Hyundai Santa Fe (2006 and earlier)

1505153555685

Comments

  • lvgeographerlvgeographer Member Posts: 5
    I picked up my new Santa Fe two days ago. I wanted to thank all those post here and on the problems board. What I read from you all greatly eased my mind about buying a vehicle that had been for sale less than one year. I think I picked up the last cloth interior in Las Vegas. (Trust me, leather is not a good thing in this sun) The deciding point was the crash-test rating. This SUV replaces a totalled-out 1999 chrylser minivan my wife was driving when someone hit her. Fortunately, she was not hurt, but safety has become our top priority. This was the best vehicle we could find in our budget. Again thanks to everyone for their honest opinions re this vehicle.
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    I agree, but the more sinister side of me just kept telling me to go forward with it.
  • johnnylofijohnnylofi Member Posts: 14
    Quit acting like a couple of freak jobs. Are there not more valid points in life to debate than the silly topics you two are argueing? Why not figure out a way to whirled peas!! Lighten up and have fun :-]
  • houstonman3houstonman3 Member Posts: 8
    My girl friend has a 2001 Tracker. It is a good El cheap SUB, but I am also interested in a manta e. I realize the ante be is bigger, but these two and the Kia are all pretty much in the same price. Have any of you ante be owner anything to say about Suzuki/Kia in relationship to you SUV?
  • hung0820hung0820 Member Posts: 426
    Suzuki and Kia are more consider the Mini_SUV class! Even those the magazine, etc. rated the Santa Fe into the Mini_SUV category but all of our Santa Fe owners know that the Santa Fe should be in the Mid-size_SUV class. The Santa Fe was actually a marginal more roomy than the RX300... So to speak; the Suzuki and Kia are well match compare to each other and become the Japan make versus the Korea make in small class similar to the RAV4.
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    2000 Buyer's Guide (by Road & Track mag.) lists the Santa Fe as a midsize SUV.
  • lrchomelrchome Member Posts: 130
    I know there has been a lot of discussion on miles per gallon
    so her is a reference where you can definately try to match.
    I live in Florida and the ground is flat so all the RPM you see will be on flat ground.

    When I first got my LX fwd 40mph was 1750rpm, 50mph was 2250 RPM, 60mph was 2500RPM.

    Now with 9000 miles 40mph is 1500 RPM, 50 mph is 1750 RPM , 60 mph is 2250 RPM. So as you can see my gas miles per gallon should also rise , and it has.

    When I first got the LX I was getting about 18 to 19 miles per gallon in suburban driving and about 22 to 23 on the interstate. Now at 9000 miles I get 22 to 23 in suburban driving and 26 to 27 on the interstate.

    All these RPM's and miles per gallon are on flat ground. I am sure I would get less in the mountains.
  • hung0820hung0820 Member Posts: 426
    Irchome: Thank for sharing! I think that is probably a good sign of break-in period...
  • billbo1970billbo1970 Member Posts: 76
    Had my computer flashed this morning (early). Well, It seems to have helped alot, but not completely solved the 40mph thing. Anyone else have some kind of jerking at like 40mph, kinda seems like a shifting issue?

    Keithatwork: I think the seats look good! I know how it is to pay for 1 thing and get something else, it's very frustrating. But the seats really do look good. Then again, I'm judging by photo's & not in person.

    houston: what's an SUB, is that like SOB? :-) lol
  • hung0820hung0820 Member Posts: 426
    billbo1970:
    Do you have the 4 cylinder or 6 cylider? If you have the 4 cylinder then there is a glitch that the dealer have aware and they can diagnostic and fix it right away.
  • rfairesrfaires Member Posts: 13
    from Mirriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary:

    "a : to exercise restraining or directing influence over : REGULATE and b : to have power over : RULE"

    In a large international corporation whose stock is owned by many, many different owners, an individual or intitution that owns 33$ of the subject company's stock owns the "controlling, ruling or regulating" interest in that company. Ford pointed out in it's own literature that it "controls" Mazda and you were kind enough to post this for us and prove that your own argument was bogus. One does not need to own 100% of the stock in a publicly held company to be declared the "owner" or the one who, ultimately, makes all the critical decisions.

