Hyundai Santa Fe (2006 and earlier)

matthew25

I bought my black fully loaded Sante Fe in Late October. It now has nearly 7000 miles on it. I drove it from Seattle to Miami. I haven't had a single problem with it. In fact, I can't even think of one bad thing to say about it.

I have owned several SUVs (Blazer, Explorer, and Cherokee). This is the best so far! I amazed that it was so inexpensive, considering all of its options.

jsrace

Did you solve the problem with the vibration?Also what did the engineers say about the problem?Are we the only two owners with this problem?I hope they have some answers.I haven't heard back from my dealer yet.

bj02176

Santa Fe seems well built, time could see it having as many problems as my Tribute, don't blame Mazda, but Ford is Mea Culpa. My loaner is a 626, it is turning in to a not to bad car.

toeouch

I picked up the car today after the dealer changed the wheels/tires and the Hyundai brass had looked at it. Unfortunately, there is still the noticeable vibration at 60... The dealer wants to do a sophisticated balance Monday (today is Friday) that he hopes will deal with the problem. He himself admitted that he had been unable to totally eliminate the problem...A previous post from Canada mentioned the different tires...I suppose that's the next thing to try if balancing fails.

With regards to the master cylinder, he actually took a master cylinder out of an LX to replace the one in my GLS. The problem had been with an uneven resistance when pressing the brake pedal, a kind of "notchy" feel. The pedal still feels rather flat although it does not seem to affect the vehicle's ability to stop. The dealer was totally successful in stopping an annoying squeak in the driver's side window (Hooray!). If you would like, you can email me at drdan3@hotmail.com for details about this unfolding drama... and to let me know of any progress on your side.

adamjrae

Well everyone, With 2,700 miles on my 4wd Santa Fe I can say MPG city is 19.88 with the AC on about half the time(Girlfriend likes to drive with it on even in winter-go figure). I'm planning a 2400 mile round trip in a few days and I'll be sure to post the the MPG freeway is.

adamjrae

Jeff, WHATSSSSSSSSSSSSS UPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!!!! Hope your Santa Fe is as great as mine !

radkins6

Did you buy your Santa Fe at Stan Olsen or Edwards Archer Hyundai? I'm curious to know which one as I've talked to both dealers.

Rick

andes11

Hi, Hyundai has its own crash test facilities.
Here are the test results:

NHTSA NCAP:
Four stars driver
Five stars passenger

NHTSA SINCAP:
Five stars driver
Five stars rear passenger

IIHS offset test:
Acceptable

hmshoodfan

Hi Adam,

whatsssssssssss upppppppppppp!.
I'd say my Santa fe is also great! I am very pleased with it.
I don't think we will get much use of the AC here in the winter months though (other than dehumidifying occasionally), as the temp has dropped to below freezing! I will get to see how the Santa Fe handles the cold weather and snow!
Take care and have a good trip.

Jeff

ndtorres

I just purchased a Black Santa Fe LX FWD. I am extremely impressed with the quality of the way the doors sound when closing to the details such as everything in its place and well placed. My concern is that one day after taking the car home (took possession of the car on December 1, 2000), every time I accelerate or brake there is a thumping sound that appears to come from under the car. I doesn't give me the appearance that it will be a safety hazard since the car breaks well and accelerated okay, but it is more annoying than anything else. I have been looking under the SUV to see if the mechanics left their tools or something loose underneath. Has anyone had this problem?

I will be taking the car in to the service department in two days and let them tackle it. I will post the results just in case this happens to anyone else. Other than that, so far, I am very pleased with the SUV and knowing that owners of other makes of SUVs have paid much more than I paid for my Santa Fe is a very good feeling.

