Hyundai Elantra 2001-2006

lngtonge18

I agree with Vocus. My dealer told me I had a factory alarm, anti-theft radio, and special key with a microchip when he did the walk-through (this was an 02 Lancer). These were all selling points for me and it turned out my car had none of them. I at least got the dealer to pay half the cost of installing an alarm due to the misinformation....You would think the salesmen would try to learn a little about what they are selling!

vocus

I never rely on dealers' information about features of a car when going to look at one. I do all the research on the internet myself first. It seems that dealers don't know alot about the products they sell. I only really use the dealership's internet sales dept. anyway to buy the car. Why go in and waste my time talking to someone who knows less about the product I am buying than I do? I think not.

arsiong

snowie77 -- Yes, they did go thru, but very briefly. Thanks for your input, I could have bought a seat cover and put on it had I not seen your message.

snowie77

I agree, not all salesman know what they are talking about. I wouldn't have trusted any other salesman at the dealership I went to but I did trust the one I ended up buying from. He went through everything pretty quickly and most of it went in one ear and out the other, like how the windshield wipers work, which I figured out pretty quickly the first time it rained. But he was so adamant about the airbags it was hard to miss. To be honest I wouldn't have bought my car from that dealership at all had it not been for that one salesman. The others were slightly, well smarmy and I'm sure they would've tried to sell me all sorts of stupid accessories that I didn't need. It really helps to trust the salesman.

jhginkc

test drove an Elantra, much roomier than the Corolla, about as roomy as the Honda, maybe even a little more so in the front seat. the car I drove came with all leather seats as standard, dark gray almost black interior, also standard were air, power windows, power mirrors with heaters, cruise control, air bags on the front and sides. It had a moon roof, powered by two buttons, which I do not want. one button opens it up then you have to push a second button to make it slide back after adjusting a toggle switch, way too much trouble for a hole in the roof anyway!
Seat was pretty good, not power but has two twist knobs which let you make adjustments which recline it to whatever angle you want, and raise and lower the cushion underneath your rear,
... but I'll be damned if the back of the seat did not have a vertical seam running right up and down the middle of the seat back, so it felt like a little exoskeleton itching against my backbone, otherwise, it was acceptable.
Model I drove was a hatchback and gussied up. The dark gray leather seats were hard, like a racing car. Also the dash glows with purple numbers on a red background, not sure I would like that for many years!
For 1K less, you get the regular Sedan, which is about the same as an Accord, but 7 inches shorter, It has cloth seats, which actually might be more comfortable, everything else the same, except no leather seats and the dash is normal colored, black with light green numerals
I asked to drive one with a stick shift, for another 1K off, but they did not have any.
I can order one, right, I said.
No, the kid who was my salesman said, Hyundai won't let us.
Of course, he was lying. They have two dozen or more of these cars sitting around, that no one will buy because they are Korean made.
If you can't order your own car, what in the hell is a dealership for?
I'll bet in about a month I can get one of these for less than 10 K, maybe even 9, as the new models come out...
All have 100,000 mile warranties powertrain, and 60K bumper to bumper
Question is, can I live with it?
The leather seats give the appearance of luxury but that seam bugged me. What kind of an idiot would put a stitched seam right in the middle of a seat back?
The cloth seats may look like, well, this car is all the poor devil could afford to buy, but on the other hand I save 7 to 8 thousand dollars which would evaporate anyway, as all new cars depreciate to zero in 6 or 7 years or once they go over 100K in miles...

5port

>test drove an Elantra

You test drove an Elantra GT

>It had a moon roof, powered by two buttons, >which I do not want. one button opens it up then >you have to push a second button to make it >slide back after adjusting a toggle switch, way >too much trouble for a hole in the roof anyway!

The two switch deal has not been a problem in my GT. That hole in the roof comes in mighty handy when you leave the car parked for 8 hrs in the sun in NY.

>... but I'll be damned if the back of the seat >did not have a vertical seam running right up >and down the middle of the seat back, so it felt >like a little exoskeleton itching against my >backbone, otherwise, it was acceptable.

Thats funny, I never noticed the seam in the seat. I'll have to go out at lunch time and verify that.

>Also the dash glows with purple numbers on a red >background, not sure I would like that for many >years!

Looks great at night. I've caught people at lights peering into my car looking at the dash. Why is it when VW does this its classy. When Hyundai does it its...OH MY GAWD!

