Chevy halts production of the Volt.

[ga66mopar]

Wait until he has to spend est $6000- $8000 for a replacement battery. GM keeps the cost of a replacement battery a close guarded secret

A friend of mine has a Volt.

I have ridden in it a few times.

The car will cruise 70 with no problem.


And the mileage is awesome.

The car is smooth as can be too.

If i could afford one, I would but it.

The fuel you will save alone is worth it.

He just takes what he used to spend on gas and puts it toward the car payment.

Like he told me, It doesnt cover all the payment, But when the vehicle is paid off, He will save quite a bit of money over the period of a year.

I work about a mile from where i live. If i had that, I would NEVER but gas again!

Think about that. No gas to buy to go to work..............EVER!

That is a hell of a savings i think.

And because i live in a small town, I could drive to work AND all over town and never buy gas.

How can you call that a bad thing?

We HAVE to break out dependency on foreign oil.

As long as we buy their oil, We are funding terrorist projects.

So the only way to hurt them is in their pockets.

So electric cars is the way to go IMO.

 

[ChargerRTguy]

I agree one hundred percent, why would you vote and support politicians that support an anti-car agendas. If somebody wants to drive a hybrid go ahead, I won't ever, but do not mandate me to give up my Mopar for the "good of all" or some other socialist agenda.

 

[Endangered Species]

Wow, can't believe just how shallow the memory is of many American's when it comes to our recent history! It was Bush that started the Auto bailouts, Obama just was the guy in charge when the automotive companies started to pay the loans back. If the companies failed, well, who knows what would have been the outcome? As for talk radio; been there done that, you are reading words from a former Ditto head, EIB subscriber, etc. But, life and experiences in life have a way of changing a person, and, that blundering dildo head just has no place in my life anymore, as he's full of ****.

And the math of 13+ years to pay for the volt, wow, no factoring in costs to operate your old Suburban? Things wear out. Not a complete picture. And, the Volt gets (in the best manner to figure) 95 mpg, not 37mpg as you indicated. Perhaps you were looking at the Cruze's numbers? If we're going to throw 'facts' around as truth, at least be honest with yourself and convey honest facts. Using your own formulae the Volt will cost $478.00 a year in gasoline, that's a hard number to shake a stick at no matter how myopic one's vision is.[/QUOTE]



Not sure what your issue is with Rush but he and the other conservative talk show host out there are the only ones trying to point out the attack on our freedoms. I must say that I am much more aware of what is going on now than I was before I paid attention to Fox News and people like Rush. The more life experience I get the more conservative I become.

As for the MPG on the Volt, I took that from the web site. Yes it get's 37MPG on gas, now they claim the car can go 35 miles on a full charge, however the results have been more like 25 miles on a full charge when you have the heater running and radio playing. So for the benefit of the doubt, let's average this out and say the car get's 65MPG so now it will only take 10 years to pay for the car.

 

[Dennis H]

A friend of mine has a Volt.

I have ridden in it a few times.

The car will cruise 70 with no problem.


And the mileage is awesome.

The car is smooth as can be too.

If i could afford one, I would but it.

The fuel you will save alone is worth it.

He just takes what he used to spend on gas and puts it toward the car payment.

Like he told me, It doesnt cover all the payment, But when the vehicle is paid off, He will save quite a bit of money over the period of a year.

I work about a mile from where i live. If i had that, I would NEVER but gas again!

Think about that. No gas to buy to go to work..............EVER!

That is a hell of a savings i think.

And because i live in a small town, I could drive to work AND all over town and never buy gas.

How can you call that a bad thing?

We HAVE to break out dependency on foreign oil.

As long as we buy their oil, We are funding terrorist projects.

So the only way to hurt them is in their pockets.

So electric cars is the way to go IMO.

Get a GRIP man. If I lived a mile I'd walk. I live 7 and take the Train. We're sitting on plenty of fuel that would employ Americans to get and refine. Forget the furrin oil thing, that's a choice. Not my choice.

