Hyundai Veloster

[Hokiefyd]

I went with a co-worker to test-drive a Hyundai Veloster today. Nice car, I like it quite a bit. The engine and exhaust note is quite sporty. The ride is plenty firm, but not harsh. The Nexen tires are quiet and fairly grippy. I sat in the back seat, which has access through a conventional rear door on the passenger side. I don't see why they didn't include one on the driver side also. Space was pretty cramped back there, but there was enough room. A lot of the interior bits seemed low-grade, but hey, this is a sub-20k car.

The discussion after the test drive was interesting to me. Sales guy started out with the full retail sticker ($19,300 + $1,200 market adjustment) plus taxes and tags, plus $1,500 in trade for his '03 Santa Fe (200k miles). "How does this sound."

Co-worker: "Eh, okay, so out the door, I'm only getting $400 for my Santa Fe, what's up with that?"

Sales guy explained the taxes and tags and co-worker said let's see if we can take those off. So the sales guy goes back to his manager and says that we can take care of those if you and I did business today. Co-worker pretends to think for a minute, scratching his chin, and says he wants to talk with his wife first. Sales guy writes $19,500 OTD on the paper, "how does $19,500 out the door sound?"

Co-worker thinks for a minute. "I need to talk with my wife first." Sales guy writes $19,000 OTD on the paper, "how does $19,000 out the door sound?"

They did this a few times and the sales guy came down to $17,500 out the door, inclusive of taxes, tags, trade, everything. I thought that's a pretty fair deal. Co-worker told me now he's got what he needs to know.

He may go back tomorrow and see if they can get one in Vitamin C (which is the orange/yellow paint). He wants Vitamin C, though apparently they're hard to get.

Interesting negotiating tactic. Co-worker hardly said anything. I guess if you let sales people fill voids, the price keeps going down!

 

[SteveSRT8]

So they would have screwed him good if he just agreed. Typical stealership [censored].

But yes, talking less is a great strategy. Salesmen have to fill the void!

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
+ $1,200 market adjustment)
huh?

 

[Bluestream]

Buying cars is a game; I actually enjoy it. Make an offer they reject, then come up slowing over a period of days. Never buy on impulse on on the first trip to the Stealer.

If you can, deal directly with the Sales Manager, you can then also save the commission that would have been paid to the sales person

 

[LoneRanger]

Maybe your co-worker could have just inked a $19K starter check and drove it home like this kid did yesterday. Twice:

18yr old buys two cars from two dealerships using NSF starter checks

 

[NHGUY]

Market adjustment is another term for screw-job on a popular model they can take advantage of,until the hububb dies down and it sells like any other car.

 

[Sayjac]

Entertaining reading, thanks for posting. Fairly typical auto dealer gamesmanship. Cool that you got to go along for the ride, in more ways than one.

 

[John_K]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
So they would have screwed him good if he just agreed. Typical stealership [censored].

But yes, talking less is a great strategy. Salesmen have to fill the void!


Yes, this is what frosts my behind about stealerships. The price should be THE PRICE, not what they can milk because most people are impulsive and pay anything.

John

 

[Spazdog]

I like the car.

I've only checked one dealer so far. They only have automatics, they will not budge on the price, there's no way in [heck] I am going to pay $20,000 for a sportier bonus door tech'd up Accent, and that particular dealer not only tacks on some $500 "protection package" but also will not budge on sticker price.

But I still like the car.

 

[simple_gifts]

Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Market adjustment is another term for screw-job on a popular model they can take advantage of,until the hububb dies down and it sells like any other car.


OT:Odd, so they shouldn't sell it to someone who is willing to pay more money for it?

Doesn't sound like a winning business strategy not pricing a product into the market to which it will sell.

Looks like a cool vehicle. Could be hyundai is being more aggressive trying to sell vehicles. Woman I know is picking up a 2012 Sonata for what appears thousands off; not sure until I see the paperwork.

 

[Pablo]

Pretty nifty. Does it get the full rated MPG?

6 speed manual standard - how does it feel? I like the white one.

I guess it's the 2012 pre-fatboy invasion sale.

 

[ctrcbob]

hokiefyd,
While sitting in the rear seat, did they open and close the rear hatch? If so, did it hit you on the head? Did you see the warning lable on the hatch to watch that you don't hit the rear seat passenger on the head?

Just wondering.

