Hi everyone, I’m thinking of getting a Santa Fe but have heard stories about long waits for service. Is this something most owners deal with?
It depends on where you go. At my local dealer, I have to book oil changes about 4 weeks in advance.
My wife usually waits a week to schedule her service. When I bought my Kia last week, they told me appointments are backed up by 6 months.
I can usually get an appointment the same day or the next day at a few dealerships nearby.
Most dealerships don’t have enough express service options. A lube tech can only handle about 8 cars a day, and most shops have 1-2 techs. Hyundai introduced free maintenance without considering shop capacity, so now dealerships are stuck doing these at lower pay rates. They aren’t going to give up profitable service bays for faster oil changes, so delays are inevitable.
@QuantumQuest
Since lube techs are paid the least, my dealer will fit me in quickly if I mention going to a quick lube shop instead.
@QuantumQuest
It’s frustrating that dealerships can’t offer better service options. These delays make Hyundai look bad and might push customers away in the future.
My local Hyundai dealer usually has a 2-month wait for appointments. I ended up finding a good local mechanic instead.
pascar said:
My local Hyundai dealer usually has a 2-month wait for appointments. I ended up finding a good local mechanic instead.
Our local Kia dealer is the same way. Thankfully, the Hyundai dealer nearby only has a 3-day wait most of the time.
What happens if your car isn’t safe to drive? Do service departments keep emergency slots for that?
GuyBolding said:
What happens if your car isn’t safe to drive? Do service departments keep emergency slots for that?
Nope, you wait like everyone else. If the car’s reliability and service delays bother you, it might be better to consider a different brand.
I’ve had two Hyundai cars for over 3 years, and I haven’t needed to take either one to the dealership yet. Both have been great.
Yep, my local Hyundai dealer has about a month-long wait. When my car had a check engine light, they said it might take a week to diagnose it and even longer to repair. I ended up going to a local mechanic instead.
For routine service, it usually takes about a week. I haven’t had to deal with parts delays yet, but that’s not something the dealer controls.
I own two 2020 Santa Fes from different dealers. One dealer usually has a week-long wait, while the other is always booked a month out. I’d switch to the first dealer for everything, but we bought a prepaid maintenance plan from the second one, which was a mistake. The experience really depends on the dealership.
This really depends on your local dealer. I can usually get an appointment within a week, but smaller dealers might take longer. Winter tire season also makes things busier.
ElantraEnthusiast2 said:
This really depends on your local dealer. I can usually get an appointment within a week, but smaller dealers might take longer. Winter tire season also makes things busier.
Same here. I booked an appointment on Tuesday and got in by Friday. The only issue is waiting for parts. I’ve been waiting 7 weeks for a new infotainment screen. Do other brands have similar delays?
@Umbrielle
Yeah, other brands have the same issues, especially with parts that don’t break often.
That’s strange. At the Sharjah service centre, you can show up early in the morning without an appointment and have your car back the same day.
My dealer takes over a month for free oil changes, so I do my own now. For warranty fixes, they got me in within 2 days to confirm the issue and ordered the parts quickly. They did accidentally damage my car during the repair, but at least the process was fast.