Lynn
03-18-2020, 02:23 AM
With all the talk about electric vehicles lately, I have been doing some research. I realize this is a sore subject for some, but for me, I am ready to embrace some of the new technology.
Sherri and I commute 22 miles to work together 99% of the time. Every once in a while we need to take two cars, but that is rare.
A few years ago I bought a really cheap beater Prius, just to see what hybrid life was like. It wasn’t horrible, but unless you put some gas in it, it isn’t going anywhere.... period. We did average 48 mpg overall, but 18 of those 22 commuter miles are highway; and a hybrid really shines around town. The highway? Not so much. Besides, if you have ever driven a Prius, they are so “mushy”. Don’t know how else to describe it.
Then I started looking at plug in electrics. First, pretty darn expensive for what I consider a limited use car. Regardless of how the day starts off, if you have to go a lot farther than you planned, then what? Just wasn’t ready to deal with range anxiety. Besides, if I have that car for commuting, that means I need at least one other daily driver for longer trips. This might not apply if you live in a predominantly urban area, and aren’t planning to leave town. But, we live in Oklahoma; still lots of wide open spaces. If I want to hit the highway to go to a Red Sox game in Arlington, the electric might get me there, but then I have to find a place to charge it and sit around before I can come home. Even with the draw backs, I was still considering an EV. One of my best friends owns a Buick / Cad / GMC dealership. I sent him a text asking if Buick had plans for an EV based on the Bolt platform. He wasn’t sure, but expected an announcement at the next big meeting in Vegas (which of course has now been canceled).
Hmmm. What about a plug in hybrid? Started doing some research. These have the option to plug into a standard 110 outlet overnight to fully charge the HV battery. On that charge alone you can drive a limited distance (anywhere from 20 to 35 miles) meaning that you use zero gasoline for short trips; something the regular hybrids cannot do. However, the plug in hybrid still has gas engine, so you can go as far as you want with just regular fill ups at the pump. And, some of them are incredibly fuel efficient. A true dual purpose car. On top of that, some are cheaper than the “all electric” vehicles. The plug in hybrids also allow for two (2) tax credits. They aren’t as big as the full EV tax credits. The fed and State together (at least here in OK) works out to be over $6000. Hmm, the Gov. will help pay for my new car? Did some more research and discovered that there was a pretty decent looking alternative made by Hyundai; the Ioniq. It isn’t so crazy full of angles and wings that it looks like a space ship. It comes in EV, hybrid and plug in hybrid. Unlike the Prius, it has a real dual clutch transmission (instead of the really vague CVT). One of the “complaints” I heard was that it was sprung too stiff. Now we are talking. I love stiffly sprung cars. In fact my SL55 AMG has an aftermarket set of coil overs that make it stiffer than Sherri’s M Roadster. Fully charged, you can go 32 miles at up to 75 mph without using a drop of gas. That means I can drive to work; plug it in while I am working, drive it home and not use a drop of gas, even if we run an errand or two. Nine days out of ten, that is our commuting routine. Still, if we get an emergency call, we can drive cross country without having to go home and change cars. And, Hyundai warrants the HV battery to the original purchaser for life. That is one of the huge draw backs of the Prius. The HV battery pack is so expensive, that if you figure in the cost, you will spend just about the same amount you thought you saved in gasoline for 10 years!!!!
So, I go on the web site for our local Hyundai dealer. Zero Ioniq plug-ins for sale. That’s weird. A little further investigation reveals that only a few States (originally only three, now up to five or six) sell the Ioniq plug in. Bummer. Deal over.
Sunday, out of the blue, I thought I would check again. Turned out that one of the Megadealers here in OKC (way on the South side of OKC, ... we live North of the metro, but still, I can get there in half an hour) had two of them for sale. Bob Howard, Hyundai (I think he owns 15 different car dealerships in OK). Talked to Sherri and she was game to at least go drive it and see if she liked it. After all, I have the supercharged AMG, the turbocharged BMW (not to mention the 69 Z, the 70 LT-1 and multiple other fun cars, so its only fair that she pick out our commuter car. Checked last night, and they still had one. It was just the base model, but this is just a commuter car; I don’t need all the super cool (and more expensive) stuff. So we made an appointment. Sticker price was $26,500. They had it listed as an on line special at $21,900. I am thinking: “no way”. Even if they do have one, and even if they honor that price, it must be a giant POS. Thought I might have to sign over the tax credit to them to get that discounted price.
On the way there, Sherri asks if this car has heated seats. “That’s a deal killer for me” she says if it doesn’t . I tell her the on line pic clearly showed switches for heated seats. We will see.
We get there, and the car is still in stock. The salesman (Ali, a young fellow from Egypt who has been here 14 years) brings the car around so Sherri can take it for a drive. It has 5 miles on it. It really is a nice looking little sedan. Looks smaller than a Prius, but has more interior room. We take it for a drive. Right into the first turn Sherri says: “this thing handles very nicely.” Mind you she can be pretty aggressive. But the combo of the slightly stiff suspension and the HV battery being at the very bottom of the car lowering the CG made it feel more like a German built car. It even had Michelin tires on it from the factory. It isn’t something she is going to autocross. Still, I wanted her to be happy behind the wheel. And frankly, when we drive to work I am usually driving.
