24th Feb 2001, 02:50

The above complaint was communicated to HYUNDAI CANADA with the following letter:

HYUNDAI CANADA

Customer Service

Attn Mr. Jean Paul Quesnel WITHOUT PREJUDICE

January 26,2000

Re: KMHWF 25V3XA 112977-Sarakinos Efthimios

Dear Mr. Quesnel

Further to our conversation on Wednesday I would appreciate if you re-iterate my complaint to the Head Office Administration or to any other department that will investigate the facts and give me a definite answer as soon as possible. My case is as follows:

I have been driving since 1968. During this time, I drove many cars including my 1992 Sonata, which I kept until 1999. I was very happy with the performance of the car and I was promoting Hyundai to everyone I know. In 1999 however I lost my health and prudently thinking, I decided to change to a new car because I could not afford going through garages and repairs. I bought a brand new car although I could not afford doing so. If it is a matter of health however one can afford anything!

Since I bought this car, I bought a bunch of problems. I bought a mistake that that I had to nurse from the day I purchased it. Anxiety, problems, inconvenience, time off work, taxi fares for me and my family, aggravation and embarrassment from my colleagues that I purchased a LEMON.

Before going further, I urge you to check your records and examine the work sheets from the dealer. You will understand more than I can describe. The repairs were on guarantee. Are also on guarantee, the anxiety, my taxi fares, the time off work, the frustration and the personal time nursing this product? What is the rate per hour I should charge for time I have spent to this day? What should I charge for the anxiety and the baby-sitting of the car, problems I wanted to avoid when I decided to purchase a new car?

Can anyone convince me that this car has been subjected to any quality control? Alternatively, can any one convince me that this is normal for Hyundai? Can Hyundai hide behind the clauses of the guarantee? All these are very important questions that I would ask the production engineers, the quality control department, your headquarters, and the consumer protection people.

I was an industrialist for many years and I do not want canned answers! Now it is time for action. I was patient until last week. I suffered much heartache hoping that this is the last part that was defective, the other was the last part that was defective, and I suffered for one year expecting the unexpected. However, every day passing I am getting deeper and deeper in the hole. What is going to happen when the guarantee finishes? Who will be able to finance the repairs of this LEMON? Am I investing in your research and development of the product?

Dear Sir, It is not your job to agree with me but this unit was not fit to hit the road. This car was the last stimulant I needed for my heart. This is not a SONATA; this was a mistake from birth, a defect that should have been killed instead has been sold.

I feel disappointed and unsafe in this bunch of untested components put together. From the electrical, to the electronic, to the mechanical parts, every group suffers. Every day that passes my anxiety, frustration and unsafe feeling grows bigger. Last week for a whole night I was watching the car in case it caught fire. The lights would not go off and the front part was warming. I had to bring a mechanic at 2 am to disconnect the battery and in the morning to have the car boosted in order to take it to the dealer.

I have re-arranged my life for and because of this car. I have become its servant instead of the other way around. My health, my family, and my job can not afford nursing this car any longer. I am planning to abandon it in order to save my sanity. I paid top dollar and I was shortchanged!

For you this may be another complainer. For me it is not. I covered for Hyundai all this time. Now it is the time Hyundai will have to cover for me.

If Hyundai is the reputable company I know, will not react by sending a representative to give me a pitch, it will assume its responsibility and act wisely. A trip to Korea is very far but I will make sure that I will make the same noise as I had gone to there headquarters myself.

I urge you before answering, to check the certificates of the car, the quality control inspection reports, the record of the production batch and the work orders from the dealership that I am servicing the car from the first day. Then consult the decision-makers of the company in Canada or abroad and give me one definite answer. What can Hyundai do for me?

Please make sure that this is the official response from the company. There is no time for diplomacy, dodging or playing the mediator.

PS. I tried to e-mail to you at postman@sprint.ca and quesnel@sprint.ca and it did not seem to work. The e-mail was returning to the sender.

The company's reply was as follows, with no further contact or effort to research the problem:

<<<<February 1, 2001

We spoke to Metro Hyundai today. We understand that they have your car and that they have provided you with a courtesy car. Please contact Marc at the dealership. It is not our intention to deter you from contacting Hyundai Motor Company in

Korea. However, they will simply refer you to Hyundai Auto Canada.

Thank you for contacting us.

Hyundai Auto Canada.

Please draw your own conclusions!!!!