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Comments
BTW, I took a test drive and was underwhelmed by the engine ... I so wanted to buy this car -- but not with the 'gulp and lurch' I experienced.
Please explain what you mean by this? I tested a 3.8 premium plus package and it was smooth. Like one poster said, it doesn't snap your head back when you mash the gas pedal, but you take a peek at the speedo and before you realize it...you're at 100 mph.
If you're looking for flat out, grip the steering wheel, head snatch power...the Genesis is not the one for you, go get a G8, Charger R/T or the new Acura TL-S, the Genesis is smooooooooooth! Like a shot of Remy XO!
They didn't have them all on the lot at the same time. However, I can attest to the fact that any one time...they've had 4-5 on the lot at one time. This was at Alexandria Hyundai in DC metro area.
Last week they had one on the showroom floor,
two right in front of the showroom windows and
6-8 on the dealership front row right on the street.
Thanks for the informative posting.
As for the allocation, since I would want a white V8 with tech, I am at the mercy of Hyundai corporate if they want to allocate that exact vehicle to my local dealer? With the low end cars the dealer seems to get several of every possible color & option combo (they show 111 Sonata's on their web site). Since the Genesis are so rare I am sure that wont be the case. I guess that will help promote the additional markups on the popular cars?
My local dealer does now show 1 V8 on their web site. I will call them tomorrow and see if it is "real".
As I said earlier, it seems Hyundai is moving the Genesis despite every bad news coming from the economy working against the product (and other factors working against the product as well). For most dealers, I'd venture to guess the Genesis isn't sitting on the lots and rotting, as some had predicted pre-launch.
While the long-term scorecard and the intangible effects on the rest of the line + the brand itself are much unknown at this point, I have been impressed (and frankly, surprised) by the car since arrival. Now, from a sales perspective, the Genesis has entered the market and already, it has positioned itself extremely competitive against the veterans in the field. When you finished ahead of cars such as the RL, GS, S80, and within sights of the M and A6, you’d call that a spirited month. Of course, reaching the level of the 5er and E-Class anytime soon is unlikely.
On another note, with year-end approaching, the Genesis should be on the short list of many reputable Car of the Year awards. I’d not be surprised if Hyundai takes the honor, with this car resembling similar potential to the first LS – so far so good – Hyundai is writing part II of that story.
HMA will have to allocate the vehicle that you want to your dealer for them to be able to take it. However, if you know what package and color that you want, and are willing to wait a little while, you could go in and ask them to "preference" the car that you want, and that MAY increase the chances that they will get the exact car that you want. If this dealer is selling a bunch of Genesi, then they will most likely be able to get the car that you want.
The other option would be to ask them to dealer trade one for you. However, if they are stocking 111 Sonata's, then I would guess they would be able to get anything that they want from Hyundai!!!
Test drove a 3.8 Tech package. From a stop, stepping on the gas resulting in a pause followed by a lurch forward. This was so appalling that when I was on the highway contemplating a move from the slow lane to the fast lane (which had plenty of traffic), I feared for my safety. I finally got up the nerve to move into the fast lane and the car did fine, with no 'gulp and lurch' at highway speed. Overall, I would say my Nissan Pathfinder (1999) is a much smoother car at slower speeds. I asked the salesman about it and he gave me some BS about how the Genesis adapts to the driver's driving style.
Also, I was not so impressed with the sound system. It gets such high billing I was expecting to be awed, but I couldn't tell a difference from my Pathfinder. And, while the salesman told me the Genesis has HD radio, the salesman couldn't get the car to tune to any digital stations (he said there weren't any, but I know they exist in Fairfax, VA). Furthermore, I was very surprised to see three exposed speaker coils in the trunk (sort of on the roof of the trunk). I know it wouldn't take too many trips to the trail with my bike in the trunk before my bike pedals destroyed those speakers.