 

[Donny]

So, the band plays, many of you cheer for this or that politician that promises to do things you like, or want, but, sadly never will occur. Some of you attack GM for making the Volt, and even attack the Volt for the price it carries -- because all other arguments are naught.

And, while we all have our new MOPARS, etc., how can the justification for not buying the Volt not be applied to our purchases we make that utilize gasoline? You and no one here (or anywhere) can. It's a moot and baseless argument that just makes you look like a yapper and someone crying "Look at me, Look at me, I'm making noise to get attention".

Remember, the Volt was designed to be a 50 mile range car on electricity, condemn it as you wish for not meeting that target, but, having a car that can get us around in town for short distances with no gasoline to buy is very appealing to me. If I could afford one, I would buy one, but, I don't want to give up my Challenger.

As for this government trying to destroy our freedoms, please, this is absolute theater! There is not Left, no Right, no Republican or Democrat, they are ALL on the same plane, the course NEVER changes, we can vote for 'change' all we want, we can sing praises to the Republican kooks running for office, or, the Democratic liar we have there now, all the change he promised; where's it at?

The actual mechanisms of what's going on are far bigger than this trivial discussion we've been having folks, but, that's another entire subject that I frankly won't get into right now, let's just say that the USA is a corporation, it used to be called the Virginia corporation, they changed their charter and incorporated as the United States of America.

As for prices of the Volt battery pack, prolly about 10 grand at least, but, they are not serviceable items like changing your oil or spark plugs, and who cares how much they cost anyways? You buy a new car today and you're not getting out of there with out some strong-arm tactics to buy this and or that extended warranty anyways, do you think the Volt battery pack won't be protected under such offers?

Remember, ask yourself always "Who benefits, and Who gains" from this or that issue. Who is benefiting from the Volt suspending production, and the 'news' of its apparent failure? I don't think its a failure at all, give it some time, it's a niche vehicle, it may catch on, it may not? But, to condemn GM for making it is really like cutting off your penis because your church made you feel guilty for masturbating!

 

[Stumper]

Wow, can't believe just how shallow the memory is of many American's when it comes to our recent history! It was Bush that started the Auto bailouts, Obama just was the guy in charge when the automotive companies started to pay the loans back. If the companies failed, well, who knows what would have been the outcome? .

Yes, some memories are pretty shallow - but it doesn't seem to stop people from twisting the facts. Before too much of history is twisted please read this
- thoroughly..

http://www.nationalaffairs.com/publications/detail/the-auto-bailout-and-the-rule-of-law

The Bush Administration did "start" the bailout process - in mid December of 2009 (last two weeks), using certain guidelines for the loans, that were never met by Detroit. What unfolded in March / April of 2010 was entirely Osama's doing, complete with giving the Unions ownership and forcing Chrysler to sell out to Fiat later.
Did the bailouts help .... does Ch.11 help a failing company? When all the debt is written off (and other companies get screwed) and special low interest loans are given out, even the worst run company can be successful, for a short time. We'll see how well they do in 5 years from now... The core changes that were made at GM were miniscule in nature and I seriously doubt they will be any stronger long term - without more taxpayer help. Chrysler - I hate to say it but Fiat has never been able to make their own company successful - without funding from the Italian government (which is currently in the shitter) so I don't think they are any white knight.

My take on the Volt project - FWIW, I would like to see it be successful - on it's own merits, without taxpayer funding.

 

[Endangered Species]

So, the band plays, many of you cheer for this or that politician that promises to do things you like, or want, but, sadly never will occur. Some of you attack GM for making the Volt, and even attack the Volt for the price it carries -- because all other arguments are naught.

And, while we all have our new MOPARS, etc., how can the justification for not buying the Volt not be applied to our purchases we make that utilize gasoline? You and no one here (or anywhere) can. It's a moot and baseless argument that just makes you look like a yapper and someone crying "Look at me, Look at me, I'm making noise to get attention".

