Autoweek: Some Chevy dealers turn down more Volts

[TurboFroggy]

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2012...n=awdailydrive

Until Volts are available in all 50 states, this is complete bunk. When gas goes to $5.00 a gallon this summer, they will loose money to their competition who has Volts in stock.

[ewiggins]

I sure hope GM hangs tough and sticks it out. We can not afford for the EV market to die a slow death---again...

[dwl]

I don't really pay attention to one or two apparent regional demand deficiencies. It's the monthly sales that matter. As long as the numbers keep going up, it's all good. When the numbers start going down significantly without any associated production/delivery problems, then I'll start to worry a little bit. Hasn't happened yet. So I'm not worried yet.

Every other week, someone digs up something to write a negative story about that signals the death knell for the Volt. Hasn't changed anything so far.

[DonC]

It's too bad that GM has such a weak presence out here. If the Volt were a Toyota it would probably sell better. No matter. The Volt is a great car and people will figure that out. It also won't hurt when the Volt is eligible for the HOV lanes.

[Kurt_Woloch]

Even if demand should be down in the USA now, there seems to be enough demand to satisfy internationally. Last thing I heard, there were 7000 Amperas ordered from Europe (on November 28th, 2011), and apart from a few exceptions, delivery still hasn't started, partly because of the Volt fires and the associated battery fix. The Germans will only start to get their Amperas next month, and we Austrians will have to wait until May. So there are definitely enough Voltec vehicles to produce, I think.

[Steverino]

The last batch of negativity was the over-hyped test crash fire. Sales went up 35%. The negative press may be getting the word out better than the lame Volt TV commercials!

[bonaire]

Get them up to Canada where people are saying they can't even get one. And Europe where petrol prices are double+ here.

People think the Volt is a $45K car. Sure, with options. It's $39995 with destination charge for a base model. With dealer help and GM rebates along with tax credits and such, I look at the base Volt to be sub-$27K if someone were to use a GM Card earnings and use their state's rebate (mine in PA is $3500, Colorado is $6000).

In some rural shops where the average [family] income is $30K, Volts of course will not sell. In suburban and urban areas, there's a better chance. My local dealership had one allocation and sold their non-Demo. They still have their Demo model, which is a fully-loaded Joule with the lettering on the side and it's over our 500-mile PA state rebate maximum so it's going to be some time before they sell it.

If the administration wants to move EVs sooner, then they should make the tax credit an at-sale immediate rebate. That along with the really good lease deal going on right now would sell more Volts. Oh, and get them up to Canada!

[WVhybrid]

I think the most of the sales problem has been the slow rollout. That allows the naysayers to point to the low sales and call the Volt a failure. Once again limited production is hurting a GM electric car.

WVhybrid

[JeremyK]

I saw this story yesterday as well. Seems pretty slanted to me, though I wonder if Jan. sales will suffer due to the running battery "fix" that is being implemented. I can already see the headlines...

I for one am simply waiting for spring to purchase/lease my Volt. Right now, my trusty Saabaru is still performing flawlessly and is my 1st choice for winter driving.

[Henry_FL]

I have to say its spot on, I'm not a troll and I own a volt ... BUT

The dealer I purchased from still has the same 6 volts on the lot and no deals in the works ... some of the Vins are in the 2000's, so they have been on the lot for 5 months now

The dealer I didn't buy from, still has the same two

I know small sample size, but this shows that in the last 6 weeks, neither dealer has taken a Volt and not including my sale, Neither dealer has sold a Volt

We all want unicorns and 1 million Volt sales a year, its is what it is and you can't fight reality.