Don't you dare buy a (or even think about buying) a Hyundai

[thresher]

Now that I have been working on them for a while I can tell you: buy a used Toyota or Honda. Warranty is useless and the car falls apart all around you. Yeesh. BUT - if you have your heart set on one, believe it or not, the cheaper ones run better than the more expensive ones. (less to fail?)
Accent Hatch (cheapest one they make - 10k new - fun and decent)
"Veracruz GLS" Suv (not cheap, but cheapest of the expensive Suvs - fast without the added weight, 6 spd auto, standard ESC and killer brakes. nicer Suv that competes well with the higher dollar ones with exception of the depreciation)

[mechmike0034]

You workin' in a Hyundai store? I worked for a Chevy/Hyundai store for a while in the early '90s. Waved goodbye to the Service Mgr. with one finger instead of the whole hand, too...

Better be glad Plissken's off in Korea getting training... He works right down the road (60 miles, +/-) from me at the Hyundai plant.

How are the Sonatas holding up? All the car mags loved them...

[bachviet]

I still stick with the Big 2 from Japan. I might think about the French one though (Infiniti).

[Houdini]

I've heard Hyundai's QC, like Nissan's has gone up over the past few years. I sitll think it's kinda funny that they're trying to compete with the Euro and Japanese luxury cars. Yeah, it looks like a Benz, sorta, and it has interesting features and a pseudo-luxurious interior, but it's still a Hyundai!

[tupacboy]

hmm.. hyundai is coming up from what i hear... they're spending a lot of money and time into making better cars... didn't sonata beat out accord and camry in one of those reviews? i think that was the first time in over a decade that accord and camry didn't win...

[gear02]

Businessweek reported that Hyundai's quality actually exceeds Honda and Toyota if you look at the numbers. However, Hyundai's brand absolutely stinks and it's been impossible to actually convince consumers of its quality because of how Hyundai has been the lowest price for a long time. Hyundai is even bringing out a $30k+ car to compete with BMW, Lexus, and Infiniti. It's an interesting marketing case study but I don't think they will succeed.

[Daedalus]

My father has a '95 Sonata and it is a Korean Pinto, but without explosions. It leaked oil at 3 yrs/25k miles. Bird droppings literally take the paint off down to the primer. The downshift of the auto tranny makes the tires chirp.
But does anyone remember Honda in the 70s and early 80s? Japanese manufacturers are where they are because of the approaches they took early on. It appears to me Hyundai is following the continual improvements model the Japanese took, but at an accelerated pace. The quality ranking differences between the '95 and the '05 Sonatas completely amaze me.
I won't be surprised if Hyundai comes out with a luxury division once their brand/image takes a stronger foothold on peoples' perception of them.

[VTGreg]

I have a buddy who sells Hyundais. He goes on and on about how they are near the tops in initial quality now and they have such a great warranty. My response is always, "But it's a Hyundai." I too would have a hard time spending $30k on their flagship the Azzera.

Are the Hyundais that you have worked on older ones or more recent models? I know they have improved the quality considerably over the past 5 years.

[Showtime]

But does anyone remember Honda in the 70s and early 80s? Japanese manufacturers are where they are because of the approaches they took early on. It appears to me Hyundai is following the continual improvements model the Japanese took, but at an accelerated pace. The quality ranking differences between the '95 and the '05 Sonatas completely amaze me.

I remember the j-cars of the 70's and 80's and they were generally very well made. Japans car industry really ramped up after the war so they have been building cars for a while. They initially copied other auto makers and continually improved their designs. They engineered good motors and paid attention to detail and started building decent cars in the 60's. The cars that initially made their way to the US were considered cheap and tiny, but they held up well and were much better than any of the US econobox cars that came later. Everyday you can see good condition 20+ year old honda's and toyota's going strong in So Cal.

HyunDai, on the other hand, started out as crappy company, building crappy cars. Too much influence of 80's American car makers, too much cutting corners, corruption (rampant), and lack of innovation. They've improved a great deal over the last 20 years, but have a long way to go imo. It's too bad they didn't just copy the Japanese from the beginning and do it right.

[Agent Plissken]

Well, they do still have the internet in Korea mechmike ;)

I take it that thresher is working in a repair shop, im sure that is covering the past decade of production which is admitedly not up to the quality of where it should have been. Thats why such great strides have been taken though, to improve the quality of the vehicles.

I realize the brand stigma that Hyundai has, but seriously, its a very good car now

Also, I have seen the new luxury model(s) mentioned... You can make fun of the nameplate all you want, that Hyundai is BADASS!

[thresher]

Yeah. That internet is everywhere I hear! Hola Plissken. And yeah, I am at a Hyundai dealership. Big one. And as mentioned in my post there are some reliable ones, but the problems that come in and the amount of problems that go through before anyone says "hey, is there a problem here?" is amazing. Sonatas go through drivers' side visors like they're candy. They break all the time under 25k miles. I am suspect that at that point the drivers just stop using them when their warranty goes out for fear of (out-of-warranty) replacement.
And the headlights? Yeesh - fog machines. And the door lock actuators. Funny thing is: again, it's about perception. Hyundai is trying desperately hard (read - spending millions) to change their image in the public's eye. Their cars HAVE improved more over the last ten years than any brand that I can think of, but there was no where to go but up. They have their cheapest and their newest eggs figured out, let's hope they can figure out the rest of their bunch.
And Pliss, which luxury model are you speaking of? And personally, I am not making fun of Hyundai, but trying to place the car into perspective. IE- the Accent Hatch.

[Agent Plissken]

The luxury model I am refering to is the Genesis (RWD V8) (the concept was shown publicly, you can google it)... I also saw some other stuff that was really cool, but I cant talk about it yet.

Also, do me a favor thresher and compare the Accent hatch to cars of the same price... none of them are exactly perfect. also, let me know how the current generation sonata and santa fe are holding up.

[mechmike0034]

Yeah. Sonatas go through drivers' side visors like they're candy. They break all the time under 25k miles. And the headlights? Yeesh - fog machines. And the door lock actuators. Funny thing is: again, it's about perception.

Something else to consider with regards to perception:

Being in a dealership service department, you see 100% of the broken ones, and very few of the unbroken ones.

I'm not slagging you, nor defending Hyundai - just calling it like I see it.

Door lock actuators - ick. I HATE inside door panel and underdash work! I wish I had a nickel for every GM power window motor I replaced in the '80s and '90s. My hands still haven't completely healed...

[attgig]

I won't be surprised if Hyundai comes out with a luxury division once their brand/image takes a stronger foothold on peoples' perception of them.

yeah, i've heard rumors to that effect.

Kia also sells hyundai at a higher price (check the msrp's), because kia doesn't have the stigma of hyunday. I don't expect any military folks liking that brand though :-P

[attgig]

oh, and if you've ever thought that hyundais would suck to drive:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kv5d2mXy7dY


i think better than saab suite

[thresher]

good point about my seeing only the busted ones - something to note. and once again... I like the accent hatch very much. AND it's incredibly cheap. AND it gets good gas mileage. I will do a little more research on the later Sonatas/Santa Fes et al.
Thresh
Mike, me no likey inside of doors anymore. :(

[mechmike0034]

I liked (and was pretty damned good at) driveability and electrical, A/C (unless it involved evaporator replacement, which meant dashboard disassembly) and undercar.

I always enjoyed problem-solving. Maintenance (30K/60K, etc.) was OK but mindless. Good money in it on flat-rate...

I hated interior and trim work and heavy line (engine / trans /diff. R & R).

Oh, and Thresh - join iATN (http://www.iatn.net) if you haven't already. Incredible community...