Hyundai Sonata 2006-2007

bsancat

I financed my 2006 Sonata so I could get the $1,000.00 rebate. I was told by the finance manager that the loan could not be pre-paid for 90 days. I called Hyundai Finance and was told that the loan could be paid off at any time without any interest or pre-pay penalty.

B. Sanders

backy

When in doubt, just look at the finance contract. It will state the pre-payment terms and penalties, if there are any.

haefr

"Showing our age, haefr"

Yep - and with equal amounts of appreciation and pride!

dannns

Hello, I was reading a promotional booklet on the Sonata, and it said that one of the LX features was Tinted Glass with Solar Control. However my LX glass is crystal clear, is it a dealer installed option that they forgot to install on it? Do any of you have a factory installed tinted glass?

haefr

"...my LX glass is crystal clear..."

You sure 'bout that? All Sonatas are listed in the brochure as having tinted glass. I have no idea what the "Solar Control" feature of GLS and LX models amounts to unless it's a specific infrared absorbing feature to ease the load on the A/C system. The standard tinting absorbs approximately 20% visible and 60% of the ultraviolet spectrum.

lawrence45

I was at a local Hyundai dealer today. It wasn't too busy so I spent lots of time comparing the models, test driving them, etc. I noticed that the windows in the LX and GLS V6 say solar/tinted in the lower corner but the GLS 4-cyl and GL have windows that say only tinted. I didn't see much difference between the 4-cyl and 6-cyl so I'll probably get the 4-cyl if only for the better gas mileage. I don't plan on drag racing the car and I don't have to be moving the second the light changes so the peppy 4-cyl is fine for my purposes. A question- is it true that the 4-cyl models are all assembled in Korea and all the 6-cyl cars in Alabama?

haefr

An earlier post suggested just the opposite - at least as an initial U.S. factory startup consideration. I don't know whether anyone outside the official Hyundai sanctum-sanctorum or factory personnel really knows.

gy563

We recently purchased the Sonata Glsv6 (Tinted Glass with Solar control, black exterior color). we also own a 2005 Elantra(Silver exterior color), which is not tinted. Our Sonata's glass is also crystal clear but after hours of parking outside in sunny weather, I found that Sonata's inside is much cooler than Elantra(I live in Florida). I think the solor control means to block Ultra Violet light or something like that

danf1

Actually lawrence45 had it right. The 4 cyl cars come from Korea, and the 6 cyls from Alabama. Check the VIN #. If the first digit is a K, then it is from Korea. If it is a 5, then it is from the U.S.

backy

Have you heard if at some point the 4-cylinder cars will be made in the US also?

danf1

That was the plan originally. They wanted to start with one engine and transmission at first to get the plant up and running with the fewest possible hiccups. But capacity needs to be factored in as well. When fully operational, the Alabama plant is supposed to be capable of producing 300,000 vehicles annually. With the Santa Fe production starting within the next few months, they may be stretched thin depending upon the sales success of the new Sonata. As it stands now, the Sonata is already selling at or above levels of the previous model. If it increases much more, we may not see 4cyl cars coming from Alabama.

Purely speculation, I have no official information.

frasierdog

The 6cy cars have glass with a slight green tint.

The 4cy cars have glass that is water clear.

Easy to see the difference.

If you are not able to discern the difference, you should steer clear of HD tv.

If you put a nice metalized window tint on the car, it won't matter one Tiota.

broncos730

They gave me the same line. HMFC told me I could repay anytime but if the account was open >90 days the selling dealer gets a finance hold-back ($$$) so that is why they told you that.

I paid mine in full from my home equity line just so they wouldn't! I despise stuff like this. Should've been upfront with me..

rick1

My dealer was right upfront - finance guy said from the questions I was asking he knew I was going to re-fi - but if you are on this site you should be well educated enough to bypass the bs. Doesn't matter what you buy - everything is buyer beware - information is power - or to put it another way - retail is for suckers.

lawrence45

When a dealer says he is giving you the car for x dollars above "invoice", should the $600 destination charge be included? For the GLS 4-cyl is the "invoice" $17,896 or $18,496?

About the rebate for financing, is it still $1000 or did it go down to $500 as one dealer told me? Is this and other rebates taken off the price at purchase or refunded by HMFC later? Does the rebate cut into the dealer's profit at all?

haefr

"The 6cy cars have glass with a slight green tint.
The 4cy cars have glass that is water clear."

