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Comments
Joe in Texarkana
Also the salesman told me that the sparetire is 90% of the full size. Is that going to be a problem with the stability or traction control?
The spare is only meant as an emergency fix...not intended for regular use. Your much better off with the smaller spare as many vehicles of this size stick it on the back end..such as the RAV4. That is poor placement as the slightest rear ender causes the tire to be pushed into the rear door and window. Rear mounted spares also limit rear visibility.
Joe in Texarkana
Model year end will be around Sept. of 2008...the current model is the 2007 that was introduced early.
Joe in Texarkana
Calendar year end - December, I take it?
Model year end - well, for the Santa Fe, the current model year end is the outgoing Santa Fe, which is the 2006 Santa Fe. The 2007 Santa Fe will likely run through well into the second half 2007, at which time, the 2008 model year (2008MY) will arrive (carried over for the most part, and generally true for most vehicles entering in its second model year). Just a quick note, all vehicles (in the US at least) are allowed to be sold a whole year ahead of its model designation, not often but has happened before, especially as of late - meaning Hyundai could have sold the 2007MY Santa Fe anytime after January 1, 2006.
jpanozzo1, what does Sept. 2008 represent? 2009 Santa Fe would be out (likely) by then
Yes, you are right. There are usually great deals around Christmas and the New Year. Then, in about July/August of next year, dealers will be trying to clear their lots of the 2007 SF to make way for the 2008 models. That is usually when you get the best deal.
Either way, we are all winners. This SF is great
I agree. I have always bought new cars either late in the year, or around Sept.
I really want a SF!!
It rides quiet and smooth...and is really well made. I can't get over the high quality of the fit and finish on this vehicle. I wanted it right away, but played that down...while making my deal. I told my salesman..I'd consider buying today, if he made me a great deal. He came back within 5 minutes and I was blown away. I bought the vehicle for 200 bucks under invoice. (per the Edmunds pricing schedule) I have owned and driven pretty many really well made vehicles over the years. The Mercedes ML 430 when they first came out was the tightest little SUV I had ever driven, a very well made SUV. The 07 Santa Fe ranks right there with it imho, and it comes in at less than half the price.
The interior is very well designed, everything is within reach, and simple to opertate. The most amazing thing to me is that when I first start the vehicle, I hear nothing and feel no vibration at all. Then I drive it, and it handles the road perfectly with close to zero cabin noise. I have never been as impressed with a car in my life. This much quality, with that awesome warranty, and all for this price, are you kidding me or what?
The Santa Fe LTD looks great too..the exterior design is really sharp. I love the dual exhaust withthe chrome tipped ends.
I look forward to driving this vehicle for a long time and am happy to say that I am now a full fledged fan of this manufacturer. The fact that it's made right here in the good old U.S.A., down Alabama way makes me very proud too.
Those folks who make these fabulous vehicles down there should be darn proud. This is easily the highest quality American made vehicle I have ever owned.
Sorry for rambling on my first post to the board, but I am just very excited about buying this awesome vehicle. Well done guys, very well done! Thanks to all the posters here for the great write ups....it's because of your posts and Edmunds. com that I now the proud owner of this vehicle.
Welcome to the small but rapidly growing club of 07 Santa Fe owners.
Looks like you got yours spec'ed out exactly like mine except for color.
Happy trails,
JCS
I'll bet he owns one soon.
JCS
lv2drv made a statement that she was going to wait until the model year end OR calendar year end to buy. It appeared she invested a lot of time to research a vehicle she would not buy for a year (end of model year for the 2007). I was wondering if she mistakedly thought the current 2007 SF was nearing the end of its model year.
Joe in Texarkana
I know the end of the model year for the 2007 SF will be July/August 2007. I always start looking early for a new vehicle. I want to make sure I get the right one for me. I also want to keep up with any complaints that may arise for the new vehicle.
I would like to buy at the end of this calendar year. My husband would like to buy at the end of the 2007 SF model year, which would be July/August 2007. A lot of things come into play here; getting a great deal, finding the time to get the vehicle (he has a demanding job), we live miles away from the nearest dealership; and finances. Since he hasn't been home much the last few weeks, we haven't had much of a chance to talk about it. Another thing, we may sell our current vehicle to our daughter in VA. We would drive it out to her; more time and when to do it!
