Veracruz, not the city.

"This is my third SUV. I've owned the Toyota 4Runner and Sequoia. I'm much happier with the Veracruz! I just made a trip to Oklahoma City from St Louis. I averaged 22.5 mpg. A lot better than the Sequoia's average 15 mpg! The ride is smooth and quiet. My friend came along and brought a mobility scooter. It fit in the back perfect, plus left enough room for luggage. It took awhile for the car to cool down in the 95 degree heat of Ok City, but the a/c is very good. I can't make up anyone's mind about a Korean automobile, but I'm very happy with the Veracruz. Best of luck to any of you considering an SUV." --Happy Veracruz Owner, Edumunds.com

"If you want a loaded-up, smooth riding midsize family SUV, it's harder to find to find one at a better price than the Veracruz." --more happy customers, Business Week


"From the soft-touch materials to the superb fit and finish, the new Veracruz seven-seat crossover has an interior that feels expensive and luxurious like no other
Hyundai cabin ever has." -- Automobile Magazine.


So, don't take my word for it. But anytime we ever play that game,
"what-car-would-you-like-to-own-the-most,"
I choose this one. It has wonderful seating, compares to the likes of a Lexus in terms of look and feel, but the price won't leave you wishing you had saved for your kid's college fund instead of blowing it on a car. So, that's a plus.

Come on in and look at this puppy, because you know, with Labor Day coming, cars are on the brain.

in·dulge: Genesis Sedan

in·dulge

[in-duhlj]-verb1. to yield to an inclination or desire; to allow oneself to follow one's will'2. to yield to, satisfy or gratify3. to yield to the wishes or whims of

ll (usually followed by in)

Dear friends, today I spent some quality time deep in the Genesis sedan. I kid you not, when I push started the car with the proximity key, classical music came on. Seriously? This car is smooth from head to toe, inside and outside. The car I drove was a delicious creamy white, waiting just outside the door for me. I slid onto the leather seats and was greeted with extreme luxury. Everything whipped itself into shape for my long legs and we were ready to go. With the opening of the sunroof I was in love. I have always wanted a car with a sunroof. And a rear shaded window. And leather heated seats, and navigation. Yikes! The list goes on.

Not to mention this month there are great specials, like low leases and 0% APR financing and $1,500 with a trade in. Jeez, what more do we need to do?

Maintenance managed

Recently I got back from a 2 week trip (supervising college students rehab homes in New Orleans) and my Hyundai Sonata was dead as a door nail. Found a friendly neighbor to help jump start our car....to no avail. Faulty cables was the problem because when neighbor #2 came out later with cables, Sonata came bolting back to life. Good thing, because we needed groceries.

I really dislike anything revolving around the realm of maintenance or service of my car. I feel uneducated. So today, I did some research and am here to help you and me not feel dumb.

First of all, maintenance will always pay off in the long run. We can help you catch small problems before they come wildly expensive, I'm-going-on-a-roadtrip-tomorrow problems. Been there. Let us help.

Ok, but here are a few things that will need to be checked up.

1. Motor oil (duh). Actually when I went to college, I didn't know you were supposed to get oil changes...in a nut shell, your oil degrades overtime and can easily become contaminated with debris. Everyone needs oil changes and usually if you get one, the service center will let you know when to come back, follow their rules.

2. Air filters. I feel like the people at Jiffy Lube always tell me I need to change my filter. While the service men at Eckert Hyundai never say that...unless I do (one time in 2 years). It's just like the air filter in your home it must be replaced so that your car can breath freely and generate power in the way it was designed to do.

3. TIRES. Ask to get your tires rotated every other oil change, or so. This can save you from having to buy new tires. Which are quite the investment. And will help you from sliding around like an ice skater in the rain.

4. Brakes: you can't a price tag on stopping, trust me. So you might consider trusting the noises that come out of your car to remind you to get your brakes changed. If they erode too far, metal on metal will start scratching, which is less than pleasant.

5. Wiper Blades: The wiper blades offered for Hyundai's here at Eckert Hyundai have a sticker on them that fade with time, when the blade sticker turns red, it's time for new wipers. Not that you cant tell from the way they no longer get water off of your windshield.

the information on this article was obtained from vehiclemd.com and go.drive magazine.

Consumer Reports. Best Cars.

No big deal or anything, but Hyundai Elantra got named Consumer Reports' Best Small Car of 2011.

