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An Azera Sighting - Islander - 12-09-2006 01:06 AM
I've had my 2006 Azera for 10 weeks. Today on my way to work, for the first time I finally saw another. 10 weeks just to see one on Long Island, where new cars are everywhere, simply amazes me.
It concerns me that there are so few Azera's on the road. In order for Hyundai to really invest in supporting the car in the US (you know the clunking suspension issue...) they need to know the car will be a success here. While the clunking suspension and a few minor quirks are present in many of the forum participants cars, the Azera is still a too well kept secret to the American car buying public. It's unfortunate that such a great car and tremendous value is not more heavily marketed by Hyundai. For well south of $30K and less than $25K for an SE with the Premium package, these great cars shouls be all over like the Taurus' & Sables' of the early 90's.
RE: An Azera Sighting - JoeD - 12-09-2006 02:19 AM
I agree that for the value the Azera is one great car. I have had mine now for about five months and only recently have I seen one. I think part of the problem of selling more is that it is advertised as a Luxury Car and it is but the person driving a so called Luxury Car is not ready to step down, in their minds, by the Name, "Hyundai". I think it is going to take sometime before people realize how Great This Car is for the Money. Hyundai like Toyota "in the beginning" is going through growing pains. Hyundai keeps bettering their product and sales. In the recent months I have seen many Hyundai Sonatas on the road. This was caused by the large advertising campaign and people realizing just how great a car it is for the price. I think this will also happen with the Azera as long as Hyundai continues to maintain their effort of quality. JodD
RE: An Azera Sighting - Islander - 12-09-2006 02:49 AM
I agree with you Joe...Hyundai is climbing up much like Toyota did, as well as Datson/Nissan. Positioning the car as a Luxury car or near Luxury car may not be in their best interest due to the snob appeal some brands afford "some" of their buyers. If Hyundai pits the Azera up against the Avelon, Ford 500, Maxima, Lucerne as many auto rags do, they might attract buyers. As wonderful as the Azera is, it is not yet a BMW 5 series, E Class Mercedes or ES Lexus, but neither is the price. Heck the Azera offers "similar" features for $10 - $25K less...and there in lies the tremendous value.
True, the Lucerne, 500 and Maxima also offer some "similair" features to these luxury names, yet the Azera is often a superior value to these cars just the same, albeit at $2.5 - $6K less.
I enjoyed a Taurus SHO prior to the Azera. One of the enjoyment factors was the uniqueness of the car. While I enjoy the Azera's uniqueness too, I would still prefer to see more on the road. FWIW I'm guessing I've only seen 5 Lucernes, 10 current body Avelons, and 10 500's in the same 10 weeks I've seen 1 other Azera. Around here it's BMW, Infinity, Lexus & Mercedes making up 25% of cars on the road, then the SUV's (all makes/models) make up another 35%, so that doesn't leave alot of room for all the other brands/models...
RE: An Azera Sighting - Azera - 12-10-2006 03:49 AM
Yea, it's sad, but Hyundai is really lacking in advertisements of Azeras. There's not much we can really do, I hope we will see a second generation Azera.
RE: An Azera Sighting - killerztp - 12-11-2006 11:01 AM
Hi Islander, which part of long island are you in? I was there over the weekend maybe you saw my azera? Such a small world.
RE: An Azera Sighting - boostedfc3s - 12-12-2006 05:59 AM
I've seen about 5 or 6 around here. I usually see one everyday on the way to work... its the same one, but I still see it.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Islander - 12-12-2006 08:30 AM
hey killerztp-
i'm in nassau county right by the coliseum where the islanders play. didn't see your azera this weekend, but if i did, i woulda posted about it!
RE: An Azera Sighting - killerztp - 12-12-2006 12:52 PM
I was around smithhaven mall. maybe we will see each other's azzy since such a small world we live in.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Islander - 12-14-2006 12:49 AM
TWO IN 5 DAYS! Today a Black Azera going the opposite way. So in 11 weeks of Azera ownership I've seen 2. During that same time frame I've seen at least:
3 Ferrari's
2 Ford GT's
3 Lamborgini's
1 Lotus
2 Aston Martin's
2 Roush Mustangs
12 AMG version Mercedes
3 6 series BMW coupes.
and a gazillion new Camry's, Altima's & Maxima's.
.....but it looks like the Hyundai Azera could be on a roll.
Damn, I wish they would/could sell alot more Azera's. The local dealers still have 2006's available. Hopefully Azera doesn't go the way of the Edsel.
RE: An Azera Sighting - whitemef - 12-14-2006 04:52 AM
I live in the Dallas area and have had mine for 5 or so months. I have only seen 4 others. All kinds of Sonatas but no Azeras. I would think for the little bit of extra cash more people would step up to the Azera. I do like the Sonata, but really.
On the other hand, I do like the fact that no everybody has one (Camry, Accord). At the car wash the other day I caught a guy staring, yes staring at the Azera as he was walking over to his Benz.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Gamle-ged - 12-18-2006 01:55 AM
Let the fact that the Sonata is now a very commonly seen auto put your mind at ease regarding the Azera's likely recognition and eventual popularity. Back in 1975, when I took the huge risk of buying a new Honda Civic CVCC, the cars were relatively few and far between and I got the extended warranty juuust in case.