As far as the sound system. That's a subjective thing. I have been installing sound systems for 15+ years and there has never been any Pathfinder that had a system that I would call great. If you have the BOSE system, then it's quite possible that you have one of the good sounding ones as BOSE is overrated in the automobile application. I've heard some BOSE systems in cars that sound like utter crap. Also, since the Pathfinder is yours, you've taken the time to fine tune the sound to your liking...did you take the time to do the same with the one in the Genesis? Someone else could have changed the settings and since we all listen differently...their settings could have sounded like junk compared to how you like to listen to music. Just a thought...not too many folks have anything negative to say about how the sound system sounds, maybe that the stereo itself could be a little better in terms of operation, but nothing negative in the sound department.
The speaker coils (as you call them) are not exposed as they are inside of the speaker and would be quite protected from bike pedals by the magnet that you actually see. The only way you would destroy a speaker from underneath would have to be something very slim like a spike, screwdriver or something of that nature that could be pushed up through the speaker basket (frame of the speaker) and through the actual cone of the speaker. Puncturing the speaker would exactly destroy it, but the sound wouldn't be as good, but it would still play.
I do understand that folks would like to see a piece that covers the underside of the deck, and they hold that against the Genesis. In real life though, how often do you find yourself looking at the underside of the rear deck? I mean...unless you stand under 4' tall, or actually climb into the trunk...your'e not gonna see it too often. Others, like yourself think that the exposed speaker backs mean they can be damanged much easier...that is also a misconception.
Try the folks down at Alexadria Hyundai and see if you have a different experience with the Genesis. The thing I like about them is you can tell who has had training with the Genesis as they have a little "plaque" on their desk that says they have been to certified Genesis training. Heck, while I was there last...a couple of them were playing with the sound system to see how it interacted using a thumb drive in the USB port. I wanted so bad to tell them they could only play MP3 files from a thumb drive, not AAC or WMA files, but they needed to figure it out on their own.
Your Pathfinder is probably old enough to not have drive by wire implemented in it, which is likely why it feels more responsive. Not saying the Genesis isn't at fault, just trying to provide some background commentary.
If that's an actual concern for you, then the Genesis (or any other sedan for that matter) is clearly not the vehicle you need. How often do you see 1) a luxury car at a "trail" and 2) someone put a bike in the trunk of one? :confuse:
sure it can - this being an unfortunate by-product of these newer electronic 'learning' trannies. It's actually rather simple - in an effort to maximize FE these traniies will usually be programmed to hold onto absurdly high gears keeping engine speeds to a minimum. So, therefore, when you do hit the accelaerator HARD or in any manner that the computer doesn't correctly interpret what you get is a big time multiple gear downshift and the 'pause' . A number of cars suffer from this malady including my own Avalon. Isn't technology wonderful?
Anyway, so the fact that it could be a programming issue, it may not necessarily be inherent in all the vehicles, right? I understand what you're saying, but how do you account for the many folks that have driven the same car at other places and the pause & lurch haven't been mentioned?
Also, based on what you stated, that would be with the car already rolling, what about from a dead stop as the original poster stated that's when it happened. Certainly, the tranny isn't trying to hold on to a high gear because it hasn't shifted up yet.
Car & Driver, 10/08: "It didn't take long on some of our favorite backroads to convince us that the decisions made by the chassis engineers in the area of spring rates and damping could benefit form a little revision. Maybe more than a little.""It was not difficult to use up all of the suspension travel, yielding hard bumps and episodes of head toss.""Our test car had premature upshifiting,...Hyundai techs tried reflashing the computer, but to no avail."
Automobile Magazine, 10/08: "But add a few bumps, and the Genesis takes a turn for the worse. The Hyundai falls completely to pieces on twisty, bumpy back roads. Push it hard and pavement irregularities send the Genesis heaving and wallowing down the road."
I do most of my driving on twisty, bumpy back roads.
The Genesis is number one on my list of potential cars, but I am concerned about the above as this is similar to problems that Hyundai is noted for in many of its cars, including my 2007 Azera.
I hope Hyundai will note all these and fix them now.
I have driven my Azera on many different types of roads, from straight & smooth all the way to twisty & windy. If driven as the car should be, there really are no issues. At least in my case. I have come to find that I haven't experienced any of the suspension issues most have complained about, but...I can say that hitting uneven pavement in curves makes the car feel a bit skittish, but that's with the factory wheels & tires. When I have my aftermarket 20" wheel & tire package on...the car feels much, much different.
