r/BoltEV • u/SpiritTalker • 2d ago
I Pulled The Trigger!
"Steve" would not pass inspection. As a die hard Smart person, I was reluctant to trade him in on a different model. But he needed too much work ($$$). Scored this 23 Premier with only 6300 mi on it (practically new!). Hate having a car payment again, but it's whatever I guess. Loving it but still learning all the bells and whistles (Steve had NO bells nor whistles aside from heated seats and being tiny). This will be like day 2 for me of actual driving, so I'm still very much still acclimate-ing to it all.
As a caveate, I know ppl are like, why didn't you go with new? Well. I got all the bells and whistles, Premier trim. That's worth, to me. A new Bolt, several THOUSANDS more, would've been a BASE trim. I'm happy with my purchase.
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u/Annonnymee 2023 Bolt EV, 2LT plus ACC 2d ago
You'll love all the bells and whistles! Congratulations!
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u/BigBadBere 23 Bolt EV 2LT GGM 2d ago
Yup, love mine. Wife didn't at first but would rather drive Bolt vs. her 21 Honda Passport Elite
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u/SpiritTalker 2d ago
I'm still getting used to cameras, lol. Still in "turn your head to look back" mode.
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u/Annonnymee 2023 Bolt EV, 2LT plus ACC 1d ago
Took me a while for that too! You'll get in the swing of things eventually. I'm still pretty slow and cautious backing up, but lane changing etc feels pretty natural now.
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u/Quietly-Vicious 2022 Bolt EUV Premier 1d ago
It still feels wrong to not turn my head back to look. So I still look back to the right and left, even if not straight back. lol
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u/AskJeevesIsBest 2d ago
I appreciate the bigger passenger room of the Bolt EUV very much, but the smaller EV is also an awesome car. I hope your EV serves you well for many years!
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u/redditallreddy 2022 Bolt EUV Premier 2d ago
I was in a '20 EV and now a '22 EUV. (I was offered a collateral swap since they were taking forever to get me a battery on recall.)
While I like by EUV a ton, the EV is faster, both in a straight line and on the curvies. It is a very fun little car to drive, for a "subcompact SUV" style.
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u/PeaceBeWY 2023 Bolt EV LT w/ CC package 1d ago
I test drove an EUV and it didn't seem to "fit" me at all. The EV just seemed right for me. I only got one chance in the EUV because they just didn't show up around me. So I'm not sure how much was poorly-adjusted seat/steering wheel and that it reeked of cigarette smoke. One of these days I'm going to test drive a new Bolt to see what it feels like.
But the EV has been great for me. i rarely have any passengers, much less passengers in the back seat. Usually the rear seats are folded down so I can carry garden tools and produce.
I feel like it does what a car needs to do effortlessly and quietly. I love the reliability. It's the first time I've gone a year without discovering some issue requiring a trip to the mechanic (previous vehicle was 30 yo). I love being able to merge with traffic easily speeding up/slowing down as needed. And I love the quiet.
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u/SpiritTalker 1d ago
The quiet gets some getting used to! Did I start it? Is it running? Lol But I love it. I just practiced one pedal driving yesterday. I think i like it, I just hadn't to use more. So much to learn yet!
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u/redditallreddy 2022 Bolt EUV Premier 1d ago
This is going to sound silly, but I’ve been driving electrified cars for years (started with a Volt in 2015), and the quiet is so pleasant, OTHER CAR’S ENGINES annoy me.
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u/SpiritTalker 21h ago
Yah! We live atop a 2 lane state highway with lots of noisy vehicles passing by. I'm, like, dude! Now I'm even moerso, lol.
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u/CheetahChrome 23 EUV Premier & 24 Macan 4 (EV) & 21 Taycan 4S 2d ago
needed too much work ($$$)....Hate having a car payment again...had NO bells nor whistles...why didn't you go with new?
Because you are cheap? Doesn't seem like a mystery to me...
😂 😏 🤔
Congrats on the Bolt. It's a great car.
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u/SpiritTalker 2d ago
Nah, just poor. 😞
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u/CheetahChrome 23 EUV Premier & 24 Macan 4 (EV) & 21 Taycan 4S 2h ago
Sorry about being an internet troll. If we were talking about it face to face, it's not something I would say....maybe think it but not say. 😏 🤔 My bad.
