[trev012]

Hi all,

I just purchased my first ever Hyundai last month and thought I’d let you know. Before purchasing, I found this website and read up on the car first, which convinced me I was doing the right thing.

However, I’m not 100% sure I’ve done the right thing. Don’t get me wrong, it seems a nice smooth runner and I guess it has, and will do everything I need from a car. I think I am perhaps being unkind to it and comparing it too much with my previous car. That was a Vauxhall Zafira 2.0 diesel and was truly magnificent as it was so versatile going from a single seater to a 7 seater when required and also had a massive boot that I could go away on camping holidays or take 4 people and 4 sets of golf clubs at a time. Being a diesel, it never returned less than 44 – 46 mpg. However, it was 8 years old with 85k on it, so time for a change.

My new car, although it was 6 months old when purchased from local Hyundai dealer, is an i30, 1.6 edition model. So far, after three fillups, it has returned 40mpg which I don’t suppose is too bad, considering it is petrol and my driving conditions are similar to my last car. I initially went to the dealer to buy a new car as Hyundai were advertising new cars with £3k off the asking price. However, as salesmen often do, they managed to convince me that “His” demonstrator had to be sold and it looked the business. After a good bit of deliberation, we decided to take it at a lot less £’s than the standard comfort.

I have a rear spoiler, side skirts, tinted rear windows and kid on twin exhausts to make it a bit sportier.  As I said, it is extremely comfortable and all the controls seem to be very easy to reach. Saying that, the one thing I don’t like are the headrests which seem to be hitting my head every time I am driving. They are just too intrusive. Time will tell if I have made the right decision but so far in the past month, I am delighted but with mixed feelings

[deleted]

[trev012]

More pics hopefully attached ......

[deleted]

[mantaray]

Can't see what the problem is, car looks great and 40 mpg is nothing to be ashamed off either for a petrol motor.

[2i30s]

welcome aboard Trev.  very nice i30 you've got there.    if you pull forward on the headrests they will spring back a few inches. 

[trev012]

Thank you 2i30s.  I have done exactly as you said (Pushed the headrests back a couple of clicks) but my head still rests against them. I'm sure I'll get used to them eventually. As I say, it is possibly because everything is new and going from a bigger vehicle to an ordinary hatchback will also take some time. One other small gripe I have. When I raise the drivers seat up high, it means that my wife feels she is sitting on the floor as the passenger as it is sooooo low.  It would be great if she could lift hers up as well.

With reply to mantaray - Thanks for comments, I'm sure you're right. Again, it is just coming from a diesel to a petrol after 8 years is strange. God knows how many times I have stalled it in the past month (Since ownership). I probably shouldn't have expected the same return per gallon anyway. My only slight regret is that I didn't buy the diesel model as I believe all the reports on this forum give them a huge thumbs up. Again, I read extensively comments on this webpage http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=191&page=5
Let's hope things settle down soon and I become extatic at owning this gleaming i30. I have already debadged it at the back and I now think it looks even better. I'll post more pictures at a later date if anybody is interested.

[Lorian]

Thank you 2i30s.  I have done exactly as you said (Pushed the headrests back a couple of clicks) but my head still rests against them. I'm sure I'll get used to them eventually. As I say, it is possibly because everything is new and going from a bigger vehicle to an ordinary hatchback will also take some time. One other small gripe I have. When I raise the drivers seat up high, it means that my wife feels she is sitting on the floor as the passenger as it is sooooo low.  It would be great if she could lift hers up as well.

Looks very good in red  

If the headrest is still bothering you try putting your seat slightly more upright, it has the effect of moving the head away slightly.

Unfortuntely there is not much that can be done about a lack of a passenger seat height adjuster. Of course if you sit slightly more upright it may be possible for you to lower the drivers seat a bit?

[Shambles]

Welcome to the forum trev012

Your i30 does indeed look fantastic.

