Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

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Comments

  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    I'll start with Crest, I didn't seriously persue trying to get a deal there...no particular reason except I got the feeling I wouldn't get anything special or different enough to warrant buying there plus..and I realize you can get warranty work at any Hyundai dealer....they only recently took on the Hyundai franchise and I'm not real sure their mechanics can do good work on anything but Ford. Massey..different reason, they typically tack on nearly $1000 for paint sealant/pinstripes/Scotchguard etc. and I'm not willing to spend that extra money for maybe $200-300.00 in services that I don't even want. Plus I don't want to have lengthy negotiations with the salesman running back and forth with the "manager" to reduce or eliminate this add-on fee. With regard to Fryesinger...I bought 2 Sante Fe's there plus my daughter got her 2003 Elantra and I was satisfied the final price in all three cases. It was about as good as I could get without working selling cars for a living and knowing all the tricks of the trade. Fitzmall...I was intrigued by their selling philosophy and decided to try it out. Turns out they beat Frysinger by only $96.00 even with their selling format. That plus I like the service at Frysinger and none of the cars needed any special trips for any type of service so a once a year trip to Fryesinger for state inspection and infrequent trips for oil changes doesn't bother me...gives me an excuse to take an afternoon off work...
  • alman08alman08 Member Posts: 282
    hi Sonata owners, I'm just curious that when you bought your Sonata, did you cross shop with the Ford Five Hundred? any opinion would be appreciated. thanks
  • janeencjaneenc Member Posts: 29
    Yes, I cross compared everything in the mid-sized class. All roads lead back to the Sonata. I didn't like the interior or the exterior as well. The handling was bland. All the reviews were bland as well. So my eye was drawn to the Sonata for a huge list of reasons. I'm sure the car is great basic transportation, but it wasn't a preference for me. :D
  • fezzyfezzy Member Posts: 83
    I have tested both cars and like the Sonata better. The 500 has a weird floor plan for the driver area. When sitting in the car you will notice that the floor board is closed in forcing you to keep you left foot close to the brake pedal. The sonata has a roomy feeling in that area. The Ford is bigger car but lacks in the power department (engine). The ford has a little richer look than the Sonata material wise on the interior but it really isn't something that detrimentally different.

    You can also get more features in the ford like adjustable pedals, power front passenger seat, reverse sensors and blue tooth (opt.). But when it all winds down, the Sonata is better in my opinion because the final comfort of a car is what I look at.

    If I fell comfortable when I get in the car and remain comfortable while test driving that just makes the car a better buy. Than what a good price and outstanding features it makes it hard to walk away.

    However, if you like the ford 500 look into the Mercury Montego. Same car but the Montego has a little more standard features for a few dollars more. Features such as HID, LED and Luxury leather to name a few.
  • alman08alman08 Member Posts: 282
    thanks for the reply... I like the design on both cars. The Sonata looks very much like an Audi A6 while the Ford Five Hundred looks like a big Mercedes (the 91-99 S class). I have not gotten a chance to seat in a Sonata yet, but from what I have read, the Sonata can easily out class the Camry and Accord. Have you both tested the Ford with the CVT? I wonder how you felt about that with the Sonata's tranny.
    One big plus about the Sonata, in my opinion, is that it offers the 10yr/100k warranty. Can't beat that! :shades:
  • truethattruethat Member Posts: 123
    It's already in the quotes. Thanks anyway.
  • frevalfreval Member Posts: 11
    Just ran across this. Now this is a real shame. :cry:
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Hyundai-Sonata-2006-HYUNDAI-SONATA-GLS-REBUILDABLE-WRECKED-- REPAIRABLE_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ80747QQitemZ4566178371QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW">link title
  • tenpin288tenpin288 Member Posts: 804
    Ouch! :sick:
    Even though I feel for the owner, I see remarkably little damage to the majority of the car for a vehicle that took quite a hit. It looks like the passenger compartment cage is very rigid. Look at the seams around the hood, trunk, and driver's side doors. They look to be very even and straight. I hope that portends a very good crash test result by NHTSA and IIHS.
  • truethattruethat Member Posts: 123
    I fixed the hyperlink.

    wrecked sonata
  • therealpotustherealpotus Member Posts: 42
    "It would add millions [to make the suggested improvements]!"

