Hyundai Elantra 2001-2006

dvoelker

I signed late this afternoon on a 2001 Elantra with the following:

Midnight Grey
Automatic
Option Package 4
Carpeted Floor Mats
Cargo Net
Mud Guards
Sunroof Deflector

Selling price was $13,400 including destination and the $500 rebate + tax/title which was a good step off of the 15k+ the dealer started at and just under Edmunds invoice(13,485) and a decent amount off of Edmunds TMV (14,196). I was pretty happy with the deal, I had contacted several of the internet services and was offered 3% over and 1% over and I went in with 1% under a my target. Despite their whining about losing money I think they would have gone even lower, we negotiated for just about an hour and they came down pretty quick.

They had to pull from another dealers inventory and that dealer had lost the keyless remote which must be present or the alarm goes off?!? So I was given a loaner until Tuesday when I can pick up the real deal and a free oil change for the trouble.

Has anyone heard anything about spoiler availability, the dealer did not have any information on when this might be available.

spickle066

Thanks Greg_g, I found the dealership's info online. Their site show a amount for over 14k but I'll give them a call. With this horrible weather, they might even lower it more. My hopes for getting the car before the rebate ends will definitely NOT pull through. Does anyone have any tips for negotiating? I have never bought a car in my life and i'm not looking forward to dealing with the hassling. If I could I would have bought a car online!! What is the average costs for TTL?? I wanted a 2001 elantra w/abs, automatic, package option 5, carpet and mudguards. Is 13,500 reasonable?

Thanks for all your advice!

phillips9055

Sounds like you guys gotten way better deals than me. I decided that I will take my business elsewhere. There are two other Hyundai dealers out of town I am considering. I can not believe that actually had to nerve to put a $16,379 price on an Elantra and so-called give me $2000 for my trade.

kpjohnson

I am looking for some opinions on whether or not the 2001 Elantra is worth purchasing. Also on the draw backs of owning a Hyundai

Thanks

backy

kpjohnson, if you are looking for a compact 4dr with good power, room, and comfort/convenience features, definitely take a look at the 2001 Elantra and compare with Sentra, Civic, Protege etc. I think you will find the Elantra is an excellent value compared to its competitors.

Drawbacks as I see them:
1. Hyundais have historically poor resale value. If you plan on holding the car for several years, this will not be an issue because the lower resale will be offset by the lower initial price. But if you trade cars every 2-3 years, you might do better with a car like the Civic with a high resale value.
2. Hyundais are not status symbols. If you care that your friends and co-workers may scrunch up their noses at your new Elantra, buy something else.
3. Fuel economy. Elantras are powerful for their class (140hp) but not the most frugal cars with gas--mid 30s on the highway is as good as it will get. If that's important for you, look at fuel-sippers like the Civic or Echo.
4. Refinement. There are more refined (smoother engines etc.) small cars out there, like the Jetta and Civic, albeit at a much higher price. If you want refinement, look elsewhere but take an Elantra for a test drive anyway, as you might be pleasantly surprised.
5. Dealer availability. There are lots more Honda, Nissan, Toyota et. al. dealers than Hyundai dealers. If you live in a big city, probably not an issue.

Obviously there were not issues for me, as I bought my 2001 Elantra in October and am very happy with it so far--and I've owned Civics, Sentras, Toyotas and many other cars. Good luck on your car search!

formula94

I bought the manual option 4 with all the goodies(mudguards,deflector etc..) for 12.7k bottom line.
Its the wifes car, and it has 400 miles on it already got 26-27 mpg on the first tank! No issuse, cept its real cold and the wife cant use the sunroof. I used the Emunds TMV as a guide walked in to the sales person and then asked to speak to the manager. Told them not to mess around this is what I want this is my proce. I did not budge, he accepted it and away we went!

sevani

I just bought a new Elantra 2001 and I have had problems with Power Door Locks - locks are very stiff and doors do not open at times. Has anyone else experienced similar problems. If yes, how was this problem resolved. Thanks for your responses.

markd8

Sevani-yes there is a prob w/ the doors on the 01 elantra, just talked to the dealership and when I said "I have a problem with the doors" he completed my sentence by saying they don't open. some doo hickey that isn't right inside the door, regardless, going to be fixed on thursday.

