This week I took the next step in what has been a remarkable four year journey. I ordered my very own Chevrolet Volt.
Fortunately I live in an early launch market in the metro New York City area and work only a block away from Englewood Auto Group, a dealership that has both Buick/GMC and Chevrolet stores side by side. I got in touch with the owner Steve DeScalsi and we ordered my Volt. It only took a few minutes over the phone and now I have an official order number. I chose the cyber gray metallic exterior and the jet black leather interior with white accents. I would have preferred the dark console but those won’t be available on the initial wave, not reaching the retail market I’m told until March.
DeScalsi has owned his GM franchise since 1999, and had another Chevy store in a different location from 1989 to 1999. He actually started as a salesman working his way up to becoming an owner.
Steve is very excited about the Volt. “How could I not be,” he said. “This car will bring in a ton of new showroom traffic.” He is committed to servicing the cars and currently has five Volts on allocation (four besides mine). He has no intentions of charging more than MSRP. “I will not price gouge,” he said.
I can honestly say I am extremely excited about taking possession of this car, the object of my intense fascination and continuous surveillance for the past four years. I look forward to being among the first in the nation to drive one and look forward to joining the nationwide community of Volt owners. Though I drove a MINI E for a year, the Volt offers so much more, and with far less stress and limitation.
I have been considering whether to lease or buy the car. The $350 per month lease is for three years at 12,000 miles per year. Since I travel about 22,000 miles per year, at 25 cents per extra mile I would expect to pay $558 per month to lease. After three years that would be a layout of about $20,000. I would then owe $22,500 on the car ($1500 for leather option) minus a $7500 tax credit, or $15,000. A five year loan at 3.9% APR would be $643 per month.
At five years though I will have traveled 110,000 miles, passing the battery warranty of 100,000 miles. At that point it is possible all-electric range could drop somewhat as battery capacity begins to fade. Also generation two or some other Voltec variant may be available by then.
Most prospective Volt owners have decided they will lease the car. In a poll on this site, twice as many said they would lease rather than buy the car. How do you see the decision?
For your viewing pleasure GM has released high resolution photos of all the available interior and exterior color options which you can see in the brand new gallery below.
This entry was posted on Sunday, September 5th, 2010 at 6:51 am and is filed under Images, Launch. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (6:56 am)Congrats, Lyle! Too bad about the white console but it will grow on you, I bet. Interesting that a Mini E driver feels this strongly about the benefits of having an EREV. The buy vs. lease question is tough, but since GM claims that every lease holder will have a buy option at the end of the lease, I would tend to lean toward the lease, even with your amount of miles, due to the warranty expiration. I drive around 12,000 a year, so the lease would be a lot cheaper for me and I would still be under warranty at the end of it so I could buy if my battery was still looking strong, which I think it will.
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (6:58 am)My most sincere congratulations Lyle.
Many Cheers
Hurray!
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:08 am)Good for you Lyle. Frank Weber says driving a Volt feels like flying. All clear for take off.
=D-Volt
-13
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:12 am)(click to show comment)
+15
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:14 am)given the chance, i would buy outright for sure
let me take this opertunity to thank you lyle for all the info over the years and
the dedication to post everyday
yooooda man!
stuey!
+50
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:18 am)Shame Shame on GM, Lyle should have got a free one! Optioned up for nothing, a loaner until the black console was available, his choice of #, SOMETHING!
+28
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:21 am)All your hard work is coming to fulfillment although I think GM should be giving you a Volt instead of selling you one! Lyle, thanks again from all of us for helping the dream become a reality.
+136
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:23 am)i agree, c`mon gm, Lyle has put in thousands of hours work promoting you and your volt from conception to birth, everyone who has ever read this blog +1 this post as we both know GM reads it very closely and lets get Lyle his free volt he deserves
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:25 am)Lyle:
Good For You!!!!
Did you order any of the option packages?
Those chrome wheels and the interior trip upgrade do look good…..
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:25 am)“I have been considering whether to lease or buy the car. The $350 per month lease is for three years at 12,000 miles per year. Since I travel about 22,000 miles per year, at 25 cents per extra mile I would expect to pay $558 per month to lease. After three years that would be a layout of about $20,000. I would then owe $22,500 on the car ($1500 for leather option) minus a $7500 tax credit, or $15,000. A five year loan at 3.9% APR would be $643 per month.”
Are you saying lease costs come straight off of MSRP? Or after 3 years the residual value of a base Volt would be $20,900 with the lease company taking the tax credit?
So it is just a matter If resale value is greater than residual value..
Of course I would have to pay a bit more to get red and heated seats~
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:27 am)I agree with your interior choice. I thought I’d like the dark center stack but that was because it looked so good with the red trim on the Ampera prototype. In the Volt, the dark center stack hides all the detail around the shifter and makes the interior too bland, IMHO.
Buy? Lease? I’ve never leased since I’ve always paid cash and kept each car at least 10 years. But there’s just a little lingering trepidation about how the first generation Volt will perform after that many years. Having a third-year leap into a next-gen Volt is attractive.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:41 am)Choices, choices, choices. All are exciting… except paying the money. :=]
Your scenario of lease vs buy fits the profile of many of us…. including me. We have been driving a Prius about 23K a year for 4 years. Like you we would need a modified lease. The biggest issue is the choice to buy at the end of the lease. The evolution of the VOLT and other electrics is very fast now. What will be out in 3 years?? One thing is certain to me and that is extended range electrics will still be the preferred choice. So choices, choices, choices….. ;=}
+32
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:45 am)GM!
Give Lyle a free Volt! He has done more to promote the Volt and increase market awareness than all the GM marketing team put together. Would be a very positive PR for GM.
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:00 am)Congrats Lyle! I just went through the same process last week with Bellavia Chevrolet/Buick here in Northern New Jersey. I have my order number as well, and was already contacted by Chevrolet by phone.
I have to ask though, who is it that said the dark center console won’t be available until March? I ordered Black paint, alloy wheels, and the neutral leather seats with dark accents and dark console, and no where in the process did they tell me this trim was going to be delayed. the manager at Bellavia said I would definitely be getting the first batch in late November/early December.
Maybe I will try calling the Volt hotline and see if they can clarify. I really hope that is not the case…I would hate to have to change to the black cloth trim just to get the car on time.
