[Bobo]

I'm not yet a volt owner, but I WANNA be! After several years of watching and admiring the volt thing. I got rear-ended a couple of weeks ago and now I'm in the car market again.

I'm going to test drive a 2012 volt today. I'm very excited about my first experience in an electric car. The Volt I'm going to see has 180k miles on it but the owner says it's in great condition so I'm very hopeful.

I also wanted to ask a couple questions of people who have come to this point before me.

With an ICE car, 180k miles seems like a lot. Honestly, I don't know that I would even consider buying an ICE car with that kind of mileage. Would you guys say that I should be LESS concerned about mileage when it comes to a volt? He commutes, and the majority of the miles are highway miles. But wouldn't 'highway miles' be considered MORE stressful on a Volt than city miles???? I know about Belmer's Volt, with 400,000 miles. But I'm assuming he's the exception! lol!

Also, I AM mechanically-inclined, and I typically work on my own cars. It just so happens that the last car I was working on doesn't work AT ALL now, but that's besides the point! Just wondering if working on the volt is really gonna be much different than working on any other car? Typically, things like wheel bearings and fuel pumps and water pumps and alternators and starters and all that other crap that goes out on your car, I've always repaired myself. Will I run into anything so different that I'd be left scratching my head in the garage over?

The guy wants 6 grand for the car. Honestly, if I thought there was a good chance that I could get another 100k out of the car (over ten years or so) I'd pull the trigger without hesitation. If well maintained and cared for, do you guys think 250K+ is attainable by MOST volts? I know this calls for much speculation as thing is still a new thing in many ways. But I need a daily driver, and I typically only drive about 20-30 miles in a given day.

So what do you think? 6k for a 2012 with high miles. Can I reliably join the enlightened at that price?

btw, I already have several ideas for vanity plates but I'm kinda leaning towards

GAS LOL

 

[DonC]

That is a lot of miles. GM did a bunch of lease deals on 2012 MY Volts so I'd expect there to be some others available. I'd probably be looking for one with considerably fewer miles.

 

[jbakerjonathan]

Doing a Black Book estimate online for a Volt in Atlanta with 180,000 miles yields $4,370. I would offer that to begin with and go from there.

Erick Belmer (Sparkie) has over 412,480 miles per Voltstats.net (search 2012-07353). As far as I can tell, other than a run-in with a truck tire at night, Erick has experienced wheel bearing failures. 2012 Volts were well-made.

The ICE in a Volt is not stressed the way one is in a non-electric car - no constant revving up and down. The ICE is brought up to ~1,400 rpm with good oil circulation before ignition.

You can do a google search to find the website where you can search the VIN for outstanding recalls.

EDIT: I would have the owner show you receipts for the 97,000 maintenance for the three coolant systems and replacement of the sparkplugs. Be aware that that is probably needed again now with that mileage.

 

[VoltenRock]

Yeah unless you're getting a heck of a price, I would be wary. Volts are great cars, but they are not bulletproof. Aftermarket repair options are just not as plentiful as, say, a Honda Civic and you may be stuck paying dealer prices for repairs--which would quickly exceed the value of the car.

If you're seeking advice, I would look for a lower mileage Volt still within the VOLTEC warranty--at the minimum least. I would bet that you can find one in the ballpark of the price you need. There are a glut of used Volts right now.

 

[Steverino]

Honestly, I don't know that I would even consider buying an ICE car with that kind of mileage. Would you guys say that I should be LESS concerned about mileage when it comes to a volt? He commutes, and the majority of the miles are highway miles. But wouldn't 'highway miles' be considered MORE stressful on a Volt than city miles???? I know about Belmer's Volt, with 400,000 miles. But I'm assuming he's the exception! lol!

Also, I AM mechanically-inclined, and I typically work on my own cars. It just so happens that the last car I was working on doesn't work AT ALL now, but that's besides the point! Just wondering if working on the volt is really gonna be much different than working on any other car? Typically, things like wheel bearings and fuel pumps and water pumps and alternators and starters and all that other crap that goes out on your car, I've always repaired myself. Will I run into anything so different that I'd be left scratching my head in the garage over?

