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Hyundai Sonata Owners Meet the Members
Please take a moment to introduce yourself and share some details about your Sonata!
My name is KarenS and I am the host of the Edmunds.com Owner's Clubs. Please let me know what discussions you would like to see in your Club folder. I will create them ASAP. You may want to take a look through the other clubs to get ideas for discussions.
Also, if you are interested in a live chat, I can arrange that for you. All Club chats are set up on
Tuesdays:
4:00-5:00 pm PT/7:00-8:00pm ET
-or-
Thursdays:
5:00-6:00pm PT/8:00-9:00pm ET
6:00-7:00pm PT/9:00-10:00 ET
7:00-8:00pm PT/10:00-11:00pm ET
(The latter may be rather late for East Coasters, but is available if you want.)
Let me know if you are interested in a chat and the day/time convenient for you.
Looking forward to meeting everyone!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
My name is KarenS and I am the host of the Edmunds.com Owner's Clubs. Please let me know what discussions you would like to see in your Club folder. I will create them ASAP. You may want to take a look through the other clubs to get ideas for discussions.
Also, if you are interested in a live chat, I can arrange that for you. All Club chats are set up on
Tuesdays:
4:00-5:00 pm PT/7:00-8:00pm ET
-or-
Thursdays:
5:00-6:00pm PT/8:00-9:00pm ET
6:00-7:00pm PT/9:00-10:00 ET
7:00-8:00pm PT/10:00-11:00pm ET
(The latter may be rather late for East Coasters, but is available if you want.)
Let me know if you are interested in a chat and the day/time convenient for you.
Looking forward to meeting everyone!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Thank you,,,, My name Nuance Hope to meet new friends and share their exp with their Sonatas.
Nuance
My wife and I own two Sonatas. One is a '95 base sedan with automatic which is my daily ride. It currently has 113+K miles. The other is a '00 GLS w/pkg 13, also automatic, with my wife being the daily driver. It has just over 24K miles since July 20, '00.
I look forward to discussing the new '02 Sonata design and engineering, among other things. It may well be the seminal car design which lets Sonata finally run with the big boys.
My name is maverick and this is the first time for me to post something in town hall. Now I am seriously searching for a new car and looks like 2002 sonata will be the exact choice. I just wonder how much I need to pay for this pretty baby. I know the 01 can be get at really low price but how about this new one? Do I need to pay something near MSRP? Any idea will be appreciated.
I agree with Paul, this definitely is very cool. I'm Ron, and have been reading and contributing to the Sonata postings for years. As a member of the Sonata owner's community I've been waiting for this opportunity for quite some time.
My family has owned the following 4 Sonata's:
1997 Special Edition; 1997 GLS, Loaded; 2000 Base, (a Fleet Model that has many extras); 2001 GLS, Pkg 13, loaded.
My wife's Special Edition was traded for the Fleet Model. Our daughter started driving my 97 GLS when we purchased the 2000 GLS.
All 4 cars have been virtually trouble free, and we have accumulated total mileage in excess of 175,000 miles.
I purchased the Fog Light Kit and a "Waterfall" grill from Focus Hyundai in Canada for the 2000 GLS. Focus Hyundai was very professional and knowledgeable. Installation was very straight forward. Sonatafan's Web Site has been very useful, and I thank him for his effort.
Last Wednesday, while the dealer performed Oil changes on the 2000 models, our daughter decided to trade her '97 Sonata for a 2001 Tiberon! The Tiberon certainly is sporty, and she absolutely loves it!
Many people complain about resale value. She was able to get almost $8000, trade-in. Considering the Sonata was over 4 years old, with 62K+ miles, we felt that was very good.
Enough of my rambling ... Thank you for all of your past posting, and the friendly tips. I look forward to future posts.
LANMAN2
While I, too, am excited about the 2002 makeover, I don't want the rest of us to be left behind. I'm looking forward to making improvements to my 2001 that'll keep it in a class by itself, like performance, sound, security, comfort, and styling mods.
Here's to a good time for all of us!
I purchased a light moss 2000 GLS back in March 2000. Its up to 27,200 miles now and the only problem so far has been the recall work. The wife and I love taking the car on long trips, hence the big mileage despite having a 25 mile round trip commute to work.
Regarding the 2002 Sonata, very awesome. This is a good place to use the word "breathless" to describe its beauty.
Happy Motoring !
I've added another discussion to the club.
Sonata Owners: What did you pay?
Anything else?
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
I own a `00 cypress green 4 cyl Sonata that I purchased back in January of 2000. Wow has it really been that long??? I'm happy as can be with my Sonata it hasn't let me down!
I'm pretty busy in my life outside the `net but I'm always willing to help anyone who needs it here!
Also, YAY we finally got this thing going! I guess drimple and I are off the hook for being moderators?!?!
Brian
Cool stuff!!
Nuancegls
Regards, Eric (Waxy)
Mike
Would be interested in adding fog lights. How much of a hassle is installation? Best place to get them? Appreciate any info. Thanks.
