$23,599 was my price. they wouldn't budge further but i hated to leave the car. i know it would be gone in a few days. viewing the edmunds TMV seems i did ok. I still can't believe i own this car for $23K. It's like a Lexus. Ever eat at a mid-town restaurant, not expecting anything great, and soon realize you’ve just had the best steak and most perfect wine in years. The bill comes and it's less than $30. Doesn’t it just warm your heart? That's how i feel.
I totally agree! I have the LX also. Last weekend was my birthday and my husband and I were out all day. He wanted to take my car so I let him drive all day, he was completely putting it to the test. He test drives cars regularly. I lost count of how many times he said"I can't believe this car,it handles great!" Over and over he would say that it drives like some of the way more expensive cars. So congratulation on your new ride! Enjoy :shades:
"...I would like to take a good look at the revised '06 Accord LX..."
Not saying you're wrong, backy, but recent Accord product cycles have traditionally been four years ('94-'97, '98-'02 - perhaps with minor "freshenings" after two years into product cycle as the company did with the '96-'97 Accord which extended the tail lights into the trunk lid). Since the latest Accord came out as model year '03 in late 2002, that would suggest Accord's next redesigned model will hit the showrooms as the '07 model in late 2006. If this pattern holds true, I'd be surprised at this late stage in the current model's life cycle that Honda would invest any money revising it for its last year's run before the projected major re-design. But then, I haven't kept up with Honda Accord rumors and press releases - so maybe you're in possession of info I haven't heard or read yet.
"Did Hyundai install xenon headlights on the 2006 sonata?"
They're only identified in the advertising as "jeweled projector headlights" which suggests to me they're still halogen bulbs behind those lenses. I could be wrong.
"i'll post my MPG in couple weeks. i am driving this car w/ my tip-toes ...steady as she goes to see if it really gets the 30-MPG"
Slow down, Bud. You may be setting yourself up for initial disappointment if you seriously expect to see 30 mpg after just two or three weeks of tight, new, engine run-in. I have no doubt your new 3.3L V-6 can and will present significantly better than 30 mpg on the highway, but not before it sees five or six thousand miles first. One guy recently posted he's already very disappointed in his new '06 Sonata (4-cyl) because of unrealistic initial fuel milege expectations and he further stated he's seriously considering taking the trade-in hit for another make. "A fool and his money are soon parted."
The '06 Accord will have some significant changes: new rear end (thank goodness!), more equipment standard (hearing Hyundai's footsteps, perhaps?), interior changes, etc. Check out the Honda Accord discussion or Mid-Size Import Sedans Comparison discussion if you want to know more about it. It's common for Honda to do a freshening in Year 4 of a generation--and this is Year 4 for the Accord. The next redesign won't come until at least the '08 model year, if Honda sticks to its five-year pattern.
BUT this is about the Sonata, so who cares about the Accord (here anyway)!
congratulatons on your purchase!!! As you have noted I have not been able to witness any new sonatas in so cal. This is interesting since you would assume car crazy city like LA would have the most sonatas on the street. Well, keep us informed about your new sonata~ :shades:
You were lucky to get that. Mine is only giving me around 20 with a combo of city and highway driving. Hopefully it will improve with miles, I have about 1100 miles on it now. I have a dealer appointment next week, I may have them check the settings. I do like the way the car performs.
When we picked up our Sonata on Wednesday, the salesman was going over everything with us and said to not use "Armorall" on the inside interior (dash, etc.). He recommended a water based protectant. Since then, I've gone to several places, Wal-Mart, Automotive Supply stores, etc. and I have yet to find a water base product for UV protection like Armorall. Also, can't find anything on the Hyundai Web Site, other than clean with mild soap and water. What about UV protection over the long term. We normally keep our vehicles for 10 years or about 200,000 miles. Why don't they want you to use a silicon based protectant? :confuse:
"Why don't they want you to use a silicon based protectant?"
Probably because your dealer's parts department doesn't stock ArmorAll, bayouguy. By the way, the carrier fluid in the ArmorAll colloidal suspension is water. There's nothing in ArmorAll that'll damage Hyundai's vinyl dash material. My only objection to using ArmorAll to treat instrument panel vinyl is the glossy and slippery final result. If your brainiac salesman was such a hotshot chemistry expert, do you think he'd be slaving away for commissions? Always consider the source.
