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Wanted an LT but opted for an LTZ with D1 & D2 - Glad I upgraded - 1st impressions

9K views 24 replies 17 participants last post by  Geohec 
#1 · (Edited)
Wanted an LT but opted for an LTZ with D1 & D2 - Glad I upgraded - 1st impressions

This week has been really crazy for me but now that I have time and a couple days of driving time with my new car, I thought I’d share some of my first impressions about my new 2016 Chevy Volt (pics below).

Originally I wanted an LT with upgraded rims but later opted for a Blue LTZ with D1 & D2 pkg. After driving a few days, I have to say that I made the right choice by bumping up in trim level. Here are some of my impressions.

Styling: I have to say I really love the looks of the Gen2. The metallic blue looks phenomenal; pictures just don’t do it justice. All the smooth curves help make this look refined. The rear is probably my favorite, the blue vs the black trim and the taillight styling with a little wrap around to the side. At my work, I’ve had people give lots of great feedback on the looks. Words like gorgeous, beautiful, nice.

Inside Dash Layout: The layout of the dash and buttons on the wheel are very intuitive. Everything seems well laid out and I like the fact that I can navigate many of the frequently used features on the steering wheel instead of having to use only the 8inch screen. That way it does keep my hand on the wheel 95% of the time. The Favorites buttons on the right side steering wheel for skipping radio stations are not in great spot for me and work only about 90% of the time for me because you have to do a firm long push to get 100% success.

Driving Comfort: The leather seats and padding are great. I drive about 30-45 minutes each direction for my commute and I have not felt any fatigue or discomfort. You can raise or lower the seats with the pumping handle to make slight adjustment. The telescoping steering wheel found a nice comfortable position from my 5’10” frame. Armrest is not too high for me, and I can comfortably put my elbow down on it and comfortably drive my commute.

Driving: This my first EV and the words that come to mind is silky smooth. It is truly a quiet cocoon allowing for a peaceful, comfortable driving experience. The suspension is smooth and can handle the slightly bumpy roads where I live with little feedback in the car. I live in the foothills of Sacramento where there are numerous windy roads, and it handles corners very nicely. The car can accelerate quickly and immediately. Where I live, I have a one left turn I have to make onto 45 mph traffic and this car has not hesitation and gets me safely in the flow of traffic.

Driving Safety Features: When I bought this car I didn’t think I would like or need the D1 & D2 confidence packages, but I was mistaken. These safety features, I have grown to appreciate. The Lane Assist alerted of a few drifts that I was not aware were happening and the front collision alert might have already helped me avoid a close call in bumper to bumper traffic. The blind side alert is helpful on straight freeways but on gradual curves it seems to miss some traffic completely, so I’ll still be looking over my shoulder and obviously using the mirrors. Although, I will never let the car park itself for me. If you’re on the fence between an LT or LTZ with these features, then I’d spend the extra cash and if you buy before Nov. 2 in California, then you get the $2k off (see rebates and incentives thread).

EV mileage: So far I’ve got about 58 miles of range from my foothills home. Every morning, I drive 30 miles while dropping about 1300 ft in elevation. My first day of driving to work, I found that after driving 30 miles, I still had 70% of my battery available. I thought to myself I’m in great shape to make it home the other 30 miles. We’ll on my drive back home I made it about 2 miles short of home, so the elevation climb used a lot more than I thought but above the 53 EV miles stated on the sticker by the EPA. This will be a game that I will be playing on a daily basis, can I make it home on one charge?

Battery Charging: Overnight charging on a standard 110/120 outlet is not practical if you plan on depleting the battery every day. My first night I charged for about 13.5 hours and was only at 80%, so if someone plans on depleting the battery everyday then you’ll need probably ~16 hours to charge or you’ll have to bump up to an L2 charger unless you can charge at work.