Also, the warranty is great, but I don't want to have the car in the shop even if it's covered. Like my medical insurance covers open-heart surgery, but I don't want the surgery.
What do you suggest? I am really torn between a fully-loaded Sonata with an $18,000 sticker and a bottom line Camry with a $22,000 sticker.
Thanks! Robin-Marlena
I'll bet you dimes to dollars you will like the Sonata better, not just because of the many options for the money.
As far as longevity is concerned, these cars keep getting better and better and whatever shortcomings in quality there may still remain are more than made up for by the warranty and initial cost savings. I have owned problem Toyotas
which required major replacements like Alt/Generator just before warranty expiration, complete brake rebuilds with less than 38K mi. on the odo., etc.
Our '00 GLS is humming along at 27K+ mi. and is my wife's daily drive. It is the safest, most luxurious car for the money you could ever find when fully optioned. You will swear it is a mini-Lexus. The KEY is to have a good dealership for service. Hyundai is currently in the process of getting better service facilities and attention from dealerships, especially in the routine maintenance area. They tend to rank slightly above average on other repairs.
Our fully optioned GLS has everything except rear spoiler and we never tire of hearing people remark how fine a car it is. See post #3 on this subject and also #1 in 'what did you pay' for particulars.
Good Luck either way.
Please send your response to jfallon@edmunds.com, or post in Talk to the Press.
Thanks!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
It caught my eye about one month prior to my buying it, and has been the only vehicle i continously looked at since.
When my 91 Truck with 109000 miles on it finally developed transmission problems, I knew it was finally time to seriously start thinking about a new vehicle.
Went to the dealership and they had two exact models, with exception being the other was the silver one. Now silver and black were two of my three choices of colors, and i was standing between both of them and had to choose.
I guess i should have used a little more common sense and realized that a black car would show dirt more than the silver one, but I could not resist. I got it that same day.
My name is Nathan, and I live in Central Mass.
My new 2002 sonata now has 72 miles on it. I took delivery yesterday from Rt2 Hyundai in Leominster Ma. I traded in my '94 accord lx (w/130k). The sonata gls (slate grey with gls black interior) came with the sunroof, sunroof visor, floor mats, and the cargo/trunk net all for the right price. As a former mechanic, I have driven accords, civics, camry's, corolla's, altimas, maximas, bmw 3 series, chryslers, dodge's, ford's ,chevy's, mazda's 626, VW's, etc, and if you are in the market for a new car, or even if you're putting off buying a new car until next year, go test drive a sonata. I am willing to bet that you'll feel that the benchmark has been moved up.
Thanks
Nate
One thing though, this fall as with last fall a leaf had been sucked into the fan motor housing and made that terrible clicking sound. I waited a week before climbing under the dash and tear down the fan motor to remove it. I found some little sticks in there also. I will install some screen mesh to prevent the re-occurrences in the future. Has any Sonata owners had the same problem?
I notice the finish on the car seems a bit rough to the touch even after a polish and wax. Any suggestions on how to get a real smooth surface again? Should I use polish or go to a rubbing compound?
For Sonata owners with leather: I notice the leather in areas that come in contact when I get in and out of the car has some accelerated wear. I've owned leather before and it seemed to be more durable. Also, if the hard plastic interior is scratched the slightest, it will leave a mark.
As for keeping the car looking new, I bought some clear floor mats to put over the ones that came with the car and has worked nicely in keeping them looking new. The clear mats do have some yellowing though.
That is all for now,
Ross
I use Mother's Pre-wax cleaner once or twice a year to remove oxidation. You could also just use a combination wax/cleaner.
Test drove a 2002 GLS today to get my postcard signed; nice car, and the sway bars really make a difference.
My wife recently traded her '97 Tiburon FX for a base '02 Sonata with Shiftronic, in Desert Sand. She absolutely loves it. I, too, am impressed; after reading a few of the auto mag reviews, I figured we'd be getting a grossly underpowered, wallowy, Korean Buick. Although the four banger could use more horses, and the suspension could be tighter, it's a surprisingly good car, well-mannered, with superb fit and finish, truly elegant styling, and a long list of amenities. My only complaints are the lack of heated side mirrors and driver lumbar support in this trim level.
My driving style is considerably more aggressive than hers -- I have a loaded '01 Elantra GT 5-spd -- yet I really do enjoy driving the Sonata; maybe the Shiftronic has something to do with it (her Tiburon had an automatic, and I despised driving it), or the fact that it feels so much more substantial than my Elantra.
Over the past thirty years, we've had various and sundry Toyotas, Subarus, and Mazdas. The Sonata is our fourth Hyundai; since we've had only a handful of minor problems (including recalls) over the past five years -- all promptly repaired under warranty -- we wouldn't hesitate to buy another.
If you have some time, we would really appreciate Town Hall members writing a review of their current auto, or a favorite make/model. It takes approximately a week for your review to appear on that make/model.
If you have any questions, please let me know!
Thanks!
KarenS
Host
Owners Clubs
I am convinced I made the right choice with this car.
Even though it's only a few days old with barely 200 miles on it, I'd recommend this car. I was a bit apprehensive to go Hyundai at first, but after that first test drive, and some price negotiating, I was hooked.
