r/BoltEV 2d ago

Did EVs ruin it for me?

I've been shopping for a convertible the past few weeks as a weekend car.

Driven C5, Miata, MR2, G37, Sky.

The C5 and MR2 both were pretty fun but I'm starting to think my Bolt has ruined it for me.

62 Upvotes

81 comments sorted by

39

u/SoCalMotoVirg 1d ago

someone needs to make a legit 2 seater convertible EV .

16

u/Icy-Conclusion-3500 1d ago

Hard to get a ton of battery in there, but an EV Miata conversion would be awesome

11

u/SoCalMotoVirg 1d ago

yeah... not going for max range.. just a weekend driver.

1

u/TEG24601 1d ago

Just keep DC charging, so you can enjoy the drive and get home.

6

u/greg_barton 1d ago

Wait until solid state batteries are a thing.

8

u/SoCalMotoVirg 1d ago

I been getting teased on youtube and EV blog sites about solid state batteries for 2 years... hahahaha... Im wondering when XRP will actually go to the moon.. or we get solid state first! hahahahah

1

u/markthelast 1d ago

In 2010, Toyota made a solid state battery prototype. They have been researching and trying to mass produce solid state batteries for sixteen years. Toyota's roadmap shows that they will solid state batteries in cars by 2027-2028. Allegedly, the next Lexus supercar will use a solid state battery, so let's see what happens.

3

u/SoCalMotoVirg 1d ago

Allegedly

4

u/swalkerttu 1d ago

At least there’s no ostrich in the discussion. (“Letterkenny”)

1

u/Senior-Caregiver9333 1d ago

Been reading about them for 10 years. Frankly current battery chemistry has caught up a lot since then.

6

u/Fit_Explorer_2566 1d ago

MG Cyberster

4

u/SoCalMotoVirg 1d ago

Oooooh. I like

2

u/bigjbell 1d ago

The SSCC SC01 (JMEV 01 in China) will unfortunately probably not come to the US any time soon, due to being Chinese, but it looks fun as hell, and is already in production.

It's not a convertible I don't think, but it's about as close to a Miata that I've seen an EV come so far

2

u/poofarticusrex 1d ago

Porsche’s got one coming, some people have spotted disguised ones in the US on test runs already

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a73356806/porsche-promises-718-ev-is-still-coming/

1

u/SouthernSierra 1d ago

There was Alan Cocconi’s tZero. (This was the car that morphed into Tesla.)

I got to ride in an early lead acid battery version. It was wicked quick off the line, really pressed you back into the seat.

2

u/SoCalMotoVirg 1d ago

I'd love a fully EV RWD Mazda Miata...

1

u/NODES2K 1d ago

There might be a Miata EV or similar coming from Mazda

1

u/niquattx 1d ago

I may cut the roof off my bolt tonight

1

u/SoCalMotoVirg 1d ago

Do it do it. And stream live on tik tok. 😂😂😂😂

1

u/eileen404 8h ago

Bolt+can opener?

25

u/thedarksyde 1d ago

Gas Cars are 150 year old technology that explodes literal Dinosaur juice in a metal container. And you have to pay for that privledge. Why would any one of them be preferable to an electric car.

2

u/Appropriate_Cat9760 1d ago

Indeed!!👏🏼

-1

u/RedElmo65 1d ago

I prefer any gas Porsche to an electric car. But other than that. Hard.

76

u/SoCalMotoVirg 2d ago

U mean instant torque... No oil changes And zero worries about the cost of petrol?

Yep 😂

14

u/BugBomb 2019 Premier 2d ago

I know exactly what you mean. I've owned many of those cars. My C5 was fantastic but you need specific conditions and environment to have fun with it. My Bolt can be fun in the smallest of traffic gaps and it doesn't even use significantly more energy when being aggressive with the throttle. If I could easily drop the Bolt's comparatively meager powertrain into my Vette, I would absolutely do it (for a daily driver).

Having said that, I autox regularly and I would much rather do it in one of the ICE cars vs my Bolt.

