Been Looking for a PIP

Chevy volt prices finally dropped to or below Pip. Wife's been driving 2008, 2011 Prius for 6 years. Sorry, new owner of Volt, charging on 120v to 47 mile range, here in Arizona. Was looking for a Pip, prices higher then the Volt and impossible to find.

 

I picked up the Volt for $32k with 23 miles on it, here in Arizona. I thought I was going to get a post reply, no such luck. The Volt took a $5k drop in price, plus you get the full $7.5k Fed rebate. Picked up Volt on Black Friday weekend. Pip's are impossible to find.

Volt has the same software as the Pip. Depends on how you drive it, your charge millage goes up or down. Actually previous Prius drivers get better charge miles then new Volt drivers. Like I said the wifes charge miles started at 38, now it's at 47 miles on a charge now. Kids are gone, so the long charge time has worked out fine for us. I drive the Hummer, so I don't really care about gas millage. I'm retired and drive it less then 3k miles a year.

Was going to add more solar, but could not get it installed in 2013. Bought the Volt with solar money, so I'll get the Fed discount for 2013. Solar add install scheduled for Apr 2014, for a Fed discount for 2014 in 2015. I had enough solar for zero electric bills for last 4 years, got to add more for the Volt and shop AC. The small back seat is fine, remember kids are gone. A child seat works fine in the back, hauling around grand kids.

Here's me building solar add. 20+ solar instal videos here.

The thing with the 37 mpg on ice is okay, because the 38+ miles from a charge, your likely to drive the Volt 1 to 2k miles on your first tank of gas, probably more. Please don't get me wrong, I wanted a hard to find Pip and every Chevy dealer had 1 to 5 Volts to chose from. Ours came with rear camera and backup sensors, which added $1.5k to the price, so the real price for the Volt was $30,500. My wife does not think the drivers view is restrictive, she said it's just like our, now gone 2011 Prius.

 

The ice on a Volt is a generator for the electric motor. It has a cooling and heating system for the batteries, below.

Volt's top speed, 100 mph. Here's mechanical operation. Ice locks to drive train above 70 mph.

Enjoy!

 

THANKS! For making me feel I'm only trying to educate not sell the the Volt. The Pip is a better car, it will last longer and is the better of the two, for an all around car. If your basic needs is an IN TOWN car the Volts wins hands down on best gas millage. That's exactly my situation. My wife's still working, only a 5 mile drive from the house. Yes, that fits the Prius 14 mile range, but some how she drives from 25 to 35 miles everyday, don't know. I guess we are all lucky to have a wide range of plug-in vehicles to chose from. I got, the 04 Hummer with 26k mile's, oil change yesterday. I drove less then 2k miles last year, wow. Today off to the car wash to get it's yearly detail and wax job. The Hummer has never been in the shop, it's worked perfect for the last 10 years, that's better then the Prius, except for the gas millage.

I live life different then anyone I know. At 70 this year, I can't wait to get up, my first cup of coffee, then start to work on one of my three hobbies that pays for them self. Machinist, Farming and Writing software.

 

bisco,

The $5k was already taken out with the $30.5k price. With my income I'll be able to get a Fed rebate of $5k so the Volt's net net to me is $25k. I found an honest dealer that has real invoice prices. They did have a base model at 31K, but with my wife's two backup accidents. Well, I figured I should get the backup camera and warning sensors.

Here is a layout drawing of shop. All tools are new, sense retired, and in place. AC on my list.

 

shiranpuri,

Much more detail and all correct.

Bisco,

I got a high trade-in on 2011 Prius. Of course Taxes eats into the whole deal. With the Fed discount at $7.5k makes the Volt very buyable. Surprised the Volt really holds it's value, check it out in blue book. Keep your car a long time, BUY A PRIUS plug-in.