hyundai??

medic · 05-17-07, 11:42

So the medicmobile is showing its age and it'll be going away soon.

I need to replace it with a basic family car (couldn't convince my wife that you can fit a baby seat in a Porsche

)

Anyway, I wanted to get people's thoughts on the reliability and quality of Hyundai cars. I've had a few as rental cars and they seem fine, but they were all pretty new (< 10K). I don't know how they hold up over time.

I don't replace cars often. The medicmobile is 15 years old and only started having bigger problems this year. Would a Hyundai last this long?

Thanks

BlackElantraGT · 05-18-07, 12:20

Hyundai's have come a really long way. Many people still associate Hyundai with the old Excels that they first started selling here in the U.S with its poor reliability and cheap quality. When I was a kid, the only car with a worst reputation than Hyundai was the Ford Pinto and the Yugo.

To be honest with you, when I purchased my 2002 Hyundai Elantra GT hatchback, it was not what I wanted at all. I had to settle for it because at the time it was all I could afford, and it was a no brainer purchase when you factor in the 10 year warranty, which at the time no one else had.

Since the day I purchased my car, I have been converted. And based on sales figure, a lot of Americans (along with the rest of the world) have been converted. Their cars are the best bang for your buck and if money is an issue, you should definitely look into Hyundais. Their popularity has gained so much though that IMO, the newer models aren't as much of a bang for your buck as the previous generation. The newer models coming out are commanding a higher price. I don't know if they'll be able to do it in 10 years, but I say that in about 15-20 years, Hyundai will go for as much as the Japanese cars if they continue doing what they're doing.

In over 6 years of owning the car, I haven't had any major problems. The biggest problem was my airbag light came on and that was fixed under warranty. My car is at more than 76,000 miles and the engine runs smoother than any of the Saabs we've had in my family, including a 2000 Saab 9-3 convertible and a 2006 Saab 9-5.

Here are my main complaints about Hyundai though. If you're the type that likes to trade every few years, forget about it because its depreciation is crap. Insurance also costs more than comparable cars. MPG sucks when you compare it to a similar Toyota or Honda.

If you can afford a Toyota or Honda, I would suggest that instead because generally speaking they will be more reliable and they will fetch more money too when you resell. But if you can't afford those 2, then keep an open mind and consider Hyundai. In the end, you get what you pay for. A Hyundai might be cheaper now, but in the long run any money you saved will be offset with higher depreciation, paying slightly more at the pump, and higher insurance.

TH0001 · 05-18-07, 05:10

My wife just put 75,000 miles on her '04 Sonota (drives a lot) and the thing runs perfectly. No issues what so ever. Her's is the fully loaded version, which is funny because when people get in it they cannot believe its a Hyundai. It has pretty much every opition a fully loaded Accord from the same year had at 10,000 off the sticker.

The newer Sonota's are nicer still. They have a 240 (I think) horsepower V6 and hit sixty in the mid sixes and run a 15 flat in the quater. That's like 5.0L terrority from back in the day. The fact that you can get these cars for so cheap is amazing.

yakky · 05-18-07, 06:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackElantraGT

Here are my main complaints about Hyundai though. If you're the type that likes to trade every few years, forget about it because its depreciation is crap. Insurance also costs more than comparable cars. MPG sucks when you compare it to a similar Toyota or Honda.

If you can afford a Toyota or Honda, I would suggest that instead because generally speaking they will be more reliable and they will fetch more money too when you resell. But if you can't afford those 2, then keep an open mind and consider Hyundai. In the end, you get what you pay for. A Hyundai might be cheaper now, but in the long run any money you saved will be offset with higher depreciation, paying slightly more at the pump, and higher insurance.

I couldn't agree more. Ages ago one of my ex's had an Excel, it was a POS, pretty unreliable. By the stats, it seems like they have come a long way in the reliability department. However total cost of ownership is still above that of a Toyota or a Honda, and the reliabliity is not there yet, not saying it won't get there... and durability is for sure not there. Take a look at a 10 year old Honda vs a 10 year old Hyundai.

