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Great news, isn't it?
http://www.hyundaiusaparts.com/consumer/
Under Chassis Electrical/Antenna for your car you will find the rod assembly. I believe it is $12.95 US. You should be able to remove the entire unit and replace only the inner telescoping assembly.
Good Luck. And next time, use a Touchless Wash.
One question I have concerning the traction control. It automatically comes on when the engine is started. Is it ok to leave it on or should I turn it off. I drive mostly on dry pavement. Also any tips on keeping the white pearl looking like new. Is it a difficult color to keep up. How about rock chips, etc.? For some reason my car did not come with keyless remote and it is being added tomorrow as part of my purchase agreement. I did not consider the security upgrade.I can have it added at the same time as the keyless remote but do not know if I really need it. Any thoughts about that.
I leave my TC on most of the time, except when I want to defeat it (e.g., I want to accelerate very quickly across many lanes of traffic from a standing start). But I have a 5-speed manual. The automatics aren't as prone to any potential wheelspin which kicks in the TC.
If you don't mind, what did your car sticker at? What did you pay? Did you get rebate? Cheap financing? Rate & time? (I bought my '00 GLS w/Pkg 13 in May '00. MSRP of $20,262. Paid $18,400. Got 0.9% financing for 48 months.)
Do stop by some of the other related threads. There is one titled something like Kia Optima vs Honda Accord. Share your thoughts there, since you owned Toyota & Honda before your Sonata.
Protectsecond, I have the same vehicle that you purchased, except mine is a 2000 model. My wife owns a 2000 model without some of the extras.
I think you would enjoy the convenience and peace-of-mind the security upgrade will provide for the following reasons:
Depending on the insurance laws in your state, it may entitle you to an additional insurance policy discount.
The system can be customized to perform certain functions automatically, i.e. lock/unlock doors and arm/disarm the alarm.
The only negative is:
Having the doors automatically locked and armed can be a problem if you were to leave the keys in the car with closed doors, while filling your gas tank, as the system will lock you out.
Keeping the pearl white clean isn't a problem. Because the color looks different in different lighting conditions it seems to hide the dirt fairly well.
During nice weather I hand-wash them once each week. In the winter I usually go to a touch-less car wash 3 weeks out of each month, and use a brush-less wash on the other week. Also, I've always purchased the best wash available get the maximum protection from waxes and clear coats, as well as getting the undercarriage and wheels sprayed to remove any accumulation of salt from New Hampshire's roadways.
In addition to normal interior cleaning and vacuuming, I have a reputable detailing company shampoo the carpeting and apply conditioners to the leather, annually.
I hope you have "miles of smiles" in your new Sonata. Keep us all posted.
LANMAN2
I think Giowa is correct about the difference between the automatic and manual transmissions, as my system has only activated itself during slippery conditions.
My car will be a year old in another week. It already has over 20K miles. Much of my travels are on interstate roadways, and the TCS wasn't hampered my driving at all.
LANMAN2
The other 3 are driven daily, under very different driving conditions.
In all this time we have only had 1 serious problem. That was with my 2000. The transmission was causing a slight vibration between 20 and 30 MPH. I noticed it from the first day, but it was so slight I didn't pressure the dealer for service.
I must admit that Nashua Hyundai's service department never gave me any problem about the repairs. Their technician, Paul, said he had never seen the problem before, but there was a TSB about an out-of-round bearing in one of the front wheels. Paul wasn't positive this would resolve the problem, but would like to try Hyundai's recommendation to see if the problem would go away.
Replacing the bearing didn't completely eliminate the problem, but I did think it may have been lessened.
As I stated before, I never pressured them as I always felt confident the issue would be resolved and I didn't feel this was a safety or performance issue ... just a minor annoyance.
I appreciated that Paul was honest in his assessment of the problem. Recently, he had attended some advanced classes, and discussed the problem with other attendees and Hyundai's factory representatives. He learned it most likely was an internal problem, that the transmission may need to be replaced, and how Hyundai wanted him to determine if that was correct.