Remember, the Volt was designed to be a 50 mile range car on electricity, condemn it as you wish for not meeting that target, but, having a car that can get us around in town for short distances with no gasoline to buy is very appealing to me. If I could afford one, I would buy one, but, I don't want to give up my Challenger.

As for this government trying to destroy our freedoms, please, this is absolute theater! There is not Left, no Right, no Republican or Democrat, they are ALL on the same plane, the course NEVER changes, we can vote for 'change' all we want, we can sing praises to the Republican kooks running for office, or, the Democratic liar we have there now, all the change he promised; where's it at?

The actual mechanisms of what's going on are far bigger than this trivial discussion we've been having folks, but, that's another entire subject that I frankly won't get into right now, let's just say that the USA is a corporation, it used to be called the Virginia corporation, they changed their charter and incorporated as the United States of America.

As for prices of the Volt battery pack, prolly about 10 grand at least, but, they are not serviceable items like changing your oil or spark plugs, and who cares how much they cost anyways? You buy a new car today and you're not getting out of there with out some strong-arm tactics to buy this and or that extended warranty anyways, do you think the Volt battery pack won't be protected under such offers?

Remember, ask yourself always "Who benefits, and Who gains" from this or that issue. Who is benefiting from the Volt suspending production, and the 'news' of its apparent failure? I don't think its a failure at all, give it some time, it's a niche vehicle, it may catch on, it may not? But, to condemn GM for making it is really like cutting off your penis because your church made you feel guilty for masturbating!

Donny,

I am not condemning GM for building the Volt. I am saying that the Volt was not ready for production. From what I read this car was a concept car then the regime strong-armed them into putting into production before it was ready. (Maybe it was the same people who forced GM and Chrysler to cancel thousands of dealers? We know how smart they were)
The fact is the regime does not want to lower gas prices so they can implement their green energy policies.

Here is proof from the Secretary of Energy who in fact is a global warming advocate:

http://www.examiner.com/political-b...-chu-says-obama-wants-to-keep-gas-prices-high


Energy Secretary Steven Chu yesterday admitted the Department of Energy (DOE) has no intentions of working to lower gas prices in the United States. His testimony before Congress confirmed suspicions in the opposition party the Obama Administration is not as concerned with the current surge in prices at the pump as they are with making solar energy a major energy source.

When asked by Congressman Alan Nunnelee of Mississippi about whether or not the DOE sees lowering prices as a priority Chu answered, “No.”

You keep bashing the Republicans and somewhat the Dem's I guess my question is what is your solution? Ron Paul maybe?
As far as the politicians go, the only way to get true change is to change the faces in Washington. We keep sending the same people and keep getting the same results, (I think that’s the definition of insanity) Let's take Ted Kennedy for example; he was in the Senate from 1962 up until the day he died. HOW CAN THAT BE? Right now we need to start with ejecting all the Libs out of Washington then we move on to the RINOS.


Here is more proof of the regimes take on energy prices talking about electric power plants. I guess charging the old electric car isn’t going to be too cost effective either. They already started to close down power plants in SW Pa and Northern WV.
If you can stand watching this guy take a look at these.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR0qC6bvT3E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRuXrbjlrRg&feature=related

 

[70rr-brian]

The only "alternative fuel" source I have seen that offers a great deal of promise is hydrogen. Essentially a fuel system modification and the internal combustion engine lives on.

You build nuclear power plants to supply the electricity to split the hydrogen from sea water and it completely solves the non-existant greenhouse gas problem. It's a win-win. Well sorta....those who drink the greenhouse gas kool-aid hate only one thing more than the evils of oil and that is nuclear waste and the threat of a meltdown.

Eventually fusion will become a reality and eliminate the need for nuclear plants. But in the meantime I fail to see why the nuclear/hydrogren solution isn't being employed. With the cost of gasoline as it is and no real hope of it declining in the near future based on the devaluation of our currency from printing money out of thin air, hydrogen seems like the only viable solution. With incorporating the costs of building and operating the nuclear plants and even including gas/hydrogen fueling station modification subsidies into the hydrogen fuel costs there is no way in my mind this would cost more than what we pay for gas today or even when it was $2 per gallon. Since the fuel itself is FREE and all the insanity of refining is removed from the equation.