    Hmmm.... Let's see. If you add $300 worth of features, and then raise the price by $300.... WHOA! Unbelievably, the $42 million is recouped! AMAZING!!!

    And, by the way, you've got a car that's much more desireable. Is $300 going to turn away the buying public? No, not when it's adding all the features mentioned. In fact, it will RAISE demand.

    Hyundai adds most all of the features I mentioned in the cars it sells in other countries. Or, here's an idea. Add them all on the LX+. I bet a lot of people would opt for these additional features for $300 more.

    I've got a buddy who just bought a 2005 Toyota Tacoma double cab. It puts the Hyundai to shame in terms of ride comfort and quietness. A pickup, mind you! If Toyota can build a quiet vehicle, why can't Hyundai? (Some might say it's the larger tires on the Toyota, and if so, then I may just buy a Tacoma and be done with it. Oh, and the interior is sweet.)

    By the way, what's up with all of you defending the Sonata like it's your first born child? IT'S A CAR, PEOPLE! GET OVER IT!

    All I'm saying is that if you're going through all the effort to gain marketshare in a highly contested field, put your best product forward. Don't stop 95% of the way there. (And they can build the car with the additional features, since other markets have the features and the Sonata has been around in Korea for about two years.)

    To whomever wrote, "They don't offer black because it gets so hot", you're probably right. I understand it's NEVER HOT NOR SUNNY in South Korea. My bad...

    (And let's add side mirrors that fold back to the list of desired features...)
  • truethattruethat Member Posts: 123
    Dude, chill!
    If you think Tacoma is a better deal, go buy it.
    If you think Hyundai is just not there yet, don't buy one.
    Do what you have to do, but stop posting this kind of messages here.
    It doesn't help you and it surely doesn't help any one of us.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I really doubt you could add all the features you asked for, including nav system, power passenger's seats, and backup sensors for only $300. If so, it would be the Deal of the Century.

    Re black cars in Korea--while there a few months ago I saw lots of new Sonatas on the road. Lots of other cars too. All but a couple of the Sonatas were light colored--mostly silver. Most of the other cars were light-colored too. Almost all the black cars I saw were limos--Equus and others.

    I agree on the folding side mirrors--that's a very useful feature. But many of Sonata's competition doesn't have folding mirrors either, so Hyundai probably thought they could get away with it. They also claim that having the non-folding mirrors cuts wind noise. Whatever.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Saw ads in this weekend's paper for Sonata GLs (automatics) for $16.5k, which is nearly $3000 off. That includes $2000 in rebates. This is just for GLs, but I think a hint of things to come.
  • supliisuplii Member Posts: 8
    What state was that in???? What Newspaper....
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Star Tribune, Newspaper of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul). Both Saturday and Sunday editions had it.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,709
    It sounded like Hyundai was gonna hold the line on 2006 Sonata pricing but I guess not. Good news for us consumers, indeed! :D

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • kwonc71kwonc71 Member Posts: 245
    Just came home with brand new 2006 SONATA-Grey GL with automatic ($15,998-after $1000 royalty rebate, $1000 Hyundai finance rebate, and dealership discount). Could not afford GLS I wanted because my wife just got Acura MDX last week too. I can't believe how much Hyundai gives for a car under $16,000. Other than V6, this car has everything I needed and much more (ABS brake, Security with remote door-trunk- lock, side airbags, side curtain airbags,esc, traction control, mp3 player, shiftronic auto manual.....it's a lexus with wrong company logo on it). Decent power for 4cyl engine. Handling is smooth and inside cabin is so quite, clean, and neat looking. Feels like driving the lexus that my friend has. Sound of cd player is actually good as Acura MDX. Can't wait to push this car to the limit, after break in period. For now, I better read manual and learn what exactly ESC stands for.
  • gmctruckgmctruck Member Posts: 186
    Congrats on the new cars....! :D

    BUT..... two new cars in the same year?