Sidenote: I've seen just about as many ruined dashpads in vehicles in which ArmorAll was used as those in which nothing was used. UV protection is only part of the equation. It's the nature of plastics to lose their plasticizers over time and become brittle. The process is accelerated with repeated heat-cold cycles. Unless the vehicle is usually garaged when not in use, expect the dash to tank with time. A dash cover can and will protect the dash longer because it actually prevents direct exposure of the vinyl pad to visible, infrared, and UV radiation, and its thermal insulating properties.
Here is an archived discussion that might be helpful: Armor All Protectant. You can read through the messages that are there and if you'd like to have it reopened, follow the link at the top of the discussion page to ask Shifty to do so.
"Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable. Really problematic..and yeah I have had first hand experience "
Don't remind me... with the relatively low mileage on my '95 Taurus (99,070, as of last night...) I wouldn't be THINKING of a Sonata if the transmission was decent (third one failed, 2 months out of warrenty, in June, with 22K miles... it's working again, but not acceptably... it's the car I'll trade in in March for a Sonata). After the first transmission failed at ~75K, the second at 12 miles, and third at the aforementioned 22K, I wanted a car that would have still been under warrenty; when the transmission went out the last time, it would have still been covered by Hyundai's Long Haul warrenty for another 5 weeks.... :lemon:
16" wheels, 5 speed automatic. Very very nice car. Smoth, powerfull, the 5 speed auto is very smooth and efficient. Nice tight suspension and great handling. The only negative is just a tad more road noise coming from the tires than expected. It compares very favorably to our Volvo S60 2.5T, specially when you factor in the price difference. This is the car I will recommend to my friends and family.
Greetings from NJ... I was just at a local Hyundai dealership and they had a loaded 2006 Sonata LX on the lot. The "finance mgr" had driven it about 5K miles already. Sticker was $24,500. Based on what I've read I could probably get one new for between $23,400 and $24,100. What kind of discount should I get for the 5K miles??? Ideas? Suggestions? I appreciate any insight. Thanks
This is a quote from bankrate.com, a great source for all things financial (on the pros and cons of new v. used):
"It will lose 25 to 40 percent of its value the moment you buy it, likely locking you in to long-term ownership."
WOW! We know there's always a [profit] spread between new and used in the Kelly Blue Book.
Not only is it not new, but who knows how it was broken in? Did the finance manager keep it under a certain speed and revs for the first 1000 or 1200 miles or whatever? Did he change the oil after the first 500 miles? Or did he treat it like a rented mule?!
In light of the fact that loaded LX's (with rebates, etc.) are selling for ~22,500, I'd offer no more than 16,000, and at that, I think it's high. It's a used car! Scratch that.
$15,000, take it or leave it. (5,000 miles is a lot of miles to put on in a short period of time. I wonder if it's been a test vehicle. And we know how people run those!)
$14,000 or I'm walking... People gunning the engine, emergency stopping, speeding, trying to slalom in parking lots and make it go out of control with the ESC on.
$12,500 for this abused piece of machinery and that's my final offer. The new Hondas will be out in mere weeks...
I've noticed a great disparity between the 2005 Hyundai Sonata NHTSA crash test results and the IIHS crash test results. Same with Kia Spectra.
One reason I've been jazzed about the 2006 Sonata is that Hyundai's pre-release statements say that it will be five-star rated front and side.
But, in looking at past results, this doesn't seem to matter (when compared to poor ratings from IIHS). Why will the 2006 results be any different?
Also, NHTSA just announced they will drop rulemaking on offset crashes due to the fact that manufacturers build to do well on one test while sacrificing safety in a similar area.
* * * *
NHTSA 20-05 Friday, August 19,2005 Contact: Rae Tyson Telephone: (202) 366-9550
NHTSA Ends Offset Test Rulemaking The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today terminated immediate rulemaking efforts to add a high-speed offset frontal crash test to its current occupant protection requirements, citing the prospect of unintended safety consequences.
Agency testing has suggested that some manufacturers are building more rigid front ends in order to perform well in the offset test, which is currently used by the European Union, Australia, Japan and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the United States.