So all in all, why pay more to get less in the end?

SCoach · 05-18-07, 06:04

I'd own a Hyundai no problem. However, I am going to suggest you look up your local Subaru dealer. Decent gas mileage, excellent crash test results, all wheel drive, fair pricing, decent resale value, and pretty good gas mileage. All without paying the premium of the Honda/Toyota dealers. I've never owned a Toyota, but I have owned a Honda and it was a great experience. I just feel I got a lot more for my money at Subaru.

BlackElantraGT · 05-18-07, 07:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by medic

I don't replace cars often. The medicmobile is 15 years old and only started having bigger problems this year. Would a Hyundai last this long?

Thanks

Sorry, forgot to answer your question in my first response. At this point, there's not enough data to really say if a Hyundai will last you 15 years because Hyundai hasn't been known for their reliability until recently. But just because you buy a Toyota or a Honda doesn't mean your car will automatically last 15 years either. With most of the new cars nowadays, if you treat it well and service it regularly, they'll last many years.

If I had to bet which would last longer, an American car or a Korean car, my money would be on the Hyundai or Kia. Their cars have really come a long way.

As for a family car, the Sonata is a really nice car but the hidden gem IMO is the Azera. That right there is a STEAL and hardly anyone knows about it. It's not as high-tech as a Lexus or MB, but has all the comforts and luxury you would want all for under $30k. Tell me where else you can find a deal like that.

lawrencea · 05-18-07, 08:27

I think that the Sonota is one of the finest car on 4 wheels. The warrenty--5years 60,000 miles bumper to bumper, nobody has that , and of course 10 year 100,000 mile power train. You can see the whole hood from behind the steering wheel , a plus for me. It has a short console so you dont feel jammed in. There very quiet, and ride like a luxury car . The fit and finish is outstanding. What I dont care for is the type of cloth the seats are made of. Af far as the old Excel was , I had a 88 , and it was one of my better cars.. 55000miles on the first set of brakes. Ive seen fully loaded Sonota Limited with leather go for $21,500.00. Ive seen the base Sonota Automatic and 4 cylender and full power go for $14,000.00 and some change. You cant beat the value.

joshtpa · 05-18-07, 08:35

Check out any magazine and they will all tell you how good the Hyundai is. They were smart about it. They built some pretty bad cheap cars in the past and then got their act together. Were able to slap a great warranty on them because of very few problems now, and in the end can charge a little more. The Azera is a wonderful car and is a great bargain.

kkreit01 · 05-18-07, 09:03

If the incentives are right, I would never hesitate to own one. A Sonata V6, or Azera would be great stoplight sleepers. There's a $2K rebate on the Sonata now. The new Elantra seems larger than most in it's class, but the powertrain is average.

If you are looking at 4 cyl Sonata, you might also want to look at the Kia Optima. The Optima has a 5-sp auto, and the Sonata a 4-spd. The new Optima is also rated quite high, and gets praises.

Danin Re · 05-18-07, 09:07

I have a 2005 Hyundai Tiburon... Hyundai's version of a sport coupe. So far, I love it. I can't really expand on what anyone else said other than the fact that I love the car. Everything seems to be of good quality,

The car is sporty... a bit underpowered for a V6, but it's responsive enough for me. And, both of my kids' car seats fit just fine in it. There won't be as much room in the back seat when they get a bit bigger (3 and 5 now), but it sucks to be them.

Seriously... they all seem to be good cars. Hyundai now has a RWD sedan coming to the US for the 2009 model year (maybe 2008, can't remember) putting out around 300hp.

OutlawTitan · 05-18-07, 10:26

IMO if you are going to want to ever trade then Hyundai may not be the way to go but if you are going to keep it for 10+ years they are a great deal. If you can afford a Honda or Toyota I don't think you will ever go wrong with either whether you decide to keep it forever or trade it in. I would just as comfortable buying a Hyundai to keep but not to trade. Just my $0.02.

joshtpa · 05-18-07, 10:28

In the extra money you spend on the Honda or Toyota, you can chalk up to the loss you will have in the trade.