HYUNDAI i30 2017 Problems

I’ll assume it’s a Hyundai dealership that wants to charge you to assess the car. And I hear what you’re saying about the car’s service history and the fact that some of these engines have been fixed by Hyundai because they were faulty from new. So, the best advice is to forget about the dealership and go straight to Hyundai’s customer service department at head office.

That cuts out the middle man at the dealership and should get you in touch with somebody who knows whether your car was one of the affected ones or whether you’ve just been unlucky in this instance. My experience has been that Hyundai takes this stuff very seriously and has helped other owners in the past. However, your case will still be assessed according to the service history and how many kilometres the car has covered.

Hyundai has had a few problems over the years with some of its engines developing piston slap, scoring cylinder bores and consuming excess oil. The later engine fitted to your car should be better, but it seems perhaps the problem is still occurring in some cars.

The reality is that two litres of engine consumed over just 1200km is way beyond the pale. I would be contacting Hyundai Australia's customer service division to see what can be done. The company's response will have a lot to do with how many kilometres the car has covered and whether its service history is complete. But in my experience, Hyundai takes its responsibilities in this area very seriously.

All Hyundai models post 2003 are safe to run E10 fuel in. If you are unsure whether your car can use E10 check this link from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.

Hyundai’s claim for urban fuel consumption, that is city driving, is 10.1 L/100 km, which is pretty much what you are getting. The claim for extra urban or highway is 5.9 L/100 km, which also accords pretty well with your results, and the combined figure is put at 7.4 L/100 km.

On the basis of what you have reported there isn’t a problem.

Diesel-powered cars are more expensive to service than their petrol-engined counterparts. It’s mostly because they need higher quality diesel-specific oils, and better quality filters, such as fuel filters.

The Corolla is one of the better small cars, it’s both fuel-efficient and reliable, if serviced well and not abused. Others to consider are the Mazda3 and the Hyundai i30.

You could consider the Mazda3, Toyota Corolla, or a similar model from a well-respected brand, but your positive experience with the i30 should suggest the new model is the one to go for.

Diesels deliver their efficiency benefits best when on the open road, but it would still be more convenient for Uber use because they'd need to be refuelled less often than the petrol. The only thing I'd be concerned about re inner-city use would be the diesel particulate filter. If you only drive around the city, this probably wouldn't give the DPF the chance to cycle itself every now and again, which can lead to very costly repairs. If you do head out onto the motorway occasionally, this wouldn't be an issue. The new i30 is an excellent small hatch though, and I wouldn't hesitate recommending it.

Both would be suitable for your use, but the final decision should be based on how much country driving and towing you do. If it's mostly country then I would err towards the diesel, but if it’s more town or line ball I would go for the petrol engine.