All use an offset test at speeds between 56 and 64 kilometers per hour – about 35-40 mph. An offset test engages only a portion of the vehicle front when striking the crash barrier.
NHTSA research has shown that cars and light trucks, including sport utility vehicles, built to pass the offset test may actually inflict greater injury to occupants when they strike another vehicle head-on.
Under the current federal occupant protection standard, manufacturers must adequately protect occupants in a full frontal crash test. NHTSA said additional research and data analysis are needed before the agency can make an informed decision regarding the value of an offset test.
The agency continues to be concerned about the large number of lower extremity injuries associated with frontal offset crashes – an estimated 85,000 annually - and is continuing to research ways to reduce those numbers without compromising safety in other types of collisions.
"The only negative is just a tad more road noise coming from the tires than expected."
Don't blame the car - it's one of the negative aspects of Michelin MXV4+ touring tires. (I personally know several MXV4+ tire owners (various car makes) who immediately bought quieter rubber - competitive Continentals and Bridgestones are particularly quiet.) However, as miles pile, the Michelins do quiet down somewhat. The good news is they also wear like iron and return good fuel mileage. Not the best in rain, though. The ABS and stability gadgetry will probably make the most of their capabilities, though.
303 Aeronautical Protectant is 100% water based. Its like SPF 40 for all your stuff. Ace hardware carries it sometimes about $11 for a 32 oz bottle. Need to reapply every six months. Lots of uses besides the car, I used it on our east facing front door to prevent sun damage... so far so good.
Greetings to All..... I test drove the 2006 LX on Thurs., and I think the seating is much better and the ride was smoother than the new Honda which I tested Wed. You could have felt a dime on the pavement in the Honda. To think of riding on a trip in that would make me stay home. I believe that the LX is a terrific bargain if it is as trouble free as the Hondas are. I am undecided. I think the LX is a beautiful car, handled well, and had enough punch, however, the gas situation may dissuade me from buying it. Have any of you owned a Hyundai (4 or 6cyl.) for a long time? I'd like to know what your experience with the car mileage and any repairs or service required. I want to do some long trips for pleasure, and don't relish the thoughts of being stranded in Podunk while trying to get repairs or parts.
I have 2000 Sonata V6 with 87000 miles. The engine and transmission run as smooth as the day I brought it home. Neither has needed any repairs, just routine maintence. Oil every 3000 miles, coolant once a year,trans fluid drain and fill every other year. My mileage is 24-26 miles per gallon. Mixed highway city driving.
"... I believe that the LX is a terrific bargain if it is as trouble free as the Hondas are. I am undecided. I think the LX is a beautiful car, handled well, and had enough punch, however, the gas situation may dissuade me from buying it. Have any of you owned a Hyundai (4 or 6cyl.) for a long time? I'd like to know what your experience with the car mileage and any repairs or service required. ..."
That cuts right to the heart of the matter, doesn't it? I've had my '03 Sonata V6 for nearly three years. Prior to that, I drove a '96 Accord for over six years. I have not had any troubles with the Sonata, save for a replacement under warranty of the cabin dome light assembly because of a faulty switch and a safety recall to add an additional rollover protection valve to the fuel line to prevent leakage and possibly a fire in the event of an accident. The latter was handled quickly without incident, but I had to argue a bit with the service writer about the former. Despite relatively poor initial fuel mileage, the care settled in nicely to ~24 mpg city and 32+ mpg on sustained highway runs (about 70 mph). Mixed driving, about 27 mpg, so no complaints on fuel useage. The body is still tight, no rattles, though a few minor, muted creaks from the dash over sharp bumps. I'd give structural integrity a solid A- - definitely better than any affordable Detroit iron in recent memory. The automatic transmission is quite smooth shifting, too. The Accord, as seems to be typical for Honda sedans, rode somewhat harshly, though very poised, and, more importantly, very secure, when emergency maneuvers were required, compared to the ride of a Camry. The Accord returned 26 mpg, city driving and 34 mpg sustained highway driving. (I can't really complain about fuel economy in my Sonata V6.) My Sonata doesn't wallow, but it is quirky when cruising - I constantly have to feed minor steering corrections in on grooved pavement. (I enjoy driving, but not to that degree.) In seven years of ownership, there were NO warranty claims on the Honda, though Honda recalled models with the 4-cyl ingine (which I had) for a fix of a potential problem of the balance shaft front bearing retainer unscrewing itself and puking motor oil out quickly with catastrophic results to the engine. As was typical of prior generation Honda-matics, shift smoothness was not their forte. (Indeed, long term reliability wasn't either, in too many cases, though mine never gave trouble.) My Honda dealer handled the fix within 30 minutes - drilling a shallow hole into the front of the block and screwing in a small self-tapping screw to set the bearing retainer against loosening from vibration. In comparing the two cars, and there were equipment related differences to be sure as noted, if my Sonata tanked today, I'd move on with little thought. I still miss my Accord. When I received my insurance settlement on the accord after an accident, it was for $11,637.00. This was a car that I paid $16,000.00 for. Dream on if you think a Sonata will retain more than 70% of its selling price after more than six years - even with a liberal insurance settlement.
Hyundai has taken on a formidable task with the new Sonata. It's a brand new design with a brand new engine design and a brand new 5-sp automatic transmission. It's being built in a brand new factory by a workforce that, though willing, may not yet be up to speed. The '06s I've looked at do seem to exhibit good quality superficially (I haven't driven one.). The telling part of the QC equation will be how the cars sold early on are doing six months from now. In '91 I bought a Sonata V6 - whose A/C neither the dealer nor three independent A/C shops could ever get to work right more than several months straight. five years later it was only worth $2,000.00 when I traded for the Accord. That was a time when Hyundai concentrated its marketing on the coasts - mid-America had a paucity of Hyundai dealerships. Nowadays, you're apt to see Hyundais across the country - even Possum Trot, Alabama and Lake Wobegon, Minnisota. (Where is Podunk? Canada?)
I owned a 2001 Hundai Elantra GLD 4cyl and just traded it in for a 2006 Hyundai Sonata GLS V6.
The trade in value was just what we expected. The V6 is much more powerful then my Elantra and although it may be slight, the difference from the 4 cyl Sonata is probably quite noticeable.
My 2001 Elantra never had a major problem. The service dept at my local dealership was phenominal when I did have to go in. I bought the car in Nov 2001 and put 52,000 miles on it by August of 2005. Very nice and relaible car. I hope the 2006 Sonata I just bought can live up to the same thing.
Here is One Korean Site. It says that 2006 sonata in China was crashed while going at 150 kilomiters per hour (about 90 miles per hour) during a test drive.
As you can see, the car was completely crashed. However, the driver's side door was opened and the driver walked outside by himself.
Yes thats amazing,this was shown on another post earlier on this site.I think Hyundai as said in previous post,has really adressed the safety isssue in the Sonata.Just hope my wife doesn't try something similar to see if it really is that safe!
My '96 Accord was banged up worse and I walked away from it, too. So, does that mean the 2006 Sonata with side-curtain airbags has caught up with 9-year old Accords without side-curtain airbags in terms of occupant protection? Model for model, Accords are lighter weight than Sonatas, too.
I agree,and I think this guy has a chip on shoulder . Look on the bright side,put all the reviews you can find(which I did) and then make two columns.One that is pros for the Sonata and one for cons.Now you can smile.The pros far out number the cons by a mile.Not everyone is going to like it,but it seems most reporters and reviewers do like most things about it. Personally I make my own judgement on what I like and don't like and I don't usually follow the mainstream.I love the Audi,oops the Sonata for 2006 and thats why we ordered one,not because some reviewer likes it or not.
Was that a subjective comment? It's almost mpossible to smash up a car worse than the pictured Hyundai. Front end, left side & rear end all destroyed, not "damaged", but "destroyed."
If you really look at the pictures, you'll be hard pressed to come up another car that has suffered the same extent of damage/destruction.
mvesper: Since the papers on Friday here in Florida had huge two page spreads from the Hyundai people for at least $1000 cash back and / or another $1000 for "loyality owners" (for current Hyundai owners as new as 2003, no need to trade in that vehivle) or another $1000 if you finance thru Hyundai for a total of $2000 off you should be able to cut a really good deal. I consider 5000K miles on as car as "used" even tho it has not been registered to a private owner. For no longer than the 2006's have been on the street it seems like a lot of miles to me too. I would think you should expect at least $4000 off msrp. I personally would not consider any less and probably more.
