u/mdocvar

I'm looking for an honest gut-check from people who know cars better than I do, because I've been beating myself up over this.

Just bought a 2026 Kia Sportage EX FWD (gas) with no addons for $31,500 out the door - taxes, fees, everything included in Fort Lauderdale. Insurance went up $300 per 6 months to add it. Our combined insurance for the Sportage + a 2017 Mazda 3 is now $900 per 6 months ($150/month). Financing was fine.

Here's what's eating at me:

1. The hybrid. I really wanted the hybrid (better mileage, quieter). It was only about $3,000 more. But here's the thing — every single dealership was weirdly cagey about hybrid availability. Lots of "we can't get them," "there's no stock,". I honestly can't tell if hybrids are genuinely hard to get right now, or if they were just steering me to the gas model they had sitting on the lot. Is there actually a hybrid supply issue in 2026, or was I being played? That's the biggest thing I want to know.
2. Did I overpay? They made it sound like a steal. Now I'm paranoid I left money on the table and should have negotiated harder.
3. Insurance. Is $900/6 months for a new Sportage + a 2017 Mazda 3 normal, or high in South Florida?
4. The Tesla rabbit hole. After the fact I checked Tesla's site, they'd give me ~$9,600 trade-in on the Mazda, and with 0.99% APR I keep thinking I could've gotten into a Model Y for not much more. Am I romanticizing that, or was that actually the smarter play?

The gas engine is louder and the mileage is less than the hybrid, and I feel locked in for the next 10 years. I optimize the hell out of tiny purchases but somehow rushed the biggest one. Tell me straight.... did I do okay, or did I mess this up?

TLDR: Paid $31.5k OTD for a 2026 Sportage gas. Every dealer acted shady about hybrid availability. Wanted the hybrid for $3k more. Insurance $900/6mo for Sportage + 2017 Mazda 3. Now second-guessing everything, including a Model Y I didn't buy. Did I get a fair deal?

Looking for an honest gut-check from people who know cars better than I do, because I've been beating myself up over this.

Just bought a 2026 Kia Sportage EX FWD (gas) panthera metal with no addons for $31,500 out the door — taxes, fees, everything included in Fort Lauderdale. Insurance went up $300 per 6 months to add it. Our combined insurance for the Sportage + a 2017 Mazda 3 is now $900 per 6 months ($150/month). Financing was fine.

Here's what's eating at me:

1. The hybrid. I really wanted the hybrid (better mileage, quieter). It was only about $3,000 more. But here's the thing — every single dealership was weirdly cagey about hybrid availability. Lots of "we can't get them," "there's no stock,". I honestly can't tell if hybrids are genuinely hard to get right now, or if they were just steering me to the gas model they had sitting on the lot. Is there actually a hybrid supply issue in 2026, or was I being played? That's the biggest thing I want to know.
2. Did I overpay? They made it sound like a steal. Now I'm paranoid I left money on the table and should have negotiated harder.
3. Insurance. Is $900/6 months for a new Sportage + a 2017 Mazda 3 normal, or high in South Florida?
4. The Tesla rabbit hole. After the fact I checked Tesla's site, they'd give me ~$9,600 trade-in on the Mazda, and with 0.99% APR I keep thinking I could've gotten into a Model Y for not much more. Am I romanticizing that, or was that actually the smarter play?

The gas engine is louder and the mileage is less than the hybrid, and I feel locked in for the next 10 years. I optimize the hell out of tiny purchases but somehow rushed the biggest one. Tell me straight.... did I do okay, or did I mess this up?

TLDR: Paid $31.5k OTD for a 2026 Sportage gas. Every dealer acted shady about hybrid availability. Wanted the hybrid for $3k more. Insurance $900/6mo for Sportage + 2017 Mazda 3. Now second-guessing everything, including a Model Y I didn't buy. Did I get a fair deal?

I am looking to listen in on the water readings trasmitted periodically by the water meter for my house. Is there any cheaper dongle that can help me achieve this without having to buy the RTL SDR? Any recommendations? Also, did anyone do this successfully?