After lots of research, I purchased a 2009 Santa Fe Limited with 'radiant silver' w/dk grey interior last week! It's beautiful and I want to keep it that way. I have a few questions and am hoping all of you experienced owners will be able to guide me.
1. Is there some sort of exterior finish you can add to the paint that makes it shine like crazy? I was parked next to another '09 Santa Fe Limited in a parking lot yesterday and the other car looked like it had a wet shine all over it. My car looked good, but didn't have that wet, brand new look. The other car was a tan color. Could a good wax make it look that good? If so, what do you suggest?
2. I have more tire noise than I thought I would, but I guess that's because they're bigger tires? (I'm coming from a '97 Odyssey, so maybe that's part of it.)
Thanks!
Joan

This post has been edited by FloridaJoan: Nov 3 2009, 07:50 PM

welcome to the forums joan (IMG:style_emoticons/default/00000732.gif)

l am moving your post over to the santa fe forum for a better response from other santa owners

Welcome FloridaJoan,

1. If your Santa Fe was well-cleaned at delivery (ie: if the paint feels slippery) then that's about as shiny as it's going to get. Sometimes different colours just look glossier than others. That said, a wax & buff can't hurt. I use NuFinish, but I'm sure other members will chime in with their favourites. Just don't expect miracles... that microscopic layer of wax means more to the person who rubbed it on than it does to the vehicle itself (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

2. We traded from a Nissan Quest minivan to our Santa Fe, and found tire noise slightly more noticeable even with the 16" wheels. I'm not sure whether the tires are actually louder, or just easier to notice due to the quieter cabin acoustics. We recently rode around in a rented Honda Odyssey, and while it seemed quiet we were surprised at how much yelling was required to talk from front seat to rear. Minivans are like that, whereas in a Santa Fe you can hear the proverbial pin drop.

Enjoy your Santa Fe... it's a great choice! Unless you desperately need the extra seats, you won't miss the minivan one bit. The SF is easier to park, it drives through bad weather like a tank, and it just looks better.

Thank you for your helpful/reassuring answers. I am planning on enjoying my Santa Fe a lot! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/liebe011.gif)

Hi Joan welcome aboard- we have had our santa fe for 8 months and are still loving it. The OEM tires fitted in Australia are Kumho 235/65R17 . I have been running these on 36psi and road noise and handling have been great in a variety of driving and towing conditions. I did hear these might be fitted on the 2010 SF in the States.
In terms of waxing you'll find a huge range of suggestions, I guess it comes down to how much time and effort you want to spend. I am using eagle one nanowax. It is easy , quick and produces a high gloss finish. This tends to last for 2 months with weekly washes.





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This post has been edited by wingas: Nov 3 2009, 05:05 AM

Joan...I consider myself to be a detailing fanatic and run a small, part-time detailing business. Over the last year, I have spent well over $1,500 on detailing equipment and I'm not done yet. Now that's not to say you have to spend $1,500 to keep your car looking good but I can help give you some inexpensive pointers and product suggestions to keep your Santy shining. The wet glossy look you refer to is not just a coat of wax...that's quite a bit of hard work but if you're dedicated, keeping your car looking good is easy to do once you get it there.

If I haven't completely overwhelmed you here, shoot me a PM and I can refer you to some of my favorite products.

The Do's
Keep your car clean...dirt is abrasive and will scratch the surface if not removed. (I know this sounds like a line from the owners manual...(IMG:style_emoticons/default/innocent.gif) )
Find a good quality wash mitt (microfiber or genuine sheepskin) and a soft drying towel (microfiber).
Use the jet setting on your hose attachment to loosen any hefty road debris. If the big chunks aren't removed, you risk micro-scratching the paint as you wash.
Keep a separate wash mitt for your wheels and do not mix it in with the soap/water you use on the painted body.
Maintain a coat of wax or sealant so your car is protected from the elements, especially if it's parked outside (not garaged).
When washing, start from the top and work down.
Remove bird droppings IMMEDIATELY. They are acidic and will etch the paint if left on.