Since they are offering cash back so early in the game this tells me the 2006's are not blowing off the dealer's lots very fast. Hold out for a killer deal.
This reviewer sounds like every other loud, whining, holier-than-thou movie critic you've ever heard. Someone once said of those types, "Nobody's ever erected a monument to a critic."
Your statement of receiving an insurance payment of 70% of new price for a 6 year old car seems like BS. What other make/model retains 70% of its value after 6 years? Name one mass produced car that does this.
Did you collect from your own insurance company? Or did another driver's insurance company (at fault driver) pay you. If it was at at fault driver's insurance company, they probably inflated the amount paid for your car by a few thousand in order to avoid a bodily injury claim which could cost them many thousands just to defend, never mind whether or not you won the case.
You've shattered the credibility factor here which casts doubt on anything else you've posted.
Was that a subjective comment? It's almost mpossible to smash up a car worse than the pictured Hyundai. Front end, left side & rear end all destroyed, not "damaged", but "destroyed."
You should never use the word "impossible" when talking about car accidents. Have you seen every car accident in the world? Nobody can.
I find it absurd that people will jump to the conclusion just by looking at one car accident that the Sonata is safe. Do you know exactly what angle the car was hit? There are a lot of factors that contribute to the drivers safety during an accident. There may be a angle where the driver will expierence little or no injury, and there may be a angle where the driver will get killed instantly.
The Sonata may very well be extremely safe, but you can not judge the safety of a car by just one incident alone.
Hi all! New Sonata LX owner as of 08/01/05. Have been very pleased with this vehicle. Filled up for second time today and got 20.9 mpg with about 50/50 city/hwy driving. I know that should improve after the break in phase.
And now for the first reported problem for this LX.
Our gas guage showed a little less than a half tank. Filled up with 10.9 gallons. Reset the trip meter for all items and departed. After going about a quarter mile we noticed that the fuel guage only reflected a little more than half tank being full. Hmm! I first thought maybe the station's pump may have not been working properly, so we turned around and went back to gas station. Talked to the attendant and she told us the weights and measures folks had been there last week. This time I thought I would fill up from another pump at the same station. My tank would only accept 25 cents of fuel, so I knew the tank was full. I had my fingers crossed this time hoping that the gas guage would show the tank being full. After turning on the ignition all hopes were dashed! The fuel gauge still showed just a little more than half full. I will be getting up early in the morning and heading to my Hyundai service desk in southern Indiana. I have looked but I didn't see anyone else having this sort of problem. If anyone has, please let us know how it was remedied. Thx
Pleassssssssssssse...look at the car,it was hit all over the place.Who cares about one certain angle,this car was smashed front,back and sides. If this isn't enough to show the car is a good bet to be safe,then its a hell of a good start!
The question was about how bad of an accident he was in. You don't see many crashes worse than that pictured where the occupant(s) can walk away.
Also, I said almost impossible, not impossible. The car pictured was hit in many angles, not just one. Are you actually trying to make people believe the pictured car was hit in just one angle?
And while I have not seen every accident in the world, I have seen my fair share of crashed cars after 34 years as an insurance agent. The pictured car is probably the worst crash that I have seen.
Your debating style reminds me of a liberal; change the topic and don't stay with facts...just offer your opinion, however uniformed it may be.
I was there - where were you? What was left of my Accord had to be lifted onto a flat bed truck by crane. It's "rolling" days were over. The front and rear sections pancaked in a multi-car pileup, but the cabin was largely spared. Have a nice day.
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Ever eat at a mid-town restaurant, not expecting anything great, and soon realize you’ve just had the best steak and most perfect wine in years. The bill comes and it's less than $30. Doesn’t it just warm your heart? That's how i feel.
Not saying you're wrong, backy, but recent Accord product cycles have traditionally been four years ('94-'97, '98-'02 - perhaps with minor "freshenings" after two years into product cycle as the company did with the '96-'97 Accord which extended the tail lights into the trunk lid). Since the latest Accord came out as model year '03 in late 2002, that would suggest Accord's next redesigned model will hit the showrooms as the '07 model in late 2006. If this pattern holds true, I'd be surprised at this late stage in the current model's life cycle that Honda would invest any money revising it for its last year's run before the projected major re-design. But then, I haven't kept up with Honda Accord rumors and press releases - so maybe you're in possession of info I haven't heard or read yet.