Bought it 3 weeks ago and so far I love it. Quick(compared to the prizm I already own) and just simply looks nicer than the corollas. Also with the stiff suspension it just feels more substantial.

As a bonus I bought it at a one price dealer and it was mispriced so I got package 3?(cd player etc.) for the package 2 price. Better than that they gave me $3200 for my '92 maz mpv. I know that doesn't sound that great but it needed a new tranny, but when test driven the dealer couldn't tell cause they would get in and stomp on the gas. At high revs it was fine, but at low revs it took an eternity to shift. lol

steelysteel

I purchased a 2k1 elantra, package 2, midnight grey, manual transmission a week ago today. I really like the car. It has a very stable ride. But I have one problem. my passenger side mirror has a mind of it's own. While driving the other day, I happened to look over and I see the mirror movin upward as if I'm adjusting it. It's not a major issue, but it does concern me that there maybe a electrical issue. Other than that, I am estatic with the purchase. I paid 12,020 plus ttl, out the door at 13,149. I think I could have gotten a better deal considering what some of you guys have stated. I won't cry over spilled milk, so to all enjoy your elantras.

ganesh_prk

Hey guys,

Is there any way to negotiate a price that is under the invoice amount as stated by the dealer? What i have in mind is the Auto 4 door one with the options of CD player , cruise control and the Keyless entry + alarm.
I feel comfortable to shell out a price of 12.8 K for this. Wud it be a good price ??
The dealer is quoting 13.3K after the rebate.

Thanks
Ganesh

jkempskie

Just got Consumer Reports in the mail. It compared the Civic EX, Elantra, Corolla, and Chevy Cavalier. That was the order in which they seemed to recommend them, as well.

They liked the Elantra's smooth, quiet ride, standard features, warranty, and price. They weren't crazy about the fuel economy and said that ABS is a hard to find option (similiar to the 2000, of which I knew no one who had ABS).

They gave lower marks on the car's acceleration, emergency handling, and trunk while giving high marks to the climate control system and controls/displays. In many areas did it beat out the other three cars. While they don't especially recommend the car due to unproven reliability, they do really seem to like it.

backy

Yes, 12.8 should be possible for the auto + CD, as that leaves all the holdback, almost $300, for the dealer (assumes the $500 rebate is still around when you buy). You might even be able to do a little better than that, depending on how competitive your market is. Some markets are tougher than others. The key is to buy the car right when it comes in to the dealer or even before, as the holdback is eroded over time, and is gone after 90 days. Was the dealer's 13.3 quote their "final offer" (i.e., when you walked out they didn't follow you)? Have you checked all the dealers in your area, in person? Good hunting!

r08117

I want to put this out there for other people having problems, because I want to know if this car has problems. My husband and I bought our car in August, and THREE DAYS later it would jerk at high speeds. We went to the dealership, and they said it was just that we didn't tighten the gas cap enough (Check Engine Light WAS on!!) and that it would go away on its own "eventually". It was a Friday afternoon, and they told us leaving it with them at that point would be pointless since all that was wrong was a sensor needed to be reset and their guys wouldn't get to looking at it that day anyways!
THEN- I am at a friends house up in a mountain town in the boonies and the day after Halloween the car won't start!! All the lights go on and stay on strong, not the battery. So Roadside Assistance had a tow truck come and tow it to the nearest dealership (a half hour away!) When i called the dealership the next morning, the service manager asked me what had been wrong with the car!!! He said it started just fine, but they were hooking it up to the computer because the Check Engine Light was on (SINCE THE THIRD DAY WE HAD THE CAR, WHICH MY DEALERSHIP ACTED SO UNCONCERNED ABOUT!!) Later that day, found out that the "Ignition Coil Pack" had gone bad (he had no explaination as to why this happened on such a new car), and they fixed the recall issue ("Malfunctioing Mass Airflow Sensor") at that point also. I was carless, in the boonies, for two days! (Luckily at a friend's cuz I have a toddler!) The best they could offer me was a rental car at half-price, which I took after calling Hyundai Corporate, and the person there suggesting I take it and save receipts for possible reimbursement. I sent Hyundai that stuff the next day- still haven't heard from them!
So, does the trouble end here? Oh no! We had had the car back for less than two weeks when the Check Engine light started coming on again, this time, intermittently on and off. So, this was mid-November. Of course, they did not have any service appointments available for weeks because of holiday closings and existing schedules! In the following weeks, the car had increasingly less power. I was on the freeway, with the gas TO THE FLOOR and was only going 40 MPH!!! I couldn't believe it (those of you who have this car know it has a lot of power, and flooring it usually makes it jump into action!) Luckily, the day it was this bad was the actual day we were taking it in.