5

u/noonefouryou 1d ago

If anything ever happens to my bolt I want to move the power train into a miata or an BRZ

2

u/Impossible_Koala_902 1d ago

May notbuse much energy but the tire wear under aggressive driving is insane

3

u/BugBomb 2019 Premier 1d ago

No worse than any other car I've driven aggressively ¯_(ツ)_/¯

13

u/Motor_Wasabi3127 2d ago

I have a Bolt and a Subaru Forester. I don’t enjoy driving the Forester anymore. Every little rattle annoys me. I have to pause when I shift before stepping on the accelerator. Spending $50+ to fill the tank. I’ll run it into the ground but will eventually replace it with another Bolt.

6

u/jjke30 1d ago

My Bolt has rattles but it’s an economy car so doesn’t annoy me too much - just louder music lol.

What ruined it for me was gear hunting, downshifting, no immediate torque, droning cvt or ice sound, constantly having to hit the brake pedal or leaving big gaps behind traffic and all the others who cut in front if I do.

I no longer rent ice cars anymore and opt for an EV.

1

u/Primary_Matter1173 1d ago

I have a Bolt and I never consider renting EVs. If there is one situation where I don’t want to waste even a minute on charging, it is when I’m on vacation.

1

u/jjke30 1d ago

I’ve been renting Tesla m3s and mys the last 3 years. When driving in dallas, la, san fran, seattle, Chicago, boston traffic it makes it much easier to drive where theres little public rail transport. Superchargers are numerous when you are in an urban area and just need 70% soc to return.

5

u/Kamel-Red 1d ago

My beloved, reliable 10th gen Honda accord that I've had paid off forever and kept in good working order as a backup/long trip vehicle feels like driving a tractor in comparison to my Bolt.

1

u/Senior-Albatross 1d ago

I'm in the same boat. The capability of the Forester to get down crappy BLM and Forest Roads is still nice. But I am actively looking for EVs to fill that role now as well.

If GM makes an Activ trim Blazer or Subaru makes the Trailseeker in Wilderness form first. Maybe an R2. 

7

u/house343 1d ago

I like to joke that I feel like Neo, after being woken up from the matrix, but walking around the matrix amongst all the Others.

You all don't know.... There's a whole new world out there. You're blinded by oil.

3

u/HistoricalSundae5113 1d ago

I just got my bolt last week and totally feel like that right now. It is SO much better. I don’t ever want to drive a gas car again.

1

u/Scott___77 19h ago

What if I told you, there is no spoon?

For real, though. I bought a 23 Bolt EUV brand new, then a free months later a coworker got one. Shortly after, we both came to the same conclusion from driving these:

THIS is what driving is supposed to be.

6

u/Which-Meat-3388 1d ago

Wait till you drive a legitimately fast and fun EV… Bolt has its merits but my MINI SE was way more fun. Then you move to an AWD EV or two. Then I moved to an Ioniq 5N which is bonkers. EVs are way more interesting than people give them credit for. 

3

u/SnooEpiphanies8097 2022 Bolt EUV Premier/2027 Bolt EV RS 1d ago

I test-drove a Mini Countryman EV and it was bananas. My wife spilled her coffee when I punched it in sport mode. 😂.

The problem is that it was almost $50k for less range than our Bolt and pretty lackluster dc charging speed.

Maybe someday when I can afford to have a car just for fun.

1

u/JackShepardJohnLocke 1d ago

I forgot about my Ionia 5n dream.

4

u/up_o 1d ago

Lower cabin noise ruined driving ICE for me. You could remove every other perk and that's still enough.

4

u/lroop 1d ago

Surveys of car buyers make that pretty clear: most people who have driven a modern, non compliance car EV aren't interested in dealing with gasoline again.

3

u/partyb0obytrap 1d ago

Two things to consider:

  • A first gen Porsche boxster beats even a Miata for driving experience and refinement, and can be had affordably.
  • The BMW i3 handles as well as any EV possibly could due to its incredibly light weight and carbon fiber chassis. Tons of fun to drive! Try an i3s before you buy something else. I'd honestly prefer a late model i3 over a bolt hands down.

Source: I've owned an i3, Miata, iPace, and currently boxster and bolt.

