[BoltAction]

Hi everybody! I'm the proud owner of a 2018 Bolt Premier in Mosiac Black Metallic. This is my very first EV and I don't think I'll ever go back to ICE cars. I had two Priuses and a VW Golf TDI before my Bolt. The first Prius was super reliable, but kinda dull to drive. The second Prius was an improvement over the first but turned out to be a lemon. The TDI (not the one included in the massive recall) was really fun to drive but had lots of little problems early on. It was pretty reliable once those were sorted out.

I'm a die-hard import lover as well. Going domestic was a struggle for me since my very first car was a mid-80's Chevy S-10 Blazer. It was an unreliable heap and I swore never to buy an American car. I was hesitant to get another Chevy and was pleasantly surprised that the Bolt is surprisingly well-built and reliable. It reminds me of my old Golf but much much quicker and quieter. I'm looking forward to EV ownership. So far, so good.

 

[Packard V8]

Welcome back. I went through a similar curve you did. The US auto manufacturing industry had the world by the ass on a downhill drag from 1945 to about 1965. Our generosity via the Marshall Plan and the hardships of losing the war resulted in Germany and Japan catching and passing us in the auto manufacturing technology. From 1965 to 2011, there wasn't much, other than the Corvette, being made in the US which didn't require an apology when compared to the offshore competition.

The Bolt changed everything. There's nothing anywhere which does what it does better for the price.

jack vines

 

[rlhammon]

Welcome.

I'm still in my pursuit of a Bolt here in Michigan. Trying to work dealers for a decent price, it's been difficult with the lack of inventory in my area to find something I'm willing to take off the lot as most dealerships have loaded up with unwanted items.

Glad to see a new post in here... I've posted twice in the section and I'm still waiting on an Admin apparently to approve it for it to show up. Curious how long it was from when you created the post until it showed up.

 

[BoltAction]

Welcome back. I went through a similar curve you did. The US auto manufacturing industry had the world by the ass on a downhill drag from 1945 to about 1965. Our generosity via the Marshall Plan and the hardships of losing the war resulted in Germany and Japan catching and passing us in the auto manufacturing technology. From 1965 to 2011, there wasn't much, other than the Corvette, being made in the US which didn't require an apology when compared to the offshore competition.

The Bolt changed everything. There's nothing anywhere which does what it does better for the price.

jack vines

Absolutely, the Bolt can hold its own compared to the competition, domestic or import. I'm impressed with the build quality, handling, performance, and cruising range. GM really did a great job on the Bolt. I think if they play their cards right with their EV strategy, it could really benefit GM. Especially if we run into another fuel crisis like the '70s.

 

[BoltAction]

Welcome.

I'm still in my pursuit of a Bolt here in Michigan. Trying to work dealers for a decent price, it's been difficult with the lack of inventory in my area to find something I'm willing to take off the lot as most dealerships have loaded up with unwanted items.

Glad to see a new post in here... I've posted twice in the section and I'm still waiting on an Admin apparently to approve it for it to show up. Curious how long it was from when you created the post until it showed up.

Here in Southern California, some dealers have lots of inventory. For example, Camino Real Chevrolet in Monterey Park, CA has 65 Bolts in stock right now, even the hard to find colors. Some Bolt owners on here have paid $6,000-$7,000 under sticker. You might be able to work a deal long distance and still come out ahead.

My posts popped up pretty quickly, not too long.

 

[rlhammon]

Here in Southern California, some dealers have lots of inventory. For example, Camino Real Chevrolet in Monterey Park, CA has 65 Bolts in stock right now, even the hard to find colors. Some Bolt owners on here have paid $6,000-$7,000 under sticker. You might be able to work a deal long distance and still come out ahead.

My posts popped up pretty quickly, not too long.

It's been a week and I haven't seen either of my two posts in this group show up, not sure why.

My post was about how to best find these dealers where deals are apparently available. Michigan has not state incentives, and my power company has none either. The local (to me) dealerships won't budget, offering only ~$1,500 discount as a supplier discount. Inventory is slim pickings as well. I've used Google Maps to find every Chevrolet dealership with 200 miles of me, checked their website, and I've found less than 10 LT trim models in my three color choices (Blue, Dark Grey, and Red). All of them include features I'm not interested in like floor mats (I'll get better aftermarket ones), locking lug nuts, and anything else the dealership can add to drive up profit. It's hard to find an LT trim under $40,000 here.

 

[GlenandhisBolt1!]

Watch out for those claims on dealers web pages about all the vehicles they have 'in stock'. They usually include vehicles that are 'in transit', at other dealerships and vehicles that have already been sold. Only believe what you see with your own two eyes when you stand on their lot - and even this can be deceptive, as they may have some vehicles stored elsewhere, and some of the vehicles you see may already be allocated to someone else (or another dealer).

