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Comments
My vehicle is better than yours because....
Brag about your ride on Tuesday, May 8, 5-6pm PT/8-9pm ET in the new News & Views Weekly Chat
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
Features, warranties, how to change the clock, how to change the radio, when to run the A/C, wash the exterior, wash the interior, where is the tire jack, how to tow, phone numbers.
I invite you all to visit www.geocities.com/adamjrae and view these scans.
If you have or know of any other Hyundai Santa Fe web site please let me know so we can link to each other.
Adam J. Rafels
Happy Santa Fe GLS 4WD owner since October 2000 with 11,000+ miles
More...
- http://www.members.home.net/g7florist/sf/wooddash01.jpg
- http://www.members.home.net/g7florist/sf/wooddash02.jpg
- www.members.home.net/g7florist/sf/wooddash03.jpg
- www.members.home.net/g7florist/sf/wooddash04.jpg
- www.members.home.net/g7florist/sf/wooddash06.jpg
- www.members.home.net/g7florist/sf/wooddash07.jpg
- www.members.home.net/g7florist/sf/wooddash08.jpg
I'd never have known about or considered a Santa Fe if the clever folks at Hyundai hadn't staged a promotional sweepstakes at the local community college I attend. We had just bought a 2000 Chrysler Voyager, and I saw the Santa Fe and said "Oh, rats!". In the category of mixed blessings, my 21 year old daughter totalled the Voyager (no injuries to anyone [thank you, God], just one badly mangled car) and we got to reconsider our purchase. Since the Santa Fe did even better in the crash test than the Voyager, we went straight over to Hyundai (after searching around to *find* a dealership in the area) and bought a Pine Green GLS. Wonderful car, and the more we drive it the more we like it.
Glad to meet ya'll!
if you wanna more KOREAN SF or Wolrd SF pictures,
visit to my homepage ^^
http://myhome.hananet.net/~netwon/
I've actually had my Santa Fe since 8 Dec. but this is the first time in a long while that I've visited Edmunds and lo and behold, owners have their own forum now! This is great. I'll be visiting more often again. I do have one question to anyone who might know, has anyone else heard anything about a new, larger suv coming from Hyundai sometime in the future? I first learned about the possibility while researching Santa Fe here at Edmunds. Don't get me wrong, I love my truck and will try to keep it long after my extended warranty expires, but with one more child, my family will outgrow the Santa Fe. Any information, even just rumors, would be appreciated. Thanks.
There will be the new SUV layout coming from Hyundai and it is called the Hyundai Terracan. The Terracan have an option of 5 seats or 7-8 seats. Will be release to the US somewhere next year. Starting about $29k to $35k depend on the model you choose. I really like this SUV too. However, the Santa Fe exterior look better while the Terracan interior look better. **Go to hyundai.com (automobile) and click on Hyundai Terracan and learn about it**
I am thinking about the Ford Escape and the Jeep Liberty as well. I like the looks and standard feature of the Santa Fe the best, but issue with such serious problems from what I have seen have me very concerned. Who cares about a great warranty if the engine is bad from the start.
Please I would like your comments, feel free to e-mail me at sawyer1370@hotmail.com
thanks,
Larry
To laring, just my two cents worth. I've never had a lick of trouble with the engine or drivetrain at all. I've put on almost 10,000 miles on mine already and all have been smooth sailing. Literally smooth because the Santa Fe handles so much like a car. Its the nicest riding truck I've ever owned. Now, if you want to take a chance on a vehicle that was recalled half a dozen times within its first few months of production, then be my guest. Just keep in mind Ford has nothing like the warranty you're going to get with Hyundai. The Jeep is a brand new vehicle, completely untested so you know you'll have to watch out for bugs there, also. For my money you get outstanding quality and support from Hyundai that I haven't seen from either Ford or Jeep/Chrystler. The Santa Fe is the first Hyundai I've owned and if it maintains like it has so far, then it definitely won't be my last. Also keep in mind, every auto maker produces a few lemons. Most of the people that are complaining on the MSN site are those that unfortunately found Hyundai's. I think for the most part, Santa Fe owners are very, very happy with the steal they found as opposed to the overpriced competitors they could have bought.
My SF had reached 19,500km yesterday! I really tortured my SF, because I used it to deliver flowers, I went to so many different places everyday, mountains, downtown, country side, somtime offroad, highway.....etc, also never wash my car even once since last Nov, 2000. Never have any powertrain problem/paint peel off.
I turned my engine ON/OFF almost hundred times a day, but never having any problem/engine stall.
I hitted my rear corner bumper twice in 5 km/hr, but only have very minor damage (I don't even have to fix it!) After that my SF can still drive at over 160km/hr (or 100 mile/hr) smoothly.
If it is not a good car that WHAT u think it should be?
