[PIYIRIO]

I 've been lurking for about a year and signed up about 6 months ago. I finally found a decent offer so last weekend I picked up a 2015 Volt Premier. It was used with under 8k miles, almost 2 years of factory b2b warranty and an additional year warranty as a CPO. As an added bonus, it had never been titled so it should be eligible for the federal tax rebate.

The wife and I drove it 350 miles home and it was definitely the quietest road trip I've ever been on. We averaged 36mpg entirely on gas driving in MM the last hour since the battery was dead. MM took the battery up to 50% so I was able to drive off the freeway and to the house on the battery. The wife could never tell if the engine was running or not.

In not quite a week of ownership, I've noticed a few things:

1. This thing feels like a tank... I can feel just how heavy it is. It handles well considering, but damn is it heavy.
2. Visibility is surprisingly limited. I would think it would be better with all the glass, but there are large blindspots everywhere.
3. I don't think I will ever get used to the braking/regen system. Either I'm not stopping fast enough or I'm getting thrown through the windshield. I have yet to find the "sweet spot". Driving in L helps because I don't have to touch the pedal as often, but it's not really a solution.

For 1 and 2, I doubt there is anything that can help other than getting used to it. Does anyone have any suggestions for number 3? I feel the difference in the regen and transfer to manual braking and the transition is anything but smooth. The software was brought up to date and all recalls performed at the dealership.

As a side note, this is by 3rd or 4th post but none have ever showed. I guess they're still waiting for approval so maybe this thread end up in the abyss as well...

 

[NevynPA]

I can see the post, and congrats! I'd love to find a leftover 2015 for myself that was still 'new'...

Not yet an owner, I can't comment on the braking much. Perhaps a bleed on the mechanical brakes would help? If there's already 8k in miles on the car, they should be 'worn in' already.

 

[ClarksonCote]

Driving in L takes some getting used to, but once you're used to it, you'll love it.

Pro tip: If you ever need mountain mode, engage it before the battery drops below 50%. Otherwise the engine needs to work harder to propel you and backfill the battery (translation: poor fuel economy). And if you showed up at home with some charge still remaining from mountain mode, then gas was waisted.

In 95% of cases, it's best to just leave the Volt in Normal Mode (or Sport mode if you prefer). It will still give you a bit of silent operation in electric mode coming off a freeway from the energy captured during regenerative braking used to slow the car down. Mountain Mode is really only "needed" on steep inclines for long distances at 65mph.

 

[konimail]

Congrats on your upgrade

Currently owning a 2013 and 2014, i completely agree with all the three observations you're writing about.
I recently made a post that talks about the #3 - Find it HERE

 

[JBumps]

I'm curious how was deemed 'used' if it hasn't been titled. Was it a loaner/demo? That's a lot of miles for a demo.

 

[Belgin]

2015 is a Volt Premium. I don't think you have 2 warranties. The original B to B 36,000 mile warranty will cover you beyond the 12,000 CPO warranty- in other words the CPO is meaningless for a 2015 car.

The Volt weighs just about 3900 LBS so it is heavy.
Did you drive the car before you bought?

 

[16513]

Transition from region to mechanical braking should be seamless. If not, you have a warranty repair due. I always drive in L. If you are smooth on and off the pedal, you and your passengers should not get jerked around.

 

[voganni]

I like the car's weight. Makes it stable and solid on the road. Run tire pressure at 40-42 psi and it'll handle better.
Mine's a 2013. Never any brake issues. I love the brakes, and the transition to friction brakes is nearly imperceptible. Better than our Camry Hybrid. May need a dealer check-out.

 

[Gary Norton]

Congratulations. Regarding the brake issue, I think that is unique to your car. I have owned five Chevy Volts, including three first generation Volts, and have always found the brakes to be seamless. I can't sense any transition between regeneration and engagement of the friction brakes.

 

[PIYIRIO]

Congrats on your upgrade

Currently owning a 2013 and 2014, i completely agree with all the three observations you're writing about.
I recently made a post that talks about the #3 - Find it HERE

I actually commented on that post but it was never approved (or something). The transition is anything but seamless. I wonder if they changed something specific to '14-'15 model years.

I'm curious how was deemed 'used' if it hasn't been titled. Was it a loaner/demo? That's a lot of miles for a demo.

Good question. Dealer said is was a GM corporate employee vehicle. It had the original MSO, CarFax's shows no title/tags issued. Everything looked good so I figured I'd give it a shot. I paid right at KBB value so if it comes through, it's a steal. If not, at least I wasn't completely robbed.

2015 is a Volt Premium. I don't think you have 2 warranties. The original B to B 36,000 mile warranty will cover you beyond the 12,000 CPO warranty- in other words the CPO is meaningless for a 2015 car.

The Volt weighs just about 3900 LBS so it is heavy.
Did you drive the car before you bought?

The dealer confirmed the CPO warranty will start once the original b2b expires. I have the paperwork showing the warranty expires in 2019. I did drive the car but a couple/several mile "test drive" vs a 350 mile trip gives you a much different feel for the vehicle. I also have a 3000GT (3500lb +) and that car is nimble (and significantly larger) compared to the Volt. None of these were dealbreakers because I need something that gets better than 17mpg on my 53 mile round-trip daily commute.

 

[Louisiana]

I have a 2015 also. I agree with you regarding the blind spots. I never noticed the weight issue but I am coming from a Prius which is also rather heavy. It took me quite a while to get comfortable with the brakes. They are much softer than my previous car.

I bought a demo with almost 10,000 miles in April which was never titled and I do not anticipate a problem with the tax credit. There are still one new 2015's in this area when I looked a couple of weeks ago. I love the car. The biggest problem is that I am tall and this makes the space for the backseat very small.

 

[VoltenRock]

I think all cars have a "unique" brake feel. I was driving an Impala while my Volt was in service and those brakes were downright scary when I first started driving (felt like mush). I got used to them and the fear dissipated with experience. You'll get used to the Volt.

However, if it really bothers you, take it in. Even better, see if they have any other 15 Volts about to test their brakes.

 

[PIYIRIO]

... I am tall and this makes the space for the backseat very small.

Ditto. When I first got in, i could feel my hair brushing on the ceiling... my fist thought was "Crap. This isn't going to work". Took me several minutes to figure out how to "pump" down the seat. It helped out a ton but really messed up the legroom behind the drivers seat.

...see if they have any other 15 Volts about to test their brakes.

Most cars do have a unique feel... this is just so unique it's hard to adjust. I'm getting better after driving a week in rush hour traffic (and in L so I'm not braking as much). Unfortunately Volts are rare in Little Rock; I see more Tesla's than Volts. Until 2016 they weren't on dealership lots often/at all. The closest one for sale was in Hot Springs (not far but not close), had 80K miles, was a base, had no warranty, and they were asking almost what I paid for mine. That's why I had to go out of state to find one or at least be able to choose between a few.