Glad you cleared that up. Hyundai's apparently guilty of violating truth-in-advertising statutes since both their website and the Sonata sales brochures state otherwise.

danf1

Destination is part of the invoice price and cannot be ignored. The dealer has paid it so in your scenario invoice would be $18,496.

The finance rebate is still $1000 and there is a consumer rebate of $500. Loyalty rebate also of $1000. The competitive rebate is gone. All of the rebates can be combined and no they have nothing to do with dealer profit. A rebate is the consumers money.

jpryba

It's not Corinthian Leather... it's Koreanthian Leather

jpryba

My 06 Sonata GLS is about 2 months old and has around 1800 miles. I've noticed over time that the brake pedal seems kind of spongy here and there, mainly at stoplights. The brakes just don't seem to have enough bite to them. Have any of you noticed this with your Sonatas?

I went into more detail on the Problems & Solutions board a few days ago, but nobody has posted there in a while. So, I figure it wouldn't hurt to ask here and then compare your impressions of the Sonata's braking abilities with mine.

johnap2

Do not forget that "invoice" is not true dealer cost and should not be a starting point for new car buying negotiations. Dealers receive what is called "holdback" when they sell a vehicle in addition to applicable manufacturer to dealer incentives. Hyundai dealers receive 2% of TOTAL invoice (add up holdback for whatever options are on the vehicle as well). This is important to know when you are negotiating because even if they sell it to you for invoice they are making a nice amount of money. Dealers are in business to make money, but you work just as hard for your money too. Let them make some money, but KNOW what they are making from you. When a dealer says, "I'll sell it to you for invoice!," most people think WOW I am getting a great deal! NOT!!! Since manufacturer to dealer incentives are "hidden" from the customer it is important to research to find out what they are at the time you are buying a car.

Sites such as www.edmunds.com, www.carbuyingtips.com, and http://www.car-prices-costs.com/dealer-cost.html are invaluable resources for up-to-date information.

The STARTING point for your negotiations should be:

Invoice MINUS Holdback MINUS Manufacturer to Dealer Incentives = True Dealer Cost

ALSO, do not forget the Hyundai rebates are subtracted directly from your negotiated price. For example, I picked up 2006 Sonata GLS w/ option package 4 for the negotiated price of $19,000. THEN I received a $1,000 finance rebate, a $400 recent college grad rebate, and a $500 Sonata rebate (customer cash back applied directly to the principal) for a grand total of $17,100 pre-tax. THEN I negotiated my trade-in and subtracted that from the balance.

kwonc71

I have same issue. My GL I trade in had firm brake even after 3000 miles. The new GLS's brake feels like Sponge Bob only after 1400 miles. Should we contact Hyundai Service about it?

weap1

"If you put a nice metalized window tint on the car, it won't matter one Tiota"

I have been told by my local hyundai dealer that I should not put metalized window tint on the car as it will interfere with the embedded radio antenna in the rear glass. Anyone heard any different or tried metalized tint and still getting good radio reception?

ronp2

Currently shopping for a 06 Sonata LX. Noticed in the Nov. issue of Car and Driver mag the Sonata Hyundai ad on page 93 mentions safety features as ESC, ABS, six airbags and "Active front head restraints, standard"....what are active front head restraints? I love the car but she who must be obeyed is concerned about comfort of front passenger seat. :confuse:

backy

Active head restraints automatically move forward in a rear impact to help protect against whiplash injury--a very nice safety feature.

johnjj

"I love the car but she who must be obeyed is concerned about comfort of front passenger seat."

I hear you. Unfortunately you can't get power for the front passenger seat. Many, including my wife, have complained that the front passenger seat bottom tips you forward, giving you an uncomfortable feeling. I am planning on asking the dealer if they can adjust the seat so the bottom tips back more. Somehow build up the front? I'll post any success.
Has anyone found a solution to this problem?
John

goodegg

The best solution is to trade it in for an Accord.

jpryba

I first started out with a GL model as well, which the dealer had me return after 3 weeks because it turns out Hyundai wouldn't let them lease it out at the similar terms of the GLS lease. The brakes in the GL seemed fine. This isn't quite the case with the GLS.

As far as I understand, the brakes in all 4 cylinder Sonatas should be the same. So I wonder what the issue could be...

Maybe it's a bad batch of brake fluid, who knows? I've already contacted my dealership's service department to see when they can take a look at it.

