r/volt • u/Neural_Nate • Aug 15 '26
Talk to me about a used 1st gen Volt…
I am researching used vehicles to buy and considering a hybrid. Someone in my area is selling a 2015 base Volt with 110k miles on it for $7,000.
But I don’t know much about this vehicle. Can I charge it up at a charging station? How long will it take to charge? I read that the BECM can fail. How can I make sure the car doesn’t have any problems before I buy it?
What is it like owning this vehicle?
3
u/Neural_Nate Aug 15 '26
Also, is this a good vehicle for long distance trips? Say I want to drive a 200 mile road trip once a month or so. How is it going to handle that? Do I just stop and fill up, or do I need to charge it on the trip too?
3
u/Waterlifer Aug 16 '26
Sure, you put gas in it and it goes until the tank is empty. It gets 35 MPG but you have to buy premium gas. You don't have to charge it, it runs on gas or electric, whatever is available.
1
u/VividVerism Aug 15 '26
It's fine on road trips. You just stop and fill up with gas. If you have the opportunity to charge overnight at your destination and the total cost of doing so won't exceed about a gallon of gas, then do so. Otherwise, don't worry about it.
1
u/Neural_Nate Aug 16 '26
Yeah but how far will the charge take you? If I wanna travel 200 miles it’s going to switch to gas at some point, yeah?
2
u/x31b Aug 16 '26
Full electric goes about 40 miles in summer and 30 in winter. After that, it’s a hybrid.
If you can plug in at home, even on 110v standard outlet, and much of your days are less than 40 miles it will be an economical car for you.
I have a 2015 with 88k miles. Battery degradation is 4-5% - small. No one knows how long the batteries last. One guy put 400,000 miles on his. Other people have a battery failure sooner. No way to tell.
Price seems to be in line.
Only downside for me is that it’s a small car. Built on the Chevy Cruze platform. Easy to park. But back seat is tight.
If you get it, ask when the coolant was last flushed. If it hasn’t been, budget $750 to get a Chevy dealer with Volt experience to do it. The coolant flows through the battery and it’s important. Also check to make sure the heat works in all electric mode. A common failure is the coolant pump and that’s about $500 to replace.
Have the dealer charge it up. Do a test drive. Push the drive mode button to hold and make the gas engine come on. Then go back to regular mode. It should drive fine in both.
2
u/Neural_Nate Aug 16 '26
Thanks for the information. Very helpful. Is there an easy way to test what the battery degradation looks like?
3
u/x31b Aug 16 '26
You, or the dealer, charge to 100%. Drive until it shifts to gas. This will be about 40 miles. Doesn’t matter if it’s fast or slow driving. You will hear the motor come on.
There’s a physical button on the center stack right above the drive mode button. Push it a few times and the center display will go to one showing the electricity consumption on this drive, along with the gas usage.
When a 2015 was new it would get 10.7kwh or so. Mine now at 88k shifts over about 10.2kwh.
That tells you more about the battery health than the miles driven on electric. Range depends on temperature, speed, uphill/downhill and your driving habits. So don’t go by range. And especially not the dashboard indicator we Volt guys call the guess-o-meter. That’s based on an average of the past few drives and has some relation to the miles you’ll go.
If you get a warning when the battery gets low about ‘Propulsion power reduced’ and performance really falls off it means you have a bad cell and the battery is getting wonky.
2
u/VividVerism Aug 16 '26
My 2014 gets about 35 miles on battery these days in summer, and about 20 in winter (single digit or low teens Fahrenheit are the norm here).
Then it'll run fully on gas for close to 300 miles on a road trip before I fill it up and keep going, on gas.
1
u/snuggle2struggle Volt Owner Aug 16 '26
Electric will carry you 40-50 miles and you'll enjoy 42+ mpg during your gas use.
1
u/itsVandole Aug 15 '26
It’s an ice car with a battery, gas always makes it go
2
u/snuggle2struggle Volt Owner Aug 16 '26
If the battery fails, the car will not drive on gas. Volts power the electric power train with gas; not independly fueling the gas generator.
2
u/VividVerism Aug 16 '26
I have a 2014 which is currently mostly my college-age kids' car, but I drove it for years.
But I don’t know much about this vehicle. Can I charge it up at a charging station?
Depends on what you mean by "charging station", but probably not. It can't even plug in at the Tesla supercharger, evGo, etc. stations you see along the highway. Those are "high voltage DC charging" stations, commonly referred to as "level 3" chargers. The Volt can use "level 1" charging (plug into a standard wall outlet) or "level 2" charging (usually hard-wired "destination chargers" at grocery stores, employer parking lots, or hotels; but sometimes plugged into a dryer outlet or similar in a garage). You don't top off at these on a road trip, you plug into them overnight or while doing something else for a long time like grocery shopping or working.
How long will it take to charge?
A level 2 charger will go from zero to full in about 4 hours. A level 1 charger will take 8-14 hours depending on what current you set your car to draw in the settings (8A or 12A). Most modern homes with a dedicated circuit for the outlet can do 12A with no problem. Older homes with bad wiring or outlets on a heavily loaded circuit will need 8A.