My dealer is also selling at MSRP, and I asked about the lease and they said “Don’t go by what they sent out in the newsletter, the lease price will change every month due to rates, etc. We’ll discuss it closer to launch.” I commute about 11,000 miles a year [at least I have the past 5 years with my trailblazer] so I will definitely lease, unless I can get the monthly on financing at about $500, which I think is impossible.
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:01 am)Congratulations, Lyle!
We’ll be looking forward to your periodic updates!
Lease vs. buy? I can’t give you the answer. My personal solution would be to go for the lease (seems like a great deal that leaves more responsibility on GM and leaves you in an ideal spot to get Gen II a few years from now).
I would, however, limit my mileage to 12,000 miles per year and use another vehicle for the additional miles. At 25 cents per mile, you can buy a lot of gasoline. It may not be the best environmental solution, but probably the one that is best for your wallet.
+3
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:11 am)Way to go Lyle. In your case I would buy. You should do what I normally do. Ask the salesman if there is a penalty for early repayment of loan and tell him to put it in writing. Tell him you’ll plan on financing 65% of the total cost at delivery. Then show up with full payment bank certified check. You’ll save on interest.
NPNS!
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:13 am)Congratz Lyle!
Hope you and other early buyers are planning to fuel our need for details.
/who will be the first to post their info?
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:24 am)Congrats Lyle,
Sorry you weren’t able to get the exact options you preferred, but happy you are getting one. Is there a delivery date for your order?
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:24 am)Congratulations, Lyle! I can only ditto the comments of others here. You should get the exterior color, interior trim, and any options you want. I agree that they could give you a loaner until yours come in. (Maybe one of the last pre-production vehicles that rolled off the line? )
Personally, I plan to buy when it comes to New Mexico, but I have maybe a year to think about it.
I set aside $37k of my 401k in liquid funds for the planned purchase.
+11
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:24 am)There once was a young man named Lyle,
Who waited for a car for a long while.
He started a website,
To make sure it was right,
And ended up with a Volt of great style.
Congrats!
-Book
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:31 am)Congrats Lyle and thanks for the high def pictures
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:40 am)Lyle,
Great news and may GM work with your dealer to give you the ability to upgrade to the latest model (both dark console and future generations) without penalty if you decide to lease.
To ensure your satisfaction, purchase two VOLTs. Sell the white console model when you take delivery of the dark console model. If Gen II is available in two years, you can buy again rather than terminate the lease early. Check with your dealer and get their suggestions.
+38
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:44 am)Congratulations Lyle. I can only imagine how satisfying it must have been to walk into the dealership and place an actual order. You probably had flashbacks from when you first heard about the volt and how GM was only considering it at the time.
You’ve walked us through the entire process from prototype to now, finally production. Many of us have been here from the beginning and shared this extraordinary journey with you so we share in your excitement.
I simply cannot believe that you are buying a volt just like every other one of us, without any “special treatment” or any discount (I didn’t expect GM to give you one completely for free). I always envisioned a key-handing ceremony with Bob Lutz giving you the keys to you shiny new volt or them flying you to the factory to pick up one of the first units off the assembly line and you driving it back to New York to show off the unlimited range. I know you didn’t do all this for special treatment, but your unrelenting efforts deserve it. Perhaps they offered you something like this and you declined or are going to surprise us when it happens, or they did give you a special deal but asked that you do not advertise it. I really hope that is the case because if you haven’t been rewarded by GM for the tireless work you have done promoting their product than I say “Shame on you GM”.
+3
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:48 am)Congrats Lyle!! I’m surprised by your posting for several reasons. 1) I would think that GM would just give you an order number without your having to seek them out. 2) Why wait until now to order? If orders could be placed in July, why wait til September? Does the car availability at this late date mean that sales will be slow for the Volt? Is GM too slow in getting the word out to the masses that orders can now be placed? Is the car too new, expensive, delivery too far out for the general populace?
I got my order number in early August, number one at Ourisman Chevrolet in Bowie, MD. Should I be expecting a call from Chevy? What will they tell me that Lyle, Statik and Corvette Guy haven’t already?
Thanks for the cool photos!!
Barry
+18
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:08 am)At the risk of sounding like a very broken record, if GM ignores Lyle’s contribution to the electrification of transportation via the Volt, they should be ashamed of themselves.
EVERYONE should vote for Comment #8, and if it doesn’t hit triple digits, WE should be ashamed!
Be well,
Tagamet
+3
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:10 am)I believe you should buy it outright . Also look into a extended warranty that will cover the battery. charge it two times a day and drive it about 200,000 miles or better yet be the first to put 1 million miles on a volt!
Tom
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:11 am)Are you saying you can buy your Volt for $15k after three years? I would definitely get this in writing because it doesn’t sound right to me. The leasing company buys the new car and gets the $7500 tax credit. You don’t get a second 7500 credit for the same car after three years. A few thousand of that $20k you pay over three years is finance cost and some is sales tax. The rest covers depreciation. I guesstimate you’d have to pay about $25k after three years to buy the car. This assumes you pay a couple grand upfront in addition to the monthly lease payments.
Of course if market value is only $15k at that time you’ll be able to work out a deal for close to that amount. The leasing company will lose ten grand whether they sell to you or someone else. On the flip side if the market value holds up extremely well you should have the option to purchase at the contracted amount. Since the Volt has no depreciation history to guide us, this option is more valuable than with normal cars. I’d strongly consider the lease.
The other issue with buying, of course, is to check with your tax adviser and make sure you will qualify for the full $7500 credit in the year you take possession.
+4
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:14 am)As a financial advisor I can say leasing is a terrible idea. So is financing, but not as bad. Only spend cash on a rapidly depreciating asset like a car.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:14 am)It’s a busy Labor Day Weekend! Congrats Lyle! I am looking forward to photo updates of your ‘lifetime mpg average’ on this site after you get it. Then we can put to rest all of the speculation that’s been tossed around here.
Off topic note: Stuff about GM IPO-
http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/mobile/m/AnyArticle/p.rdt?URL=http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN0315109920100903
+8
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:19 am)Lyle –Congratulations! and good work keeping this car moving from concept to reality. I really don’t think that would have been the outcome without the sidelines cheering, and the sidelines would have been silent without the head cheerleader providing the channel and keeping the group organized. Thank you.
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:23 am)Chances are after 3 years there will be a MUCH better VOLT with a much LONGER range. I would Lease the volt, Cuz if you buy it you may be salivating over the new models for quite some time,though you could always trade it in and take a loss.
