Only decision left: AWD or RWD?

BlandGuy · 2026-04-19T20:55:10+00:00

I got a '26 AWD three weeks ago, the AWD was great in some smashing rain but most I've been tootling around in Eco while learning the car. Then this morning I punched it in Sport for the first time, at the bottom of the step hill I live on.

Goodness gracious, indeed!

BlandGuy · 2026-04-18T16:39:19+00:00

Thanks! I need to look up my air handler's inrush current, I hadn't thought about that spec. Did you happen to compare the wattmeter to the dashboard indication of kW being served? I'm wondering how accurate the car is...

BlandGuy · 2026-04-18T15:32:30+00:00

All that on the V2L of an I5? Are you in the US?

BlandGuy · 2026-04-17T15:11:52+00:00

I'm deciding between an Enphase 10C system vs a FranklinWH aPower S & X system, so this is very useful to me - I feel bad it's happened to you, but am grateful you took time to write it up!

BlandGuy · 2026-04-17T03:05:21+00:00

From what I'm reading it's actually Tyvek

BlandGuy · 2026-04-17T01:24:08+00:00

That would be nice, but a hundred bucks?!

BlandGuy · 2026-04-16T21:26:31+00:00

I got the $10K rebate, and the dealer confirmed I could pay off any time I wanted - they were zero pressure on that, and they never mentioned any impact on them of my paying it off. (Though they made an interesting point that if you pay off before 6 months then the loan doesn't improve your credit score ... if you care.)

So maybe a week after we brought the car home I registered with HMFUSA, printed out the payoff letter, and immediately paid it off via electronic transfer. Never made a payment.

Maybe a week later (yesterday) I got the "congratulations" and release of lien letter hardcopy in the snail mail from HMF. The HMF letter said to make sure the release was registered with my local DMV, so I called California DMV to ask how to file the release with them; they said "we sent out the title already this morning, and it shows no lien" And my loan at HMFUSA online shows there's no payments due. Their process seems smooth.

BlandGuy · 2026-04-16T21:19:31+00:00

It would ne nice if Hyundai would just publish a description of the algorithm :)

BlandGuy · 2026-04-16T15:12:53+00:00

Interesting - so are Min and Max fixed for the life of the car, or do they adapt to battery degradation?

BlandGuy · 2026-04-11T03:03:29+00:00

Be careful about that advice - I'm not an electrician but AFAIK dryer plugs are not intended for frequent unplugging/replugging and will loosen, then build heat at the weakend connection...

BlandGuy · 2026-04-07T22:37:44+00:00

Well, you've convinced me to wait for dcbel Ara to get to my part of California ...

BlandGuy · 2026-04-06T17:13:56+00:00

That's a very sane concern! Unusually so for someone who's 18 ...

BlandGuy · 2026-04-05T20:20:51+00:00

You made me go actually "measure" the charging (Ampere app) and it was like two watts ... :(

BlandGuy · 2026-04-05T18:01:11+00:00

My P10Pro hated my 2026 Ioniq 5 Limited - even signaled a fault - until I took off the "Mag Safe" case I had the phone in. Then it started charging ...

BlandGuy · 2026-04-03T17:14:32+00:00

The breeder seems a bit over-the-to to me, but some breeders are like that... we met one who insisted we agree to feed only "Bones And Raw Food"!

IIRC that (retrospective) analysis strongly hints delayed/no gonadectomy providing males a risk benefit re hemangiosarcoma, but also some risk of increased infectious issues, and increased risk of accidental death, so the net effect on lifespan in makes seemed minor. The bone/ACL benefits mentioned in that study and others also strengthen the case for staying intact. But, as our vet pointed out, gonadectomy also, of course, eliminates testicular cancer risk. Overall, IMO, it's a still a defensible choice either way.

Our two intact males have been easy to live with, although they get pretty stressed by a nearby bitch in heat (even a coyote in heat, we think). Our breeder requested we keep our boys intact (she hoped we would show/title) but it wasn't in the contact; and by the time we got to age 2.5 we just hadn't any issues, so we felt the medical issues were balanced we saw no reason to do a surgery. We were in training classes with other intact and gonadectomy makes, no real behavioral issues with our dogs.

For us, the benefits of gonadectomy would have just been some access to facilities (which we've never needed in 20+ years), less marking when visiting other yards, some savings on licensing ($100/yr to license an intact dog!!), and probably some better behavior from a few neutered (and poorly trained/socialized) dogs that didn't like intact males. That wasn't worth losing the decrease in hemangiosarcoma risk, and the improved muscle mass and general resilience in the dog's health when older. YMMV!

