TV experiences, esp. the Hyundai Sante Fe. What to look for in your TV. - Fiberglass RV
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Old 03-19-2018, 05:05 PM   #1
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Name: Debra
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TV experiences, esp. the Hyundai Sante Fe. What to look for in your TV.

Hi All, I have listened well to what I have learned from these web pages. Get a towing vehicle to accommodate your needs, plus some. And consider something that will give you the opportunity to upgrade your trailer as many people end up with a larger trailer. Even through I am still looking at trailer options, I am also starting to look at TVs. I do not want two vehicles so it is important to me to have a TV that I can also use for everyday. I just test drove a 2017 Sante Fe (V8) SUV, with great camera options for backing up and safety; rated to tow 5,000 pounds, which Casita advised was best for their 16 foot trailer. I welcome hearing from others if you have used a Sante Fe and any advice you offer about what to look for in a towing vehicle and its engine. (Be gentle on the latter, I am fairly ignorant about engines and the like!). Thanks. This is similiar but more specific to a prior thread of mine, which I monitor regualarly, so if you offered advice on that one, no need to repeat here unless you wish. Many thanks in advance.
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Old 03-19-2018, 05:14 PM   #2
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My buddy took his Santa Fe in for service because of some engine noise. It took him months to get his vehicle repaired because Hyundai didn't have the parts anywhere in North America and their supplier was no longer supplying. He and the dealer got so frustrated that the dealer finally equipped a service vehicle for towing so that he didn't lose the entire camping season.
His was capable of towing 3,500 lbs.
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Old 03-19-2018, 05:30 PM   #3
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My wife and I went for a 6 hour drive last Saturday with my brother and his wife in my brother's Santa Fe.
When we returned home my wife and I struggled to get out of the vehicle because of back pain . The vehicle may be capable of towing but I cannot imagine taking a trip of any distance or length with a Santa Fe
We are fast approaching 70 so your comfort level may not match ours but I personally don't want to arrive at my destination feeling like I was in a 12 round boxing match and I lost .

Just something to ponder
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Old 03-19-2018, 06:05 PM   #4
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Hmm...two inital replies are not good! The front seat was especially comfy with lumbar support (had lots of bells and whistles on the vehicle) but I only went around the block. At 66, with a bad back, I am not far behind you. The Sante Fe Sport only tows 3500 but the Sante Fe tows 5,000. (I had to inform the dealer of this distinction, having just read about them the prior evening). What are some comparable vehciles in other brands. What I liked about this vehicle was that it was not as big as some of the other SUV with comparable towing capacity --- at least at some I looked at. Welcome suggestions of other models. Thanks so much.
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Old 03-19-2018, 06:12 PM   #5
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The 5,000 lb. capacity requires you to buy seats for seven people. Same requirement in Toyota Highlander ( which is what my buddy bought as a replacement ).
As for seats, my wife and daughter hate the seats in my RAV4, but I didn't opt for the leather, heated, umpteen electrical motor seats. So, when people discuss seats, it's best to be comparing apples and apples.
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Old 03-19-2018, 09:50 PM   #6
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Debbie, we just replaced our 2009 Santa Fe (with the larger engine and 3500/350 tow capacity) with a 2016 model (yep, we usually buy used if possible). I just turned 70 and my wife is getting closer and we find the Santa Fe to be quite comfortable. We especially like being able to get into and out of the "higher than a sedan" seats, but that's probably true for most SUV's. The 2009 wasn't equipped as well as the newer one which has the power seat for the driver. While the 2016 is rated for 5000/500 towing it is the same engine etc. that we had earlier; frankly we have to keep reminding ourselves that we're towing our Scamp (which usually weighs in around 2300 lbs). For us the only drawback is the third row seats which we will never use. Later this year I plan to remove them and put in a storage compartment which we will use. While both came "towing ready" that really means that there is an transmission fluid cooler (you can see it in front of the radiator) and there are factory plugs at the rear to hook up a four pin trailer connection. You'll have to do considerably more to get the seven pin connection for the brakes et al for our travel trailers.
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Old 03-19-2018, 10:19 PM   #7
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Thanks Rod. Good to hear some positive feedback as I was impressed by the Santa Fe and a bit dismayed by the initial comments. I know any brand will have bad and good reviews and I need to do more research. I was looking at a 2017 model that was a remainder so I think I can get it for a good deal. However, the difficulty getting parts is of major concern. If that happened on the road, it could be a real issue.

