Hyundai Santa Fe (2006 and earlier)

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Comments

  • georgefarmergeorgefarmer Member Posts: 98
    MS Carpoint needs to eilimate these SF bashing reviews. Sure there will be problems with this vehicle. My 93 Jeep GC when i first bought it was in the shops for days and days with antilock brake problems. They were finally fixed and I kepp it for 7 years with little more problems. The bad reviews on MSCP just do not ring true. The buy the vehicle have some problems then want to seel it in two weeks! They then say they also hate the styling, the interior and other things that remaine the same, trouble or not. If that was true I doubt they would have bought one. One guy says his lock freeze up and his vehicle is in Florida and he lives in Athens GA! Be sure and mention the polar bears ate your tires. I live two hours from Athens and my locks are nowhere close to freezing up even after using the car wash with nights into the low 20's. Mine has been great after 1500 miles. The wipers blades ares stiff, the button on the keyless too small, the seatbelt hook hard to get into on drivers side. Minor things. I drives great, looks good, seems to do pretty well on mud roads and cost 1/2 of a Lexus. I can live with it.

    Dealer sent me a free oil change card today. That was nice too.
  • georgefarmergeorgefarmer Member Posts: 98
    Just thought I would look at the reviews there and they also have a lot of bad bashing (probably fake) reviews of the RX 300. The overall rating is less than for SF. There is balance in the world. I feel better.

    PS: Please forgive mistakes on above posting, never could type very well.
  • rusty76148rusty76148 Member Posts: 1
    Many of you may see me as the enemy, but I'm a sales person for Hyundai. The reason you see so many dealers not budging is very simple,, people are wanting to pay the $$ for the Santa Fe.

    For example, we have 8 Santa Fe's in route as I sit here, we also already have 5 sold to people that haven't seen theirs yet. 1 wasn't even driven one at all yet.

    These things just sell!
  • rsharp83rsharp83 Member Posts: 82
    2,500 miles and the Sante Fe is great. Last night a lawyer friend saw the Sante fe. He called his wife over (she drives a Blazer) he said "honey this is your next car! Both were impressed withe the quality etc.

    Also this week I picked up a stranded co-worker. Her Suburban had broken down 3 times this week. I said, "hey let me take you for a ride in a fine Korean SUV." She was very impressed. She is a pretty tall woman and was very complementary of the comfort and roominess in the Sante Fe. She is used to a much much bigger SUV.

    The ride continues to impress me, I really enjoy the Sante Fe more than I thought I would.
  • fitnessman42fitnessman42 Member Posts: 21
    Steve,