So, the verdict this time? Bad spark plug cables. (Once again, no expaination as to why this occured on such a NEW car). When we got the car back (once again, a whole day later) we not only found that the spark plug cables had been replaced but that once AGAIN they replaced the "Ignition Coil Pack" That's twice, on the same part, in FOUR months. If they have to replace that part again in the next year, it falls under our state's lemon law!!!

baber

I would try a new dealer and see if they can fix your car correctly. I had the power steering pump start to make noise in my 99 Accent after 25,000 miles. The dealer said the bearing was going bad and gave me a free rental car overnight while they fixed it under warranty. A decent dealer should have given you a rental car for FREE and fixed your car the first time. The dealer I took my Accent to was not even the dealer I bought the car from. We have not had to bring our 99 Elantra back to the dealer since we bought it Aug 99. I do my own maintanance. I really hope you get your Elantra running, it really stinks to have a new car that you can't count on since that is why you bought a new car to begin with.

tonykrapil

I have a '01 Eleantra and a 00 Sonata. Some Sonata have had the engine light come on and the error code was bad spark plugs. Thats weird, but that was the code. Anyways, So as NOT to have this problem with my Sonata I replaced my plugs with some supposedly great plugs and I am glad I did. What I found was that the TWO SPARK PACs had their connectors only seated about half way ! I mean they were loose ! Glad I decided to changes the plugs out and catch this problem.

I also immediately changed them in the elantra too but all was tight.

The Eleantra has TWO spark pacs and maybe they only replaced one the first time. Its possible that the wires were bad, but kinda doubt it.... they were probably reading the error codes pointing to the spark plugs and wires, plugs and spark pac is all there is .

Maybe the troubles are over for you now.

Good luck
Tony

jkempskie

Are you talking about a 2000 or 2001 Elantra?

elantra00

I just had the same problem 2 days ago! What happened was that Hyundai puts Champion spark plugs in at the factory. Hyundai's dont like these types of spark plugs and tend to fail. One plug failed and left a carbon trail in the cyclinder. so the car wouldnt start one day. kept cranking. after letting it sit for awhile and then trying again, i finally got it started. then the engine light came on. so i brought it in. replaced all 4 plugs under warranty. All done in under 1 hr. Real easy..not a big deal. Put in NGK plugs. Much better. Such a great dealership..didnt have to argue not to pay for it or anything. In case anyone in here is from New Jersey, this dealership is in Denville. its called Towne Hyundai.

baber

Our 99 Elantra has been perfect so far, so I haven't had to mess with the spark plugs. I replaced the plugs on my 99 Accent at 30,000 miles. I put in Bosh plus 4's. These are the plugs with the 4 electrodes that you don't have to gap. They were expensive (for plugs) but they work great! The engine seems to run better at high RPM's then before. I have also heard that NGK plugs are very good too and cheaper.

elantra00

4 electrodes....i should have gotten those. If I knew the plugs were bad, I would have replaced them myself with top quality plugs instead of the dealer putting them in. But its covered under warranty and the car runs better now it seems, so Im just going to leave it alone. runs better.... especially at idle. So only time will tell!

ashgang

Friends,

I am interested in buying Elantra 2001 automatic transmission, with option 3 package plus, carpets and mud guards. What should be the pricing for that much equipment. The dealer I met, quoted such higher that it makes other better brand names look cheaper. May be he took me as the dumbest or richest person in this part of LA.

Please suggest me a price, I should pay for Elantra 2001 with auto transmission and option 3 plus mud guards and carpets.

Thanks - ashish

sideway8

Thanks to all on this forum. I just purchased my new 2001 Black Automatic Elantra with Option 4. I get to pick my car up in the morning and will keep you all informed on it's progress. My out the door price on this vehicle, including tax, title, and plates, was $15375. If you do the math it's $200 over invoice. I was very pleased with my salesman. He went out of his way to make buying a pleasure. Please ask and I will give # and location (free plug). After test driving 8 vehicles ( Honda, Toyota, Ford, Nissan, Chevy) I was amazed at what the Elantra offered for the price. Add the 5/10 warranty and I felt I couldn't go wrong. I've been reading this forum for a month and all of the good things I've read helped me make my decision. Once again thanks.

backy

Invoice price for auto, pkg 3, guards and mats is $13,389. According to Edmunds, there is currently no rebate on '01 Elantras . The dealer holdback would be about $260. So if the car you want is newly arrived at the dealer or not there yet, I would shoot for a maximum sale price of right around invoice, because that leaves the entire holdback for dealer profit. I'd start out lower than that, maybe around $13,200. Always start low; you can always come up. When you walk out and they don't follow you, you know you'll need to come up some or find another dealer. Big caveat: I think this strategy would work in my Minneapolis market, but LA may be different. You may want to wait for the next round of rebates, because the new car market is supposed to be soft this year. Good luck!

P.S. Note that the prices I'm talking about are not "out the door" prices. They include destination but not taxes, title, or license, as I have no idea what those would be in LA.

bluewinds

http://www.hmc.co.kr/kor/cybermall/product/avantexd/5door/exter-1.htm

Hyundai will launch turbo intercooler diesel Elantra this summer....

furdan

Hyundai is not the only manufacturer having problems with champion spark plugs. 1999 suzuki, same problem.

pokerdoc

On Dec 29, after a monthlong search and a three-hour drive, we became the proud owners of a 2001 Elantra, automatic, with floor mats, Package 5 (ABS and traction control! there were 2 on the lot -- unbelievable, seeing how we couldn't find a single package 5 in TN, GA, NC or VA). Thanks to Edmunds, we actually had an idea of what we were dealing with. After four hours of negotiations where everyone wound up pissy with each other, here's what we paid instead of the $14,962 Total MSRP:

$13,093 invoice, tax and title (more than $230 under invoice)
+ 435 delivery
- 500 customer rebate
-1,540 trade-in (they think they screwed us on that, but WE know that our auto, though good lookin', had more vertical miles on it than those listed on the odometer)
-------------
$11,488 total. Not too bad. We have Edmunds and this forum to thank for the complete lowdown. I need to add, for those who would rather eat their own arm than deal with a salesperson whom you correctly suspect is trying to confuse you with double-talk and funky house terminology, check out Motley Fool's (www.fool.com) Major Financial Decisions on Buying a Car -- incredibly informative, complete with glossary.

For those thinking about buying, I would pass along:
1) Buy at the end of the month (and, if you can, at the end of the year)
2) Negotiating can and probably will be a long, LONG process. So, get plenty of sleep the night before, make sure your stomach is full and your bladder is empty, and bring someone who's sole job is to nod in your direction and say "Whatever HE/SHE wants."
3) Above all, if things stall with your salesperson, don't be afraid to walk. We couldn't believe he followed.

The only problem so far is that we were issued two keys but only one remote. When we asked, the saleperson said that Hyundai only issued one per vehicle. After we got home, we found out that if the security system was engaged with the remote, the alarm would sound and the starter disabled if the key alone was used to open the door. What good is that second key without a remote? Called the salesperson, his sales manager, the general manager and finally the owner, and got the runaround. Called the Hyundai America 800# and was assured that TWO remotes should have been issued. Called the salesperson back, who said he'd mail another remote by Jan 3. Still haven't received it. We'll see.

Other than that, the car is great. I'm recommending Edmunds and Hyundais to anyone who'll listen. Thanks again, Edmunds, for taking the mystery out of what could have been a more costly experience.

joehyundai1

Why is it everytime I put on the heater in my new '01 Elantra the A/C comes on first, then I have to shut off the A/C.

tonykrapil

It is to dehumidify the air and reduce the fog possibility, It is also supposed to be helpful to work the compressor a bit so I understand.

It only comes on I am sure in the defroster modes and not straight heat only.