I think that Hyundai needs to be a bit more aggressive in the suspension tuning. Luxury doesn't have to mean butter soft and floaty. With the smooth power that the Genesis has (either V-6 or V-8), it's going to make people want to push it a little bit. I mean...what's the use of having that power if you can't really enjoy it? I tested a 3.8 and over city type streets it rode rather confidently and smooth. There was now jitterbug felt when rolling over man-hole covers, pot holes or uneven pavement in a straight line. I haven't been able to take one and drive it the way I really want though.
Only thing I can tell you is...get one for a test drive and hit some roads that'll give you that feel to let you know how it'll be.
Are you implying 1) that an athletic person should not have or be seen driving an entry level luxury sedan? or 2) that a biker should bolt a bike rack to the roof instead of using the spacious trunk?
I used to know a guy who habitually hauled firewood in the back of his Rolls Silver Shadow. Ruined about a grand worth of Wilton wool carpet doing so.
That would be like me complaining that I can't throw some 4'x8' sheets of plywood in the back of my 550i. If that were something that I regularly needed or wanted to do, it'd make a whole lot more sense for me to choose a vehicle more suited to that role. That's not to say that rugged-active types can't enjoy some luxury, too. They make luxury/near-luxury SUVs that fit that purpose nicely. Here's a short list of some that are somewhat within the price range of a nicely equipped Genesis:
VW Touareg V6
Acura MDX
Lexus RX350
Lincoln MKX(?)
BMW X3
Infinity FX35 (although it's utility is questionable)
Toyota Highlander V6
Nissan Pathfinder
Ford Flex
Ford Taurus X (formerly known as the Freestyle)
Buick Enclave
GMC Acadia
I could go on with several more, but I did say a "short list."
Hyundai overinflates the tires that they deem is for export. One time I checked the tire press on a 08 sonata and it was like over 50psi.
Actually, I did not choose the car -- I merely went to look at one and thought I'd share my observations with other people who might be interested in this car. The point of the observation does not apply solely to bikes. The trunk is there to be used. For example, suppose one has the trunk filled with luggage; then the young bellhop yanks out a piece of luggage only to find that the handle caught (and extracted) the speaker. Or anything with a long strap could get caught. If anyone but you is pulling it out, they might not be too gentle.
Also, you might be interested to know that in the past my Honda CRX and Nissan 300ZX have served me well to transport my bike to the trail head. In fact, for the last 20 years, I've used trunks (and hatchbacks) for bike transport with no trouble. When I buy my next car, which will likely be a sedan, I expect to continue doing so.
You seem to be a bit extreme in your thinking. I mean...if someone were trying to extract something from a trunk and it wasn't coming out too easily (if at all), I would think common sense would prevail to find out what is hindering the extraction. Also, maybe I'm just anal about some things, but when I pack a trunk for travelling...I make sure I pack it in such a way that handles and straps aren't going to get in the way of taking them out.
Oh yeah, if a bellhop were able to extract a speaker by simply tugging on some luggage that MIGHT have gotten caught up on it...I wanna meet him. He would have to be the Terminator of bellhops to make that happen. The speakers are mounted in the deck in a top-mount fashion, meaning...it's dropped into a hole cut out for it in ther rear deck where a flange holds it in place and it's secured by screws, bolts or rivets.
Besides, if you pack the trunk of the Genesis to the point stuff is smashed up against the bottom of the rear deck, then once again...you would have chosen the wrong car for you as it would seem you would need a vehicle with more luggage space...like a station wagon, mini-van, mid-size SUV or cross-over.
My last two vehicles ('03 Avalon, '06 Avalon) have had this exact setup for the subwoofer and neither has been damaged. I have had both cars' trunks packed to the gills will no problems. It may have been mentioned before but the reason the sub is mounted this way is so the trunk acts as an enclosure for the speaker. It is what the pros call a "free air" mount IIRC.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
Anyway, it is what it is, but the bottom line is...you'll damage those speakers by playing them too loud before luggage will damage them.
Doug 71
Thx.