Everytime I went looking at various cars I drove past the Hyundai dealership. Then I decided to stop in and see what bang for the buck I could find. I took a test drive in a base model 2002 ruby red Sonata with a V-6, power moon roof, automatic SHIFTRONIC./rear spoiler/ etc. I was VERY impressed with everything about it.
Although the engine is not as refined and ultra quiet as the Camry v-6 for the money it has one heck of a great ride, acceleration. The noise levels were very low, acceleration and braking very close to the Camry with abs!
the car SALESMAN there still SUCK like every other dealership, playing the let me see what my manager can do b/s,and trying to make you pay high ball prices, stick with it and you'll find yourself walking out with a smile.
Hopefully I won't need the 5 yr warrenties use that much but it good to know as long as I'm paying for this sharp looking car it's there.
More information can be seen at:
http://www.knfilters.com
But you can take the part numbers to Autozone and they will order it for you. That's a little more expensive. I bought my stuff online at:
http://www.ajusa.com/cgi-bin/knfilters/start?kn
for a lot cheaper and didn't have to pay for shipping.
Here are the part numbers for the air and oil filters:
Sonata 2.4L L4 F/I K&N Air Filter 33-2188 All
Sonata 2.7L V6 F/I K&N Air Filter 33-2188 All
Sonata 2.4L L4 F/I K&N Oil Filter HP-1004 All
Sonata 2.7L V6 F/I K&N Oil Filter HP-1004 All
Granted the HP increase maybe 2 or 3 HP but every little bit helps. Plus you never have to replace the air filter. Just take it out every 30k miles, wash it off, apply some special oil to it and put it back in.
Now if you feel really froggy, check out:
http://www.hdkautosport.com/ and click on the webstore link.
Here's some more interesting stuff:
http://www.sharkracing.com/Hyundai/sonata.shtml
I hope this helps.
Thing is loaded minus ABS.
I am about 2 days from hitting 80,000 miules in uder 3 years of ownership.
the only "big" problem I had was a few months ago.
I had to have a "gas tank valve" replaced, but the cost was high...alittle over $300.
( If I had waited 3 more days, which I could have, and went elsewhere, at another Hyundai dealership, I could have saved about $100).
The CD player is also KO'd, but the casette deck works along with the radio.
Our fault; it was messing up under warranty, but waited too long. It died out last summer at 63,000 miles.
(Note: Have owned 2 Nissans and Both had cassette players, both died. One died at 8000 miles, and replaced free, the other took 6 years to die).
Good car, though.
Today it's in getting solar film put on, a must down here in Florida and especially with the dark interior. If the silver had been available with a medium gray interior, that would have been great, but Hyundai isn't exactly Burger King where you can have it your way - if you want a silver Sonata LX, then you must want a black interior, right? This brings me to a question... Has anyone found a source for sheepskin seat covers that fit well on the Sonata front seats and don't cost as much as the car itself?
Thanks,
Laurie
Merritt Island, Florida
I'm Bryan S. from the San Francisco area. I just purchased a 2002 Slate Grey Sonata LX with ABS/Traction Control and moonroof package for $18,500 plus tax and license.
I'm delighted. This car is luxury, styling and performance at discount prices. It's a smooth ride with a luxurious interior. The 5 year warranty is also reassuring.
My only concern is less horsepower than Hyundai reported in their specs. The Sonata sports 170 horsepower, instead of the 181 Hyundai reports. Does anyone know what Hyundai is doing to address this issue. There no doubt will be a class-action lawsuit, and Hyundai will have to settle with us 2002 owners.
I felt that it had very good power. I thought Hyundais were junkers but several friends owned them and had been driving them for years. After my research at JD powers and Edmunds, I decided to go look at them. I absolutely fell in love and got the color that I wanted - Desert Sand with beige leather interior, ABS and traction control, moon roof and shiftronic to name a few things. I had previously driven Chryslers since
1989 and have had problems with these cars that I won't mention here. I just found out that Hyundai is a major Korean conglomerate, the Honda
of Korea, only bigger. I just love this car.
Bob
After spending months researching to buy a new car I went from the VW Jetta, to the Honda Civic, to finally deciding on the Hyundai Sonata.
I got the Sonata GLS in Slate Gray with pkg 5 (sunroof, ABS w/ traction control) and the trunk cargo net. I paid $16,658 (with the $2000 rebate).
I decided against the Jetta because it was too pricey and I read it had too many problems. I decided against the Civic because it was too vanilla, and everyone had one.
I chose the Sonata because it is different. Not everyone has one. Plus, it kind of looks like a Mercedes/Jaguar mix. It's like owning an expensive car but only paying pennies for it. And as long as my car lives up to my expectations (few problems, great ride, last's me a long time) I'll feel like even more of a winner than I already do. Hyundai wasn't kidding when they said buying one is a "win-win" deal.
But, I would suggest going down to a dealership, getting in the car, and seeing for yourself. You may have a longer/shorter torso, or legs than I do, and that may make a different in personal fit.