    Talk about car payments up the wazoo! :P

    Enjoy your new cars! :shades:
  • janeencjaneenc Member Posts: 29
    Congratulations on your new 06 GL. If you want to jump in on some interesting forums, who seem to comment a lot about your new purchase... just read the mid-sized sedan thread. Now that your household has two new cars you can compare them. Let us know how it measures up. Keep safe and Happy motoring :shades: !
  • boltmanboltman Member Posts: 85
    gmctruck...

    You were lucky it only took 30 minutes! My service department kept me there two hours because they were having a slow download (about 90 minutes) of the software update to their scan tool... I'm thinking that should have been done BEFORE my appointment! But anyhow got the recall taken care of and card for a free oil change on them for the extended wait.

    So just an FYI for all others who need a scan tool update (especially if you are the first to bring a 2006 Sonata in)... make sure your service department downloads whatever they need prior to your arrival. Once they have everything downloaded it takes maybe five minutes to update the car.
  • kwonc71kwonc71 Member Posts: 245
    Went out for dinner with my wife. Since I was coming back from the work (overtime for 2 car payments), we met at a restaurant. After dinner, she and me drove our new cars side by side. She asked me for a race, but I decide not to do it on the car with only 200 miles ( Her car was used with 47000 miles on it-$25,000). However, on ramp of HWY 205, I just had to push my new car. Could not stand the urge for "S" curve-down hill -thrill. Gravitation, esc control, and my heavy foot combination pushed my car to 75 MPH in matter of seconds. At the end of on ramp, I could not even see her car which was right behind my car seconds ago.........When we got home, I asked her if she try to catch up with me. She won't answer. That means she did. It's only 2 days with my new car, but i'm in love. Can't wait till end of break in period.
  • w9cww9cw Member Posts: 888
    My local Hyundai dealer in Champaign, IL (61820) is selling the 2006 Sonata, regardless of trim level, at invoice, but inclusive of their advertising fees. From my experience, the advertising fees can be negotiable. In addition, Hyundai is offering a $1,000 financing rebate, plus another $1,000 "Competitive Car" rebate. The "Competitive Car" list is a long one, and includes Accord, Camry, Altima, Galant, and so on. If you own one on the list, you can take the $1,000 rebate.

    Therefore, I've found that excellent deals are available on the new 2006 Sonata.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    There's a Hyundai loyalty rebate in lieu of the competitive rebate, right? (can get one or the other)

    I got a mailing today from the dealer where I bought my two Elantras; included was a coupon for "$750 off your best deal" on any new Hyundai. I also have a coupon I got when I bought my last Elantra for $250 off my next car at that dealership. Plus they are offering two years of free oil changes. Hmmm... a Sonata GLS for under $16k with all incentives, plus the oil changes... must-be-strong-to-withstand-car-buying-fever!
  • billwardbillward Member Posts: 154
    That's pretty nasty looking on the right... but from the looks of it,
    the rest of the car is still in great shape.

    I just wish there were more details on what happened there, though, since it would be nice to know what hit it/was hit by it to cause that damage; if it was a pole, does that mean that the ESC/Anti-lock/etc., didn't work? If it was another car, how fast was it going when it slammed into the Sonata?

    It would give a good idea of what to expect from the crash tests... which reminds me, when are the results coming out? Anyone know?
  • gmctruckgmctruck Member Posts: 186
    It surely wasn't a pole. Since the car is at a dealer and given the low mileage, my guess is the car was T-boned during a test drive or maybe wrecked by an employee of the dealership. It would be a good bargain for someone who owns a body shop or has a friend in the body shop business who could fix the car fairly cheap.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Typically the NHTSA test results come out within a few months of launch. The IIHS test results can take a long time, it depends on their publishing schedule. They like to release results for a group of related vehicles all at the same time, and issue a press release about it.
  • rdillierrdillier Member Posts: 71
    I'm not so sure the car could be cheaply repaired, billward. When my son rear-ended another car (at age 17) it set off both airbags in the car. The insurance company said that to replace just the front two would cost more than the car. And the accident photos of the Sonata look damaged enough for all the airbags to deploy. If I'm wrong, though, I guess it would be a great purchase. About the only thing I can do to my cars is replace wiper blades and air filters... Oh, yeah, and write the checks that will send my mechanic's kids through Harvard...

