Hi. I am Canadian and looking to purchase a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Limited in the United States. I have found a dealer selling essentially a brand new vehicle as used (odometer 16 miles) for significantly less than elsewhere. Upon talking to their sales staff I have been told that it is a Class 2 vehicle. Apparantly upon final inspection at Hyundai's factory if there is any damage to the finish the vehicle is registered and auctioned off as used since it can no longer be sold as new. Has anybody else heard of this or am I being fed a bunch of salesman lies? My concern is that if this is true, is it only a factory second with respect to the finish or could there be mechanical flaws. Since the warranty is not transferrable across the border this could be costly. Any help or guidance is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Hi I found this page that might help you out :thumbsup:

http://books.google.com/books?id=TeMgA5S74...esult#PPA301,M1

Have you figured out how to deal with all the problems you will find buying your

Hyundai in the U.S.?

You probably have heard the term "when something sounds to good to be true, it generally is". Let it go and get something that lets you sleep at night. I have never heard that term ever. I don't believe it for a second. Its not like a dealer acts as a "factory store" like a clothing goods place with uneven seems or longer sleeves. Go to a good dealership and get what you need and park it in your driveway with pride. Yeah, it might cost a bit more but warranty work is as close as a dealership in your town.

My .02 and good luck

We are from Canada and just toured the Alabama factory where the Santa Fes are built. During the tour they explained that when a problem is noticed after the fact, it goes back for correction. We did notice body panels in a dumpster - presumably damaged and not reparable. We did not notice any "Class 2" vehicles sitting off to the side. (I used to work in the car business, and frankly "Class 2" sounds like a euphemism for hail damage, flood damage, or shipping and/or lot damage.... in which case you can expect that your new car is wearing Bondo under its aftermarket coat of paint).

Sometimes a new car is sold as "used" simply because its warranty has started ticking (usually because a sale fell apart, and/or the dealer was trying to meet a monthly quota). That's no big deal, as long as the odometer has not been altered and the dealer discloses the warranty start date in writing. Regarding warranty, remember that Hyundai Canada does not honour U.S. warranties... you will have to travel to the U.S. for each claim.

We drive a (Canadian) 2008 Santa Fe and enjoy it very much. Our philosophy is that the pleasure of saving a few extra dollars lasts about a month, whereas the pain of owning a bad vehicle lasts for years. But if your vehicle is a good one, and you live close to an American dealer for service, this might be a great deal. Good luck with whatever you decide to do :57: