[PeeJay36]

Hi all, I have been reading the replies with regards to likes/dislikes with great interest. The car on the whole has many good points, it must have as I test drove many brands before buying my i30. I do feel that there are a few issues Hyundai could address to make the car even better;
1) the ride quality. Over smooth roads fine.... any bumps,or more than one on the road the ride becomes almost unbearable
2) I have a 1.4, its fine around town, but struggles on faster roads and has poor throttle response
3) road/engine noise, again on fast roads
4) interior lower plastics poor quality
The car is a bargain compared to ones I looked at/test drove, and I seriously looked at a Diesel 1.6 but the price for the same spec (I have climate,rear parking sensors 17inch alloys) took the car into the focus etc price range. Er, please dont lynch me, they are just my observations.

[Lorian]

I guess the harshness of ride might be a function of the reduced tyre sidewall on the 17 inch rims. What tyre pressures do you run? If they are over-inflated a pound or two less might help. I live in a place where the roads are shocking, so purposely went for a model with 16s, and the ride is very good so far.

The Comfort steering wheel is pretty naff. The other models got a leather wheel, which while not the finest of hide is much better than the plastic one. Occasionally you see one on Ebay. If I had the plastic wheel I'd get a leather cover. My local Halfords have loads to choose from, but I'd ask them if you could try one on before buying, as a snug fit is essential.

Did you ask the dealer about the paint on the bumpers? If it's that noticeable I'd hassle them.

[Dazzler]

1) the ride quality. Over smooth roads fine.... any bumps,or more than one on the road the ride becomes almost unbearable (SUSPENSION TUNING CHANGED FOR AUSTRALIA -GOOD RIDE/HANDLING COMPROMISE ON 16" WHEELS)
2) I have a 1.4, its fine around town, but struggles on faster roads and has poor throttle response (ONLY 2.0 LTR PETROL & !.6 DIESEL IN AUS - BOTH QUITE RESPONSIVE IN DIFFERENT WAYS)
3) road/engine noise, again on fast roads (CAN BE IMPROVED WITH DIFFERENT TYRES WHEN THEY NEED REPLACING)4) interior lower plastics poor quality, inc steering wheel. Maybe the comfort trim is different than better specs? my steering wheel till has joining marks from the mould all the way round.(HIGHER SPECS HAVE MEDIOCRE LEATHER WHEEL)5) As I have mentioned in an earlier post, the red paint on my front and back bumpers are a different shade, or as my next door neighbour has said, almost orange.(RED DOESN'T COPE WELL WITH HARSH SUN IN AUS AND SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE WORST COLOURS FOR THIS COLOUR VARIATION ISSUE)
The car is a bargain compared to ones I looked at/test drove, and I seriously looked at a Diesel 1.6 but the price for the same spec (I have climate,rear parking sensors 17inch alloys) took the car into the focus etc price range. Er, please dont lynch me, they are just my observations.
NOBODY WILL LYNCH YOU  

[PeeJay36]

Hi thanks for the replies, if I keep the car I will be looking at some modifications i.e a change of tyres and a replacement leather steering wheel I like forums that allow positive and negative views, It must help manufacturers improve their products if they are informed of our views. with that in mind how about sticking a 3.0L V6 turbo diesel in an i30 ?

[PeeJay36]

Sorry Lorian I havent replied to your questions,
I run the tyres @32psi. No point in talking to the dealers,(who are very good) I signed for the car and did not note this as a fault.

[Lorian]

No point in talking to the dealers,(who are very good) I signed for the car and did not note this as a fault.

Sure, but you don't have to notice things at point of delivery to be a fault. The important thing is to introduce the fault to the dealer in the right way.

First you could email Hyundai UK customer services describing the paint problem. They usually respond within a day or so. They won't directly help - they will say take it to your dealer for inspection - but this is just what you wanted. You then ring the dealer and say "Hyndundai customer services have asked me to book my car in to get the paint checked because the bumpers no longer appear to match in colour....."

Then you get it there, in front of them, and they are going to have to persuade you that it's OK. If it's obviously not OK then they are gonna have to do something about it. If they don't admit the issue then you go back to customer services again.


 

[Dazzler]

Hey PJ

A 2.2Ltr R Turbo Diesel (if they ever put it in the i30) would be more than enough . around 435 nm of torque I believe 

[PeeJay36]

Hello Dazzler and Lorian,
Thanks again for the replies. An i30 with 435nm of torque? nice!. with regards to talking to Hyundai uk (thanks lorian) I have had some dealings with Hyundai uk, my car was slightly damaged on delivery,spoke to them and they suggested going to citizens advice!!!!!(not convinced they will honour all warranty issues after that!) The colour difference is 100% worse under artificial light so I am not sure if they will do anything. As a side note I had a conversation with the repair shop guys when picking my car up when they had completed the repairs, the paint specialist told me, and his exact words were..."hyundai dont do paint on plastic very well". I think his honesty was refreshing,and I cant stress how good the dealer I bought the car from are (Ford,VW,Vauxhall and Peugeot take note). The repair was faultless.

[Lorian]

Is it possible to capture the difference on camera?