Once you are on the lot, ask about the vehicles you can buy and drive off the lot TODAY. It's likely they will be honest with you at that point, and it is sure to be fewer vehicles than what they claim on their website.

rlhammon: since you are located in Michigan, be sure to refuse to pay a destination fee. Bolts are certainly delivered directly to the dealers by truck from the assembly plant in Lake Orion, Michigan, so destination costs (the cost to ship the vehicle from the assembly plant to the dealer) are minimal. These fees are typically at least $500, and are yet another way for dealers to siphon more profits from buyers.

 

[BoltAction]

It's been a week and I haven't seen either of my two posts in this group show up, not sure why.

My post was about how to best find these dealers where deals are apparently available. Michigan has not state incentives, and my power company has none either. The local (to me) dealerships won't budget, offering only ~$1,500 discount as a supplier discount. Inventory is slim pickings as well. I've used Google Maps to find every Chevrolet dealership with 200 miles of me, checked their website, and I've found less than 10 LT trim models in my three color choices (Blue, Dark Grey, and Red). All of them include features I'm not interested in like floor mats (I'll get better aftermarket ones), locking lug nuts, and anything else the dealership can add to drive up profit. It's hard to find an LT trim under $40,000 here.

Sorry to hear about the difficulties. Sometimes dealers are more willing to negotiate towards the end of the month. Hope everything works out.

 

[BoltAction]

Watch out for those claims on dealers web pages about all the vehicles they have 'in stock'. They usually include vehicles that are 'in transit', at other dealerships and vehicles that have already been sold. Only believe what you see with your own two eyes when you stand on their lot - and even this can be deceptive, as they may have some vehicles stored elsewhere, and some of the vehicles you see may already be allocated to someone else (or another dealer).

Once you are on the lot, ask about the vehicles you can buy and drive off the lot TODAY. It's likely they will be honest with you at that point, and it is sure to be fewer vehicles than what they claim on their website.

rlhammon: since you are located in Michigan, be sure to refuse to pay a destination fee. Bolts are certainly delivered directly to the dealers by truck from the assembly plant in Lake Orion, Michigan, so destination costs (the cost to ship the vehicle from the assembly plant to the dealer) are minimal. These fees are typically at least $500, and are yet another way for dealers to siphon more profits from buyers.

You bring up a good point. This happened to me when I bought my Bolt. The one I wanted was "traded" away even though it was listed as new inventory.

 

[Nook]

It's been a week and I haven't seen either of my two posts in this group show up, not sure why.

My post was about how to best find these dealers where deals are apparently available. Michigan has not state incentives, and my power company has none either. The local (to me) dealerships won't budget, offering only ~$1,500 discount as a supplier discount. Inventory is slim pickings as well. I've used Google Maps to find every Chevrolet dealership with 200 miles of me, checked their website, and I've found less than 10 LT trim models in my three color choices (Blue, Dark Grey, and Red). All of them include features I'm not interested in like floor mats (I'll get better aftermarket ones), locking lug nuts, and anything else the dealership can add to drive up profit. It's hard to find an LT trim under $40,000 here.

Figure out the price you're willing to pay for your options load out and then offer that, regardless of installed options. Once it's clear you're a serious buyer AND you're not paying for extras, they'll likely get serious about finding you a vehicle you want. You could also just order one - no risk to the dealer and you get what you want - you just have to wait a month or so.

I looked into hauling and it was $1/mile. I used the price from a dealer on the coast as leverage on a localish dealer, without telling them it was from out of state.

 

[gregb]

Welcome! I had never purchased a new, "domestic" vehicle in my life before my 2018 Bolt. I've driven it 10,000 miles with no problems. The wife loves it and our Prius is languishing in the garage. I'd like to avoid ever purchasing an ICEV in the future if I can. Hope you enjoy your Bolt as much as we have ours!

I leased the Bolt through a car concierge company and was glad that I did. It was the best "car-buying" experience I ever had. I avoided a lot of the problems with dealers that are often mentioned in the forum.

 

[BoltAction]

Welcome! I had never purchased a new, "domestic" vehicle in my life before my 2018 Bolt. I've driven it 10,000 miles with no problems. The wife loves it and our Prius is languishing in the garage. I'd like to avoid ever purchasing an ICEV in the future if I can. Hope you enjoy your Bolt as much as we have ours!

I leased the Bolt through a car concierge company and was glad that I did. It was the best "car-buying" experience I ever had. I avoided a lot of the problems with dealers that are often mentioned in the forum.

It's great to know another Bolt owner who also came from a Prius. Both are fine vehicles and I definitely prefer the Bolt over the Prius as well. Cheers!