>For 1K less, you get the regular Sedan, which is >about the same as an Accord, but 7 inches >shorter, It has cloth seats, which actually >might be more comfortable, everything else the >same, except no leather seats and the dash is >normal colored, black with light green numerals

Everything else is NOT the same. Engine is the same as the sedan. Interior is leather. Steering rack is mounted more solidly than the sedan. Suspension is calibrated to be more taught (sway bars,shocks,etc). Steering on the sedan is 4 turns lock to lock. Steering on the GT is 3 turns lock to lock.

>The cloth seats may look like, well, this car is >all the poor devil could afford to buy, but on >the other hand I save 7 to 8 thousand dollars >which would evaporate anyway, as all new cars >depreciate to zero in 6 or 7 years or once they >go over 100K in miles...

Actually I think the sedan has a pretty nice interior for this class of car. Sorry you didnt like the GT but your missing out on one fine car.

jmatero

Wow... I'm not sure if you actually looked at the competition out there... particularly the civic... but the hyundai elantra has it over that car. I'm a FREAK for quality and engineering and I have to tell you... grab the door handles in the elantra... the whole CAR moves up and down vs. the civic whose door panel shifts and pulls loose. I defy you to find a civic with the front/rear door seams lining up. Now check the elantra... the doors on ALL of them... even the weatherstripping is all lined up perfectly. I don't think the cloth pattern is the most attractive but the seats in the sedan are the best in it's class. They are comfortable and adjust up, down, back, forth, tilt and there is even lumbar support. Try finding that in ANY car under $18k let alone one for $12k. Or 140hp. Or something that most people fail to mention... the quietness of the car. According to Consumer reports and JD Powers, the problems per vehicle rating of the elantra is just about even with the Honda Civic... the leader in the price range. I also ask you to check sites like Carpoint.com and epinions.com and read real owner comments. The elantra's are far higher than both the corolla and civic. In fact, on Carpoint's owner reviews, there are virtually NO bad comments about the vehicle. The few listed are from non-owners trashing a vehicle they know nothing about. Heck, just slam the doors shut on both vehicles. The Hyundai's shut like a VW or Mercedes... an nice heavy THUNK. The civic and corolla 'clang' shut and feel light as paper. As for the elantra's crash test ratings... The driver is 4-star, the passenger 5-star. The civic is 5/5. Not a huge difference here. To those who think it IS a huge difference, please note the elantra has a 5-star side impact rating while the Civic has only a 4 (with or without side airbags). There there is repair costs. Check out the IIHS site. The bumpers on the elantra hold up far better than the Civic and overall repair cost for front and rear 5mph impact is VERY LOW on the elantra... not so for the civic. Then there is the most important test... driving. Until you've driven one, you don't know what you're missing. I actually have a few coworkers with Elantras that chose them over hondas for the sole issue of 'what will people think of me'. They all mentioned they didn't want a civic because all they saw were kids driving them while hyundai elantra owners all seem to be 30-something professionals. To each his own, but if you're comparing, drive the two. As for depreciation, please note you can get a loaded Elantra sedan (with ABS) for $14000 tops today. That's far below invoice and they are also offering 0.9% financing. The civic EX goes for $16,500ish (good deal) and has no low financing. Not only do you save $2500 but you also pickup another $1000+ in finance savings and the free 5/60 b2b warranty. If you go through the elantra problem area and then the civic problem area, you'll see the civic is in more need of a better warranty than the Hyundai it seems.

vocus

I am glad Hyundai is finally opening the eyes of comsumers these days. Congrats for seeing past everyone else's opinions and taking your own road.

Edmunds.com tested an Elantra GLS 5-speed for 12 months, with no problems whatsoever. The only thing that Hyundai still has going against it (it seems) is resale value. But that will improve over time, as people realize how good a car the Elantra is.

I actually checked out one before purchasing my Jetta, but the console hit my leg when I sat in it. I was pretty much set to get the Jetta anyway, so it would have been really hard to change my mind. A very nice car though, the Hyundai.

It seems that Hyundai has finally "arrived".

jlflemmons

Just turned 4K miles after less than two months. Zero problems. Runs good, ac is excellent, and no squeaks or rattles. The only thing I am a little nervous about is the paint. Anything gets on the paint and it leaves a mark that can be seen when the light is at the right angle. No big issue, but even with careful washing and waxing, the slight discoloration remains. We're talking bugs, birds, whatever. I really figure I will drive this car for a couple of years and then let oldest child have it for a first car. At that time if the paint has gone south we will have it painted to his choice and go on. Does seem a little odd, though...

