Category: Chevy Volt Vlog

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Chevy Volt Vlog #67 – 50,500 Miles – TIRE MPG HIT, Air Filter, and Cargo LIGHT !

So it s 50,500 miles and about 2 years of owning my 2017 Chevy Volt.  At 48,000 miles I change out Michelin Energy Saver tires which gave me 54 to 63 EV miles per full charge, to Bridgestone Serenity Plus  Grand touring tires.

I love the Serenity Plus tires. With great road manners and cornering, never squealed during hard acceleration or turns especially with the great torque of the Volt’s motor.  However, the mileage efficiency  hit was about 10-15% of my EV range (46-48 EV miles at full charge)  my MPG hit using gas went from 42 MPG to about 35-38 MPG.  It may be the increased weight of the tires (25 lbs versus 21 lbs) , thread pattern and the great grip of the tires as  my Chevy computer showed my “Terrain Score” was -4.5 to -3.5. With the hot California weather at 90-100 degrees, i have been using air conditioning that also impacted mileage efficiency.

After 2,000 miles with the Serenity Plus I replaced them  back to Michelin  Energy Savers. I would have gone with Bridgestone Ecopia EP422, however they needed to be special order and was not available at the time.  I would expect that the Ecopia EP422 would probably have similar efficiencies as the Energy Savers.   I will never know.  I would have love to tried out those tires!

With the Energy Savers, my Terrain score increased to – 1.8 to – 1.4 and my EV range grew back to 52 miles at full charge during the first two days of driving. NICE i got back my miles!

Of course, I do not like returning perfectly good tires.  That why i am posting this video and results:

  1. IF YOU VALUE MPG AND EFFICIENCY – PICK THE BEST FUEL EFFICIENT TIRES.
  2. IF YOU WANT GREAT DRIVING  EXPERIENCE FOR TOURING with GREAT HANDING AND COMFORT – GET A GRAND TOURING TIRES!  

Tires aside,  the 50,500 miles, 25,000 miles are ICE / GAS miles. Checking the air filter its barely dirty.  I did buy one : https://amzn.to/2K5qzPz  ready for the replacement.

For my hatch i needed more light beside the weak light on the hatch, so I added a battery operated LED light and attached it with Velcro.  Simple solution.  CAT small LED lights:  https://amzn.to/2LZ8HHw



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Disclaimer:
This is what i do for entertainment and your viewing entertainment! Some of the stuff are entertaining, while some are just plain silly. If you do anything with your own property, you do so at your own risk.
Due to factors beyond the control of Sterlingwong, I cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. This information is for entertainment only. Sterlingwong assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Sterlingwong recommends safe practices when working on personal property , vehicles, and / or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Sterlingwong, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Sterlingwong.



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How to Check and Add Air to Your Car’s Tires!

How to Check and Add Air to Your Car’s Tires! So i got this question from a viewer Kay.  She wanted to know how to check tire pressure and add air to her tires without losing air or deflating all the air from the tires.   Well the easiest way is to bring to a tire shop, or a tire professional to check your  tires and fill the tires.  This should be free of charge, cuz they want to sell you services ( tire rotation or diagnose tire issues etc…) or sell you new tires (if needed).  If your car is pulling to one side or noise is coming from wheels or a TMPS warning light or dashlight is flashing… you should probably get it to a tire professional.

OK – for general monthly maintenance of your tires’ air pressure:
How to add air to your car tires ( 10 minutes ):
1.  Find out how much tire is needed – Driver side sticker (minimum tire pressure needed and Tire side wall maximum tire pressure when the tires are cold.   – If in doubt – BRING IT TO A TIRE PROFESSIONAL or TIRE SHOP.
2.  You will need a tire pressure gauge ( https://amzn.to/2LM1m16 ).  Or your car may have tire pressure monitors in your car’s computer.  Or if you have an air inflation kit in your trunk, it will probably have a built in gauge.   Or the gas station air stations may have a built in tire gauge.
3.  The main tip for not losing air pressure when checking for tire pressure is to keep the tire nipple ALIGNED with the tire pressure gauge connection.  Pressing firming down.  Keeping both surfaces aligned and in contact is very important in order to not lose air.  It will lose a little air, but it will stop when completely sealed and measurement will appear.
4.  Subtracting air – Easy – Just use the tire gauge to leak air and check the air as you find your target pressure.