[PeeJay36]

I will try to take a picture when I take then car to the underground car park at ASDAs this weekend, it would be good to get some unbiased opinions, although the flash on the camera may mask it. I have seen some dealers offer the leather steering wheel for £130 + vat so the price seems to be dropping  (they are now fitted as standard on the comfort spec, which is now £1000 dearer since  on the scrappage scheme)

[Lorian]

After looking at my wheels this morning I've decided I DO NOT LIKE the way the brake calipers & housing have rusted. I think they went like that after the first week of ownership, yet when I collected her they were magnificent

Today I cleaned my calipers off with isopropanol (and a little sanding here and there). After cleaning they still looked as good as new. I then dried them, masked and gave each caliper 3 or 4 coats of Clear Hycote Very High Tempearture Paint (about £6 ebay). Doing all 4 used most of the can. Not much point in posting a pic, they just look like new calipers, but a little more glossy.

Took about 2 hours to do all 4, most time spent mostly masking and waiting for coats to go off. Even though it's cold they dried within an hour with the help of a little heat.

Obviously I could only use clear because they are newish. Same paint is available in red, black, sliver etc.

[PeeJay36]

Last night I drove past another i30 ( not more than 1/4 mile from my home!) parked in a drive. I spun the car round and went past it slowly, trying not to look too dodgy, and even though the car was not in direct lighting, the rear bumper, I could not see the front one, looked a different shade

[Ogi]

The transmission !!!

Also, the color is sooo easy to damage! 

[Nick Riffed]

I don't like the way I have to park it outside the office and do that work stuff until it's time to drive it again.

 

No me either.. that's why I now only work a maximum of 20 hours a week...

I only work a maximum of 20 hours a week but I have to be there for 37!!

[~ Angel ~]

The thing I do not like about my i30 is the type of automatic transmission. It is fully automatic and has negative impact on fuel economy and performance.

Using something like VW's DSG would surely do much better (with double-clutch mechanism, and FIAT is about to release a similar one called: DDC)

Somehow Hyundai is quite reluctant on this issue.

[Lorian]

Using something like VW's DSG would surely do much better (with double-clutch mechanism, and FIAT is about to release a similar one called: DDC)

How long would it take the extra economy to pay for the option price?

[i30_Brasil]

I dont like the lack of leather at my i30 doors. I wish I could insert leather at the doors. Instead of that plastic panel.  This is soooo frustrating.  Any one can help me???

[snowcherry]

being without it for a week and using the sydney trains 

[Dazzler]

I dont like the lack of leather at my i30 doors. I wish I could insert leather at the doors. Instead of that plastic panel.  This is soooo frustrating.  Any one can help me???

Do you not have a local upholsterer who could fix that for you? The hardest bit would be matching the existing colouring)

[IMCRZY]

I dont like the air bag saftey stickers on the sunvisors.....

They drive me insane

[Dazzler]

I dont like the air bag saftey stickers on the sunvisors.....

They drive me insane

 

So that's what did it...

I don't notice them any more..

[bumpkin]

Move to the UK, we don't use the sunvisors

[i30_Brasil]

Maybe I can import that piece of leather that exist in some i30 models door. Than maybe a could replace my plastic one with the leather one. The problem would be the price, for sure. 4 leather door panel wont be cheap.

[2i30s]

Move to the UK, we don't use the sunvisors

or the air con.

[hyundai_on_thames]

Agree and would like a neat, slightly lower profile (maybe leather topped) replacement for the centre console lid one day.

[BC]

I'm becoming increasingly irritated by the "notchy" gear-change from 1st to 2nd. (5sp CW CrDi with 2000km).  You need to change gear very gently to avoid beating the syncro, particularly when it's cold.  I think there has been a couple of other posts that indicate that it should improve when everything loosens up a bit.  It'll drive me nuts if it doesn't . . .

[2i30s]

I'm becoming increasingly irritated by the "notchy" gear-change from 1st to 2nd. (5sp CW CrDi with 2000km).  You need to change gear very gently to avoid beating the syncro, particularly when it's cold.  I think there has been a couple of other posts that indicate that it should improve when everything loosens up a bit.  It'll drive me nuts if it doesn't . . .

i was one of the 1st to 2nd gear crunchers. i took my hatch back and the dealers, mechanics said the car was OK. they couldn't find anything wrong. but amazingly from that day on it hasn't crunched once. they supposedly touched nothing and only checked the cables from the gearstick to the gearbox and road tested it. maybee you should take yours back to.[mine crunched from day one also]

I'm becoming increasingly irritated by the "notchy" gear-change from 1st to 2nd. (5sp CW CrDi with 2000km).  You need to change gear very gently to avoid beating the syncro, particularly when it's cold.  I think there has been a couple of other posts that indicate that it should improve when everything loosens up a bit.  It'll drive me nuts if it doesn't . . .

If it's actually the gears grating then I wouldn't wait for that to improve. I do find it takes a bit more effort to get into second from first than the other gears but no audible snicks. Been good from the start for me. "Good" being a relative term; it's not the best gear-shift in the world.

Not to question your method, but the synchro does need consistent pressure to do its thing. You might be babying it too much because you are expecting the crunch. I assume the clutch take up is not too low to the floor. Often only shows in the 1->2 shift because one generally rushes that one a bit more so as not to lose momentum when taking off.

In any case I'd raise it with the service manager.

[hipposniper]

what dont i like , the wife denting it ( yep front wing gone)

[Lorian]

Front factory mudflaps need to be an inch longer and half an inch wider to be 100% effective.

Spent a lot of today in snow and on salty roads this weekend, so its very obvious.

I'm going to add small flexi rubber flaps on the bottom.