.... going from a bigger vehicle to an ordinary hatchback ...

careful - we'll send the lads round

[Dazzler]

Hi Trev .. Welcome to the club.. I'm one of the blokes Shambles wanted to send around (but you'll have to wait 'til i've saved up the airfares first )

In hindsight you may have been better suited to the Diesel but your car certainly looks the part..Very Nice 

I am surprised Lorian suggested you adjust the seatback more upright to sort your headrest issue I was going to suggest a little more laid back as that fixed my wife's similar issue with ours..(one or the other should help anyway)

[Lorian]

I am surprised Lorian suggested you adjust the seatback more upright to sort your headrest issue I was going to suggest a little more laid back as that fixed my wife's similar issue with ours..(one or the other should help anyway)

I could have it the wrong way around. I'm sure one way or the other will help 

[bumpkin]

  Welcome Trev (I am also one of the lads and I am closer than Dazz, no airfare required!), nice Edition you have there and theres nowt wrong with kid on exhausts mate

as stated 40mpg for the petrol is good, don't look too closely at the econogauge, it can be out and in the cold and darker weather I hide it completely and let the car tell me how long it thinks it has to go before needing a fill, looking at the mpg dropping down in Winter is just  depressing

All petrol owners have gone throught the stalling issue at new also, you soon learn how not to stall 8)

Next time you are parked beside a plate glass shopfront, have a sly peek at your reflection and then imagine the same picture but with you sitting in the old Zafira...............there do you feel better

PS - It is better if you use an external host for your pics, rather than our upload facility, we have had issues with internal uploads going missing the couple of times we have moved host.  For assistance with this have a look here

https://www.i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=3803.0

Cheers
Brian

[Myowni30]

Hi Trev,

Welcome to the i30 Owners Club 

[eye30]

Welcome trev012

You made the right choice

Howdy Trev i love your motor it looks sporty.
I am the same as you first Hyundai and for what you get for your money you canny grumble

[duke]

Welcome aboard trev,give it time and you will love it! we also have a red 2011 elantra touring se ( states) Sunday i get to stuff four sets of golf clubs and four burley man into gumball.( HER NAME) No comments please   also no pictures lol. I know what you mean downsizeing from a ford explorer to gumball takes some critical packing. your car looks great let me know where you purchased the side panels and twin exh.  cheers !

[babis_xo]

Welcome Trev012!
I hope you'll be happy with your new car

* i30's headrests geometry in relation to the head, was compromised by the necessity of beeing safer in rear impacts. Actually, they manage to offer an average protection (i30 scored 2,2 /best score: 3,7 /worst score: 0,0!).
Maybe that's a good excuse of beeing a little uncomfortable  

source: http://www.euroncap.com/whiplash.aspx

Babis

[trev012]

Hi All,

Many thanks for all your kind words and to welcome me aboard. Such a friendly bunch of people it's a shame the rest of the world wasn't like it

I must apologise to Shambles & Bumpkin for saying I had bought just "An Ordinary hatchback" as I certainly didn't mean to demean the issue. It's just that my previous was a 7 seater that was a lot higher than my new i30, which is taking a bit of getting used to. Still, with every mile I put on it, I am loving it more and more and ..........

To Dazzler - Many thanks for kind words about it looking the part. As I said in my first post(s) we were going to buy a brand new one, but when we saw this one on the forecourt at a couple of £grand less it just looked great. Bright shiny red with tinted rear windows just goes like toast and butter. The extra rear spoiler and side skirts just finished the job off.

I have to agree wholeheartedly with Moxey.  It most definately is Value For Money, considering the same car with a Vauxhall badge was going to cost at least another £2k. Having read comments on this sight and other reviews, I had already made up my mind what I was going for - I just had to convince my wife she would be happy in it. Believe it or not, we actually went to see the i30 just over a year ago and actually walked out of the showroom without even a test drive. The reason?  It was simply because the older model (2007 - 2009) had a storage compartment /armrest that lifted up to open, behind the handbrake,and when we were sitting in the car in the showroom, my elbow (And also the wifes') kept hitting it. Very infuriating. However, the new model has done away with that and it is much more comfortable.