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:26 am)Leasing does make sense to me cuz you will pay for depreciation either way ,depreciation is a fact of life when buying a new car of any kind. I always made out better with a lease. (the buyout was much higher than the actual value so i gave it back)
+7
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:36 am)Like the car, not much impressed with the colour selection.
Whatever happened to green, blue (light and/or dark), Burgundy?
Would love to see one in British Racing Green.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:42 am)No way you get to collect one tax credit twice. Lyle you need to verify the buyout price, don’t guess. Also get a lease price based on your estimated mileage, instead of reduced mileage and paying penalty charge. Only argument for lease is if you charge it to your business as a tax deduction. For personal (not business expense) it is almost always better to buy instead of lease.
+4
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:47 am)Congratulations! Félicitations! Glückwünsche! Complimenti! Felicitaciones! Parabéns! Felicitări! Grattis! Gratulerer! Onneksi olkoon! Gratulacje! Tillykke! Gefeliciteerd! Gratuluji! Συγχαρητήρια!
מזל טוב! बधाई हो! 축하 해요! Честито! おめでとうございます! Čestitke! 恭喜!
Oh, and just in case you need it (in arabic): الذهاب الى الجحيم! (which means Go to Hell!)
/Exactly the color I picked —saw it (and drove it) LIVE in New York —it’s GORGEOUS!!!
//Bet your Dad (a retired Pontiac salesman?) will enjoy it too, and I KNOW your wife & kids will!
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:48 am)Look in the forum, a lady from GM said it would not be available until march. I was not too clear on what she meant but I’m sure Lyle checked.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:57 am)I think Lyle got antsy waiting for the phone call.. but it will be coming and then he can alternate the two Volts daily, or maybe let the wife drive it .. NA!
.. maybe you should create a new signature “No Free Volt For Lyle, No Volt For Me”, NFVFLNVFM or something like that.
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:59 am)I AGREE COMPLETELY, TAG & VOTED +’s FOR BOTH #6 & #8!
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:00 am)Just read that thread, it doesn’t seem very clear what Angie meant exactly. If this is the case though, I’m very disappointed. I really dislike the white console.
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:08 am)Congrats to you Lyle for taking the leap and ordering a Volt! Looking forward to hear your impressions on it as always!
Kudos my friend!
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:12 am)OmG Lyle? no special deal for you on volt? omg shame on you GM
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:18 am)Congrats Lyle… as stated above…. you should be given a FREE VOLT for all your hard work and dedication to this car.. and this site.
Having followed all the comments daily… since it site’s early inception… #975 on the Volt list… I must say it has been an interesting read some days..
Looking forward to all the new Volt owners submitting their comments and values as time goes by..
Especially the milages (MPG / MPC )..
and of course we all want to know if there are any “glitches” however small..
GM Is on display here with their latest and greatest…
Make us proud GM… oh and get the production up so all uf us can get a Volt sooner..
I do not anticipate a Volt in my driveway til 2013 – 2014 as I am in Central Alberta, Canada..
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:19 am)We now know for sure with Lyle’s order there are no longer 10,000 Volts for sale in this model year. That number now is somewhere between 9,999 and 0…… unless Chevy decides to build more…. which they should.
+3
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:20 am)Lyle,
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?
BUT BUY BUY!
Putting aside the issue of whether GM should give you one or not–you who birthed and nursed this cause for nearly 4 years should OWN a piece of history.
Build a bigger garage at home if needed, but wouldn’t you wanna own this baby for the rest of your life????
+3
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:22 am)Congratulations Lyle! Great color combination.
Whether to lease or buy, that’s an interesting questions. Some people are in one camp or another. To me it depends on the interest rates and on personal questions such as whether you use the car for business and how likely it will be that you’ll want something new coming out in the near future — lots of new vehicles are in the works plus there is the Gen II Volt. In your case I think you went the right direction given your miles (you can buy miles up front at a fair rate but 22K is a whole lot of miles per year). If you’re worried about being able to take advantage of the tax rebate then of course leasing is the preferred route.
On the free Volt front, I disagree with the vast majority here. I’m not sure a free Volt would be in Lyle’s interest. This is a fan site, but Lyle has become a journalist, and all the reasons a journalist can’t accept gifts from the people and companies they report on apply to Lyle. While there can be no doubt Lyle has helped GM tremendously, more than the cost of a Volt obviously, a free Volt might just complicate things for him.
Anyway let’s look forward to more reports as the ordering process proceeds and he gets his Volt.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:32 am)I’m happy for you, Lyle. May the car forever make you glad for all you’ve done here.
I’d have bought and not leased.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:40 am)Good point. You can always sell it at Barret-Jackson when you reach retirement age.
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:50 am)Reading over the forum and other pieces of info, it seems there is only an issue with black leather AND the dark accents together. Maybe because mine was ordered with the neutral leather seats with the dark console it is ok? I’m not sure.
+8
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:58 am)For a financial advisor, this guidance is too narrowly focused and too short to be effective.
In general, leasing usually benefits the car company, not the car buyer.
But with financing, you definitely need to analyze the situation better. With interest rates so low, the cost of money is minimal. I bought 3 vehicles in 2008 for a combined value of over $130,000 with 3 year loans and 3.5% APR. I did have the cash to purchase 2 of these 3 vehicles outright. In fact, thanks to a credit union screwup, I paid $50K cash and then got the credit union to reimburse me with financed dollars. My biggest reason at the time, which has proven accurate, was this LOUSY economy. Our business is highly elective AND seasonal. I considered it foolish to be equity rich in automobiles, while being liquid cash poor. It is too long of an extrapolation, but having extra cash available enabled me to make ‘green’ purchases that I could not have otherwise made. The fed 30% tax credit for solar (with no cap) was not available in 2008 and it entirely changed our focus when it appeared. My electric bills went from over $400 to $50.
With Lyle’s 3.9% APR, I would consider it narrowly focused to say a cash purchase is ALWAYS a better idea than financing. One should always consider remaining liquidity left behind after a large cash purchase. And to highlight the rapid depreciation is IRRELEVANT if long term ownership is expected. My cars were always bought with the expectation of having near zero value after 10+ years of ownership.