Yes, I realize I have over simplified the issue by saying simple fuel system modifications.... But it really isn't that much more difficult than that. I am quite sure engineers could solve these issues in short order if given the directive to focus on this and this alone. A well thought out orderly, staged implementaion of getting the necessary components in place to make this happen and make it deliverable to the masses could be done by any half-wit project manager.

 

[Donny]

Back in 2006 I read somewhere, perhaps Alpar.com, can't remember, and had it confirmed by a Dodge dealer that Chrysler had instructed all its dealers to consolidate; meaning, Chrysler wanted under one roof its Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep brands, the stand-alone dealers such as Dodge, and Chrysler-Jeep would be looked at for dealer revocation if they didn't consolidate. Here in San Antonio Gunn Dodge heeded this advice, they sold off their Dodge dealership to the then Mission Chrysler Jeep back in 2006. I know this because I was drooling over the then new Dodge Charger, and, at that time had finally convinced my wife to go look at them with me -- this was in early 2006, like Feb. She finally bought one (an R/T) in Nov 2006, an 07 model.

All this was before what you said could have happened; meaning Obama wasn't president, so, he could not have strong-armed Chrysler to close dealers. Chrysler was doing business as naturally as it could. Cerebus was in charge of Chrysler then, and that company was and still is a very Capitalist centered management firm, probably what Marx would call as true a capitalist company as could be!

I can't determine if the Volt was or wasn't ready for production, only that I don't think GM would spend billions on it to not have it ready. But, I don't know, I only follow the facts and truths, and have little tolerance for crap. You mentioned politics, rather what I feel is a better choice -- Ron Paul, well, I won't vote for anyone but him if given the chance to vote.

The Dollar, yeah, it's declining in value, its all by design. Our manufacturing base loves a low dollar as our goods are cheaper for overseas consumption. The Dollar sill is the worlds reserve currency, Saddam tried to sustain his Iraq trading in Euro's, look where that landed him...

Enough traveling down this road for me...this is a MOPAR lovin' forum, my rants are for other places, amazing, I didn't even go into my 9-11 stuff!!!

 

[ilm65]

I have to agree with ga66mopar, Cranky, NHCharger (who is "right on" target about New Hampshire and its driving Democratic influence). And since we're all on this site because of a common interest in classic b-bodies, ChargerRTguy has an extremely strong point about the government forcing our muscle and collector cars off the road--forever! All it takes is a listening ear to the tree huggers and they're outlawed.

As to 99ss' heralding the Obama bailout of GM & Chrysler: What so many of the American public didn't understand is that Chapter 11 bankruptcy provides for the running of the company (which includes paying its suppliers and employees) while reorganizing--which in this case, means shaking off all the dead weight, the unneeded functions or departments protected by a union, and slimming down the company (which for the most part, wasn't done). This "president", like so many around him, understands the solution to the problem is to throw more money at it; after all, the coffers never empty and we can always borrow more from China.

One last rant: I, like many, served during Viet Nam--saw friends wounded or worse; came back to be riduculed by those who didn't or wouldn't serve (some--like Bill Clinton) left the country to "dodge the draft". To see Obama on tour around the world apologizing for America's intervention in conflicts that threatened people's freedoms while establishing democracy and eliminating dictatorships is abhorable--this is someone who never served in the military, never even had a real job, sat as a junior senator for 2 years and got elected by an ignorant electorate largely because of his minority status over someone who served in Viet Nam, was held prisoner for 5 years, upon leaving the military was awarded a Silver Star, a Purple Heart, a Congressional Medal of Honor, sought a career serving this nation and at the time of running for president, had served this country as a senator from Arizona for 37 years.

