Augh – Car shopping is so frustrating!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by freebeard

So you're saying it happens? What if grabbing the dog causes the accident?

Happened at least once, but my mother was driving. Traffic was slow, so it was nothing but scary.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

There are restraint systems meant for dogs, yet sometimes being quick enough to grab the dog before it hits the dashboard is the only thing to do...

Yes there are restraints for dogs and when we had dogs they were always restrained. Safer for the dog and much safer for everyone else in the car. I also strap down suitcases in the back of our wagon. Unrestrained projectiles are dangerous in an collision.


We had harnesses similar to these but replaced the flimsy tether with climbing webbing and carabiners.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by JSH

I also strap down suitcases in the back of our wagon. Unrestrained projectiles are dangerous in an collision.

I remember seeing mesh-wire safety barriers for the trunk of station-wagons, yet they're quite uncommon in my country.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by JSH

I also strap down suitcases in the back of our wagon. Unrestrained projectiles are dangerous in an collision.


We had harnesses similar to these but replaced the flimsy tether with climbing webbing and carabiners.

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

I remember seeing mesh-wire safety barriers for the trunk of station-wagons, yet they're quite uncommon in my country.

Very good ideas. When I was younger, our neighbor's sister had died that way. She was in a 25 mph, single car accident; sitting in the front seat (was a 20 something-year-old); and a piece of skiing equipment popped up from the back and hit her in the head and killed her.

When working with my dad, if we had any tools in the cabin of the truck he'd say that if we got into an accident we'd be basically inside a blender.

[JSH]

Shopping update.

I almost convinced myself to buy a Equinox. I had one again for two weeks for a business trip and got 33 mpg in mostly suburban driving. I've spent at least a month in one as a rental - I like the car and it is a practical replacement for the VW. I got so far as test driving one last night that I would have likely bought except after the test drive I noticed it was FWD not AWD as I thought. $31,000 - way more than I was planning but it was a top trim car and why not - we can afford it.

Then I got home and thought about it and said to myself - If you willing to spend $30K why not just get the car you wanted when you turned the Spark EV in but were too cheap to buy - a Chevy Bolt.

A local dealer that specializes in EVs has 8 on the lot ranging from 2017 to 2021. They are closed today but I'll swing buy tomorrow and very likely drive one home. I missed the bottom of the market on a Bolt but I really don't expect them to drop in price now that GM is replacing every battery pack with a new one, with a new 8 year warranty, and 8% more range.

Car shopping as become more pressing as the Astro van is out of commission. I have a new driveshaft on order but no delivery date yet. I'm still working from home due to a COVID quarantine but that will end tomorrow. (I picked up COVID on the above business trip to an assembly plant that takes no COVID precautions and spend 10 days quarantined in a hotel)

From Bolt Prices from Car Guru:

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by JSH

Shopping update.

I almost convinced myself to buy a Equinox. I had one again for two weeks for a business trip and got 33 mpg in mostly suburban driving. I've spent at least a month in one as a rental - I like the car and it is a practical replacement for the VW. I got so far as test driving one last night that I would have likely bought except after the test drive I noticed it was FWD not AWD as I thought. $31,000 - way more than I was planning but it was a top trim car and why not - we can afford it.

Then I got home and thought about it and said to myself - If you willing to spend $30K why not just get the car you wanted when you turned the Spark EV in but were too cheap to buy - a Chevy Bolt.

A local dealer that specializes in EVs has 8 on the lot ranging from 2017 to 2021. They are closed today but I'll swing buy tomorrow and very likely drive one home. I missed the bottom of the market on a Bolt but I really don't expect them to drop in price now that GM is replacing every battery pack with a new one, with a new 8 year warranty, and 8% more range.

Car shopping as become more pressing as the Astro van is out of commission. I have a new driveshaft on order but no delivery date yet. I'm still working from home due to a COVID quarantine but that will end tomorrow. (I picked up COVID on the above business trip to an assembly plant that takes no COVID precautions and spend 10 days quarantined in a hotel)

From Bolt Prices from Car Guru:

The Bolt seems like an awesome vehicle, except they are not making them right now due to car fires. This is quite a bummer as ALL Bolt owners are being told to not park in a garage or near any other cars and not charging to 100% as GM hasn't figured out a solution yet. So sadly, if you buy a Bolt you are at risk of it just suddenly going up in flames. I'm not sure what the actual chances are, but it seems it doesn't matter what year of Bolt, they have the potential of spontaneously burning themselves down.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

The Bolt seems like an awesome vehicle, except they are not making them right now due to car fires. This is quite a bummer as ALL Bolt owners are being told to not park in a garage or near any other cars and not charging to 100% as GM hasn't figured out a solution yet. So sadly, if you buy a Bolt you are at risk of it just suddenly going up in flames. I'm not sure what the actual chances are, but it seems it doesn't matter what year of Bolt, they have the potential of spontaneously burning themselves down.

If I recall correctly there have been 13 battery fires worldwide out of 140K Bolts sold so that is a 1 in 10,769 chance. I'll take the risk.

GM does has a solution - they are replacing every Bolt battery pack. 2017 - 2019 get a complete new pack with 8% more range than the original and 2020 and later Bolts get new battery modules for their packs. The recall has started so I would say now is the time to buy when people are still worried about fires not after every Bolt has a shiny new battery installed.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by JSH

If I recall correctly there have been 13 battery fires worldwide out of 140K Bolts sold so that is a 1 in 10,769 chance. I'll take the risk.

GM does has a solution - they are replacing every Bolt battery pack. 2017 - 2019 get a complete new pack with 8% more range than the original and 2020 and later Bolts get new battery modules for their packs. The recall has started so I would say now is the time to buy when people are still worried about fires not after every Bolt has a shiny new battery installed.

Sounds good. I have heard that the replacement battery will take a long time to roll out. But still, I like your choice and it seems like now could be the time to get a Bolt as others are affraid to buy one, which helps lower the price.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

Sounds good. I have heard that the replacement battery will take a long time to roll out. But still, I like your choice and it seems like now could be the time to get a Bolt as others are afraid to buy one, which helps lower the price.

The current "fix" - don't charge past 90% or discharge below 30% won't effect me. One should avoid those anyway to extend battery life and my Spark EV only had a 82 mile range. I shouldn't have any problem getting buy with an EV with "only" a 150 mile usable range.


Redpoint has a theory that Bolt prices will drop once the stop-sale at Chevy dealers is lifted but with a rolling battery replacement recall I don't see a glut of cars hitting the market at once.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by JSH

I almost convinced myself to buy a Equinox. I had one again for two weeks for a business trip and got 33 mpg in mostly suburban driving. I've spent at least a month in one as a rental - I like the car and it is a practical replacement for the VW. I got so far as test driving one last night that I would have likely bought except after the test drive I noticed it was FWD not AWD as I thought.

Was that one fitted with the 1.5L or the 2.0L engine?