Your statements highlight my ongoing complaint against professional ‘financial advisors’- the inability to get the BIG PICTURE. I was continually advised while in the military to take advantage of the tax benefits of retirement plans. It was only AFTER I got out of the military that I realized ON MY OWN how short sighted this picture was. In the military, much of my pay was not subject to taxation and therefore, my ‘benefit’ amounted to all of the 15% tax bracket I was in. Later, I realized that those retirement benefits would be taxed at a rate (most likely) SIGNIFICANTLY higher than 15% as I never expect to be in that bracket again. I would have been better off buying my own stocks as a self regulated retirement plan and paying only capital gains rates on just the GAINS (not the principle, which would have been taxed at that initial 15%). Roth IRA would have been great, but it was not available back then.
My advice to all is to consider the big picture, learn of tax issues on your own and be your own best financial advisor. I used to give lectures to doctoral students and my theme was ‘Success begins when you refuse to let OTHER people do YOUR thinking for YOU.’ I still stand by it.
+3
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:59 am)Dear GM,
How about load that sucker up for Lyle and find a black console! Find the coolest, most expensive rims you can find, full undercoat, etc. The works! He deserves it. Oh, a discount wouldn’t hurt.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (11:19 am)A lease is a financial instrument designed to make money for the originator of the lease. In almost every case, you will never come out ahead of buying a car. Just go on Edmonds and work out the true cost to own for the life of the car both ways. Even as a write off, its usually better to buy if you actually run the numbers. Leases are designed to prey on people who want more car than they can afford. And there’s a big difference between what car we want and what car we need.
I’m sure our good Dr. can afford it either way. But for the rest of us, I would run, not walk away from and kind of lease.
Sep 5th, 2010 (11:20 am)Congratulations Lyle, I am pretty sure you as happy as a child knowing his Christmas present. Thus, I was hoping one day seeing a post that GM surprise you on your door with your very own Chevy Volt Lyte Edition. (GM…are you listening). I still am hoping that is the case for all you have been doiing…Wishing you endless miles in your Volt….Thanks.
Sep 5th, 2010 (11:33 am)Lyle
Looks like we ordered about the same time and we are both in the launch group so it will be interesting to track the progress of our vehicles once they show up on the myvolt web site.
The more I look at the white console the better I like it but if I change my mind later on I will just swap it out for a black one. I really like the other light accents of that interior package, it is just the console I am having to adjust to.
Jerry
+7
Sep 5th, 2010 (11:34 am)I struggled to find a coherent dealer in Connecticut (my folks live there). Shocked to find how little knowledge their sales team had of the car. Some didn’t even know what I was talking about, yet the dealership was on the list. I guess I’ll be 2012 when Colorado adds the Volt. The Model S Tesla looks wonderful too, but that’s another mystery car on launch dates or much else. Either way, soon, I’ll be in the EREV or BEV and off most foreign oil in my life. All my tools, lawn and otherwise are now electric. Furnace is gas, all sources American except for my CAR!!!!
Help GM. Help Tesla.
CHEVY VOLT: American-made, American-FUELED.
-5
Sep 5th, 2010 (11:36 am)Honestly, I wish the car had been under the Buick umbrella for service. Buick sales personnel actually know the cars they have. Chevy, they have terrible sales staff.
+5
Sep 5th, 2010 (11:55 am)Our own LeoK, who posts here regularly, owns his own Chevy dealership in Connecticut —I’ve reached him both by email & phone (just find a post of his & click on ‘LeoK’). Leo is EXTREMELY knowledgeable as well as very enthusiastic about the Volt and told me he’ll be selling it at MSRP!
+14
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:01 pm)While I voted for Lyle to get a free vote per Tag’s suggestion, I think Lyle should buy one. GM should buy more than a sufficient amount of advertising on Lyle’s websites to cover it. Win-Win.
I’m too broke to jump in right now, but keep up the good work and thanks for the great information everyone. Perhaps in the “near” future…
Wonder if Bob Lutz will wear his pink tie when he hands Lyle the keys (if he’s available and GM’s willing).
+3
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:14 pm)First off, CONGRATULATIONS Lyle!
Second, I agree that you deserve a new VOLT from GM…..
Third, I personally know Steve & his team at Englewood, so they better take good care of you! They are all good guys, so I’m sure they will:-)
Fourth, I hope Statik is around to write your post for tomorrow, because after your 3+ years of labor on this site, you deserve Labor Day OFF!!! Enjoy!
+5
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:25 pm)This site’s earned terrific recognition. All GM’s top brass; Chairman Whitacre, CEO Atkinson, Bob Lutz, and pretty much all the VOLT Leadership team have conferred with Lyle in one respect or another. Lots of times. So here GM pays Howie Long big bucks to sell Chevy. Obviously Long drives a Chevy. And I’ll bet the entire West Coast Long didn’t have to order his Chevy.
GM showing its gratitudes to Lyle and this site for shepherding VOLT progress from Day One is a PR dream. Note to GM PR: You can’t Google VOLT without this site showing up on page one. So let’s get it together!!!
+9
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:29 pm)Lyle’s post: “…..I have been considering whether to lease or buy the car. The $350 per month lease is for three years at 12,000 miles per year. Since I travel about 22,000 miles per year, at 25 cents per extra mile I would expect to pay $558 per month to lease. After three years that would be a layout of about $20,000. I would then owe $22,500 on the car ($1500 for leather option) minus a $7500 tax credit, or $15,000. A five year loan at 3.9% APR would be $643 per month….”
I continue to caution folks that it is too early to make an absolute decision on this buy vs. lease question. While GM has announced a $350/mo payment, 12,000mi/yr, 36mo term with $2,500 down, they have not announced any of the math used to get there.
IF the underlying interest rate on the lease is low, keeping the portion of each monthly payment going to interest low, that will favor the decision to lease. IF the interest rate is higher, then the residual value must be higher to keep the payment at $350/mo; this may start to favor a purchase. You have to wait to see some specifics.
One correction to your math on the lease – The mileage allowed on the base lease is 12,000 mi/yr, which would carry a 25cent/mi over penalty at the end of the term if you turned the car in. If the VOLT lease works like most other leases, you will have the option of using a 15,000mi/yr base, which will increase your monthly payment by about $30/mo, but it will also reduce the lease end excess mileage penalty to 15 cents per mile over. Also, on any lease, you can build in extra miles upfront at a lower cost that the lease end penalty (although you may not get that extra money back if you don’t use the miles). Again, you need to wait until ALL of the lease details are available.
Other factors to consider:
FAVORING LEASE: This is the Gen1 VOLT, there will be many improvements in future designs and evolving technology, so leasing may allow you to stay current.
