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2003 Hyundai Tiburon ( GT V6 and Base Styles)

revkarevka Member Posts: 1,750
edited March 2014 in Hyundai
In order to enhance your experience here at Town Hall, be sure to check out the Additional Resources and Helpful Links on the left side of the page. In our Helpful Links, you'll find direct links to other Hyundai Tiburon discussions, articles, and features. Also, keep your eyes open for new items to be posted in that area. Happy motoring!

Revka
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Comments

  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    My dealer has only one 03 Tiburon on their lot. It's a beautiful dark maroon GT with the 17" rims. The car looks absolutely gorgeous! This is one of the few car designs out there that really grabs my attention. I'm gonna take a closer look at it when I pick up my Accent from service later today. We'll see whether they are already adding any markup to it.
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    I stopped by the dealer and looked at the new Tibs today. They have 2, both V6. One is a red automatic, the other is a black "UltraSports Package 2" - ie, leather, V6, 6-Spd. Some impressions after chatting with the salesman (the same guy who sold us our Santa Fe, coincidentally):

    1. The car looks stunning in person. Both black and red were far better looking than the white one I saw at the auto show. I'd like to see silver and blue in person, also.

    2. The black interior looked okay, but I'd prefer a different color. I like the gray leather in the Elantra GT better, even though it's not perforated like the Tib and the Santa Fe. I'd like to see the cloth, since that's what I'd really prefer.

    3. The "6" in the "GT-V6" emblem is red. On the red car, you can't see it from more than 4 feet away, so the car looks like a "Tiburon GT-V". Not a big deal, just weird.

    4. (biggest gripe) - You have to select certain options packages to get ABS. Specifically (according to both kbb.com and hyundaiusa.com) you have to select either:
    Base (4-cyl) Tiburon - 5-spd or Auto. You can only get ABS with the sunroof.
    V6 - Auto - YOU CAN'T GET ABS?!?
    V6 - 5 speed - You can get ABS only in the "Sprint" package, which includes cloth seats.
    V6 - 6 speed - You can only get ABS in "UltraSports Package 3", including sunroof, big dumb spoiler, and leather.

    Bottom line: I really like the car. If I could get ABS with the 6-speed it would be a very tempting package. As it is, the sprint package is pretty appealing. But why not just make ABS standard across the line, or at least make it a stand alone, $500 option? Having sat in a Tiburon with the sunroof at the auto show, it definitely cuts into the limited head room.

    -Jason
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    Looking at the MPG ratings: How does this car get worse mileage than the Santa Fe? My FWD Santa Fe is rated at 19/26 - slightly better than the 18/26 for the 6-speed Tiburon. With the same engine and 500 lbs less weight, how is this possible?
  • revkarevka Member Posts: 1,750
    of the 2003 Hyundai Tiburon is now available. Look for a direct link to this review in the Helpful Links on the left side of the page. Thanks for your comments.

    Revka
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  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    jaserb: Only one color interior in the base cars (black cloth)but the one I saw was very nice, kinda classy too. The cloth pattern/design is a lot like my son's proto5, very well done & seems to be of a higher quality than the 2001 cars.

    I wish they will offer the 6 speed in the base 4 cyl cars. I have 2001 5 speed and it really needs a higher "top cog" for more relaxed cruising @ 70mph. Turning @ 3500rpm sounds a little busy, tho smoothe. My Tib has leather but in this Florida climate it probably is not the best choice as it gets a little clammy on those 100 degree/90% humidity days. Otherwise I think my 2003 will be a automatic. I do a LOT of driving and tho I like the 5 speed fun factor it's time to go auto for me. Never drove a 4 cyl A/T so if it's too tame I guess a V6 A/T will have to do.

    ingtonge18: You bet your bippy they are marking-up the MSRP ! here in Fla they are averaging about $2000 over plus the usual add-ons, wax, pin stipes, "gold" pkg etc.

    hudrahead :)
  • dougndodougndo Member Posts: 136
    Well, I got into a pretty blue 2003 GT-V6 for a test run today. For overall performance, you can't ignore the improvement a V-6 makes over an I-4, and the six speed manual is a nice touch for ekeing out a bit more fun. However, the car actually seemed less poised to me than the 2001 version, as though the car wasn't quite up to holding the V-6. I wonder if the four banger will have a better feel.

