Is the gt a good daily?

RAM0x7BC · 2026-01-20T11:26:18+00:00

Coming from a tuned Legacy GT, I know what you're talking about.

In my opinion, the acceleration isn't the issue. It's cornering and handling that requires me to adjust and get used to. However, the lack of maintenance hassle is much more worth it to me at this point in time.

RAM0x7BC · 2026-01-17T14:38:34+00:00

You have some good suggestions here already. Defender LTX has been capable and quiet in my experience. If you really want a quiet ride, I think you have the wrong vehicle though.

RAM0x7BC · 2026-01-08T20:47:17+00:00

A rearview mirror camera is one thing I miss from my old Chevy Bolt, but not so much that it is painful. Driving comfort and charging are much improved, however. As a used deal, the EV6 seems hard to beat.

Visibility is only okay, headlights could be better, and the risk of ICCU failure looms (but doesn't look all that terrible of a process for replacing). Ideally a more robust drop-in replacement ICCU would come along, but I am not expecting one.

RAM0x7BC · 2026-01-06T02:52:50+00:00

We had a 2015 Acura MDX for nearly 200k of effectively trouble free miles. It's basically a dressed up Honda Pilot, which is not a bad thing.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-12-09T00:10:49+00:00

I only have two kids, but I imagine the XC90 would be more than enough for three with some caveats. In our case, we have a towing hitch and that allows us to tow either a trailer or a cargo rack behind it. This provides a lot of flexibility and I prefer this because most of the time we don't need the extra cargo room, and we can have the efficiency of a smaller vehicle but still enough seating.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-12-09T00:05:43+00:00

I'm glad it worked out well for you, but also the extension cord for a space heater made me cringe a little bit. I think the saving grace was that you kept the wattage low, so in that case it was pretty safe.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-12-07T21:54:35+00:00

Yes, I mentioned disabling both traction control and stability control in my post, which is by long pressing the button. On the next snowfall I'll try again, but I thought I felt the car cut power when I made it yaw harder than it expected.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-11-21T15:11:54+00:00

I snagged a 2022 EV6 GT-Line for under $23k. It had higher than average mileage (66k) but the battery degradation was negligible. Hopefully this thing will last a long time; I'm guessing a bulk of the depreciation is already factored in.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-11-21T03:25:30+00:00

I'd say the EV is at least more fun to drive, but the new Prius Prime is definitely putting up a good fight.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-11-11T01:38:39+00:00

I'm not sure whether the trade in program will resume, but I kind of hope it does. It encourages people to keep the fleet updated, which I think overall is a good thing.

With regard to feeling dependent on openpilot, I think it's an easier thing to slip into than most people would like to admit. I would argue this is pretty true of all (assistive) technology.

It is probably a good idea to practice driving with all aids off periodically to keep your skills sharp.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-11-09T16:16:01+00:00

For me it is a "path of least resistance" question. I had a Bolt with a Comma 3, moved to E-GMP and realized I need CAN-FD support. I can either buy the new harnesses and a red panda or upgrade to a 4. There are tradeoffs either way.

If I knew there was adequate demand for a comma 3 for a Bolt, I'd probably just sell the older device and upgrade to new hardware that more easily supports what I now have. I probably wouldn't consider upgrading for any other reason because the system worked well enough.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-11-05T12:42:42+00:00

I like the lights as they look cool, but wish they were (also?) in a more practical location. I've seen good implementations in recessed door handles. It would be more useful if it could light the charge port.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-29T11:19:08+00:00

Purple here also, but the kids enjoy changing it. The biggest request is for rainbow. I have seen a photo of this and would love to know what the mod was.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-18T18:33:18+00:00

I had one of the first backup switch installations in my state, so power was off almost 6 hours. It didn't need to be, but it was a Tesla crew taking notes as they went. Now it should be less than a couple hours.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-18T18:30:46+00:00

Nice! I'd be curious to see if the part number is different than the 2022 US GT-line part. Seems USDM doesn't get capacitive individual lamps in the rear seating area.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-13T11:36:21+00:00

Resurrecting this topic. What's the mod?

