Seejay
Registered Member
Humble Hyundai:
I purchased a 2006 Sonata v6 Limited and a 2013 Elantra GLS from Humble Hyundai, both new. They have always treated me with the greatest respect. Their parts prices are reasonable, the shop is clean and well lit, and the techs are very good. I never had much reason to go there except for oil changes, flushes and the usual dealer maintenance (a door lock actuator and the windshield washer pump were the only things that have gone out on the Sonata in 9 years). No service was ever required on the Elantra, and i have since traded it in for my 2015 Genesis.
North Freeway Hyundai:
No one could ever accuse me of being a loyal customer--little did i know that i was going to be punished for this transgression. My brother was very satisfied with his 2015 Equus, and they had a much bigger inventory of Genesis sedans than Humble, so i bought my Genesis from them. Well, the front brake rotors warped after 100 miles. Best i could tell (just a theory that no one disputes, btw) this damage was done at the port when the mud guards were installed, and in all likelihood, the lug nuts were overtorqued.
Now here is where things started to go wrong and like many things that go wrong, it starts with a lack of communication. I brought it in for inspection, expecting the rotors to be replaced, and they _cut_ the rotors instead. I could understand that this was a temporary fix until new rotor replacements could be approved by Hyundai, since dealers usually do not stock items associated with wear for cars this new. My understanding was that they were done with me. Happy motoring, CJ! I will not discuss the bad treatment i got from the service manager, but it was bad.
So i called Hyundai Customer Affairs and started a case. Like my employer (a large computer company), i expected them to be keenly interested in how my car had been damaged, the chain of custody, etc. I expected them to be interested in a dealer that destroyed the evidence of damage prior to their taking delivery by cutting the rotors. I think all HCA managed to do was alienate me with North Freeway's service department. It didnt seem to me that they wanted to know how the car was damaged, nor did they seem to be interested in making me happy. Instead, they seemed only interested in closing the case before Christmas. Their cavalier attitude towards the 2009 Genesis sedan brake recall fiasco should have been a clue. I don't get them at all. They want to compete with the Germans, but they have this check box attitude towards the second most important safety system on a car that defies belief. How a brake pedal feels is everything to any serious driver. Is there modulation? Are the brakes "anxious" or "reticent"? Brakes are something a driver interacts with constantly, especially in an urban environment. The only emails or snail mail i have received from Hyundai are rewards spam and financial statements.
So i called Humble. After inspection, they had approval from Hyundai to replace the rotors. I had complained of a slightly spongy brake pedal at North Freeway (i was ignored). They bled the system down, and the brakes now feel better than any of the other Genesis sedans i test drove. The rotors should arrive at Humble the holiday week between Christmas and New Year's Day.
I am almost sure this is what would have happened had i bought the car at Humble: They would have loaned me a nice car until the rotors were replaced and i was happy in every way with my new car.
I purchased a 2006 Sonata v6 Limited and a 2013 Elantra GLS from Humble Hyundai, both new. They have always treated me with the greatest respect. Their parts prices are reasonable, the shop is clean and well lit, and the techs are very good. I never had much reason to go there except for oil changes, flushes and the usual dealer maintenance (a door lock actuator and the windshield washer pump were the only things that have gone out on the Sonata in 9 years). No service was ever required on the Elantra, and i have since traded it in for my 2015 Genesis.
North Freeway Hyundai:
No one could ever accuse me of being a loyal customer--little did i know that i was going to be punished for this transgression. My brother was very satisfied with his 2015 Equus, and they had a much bigger inventory of Genesis sedans than Humble, so i bought my Genesis from them. Well, the front brake rotors warped after 100 miles. Best i could tell (just a theory that no one disputes, btw) this damage was done at the port when the mud guards were installed, and in all likelihood, the lug nuts were overtorqued.
Now here is where things started to go wrong and like many things that go wrong, it starts with a lack of communication. I brought it in for inspection, expecting the rotors to be replaced, and they _cut_ the rotors instead. I could understand that this was a temporary fix until new rotor replacements could be approved by Hyundai, since dealers usually do not stock items associated with wear for cars this new. My understanding was that they were done with me. Happy motoring, CJ! I will not discuss the bad treatment i got from the service manager, but it was bad.
So i called Hyundai Customer Affairs and started a case. Like my employer (a large computer company), i expected them to be keenly interested in how my car had been damaged, the chain of custody, etc. I expected them to be interested in a dealer that destroyed the evidence of damage prior to their taking delivery by cutting the rotors. I think all HCA managed to do was alienate me with North Freeway's service department. It didnt seem to me that they wanted to know how the car was damaged, nor did they seem to be interested in making me happy. Instead, they seemed only interested in closing the case before Christmas. Their cavalier attitude towards the 2009 Genesis sedan brake recall fiasco should have been a clue. I don't get them at all. They want to compete with the Germans, but they have this check box attitude towards the second most important safety system on a car that defies belief. How a brake pedal feels is everything to any serious driver. Is there modulation? Are the brakes "anxious" or "reticent"? Brakes are something a driver interacts with constantly, especially in an urban environment. The only emails or snail mail i have received from Hyundai are rewards spam and financial statements.
So i called Humble. After inspection, they had approval from Hyundai to replace the rotors. I had complained of a slightly spongy brake pedal at North Freeway (i was ignored). They bled the system down, and the brakes now feel better than any of the other Genesis sedans i test drove. The rotors should arrive at Humble the holiday week between Christmas and New Year's Day.
I am almost sure this is what would have happened had i bought the car at Humble: They would have loaned me a nice car until the rotors were replaced and i was happy in every way with my new car.