They're only identified in the advertising as "jeweled projector headlights" which suggests to me they're still halogen bulbs behind those lenses. I could be wrong.
Slow down, Bud. You may be setting yourself up for initial disappointment if you seriously expect to see 30 mpg after just two or three weeks of tight, new, engine run-in. I have no doubt your new 3.3L V-6 can and will present significantly better than 30 mpg on the highway, but not before it sees five or six thousand miles first. One guy recently posted he's already very disappointed in his new '06 Sonata (4-cyl) because of unrealistic initial fuel milege expectations and he further stated he's seriously considering taking the trade-in hit for another make. "A fool and his money are soon parted."
BUT this is about the Sonata, so who cares about the Accord (here anyway)!
As you have noted I have not been able to witness any new sonatas in so cal. This is interesting since you would assume car crazy city like LA would have the most sonatas on the street.
Well, keep us informed about your new sonata~ :shades:
:confuse:
Probably because your dealer's parts department doesn't stock ArmorAll, bayouguy. By the way, the carrier fluid in the ArmorAll colloidal suspension is water. There's nothing in ArmorAll that'll damage Hyundai's vinyl dash material. My only objection to using ArmorAll to treat instrument panel vinyl is the glossy and slippery final result. If your brainiac salesman was such a hotshot chemistry expert, do you think he'd be slaving away for commissions? Always consider the source.
Sidenote: I've seen just about as many ruined dashpads in vehicles in which ArmorAll was used as those in which nothing was used. UV protection is only part of the equation. It's the nature of plastics to lose their plasticizers over time and become brittle. The process is accelerated with repeated heat-cold cycles. Unless the vehicle is usually garaged when not in use, expect the dash to tank with time. A dash cover can and will protect the dash longer because it actually prevents direct exposure of the vinyl pad to visible, infrared, and UV radiation, and its thermal insulating properties.
Hope it helps.
Don't remind me... with the relatively low mileage on my '95 Taurus (99,070, as of last night...) I wouldn't be THINKING of a Sonata if the transmission was decent (third one failed, 2 months out of warrenty, in June, with 22K miles... it's working again, but not acceptably... it's the car I'll trade in in March for a Sonata). After the first transmission failed at ~75K, the second at 12 miles, and third at the aforementioned 22K, I wanted a car that would have still been under warrenty; when the transmission went out the last time, it would have still been covered by Hyundai's Long Haul warrenty for another 5 weeks.... :lemon:
I was just at a local Hyundai dealership and they had a loaded 2006 Sonata LX on the lot. The "finance mgr" had driven it about 5K miles already. Sticker was $24,500. Based on what I've read I could probably get one new for between $23,400 and $24,100. What kind of discount should I get for the 5K miles??? Ideas? Suggestions? I appreciate any insight. Thanks
"It will lose 25 to 40 percent of its value the moment you buy it, likely locking you in to long-term ownership."
WOW! We know there's always a [profit] spread between new and used in the Kelly Blue Book.
Not only is it not new, but who knows how it was broken in? Did the finance manager keep it under a certain speed and revs for the first 1000 or 1200 miles or whatever? Did he change the oil after the first 500 miles? Or did he treat it like a rented mule?!
In light of the fact that loaded LX's (with rebates, etc.) are selling for ~22,500, I'd offer no more than 16,000, and at that, I think it's high. It's a used car! Scratch that.
$15,000, take it or leave it. (5,000 miles is a lot of miles to put on in a short period of time. I wonder if it's been a test vehicle. And we know how people run those!)
$14,000 or I'm walking... People gunning the engine, emergency stopping, speeding, trying to slalom in parking lots and make it go out of control with the ESC on.
$12,500 for this abused piece of machinery and that's my final offer. The new Hondas will be out in mere weeks...
One reason I've been jazzed about the 2006 Sonata is that Hyundai's pre-release statements say that it will be five-star rated front and side.
But, in looking at past results, this doesn't seem to matter (when compared to poor ratings from IIHS). Why will the 2006 results be any different?
