4th Dec 2011, 12:10

Comment 14:16 appears to be a misunderstanding. The batteries in the Volt can overheat over a period of DAYS if they are damaged in a serious accident. So can ANY of these batteries in ANY car. These batteries use a cooling system to keep them from overheating. In very rare cases, the batteries can overheat if the cooling system is damaged. This requires a MAJOR accident. I doubt that anyone would park a nearly totalled car in their garage!! There are no cases of Volts causing any fires anywhere, or any harm to anyone because of the batteries. This appears to be another myth in the making.

4th Dec 2011, 12:58

Maybe it isn't the car's fault, but it is still GM's.

4th Dec 2011, 13:04

Here we go again with the dishonest dealers and being "duped" by Chevy dealers. Please just stop! I seem to never get "duped' by any dealer, other than GM, if that is the case. Again, even if there was an outside chance that was true, it would only further my proof that buying GM is a waste of time. You really aren't making a good point to support them if their dealer network is so dishonest!

Until a Toyota or Honda dealer "dupes" me for a repair, I guess I will have to just keep going to them. Of course I would have to actually need something repaired first, which just doesn't seem to happen to me. Even my Ford dealer didn't pull any crap when they had to fix my SYNC system.

4th Dec 2011, 13:10

Okay guys, enough is enough. I know my experiences, and I am done arguing about it. Go ahead and support GM. I really don't care. I was just offering up real world experiences I have had to warn others who don't like spending major bucks on low mileage repairs. Whatever! Spend all you want. It makes no difference to me, because I don't do it anymore, and have not sat in a dealer waiting room since I traded my last GM product. I guess if people need accurate information, they can find scores of sites with the common Trailblazer issues, like I did while researching the many problems I had with mine.

I'm done with this thread now, so go on among yourselves. I won't be looking at it again. Peace, and good luck to you all.

5th Dec 2011, 14:29

We do "spend all we want" in repairs on our GM cars. The tally so far:

$17 for brake pads on the 2001. That's all. $0 on the 2003. We certainly ARE "spending all we want!!"

5th Dec 2011, 14:36

Comment 08:48 makes a great point. With a 93% owner satisfaction rating, the Chevy Volt ranks at the top of the list of cars in the world. This really makes a lot of sense. Unlike all-electric cars, the Volt will never leave you stranded because the batteries are drained. You can drive it coast-to-coast without recharging if you choose to, because of the back-up gas engine. I'd never buy an all-electric (like the Nissan Leaf) for this very reason.

5th Dec 2011, 20:52

Thank you for warning us about GM, but I don't need warnings from anybody, nor does anyone else who has never been let down by a car company that I never had to spend unnecessary bucks on.

6th Dec 2011, 09:14

At last... The argument will end!! Thank you!! Stick with what works for you, and I'll do the same.

6th Dec 2011, 22:12

I was happy to see that 2 GM vehicles made Car and Driver's "10 Best" list this year. The incomparable Cadillac CTS-V (world's fastest production sedan and station wagon) and the incredible Chevy Volt, which is the world's most versatile electric car due to its back-up gas engine. I was a little disappointed that the Chevy Cruze Eco wasn't selected, as it is the highest mileage gas-only car in its class. I was also happy, as a Mustang owner, to see Mustang in the "10 Best" list as well.

7th Dec 2011, 13:29

I read the same article, and noticed the top 10 didn't include Toyota. Gee, I wonder why.

7th Dec 2011, 18:01

There are many highly dishonest shops and dealer service departments. In reading the comment about the Trailblazer that supposedly had bad tie rod ends and the service department refusing to let the owner leave because of "legal issues", I was reminded of my brother's experience. At around 39,000 miles, he sent his son to the shop to get an alignment on his Pontiac. The service tech tried to take advantage of the teenager's lack of car savvy by telling him the car needed $2000 worth of front end work, and "wasn't safe to drive home". It just so happened that my brother was a car enthusiast and expert mechanic. The son called him and was told "The car is fine. Bring it home NOW". My brother knew NO car has that sort of problem at only 39,000 miles. Sure enough, he checked the car over and the front end was perfect.

If this had happened to the average totally clueless car owner, they would no doubt be on sites such as these ranting about how their car "fell apart at 39,000 miles". In my brother's case, he simply informed the shop that they had lost any future business or referrals from him, and he drove that "unsafe" Pontiac well over 100,000 miles with no front end issues and zero repair bills.

Since finding this site, I have urged people who own cars to learn a few basics so they won't get taken. When I see comments about replacing brake shoes at 20,000 miles I cringe. It is virtually impossible to wear out a set of brake pads in 20,000 miles. My domestics usually go well over 100,000 miles. If you allow ANY brake shop or service department to check your brakes, they will ALWAYS scare you into getting new pads, even if 90% of the lining still remains. Checking your own brake pads is super easy, and takes about 10 minutes. I generally never even bother to check mine until after 50,000 or so.

So when you see these comments about how "my car fell apart at 30,000 miles", you can rest assured that in virtually 100% of these cases, someone who knew nothing about cars got taken big time.

8th Dec 2011, 22:56

A car service facility refusing to allow a customer to take their car out of the shop because it supposedly is "too dangerous to drive", is not only a gimmick to fleece people, it is blatantly ILLEGAL. If this ever happens, simply call the police. It is illegal for a shop or dealership to confiscate private property unless there is an unpaid lien for work already done.