    Cheers,
    Bob
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I thought this was sort of humorous. Go to http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicle/sonata/interior/comfort.asp and click on the little red dot on the floor of the back seat. The popup photo is supposed to emphasize Sonata's rear seat legroom--which is considerable. But the photo is a closeup of the center "hump". :)
  • duckiedduckied Member Posts: 52
    Haha! That's hilarious! :D
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,602
    The definition of a "total loss" is when the cost of repair in more than the fair market value.

    A fender-bender causing $2500 damage can easily "total" many older cars. If the airbags in your totaled car cost, say $1,000, to replace there had to be considerable body damage as well. My prior car, '91 Chrysler, the air bags wouldn't go off at an impact under 12 MPH. You may not believe how much body damage occurs in a 12 or more MPH impact. If your car, depending on make, model, milage, etc was older, it is very easy see that the cost of replacing the air bags exceeded the value of the car before the crash.

    Deployment of airbags does not, by itself, cause a car to be "totaled." Think of a car worth $45,000 in an accident in which the air bags go off. Damage, including air bag replacement is $25,000. The car is NOT "totaled."

    That being said, the car pictured is probably a total. Add up all the parts that need to be repaired or replaced and the hourly labor rate to fix the car and you will most likely find that the price to restore the car is more than the price of a brand new "same car." Since the dealer has the car, why wouldn't the dealer repair the car and sell it unless the cost of repair is more than the car is worth?

    I'm not "up" on present day stats, but a few years ago it would cost more than twice as much to buy the parts of a Chevy than the car sold for. Then, you'd have to pay someone to put all the parts together. Body work is piece-by-piece, not assembly line. Air bags are just "parts" like door panels or anything else.
  • bhmr59bhmr59 Member Posts: 1,602
    One more quick thing: The condition is listed as "salvage" meaning the car, in fact, was a total loss.
  • kwonc71kwonc71 Member Posts: 245
    I used be an auto body mechanic for 4 years. The picture shows damage well beyond doors and middle post. It could have crack in dashboard. Know for sure It has damage under-carriage too. Plus new side air bags and curtain air bags will be needed. We talking about minimum $13,000 worth of damage. The car will be never like brand new either. Forget about it.
  • billwardbillward Member Posts: 154
    "I'm not so sure the car could be cheaply repaired, billward."

    I didn't say I thought the car could be repaired cheaply; oh no, with the amount of damage to that pillar, I'd think it was a fairly EXPENSIVE fix, to be honest. However, the REST of the car looks in great shape; no obvious damage EXCEPT at the area of collision. With the amount of force it would take to crush the D pillar like that, I would have expected the car to have a bent chassis, which would have caused gaps on the driver side to open up, and the car to be curved to the right. I would have expected the hood and trunk lids to have been sprung, and no longer be tight, AT LEAST on the right side. But I'm not seeing that; I'm seeing where the body shape held up well to the impact, and the crush zone at the pillar worked perfectly. In other words, it looked to ME like the car behaved exactly as you would hope; the basic structure did not buckle, but the specific area of impact DID to absorb the force. That car still looks driveable, in an accident that by rights looks like it should have totaled the car. Now, there could be serious damage that's totally hidden; there probably IS, to be honest. But the car absorbed the energy, passed it through without hurting the passenger space unduly, and still survived the accident. That looks well done.

