Chevrolet Volt scam?

[Timpo]

Dealers Selling Volts to Each Other, Claiming Federal Rebate
31st of May 2011 | 14:49 GMT | Daniel Patrascu

Before we get into this, we'll have to warn you that, since we are aware this will cause quite a controversy, this is not a story we made up. In fact, it belongs to Mark Modica, a long-time detractor of the government policies when it comes to GM (and more, some might add), who posted the result of a personal investigation on the National Legal and Policy Center website.

The short version of that story is that GM is lying, Volts aren't selling all that great, and what's more important, the dealers found a way to earn some cash despite all that alleged stagnation in sales. All, to the American taxpayer's expense.

According to Modica, Chevy dealers are selling Volt to other Chevy dealers (and some Kia and other manufacturer's stores as well), allowing the receiver to benefit from the $7,500 federal rebate and the seller to get rid of the stock. Once purchased by another dealer, the Volts are then resold, usually as used cars, and usually at MSRP.

“Many Volts with practically no miles on them are being sold as "used" vehicles, enabling the dealerships to benefit from the $7,500 credit supplied by the American taxpayers on each car,” says Modica.

“The process of titling the Volts technically makes the dealerships the first owners of the vehicles, which gives them the ability to claim the subsidies. The cars are then offered to retail customers as used vehicles.”

“I also suspect many purchasers of "used" Volts will attempt to claim the $7500 tax credit for themselves, thus bringing the total tax subsidy on such transactions to $15,000 if not disallowed by the IRS.”

Now, obvious holes in the theory aside, we'd love to see some evidence served with all this rhetoric. Admittedly, we're not big fans of electric vehicles in general and of the Volt in particular, but still, "I suspect" doesn't really cut it.

[BaoTurbo]

Interesting to and ingenious to sell cars back onto the market when there is no demand for it. Yet adding and screwing over the American economy more and more, digging a deeper and deeper hole to climb out of

[dangonay]

I call BS. There's no way a customer would by a Volt and not count on getting the $7,500 rebate. And there's no way the IRS is going to let two people claim the same rebate.

Besides, the author of the article is a well known idiot, and hater of electric vehicles. Very trustworthy source, if you ask me.

Nice try Timpo. Your attempts at bashing the Volt are quite pathetic.

[hk20000]

This was actually quite the big news in the past few days in usa. Jalopnik, however, posted a counter argument that this must not have happened, just by looking at the number of volts sold new vs used. I am on my phone so someone else plz link?
Posted via RS Mobile

[joquio]

Originally Posted by hk20000

This was actually quite the big news in the past few days in usa. Jalopnik, however, posted a counter argument that this must not have happened, just by looking at the number of volts sold new vs used. I am on my phone so someone else plz link?
Posted via RS Mobile

http://jalopnik.com/5806946/chevy-de...lt-tax-credits

[FS1992EG]

No one cares about the volt and no one buys American made cars. Everyone should just chill until the Tesla Model S out and we'll see what's what.

This electric car is the only electric car that can make a impact in the car scene.

[dangonay]

Originally Posted by FS1992EG

No one cares about the volt and no one buys American made cars. Everyone should just chill until the Tesla Model S out and we'll see what's what.

This electric car is the only electric car that can make a impact in the car scene.

You're a fucking idiot. Tesla is an American company and that means all Teslas are American made cars.
Posted via RS Mobile

[FS1992EG]

Originally Posted by dangonay

You're a fucking idiot. Tesla is an American company and that means all Teslas are American made cars.
Posted via RS Mobile

By definition it's made in California but the owner Elon Musk was the person who had the drive and vision to make everything happen and get the first Roadster in production. He made everything happen. He was born in half South African and mom was canadian.

Roadster is made in America but the parts come from every part of the world, the Model S is made in house I believe.

As for the Volt, I was excited for it to come out but the gas engine defeats the purpose to using electricity in the first place. With all the resources that Chrysler has at their disposal. They should have crammed some more batteries to further extend that range to the Volt.

[!LittleDragon]

Don't pay attention to Timpo, it's like he goes around digging up negative articles about domestic auto manufacturers. He's quick to post things like this up but stayed relatively quiet when Toyota was in the hot seat last year.

[Death2Theft]

Yes you really think "american" cars dont source parts outside of the usa?
I do agree with you tho Chrysler really should have made more room for batteries on the volt which they designed.

Originally Posted by FS1992EG

By definition it's made in California but the owner Elon Musk was the person who had the drive and vision to make everything happen and get the first Roadster in production. He made everything happen. He was born in half South African and mom was canadian.

Roadster is made in America but the parts come from every part of the world, the Model S is made in house I believe.

As for the Volt, I was excited for it to come out but the gas engine defeats the purpose to using electricity in the first place. With all the resources that Chrysler has at their disposal. They should have crammed some more batteries to further extend that range to the Volt.