 

[ChargerRTguy]

Volt

Thank You for your service. I did not serve, but my dad was a WWII Veteran and my father in law saw action in Korea.

 

[Stumper]

One last rant: I, like many, served during Viet Nam--saw friends wounded or worse; came back to be riduculed by those who didn't or wouldn't serve (some--like Bill Clinton) left the country to "dodge the draft". To see Obama on tour around the world apologizing for America's intervention in conflicts that threatened people's freedoms while establishing democracy and eliminating dictatorships is abhorable--this is someone who never served in the military, never even had a real job, sat as a junior senator for 2 years and got elected by an ignorant electorate largely because of his minority status over someone who served in Viet Nam, was held prisoner for 5 years, upon leaving the military was awarded a Silver Star, a Purple Heart, a Congressional Medal of Honor, sought a career serving this nation and at the time of running for president, had served this country as a senator from Arizona for 37 years.

Amen brother!!!!!

 

[Donny]

McCain was NOT decorated with the Congressional Medal of Honor. Serving in the military and being a POW does not ingrain the person as infallible and deserving of being elected president. I spent 21 yrs in the US Army, all on active duty, and frankly, McCain is a fat pussy jack ***. I did not vote for him, and I never would.

The war in Vietnam was a horrendous exercise in stupidity by our leaders. Even McNamara admitted as such before dying. The war protesters in the 60s and 70s should be heralded because they changed the course of the war, kept more young poor white and black men from being drafted and sent to that mess.

As for Democrats and Liberals having it out for our old cars, how many Super Bee's and road runners do we see on the road that are spewing crap out the back? How many do we see driving on a daily basis? NONE! Weekends sure, and at car fairs/meets. This is fantasy if you think our old cars are targets for the crusher. The targets for any efforts to clean the air up are the 85 Cutlasses and cars of that era that are still on the road, if they even care because the numbers of cars that old out there on the roads is minuscule.

I can't believe you guys are so suckered into this hyperbole centered around this insanity called politics? I was an Intelligence Analyst in the Army, got payed to think, and figure **** out, these arguments I usually just blow over and not comment, but, this stuff is just rubbish!

 

[Jim 68cuda]

Regardless of how I feel about the Volt as a car to be evaluated on its own merits, I just can't get past one thing.

1000 were sold during February. At $7500 tax credit per car, that means that we as tax payers paid $7,500,000.00 in one month alone for other people to buy a new car. And if they could afford to spend that kind of money on a new car when I can't, why should I have to pay for it?
Now what could really make me loose sleep tonight is the horror of what it would cost if GM's sales predictions of 45,000 Volts per year became a reality. That would mean that in one year, we would spend $337,500,000.00 of the taxpayer's money to buy expensive new cars for people who could afford to buy a new car without that extra money. That to me is extreme government waste of taxpayer's money!!!!!

 

[ga66mopar]

Typical democrat insults other peoples intellence if they disagree with them. I may not be smart as a Intelligence Analyst in the Army but I have worked as a mechanical engineer at a nuclear plant for 25 yrs. Like you I have figured out a few things also and I know the volt is going down as a failure just like obama.
But I do agree with you about the Vietnam war that Johnson got us into. Such a shame that over 58,000 young men lost their life for nothing. But that's my opinion.

McCain was NOT decorated with the Congressional Medal of Honor. Serving in the military and being a POW does not ingrain the person as infallible and deserving of being elected president. I spent 21 yrs in the US Army, all on active duty, and frankly, McCain is a fat pussy jack ***. I did not vote for him, and I never would.

The war in Vietnam was a horrendous exercise in stupidity by our leaders. Even McNamara admitted as such before dying. The war protesters in the 60s and 70s should be heralded because they changed the course of the war, kept more young poor white and black men from being drafted and sent to that mess.

As for Democrats and Liberals having it out for our old cars, how many Super Bee's and road runners do we see on the road that are spewing crap out the back? How many do we see driving on a daily basis? NONE! Weekends sure, and at car fairs/meets. This is fantasy if you think our old cars are targets for the crusher. The targets for any efforts to clean the air up are the 85 Cutlasses and cars of that era that are still on the road, if they even care because the numbers of cars that old out there on the roads is minuscule.