I left the car for 3 days, the transmission was replaced, and I'm happy to say it now drives flawlessly!
Nashua Hyundai's Parts Manager, Steve, and Paul have always treated my family like royalty! We appreciate being given honest, straight-forward answers. I hope the rest of you are as fortunate when dealing with service people.
LANMAN2
1) Security system upgrade---get it. The Hyundai system is very user friendly. The only weakness is the decibel level of the standard siren which can be replaced if desired. You do not have to worry about locking your keys in the car---if they are in the ignition the car will not lock on any Sonata. If they are on the seat, the system will not auto lock without a key being in the ignition and turned to the on position. My wife uses the 'all doors lock upon start-up' feature and the 'driver door only unlock' at engine off. Very anti-car-jacking.
P.S. Have them run the system through your dash lighting when arming/disarming. Everyone loves to see that at night on ours. Tres Techno.
2) TCS---very useful depending on your location and weather. My wife leaves it on all the time but I will click it off when driving on the switchbacks in the country. With all of the other standard safety features, it makes the Sonata one of the safest performing cars on the road. It is a completely electrical system so there is no need to worry about wear and tear or driving dynamics.
3) Your dealer should provide you with a bottle of touch-up paint, gratis. Check the manufacture date on the inside of the driver doorframe to be sure that your paint is fully cured. More than likely it will be by several months. Then put a good hard wax job on all the horizontal surfaces, at least. I use Turtle's Emerald Series Carnauba Paste and NOTHING affects my Silver paint---nothing at all.
Good Luck with your new car. The White Pearl with beige interior was my second pick but I couldn't find any with pkg. 13.
It'll be a few weeks before I get around to an installation attempt, but in case anyone's interested in getting the same Hyundai remote starter, I'll keep notes of my installation and take some digital photos to post.
Giowa, you asked about the details of my purchase.
The MSRP was $21,624 which included pkg 13, floor mats, mud guards, rear spoiler and wind deflector.
In California we also have Calif. Emissions which was included($100.00). I was able to get the cargo net and keyless entry included at no charge(and as it turns out, the security package as well). I finally settled on $18,000 plus tax & license with 3.9% interest for 48 months. This included a $1295 dealer discount.This seems like a fair deal. I also got the touch up paint. I checked the manufactured date of my car and it is March 08, 2001.I purchased the car on April 29, 2001. Do you think the paint is even dry yet? Talk about a virgin.What is the story about the paint curing?
2000glsv6-- The heated mirrors should also come on with the rear defroster on a 2000 GLS. About the remote start systems, if I can't get the Hyundai one to work, I'll return it and probably get the CS423 which is only about $90 and you can pick your own remote color for an extra $10( http://www.12voltshop.com or http://www.12voltdirect.com ). I also like the Crimestopper CS2005 pager alarm system. The CS 2005 comes with either one or two remotes, depending on which one you want (check Ebay or search engine, but a 2 remote system should be around $225 last I checked). http://www.Autotoys.com carries alot of neat stuff, but don't order anything less than about $20 because they'll kill you on the shipping cost. Autotoys is a good site because they have some online tutorials and examples of installations (alarms, radios, lights), along with giving you a free installation kit when you buy an alarm from them, along with special passworded help forums and a free wiring diagram for your specific car. Another website I found with tips and alarms at is http://clik.to/installit.
http://www.Nexxon.com/varad/varad.htm has some alarms and neat things, especially if you want to get a super-brite LED (Varad brand) or scanner-light. The Hyundai remote starter/alarm I got doesn't have wires for an LED light, but the wiring diagram shows where to wire it in. I bought a Varad superbrite green LED to use with it.
