Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see May lease deals!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
"Luxury Choice--'03 Sonata Grand Touring Package, carriage roof and gold plating, exclusively at Stan Olsen". [No price given.]
Run, don't walk, away from this beast and dealers that do this kind of auto malpractice. Can only imagine how garish it is and the markup. What a waste!
it is about 6 weeks over 4 years old. 103,000 miles.
Here is what I fixed out of pocket so far:
1) Vapor recirculation thing for fuel tank(emissions control: cost was 350 dollars. I did get taken . Another place woul dhave done it for 100 dollars less).
2) New Alternator at 99,000 miles a few months back.
That was 550 dollars for everything.
Not fixed(and will not be fixed. may get a cheap boom box with 150 watts/cd player, and plug into 12V outlet)
Cd/Cassette player is dead.
Only radio works. Was quoted 800-1000 dollars for new system to be ordered/installed!
No "wrecks" at the "junk yard", either. I checked.
I will keep the car until it is in bad shape, or I can afford a new car,again(in 4-5 years).
I like it,still.
Do not know what I will buy next time. I never know until the last moment(have owned Chevy,Nissan,Hyundai).
If they have something that looks good, runs good, and fair priced, I will return. If I see something I like better, elsewhere, I will go there.
I do like the Hyundai, though.
The original battery is still in the car and I'm wondering what others may have experienced in terms of an effective lifetime for these batteries.
Thanks, Waxy
PS - BTW, I do try to conserve battery output but we've just finished with a long, hot summer and the air conditioning has been on a lot...
All in all, cars running flawlessly except for a CEL that we had about a year ago. Hopefully, the car will be good for another 100K.
Steve
I'm not gonna argue with anyone regarding stats in auto magazines.... I agree that the Sonata doesn't have the brake performance of a Porsche but it's not so bad that it would cause rear end collisions. Come on guys!!! Can't you guys judge distance?? Aren't you guys familiar with your cars limits by now?? I live in Toronto, Canada and I've faced 3 brutal Canadian winters with the Sonata without winter tires nor ABS. Did I have any single problem with the brakes? NOPE. It's all matter of judgement and with little precaution, accidents can be avoided. Don't blame your mistakes on the car.
Steve
I do have a question about my floor mats. My Sonata is Desert Sand with the beige interior. It came with black floor mats. They look so out of place. I asked my dealer if it had the right colored floor mats and they said all the 2004's have black floor mats.
I just don't like the look so I called the Hyundai customer service number. They of coarse did not have a clue on what colored floor mats my car was should have. All they would say is my dealer should order the correct color for an exchange.
Did I get the incorrect color for my floor mats or is black they only color they come in?
So I will be heading back to the dealer in a couple of days. I will tell them again I got the wrong colored floor mats. Hopefully they will just order the beige colored ones and exchange them out. If not I might just buy the beige ones and keep the black ones around as a spare or for use during the winter. I was planning on ordering the cargo net anyway.
I know for a fact that my Sonata came with the wrong mats. My dealer was still selling the 2003 models but I wanted the LX with package 7. So we had to drive up to the second lot. They just got the 2004's in and they have not even been prepared yet. They still had the plastic all over them. I had a choice between White Pearl, Slate Grey or Desert Sand. I thought the Desert Sand color was the most classy. As I was checking out the car for defects I noticed it had black mats sitting in the trunk.
Of coarse I was so excited about buying the new car I forgot about the wrong colored mats. I mentioned it as the salesman was going over the checklist. That is when he said all the 2004's are coming with black mats. They stay cleaner. I kind of doubt that.
Unfortunately it seems dealers are not very willing to fix anything after you sign the paperwork. Although the wrong floor mats is pretty obvious error.
I'll take those black mats off your hands if you want to get rid of them.
I am currently trying to figure out if my Sonata is equiped with a cabin filter? I have been told that some have it and some don't. Mine is a fully loaded LX with the package 7. The owners manual talks about it but only says (IF INSTALLED). Not sure if it is related but I have the Type A auto climate control system.
I believe on the 99-01 Sonata's the base did not have a cabin filter but the GLS and above models had it as standard. Not sure if this is the same for the 02 and above models.
As a folow up on my floor matts my dealer exchanged them out with the proper color with out any hassle. However now that I had both colors installed the black was not half bad actually. It added a bit of contrast to the interior and they don't show dirt at all. Maybe I will order a set of black matts in the future.