    Also, it seems like the six speed is too much for the engine, or perhaps the engine is too little for the transmission. Five gears really would be enough. At times I thought I could be much more effective with one less gear and occasionally would just skip a gear so I wouldn't waste so much time. (Experiment with this; it's fascinating to see the effect on performance AND on the salesman if he rides along.)

    The over all impression is of a really nice car, but not a great one. It feels as though it could be a great car, but it's not. Maybe you could tune it yourself to make it something special, or maybe Hyundai will sweeten it a little in Version 2.

    The interior was a bit of a disappointment. It has a lot of odd bits that don't merge into a harmonious whole. I was especially irked by all the dummy covers that filled useless holes. Yet, I'd have to say that the quality of materials is good, and the fit and finish of several areas, like the hatch area, is very good. On the other hand, the moonroof cover rattled and vibrated constantly.

    The infinity stereo was good, but again, not great. Maybe the head unit was the problem; you can't get a lot out of the speakers because the controls are very limited. Of course, I'm comparing it to an aftermarket unit in my Sonata, but I think you could do a lot more with those speakers with a better head.

    Anyway, I feel I can definitely wait. There's no rush to get one. I want to see how the car fares in its first year and see if Hyundai makes any improvements or tweaks after 12 mos. or so.

    One final note: the dealer had a $5000 mark up on the car, so it was priced at $25,492. It would have to be a much, much better car before I'd pay that kind of money. At $20,492, it's worth looking at. At $25+, it's a bad joke. When will these dealers get real?
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Well, by the time I picked up my Accent, the 03 Tib had disappeared! Either it was sold or someone at the dealer drove it home. I knew I should have looked at it when I had the chance, but I wanted to make sure I caught the shuttle ride and it was too cold to be looking at cars. Oh well, I don't want to get all excited about the Tib anyway as I'm in no rush to buy a new car. Hyundai just put a brand new clutch on my 00 Accent under warranty, so my car is half new again, and I just bought a toy last weekend (a 92 Miata, what a fun car!). It may be awhile before I get another chance to check the Tib out as my dealer has terrible selection. I have only seen them carry 1 Elantra GT since they came out! .
  • ai3xskcai3xskc Member Posts: 16
    hey guys I got these from my cousin in Korea...

    image


    image


    don't know if you can post pictures in forums....

    Steve...

  • wiredsungwiredsung Member Posts: 7
    Those Tuscani badges caugt my attention! Wish we had those badges here! I hate all aftermarket thingies in general, so the overly large spoils and those body moldings do now appeal to me ^_^
  • stretchsjestretchsje Member Posts: 700
    The two biggest complaints seem to be understeer and a ride bordering on rough. Well, how's the four cylinder? And how's that five-speed that it's mated with? Is that the exact carry-over from the last Tibby (heard bad things)? All the reviewers have been driving the six cylinder / six speed models, and it seems most (if not all) complaints would cease to exist on the cheaper model (though a slower car).
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    stretchsje: For my purposes the 4 cyl is just fine. Since I do 95% highway driving the 5 speed is ok. However, the gearing is a tad too low and the revs @ 70mph are 3500rpm which is a little "busy", tho smoothe and realitively quiet (for a sport coupe type vehicle), I mean it's no Lexus in that dept. but OK. I have never driven a AT Tibby so I don't know if they are geared for more relaxed cruising or not. I think the 6 speed would be a welcome option on the four but I don't think they plan to offer it.

    Not had a chance yet to drive a 2003 four or six so cannot comment on the difference between the two. IMHO the four will be adequate for the average driver. The drive train is mostly a carry-over from the 2001's on the fours so I think there may not be much difference at all tho they did lengthen the WB and tweeked the suspension on both the four and six. The 16" wheels will no doubt help handling in any case.

    The 2003 is a knock out looker for sure. I think Hyundai is being a little optimistic saying they think 80% of sales will be the GT. Personally I don't think the little bit of performance you'll get from the V6 is worth the extra money unless you are a "boy racer" type (not me for sure). IF I do trade for a 2003 It'll be a four banger with AT this time.

    hudrahead :):)
  • stretchsjestretchsje Member Posts: 700
    So the real question is- has the gearing for the 5 speed changed? I read the old 5-speed wasn't mechanically a very good tranny, but don't remember that statement being supported in any way. Comments?
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    stretchsje: I wonder just what "they" meant by not good ? Probably the shifter. It is not as precise as it could be, I agree, but the tranny otherwise, syncros, smoothe feel seem ok to me. I have heard comments about the "whine" in reverse. Every one I've driven has this characteristic as do a lot of other cars as well. Seems to be of no concern. Doesn't bother me either.

