these have quite good battery management systems which is important in Australia as it gets crazy hot here in summer.
Are they called Volt down under? In Europe it's "Ampera."
Interesting to hear the comparisons. You know which is my fave. Both good cars.
I personally would love to have a 2011. Can afford them. The prices they're putting out on them here in Indiana is just ridiculous.
Over here in the uk we had the choice of the chevy volt or more commonly here the vauxhall ampera...which is the same car rebranded
Didn't chevy sell off Vauxhall a few years back??
I was thinking about buying a 2013 for $5,000 but it already has 180,000 miles on it. Do you think this is a good idea. My teen would be driving it to work and school.
I am finding out as the Volt ages it can have problems that are expensive to fix if the parts are even available. with that knowledge I will let you decide.
I have a second-hand 2012 chevrolet volt, (I paid 15,000 Canadian dollars) and I am seeing that the sale of the chrolet volt is more expensive now than the price I bought it, the negative thing about my car is that the repair at the dealer is very expensive.
And as the car ages the more it will need the expensive repairs it seems.
Ive owned 3 volts in the last 7 years. Only issues are with the charge port and a few sensors.
Why 3?
Have you noticed “battery degradation “
There very good vehicles I don't see many for repair other then brakes at my shops
Yes mine have been very reliable.
I just bought a 2014 volt today, and I absolutely love it so far. Can I ask everyone what they are getting mileage wise just on gas without electric? I'm just curious to see where mine stacks up
Hope you enjoy yours as much as I have enjoyed mine! I get about 35 miles per charge on my 2011.
@@TheDisgruntledMechanic I drive Uber full time. I charged it fully last night. My total electric range was 32 at full charge. I drove from 11am-6:30pm drove about 172 miles and I was driving in hold mode. Only used 2.9 gallons the whole day.
My question in hold mode is the car working proper if its on electric motor at stoplights and electric up to about 15 mph then it switches to gas engine?
@@nikolaip4947 hold mode is essentially a simulation of extended range mode initiated by the driver. Gen 1 Volts tried to minimize the amount of time that the engine was running, but that meant when the generator kicked on, it ran pretty hard until it had built up a mile or two of range and then kicked off again (at lower city speeds at least).
One of the biggest changes going into gen 2 was that engine speed more closely matched wheel speed and had several different engine speeds for different amounts of driving load and less of an on/off state like the gen 1 Volts. Your Volt is running fine, just keep premium gas in it and do your tire rotations! :)
Hows it holding up? I am lookin to get one.
I bought a 14 a month ago. Love it. I get between 37-40 mpg on fuel when in hold mode.
Still loving my 2017 Volt.
Great video. I have enjoyed all of your volt videos.
Thanks Bruce. I may do more.
I just bought a 2017 Volt Premier, and I'm in love with it. It was Certified Pre Owned, and I got an Ally maintenance plan. They said the battery should be covered under that, but not the charging system. There is one spot on the leather dash where the brown flaked off, know of a good touch up I could use?
So I got the 2016 volt premier with 63k miles on it. Drove it 45 miles home on hold and check engine light came on with two messages. Propulsion speed reduced and engine overheating. Fuck my life right. Got it from a Toyota dealer and they are working on tonight. Got a loaner. Man I'd I can't even drive the 1st 50 miles without a problem idk if this car is for me or my family. Dealer said it was the thermostat.... any experience with them on the volts?
Also it was a 110 mile drive home. So I didn't even get a chance to make it home. Spent all day on this headache. Got a tow to take it back to the dealer.
Great cars. Owning a MDI , laptop, and having an ACDelco TDS account is a must.
Just need the MDI. Have a J2534 pass through.
beautiful yard and birds.
I guess thats something.
Lower mpg could be due to cheaper tires, and lower psi in em.
Great Informative video On the Chevy Volt Mike Brother good work 👏 👍 👌
Battery degradation is a factor in very hot climates as well will be less in hot states batteries don't like the heat and they don't like extreamly cold climates either
Very true, the Volt does liquid cool the batteries, this helps a lot!
I have a 2017 with 138,672 miles. I need 2 recalls dealt with. Emissions pipe may rub against a/c hose connector and software update for Hybrid powertrain control module HPCM2.
Immediate action Lithium-Ion battery warning.
Yeah that seems like too many problems to me.
I have a 2014 with 73k miles I get about 33 miles battery. I can air idel with ac on eco mode for 6-7 hours plus drive 6 miles to and from work where I sit in my car every night watching a construction yard
The 2 things I didn’t like about mine was that smell you mentioned and while I was buckling up our kid, I had to lean over and reach for something, so I put my hand on the roof about 5 seconds before my wife slammed the hatchback door. It came close to taking my finger off and my finger was stuck in the trunk door. She had to go open it so I could take my finger out. It seems like a poor design.
Ouch! I know how that feels. Did it once to myself!
How much does it cost on average to charge the car if you plug it in at home? How much can you expect your electric bill to go up per month?
In my estimation with what I pay for electricity I pay about $2.00 per charge.
Great video, appreciate your honesty, they seem like pretty decent little cars too bad GM quit making them
Hey even though I own 2 of them if they were turds I would say that too! people got upset when I said my Prius was a turd but it just was.
The Disgruntled Mechanic Sometimes even Toyota Can’t polish a turd lol
Some people drive so long on electric that the gas goes bad in the tank. 😆. These are pretty cool
Actually, that is not true. There are sensors that detect when the gas is going stale (bad) and
the engine runs to run the bad gas out of the tank. Also, the tanks are made of stainless steel
to eliminate any kind of corrosion.