AC units dont seem to drag the engine down like they did a few years ago..... I would say no need for concern as mine does it too... all my cars do it. My Ford ranger does it BUT There is no indication other than me hearing the compressor come on.

fliszt542

You should also check out carsdirect.com for pricing info. You can even purchase through them, essentially by passing the dealer all together. I am in the process of purchasing a 2001 El antra with the basic package (#1) from them. Their price is 12,322 (California has to pay extra for CA emissions). The best I got at a dealer was 12,922. The good thing about cars direct is that you can play around with different options to see what you would be paying for it. If you don't feel comfortable buying on-line (even though you still go get the car from a dealer), at least print out the pricing/options page and take it in with you to the dealer. It's much harder for the dealer to argue with you that way. One negative is that it's not available in all states, but regardless, you can get a good pricing estimate off the site.

tygris

Hello. My husband and I are in the market for a new car and we were considering the El antra. We had initially wanted a Focus because of the cargo space, but they gave us that story about not having the one we wanted and that it would be there the next day. The car they showed us was one that was on the back lot that we had snuck a look at when they were closed. Go figure. For the El antra, without any haggling, we got a price of 13,929. This includes TT and the rebate. It is for a 2001 El antra, manual, pack. 2, floor mats. We were wondering if this would be a good car that we could keep for 5 or 6 years? I have had three Toyotas, and all of them have had some sort of problem or another from cracked blocks to bad iv joints and alternators, etc. So my expectations about cars are pretty realistic. We enjoyed the test drive very much. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

razf

Does anybody else experience an engine noise at low speeds and driving uphill with 2000 Elantra?
Dealer claims it is common with Elantras and cannot be fixed.

ganesh_prk

I finally bought myself an 2001 Elantra (Auto) with Package 3. The final price came to 12.9K.
Its certainly not be the best price negotiated in the mkt but thanks to edmunds and this discussion board contributors, the decision making and buying process became quite educative and simpler for a greenhorn like me.

Now lets see how the vehicle performs and hope i get to contribute something useful to this board in the future.
Thank u once again, members and Edmunds !!!

Ganesh

ludacris

ive been wondering and now i can ask..so is the reliablity of hyundais going up? hopefully it is so as ive heard from many automotive resources that their product quality is rising greatly. and i must say, i just went to the 2001 LA autoshow and the new elantra has to be the best looking economy car in america.

wyattw1

ludacris: I bought a '93 Excel hatchback at an auction a few months back, thinking it had 64,000
miles on it. Turned out it had ONE HUNDRED and 64,000. Has turned out to be a good car, only needed tires and a window regulator. So yes, their reliability has risen considerably from what I remember in the late 80's. We liked it so much we just bought a new 2000 Elantra wagon, last one on the lot, maybe last one anywhere? Anyway, we LOVE this car. $11,700 (Pkg 3, automatic) after unloading a troublesome Frontier pickup. Took a holiday shake-down cruise from North Carolina to Pennsylvania, and it performed flawlessly. Handling is excellent, comfortable, good mileage (35mpg). Interior is a little noisy as the rear fender wells are inside the cabin instead of in a trunk and the environmental controls feel somewhat cheap, but other than that we have no complaints. I was expecting Kumho tires but was pleasantly surprised to find it was wearing Michelin rubber.
Would've bought a 2k1 but (sniff) no more wagons!

ludacris

thats good to hear : ), i thought something mustve happened to make their car sales double

rdrunner

I've been looking at small cars and I find it interesting that people are saying they're concerned about Kia's quality, but not Hyundai's. Hyundai has owned Kia for quite some time now and it was Kia that had better quality than Hyundai...but that's not saying much. I see people saying the '01 and '00 Hyundais are doing ok, but Consumers is full of black circles for Hyundai and Kia. Frankly, from what I've seen they're both still pretty much behind in the quality realm and not worth spending hard earned money on.

Also, most everyone is saying how happy they are with their 2000 and 2001 Hyundais and how much they get for the money. Well, sometimes you actually do get what you pay for. Some examples? The Hyundais give lots of gadgets for the money (mostly electronics which is cheap). However, ask if they have complete stainless exhaust systems or if the majority of the body is made from galvanized steel. The answer is pretty much "No". I live in the snowy North where salt is used a lot and the Hyundais are rolling rust piles in just a few years. Most other brands are not like that....even ones like the Dodge Neon and Chevy Cavalier (not my favorites either).

An aquaintance of mine at work has a new Sonata. Looks nice from a distance, then I rode in it the other day and I was extremely unimpressed with the fact that I could see molding flash all over the interior pieces and that the dash seams were all crooked. I mean really crooked. It was also very noisy and the tires had nothing to do with it. The car was cheaply made, plain and simple.

