The 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe that I bought is in really good shape but I'm wondering if I can find some aftermarket parts for it. It's based on the Sonata platform so parts that fit the Sonata should, in theory, fit the Santa Fe.
Specifically, I'm looking for lowering springs. The Santa Fe I bought is FWD and has zero off-road intentions. I'd like to improve the handling a bit as this will purely be a commuter. It's pretty soft right now. I'm also on the lookout for some 17 or 18 inch takeoff wheels to replace the stock 16s.
Next I want to improve the shifting feel. I realize it has 179k miles on it so I'm sure the shift cables and bushings could stand to be replaced. When I had my Forte, I found delrin cable bushings and a short shifter that really improved the shifting feel. I wonder if I could find something like that for this platform.
Nope. Just ... nope. That's a generation of SF I would never recommend.
This platform shares the drivetrain of the Sonata only. This is a strut car, that generation Sonata was a double a-arm. Its a mutt of a car sadly. None of the suspension was shared with any other product at the time. The Sorento was still a body on frame RWD trucklet. The Optima had some similarities with the Sonata. The Tucson hadn't been released (and was based off the XD Elantra platform) and the sportage was just discontinued from the obody on frame Fozda trucklet.
Sorry, not much out there for this because its a terrible car and a one off.
Quick add the Sonata platform was YF for that generation.
In reply to bobzilla :
Well poop. I guess if I were to hear the truth on these things, it should be from you.
I guess I'll have to get in the mindset that this car is nothing more than a commuting appliance.
Thanks for the honest information.
Duke
MegaDork
12/15/22 11:43 a.m.
In reply to stanger_mussle (Supported by GRM undergarments) :
Don't worry about it. For your application, you did exactly the right thing: bought the cleanest, most-cared-for vehicle you could find in your budget regardless of the make / model. That's pretty much the consensus answer given here for any "What cheap appliance car?" thread.
Just do the maintenance and enjoy not being stranded by a rusty POS.
One thing I will note is that I believe this engine has a 60,000-mile timing belt interval, so make sure that's up to date.
In reply to Duke :
Correct on the t belt. 60k or 5 years. Do change as they are interference engines. 2.4 or 2.7?
In reply to Duke :
I have this terrible affliction with trying to "improve" everything under my ownership regardless of how terrible a vehicle is. I really should just drive it haha.
bobzilla said:
In reply to Duke :
Correct on the t belt. 60k or 5 years. Do change as they are interference engines. 2.4 or 2.7?
Its the 2.4. I'll grab the maintenance records when I pick it up tomorrow. The sole owner had it serviced at the local dealership so I hope there is a record of the timing belt being changed.
I was hoping it was the 2.7 I actually know a thing or two about those and the tiburon shifter bushings should work on the 2.7 trans. The 2.4 is the oddball of the family.
From what I could research, the 2.4 was manufactured by Hyundai under license from Mitsubishi. Hyundai calls it the G4JS and its basically a 4G64 for better or worse.
In reply to stanger_mussle (Supported by GRM undergarments) :
pretty much. Sirius is the engine family name, replaced with the Theta.
EDIT: You can tell it's a mitsu design and not Hyundai because it has two cam gears for the t-belt. All of the Hyundai designs used a single cam belt pulley and then a chain tying the two cams together on the oher side of the head. See Beta and Alpha DOHC engines.
11GTCS
Dork
12/15/22 12:34 p.m.
stanger_mussle (Supported by GRM undergarments) said:
In reply to Duke :
I have this terrible affliction with trying to "improve" everything under my ownership regardless of how terrible a vehicle is. I really should just drive it haha.
This. ( I really should just drive it.) Do this. Save your money for something worthwhile.
In reply to bobzilla :
Ahh, I did read something about that.
If it is due for a t-belt change, would you recommend changing the pullies, tensioner and water pump at the same time?
In reply to stanger_mussle (Supported by GRM undergarments) :
Maybe? I only changed waterpump every other but on Hyundai designed engines it's run by accessory belts and not the timing belt and the tensioner pushed the only other pulley. I have never touched the mitsu stuff.