    If it quacks like a duck; it's a duck. If it honks like a Mazda; it's a Ford.

    Let's move on. Additional, futile and meaningless argument on this point will just further highlight a person who hasn't quite got a grasp of the subject matter.
  • rsharp83rsharp83 Member Posts: 82
    Just returned from a couple of weeks vacationing at Lake of the Ozarks. (A 1,300 mile shoreline manmade lake in Missouri with ocean going boats all over the place, it's nuts!) Anyway, saw lots of SF's and had lots of lookers and folks asking questions about the SF. When I launched my SeaDoo the guy in charge of the resort asked my wife about the SF. Then a week later when we loaded the SeaDoo up he caught me and asked all about the SF. He really liked it, thought it looked like the Lexus, etc. I told him to check out Edmunds.

    It was fun showing people the SF and how nice it is. Most had heard about the SF but had not really had the chance to look at one up close. One couple had a $35+K truck and a $40K boat and his wife was telling me how much she liked the Sante Fe!

    And, the SF pulled the SeaDoo just fine, no problems, even on some very steep hills.

    Seeing more and more SF on the road and on vacation I really did see more SF than I did Triscapes!
  • houstonman3houstonman3 Member Posts: 8
    I do know how to spell Sante Fe and SUV, but for some reason these words came out ante be and SUB, so Sante Fe owners please don't take offense. I was looking for factual data from real owners.
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    After rsharp's post, I just felt soo compelled to respond, even though I know better.


    Ok, rsharp, then according to your argument, Nissan is owned by Renault. Renault has a controlling 35% stake on Nissan.


    http://www.businessweek.com/1999/99_13/b3622228.htm


    Let's see how many people walk around thinking that Nissan, the 3rd largest Japanese automaker, belongs to Renault.


    Let's take a poll: Who thinks that Renault owns Nissan?


    Because according to rsharp, having a controlling stake equates to complete ownership.

  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    He looked up the definition of "control" in a dictionary to back up his claim. So then I guess a mole, in Chemistry, isn't the amount of substance that contains as many units as there are atoms in exactly 12 grams of the isotope carbon-12.

    It is, instead, a ground digging rodent with beady little eyes.

    Words have different meanings in different fields.
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    "[The increased share alone does not give Ford control, but analysts said that coupled with the management shakeup, it effectively puts the U.S. company in the driver's seat.] "Ford and Mazda believe that closer coordination of our cooperative strategies and plans, particularly in the areas of product development, manufacturing and distribution of vehicles, will enable both companies to improve competitiveness and to achieve improved economies of scale and efficiencies," Wayne Booker, executive vice president of Ford, said in a statement."


    Read it all here:

    http://www.monito.com/wankel/ford.html


    This article is from 1997 because I couldn't find any other unbiased and new source.

  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    It also occurred to me that, when i said words have different meanings in different fields, someone might ask "Well diploid, what exactly does 'control' mean in the business world?"

    Well:
    "The increased share alone does not give Ford control, but analysts said that coupled with the management shakeup, it effectively puts the U.S. company in the driver's seat."

    Notice that in this paragraph, it says that Ford is in the driver's seat, but it also says that the increased share alone does not give Ford control. So there [is] is difference between controlling and steering the company. I guess the definition of "control" (according to Merriam Webster) does not apply here, does it.

    Here's another quote from the article that I especially liked:

    "Mazda said it would maintain a clear, separate identity and continue its own distribution of Mazda-developed products. It also said it would maintain its own distribution network. The agreement would allow both companies to fully utilise their resources in order to boost efficiency and competitiveness, Mazda said."