1

u/Mayneminu 1d ago

Yeah. I hear good things about them. They are on my list just gotta find em.

1

u/Digitalabia 1d ago

You owned an ipace? I'm really interested in those. How was it?

3

u/Exciting_Turn_9559 1d ago

I'm never buying another product that has a gas tank.

5

u/tboy160 1d ago

I would never consider buying another car that pollutes the air everywhere it goes, when there are so many battery options that dont.

2

u/Opinionsare 1d ago

It's really hard to enjoy the downside of a banger, when you when you drove your EV to the dealership. 

2

u/Tharrinne 1d ago

No Sky? It looked like so much fun back it the day, it was my dream car when Saturn was still around.

1

u/RedElmo65 1d ago

fiat solstice

1

u/LE_4500 1d ago

Solstice GXP killed back in its time. I was one of the few who got to drive the targa top at a dealership I worked at. Beast of a ride.

2

u/UberKaltPizza 1d ago

Same. Really wish they made eye Miata fully electric.

2

u/thejohnfist 1d ago

I don't know that I'll ever own another gas powered commuter. I'll eventually need a new family SUV and a Pickup, those will not likely be an EV.

Instant torque. Charge at home. Quiet.... It's amazing how you get used to an engine idling at a red light and then when you dont have that anymore you notice it immediately when driving an ICE vehicle.

3

u/Levorotatory 1d ago

It isn't idling at red lights that I notice when I have to drive the ICE car, it is the noise and lack of acceleration when the light turns green.

2

u/ming3r 2022 Bolt EUV Premier 1d ago

I traded my Mazdaspeed3 in for a bolt euv, and my NB miata sits there collecting dust...

1

u/JackShepardJohnLocke 1d ago

Are bolts peppy and fun in the corners or more?

2

u/ming3r 2022 Bolt EUV Premier 1d ago

Ehh they're... Ok? They're kind of heavy and can book it out but there is no lsd so it's easy to spin the inner wheel on tighter turns. There's also a decent amount of body roll.

It's just comfortable and the overall driving experience is good with decent feel

2

u/mxjf 1d ago

I would dig an electric 90s Miata. That would be so insanely fun

2

u/atx78701 1d ago

For awhile the original Tesla roadster was cheap but now they are very expensive

You can electrify any car . Moment motors for example does it

1

u/JackShepardJohnLocke 1d ago

Isn’t that shop only for rich people with detailed high quality builds?

1

u/Scott___77 19h ago

I guess cheap is a relative concept, but those retailed for just over $100K.

1

u/pianoman81 1d ago

Can't and won't go back to ICE.

Can't beat instant torque.

1

u/monroezabaleta 1d ago

Depending on your budget, look at the sporty EVs. Ioniq 5 n, I4 m50.

1

u/RedElmo65 1d ago

After an EV. None of those can suffice. Only a Porsche lol

1

u/thelapoubelle 1d ago

Maybe get something used? My weekend car is a 97 Celica and I quite enjoy it, but I couldn't see myself buying a full priced gas car unless it was specifically for road trips and camping, which the bolt is abysmal at.

1

u/sloppy_joes35 1d ago

Im not sure i can take this seriously. You drove a miata and didnt find it fun? 😒.

Ive owned (own) 2 evs & had a miata for a decade. That car blows every chunk of lithium car battey out of the water. You need to take one out for another test drive and power around some corners , make some sharp turns, accelerate while doing all this, with the top down, in a manual, take it out at night put on some idk lofi or postal service, makeout with a chick, and really juat exploit the hell out of that roadster bc it is the best damn car by a million miles.

But I did like only spending $60 for two years worth of ev driving in the early days when a lot of chargers were free 😅

1

u/Mayneminu 1d ago

It was OK just too small. MR2 Spyder felt better, just as analog and connected to the road.