I ask Ali how in the world an OKC Hyundai dealer ended up with two Ioniqs for sale. He said they had even more. The manager made a fleet order from a dealer in CA. They were not intended to be sold one at a time. In fact, our window sticker says “NOT FOR SALE” on it. It was a way of getting around the allocation restrictions by State. Turns out they really HAD intended to sell as a fleet, but plans changed, and they ended up selling them one at a time. It is a left over 2019, but virtually identical to the 2020. This one was the last one. The one they sold yesterday went to a couple who came from Missouri to purchase it.
We sit down, and sure enough the price is $21,900. I get to keep the tax credits. Of course with taxes, doc fees, etc. the total comes to just a tic over $23,000. But, the gov. is paying $6k and some change, so I am figuring the REAL price is about $17,000. Less than a new Suburban was in 1985. That’s 35 years ago!!!
We went ahead and traded in Sherri’s Lexus (they came within $1000 of what I wanted for it... plus now I don’t have to mess with selling it). I was ready to write a check for the balance, but they asked us to please finance it. I agree, as long as there is no prepayment penalty.
Of course, you know the REAL reason they want you to finance is so they can start adding things on. First, they offer you an outrageously expensive extended warranty (it is already warranted for 10 years). It costs over $3000. I decline. Then they have another extended warranty that is about half the price of the first one. I decline. The guy is very polite, and just writes us up.
Sherri is really happy with this car. Yes, it has heated seats. And for a strippo, quite a few other features. Lane control, adaptive cruise (I remember when that was like a $3000 option for MB) power windows, a place to plug in your Apple phone and use the phone’s Nav system, and more gadgets than I will ever use.
We got home and plugged it in. I won’t use a drop of gas going to the office tomorrow. I am not ready, nor will I ever be ready, to give up my ICE cars. I don’t foresee a future when the Gov. wants to take them away. I love living in the past... once in a while. Last Saturday I took the Z for an aggressive drive, then drove the turbo BMW just for fun, and lastly couldn’t resist short drives in the LT-1 and the Opel GT. So I still embrace the past. But, you gotta love the future.
Sherri made the comment a while ago: “That was a very pleasant buying experience.” It really was. Everyone was respectful, it went smoothly, and we were in and out in less than two hours. Her car is white.
https://www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/vehicles/ioniq-plug-in-hybrid
Sherri and I commute 22 miles to work together 99% of the time. Every once in a while we need to take two cars, but that is rare.
A few years ago I bought a really cheap beater Prius, just to see what hybrid life was like. It wasn’t horrible, but unless you put some gas in it, it isn’t going anywhere.... period. We did average 48 mpg overall, but 18 of those 22 commuter miles are highway; and a hybrid really shines around town. The highway? Not so much. Besides, if you have ever driven a Prius, they are so “mushy”. Don’t know how else to describe it.
Then I started looking at plug in electrics. First, pretty darn expensive for what I consider a limited use car. Regardless of how the day starts off, if you have to go a lot farther than you planned, then what? Just wasn’t ready to deal with range anxiety. Besides, if I have that car for commuting, that means I need at least one other daily driver for longer trips. This might not apply if you live in a predominantly urban area, and aren’t planning to leave town. But, we live in Oklahoma; still lots of wide open spaces. If I want to hit the highway to go to a Red Sox game in Arlington, the electric might get me there, but then I have to find a place to charge it and sit around before I can come home. Even with the draw backs, I was still considering an EV. One of my best friends owns a Buick / Cad / GMC dealership. I sent him a text asking if Buick had plans for an EV based on the Bolt platform. He wasn’t sure, but expected an announcement at the next big meeting in Vegas (which of course has now been canceled).
Hmmm. What about a plug in hybrid? Started doing some research. These have the option to plug into a standard 110 outlet overnight to fully charge the HV battery. On that charge alone you can drive a limited distance (anywhere from 20 to 35 miles) meaning that you use zero gasoline for short trips; something the regular hybrids cannot do. However, the plug in hybrid still has gas engine, so you can go as far as you want with just regular fill ups at the pump. And, some of them are incredibly fuel efficient. A true dual purpose car. On top of that, some are cheaper than the “all electric” vehicles. The plug in hybrids also allow for two (2) tax credits. They aren’t as big as the full EV tax credits. The fed and State together (at least here in OK) works out to be over $6000. Hmm, the Gov. will help pay for my new car? Did some more research and discovered that there was a pretty decent looking alternative made by Hyundai; the Ioniq. It isn’t so crazy full of angles and wings that it looks like a space ship. It comes in EV, hybrid and plug in hybrid. Unlike the Prius, it has a real dual clutch transmission (instead of the really vague CVT). One of the “complaints” I heard was that it was sprung too stiff. Now we are talking. I love stiffly sprung cars. In fact my SL55 AMG has an aftermarket set of coil overs that make it stiffer than Sherri’s M Roadster. Fully charged, you can go 32 miles at up to 75 mph without using a drop of gas. That means I can drive to work; plug it in while I am working, drive it home and not use a drop of gas, even if we run an errand or two. Nine days out of ten, that is our commuting routine. Still, if we get an emergency call, we can drive cross country without having to go home and change cars. And, Hyundai warrants the HV battery to the original purchaser for life. That is one of the huge draw backs of the Prius. The HV battery pack is so expensive, that if you figure in the cost, you will spend just about the same amount you thought you saved in gasoline for 10 years!!!!