    I know Johnny, I know...whirled peas...we could be making whirled peas instead of this.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Interesting tangent. Some would say the shareholders "own" a corporation (or the assets). But that's probably simplistic. A mere 5% stake in some corporations would give one "control".

    You could also say the Thermos Company owns Nissan (and they indeed do), but we'd need to define products as well, eh?

    Steve
    Host
    Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    "Ford controls Mazda and owns Jaguar, Volvo and Land Rover."


    Plain and simple. It has a controlling 33% stake in Mazda, but does not own it. It owns Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover. Like you said, Steve, it's simplistic to say that Ford owns Mazda, but technically it doesn't. That was my whole point from the beginning.


    And unlike the other link I posted, which was from 1997, this press release is from 04/17/01.


    http://www.gcada.org/media/Pressrelea.asp?PrsRelsID=11

  • billbo1970billbo1970 Member Posts: 76
    my GOD man, enough already! How old ARE you??? Neither one of us is going to convince the other of anything, so just knock it off already.
  • sleepy5sleepy5 Member Posts: 3
    TO settle this little conversation between diploid and billbo, it is necessary to understand Japanese law regarding corporations. It is very different than the law used in the rest of the world. A stake of 33% or more, under Japanese law, is considered to be a controlling interest and establish ownership. If two parties both own minority stakes, whichever one has the greater percetage takes control. As an example, the reason Renault owns a 35% stake in Nissan is because someone else (I forget who) owns a 33% share. Renault therefore "owns" Nissan, as Ford "owns" Mazada under Japanese law. However, both companies take great pains to stress the "controlling interest" term, and NOT ownership. This is due to extremely strong and negative Japanese consumer feelings regarding foreign ownership of companies. Witness the sucess (or complete lack of) of Saturn, Ford, or Chevy in Japan as proof of this concept. Mazda and Nissan are still viewed in Japan as national companies, as their sales depend on this. If they were viewed as foreign-owned, we would witness a massive sales plunge.

    Sleepy5
    UCLA Business School
  • billbo1970billbo1970 Member Posts: 76
    Does anyone have the URL for Hyundai's tech site? It was posted here QUITE AWHILE ago, and I can't find it. I had it bookmarked on my laptop at work... but I just got laid-off (my former company has closed the NY office), so I don't have that laptop anymore :(

    Bill
  • hyundaimahyundaima Member Posts: 197
    www.hmaservice.com
  • billbo1970billbo1970 Member Posts: 76
    Finally found the link. Anyone interested, it's:


    http://www.hmaservice.com/webtech/default.asp?source=/home/


    UNFORTUNATELY, if you've upgraded to IE6, it won't work. THANKS ALOT MICROSOFT!!

  • billbo1970billbo1970 Member Posts: 76
    Bill Tung, & Gtgtcobra? Haven't heard from you guys in quite awhile!! You still around???
  • hung0820hung0820 Member Posts: 426
    We are in the other Santa Fe forum site. Therefore, most of you don't here from us much here.
  • sleepy5sleepy5 Member Posts: 3
    They are running from the evil Starbucks-drinking Lexus people. Run Forrest run!
  • edmundsvieweredmundsviewer Member Posts: 2
    Santa Fe in Korea is available with a navigation system.....
  • richposnerrichposner Member Posts: 3
    After a week of bull carp I finally got the car back. Seems a "clock spring" is a rare item. Check your air bag lights, see if it blinks six times at start up then goes off. If not your air bag will not deploy in the event of an accedent. Now to get the bumper fixed, should take two days and cost about $350. Sunroof after that.
  • bjbird2bjbird2 Member Posts: 647
    I looked at both the Rav-4 and the Santa Fe today, and before today I would not have considered a Hyundai. After driving the two, I think the Santa Fe is the best value in the category today. It rides and handles very well, feels solid, and I can get a loaded Santa Fe for the price of a stripped down 4 cylinder Rav 4.I can remember when people used to bash the Japanese cars for quality, and they ultimately had the last laugh. It appears that the Korean cars have improved considerably and you can still get them at a great price, with the best warranty out there. I say buy before everyone catches on and drives the price up to match the rest of the world. I'd rather invest the $10K or $20K I'll save. By the way, I noticed the Santa be was getting a lot of admiring looks.
  • rsharp83rsharp83 Member Posts: 82
    "After rsharp's post, I just felt soo compelled to respond, even though I know better.