    I got my LX FWD at Bob Dance in Orlando. I paid MSRP but feel it was worth it. None of the dealers I talked to would go below MSRP. At least at Bob Dance I got a plastic card that gives me 10% off any service, 10% off parts, free exterior car wash with any service. Also, by completing the Hyundai mail in survey and returing it to the dealership I will be getting some free oil changes..not bad!! If you want to e mail me you can do so at fitnessman42@aol.com. So far I am very happy with my Santa Fe..I love this vehicle! I get looks and stares all the time. Is fun to see people checking it out. By the way, if you do want to purchase at Bob Dance I can get $100.00 smackers if you use me as a referral. Or, I can get money as well from the other dealer in Orlando too. Just give me a shout.
  • cardude4cardude4 Member Posts: 19
    The good news, right NOW, is they are selling. It is winter, and the Santa Fe is new. For someone like me, who has concerns about Hyundai build quality, and lack of a good brand name, with a history of problems with poor quality cars, and corporate financial problems, I am not as interested at taking a "second" look at Hyundai when they are not willing to compromise, and give a fair deal. Nobody in their right mind pays sticker, especially for a Hyundai. The local dealer, SCHAUMBURG HYUNDAI, doesnt even keep the stickers on the V6 models, and jacks up the prices!!! I was interested, and still am, only because I can pay cash for this car, and get a good size vehicle, but will probably wait a few months and buy a used CarMax Santa Fe. At least then with Hyundais poor resale value, and CarMax's 1no haggle procing, I would only be ripped off about $500.00ish. Their are many other trucks or SUV's out there, and when the winter is over, and your sales plummet, remember all the Santa Fe's you might have sold to Toyota and Honda customers, who would have earned brand loyalty and given a new customer base to Hyundai. Not to mention, business for the service department, for oil changes, and things not covered under the very "LIMITED 10 Year Warrenty"! Those parts not covered are VERY,VERY,VERY expensive. My advise, sell, sell, sell, because the car business is feast or famine. Good feasting! (but not on my carcass)
  • georgefarmergeorgefarmer Member Posts: 98
    Well, better limited warranty than no warranty which is where you are mots vehicles after 36,000 or maybe 50,000 miles. Plus the get a vehicle that will reaaly copmare to the santa fe you will spend at least $5000 to $10,000. That will pay for a lot of repairs if they ever happen. ON resale, Buy a $40,000 lexus or something and get 65% resale after 5 years which is a maybe $18000 (doing the math in my head) loss with a couple more thousand $ in additional insurance and car taxes in some states. Buy a 22,000 SF and get only 40% resale in 5 years which is maybe a $11,000 loss plus less insurance and taxes. No real way you can say the higher priced SUV is going to be better in total $ spent. Basically high priced cars are for wealthy people who do not mind the loss because the loss will come be it a BMW, Lexus, Toyota or a poor little Hyundai. Bottom line, the expensive SUV will cost much more per mile to drive over the same road than the Sante Fe. The Santa Fe's value, warranty and bottom line is better than most other SUV's, period.
  • gottifbigottifbi Member Posts: 3
    Greetings, I've test driven both the 2WD and 4WD versions....to me, this SUV is what I've always wanted....Escape/Tribute/Jeep, etc can all take a hike....Santa Fe offers the best standard features I've ever seen for the price being offered.

    OK, I got 2 issues maybe you all can help with:

    1. I called that National Safety place (I think it NIHTSA) and they said they would not be crash testing the Santa Fe in 2001. Not good news for me because my wife wants info before we purchase. Any other info sites out there? Maybe I ought to contact Dateline for a special request on a future show...hehe

    2. The underside looks very vulnerable, especially the oil filter. While it's conveniently located near the front, making it a cinch to change it out, it is left unprotected. Are there any underside skid plate options with this vehicle to protect it? I've not come across any option like that from Edmunds, KBB, etc. If you kick up a board, rock, etc. in the road, you stand a good chance of losing your oil quickly...Again, any thoughts??

    These two questions will significantly impact my decision to buy...Thanks...Rob
  • solara11solara11 Member Posts: 78
    Your point is a good one, but Hyundai is missing the bat, again, with lack of supply and demand, and winning over a LARGE, LARGE, customer base, that would not even consider an American car or SUV, let alone a Hyundai. Word of mouth sells as good as expensive marketing, and people who get a "deal" are usually more impressed and likely to be repeat buyers, and sell to their friends and family. The American car market is the only market in the world that loves big gas guzzling SUV's, with an average profit of 10g's per unit. Then factor dealer hold backs, invoice price and dealer profit, the dealers could budge a bit when you walk in with a wad of cash, and want to be their victim, or customer! The aftermarket warrenties through the dealers, like Toyota and Honda, are equivilant to the original warrenty, for under a grand, and would get you equal coverage to the Hyundai warrenty. Is their a clause about a loaner car if in for repair more than 24 hours? When I went with a friend to buy a Santa Fe, I was in the waiting room with a number of grumbling Hyundai customers, miffed by paying for repairs not covered under the 10 year warrenty. That alone scared me about the customer service, and value that Hyundai's warrenty offers. I'm am still thinking about Santa Fe, over Tribute and Escape, as Ford has proven to build the worlds most dangerous vehices time and time again. I still get recall notices for an 1989 Sable I owned years, and years ago. Rav 4 in too small, and poor engine power, but with a V6, and leather, it is not a bad contender, though smaller. Mitsubishi can't give Montero's away, for whatever reason, and Honda Passport looks nice, but is too expensive. Time will tell if this is a good vehicle, or another Hyundai Excel rip off!
  • guyfguyf Member Posts: 456
    I washed my Santa Fe in my garage this afternoon, then went out for dinner. It was parked outside at -23C (-10F)for 5 hours. All the doors and locks, as well as the remote worked as usual.

