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Comments
Look in the Technical Bulletin section and you will find a folder with this section in it. The Hyundai part number for the air filter is 97619-38100. It IS NOT a factory installed part per their website.
They opened a file on this and agreed to reimburse me for the $50 cost of a Hyundai wind deflector upon sending them a receipt. It does not cover the installation, which I'll do myself anyway.
Two comments about this. One, my dealer will most certainly hear about this, at least from me if not from Hyundai as well. "They all do that" is not the right answer to give a customer when dealing with a vehicle problem, regardless if it is by mechanical failure or design flaw. Second, this is not the first time Hyundai has helped me out when a dealer either wouldn't or couldn't. One more reason to purchase a Hyundai.
Brad
Also, when I brake and hit a bump just before an intersection, the transmission does not seem to know what to do and I have skidded into the same intersection twice now. Otherwise, apparently there is a problem for mechanics to access computer records of car with handheld computers but this is not major. I am very happy with the Santa Fe purchase so far.
Brad
Be advised, don't bother to have the dealer install a tow hitch (@ $350). You can buy a bolt on model most anywhere for about $160. They made a couple hundred EASY dollars from me on that one.
Dealer prep should be included in the sales price, not added on, imho. And protection packages, VIN etching, pin stripes -- all that stuff isn't needed and is mostly dealer profit.
If you want the extended warranty you can negotiate it now, but you can always buy it later, and I suspect any Kia dealer will be happy to sell you one. Not to mention the aftermarket extended warranty companies out there (I think we run ads for one of them too <g>).
Good luck Esamson, and keep reminding yourself that it's a buyer's market right now and stick to your guns.
Steve, Host
I was lucky enough to have two dealerships relatively close to each other. One quoted me a great price, but when I went to see the vehicle they didn't have one on their lot but 'could get it very quickly'. What they were quoting me on was the same vehicle that was on the other dealer's lot (both dealerships are owned by the same person, so they share a common inventory list). Since that dealership had "miss communicated" with me regarding having the vehicle physically on their lot, I elected not to do business with them. I should also note that the dealer who had physical posession of the vehicle would not release it to the other dealership because of our "pending deal". Anyone who would lie (about availability, price, etc.) just to get you on their lot is practicing unethical salesmanship. The same kind of dealership who might also employ unethical people in the service department. This dealership showed me two other vehicles with the same trim line that day. One had a pronounced engine knock, the other had 2,000 miles on it and had been used by a smoker. As if!
Case in point: This same unethical dealership's parts department manager said the moon roof deflector for my car that I ordered would be in this past Monday. When I called the parts department at the dealership where I purchased my vehicle for the same part, they told the truth: Hyundai is re-designing the part and it hasn't been released for sale yet. The OLD part is still available, but has been proven defective. This is probably the part the unethical dealership wants to sell me.
esamson, if the dealer you have been speaking to can't or won't get you a valid, in stock VIN # and written agreement, I hope the drive back home from the dealer isn't too far. I hope you get a fantastic deal from them. Let us know what happens.
$22,900 would still be a great price for the AWD LX though. Maybe you can reach a compromise... say $22,400? Best of luck!
The 10yr warranty covers drive train components, which includes AWD system. More than likely you will sell the vehicle long before the warranty runs out, unless you put a lot more than 12k miles on it annually.
Higher resale.
Better to have the capability and not need it than to not have it and need it.
To play devil's advocate, reasons for not going with AWD:
Gas mileage (IF you drive a lot of miles annually). Plan on spending about $150 more each year for every 10k miles you drive.
Drivability. True, the AWD is slightly less responsive as the 2wd. However, if speed/response is an issue, an SUV is the wrong way to go anyway.
I elected to get the 2wd model mostly for the higher MPG rating and we don't get much ice/snow in the south. The price difference in the two models was another factor as well. It was very close to a toss up. Now that I've done my research after the fact, I wish I had gotten the AWD if for no other reason than the resale value.
Showed him the TSB. After running around with the TSB to all the people of any importance in the service department he came back with the following unbelievable figures.
$30.00 for the filter and $130 to install it. He clearly had no idea what was involved with the installation as he said they would bill for 2 hours of technician time to do the job. Needless to say, I'll do it myself
While it is true that the winters here can be bad, the roads are usually cleared within 24 hours of a snowfall. Once they have been cleared, the front wheel drive is really more then adequate. At least for me it is.
I don't know what brand hitch my dealer installed on my SF, but the $350 price was ridiculous considering it was a bolt-on accessory. I don't know if 'Hidden Hitch' is a brand name or just a type of hitch, but those are tucked underneath the vehicle and pretty much out of view. My dealer-installed hitch doesn't protrude out very far (about 1" from the bumper without hitch sleeve) and that's fine by me.
The most important thing is that you match the hitch capacity to your vehicle's capacity (I don't know what that is off the top of my head, and it varies with vehicle and engine size). I need to put a decal on my hitch, as it is rated higher than the vehicle can pull. I wouldn't want someone to read the capacity on the hitch and assume that the vehicle can pull that as well.
TSB # for installation/replacement: 03-97-002
There are instructions for everything. If you're squeamish about, say, replacing your speakers on your own you might want to hire an installer.
Oh, and the hitch tucks very neatly into the bumper so that only the reciever can be seen.
-Jason
Good luck.
Tim
Pete
I test drove EVERY other small SUV on the planet and the Santa Fe came out light-years ahead of the others on value for the money (especially when you consider their incredible warranty.) Handling on the AWD feels very secure. I live in upper east Tennessee (near the NC border) and am not infrequently on some fairly treacherous roads in hostile weather. Nothing she can't handle so far. Three weeks isn't nearly long enough to make a firm recommendation, but I can say that I've never been this in love with vehicle.