I think you have a decent handle on this. At a certain age or mileage, things wear out and need to be replaced on a car, any car. Tires, struts, lights, brakes, hoses, pumps, etc. start to go after a while. So do engine parts. A few have experienced oil pump failure, or head gasket failure or fuel pump failure. One Volt owner is currently replacing his Volt engine with another because it's way cheaper than a dealer fixing the engine issue. Same for a guy replacing his oil pump. The years on the Volt are not a big issue in your case, but expect some wear items to start needing replacement due to the miles. You can pick up lower mile Volt in the $10-$15K range. So, that gives you an idea of the savings difference and how much you will have to apply to repairs if and when. Of course, things can need replacement on low mile cars to, it just may not be as likely. $4k would be a decent price in my opinion, with the idea I'm going to be spending up to $6k in DIY repairs over the next 100k miles.

 

[freshcut]

Aside from the obvious wear items, I think todays engines are definitely built to last longer than in the past. It used to be one needed to consider a rebuild by 100K when it came to american engines (mostly V8's). As for working on the ICE itself, I haven't experienced unusual procedures compared to other engines. Plugs, oil, filters, etc are all still easily accessible and easy to change. Coolant however can be a different story as the Volt does require a different process involving a "vac-n-fill" procedure. One may also need a scanner to operate the various control valves for the coolant system that isolates the heater circuit when in EV mode. I purchased a '13 last year with 93K on it which seems it may have had a similar story as the one your considering as the seller also had a fairly long daily commute of 70 miles one way. Mechanically everything appeared to be fine and was given a clean bill of health with a PPI before I bought it. It also helped that the owner included full service history which was confirmed through the dealership.

I would definitely start by looking at blue book values as well as checking out national car finder sites like autotrader or cargurus to get a better idea of what a reasonable offer would be. It also wouldn't hurt to check craigslist ads in your area and surrounding areas to see if you're able to find a better offer or present data that may indicate if you can perhaps suggest a lower price.

 

[Bobo]

Serendipity

Doing a Black Book estimate online for a Volt in Atlanta with 180,000 miles yields $4,370. I would offer that to begin with and go from there.

It's really funny you say that. It just so happens that my insurance co offered me 4350 to settle our total loss.

 

[leppard3]

Obviously we don't know your budget, if it is in the $4500 range you won't have many choices for a Volt. But like others mentioned, if you can afford $10,000 to $12,000, you will be able to get a newer model with less miles. Either way, 180K miles is a lot, but I wish you luck in what ever you decide, you cant go wrong with a Volt.

 

[quadracer12]

I recently bought a 2012 volt with 112k miles on it. I am also mechanically inclined and try to fix all my cars. When I test drove it I couldn't believe how tight it still felt. No feeling of blown out bushings or funny engine noises. We have put another 15,000 miles on it, including a 5500 mile road trip, and no issues at all. The previous owner did replace both radiators before I took ownership. After having many ICE vehicles in this "high mileage" range, I am convinced that the volt has a much easier time as it travels down the road. Most people can't believe how many miles are on our car when they are riding with us. I would 100% recommend a used volt, knowing that you may need to replace a few items in the near future. I am extremely happy with my purchase.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

 

[Barry]

The Volt overall is not an easy car to work on. Lots of things require dealership-only tools and procedures.

As for high mileage, I think the Volt drive train has the potential to go many more miles than a conventional car. But much of the car is conventional, and will wear out in a conventional way. Think of a typical car that is 15 years old and has 280,000 miles on it. How is the suspension, body integrity, upholstery, etc? Those things in the Volt are not much different. If you need to get that much out of a car, nobody can tell you that a Volt will achieve that.

Belmer has proven the miles are possible, but he has proven nothing about the years. His car hasn't aged or gone through more winter freezes, salty drives, or summer heat waves than anyone else.

It may be a great car and you may get it at a great price. Heck, if you look at what else is available in that price range, you will not find anything that is obviously a better choice. Just be realistic with your expectations.

 

[Coppersnowboarder]

I have grown to believe in financing to purchase a low-mileage used vehicle. Atlanta has a couple of certified 2014 Volts with 30,000 to 35,000 miles at $15,000.

 

[saltsman]

I have grown to believe in financing to purchase a low-mileage used vehicle. Atlanta has a couple of certified 2014 Volts with 30,000 to 35,000 miles at $15,000.

That $15,000 sounds at least $3,000 too high - even with the certification.

 

[freshcut]

agreed. Especially since you can pick up a Gen 2 after various rebates, credits, etc for just a few thousand more. I'd definitely look at other options, especially since a '14 is going to be out of warranty or very close to it.