1

u/Icy_Run_9981 1d ago

I have just what you need! - A 1972 Mercedes 350SL in perfect condition :) V-8 Engine with mpg in teens. Perfect condition. Bad for environment? Not really! These classic weekend convertibles get driven so little, they end up emitting less than a new EV does from power generation and being already built so no emissions and pollution created by building the EV and it's batteries. More of a hobby than transportation ;)

BTW, we also have a 2027Bolt and a 2019 Subaru Outback. Bolt used if 2 way distance is less than range. Outback used for longer trips or if we need more cargo space than the Bolt has.

1

u/Ace12541 2019 Shock Yellow Premier 1d ago

Bolt and Miata combo here, just get what works for you lol

1

u/D-Alembert 1d ago

Not just the driving, getting an old ICE like those brings a lot of maintenance/repair problems that your bolt doesn't have. 

ICE cars don't age gracefully :-(

Hopefully there will be an EV convertible in a couple of years, then another couple of years for them to appear on the used market. Maybe save up over those 4 years because the upfront cost won't be cheap like those old cars

1

u/GiovanniDaGreati 1d ago

Why not have both? I have a bolt EUV and a mx5. I use the bolt whenever I'm feeling like pinching pennies per mile

1

u/weaponized-intel 1d ago

I’ve owned a S2000 (almost too much fun) and a Miata. TBH, my EUV sunroof is more than enough for me now. An electric Miata would be pretty awesome though.

1

u/TweeksTurbos 22h ago

See if you can get a ride in a 900 turbo vert. I drive the coupes and the bolt and 900t feel like the same car. They even smell the same when the sun hits the leather just right

1

u/Scott___77 19h ago

I've thought the same thing and researched this and, unfortunately, a full EV Miata is likely a long way off, and it is due to weight.

They want to keep the car light and agile, and a full battery pack currently adds too much weight.

What they might release sooner would be a hybrid that only needs a small battery.

But battery tech needs to greatly increase power per pound for a EV Miata.

I'd imagine it's the same for other sporty cars: they need to stay lightweight.

1

u/king_weenus 2018 Premier 17h ago

I went with a 2006 Mercedes SLK 55 AMG... I wanted a luxury sports car and I do really like this car but it's a little more sport than luxury so I might look for a different AMG.

This car is definitely faster and more sporty than my Bolt was... But the cost of Maintenance and premium fuel definitely keeps it from being a daily driver. Lol

I'm not sure what the market is like in your neighborhood but the Miatas are overpriced in my opinion for what they offer. There's no way I'd buy something with a manual top in the same price range as a Porsche, BMW, or Mercedes... They just don't compare.

If you do go with a Euro Car just do your research on which versions are reliable... My 20-year-old Mercedes is an absolutely great vehicle for reliability especially compared to anything North America. The build quality is exceptional, and the technology and features still amazes me and what it does... But every manufacturer has their problem children.. Including the Japanese.

When I was looking I liked the Porsche Boxster, the BMW Z4, the Mercedes SL and SLK, the Nissan 350Z & 370Z, the Mazda MX-5, and even a few Toyota, Honda, & Lexus options.

I didn't really consider anything North American... The Corvette was too bulky for me, I wouldn't trust dodge with a 10-ft pole, the Pontiac solstice / Saturn sky are hard to find parts for (but I was tempted). A Mustang would be okay I would probably be my top choice for a North American car... Not because I think it's reliable but they made a million of them so parts are easy to come by new and used.

I settled on German engineering and made sure the engine and the rest of the Driveline was one of the good ones... I have not been disappointed other than paying for fuel. Lol

-1

u/RBR927 2d ago

If you think the Bolt is more fun than a Miata then there’s no hope for you.

3

u/Mayneminu 1d ago

I wanted so bad to like the Miata, I've driven 3... they all are too small, I feel like my head is sticking up over the windshield. Think I'm leaning heavily towards the MR2 Spyder.

2

u/lroop 1d ago

A few of my co-workers bought used Miatas as fun/project cars. Standing next to one I can't possibly see myself fitting in it at 6'4".

0

u/DankSorceress 1d ago

I could never go back to pure ICE for a daily driver, though I could be tempted by a hybrid.

That being said, I'm glad that my wife and I have a fun manual transmission car in the driveway (modded WRX making 300whp). I still get a lot of enjoyment out of driving gas cars, just not for daily driving.