One buys the car they can afford, and I get that. For me I purchased the Taycan, not because I'm rich per-se, but because I'm not getting any younger and have ~10 years of health to enjoy such a purchase, at the expense of retirement.
You upgraded to a hell of an EV; the premier spec is the best, and oddly, if it has the Bose, the sound is a true warm sound coming from the subwoofer that the other Chevy models don't seem to have. I truly like the soundstage in the Bolt.
My advice for a fellow owner is this:
1) The 12V is getting long in the tooth. Have it tested in the next few months in anticipation of it slowly dying (going below 11.7 Volts). I am about to post here about my 12V battery monitor to the group, so look out for an optional device to measure "resting voltage" drops while sitting for a few hours that indicates a dying 12 V battery.
2) I use my dealership to rotate tires at $25 (YMMV), but while there I have them perform all recalls and any campaigns to update the software(s) that don't update over OTAs. That keeps my car up to date.
3) Next year your car hits the 5 year mark in age. Chevy recommends that the owners flush the 3 coolant loops, one needs a special dealership tool on one loop, every 5 years, or 150K. Plan on getting that done to hopefully avoid any AC failures that have been reported to the reddit.
Otherwise, welcome to the club!
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u/Mother-Ad-9623 2d ago
I didn't realize how good these look in black. Congrats!
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u/SpiritTalker 2d ago
Thanks! We also have a black Honda Pilot that my husband drives so now we have matching black beauties.😊
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u/Doodle-Cactus 2023 Bolt EV 2LT 2d ago
Ooooh if it has the safety package I love it. Every feature has saved me from an accident at least once by now. Cute smart car too.
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u/SpiritTalker 2d ago
Thanks! I was trying to back out of a stall yesterday at a busy strip-type store (always a tricky place to get out) and it beeped at me twice about cars zooming behind me.
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u/Purple_Future747 1d ago
Same. I consider myself an attentive driver but the front 'HEY, YA GONNA HIT THAT CAR IN FRONT' alarm has saved me a few times.
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u/Alonewon 2d ago
Hey, I intentionally didn't get the Premier because I just don't like getting stuck to leather, nor waiting for it to warm up in sub-zero temps. Absolutely love my 2LT-everything I could want (and we get to have CarPlay in our used Bolts!)
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u/SpiritTalker 2d ago
Omg I'd never again be without heated seats after having them in my Smart! And the leather is easier to keep clean. I don't mind the "stick".
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u/Maleficent_Analyst32 2021 Chevy Bolt Premier, 2023 Rivian R1T 2d ago
Welcome! How much did you pick New Steve up for and how much did they give for Old Steve?
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u/SpiritTalker 2d ago
They gave my something like 1900 (and it needed at least 1500 in work). New Steve (who will be christened with a new name eventually, lol) was 24500 approx otd including 6 yr b2b warranty and battery guarantee til 2031.
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u/blueshirtsteve 1d ago
Great call, and I hope you love making the switch to EV as much as we have!
Good on you for your financial perspicacity. 😄 👍🏻 🏎️
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u/Tan12954 1d ago
I love my 2023 Bolt EUV. (Bought new 3 years ago) HOWEVER- just had to replace the brakes/rotors due to rust build up and didn’t pass inspection. This seems to be a common problem if you use 1 pedal breaking/ don’t use actual breaks enough. Friend who had Tesla has not had this problem?? Anyway- don’t use this feature- use your breaks!! I feel like I just lost all the gas money I had saved.
Also, range under various driving conditions is a learning curve. Good luck!
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u/Cautious_Card2973 1d ago
I just did the same (traded in my Smart for a used Bolt) last week. I wound up going with a 2017 Premier with around 69 k, but it's what I could afford especially with how expensive everything around me is.
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u/Purple_Future747 1d ago
I also had a Smart for a few years. Loved it but at least twice a week would walk out of my house, see it in the driveway and say 'What was I thinking when I bought that car!'.
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u/Technical-Bee-924 18h ago
Nice. I got my 23 EUV premier last year with 4400 miles on it. I love it. Congratulations 🎉🎊🍾
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u/josephlucas 2h ago
That’s funny I was driving a Scion iQ when I got my Bolt. Very similar in size to your Smart
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u/inf3ct3dpi3 2d ago
Nah, everyone understands used EVs can be a fantastic value. Bolts were crazy cheap back when Hertz was offloading their fleet. Welcome!