SA: Strong response to Excel service campaign says Hyundai

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-1998
SA: Strong response to Excel service campaign says Hyundai

By Tim Dornin, National Motoring Correspondent

ADELAIDE, Dec 18 AAP - There had been a good response from customers affected by safety
concerns with the Excel passenger car last month, Hyundai Automotive Distributors Australia
said today.

Spokesman Patrick Lyons said the company had twice written to owners of the 46,000 cars
potentially affected by a welding problem and had advertised nationally twice notifying them
of the service campaign.

Mr Lyons said while the company had not yet calculated the number of cars already fixed,
dealers had taken a steady stream of bookings extending into the new year.

He said he was unsure just how long it would take for the campaign to be completed but the
company would review the issue and the response of owners with the Federal Office of Road
Safety (FORS) probably over the next six to 12 months.

"I think it's fair to say that we've done everything we can to notify owners and to rectify
the problems," Mr Lyons said.

"Certainly this case has had far more publicity than any other service campaign of its
type."

The concerns with the Excel were raised by the Australian Automobile Association (AAA)
which said faulty underbody welds could lead to cracking which could, in turn, affect the
steering of the cars.

After discussions with the FORS, Hyundai said it would use stainless steel rivets to
strengthen all the cars potentially affected by the problem, an estimated 46,000 built in
Korea from August 1994 to March 1996.

The cost of the program was put at about $5 million.

Mr Lyons said the safety concerns with the Excel had resulted in a slowdown in Excel sales
in late November and December but the company was working on some strategies for the new year
to put it back on track.

He said Hyundai would sell about 57,000 cars this year, slightly down on its initial target
of about 60,000.

Volumes for 1999 would be much the same, but that should give the company a larger market
share with the total market likely to dip by about eight per cent.

Mr Lyons said Hyundai was also moving towards replacing marketing general manager Nikki
King who resigned recently to take up an appointment with an advertising company.

He said talks were proceeding with a number of candidates.

AAP tjd/bjm/de

KEYWORD: MOTOR HYUNDAI

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