FAVORING PURCHASE: Interest Rates are at historically low levels right now – you could purchase – even with a longer term loan – and lock in these historically low rates. If you lease with the intention of buying at the end, be aware that you will be subject to the prevailing interest rates in 3 years which will likely be higher.
Now on to Lyle’s personal case: I have to agree with bt@44 above – Lyle should purchase! Lyle, you’da VOLT man! Your persoanlly driven VOLT will have historic value, at least to the 50,000+ who have followed this site from day one. The moment you decide you no longer want to own one of the original VOLT’s, there will be someone else who wants to own YOUR Original VOLT. Buy it… Own it…. Drive it…. Be proud of it!
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:29 pm)Lyle is in a sort of gray area. Is he an advocate or is he a journalist? I suspect that GM treats him as a journalist. Albeit a very friendly one. When Lyle was invited to test drives or other Volt related events, the other people who were invited to those events were journalists. GM is not going to give a car to a journalist. That would taint anything good he might have to say about the car.
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:32 pm)When the day comes to take delivery of your Volt, Lyle, the time waiting will be like the blink of your eye and the enjoyment you derive from driving it will make that memory fade into the night as a forgotten dream followed by many happy new experiences in your Volt and wonderful memories of what you have done for all of us here at gm-volt.com.
Live Well and Prosper!
Happy trails you ’til we meet.
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:41 pm)Wrong way to look at this. The extra $0.25/mile is for depreciation and lowers the buyout price so it is not all wasted.
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:46 pm)I wonder if the reason Lyle has to pay for his Volt is because that wouldn’t send the right message. I am the first to say Lyle has earned it through the time he’s put in, no question, but when people hear that GM is giving away free $50,000 cars to bloggers/journalists they like, well, for one it makes people feel like they are subsidizing GM’s friends when they buy their cars, and another it makes potential IPO investors wonder if GM is serious about making money or just feel good charity.
Just a thought.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:48 pm)I feel strongly that Lyle will be quite happy with this. I too thought that I would prefer the darker console, but I will get used to the white. I definitely intend to pay cash up front. Still have to put a bit more into the piggy bank, but less than $10 K to go (GM could get a LOT of mileage if they would front a 0% loan for the $7500 rebate). No charge for the idea. I intend to keep the Volt for at least 10 years. I ordered the standard (painted) wheels thinking I was penny pinching. I’ve looked around since and am convinced that the painted ones will look nearly as good as the polished ones.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:51 pm)Indeed.
+4
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:52 pm)There are other ways to pay back good work. If nothing else Lyle has earned a lot of good Karma – and it is not just GM that owes him. It is all of us, and countless others that don’t even know yet that they will be driving electrically. Good will be rewarded. I am sure of it.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:57 pm)LeoK #60. Lyle, your Volt used should be worth more than a brand new one. Go for it!
I wish that I could afford two of them, one to keep for posterity. Just don’t have that kind of money.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:58 pm)Wow – lots of people want GM to give Lyle a free Volt.
I beg to differ. Bloggers should be independant and and not take any large “gifts”, in cash or kind, from companies they cover.
Already companies (and governments) have a large hold over bloggers/journalists by controlling access. We don’t want them to be putting them under financial obligations as well …
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (12:59 pm)Post (6), (7), (8) and (13) – I agree but even the employees do not get cars for free. They have a special discount though.
My sentiments exactly. Since GM is now the company of the American people, being owned by the government, it would send a very strong message : we are listening to you, the people. We are YOUR car company. You have your say on what we do. We are in tune with America.
Lyle deserves a special treatment.
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (1:11 pm)There is a lot of talk about how GM should reward Lyle for this website and his tireless devotion to promoting the Volt. I certainly agree with that, but it doesn’t seem to be something they want to make a big issue of. Maybe they don’t want to set a precedent where everyone who sets up a web site to promote a particular product expects to be rewarded for it.
However I see a lot of Volt ads on this site now, and I hope that Lyle makes a lot of money from these ads. This could be GM’s way of “rewarding” within the system.
Thanks Lyle,
Join thE REVolution!
Sep 5th, 2010 (1:17 pm)The buy versus lease options depend on who will be the lender for the lease. My wife had a job that gave her a monthly $500 vehicle expenses coverage, so she leased a Volvo Turbo. It was a fun car but sometimes had problems. When she quit that job and returned the Volvo, the lender devaluated the car so much that the I had to cover the difference between the account residual and the car’s final appraisal value. So that proves that a lease isn’t for everyone, and locally in Puerto Rico, American brands are devaluated more quickly than imports.
In my case, all my GM cars were bought with GMAC financing. My latest purchase came with zero percent interest. That offer is still available for most 2010 Chevy cars now (even for the Corvette). But GMAC has changed to Ally Financial, a new company, so I don’t know yet if a zero percentage financing would be offered again, especially for the Volt.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-03/gmac-posts-quarterly-profit-plans-to-adopt-ally-name-update2-.html
Sep 5th, 2010 (1:59 pm)Why would you pay extra for the lease miles if you plan to buy the car at the end of the lease? Just get the cheapest lease and just purchase it at the end for the residual amount. If you need to walk out of the lease or you total the car before the lease is over just deal with the charges if any. You might even make money on the car without paying extra for the miles you drive.
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (2:05 pm)Yes the advice is too narrowly focused. It’s also true that sometimes a lease is especially helpful to you as a consumer. A manufacturer has different levers available to it when moving vehicles. It can offer dealers incentives on certain vehicles, it can offer buyers incentives like cash back, or it can take the cash and funnel it to a leasing companies so the leasing company, in turn, can offer buyers a great leasing deal either through a low interest rate or a lower net cap value or a high residual or some combination of all. (This is in addition to many other specific cases where you can come out ahead leasing rather than buying).
What this means is that sometimes a lease is a far better financial deal than a sale. It just depends. So if someone purporting to be a financial advisor tells you that buying is always better than leasing it’s time to find another financial advisor. The only absolute rule is that, as a buyer, it’s always best to evaluate all the options. IOW get the best price you can and then run the numbers while factoring in any specific personal concerns.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (2:10 pm)Big congratulations, Lyle! Looking forward to seeing pictures and/or video of you taking delivery.
I, too, got my official order number yesterday. As it turns out, I found another dealer where I would be Number 3 on their list, instead of Number 9 like at the first dealer, so I placed my order! Went with a “loaded” Viridian Joule with Light Neutral Seats/Dark Accents, along with the polished wheels and backup camera/parking assist. I’m purchasing the car, so I decided to just go for it! Will be a long wait, but well worth it.