Coolness Factor: I have had LOTS of great comment at work about how they love the look of the car and how they need something like this. I’ve got a few nods from Gen1 people passing by on the freeway (until I get my stickers). But this story is the best. I have two sons, 15 and 13 years old. My oldest is infatuated with super cars and sports cars (typical teenager), when he heasr I might me getting a new Volt he thought I was getting the old styling. For the last month or two, he’d say "look Dad a Mustang for $25k" or "look dad Tesla is coming out with a model 3 version" (anything but a Volt). When he saw the color and styling and all the cool tech not to mention the blue accent lighting, now he can’t stop talking about it. Yesterday, I had to drive both boys to school and I asked which car you want me to drive. The Volt! And can you drop me off in front of the high school instead of on the side =). Gotta enjoy these days when you can.

Overall, I’m very satisfied with every aspect of my purchase. The last two items I need to do is upgrade to an L2 charger (probably this weekend) and will be doing the 3M ceramic window tint in the next week or two.
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#2 ·
Overnight charging on a standard 110/120 outlet is not practical if you plan on depleting the battery every day. My first night I charged for about 13.5 hours and was only at 80%, so if someone plans on depleting the battery everyday then you’ll need probably ~16 hours to charge or you’ll have to bump up to an L2 charger unless you can charge at work.
My understanding is that the car is configured by default to charge at only 8 amps. If you're plugged into a standard 15A outlet then you should be able to go into the charging menu and set it to charge at 12A - that will cut your charge time substantially. I also understand that you have to set this before every charge unless you enable "location based charging", in which case it will remember the 12A setting every time you come home.
 
#5 ·
Great point, didn't realize the default was 8 amp. Thanks for the help. Yes, I have 15 amps breakers for the outlets in the garage, so I'll set up the "location based charging" later.

Things have been crazy around here lately, so I didn't even bother to think about what might have cause the long charge. Thanks again.
 
#3 ·
Congratulations, it appears you gave into the incentives but maybe got a better car than the one you specified for delivery.

I want a Volt also but I have decided not to rush as I am providing my own financing and the 2017 hopefully will have ACC and maybe more.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Congratulations, it appears you gave into the incentives but maybe got a better car than the one you specified for delivery.
Exactly but for another reasons as well.

Originally, I wanted to keep things basic with the LT and upgraded rims but if I waited for the already overdue delivery then I'd pay about $35k for the LT. When I bought off the lot before the incentives expired, I ended up spending about $1300 more to get leather seats, Bose speakers, Driver Confidence Pkg. 1 & 2 and i'd have the car now. Every month that goes by, I'm losing about $200/mo in gas. With my volt, I will get free electricity at work (when they finish installing the six L2 charging stations) and my yearly true-up on my solar panel have PG&E owing me about $150 or more by the end of Nov. So waiting any longer was getting more difficult.

I'm very happy with my decision :D
 
#4 ·
Coolness Factor: I have had LOTS of great comment at work about how they love the look of the car and how they need something like this.
I'm glad you are happy with how it worked out!

On day 4 with mine I was in the drive-thru line and the manager was walking back in from the storehouse thing in the back and she said:

Her -"wow that's a beautiful car, I love it"
Me - "Thanks very much"
Her - "What kind of MPG do you get?"
Me - "Well thus far I go about 60 miles on the battery, and then when the engine does start I should get about 40 MPG or so"
Her - "Oh it's an electric car???"
Me - "Yes and the past couple days I've gone the 53 miles up to my office, charged while at work, and come home all while on battery"
Her - "I have a Prius and I like it, but I am gonna check this out when it's time for a new one, that car is just beautiful"

I swear it was like a TV commercial, should have looked for the hidden camera, but she was definitely enamored with it.
 
#6 ·
I swear it was like a TV commercial, should have looked for the hidden camera, but she was definitely enamored with it.
Same thing. Many of the response were very surprising to me. I thought to myself are they trying to be nice or do they really like it, but after talking for a minute or two, it was clear to me that they reallllly liked it. I haven't got this many positive responses for a car I've owned in a really long time. It's nice to have something practical and cool at the same time.:cool:
 
#10 ·
I chose the LTZ trim and never looked back.

The driver confidence 1 package I consider a must-have: The blind spot visibility was never that good with the pre-2016 model, and with the 2016 model I thought it got a bit worse. The blind spot detector gives me more confidence and confirms that my quick blind spot checks were correct.