Then in '76 the Accord first arrived on our shores and I kicked myself for not having waited... what a great looking car! I held out one more year, then traded on a 1977 Accord. Up until now, I'd owned only one other car, a used '90 Accord LX (which I still have; the '77 lasted nearly 20 years and 328,000 miles and my '90 ownership overlapped the '77 by about 6 years and currently has 245,000 miles) and the Honda, like the Toyota, has become the car to beat for price, reliability and owner satisfaction. Hyundai wants to be the Korean Honda/Toyota, and I suspect that they'll succeed...
RE: An Azera Sighting - Islander - 12-19-2006 12:58 AM
Gamle-ged
My wanting to se more Azera's on the road is tied to Hyundai seeing it as a winner from a corproate point of view here in the US market. The more they sell the louder the voice of the ownership - and hence the more likely they'll invest in finding a fix for the dreaded clunk that many of us have.
The fact that they are introducing the Veracruz and are targeting the Acura and Lexus crossovers, as well as introducing a larger than Azera (rear wheel drive) top-of-the-line sedan, I would have to expect that they will be very sensitive to Azera owners. After all, we're the ones that will be asked how we like our cars, by potential buyers of more expensive Hyundai's.
Your comparison of the Hyundai to Toyota & Honda are right on. I believe the quality is there, in these cars. As a 1st year model, the Azera despite the clunk has relatively few complaint points. We're just the lucky ones to have the cars at a reduced price.....as their reputation continues to grow, so will sticker prices.
Enjoy your holidays!
RE: An Azera Sighting - Gamle-ged - 12-19-2006 03:47 AM
"We're just the lucky ones to have the cars at a reduced price.....as their reputation continues to grow, so will sticker prices."
And doesn't that made us feel smarter than th' average bear!
RE: An Azera Sighting - cdmuile - 12-30-2006 05:59 AM
Re:An Azera Sighting
We spent the past holiday in the DC area. On the 28th, about 2pm, we were driving to Reagan National and passed a beautiful brown or ambergris(eggplant?)Azera on the freeway. It had a nifty gold pinstripe on the side. Did this car belong to a forum member? It was the only Azera I saw in the Washington area in 5 days!!! (My wife says the car was black)
RE: An Azera Sighting - NJ_Azera - 01-10-2007 08:33 AM
I saw an Azera today , first one since I bought mine 5 weeks ago . It was silver like mine but had a gray interior (I have Black), I can't beleive it took 5 weeks to see one since I live in the most congested area in the country (NNJ/NYC)
RE: An Azera Sighting - Islander - 01-12-2007 01:27 AM
I too went a long time before I saw my first Azera after purchasing mine. In 2007 I've seen two; a silver/grey and abeige/tan...both on Long Island, NY.
That said, I see as many Lamborghini's as I do Azera's.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Azera - 01-14-2007 05:46 PM
I haven't seen an Azera in a while. Sonatas on the other hand are everywhere here. They're like Accords/Camrys now.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Gamle-ged - 01-15-2007 11:43 PM
I see maybe 1 per week in my travels between here and Tampa and MouseTown...
RE: An Azera Sighting - NJ_Azera - 01-20-2007 01:48 PM
I saw another Azera today
This one was blue/ beige parked on Ferry street in Newark NJ....
some very good restaurants on that street
RE: An Azera Sighting - Gamle-ged - 02-08-2007 12:53 AM
A possible cause for few-and-far-between Azera sightings, found on a different site and here quoted:
----------
By reading the financial pages, I learned Hyundai has been in two types of problems, work-related and legal.
The work aspect is that the company has been plagued by multiple stops in the production of their vehicles in South Korea, where the Azera is made, since the very start. Their workers have been on strike for higher wages and better working conditions every year but one since 1987.
Last year was the worst ever in this area, with 17 days of strike causing a production loss of 115000 vehicles. I guess they figure there's no point in advertising if they can't make enough cars to answer the current demand. If they advertise, the car could sell a lot, but people wouldn't be able to get it for months. In Canada, at least in Ontario, the 2007 model is not even arrived yet.
The legal aspect is that their chairman, Chung Mong-koo, has been in trouble for the last few years. Yesterday he was handed a three-year jail term for illegally raising a $110 million (u.s.) slush fund to seek government favors.
Mind you, he appealed the decision and was released on bail so he won't go to prison any time soon. Actually he's been allowed back into the boardroom for the time being. This guy has been there since 1999 and is credited for expanding greatly the Hyundai brand by opening new plants and putting the emphasis on quality. At the same time, he seems to have a confrontational attitude with his workers.
So these two problems probably don't have a big effect on the Sonata and the new Santa Fe because these models are produced at their Alabama plant (opened in 2005), but it's got to cause a big slowdown in South Korea where the Azera is made.
