Hyundai Santa Fe (2006 and earlier)

mikezak

The only ext. colors of the Sante Fe that I have seen on Dealer Lots in WI are White, Black, Sandstone and Pewter...no Merlot, or Pine Green, etc.

Is this a WI (or regional item) or is this the same in other parts of the Country?

Just wondering,as the Dealers I talked to have said that the Santa Fe really can NOT be specifically ordered.

hunter36

Mr. Magoo(55) - Apparently, the missing cassette is legit as mine doesn't have one either.

pbjeczen

I'm in the Det. Metro area and the dealer near me has the Merlot Santa Fe. Also I've been told I can order anything I want as long as I'm willing to wait.

hunter36

Bike Rack $$ answer: I ordered the bike rack for two bikes and it came to about $210 - including tax. I had to show the parts guy the brochure since he didn't know what I was talking about.

stuckinmn1

In reply to "#426 of 429: Colors for Santa Fe? (mikezak) Mon 27 Nov '00 (06:20 AM)":
There are many Merlot colored Santa Fes on the Dealer lots in the St. Paul, MN area. Very few other colors (Not even many in black, the next most common color). Some Merlots seem deeper than than others (Different paint on newer ones?). My wife likes the merlot - I think it looks like liver. I wish they had it in a deep emerald green. Or even that pearly white that's available on the Sonata. The current white is not a bad color on the GLS/LX models with the silvery body cladding.

adamjrae

vote for your favorite SUV.
go to http://www.cars.com/carsapp/freep/?szc=48009&srv=parser&act=display&tf=/features/2001overview/2001_suv_poll.tmpl

and vote for the Santa Fe (it's in 3rd as of now)

radkins6

Here in Omaha I've seen several of the Merlot, the white, black, pewter and blue. I haven't seen the green yet, but my dealer says he has one on its way.

Also, thanks for the price on the bike rack. It's something I want for mine.

radkins6

I forgot to mention that I've also seen the gold.

Rick

lmm19

am on week 4 - a few days away from a month of having my new Santa Fe.
went on a little trip. 2 adults and loaded down the back as if we were going on a safari.
Drove in Dallas area 3 days-TRAFFIC - CONSTRUCTION - RAIN.
DROVE GREAT! sufficent acceleration, manuvering, traction; even avg 20 mpg in the city. got 25 mpg/HIGHWAY one way and 27 mpg HIGHWAY the other way.
A Highway Trooper even stopped us. first thing he said is " WHAT KIND OF TRUCK IS THIS ?"
( he just gave us a warning )
( cruises at 80 real nice)

anyone who is considering a santa fe should just go and drive one, pick out your color, and buy it.
its a great value for the money.

autoteen

Title says it all.. will the Rusty Orange like in the Show cars be available??? Those look mighty fine... Merlot would be a second choice, every one of my cars i have owned are red. Civic, Villager, and currently Pathfinder.

darryl10

This in response to a frozen post.The GLS I drove last saturday had a limited slip differential listed on the invoice sheet in the window, with the price of $250

mikezak

The price you were quoted for the LX at $23K + some change seems a little high -- it more sounds like MSRP rather than $800 below.

Go to Edmunds, and some others that offer car pricing, and make the call for yourself.

mikezak

If you have been following my posts, you can see that I have been doing extensive research on SUVs, as I plan on purchasing within the next 4 - 8 weeks.

Seems that I have narrowed my choice down to the RAV4 and the Santa Fe. As with anything, each have their (+)s and (-)s.

One of my biggest concerns with the Santa Fe, and any Hyundai product for that matter is resale value. Basically Economics 101 - supply and demand. Consumer Reports, although not coming out directly on the Santa Fe, relect that theory in rating other Hyundais.

Being I can get a RAV4 and Santa Fe at about the same price, (within $500 or so) comparably equipped (except with the SF having a V6), I am somewhat concerned about resale value as I will keep the vehicle for 6 - 7 years.

Thoughts by all?

darryl10

If you are worried about Hyundai, you have reason to. Even though they have gotten better, even a two year old Sonata has horrid value. There quality has gotten a lot better, but the bad rep from the past is still there.If you are concerned about resale, maybe you should include CRV on the list. I have one and will replace it with either a Santa Fe (for the wife), or a Camaro SS (I got a lot of rebate$ on my GM card!). The CRV has awesome resale. Mine is a '98 EX and it has been trouble free. I paid $20,500 and it has 51K miles, yet it has a lot blue book of around $15K low and $17,000 high. In my area, they go for around $16,000 in the papers, and then they are gone quick. I think it is also a better car than the RAV4. If you think you have the car for a while, then go with Santa Fe. If you will sell within 3-5 years, get a CRV; the resale on the Santa Fe might kill you and you would not reap the benefits of the warranty.

adamjrae

magoo55

Read the page where it has the engine specs
" Specifications, equipment, illustrations and competitive comparisons are based on information available at time of printing and are SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE."