So, I go on the web site for our local Hyundai dealer. Zero Ioniq plug-ins for sale. That’s weird. A little further investigation reveals that only a few States (originally only three, now up to five or six) sell the Ioniq plug in. Bummer. Deal over.
Sunday, out of the blue, I thought I would check again. Turned out that one of the Megadealers here in OKC (way on the South side of OKC, ... we live North of the metro, but still, I can get there in half an hour) had two of them for sale. Bob Howard, Hyundai (I think he owns 15 different car dealerships in OK). Talked to Sherri and she was game to at least go drive it and see if she liked it. After all, I have the supercharged AMG, the turbocharged BMW (not to mention the 69 Z, the 70 LT-1 and multiple other fun cars, so its only fair that she pick out our commuter car. Checked last night, and they still had one. It was just the base model, but this is just a commuter car; I don’t need all the super cool (and more expensive) stuff. So we made an appointment. Sticker price was $26,500. They had it listed as an on line special at $21,900. I am thinking: “no way”. Even if they do have one, and even if they honor that price, it must be a giant POS. Thought I might have to sign over the tax credit to them to get that discounted price.
On the way there, Sherri asks if this car has heated seats. “That’s a deal killer for me” she says if it doesn’t . I tell her the on line pic clearly showed switches for heated seats. We will see.
We get there, and the car is still in stock. The salesman (Ali, a young fellow from Egypt who has been here 14 years) brings the car around so Sherri can take it for a drive. It has 5 miles on it. It really is a nice looking little sedan. Looks smaller than a Prius, but has more interior room. We take it for a drive. Right into the first turn Sherri says: “this thing handles very nicely.” Mind you she can be pretty aggressive. But the combo of the slightly stiff suspension and the HV battery being at the very bottom of the car lowering the CG made it feel more like a German built car. It even had Michelin tires on it from the factory. It isn’t something she is going to autocross. Still, I wanted her to be happy behind the wheel. And frankly, when we drive to work I am usually driving.
I ask Ali how in the world an OKC Hyundai dealer ended up with two Ioniqs for sale. He said they had even more. The manager made a fleet order from a dealer in CA. They were not intended to be sold one at a time. In fact, our window sticker says “NOT FOR SALE” on it. It was a way of getting around the allocation restrictions by State. Turns out they really HAD intended to sell as a fleet, but plans changed, and they ended up selling them one at a time. It is a left over 2019, but virtually identical to the 2020. This one was the last one. The one they sold yesterday went to a couple who came from Missouri to purchase it.
We sit down, and sure enough the price is $21,900. I get to keep the tax credits. Of course with taxes, doc fees, etc. the total comes to just a tic over $23,000. But, the gov. is paying $6k and some change, so I am figuring the REAL price is about $17,000. Less than a new Suburban was in 1985. That’s 35 years ago!!!
We went ahead and traded in Sherri’s Lexus (they came within $1000 of what I wanted for it... plus now I don’t have to mess with selling it). I was ready to write a check for the balance, but they asked us to please finance it. I agree, as long as there is no prepayment penalty.
Of course, you know the REAL reason they want you to finance is so they can start adding things on. First, they offer you an outrageously expensive extended warranty (it is already warranted for 10 years). It costs over $3000. I decline. Then they have another extended warranty that is about half the price of the first one. I decline. The guy is very polite, and just writes us up.
Sherri is really happy with this car. Yes, it has heated seats. And for a strippo, quite a few other features. Lane control, adaptive cruise (I remember when that was like a $3000 option for MB) power windows, a place to plug in your Apple phone and use the phone’s Nav system, and more gadgets than I will ever use.
We got home and plugged it in. I won’t use a drop of gas going to the office tomorrow. I am not ready, nor will I ever be ready, to give up my ICE cars. I don’t foresee a future when the Gov. wants to take them away. I love living in the past... once in a while. Last Saturday I took the Z for an aggressive drive, then drove the turbo BMW just for fun, and lastly couldn’t resist short drives in the LT-1 and the Opel GT. So I still embrace the past. But, you gotta love the future.
Sherri made the comment a while ago: “That was a very pleasant buying experience.” It really was. Everyone was respectful, it went smoothly, and we were in and out in less than two hours. Her car is white.
https://www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/vehicles/ioniq-plug-in-hybrid