David
Please send your response to jfallon@edmunds.com, or post in Talk to the Press.
Thanks!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
So we moved up the road to the Hyundai dealership in Arlington with the Forrester the one to beat (we had previously driven the Santa Fe twice in the past year). We gave it a good test drive this time, with my wife also getting behind the wheel. I think we both sensed some Serendipity this time - they had a fully loaded silver LX on the lot, precisely the vehicle we would want. My main concern had been visibility - with less glass and the flared hood, I was concerned about more "spatial relationship" problems, but my wife drove it and felt comfortable. In driving it felt smooth and solid and I liked playing with the shiftronic, so the Santa Fe moved into the "lead" again (with of course the main benefits being getting leather, and all the trimmings for less $ than the Forrester).
Now for some background - we are now three-time Hyundai owners. My wife had a '93 Sonata from college that I inherited in marriage. When looking for a car two years ago, we did not set out looking for a Hyundai. I really did not care much for the car, but the economics (we bought an Elantra wagon) were hard to argue against. And, I realized, they are building better and better cars, and the Sonata (built at a time of lower quality) had not had a significant problem at all through 70K miles; the main problem to me had been the quality of construction and fit (it rattled a lot).
So we put only 22K miles on the Elantra in 2 + years, and were generally happy with it – not so much that’d we consider ourselves “loyal” Hyundai drivers yet, but we were at least used to being Hyundai owners. The only problem was a recall part - I believe the power transmission fluid line. My other beefs – the car got TERIBLE mileage. I should have had it looked at, but was too lazy. Our hunch in looking at an SUV was that we might get a better trade-in value from a Hyundai dealer. Not sure if that was the case or not, but they offered us $1000 over blue book trade-in value - and the car had a big dent and scrapes in the rear passenger-side door (the result of some, uh, spatial relationship problems my wife had had with a few poles). All-in-all, with that and some service needed (alignment, etc) we were probably looking at sinking a $1000 into it before winter, so trading up was a relief.
So we returned to the dealer on Monday and put a deal together quickly. I think they were pretty straightforward on the price - our biggest break came on the trade-in, so I had no complaints. We picked the car up Tuesday, and off we went.
We have only 70 miles on the car so far (all in hard city driving), but we are absolutely thrilled with it. Time will tell, of course on reliability and quality, but it is a dream to drive, and it has exceeded our expectations. My wife loves driving it and actually feels much safer. Again, we love it. With each Hyundai we've had, it's clear they've made strides with fit, finish, and - let's be honest - the automatic transmissions (the Elantra never felt quite “right”). This is a great car.
I've had a few snickers from friends whom I've told we bought another Hyundai. But I don't care -I'm not a "car" person. A car will never say much about who I am, but I feel smart driving this. I really don’t think you can go wrong in the compact SUV class. This seems like almost a “golden age” of cars, with so many companies making good cars. I’m sure we would have been happy with the Forrester, but the Santa Fe makes us almost giddy. To paraphrase one review I found – if you like the looks of the Santa Fe (and many understandably don’t) you don’t even need to consider the competitors.
One last thing - we've already had one of those "Santa Fe moments" other drivers have reported. A man stopped my wife as she was plugging her meter in the South End. He marveled over the car and actually asked if he could sit in it.
HDK Autosport are advertising ECUs or modified EFI chips for improved performance, and I have a feeling one of those could really improve quirkness in the SF, plus some stabilizing bars..................
I am also interested in knowing if anyone has had trouble with the quality of the leather interiors for the LX model...............more questions to follow.
I already went through all of the previous posts in all of the Santa Fe boards here and they are only wetting my appetite for it; the only other alternative for me would be the Passat 1.8 turbo GLS Wagon, but at the expense of a couple extra grands.
I have been looking at the SF for a couple years now, even before it ever made it to the dealers show rooms and auto shows.
Thanks to all of you who helped us make the purchase decision.
So, here we are new SUV owners! It will primarily be my car. My husband has a 95 Thunderbird he says he'll drive till it dies. I bought a pre-owned 2000 Taurus last January and though I tried to love it, I just never did.
I am not anticipating that being a problem with the Santa Fe. I love it already! When I saw pictures of them before they first came out I told my husband that that was what I wanted for my next car. Then I got sidetracked by the Taurus because it was such a bargin. But every time I would see a Santa Fe drive by I'd drool. So, when our credit union advertised 3 day only 4.99 percent intrest rates on new cars I knew that this was my chance. The Taurus rate was at an obscene 8.5 percent and the warrany was 2000 miles from running out. Didn't take much convincing to get my husband to agree.
Today I went to Menards (midwest home improvement chain) and I pulled in the parking spot and a man walking by started walking around the SF and asked if I liked it. I said, "well, I just got it yesterday but so far I love it." He asked several questions about it and then said that it was a really nice looking vehicle. I have NEVER had that happen to me before. It was great.