I can't believe you guys are so suckered into this hyperbole centered around this insanity called politics? I was an Intelligence Analyst in the Army, got payed to think, and figure **** out, these arguments I usually just blow over and not comment, but, this stuff is just rubbish!

 

[ChargerRTguy]

volt

Our old car hobby is just a part of it. I believe it was SEMA that had to fight for us with the cash for clunker deal, other wise everything would have been a target for the evironmental tree huggers and the Obama administration. They were lucky to get away with 1985 and newer years if my thinking is right. We have to watch our freedoms, all of us, regardless of politics. Again I think the Volt should stand on it's own merits, whether is makes it or not. If someone wants to drive one let them. Just don't let the government decide for me what to drive, I prefer my Hummer H1. I get dirty looks sometimes, or the "finger" but who cares, the last time I checked this was a free country with a constitution etc. or is it ?

 

[MarPar]

93 octane @ $4.20/gal in Chicago today???

Ya know, I don't really have a problem with hybrids, electrics or whatever. I just think that the need to stand on their own without all the government subsidies. In fact if somebody wants to bring a Tesla roadster by, I would love to take it out for a spin. If they become a reasonable economic alternative to regular gas powered cars, then they will sell without all the bribery. The fact is that they are way overpriced for what you get. It's like they want all of their R&D money right now. Just my 2cents.

Smitty; im with you 100%. i dont mind hybrids and whatnot....

but if the "green" deal is going to work, let the market dictate what gets built. we don't need this shoved down our throats. (just like other policies from this administration)

i have no problem with very fuel-efficient vehicles; this is America, and people can have what they want...just leave me alone and let me drive my 9 MPG big block when i want to lay a little rubber!!! I pay all my taxes, dammit!!!

 

[Dennis H]

Regardless of how I feel about the Volt as a car to be evaluated on its own merits, I just can't get past one thing.

1000 were sold during February. At $7500 tax credit per car, that means that we as tax payers paid $7,500,000.00 in one month alone for other people to buy a new car. And if they could afford to spend that kind of money on a new car when I can't, why should I have to pay for it?
Now what could really make me loose sleep tonight is the horror of what it would cost if GM's sales predictions of 45,000 Volts per year became a reality. That would mean that in one year, we would spend $337,500,000.00 of the taxpayer's money to buy expensive new cars for people who could afford to buy a new car without that extra money. That to me is extreme government waste of taxpayer's money!!!!!

That's right. And I drive m 69 Coronet daily. I'm gonna leave the gas cap off overnight for good measure.

 

[Bruzilla]

I have to agree with ga66mopar, Cranky, NHCharger (who is "right on" target about New Hampshire and its driving Democratic influence). And since we're all on this site because of a common interest in classic b-bodies, ChargerRTguy has an extremely strong point about the government forcing our muscle and collector cars off the road--forever! All it takes is a listening ear to the tree huggers and they're outlawed.

As to 99ss' heralding the Obama bailout of GM & Chrysler: What so many of the American public didn't understand is that Chapter 11 bankruptcy provides for the running of the company (which includes paying its suppliers and employees) while reorganizing--which in this case, means shaking off all the dead weight, the unneeded functions or departments protected by a union, and slimming down the company (which for the most part, wasn't done). This "president", like so many around him, understands the solution to the problem is to throw more money at it; after all, the coffers never empty and we can always borrow more from China.

One last rant: I, like many, served during Viet Nam--saw friends wounded or worse; came back to be riduculed by those who didn't or wouldn't serve (some--like Bill Clinton) left the country to "dodge the draft". To see Obama on tour around the world apologizing for America's intervention in conflicts that threatened people's freedoms while establishing democracy and eliminating dictatorships is abhorable--this is someone who never served in the military, never even had a real job, sat as a junior senator for 2 years and got elected by an ignorant electorate largely because of his minority status over someone who served in Viet Nam, was held prisoner for 5 years, upon leaving the military was awarded a Silver Star, a Purple Heart, a Congressional Medal of Honor, sought a career serving this nation and at the time of running for president, had served this country as a senator from Arizona for 37 years.

