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Devoted Group Of Chevy Volt Owners Trigger Real-World Smug Alert

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I’ve never really paid much attention to the Chevy Volt. It always came off as just another hybrid to me, so I chose to ignore it. I can no longer refuse to sit back and say nothing, however. A short while back I stumbled upon a Facebook group dedicated to owners of the Volt and my awakening experience has forced me to break my vow of silence.

Although composed of just under 3,500 fans, “Chevy Volt Owners” may be the most active Facebook group page in existence. Even after a solid five or six scrolls down the news feed, the timestamps on the posts revealed that they were no more than two hours old. Needless to say, my curiosity was piqued. How much could people really be saying about the Chevy Volt? Turns out quite a bit.

With my eyebrows furrowed in confusion, I delved into the mystery behind the page and began reading some of the posts and comments more in-depth. It only took mere seconds before the smug alert began to sound in my head, but being the level-headed guy that I am, I gave the page the benefit of the doubt. Surely not all of the fans of the page could be so pretentious.

I was grossly mistaken.

chevy-volt-owners

THAAAANKS!!

One of the first posts I came across was from a man who had put together an ad mock-up which he planned to have posted in his local newspaper in an effort to raise awareness of the Chevy Volt. He wanted to get feedback from other Volt owners and find out whether there were any overlooked details in the ad, but even after a string of suggestion-laden comments and a few updated drafts, he decided to contact the editor at the newspaper instead of sending it into print. No word on whether or not that actually happened, but either way, the story is just one of the many conundrums that arose during my time on the group’s page.

Some other Volt owners suggested that a more effective way of raising awareness would be to come up with a “Volt Challenge that involves ice buckets.” I conducted a thorough investigation Google search of  “Chevy Volt Ice Bucket Challenge” and was relieved to find zero relevant results, but it did bring something else to my attention.

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Apparently there are countless videos of Chevy Volt owners talking about their experiences with their plug-in hybrid, the most grueling of which stretches on for an unbearable 38 minutes and 24 seconds. I couldn’t make it through more than six minutes, but as there are nearly 50,000 views and the video has been “thumbs-upped” 247 times, there is a good chance that a few poor souls have sat through the entire painstaking duration. In fact, while browsing through a selection of the 225 comments, I was able to find a few shamelessly honest people who admitted to taking 40 minutes out of their day to watch the entire thing. Not surprisingly, comments about their personal Chevy Volt soon followed.

The first rule of Chevy Volt is: you must talk about Chevy Volt.

The first rule of Chevy Volt is: You must talk about Chevy Volt.

Despite my newfound angst for the Volt, I can sort of, but actually not really understand where owners of the hybrid are coming from. The 2015 Chevy Volt is able to travel up to 380 miles with a full tank of gas and a fully charged battery. On the electric motor alone, it can achieve a range of 38 miles, which is further than some of the other plug-in hybrid vehicles on the market. That’s all fine and dandy, but I still don’t believe that the Volt is worthy of the undoubtedly puzzling, cult-like following that it currently has. I especially don’t think that anyone wants to see anyone dumping ice water over their head on behalf of the hybrid.

These recent Chevy Volt findings are solid evidence that “South Park” is one of the most geniously-scripted shows out there. Although the stories are overly exaggerated for satirical purposes, they couldn’t be any more accurate. That’s especially true for the episode entitled “Smug Alert” which plays on the egocentric attitude of hybrid owners. The moral of the episode is that hybrids really are great, but owners of the vehicles should not be smug about owning them or act as if they are above anyone else.

I can only hope that Chevy Volt owners take heed. If you want to have your Facebook groups and post your YouTube videos that is perfectly fine by me. I will steer clear of them from here on out. All I ask is that you refrain from posting Volt “awareness” ads in your local newspaper, and for the love of all things good and holy in this world, please, keep the ice in your freezers and the buckets in your basements.

Believe me when I say that no one else really gives a shit.

