Hyundai / Kia ATF - Huge Price Increase !

[JeffKeryk]

Dealerships gouge, because they can.

 

[Rand]

I have done a drain and fill every 1.5 years aprox.. I always use sp-III because its still under warranty.. and hyundai well is known for being terrible about warrantying transmissions with aftermarket fluids.

 

[Mainia]

Originally Posted by Rand

I have done a drain and fill every 1.5 years aprox.. I always use sp-III because its still under warranty.. and hyundai well is known for being terrible about warrantying transmissions with aftermarket fluids.

First off Hyundai WANTS you to use SP-lV-M because it is a better ATF that superseded the sp-3 By USA law Hyundai can't deny warranty as long as the fluid you put in has been speced by the oil manufacture to be compatible with their oil spec. I had a Fram Ultra on a Hyundai Elantra that had the Hyundai Tick of Death at 14,000 miles and they questioned that they had to test it with theirs and they don't advise me to use the Fram Ultra. I said the Magnusen-Moss Warranty Act states I have the legal right to run that filter. They did not say a word after that. It received a new long block after approval. And believe me, they stated to corporate I had an Ultra on it. Hyundai is terrible about warranting anything that cost them money. You ALWAYS have to be ready for a fight with Hyundai if it is big ticket. I have relitives at both the largest Minnesota Audi and Lexus dealerships, both say they never check oil for warranty. All they do is check if it is full, check if it is AFT or gear oil in the engine oil and if all is well they warranty it. Both have worked there 10 plus years. Not a single sending of an oil analysis. Too many forum dogma warranty and go by the manual types drum up fake news on how dealership work with warranty issues. We hear techs from all different states and makes say the same thing. As long as it is not ATF or gear oil in the engine oil and it is not more then 1Qt down, you get the warranty.

 

[atikovi]

Originally Posted by dubber09

Just use MaxLife and stop wasting your time.

I'd be leery of using any universal fluid in any car I cared about. The label says it's good in Dexron VI applications so by that reasoning, why not use even cheaper Dexron VI in a KIA?

 

[ChrisD46]

Originally Posted by Propflux01

Are you buying the older SP-lV or SP-lV-M? I was wondering if they were selling the SP3 and 4 at higher prices because they essentially do not make it anymore, as it has been superseded by SP-lV-M

*This thread is about SP-III ATF .... I'll start a new thread on SP-IV (Kia / Hyundai want $20 plus a quart for that !

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted by atikovi

Originally Posted by dubber09

Just use MaxLife and stop wasting your time.

I'd be leery of using any universal fluid in any car I cared about. The label says it's good in Dexron VI applications so by that reasoning, why not use even cheaper Dexron VI in a KIA?

Of course your worried you don't understand the coefficients of friction between these transmissions is nearly identical. I guess because some companies recommend using Quaker State you do not want to use Mobil.

 

[dave1251]

Originally Posted by Mainia

Originally Posted by Rand

I have done a drain and fill every 1.5 years aprox.. I always use sp-III because its still under warranty.. and hyundai well is known for being terrible about warrantying transmissions with aftermarket fluids.

First off Hyundai WANTS you to use SP-lV-M because it is a better ATF that superseded the sp-3 By USA law Hyundai can't deny warranty as long as the fluid you put in has been speced by the oil manufacture to be compatible with their oil spec. I had a Fram Ultra on a Hyundai Elantra that had the Hyundai Tick of Death at 14,000 miles and they questioned that they had to test it with theirs and they don't advise me to use the Fram Ultra. I said the Magnusen-Moss Warranty Act states I have the legal right to run that filter. They did not say a word after that. It received a new long block after approval. And believe me, they stated to corporate I had an Ultra on it. Hyundai is terrible about warranting anything that cost them money. You ALWAYS have to be ready for a fight with Hyundai if it is big ticket. I have relitives at both the largest Minnesota Audi and Lexus dealerships, both say they never check oil for warranty. All they do is check if it is full, check if it is AFT or gear oil in the engine oil and if all is well they warranty it. Both have worked there 10 plus years. Not a single sending of an oil analysis. Too many forum dogma warranty and go by the manual types drum up fake news on how dealership work with warranty issues. We hear techs from all different states and makes say the same thing. As long as it is not ATF or gear oil in the engine oil and it is not more then 1Qt down, you get the warranty.

Your assessment is spot on and I doubt every story of dealerships denying warranty. This is for two reasons dealerships don't deny warranty and if the customer takes their vehicle somewhere else this is money lost.

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted by Mainia

First off Hyundai WANTS you to use SP-lV-M because it is a better ATF that superseded the sp-3. By USA law Hyundai can't deny warranty as long as the fluid you put in has been speced by the oil manufacture to be compatible with their oil spec.

