I can't believe this

More Amanda crap..this time Nissan....

Here Amanda shops for an Oldsmobile!!!!

They aren't horrible. Decent value.

I still like my subaru better though.

-- Todd H.

2001 Legacy Outback Wagon, 2.5L H-4 Chicago, Illinois USA

Do they still make Oldsmobile's ?

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I am glad to hear that.

Even as a driver, I tend to get slightly disoriented easily (just enough not to want to be in the car for long and want to go home; I always lived maximum 10 minutes drive from work/school) due to motion sickness.

I feel so comfortable in this Oldsmobile

I still like Subaru too.

Since I really do not want spoiler and there is only one in town w/o it (still about an 1 hour drive from here), I made an offer yesterday that if they give it to me for 24,000, I'd come and get it today. He said that he'd ask his manager and get back to me as soon as he can. I do notice that consumer report currently is NOT showing either dealer incentive or customer rebate. If they can't do it, I guess I'll have to wait till the end of the month or so. The other option is to contact dealers from LA. I have some distant cousins there (I don't know them well) but I can use their address and get price quote. I heard that it is cheaper there though probably not enough to make a difference. The last choice I have is wait till September.

The Santa Fe became one of my wife's 'finalists' while we were searching for a replacement vehicle for her after the yougest daughter totaled a Windstar van. Hyundai has come a long way since they were introduced and they have a good warranty. But we were swyaed to the Outback because the seats felt better and - well, japanese engineering I guess. My Civic wagon lasted a loooonnnngggg time.

Carl

Todd H. wrote:

Not a bad idea, Hyundai is one of the most trouble free cars out there and the most improved car in the last few decades, in 5 years they went from junk to jewel. Can't beat the warranty. TG

They are showing 3 2004 models, Alero, Silhouette, and Bravada on the website. I guess they are still dragging on the slow death of the division.

Blair

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True. The V6 on Sonata (I believe the one I was shown was 2005) was only 170HP. In my rigorous analysis, I have learned that the stability I feel is from higher HP. From a quick look at crasdirect.com, 2006 seems to have higher horsepower choice. The salesman told me that the white comes with the tan interior only. I hate that color for interior.

That's the key word.

Hi,

Yes, Hyundai's come a long way, but my gut feeling on this kind of stuff is you can learn things by looking at the warranties of the "best" models in a class, e.g. Toyotas and Hondas, then compare them to those of the "lesser" models. For example, if Toyota or Honda offers 36 mos/36k miles, and somebody else is offering 100k miles, it's an indication they're still not "there" and need the extra warranty coverage as an incentive to get people to buy the lesser vehicle. (Notice the extra long warranties are almost always on cars that have developed a reputation for being problematic? Including Mitsubishi, VW, Hyundai...)

A friend has a Sonata, and really loves the fact it's got the 100k mile warranty. The warranty's kept her overall cost out of pocket very low for repairs. OTOH, it's cost Hyundai a LOT to keep her car running for

80k+ miles (including but not limited to new trans, seats, brakes--something serious, not just a wear item-- and constant "little" stuff), and then there are the all too frequent trips to the Hyundai store for all that! Compared to Toyotas and Hondas I've known, the Hyundai's still pretty unreliable. But maybe they're learning from all the warranty claims. I just don't like being the guinea pig.

Opinions will vary, of course...

Rick

That's what I pointed out immediately - I also mentioned about a friend's complint on Hyundai bought over 10 yers ago - but the response was that "oh..they're new in the market and they have to offer that warranty ... blah..blah.

"Guinea pig" was the exact words that crossed my mind when I was told the *good* things about Hyundai. And, frequent trips to the Hyundai store is not for me.

Glad to be informed about the many trips your friend had to make to the Hyundai stores.

I am a proud owner of a 1990 Hyundai Excel. Yes the original Excel, the alleged piece of crap, and proverbial pile of junk.

The car has got 82k original miles on it and believe it or not ....except for the fuel pump nothing has ever broken down!!!!!!!

Ever!

Except for routine maintenance items such as tires, belts,houses, one timing belt and one water pump everything is original. The radio and plastic interior is beggining to fall apart as the car has never been garaged and sits in the California sun, but mechanically its been absolutely flawless!

My old Corsica in its first 82k miles has seen the dealer on more than one occasion (tranny went out at 28k plus, and then again at 50k). Yes it made it to a venerable age of 177k miles but has never been very reliable. Now, my 2000 Impreza had both rear wheel bearings go totally bad at only 18K! It is at 29k now, and reliable- keeping my fingers crossed.

The "crappy" little Hyundai Excel has so far been the most reliable car I have owned. What a joke! Either I must be very very lucky or these cars were not that bad after all. I've heard they were sold mainly to poor/bad credit people who never really took proper care of them. Mine had superb overall care, semi-synthetic oil in its early life, even today its on Rotella changed every 3000 miles.

To anyone contemplating buying a Hyundai I would say go for it! Take good care of the vehicle and with a bit of luck you may be utterly surprised with how reliable these cars can be.

I think my next car is going to be the new Sonata, from pictures it looks really nice and no doubt will be a good value.

MN

Please, please, please buy the Hyundai....

Not on your life. I exist to annoy you.

Wasn't that back when they used Mitsubishi engines?

I had a coworker who drove an early 90's Excel 5-sp. It was loud and horribly underpowered. Other than that, it ran fine.

The 1990 was all Hyundai.

Yup, it was/is loud and horribly underpowered!

If you ran it on thin synthetic, semi-synthetic oil, like I did, it helped a bit with the lack of power issue. Also, mine is a 4speed, not 5speed manual, with somewhat better gearing for power.

I can't imagine driving it anywhere else but the city, though.

MN

Reading that statement brings to mind the "wall of photos" scene in the movie "One Hour Photo." I have this image in my mind of our wonderful "doctor" with all of amanda's posts plastered all over his wall... Fixation indeed.

-Matt

I've also heard they've made great progress in recent years. Still, I'll stick with the Japanese cars until I'm convinced otherwise...

I'll admit to not having checked on the warranties in some time, but I seem to remember them being only 100k powertrain warranties. The bumper to bumper that everyone is most familiar with, is the same 3 year/36k that everyone else has. IIRC, of course. If that's the case, you're not really gaining anything IMO, because the powertrain of any modern vehicle really should last at least 100k, even my friend's Cavalier abomination got that far before the engine at itself. But prior to that, the interior and exterior mechanical bits - the ones NOT covered under a powertrain-only warranty, were breaking like mad. Granted, that was a GM and not a Hyundai, but I've seen similar longevity from a lot of vehicles. If they made that warranty 200k, then I'd be interested. ;)

-Matt