    So much for the urban legend that Santa Fe locks are prone to freezing!

    (Last time I tried that with my CR-V, only the rear left door would unlock and open)

    Enough said!
  • allhyundaiallhyundai Member Posts: 11
    I don't understand what you mean by "lack of supply and demand". It would seem to me from reading all of these posts that there is a huge demand and little supply of the Santa Fe. Why shouldn't the dealer get sticker? Have you tried to purchase a PT Cruiser lately? Here's a new vehicle, unproven, and my local dealer wanted a $500.00 deposit to order a car and couldn't tell me when it might arrive. And there was an automatic add-on of $1000.00 to the sticker. The way I look at it is the Santa Fe turned out to be much more popular that Hyundai expected. They also got the options wrong as more vehicles should have had ABS and Traction control. I love the fact that they are slow in getting vehicles out to the public as it makes mine that much more unique. I have only seen one other on the road and I live 1/2 mile from the Hyundai dealer. So far 3800 miles on the Santa Fe and not one problem. I washed it the other day after driving it through 12 inches of snow for a week and it is perfect in everyway. I inspected it with a fine toothed comb and I am amazed at the build quality of this vehicle. I have the Pewter color and it looks everybit the Lexus or Mercedes. Since nobody knows that Hyundai makes a SUV they all ask it's the new Lexus.
  • gray12gray12 Member Posts: 7
    I have been watching this board for six weeks and thank all of you for your insight and information. Like many of you, I test drove them all and settled on the Santa Fe for value, features, drive,etc.

    We wanted the LX with the heated seats. Ended up settling for an LX without these but are pleased nonetheless. Dealers in Washington State had GL's and some GLS but few LX. Hyundai may have mis-judged the market for them. Word is that Washington State will not get a decent number of LX's until spring.

    Got educated from Edmunds.com and all of you. Did the dealer visits and was shocked about how little they knew of the product. When I walked in with my 3 ring binder of quotes, prices and invoices, the sales people immediatelyt passed me off to the manager. Walk away from the MSRP deals and got tired of being lied to and even walked out on one sales manager.

    We found our Santa Fe LX, 4WD at Thomason.com in Portland, Oregon and had a terrific buying experience with Ron Rayborn, Internet Sales Manager. We paid their invoice price, less than TMV because right now Hyundai is allocating LX's on a "turn and earn" basis. They who sell more get more. So many dealers in the Pacific Northwest have few to none and those that do want upwards of $2,700 over MSRP. I cannot say how much that we valued this site and this method of getting our Santa Fe. Be willing to go out state for a deal. I considered San Diego because their prices were great and had selection. We saved thousands by using the net.

    We have had none of the problems mentioned here: no vibration, no clock flicker, no gas filling issues and got 20mpg on our first tank. It is smooth and comfortable. Good buy!
  • mikezakmikezak Member Posts: 95
    Here in central WI, there is only one Hyundai dealer (35 miles away)-- and they get 1-3 SFs a month. So I do not get a chance to see alot of the vehicles. I made a few phone calls to the the 3 dealers in the Milwaukee area, and they seem to only have GL or LXs. Internet shopping has only produced one callback -- from a dealer in IL -- again for an LX (at sticker price noless).