For Duke - I didn't purchase the side panels and twin exhaust. It is a limited edition model called, surprisingly, EDITION and it came already with them on it along with tinted rear windows, silver gear knob and silver "racing" pedals. Perhaps it is solely for sale in the UK.

I 'll make other postings as I go along and let you know how it is progresing. I think I'll have to either add a comment or create a new post for the cost of servicing. From what I have found out already, it is pretty expensive, considering it is only a 1.6 petrol doing about 10k miles per annum.

[bumpkin]

Hi All,

Many thanks for all your kind words and to welcome me aboard. Such a friendly bunch of people it's a shame the rest of the world wasn't like it

I must apologise to Shambles & Bumpkin for saying I had bought just "An Ordinary hatchback" as I certainly didn't mean to demean the issue. It's just that my previous was a 7 seater that was a lot higher than my new i30, which is taking a bit of getting used to. Still, with every mile I put on it, I am loving it more and more and ..........

No apology required Trev, you'll soon learn that a lot of leg pulling goes on in here

For Duke - I didn't purchase the side panels and twin exhaust. It is a limited edition model called, surprisingly, EDITION and it came already with them on it along with tinted rear windows, silver gear knob and silver "racing" pedals. Perhaps it is solely for sale in the UK.

This is the updated version of mine which was dubbed "Sport"

I 'll make other postings as I go along and let you know how it is progresing. I think I'll have to either add a comment or create a new post for the cost of servicing. From what I have found out already, it is pretty expensive, considering it is only a 1.6 petrol doing about 10k miles per annum.

Depends on what you were used to, I only do about 6K per annum and compared to Subarus's service costs, I am finding the i30 very easy on the pocket

[Surferdude]

Hi Trev, from another Trev (Australian - but currently in Ontario - and Boston next week  ).
I agree, the servicing costs should be quite inexpensive. My Impreza cost more.
Re the headrests I had the same problem initially, as did my wife in the passenger seat but I have finally found a comfortable position through judicious experimentation with the seat height, backrest angle, steering wheel height and reach - and ensuring the headrest is the right height. I think this last is the key. Even though I am 6'2" tall, the head rest doesn't need to be right up. The tendency is to put it all the way up but it then isn't in the right position for comfort and safety.
Interestingly, my wife is quite happy for me to sit higher than she does. But then all our previous cars did the same thing - drivers seat adjustable, passenger seat, not. Anyway I really only sit higher than her because I'm considerably taller.
I'm sure you'll come to love the car. If you enjoy driving, the first time you get it unfettered on a winding country road, you'll see what I mean.
All the best.
Trev

[trev012]

Hi Bumpkin,

"Depends on what you were used to, I only do about 6K per annum and compared to Subarus's service costs, I am finding the i30 very easy on the pocket"

Interesting to find you came from a Scubie to an i30  Without offending anybody, was that not a bit of a culture shock

[Dazzler]

Interesting to find you came from a Scubie to an i30  Without offending anybody, was that not a bit of a culture shock

Interesting comment? A lot have done it that are members on here and all are very positive about the gains they have made in economy, service costs and value for money  

[SRT Metro]

Hi trev012,
Welcome to the club! 

[Shambles]

... you came from a Scubie to an i30 ... was that not a bit of a culture shock

* Calls up the lads *

"Right lads, let's go get 'im!" 

[2i30s]

fump him wiv a ruba chikin.    [hale and pace]

[bumpkin]

Hi Bumpkin,

"Depends on what you were used to, I only do about 6K per annum and compared to Subarus's service costs, I am finding the i30 very easy on the pocket"

Interesting to find you came from a Scubie to an i30  Without offending anybody, was that not a bit of a culture shock

Shambles, I am on my way!!