SP-IV / SP-IV M does NOT supercede SPIII, so if anyone here follows your advice, Hyundai will deny warranty according to you? http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/1068477/22956303/1371787260727/SP4-M+Promo-Sell+Sheet-FINAL.pdf?token=bqGKjUna26HDfqzwdzgCdpPJIG0%3D TSB 12-AT-006-2 - ATF usage

 

[WhizkidTN]

Originally Posted by doitmyself

Originally Posted by Mainia

First off Hyundai WANTS you to use SP-lV-M because it is a better ATF that superseded the sp-3. By USA law Hyundai can't deny warranty as long as the fluid you put in has been speced by the oil manufacture to be compatible with their oil spec.

SP-IV / SP-IV M does NOT supercede SPIII, so if anyone here follows your advice, Hyundai will deny warranty according to you? http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static/f/1068477/22956303/1371787260727/SP4-M+Promo-Sell+Sheet-FINAL.pdf?token=bqGKjUna26HDfqzwdzgCdpPJIG0%3D TSB 12-AT-006-2 - ATF usage

Sorry, but Hyundai released a PDF concerning the SP4-M when they released it a few years back and THEY say it replaces the older fluids (SP-III, etc.).

 

[doitmyself]

Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Sorry, but Hyundai released a PDF concerning the SP4-M when they released it a few years back and THEY say it replaces the older fluids (SP-III, etc.).

Hyundai introduced SP4-M in June 2013 with no mention of it being backwards compatible: http://www.hyundaiflashdrive.com/ho...-iv-discontinued-introducing-new-at.html In this 2015 TSB, they state that SP4-M in not interchangeable with SP-III: https://testing-public.carmd.com/Tsb/Download/106597/5002779 ... "SP4-M supersedes SPH-IV. SP-III, SP4-M and SPH-IV-RR are not interchangeable." What TSB shows that the SP4-M supercedes SP-III?

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by Cmobile

Valvoline Maxlife full synthetic. ~$18/gal

I've had that in my Kia for years. Manual says SP3 and the MaxLife jug I believe states suitable for SP 3 and 4. But I'm not under warranty anymore, so there's that.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by Mainia

Hyundai is terrible about warranting anything that cost them money. You ALWAYS have to be ready for a fight with Hyundai if it is big ticket.

No truer words spoken in my experience. The one time I had a warranty claim, there was some back and forth with Kia USA. But there was no way I was going to let them off the hook. They offered a 100k mile warranty, by God I was going to hold them to it. But to their credit, they covered it AND the cost of a rental (because I was going to be without my car for 3dys) provided by the dealership...so at the end of the day it all worked out.

 

[Propflux01]

Originally Posted by ChrisD46

Originally Posted by Propflux01

Are you buying the older SP-lV or SP-lV-M? I was wondering if they were selling the SP3 and 4 at higher prices because they essentially do not make it anymore, as it has been superseded by SP-lV-M

*This thread is about SP-III ATF .... I'll start a new thread on SP-IV (Kia / Hyundai want $20 plus a quart for that !

Wow, OK..... I seem to remember this thread being about someone whining about BOTH ATF prices, considering you quoted "then find the same as a SP-IV replacement !!. I simply asked if the prices for SP-3 were higher because of the change in fluids. Sorry I asked...

 

[WhizkidTN]

Originally Posted by doitmyself

Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Sorry, but Hyundai released a PDF concerning the SP4-M when they released it a few years back and THEY say it replaces the older fluids (SP-III, etc.).

Hyundai introduced SP4-M in June 2013 with no mention of it being backwards compatible: http://www.hyundaiflashdrive.com/ho...-iv-discontinued-introducing-new-at.html In this 2015 TSB, they state that SP4-M in not interchangeable with SP-III: https://testing-public.carmd.com/Tsb/Download/106597/5002779 ... "SP4-M supersedes SPH-IV. SP-III, SP4-M and SPH-IV-RR are not interchangeable." What TSB shows that the SP4-M supercedes SP-III?

This is what I was referring to: http://static1.1.sqspcdn.com/static...7260727/SP4-M+Promo-Sell+Sheet-FINAL.pdf And upon further inspection, I think I was wrong. I don't see where it specifically states that it can and should be used for applications that previously has been using SP-III. I guess why I thought this was when I was planning on changing mine last year, the Kia dealership parts department stated that it was to be used in all the past and current 6-speed automatics. They didn't have any of the SP-III bottles on their stock shelf. I ended up using the Amsoil OE Fuel-Efficient Synthetic fluid instead due to some recommendations that it was a better ATF over even the new OEM SP4-M fluid. Hmm... Why that is confusing is that according to the second link you referenced (i.e., the TSB), if you scroll down to the YF Sonata's (which my '12 Kia Optima is a mechanical twin of), it DOES list the SP4-M as the recommended ATF while the bottom of that same page says they are not interchangeable.