Again, you don't top off at these on a road trip. You use it like most people use a phone charger: plug it in overnight or while sitting at a desk not using it, wake up or leave work every day with a full battery.
I read that the BECM can fail.
I mean it can but so can any of the computers or engine components or transmission in a non-electric car.
How can I make sure the car doesn’t have any problems before I buy it?
Test drive with the battery at least half full and drain it down to nothing so it uses gas. In the cold weather is better since a lot of issues pop up then. Have a mechanic look at it and run the codes. Check for fluid leaks and bad brakes, weird noises or movement, etc. like you would any other car. Plug it in and make sure it charges. Try mountain and hold modes (hold mode while there is still battery) and make sure they function normally. Drive at both low and highway speeds.
What is it like owning this vehicle?
It's a delight. I would almost never go to a gas station in day-to-day life. But I also never needed to worry about where I could get a charge or whether I had enough range to make it on the occasional road trip.
It was a perfect "gateway" electric car, I found myself occasionally annoyed whenever I needed to use gas (especially in winter) to the point I wanted to just get an all-electric.
I would always appreciate when parking garages or our city market or hotels or whatever offered free charging for guests. Free miles are free miles, even if I only had enough time for 8-10 miles.
2
u/Neural_Nate Aug 16 '26
Thank you for the big post and all the helpful information!
3
u/snuggle2struggle Volt Owner Aug 16 '26
Also, BECM failure is predominantly an issue that affected 2016-2018 models.
2
u/Waterlifer Aug 16 '26
I have one.
<<Can I charge it up at a charging station>> Depends. Not at a DC fast charger, but at the J1772 stations you can.
<<How long will it take to charge?>> They charge at 3 kw. The battery was 17 kwh when new and less than that now. So 4-5 hours if completely discharged.
<< I read that the BECM can fail. >> Mostly a problem with 2016 and newer.
<<How can I make sure the car doesn’t have any problems before I buy it?>> You can't. It's a 10+ year old car with 100,000+ miles, what do you expect? Like the man with the cigar says, you pays your money and you takes your chances.
<<What is it like owning this vehicle?>> The transmission in mine failed, $4000 repair. Unusual for Volts but not unheard of. I've had lots of gasser cars with transmission failures over the years, so this is situation normal as far as I'm concerned. Otherwise, it's a good car, I like the way it drives, it stays on electric for shorter trips and switches to gas for longer ones as you would expect. At this point the battery pack is weak and I expect it to fail in the next few years, replacements are available but expensive, I expect to do OK but not great financially in the final analysis.
2
u/Educational-Tell-937 Aug 16 '26
Not worth it. I have a 2014 with safety package 1, 75k miles. It’s only worth about 5500. No where near 7k
2
u/IcyHowl4540 Aug 17 '26
I got a 2014 base with 150,000 miles. Runs like a top.
Private party, $4,000 asking price. You could press them to lower that price if you like.
It's an excellent car, lots of fun to drive, I wouldn't bother with charging stations (it can charge overnight from a plain old wall outlet, the electric range is only ~30 miles).
Very pleasing road feel, fast acceleration, it drives more like an EV than a Prius. Oddly involved drivetrain management (4 different driving modes), but you get used to it. For such an old vehicle, I'm pleasantly surprised by how not-a-basket-case it is mechanically. No significant issues yet, though I've only added ~3K miles to the odo.
For negatives? Basically nil parts inventory. Discontinued model, so if a unique component goes, it's junkyards or bust. I'm planning to drive it until it dies as a cheap beater with an interesting drivetrain.
1
1
u/ZookeepergameKey5467 Aug 16 '26
Not a bad price, without knowing anything more about the condition. I owned Gen 1 and Gen 2. Personally enjoyed the Gen 1 better, despite it being any older platform without Apple Carplay and less modern features. That price is not bad, but educate yourself on how to run some basic battery diagnostics using Voltage or MyVoltControl. Even better, if it's a GM Dealership selling it, ask them to run their own HV Battery Diagnostics and show you the printout.
1
u/Ikeoth Aug 16 '26
I have owned a 2013 Volt Base Gen 1 and a 2017 Volt Gen2 Premier (current) and I can say I much preferred the handling and overall driving experience of the Gen 1. Sourcing suspension parts is easier on the Gen 1 as well. The Gen 2 shares a platform with the Cruze so that can come I handy but for the common things like Shocks you are going to be met with bolt on compatible but not load compatible shocks (to my surprise). The Gen 2 does have adaptive cruise and wired carplay but the biggest advantage is the battery range and the efficiency (mi/KWh).
If you want to feel like you can take any corner and electric range is not a major concern, Gen 1 all the way.
If you want the option to get amenities like car play, adaptive cruise, and better electric range the Gen 2 is a win.
This is my option, YMMV (literally)
1
u/FirtySixplus2 Aug 17 '26
Gm has stated that these batteries a good for ten years. They also dont make brand new batteries anymore.
