What? No Garage Door Opener?

[rklisch]

I bought a brand new 17 Bolt Premier with all options. I get home and park outside my garage ready to pair the wireless remote to the garage door. Where is the button? Then I check the manual. No garage door opener on such a highly sophisticated vehicle with so many features? So I dug out the old hand held one, got a battery and I guess that will do (if I don't lose it). I do like the Bolt, but that was an initial disappointment.

 

[Tttait]

Some of the choices Chevrolet has made have honestly been a little questionable. The terrible sun visors for example. Ugly and not overly functional. Same for their failure to include Homelink. Why are they trying to wring an extra $12 in profit out of each sale?

Obviously you can keep a garage door opener in the car, there are a number of good places to clip it inside the Bolt.

If for some reason you don't have one laying around you can buy one on eBay and pair it to your opener, or consider purchasing a wifi-enabled garage door adapter. For other reasons I have recently installed a Garadget. It's actually less convenient as an opener then a traditional remote because you must login, but it does give you control of your garage door from anywhere and allow you to get updates when the door opens and closes Etc. While there are a number of these products on the market, 1 particularly interesting thing about this unit is that the software is open source if I understand correctly and someone much smarter than me could probably work out a hack to get it to operate by voice under either iPhone or Android.

Speaking of which, the voice controls on the bolt have been significantly dumbed down to when compared to a first generation volt for example. Again, GM had the software developed, they just chose to dumb down the car. No idea why.

All of that said, still the best car I've ever owned by far. And with that General Motors feels smugly self-assured that they can continue to reap the extra $12 in profit per car.

 

[rklisch]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, my old hand held opener will do. As you say, the visor is not great to clip it to either. I do like the Bolt a lot, just had to vent that having spent so much money.

I am curious what sort of voice commands you do? When I connect the Iphone the Siri is available (on the main screen too) and that is neat. But what sort of voice commands does the vehicle itself have?

Thanks.

 

[steve2150]

I got my Premier and was also looking for the homelink button. Also I understand that GM feels everyone would rather use CarPlay or AndroidAuto but with a totally electric car I would have liked a built in Navigation that would show charging points, GM dropped the ball on that one.

 

[Semilinear]

I got my Premier and was also looking for the homelink button. Also I understand that GM feels everyone would rather use CarPlay or AndroidAuto but with a totally electric car I would have liked a built in Navigation that would show charging points, GM dropped the ball on that one.

I use the "MyChevrolet" app to find the charging stations. I guess GM thinks it's better to use CarPlay and not built in Nav system because everyone uses cellphones to find directions already, so we don't have to re-learn any built in Nav. (Besides, it would be a hassle to update built in Nav's maps down the road.)

All my previous cars don't have built in Nav display, so for me it's quite convenient to use my own phone.

 

[Semilinear]

For other reasons I have recently installed a Garadget. It's actually less convenient as an opener then a traditional remote because you must login, but it does give you control of your garage door from anywhere and allow you to get updates when the door opens and closes Etc. ....1 particularly interesting thing about this unit is that the software is open source if I understand correctly and someone much smarter than me could probably work out a hack to get it to operate by voice under either iPhone or Android.

I use this bluetooth version (GarageMate: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MCV1QZF/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and quite like it. Basically it takes 2 taps: 1 to open up the app and 1 to open/close the door. It does not allow you to control the door from anywhere as it only works within the bluetooth distance (20 feet). But that works for me and I don't have to worry about the hackers, as it's not based on any wifi network.

It also has an app for the Android watches, but they're still working with Apple to create a version to work with iWatch.

 

[EldRick]

Or you can get a tiny opener intended for a keychain, which is easy to conceal in the car. I bought this one, and the battery is still working almost two years later.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018IQ9I2I/

 

[SeanNelson]

I guess GM thinks it's better to use CarPlay and not built in Nav system because everyone uses cellphones to find directions already, so we don't have to re-learn any built in Nav.

I'm really enjoying Android Auto and it's ability to navigate via voice commands to restaurants and other named locations that my GPS doesn't have a clue about. And to be able to tell me the current and forecasted weather, answer general information questions, and so on, all without having to take my eyes off the road.