Thanks again for all the hard work and dedication you’ve put into the GM-Volt.com website. Without it, I wouldn’t be nearly as pumped for the Volt as I now am.
Sep 5th, 2010 (2:18 pm)It sounds like a lot of used Volts will be for sale starting in November 2013 (when all those 3 year leases end).
What do you think the price will be ? $21,000 ?
I bet there will be plenty of people willing to take a chance on the new technology at that price, especially with [expected] three years of good automotive press articles about the car.
Late 2014, [up to] another 60,000 used Volts will be on the market…
Lease the cutting edge technology (so no worries about the battery fading after 3 years, or much better Volts coming out in a few years), then the used car market can carefully watch the performance and battery fade and build quality, etc, to price it for the next 7 years (I usually drive my cars for 10 years).
Sounds like a plan. GM could probably lease 200,000 of these Volts by 2013. Maybe that’s the best way to roll out cutting edge auto technology – including Volt 2.0, coming in 2014.
Sep 5th, 2010 (2:51 pm)That is exactly what I am hoping for. 0% loan on the $7500 until tax refund time.
+3
Sep 5th, 2010 (2:54 pm)I think very early delivery of exactly the package he wants at no more than MSRP would be a good start. Oh yeah, that and having Bob deliver the keys wearing a pink tie.
-7
Sep 5th, 2010 (3:34 pm)Of course you lease, nobody in a sane mind would want to own such a vehicle as its technology is sure to become obsolete much faster that fossil fuel vehicles. Advances in electrics will be fast and furious in a few years making lease the smart choice.
Don’t be a dummy lease and move on.
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (3:57 pm)Agree GM should be making an announcement that they are rewarding Lyle for his 4 years of work generating interest for this car. Wether or not all the GM ads on this site have helped pay for a volt, GM should take the PR opportunity here and give Lyle #1 off the line. Build it with his color choice, snap some pictures, and show everyone that you are listening to the people. You’d be really stupid to soak in all his hard work then make him pay full retail with no mention.
+3
Sep 5th, 2010 (4:30 pm)I’m certain Lyle will get a price break. And I agree with others that Mr. Dennis deserves at least a free three year lease. Neurosurgeon’s jobs are crucial ones and demanding. It’s rather impressive he has been able to pull off this website, be a dad, have a family and perform brain surgeries simultaneously!
In the lease or buy department, definately buy. The Volt teeters on real production, so the first year’s cars will seriously be collector’s items. For that matter, and that matter alone – a purchase would seem to be in order.
Plus, Lyle, at some future Barrett-Jackson auction, you can autograph the dash of your Volt and someone here will buy it at some unheard of exhorbitant price – perhaps you could pocket a nice chunk of change for the kid’s college funds or possibly give it to some deserving charity!
RECHARGE!
James
On Labor Day weekend – Let’s take our hats off to the proud AMERICAN workers who will build the first Volts!
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (4:53 pm)Amen! Conversely, GM should watch out for that karmic backspin if they don’t do the right thing.
Be well,
Tagamet
Sep 5th, 2010 (5:13 pm)Way to go! The Volt you have will be a well documented car, no doubt. I would hope that with the mileage you will put on it, the car will still be holding up better than any vehicle you have ever owned.
I would lease this one. The next gen Volt will be on it’s way and you won’t be able to resist it.
Put as many miles on it you want. Hopefully, GM will eat them on the Lyle Pull Ahead Program.
Sep 5th, 2010 (5:24 pm)I’m glad to see that Lyle is NOT getting a free Volt from GM. It just proves that the GM-Volt.com site was the work of an honest enthusiast, not a mouthpiece on the take. This was also a smart (not greedy) decision by GM for the very same reason. Now a price “break” for Lyle, on the other hand, would be well deserved…..
Sep 5th, 2010 (5:25 pm)“L-PAP” has a nice ring to it, as in “Yeah, I got my Volt on an L-PAP deal!” But I’m a bit unclear what you want GM to eat….
Be well,
Tagamet
Sep 5th, 2010 (5:34 pm)Bravo and congratulations!
I can’t wait to read your comments on the car.
At 110,000 miles in three years I would purchase, then GM can’t take it back and crush your property.
7k a year is pretty steep but if it helps to stop our oil wars then it’s kinda cheap.
Sep 5th, 2010 (6:02 pm)FLMark,
Good advice.
Better to learn how to invest while you young and the mistakes are minimized. Invest in things you understand and stay away from complex investment strategies.
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (6:33 pm)I’ve been here since near the beginning.
Lyle absolutely deserves a free Volt and I sadden to learn GM has not offered one to him.
Lyle has tirelessly promoted this car on this website, on the radio, on TV and more.
He is a great human being and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him.
I sincerely hope he gets a free one. If not, good luck with your purchase Lyle.
Sep 5th, 2010 (6:48 pm)Give him a 12,000 m/yr lease rate and when it’s time to bring it in GM buys back the car and sets him up for the next one, no mileage penalty whatsoever!
I like the L-PAP deal but I’m afraid that the fine print might have some exclusions…
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:08 pm)How long have you actually owned your smarter money vehicles?
Doesn’t the short term use of a vehicle for a business offer the ability to directly expense it rather than depreciate it?
I have owned a seasonal business as well and the least amount of cash out of pocket for direct expenses left me with a greater ability to invest in short term inventory and an excellent return. At no point did I allow myself to reduce my liquid assets below an amount needed for seasonal inventory investments.
So, after all possibilities of maximizing liquid assets have been reached, which scenario would be best for driving a personal car for only 4 years that was new at inception? Buy or lease. Doesn’t it depend on actual cash value of the vehicle and the use of money rates?
In Lyle’s position with the Volt, wouldn’t he be expected to take on the next generation of the car for personal use? Or should he keep this one as a business asset and hold on to it until it has fully depreciated?
Smart money leases or buys if Lyle drives the car for 3 or 4 years?
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:19 pm)Yeah, I got the “eat the miles” part after I posted the reply.
I’ve never claimed to understand why GM does *anything* the way they do, and granted, they may play the “we don’t want to taint the well” card, but ….
*Whatever* the actual motive is, it looks like just a simple lack of cajones. JMO.