Doug71
With the financial markets and the general economy in the toilet I doubt too many folks are pulling the trigger on a new vehicle right now. All new vehicles generate some intial buzz and the Genesis has been well received for the most part. I wouldn't read to much into the waning interest on mesage boards, I think people just have many more things on their plate right now.
I will stick with everything I posted about the suspension being too firm on imperfect roads. It corners extremely well but they tried to make it sporty strictly with firmness and there is more to the "sporty" formula than that. This car loves good roads and is a pleasure to drive until you hit the rough stuff. And ... brace yourself if you go over a parking garage speed bump, even at one or two MPH! Tire pressure is a big deal on this car. I have always inflated tires one or two pounds over spec, but not on this car. Just that difference exacerbates the harsh ride on bumpy surfaces.
Something is going on with the engine/transmission programing that has caused it to be more tricky to avoid surge during acceleration from a stop. This car was perfect in the beginning but its artificial intelligence has outsmarted itself while it has been "learning" my driving habits. I am neither a speed demon or Grandpa Slowpoke but somewhere in the middle.
I may have exaggerated the fuel mileage by one MPG. Still good though for a car with as much usable power.
I'm still ticked off that the speedometer lies to me and that Hyundai claims that it is "within tolerance" (see my original post). I am not convinced that it was not intentional on the part of Hyundai, to make it look like the car is going 3-4% faster than it really is. And ... I still don't buy the fact that the odometer is completely accurate if they can't get the speedometer to be accurate.
I now rate the navigation system as the best I have ever had (and I have had them all). Also, they have nailed the simulated I-Drive (toggle control). Every menu item is simple to access and is very intuitive.
That's it. Good car overall with a few things that aren't perfect. Still the best $40,000 luxury sedan out there!
Was wondering if you had pictures of the mudflaps? Did you get the dealer to install or is this something you can do yourself? Would be very cool to see pictures...if you have them, please post. Thanks.
Chuman
By the way, to get off the topic for a moment, can you insert a CD in the unit and rip it into the hard drive??
By the way, to get off the topic for a moment, can you insert a CD in the unit and rip it into the hard drive??
It is not possible to rip a CD to the hard drive. Some reviewers have said that it can be done but they did not know what they were talking about. I think they had read pre-production specs which had said that it would be possible. I can assure you that the reviewers that said it could be done had never actually tried it.
Regarding the navi not showing upcoming street names, you are correct. For what it's worth, I have found that if I set the navi zoom to 700 feet, it superimposes the names of most streets while at the same time giving you a view of a wide enough area. I pretty much leave it set on 700 feet all the time.
Doug71
Winged Genesis Badge
Doug71
$28 + s&h...seems like it's gonna end up being close to the same price as the $30 at Korean Auto Imports. You said it wasn't sold in the U.S. and I was just pointing to a source that does indeed sell it in the U.S. My bad, I see that getting two will cost you $55 + s&h. However...it is being offered in the U.S.
If you visit that site and take a look at the offerings they have, you'll be surprised at what you can find to fix up your Hyundai. I'm sure as time goes on, there will be more stuff offered for the Genesis. Heck, the list has truly grown for the aftermarket offerings for the Azera!!!
Doug71
So you've already stated.
Just wanted to let everyone know that Pearl White Genesi should be at your local dealers any day now if they are not already there!!
Mine is supposed to be here tomorrow, and with Arkansas being in the middle of the country, I would figure most other dealers will have their cars in as well.
Just sold our first (and only) V8. Black on tan with tech. Seems like a really great trend that I'm seeing with this car. The people that are buying are coming in not to look around and find the Genesis, but coming in wanting this car and knowing the value that it represents with very little sales pitch needed. Now if my salespeople can just get used to a Hyundai being $42000, I think we'll be okay!!!
I looked over the car carefully last weekend and noted that the brown leather looks cheaper than the beige perforated leather and is seamed cheaply. Other aspects of the car like the faux stainless panels appear out of the 80's/ 90's Chrysler parts bin.
Still, for their first luxury car, a nice effort. After a little amount of time, Lexus, Cadillac, and Mercedes will be have a lot to be concerned about.