What is right
Subject to change without notice
OR
False advertising

I agree if the book says AM/FM/TAPE/CD we should get it. On the other hand I have no tapes and love the opening below my CD Player for my garage door opener.

I hope everybody is enjoying their Santa Fe as much as me!

lpostle

This is in response to Mikezak. I live in Florida and over the weekend test drove a pine green Santa Fe. Just thought you would like to know. It's a nice color!!!

loach

I think the rusty orange color Autoteen is referring to is the Sandstone. I saw two of them Saturday and they look kind of an orangy gold.

zeeda

Just bought a Santa Fe last week. So far I'm happy especially after hearing about the Escape and Tribute problems.
For anyone buying one I have read the dealers are not moving off of the sticker price. I was able to get $1300.00 off.
There are things I think they could improve such as the controls on the driver side door should be illuminated longer, the drivers side seat belt is had to buckle and the inside light should stay lit longer.
All in all I am happy and get stopped frequently where ever I am by people asking about it.
You must admit it is a good looking car!

adamjrae

I just update my web page with the window sticker for my Santa Fe and also the 2001 Hyundai Accessories Catalog. Check it out and tell you friends.

http://www.geocities.com/adamjrae

mkim1

Does anyone still listen to cassettes nowadays? I'd be happy to have a standard CD player instead of a tape player, since most manufacturers still charge $300+ for upgrading from cassette to CD player. Kudos to Hyundai for making it a standard feature, and let's stop whining about not getting a cassette player. If you really want it, go to Best Buy, and they will install it in the empty slot for $99. This will give you a dual-media stereo.

autoteen

I see the catalogs and i find a factory-brand CD player, but the first Test Drive I did a couple weeks ago on the Dealership's only Santa Fe, i found a low-end CLAIRION CD/Tuner... What brand are your radios?

adamjrae

From what I understand the Hyundai Santa Fe sold in Canada has a Clairon CD Player. Here in the states we get the good ole Hyundai Brand (but it is POWERFUL and sounds wonderful).

furry1

i am a hyuncai salesperson and would like to answer your question about the cd/cassette player. first of all I'm on salary so don't think i'm a shark looking to take all of your money. The Santa Fe brochures were required by Hyundai to be thrown away because of misprints. First and foremost their primary concern was the 5 mph bumpers. All Hyundai vehicles are equipped with bumpers that exceed federal standards by 2.5 mph. Since there are currently no standards for bumpers on suvs. the 2.5 mph bumpers on the Santa Fe do just that. Exceed the federal standard by 2.5 mph. On passenger vehicles the standard is 2.5 mph. Secondly I have also noticed the absence of the cassette/cd combo on the vehicles. Hyundai states this is another reason for the brochures being "recalled". At least it is the brochures that are recalled and not the vehicles. I have also noticed that somebody has been noticing some shaking at speeds in excess of 60 mph. Check your tire pressure. Hyundais are sent overseas with about 45 psi in the tires to prevent flattening of the tires during shipment from Korea. The dealer should check this when they are inspecting the vehicle, however it can be overlooked.

radkins6

Thanks for your input. I was wondering about the bumper ratings, and hadn't seen anything on them. It's good to know, and only further supports my decision to buy a Hyundai.

Rick

jltomas

Hello everyone,
I was wondering if anyone knew of a good dealer in the midsouth area that has a good variety of Santa Fe's and is willing to give a decent price. I live in Memphis, not the best city for outstanding service, so I might try to go somewhere within a few hours away. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

hciaffa

I had stopped by a dealer to check out a Santa Fe and I notice that on the rear bumper there are what seems to be light lenses. Are these large reflectors or are they functional working lights such as extra brake lights or running lights. Any input would be apprciated.

autoteen

Does anybody know what Model # is for the Clarion CD/Tuner sold with Santa Fes in Canada???

lpostle

I would like to get some idea what people are paying for their Santa Fe GlS model. I have research the price through Edmunds and would like to know what to deal for? Any input would be appreciated!

mrtwix500

This question has been brought up in the past... Refer to posts #183 & 184 for info...

Does anyone have an update on this subject?

