Volt - Help Me Decide

[ArmoSS]

I have a 40 mile one-way commute to work. I'm considering selling my Camaro (God help me) not only because of gas, but because I've made her a garage queen and don't drive her too much (9,200 miles in 19 months) because I feel like it's a "waste" putting about 20,000 miles per year on the car just for work. My DD is my '02 Camaro SS and it's starting to give me problems. I know some might say that I bought the car to drive it, but unfortunately it didn't turn out like that and I love it too much to make it a DD for such a long commute. On top of that, the mod bug ($6000 and counting) is not getting better. With all this said, I'm wondering if I should sell the Camaro and buy a Volt (is that forgivable?), or add the Volt to my collection.

I drive about 25,000 total per year (20,000 for work and about 5,000 more to places on average 30 - 40 miles away).

The Math:

Camaro: 22mpg avg - 25,000 / 22mpg = 1,136 gallons per year x $4.40 avg gallon of gas right now in CA = $5000 / 12 = ~$420 per month

Volt: $1.50 per way to work (estimated cost per charge that will give me about 40 miles) and about 35 mpg avg on gas for my 40 miles way back from work.

12,500 miles by way of charging: 312 trips (12,500 miles / 40 miles each way) x $1.50 per charge = $469

12,500 miles by gas: 12,500 / 35 mpg = 357 gallons x $4.40 = $1571

$469 + $1571 = $2,040 per year / 12 = $170 per month

$420 / month with Camaro - $170 / month with Volt =

$250 net savings per month with Volt

Now, the price of the Volt:

$41,000 MSRP + ~4,000 tax/registration in CA = $45,000 total price

less:
$3000 GM Rebate
$2000 Dealership Discount
$7,500 Federal Rebate
$1,500 California Rebate
$2,000 Rebate from my place of employement ($3,000 less taxes)
with 0.00% financing for 5 years from the dealership.

Total Price of Volt = $29,000

Oh, and I get the carpool sticker for CA until 2015.

Umm...not sure what else to say but what would you do?

PS. I'm not rich and would love to have more money to easily say I can keep both. But, it won't make me bankrupt if I had both, either. Just trying to make the "smartest" and "best" decision.

[AdamZ]

If you can get a volt for the cheap...do it.

[CWI]

I would do both if I could afford it. I have 2 4x4 chevy trucks besides my Camaro. They are paid for but I owe on the car still. Only problem for me is the Silverado costs more to drive being diesel so it sets most of the time but I need it to move the toyhauler I am living in because I work in construction and can go anywhere in the country for work. The Colorado is underpowered but is great in snow so I keep it close in the winter. I do use the Camaro as DD because I didn't buy it to park it and I won't live long enough to see it sold at Barret Jackson.

My biggest problem is with just me and my GF, it makes it hard to move 3 vehicles. When we came up to Chicagoland from SE Texas I left the Colorado at a friend's house in Louisiana and flew down to get it last month. If I go to California bay area in a week or two as I expect, I will have to get someone to fly here to drive the Colorado west for me.

Selling my Camaro would be a last resort. I've always wanted another Camaro since I had a '68 SS years ago. I ordered in Oct '08 and have a low VIN. Owning this car is a passion. If I had to choose only one to keep, it would be the Camaro and I would just stay in motels as much as that sucks.

Could you part with yours?

[K32 Camaro]

How about you buy the volt for said price and sell it for 35k to support the gas and mod price of the 5th gen? Also sell the '02. The 5th gen makes an awesome DD and anything that hurts it can always be replaced.

[CWI]

Originally Posted by K32 Camaro

How about you buy the volt for said price and sell it for 35k to support the gas and mod price of the 5th gen? Also sell the '02. The 5th gen makes an awesome DD and anything that hurts it can always be replaced.

[AdamZ]

Originally Posted by K32 Camaro

How about you buy the volt for said price and sell it for 35k to support the gas and mod price of the 5th gen? Also sell the '02. The 5th gen makes an awesome DD and anything that hurts it can always be replaced.