I have heard about a tow ready vehicles and wondered what what that meant. From reading on this site, I have learned about the cooler for the transmission just tonight. And the now understand better about the towing wires. When you said you have to do considerably more to do the pins/wiring for the trailer brakes, can you tell me more about that? What are the four pins used for? Can you get a vehicles that have the seven pins to begin with? Thanks so much.
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Old 03-20-2018, 07:52 AM   #8
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"Tow-ready" for a mid-sized molded trailer means the vehicle has: adequate engine and transmission cooling for the full 5000# rating (may require extra parts or a factory package), 7-pin wiring (4-pin wiring only powers the lights; 7-pin wiring includes brake and battery charging lines), a built-in brake controller or a brake controller port (place to plug in your own controller), and a Class 3 hitch.

Honda does a pretty good job of building a "tow-ready" Pilot. Their factory wiring harness includes trailer wiring with brake and charge lines with a connector that plugs in under the dash and wires to your own brake controller. The dealer can add a transmission cooler, hitch, and 7-pin plug as accessories at purchase (and are then covered under the bumper-to-bumper warranty). Dealer prices for those extra bits are, as you would expect, higher than aftermarket, so put your negotiating hat on. Might be worth a look.

Toyota Highlander is also a nice vehicle and top of the class in reliability (according to Consumer Reports- you can make of that what you want, or not). Toyota does not provide a lot of help getting set up to tow, so you'll have to go aftermarket.

The Kia Sorento has the same engine and transmission as the Santa Fe in what appears to be a slightly more compact size.

If you want class-leading performance, there is the Ford Explorer Sport with an Ecoboost engine (Ford-speak for turbocharged). The Explorer is also available with a non-turbo V6 for more pedestrian types. Not sure how easy an Explorer is to prep for towing.

All worthy of cross-shopping against a Santa Fe.

There is also Nissan Pathfinder, VW Atlas, Dodge Durango, Chevy Traverse/GMC Acadia, and, soon, Subaru Ascent. The Durango is a RWD chassis (with optional AWD), a plus for towing.

Lots of alternatives in this class. Enjoy the hunt.
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Old 03-20-2018, 08:18 AM   #9
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Seat comfort is very personal. I have loved the seat comfort in vehicles that others complained about, and vice versa. You'll just have to try them for yourself.
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Old 03-20-2018, 08:26 AM   #10
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Hello Debbie. We tow a 19-foot Bonair Oxygen with a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe (7-seater). We used it for a 3-week, 2000-mile trip last summer. No serious complaints and no mechnical issues. I was a little concerned with how much the backend squats when I applied the weight of the trailer to the hitch. I have since added an Anderson weight distribution hitch to level out the vehicle. (It gives me some peace of mind.) The seats are not bad for a long journey but there is better to be had out there. (Check out the Toyota Highlander seats!) We purchased the vehicle to replace a VW Touareg TDI. The Santa Fe offered a lot of bang for the buck but it is not the equal of the Touareg when it comes to towing. I have attached a picture because a picture is worth... at least a dozen words... All in all we're satisfied with the Santa Fe although we wouldn't tow any heavier than what we have (2670 lbs fully loaded.)
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Old 03-20-2018, 08:28 AM   #11
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Jon mentioned the Honda Pilot . I am about 6 ft 1" tall ( you get shorter as you get older )and the Honda Pilot for me was easy to enter and exit , the Santa Fe was very difficult to enter and exit.
If you are shorter , thin , more flexible , or a contortionist it may not matter. The Honda also has a much better , smoother ride on rough roads .
Again Just my experience
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Old 03-20-2018, 09:33 AM   #12
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I'm only 5'7" (used to be 5'8"...LOL). I have to stretch a little getting in and out of our Pilot. I have also found the seat comfort and ride quality good for a long day's drive. We have the base LX trim, so no fancy lumbar adjustments or power anything. Seats are very well shaped, and no noticeable degradation after 7 years and 125K miles.