MrTwix

luv2u

In our paper this past couple of weeks I read an article about Hyundai being in financial trouble.
Anyone else read about this and would it deter you from buying a Santa Fe????

adamjrae

I was planning on putting bulbs in the bumper area but I took them back because I was too busy at the time. I think I'll try again in the future. All you need is the correct size light holder, bulb, wire, and a way to drill out the plastic for the bulb to fit or a way to take apart the red part and remove the plastic plug. If you take the red part off you will clearly see what you need to do.

alfromuk

I'm thinking of buying the GLS FWD for my wife, I took it out for a test drive and was impressed, any negatives? I don't want to pay more than $20k out the door.

snowman2596

I am very interested in buying a Santa Fe. However, my wife is a little hesitant because it has less storage room than our current Blazer. We have one child and another due very soon. Also, we will be traveling exstensively, as I am in the military and comfort and storage is a major concern. I think we will probably be able to get all our luggage, two car seats, a playpen/porta-crib, and four people in comfortably. Also, we will be in Alaska and I am wondering how the all wheel drive system will respond in the snow and ice. Any information anyone has and is willing to share would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

darryl10

If you are comparing the Santa Fe to the current blazer, I am pretty sure that the Santa Fe has more room. I have a CRV which has a simlar awd system.In the snow, it is excellent.I would *highly* recomend that you get abs/traction control and especially the limited slip. That will help you go through anything. Also, if you want another vehicle to consider, try the CRV. We really LOVE the flip down tray.For example, if a child needs some disciplining (or a bottle!), my wife can go from the front to the back while we are driving, like a minivan. This is the "pass through" feature and if you got small kids, is wonderful.If you have a problem with the baby in the Santa Fe, the wife will have to climb over the seat, [non-permissible content removed] up style! The CRV can hold four people and their crud,is great for families is good in snow, has excellent resale, reliability and does well in snow (I live near lake Tahoe, we know snow!). The Santa Fe has more room,nicer ride, seats, and, properly equipped, will be better in the snow.Just thought you'd want to know. Oh, even with abs/traction and limited slip, you are still limited in the snow by the tires (get dedicated snows!) and ground clearance. Santa fe has 8.2 , some other SUV's (like the Explorer) have much less. Subaru also has less clearance, but you will see that they are popular up in Ak. To answer your question, I think the awd in the Santa Fe would do quite well where you are going.

gtseitz

Monkg explained how surprising the acceleration is in a 4 cyl. Is it a 5 speed? I live in the city and love a 5 speed but the traffic kills your foot.

prashantk

This post is with regards to you stating that Hyundai is in trouble and is that deterring people from buying the Santa Fe.

First of all Hyundai is a huge corporation. In Asia (significantly in Japan, Korea and so on), a company like Hyundai (parent) usually operates many other companies (corporations), sort of keeping it all in the family/ family-owned business conglomerates -- called chaebol in Korean . This is done to keep the costs of operating the business down and to keep competition out.

The Hyundai that you are speaking about and that seems to be in trouble is one such division and that is the Engineering Division, which is predominantly the Construction division and not the motor division. The motor division is doing extremely well and is actually trying to pull the engineering division out of the woods. I am reproducing a portion of the news:

Hyundai's troubles have been exacerbated by a family feud. Hyundai Motor chairman Chung Mong-ku lost to his younger brother, Mong-hun, in a struggle for leadership over the conglomerate earlier this year. The ensuing family squabble delayed reforms and sapped investors' confidence in the nation's leading conglomerate.
In a dramatic reverse of roles, the crestfallen Mong-hun asked his estranged elder brother recently for financial support to salvage Hyundai Engineering. Mong-ku agreed to buy $190 million in assets and stakes Mong-hun could not quickly unload. But he did it only after his younger brother apologized.

Also take comfort in the fact that 70% of all automobiles in Korea are sold by Hyundai. That is sufficient proof of their health.

Also they are now the hottest car makers in India. Their cars are at the top of the popularity and growing in sales edging out Ford and some domestic makers along the way.

darryl10

I believe ( I might be wrong, correct me if so) that Hyundai recently bought Kia and was considering Daewoo, but backed out. Daewoo is no longer making cars and might be liquitdated. Yikes!

want1

Got ours for +$300 over invoice.

hmshoodfan

The model is the Clarion RDB365D. Single CD/AM/FM. No Cassette.

leigh8

Looking for a good dealer in Oklahoma. (Central)

Any recommendations? Also, we are having a hard time finding a GLS FWD w/ ABS and Traction Control. Anyone else finding this combination hard to find? I'm so jealous of you all w/ your new Santa Fes.

jsrace

I noticed a vibration in the steering at 60mph.No vibration below that speed and seems to go away somewhat over that speed.Dealer checked out everything and can't find out what is causing the vibration.He is waiting for an answer from Hyundai USA.To see if this has happening to others elswhere.This can't be normal and he agrees.I did read here about someone with the same problem.Besides this problem which I figure they can fix, I think the Santa Fe is a great SUV.The fit and finish are excellent.It is a Sandstone AWD LX. Paid $500 below sticker...N.Y.