BTW, I saw one of these on the road, and from the side and the rear, it is UGLY. Only thing that could be more ugly would be if it had the front end of the Nissan Juke.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Some more thoughts:

The engine is butter-smooth, I was very impressed with it. And the dual-clutch automatic was also very well-sorted. You couldn't feel it go into drive...almost like the clutches remained in neutral. But when my co-worker let off the brakes, you could feel something engage. Similarly, sitting at a stop light, the clutches appear to be not engaged because you don't get the common 4-cylinder "buzz" when sitting at idle in drive. It's a well-sorted powertrain in my opinion.

They could have done better with the rear seat/hatch arrangement. I'm 6'0", 230#, and I had room back there. Sitting correctly upright, my head was just below the rear hatch window, at the very front of it. If we had a wreck, my head would move forward and slam the structure of the hatch (hard to explain). In my opinion, they should have either raised the roof just slightly (6' passengers can't be uncommon), or extend the hatch forward a bit so there's more room under the glass for folks' heads. I did not see a warning label for the hatch, but yes, the hatch was opened and closed with me in the seat and my head did not get hit, provided I was sitting in an upright seating position. If I were leaning forward a bit, the hatch would have hit my head as it closed (just as I would hit it in a frontal collision).

I didn't feel all together safe in the car, as a rear seat passenger.

My co-worker is cleaning his automotive house. His wife just bought a Prius last year, so she's set for a while. But he has an '03 Santa Fe and a '70 Volvo P1800. The Volvo is one cool, but slightly quirky, ride. That's his second P1800, and he's had it for about 25 years. He says it's time to give it up, but he's looking for something small and "juky" and with good mileage. His two main contenders are the Honda CR-Z and Hyundai Veloster. He's had good experience with both makes, but I think he likes the Hyundai better (hasn't driven a CR-Z). If the Scion or Subaru coupe were out yet, he'd consider one of those as well. But anyway, he's got a buyer for the Volvo and will trade the Santa Fe in on whatever he buys new. He's selling the Volvo for $10k, so he won't have a ton of cash in the new car.

And yes, the dealership had at least $2,500 on the table to start, and any reasonably business person will do who is trying to make a dollar. You list a house for sale at $200,000, but you know you'll really take $175,000. You list a car for sale at $5,000, but you know you'll really take $3,500. No difference in my mind.

 

[dwcopple]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
You list a car for sale at $5,000, but you know you'll really take $3,500.
I'd like to buy a car from you.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: dwcopple
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
You list a car for sale at $5,000, but you know you'll really take $3,500.
I'd like to buy a car from you.


10 years from now when we sell either of ours, I'll look ya up!

Another point about the Veloster: the sales guy opened the hood and said the transmission fluid is completely sealed and never needs to be changed. That's a selling point these days I guess.

That was one of the things I didn't like about the Camry I had: you couldn't even check the ATF. I guess I'm old school that way...I want to be able to see the fluids in my vehicle.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
That was one of the things I didn't like about the Camry I had: you couldn't even check the ATF. I guess I'm old school that way...I want to be able to see the fluids in my vehicle.

Unfortunately, that's where the whole industry is heading: no more ATF dipsticks, no more engine oil dipsticks, etc. You just have to rely on the sensors...

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: dwcopple
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
You list a car for sale at $5,000, but you know you'll really take $3,500.
I'd like to buy a car from you.


10 years from now when we sell either of ours, I'll look ya up!

Another point about the Veloster: the sales guy opened the hood and said the transmission fluid is completely sealed and never needs to be changed. That's a selling point these days I guess.

That was one of the things I didn't like about the Camry I had: you couldn't even check the ATF. I guess I'm old school that way...I want to be able to see the fluids in my vehicle.

There's always a way to check it. It just requires a scan tool to monitor fluid level temperature. Usually there is a overflow plug at the bottom of a long tube.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
There's always a way to check it. It just requires a scan tool to monitor fluid level temperature. Usually there is a overflow plug at the bottom of a long tube.


I guess what I meant by "you couldn't even check the ATF" was that "~I~ couldn't even check the ATF", at home, without Toyota's diagnostic computers. Yes, it's possible to drain and fill the transmission, but you seem to take a lot of risk doing it without a Toyota scan tool because you're just guessing at temperature (and fluid level) at that point.

A friggin' dipstick would have been nice...that's my point.