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John is a full-time automotive blogger who digs cars, but also spends a disturbing amount of time watching and reading about movies. His first car was a maroon 1993 Buick Skylark which, after a solid seven-year run, was laid to rest in August of 2013. He currently writes for phantomcopy.com.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. shrek

    Sep 5, 2014 at 11:40 am

    hater

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Ford Continues to Please Minivan-Skeptic Soccer Moms

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Ford Aerostar Minivan Exterior Does Ford Still Make

If the words Aerostar, Windstar and Freestar mean anything to you, you know that Ford is responsible for some of the best minivans ever made. Beginning with the first model Aerostar in 1986, Ford’s snub-nosed minivan set the standard of what would be created by automotive manufacturers in this class for decades.

The Aerostar was also the first minivan in the United States to feature upgraded, luxury packages. With an XLT package, and Eddie Bauer trim levels, the Ford Aerostar allowed drivers to bring passengers, cargo and more in style. For the first time, drivers could take advantage of the versatile and reliable minivan platform, without sacrificing comfort and convenience.

Does Ford Still Make a Minivan?

The Aerostar continued in the mid-90s as the Ford Windstar. The Windstar was a complete reinvention, shifting the drivetrain from RWD to FWD, and bringing the flagship minivan more in line with current minivan design. The Windstar became the Freestar in the early 2000s, lasting until the 2007 model year, with the final Ford “Star line” minivan rolling off the assembly line in December of 2006.

While we don’t know for sure what was behind Ford’s decision to discontinue their family-marketed minivan, we can take a guess. For starters, Ford has extended their reputation for reliable cars and trucks into the crossover market. With options covering a wide range of size and seating configurations (everything from the subcompact Ford Ecosport to the boxy family hauler Ford Flex), crossovers have become the new favorite for family vehicles.

Ford’s versatile crossover line has a vehicle that can meet almost any need. Do you have a small family? Go with the popular 2018 Ford Escape. Big family with lots of stuff to haul? The 2018 Ford Expedition has your back.

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Although crossovers and SUVs provide some distinct advantages (presence of AWD, higher ground clearance, and uni-body construction), the market for minivans hasn’t completely died, and neither has Ford’s commitment to providing drivers with a competent and compelling option.

Good News: Ford Still Makes a Passenger Minivan

ford transit connect passenger van in solar color_oAlthough Ford’s marketing has shifted toward promoting their incredible range of crossovers and SUVs as family choices, they still offer a more traditional minivan in the Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon. Utilizing the same body construction as the Ford Transit cargo van, the Transit Connect Passenger Wagon features up to 7 seats, and plenty of standard safety and comfort technology.

Lower ride height (easier in and out), sliding doors and greater visibility are among the reasons people still prefer vans for transporting their families. Additionally, the more contoured shape of most crossovers (not looking at you, Ford Flex) means that vans provide better cargo room! Family of four traveling cross-state with three suitcases? A Ford Explorer should be a great option.

Family of six, with a dog and 10 bags going cross-country, however, and the Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon starts to look a lot more up to the job.

Ford has a sterling reputation across the spectrum of vehicles they manufacture. Although the Transit Connect Passenger Wagon isn’t among their more well-known, it’s among the most competent and best value options in the minivan class.

 

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I Wasn’t Always a Dale Jr Fan – But Now I Get It

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It was the crowning moment of the career of Nascar’s most popular driver. The 2004 Daytona 500. The chosen son, Dale Earnhardt Jr, had won the race that his father tragically died competing in only three years earlier.

Reports of the day say that everyone in the crowd was on their feet, cheering. Grown men were in tears. It was quite the moment, they say.

Well, I can tell you that there was at least one person that wasn’t cheering. That’s because I was that lone defector. (more…)

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The Essence Of 90’s Chevy Truck Commercials

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If you ever watched television for more than an hour at any time during the 90’s, you probably remember Chevy’s “Like a Rock” commercials. They aired on just about every channel, so they were pretty hard to miss—and pretty hard to forget as well. Even two decades later the sound of Bob Seger belting out those now-famous words is still shockingly memorable. (more…)

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