Jim

elantrance

Hi all...I was in my local Barns & Noble the other day, and glanced throught the Consumer Reports on cars...I went to the elantra, of course...seems they like the car...they complain of a lack of power...but the elantra has more std. hp than any car in it's class...beats me! Anyways...anyone else notice this? One of the cons according to Consumer Reports: "Lack of a rear seat cup holder." Seems like Comsumer Reports bypassed the instruction manual, and never looked between the seats down there...a nice little, solid feeling, conviently located, two-cup cup holder! Thought I'd point that out ;-)

dmick

Does anyone know where to find the Build date of an Elantra. Day, Month , Year. The reason is, I just purchased a new Elantra with the pkg #5 which are hard to get. In Penna. when a new car is delivered to the dealer, he state inspects the car and puts a sticker on it. When I went to purchase the car,This one had an Expiration of 12-02 which means it may have been delivered around Dec 01 or Jan 02.

bdwyer63

I already posted one message under the "meet the Elantra owners" board. After reading through some of these posts I figured I put some feed back from another owner In here.

First let me start out by saying, that when I went car shopping for my son, my intention was never to buy a Hyundai. That being said and considering that I now own one, that obviously says something about this car. I already own a 98 Chrysler (Canadian car) Intrepid which I still love very much for it's ride, power and refinement.

I bought my 02 GLS for $12,700 out the door. That includes AC, power windows, locks, moonroof, fake wood grain dash, auto, keyless/alarm, 6 spkr am/fm CD upgrade and even the 10 yr/100,000 mile bumper to bumper extended warranty. The only things this amazing little car doesn't have are rear spoiler and ABS. Of note also, the extended warranty also includes substitute transportation if the car is in for service for more than one day. Also another feature of the Elantra is the 5 yr/unlimited mileage roadside assistance. I mean how much can you get for such short money?!

I know, I know, I sound like a Hyundai radical right? Well, when you look at all you get and then you get in the car and take it for a drive, it's really hard not to be! I am 6'1" and NEVER thought that I could see myself driving such a "small" car. Well I'm here to tell you it's not a small car. It's a big small car that packs a lot of punch in my opinion. The ride floored me! Standard 15" tires will certainly go a long way towards improving a ride, but I could not get over how smooth this little guy rides.

Shock number two was the 140 hp under that sleeper hood. I laughed when one of the writers pointed out CR saying the car needed more power. More power? Compared to what? An Infiniti G35, Nissan Maxima, Ford Mustang GT???? I mean c'mon. This is a sedan for crying out loud! It's got more horsepower than the Civic, Protege or any other similar vehicle. And look at the price!!!!! This car has more than enough get up and go for getting onto a major highway or for passing slower moving vehicles. If you want 250+ horsepower, I think you should really be looking in a different car segment. This is a small sedan that does exceptional getting you where you need to go in comfort and with fun.

My third and final shock then I'll stop rambling is the fit and finish. When I ever closed the door on this car, I had to do a double take. It shut so solidly I could have sworn I was closing the door of a BMW or a Maxima. When you put into perspective that you're paying under $13 for this car and you begin to notice all the little things this car has going for it (auto down driver window, side airbags, instrumentation layout, seat positioning, cup holders IN THE BACK), you have to be impressed. I was! So much so, that I've decided to give my son the 98 Intepid and keep the Hyundai for myself!

I'd gladly point/counterpoint with anyone about the merits of this inexpensive but well built vehicle. Like myself, there are a lot of people out there that need to get over the fact that Hyundai has begun building better cars that are good! It took me some time to realize this and get over it. I'm sure it will take some people even longer. Until then, I'll just go on letting them laugh and sneer at me driving my Hyundai while I laugh back thinking how they paid 20, 30, hell even 40 thousand more for sometimes nothing more than a name! Honday, Toyota, Nissan, watch out! I think that someone is gaining on you very fast and just may pass you if you're not careful and don't get over your big egos!

desg

Assuming they do the same on US cars as on Oz (Big assumption here) the build date is on a plate on the bulkhead at the rear of the engine bay

desg

There are some interesting perceptions and biasness out there, some of the motoring journalists are the worse and have the largest egos so unless it is a BMW or the like ....