Go for a L2 charger....then you'll never have to worry about switching between 8 and 12 amps again!
 
#12 ·
That sure is a nice looking car.
Sounds like you're really enjoying it, and you might be converting some people.
I find that a lot of people are curious about electric cars in general.
I too, try to use that as an opportunity to get them to go drive one and see for themselves.
 
#17 ·
I agree. I also that think there are a lot of EV curious people and uninformed people when it comes to the volt. I had a couple people say "I didn't know that it had a gas engine also." Then they are be completely surprised when I tell them "the gas tank alone can go almost 400 miles.".

Two people at my work already want a test drive from me. My follow up question to them was, "so if you buy, do I get commission?":)
 
#13 ·
This week has been really crazy for me but now that I have time and a couple days of driving time with my new car, I thought I’d share some of my first impressions about my new 2016 Chevy Volt (pics below).

Originally I wanted an LT with upgraded rims but later opted for a Blue LTZ with D1 & D2 pkg. After driving a few days, I have to say that I made the right choice by bumping up in trim level. Here are some of my impressions.

Styling: I have to say I really love the looks of the Gen2. The metallic blue looks phenomenal; pictures just don’t do it justice. All the smooth curves help make this look refined. The rear is probably my favorite, the blue vs the black trim and the taillight styling with a little wrap around to the side. At my work, I’ve had people give lots of great feedback on the looks. Words like gorgeous, beautiful, nice.

Inside Dash Layout: The layout of the dash and buttons on the wheel are very intuitive. Everything seems well laid out and I like the fact that I can navigate many of the frequently used features on the steering wheel instead of having to use only the 8inch screen. That way it does keep my hand on the wheel 95% of the time. The Favorites buttons on the right side steering wheel for skipping radio stations are not in great spot for me and work only about 90% of the time for me because you have to do a firm long push to get 100% success.

Driving Comfort: The leather seats and padding are great. I drive about 30-45 minutes each direction for my commute and I have not felt any fatigue or discomfort. You can raise or lower the seats with the pumping handle to make slight adjustment. The telescoping steering wheel found a nice comfortable position from my 5’10” frame. Armrest is not too high for me, and I can comfortably put my elbow down on it and comfortably drive my commute.

Driving: This my first EV and the words that come to mind is silky smooth. It is truly a quiet cocoon allowing for a peaceful, comfortable driving experience. The suspension is smooth and can handle the slightly bumpy roads where I live with little feedback in the car. I live in the foothills of Sacramento where there are numerous windy roads, and it handles corners very nicely. The car can accelerate quickly and immediately. Where I live, I have a one left turn I have to make onto 45 mph traffic and this car has not hesitation and gets me safely in the flow of traffic.

Driving Safety Features: When I bought this car I didn’t think I would like or need the D1 & D2 confidence packages, but I was mistaken. These safety features, I have grown to appreciate. The Lane Assist alerted of a few drifts that I was not aware were happening and the front collision alert might have already helped me avoid a close call in bumper to bumper traffic. The blind side alert is helpful on straight freeways but on gradual curves it seems to miss some traffic completely, so I’ll still be looking over my shoulder and obviously using the mirrors. Although, I will never let the car park itself for me. If you’re on the fence between an LT or LTZ with these features, then I’d spend the extra cash and if you buy before Nov. 2 in California, then you get the $2k off (see rebates and incentives thread).

EV mileage: So far I’ve got about 58 miles of range from my foothills home. Every morning, I drive 30 miles while dropping about 1300 ft in elevation. My first day of driving to work, I found that after driving 30 miles, I still had 70% of my battery available. I thought to myself I’m in great shape to make it home the other 30 miles. We’ll on my drive back home I made it about 2 miles short of home, so the elevation climb used a lot more than I thought but above the 53 EV miles stated on the sticker by the EPA. This will be a game that I will be playing on a daily basis, can I make it home on one charge?

Battery Charging: Overnight charging on a standard 110/120 outlet is not practical if you plan on depleting the battery every day. My first night I charged for about 13.5 hours and was only at 80%, so if someone plans on depleting the battery everyday then you’ll need probably ~16 hours to charge or you’ll have to bump up to an L2 charger unless you can charge at work.