5. Adding Air:  Most tire adapters lock onto the tire nipple.  There several types:
A. Quick release types:  Typically inflation kits – with switch that pulls down to lock)
B. Push down types:  Typically  gas stations.  You need to light keep pressure onto the tire nipple as you hold a trigger to add air.
C. Pull back types: Typically  gas stations.  You need to pull back the locking collar and push the adapter onto the nipple, then release the locking ring.
D. Screw on types: Typically trunk inflation kits, very simple as you will need to screw the nipple and the tire adapter together. At a certain point, the tire air valve will open and you need screw the adapter further until it stops.

6.  Turn on the air inflator or push the on button to add air at the gas station.  I have a jumper air compressor at home ( https://amzn.to/2OnWEVY ), however you may have a emergency tire inflator in your trunk ( https://amzn.to/2mPHYlV )  – the air compressor is able inflate your tires . I check my emergency kit once a year to make sure it still works.
7. Keep an eye on the target air pressure (for example 35 PSI), add 1 PSI more to compensate for air loss when release the tire adapter.  When reached, stop  or turn off the air inflator.

8. Release the tire adapter.
9. Check the air pressure.
10.  Repeat for the other 3 tires. 🙂



Btw, my Youtube vlogs and reviews may also have associated affiliate links to products that may earn from qualifying purchases.

Thank you for visiting and supporting SterlingW Youtube Channel!
Thanks for watching! Like, Subscribe, Leave a comment, and click the Bell button!

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Join me on Youtube: https://youtu.be/TFuoiaWgvc4
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sterling.wong
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sterlingwong8 ( @sterlingwong8 )
Website: http://www.sterlingwong.com

Disclaimer:
This is what i do for entertainment and your viewing entertainment! Some of the stuff are entertaining, while some are just plain silly. If you do anything with your own property, you do so at your own risk.
Due to factors beyond the control of Sterlingwong, I cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. This information is for entertainment only. Sterlingwong assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. Sterlingwong recommends safe practices when working on personal property , vehicles, and / or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of Sterlingwong, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not Sterlingwong.



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Which ALL-SEASON TIRES Should I Get? ($120-$170/tire) – Tire Rebates!

Hey guys, its been 48,000 miles on my 2017 Chevy Volt, and my Michelin Energy Savers A/S 91H  almost ready to be replaced within the next few months.  I saw that Costco and other tire shops have $70 rebates and also a $60 gift card deals for Michelin  a month ago, and now they have a $129 instant off on Bridgestone. With a couple of months i can do my research first before committing to this $700- 800 dollar purchase.  I didnt know this but Amazon actually sells tires too! ( https://amzn.to/2tJwrbJ  )

I was reading the online reviews and pricing installation costs  of  the Bridgestone, Michelin and Goodyear and came to a few conclusions:

  1. They all cost about $150-$170 a tire for my 2017 Chevy Volt with 17 inch wheels.
  2. Installation costs vary from $15 to $30 depending on the installer.  Hazard warranty costs another $10- $15.
  3. The warranties say 60k-75k miles but they rarely make it that long.  (My Energy Saver A/S probably will get me until Fall or another 8k miles.
  4. Many of the grand touring tires offer performance and durability, but may be soft on the fuel economy mpg.Ofcourse until i try it on my own car, I wouldnt know.   My 2008 Honda Civic hybrid got 40 MPG with OEM Dunlop  that lasted about 30k miles, while swapping to Michelin Defenders got 43 MPG and about 60k miles (80k was the projected tire wear).   If i put on the Michelin Energy Savers I may have gotten more than 43 MPG.  

On my Chevy Volt, I switched out one of the Michelin Energy Savers  due to a non-repairable flat.   See my  Chevy Volt Vlog #29.7: Flat not fixable. Replaced. Michelin Energy vs Premier 

Swaping to Michelin Premiere A/S 95V were good. This was at about 12,000 miles of ownership (6 months).  They were smooth rolling, quiet, and performed very well. It wore slightly quicker compared to the Energy Savers.  I put 36k miles an its already a couple of millimeters from the wear lines or about 60%+ used, versus my Energy savers are at 48k miles at 60% used.  I love the firmness of the side walls of the 95 extra load tires, which made my car more responsive on that wheel. Yes it was noticeable. Also the temperature handling and PSI increase was better on the Premiere A/S.

So with summer tire discounts i plan to buy 4 new tires to replace my Michelin Energy tires, which one should i get? Costco and other company will have more rebates in the future. Should i try the newer Michelin Touring X , Bridgestone Ecopia (fuel saving ), Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus, or the Michelin  Premiere A/S?   Let me know on the comments below and your experience with these tires.  Thanks!  

Products used in this video:
Samsung S8 Unlocked Smart Phone: http://amzn.to/2CaLhxm
Microphone: Blue Yeti USB Microphone – Silver http://amzn.to/2D9hW37

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