Anyway, just this summer, I started getting more serious since the payoff of my car is mid-November. I started looking at this website and the forums. I don't remember how exactly I ended up here, but nearly all the comments regarding the SF are positive. I realized I could have something nearly like the Highlander, but much cheaper. I'm glad I did my research. And if I have to wait until next July, oh well, I will have to pray for patience because I really want this vehicle!
Let me preface my mini test drive review by saying I own an 2003 Honda Pilot EX.
I took a short test drive in an artic white 2wd limited last week.
I'll start by giving the Exterior rating a 9. Very sleek shape(for an suv)with nice tight joints where body panels meet. Much closer tolerances than my Honda.
Interior overall look gets an 8.
Interior quietness gets a 9.
The faux wood looks nicely done. I like the gauge layout and the dash switches and lighting look nice.
There are however some less than stellar areas. In my quick once over two area's really caught my eye as "cutting corners" in the interior. First thing was the interior levers used to open the doors. They seem to be made of low quality/thin plastic. In an area that will see a lot of use I bet there will be many lever failures and it will be redesigned rather quickly.
The second area of concern is the with the low quality feel and the lack of "finished" edges in the console between the
front seats. The latches and hinges felt flimsy and the openings were kinda rough and lacked any kind of nice trimmed edges like my Pilot.
The 3.3L engine gets an 8(pending real world mpg's). Cycling through the trip computer after the test drive it registered 12mpg's. Granted I didn't reset it before driving so the previous testers may have really been hard on
the gas.
Acceleration was nice...response was ok.
That said my Pilot's 3.5L is really gutsy(when needed)even moving such a large (4500#'s+) vehicle and I manage around 20mpg overall. So comparing the Santa Fe's 3.3 to the Pilot's 3.5...the Pilot seems to have a slight edge in the power plant department imo. Both vehicles have 5sp auto and both shift nicely.
Steering feel gets a 7.5. It had a little too much boost for my taste and it felt too disconnected from the road.
Standard safety features I'll give it 9. I'd give it a 10
but I consider good headlamps a safety feature and I wish h.i.d's were at least an option on the Santa Fe's. The standard projectors may be very good but my 350z has hid's and in fowl weather at night...there's nothing better than hid's. But the Santa Fe it has just about every other major active and passive safety feature standard which is impressive for this price range.
I've tested 2006 Rav4's in both v6 limited and a i4 sport models and in my opinion the Santa Fe bests them on most
fronts except for mpg rating and the V6 in the Rav is a beast.
Again I'm really looking forward to seeing actual 2007 Santa Fe user mpg's as it's the only thing holding us back from buying one. I sure would like to pick up a couple mpg over my Pilot.
Thanks,
Ken
Anyway,I was able to speak with a Hyundai training instructor at the Aurora,Il. traning faclities,in person,he was out in their parking lot taking a smoke break.
He had a 07 SF Limited for several weeks and had an average 22 MPG,that was mixed driving with 1500 miles on it.He stated it wouldn't break-in till at least 4000 miles.He sould know,being a service training instructor.
Also,his training partner just had driven a simular 07 SF from Alabama with very little miles on it,and got 28 MPG,that being straight hwy driving to Illinois.
900 Miles on the vehicle.
From day one, we averaged around 20 MPG in mixed (90/10) mostly city driving.
Since this weekend, it has improved to around 22 MPG in mixed (80/20) mostly city driving.
JCS
It was on the lot..powder white pearl with the gray leather interior....looks real nice. I can also say, that the quality of the leather is outstanding...very close imo to that which was in my Mercedes ML 430, maybe just a tad thinner.
We had picked out a Slate Blue with the tan leather, and it was sharp too...but the white pearl jumped out at us as we walked the lot. It's a really nice looking color on the SF, so that's what we brought home!
The place where we bought it had about 20 or so in stock ready to go.....in all different models and variations.
We drove a loaded AWD with every option in the white pearl....and it was great. Then we found the FWD Limited with just the sunroof and carpet mats..and it was perfect for our needs. We do not have the need for the third row seating and the dvd..etc etc. I would have liked to have NAV on this, but that's not available....so we took this version.
I can not send pics or even post them, as I don't know how to...lol.
Once again, I can not tell you all how very impressed I am with this vehicle. Every single thing about it simply amazes me...price aside. This is the single best vehicle in this price range in the class imo. I have ownned Lexus and Mercedes in the past....which are world class vehicles....guess what..so is the 07 Santa Fe in this configuration....right there in every way, save for price.