Nestor

merkt

I bought a Sante Fe AWD LX after driving one while looking for everything but a SUV. I couldn't believe the price and the quality. The vehicle drives like a solid high quality machine. SUV's and small pickup are the highest profit margin vehicles. This vehicle is going to hurt the competition. How can anyone justify spending an additional $15K for a comparable vehicle. I have noticed the slight vibration thing at 60 and it diminishes at 65 and at 85MPH, it is smooth. My only problem was a passenger seat heater that didn't work. The dealership discovered it unplugged. It works and I have 1600 miles with no complaints. The vehicle has gotten more reponsive as the breakend period progressed. The dealerships in Cincinnati won't give you any deals. I only got about $600 off a $23070 sticker. They sell the V6 models as quickly as they come in.

tyw

I am interested in buying a new Santa Fe GLS FWD. I live 90 miles from the nearest Hyundai dealership so I've been trying to get price quotes via the internet. On the above vehicle I have been quoted $22,208. Edmunds True Market Value says I should be paying around $18,700.
I am wondering what a fair price for this vehicle would be? Any first hand knowledge would be appreciated.

thom0565

I recently purchased a 4 cyl 2.4 liter Santa Fe, in Merlot and Grey. I love the way it rides, I got the optional utility package and roof rails. The only concern i have is on the rear defogger the tail gate window and the driver rear window have the defrost tape, the other rear passenger window does not>..Was this a mistake. the only other problem is that when I am stopped at a light the engine kind of knocks, but if i put it in neutral it seems fine, maybe the idle is set too high. Otherwise I love the way it drives and the looks I get driving it. I paid 18,800, with everything I got on mine. Please email me if you have comments or concerns.

roadkill55

This is not defrost tape on the drive side rear window. It is the radio antenna.

bearbone

I spent all of Saturday trying to deal with the local Hyundai dealer in Boise,Idaho on a Santa Fe. Next to the sticker with the MSRP they have added their own 'Added Market Value' sticker with an additional $2495 tacked on to the MSRP for absolutely nothing. When I asked the Salesrep what this was for he laughingly stated - Additional Dealer Greed. My question is, is this legal? Since there is no other competitive dealer close I assume they can get away with this. They would not budge on this (adjusted) price so I finally left after about 4 hours of wasted time. Personally I will shop the other manufacturers than deal with this attitude. Has anyone else run into this situation? Also after reading all the posts in this group I seemd to be more informed of the options available on the Sante Fe than any of the Salesmen I talked with over the weekend. Kind of put a damper on the experience as I thought the Sante Fe was a great vehicle from the test drives. Thanks to all for all the great information in this group!

skouly

Andes,

Where did you get your crash test info? Is there a publication or website we can refer to?

Thanks....skouly

acook1

Why don't you try an online site like carsdirect.com or autobytel.com?

shazzz

Hi guys, well I did it, I just bought my fully loaded GLS, in canada, we only have 2 choices, GL and GLS.

I love it so far, no problems whatsoever except can someone please tell me why when I set the fan to feet/defrost position, the A/C kicks in????

matthew25

The dealership I bought my Hyundai at in Olympia Washington doesn't use second stickers. But, they did show me the invoice... There was only about a $1000.00 mark up from invoice to sticker. I'm not sure how these guys stay in biz.

pbjeczen

Shazzz it works that way to dehumidifiy the inside air and get rid of fog on the windows

snowman2596

My wife and I are currently attempting to buy ours from Edwards O'neil. I say attempting because everything hinges on them finding the color we would like. They only had one GLS AWD and it was in Sandstone. We would like one in Merlot or Pine Green. So far, no complaints with the service we've received from them, as a matter of fact, have been pretty impressed with it so far.

andes11

I got it from this Korean salesman's web site:

http://www.guruma.co.kr/Â÷·®Á¤º¸/santafe/Ãæµ¹¾ÈÀü.htm

All the data on that page are from the company catalog.

radkins6

I've talked to folks at both Edwards and Stan Olsen's. Olsen's has more to choose from, including several of the Merlot. I haven't seen the green yet, but would like to as it's one of the colors I'm considering. I do like the white and pewter, too. Keep us posted as to how your experience goes.