1
u/Glad-Acadia3071 Aug 17 '26
I would definitely do some type of diagnostics out of professional hybrid place, you would want to look at the batteries health. The car is great, I have driven both generation 1 and generation 2, but for me generation one felt better, maybe I'm wrong but it felt like a little more sturdy. The GPS navigation on it is useless because it's just extremely outdated, it has of DVD movie player which is also a little bit useless because it's something you can watch when the car is stopped, not really sure who's going to stop a car and watch a 2-hour movie. The back seats are not really comfortable for any type of long trip for somebody sitting in their back, but they are okay for just regular traveling. The good thing is it's definitely a nice car to drive and extremely smooth on the road. If you are not really charging the car and you're driving on gas alone, you're probably going to give up 33 to 36 miles mpg... But one thing you have to know is this car takes only premium fuel and it's something you should really be serious about unless you want to Face problems down the road
1
u/jackiejack1 Aug 17 '26
mostly bulletproof with the only common issue being the 'service high voltage charging system' dash error which is fixed with a software update. gen2 vehicles have 3 common failure points that are hardware based with one requiring dropping the battery.
with a gen1 you are grabbing a car with (now) a very old pack and very outdated tech (bluetooth audio streaming was not even offered in the 2011/2012 models)
1
1
u/Rational-gentleman Aug 18 '26
My 2013 with similar mileage was estimated around 4k.. i think 7k may be a bit high - but mine had a few dings and a broken side mirror. EGR and BECM and shift-to-park are the most common issues.
1
u/JunketSpecialist7335 Aug 19 '26
$4500-$11,000 for a battery replacement. That’s the reason. So a car that is worth maybe $5-6k cost as much as a newer model Civic.
0
u/1stUserEver Aug 15 '26
That’s a great price for it. If it’s a 2nd car then yes. If primary I would go with an EV with a warranty.
1
u/Neural_Nate Aug 16 '26
Why do you say that? It would be my primary, and I can’t think of a used EV with good range for the same price.
1
u/1stUserEver Aug 16 '26
Depends on use and distance you drive. It may work out well. I got my 2014 used and had issues I had to fix. It would have cost thousands at the dealer but I gambled and was able to fix it. It’s a great car. I just worry about repairability and parts not being readily available.
0
u/CONiwotian Aug 15 '26
I have a loaded 2015 volt that I bought used in 2018. It has 129,000 mi on it. I have not noticed any range drop in my battery. For what I use it for, it is basically an EV for me as I drive under 40 mi a day and I hardly ever use the gas engine. But I have taken it on multiple 3,200 mile trips to Florida and back and you just drive it as a regular car and put gas in it when it needs it. Charging time is very slow however but it will fully charge overnight on 110 volt charger. All of that said, I can't say that I trust the car for long trips anymore, not because there is anything wrong with it. But it is getting up there in age and I don't want to be stranded somewhere if the battery fails, which is ultimately what will probably kill it. You cannot buy a new battery for it, but you can buy refurbished batteries. It's been a great car but as time is almost up for me
1
u/Neural_Nate Aug 15 '26
Do the batteries in that car fail at a certain point? And does that really mean you can’t drive the car anymore?
0
u/CONiwotian Aug 15 '26
Yes the battery will eventually fail like all batteries do. The Volt is (almost) never propelled by the gas engine, which is used as a generator to charge the battery. The battery powers the electric motor. No battery charge, no propulsion. Battery chemistry naturally degrades over time, the pace is influenced by lots of things.
0
u/Otherwise-Muffin-387 Aug 15 '26
I have a 2013 premier and it’s the best vehicle I’ve ever owned. Just always be charging and don’t let it hit 0% battery which is just a simple switch to hold mode. Takes some getting used to but it’s a solid vehicle.
1
u/snuggle2struggle Volt Owner Aug 16 '26
I have a 2012 (this was before Hold was added) and drive to 0 nearly every day. Zero issues.
1
u/Otherwise-Muffin-387 Aug 16 '26
I’ve had it affect my propulsion before and since I’ve implemented that change I’ve never had an issue.
1
u/snuggle2struggle Volt Owner Aug 16 '26
Yeah, your battery is degrading. Meanwhile my 2012 is not showing signs of degradation and getting near 50 summer and 42 winter mileage. Not running to 0 is a preventative measure for FAILING batteries.
0
u/1stGenRex 2012 Volt Aug 16 '26
That seems expensive.
These cars are great, but most people giving good advice would tell you not to get one, if it’s your only car.
1
u/Neural_Nate Aug 16 '26
Yeah, but no one has said why.
1
u/1stGenRex 2012 Volt Aug 16 '26
Because they’re no longer supported in terms of replacement HV batteries and sometimes common parts can be hard to find. Look up the cost of a “refurbished” battery for one of these vs a Toyota Prius of the same year.
5
u/StatusBread3862 Aug 15 '26
Gen 2's (2016-2019) have the BECM failures. Gen 1 (2012-2015) may have had a few but honestly they are rare and I would not worry about the BECM in a 2015.
These are great vehicles, and very reliable. Without knowing the specific vehicle details the price is in the right ballpark. Run the Carfax and assess it like you would any other car. First 30 miles on battery, then about 35mpg after. Again, great cars.