Ed said:
What is so bad about a 40 mile drive? In 3 1/2 years of Hyundai
ownership I've been to the dealer three times, including twice to pick
up the new cars I bought. Sixty miles driving over the life of a car to
have the one I really want is not a big deal. Never bought a Lamborghini
since the dealer was 200 miles away, but now that there is a new one
about 75 miles, I may consider one next time around.
It is the time not the miles per se. The current dealer is on my way to
work and about two miles from where I work. I can drop the car off in
the morning for service and they take me to work. When the car is done,
they come and get me. It takes about 10 - 15 minutes out of my day. I
have had the car back to the dealer at least 6-7 times in the 4 years I
have owned it, probably more. Every issue takes at least two visits:
one for diagnosis and one when the parts come in as the dealer appeared
to stock virtually nothing. Even the cabin air filter had to be ordered!
The new dealer is not on my way to work and I don't think offers a
shuttle as far away as my office is from their location, but I need to
check on the latter. Even if they did, it would add an hour to my
commute on each direction at a minimum. It just isn't convenient and
the Sonata just hasn't been a dramatically better car than other cars I
have owned. There is a Chevy garage right across the street from the
current Hyundai garage and they offer the shuttle service also. And I
have had good luck with my past Chevies including my current truck which
is 16 years old with 120,000 miles and still going strong, albeit with
some rust starting to come through in a couple of spots.
The new Chevy vehicles are quite nice and when I recently test drove the
Equinox back-to-back with the Santa Fe, both me and my wife much
preferred the Chevy. And the new Malibu appears to be the equal of the
Sonata, although I have driven the new model Sonata.
So, most likely back to GM for my next car which may well be a
cross-over such as the Equinox.
Matt