The Don'ts
ABSOLUTELY NO automatic car washes...they may be convenient but they are an express train to swirled and dull finishes (this is the cardinal sin)
NEVER dry-wipe the painted surfaces. There are many quick-detailer sprays available that are perfect for removing bird droppings or small spots.
Do not use brushes except on wheels, tires, and wheel arches.
Do not use dish washing soap. You'll strip any kind of wax or sealant right off the paint, leaving your car exposed.
NEVER wash in direct sunlight and/or if the metal surface is hot.
Do not allow the soap to dry on the panels. If I'm washing in warmer weather, I'll go by panel and rinse as I go. Keeping the car wet until you can dry is key to avoid hard water spots.
Avoid parking under trees, period. I know some people prefer them for the shade but I hate the sappy residue they leave on my car. Personally, the sun can't do any worse than that tree and the birds that sit in it.

Follow these rules and your car will look great for years to come. Case in point: here are a few pics of my '04 Santa Fe with 130,000 miles on it.

(IMG:http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/lovemysantafe/IMG_6678.jpg)

(IMG:http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/lovemysantafe/IMG_6679.jpg)

(IMG:http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/lovemysantafe/IMG_6682.jpg)

(IMG:http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/lovemysantafe/IMG_6683.jpg)

(IMG:http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/lovemysantafe/IMG_6686.jpg)

(IMG:http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/lovemysantafe/IMG_6681.jpg)

^^ Bravo!

lovemysantafe. Your Do's and Dont's are class A.

1. Yes, a good wax job can look amazing. Most would agree that carnuba wax is still the gold standard. Pure carnuba is expensive, so most waxes on store shelves only contain some small amount of it. Color of the paint can have dramatic effects too. Some colors tend to appear with deeper shine when pristinely clean. Also, even though the paint used on each SF might be the same, the actual finish do vary from car to car. I noticed some have more orange peel than others - sometime pretty darn bad. It all depends on the paint shop calibration at the factory on that particular day.

Then again, it could also just be the greener grass on the other guy's SF. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

2. The SF wasn't meant to be a luxury SUV, even though Hyundai did a very good job at creating the interior ambience of one. I did notice the road noise when I had my '07 Ltd.

This post has been edited by Volfy: Nov 4 2009, 12:11 AM

Thanks. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif)

I know that for some people cleaning their car is something they view as tedious or even unnecessary. I'm the complete opposite; not only do I look forward to it and trying new products, I consider it therapeutic and at the risk of sounding corny, like a bonding process with the car.

Here is my detailing cabinet. This picture was taken in August but it's mostly the same.

(IMG:http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a385/lovemysantafe/IMG_7404.jpg)

Heh heh... mine looks exactly the same, except that the wash mitt is hanging on a nail and has a spider living in it (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

The Eagle One Nanowax sounds good - what do you wash the car with weekly? A wash/wax product?
The picture looks great!

This post has been edited by FloridaJoan: Nov 4 2009, 07:35 PM

What about touchless washes?

Those are okay but only in a bind...I confess to using the local one in the middle of winter just to get the road crap off. The ones I'm talking about are these....they contain concentrated evil, I'm certain. Hand-washing is just better.

(IMG:http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4565494/48626-main_Full.jpg)

I use them all the time in the winter.. found a good one with a huge underbody spray... always cringe when the hood deflector gets to the blowers at the end

I follow the the tips already suggested by lovemysantafe and volfy in terms of washing protocols. when I did some research on waxes, this was recommended on several websites. I wash with Eagle one car wash & wax added to warm water, using a second bucket for rinsing the peanut sponge. rinse and semi dry with good chamois ,followed by drying with a microfibre towel. But I 'm no expert, my cleaning products would fit in the spare space in lovemysantafe's cupboard.

This post has been edited by wingas: Nov 5 2009, 07:28 AM

Lovemysantafe, as a bit of a detailer myself I agree with your comments (do you visit www.detailingworld.co.uk ?)

Polishes/wax's/sealants tend to be a matter of taste, my current favourite are FK1000p which beads superbly, and lasts ages, or Autobalm which produces a lovely wet look, but less beading, again lasts ages, both of these need good preparation: claying, then I use Autoglym super resin polish, which is very mildly abrasive so cleans the paintwork leaving it lovely and smooth. I have used both of these on my onyx blue Santa fe and my dads silver, both work well.