Rick

toeouch

JSRACE and MERKT have both mentioned the problem with vibration at 60 mph. My dealer and I have been trying to resolve this issue. After a series of wheel balances, he now is inclined to believe the following: all Santa Fes built prior to October 15 did not have their driveshafts counter-balanced on the car. This MAY be the cause of the vibration. JSRACE and MERKT, what are your car's build dates (look on label on door frame of driver's side)? Do you both have an AWD or a FWD? Any of you with FWD vehicles feel a vibration that starts around 60 and ends around 65? The intensity of vibration can be anywhere from very subtle to quite pronounced.

skouly

Andes:
Thanks for the source web page. However, I can't read Korean, so I can't get any useful info from the site regarding Santa Fe crash test results.

Spy

Recently I test drove the Santa Fe GLS/AWD. Seems to be a very well built vehicle at a very good price. Living in central NY area(binghamton), there is only one local dealer that currently has 3 Santa Fe's in stock,(1 GLS/awd). They have had these vehicles for the last 3 weeks. Probably because they are so new and they are asking sticker plus a Ziebart package for $700. The salesman stated that the package is manditory. As we all know this is their hidden version of MSRP+.
The information available from this dealership was very limited, they had a brochure that really didnt have any valuable info, in fact they did not even know what models were available and or features.
I have since called them back and asked them to try and locate an LX/AWD. I also told them I did not want their Ziebart package and had a concern with paying sticker. As I have looked at many sites and dealerships there seems to be some of these models available. It's tough as only a small portion list their inventory on the internet. I have also tried some of the quick quote site only to find their were no dealerships participating in my area.
Has anyone else run into these problems in locating one? Also I am quite interested in hearing how the vibration at 60 mph gets resolved.
Any comments of suggestions would be appreciated

kbecker

I got the chance to test my month-old 4WD Santa Fe on ice over the weekend. It was by the lake so the roads hadn't been plowed yet, and the snow from the night before had turned to ice. I was going maybe 15-20 mph, and the ABS kicked in firmly when I got on icy patches at 4-way stops. I didn't slide more than an inch. Then I tested it on an S-shaped road that went from hill to hill. Mostly ice Didn't slide at all (thankfully, as it was a straight drop into a rocky ravine on either side). This doesn't mean I'm gonna drive faster from now on or should you. But at least I feel a whole lot safer. And as for why I was up there that day - my mom wanted to take pictures of the lake

jcgso

I was also searching for an LX/AWD with ABS. I'm in North Carolina and none exist here equipped that way. I even had Hyundai customer service to a search for me. Not one was allocated to dealers in North and South Carolina. Two weeks ago I was in New Jersey and stopped by the Hyundai dealer. They had an LX /AWD without the ABS in white/grey leather. I loved it and it after checking their allocation, they found exactly what I was looking for. They called me this past weekend, and I made a deal on it yesterday. I'm paying about $300.00 under sticker. Not the deal I wanted, but not as bad as some I've read about here and on other Santa Fe forums. It came from the factory with floor mats ($80.00) which I didn't want and the roof rack cross bars ($180.00) which i did want. Also there was a $644.0 advertising fee from Hyundai included. That really bugs me, but the dealer wouldn't budge on that. On Monday, I'm flying to Jersey to get it, then driving back 575 miles. I must be Crazy! After three test drives and several Tribute/Escape test drives, I'm convinced it's a great vehicle for the money.

hunter36

I picked up my White/Grey Leather LX FWD two weeks ago and almost feel like I purchased it for the amount it cost Hyundai to make the thing! (not quite perhaps but you get my drift). I cross-shopped it against the Tribute, RAV4, CRV, Forester with the eventual finalists being the Santa Fe vs RAV4. Although I still think the RAV4 is a well made product, I don't see where the Santa Fe gives up a thing in the quality department and the 'extras' you get with it made it too good a value to pass up! For example, compared to the RAV4:

-Size - much wider and roomier but not too big (still 13" shorter than an 4-dr Explorer)
-V-6 vs 4 banger
-Standard SF wheels look like RAV4 upgrades
-Spare Tire is under the vehicle and not hung on the back and obstructing your view.
-The LX has 4 wheel discs, not drums on the rear (didn't want/get ABS which I think you need for rear discs on the RAV - if at all)
-I wasn't forced to buy the moonroof ($800) I didn't want because of the way Toyota 'packages' their cars.
-The 5" longer (103" vs 98")wheelbase makes for a smoother ride - dare I say 'car like'?
-4 speed auto with the manual mode is superb!
-Check out the 'lighted' visor mirror(s) compared
to the cheesy RAV's. (great map lights too)
-Flip up tail-gate window (don't need to open the whole door)
-Heated rear view mirror's
-Ability to turn on/off the lumbar support
-Distinctive styling - doesn't look like all the others!
-Heated seat/auto-dimming rear view mirror upgrade I got are worth the little extra cost.
-Leather seats/steering wheel/gearshift is high quality - better than RAV's I believe.
-Rear seat fold-down arm rest
-Very handy '2'-trip odometers
-THE WARRANTY

(The downside is the brochure says I/we should have gotten a cassette player but didn't (refer to the fine print in the back)

I know that I probably forgot a couple things and some others are subjective but the bottom line is this vehicle is way ahead of the competition in a lot of ways besides the price. Another thing, I don't agree with the slams made against the Santa Fe regarding its acceleration. It is more than adequate and besides, if you wanted neck jarring acceleration, you should have bought a Vette! (As far as the Mazda Tribute is concerned) - Yes, the Tribute is quicker but look at the negatives: Recalls, chintzy interior (and THOSE Mattel looking/feeling interior door handles), jarring ride, stupid looking 3 ft long(seemingly) gearshift. Besides, I'd rather have the improved MPG than having more HP than I need 99% of the time.

If any of you live in the So. Cal. area, check out Todey (pronounced 'Toddy') Hyundai in Oxnard and get ahold of Stuart. Not only will you get a good deal, he's even funny.

By the way, from some of the questions I've seen, I think some of you folks might want to read the manual! (especially the part about not exceeding 55 for the first 1200 miles...I'm not sure THAT'S possible in freeway dependent Calif.)

Good luck with your SF's...

Also, it looks like the interior bike-rack isn't available yet...they back-ordered mine.

Spy

I did call Hyundai Customer Service today and haven't heard back from them yet. I did hear back from the Dealership here only to find that there were none available in the area they searched.The dealership they already had another customer waiting for an LX also.
I know if I look hard enough I will find some in New Jersey too, I did see some Santa Fe's if Gaithersburg,Maryland. (Fitzgerald Auto Mall-for sticker). The only concern I have in buying one from a dealer outside my area is when I take it in for warranty repair.....
Good luck with your trip to NJ and your new Santa Fe. Let everyone know how it works out for you....

mikezak

Another recent post lists a dealer's demands for an Advertising Fee -- for those who have bought Santa Fes, what has been your experience? How many of you were asked / forced to come up with the $$$ to cover?

By the way - I have not seen any advertsing (TV, print, or otherwise) concerning the Santa Fe...

mrtwix500

The sticker on my 2WD LX V6 was $21489... This included the packaged heated leather seats/mirrors and the auto-dimming mirror plus floor mats ($80)and roof-rack cross bars ($180)... With my trade, I paid $21103...

The dealer where I bought mine charged NOTHING else other than above! I actually thought I didn't get as good of a deal as I'd like to but after reading the new posts here each and every day, I am feeling a lot better about my deal due to the fact that many other dealers are charging these "extra" fees on top of the sticker...

If it were me, I would NOT pay anything higher than the official sticker price (not including dealer markup/add-ons)... After driving our Santa Fe for almost 3 weeks now, I think that it is definately worth the sticker price and no more!!! If you pay or paid sticker, don't feel bad. You've got a great vehicle to show for it!

MrTwix

labelgeek

Has anyone with a GL FWD noticed anything unusual about the fuel guage? I've filled up 3 times from about the half mark and the gauge never goes to "F". At 109 miles, the gauge read 1/2 full. Can't say what the mileage is because now I'm not sure if I even filled it up. I put in a couple gallons today till the pump clicked off but the gauge still reads about 9/10 full.

I had an Elantra with the "normal" Elantra fuel gauge where the idiot light would come on with 4-5 gallons left in the tank. Maybe Santa Fe is the same???

khj

$579 Hyundai Dealer GREED. I posted this a few weeks ago. I've been talking with this internet dealer since July - First I was anticipating purchasing the Mazda Tribute before it came out - I was quoted $350 over invoice. But from the get go - their seemed to be some problems with the Tribute so I decided to wait. Once I saw the Santa Fe teaser model sitting in the showroom next door I had to wait for a test drive - but I was told through this internet dealer who was also Hyundai affiliated - it works the same way in price - $350 over invoice. I finally made up my mind on the Santa Fe - I really wanted a power moonroof but opted for the Santa Fe anyway.

I called the dealer - was told the exact model I wanted had just come in - so I went to the dealer to purchase. When I got there - it was already sold. Other dealers (not internet dealers) informed the internet dealer it already had a deposit on it (weeks ago). Not to worry - they'll find me my Santa Fe. In the meantime - the dealer jots down some numbers & they do not add up to $350 over invoice. That's where the $579 Advertising Fee comes in. They showed me some COPY of an invoice and my dealer disappears. All these other dealers keep coming up to me asking questions - I ask them what's this $570 Adv. fee - they say they had to pay it so you have to pay it. BULL! This invoice had two columns - Dealer invoice column & MSRP column. The MSRP column does not have this fee in it - only the invoice column. This equals about $360 under sticker now - not $350 over invoice. By the way - I haven't heard from them since. Their word means nothing - their selling the cars at price & above for now. So much for the no haggling way to buy a car.

pethaven

Are you in an area with snow? If so, how does the 2WD version drive in it? I live near Milwaukee and have been debating between the AWD and the 2WD (FWD) Santa Fe. Thanks!

darryl10

I don't have a Santa fe, but if you get snow, get AWD! I live near Lake Tahoe and have, in the past, owned an Audi Quattro and now a CRV. AWD is so nice in the snow. Ever been stuck in the snow? Do you like putting on chains? AWD drives better. Even with all season (not snows) tires, I can get through many inches of snow. Also, the awd version gives you more clearance, a plus if you ever get a dumping of snow. If I buy a Santa Fe, it will be awd with the awd. BTW, depreciation on 2wd SUV's is higher than with comparable 4wd/awd. For example. just look at the 2wd Tracker! Will I buy? Local dealer (30miles away) wants a lot over list. I think it is a great car, but that Hyundai name carries a history of poor resell value and I will be damn if I am going to pay top dollar on something only to see it plop in value when I sell it. Eventually, the lots will be full of SAnta Fe's and when that happens, there will be price cutting and that will only help hurt the resell value for those who paid list or more early on.With the way the economy is going, that might not be far in the future.

mwitt58714

well i just purchased the santa fe lx/4wd loaded/full monty for only 300$ over invoice . i have to say it rides smooth its very comfy its has all the features of a luxury car . i dont understand what people are talking about when they say its slow and not peppy enough at the starting line its more than enough. i cant wait to see how it handles when it snows in new jersy i also got with it traction control and abs system.it has every safety feature you can want my sales man was very nice told him what i wanted and i got it.i bought mine with peweter and grey leather interior very sharp . its a head turner.the stereo system is very good could use a cassette player like in the brochure but no problem has heated seats took that morning chill out outnice dials everything easey to reach like the back flip up window fold down arm rest.....very quiet engine not much noise in the interior because engine set low PLUS... the little black box to open and lock the santa fe is greattttt no more scratches from the key unlocking the doors yeaaaaa!!!! just to let all you people in america know im a 41yo male im very happy with this suv from hyundai you people did a very nice job congratulations

mwitt58714

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY 1ST ITS NOT A POOR MANS LEXUS ITS HYUNDAI SANTA FE LX 4WD FULLY EQUIPPED LUXURY VEHICLE THATS YOU WILL FEEL VERY HAPPY WITH . ITS HAS MANY SAFETY FEATURES FOR ALL TYPES OF WEATHER.IT WILL CERTAINLY MAKE YOU FEEL CONFIDENT KNOWING THAT YOUR FAMILY OR JUST YOU ARE SAFE WHEN ON THE ROAD IN THIS VEHICLE... SO FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING AT THIS SUV GET IN IT TEST DRIVE IT AND BUY IT AND ENJOY IT ALL MY GAUGES WORK THE DOORS ARE SOLID BIG 16" TIRES I LIKE MY SANTA FE GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!!

supertstorm

I'm thinking about buying a Sante Fe GLS. I live in Oklahoma and we don't get ice and snow very often. In my case don't you think the 2wd with traction control and abs would be just as good as the awd with the better fuel mileage as well? I would appreciate any suggestions.

darryl10

What is the point of buying a SUV without awd? If you have no need for awd where you live (btw, it can help when it rains!), why not just buy a minivan? It will give you more room, power and economy, maybe for less. There is a glut of them on the market, deals and rebates are to be had. Really, I know the image might be nice, but it is best to think of what you need. BTW, like I said before, 2wd suv's depreciate faster than awd/4wd SUV. When it comes time to sell it, the phone won't ring because the college age kids that want a used SUV know that the 2wd will can't go offroad!

andes11

I just reproduced the test results here and it's easy to verify them on that site. You don't need to read the Korean text since they are presented in table format.
Other stuff there is not about crash test result. You're not missing anything.

khj

Where/How did you purchase your Santa Fe for $300 over invoice?

mrtwix500

"pethaven"... Funny you should ask that question. Today (12/6) is our first day of snow and my wife just left the house in the SF. I will ask her tonight how it handled and report back to you...

"superstorm"... I am also from Oklahoma although I now live in Missouri. I would not get a 4WD model (unless you like/or need to go offroad)... Plus the 4WD model also lowers your gas mileage and raises your insurance premium...

Comment on "darryl10" (#514) - If you (any new car owner) are like me, you will drive a new car until you can't drive it any more... Thus, I am not particularly concerned with resale value as I don't trade (or buy outright) a new car very often (about every 10 years)... If my Santa Fe can last 10 years (which is how long I plan on keeping it), then I will be extremely pleased. I would probably give it to one of my kids to drive and go buy me the 2011 Santa Fe...

MrTwix

bironb

I was checking out a Santa Fe GLS (Canada) and was quite pleased with the vehicle overall except for a couple of omissions. There is no standard engine immobilizer and also noticed there is no interior flashing LED light for the security alarm system only windows stickers are included. Now, I realize it is a basic security system but an interior indicator light generally discourages the casual car thief to move on to another vehicle not equipped with an alarm system, it’s pretty hard to read a window sticker at night or in the daytime for that matter.

It seems to me that both these features are pretty standard these days and why Hyundai omitted them I don’t know.

khj

In addition to Where in NJ did you purchase your Santa Fe for $300 over invoice? Did you use a car buying service (internet) ?????

hunter36

Some of you seem to be a little unclear on the concept of what Invoice Price (IP) is. IP is the price a dealer pays for the vehicle. So, if Hyundai charges the dealer $19187+435(shipping)+579(advertising)+200(dealer cost options) then THE INVOICE PRICE IS $20,401 - which is their actual cost for that vehicle - not counting dealer holdback which is another whole deal. I think some of you are confusing the advertising fee with junk/markup fee's the dealer adds to the MSRP. By the way, I've seen the Santa Fe commercial about 20 times in the last week alone - this is what ALL Hyundai dealers are paying for!

Even Edmunds talks about paying the Advertising fee (this is where my selective research title comes in) - they say something about 1.5% which is a little over $300 for most of us. However, the fact is, the dealer paid whatever the invoice says and, although it's negotiable, if people are lined up to buy the thing then how much do you think they're going to knock off the price?

IMO, if you get a high-demand and popular vehicle like the Santa Fe at or (hopefully) below MSRP then you did pretty good! It's actually a good deal AT MSRP and we all know it but money's-money so the less the better!

