Hey Al. I'll give the bad news first, post info for you, then offer a suggestion:
LOCAL DEALERS:
These cars are HOT right now. The local dealer here in West Palm Beach is selling for $3500 over sticker. CRAZY !!! The Sonata plant in Montgomery added an additional full shift a few months ago to keep up with demand.
The good news is that all the Hyundai dealers I've dealt with over the years have been quite good with service. That may change as the company grows and they develop a larger customer base, but up to now any issues I've had from initial purchase to warranty claims has been pain free.
BASIC FEATURES:
These cars are fairly well equipped in base trim, and quite well sorted out for driving dynamics (though steering is rather light). As far as the basics you want, the GLS has cloth, auto, A/C, power windows, locks, etc. For a few extra sheckles you can get a preferred equipment package that upgrades you from steel wheels, adds bluetooth for hands free phone operation, and satellite radio if you want it, plus a few more items.
The standard engine has 200hp, plenty IMHO, and I have the exact car we've just spec'd out (GLS with preferred equipment package) in Pacific Blue.
ADVICE:
Shop online for the car you want. Cars.com, consumerreports.org, and others will help price a car for you and have the dealers contact you to meet the price with options you may select. Convenient, reliable, no surprises. If the dealer tried to pull a fast one, just walk out the door.
If you have difficulty getting a deal, visit your local Ford dealer. The Fusion is a VERY nice set of wheels (particularly with the V-6) for a comparable price of a Sonata these days, and the driving dynamics are probably the best of any car on the road right now - including BMW, Mercedes, Audi. Phenominal car. Extremely reliable.
The Focus is also an outstanding ride and also extremely reliable, just a bit smaller than the Sonata - and perhaps for a better price than a Sonata. Drive the Focus first. I drove one and though the handling was great, I didn't like the behavior of the automatic transmission.
LOCAL DEALERS:
These cars are HOT right now. The local dealer here in West Palm Beach is selling for $3500 over sticker. CRAZY !!! The Sonata plant in Montgomery added an additional full shift a few months ago to keep up with demand.
The good news is that all the Hyundai dealers I've dealt with over the years have been quite good with service. That may change as the company grows and they develop a larger customer base, but up to now any issues I've had from initial purchase to warranty claims has been pain free.
BASIC FEATURES:
These cars are fairly well equipped in base trim, and quite well sorted out for driving dynamics (though steering is rather light). As far as the basics you want, the GLS has cloth, auto, A/C, power windows, locks, etc. For a few extra sheckles you can get a preferred equipment package that upgrades you from steel wheels, adds bluetooth for hands free phone operation, and satellite radio if you want it, plus a few more items.
The standard engine has 200hp, plenty IMHO, and I have the exact car we've just spec'd out (GLS with preferred equipment package) in Pacific Blue.
ADVICE:
Shop online for the car you want. Cars.com, consumerreports.org, and others will help price a car for you and have the dealers contact you to meet the price with options you may select. Convenient, reliable, no surprises. If the dealer tried to pull a fast one, just walk out the door.
If you have difficulty getting a deal, visit your local Ford dealer. The Fusion is a VERY nice set of wheels (particularly with the V-6) for a comparable price of a Sonata these days, and the driving dynamics are probably the best of any car on the road right now - including BMW, Mercedes, Audi. Phenominal car. Extremely reliable.
The Focus is also an outstanding ride and also extremely reliable, just a bit smaller than the Sonata - and perhaps for a better price than a Sonata. Drive the Focus first. I drove one and though the handling was great, I didn't like the behavior of the automatic transmission.