Also, NHTSA just announced they will drop rulemaking on offset crashes due to the fact that manufacturers build to do well on one test while sacrificing safety in a similar area.
* * * *
NHTSA 20-05
Friday, August 19,2005 Contact: Rae Tyson
Telephone: (202) 366-9550
NHTSA Ends Offset Test Rulemaking
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today terminated immediate rulemaking efforts to add a high-speed offset frontal crash test to its current occupant protection requirements, citing the prospect of unintended safety consequences.
Agency testing has suggested that some manufacturers are building more rigid front ends in order to perform well in the offset test, which is currently used by the European Union, Australia, Japan and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the United States.
All use an offset test at speeds between 56 and 64 kilometers per hour – about 35-40 mph. An offset test engages only a portion of the vehicle front when striking the crash barrier.
NHTSA research has shown that cars and light trucks, including sport utility vehicles, built to pass the offset test may actually inflict greater injury to occupants when they strike another vehicle head-on.
Under the current federal occupant protection standard, manufacturers must adequately protect occupants in a full frontal crash test. NHTSA said additional research and data analysis are needed before the agency can make an informed decision regarding the value of an offset test.
The agency continues to be concerned about the large number of lower extremity injuries associated with frontal offset crashes – an estimated 85,000 annually - and is continuing to research ways to reduce those numbers without compromising safety in other types of collisions.
A copy of the NHTSA announcement can be found at: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/rulings/OffsetFrontal/Termination_Notice.html
Don't blame the car - it's one of the negative aspects of Michelin MXV4+ touring tires. (I personally know several MXV4+ tire owners (various car makes) who immediately bought quieter rubber - competitive Continentals and Bridgestones are particularly quiet.) However, as miles pile, the Michelins do quiet down somewhat. The good news is they also wear like iron and return good fuel mileage. Not the best in rain, though. The ABS and stability gadgetry will probably make the most of their capabilities, though.
http://www.nwcn.com/sharedcontent/northwest/drivingnw/stories/NW_071405DNWsonataEL.a6d21e8- 5.html
Google 303 Aerospace Protectant and you'll find out all about it.
That cuts right to the heart of the matter, doesn't it? I've had my '03 Sonata V6 for nearly three years. Prior to that, I drove a '96 Accord for over six years. I have not had any troubles with the Sonata, save for a replacement under warranty of the cabin dome light assembly because of a faulty switch and a safety recall to add an additional rollover protection valve to the fuel line to prevent leakage and possibly a fire in the event of an accident. The latter was handled quickly without incident, but I had to argue a bit with the service writer about the former. Despite relatively poor initial fuel mileage, the care settled in nicely to ~24 mpg city and 32+ mpg on sustained highway runs (about 70 mph). Mixed driving, about 27 mpg, so no complaints on fuel useage. The body is still tight, no rattles, though a few minor, muted creaks from the dash over sharp bumps. I'd give structural integrity a solid A- - definitely better than any affordable Detroit iron in recent memory. The automatic transmission is quite smooth shifting, too. The Accord, as seems to be typical for Honda sedans, rode somewhat harshly, though very poised, and, more importantly, very secure, when emergency maneuvers were required, compared to the ride of a Camry. The Accord returned 26 mpg, city driving and 34 mpg sustained highway driving. (I can't really complain about fuel economy in my Sonata V6.) My Sonata doesn't wallow, but it is quirky when cruising - I constantly have to feed minor steering corrections in on grooved pavement. (I enjoy driving, but not to that degree.) In seven years of ownership, there were NO warranty claims on the Honda, though Honda recalled models with the 4-cyl ingine (which I had) for a fix of a potential problem of the balance shaft front bearing retainer unscrewing itself and puking motor oil out quickly with catastrophic results to the engine. As was typical of prior generation Honda-matics, shift smoothness was not their forte. (Indeed, long term reliability wasn't either, in too many cases, though mine never gave trouble.) My Honda dealer handled the fix within 30 minutes - drilling a shallow hole into the front of the block and screwing in a small self-tapping screw to set the bearing retainer against loosening from vibration. In comparing the two cars, and there were equipment related differences to be sure as noted, if my Sonata tanked today, I'd move on with little thought. I still miss my Accord. When I received my insurance settlement on the accord after an accident, it was for $11,637.00. This was a car that I paid $16,000.00 for. Dream on if you think a Sonata will retain more than 70% of its selling price after more than six years - even with a liberal insurance settlement.
