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MisterJJ

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Discussion Starter • #1 •
My car is finally released and awaiting transportation arraignments so I think it's time to post here.

Car is a new 2020 Premier in Cajun Red.

I live in Phoenix, AZ but I'm a recent refugee from Southern California. I am a Manufacturing Engineer and like tinkering, fixing, improving, solving problems, and coming up with better, faster, or cheaper ways of doing things.

My commute is 15 miles round-trip, with frequent side trips to visit Homer (Home Depot). But currently a 0 mile commute due to Covid.
I will likely have at least a few 200 mile round trips to Tucson for work. Many more if the mask business takes off. Also, I try to get to Vegas at least once a year.

I usually do light performance mods and light cosmetic mods, but there's not much to do performance-wise for the Bolt. Maybe better tires, at least. So I plan on experimenting a bit with cosmetic mods. I don't like chrome and hard plastic.

My car is currently at the Donohoo Chevrolet in Alabama: :confused:
32758
 
C

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#6 •
Many forum members (myself included) got their Bolt from Donohoo Chevy.....Congrats and let me know the condition of your paint when you get it under good garage lighting. Mine had micro marring all over. Their lot people have no clue how to wash cars. Took me an entire weekend of buffing with my Porter Cable to get it pristine.

Craig
 
MisterJJ

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Discussion Starter • #7 •
Craigmri said:
Many forum members (myself included) got their Bolt from Donohoo Chevy.....Congrats and let me know the condition of your paint when you get it under good garage lighting. Mine had micro marring all over. Their lot people have no clue how to wash cars. Took me an entire weekend of buffing with my Porter Cable to get it pristine.
Click to expand...
I think that's typical. I haven't used my Porter Cable in a while but I'm ready to do so. Until very recently, my Audi A3 I picked up in 2005 had never seen an automatic or dealer car wash in its life. It came with free maintenance and the dealer would wash every car after service. I put a big sign on the window saying DO NOT WASH CAR and made the service advisor very aware that it was not to be done. Years later I take her in for the airbag recall. I peek over the service advisors shoulder and I see the permanent note written next to my name, "customer is particular". :ROFLMAO:
 
J

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#8 •
Craigmri said:
Many forum members (myself included) got their Bolt from Donohoo Chevy.....Congrats and let me know the condition of your paint when you get it under good garage lighting. Mine had micro marring all over. Their lot people have no clue how to wash cars. Took me an entire weekend of buffing with my Porter Cable to get it pristine.

Craig
Click to expand...
Yeah, Northern California here and if I’m ever in the market for a new Bolt, Dononoo is way up my list. Their deals look amazing from 2,500 miles away.
 
MisterJJ

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Discussion Starter • #15 •
Beware, for the end of preparation has come and the mighty Boltar the Destroyer has begun the journey to the desert, where the ritual of joining shall commence and owner and vehicle shall become one.

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NortonCommando

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#16 •
MisterJJ said:
...I am a Manufacturing Engineer and like tinkering, fixing, improving, solving problems, and coming up with better, faster, or cheaper ways of doing things.
I usually do light performance mods and light cosmetic mods, but there's not much to do performance-wise for the Bolt.
Click to expand...
After you get the cosmetics done, you may get bored as all you'll have to do is drive the Bolt!
I tell my gasser friends, "Remember the last time you changed your oil? Remember the last time you went somewhere and stood around pumping that smelly gas? I don't".

I do a twice yearly wheel swap with my 16" steelies and -1 size winter tires.
That's about all the 'maintenance' I do. Oh, and maybe add windshield washer fluid.. And I don't like doing that.:confused:;)
 
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RoadTripBiker

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#17 •
I bough my Bolt from Donohoo Thursday. I'm a 100 miles away and just drove up after exchanging a couple of emails. Their deal seemed too good to be true but it was the real deal!!! I looked at a Cajun Red but Donohoo didn't have one so I settled for Orange which I really like. We used my wife's GM card earnings when we bought my Volt in 2013 and they had almost maxed out so the timing was perfect. After the GM card discounts and the rebates I got the Bolt for less than half of MSRP. I'm still trying to wrap my head around that. I didn't need a new car but when a deal like that is available it is hard to pass up. Told my wife that the 2022 model may be better but not $20,000 better.