Be well,
Tagamet
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:29 pm)I figured that and my reply was a little tongue in cheek. Hey, if Lyle does indeed get a Volt in his driveway compliments of GM, good for him. Let’s get it there ASAP, even before the press (Lyle’s not press is he?) so that we can get the scoop on ALL of what we want to know.
Now THAT would be a reward.
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:32 pm)When they have to do something with idled oil tankers, like turn them into contingency hospital ships or something, they can name them the USS Lauckner, USS Lutz, USS Dennis, USS Weber and so on!
A free Volt is nice, but like Tag and others have said, it’s not about the money.
Well, not directly about the money.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:36 pm)Not just a reward, but it’d be a helluva smart business move. Lyle will probably continue to report on people’s experiences with the Volt (and hopefully Gen II, III, IV, etc), but think about what GM has LOST if he just said, “I’ve done my part, time to move on”. GM lost the single best avenue of Volt information sharing on Earth. Now *that* would be a dumb move.
Just saying.
Be well,
Tagamet
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (7:53 pm)Absolutely and a good part of it depends on just how good the Volt will be.
He deserves any deserts from GM for this site but I like the idea of him going the average Joe route. Lyle gets a Volt the same way the rest of us do and credibility won’t be an issue (as if it would be to most of us here).
Just another feather in his cap, and a good one.
+2
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:30 pm)It’s GM’s loss if they agree with you. Personally, I think that a good job should be rewarded. The *only* thing that survived the bankruptcy was the Volt. Turn back the clock and delete Lyle’s part. GM never moves the Volt past the concept. Goes through bankruptcy. And has *what* going for them?
Just saying.
Be well,
Tagamet
Sep 5th, 2010 (8:58 pm)Congrats, Lyle! Almost makes me wish I was still in New Jersey, just so I could pop by for ride;-) You decision about whether to lease or not is a difficult one- normally, leasing is not a good deal compared to buying. But this might be a special case since the entire $7500 tax rebate is applied to the 3-year lease rather than to the whole price of the car. Tough choice. But I think if it was me (and I could afford it!), I would buy the Volt outright, even if it ended up that leasing made more sense. There’s something about owning the first of a product like this. And it may be, 20 years down the road, the limited 1st gen Volt may be worth a great deal as a classic.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:09 pm)That’s a little too dramatic for me.
I have followed this site ever since the original debate of the 2 mode patent application expose and the possibility of the Volt being a parallel hybrid car. The level of competence of the contributors was a response to a program that had already created a grass roots following. If Lyle didn’t start this site, no doubt someone else would have. There were just too many closet motorheads out there to let the Volt pass into oblivion.
What Lyle has done was see an opportunity to create a forum that didn’t exist…yet. He was the first and nobody has stepped up to compete. Not for a lack of competent web authors but because he was the first mature person to scratch that itch.
Should he be rewarded by GM for his efforts, I vote yes. But I have a pretty good idea that the beauty of this site is that Lyle is above that.
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:23 pm)It’s tough to argue with what *might* have been. I don’t doubt that there were others interested in the Volt, but it seems a reach that there “surely” would have been a combination of tenacity, intellect, and interpersonal skills that Lyle brings to the table. How many gearheads are out there that can perform neurosurgery, interact with GM folks in a lasting way, *and* run marathons while they are being a family man? Maybe there are a ton of them out there (read “bright, tenacious, social folks”), but if there are, why aren’t they all over the net? Surely there’d be at least ONE supporting each flavor of vehicle that floats their boat. Felix Kramer does a nice job for plugin cars in general, but even he doesn’t do an article a day – by an order of magnitude.
And please don’t think that just because he’s my son, that I’m biased in any way (g).
Be well,
Tagamet
/I just remembered Statik’s Leaf site. He does a great job there, too.
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:27 pm)Who’s your son?
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:42 pm)LOL, I was kidding!
Be well,
Tagamet
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:43 pm)Awesome Lyle. Cant wait to hear the first hand reviews =)
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:49 pm)Not for nothing, but the GM site was pretty popular at one time. The problem there was that moderator had to be be GM correct. Lyle has filled the void that GM can’t get into: competitive and questionable technology that strays from the GM path.
Believe it or not, we owe a debt of gratitude to BMW. If it weren’t for the lease a mini-e program and the price exclusivity, not too many people would have been interested in an EV other than the Leaf as an alternative to the Tesla. The marketing department of Nissan would have a field day and “range anxiety” would only be a fabrication. Don’t underestimate the affluence of the green BEV crowd. Have you priced a vegan cupcake lately?
The Volt as a concept wouldn’t have much validity to the average guy and a $41k Chevy compact would be a hard sell.
Giving Lyle a Volt means more to us than it does to him.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:52 pm)Stop trying to twist GMs arm. Everyone on Lyle’s list should send in a buck.
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (9:58 pm)Finally, something we agree on.
Be well,
Tagamet
/Night all
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:01 pm)And civility reigns for a night!
Sleep well my friend.
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:22 pm)And you too, my friend.
Be well,
Tagamet
+5
Sep 5th, 2010 (10:40 pm)Great News Lyle!
I still hope that the GM exec’s show up and simply hand you the keys at delivery.
Personally due to changing financial circumstances I will be waiting for a later generation version… (or maybe I’ll buy yours in a few years used!)
I have bought a used Volkwagen Golf in the meantime. (from my sister!)
+1
Sep 5th, 2010 (11:09 pm)Sorry if I left the impression that any of our vehicles was used for business. They aren’t. My CPA brother in law tried to give me screwy advice about getting a PO Box and using that as a bogus first stop on the way to real business. It smelled bad. IRS is very clear that commuting miles are not deductible, so I wasn’t going to play that game.
Regarding deduction vs depreciation, the only time it is COMPLETELY clear on when depreciation is best solution is during start up. As you are likely to be in lowest tax bracket at that point, moving depreciation dollars into future years when higher tax brackets apply will mean more money in your pocket overall. During steady state, a deduction now is often better than future depreciation. I have to admit though, that the Section 179 issues (income limits, etc) have made me default normally to S/L depreciation to higher value items. I created my software to accommodate any accounting scenario, but I felt like never having to worry about audits was preferred approach. As I implied (in mentioning my lectures), my desire was always to give people enough information (and tools) so that they could make their own decisions. But that is certainly beyond topic discussed here.