Hyundai has taken on a formidable task with the new Sonata. It's a brand new design with a brand new engine design and a brand new 5-sp automatic transmission. It's being built in a brand new factory by a workforce that, though willing, may not yet be up to speed. The '06s I've looked at do seem to exhibit good quality superficially (I haven't driven one.). The telling part of the QC equation will be how the cars sold early on are doing six months from now. In '91 I bought a Sonata V6 - whose A/C neither the dealer nor three independent A/C shops could ever get to work right more than several months straight. five years later it was only worth $2,000.00 when I traded for the Accord. That was a time when Hyundai concentrated its marketing on the coasts - mid-America had a paucity of Hyundai dealerships. Nowadays, you're apt to see Hyundais across the country - even Possum Trot, Alabama and Lake Wobegon, Minnisota. (Where is Podunk? Canada?)
The trade in value was just what we expected. The V6 is much more powerful then my Elantra and although it may be slight, the difference from the 4 cyl Sonata is probably quite noticeable.
My 2001 Elantra never had a major problem. The service dept at my local dealership was phenominal when I did have to go in. I bought the car in Nov 2001 and put 52,000 miles on it by August of 2005. Very nice and relaible car. I hope the 2006 Sonata I just bought can live up to the same thing.
It says that 2006 sonata in China was crashed while going at 150 kilomiters per hour (about 90 miles per hour) during a test drive.
As you can see, the car was completely crashed.
However, the driver's side door was opened
and the driver walked outside by himself.
Wow ... it is unbelievable.
http://autospy.dreamwiz.com/board/bbs.php?table=free2&query=view&uid=2643&p=1
If you really look at the pictures, you'll be hard pressed to come up another car that has suffered the same extent of damage/destruction.
Since they are offering cash back so early in the game this tells me the 2006's are not blowing off the dealer's lots very fast. Hold out for a killer deal.
believer
Did you collect from your own insurance company? Or did another driver's insurance company (at fault driver) pay you. If it was at at fault driver's insurance company, they probably inflated the amount paid for your car by a few thousand in order to avoid a bodily injury claim which could cost them many thousands just to defend, never mind whether or not you won the case.
You've shattered the credibility factor here which casts doubt on anything else you've posted.
You should never use the word "impossible" when talking about car accidents. Have you seen every car accident in the world? Nobody can.
I find it absurd that people will jump to the conclusion just by looking at one car accident that the Sonata is safe. Do you know exactly what angle the car was hit? There are a lot of factors that contribute to the drivers safety during an accident. There may be a angle where the driver will expierence little or no injury, and there may be a angle where the driver will get killed instantly.
The Sonata may very well be extremely safe, but you can not judge the safety of a car by just one incident alone.
And now for the first reported problem for this LX.
Our gas guage showed a little less than a half tank. Filled up with 10.9 gallons. Reset the trip meter for all items and departed. After going about a quarter mile we noticed that the fuel guage only reflected a little more than half tank being full. Hmm! I first thought maybe the station's pump may have not been working properly, so we turned around and went back to gas station. Talked to the attendant and she told us the weights and measures folks had been there last week. This time I thought I would fill up from another pump at the same station. My tank would only accept 25 cents of fuel, so I knew the tank was full.
I had my fingers crossed this time hoping that the gas guage would show the tank being full. After turning on the ignition all hopes were dashed!
I will be getting up early in the morning and heading to my Hyundai service desk in southern Indiana. I have looked but I didn't see anyone else having this sort of problem.
If anyone has, please let us know how it was remedied. Thx
Also, I said almost impossible, not impossible. The car pictured was hit in many angles, not just one. Are you actually trying to make people believe the pictured car was hit in just one angle?
And while I have not seen every accident in the world, I have seen my fair share of crashed cars after 34 years as an insurance agent. The pictured car is probably the worst crash that I have seen.
Your debating style reminds me of a liberal; change the topic and don't stay with facts...just offer your opinion, however uniformed it may be.
Not quite true - many folks do it every day with their middle fingers . . .