santa fe Any good Hyundai Santa Fe (non agency) service center

[desertdude]

Just now, Fayad Abdul Karim said:

Thanks D, do you know a mechanic who knows their stuff where I can take the car to. Considering how common Hyundais are, it is surprising how few mechanics specialise in these vehicles.

I hate to be the harbinger of bad news, but that is a very costly bill of repairs you are looking at because most of it requires expensive bits and lot of labour charges, I am guesstimating anywhere from 10-15k. depending on where and what kind of bits you use. in the current market thats 50% of the value of your car.

My honest and sincere advice would be unless you really love your car and are emotionally attached to it and want to be buried in it when you leave this world, would be to sell if for 20-25k because good similar ones are selling for 30-35k max.  

[Fayad Abdul Karim]

4 minutes ago, Frederic said:

Which 95% of most workshops do here unfortunately. I understand your pain. Best is to tackle one or max two issues at a time and visit them to inspect what they are actually doing to your car. Most shops need to be babysitted until you get what you really want. 

Unfortunate indeed. Well, that's an option, one that requires plenty of time. Thanks though, please post back if you hear of a reasonably good option even if they're in Dubai. 

2 minutes ago, desertdude said:

I hate to be the harbinger of bad news, but that is a very costly bill of repairs you are looking at because most of it requires expensive bits and lot of labour charges, I am guesstimating anywhere from 10-15k. depending on where and what kind of bits you use. in the current market thats 50% of the value of your car.

My honest and sincere advice would be unless you really love your car and are emotionally attached to it and want to be buried in it when you leave this world, would be to sell if for 20-25k because good similar ones are selling for 30-35k max.  

Thanks for the honest advise. I'll see if these can be sorted much cheaper than 10-15k, else will seek alternatives.

[Gaurav]

Hi @Fayad Abdul Karim welcome to Carnity.

I have gone through your discussion and inputs with others here. If I'm in your place, I will go with @Frederic route to try and tackle 1 or 2 issue - start from low value repair first and work your way up to see if you can live with the others or not.

Even then if you decide to sell off the car, you can probably get better resale as it will show 5 problems instead of 10.

Give your best and see how far you can take it - at least you will have a satisfaction of giving it a try.

What might seems like a 15,000 AED fix from quick look, if you plan wisely you might save a big chunk on unwanted repairs, fake mechanics and unwanted parts, that every workshop love to throw in to maximize the estimate.

 

Start with your point 3. Wheel alignment and go to 3D lazer wheel alignment shop to spend 100 in place of 50, but will get the job done in one attempt. Sit on that guy head and explain your problem clearly, as many issues can be spotted with those micro variance that mechanics might not able to spot it.

Recently I had a loud clunk while hitting hard brake and mechanic guessed from brake cylinder to drive shaft etc. I went to alignment guy and they pointed that lower arm two nuts are loose and they cannot align unless I get those fixed. It was a 5 minutes job for mechanic to tighten lower arm nuts and it cured that hard brake clanking immediately. Bottom line, do not underestimate 3D lazer wheel alignment guys and go at the time, when they are free, so you can explain and they will use their head to diagnose.

 

Then for point 1 and 2, get two opinion from good workshop, I can recommend these two shops listed in carnity business listing with 5 star ratings.

https://carnity.com/business_listing/car-services/general-service-workshop/hot-wheels-auto-repair-workshop-r1035

https://carnity.com/business_listing/car-services/general-service-workshop/euro-spec-automotive-solutions-r1109

@Asif Hussain if you have any good workshop reference in Abu Dhabi, please share.

 

For point 4, jerking gear. Check the gear oil level first. Drive the car for 30 minutes and then put in reverse, and engage the hand brake. Step out and check the gear oil level if you have dipstick. If its low, get it topped up. If its dark or brownish color, get it changed with gear oil filter too. If gear oil is recently changed then gear is running on its last leg and soon it will need a rebuild (Dexol in Dubai and Hoorani in Shj are your best bet for gear overhauling) or replacement from scrap (with guarantee).

 

For point 5, when you get the next service done, check or change the spark plug as it maybe worn out or one or two plugs might be running with increased/decreased gap - installation error, if mechanic dropped those plug while installing.

 

For point 6, 7 and 8, you can source cheaper used parts from Sajja sharjah scrapyard. These 3 businesses deals in Hyundai scrap.
https://carnity.com/business_listing/car-spare-parts/used-parts-scrapyard/al-nejoum-korean-used-cars-spare-parts-hyundai-kia-ford-cadillac-r1106

https://carnity.com/business_listing/car-spare-parts/used-parts-scrapyard/jebal-alandalus-used-auto-spare-parts-trading-r1180

https://carnity.com/business_listing/car-spare-parts/used-parts-scrapyard/ali-abdul-jabbar-used-auto-spare-parts-trading-r1113

[sertac]

4 hours ago, sertac said:

Wow what is the km of the car. It is really strange 5 year old car having all these issues. Sounds like you better get rid of it and get another car. 

One of my friend warned me about the way i write this. Better if i explain what i meant. I said get rid of the car because of my past and current experience.

I am loving old Jeeps and i am spending enormous amount of money to keep them on the road. I had 2000 Jeep Cherokee. It started with few issues, i fixed them, than month or week later another came, i fixed it. Than it became too much and mechanic told me it will came to the way after a point. I believed him, i wanted to believe because i really like the car. I ended up with a huge lost over the car worth. I literally spend more than car`s own worth. I sold it. Currently i am a proud owner of a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee again i spent more than car`s own worth and i know if i want to spend i will spend another 5000 easily for fixing small small issues. Why i am doing that. Because i was dreaming about these cars when i was younger and i am really attached to it. Any person having piece of mind will say i am stupid. I am also saying to all of my friends to do what i say, dont do what i do. 

Another samples. My mother have a X5 BMW. I am at least telling her once a week to sell it but she for that budget she cant get anything better and she is definitely not interested to buy a Japanese made car so she keeps it but it has a huge maintenance cost. 

My friend from the company had a BMW Z4 coupe. Very rare nice sports car. That was his dream car and he enjoyed it for a year or two with joy. Than car start giving problems. First we fixed, second we fixed than i told him to sell it. He choose to keep it, after that in a week car gave 3 different problem and 1 break on the road(car needed to be towed to the mechanic). At the end he sold it with a huge lost.

So the reason i told you to get rid of the car is these experiences i had. I believe you made a mistake while you are buying this car, you probably didint inspect it properly, since it is fully agency maintained you bought it with thrust. If you specially love that car keep it like i do, i am sure there are good mechanics can fix it. But otherwise as others said it looks like around 15.000aed cost and no guarantee after you fix it other things may come one by one, than you may end up with a huge lost.