Is a Hyundai’s warranty the only selling point?

By John Paul

February 11, 2014

3 minutes to read

Q. My vehicles have traditionally been either a Toyota Camry or Honda Accord. My wife and I are “meat and potatoes’’ drivers, just driving from point A to point B. All we want is a reliable car with just the basics. A diesel mechanic friend of mine started buying Hyundai vehicles, mostly because of the fantastic warranty. He swears by them, but my actual car mechanic is less enthusiastic. He sees cars that come in all the time and maybe the Hyundai doesn’t fare as well. So I’m confused, what’s your take on these cars, should I plunge in or avoid these cars?

A. There was a time where I would only recommend a Hyundai or Kia because of the warranty, available options and competitive price when compared to other vehicles in the same class. Today that isn’t the case; Hyundai makes great cars and SUVs. History shows that their models are mechanically holding up well and in recent years their resale value is pretty good as well. The bottom line is that if you find a Hyundai model you and your wife like, buy it.

Q. I have a question that was bothering me quite a while and now decided to check with you. I bought a 2009 Nissan Altima Hybrid from a local Nissan dealer and took additional warranty with them. I have just recently found out this particular dealership has gone out of business. My car is almost five years old and started showing its age with typical wear and tear. I am wondering is it worth further investing in this car or should I trade in for a better one. I actually would like to hold onto this one as it came with options that I have grown to like such as; navigation, moon roof and leather seats. Should I buy an extended warranty, hope for the best or just trade the car?

A. The Altima hybrid has typically been a pretty good car, there have been little or no problems and the complex hybrid-drivetrain is holding up well. At this point I would be tempted to hold on to the car. The issue you could run into is when the hybrid battery reaches the end of its life you will be faced with a fairly expensive repair or reduced trade in value as compared to other 10 year old cars. Regarding extended warranties, AAA offers a warranty that is certainly comparative to what you purchased from the dealer when the car was new.

Q. I lived in Europe for years and diesels cars are very popular. Now that I am back here in the US and I am considering a diesel. I have been looking at the Mercedes and Audi diesels, what do you think of the diesels sold here?

A. I recently evaluated two models from Audi, The A6 sedan and Q7 SUV. Both these cars performed at least as well as their gasoline equivalent. Performance was strong, the engines were quiet and there was not a hint of diesel smoke or smell. I would not hesitate to buy a modern diesel.

Q. I have a problem with my car where it makes a noise first thing in the morning. When I bring it into the shop it always acts fine. The shop wants me to leave the car overnight and meet them in the morning to demonstrate the problem. Because of my schedule I can’t do this. Do you have any ideas?

A. My Suggestion would be to record the noise with a “smart’’ phone and email the video to the repair shop. I have seen many times where this technique works well to identify problems of all kinds. Readers, if your car has a problem feel free to email me a video of the problem along with your question.