    For those who have been shopping, and been able to 'touch' a Santa Fe, have you seen GLS out there with Package 11 (ABS/Traction Control)? Any in the Mlps area or northern Chicago burbs?

    Thanks.
  • dustyw_07dustyw_07 Member Posts: 4
    Mike-

    I actually just received my GLS w/ ABS/TCS (Package #11). I live in central Illinois and finding this particular vehicle was a little tough. I also talked to a variety of dealer but went with Extreme Motors in Bloomington, IL. The guys there were really cool and said they would try their best to track this one down in the color I wanted. It took 3 weeks to find one and get it here but I'm very glad that I held out to get what I want. I think that you can probably get the vehicle you want but you have to be strong and stick with your choice. Good luck! It's a great vehicle and well worth the wait.
  • jamesjr1jamesjr1 Member Posts: 11
    I have been following reviews on the Santa Fe since it came out. It is apparent to me someone is trying to sabotage as many sites as they can by reporting blown engines and 5 MPH crashes that total the SF. This person even tells people to call the dealer if they don't believe them (that's because they know you won't call). Don't be fooled by FALSE reviews by people who don't even own one. Real owners have reported only minor problems. The Ford Focus, Mazda Tribute, and Ford Escape has been recalled 5 or 6 times; The Santa Fe NONE. Remember, anyone can write a review and doesn't actually have to own a SF. Its sad we have people who exist to take advantage of free speech with false reports. Perhaps the web sites should require proof of ownership before allowing posts ??..probably not practical. Meanwhile, don't believe everything you read. Why are people willing to pay MSRP ? Because they know a good buy when they see one (Consumer Digest Best Buy). If you have doubts, simply wait until more data is in before you consider the Santa Fe. There is a lot of other choices to choose from. Of course, price on Santa Fe may go up. It's your decision, live with it. I have no regrets and am very happy with mine. Happy Motoring. Awd in Virginia.
  • billtungbilltung Member Posts: 255
    My SF already reach 5500km still no major problem except last week the motor which drive the front electric cooling fan for the Air conditioning make lot of noise. I drove to Hyundai dealer they order & replace the problem motor in 2 days & just spent 1/2 hrs job.
    some experiment on Highway:
    Last week I purposely test my santa fe in a super Highway, despite of the slow acceleration from start(may becauce of the heavier car weight), It really impress me when the car passed 120km/hr, it turn into a very powerful car when I reach 160km/hr ...not even a little bit shaking...very stable.. about 20 second later.....180km/hr.... Can't believe my eye.......It can reach 180km/hr still not feeling vibration (the 200km/hr is the limit in the dash), I continue about 10 seconds, I'm scare to go to 200km/hr. I start to depress the accelerator. I don't know will i hurt the engine or not at this new stage? It look like the faster you drive santa fe the more comfortable & more power your can enjoy!
    But for other, pls speed smartly, don't get caught by police.
    The Hyundai mechanic told me do not change Oil before 6000km, follow Hyundai recommendation, usaually i change new car oil after 1000km, But this time I think I will follow Hyundai's recommendation. My SF already 5500km on it, still smooth & lot of power.
    I use synthetic oil since last year for my Dodge Durango & GMC safari, I really love it, you will notice the difference between ordinary oil & synthetic right away. I would recommend to all SF owner to use synthetic oil for your SF. It is very affordable now in canada only CDN$5/L.
    At last, I am very satisfy to the services of both local Hyundai dealer in Vancouver, canada, (I bought from Surrey, Jim Peterson Hyundai. & serviced in Burnaby, Hasting Hyundai) They are bothe very friendly & helpful) I'm so lucky!
  • losthat1losthat1 Member Posts: 93
    Rob, There is posting regarding safety if you scroll back to #460. I do not know if this could be verified with a Hyundai dealer. Please let us know if you succeed.

    As I suggested on my last post, we need to all place accurate posts on MSN Carpoint to help overcome the nasty and ignorant person/people who are ruining this site.