I was comparing the elantra to a vehicle costing $10K more in my part of the world - an Holden (Opel) Vectra. A very nice car but not really worth $10K more and that is why I kept coming back to the elantra. After having the Elantra for 6 months I still can't see $10K in it.

No paint is really robust but the elantra paint seems to be more suceptable to damage than most, still keeping it polished and waxed helps here.

Some say it is short of power but it drives very much like most 2 litre vehicles, none have a great deal of low down torque - it is not a V8 after all and you notice the difference when filling it up, i know which one I'd rather fill!

It's a pretty roomy car, my father has commented there is more room in the back than my previous car - many of you would know of it as a Mitsubishi Diamante.

Could it be improved? sure what car couldn't ... I'd like better seats (a nissan had the best seats I've had) a bit less body roll but for the money you can't really find too much to fault

intrepidspirit

My wife and I each have a Chrysler 300M and the paint on my daughter's Elantra GLS appears to be as durable as the 300M's. I use Zaino polish on all 3 cars (fantastic product -- see zainobros.com). One thing Sal Zaino advises is to immediately remove bird droppings, bugs, etc. as they will work their way into the paint pigment and cause permanent discoloration. I have had some blemishes of this sort, but they do seem to fade somewhat over time.

I don't think this is a fault of the Elantra paint quality; rather it is a characteristic of today's paint finishes.

alpha01

Was the cupholder added for the 2002 MY? Cause the last Elantra they tested was a 2001. Could be the source of the glitch, or they are just stupid.
~alpha

jimbeaumi

My 2001 GLS has cupholders in back, and I read the same review. Probably just an oversight or maybe the very first Elantras didn't have them. The original review was February 2001, arrived in mailboxes at the beginning of January, so testing concluded in the fall. Cars are purchased anonymously and used for several months. I've read CR for many years and know people who work for CU, so I can assure you they are not "just stupid."

jlflemmons

I have to admit, the first time I saw that little trim on the backseat I would never have guessed it was the cupholders. Then, when I saw how it worked, I thought it was very cool, indeed.

jmatero

Hi all.. to anyone seriously considering the Hyundai Elantra: Hyundai just extended their Low Financing until 9/3/02!!! 0.9% up to 3 years, 2.9% for 4 years and 3.9% for 5 years!!! It was scheduled to end 7/31/02..

jimbeaumi

What's the upgrade?

jimbeaumi

And that means what ... Continuously variable valve timing? Just a guess here.

P.S. A dealer usually knows what is new for 2003 when it arrives. We'll know it before they do because we actually read about these things.

smiller678

Hi all,

Has anyone heard if Hyundai is going to bring out an Elantra GTS for 2003 model year. It was suppose to be the equivalent of the GT but in sedan form.

Just went over 32K miles in my GLS. Not a single problem yet! Only has been to the dealer once for the 30K mile checkup. I have done all the oil changes myself. This is a great little car!.

goolapper

anyone know when the 2003's are scheduled to hit the floors?

CapeCod

Will there be enough changes for me to wait for 03 ????
Any chance of a leather trimmed sedan ???
Any new colors ???
Could we please have white with grey interior !
or ocean blue with grey !
The tan is just plain ugly !

dubbs2112

Have had 2002 Elantra GLS w/option package 3 for a week. Impressions: the car is VERY solid. Feels much like a VW Golf, or older 3 series BMW's (the newer ones are just TOO good to compare to Elantra). The ride is firm yet very comfortable, and the engine has a very smooth delivery of power, emitting quite a pleasing tone. Road noises are very muted and far off, adding to the "refined" feeling of the car's on-road demeanor. Interior is sharp, although plastic choice is a little off in some places. They should have gone with a more textured look/feel for the dash plastic. But, considering that I paid $12,900 + tax for this car, I cannot complain. The car will be reliable as well, I've had friends w/Hyundais for years, the old reputation of Hyundai being a crappy car is just that, OLD. My friend had a 92 Excel for 7 years, literally never had ONE problem with it, just serviced it accordingly. For every Hyundai "horror story", BELIEVE ME, there is a Toyota or Honda horror story to match it. If youre considering a car in this price range, believe me, do yourself a favor and test drive the Elantra. MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT CAR: the solid, quality feel. Build quality is just great.