Now I understand some folks don't have a lot of money to spend and might be tempted by the great warranty and low price. However, you might remember when Chrysler had their 7/70 warranty and very good prices in the 1980s. The cars were still subpar and it showed after a couple of years. I don't care how good a warranty is, if I have to sit in the dealership all of the time it doesn't mean much.

My recommendation? If money is an issue, buy a used Civic, Corolla, or Protege and save yourself from certain long term grief. You can also sell any of these cars for a heck of a lot more money if you ever decide to do so one day. If money is not an issue, the Mazda Protege ES blows Hyundai into the weeds for not very much more money. It's more refined, definitely more reliable and has proven so, is fast, is fun to drive, and will serve you well for years to come.

Hyundai will have to do a lot more than just produce a 2000 or 2001 model that APPEARS to be better thna their previous offerings before I'd ever consider one. Especially when you consider that the Hyundai has a low purchase price, but it is not a good value. Better to spend the extra 1.5k or so and get soemthing that doesn't lose 60% of it's value the day after you buy it.

jlim1

To my surprise, I was recently charged with higher car insurance premium on the 2000 Elantra. Does that necessarily mean that the reliability of the model has declined instead? I'm happy with the car, just not the premium hike.

rdrunner

I've been looking at small cars and I find it interesting that people are saying they're concerned about Kia's quality, but not Hyundai's. Hyundai has owned Kia for quite some time now and it was Kia that had better quality than Hyundai...but that's not saying much. I see people saying the '01 and '00 Hyundais are doing ok, but Consumers is full of black circles for Hyundai and Kia. Frankly, from what I've seen they're both still pretty much behind in the quality realm and not worth spending hard earned money on.

Also, most everyone is saying how happy they are with their 2000 and 2001 Hyundais and how much they get for the money. Well, sometimes you actually do get what you pay for. Some examples? The Hyundais give lots of gadgets for the money (mostly electronics which is cheap). However, ask if they have complete stainless exhaust systems or if the majority of the body is made from galvanized steel. The answer is pretty much "No". I live in the snowy North where salt is used a lot and the Hyundais are rolling rust piles in just a few years. Most other brands are not like that....even ones like the Dodge Neon and Chevy Cavalier (not my favorites either).

An aquaintance of mine at work has a new Sonata. Looks nice from a distance, then I rode in it the other day and I was extremely unimpressed with the fact that I could see molding flash all over the interior pieces and that the dash seams were all crooked. I mean really crooked. It was also very noisy and the tires had nothing to do with it. The car was cheaply made, plain and simple.

Now I understand some folks don't have a lot of money to spend and might be tempted by the great warranty and low price. However, you might remember when Chrysler had their 7/70 warranty and very good prices in the 1980s. The cars were still subpar and it showed after a couple of years. I don't care how good a warranty is, if I have to sit in the dealership all of the time it doesn't mean much.

My recommendation? If money is an issue, buy a used Civic, Corolla, or Protege and save yourself from certain long term grief. You can also sell any of these cars for a heck of a lot more money if you ever decide to do so one day. If money is not an issue, the Mazda Protege ES blows Hyundai into the weeds for not very much more money. It's more refined, definitely more reliable and has proven so, is fast, is fun to drive, and will serve you well for years to come.

Hyundai will have to do a lot more than just produce a 2000 or 2001 model that APPEARS to be better thna their previous offerings before I'd ever consider one. Especially when you consider that the Hyundai has a low purchase price, but it is not a good value. Better to spend the extra 1.5k or so and get soemthing that doesn't lose 60% of it's value the day after you buy it.

dc33

I would like to purchase an aftermarket CD receiver for my 2001 Hyundai Elantra. I plan to buy from Crutchfield.com, but they do not have information about that model car (such as what size radio I would need). The 2001 is completely different than the 2000 and Hyundai parts departments that I have called tell me that the radio is a different size in the 2001 Elantra than in the 2000. Can anyone help? Please e-mail me at dc33@concentric.net.

elantra00

I'd get my facts straight before saying stuff. First of all, Hyundai bought Kia because they were in financial trouble. NONE of Kias models are similar mechanically to any of Hyundais, (ie. Ford Taurus/Mercury Sable, etc.) So don't even compare their cars. Kias still have work to do to establish a good reputation. Hyundai has pretty much done that.

I live in the North too. Any low-end car is made of galvanized steel...even volkswagen Jettas, which is a compact "High end car". We just had about 2 1/2 feet of snow. i waxed my car before the winter. Im having NO problems with that. As long as you take care of it, rust won't affect any car regardless of paint job and whatnot.

