I'll be painting the bottom skirts the same as the body color. Maybe even the black portion of the hatch and in place of the Chevy bowtie and Volt logo I'll put the V for Vendetta logo to have two meanings. One: V is for Volt and two: the art imitating life meaning of the movie.

Yogi,
I like that idea esp the skirting. Are you talking about the chevy emblem on the front of the car?? Is it removable??

I have a question for anyone that has seen the red color in person:: In some photos it looks a little on the burnt orange side which I like. In other photos the red looks somewhat lackluster as opposed to a bright Porsche red. So what does the red look like in person??

I meant the emblem on the rear of the car. The emblem on the front is removable but it will leave the base where the top and bottom portions of the bowtie rests and it doesn't look good.
http://www.blogcdn.com/green.autoblog.com/media/2009/11/chevy-volt-iver-630.jpg

Here is the rear without the emblem
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autobloggreen.com/media/2009/08/volt-iver-1280-09.jpg
I don't know what those two large circles are. They could be mounting holes but I have never seen mounting holes for emblems THAT large. Usually the pins are smaller in diameter than a pencil.

I have a question for anyone that has seen the red color in person:: In some photos it looks a little on the burnt orange side which I like. In other photos the red looks somewhat lackluster as opposed to a bright Porsche red. So what does the red look like in person??

George, I have not seen the red car but the dealer gave me a chart of external colors for the Volt. Holding chart strip up at all angles against my Buick LaSabre Tri-Coat Crimson Red it appears like a very near match, if not the same color. I think it is one of the most beautiful colors on any car. I some times refer to it a Tail Light Red. I conceded and gave my wife the choice of colors. She wanted a "Volt" color and chose the Viridian Joule with natural seats and dark center stack.

Originally, I asked my wife the artist which color she would want and she said charcoal gray. After looking at the photos again I like that color because it makes the lower trim panels disappear and blend in but is not BLACK. ....but I like the black too.

and red and VJ and wt tri coat

Hah! George, that's one of the reasons I got the gray as well. It blends the most with the lower trim panels. I would like to modify my car with paint, and some interior changes but I haven't come to a firm decision on lease vs buy. And if I lease, well, modifying the car is a no-no. Unless the dealer is okay with improving the looks. I think painting the skirts will not be noticed and actually improve the appearance so if I decide to give the car back after 3 years I won't get dinged for painting the skirts.

Yogi,
I like that idea esp the skirting. Are you talking about the chevy emblem on the front of the car?? Is it removable??

I have a question for anyone that has seen the red color in person:: In some photos it looks a little on the burnt orange side which I like. In other photos the red looks somewhat lackluster as opposed to a bright Porsche red. So what does the red look like in person??

George,

I drove a red one last week and I have to say it REALLY looks great on the car. I thought all the black trim looked fine with it as well. It is definitely a darker red. I would have used the term Crimson, even though I have not seen the Buick version Xzlon mentioned. If I hadn't told myself my next car has to be white (my current cars are both dark, navy blue) I would go for the red.

George, I just don't know what came over me, but I ordered a red Volt. I was kind of worried about it. Then I saw one in person at the Woodward Dream Cruise. It was just stunning. Nearly took my breath away. I will be quite happy with it. In the absence of a more informed guidance, I would say that it is kind of like candy apple red, but with a little bit more depth, because of the metalic content. In fact it is a lot similar to the Tesla Model S that was at the Detroit auto show, but clearly that was a show car and the paint on it cost about 12K (it just popped).

More on the Red Volt ---- This just in (as they say): There is a red Volt on the cover of Motor Trend - and an extensive article on the Volt. I am told that it is nearly mandatory to buy this issue.

I really like the idea of painting the skirts. As to the emblem, I will be having that painted the same color as well (front and back), and painting the grill deep black.

I think the grill and emblem would look great in black chrome

So has anyone painted their lower body panels yet? Any pics?

I just got my white one on Friday. I love the car, but those unpainted, unfinished panels look horrible to me. I also want to paint the tailgate below the lights body color.

Would love to see pics of actual cars with these mods.
1145

I don't think the lower trim necessarily looks bad, but they'd look better if they were body color (except for the part on the front air dam that gets scraped easily). Especially after seeing the Ampera with body color trim.

http://www.topopelpics.info/opel-ampera/

I have to wonder if any of the extra cost colors (Crystal Red Metallic Tintcoat, White Diamond Tricoat, Viridian Joule Tricoat) would be harder for a body shop to color match on the trim? I ordered my Volt in Viridian Joule, so I'd also like to see a Volt with body color trim.

You can be sure most body shops will want to charge extra for the higher cost of materials and extra steps.

But the White Diamond is on every white Cadillac Escalade and other Cadillacs, so body shops must know how to work with it by now.


I don't think the lower trim necessarily looks bad, but they'd look better if they were body color (except for the part on the front air dam that gets scraped easily). Especially after seeing the Ampera with body color trim.

http://www.topopelpics.info/opel-ampera/

I have to wonder if any of the extra cost colors (Crystal Red Metallic Tintcoat, White Diamond Tricoat, Viridian Joule Tricoat) would be harder for a body shop to color match on the trim? I ordered my Volt in Viridian Joule, so I'd also like to see a Volt with body color trim.

You can be sure most body shops will want to charge extra for the higher cost of materials and extra steps.

But the White Diamond is on every white Cadillac Escalade and other Cadillacs, so body shops must know how to work with it by now.

That's true, and the White Diamond is a great color. Odds are I won't mess with the paint on my Volt, but I'd still like to see pictures of someone's Volt that does decide to go through with it.