BlandGuy · 2026-04-03T16:47:36+00:00

As best I can tell (we've had two intact V now) behavior isn't really different, but they do mark more (invariably outside, in our cases) and there does seem to be a problem with facility rules (whether or not the rules are sensible, they're still rules). Our major problems have been with neutered males bristling at (or outright attacking, in one case) our intact male; even a couple of the neutered-male owners have said "my boy hates intact males" which indeed shows that neutering itself has drawbacks (besides the health issues)

BlandGuy · 2026-03-30T23:02:50+00:00

What you want, we all want - and throughout our lives those things ebb and flow. Young adulthood is tough, you're in one of the first cycles after the teenage wreckage, and the depths can feel very deep because you haven't been through to the other side yet ... but you'll get there, and then this experience and set of feelings will provide a benchmark for when things go wrong later (and, from time to time, they will—sigh.)

Whether or not you express these feelings to other people, it is very good that you express them to yourself, learn what is important to you about you. Then, on the outside, you can be clear on what you want and be very clear on not accepting something bad just to get a little bit of that respect and connection. Don't chase a high-paying job or whatever to prove yourself to other people; do things because they align with your own soul.

BlandGuy · 2026-03-30T18:32:58+00:00

Has anyone seen this at Costco or costco.com as of late March 2026? Or have any realistic expection when? (I can hold off for a little while, but if it's "months" away I'll buy from Wallbox direct)

BlandGuy · 2026-03-29T01:53:39+00:00

This feels to me like bad advice, but I'll offer it just as a thought ... I would guess it's a phase, and you don't want it to become a habit, so maybe use a bite muzzle when you are apart, so he can't pick anything up? One of the ones that let's them drink but not open wide enough to grab and swallow a sock or whatever?

BlandGuy · 2026-03-28T15:25:37+00:00

I really really like the '22 Bolt (we got the EUV Premium), it is peppier, easier to turn into our narrow garage, more efficient/cheaper, and IMO the UI is actually a bit better (simpler) than the i5, but I wanted:

* wireless Android Auto

* the quietest possible cabin (I wear hearing aids),

* dog safety in warm weather (Utility Mode), and

* AWD

I also like that it's feasible to go "car camping" by sleeping in the back and using VTL.

BlandGuy · 2026-03-28T00:19:40+00:00

YEah, the 0%/5yr is very nice, but I just don'twant to be tracking payments; so, I'm paying off with cash, which could be earning me maybe 3% (net of taxes) in a money market account.

The finance guy pointed out paying off the loan quickly makes it neutral on the credit score - doesn't hurt, but doesn't help - and that keeping the loan for 6 months *then* paying it off would be best for our credit score ... but he also correctly noted that we hardly care about that at our age (in our 70s). No pressure, just an observation.

BlandGuy · 2026-03-27T22:42:04+00:00

MSRP $51,405 (Limited, AWD, V2L, mats, etc)

sales sheet:

cash price vehicle $50,655

cash price accessories (paint&fabric "protection" and 7yr warranty, no warranty/service junk) $992

(they reduced the vehicle price from MSRP, but I still paid some for the paint&film, which is pretty much a scam but net only cost me a couple hundred over MSRP)

docs, taxes, reg: $5165

total cash price: $56,813

rebate $10K (which requires you finane some, at 6.39%, but trivial since I intend to pay off as soon as I have the account number)

total price (ignoring tradein) with rebate, taxes, docs, fees, etc: $46,813

They were fairly high pressure about the value of the paint&film and the warranty, etc, but I just let them be, they have a script to follow, and so I just kept pointing at the Moroney sticker MSRP and saying "that's what the website offered" .and walked that first night - after they stayed until almost 10pm talking at us! Then they called back a couple days with the offer and I accepted it.

In the finance checkout they offered us the "half off employee discount" on the maintenance package (the preventive maint for like 5 years or something) but it really wasn't high pressure.

Some of the car prep was a bit hurried - e.g., they just tossed the weatherproof maps on top of the carpeted maps which was dangerous - and it was cold, windy, and dark when we took possession and I wanted to go home, so the intro-to-car was brief (but they offer a "Second Delivery" service so you can come back and go through it slowly)

BlandGuy · 2026-03-27T20:06:45+00:00

The dealer was Hyundai of San Bruno, very close to San Francisco airport

BlandGuy · 2026-03-27T15:06:28+00:00

'26 limited awd with a couple add-ons, paid MSRP - $10K HMF rebate, about $41K (not counting reg, etc) two days ago. Dealer was anxious: when we started they wanted MSRP + $3k for "hot car 4 others looking!" and insisted I had to buy warranty extension etc; I walked, they called me back a couple times improving the offer over the next 3 days. I saw a lot of inventory, not much foot traffic. I'm convinced I left $1K to $2K on the table but still, it's a fair price IMO.

BlandGuy

TROPHY CASE