Coolness Factor: I have had LOTS of great comment at work about how they love the look of the car and how they need something like this. I’ve got a few nods from Gen1 people passing by on the freeway (until I get my stickers). But this story is the best. I have two sons, 15 and 13 years old. My oldest is infatuated with super cars and sports cars (typical teenager), when he heasr I might me getting a new Volt he thought I was getting the old styling. For the last month or two, he’d say "look Dad a Mustang for $25k" or "look dad Tesla is coming out with a model 3 version" (anything but a Volt). When he saw the color and styling and all the cool tech not to mention the blue accent lighting, now he can’t stop talking about it. Yesterday, I had to drive both boys to school and I asked which car you want me to drive. The Volt! And can you drop me off in front of the high school instead of on the side =). Gotta enjoy these days when you can.

Overall, I’m very satisfied with every aspect of my purchase. The last two items I need to do is upgrade to an L2 charger (probably this weekend) and will be doing the 3M ceramic window tint in the next week or two.
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You will love the '16 Volt Premier even more at night. Especially since you have Kinetic Blue. The "light spears" on the doors, blue lighting for the door handles, LED illumination of the lower center stack, and the Intellibeam.

I have Kinetic Blue with Jet Black interior. I absolutely love it. I haven't tried the assisted parking feature, yet however.
 
#14 ·
I do love driving at night. The interior LED lights on the door, the blue shift knob. The other night I was driving a little while after sundown and Phil Collins "In the Air Tonight" came on over the Bose speakers.....it was surreal.:cool:

Did I just date myself... yep mid 40's.:)
 
#16 ·
So, finally found out what that "A" button on the turn signal stalk does...had forgotten all about the Intellibeam beam headlight feature. Will have to drive somewhere at night soon and try it out.
 
#20 ·
I got the base LT with leather seating only. Love the car especially ay the incredible $3100 price (before tax) with rebates and incentives. I couldnt justify paying extra $4k for those other features.

I got black which looka great when clean. Too bad it gets dirty real fast. I liked blue and white too but i really didnt like the two tone black and native color in the rear (although it looked pretty good with blue)
 
#22 ·
blue streak

Thanks for the in-depth review Geohec! I am particularly interested in your thoughts since I also live in the Sierra foothills (Placerville) and have a similar commute distance. We also have a PV array and will be switching to EV-A rate soon. My commute is 62 round trip miles daily, and I was hoping to do it all on electric, so your numbers are encouraging. We have a Kinetic Blue LT on pre-order at the dealership in Davis currently on the train. It doesn't look like I'll be getting the cash incentives that you got (unless they are renewed), and I considered trying to buy elsewhere before they expired, but stuck with my original plan. I'll keep an eye out for the blue streak as I'm driving to work!!!
 
#25 ·
Thanks for the in-depth review Geohec! I am particularly interested in your thoughts since I also live in the Sierra foothills (Placerville) and have a similar commute distance. We also have a PV array and will be switching to EV-A rate soon. My commute is 62 round trip miles daily, and I was hoping to do it all on electric, so your numbers are encouraging. We have a Kinetic Blue LT on pre-order at the dealership in Davis currently on the train. It doesn't look like I'll be getting the cash incentives that you got (unless they are renewed), and I considered trying to buy elsewhere before they expired, but stuck with my original plan. I'll keep an eye out for the blue streak as I'm driving to work!!!
Congrats on your preorder. I'm very happy with my decision to get this vehicle and am enjoying it.

I will caution that you're EV mileage may not be good as mine. Especially with you climbing to an elevation of 1800 ft compared to my commute where i'm climbing to an elevation 1300 ft. I noticed how my last 10 miles climb about 1000 ft and my EV range starts dropping significanlty but not enough to make me switch to mountain mode because I'm close to making it on pure EV. You may however have to pay attention to your display on your infotainment display at the end of day and see which mode works best for you EV only with gas at end, or Ev 90% of distance then mountain mode at end.

Good luck and I'll look for you on the freeway when you get yours.
 
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