Volt vs. Toyota

Coyote wonders about the contrast between the frantic, America-in-crisis media and political coverage of an imaginary Toyota sudden acceleration glitch and the considerably mellower reception given an alleged safety hazard in Chevy Volts, put out by government-sponsored General Motors.

2 Comments

  • Alleged safety hazard?

    Alleged nothing, they have actually burst into flame many days after a side-impact collision. Alleged my foot.

  • It is more than just the lack of coverage on the safety hazard.

    Not many people know that GM has offered loaner cars to people while the Volt’s safety issues are being addressed.

    Even worse is that GM is now offering to buy back Volts from owners who are worried about the safety issue. The buy back is at full price – what the customer paid the dealer for the car.

    What the buy back doesn’t address (because it cannot) is the tax rebate to Volt owners for purchasing the car in the first place.

    Basically this means that if a Volt owner didn’t like the car, wants a newer model, has a concern for the safety of the vehicle, or whatever, the taxpayers have paid them $7,500 to drive the Volt for a maximum of 10 months (that’s how long the car has been out.)

    Toyota gets sued as well as called into the Senate for hearings on their product.

    GM gets to keep the notice of the safety investigation quiet, buy back cars at full price and we the tax payers foot the bill.

    (And while I am not a conspiracy theorist, I do question the timing of the announcement the NHSTA was opening a formal investigation into the Volt on “Black Friday” when people are running around, exhausted and not taking notice of the news to be highly suspect.)