    Ok, rsharp, then according to your argument, Nissan is owned by Renault. Renault has a controlling 35% stake on Nissan. Because according to rsharp, having a controlling stake equates to complete ownership."

    Ummmmmm, diploid can I ask you what the Heck you are talking about? What argument? My post was about being on vacation and people asking about my Sante Fe. I have not participated in your inane discussion about controlling interest/ownership of the Ford empire, ever. In fact my vacation post was the first post here in over a month... so what IS your problem?

    I understand the basic business elements of stock ownership, I have an MBA so I don't need your help here. I think I have a pretty clear grasp on the concepts.

    At least attack the correct author when you attack.
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    The two names sounded alike, sorry.

    Thanks sleepy.

    billbo- It's funny how you are now accusing me of being the childish one when you yourself engaged in this argument. I mean, after all, you're the one who took it personally when I corrected you on erroneously pointing out that the Santa Fe was the best seller.
  • kcorcorankcorcoran Member Posts: 26
    i know this has been discussed many many times before but i wired my rear fog light housings as parking/brake lights. if anyone is curious or thinking of doing this i have created a page with easy to follow instructions with photos documenting the modification from start to finish.


    http://www.keithcorcoran.com/sf/bumperlights


    now all i need are my altezza tail lights.


    have fun

  • bjbird2bjbird2 Member Posts: 647
    I just checked J. D Powers and the ratings on the 2001 Santa Fe and Rav 4 are about equal. The Rav got downgraded in mechanical quality and body and interior quality "based on information taken from IQS study, the score is based on problems reported with":
    .engine and transmission
    .steering
    .suspension
    .braking
    .exterior paint problems
    .wind noise
    .water leaks
    .poor interior fit and finish
    .squeaks and rattles

    They gave their highest rating in this category to the Honda CRV.
    I quess Toyota even has problems in their first model year.
  • billbo1970billbo1970 Member Posts: 76
    Check out this site:


    http://www.weapon-r.com/main2.html


    they make performance intake systems, and have 3 models for the Santa Fe! What happened to hdkautosport? I haven't been there awhile, and I'm getting page not found errors this morning. Did they go under because of all the problems they've been having? I will post more performance parts sites as I discover them! :-)


    Bill

  • keithatworkkeithatwork Member Posts: 28
    i will be definately ordering one of these.

    sweeet!
  • lvgeographerlvgeographer Member Posts: 5
    I was a little concerned reading the reviews that the 4-cyl. engine was a little gutless. However, I drove down to LA over the weekend. Coming back to Vegas the engine pulled Baker grade (11 miles of continuous uphill) at 75-80 mph in moderate heat (101 degrees) with no problem.
  • billbo1970billbo1970 Member Posts: 76
    I'm VERY satisfied with my 4cyl. It has plenty of acceleration (for a truck). Just totally sucks accellerating from 2nd gear when going less than 30.

    Bill
  • boomer77boomer77 Member Posts: 7
    I am very interested in purchasing a Sante Fe, but my local dealer tells me that he cannot get a vehicle with ABS. Is anyone else experiencing this problem? Can anyone recommend a dealer who would sell me a vehicle with ABS? I am willing to travel or pay shipping, as necessary.

    Thanks,
  • hung0820hung0820 Member Posts: 426
    I am in the Bay Area, California and it tooks me about 2 months before I can get the type of Santa Fe that I want. Yes! I have the top-model Santa Fe. Depend on the region; it is quite hard to get a top-model Santa Fe now-a-day. Try to locate the dealers in www.hyundaiusa.com and call most of dealers at your nearest place to see if they have the Santa Fe that you are looking for.
  • lvgeographerlvgeographer Member Posts: 5
    Come to Vegas! Gamble a little, win some money, and pick up a Santa Fe LX w/ABS. There seem to be plenty here.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Hyundai US July unit sales 31,189 vs 23,566.