    I love my Santa Fe. Image is the last thing that I considered when looking for an S.U.V. But I do feel that the label "smart consumer" isn't hard to live with. Oh yes, some people roll their eyes when they hear I traded a Volvo for a Hyundai--but who cares--I'm very happy with my Santa Fe.
  • georgefarmergeorgefarmer Member Posts: 98
    SUV magazine will be reporting monthly over the next year on their "Project Santa Fe" where they will do add on, tweak the engine and such for more performance, etc. Should be interesting!
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    If your SF is not equipped w/ TCS, you can use it to start in 2nd gear on icy or muddy roads by shifting(nudging) it up. One other use i can think of is getting "engine brake" by nudging it down; slowing down the car w/o applying the foot brake.
  • lchatt55lchatt55 Member Posts: 11
  • tonychrystonychrys Member Posts: 1,310
  • tnichols69tnichols69 Member Posts: 3
    I just purchased the Santa Fe AWD, I do have a vibration at speeds over 65MPH. Is this characteristic or does it need maintenance? Has any one had this problem?
  • lchatt55lchatt55 Member Posts: 11
    In response to jamesjr1's sabotage message, we bought our santa fe in Nov. We researched and watched the town hall. There is a lot we like about our santa fe. However, our engine blew at 1600 miles. People's Hyundai in Folsom, Ca took good care of us. The car stopped running going 65 on the freeway, over 100 miles from home. The diagnosis took moments as the service dept had another santa fe that just had a new engine put in at 3900 miles. We were told that the early production engines had a problem with the cylinder sleeves coming loose which caused the pistons to smash into the spark plugs. We were also told that the engines cant be taken apart, so they put a whole new engine in the car, twice, as the 1st new engine they put in failed during diagnostics. So far this 3rd engine seems fine. We have to go through the 1200 miles breakin period all over again. Everything was covered under warrantee including a rental car for 10 days. People's also arranged to have our car delivered to our home and our rental car picked up. Through People's, Hyundai has offered us some form of compensation for our extreme situation, which we have yet to see. We have been watching this town hall to see if others have had a similar experience. We do not want to cause panic, but this was a safety issue as well. We are glad to hear that there are so many good reports out there. Perhaps our misfortune was just one of those unfortunate flukes. Let's hope so.
  • adamjraeadamjrae Member Posts: 65
    As for resale...I don't care?

    About the oil filter being exposed. The 4WD models have an engine skid plate under the engine. Please visit www.geocities.com/adamjrae and you will see a picture of it. I'm sure you can order a skid plate from the dealer and grab some bolts and bolt it on.
  • angel28angel28 Member Posts: 1
    We just bought our Santa Fe from Mike at Everett,WA Brien Hyundai. We got ours for 800.00 under MSRP, but only after going through HELL with the Bellingham Hyundai. They wanted 1500 OVER the MSRP. Greedy.Very. Anyway, we love love love it. Its very hard to find them here in Washington, and most dealers don't know anything about what they are selling, and some (like Bellingham Hyundai) are getting a bit greedy with what they do have. Which is none on the lot. If you are considering this vehicle all I have to say is the warranty can't be beat, the price is fabulous, it looks great, drives great, and I would advise it to my best friend.
  • fordjffordjf Member Posts: 4
    I live in North Alabama and my local Hyundai dealer (Victor Hyundai, Huntsville, AL) is unable to locate a Pewter GLS/LX FWD with Anti-Lock brakes, or are having trouble getting another dealer to let go of one. Anybody within say, 200 miles ran across one like this while they were looking.