Regarding current car purchase, I am the type who likes to avoid leases and keep cars till they run into the ground. But there are lots of issues to consider with Volt. (battery obsolescence, near term future improvements, possible price declines). I think it is hard to fully attack any scenario one uses for acquiring this revolutionary vehicle (whether business or personal use). You are wise (especially with seasonal business) to focus on liquid cash. After that, second basic theme in finances should be diversity. With excess cash, split it up between retiring debt (both business and personal), and investing. It is NEVER smart to be debt free and have no investments and it is also never smart to have BAD DEBT (credit cards) while concurrently reinforcing investments.
One thing I like to point out to people who are stuck on having no home mortgage. This is purely an emotional decision. You NEVER really own your home. Stop paying your property taxes and you find out that even if the bank doesn’t concurrently own your home along with you, the government does. Life just sucks that way. Also, having zero debt makes you less attractive from a FICO standpoint. Yeah, I want to be debt free at retirement, but until then low interest debt (<5% APR), combined with liquid cash and investments means the freedom to to act when opportunity presents itself.
Sorry, no concrete advice in any of this other than all eggs in one basket is a really BAD approach (and that means zero debt + zero liquidity is always to be avoided- root canals and crapped out refrigerators happen to all of us).
Sep 6th, 2010 (1:15 am)The green panels for the doors give it a modern fusion look I like that one.
Sep 6th, 2010 (5:18 am)Did the color option Viridian Joule get changed to Urban Fresh?
=D-Volt
+2
Sep 6th, 2010 (6:19 am)Comment #8 is at +99! We need ONE more +1 to hit triple digits! Sooooo close.
The post has been read *well* over 4 thousand times, so where’s the 100th vote????
Be well,
Tagamet
+2
Sep 6th, 2010 (6:35 am)Congrats Lyle. Here’s a totally impractical suggestion. Put your brand new Volt up on blocks in a nitrogen flushed storage locker. A century from now – it will be worth $2.4M on the collector market. Your kids will celebrate and history will have been made.
On the other hand… Buy your car. Own it, drive it and report often how it changes your life. Thanks for all you’ve done!
GO GM-VOLT and transition to EV transportation!
Sep 6th, 2010 (6:38 am)someone took us down a few pegs Tag, stupid trolls!!
stuey needs +4 now
mabey +99 is the highest obtainable number on this site, im sure ive seen more on here in the past!
Sep 6th, 2010 (6:39 am)It’s good to see orders going in for the Volt. It will be very interesting to hear the MPGs of people lucky enough to be early adopters. My commute is 10 miles each way. I’m sure this commute will create MPGs of over 100mpg … twice that of the Prius. It will also be interesting to know the life cycle of the Volt. What happens when the car is 10 years old? My Buick is 9 years old and still operates and looks like new and has at lease 5 years of service life. How long will the battery be functional? will the range just go down gradually? Say in 10 years will you just get 25 miles on all electric?
Lyle … I wish you continued success on this very informative site. I’m sure it has been very lucritive for you.
Sep 6th, 2010 (6:43 am)hang on were back at +99!!! can we crack the tonne?
stuey
-2
Sep 6th, 2010 (6:52 am)Looks like the trolls don’t get out anymore than *we* do (lol). As site admin, I’m guessing that Lyle can tease out the actual +’s and -’s cast (and by whom).
I’m not sure that you celebrate “Labor Day” down there, but have a great one anyway!
Be well,
Tagamet
+1
Sep 6th, 2010 (6:59 am)hey Tag
Celebrating the Australian labour movement, the Labour Day public holiday is fixed by the various state and territory governments, and so varies considerably. It is the first Monday in October in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and South Australia. In both Victoria and Tasmania, it is the second Monday in March (though the latter calls it Eight Hours Day). In Western Australia, Labour Day is the first Monday in March. In both Queensland and the Northern Territory, it is the first Monday in May.
we certainly do!
stuey
BTW I’m sure now +99 is highest obtainable, i should win the first available Holden volt when she becomes available in 2012! lol just kidding
………………(but not really)
+1
Sep 6th, 2010 (7:02 am)hey +100! you win lyle!
+1
Sep 6th, 2010 (7:13 am)YAY!! Congrats to all (especially stuey81)!
And Happy Labor Days, too!
Be well,
Tagamet
/AFK for a bit.
+2
Sep 6th, 2010 (8:00 am)Well I popped in just to +1 #8 post.
While I agree with the independance part, I still think GM should do something special for Lyle.
Cheers to All.
Sep 6th, 2010 (8:35 am)NZDavid, thought about you. Anything to report from the earthquake?
Sep 6th, 2010 (9:05 am)An 11 fot crack in the Earth opened up and 500 buildings destroyed, but no one killed is being declared a miracle. I thought of NZD as well!
Be well,
Tagamet
Sep 6th, 2010 (11:08 am)Or just take the $33,500 and invest it at 4.5% interest. In 100 years you’ll have $2.7M.
Sep 6th, 2010 (7:38 pm)Congrats Lyle. One of the first to bring some additional class and forward thinking to an already-world class city.
Sep 6th, 2010 (10:02 pm)Take one of the high resolution interior photos and set as your desktop background. Gives the impression of sitting inside the Volt.
=D-Volt
Sep 7th, 2010 (9:41 am)Lyle,
I wish you much luck with your Volt purchase. Or lease. Either option will be a good one. GM really has offered a good lease option. The only down side for you is the miles you drive each year. It really gets down to a dollars and cents decision. I am pretty certain you would trade up to a newer Volt just as soon as version two is released. I would.
Sep 7th, 2010 (5:13 pm)Just got off the phone with a GM/Volt supervisor on the Volt hot line and was told that all the Volt,s built this calendar year will be with the cloth interior. It looks like Lyle won,t get his in the first batch either unless GM gets enough complaints about not building any leather cars till Jan. I have an order for a Volt and Chevy called to say a person would call later and be my contact person but I do not yet have a order #. I asked the supervisor to escalate this question about why they would just build the cloth cars first and he is doing it. He said as far as he knows it is not a problem getting the leather.
Anyone getting any other info on this issue?
This does not sound right if Lyle is getting leather and early delivery.
Sep 7th, 2010 (6:16 pm)cant understand why some ppl can order the black seats white console, and others the black console white seats?
or have i missunderstood something ?
a confused stuey
?
Sep 8th, 2010 (10:13 pm)Well, the new GM needs to make money. Lyle must buy his volt like the rest of us – BUT – GM’s Volt team should sign his.
Or it should come with a pink tie.
Oh, wait, that’s Statik’s.