    There are a couple other stories about domestic market share and profits in the News section today too.

    Steve
    Host
    Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

  • boomer77boomer77 Member Posts: 7
    Thanks, LVGeographer. Can you (or anyone else lurking) recommend a dealer in the Las Vegas area? The Hyundai web site lists three dealers: Willden's, Planet and Valley. Any help is greatly appreciated.
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    A lot of people come to Vegas to win money. Very few actually succeeds. But I don't think anyone needs to win the lottery to finance a Santa Fe.

    I did a price check at autobytel.com. If I put $2000 down for a base Santa Fe (4-cylinder, manual, 2wd), and 0% financing charges I'll be paying $189 a month.
  • big_guybig_guy Member Posts: 372
    I have a sure fire way of making a small fortune in Vegas.

    Start with a large fortune!!
  • lvgeographerlvgeographer Member Posts: 5
    I visited all three dealers in the area before buying at Valley Hyundai. Planet has a large selection of Santa Fe's, but they don't come with the US warranty. Planet is a new dealership, and to get their stock they apparently re-imported a bunch of Santa Fe's from Canada. The only warranty offered is a dealership one, like on a used car. Wildens is an old-line "throw everything we can think of onto the price and make you negotiate it off" dealership. I test drove there, and after I caught the salesman in a known lie, I said forget this. Valley was great, low pressure and knowledgeable sales people (especially Jim B.). The credit manager just celebrated his 39th year in the auto world. We paid with a sight draft drawn on a Texas bank, and he knew all about them and had processed several before. I had to explain sight drafts to the Plymouth dealership on my previous purchase. If you're in the area, Valley also offers free servicing for 24 months or 24,000 miles. I can't recommend them enough. Regarding Planet, a co-worker has an Elantra and gets it serviced there, she says they have always treated her well. Hope this helps.
  • tb88tb88 Member Posts: 242
    " 5 Years -60,000 miles WARRANTY (WITH HOLES !!!)"

    "Covers repair or replacement of any component manufactured or originally installed by Hyundai that is defective in material or factory workmanship, under normal use and maintenance

    Following components covered for time and mileage limits indicated:

    Radio And Sound Systems (i.e. radio, cassette tape drive mechanism, and compact disc player): 3 years / 36,000 miles

    Paint: 3 years/ 36,000 miles

    Battery: 3 years / unlimited miles (100% covered 2 years / unlimited miles; after 2 years and within 3 years, 25% cost of battery and 100% labor cost covered)

    Air Conditioner Refrigerant Charge: 1 year / unlimited miles

    Adjustments: 1 year / 12,000 miles

    Wear Items; 1 year / 12,000 miles ( e.g. belts, brake pads & linings, clutch linings, filters, wiper lades, bulbs, fuses..."

    Look at the holes in the warraty which can add up to a substantial amount:

    Belts $100-300
    Clutch $700-1000
    etc...
    Those items are usually the ones to go first in any car...
    Most other warranties 3-36000 cover the above items!!!
  • sen1sen1 Member Posts: 23
    interesting article on Hyundai.
    Headline says "HYUNDAI IN HIGH GEAR"
    "Once the butt of jokes, the Korean brand is among the hottest on America's highways."
    Article tells how and why they came back from the brink "with Korean determination and Amerian ingenuity." Quality is up an warranty claims are down 50%.
  • diploiddiploid Member Posts: 2,286
    That sounds really fishy. Forget that it's a Hyundai. I wouldn't buy any first year model vehicle without a warranty. Especially if they substitute a used-car warranty in place of the real deal.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Your Privacy

By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our Visitor Agreement.