IMHO of course..YMMV
Congats on the purchase. Where did you purchase your SF? I've looked online in the DC area and they don't have too many, but they have more than rural areas. The SF has everything I want. Patience Grasshopper.
1. The vehicles are not selling well. In the case of the 07 SF I don't think this is an issue. However if there is an economic snafu, such as a repeat of last year's hurricanes, rebates could arise.
2. Model year end. Also not an issue with the 07.
But consider this. There was a substantial rebate on the 2006 models because not only were the 07s coming but a dramatically improved model. I could have purchased an 06 but after test driving the 07, it just wasn't worth it. I keep a vehicle a long time and will be much happier with the 07.
Cut your best deal using the internet and don't fret.
Joe in Texarkana
Based on some of the posts I have seen here, it would seem that some Hyundai dealers aroudn the country have confused themselves for Mercedes dealers...LOL. Here's the deal, IMO..Hyundai wants to get their new models out there..and in order to do so..they will have to offer great deals. My dealer gave me my new 07 SF for 200 and change under invoice on the first try. He wanted to sell a car, and I wanted to buy a car. I say to all potential buyers out there...use the internet as your tool. If your dealer won't give yout he deal you want, let your fingers do the walking. Send emails out to 50 dealers. Whoever comes back with the best price.....that's your guy! You can ship a car virtually anywhere in the country these days for 500 to 700 bucks. That means if your dealer will only give you 500 off window..but another will sell you at invoice or under.....you can buy the vehcile from him and have it trucked out to you..and still be way ahead of the game. Bottom line is this, cars are a commodity, just like PC's...shop around...cuz there's always a great price to be found.
My buddy owns a Hummer store in the area and does a huge internet business because he sells at or very close to invoice. He keeps 100 plus in stock and turns em fast...like he says, it's all about turnin them dollars.
I never understood the logic of a car dealer playing hardball...hey rocket scientist......it's just a car..and there are 500 places that will sell me the same thing right here at the tip of my fingers!
I went to the Toyota store and wanted to look at the Rav 4 and Highlander..and the salesman mistakenly thought he was the only guy in town selling that commodity...lol.
Shop around, have fun..but whtever you do...do not over pay anyone for something as plentiful as an automobile...that's my 2 cents on the subject!
Very happy so far...getting around 22mpg's with 80%city stop and go.
Again compared to our 03 pilot we had the SF rides smoother and is much quieter on the hwy.
Only problem so far is the leather seating surface on the driver's side seat bottom has become loose/slack and has got creases/wrinkles in it. I took the car back to the dealer this morning and the service manager immediately ordered a replacement cover and apologized for the problem. The other seats are fine. We only have 102miles on the vehicle so far.
On a rough road the line from the lighted area and the dark area, which is very distinct, bounces up and down which I find annoying. The only solution is upgrade lights, HID I think? or aim the lights up a 1/2 inch or so, not sure if this will help?
The SF also has projector headlights also so wondering if they perform the same. Will have to wait till daylight starts to drop off and test the car during complete darkness and drive on a rough road.
Thanks
PS... before anyone says use the high beams it is not always possible if a car is in front and I am too close to use them.
They are putting their money where their mouth is by offering 5 years warranty bumper to bumper and residual rates of 49% which says they guarantee your vehicle will be worth 49% of what you have paid after 5 years lease. From my research and from what I have seen, they are the new Toyota if not Lexus on the block.
While Mercedes and BWM have status, it is laughable how bad their vehicles are in terms of quality and repair history. Hyundai ranked 10th best brand up from 15th in 2005 ahead of Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Saab and Volkswagen and continues to grow in quality and customer satisfaction. Now they are in the top five.
The large 18 wheels give it a nice sporty look, while the back side pillars reflect a bit the BMW X5. The muscular back end hints at the Porsche Cayenne.
Can't wait to get our new 07 Santa Fe in the most wonderful lush shade of claret red!
Long live Hyundai.
Days away from leasing an 07 Santa Fe in red.
Also, I wonder how it would look.
Lee
That's right, I bought one. I put the details on the Prices Paid thread if your interested.
Two trips so far. 175 miles 90% highway 60-70 mph. Computer shows 23.9 mpg. Will know more after I fill it a few times. Gauge is at about 1/2 right now.