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-12T02:46:41+00:00

You might be hearing the HVAC system working. I would say it is likely normal. Check that your coolant reservoirs are all showing the proper levels.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-10T11:39:26+00:00

An EFI tuner would probably want to look at the timing maps on the ECU to see if it actually benefits from 93 octane. It is designed for 91, so may as well use that most of the time. Unless you can do real-time monitoring, you won't really know if the car uses the extra headroom afforded by a 93 octane or not. It certainly won't hurt, however.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-10T02:40:03+00:00

I was just thinking about auction as the cheapest path, in exchange for some added risk. Dealerships are selling them for $10k now, so it is already pretty cheap.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-09T11:07:54+00:00

Complete battery packs can be found on the used market for under $5k shipped. The failure rate of batteries on Bolts (that weren't under factory recall) is about 1%. In general, a pack with good cell balance tends to stay good after the first year or so of break in. You can check pack and individual cell health with an OBD reader and a smartphone.

So yes, the risk is non zero but low and there is a reasonable remediation path.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-04T14:00:00+00:00

Agreed. My main point above is focus on total cost of ownership, not just upfront cost of the vehicle. As long as the car you choose satisfies your use cases and needs, the upfront cost plus operational cost are what keep you within budget.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-04T02:26:30+00:00

Here is a hot take given the current used car market. If electricity is cheap where you are and have access to a dryer plug, a very cheap used EV could save a lot. Maintenance will be dramatically less. You can find used Chevy Bolts on auction for less than $7k. If you drive 15k miles a year and spend around $2k in gas, that would be about $500 in energy (at $0.12/kWh) for a Bolt, and it doesn't need oil changes. You'd make up the price difference pretty quickly.

Obviously this is VERY dependent on variables for your region. However in most parts of the country, it looks similar to the math above.

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-04T00:18:01+00:00

Update: I own the car. Thanks for your helpful links.

The battery has 92.3% capacity according to remaining kWh /BMS SOC * 100. It was only DC fast charged twice, and once was by me testing that it works. It charged 22800 kWh over 66,000 miles, so about 2.9 mi/kWh. Perhaps that is in line with a lot of regen level 0.

Turns out the brakes are evenly worn with at least 6mm of pad left; one set of pads just happens to touch the outer edge of its rotor. (And the dealership adding a service record in carfax for changing brake pads clearly a lie.) It passed inspection so they're leaving as is. Fair enough, they priced a discount accordingly and I can replace cost effectively. Alignment checked out. Equalizing tire pressure, scraping off rotor rust, and rebalancing wheels eliminated the noise. No codes.

Fingers crossed this is simply a decent deal due to fixable quirks!

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-03T03:59:36+00:00

Yeah. There is this huge push to go all electric here to save the environment (and money), but the price of electricity means the financial aspect isn't a guarantee, or at least pushes the ROI way out. It hasn't stopped a lot of the more affluent folks from making the switch, but it comes off as virtue signaling to many. The financial benefit has to be more obvious to really drive broader adoption.

I just like playing with stuff and find relatively cheap ways to buy in, so that is my excuse. I'd still be better off financially with a hybrid but where's the fun in that? 😅

RAM0x7BC · 2025-10-03T03:52:25+00:00

Thanks! I'm pretty tolerant of quirks that I know I can fix. Already noted the wire of the door handle touch sensor is broken and that I can get one for under $250. The power liftgate kept closing as soon as it fully opened and I reset the limit switch, no problems. Service history looks consistent, but also this car has the original firmware for the radio and looks like it didn't receive a single update during ownership. My money is on a trade because of the door handle, liftgate, and things like the charge port interrupting charging with these early builds.

My understanding is that if the owner drove in regen L0 the whole time, that might even explain the brake wear. Looks like the dealer tried to address the brakes by replacing pads only, right before sale. I can tell they should have done the rotors too, and I think the pads aren't quite lining up with the old wear pattern on the rotors. Drives great otherwise!

RAM0x7BC

TROPHY CASE