Oh snap...tricky tricky lol.

[ArmoSS]

Originally Posted by K32 Camaro

How about you buy the volt for said price and sell it for 35k to support the gas and mod price of the 5th gen? Also sell the '02. The 5th gen makes an awesome DD and anything that hurts it can always be replaced.

Funny you should say that because just now I was trying to find the trade-in value for a 2012 and roughly estimating what I can sell a 2013 Volt with 20 miles..lol. Maybe Carmax or something would give me $35k for a quick $6k turnaround? Wish gas and modding cost only that much.

And, can't get rid of the '02. Bought that new when I was 21 and the memories with it would be worth much more than the $6k or so I'd get for it.

Originally Posted by CWI

I would do both if I could afford it. I have 2 4x4 chevy trucks besides my Camaro. They are paid for but I owe on the car still. Only problem for me is the Silverado costs more to drive being diesel so it sets most of the time but I need it to move the toyhauler I am living in because I work in construction and can go anywhere in the country for work. The Colorado is underpowered but is great in snow so I keep it close in the winter. I do use the Camaro as DD because I didn't buy it to park it and I won't live long enough to see it sold at Barret Jackson.

My biggest problem is with just me and my GF, it makes it hard to move 3 vehicles. When we came up to Chicagoland from SE Texas I left the Colorado at a friend's house in Louisiana and flew down to get it last month. If I go to California bay area in a week or two as I expect, I will have to get someone to fly here to drive the Colorado west for me.

Selling my Camaro would be a last resort. I've always wanted another Camaro since I had a '68 SS years ago. I ordered in Oct '08 and have a low VIN. Owning this car is a passion. If I had to choose only one to keep, it would be the Camaro and I would just stay in motels as much as that sucks.

Could you part with yours?

Great question. I'm having a tough time imagining myself part with it, but was thinking time heals all wounds, so who knows. haha

You're right though - the passion and love for these cars is amazing, and I don't want to regret it down the line thinking I sold the car just for $30k when in the grand scheme of things it may not be much. Ughhhh....

[007s 'Vert]

I put 26k miles on mine a year and have loved every bit of it. It doesn't matter what you drive, you are going to put just as many miles on it. The volt for around $36k? or something like my Camaro for $26k? I went with the camaro, and I am getting 30 MPGs while I am at it. Ya I could have bought anything for the daily commute, but this time I decided to do it in style by getting a Camaro.

[tonyko1]

Hope there aren't hills on your 40 mile commute, or a headwind, as the Volt will have to kick in to its awesome lawnmower gas engine.

The price of a Volt is reVOLTing, and all of us taxpayers then have to subsidize you even further to entice you to buy it. And then the State of CA, which is on the way to fiscal ruin will find even more taxpayer money to fund your purchase. If you really want to continue the tax abatement, come up here to Oregon and register your car, 0% sales-tax here, as so many of your golden state cohorts do, mostly with RV's.

Then to add insult to injury, you get the use of the carpool lane.

Hmmm, surprised the Volt isn't on every corner....

Meanwhile, the ZL1 owner pays $2600 gas guzzler tax before even driving it off the lot, when in fact, it pays more tax given its bad gas mileage, while the Volt driver gets the carpool lane with but one person in the car.

[BURNT ORANGE SS]

Take a picture of your old Camaro for the memory bank. Then then sell it. Then Bingo you have 6k in gas money to drive the 5gen. Don't worry about putting miles on it. That is what its for.

[AirManFL]

How much are you going to lose on the sale of the 5th Gen?

You could buy a Sonic for $14,000, get 40 mpg, and keep the Camaro.

Rob

[ripcurl329]

I have a 175 mile round trip... it blows. I have a beater 2000 Honda accord 4 banger. Im getting about 400 miles a tank. parts are cheap and you can pick them up cheap

[MarkSS]

Two words: Cruze Eco

[midnighter]

I'd drive this Volt...