bkjohnson

We're in the market for a second car, something affordable, reliable, good gas, etc. After quite a bit of research, I think we're going to purchase the Elantra. My question is for those of you who have an Elantra without the ABS. Do you wish you would have ordered the car with the ABS? Or have you had no issues without the ABS? I will be driving the car, mainly to transport our baby back and forth to daycare, etc. Any input re this topic would be greatly appreciate. Thanks!

jimbeaumi

I live in Michigan, and my last car had ABS, which I loved. When I bought my Elantra, some of the options I wanted were not available in the ABS package, so I skipped it. After one winter (relatively mild except for a very snowy December) I don't feel as if I miss having ABS. My stops were straight and I never felt a loss of control.

spamlet

I have never had a car with ABS, so I couldn't really tell you the difference. When Edmunds did one of their comparisons (or it might have been during the long term test, I don't remember) the Elantra's stopping distance w/o ABS beat many of it's competitors w/ ABS.

If you are used to ABS, I would imagine you would notice the difference. But since I've never had it, I don't know.

browney

I have the 01 GLS without ABS.
I had a pickup with ABS before the Elantra.

If you've been around a long time (like me), in a panic stop, you probably have become used to pumping your brakes to stop them from locking up.
This is the correct method for stopping on vehicles without ABS. On a vehicle with ABS it's just the opposite, you are supposed to slam on the brakes in a panic stop and let the ABS automatically pump the brakes for you to keep them from locking up.
Because of years of not having ABS, I prefer not to have it because I have gotten used to pumping the brakes.
If you are fairly new to driving, and haven't been mentally programmed to pump the brakes, ABS would be better to have in the long run.

elantrance

Hey all...1658 miles on my Elantra so far...not a single problem, I love my car! ;-)

Anways, I was wondering if anyone has any info as to any new models which Hyundai will be releasing. I'm curious as to whether or not they're planning on bringing a V8 sedan to the bunch...the Santa Fe could sure use a V8 as well...just asking!

Peace

cookie55

I'm on the verge of buying an Elantra GLS or GT but, like CAPE COD post#2826, I'll wait for 2003 models in the hope they'll improve color choices of interiors. I've seen a post here referring to the so-called Biege as "DOG PUKE BEIGE"---truly bad. The only combination I like at this point is pewter with gray interior. White w/gray interior would be nice. I realize that more choices would increase dealer inventory but Hyundai seriously needs to hire a competant American color consultant.

smiller678

Hi all,

Has anyone traded in their 01 Elantra GLS? What did you get for it? So far the only offer I got was about $1000 below KBB wholesale which is about $7000 from a Hyundai dealer here in Souther CA. Mine is an 01 Elantra GLS, Auto, Moonroof, CD Player, Mud Flaps and Wind Deflector. It has 32500 miles.

BTW, I am thinking of getting a Elantra GT.

Thanks,

Shawn

jlflemmons

Shawn,
Without knowing the condition of your car, I can tell you that what is killing the value is the mileage. You a losing at least 1k for the high mileage on your trade. The dealer still looks a little low compared to book, but understand that the appraisal only looks at the trim level, condition, and mileage. The fact that Hyundai also has incentives in place will affect the value also.

jimbeaumi

I have a 2001 GLS with the not-so-hot beige interior (I wanted a lighter interior, and I don't look at the seats as much as I look OUT of the car when I am driving). There is good news: as I might have noted before in this forum, the second-half 2002 model GLS interiors have a more muted beige interior; gray hasn't changed. The "new" beige is preferable to what I have, as the background colors are much more muted. Go have a look at the '01 models in the used car lot, then look at the 2002 models. You will see a nice difference.

smiller678

Hi jlflemmons,

Thanks for the input. The car will be 2 years old in October so I drive around 20K miles per year. The car is in mint condition. Not a single door ding, scratch, etc. The interior is also mint. Even the floor mats are mint as I use rubber floor mats on top of the regular mats. The engine compartment look brand new. KBB trade in value with the mileage I have is $8300. But the dealer I have been dealing with says $7K to $7500 dollars at most.

Thanks for your input.