    Also, any recommendations for an internet site to use to locate one (Carpoint, Autobytel...)?
  • billtungbilltung Member Posts: 255
    Interesting news about Future Santa Fe:

    http://aftermarket.theautochannel.com/news/2000/05/24/959199332.1.html
    http://www.newstimes.com/archive2000/jun30/aud.htm
  • abberdabberabberdabber Member Posts: 1
    I purchased my Santa Fe in October and exactly one month later the engine blew as I was attempting to merge into traffic on a very crowded interstate. Only 1500 miles. Was also told there were problems with early production models and they would replace the engine "AND" it blew up also. I then waited another month for them to find a replacement vehicle for me. I do not feel confident driving this vehicle at all and would sell it in a minute if possible.
  • thor9thor9 Member Posts: 26
    The news of your engine failures is very unsettling. Could you post your engine type (I-4 or V-6) and your original V.I.N.#'s and (if you have them) build-dates? This will help the rest of us to see if this problem was limited to a particular time frame.
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    What's the VIN of the 1st Santa Fe and in which state was it registered??
  • lchatt55lchatt55 Member Posts: 11
    We purchased the vehicle in the north bay area of CA. It was brought to our dealer from the south bay. The manufacture date is sept 19, 2000. This is the 2.7L 6-cyl engine.

    abberdabber, Sorry to hear about your car. Did you file a safety report with the National highway transportation safety board (nhtsb, you can access it from the edmunds site)? If there are other cars out there with the same problem, either a voluntary recall by Hyundai or an investigation by the nhtsb could help prevent a potential safety hazard. A sudden loss of power is dangerous! We are also leary of taking this car on a long trip at this point.
  • lshirley2lshirley2 Member Posts: 14
    I bought my sf gls fwd (sandstone) in mid-Dec. from Charlie Thomas AutoNation in Houston. The dealer could not have been nicer. They still send me follow up notices and information re their dealership. I have almost 1800 miles and so far have not had a thing go wrong. I usually go between 45-60 mph in town and 80mph on the tollway. No vibration, no blinking clock and the door locks still work after a few light freezes. I get about 19 mpg in the city. I really haven't tested highway mileage. I have been driving a 4 cycl Nissian pickup for 6 yrs, so the SF seems to really have speed for entering the freeways etc. In Houston you either have to go really fast or sit and inch up for miles. So far I love to drive the SF and have not crossed paths with another one yet. I rode in a friend's Blazer the other day and felt that it was really flimsy made the doors seemed light and not as solid as my SF. If the engine blows tomorrow, at least it is fully covered in the warranty.
  • billtungbilltung Member Posts: 255
    Hi abberdabber, after reading so many enjoyable storied about SF (including mine) in this forum, I am so sorry to hear your story, if it is true, I think Hyundai should have recall for all the earlier production SF before it is too late.... it can totally ruin Hyundai.... Why they know & still not recall? Please help all our SF owner to track down the problem SF engine model by posting more info about it. Thank you very much.
    By the way, can u update your user profile to show your name , where u from, & your email address, so that we know you really own a SF.
    Your profile only show your name is J.
    you don't even mention you owned a Santa Fe! It make people don't believe you. Hope to see u soon.
  • adamjraeadamjrae Member Posts: 65
    The production date on my GLS 4WD ABS/Traction Control is June (or is it July, can't remember) 30th 2000. We bought our Santa Fe October 7, 2000. With 7,500 Miles in under 4 months I am happy to report I have not had to take it in the shop. No viberation, engine blowing, clock flashing, or locks freezing. I love the car.
  • georgefarmergeorgefarmer Member Posts: 98
    I feel it is unlike two engines have blown unless you are redlineing it bad. If all the engines were bad and about 10,000 or so sold we would know by now.
  • jacks8jacks8 Member Posts: 4
    Can you tell me the difference in acceleration between the gls fwd and awd. I have only been able to test drive an all wheel drive SF. Fwd model are scarce in the northeast.
  • kengijunleekengijunlee Member Posts: 8
    Hi, everybody.

    Looks like there is some sort of fight between SF lovers and SF haters. Well, I think that I am more in the position of SF lover.