As for long distance that is a pretty good distance to go for a car although they told me they have shipped cars to California. Last summer I took a solo motorcycle trip but two days and 1,100 miles in my bike broke down - rear wheel bearing! Was going to trade when I got back but wound up repairing my bike and then rode it to Sioux Falls SD and traded it on a 2020 Yamaha - which also had a very good discount and they gave me a good trade in! Pretty cool though and was a great experience. Dealer was super nice and I would up staying in the are for 3 days and had the 600 mile service done before heading for home 1,400 miles away (Alabama). This isn't the best time of the year to be traveling but if you have the time turn a car purchase into a road trip.

As for performance mods did you know that coil over's and brake kits are available for the Bolt? There are some folks out there auto crossing them and even a track day! In my limited experience it is a really fun car to drive. I have to be careful and think what I am driving. Almost chunked my Volt off the road one time when I approached a set of curves not as fast as I would on my sport bike but too fast for the Volt - the stability control nanny got super excited :cool: I've had a Honda CBR600RR and a Kawasaki ZX6R 636 but my wife refuses to let me take the bike to a track day :-(
 
MisterJJ

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Discussion Starter • #18 •
RoadTripBiker said:
I bough my Bolt from Donoho
Click to expand...
LOL. I was reading your intro and thinking "Hmm.. I wonder if he got it at Donohoo... Nah, what are the chances." Congrats. Sorry I grabbed the Cajun Red one, but the Orange is pretty nice.

I used to live somewhat out-of-town in SoCal and have Koni FSD's with sport springs on my Audi A3. Really like them. But alas, it's mostly urban driving for me now and Phoenix is mostly this very efficient, but boring grid of straight roadways. I really want better tires for acceleration and braking but I'm also too cheap to get them before wearing out the stock ones.

I used to ride a motorcycle for a short commute. I'd tell you what it was but it's embarrassing. My brother let me ride his GPZ1100, which felt stupid-fast for 2 wheels to me. I eventually got too comfortable, started pushing the limits, and I felt I wasn't paying that "extra attention" you need to on a motorcycle so I decided it was time to stop. I was still bummed when the motorcycle part of my license was dropped when I moved last year, even though I had stopped riding 30 years ago.

I just checked and my car just made it into Texas! Yeeha! Seems odd that it's not due to arrive until Wednesday though. We'll see.
 
RoadTripBiker

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#19 •
You will love it! I was impressed with Donahoo, super nice folks. They have a DC fast charger there and are right off the interstate. I go up to Scottsboro (west of there) to the Unclaimed Baggage Store. They have everything lost on an airplane there! I get iPads and PC notebooks there and assorted stuff I don't really need, a fun place to browse. At Christmas it gets picked over but will go again in February. I'm thinking I can make it there and back to Donohoo and then get a 30 minute charge and get enough to get me home. Not a lot of chargers around here so trips can be a bit more of a challenge I think. There are a lot of Teslas in my neighborhood but not so many Bolts. As I recall north of Phoenix there are some nice roads. Last Rode my bike to Moab Utah but went via South Dakota and down thru eastern Wyoming - yes something of a meandering route but it was a motorcycle ride not a destination. I'm like you and want better tires but too cheap to buy until they wear out. Bolt finally made it to full charge this morning after driving it back Thursday. I forgot to set Hilltop and was wondering why it wasn't slowing in "L" like usual then realized! Oops didn't set Hilltop. I very seldom drive a long distance and for most of my days the range is way more than I need.

Hope it shows up soon! When my motorcycle broke last summer I was in Grand Island Nebraska. On a Friday I bought a complete swingarm. Paid an extra $93 for second day shipping. My wife also mailed my checkbook and motorcycle title that day also second day FedEx. Monday morning the swingarm arrived at 8:30. My checkbook and title arrived Tuesday around lunchtime even though they had been in the FedEx Grand Island office since Saturday! They probably delivered the swingarm "early" because they didn't want it sitting around and taking up space. It worked out OK as it gave me an extra day to turn the rental car in and get ready to trade bikes. I was older when I got my first bike, it was a 2007 Ninja 250. A great beginner bike that was a lot of fun. Small and slow doesn't mean its not fun. I have a lot of fun on my 110cc scooter that will do 60mph. 60mph is exciting on 10' wheels and a scooter that weighs 190 pounds. The term ride it like you stole it comes to mind - and I'm keeping up with the flow of traffic :)
 
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