    SharkRacing.com lists a "short throw" shifter kit so it may tighten up any sloppiness in the shifter. I thought I'd get a 5 speed just for fun when I got the 2001 but I guess my age and laziness has me leaning towards a AT next time around. Makes it a lot easier to handle that coffee and Dunkin Donut in the mornings LOL.

    I doubt if the gearing on the 2003 will be any different tho I think a real over drive 5th gear would be most welcome to my way of thinking. Gotta admit that as geared it has a lot of punch in most any gear.

    hudrahead :):)
  • dougndodougndo Member Posts: 136
    My 2000 Tibby was a 5 speed and my girlfriend's 2001 is an automatic. It's no surprise that the manual made the car more responsive and (for me) fun to drive. While I am getting accustomed to the automatic, I really miss the extra punch that the manual supplied.

    As far as reliability, I didn't have the 2000 long enough to truly test it, but it worked very well for me. I'd rate it as the second-best "small" manual I've had. Only the Nissan 200SX SE-R tranny was better. The Nissan manual was very sweet, although the car itself had a lot of issues, and I felt the Tiburon was a step up in most areas of comparison.

    Still, the Tib 5 speed was flawless in the time that I had it (about a year), and I rode it pretty hard, first in a MI winter, then in SoCAl. In SoCal there were lots of stoplights and "dressed up" Civics and Accords to burn, so I worked the gearbox a lot. I could also catch some Mustangs, Celicas, Eclipses, and Camaros sleeping, and occasionally even a lazy Porsche. (You only have to "win" once, then decline another go. "No thanks, I proved my point at the last light." Nod, nod, wink, wink.) I didn't miss the SE-R at all.
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    dougndo: Yep, I love to bait the baggy-pants, ballcap on backwards bunch too. Most of the time all they have anyway is a loud muffler and neon lights under the rocker panels LOL. Plus, when I do get a hole-shot on them and they notice the GTr (red R)on the Tibby, courtesy of J. C. Whitney,they kinda back off. One guy in a old Honda CRX rolled down his window after a "spanking" and asked when the GTr Tiburons came out. I tried to keep a straight face and told him it was a "special" only available in Korea and I brought it back with me when I came home from the Air Force. LOL !! Great fun. I feel like a kid again.

    hudrahead :):)
  • ckigginsckiggins Member Posts: 68
    I stopped by a local dealer today to check out sticker price on the '03 Tib. The dealer added "fabric protection" and pinstriping after he received the car (I HATE when dealers do this...if I wanted those things, I'd ask you to do it).
    But the thing that really struck me is that they added a line called "market adjustment" for $2000...bringing the total price of the car to nearly $3000 over the MSRP sticker that was next to it.
    I asked the salesperson, and he told me that they jacked up the price because they're selling well. He asked what he could do "to get me in the car today" (how cliche). I told him to stop overinflating his prices. Needless to say, the conversation ended there.

    Have others seen such BLATANT raising of the prices over MSRP?
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    ckiggins: This is SOP for a new car intro, particularly if it's in short supply and destined to be a hot seller. Good examples of this were the Miata, PT Cruiser and more recently the new T-Bird and I'm sure the soon to be available Nissan "Z" cars. it's always the same old game. The dealers know some folks just have to have the latest, hottest, next big thing on wheels and will pay through the nose to have it !

    Give them a year and things will return to normal (except the T-Bird which will be built in limited numbers for awhile) The Miata which commanded up to 5K over MSRP at one time now goes for invoice or less, PT Cruisers are coming out of the dealers ears and can be had for bargain basement deals and it'll be the same for the 2003 Tiburon as well.I simply refuse to play this game, it's crazy !! Around these parts they are "only" packing the MSRP price about $1000 in addition to the usual rip-off wax,fabric protectant & undercoat for another $1000 or so------all is up to bargaining tho and depending on who, what and where you may even get a decent deal if they think you are serious. They were doing the same thing just a few months ago with the Sonata while they were in short supply. Now that they are swimming in Sonatas you can get one for about invoice. It all boils down to supply and demand as it always has.

    hudrahead :):)
  • ckigginsckiggins Member Posts: 68
    hudrahead: thanks for your message. I've heard of dealers selling for sticker, but I've never seen someone so blatantly put a markup on the car and then tell you that they're just padding their profit. A lot of dealers can be shady, but they usually try to be sly about it!

