Chevy Volt Scaring Off Dealers With Added Costs
Thanks to additional costs for services and repairs, some Chevy dealers are choosing not to carry the Volt.
According to Automotive News, the sales of the Volt at some dealerships does not justify the cost of special tools needed to repair and service the vehicles. Dealers are spending up to $5,000 on tools, including a new item that is needed to drain the vehicle’s battery to send back to GM in case of repairs.
Despite sales of the Volt reaching 20,828 through November, some dealers are unable to sell enough of the range-extended electric cars to make up the cost of the parts. Requiring to sell just five Volts to break-even on the costs of the tools, some dealers are instead opting out of the Volt authorized dealer program. Dealers believe that GM is raising the requirements to be a certified Volt dealer in order to create a smaller network of dealerships that would provide more Volts to more successful dealers and areas.
See Also: Cadillac ELR Electric Coupe Teased Ahead of Detroit Auto Show
With the Volt-based Cadillac ELR coming in 2013, other dealers are seeing a benefit of continuing to be a part of the Volt Authorized dealer program, with the same tools allowing work to be done on the likely pricier ELR.
Source: Automotive News
Discuss this story at GM-Volt.com
Sami has an unquenchable thirst for car knowledge and has been at AutoGuide for the past six years. He has a degree in journalism and media studies from the University of Guelph-Humber in Toronto and has won multiple journalism awards from the Automotive Journalist Association of Canada. Sami is also on the jury for the World Car Awards.
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BS... Southern California is crawling with Volts. GM and the Federal and State government subsides the hell out them. Get the dirty money the oil company gave you to write this story out of your back pocket and write the truth about the Volt. Get over it.... The Chevy volt IS the answer to putting a nail in the Oil company coffin....