New XG350L Owner

I considered very carefully all the advice you gave me over the last 24
hrs. Because of it, I came very near holding off for another 30-45 days
closer to when my lease terminates. In the end, I decided to purchase
now because I would have to install new rear breaks before I turned my
leased car back in (because of scheduled drive up in mountains, 7000'
elevation, in 3 wks) and the maintenance light had been on for a couple
of weeks because it was time for 45,000 mile maintence. That and this
deal contributed toward my decision:

$21,015 (includes $2000 bonus), plus $45 document prep fee, $211 license
fees, and tax. I'm to make my two remaining lease payments @ $322 each
(one due this Wed, the next and last one due March 25). My first new
car pymt will be due 4/7, so there will be some overlap on last payment.

I got the car in pearl (the white one) with beige seats. Didnt want or
need the 8CD changer but that's all they had in inventory if I wanted
beige seats rather than black. Sales Mgr claims he threw it in.

They were trying to convince me to accept Hyundai's 5.25% interest rate
without a reasonable explanation why I should agree to that, and gave
that up quickly when I was firm about applying for the Capitol One 3.9
rate for 4 yrs. When I was in the finance office, the guy tried to sell
me all the stuff (which I said no to), he was just about thru and then
asked if I would like him to finance it for me through one of the banks
he has a relationship with (Chase Bank) for 3.9. I asked why he didn't
offer that to begin with, he answered he was trying to make money on the
deal. No prepayment penalty.

For those of you in Calif, I purchased it at Santa Ana Hyundai/Izusu,
not the closest dealership to me but not too far, about 18 miles.

I can't tell you what it meant to me to have you there, I don't know
what I would have done without you. It was because of you, if you
remember, that completely turned me around from my original perception
about Hyundai.

Side Note: There was a torrential downpour tonight on the way home
from the dealership, could barely see the road. Here I am in a new and
unfamiliar car and can barely see on the freeway. I looked like a deer
caught in someone's headlights. I was praying I would not have this
really interesting story to tell about the night I purchased my new car,
and it was totalled on the way home in a rain-related accident.

Second side note - I may already have a problem with the car, the seat
belt sticks or pulls, it's difficult to get it to fully roll open to the
length I want it. What a day. sigh.

 

Congratulations on a great deal. But now I feel bad, having paid a whopping
sum more, and not getting the CD changer to boot. Well done! And good
choice on the color - I said we had similar tastes. Mine's pearl white too,
with beige innards. We just turned in our Avalon XLS leased car tonight.
My wife surprised me - no tears, those she is a mite surly this evening.

 

Congrats on the new car. I know you have been debating it for a while.

 

Please don't feel bad, I had a couple of things in my favor - it was
raining over the weekend and not a lot of customers coming in. I
learned that rainy conditions, at the end of the month on a weekend when
they spend a lot on advertising is the optimal time to buy. And one
thing I could never have anticipated was getting a sales manager whom
I'm convinced had ADD. I think he got confused with a couple of deals
he had pending and agreed to something he might not otherwise had if he
had a clearer mind, which I totally exploited (although I was in a state
of confusion a few times, he was probably exploiting me at the same
time). Regarding the CD changer, you can only listen to one at a time,
and this CD changer is in the trunk (?????), AND as I experienced with
my Accord, it is extremely irritating and time consuming to find a
specific CD in the changer. AT least I'll have access to only one CD
slot in the car, which is all I need really. So - you got the same
color combo I got.. I guess we DO have the same taste. Regarding your
wife and turning in the Avalon, it's funny how we can get attached to
our cars but this too shall pass.

 

Thanks, I appreciate it. Now I'm throwing myself into my next project -
adopting my first dog from a shelter or rescue organization. I always
like to make sure I'm in a continual state of overwhelm at any given
time.

 

Allow me to echo the other congratulations on getting a great deal on a
great car. As for your seatbelt problem, (which I hope you've mentioned to
your dealer), the only time I've seen this happen is very occasionally when
I'm trying to put on the belt while driving at the same time (shame on
me...). It's never happened when I'm behaving myself.
As for first-day-itis, the day I got my 350 I drove from L.A. down to
Fashion Island in Newport Beach. Everything seemed perfect UNTIL...I went up
and incline while pulling into an upper level parking lot. At that point the
car started vibrating and almost violently shaking, which pretty much
flipped me out. My brother-in-law very calmly (and probably correctly)
attributed the problem to possibly very cheap gasoline combined with excess
air in the fuel tank. After filling it up, the problem never happened again.
And the dealer gave me a free tank and oil change to make amends. While the
dealer has been great since then, I was a little annoyed that they didn't
prep the car as they should have.
As for the CD Changer (at least the '02 model), has been real simple to
operate. However while it's a nice option for long trips, I also find myself
relying on the indash more often than not. Maybe this is a good time to read
all the manuals.
As for my side note - while walking toward my car Friday night, I approached
a black car (like mine) with a great looking front end that looked similar
to my 350 and that piqued my curiosity. As I passed I saw that it was a
black '04 XG350. Very cool.

