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Last night, the local news did a story on "chop shops", and had a crew strip a car live during the broadcast. The reporter also mentioned some sort of police-sponsored "fair" about anti-car theft at a local shopping mall parking lot (Springfield Mall, VA). Well, I went over there just to pick up a few brochures and have a look at the demo's. It was co-sponsored by Allstate insurance, and Viriginia's HEAT program (Help Eliminate Auto Theft) which gives cash rewards up to $10,000 leading to car theft arrests, etc. In the HEAT trailer they had various locks, and I noticed that they have a product that I haven't seen before, perfect for those of us who feel that maybe the $30-$40 we spent on The Club was wasted. It's called "The Club Shield" and is made of white sheet metal, two halves that cover the steering wheel, and held in place with, you guessed it: The Club. This also prevents theft of the driver's airbag. If I ever get one, I'd probably use a towel over the steering wheel or pad the "shield" somehow to avoid creases in my steering wheel. I don't know how much it costs and I forgot to get a brochure since I thought it'd be on their website (it isn't) and I was very hot and thirsty from waiting around for my freebie: VIN etching.
The HEAT program was offering "FREE" VIN glass etching on all your windows, including the sunroof. They had 2 lines going, but it was still a 20-30 minute wait. They print out special labels with your VIN, then dab on some special acid, wait for a few minutes, then they remove the label, clean it up, and put on stickers warning thieves of the VIN etching. These stickers are small and they're white to match my car, so I'll probably keep them on for a while. For those in Virginia, they plan to do the VIN etching again down in Roanoake in a few months, see their website for details, but you must own, not lease the vehicle, as they'll be checking your driver's license and registration before doing the etching. The stickers mention that it's against Federal Law to remove the VINs from the parts. One cop was mentioning that the etched VIN shows up easily when they hit it with a flashlight at night.
I am concerned about break in period. Seems my manual mentions the first 1200 miles and 55 mph.
http://www.geocities.com/sonatafan
I know T-H-C has been down.........
http://www.carpoint.msn.com/
Whatever car you buy, test drive one (equipped exactly like you want) and buy another with low mileage. This way you can abuse one and baby the one you buy. ; )
Almost any new engine will easily exceed 100,000 miles as long as oil is changed at 5000 mile intervals and (as I keep reminding my kids) kept within the normal range on the dipstick.
This car is a true joy to drive and own..I have never been happier wiyh any car I owned and I have had plenty..
And while some reviews lament the suspension tuning, I have yet to find a single fault with the handling and road manners. The Sonata may not carve up the cones to the numbers of some of the competition but it is real world driving that counts. As a matter of fact, I have yet to drive a vehicle with as little useful feedback as a Camry under any circumstances.
You will see several cuts of manufacturing and testing Sonata. This is the movie about Asan plant.
Click "Hyundai Asan plant"
http://myhome.naver.com/mildbreeze/menu2.html
Here, the 2001 Sonata looks somwhat different, and much improved I think. I wish my car in the states looked that way. I'll probably buy another GLS when I get back, but am curious (and hopeful) that maybe the look of the 2001 here will be incorporated into the 2002 there.
For you info, here's a link to the New Zealand Sonata. Notice a couple things. Although you can't get a great view from the picture, the front end is more squared off. It also has electric releases for the gas and trunk.
And perhaps more importantly, substitutes a 2.7 for a 2.5 liter V6 on the upper end model.
One can only hope that this one makes it's way to the states.
http://www.hyundai.co.nz/hyundai/sonata.html
The new look and engine should keep these cars moving off the dealer's lots. Looks like another banner year for Hyundai.
also not sure about the option package with ABS and TC, but seeing that these two aren't packaged together in the Optima (i think) it's a possibility that we wont see them together
I think I did see Electronic Brake Distribution on the website and maybe even xenon headlights (?) but nothing seems finalized for the U.S. spec models... just wait and see i guess
Thanks for the info. I will definitely remember and act accordingly from now on.
I say only a bit dumb because I believe this may be the perils of full service gasoline stations in NY.
And yes you guys up north & over in California are gettin banged on fuel prices, my wife paid 1.02 for regular this week down here in Texas. Prices in Dallas area are anywhere from 1.17-1.38 self serve regular. She caught a 1 day special day after I popped for 1.19 same station.
Anyway, last week I took some of my employees out for a nice lunch on the pier in Redondo Beach CA, and one of my classroom advisors had her little sister, Sabrina, along for "sister's day at work." We had a great time at a nice seafood place that only served COOKED seafood. When we left, it turned out that the two of them needed to ride in my Sonata, and Sabrina was ecstatic. "Oh, that is such a cool car. Can we really ride in it?" As we drove, she kept chattering about the leather seats, power windows, rear seat center arm rest, (fake) wood trim, etc. Just as luck would have it, while we were driving, her mom called on her sister's cell phone to see how the day was going. Sabrina's reply: "Omigod, mom, you wouldn't believe it! We went to a restaurant by the ocean and ate sushi, and—you won't believe it—we're riding in the boss's Jaguar!!"
Being curious and wanting the window open I pressed the down button again and BAM the window fell out of site into the door.
I was visiting Duke university in NC and in the parking lot me and my son were dismantling the door panel and undoing all the linkages to be able to raise the window and wedge from cardboard in for the ride hback to Florida. Thanks goodness it did not happen during all the rain I was driving through in Florida a few days ago.
I know things could be worse, BUT what an inconvenience.
On a positive note, the car has not skipped a beat in 13k miles. Round trip avg mpg 31 for base model with auto and A/C on and avg speed prob 70+ for 16 hours
Tony
Our '00 GLS had a short lived problem w/driver's window as well. It would clunk at the top of the travel when raising it, just as it was going into the molding. Lasted about a week and a half but has since disappeared. I never got a chance to pop off the door panel and take a look-see.
There is one little ole motor that winds a thin braided cable up and down thru a series of pulleys. It is quite a simple operation. None of those scissor like mechanisms we may have seen in the past.
From what I can see, it looks like the guide or maybe lets call it a nozzle that comes out of the top of the window motor snapped off and changed the angle of cable release and uptake, or maybe just increased the cable slack and allowed it to jump off of the pulleys.
This window dropped soo fast and sooo far it was kinda comical, but not when on a trip hundreds of miles from home.
Fortunately the door panel came off easy, and with a little untangling of the cable, I was able to lift the window by hand and shim some cardboard inbetween the glass and the door frame to keep it in place for the ride home.
I dread the dealers soooo much I have thought of just leaving the cardboard in there.
Will let you guys know what happens.
Here is a link to the service page on the window, it doesnt show too much, BUT it surely clear IF you have already HAD to look inside the door like I have.
http://www.hmaservice.com/webtech/iindex.asp?id=390290022#_390290022
BEWARE of window travel noise!!
Tony