Hello
I’m looking at buying a 2006 3.3L V6 Hyundai Sonata for an older lady that doesn’t drive much.
It has 100,000 miles and the price is cheap considering what other cars in my country can cost.
If she doesn’t plan to keep the car for much over 140,000 miles over the next 4-5 years, is it an alright car like the newer Hyundai Elantra or will it rapidly fall apart?
what should I expect from it?
Those aren't too bad if taken care of. Mechanical stuff holds up OK but lots of little things tend to break on them. A friend bought a new '06 with that engine and kept it for 11 years until it was totalled in an accident. The only major repair it ever needed in about 130,000 miles was new front struts. (The 2006 to 2010 Sonatas had middling quality. Unfortunately that was the company's high point and they went into the toilet as time went on. Another friend bought the next-gen 2011 model and it fell apart pretty quickly.)
Have it checked out by a good mechanic for problems. If it's cheap and not going to be driven much it could be OK.
- I would see if I could find something better for the price. Those cars tend to be a big disappointment.
That was the era of Hyundai Kia where engine+transmission wise they were so simple enough and had better craftmanship in Korea that they actually decently reliable. Otherwise, still a pretty cheap car. Wouldn't pay any real money for one. If you can get it cheap sure why not but don't get your hopes high.
