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Walking out can be effective, but you have to know when to do it.
16,500. OTD brand new cars a blue one and a black one!!
Just got back from Columbus...will recap soon.
We stopped at a mega-dealer the first day and they had a large inventory of new 2010's. It was a good opportunity to show my wife the color availabilities the Sonata's come in. We never talked to a salesman in that area but swung over to the used lot and was in contact with one. They only had one 4-cylinder 2009 GLS. It had the level one convenience package (incl. sunroof) and 32K miles. The color was like Grey/Brown but no one could tell us the technical color name of it. We test drove it and my wife liked the color and the car but they were asking $16,999. I wasn't going to start bargaining right there anyway and at that price point, I don't think we would have got close to under $13K where I think it was worth.
Yesterday on the way home we stopped at a few others. Saw some 2010 used model GLS's with about 30K on them but no prices. When I got home, I put in an e-mail request for them. Basically what I figured out in our Ohio stops is that my wife will be quite picky (I shouldn't be surprised) regarding colors but she IS sold on the Hyundai Sonata. Really likes it. Slate Blue is her first choice. Cocoa Metallic and Willow Gray are runners up. Khaki and Medium Blue/Silver are acceptable. Forget about anything else. The lighter beige interior is a no-go and the black dash is out as well.
One more stop in Michigan gave us some interesting thoughts. One dealer had the right colors, especially a beauty in Slate Blue but it was the "Limited" version. We're quite conservative and have been looking at the base models but when you sit in one like that with all the creature comforts, including leather, your mind starts racing a little. With only 15K in miles, it was very tempting. Asking price at $19.2 starts to pop your bubble a bit but you start wondering what you can work them down to. Another Limited was Cocoa and sharp w/17K miles and asking "only" $17.5. The only downside was a few wood grain highlights on the dash. We don't like those at all. If the prices between those two were reversed, we would be seriously interested in the Slate Blue. The salesman had all the lines going with us on both cars but he finally took a hint that we weren't buying anything that day and politely understood. Very few Limited's (thus the name) on Autotrader to get a good feel as to an acceptable price point at that low of miles.
So, here we are. In no real rush to make decisions but at least my wife is now familiar with the Sonata. I have about $6,500 budgeted for a car at this point (will have no trade-in) and would "borrow" from myself the balance of whatever it costs then pay myself back about $200/month. At $14,000, that would take about 3 years. To step up in style a bit would take that to about 4 years.
Does anyone know these details and, more importantly, has anyone ever made a claim under a tire warranty for unusually fast wear? I'm basically wondering if it's even worth pursuing from a financial perspective.
Thanks.
I never had previous complaints with these tires but 35,000 miles is quite low compared to Michelin tires I've had in the past. Additionally, the replacement price is about $161/tire from the few places I've checked. Does anyone know of a good P215/60R16 tire for an '06 GLS V6 that costs closer to $100/tire? Thanks.
I had Michelins on my '01 Elantra and they lasted only a little over 30k miles, and I rotate my tires every 6-7k miles. Maybe other Michelins wear longer, but these OEM tires don't seem to.
It's a GREAT car, and is just incredible to look at (even after having had to be repainted TWICE (long story, and DEFINITELY not Hyundai's fault in any way... one was being rearended while stopped at a stop light, the other was a dump truck dropping rocks on the interstate in front of the car) since we got it last May. Gets great mileage, too, at around 29.4 on her commute. The entire feel of the car is one of quality, so I'm not surprised your wife went from sceptical to enthused that quickly. BTW, Willow and Khaki were #2 and #3 on our choices, followed by Burgundy for the '09 when we were shopping.
As for the woodtrim, I'm quite taken with it; it looks quite snazzy. The only downsides were that we also have an older Burgundy 2003 Sonata GLS V6 Auto with the equivalent of PEP2 (the GLS then is closer to the SE in more recent trims, as there was a GL trim back then as the base); the leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knobs (i.e., the touch surfaces) of the 2003 make a sharp contrast with the touch surfaces on the 2009 GLS. We went out and got an aftermarket leather steering wheel wrap to take care of one of those issues, but we would need to replace the shifter knob for the other. The PEP package for the '09 and '10 should have included the leather wrapped (even if it had raised the price an extra C-note).
PEP included the Trip Computer, Woodgrain interior trim (certain models), steering wheel mounted audio controls, Power Driver Seat w/Lumbar support, etc. It's the little things that turned the car into just a overall nicer platform to drive; my wife became very enthused about the Trip Computer, for example, even though she didn't care at all until she realized what it added to the car. PEP was something like $700, with the Moonroof (as PEP2) adding an additional $800 to the price over just plain PEP (PEP2 was PEP plus Moonroof).
Thanks again...
I am wondering if the bumper to bumper warranty will cover headlights, or is it going out considered normal wear and tear.
The Hyundai warranty is NOT all-inclusive despite the bumper-bumper claims:
"5-YEAR / 60,000-MILE NEW VEHICLE LIMITED WARRANTY
Covers repair or replacement of any component manufactured or originally installed by Hyundai that is defective in material or factory workmanship, under normal use and maintenance.
The following components are covered for time and mileage limits indicated:
* Radio and audio systems (i.e., radio, compact disc player, DVD player, navigation system, and Bluetooth®): 3 years / 36,000 miles
* Paint: 3 years / 36,000 miles
* Battery: 3 years / unlimited miles (100% covered 2 years / unlimited miles; after 2 years and within 3 years, 25% cost of battery and 100% labor cost covered)
* Air conditioner refrigerant charge: 1 year / unlimited miles
* Adjustments: 1 year / 12,000 miles
* Wear items: 1 year / 12,000 miles (e.g., belts, brake pads and linings, clutch linings, filters, wiper blades, BULBS, fuses)"
http://www.hyundaiusa.com/warranty.aspx
Thanks!