    This particular car is obviously totaled because of the salvage on the title; however, in what looks like a very bad accident, the other car probably came out the loser.
  • billwardbillward Member Posts: 154
    The car is marked as totaled, but that COULD be misleading. The car CANNOT be sold as new, now. It has to be sold as Used, wrecked. For a dealer, that means it's basically unsellable, unless they take a steep hit, since it would have to be backed with a dealer warrenty in that case (and you'll notice that the car is no longer covered by Hyundai's Long Haul warrenty...) "DO NOT BID IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR GETTING INTO.THERE IS NO WARRANTY ,TO BE SOLD AS IS". Therefore, few reputable dealerships WILL repair the car; I could easily see one of the side "Honest Joe's the Place to Go" dealerships doing it, though. Also, the RIGHT side airbags (probably all three) have deployed. Most airbags cost ~$500 a piece, so that's $1500 for the three right side, BUT... where are you going to get the spares this early in the car's production? Both right doors need total replacement, and the unibody needs to be repaired; doesn't that have to be done with the body off frame? I'm not an expert, but that's not a cheap job. On the other hand "CAR RUNS AND DRIVES ,EVERY THING WORKS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE RIGHT FRONT AND RIGHT REAR DOORS AND THE COMPONENTS WITHIN", so the car IS usable, depending on the laws of various states... wouldn't do me a bit of good, since I need a car with a nice long warranty to take my wife and 3 kids places, but I can see where someone with some time and inclination could really enjoy working on what amounts to a brand new car to do major changes....
  • ratsrats Member Posts: 4
    I don't know if anyone has addressed this but...

    I heard that the road noise and rough ride could be caused by dealers frequently setting the tire pressure really high. The next time you test drive or ride in a Hyundai that is new or newly serviced check the tire pressure.

    I am replacing my Honda Prelude SH (gotta grow up now) with a new V6 Sonata but still deciding on the LX model. My prelude has skinnier tires than the Sonata but I thought the Sonata was much quieter. I'm comfused as to why some reviews say it's quiet and why some say it's loud???? I'm thinking it has to do with tire pressure maybe?
  • janeencjaneenc Member Posts: 29
    I own the Sonata LX 06 and I have not experience the road noise that others have posted in the forum. One of the reasons I like the car is its quiet ride. Tomorrow I'm going to have my tire pressure checked just out of curiosity. I'll be at the dealership to have my speed-auto lock set. Others have posted that adjusting the tire pressure did make a difference.
  • blackphoenix56blackphoenix56 Member Posts: 5
    The Edmunds review I think says that the leather seats are uncomfortable, has anyone experienced this? Also how is the sound system in it? I know it has a subwoofer and amplifier but are they good quality?
  • jojoejojoe Member Posts: 81
    I'm still waiting for my Sonata V6 with leather.We ordered the Crystal Silver here in Canada and we found there is a delay with that colour and the Pearl White.We just got our serial number after 6 weeks,so we are still hanging in there.The dealer told us he understood if we needed something right away he might lose the sale.He also offered another colour,but our minds were set.Well we did go and try other cars,Accord,Camry,Altima and a couple of others,but none felt as good as the Sonata.The leather is just fine,you can't expect the quality of leather you would find in a $50,000 to $70,000 vehicle,but the leather is just fine,we liked it very much.As far as the rough ride that some say it has...there is a difference in the 16" and 17" tires,the 16" are smoother by a tad and yes the air pressure makes a difference.We took several on test drives,some with 16" and some with 17" tires and it was noticable,especially if your really looking for it.After reading in here about the pressure situation,we went back and ask the dealer to check the pressure on the 17" and you were right,the factory had the tires at the highest pressure,so we asked the dealer to let out the pressure and we took another drive.Well I must say once again you folks in here were right,it made a big difference,the ride was quite a bit smoother.Tires do make a big difference.As far as the stereo goes,it is a decent unit,but we don't buy a car for its stereo,we buy the car for the quality of the car and motor.We usually order our cars without the stereo and have a unit installed to our specifications,but we are getting older and the stereo in the Sonata suits us just fine.Oh and this car is worth the wait.One thing that does go fast in your life,TIME>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
  • janeencjaneenc Member Posts: 29
    The leather seats are firm but not uncomfortable by any means. The stereo is not bad.. not fantastic.. but not bad. Also with a CD in it sounds really good considering we didn't get the upgraded system. The Accord,Camry,Sonata comparo could probably explain it better.
  • gmctruckgmctruck Member Posts: 186
    Looks like the wrecked Sonata didn't sell. I don't know what the reserve was, but that dealer must be crazy for setting it higher than $5k. I wonder if they were expecting to get full MSRP... :P
  • johnson5johnson5 Member Posts: 34
    Leather seats
    The lack of perforations, inability by the leather to breathe, slightly stiffer leather in the sonata is a minor drawback.

