After two months and 2,000 miles, I thought it appropriate to post an update.
The Ride
The roads of New England are atrocious -- especially considering we barely even HAD a snowy winter! Having said that, the Genesis continues to gobble up the potholes like Pac-Man. I haven't felt any changes in the way the car handles; the sporty ride transmits all the imperfections to the steering
wheel. I don't mind it, but others might. If you live in a city, or in the north... you might want to test-drive the car over the worst roads you can think of before you buy it. This car is no Town Car or Avalon when it comes to cloud-like rides. Thankfully.
The Engine
With the V8 "broken in", I have no reluctance to unleash it when opportunity presents itself -- that doesn't mean I act like Ayrton Senna out there. But every once in a while, I try to push the acceleration to its limits. The shifting "lag" hasn't become annoying yet, but it is noticeable, and I wish it could be tweaked with an ECU update... hopefully that is coming, and if not, it isn't that disagreeable to me, to be honest.
I've had the occasional doughhead try to pass me on the right on the highway -- you know the type; they cut over, pass you and then cut you off when they get near a tractor trailer. That's when the ponies really shine, though! And on a couple of those occasions, not only do I
not allow this to happen, but I also push her a little past the speed limit (30, 40 mph, nothing crazy), while leaving said doughhead in the dust. PLEASURABLE, I MUST SAY.
The Electronics
No issues so far. At first, I thought there was a problem with the radio - the couple of times it happened, I was listening to XM. Then I realized that satellite radio needs a direct "view" of satellites in order to work - going under a bridge, or through a tunnel, blocks the view, and static ensues. Again, not a real "problem". I will not be renewing XM when the trial is over. Those people were calling my wife DAILY while I was at work... and when they finally caught me at home, I told them to stop bothering my wife. Calls ended. XD
Loving the smart cruise control, though I wish that the LCD display wouldn't "default" to the distance view every time a car gets in front of me. I wonder if the nav LCD display will come back on if I have smart cruise and a turn comes up... I'll have to test it out, I guess.
The Interior
Again, no real issues to report - I took the car in for service today (more on that below) and asked them to lubricate the door panels for the occasional squeak. Done, free of charge, and no need for me to mess with the doors.
I used Meguiar's Back to Black on the inside of the car - though it has kept everything spic-and-span so far, I don't believe it was meant for interior use, and it does collect a bit of dust. Nothing my dash California Duster can't handle every other week though. The seats are performing nicely, though I notice a gluteus maximus "imprint" in my seat now. I suppose when the leather is this soft, it is to be expected. I'll just call it my Hyundai Memory Foam Seat ®!
Exterior
It was bound to happen. My first scratch. In a moment of weakness, I decided to go to a local touchless carwash (just water) about a month ago. BIG MISTAKE... since this happened:
Lesson learned, plus in the long run, my paint will appreciate all the personal attention. I covered the scratch with a paint pen, and followed it with a clearcoat pen. Unnoticeable to anyone but me, really. These pens are not easy to use, and require a LOT of patience. If you get a scratch in a more exposed location, I suggest you take care of it professionally.
Other Things of Note
The horn in this car is pathetic... I need to seriously consider upgrading it. Wonder how this would sound in my car?
Marauder Scares Jacksonville With Train Horns - YouTube
The headlights appear much "yellower" than the LCD strips, and I am probably going to change them to 5k or 6k bulbs soon. I know I'll lose a bit of visibility, but it will be an improvement aesthetically.
Still thinking of replacing the current airbag unit (with wing sticker) with a proper
KDM unit... wonder if the prices will come down eventually... how does that work? I'm not sure.
The Service Experience
Took the car in for service today for the first time at
Danbury Hyundai. There was a funky smell in the car, and I thought it was coming from the air vents. Turns out I got some of that Back to Black in the vents, and that's what was causing the odor. I also asked them to lubricate the door panels, as mentioned above.
I have to admit -- I was VERY skeptical of the Hyundai service experience, especially after reading some reports on here. I understand I didn't have any major issues to address, but based on today's visit, I am VERY satisfied with Danbury Hyundai! Pulled right into their service area, which is modern and clean, and a guy came out and took my mileage. I handed him my keys and I walked through some glass doors to the service rep, who was super-friendly and helpful. She asked me if I needed anything else done, and I asked if they washed the car for free. She said yes, and I asked her not to. She asked if I had transportation or if I was waiting. I told her I had a ride, but on my way out, I walked through the service waiting area. Again, clean, modern, free coffee and beverages, and a nice LCD-screen tv! Not only that, but they were playing the Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich Champions League match when I went to pick up the car. GREAT TASTE IN TELEVISION PROGRAMMING!!!
Back on topic... they followed my instructions to the "T". I was pretty adamant about duplicating the smell in the car, so they looked at it again. Then the service guy who worked on the car came out to greet me when I picked it up and walked me through EVERYTHING he did to check the engine bay for leaks, issues, or abnormalities. Very thorough.
I was happily surprised to see they did NOT wash my car, just as I had requested. These guys are 3 miles from my house, and less than a mile from my office. I am STOKED that they are providing better service than VW ever provided me in 10+ years of ownership (again, I qualify this statement since I am under warranty and haven't had major issues, not that I anticipate any!).
All in all... just as happy (if not more so) with the purchase after two months as the day I bought it!