Hope this helps other prospective buyers. Will be more than happy to answer any questions.
I e-mailed about 10 dealers asking for their price based on my requirements. I was flexible in options. I could have been happy with no options to having all options... with the exception of the tow hitch and sunroof. Didn't want either one. I got 6 prices and one telling me he didn't have what I was looking for. After comparing the prices, I thought I had figured out who had come in the lowest. It wasn't until I went to the dealership and figured out at that point that his price he quoted already included the $1000 rebate. A little something he conveniently omitted from his bid. This tactic was on two or three of the bids. Just a word to wise for all of you if you are using this method. Overall, using the e-mail method was much better than haggling on-site. I hate it with a passion. IMO, internet pricing is the way to go.
-HTD
Steve, Host
The same thing happens in reverse when the car is coasting around curves. I can duplicate the deceleration at will with two different "curvy" sections of neighborhood, low speed streets. In the deceleration exercise, it feels and acts like I have downshifted in a manual from 3rd to 2nd gear doing 40. The front end dips, everyone/thing in the car is rather forcefully moved forward and the rpm's rise. I am gently pressing on the break and basically coasting to a stop. The speed will be 25 mph, around sharp curves and I will be gently braking for an upcoming stop sign. I do not nor have I ever touched the shiftronic section of the gear shift.
The car will occasionally get stuck in gear. This doesn't happen every time, but often enough that I am very careful driving. I will be driving, but maintaining a speed. A car will enter the roadway 300 feet ahead of me. Rather than brake, I take my foot off the accelerator and coast until the entering traffic has gained speed. When I attempt to accelerate to regain speed, the gear may or may not shift. The RPM's will rise, the car will accelerate, but the gears won't shift. I've gotten as high as 5500 rpm's at 50mph. The only way I've found to get the gears to shift when this happens is to stop pressing on the accelerator, let the car coast and allow the rpm's to drop to close to idle. Then try accelerating again. Only once has this not worked and I repeated the exercise and the gears finally shifted.
When the car is cold and I put it in reverse, like backing out of the driveway or from a parking space, with each revolution of the tires, there is a loud thud and then a grinding coming from the driver rear side. This goes away when I' ve driven several miles. If I am just making several short stops, the sound and grinding will remain with every stop.
The interior light while set on door, may or may not work when the rear hatch is opened. No seeming method to this one. It works sometimes and other times it doesn't. It is clearly set on door.
The headlights will flash on and off while driving at speeds over 30 mph. This light failure is only for a split second and if you aren't watching for it, you may miss it while driving, but it is quite clear when someone else is driving the car and I am watching for it with the Hyundai in the rearview mirror.
The gas mileage is bad. I live in Florida with no hills unless you count the highway overpass. I got the GLS with 2WD and average 17 mpg on the highway. I am not a leadfoot by any stretch of the imagination. The Hyundai replaced a Jeep Grand Cherokee (175K miles) with a heavy duty towing package and 4WD that got 17 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway.
The car is on it's fourth visit to the dealer in as many months. They keep telling me everything tests fine on the computer. The car is at the shop again currently.
I looked at every SUV out there when I was shopping. I really like the Hyundai and everyone else I have talked to has had great luck, but this car seems like a lemon.
Does anyone have any suggestions or know how to address any of these problems?
Leighsah
I wouldn't give up on Hyundai in general, but your's does seem to have it fair share of problems. I'm surprised the dealer hasn't been able to duplicate the transmission problem during a road test. Maybe you need to have a tech come out to the house in the morning and drive it first thing in the morning.
The dome light is just a switch hanging up, I'm sure. They should fix this without batting an eye.
As for the headlights, that is a new one on me. I've not heard of this before.
Don't give up, and don't give in. Keep hounding the dealer until they fix it, replace the vehicle or give you your money back.
Since you didn't get the moonroof option, the crossrails come free with the vehicle. If your dealership charged you for them, I would probably have an issue with them.
Congratulations on a great deal! I've got the same package but with the moonroof for $23,650 ($22,650 after rebate). The dealer added side step rails, mud flaps, "gold" package (gold plated badging), etched anit-theft window glass and cross rails for free. Despite all this, you still wound up getting a much better deal than I.
The website is http://home.nyc.rr.com/twospirits411/
Among the mods/installs listed are..
Rear Fog Light Conversion
OEM Fog Light Install
Fog Light only with Parking lights mod
Washer Light (signaling) Install
Radio Noise Filter install
Installing Indiglo Gauges instuctions
Converting side markers to signal markers
Accessing the Cabin Air Filter
Headlight Buzzer mod
Rear Spoiler install guide
Side Steps install guide
Adding Fender Flares guide
and much more.
I like the looks of the Santa Fe so if everything else is equal or close I will get one. The one thing I haven't been able to tell from reading spec sheets is what is the car like in real world use.
Those of you that use if for towing, what are you towing with your Santa Fe? I'd like to be able to tow a boat and a pop-up camper at some point. Can it tow a 17 foot runabout?
I'd also like to know how good it is for hauling stuff. Could someone share experience with hauling stuff like lumber and other home fixing stuff?
Thanks.
Anyone who hasn't viewed his site, do yourself a favor and look at it. MANY cool things for our Santa Fe's.
As far as hauling stuff, mine is too new to put anything but groceries in at this point (and only if they are triple bagged!), but from what I hear the rear seats are not the easiest in the world to fold down because you must first remove the headrests, then buckle the seats down in place.
Some other advice: Invest the extra money in the AWD version if you can. Higher resale later down the line, and the extra parts are all drive line and therefore covered by the 100k warranty. The gas mileage difference for the 3.5L engine is negligible.