 

[AC1DD]

Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter

Originally Posted by Mainia

Hyundai is terrible about warranting anything that cost them money. You ALWAYS have to be ready for a fight with Hyundai if it is big ticket.

No truer words spoken in my experience. The one time I had a warranty claim, there was some back and forth with Kia USA. But there was no way I was going to let them off the hook. They offered a 100k mile warranty, by God I was going to hold them to it. But to their credit, they covered it AND the cost of a rental (because I was going to be without my car for 3dys) provided by the dealership...so at the end of the day it all worked out.

The problem is that you had to fight with them to honor a warranty that THEY offered to you when you agreed to buy the car. That to me is highly unscrupulous, and would drive me away from buying anything from Hyundai or Kia.

 

[WhizkidTN]

Originally Posted by AC1DD

Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter

Originally Posted by Mainia

Hyundai is terrible about warranting anything that cost them money. You ALWAYS have to be ready for a fight with Hyundai if it is big ticket.

No truer words spoken in my experience. The one time I had a warranty claim, there was some back and forth with Kia USA. But there was no way I was going to let them off the hook. They offered a 100k mile warranty, by God I was going to hold them to it. But to their credit, they covered it AND the cost of a rental (because I was going to be without my car for 3dys) provided by the dealership...so at the end of the day it all worked out.

The problem is that you had to fight with them to honor a warranty that THEY offered to you when you agreed to buy the car. That to me is highly unscrupulous, and would drive me away from buying anything from Hyundai or Kia.

Not everyone's experience with their warranty program is like that. For example, on my '12 Kia Optima, I had a radio head unit replaced and a rear axle replaced (no grease from the factory) within the first year under warranty. A couple of years back, I got a steering couple replaced at no cost to me. Just recently I got a new long-block engine (at 76K miles) as part of the safety recall (free rental for two weeks as well). All this was under warranty (no cost to me) and I had NO issues, no fuss or muss with two different Kia dealers over a 6 year period for these warranty issues. I couldn't be happier with my service from Kia. YMMV.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by AC1DD

Originally Posted by Mad_Hatter

Originally Posted by Mainia

Hyundai is terrible about warranting anything that cost them money. You ALWAYS have to be ready for a fight with Hyundai if it is big ticket.

No truer words spoken in my experience. The one time I had a warranty claim, there was some back and forth with Kia USA. But there was no way I was going to let them off the hook. They offered a 100k mile warranty, by God I was going to hold them to it. But to their credit, they covered it AND the cost of a rental (because I was going to be without my car for 3dys) provided by the dealership...so at the end of the day it all worked out.

The problem is that you had to fight with them to honor a warranty that THEY offered to you when you agreed to buy the car. That to me is highly unscrupulous, and would drive me away from buying anything from Hyundai or Kia.

Yeah but that's nothing unique to Kia/Hyundai. But I get your point. I would have rather not have to fight with them to honor a warranty claim but at the end of the day they did. I'll be honest, my past experience with my Elantra and the warranty claim made me think twice about buying a second Hyundai/Kia (a Sedona). But, knock on wood, after 10yrs I haven't had a single issue with the Sedona's powertrain. I still believe the 10yr/100k powertrain warranty represents a great value and the reliability/build quality of their products has come waay up from the early days of Hyundai. Boy, they use to make some dog vehicles back then, but so were so were some US mfgs in those days.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

Originally Posted by WhizkidTN

Not everyone's experience with their warranty program is like that. For example, on my '12 Kia Optima, I had a radio head unit replaced and a rear axle replaced (no grease from the factory) within the first year under warranty.

Right, like I said they ultimately covered the repair and the rental. So between the two Kia/Hyundai's I've owned since the early 2000's, I've had just one warranty claim. That's nearly 20yrs of trouble free ownership. It's worth mentioning that I'm a stickler for adhering to the maintenance schedule... even down to lubing the door hinges once a year....‚ (which is all the more surprising why I have magically developed a squeal in the Sedona's passenger door...grrr, right now that squeal is my nemesis ... )

 

[Mainia]

Valvoline Maxlife full synthetic. ~$18/gal

Not for long, They want gas at $7 a gallon, so the oil that lubricates the vehicle needs to also more then double too. You will own an electric car if we have to stuff it down your throat. They will price it out of reach to the poor and middle class. The stupid people who keep “cheering them on“ for more and more abuse of power.

 

[CKN]

So-just for giggles I went on the BG Petroleum site today and did a garage lookup for those that use their SP-lV compatible fluid. Both the local KIA and Hyundai Dealerships came up. So what are they really using?