"Redesigned for 2011, the Elantra delivers a lot for the money. With its makeover, this well-rounded sedan is now more stylish and engaging to drive. The Elantra provides fairly nimble handling; a decent ride, a smooth, responsive powertrain; a well-finished interior; and a relatively roomy rear seat. It's also miserly on gas, achieving 29 mpg overall in our tests and 39 mpg on the highway. We expect this new model to be as reliable as the previous one.
Price: $18,445." --Consumer Reports Magazine

I Have $15,000.

Ha, I wish I had that problem.

Sometimes we get our little nest egg built up and want to know what the best solution for our money is. Well, you have a few options. And I'll pepper the options with my opinion, don't you worry.

First, within our website we have the option of searching just cars under $10K. That would be my first choice. There's nothing wrong with getting a new [to you] car, driving something that has been a little worn in. It's like shoes that don't give you blisters anymore. It's been driven and probably loved.

If you want to spend your savings, check out this fun car that I found. I almost bought one last year.

Second, we have several new cars that will fit in your price range, no joke. If you're willing to go manual, we can REALLY work with you.

• A 4-door manual 2012 Hyundai Accent starts at a jaw dropping $13,205.
• A 5-door manual 2012 Hyundai Accent starts at $15,355 (this is my current personal favorite car, I'm loving hatchbacks, they make me happy)

And thirdly, we can always work this $15K into a wowzer of a down payment. This would knock off a huge amount and banks will be rather impressed, this leaves all of the options available to you. All used and new inventory. Give them a look, I know you're intrigued.

Service Center Dilemmas - SOLVED

I know, I know, I'm pretty sure we all feel unsure when we drop our car off to get serviced. Whether it's for an oil change, an inspection or your car is sputtering into the service bay. We have all been there.

Let me educate you on what to do with your precious car.

When it comes to service there are lots of options. You could take your car to the super center around the corner and shop while you wait, you could take it to the service center near your house and sit in a shabby waiting room and watch Judge Judy while you wait or you could bring it into Eckert Hyundai and perhaps swing a loaner car while you wait, if not, cozy up in our waiting room, use the free wi-fi or watch hi def TV while you recline on a large leather sofa and drink freshly brewed coffee. Doesn't really sound like a question to me.

Aside from the accommodations, which might be the last thing on your mind, the dealer can offer you well-trained personnel, factory replacement parts, state of the art tools, precise diagnosis, not to mention a customer reward system and offering parts under warranty. Let me explain. Let's say you take your new-er Sonata to a mom'n'pop service place where they replace a coil on your car. If the coil (that may not be meant for a Hyundai) begins to then wear on your car causing too much electricity through, and blows some plugs, not only can we not replace your coil under warranty anymore, but anything that it effects. Because it's not a Hyundai part, Hyundai is no longer willing to stand behind that product, because....it's not ours.

On a sidenote, there is a rumor cycling around that service dealers have a high turn over rate. Our longest term tech is 8 years and our newest employee is about to hit his 1 year mark. Sounds pretty reliable to me..So I asked the service center. Here's what I got: "There are a lot of Dealer Service centers that have a high turn over rate because they treat their service techs and advisers poorly, Eckert Hyundai is not one of those places. Eckert Hyundai believes in longevity, they believe in keeping their people; keeping them trained and keeping them happy." -Kyle Bengel , Eckert Hyundai Service Adviser (3 years and counting).

If you absolutely hate the phone, check out our new online appointment maker.

Back to School: Cars Edition

As summer is winding down, this time next month we will be flocking to the stores for pencils and notebooks. We are hoping you'll see the need for a new car for your new driver or your brand new college student!

Hyundai has a history of being one of the best back to school cars out there. Just look here:

• 2009 Top 3 Best Cars for College Students
• 2008 Kelley Blue Book's Top 10 New Back to School Cars
• 2009 Autotropolis' Back to School Cars - Hyundai Accent

Personal Opinion. The 2012 Hyundai Accent. It's a beauty. The new styling is jaw dropping and as you can see, they added an extra set of doors on the hatchback. WHICH, is making a huge come back. Not only that, but this puppy has 40 MPG on the highway, 30 in the city, giving it a combined 34 MPG. I know that will save those ramen noodle-eating college students some hard earned cash. It also has an eco-shift which modifies the engine for added fuel economy. Lots of safety features, lots of space and lots of savings make this car my personal choice for the 2011 Back to School Car List at Eckert Hyundai.