Enjoy,
-Briggs

 

My Passat's got the CD changer in the trunk, so I know what you mean. CDs
will ride in there for months. In the Passat's case, there is no in-dash
slot, just the changer, which is a pain. So when the Hyundai dealer said
his white car did not have a changer in it, I was actually kind of pleased.
I figure that I'll use the money I'd have spent on that to hook into
satellite radio if I can figure out how to do it and make it look right,
which may not be possible, so I may never do it. Radio here in eastern NC
is poor pickins unless you're into beach music, oldies, or country. I'm an
idiot - I like ESPN, Sporting News Radio, Fox Sports, etc. The only thing
similar here is East Carolina Pirates radio. Puh-leeze!

 

Thank you Briggs. I was trying to remember yesterday....was it you
several months ago that posted negative feedback from owners of cars
from many other makes, including the big 3, high end cars, and many
others, to demonstrate that every make car has its problem cars?


As for your seatbelt problem, (which I hope you've mentioned to

I did, he asked if I had my foot on the brake when it happened. I
didn't remember, told him I'd pay attention to that.


the only time I've seen this happen is very occasionally when

I believe that happened with me also.


It's never happened when I'm behaving myself.

Today I didn't have any problem with it.

Holy cow!!! I can tell you now, I would have taken a cab home.

They are beautiful cars, aren't they?

Thanks, Briggs.

 

The seat belts installed in newer Hyundai vehicles DO lock when you
press the break. I find it annoying but you get used to it and learn
that you have to move before you break.

 

I'm glad you got your car, I have had mine for 2 years and love it
(although I miss riding up high in an SUV). As far as the seatbelyt
goes, it's very common in most card to be touchy when pulling it out.
Don't pull too fast and don't be parked on a hill (its all gravity
driven).
Also in mine and my wifes Santa Fe, both cars the seat belts don't
lock real well and sometime have come off while driving (not far). I
suggest you tug on it. Maybe were all just too fat!
BTW, That's a good price, that's about what I paid.

 

That was me, that was I (formerly windmere) who posted quotes from many
unhappy owners of expensive cars.

I learned this lesson myself after buying the highly-vaunted Toyota Corolla
and finding out it was horrible. I learned what I never knew before as a
humble owner of a Hyundai, that other cars are not better. When I got the
money and could have any car I wanted it I found out this sad truth!

My current philosophy is "a car is a car" and I'll stand the one I have as
long as I can. I've since test driven many different makes and found nothing
as good as my Hyundai Pony. Sad eh? I'm eventually going to sell the Toyota
and get the Pony restored.

The truly ironic thing for me is that Phil Edmonston's new edition of
Lemon-Aid guide just came out and he no longer recommends the Toyota Corolla
because of the very problems I have with it, which were not written about in
any reviews before....proving once and for all that even a car maker who is
regarded as godlike in perfection can fall into carelessness. Hopefully it's
a matter of time until the world takes notice and switches to Hyundai.

I was happy to hear that you finally got your XG350 and it sounds like a
real beauty. Hoping you will have many happy years driving it!

 

Ah..Windmere, right...

I have to say, that your post made a tremendous impact on me, which
ultimately lead to my being a Hyundai owner. I want to thank you very
much for that. I don't know if you found all the quotes from one source
because if not, that took a lot of effort. Thank you again. Now,
what's this with "aspidistra"? Is there a story behind this name?
Robin

 

Well, it's just a plant, also called the cast iron plant. I'm fond of mine,
because they are so sturdy and long lived, and they are very old-fashioned.
I guess like me. I'm an old person.

I just picked it as a new moniker for outlook express out of the air when I
had to reinstall all the system software the other day.

Those car quotes were just all from Google - looking up various names of
cars like Lexus or Mercedes along with the word "lemon" or "warranty" or
"problem", etc. I thought it was kind of funny in a savage way, considering
how despised Hyundais are and how beloved Mercedes etc. are..... you can
certainly find just about anything in a search engine.

 

Not knowing how old you are, I will say that perhaps in years, but
certainly not of spirit and mind.

That's great, LOL. I'm so glad you are an active participant on this
board.
Robin

 

No, the seat belt mechanism is not connected in any way to the brake.
It's the ELR(Emergency Locking Retractor) tightening your belt.