    But to get heated seats one needs leather. The only other alternative is to use protein leather (synthetic) like GM does or use a special fabric for heated seats like Volvo. That adds expense. ,to the manufacturer.

    But some people prefer it that way.
    The 17 inches tires seems to be less forgiving than the 16 inches tire( road noise) with higher tire pressure Uunfortunately all the dealers and Wal-Mart add more air when we take for oil change..

    Wal-Mart is not yet carrying the filters for the 06 sonata.
    I will get a gel foam seat cushion (which they use in the hospitals to prevent bed sores) It costs about 30 dollars.I guess it will stay cooler in this hot weather.
  • billwardbillward Member Posts: 154
    That struck me as bizarre, too. The dealer got a price of $5600 bid, and it still didn't meet reserve. Without a warrenty, with all the damage, and with ~$1500 worth of cost just for the three airbags, AND with it being a GL without any upgrades (those can be had for ~$16K with rebates), it shouldn't have been priced more than $4K to begin with on the reserve. I guess that car will just end up as parts for the dealer to do repairs with....
  • mkv1mkv1 Member Posts: 14
    Hey everyone,
    I am considering a new Sonata to replace my rapdly aging elantra. I have done quite a bit of research but one thing i have not been able to determine, is if I can get leather in the GLS V-6 OR get the regular dash (micrograin i think is what they call it) in the LX. I really just dont like the fake wood stuff. Also, does anyone know if its possible to get an option package that has everything in the option 5 pack but WITHOUT the 17inch tires. I would prefer the 16, but i still want the power seat and the upgraded mirror etc. If i can get the LX with the greay dash trim and the 16inch wheels that would be ideal. Or else i need the GLS V6 with leather and option 5 MINUS wheels. Customization on this car seems tough. Do you think that in the future more options will be availiable such as the afore mentioned korean and canadian features or at least more selectivity on the options that are already availiable? Long post i know, but whatever you all know would be great. thanks.
  • blackphoenix56blackphoenix56 Member Posts: 5
    Edmunds is saying for a Sonata LX with package 3, TMV is $24, 150. But I thought I should only be paying about $600 above invoice. Shouldn't that be $23, 439? Now I'm also wondering if that is the price before or after the $2000-$3000 rebate. What I mean is should I go back and forth over price to try to get to $23K and then ask for rebates? Thanks for the help. As well whats the difference between the GLS V6 and the LX?
  • rrcrrc Member Posts: 30
    Fellas - get out, take a walk, play some catch, but its time to just let the wrecked sonata go . . . . .
  • denp44denp44 Member Posts: 46
    If you go to http://www.hyundaiusa.com/vehicle/sonata/trim/compare_trim.asp
    it should show you the differences in trim levels. It shows what each trim level comes with.
  • kc206kc206 Member Posts: 32
    Get the LX, If you don't like the 17's, see if the dealer will swap for 16's....the speedo will have to be adjusted. The micrograin only comes with grey interiors: make sure the exterior & interior color combos give you the micrograin. I find the 17's noise depends on the road surface. The 17's really grab the road!
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Edmunds' TMVs don't show rebates if they are not available to all buyers, and that is the case with the current rebates on the Sonata. So you need to deduct them separately, if they apply to you.
  • gumtreeflgumtreefl Member Posts: 9
    My Odyssey lease is up early September & I'm struggling between a 2005 Accord and 2006 GLS (both 4 cyl). After 6 months, the car will primarily be driven by my 16 year-old daughter. I was reading the IIHS and found the 2005 Sonata did poorly in the side impact test - don't know when the 2006 will be tested but I need to make my deal within the next week. I like the ESC feature of the Sonata but am really concerned with the side safety - wondering what improvements Hyundai may have made since the 05's that would give the '06 a better rating. Any input would be greatly appreciated. The money isn't an issue as the Honda is only about $1500 more over the course of 3 years.
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