I have a 2022 Kona Limited with about 60,000 miles on it, which I will finish paying off in two years. I started a new job where I drive much less, so the miles won’t add up quickly anymore. I bought the car mainly for the warranty and planned to sell it when the warranty ended. But things changed, and I will keep it for a while longer, which I’m actually happy about.
I often see Hyundais and Kias breaking down around 100,000 miles, and I want my car to last much longer, especially since it will be paid off soon. I’ve kept up with all oil changes, and in the next service, I will replace the spark plugs and brake fluid as they are overdue, but nothing major.
Can someone share a feel-good story about your Hyundai lasting a long time so I can feel better while driving around?
My 2006 Santa Fe reached 215,000 miles before I lost control and had an accident. My 2008 Sonata went up to 225,000 miles and then I sold it. I then bought a 2017 Sonata SE with a 2.4L engine, which now has almost 199,000 miles on it, including the original transmission and engine. I’ve done minimal repairs but always check the oil every time I refuel and do oil changes every 3,750 miles. It runs well and smooth otherwise.
3,750 mile oil changes but runs well and smooth otherwise
And people still say 8,000 miles (10,000 miles now in Toyota standards) are best practices…
…and during that time, they never check the oil level, then forget, when they realize it’s at 10,000 miles and service appointments are still six weeks away.
@FAITH
Honestly, I worked at a CDJR dealership and heard horror stories of Jeeps being way behind on oil changes, leading to engine failure due to poor maintenance.
I mainly keep changing the oil and filter. I usually use Valvoline Full Synthetic High Mileage or Restore and Protect. I use OEM filters or K&N filters, which help them last longer. I also change spark plugs every 50,000 miles or so with NGK double iridium plugs.
2004 Elantra GT, stickshift. New transmission at six months (under warranty). A leaky valve cover gasket in 2015. Suspension and brakes have all been completely replaced in the last six years or so, including a rusty e-brake cable. At least four alternators. A couple of new exhaust flex pipes over the years. One each for interior and exterior door handles because the plastic gets brittle over time. A new clutch in 2017. Routine timing belts.
I’m at 170,000 miles as of two weeks ago. The engine and transmission are very reliable. The only affordable manual car left is a Versa, and those are expected to be discontinued next year, so I plan to keep this one as long as possible.
Reading this makes me feel a lot better about buying our first new Hyundai last year! It seems like most posts are from critics, but it looks like they never even check their oil, let alone change it regularly. As a retired mechanic, I define regular as less than 4,000 miles between changes.
Had a used 2010 Elantra which I sold after putting 210,000 miles on it. I replaced tires as needed and changed the oil when I remembered, usually around every 10,000 to 15,000 miles. It was running fine when I sold it.
2017 Tucson SEL. It burns oil, but I use full synthetic oil with changes every 5,000 miles. I also use Gumout during every oil change. It has 74,000 miles and was bought new. I plan to keep it until it no longer runs well. It’s a nice car.
2012 Veloster Sport with the N/A 1.6 engine. My sister drove it for years while it burned 1 quart every 1,000 kilometers. She barely did oil changes and rarely topped up oil. It’s now over 159,000 kilometers and still drives fairly well. Now I drive it and am trying to catch up on maintenance. Everyone knows this is one of Hyundai’s least reliable engines. The engineers must have really made this one tough.
I had a 2003 Sonata brand new which we traded in around 2012 for a 2014 Sonata that had the engine replaced because of a recall. We then traded that in for a 2017 Elantra used with 50,000 miles in 2019, and then traded it in 2022 for a 2023 Elantra which just got totaled. All of them lasted without any major issues besides the engine recall. We only traded them because we wanted new cars. I can’t really remember the mileage on any of them, but they all lasted.
Oh yes, other than that, none of them had any real problems that couldn’t be easily fixed. The 2017 Elantra misfired because it needed new spark plugs and coils, which was user error. It also had a seam separation in the seat, but it was pre-owned and the dealer fixed it at no cost.
My 2008 Santa Fe currently has 225,000 miles on it, and I still use it daily. We even take occasional longer road trips and tow our pop-up camper around Colorado. I’m still getting about 21-22 mpg from it, and all I really do is oil changes and periodic spark plug replacements. I’ve replaced the struts and shocks a couple of times, the timing belt, and obviously the brakes. The engine has been solid. The only thing under the hood I’ve had to replace besides the occasional sensor has been the purge valve solenoid. I’ll be sad when it finally stops running, whether it’s by failure or practicality.