Bob's Hyundai Sonata

2007 Hyundai Sonata

V6 SE/5-speed Auto

Daily Driver
Hot Performer

January 11, 2010 - My new tires came in this morning, so I rolled over to Sam's Club to get them installed. $655 later (including installation package and taxes) I'm rolling again. The tires look sporty, and feel and sound as good on the road as the Michelins ever did. The Eagle GTs have a good reputation and a 50K mile warranty. I also sprung for a set of new factory carpet mats for $60 - even though they have been cleaned regularly, the driver's mat (right) had gotten pretty grungy. The new mats brighten up the interior, which is now pretty much back to new condition.

January 7, 2010 - The lack of entries for more than two years pretty much says it all - the Sonata has been flawless. Mixed driving mileage averages a little more than 24 mpg, and the car's performance is amazing. I test drove a 2010 Mustang V6 and found out it was a slug in comparison, and it handles as well as any car I've ever owned. The tires have reached the point where they need replacement at 47K miles, and the 17-inchers are not cheap. I briefly considered buying a new 2010 Sonata when I saw Priority's web site listing 11 V6s under $20,000. This time, however, Priority was not the positive experience it was before. There as only one V6 Sonata on the lot and it was $27K. Worse, the sales staff pretty much blew me off - and I was there with checkbook in hand to buy a new car that day! In the long run, they did me a favor. I realized it was stupid to trade in the one I have, and ordered a set of Goodyear Eagle GTs from Sam's Club. Once they are on, I'll get her to a good paint shop to get the front and rear bumpers touched up - that will make her look like new again. While I won't recommend Priority Hyundai any more, I certainly recommend the V6 Sonata for anyone looking for a fast, roomy and comfortable sedan.

December 22, 2007 - It took three weeks to get the insurance straightened out, and then I had to wait until after Thanksgiving for an appointment to get the car in the shop. However, Mike did a great job on the car - there's not a trace of damage. I drove the truck for several weeks while the Sonata was being repaired - it was very nice to get it back. So far, the car has been flawless in performance, with not a single disappointment.

October 24, 2007 - The Sonata got winged on the way into work this morning. A sudden stop of traffic on the Interstate had cars slamming on brakes all over - except for the Cox Communications van behind me. I was lucky enough to check the rear view mirror in time to cut over to the emergency lane on the right while he swerved left, and he only caught the corner of the car. The damage isn't too bad, but it is still annoying to have the new car messed up. Oh, Priority maintained its sterling manner when I took the car in for the first free oil change. No pressure, no nagging. I made an appointment, showed up, they took care of the oil and filter in quick order and sent me on my way with a smile..

July 15, 2007 - The Sonata was perfect on the trip to Ohio. Very comfortable and smooth, and this time nudged 30 mpg despite 65+ averages over nearly 1400 miles. The fold-down rear seat came in handy when I bought a new exhaust system for the Crosley, and the stereo system was great. I listened to the last Harry Potter book on the way up and back in preparation for the new one coming out next Saturday.

July 11, 2007 - Two weeks later, and I have no regrets about getting the Sonata. She is getting about 22.5 mpg in mixed driving, and managed 28.5 on a trip last week. Comfortable, fast and sporty - plus better mileage than the PT Cruiser. She gets a harder test this weekend - I am driving to Wauseon, Ohio to attend the National Crosley Club Meet. About 650 miles each way.

June 29, 2007 - Just when I thought I couldn't be surprised by any new cars, I got 'stuck' driving a rented Hyundai Sonata for a week-long business trip in Seattle. Understand that I haven't really looked at the South Korean since the days of head-gasket eating Elantras back in the 1980s. The car completely blew me away. It has a powerful 24-valve V-6 and 5-speed automatic with shifttronic option, and drove and rode wonderfully. The PT Cruiser I bought just over a year ago has been disappointing in pretty much all respects - mileage, performance, and comfort all left something to be desired. So I started doing some research. Hyundai has come a long way since their first miserable products - so far, in fact, that the auto magazines rate it up with Toyota and Honda, and Consumer Reports rated it a 'Best Buy.'
On top of that, Hyundai has a 5-year, 60K bumper-to-bumper warranty and a 10-year powertrain warranty (new owner only). I did a lot of shopping around this week both at lots and online, wanting to get the PT traded before the release of Chrysler's 08 models dropped its resale value. Last night I found this 2007 Sonata V6 SE with 7K miles at Priority Hyundai in Chesapeake. It has all the options I wanted and was a nice color. And as a demonstrator, it came with the full new-car 100K warranty. Better yet, I got it for the price some of the lots were asking for used 2006 and 2007 models with 20K or more miles on them! It drives just as nice as the rental car with tons of power and a wonderfully smooth and quiet ride. Hard to believe that it was only a few thousand dollars more than the used PT Cruiser cost last year. I benefited from timing (08 Sonatas just came out and it's almost the end of the month) and ignorance of the driving public. Too many folks still remember the bad years, and don't know what they are missing. I'm just glad the rental agent in Seattle wasn't able to talk me into upgrading from the 'little Hyundai' - I'd never have driven one otherwise! I am also very glad I ended up at Priority Hyundai. They gave me a good price, everyone was courteous, friendly, and no one pushed me. The whole car buying experience was the most pleasant one I've ever had at a dealership, and I'd recommend them to anyone considering a new or used car purchase.

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