Shawn

jimbeaumi

You probably know this, but if you have the patience to do so, selling it would be preferable. If you enjoy the convenience of trading (I did the same thing, since no one wanted my Skylark), take the report to your dealer for a better trade. My dealer's used car lot posts KBB values in the window for retail pricing, so they ought to consider KBB for trades (now there's a long shot). Good luck.

backy

Awhile ago someone asked if the earlier '01 GLSes did not have rear cupholders. I have one of the first '01 Elantras shipped to the US and it does not have rear cupholders. CR's tester must have been an early '01 sample.

BTW, I spent the last two weeks in England and did not see a single Elantra there (although I did see an ad for the Elantra in a local paper). I did see quite a few of the micro-sized Hyundais, the tall boxy ones (can't recall the name now), a lot of Tiburons, and some Accents.

vocus

Go to http://www.nadaguides.com and check the price of your trade-in. They will be alot more accurate than KBB is. KBB uses very high values.

smiller678

Vocus,

I went to the Nada Guides. It said my trade in should be around $8800 based on all my stats and zip code. Its actually $500 higher than KBB.

Shawn

vocus

http://www.cars.com

When you go to the page, go to the top and click on "price and research". Then at about the middle, you will see a link for "Black Book Prices". This is supposedly what dealers use to evaluate trade-ins. This might be more accurate.

pat

Actually there is an excellent resource right here in the Town Hall at this link: Real-World Trade-In Values.

There are a couple of dealers hanging out there who will be happy to give you their experienced opinions of your Elantra.

Good luck!

Pat
Sedans Host

crossflow

There is strong rumor that Hyundai will provide current 2.0 Beta engine with CVVT variable timing feature for top grade domestic Elantra.
Hyundai claimed it will give 15hp gain over current 148hp domestic horsepower. But unfortunately the engine will not be available to U.S. market for '03 model.

elantrance

Hey, I'm just wondering where them extra 8 horses went...I was under the impression that my lil elantra had 140 ponies under its hood...am I wrong?

Jon

hjr2

on it they show future stuff also, and show cars,et...

On one thing, they had a deal about a new car engine, a 2.5 liter with (it says)CVT...that is shiftless tranny!

That'd be cool.

You'll have to sort through the website to find it,sorry. PS, if text box pops up, say "cancel" for Korean text to turn inot English, it is doen for this link already.

http://www.hyundai-motor.com/eng/innovation/design/index.html

canpam

Has anyone gotten front disc brakes put on a 2001 Elantra yet? If so, did you use the dealer or another brake shop like Avellino's or Pep Boys? What was your experience?

elantradriver

Elantrance, your are right, the current engine in the Elantra does only have 140 horses. Just think what it would be like with another 15 or 20 !

CapeCod

I just had first replacement brakes done on 98 Olds with 74k miles...
What mileage to you drive that you need brakes already ???
Has anyone had rotors turned on Hyundia...
A lot of newer cars seem to have rotors that don't wear well when turned.
As per independent shops I like them !
They often offer different options plus warranty !
Plus I have found they usually don't look for "other" repairs !
I hate it when the wife goes in for oil change...
comes out with a 50,000 mile service job for $300 plus !

jimbeaumi

A "domestic" Elantra would be the Korean version, since it is built there, so it could very well have eight additional horses under the hood. Their emissions regulations are likely different than ours, so that might explain the hp difference.

canpam

I am at 29,199 miles-- it seems too early to need brakes. I have had the car for 17 months and drive a great deal around Philadelphia and Suburbs. (stop & go driving) The dealer is quoting a price of $210.00 to replace the front disc brakes! OUCH!
Avellino's= $125.00 (coupon = $20.00 off)
Pep Boys=$145.00
CJ Tires= $125.00
STS Tires=$145.00 (plus or minus)

jlflemmons

Today I was in the GMC shop with an intermittent problem on the big guy (2K Sierra 2500 for towing) and spoke with the Hyundai tech about why the gas gauge comes up so slowly in the Elantra. His answer as follows: The Elantra has a very shallow gas tank, as in long and wide, but not very deep. Using a typical sending unit set up will cause big swings in the gauge as gas sloshes around. So, there is a delay circuit (damping circuit) in the gauge circuit to cause the gas gauge to respond slowly to the constant change in the sending unit float level. The slow rise in the reading from "empty" to "full" after a fill-up is a consequence of the design, but by no means a fault. What is really wierd is parking with the nose up like in a steep driveway and keep the engine running. The gauge will slowly start swinging to one end of the range.

Works for me, I would rather have the slow response than have the little sucker swinging wildly back and forth all the time.