monkg

I have a five speed four cylinder. I test drove the six cylinder auto and was not imressed enough to warrant the additional cost and loss of gas mileage. Try the five speed you will be impressed with how smooth the gears are. By the way I also notice a slight vibration when I go over 60 MPH, but it is "Slight". I am still in love with my Santa Fe, and get lot's of look's and "What kind of SUV is that?" And regarding pice I am in California and had to pay full MSRP, but only because I had a trade in the deal. The dealer told me He would sell the car to me for a little over invoice if I took my trade out of the deal, but I was in to much of a hurry to get the car and did not want to have to deal with the hassle of selling my old "base" Caravan.

toeouch

I posted a long message a few days ago in which I discussed my sundry problems with my two day old Santa Fe. Vibration at 60 mph was a problem for me; the dealer has been working on it for several days along with replacing the defective master cylinder. They examined the tires/wheels and found one out of balance, but that did not fix the problem. They have now decided to take four tires/wheels off another Santa Fe that did not have the vibration and put them on mine. This will at least indicate whether the problem is indeed with the tires/wheels or e.g., drivetrain. To give you some idea of the perceived gravity of this situation, a Hyundai regional service engineer is coming Friday to personally examine the situation. They are clearly worried about "Tributitis." I do hope they resolve both the brake and vibration problem. JSRACE may need to have his tires replaced as well. I am, on the one hand, pleased that Hyundai has taken the time to try to acknowledge and resolve this issue, although I am a bit troubled, on the other, that my car has been with me for two days and with the dealer for nine. I will let you know the final outcome when that happy moment arrives...

georgefarmer

I am close to buying a Santa fe. I hope this vibration thing is not in all of them. I plan to test the one I will buy up to 60 mph or more to see for myself before I sign the papers.

hmshoodfan

I have had my Santa Fe, a Canadian GLS (approx=US LX AWD) for exactly one month today and it has been flawless for 1250KM. No vibration at 60MPH or any speed, although I have admittedly been taking is a bit easy until I hit 2000KM. Only major diff with US LX model is the tires on mine are Michelin LTX M/S not BFG Radial Long Trail TA's.
Certainly give it a good test drive, at various speeds, and on different road surfaces, before you buy.

To nitpick, my only 'problem' with the vehicle so far is the fuel filler entry hole is so snug that back pressure builds a bit too early and the fuel flow will cut off pumping at least 12 litres before full with only light fuel flow (the tank holds 65litres). If I followed the manual and stopped at the first cut off I'd be getting only 53 litres or even less in the 65 litre tank.
This is not a big deal in my mind, just nitpicking, as things have been great so far....

402mysantafe

I've had my pewter SF for three weeks now. Just put on a little over 1000 mi. Had no problems until yesterday when I was driving up one of our main roads (Dodge St.) and my brakes went out. Talk about PANIC!!! I was going up hill so I was able to slow down before I veared off the road and onto the median. Luckily this was late so no cars were around. I did manage to hop over the curb and median and onto a flat surface. But I kept moving. Then stupid me remembered the hand break which did help a little. I was too afraid to drive it to the nearest gas sattion so I called AAA and they towed to their holding area so they could take it back to the dealer for inspection.

Well, dealer got it this morning and said it was a good thing I didn't drive it any further. They said it might have been some kind of faulty computer thingy an about the break line. Sorry I don't understand car talk. He said they will have to further inspect the car and maybe have people from Hyndai come down and look at it. In the mean time I have a loaner. They told me they would put me in a new SF when they come in (hopefully next week because this little sentra doesnt cut it). He also gave me free oil changes for the duration that I own the car. I told him I would take it as long they tested the brakes before I drove off. Anyway I'm just glad i didn't get hurt. Hope this doesn't happen to anyone else.

I will update when I get back from trip

adamjrae

hmshoodfan I have same problem with fuel except in gallons :-) I think that is why I'm getting different numbers when trying to get a MPG each week. All I do now is put gas in and if it stops then I do 2 more squeezes to keep it consistent.

hmshoodfan

Hi Adam,
Apologies, in my sleepy haze while entering my comments I forgot to sign my name.

Jeff Barclay

hmshoodfan

Hi Adam,
Apologies, in my sleepy haze while entering my comments I forgot to sign my name.

Jeff Barclay

georgefarmer

I am starting to worry a bit with these problems I'm reading about ie; vibration, brakes, etc. Still have the Santa Fe as my top choice with Jeep GC next. Plan to but a SF when I sell the Jeep. Anyone want a 93 Jeep GC, Laredo 4WD, V6, 94K for $6900? In SC.