Well, my dash aint crooked. car is like a rock still after 10,000 miles. So seriously, get your facts straight before you criticize hyundai.

It is not cheaply made. go compare a 2001 civic to a 2001 elantra. The elantra is of equal quality now interior and as well as exterior for a much cheaper cost. bigger engine, more features for less money. Plain and simple

allhyundai

I always get a good laugh when I hear people trashing cars that they don't own. If everyone out there listened to these uneducated opinions then no one would ever buy these cars and the manufacturers would cease to import their vehicles into the USA. If that were to happen then from what I've been reading we'd all be driving the same Honda Civic's!!!
If you know anything about the history of Honda in the US then you will know that their first offerings were no gems. I worked for a Honda dealership in the late 70's when the Civic, Accord, and Prelude first came out. They were great little cars but they had their share of "weird" problems too. It took a while for them to catch on and that was only because people needed a cheap affordable car. Hyundai is coming along quite nicely. I happen to own 2 of them, a 2000 Elantra Wagon and a 2001 Santa Fe. As far as fit and finish I'd compare them to anything out there.

rcon1

I am reading very positive responses about the 2000/2001. Of course, it would be sad to learn that someone with a brand new car is not happy. All new cars should run well of the lot. My question is - What is the mile mark when problems begin? If I were thinking about buying a used Elantra (99')(because resale value sucks and the prices are so low) with 40000 mi for $3500.00 would that be a thrifty choice or a can of worms? I would like something inexpensive (upfront and after purchase) for a couple of years (at least 2 for the money) Since the resale/resale price will be squat I need to drive it to the end of that period to even bother.

jsapie

Hi all:
Purchased a 2001 Elantra on Dec. 9 and now have over 1200 miles on it. No problems so far.
It came with an automatic, package 2, CA emissions, floor mats, cargo net, mud flaps and an extra transmitter for the locks.
After rebate it was $12,700 plus tax and plate fees.
The car rides great and is quiet.
The dealer offered me a 10 year bumper to bumper warranty for $750.00

Since I keep my cars over 100,000 miles I think the money is well worth it. It comes with a zero deductible, is also transferable for $35.00 or you may cancel and receive a prorated amount that is left on the contract.
The five extra years on the on Powertrain may come in handy. Never know about the rest of the car.

I asked a mechanic how they hold up to the salt here in PA and they do not see many that have a problem with rust. Only some of the ones from the late eighties. I guess it's how you maintain the car.

Oh, By the way, Check out the Edmunds web site for the new side crash tests for the Elantra - I guess they do work!
The frontal tests are due this month.
The Consumers Report for this month rates the Elantra. Some interesting reading for all you Hyundai fans.

backy

I've driven 12 cars through many a Minnesota winter. The only one that rusted was a '85 Civic, after only four winters. The best was a '91 Caravan--no signs of rust after 8 winters. Frequent waxing and washing keeps the rust off I've found--well, except for that Civic...

The Protege ES is a nice car, but it will set you back almost 3 grand more than an Elantra GLS (comparing base price to base price only--let's not get into a lengthy price thread here, or justin will complain that we're not talking about CARS ). I was impressed by the Protege until I drove one with 21M on it this week. It was already falling apart! Lots of rattles, and it felt cheap and jittery compared to my '01 Elantra (which to be fair has only 1000 miles). But I thought the Protege should hold up better than that.

Actually, Kia does have one model now based on a Hyundai: the new Optima is based on the Sonata. It'll probably have those same terrible gaps in the dash.

Re all the "cheap" electronics in the Elantra: heated mirrors, instrument-cluster shift indicators, operate-with-engine-off windows (must be a shorter name for that), power windows/locks/mirrors, etc. If they're so cheap, why don't other cars like Civic, Protege, and Corolla add these nice features that make a car more pleasant to live with?

Re crash test scores: I know certain people will be disappointed to learn that the '01 Elantra bested the '01 Civic in the side crash scores (comparing 4drs to 4drs). Mostly the people who have been touting the Civic's superior crash scores on these forums ad nauseum.