To darryl10: I can only assume you're joking about buying a minivan unless you get awd, right?
If not, I will give two quick reasons of the 50 I can think of (and probably everyone else who read your comments)- cool looks (NO minivan looks cool)and the Hyundai warranty (remember that?)

If someone likes the SF but doesn't need awd then why pay extra when you don't need it? Also, on the highway, the awd gets about 50 miles less on a tank of gas and, due to its extra weight, accelerates slower and doesn't handle as well.
Also, I hope you don't plan on doing any real off-roading in your SF (read the manual, it says not to).

I agree with all of you that got awd that live where it snows a lot (I would have too...but it NEVER snows where I live so I didn't) but if you think you're going to be doing anything close to real off-roading without a low-range transfer case you're in for a surprise. It wasn't intended to be a hard core 4x4 and if you bought it for that purpose...well, you screwed up.

The bottom line is that we all have different needs and priorities and it's a little foolish to assume you know what's best for everyone else.
Besides, if you're like me and drive a car forever (my current one is 14 years old & 257k miles), I doubt the market value between awd & fwd is going to mean much - not to mention the $$ I've saved in gas costs over the years.

lpd2usnr2

khj hello i did use autobytel.com they very quickley resonded and gave me a dealer. I then responded first with dealer via internet whith what i was looking for and then called tham and spoke with the guy who handles the internet sales very nice guy.. i also walked in with the bank check and personal check in hand ..but i must say the dealer and salesman were very nice to me its very good vehicle i also looked at the mazda tribute at one short time but after testing n' looking at the santa fe that was it it hugs the road i feel with its 16" tires plenty of little storage compartments all over the place.yeah that little red light on the dash for the alarm would be nice but if someone wants to take a shot at breaking in take it its their call but the santa fe does have more for the money safety wise and luxury wise lots of luck and by the way central jersey

lpostle

Are you a car salesman? From your message you seem to be. If so help us all out with the best way to buy a new Santa Fe

khj

I forgot to ask if you paid an Advertising fee? & thankyou for responding.

And HUNTER36 - if your comment was meant for me - I'm well aware of what Dealer Cost & MSRP is. Also aware of the chance of 1.5% markup on adv. fees, markups just because, copies of invoices instead of the real thing, dealer holdbacks, dealer incentives, etc..

What are you - a dealer? I consider myself a smart shopper. I refuse to pay sticker for any car. The fact is - they quoted me one price & offered me another. They can put anything in that advertising fee section & they did. They would still be making a nice profit without that fee. They're being greedy while they still can.

darryl10

To Hunter 36- I am not joking about a minivan. If you feel the styling of the Santa FE 2wd is superior to that of a minivan, fine, buy it. But I don't find stling to be a NEED. You can go out and buy a Dodge Minivan with better power, mpg room etc andhave more room. Hey, that's practical. You can even get an extended warranty. I wouldn't get too confident with that Hyundai warrnaty. After 60K miles, the only thing covered is the drivetrain. My Audi 5000 went to pot after 70K miles and i donated at 100K for a tax write off. None of the things wrong on it would be covered,(if it were a Hyundai!). Things like window regulators, brake boosters,alternators,HVAC fans, etc can go out, but the warranty won't help you if these go out after 60K miles. I know Dodge has a bad rep, but they are cheap, and you can get an extended warranty tacked on, plus they have more dealers. Resale is VERY important! I know what it's like to own a car for the long haul. I bought a new '89 Fox and after 300K miles I still drive it, even though it is quite dilapitated. However, what do you do if the Santa Fe, in its second year, gets totalled, or stolen? You could be owing more than the thing is worth and will have to scour the classifieds for a used one. AWD is not just for driving up huge hills! I take my CRV on dirt roads for the fun of it, plus feel the security of it when it snows. A Santa FE 2wd can't do it.So, what's the point? Styling? Having a vehicle that sacrafices room for less mpg? I really don't see how buying a 2wd over a minivan can boost one's ego. I said that the resale will be worse than a awd, to which the response is basically own it until the wheels drop off.Well, as I said, if it gets stolen or wrecked, you are up a creek