Let's try to continue this one in the Problems & Solutions board...

tbear503

That is correct, a reputable window tint firm will ask whether you have an embedded antenna. This will limit your choices, but I still was able to get a nice tint job on mine.

kwonc71

Not only the brake, but overall fit and finish are bad on GLS too. GL which made in Korea had perfect fit and finish inside out. On my GLS which made in USA, I found rear fender has little ding looks like which is a manufac's defect. Sounds like Hyundai won't do anything for that because all 06 Sonata have same indentation, mine is worse than others. Front bumper underneath headlight on LH side's gap is bigger than RH. 3 out of 4 Cloth decoration on inside door panel are hang loose. One of plastic cap that hides screw on door panel is missing . Car pulls to right side on a straight HWY with brand new pavement. Driver's side seat started make squeak noise unless it lifted by height adjuster too. Contact dealership about those problems 2 weeks ago. Have not heard anything yet. GL and GLS shares parts other than engines. Hyundai have to train Alabama workers harder to make equal cars like Korean are do

backy

Don't just contact the dealer--make a service appointment and bring the car in to have it looked at and fixed. It seems like all of these problems are easily fixable. For example, when I bought a new Elantra last year, I noticed after I drove away there was a small dent on the left C pillar. I pointed it out to the dealer, and they took care of it with no questions asked. My first Hyundai had a screw hole cover in the door pop off in cold weather, and I lost it. So the dealer ordered a new one and put a little silicone adhesive on it before inserting it--five years and it's still there.

billmd

Those lazy Alabama workers did a great American job on my 2006 Sonata GLS !

Maybe Hyundais just have to be built in America by "Good Ole Boys" to get good quality??

bhmr59

Some pavements pitch to the right for water runoff purposes. This may be what is causing your car to pull right on the new pavement.

In Connecticut most local roads and even "state highways" (glorified local roads) other than expressways have that pitch. This pitch also causes uneven tire wear for tires that require directional (same side front to back) tire rotation.

kwonc71

Service manager already look at the car. He told me Hyundai more likely won't do anything on indentation, even though Hyundai engineers are aware of that problem. Y? Because once they fix my car they will have to fix all the car they sold if customers ask to fix. It will cost too much money for Hyundai. Hyundai regional service manager supposed to look at my car...it's been 2 weeks. I drove same HWY with my Acura Integra. I can let the steering wheel alone for minutes. My 2006 GL and wife's Acura MDX goes straight too. So, that brand new pavement is made for 2006 GL and Acuras only then? It does not make sense.

backy

What did the service manager say when he drove your car, with you in the passenger seat to point out how the car moves to the side? That could be a simple realignment fix.

The service manager's excuse on the dent is ridiculous. What are you going to do, tell every owner of a '06 Sonata in the world about their fixing the dent? (Also, this is the first time this dent has been mentioned on this discussion by any owners. Anyone else see this dent kwonc71 is talking about? What did the dealer do about it?)

It looks like you got one of those dealers with a poor service department. That's a shame. Are there any other Hyundai dealers in your area?

weap1

in a previous message I mentioned that I had ordered my car on 4th Aug and wouldnt get it before 4th Oct, now,,,,even though ive been PROMISED and GUARANTEED that the car is arriving on 12 Aug, i now have been told that it wont arrive in country until 5th November!!!!!
What the hell is going on here????? Is Hyundai that unable to make cars that you have to wait 3 months and handle the frustration of being told three times (now four,,,and I have no faith in that estimation) that the car is on its way before you see a vehicle???
The dealer is of course not going out of his way to prevent me from dumping the deal and going somewhere else, no offers of tinting, headlight protectors or anything to keep my business...is life that good for these sharks that they can screw around with customers like this and not offer any concessions to keep your business??
Tomorrow Im ringing head office of Hyundau Australia in Sydney to vent and find out what games they are playing at...not happy Jan grrrrrr :mad: !!!!!!!!

sonataowner1

Have anyone experienced a delay or hestitation (approximately 4 to 5 seconds) when they shift their 2006 Sonata from Park to Reverse? This problem just started after 2 months of usage. I took my car to Service, and they need to look at it for a few more days. They told me that it never happened before.... :sick:

haefr

I have the '03 Sonata shop manual. While you're dealing with a new generation automatic transmission, the problem you describe has cropped up previously. According to that shop manual:

"If abnormal shocks or a time lag of 2 seconds or more occur when the selector lever is shifted from N to R while the engine is idling, the cause is probably abnormal clutch pressure or low and reverse brake pressure, or a malfunction of the reverse clutch, low and reverse brake, valve body, or idle position switch."

teashea

I paid off my 2006 Hyundai Sonata after three weeks. No problem and no hassle. I already received the cleared title back. No pre-payment penalty.

TEAShea

amp705

I will be buying a trailer hitch for my 2006 sonata and would like to use a class II hitch. I noticed that on Australian and U.K. Hyundai sites the maximum towing weight is 3748 lb. But in Canada and U.S. it’s only 2000 lb which means I should use a class I hitch. Anyone know the technical reasons why towing capacity is less here. Tks.

teashea

In fact, it was the dealer who suggested that I finance the car to get the $1000 rebate and immediately pay it off. There is no basis for Hyundai somehow withdrawing the rebate if it is immediatley paid off. That is nonsense. (I am a lawyer).

TEAShea

teashea

I have found that the quality of my 2006 Sonata LX is excellent. I have only found one small paint flaw, and that was covered by the splash guards. Very impressive.

TEAShea

kwonc71

Since I having a day off today, I took the car to the dealership. I have listed all the problems. The service person told me to leave the car, so I got a rental car. PT cruser is the one I got. Now, I realize how good my Sonata is compare to PT cruser. PT cruser has no power. I press the gas pedal all the way on the HWY. Took about 6 sec to go from 60 to 70 mph. My Sonata will do about in half sec. PT cruser has Trip computer that I reset on HWY. I did 60-65 MPH most of time. Still came out 21.5 MPG with 4 cylinder engine( My GL I had feels like have twice more power than PT Slowser. 2006 GL was getting 28 MPG too). My GLS Sonata gets about 24MPG even with 75 MPH in the morning, 35 MPH after work driving speed. However, PT cruser drove straight on same HWY. I hope they fix my rocket fast, so I can break the law on the HWY(over speeding) again

allfiredup

I'd write a letter to Hyundai's corporate customer service. Everything I've read has stressed how Hyundai is working very hard to maintain the quality of the previous Sonata in the new one built here. Hopefully, they'll be willing to work with you to resolve your problems.

There is also the lemon law. Not sure how the law works in your state, but I helped a friend get his '04 Ford F150 replaced with an '05 simply because of a vibration at highway speed that couldn't be resolved. Obviously Ford didn't want any PR headaches, maybe Hyundai won't either.

rgyip

0-60 speed 6.9 secs :P

On that site, it matches the 3.5L Altima, and slightly beats the Accord V6 at 7 secs and the 3.3L Camry SE at 7 secs as well.

http://auto.consumerguide.com/Auto/New/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/38538/Act/Roadtest/

jpryba

Any GLS with a 4 cylinder is made in Korea (at least for now). Yours must be a V6. Both the GL and GLS in my case have had some interior fit and finish issues, but nothing too serious (although it was far from being "perfect").

For the GL:
1) slightly misaligned panel next to the radio (I think it was the one holding the passenger seat belt reminder light)
2) passenger side A pillar trim was slightly off at the top
3) piece of trim at the bottom of the driver's seat popped off -- I was able to stick it back on and it never came off again
4) a small tab next to the shifter (that you can pull out for whatever reason) was sticking out halfway with a small crack in it
5) at delivery, there were various tape/smudge marks on the door handles (I think this is more of a hurried dealer prep job, though -- but compared to other cars I've seen fresh from the factory, Hyundai seems to have some of the "dirtiest" interior body panels, so combine that with bad dealer prep, and voila, you have some cleaning up to do)

For the GLS (also made in Korea in my case):
1) rear curtain airbag "tabs" were loose
2) bottom right portion of the driver seat cushion pops out -- I can put it back in, but it pops out the next time I sit down (thankfully it doesn't get in the way when it's popped out like that, so I'm not worried about fixing it)
3) more tape/smudge marks on the doors and on the center console (which I cleaned myself)
4) one of the plastic bolt covers for the driver's seat had popped off (it was just sitting in the middle of the floor)
5) there's a bit of a gap where the left side of the dashboard is supposed to meet up with the interior door trim (you can only tell if you have the door open and you look around where the fuse access is)
6) one of the tabs holding the piece of black plastic on the trunk sill was missing (I only noticed this after I had leaned against it getting something out of the trunk, and I heard a squeaking noise coming from that area)

Isn't a real person at either of Hyundai's plants supposed to examine this sort of stuff? It's one thing to have a slighty misaligned piece of trim, but if something is popping off or missing, at least put it back on!

mti

kwonc71,

Below is a reply I posted here last month in response to a post that suggested the Korean-made Sonatas don't have as many problems as the American-made ones.