RE: An Azera Sighting - killerztp - 02-08-2007 12:43 PM
This is very interesting and makes a lot of sense. Great info
RE: An Azera Sighting - Azera - 02-09-2007 09:55 AM
Maybe they should transfer the productions of Azera to their Alabama plant too.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Gamle-ged - 02-27-2007 05:49 AM
Stopped in to Nokomis Groves for a bottle of orange juice, pulled into the first parking slot and realized that I was parked next to a white 2007 Azera Limited!...
RE: An Azera Sighting - boostedfc3s - 02-27-2007 10:05 AM
I saw 3 over the weekend. I have a black one, saw a black on I55 south of Sprinfield, IL when I was heading down to St. Louis. Saw another black one on the way back up to IL from St. Louis, dunno if it was the same one. I saw a white limited today on my way back from lunch.[/align]
RE: An Azera Sighting - AzeraSC - 03-23-2007 05:42 AM
I recently went on a trip from Texas to Georgia.  Over 2000 miles round trip.  I did not see another Azera the entire time I was on the road. Â
RE: An Azera Sighting - Islander - 03-23-2007 12:18 PM
I started this thread back in December 2006...& like many Azera owners found myself somewhat surprised that I had seen so few Azera's in my first few months of ownership.
Well today I had a first. On I95 in Darien, CT I saw a Truck / Transporter loaded with new Azera's! Must have been 7 or 8 of them sighted in one shot! The truck was on the other side of the road, otherwise I would have pulled up next to it and taken a look at evry one.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Captvege - 03-24-2007 12:12 AM
Saw a gold Azera in Columbia SC. Waived and honked. First one I have seen.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Azera LINY - 04-15-2007 12:13 PM
I was in Florida this past winter and saw three Azera in three months. I have the 06 Limited with all the bells and whistle. Bought steel Grey July 06. The car is the best buy for all the extras. Love the car.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Doug - 04-18-2007 12:08 PM
ok - let's keep this going. got on I-95S in CT today. black LTD right in front of me.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Burneedog - 04-18-2007 12:56 PM
White Limited on Gallatin Road in Madison, TN with Florida plates.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Gamle-ged - 04-18-2007 10:55 PM
Welcome to the forum! And it wasn't me, I have an Aubergine Limited and I haven't driven it up out of Florida as yet... : )
RE: An Azera Sighting - Doug - 04-20-2007 12:02 PM
Was on I-91 north today in CT. Gray LTD went by me doing about 75mph. with FL plates. (must have been Gamle-geg)
Anyway, good to see the second one in as many days.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Doug - 04-20-2007 12:05 PM
darn - messed up your screen name....... sorry about that. typo.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Gamle-ged - 04-20-2007 11:07 PM
Hey, at least it didn't come out "Gamle-KEG!" Par-TY!... par-TY!... par-TY!
Came out of the Publix market yesterday, saw my car, walked a few steps toward it, thought "Didn't I park one lane over?" and realized I was looking at somebody's dark blue Azera!...
RE: An Azera Sighting - Captvege - 04-21-2007 04:00 AM
Saw a Gold/Beige Azera on I-26 between Charleston and Columbia SC
RE: An Azera Sighting - boisdarc - 04-22-2007 09:35 AM
Saw a beige Azera today on US290 fifty miles west of Houston enroute to Austin.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Doug - 04-22-2007 11:58 AM
gonna be adding me to the list as of Wednesday. picking up the new one then. anyone from the CT area?
RE: An Azera Sighting - Gamle-ged - 04-27-2007 01:08 AM
Had my annual physical today (the "Welcome to Medicare" freebie, I'll be paying out-of-pocket for the future ones
) and parked across the way from my Azzy was a white Azzy!...
RE: An Azera Sighting - Doug - 04-27-2007 12:09 PM
ok - picked mine up yesterday. gotta love it . dealer said he's selling as many as he gets. let's see if we have more sitings. mine- black ltd, black int/ with ultimate package including XM
RE: An Azera Sighting - Gamle-ged - 04-27-2007 09:13 PM
"...picked mine up yesterday..."
Excellent! Another case of "new car fever" cured in what will be a most enjoyable way! Now you need to resist temptation and note the "reccommended" 1200-mile break-in period with speed limited to below 55mph... : )
RE: An Azera Sighting - Doug - 04-28-2007 03:06 AM
Well, well. I live in a community of about 34000 people. Haven't seen any Azeras around here to speak of. Picked mine up Wednesday, and lo & behold leaving for work this morning a white one passed me going up in the general direction of my neighborhood. Maybe they're catching on?
RE: An Azera Sighting - boisdarc - 04-29-2007 03:17 AM
Saw a drk blue Azera this AM at the Legendary Oaks Golf Club parking lot located off US 290 55 miles west of Houston.
RE: An Azera Sighting - Gamle-ged - 11-30-2007 08:04 AM
A new personal record! Two Azeras in two minutes; one white Azera being filled with groceries as I was leaving the market parking lot, then another white Azera coming from the other direction one mile down the road...
RE: An Azera Sighting - Gary in Sandy Eggo - 11-30-2007 12:12 PM
I bought my 2007 in mid-August, 2007. I've seen only one other Azera since then, and that was in Boston while on vacation in early October. I've not seen any others.