You might want to study up on your history a bit. In addition to McCain never, ever, being even considered for a MOH, McCain was a breath away from being charged with treason by Admiral James Stockdale, and would have been convicted of said charges had not then SECNAV John Warner, a close friend of the McCain family, pushed for the Return With Honor program that obsolved all POWs from any charges for their conduct while POWs.

McCain himself wrote an article for a magazine after his release as a POW where he clearly stated he offered to give military information to the NV in return for medical treatment. He also gave numerous recorded statements and interviews where he supported NV positions. Lastly, there is no evidence that McCain was ever tortured or brutalized like most POWs were. He was offered special treatment and accepted it. The only guy in the Hanoi Hilton who challenges that is a guy named George "Bud" Day (he's the guy who's always on the TV anytime anyone challenges McCain's "history" as a POW... and the only guy who will back him up). By all accounts, Day is a great veteran and MOH recipient, but he's also been McCain's business partner in Florida real estate since the 1980s, and one of his primary lawyers, so he's not an unbiased party with no self-interest in protecting McCain's reputation.

McCain was responsible for the killing of a bill that passed the House on a unanimous vote that would have opened up all records of POWs/MIAs so people could see what was known about MIAs, and he replaced it with the McCain Bill, which bars the release of any POW or MIA information except to selected parts of the DoD or to the POW or an approved family member.

Lastly, McCain, along with John Kerry, were behind the normalization of relations with Vietnam, a process that was long held up by stories of POWs and MIAs still being held there. Why would McCain pass his bill that he knew would kill further investigations into the status of MIAs, and speed up the normalization process? Because most of his fortune isn't in cash. It's in Anheuser-Busch stock held by his wife Cindy, and the first contract the Vietnemese signed after Clinton normalized relations was with a company called Gannon Group LTD to serve as the main distributor of a huge range of consumer products made in the US, and Gannon was a wholly-owned subsidiary of... Anheuser Busch. The McCains made millions off the normalization of relations, and all he had to do to get it was toss the MIAs under the bus.

McCain is no hero. He's a Class A scumbag.

 

[Bruzilla]

Donny is right that the Volt is a marvel of engineering, but so was the black & white TV. Unlike the black & white TV, the Volt really offers no value in the marketplace and would be like someone making and selling an ultra-low resolution, UHF/VHF only, black & white TV for sale today.

Bottom line is even with the rebate, you're looking at financing a vehicle for about $37,000 after taxes and fees. Even extending the terms out to 72 months, you're looking at a $500+ monthly payment even without buying any extras. Plus you still have to put gas in it, so there's really no incentive to go out and buy the Volt when you can keep your old car and pay for the extra gas, which won't be anywhere near $500 a month in additional costs, or buy a standard small sedan for about half the price of a Volt and get about 2/3rds the milage. It isn't oil companies doing this, it's pocketbooks.

Another issue with any hybrid or electric is accessories. To keep the car light enough to get decent milage from the electrical system, you have to make the engine as small as possible, which means a loss of efficiency. This loss should be overcome by using regenerative energy from the brakes, but you don't get that on the highway. Also, I was working for Ford in 2004 when the Hybrid Escape came out, and the tech guy introducing it said "the battery system is more than adequate unless you use the air conditioning. With the A/C on, the only way the vehicle can be driven is to use the engine 100% of the time, which makes the fuel efficiency worse than the V-6 Escape. But since people only use A/C a few months out of the year, it's a good trade off." We're in FL where you use the A/C in your car about 11 months out of the year, and most people even further north use their A/C more than just during the summer months, so like most assumptions regarding these vehicles, the performance expectations are grossly unrealistic.