"I wish it was made in Korea. I doubt I'd be having these problems."

I wouldn't bet on that Tim. I have a GL, which means it was made it Korea. One of the first things I noticed was that the front passenger grab handle was missing from the roof. The weatherstripping on the roof seam above the driver's door was pinched under the roof leaving a pocket for water to collect in. The driver's seat cover was not hooked onto the seat frame across the front of the seat. A red, round rubber cap was left on top of the heat shield on the steering rack below the exhaust manifold. A black, rectangular rubber plug or cap was left on the rack near the red one. My car has already been affected by a "campaign" (Campaign 920) regarding the headliner adhesive because they didn't put enough glue on the clips that hold the headliner to the roof and the back end of my headliner sags. My engine makes a lot of noise under load, almost like a mild diesel noise. My throttle pedal moves 5/16" before the engine speeed increases. My transmission has a hesitation during the 1-2 shift. There are 9 defects/flaws in the paint whereby dirt or some other foreign debris is actually under the paint.

Had enough? I didn't mean for this to be a major gripe message, but I'm a little puzzled by all the people who go on and on about how great this car is. Somebody posted a link yesterday (Wed) to a review in which the author mentioned how fantastic the fit and finish of the body panels is. Not on my car. The right front fender and the hood aren't even in the same plane at the base of the A pillar. I don't understand all the praise. Maybe I got the same type of "lemon" you were referring to. The first GL I bought didn't even have a properly-functioning HVAC system.

I understand the gist of your comment about being made in Korea. I was always under the impression that Asian workers are more quality-conscious and take more pride in their work than us American workers. My '06 GL is proof that my impression was flat-out wrong!

kwonc71

If I count every single area that has visual problems which are obvious, total will be 7 on my GLS. That's more than your GL has. Some of your GL's problem could be normal or dealership's. It is the fact that I had both GL and GLS to compare with. Y don't you trade GL in and try GLS, instead of taking my note too personal. Could be worse, isn't it? Without having actual comparison of two models, your writing is just an opinion...... "I understand the gist of your comment about being made in Korea. I was always under the impression that Asian workers are more quality-conscious and take more pride in their work than us American workers. My '06 GL is proof that my impression was flat-out wrong!" ....... Still Lexus is the most reliable car on the earth, made by Japanese. Once again, It is a fact, not an opinion like yours.

rrc

People People - I'm neither defending Hyundai or making excuses, but my 06 LX is my 2nd Sonata and it seems to be a very well built car thus far. Admittedly, I have not gone over it with my micrometer in infrared light with reverse angle mirrors, but some of the flaws complained of seem to be things that might have been evident upon purchase, while those and others certainly fall under the warranty, and alas still others may unfortunately come in the "you paid $20K for this car so get over it" rubric. I expect the car to be perfect, of course, but a 1/16" gap in some obscure seam does not send me to the consumer protection board. The safety features alone make this car a value, but it remains a cheap Korean mid-size car. It suits my needs very well, but yes I'd rather be driving a Benz or a Lexus. I leave that to the wife, of course, and happily rock on in my Hyundai.

johnap2

I agree! Some of the "defects" I have been reading about are so small it amazes me they are even brought up. I have not going over my GLS with a magnifiying glass, so I am unsure I share any of those small defects. I especially got a kick out of the complaint that a piece of trim did not line up, but you could only see it if the driver's door was open and you looked at a certain angle...hilarious! Thank goodness I am not a car dealer! Can you imagine some of the stuff they have to deal with? Think of your house. I bet you can walk through and find minor imperfections in any new construction. Why is a car any different?

I am very happy with the fit/quality of the GLS and expect MINOR imperfections. If it is cosmetic in nature and it took me this long to notice it then it is NOT that important. The only complaints I have thus far are:

-Driver's door seal leaks slightly under high pressure car washes
-Weird clunking noise coming from the rear end

Other than those two minor issues I have been very happy with a sub-$20k vehicle.

sonataowner1

My Service Rep told me that I need a brand new transmission on a brand new 2006 Sonata. Needless to say, I was shocked to hear that. Of course, giving me a brand new Sonata wouldn't be in their plan. So if anyone is thinking about buying or have one already, I would be very careful. This problem might exist to other 2006 Sonata as well. We'll keep our eyes on this problem.