And a big thanks to the posters who have told us how they successfully got the 2nd remote for their new Elantras! I'm going to go back for mine next week.

lngtonge18

If you can get a 99 elantra for $3500 with only 40K miles, that would be an awesome deal. However, unless the car was wrecked or flooded, I seriously doubt you can find one for that cheap. The resale value of these cars are not that poor! I looked up the blue book value for a 99 Elantra GLS with 40K miles and its retail price is $9220 and trade-in is $6145 if the car was only in good condition and not excellent. In other words, you need to look for an even older Elantra to get the price you are looking for. As far as mileage, I would not expect any problems with a Hyundai until at least 100K miles, if not more.

hkchan

Ingtonge18, which book did you look at? On a car whose trade-in value is $6,145, the retail is $3,075 more? First of all rcon1 didn't say which model so let's assume the GL. Using Edmunds' price guide and assuming "Clean" for condition, I got around $5,150 for trade-in and $6,950 for retail for the Washington DC area. Still $3,500 is "too cheap". OTOH, if it's "Rough", then the values are $4,300 and $5,900 respectively.

ludacris

although my parents dont own a hyundai, they have rented one. we were told that the location had no more midsize cars. so they downgraded us to a hyundai. my whole family was real reluctant to use the car because we were in vegas and were weary of driving a hyundai in 100 degree heat with the AC full blast. but after a while my dad began to be real impressed with the car. it was a 99 hyundai elantra, my dad said it was a pretty good handler and the performance was good for an economy car. and this car WAS solidly built. not a rattle or squeak, no flimsy plastic pieces. much better build quality than any malibu weve rented, all malibus seem to do is squeak and shudder. and the malibu is much more expensive. so i think they have surpassed american companies in terms of build quality (oh wow big feat there lol). i really think hyundai is on their way.

rcon1

I have actually found one for $3850.00 w/40000 mi. It is a repo that a local dealer picked up at auction. I went to see it and it does need a clean up and a radio. Haven't driven it yet but I plan to invesitgate further. The dealer said he ran a "carfax" on it and it came up clean. However, being a born skeptic, I plan to take it over to a Hyundai dealer and have them check it over thouroughly for me (and inquire about whether the factory warranty is still transferable as well as getting an extended warranty). That will also give me a chance to drive it around and see what shakes.The dealer doesn't work on weekends. Place looks kinda scary but for that price I'm willing to see if the facts check out. Aside from the wreckage question I am leary of repos because if the owner wasn't concerned enough or wasn't financially secure enough to pay the small notes then they probably didn't concern themselves withmaintainence either. It has some visable flaws (spot on the seat, scratch on the bumper, radio) but if it checks out mechanically I can fix those minors asthetic problems, drive it for a couple of years and then sell it for less of a loss than buying one at your stated retail value. I have my doubts but I can spend a little time on it. There has to be some reason why this thing went for so little. Thanks.

jsapie

Just reading todays Sunday paper and here in Pittsburgh, a dealer is selling a 2001 Elantra with automatic, MSRP $13,972 for $11,999.
Thats a buy! Beats Edmunds price and all that I found before I purchased my 2001. This has too include the $500.00 rebate! If not WOW!

steinle

Hello out there. Picked up an 01 elantra about 2 weeks ago. Love the car. Just one problem. The radio is weird, sounds like the right channel is shot. Gets real fuzzy and distorted. Anybody have the same problem? As for the car itself. I have owned Accords, Civics, a protege and a 626. And this thing is as well built as the rest. Good to see Hyundai making inroads on the others.

lngtonge18

Edmund's used car guide is not the best one to use. Try going into a dealer and showing them that and more than likely they will ask, "Who the hell is Edmund's?". I got the prices I stated above from one of the most common used car price guide, Kelley's blue book (that is the book most dealers use as a guide). The retail value is what you would expect to see if an owner was trying to sell his car in the local newspaper. He wouldn't necessarily get that much. The expected trade-in value is always thousands less than what you could sell your car for personally, especially when the Hyundai name is taken into consideration (dealer's will have a much harder time selling a used Hyundai for 9 grand than a used Honda, so therefore, market forces cause trade-in values to drop much quicker compared to retail values for Hyundais). Example: I have an 84 Mazda RX-7 whose odometer doesn't work. A dealer would probably only offer $500 max for it on trade-in, but I could sell it for $1500 to someone who has been dying to have this classic sports car because the car is in perfect exterior condition, good interior condition, and is reliable as a daily commuter.