Definitely stay away from the Code Alarm Surestart ( http://www.code-alarm.com ) models, they're junk, and the remotes don't even come with a keyring. Thank God my credit card company let me debate the charge on grounds of quality, crediting me the $400 it cost to install, but not the $75 it cost to have it removed by another company. The installers didn't even try to drill the hole for the LED light "on center" (on one of the empty button spaces near the coin holder). If you do choose to have one installed, find a place that has a "lifetime guarantee on labor", since many of the alarm's warranties are for parts only.
Big W over on the T-H-C.org says the June issue of the magazine everyone loves to hate---Consumer Reports---has a 4 way comparo with the Sonata GLS (finally), the Alero, the Sebring, and the Malibu. No Japanese products though.
Guess who came out on top? I can't wait 'til it hits the stands.
You have a roughly 2 1/2 month old paint job now. I agree---an extremely virgin car. Depending on the process and the paint involved, this is plenty of curing time. Actually, the notion is rather old-tech in real terms as most clear-coated paints are protected during the initial curing anyway.
Your deal sounds great. They seem to get better all the time. Personally I feel you made a very wise decision and bought a great car which cost thousands less than the makes you previously owned. To me, these cars with pkg. 13 are 90-95% Lexus ES300 at less than 2/3 the cost MSRP...and usually closer to 1/2 depending on the final deal. Good Luck and stay posted.
After months and month of pouring over magazines and going to dealerships, I've finally decided to purchase a Hyundai, just not sure which one - Sonata, XG300 or Santa Fe. I like all of them! Probably end up with Sonata. Now I'm looking to get feedback regarding dealerships in Northern NJ. Does anyone have any good/bad experiences they would care to share? Any and all advice is appreciated. Thanks!
The CR article mentioned CR witholding a "recommended" rating until they get enough annual surveys back to indicate it is reliable. Their test vehicle had only one minor problem.
One noteable thing is that CR recommends you buy a 4-cyl. Passat, Accord or Camry instead of any of the V-6 cars tested, for the same money. They do so in three separate spots across 6 pages - is that a new record? It's a new low in their objectivity at least. If they think everyone else should drive Hondas, VW's and Toyotas because the reviewers prefer how they handle, how they layout their switches and various other subjective matters, I'd rather they just say so instead of couching their subjective responses in objective terms. Their sophism really gets on my nerves sometimes.
I believe they call this kind of 'win' "damning with faint praise". But at least the car is getting some notice, probably due to the great success Hyundai is having with increased sales. CR could afford to ignore the car while it 's membership didn't support it with sales but now 'the times, they are a changing'.
NO, I don't want CR to use a different standard for testing Hyundais. What I want is for the reviewers to approach, get in, and drive ANY car with a modicum of objectivity. CR makes the exact same mistake that many of the Auto rags make and that is to judge everything by their predetermined favorites. In CR terms, this would be the Accord/Camry syndrome. In the auto press it is the BMW syndrome.
Much of what goes into a car design does not necessarily flow from CR's favorite subjective likes. If all you can do is think 'that's not how Honda does it' or 'that doesn't feel Honda-like', then I hate to say it but somebody is stealing their paycheck instead of earning it. This kind of sophistry is strictly for the feeble-minded and inept. Comparisons have their place in this process but strict (even fanatical) adherence to an admittedly subjective standard ('We prefer'...'to us it seemed/felt'...'to our tastes', etc.) is not detached journalism. It is blatantly the opposite. And, because these people write exactly the way they do, I treat them with the same respect they treat me, the reader.
The Honda Accord has more road/drivetrain noise than virtually any other car in the class but you rarely hear it mentioned. And if you ever do, it is represented as a 'good thing', driver involving, etc. The Camry has the most over-boosted power systems in the industry, the perfect 'womans' car'. But hardly the standard for all mid-size sedans. These vehicles have many faults of their own which seem to get a pass from much of the reviewing press, as you well know.