    I posted my meg on the 'SF bestbuy'. But in fact, no body answered my question correctly. I do own SF. I bought it last week. I have silver(Pewt or something like that) one GLS FWD. I love the vehicle except for this. Now, the engine of SF is making bigger and bigger whistling sound. Now, even at low speed, it is making annoying whistling sound. But I want to know if this is normal for Hyundai cars. If this is not normal, I want to bring SF to the dealership. I am for sure that this does not come from the sealing, but from the engine. Because I can hear that notice when I accelate the engine without driving.

    Somebody would say "what can you expect off of $20k SUV?", but I would like to say, "so, lowly priced car must be at the low quality?"

    I agree with others that SF is better than other $20K SUVs. I am not saying that SF is bad, just want to know that if there is someting wrong with it, I want to fix it.

    Looking forward to good answers from SF owners.

    Thanks.
  • thor9thor9 Member Posts: 26
    Without actually hearing the noise, it is difficult to guess at. Is the noise present only when you are moving, and not while sitting still? Do you hear this noise if you rev the engine while sitting still in Park ? Regardless, any noise loud enough to be irritating is NOT normal, and certainly not in the SF, which is actually pretty quiet, even with the hood up.

    I have detected a slight whine from the frequency synthesizer in the AM/FM/CD stock radio, that can be faintly heard from the speakers with the volume all the way down, but I doubt anyone else besides a cat,dog,or bat would ever even notice, much less find it objectionable.

    Other than purely mechanical causes ranging from belt squeal to a dry bearing or a vacuum leak, a more simple cause can be a weatherstrip leak along one of your door or window seals that can whistle while at speed, or you may be hearing a little bit of wind noise from the roof rack crossrails, if equipped.

    Make certain that all your windows are fully up as far as they go, and all doors are solidly closed. If these simple measures fail to resolve the problem, then by all means take it to your
    dealer to have the problem diagnosed.

    Please post a reply when you discover the cause of your noise.

    Good Luck!
  • billtungbilltung Member Posts: 255
    Remembered I mentioned in Post #868, about 2 week ago I noticed whistling noise come form my SF front hood, it only happened when the air conditioner is on. So I turn off my air cond. & went to dealer for diagnose, they found out that the noise is come from the faulty cooling fan motor, they simply replaced the motor with a new one & the problem is gone. Santa Fe is supposed to be a very smooth & quiet SUV, if any owner find out any noise or vibration that you don't know where it come from. I think the best bet is don't wait, go back to the dealer to have a detail check up, the service dept. will help you solve the problem! Remember we got the best warranty on earth!
  • bironbbironb Member Posts: 63
    I recently test drove a Santa Fe V6 GLS (CND edition) and was quite pleased with the vehicles drivability and overall fit and finish. My concern has to do with the security system or lack off. There is no engine immobilizer and even though there is a security alarm no interior flashing LED that warns that the system is armed is include. What good is a security system, if there is no indication of such a system to a would-be car thief? By the time the vehicle is broken into and the alarm goes off it's a little late with all the damage caused.

    Why Hyundai did not include these security features is beyond me.
  • billtungbilltung Member Posts: 255
    I think because of the price! If you like to pay more I think you can talk to the dealer or third party add-on's shop to get it installs.
    For a car like this good price, I don't worry too much about getting stolen. I think the security alarm & my steering-wheel's lock already quite enough.
    I know one friend, her 2000 Camero has the engine immobilizer on it. (she just bought last week (very pretty!) with just 20,000km on it for a price only CDN$15,000 (USD$10,000)!! I think the previous owner must loss a lot of bucks on the Camaro at least 50% of the original price, the reason may be he wants to buy a Santa Fe! Ha Ha! I have no idea, I just guess.
  • wbdavewbdave Member Posts: 11
    Over the last couple month's I've been reading these boards trying to make the most informed decision I could. I also was torn between the Santa Fe, Escape, and Tribute. But after reading over a thousand posts I decided on the SF w/ABS+TC and roof rack cross rails. I spent a lot of time responding to internet sales people from various dealerships. I think I went thru every internet vehicle buying site. I ended up using that information to buy from the local Hyundai dealer. After a lot of back and forth negociation I reached a price at about $400 over TMV, but $400 under MSRP. I live in the Philadelphia area and the SF's are just as hard to get here as everywhere else. My radius was about 100 miles. I'm satisfied with the price, I just hope they can find one! I'll keep all posted as to how I make out. You've been a great help to me, thanks!
  • fitnessman42fitnessman42 Member Posts: 21
    Figured mileage again yesterday. Since we all seem to be having a difficult time getting accurate mileage figures I tried something a little different. I waited till the low fuel light stayed on constantly and filled the SF up with 16.4 gallons. Then I ran it till the light stayed on again. Then I filled her up with 16.4 gallons again. By doing that I got 21.7 mpg. (356.5 miles/16.4 gallons = 21.7) I don't do much city driving: more rural driving than anything. I hope this is accurate!