I read somewhere that if battery needs repair, it cost more then the Prius
Is having all the bells and whistles worth it? I like the idea of blind spot assist. The LT used are nice but spending abother 2k i can get a preimer with all the packages. (2016 to 2017)
When I got them I felt I did not need the bells and whistles and none of my other vehicles had them. Once I had them I really decided they are great to have. But I still like to keep vigilant when driving. Blind spot assist is nice but adaptive cruise is my favorite once I got used to it.
@@TheDisgruntledMechanic I'm interested In the adaptive but wary of it. More concerned of it failing one day and crashing into someone. That's coming from a 33yo who grew up in his family RadioShack HA! If you ever do a update let people know about the 4k rebate for used phev!
I put the adaptive cruise through the paces. I would scare the crap out of my girlfriend when I would let it coast to a stop behind a car at a red light. Always worked great but I argee with you, never know when it may fail.
Is it important to consider the charging station when buying one of these cars? Is it a problem if you're are told no charging station is included in the purchase? How could you find a charging station, Etc?
Hi! been watching your content for awhile, but I was wondering; Have you ever had to replace a radiator on your gen 1 volt?
Me and my wife have just returned from our honeymoon after a long drive from michigan to myrtle beach. When we got home, our radiator seems to be leaking coolant, and if i fill it with an entire jug, it will drain it if it sits overnight.
I do NOT know where it might be leaking from (i am hoping not from the center fanned grill part), but if its on the side/plastic walls, would some JB Weld extreme heat work on the sides to plug the hole or crack if i find one? The dealer wants to charge me $2000+ to replace it and frankly, thats more than 4 of my car payments...its WAY too pricy to repair for me
My coworker has a 2014 Volt and says it all of a suddenly got about 5 miles less per charge. He thinks GM did a programming change to help the batteries last longer, that it keeps more battery in reserve. This may be what happened to your 2011.
I am curious why you decided to sell the 2017 model over the 2011 one? I would think that you would want to sell the older model.
Pretty simple really. I just liked the 2011 overall better then the 2017.
Great video with helpful advice, thanks!
My pleasure!
Just bought a used 2013 Volt. Curious to know how yours are doing since youve put more miles on them. Ive heard horror stories of the battery going out at 150k miles.
my 2011 Volt battery has had problems for a few years. part of my issue was that the tractuon battery heater went and I never replaced it which is very detrimental to battery health. But yes the traction battery tends to have problems as they age.
Mike,excellent video. Diagnose Dan has a few videos on electric vehicles. I would not touch the electrical system LOL ❤️
Thanks Artie! I want to take a course on electric vehicle repair either at Weber or TST. The classes are rather expensive. And I have watched Dan's videos. Love his channel!
Yes he is good. Right now I am just learning today’s electrical systems. Been taking Brandon Steckler, ATG courses, courses given by Brian Mann and of course Paul at Scannerdanner premium channel. Great having friends like your self to stay in touch with. ❤️ Artie
Thank you very helpfull information!
Glad it was helpful!
Hey, thanks so much for this incredible video. Are there any good indicators to look out for in a used vehicle (dealership) in terms of how much life the battery has left in it? i know that's an expensive replacement.
Have the seller, whoever it may be to fully charge when you go to look at it. If you want to hear the engine run just open the hood or take for a ride and put it in mountain mode. the engine will than come on.
Even if the Volt battery diminishes the generator just works more and even on all generator you still get about 50mph … my battery after 10 yrs is still getting the rated 38 miles all electric range.
How much to replace the batteries ? Is it a large 36 volt or like a golf cart set up with 6 .
Electric cars aren't for you
Good review Mike !
Thanks Norm!
Have you looked into renewing or upgrading the battery pack? I know the car battery is probably out of warranty on the 2011 so just wondering how much it would cost you out of pocket. The Prius batteries can be refurbed for around $1000 to $1500. I’m guessing the Volt would cost quite a bit more if it’s even possible.
I honestly have not. The classes I have been in talked about the Prius battery refurb but not the Volt. Next class I will ask! Thanks for the question!
104 thousand miles and battery still strong brakes still at 90%
So it sounds like a very reliable low maintenance car?
Overall I would yes. There can be issues and if out of warranty they can be costly repairs.
why do Prius sell for $7000 or more with 200K miles but chevy volts are a lot lower? it is because the battery packs can't be replaced easily?
pretty much the reason. and the cost of a Volt battery pack is expensive.
I have a 2019 and had that nasty heated abs plastic smell too.
How much battery degradation do you see on the 2017 Volt? New it charges to 14KWH. Where is it now at what mileage? I have a 2017 with about 50k miles and it charges to 13KWH. Just wondering how age and mileage affects charge capability?
I am sorry but I can not answer your question. Not long after making this video I sold the 2017.
I interesting in buying one,but the battery cost has me questioning if I should, has any one had this replaced?
I am finding out as they age the high voltage battery and the modules become a concern.
@@TheDisgruntledMechanichave you had to replace either? What wad the more troublesome of the two?
high voltage battery in mine needs replaced.
@@TheDisgruntledMechanic I've seen a video of removing the HV battery, how could a normal person do it? Should they?
I have all the proper equipment to do it. I have seen removals which were done OK but sometimes bad things can happen if you don't use proper techniques.
I heard their performance suffers in harsh cold weather. Do you know if heat has as much or any damaging effects to the volt?
I have a 2013 Volt Premium. This past summer I was getting 40-44 miles on a full charge. In the dead of winter here in Columbus, OH I am getting 30-32 miles on a full charge. I am charging it outside. Last winter, I was getting 35-38 miles on a full charge, but I was charging it inside the garage.
I have issues with my park assist censor also on my 2013 Buick LaCrosse
These shine in the city.. Long highway miles start to pull the mileage rating down. I drive a lot of highway. I may go cruze diesel instead but I like the volt design better