The only thing I expect from supposedly useful reviewing sources is that the biases are left at home when they are on the clock. Unfortunately, much of what passes for 'flavor' and 'color' in journalism is nothing more than personal agenda.
Sorry for the rant.
P.S. Aren't you beginning to wonder why the most recent tests of the Sonata/auto are dropping? Go back and check my previous posts on this subject. There is no evidence of any enhancements to the cars' drivetrain. It is as I have always said...some people KNOW HOW to drive an automatic...some don't. Familiarity breeds speed.
Isn't it quite an accomplishment that the Sonata GLS V-6 is their top rated family 6-cylinder sedan? Beats out Alero, Galant, Malibu, 626, and Sebring. Hyundai out-ranked USA and Japanese vehicles!
Also, don't forget that CR's tested Sonata GLS V-6 auto was the slowest to accelerate. Its 9.0 sec was bested by Sebring's 8.3, Malibu's 8.6, and Alero's 8.7. Wouldn't surprise me to see the GLS's time similar, if not possibly inferior, to some of their top rated I-4 family sedans. But I'd have to look it up.
So, I wouldn't call CR biased against Hyundai, but rather cautiously optimistic at changes they've made.
Personally, I've never really liked the old style Hyundai commercials, which focussed on their warranty and owner testimonials, but I really get a kick out of the Sonata one with "Rain drops are falling on my head" with the guy standing in the rain. I also like the commercials for the Kia Optima: "It is... isn't it."
My wife's GLS/auto has 18.5K mi. and has averaged 25.5mpgs. On the highway, we have seen 30+ and around town we are never lower than 21-22.
I understand Chi-town usually has some of the highest gas prices around. I wonder why that is?
By the way, how important is it to change the oil drain plug gasket? Can you reuse them a few times?
With such niceties as the CD/cassette/radio, power seat, heated mirrors, extensive warranty, etc., no Chrysler product (or Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mitsu) could come within thousands of dollars of it, so you could say I feel good about it.
Now I just need to name it. It's black w/ beige interior. I tried "Black Beauty" but the name's trite and the car looks more like a cat than a horse. (Look at the headlights.) "Black Cat" seems unlucky, but stylishly impudent. "Midnight" is sort of mysterious and powerful. Besides telling me to get a life, any ideas?
Does anyone still have the website of that dealership in Canada which sold parts (They sold the fog lights, and I'm interested in purchasing them-quite a bargain too if I remember correctly). Please let me know : )
As far as CR, I've never liked them; and there's nothing like a Merc, but for the money, I love my Hyundai!!
I notice the Hyundai USA headquarters are in Southern Calif., Fountain Valley. I just returned my Hyundai Motor Buyers Survey and it goes to Agoura Hills, CA
I also found a good dealership to work with. Mine sold Nissin as well as Hyundai, KIA and Daewoo. The Daewoo was not shown on the lot yet, but they had some in stock. I was lucky to have 5 different Hyundai dealerships within 40 miles of where I live. I do not think any of them were stand alone Hyundai dealers. All carried other makes as well.
Astrol, thanks for the comment about the drain plug gasket. My first two oil changes are free at the dealership. I will take advantage of that, then probably do my own at least most of the time. That is about the extent of my mechanical abilities. I could probably do more if I had to, buttt!
Dunn3, here is the address you requested:
http://members.home.net/davefjeldsted/itmidx1.htm
The name of the dealership is Focus Hyundai.
I too have noticed a bad vibration when braking at anything above 35mph or so. The steering wheel actually shakes in your hands. My wife is the daily driver and I have always said she can warp a rotor just by looking at it. It is going in tomorrow for service so I will tell you if they find anything more.
T.H.C.org has been down again for the past 2-3 days. You wonder what gives with that site? It seems no matter who runs it, the site goes down for a week or more every month.
Anyhow, I heard there was a recall, what was it? Just thought I'd ask!
I've read all the posts on this board, and it's all been very helpful. So far I am very pleased!
Thanx,
Tina