VOLT OWNER AND SOON TO BE FFE OWNER

[Old Sparkie]

I have just purchased a Ford Focus Electric and have had a Volt since December of 2013. This event and my solution are posted to provide an alternative solution to the factory's idea of a spare tire. I will be swapping out the OEM tires on the FFE as soon as I receive the car. This event happened this week, when the day was bright and sunny with no rain. I could not even begin to contemplate rain, snow, or icing conditions to perform a tire inflation, no less a jacking and tire change. Both my wife an I are closing in on seventy, and we work out with weights and run at least three times a week. I can tell you, I would be hard pressed to jack the car, pull the wheel, do the replacement, it's a messy job, and one I'd rather avoid. The Bridgestone Run Flats will be a direct replacement for the OEM tires that come on the FFE. They are a delight on my Volt and I do find that "truly shocking!"-----

While traveling with my wife and our dog Harry, I was unable to swerve to avoid a metal pipe in the road. It hit under the right front side. I said to my wife, I hope it didn't take the tire with it. So, I can report that the Volt's low tire pressure warning works well. The front tire emptied in seconds, the low indicator is well designed and it even tells you which is the offending tire on the screen. I was able to safely pull to the side of the road, on with the flashers and back to the hatch to get "our tire kit." Good luck with this guy and gals! The instructions are in picture grams on the pump. There are no tools, jack, or tow hook for the front bumper! I got back in the car and hit On Star. They were able to get a tow service to the car, however, they gave the wrong location to the tow service as we were on a service road. I guess the gps gives the nearest location or address. So remember, get the tow company name and phone number from the On Star rep, call the tow service yourself and confirm time of arrival and location. If I had not done that, we would still be sitting on the side of the road. The flatbed arrived in about one hour. I asked to be taken to my Chevy Dealer, which he did. All costs were approved by On Star. The dealer had to get a new tire from a supplier. It appears that our tires are a new issue and many tire outlets don't have them yet. 5 hours and $179.00 later, I was able to retrieve my Volt. If I had been taken to the tow station that On Star recommended, I would have been stranded with no replacement tire to be had. So, getting your car to a Chevy Dealer is a must.
Thus, I am ordering a set of Bridgestone Run Flats that are made for the Volt. About $688 for set of four not including installation. I hate to have to due this as this should have been original equipment on the car. But as my thread states, " I will never go through this again!" Remember, you have been for warned. I really don't want to see any of us to have to experience this.
Well, I just had the Bridgestone DriveGuard Run Flats installed on the Volt. I took the car on local and state highways, over smooth and broken road service. To all those that say it makes the car ride harsher, you have not experienced this tire. I had to really concentrate to feel any difference in ride quality. Maybe, maybe a slightly heavier feel of tire rebound over pot holes. But this tire is slightly heavier, and of course, the sidewall construction is different. On intact surfaces or highways, I could not discern any difference in ride quality from the OEM tires. The noise level is the same. I had to concentrate to try to see if there are any differences. I asked my wife when we went to the supermarket what she thought of the ride. She said "same as before." The one thing I do have now that I didn't have before is no flat tire anxiety, no flat beds, no OnStar towing waits, and my dog Harry doesn't have to ride shot gun in a tow truck!

 

[michael]

Please let us know if you see difference in range.

 

[kmaluo]

I went through this a few weeks ago, and it was a 2 day ordeal. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I don't think I want to invest in run-flats on my leased FFE, but I'm intent on buying them for my next BEV.

Keep us posted on your range if affected at all.

 

[Old Sparkie]

I have been watching the mileage vs the charge. Since my volt is a 2014, the rated charge max is 38 miles. But as you know, temp, speed, and driving characteristics effects overall EV range. Prior to replacing the factory tires with the run flats, the most EV miles I got was 52. But the temp was in the low 60s. With the temp in the high 70s and mid 80s, the best mileage was 50 with the run flats. The EV loss comes from the weight differential between the standard LRR factory tires, and the LRR Run Flats; 19 and 28 lbs respectively, and the inertia needed to get them moving.
So, there is a loss in maximum EV miles, but the trade off is not being sidelined on the side of the road at the mercy of a towing service, no less for me, but your wife, girlfriend, significant other, and or children alone and you are not around. It's a risk I don't want to go through again. I expect my FFE to be delivered in a month. I will be making the switch soon after receiving the car. By the way, the Volt is leased, I was willing to spend the money for the safety and convenience that the run flats provide. The FFE is a purchase. I will keep the OEMS for back ups.

 

[michael]

Volt is notorious for flat tires. One friend has three Volts, and two had flats within the first few months of ownership. They may have a delicate construction, possibly thin sidewalls.


Tire Rack shows only the Bridgestone as LLR/Runflat for the Volt, but they also show several Pirelli Runflat/LRR in FFE size. Anyone have experience with these??

 

[Old Sparkie]

Volt is notorious for flat tires. One friend has three Volts, and two had flats within the first few months of ownership. They may have a delicate construction, possibly thin sidewalls.


Tire Rack shows only the Bridgestone as LLR/Runflat for the Volt, but they also show several Pirelli Runflat/LRR in FFE size. Anyone have experience with these??

My Volt has the Bridgestones.

I think a contributing factor to frequent flats may be the inherent construction of the OEM LRR tires. I don't know enough about tire construction, but I would venture a guess that rolling mass is kept to a minimum to achieve LRR and consequently a compromise may be made in the strength and construction of the tires compared to a standard issue tire. Can anyone speak to this issue?

 

[kmaluo]

With the temp in the high 70s and mid 80s, the best mileage was 50 with the run flats.

Not too bad of a mileage hit at all. How much did the set with install cost you?

 

[Old Sparkie]

With the temp in the high 70s and mid 80s, the best mileage was 50 with the run flats.

Not too bad of a mileage hit at all. How much did the set with install cost you?

The tires cost $688 for a set of four. Removal of originals, Install run flats, and balance and align was $262.00 total $950. I also reused the tpms from the factory tires.

 

[Old Sparkie]

Recently, from reading the volt forum, members seem to get better mileage using the drive mode while using the brake pedal for regeneration as opposed to placing the transmission into low for greater regen. It appears that while using the run flats, greater momentum is better than regen low for mileage, as it uses less power to keep the inertia moving. Am I correct in thinking this? Also, can the FFE be placed in low for greater regen, or is regen it all done through the brakes?

 

[jmueller065]

When you take your foot off the accelerator it does a low regen to mimic a gas engine. Putting the trans in 'L' increases this low regen--makes it feel like its in low gear. You can almost one pedal drive the FFE when its in L (but the brake lights don't come on so you have to be careful, hence the "almost" qualifier).

 

[twscrap]

I've never understood why this is a concern. It's no different than engine braking with a manual transmission.

 

[EVA]

I've never understood why this is a concern. It's no different than engine braking with a manual transmission.

Not complicated - something like 2% of all cars sold in the US are manual transmission - OK, even if it is 10%, it's still a small number. The VAST majority of cars are automatics that slow down by people pressing on the brake, not downshifting. Drivers are used to watching for brake lights and not following distance. Use regen to slow down with no brake lights and you run the risk of getting rear ended.

I've seen it with the car that basically stops with no brake pedal applied. The first time somebody close to my rear end notices they close too fast, they stop following close and use a longer distance.

 

[twscrap]

And we're talking about an even smaller percentage here. If we can deal with manual transmission vehicles and not rear end those 10%, then I still don't see a problem.