I think 2014 will be my year...

[QB 45]

Thanks KyleH, I'll have to look into that

I'll have to play it by ear and see what changes will be coming out, and make up my mind from there. I wonder if I could rent one, just to have fun with it for a while.....

[saghost]

Thanks KyleH, I'll have to look into that

I'll have to play it by ear and see what changes will be coming out, and make up my mind from there. I wonder if I could rent one, just to have fun with it for a while.....

There's a guy in Maui that would love to rent you one, and they have all those mountain roads to play on...

[baragona]

People have waited a lifetime for the perfect car, only to find it doesn't exist.

Trust me, the one or two features that are added in 2014 won't make "that" much of a difference. The Volt is already a fantastic vehicle.

"Don't wait" I say...

[gieso]

Just do it now. Waiting to drive a great car because the next one will be better is like waiting for the next computer, tablet or cell phone. You will never have the latest. They will always get better over time.

The thing to consider is if the current Volt is better than what you have now (assuming you are driving something now). If you think you really want the 2.0 version that will come out at some unspecified time, lease one now and turn it in in a few years for the next one. Then you don't even have to worry about the tax credit.

Just remember, by the time the rev 2.0 Volts are out, we will alll be dreaming up reasons why the rev 3.0 models will be so much better than those crappy rev 2.0s.

[flmark]

Well, it doesn't take a psychological whiz to see into your subconscious. No one makes a post like yours, TWO YE ARS ahead of the scheduled event, who really WANTS to wait that long (or really expects to wait anyway). You really want to have lots of happy owners to tell you not to wait. So, from one of the many who already own TWO Volts, I will say DO IT NOW. You won't last two years & life is too short to forego the blissful driving Nirvana that is the Volt.

[QB 45]

All very good points... I am considering more and more often leasing one.

Just do it now. Waiting to drive a great car because the next one will be better is like waiting for the next computer, tablet or cell phone. You will never have the latest. They will always get better over time.

The thing to consider is if the current Volt is better than what you have now (assuming you are driving something now). If you think you really want the 2.0 version that will come out at some unspecified time, lease one now and turn it in in a few years for the next one. Then you don't even have to worry about the tax credit.

Just remember, by the time the rev 2.0 Volts are out, we will all be dreaming up reasons why the rev 3.0 models will be so much better than those crappy rev 2.0s.

Hahaha I guess you couldn't be more right Right now I drive an '05 Dodge Stratus. Not a luxury car, but it's in top shape and it's nice. I kinda like listening to the engine, listening to it shift gears and all that. You can tell I'm a very mechanical kind of person
Obviously it's no substitute for what one poster described as "smooth, quiet, continuous thrust", but it has it's place.

My only real reason for pause is paying for it. I can buy when I want, but it would mean spending a considerable chunk of my life savings. I have a pile of money, but crappy income. My family all tell me I need to buy a house first, my friends say I need to buy the car already, and I'm thinking about investing it. But man I want this car

[SoCA_I*R]

There's a guy in Maui that would love to rent you one, and they have all those mountain roads to play on...

I was going to say they have Volts for rent here in Los Angeles, but heck, if you have to travel to check out a car, I vote for a trip to Maui!

[KyleH]

Hey, I hate to sound like your parents, but I think you should address your "crappy income" first. If you are able to save money in this crappy economy, then you are doing something right! But, I think you should invest in yourself first before a house or a car. Find a profession that you find interesting and that pays--it may be something available in a 2yr trade school. Consider if that is something you want to do, and if that is something you would work hard for. Talk to someone doing that professionally and ask some questions, etc. Look into trade schools, or if your profession requiers a 4 year degree, look into jr colleges for basic classes that transfer to a 4year school. Then, enroll in school to get that profession (maybe your current job can support you by paying some tuition, offering more flexibile times to study, or proviiding more time off for school)--there will always be a bigger/better home and car, but you should consider focusing on your education and skills if you are young enough to learn. (From the sound of it, not having a wife and kid is a great point to start on an education.)

Secondly, this is a great market to get a home, *if* you can qualify for a loan. Loans are difficult to get these days, even if banks have the money, they are very stringent on lending it out. However, home ownership is not for everyone in every state. In Texas for instance, we pay a 3-5% tax each year on our homes. On a very modest $180k home, you are looking at $5k/year in taxes or about +$450/mo bill in taxes alone. With payments and escrow, monthly payments can be around $1500/month for 15 years. For retirement, some people are better off in a 1 bedroom rental than a house with home responsibilities: landscaping, taxes, furniture, miscellaneous home repair, etc. If you have less than 2-3% in taxes, look to see if you can secure a loan; otherwise, don't feel being pushed in getting a home.

If all else is not an option, the Volt can save $0.01 for each electric mile *if* you can charge it at your current place. So, if you drive 10,0000 miles a year, that is near $1,000. savings. Not many other cars can do that. However, I drive about 7,000 miles a year, and live in one of the highest insurance county, so I actually loose money each year if you consider my insurance premiums. I am better off driving my 9 year old saturn and pay gas at 25mpg instead of getting full coverage on a $40k car. (Not to discourage for many people, if I do not mind commiting insurance fraud, I can claim residence 5 miles north of my house to get my insurance in half--crazy world I live in, eh?)

Best of luck....I think we all here think you should get the car, though--ha!

-KyleH

...
My only real reason for pause is paying for it. I can buy when I want, but it would mean spending a considerable chunk of my life savings. I have a pile of money, but crappy income. My family all tell me I need to buy a house first, my friends say I need to buy the car already, and I'm thinking about investing it. But man I want this car

[QB 45]

Find a profession that you find interesting and that pays--it may be something available in a 2yr trade school. Consider if that is something you want to do, and if that is something you would work hard for. Talk to someone doing that professionally and ask some questions, etc. Look into trade schools, or if your profession requiers a 4 year degree, look into jr colleges for basic classes that transfer to a 4year school. Then, enroll in school to get that profession (maybe your current job can support you by paying some tuition, offering more flexibile times to study, or proviiding more time off for school)--there will always be a bigger/better home and car, but you should consider focusing on your education and skills if you are young enough to learn.

That's all already in the works Gunsmithing is a very fun profession, but it can be at times very frustrating. There is a very wide variety of different things you must be knowledgeable about. The income is highly dependent on your reputation too (whether or not you even have one, I mean) - it's best to keep it joined with another related business, as I have the luxury of doing. I have several much more experienced machinists and gunsmiths I learn from, and they are a huge asset. I will be pursuing an education in mechanical engineering technology; it's just a matter of getting my ducks in a row first. I would like to get my Volt beforehand though; I go driving to college classes, driving to work, driving to the gym, driving home, driving here, there, and everywhere. I wish I were doing it electrically