*I'm going strictly by the appearance of the filter medium compared with replacement HEPA filters used in residential forced air heating and air conditioning systems - no where on the Sonata's cabin airfilter or its shipping carton does the acronym, "HEPA", appear.
Long time, no type.
Purchased *TWO* identical Sonatas in early 2000. Year 2000 GLS V6 w/ package 13 (both).
Here's the latest:
(1) the plastic "shell" housing the wheel wells in the front - the right front (passenger side) is cracked. Oddly enough, this is considered "cosmetic," although the break allows water to spray into the engine compartment and the quarter panel under wet road conditions.
Given the warranty considers this "cosmetic" and given water gets in, I gotta pay to fix it.
(2) a bit of protective trim on the seat frame (driver's side front) is now peeking out from under the leather. Unfortunately, it does not want to go back under the leather.
(3) the driver's side window regulator snapped - for the THIRD time, but the dealership decided to charge me $14 + tax to "lubricate" the window tracks: the broken regulator is still in the door. Had I checked the itemization at the dealer, I would have inserted my foot in the service idiot's anus.
(4) developed a crack and some water in the passenger side headlight (suspect it's related to number 1 above).
(5) have the warped break / rotor thing going on, despite the same situation being fine not-so-long ago.
Ladies and gentlemen, after living with this car for nearly four years and watching it wear - AND while taking good care of both vehicles as far as general and preventative maintenance, I announce, with sorrow, I have concluded that the 2000 Sonata is a bit of crap (not to mince words).
I loved the "tightness" and "quality" when it was new, but it seems to wear out *MUCH* too quickly.
As for the plastic wheel well - this is the first time in my life I have *EVER* found a structural component of a vehicle to be considered a "wear part."
Thus goes the story of my first two (and last two) Hyundais: next time, I'll pay too much for a Honda that's a bit more durable, crack-proof, and water-tight.
You can bet I'm gonna raise hell on these issues, though: this is the stupidest situation I have encountered in 20 years behind the wheel of a car.
*grumble, grumble, grumble*
Lemme tell ya, my rose-colored glasses are off . . . and the color is much more brown and the smell more foul.
I'm pretty darn angry!
*sigh*
Well, count me in as a supporter of fast, high-quality light rail because the consumer never deals with the maintenance!
Hope y'all have a good weekend . . . .
Sorry to hear of the problems you are having. I bought a 2000 GLS in March of 2000 and absolutely love it.
I just took it in for the 60,000 mile service two days ago with 59,000+ on the odometer. The dealership was out of loaners, so they called Enterprise and I got a rental 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix GT for the day, paid for by the dealership.
I told them in addition to the 60,000 mile service I would like to have the rotors machined since I was getting a bit of pulsing in the pedal under moderate braking. They said no problem.
I received a few update calls from the dealership during the day. In addition to the 60,000 mile service they: machined the rotors under warranty, replaced the fuel pressure regulator under warranty, replaced the ignition wire set under warranty, replaced the timing belt auto tensioner under warranty and replaced the radiator cap under warranty. The service manager told me that none of these parts were in big time danger of failing, but they were looking slightly symptomatic so he decided to replace them under warranty since my warranty is about ready to expire.
I guess it all depends on the service department at the dealership. I count myself lucky to have a good service department nearby.
Ingtonge18... Think I've had my window repaired 6 times due to rock chips. She is a bit cratered in middle, but the repairs are keeping her together. USAA, my insurance company covers repairs for free.
Drimple, off topic note: I'm curious, what was your impression of the Grand Prix?
I liked the giddyup of the 3.8 liter V6 in the Grand Prix and the car handled well. However, the interior speaks too much of testosterone and is too aggressively styled for my tastes.
she is soon to be in the market again, and is convinced that she wants a Sonata. the reasons are: the warranty and price.
she requires a V6. so, she could get a V6 in the Sonata, for the same price as a 4 cylinder Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. seriously, her current car has almost 300k miles. she drives a lot. at least 65 miles a day. that is just to work and back. not counting errands. the warranty helps in this regard, since it is nice and long. but a warranty only helps so much. it doesn't PREVENT problems, only pays for them.
would all of you be comfortable letting a loved one buy a Sonata, for the long haul? my Mom does not know a thing about cars. all she knows it how it feels when she steps on the gas. i worry about what happens when she is driving through the mountains at 100k miles. i know that in a Camry or Honda, if maintained, there is a good chance that she won't break down. do you really feel as comfortable in the Hyundai at that point?
anyone got their V6 Hyundai's up to that mileage yet? 100k miles or higher?
thanks!