But as Steve said, seat comfort is very personal.
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Old 03-20-2018, 09:40 AM   #13
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Sante Fe

My good man.
I towed a 13' Ventura from Vernon to Qualicum Beach.
I tried to keep it around 80kph. Had a hard time keeping it under 100.
Hills were no problem. Hardly new it was there. Will be camping this summer with it. Don't forsee any issues. The engines are made by Mitsubishi. Ours is a 2012 with a 3.5L 276hp. engine. Don't think you can get an 8 cyl. in a Hyundai?
Go and enjoy
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Old 03-20-2018, 09:45 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post
I'm only 5'7". I have to stretch a little getting in and out of our Pilot. I have also found the seat comfort and ride quality good for a long day's drive. We have the base LX trim, so no fancy lumbar adjustments or power anything. Seats are very well shaped, and no noticeable degradation after 7 years and 125K miles.

But as someone said, seat comfort is very personal.
My brother has a Santa Fe and my SIL has a Honda Pilot.
I am NOT trying to criticize either vehicle but to me the Honda seemed to be better built and of higher quality , the Santa Fe just seemed cheap and of lesser quality. The Honda on a bumpy road was fairly quiet , the Sante Fe sounded like it was going to fall apart.


** Knowing my brother , the reason he bought the Santa Fe was cost and cost only**
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Old 03-20-2018, 10:54 AM   #15
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Steve, I am also very price sensitive. Our current vehicles were both 2 year old, factory certified used vehicles, priced $5-6K below new, less than 20K miles on the odometer, and carrying a longer warranty.

Some new vehicles are heavily discounted, so used is not always the best way to go. You'll have to do some research to find out. If your first choice vehicle is a bit out of reach, used can be an alternative to settling for second best. There's some risk, but it has worked out well for us.
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Old 03-20-2018, 11:28 AM   #16
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As always, tow rating is just a small part of the puzzle. Payload rating is very important, along with other criteria. Tow rating is just the headline, there’s a lot more to it. My F150 has a tow rating of 9,800 pounds but I run out of payload capacity at about 5,000 pounds.
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Old 03-20-2018, 11:36 AM   #17
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Santa Fe doesn’t have a V8
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Old 03-20-2018, 12:02 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by Jon in AZ View Post
Steve, I am also very price sensitive. Our current vehicles were both 2 year old, factory certified used vehicles, priced $5-6K below new, less than 20K miles on the odometer, and carrying a longer warranty.

Some new vehicles are heavily discounted, so used is not always the best way to go. You'll have to do some research to find out. If your first choice vehicle is a bit out of reach, used can be an alternative to settling for second best. There's some risk, but it has worked out well for us.
My last two personnal vehicles have been 1/2 ton trucks .
When I went to look at trucks a 3 year old truck with almost 30,000 miles was priced at around $22,000 . A brand new truck and slightly better equipped cost just under $24,000. (MSRP $35,600)
I chose the new truck
I've driven used , worn out junkers most of my life and I wanted the feeling of driving a new truck once in my life . Three years later , I got the urge again and bought another new truck. We are planning a trip to Arizona for next March so we will be getting a new truck this fall , God Willing.
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Old 03-20-2018, 12:10 PM   #19
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RV Trailer tow vehicle

Hi Debbie,

I am on my fourth full-size Ford Econoline window van. I have found them very convenient, especially if you decide to change the size of your trailer. I purchased my last one a 2005, 12-passenger window van E350 (not an extended long one) and these vans have been very reliable and and very convenient when travelling to store my bikes and other sports equipment. I even use it for trips without RV on short overnight trips (sleep on the back seat which turns into a full-size bed. It is also handy for moving and reno projects. I purchased it in 2007 in Buffalo, it was used in Tampa FL where it with 36,000 miles where it was used as an airport transport vehicle and I have traveled to the west coast twice with it without problems. One of the advantages is that it can be fixed in most garages and does not require special tools or equipment.
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Old 03-20-2018, 12:21 PM   #20
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Used does not have to mean clunker. Our last three vehicles have all been used, and indistinguishable from new. I'm very picky. My wife would never have accepted some else's stains and odors!

But I agree, sometimes new is actually the better deal.

After reading a recent thread and related links regarding problems associated with new soy-based plastics, I have sworn off new vehicles until that is addressed. Edible engine wiring... what a concept!

Our newest vehicle is an '11, the year before Honda started using bio-plastics.
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