Lets put the Scoob and i30 side by side......

Looks - lets face it the new shape Scoob is not pretty and does nothing to stand out from the rest of the hatchback crowd.  Stick a 2.0RX and my i30 side by side and I will walk away with the i30 everytime.

Interior - I looked at the 2.0RX Scoob extensively before finding the i30 and it's nothing special in the cabin, indeed if you check every report of the Impreza since it came out (classice shape) you will find that the reviews of the cabin have never been overwhelming.

Performance - The 2.0 boxer engine gave the heavier Impreza much the same performance as I get from the 1.6 i30 (which is not having to haul all the AWD gubbins around)

Roadholding - OK the the Impreza probably wins here...............but only just, I am very satisfied with the ESP on the i30 and in snowy weather the i30 is almost as good.

Price - The 2.0RX was going to cost me the best part of £17,000 (remember that is not even top of the range).  I got my Premium i30 for less than £14,000.

Economy - The standard 2.0 boxer engine at best gave me 40mpg on a long journey, around town this would drop below 20mpg.  With the low mileage and mainly city driving that I perform then the i30 is much more frugal returning 36-37 in the city in summer, dropping to about 32 in Winter.

Road tax - Impreza costs £245, i30 £155.

Servicing - Standard Impreza service in the region of £250, I have had two services done on my i30 and have not had a higher bill than £150.

I rest the case m'lud

[eye30]

How about this as a contender?

[Dazzler]

How about this as a contender?

My m8 loves his Skoda Octavia (but so he should as he has spent thousands on it including LSD, Suspension,brake and exhaust mods .. engine chip etc..) 

That little skoda is nice inside but the external syling looks a bit dated and boxy to my eye...

[Lorian]

I had a skoda fabia 2010 as a hire car a couple of weeks ago. It seemed well made but bland. I could never own one because I kept bumping my knee on the protruding hard corner on the radio facia, even after adjusting the steering and sitting well backwards. It wasn't very quick but was only a smallish petrol.

Sent via swype & tapatalk on Android

[Surferdude]

I agree with Bumpkin on the i30 v Scooby comparison.
Definitely a lot cheaper and with more options if you buy the i30.
In the roadholding department the i30 is IMO the equal of the Impreza unless you get into a very wet or very loose surface and on or over the limit. Even then I have to say the Impreza displayed more understeer. The Liberty I had before it, however, had very little understeer but even in 2004 it cost just a tad under $50,000 Australian - but it had literally every option known to man thanks to a generous boss. 
There is also more leg room in the back of the i30 and more overall inside length as I have discovered in carting my 9' + long surfboards to the beach.
Although I haven't really stuck it up my i30 on a good forestry road I am confident it will handle that almost as well as the Impreza, too. Albeit with less precision due to the lack of AWD. But you really have to be on the limit to tell the difference.
And I think the i30 is much better looking than either the old or new shape Imprezas.

[agentr31]

I have already debadged it at the back and I now think it looks even better. I'll post more pictures at a later date if anybody is interested.

welcome to the "de-badged club"!!!!!

smack some pics up broham!! they look heaps better with no badges... the badges that are on there are fugly... none of them even have the same font, and they are all different sizes.

makes the car look rubbish in my opinion, like an after thought, after they went through autobahn/super cheap's aftermarket badges and came up with a fast cheap nasty soloution...

[babis_xo]

Lets put the Scoob and i30 side by side......
......

According to http://subaru.co.uk/vehicles/impreza/15-rcmanual/ an Impreza's pro is boot capacity:

"Impreza can take on five passengers and five suitcases* at the same time"
* Testing by Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd.

If anyone is interested on buying an Impreza, I found the five suitcases which fits exactly in Impreza's boot:

(click to show/hide)

the Five suitcases

Just for the history, Impreza's boot capacity is 300lt