So, tonight I found this board and thought I'd join your club.
scared because I've had a few problems. The oil light was coming on and off. Had it looked
at the dealership and said it was an electrical problem. Then, a week and a half later I discovered oil was leaking from 3 differerent spots from underneath. The front, middle, and
passenger rear tire. I called the dealership and am having it fixed Monday. I hope the drive to
the dealership in o.k. since I live 60 km from it, near where I work. I hope it is just a seal or
something. Has anyone else had this problem?? This site has been very helpful. I need to
reassure myself that I made the right choice by choosing Santa fe. I was also considering the
Saturn Vue, Toyota Rave 4. But the Santa Fe's value and looks wooed me and my husband over.
engine so I took it to the dealer that day. They said it is an electrical problem. I'm going to get the oil leak fixed tommorrow, so I'll keep you posted on what the problem was.
I never would have thought that I would have used my Warranty this early.
I just got my Santa Fe back a week ago. I have never received the gas mileage that they said, I would get. but I had taken it in for the 4th time about the fuel gauge not reaching full. They put in a brand new fuel gauge, I went and filled it up well, didn't show full. They finally decided to drop the tank for a second time. This time they found out that the sending units were not working and the fuel pump nipple was off. So, we are really hoping that our problems are over because if not we will have to go to Lemon Law. I hope everyone elses experience is much better.
Found edmunds most helpful with the wealth of information. Planning a 3400 mile trip next month. I will be letting all who wants to know how things go. Thanks again.
There have been many questions about legitimate dealer fees in various discussions. To find these discussions, enter "dealer fees" into search. Or check the Smart Shopper board for current discussions.
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
If you have some time, we would really appreciate Town Hall members writing a review of their current auto, or a favorite make/model. It takes approximately a week for your review to appear on that make/model.
If you have any questions, please let me know!
Thanks!
KarenS
Host
Owners Clubs
Then I noticed my new neighbor had one so I started asking questions.
No one had ANYTHING bad to say about it!
My a/c finally died last Friday so I decided to go with another co worker to have a look.
I was sold in a minute but I said I would be back with my wife tomorrow. My friend Patti liked it too and said she wanted one ...So she bought the one I picked... (The Merlot) She took me home in her new SF so I went back two days later, on St. Patrick's Day and bought mine (Pine Green) in Woodbridge, VA. We all love our Santa Fe!
I plan to trade my wife's Grand Am for another one next year.
One of my favorite features on this car is the automatic climate control! It is just great and it takes no time to cool down the inside of my car.
I do have a question for all you LX owners: I've read that the Santa Fe has underseat ducts. Mine doesn't and I asked the salesman and he "thought" that it didn't. Can someone let me know if their LX has them.
I can't stop bragging about this car. It's fantastic. My wife is even looking into the Elantra for her next car.
I have taken it to service only for oil change at 1,200/6,000/10,500 miles, and plan to take it in for 15,000 miles service.
Since our first Hyundai has been so good to us, we are considering Elantra GT for the next car.
Like I said the Dealer has been great. 06/08/03
The assumption would be that if you consistently accelerate hard, it is going to move the shift points up and you'll get a later (harsher) shift, emulating what some car makers call a "power" mode. My Daewoo Nubira has a switch on the shifter that, unlike an overdrive function, actually changes the shift points of the transmission. It's way cool.
I do know from reading technical papers on Hyundai's web site (www.hyundaiusa.com) that if you disconnect the battery, the transmission has to learn all over again. If I remember correctly, it spells out about how long it takes to re-learn as well.
Perhaps, and this is just a guess, someone is drove or is driving the vehicle hard or not, just opposite how you are driving it? I don't know if the learning process is continual or not, but I often wonder if the people that test drove mine and put the initial 250 miles on it had an influence on how my transmission shifts. Which, by the way, is moderate (neither harsh nor soft). Hope this info helps!
I paid $21,800 after rebate. It had the following options: Anti-Lock Brakes, upgraded Monsoon stereo and mud guards. Also am having them add leather for $850.
Did anybody purchase the Hyundai extended warranty?
Don't forget that torque is a valuable number, too. From what I understand, if you are towing something, it is a MORE important number than HP. Since I never tow anything, I am going by what people tell me. The torque numbers are up over 20% from the 2.7 to the 3.5. While not equal in terms of percentage, I would believe that those who tow things would want an extra 20% or more.
Another way to look at it is for those of us that don't tow, the 2.7 has plenty of giddyup and gets very reasonable mileage for an SUV. The only complaint that I have about the 2.7 is that the mileage takes a much bigger hit when running the AC than in any other car that I have owned. I wonder why that is.
Good luck with your Santa Fe. Keep us posted on the 3.5.
Tim