The 2009 Slate Blue is somewhat... grey/blue, although it's quite striking when clean in a nice light. Doesn't hurt at ALL that Hyundai didn't skimp when they went with the metallic flake in the paint, which gives it incredibly vivid lustre.
As a side note: we wouldn't mind the "Willow Gray" either as a runner up in case Slate Blue can't be found. Then my next door neighbor, a snow bird in Florida right now, e-mails me about mowing their lawn for them until they get back. We start talking cars and guess what they just bought in Florida to bring home? An '09 Gray Limited. My wife says no way Gray is an option now. And an additional side note to that: I thought the guy was all-GM/Buy American and all (yeah, I know the Sonata is built in Alabama, but still). His news just confirmed my preference.
Our choices came down to Slate Blue, Willow, Red, Arctic Blue, Silver. My wife and I were adamant that we would NOT be buying the White (I've had a white car (actually two, but one was basically given to us free for our son), and while my old 1989 Camaro was probably the single most beautfiul car I ever owned when it was freshly washed and waxed, in a soft early evening light, it has IMPOSSIBLE to keep clean). Neither my wife or I are big fans of black cars, for some of the same reasons we're not going to get a white car.
If Slate Blue is not available, but you REALLY want Blue, then Arctic is out there. It's kind of a creamy light robin ege blue, with silver metallic flake. I imagine it would have some of the same issues of white, though not nearly as bad. I've seen it a number of times (one of my coworkers has an Arctic Blue, probably a 2008, as it doesn't have the Sharkfin, but does have satelite radio) and it's attractive. Not as attractive as Slate Blue, mind you, but attractive. :P
And my wife and I LOVE the woodgrain, as it makes the car feel so classy inside (I've had cars that have gone the non-woodgrain route, too, though, so don't think it's just "that's what I like because that's what I've had"). The woodgrain makes the car feel... warmer, more alive and friendly. BTW, I've had rental 2006-2010 Sonatas often enough that the same is true there, too; I've driven everything from a basic GLS without PEP, through to the GLS with PEP but sans woodgrain, a GLS V-6 with PEP (with woodgrain), our GLS I4 with PEP and woodgrain, an SE v6 with woodgrain, a limited equivalent v6 with wood grain and a limited v6 with out... I've always found that the woodgrain is just nicer to the touch and eye than the "carbon-fiber" look.
I guess it truly is a "To each his own" kind of thing in terms of preferences.
Not all cars with PEP have the woodgrain, but all cars with the woodgrain have PEP, as it's a feature that's keyed to the interior color of the car, but only if the car has PEP or PEP2.
PEP2 is PEP with the Sunroof.
As a side note, the SE and Limited have the woodgrain as available on the shift knob, as well; it's my one complaint with the GLS with PEP in that they didn't take that extra step, as my older 2003 GLS (it would be an SE in today's nomenclature) has it, and it DEFINTELY feels oh so nice in the hand, versus the cheaper feeling plastic used on the GLS even with PEP. I'd pay $30-$40 for a nice aftermarket replacement that looked correct for our 2009 Sonata and had either a nice leather or wood grain feel.
Beautiful car with an easy ride, nothing fancy but that’s who we are. I’d rather have the MPG than the power. After 200 miles (mostly highway), the gas gauge is barely past the ¼ mark but that could mean anything I guess until I actually fill it up again (no trip computer). The XM radio, free subscription for 3 months, is pretty cool. I might be tempted to extend it if the novelty doesn’t wear off. Would prefer larger spacing per unit in the speedometer but I guess to fit all the units up to 160 they had to squeeze.
A little buyer’s remorse only because we’re not used to spending that much money but this should be a 10-12 year car for us with some of that within the great warranty.
We average about 29-30 mpg mixed driving with it, so your 1/4 tank isn't that unreasonable.
As for the XM, I was like you; I had no intention of paying for it once the 3 months ended. That lasted until the second long trip we took, where we realized just how nice it was. Now, if only they had even poor customer service; XM seems to practice customer DISservce as poor as they are. But the product is great.
I may be hooked already to the XM but still have 3 months to worry about the subscription. Do they call you or e-mail you to let you know your time is almost up then try to get you to continue?
- Merg
They'll send you an invoice one or more months before the trial expires, and would like you to pay a whole year in advance, but there are shorter periods available.
Conratulations on your new Sonata!
Oh, I thought that's how they boosted the MPG on it for '09 and '10. Must have been some other factor in that. I know at 65MPH, the RPM is 2000 while the Accord is 2300 at the same speed. Was the Accord ('98) only 4-speed I wonder?
I look forward to my first fill-up to determine the MPG though I realize it will take several to get the most accurate reading. I drive very conservatively.
By the way, per the thought you put in my head (I think it was you), I asked the salesman about the Tucson but he said they had none and are hard to get. I wanted to at least see one in person but no luck.
Just wish they had put the '11's 6 speed in; then you would have seen some BIG jumps in mileage and performance!
First fillup netted 33MPG at about 75/25 highway/city. Quite happy with that. Now that the shock of spending all that money is wearing off, I'm really growing fond of the thing.
Yeah, my wife's '09 I4 gets over 30 routinely, even in rush hour traffic. On long trips, it's way up in the mid 30s if the trip is mostly highway.
I'm still thinking I got one of the best value cars out there though every time I reach over to the buttons on the sound system, I'm wishing I got a package with the steering controls.