    Now for a couple of questions.

    1) When I use the heater/AC I notice that if I select the floor position or the defrost position I still get airflow through the door vents. According to the manual that is not supposed to happen. It is not a major concern to me but I am just curious if anyone else has noticed this. I am wondering if it is a defect in the airflow selector switch.

    (2) On the radio there is a selection for TUNE/DISC. I know what the TUNE part is for but the manual doesn't say anything about why it also says DISC. Maybe in case you get a CD changer? Any ideas from you fellow SF owners out there?

    By the way, I have added the nose defector and side steps to my SF. Looks damn nice!! I plan on getting the bush guard next I think. I also have the window vents on the way; can't wait to get them installed!
  • roadkill55roadkill55 Member Posts: 25
    I have also noticed the airflow from the door vent. I have not given it much thought. Since I have used the heater mostly, the air is hot coming from the door. So I just shut off the airflow at the vent and this stops the air.

    You now have me wondering if I should have this checked.
  • ljdallasljdallas Member Posts: 1
    I just love my FWD V6 Santa Fe. Paid under MSRP in Portland, Oregon.

    I have a question about the heating system. I've read the manual and don't understand the advantage of having the air conditioning come on to assist the heating process. Can some one explain this to me... a technically challenged person?
  • sonatavasonatava Member Posts: 75
    I was told by the salesman, when buying my Sonata, that the a/c comes on for the defroster because the engine works harder when the a/c is on, therefore the engine will heat up quicker. He also said, and I've noticed myself, that this is a common feature on most modern cars. The advantage in the Santa Fe, if I remember correctly, is that you can hit the a/c button to turn it off while the defroster is on, versus my Sonata in which it'll stay on anytime you use the defroster. I certainly find the feature annoying, besides wasting gas, however, the manual says you should periodically run the a/c in winter to lubricate the compressor/pump, so I guess running the defroster takes care of it.
  • big_guybig_guy Member Posts: 372
    Another advantage of the AC for defrosting the windows is that AC acts as a dehumidifier. This will take the moisture out of the air and prevent it from condensing on the windows and "fogging" up the inside of the car.
  • fitnessman42fitnessman42 Member Posts: 21
    Roadkill55,

    I also checked the airflow out on another Santa Fe at a dealer a few days ago. That one did the same thing. I am guessing it is normal and that maybe it was a misprint in the manual perhaps.
  • jpm27jpm27 Member Posts: 1
    Just purchased a Sandstone GLS FWD for $19,670 before taxes and tags. I thought this was a great price in the Pacific Northwest but I am curious if this was a decent price without ABS and slip control. Do most SF's come with this option or does it come without? I am confused because Edmunds does not list the ABS option in figuring out the MSRP, invoice, TMV prices for this vevhicle. I maybe mistaken but i havent seen the prices for these options. Can someone tell me if i paid too much without these options. Thanks
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    Yes, that button is also used for selecting a disc in CD changer if equipped.
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