Second, you are right that maintenance has plenty to do with the longevity of any car, Honda-durable or not. A car I bought brand new in 1987 was kept in good condition through proper maintenance (following the normal schedule, NOT the "severe usage" schedule) and lasted me more than 10 years before I sold it. It had 227K miles on it and the first major repair occurred at 191K miles (head gasket). Was it a Honda? No, a low-tech Mercury Lynx (Escort twin) with a 5-speed. Sold with original exhaust, original starter, original alternator, original radiator and original clutch.
My 2001 Elantra has been wonderful these past two years, and is well-maintained. I encourage you to trust Mom's choice, because this company has worked very hard to overcome their past bad reputation. If only every company worked this hard to improve their products. Keep us posted!
i know that Hyundai has improved. but i am wondering if the improvement is for short term quality, vs. long term quality. not bashing Hyundai at all, just trying to find anyone that has good 100k miles and over experiences. hard to find.....why aren't people keeping their Hyundai's?
I can only speculate that people don't keep their Hyundais for VERY long (if that is so) perhaps because they still fear that the old reputation may come back to bite them. I'm not like that. My '01 Elantra will be with me at least as long as my good Lynx, because I did alot of research that pointed to a strong effort by the company to do better. The effort is indeed showing up in far superior cars than they made in the past, and in my opinion, far superior cars than most domestic products. I am convinced that mine will last for the long haul. Now let's hear from people who have crossed the 100K mark!
I bought a new 2003 4 cylinder automatic Sonata for my stepson in March for $11,988 after rebates (including $1,000 loyalty rebate). I believe the sticker was $17,538...
I always use carsdirect price as my benchmark when buying a car...
Metal wheel wells that should, hypothetically, be keeping me from seeing the engine compartment from behind the right front wheel when I kneel beside the front fender?
Metal wheel wells that should, hypothetically, be keeping water and road debris out of the engine compartment and front-end lighting hardware?
Metal wheel wells that should, hypothetically, be preventing water from entering the headlight and side-mounted turn signal . . . both of which the dealer replaced at the same fateful appointment because there was, in fact, water in them . . . and replaced under warranty, ironically enough?
Metal wheel wells that should, hypothetically, have prevented water from now entering and pooling in the *NEW* lights, that were replaced under warranty?
Basically, either (1) you have no idea what you are talking about if you are incorrect in your assessment or (2) my car has even bigger problems than I thought if you are correct in your assessment, for this car *HAS NO METAL WHEEL WELLS* - and, further, ALL of those circumstances I just described above exist.
Trim? My middle-aged behind!
Trim just ain't responsible for that set of problems! Trim means "look pretty." It's what kids spend a lot of time putting on their Honda Civics so balding guys like me are "fooled" into believing they actually drive an Acura Pocket-Rocket despite the "diesel-powered food processor" noises from under the hood.
joseph_owens: get that crankshaft sensor fixed. Mine failed under 12,000 miles and started my car *BACKFIRING,* which should simply not happen in a fuel-injected vehicle.
Given that part should never fail during the life of the engine, your warranty should cover the issue. Call Hyundai Customer Service - you may need their intervention.
I never said the word "liner." You did!
There is *NO* metal wheel well hub on this particular car. I have heard of oddities originally destined for other nations coming to USA shores before, but this may well take the cake . . . . Unless, of course, all such cars are like this???
There is a little metal rim about the thickness of my hand that follows a small semi-circular arc near where the axel (front brake assembly) attach to the suspension.
The rest of the entire wheel well is a giant, heavy, extruded plastic "arc" that attaches to the body with plastic rivets.
Actually, it's now disintigrating - the hole grows bigger: ya can stick yer had through it and grab the front passenger wheel.
And that just ain't supposed to be ya know?
Warranty, warrant, warranty.
They'll replace this under warranty, lest I hang them by their naughty bits.
Stupidist bit of engineering I have *EVER* seen.