    Anyway, here's my follow-up. I won't be buying an '03 Tib for 4-6 months, anyway. Do you think that supply will have caught up with demand by that time and good (fair) deals can be had?
  • jaserbjaserb Member Posts: 820
    My dealer has NEVER shown anything but the actual factory sticker on any car I've looked at there. Not on the Santa Fe when it was brand new, not on the Elantra GT and not on the new Tiburon. No "paint protection", no pinstriping, no "market adjustment". This is what is known as a good dealer. These guys have sold Hyundais and only Hyundais since the Excel came to our shores. The fact that they survived Hyundai's lean years says a lot for them. My point - find a good dealer. Even when the market slows down, a dealer looking to squeeze the customer will find a way to do so.

    -Jason
  • curioushokiecurioushokie Member Posts: 4
    I've actually had a chance to drive both the GT and the base model. The GT was nice, but being a soon-to-be college grad, the price was a little high especially coupled with the sports car insurance. I dont know if it was the sub in the back, or what, but the GT seemed to have significally less cargo space in the back. Even with the back seats folded down (what little space there is there) there wasn't a lot of depth to the trunk. Unfortunatly I've never learned to drive a manual well, so the shiftronic was very attactive to me, but for $900, I don't know if i can afford it. Even the base at $16k, starts getting expensive with the add-ons. The model I drove was already up to $18,400 and even have ABS. But overall I was vert pleased, there is a steep hill on the highway nearby that my Prizm struggles to get up sometimes, and even with only the 4 cyl, I breezed up it w/o even blinking.
  • estoesto Member Posts: 136
    I was just at a local Hyundai dealership test driving an Elantra GT, and saw that the
    2003 Tibs have a (get this) $5,000.00 markup. Do I win?

    Erik
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    esto: yeah, I'd say that dealer has the most gall of any yet. However, encouraged by that number I'm sure some sleeze-ball,low life dealer will try for $6000, it's just a matter of time. I wonder how many they have moved @ the 5K figure?

    ckiggins: I don't know what part of he country you live in but if you check out www.fitzmall.com you can get a quote on the discounted Hyundai prices. If not listed on the web they will quote you a firm price on the phone.

    hudrahead :)
  • ckigginsckiggins Member Posts: 68
    Apparantly there must be someone out there willing to pay $5k over sticker. I can tell you that person isn't me!

    Hopefully by the time I go to buy (July or so), things will have stablilized!

    hudrahead: I'm not in the PA/MD area of the coutry (I'm in MO), but I checked out the abovve website. Looks like they are being VERY fair on pricing.

    As I said, I've only been to one dealer so far. (I should have known better, though...this is the same dealership that emailed me and told me that I need to come down and put $1k down on a Tibby now because in 4 months there won't be any available.)

    When the time comes, I will definitely go elsewhere. There are 4 other Hyundai dealers in my area.
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    ckiggins: So that dealer thinks that all 23,000 Tibs they HOPE to sell this year are all gonna be spoken for in four months, GET REAL, these guys are too funny LOL !! I've already seen one 2003 on a used car dealer lot, still had the MSRP sticker in the window, 3K miles on the odo and they wanted $2000 over MSRP too and it now is a used car. Nuts, just nuts .

    Fitzgerald Automall has a store in Clearwater. Fl. as well. They post the delivered price on all their cars and they are very low key, no pressure type guys.

    hudrahead :)
  • ckigginsckiggins Member Posts: 68
    hudrahead:
    Apparantly that dealer thinks that they're going to be in such high demand that I'll be on a 6-month waiting list. Puh. That's why he had one sitting on his lot that night for me to look at. Looks like he can't keep 'em in stock!

    Hopefully it'll all settle down when my time comes...I want a fair deal. I definitely plan on using the 'net to my advantage.
  • ckigginsckiggins Member Posts: 68
    I test drove the V6 today...WOW. Nice car. I asked about the 4-cylinder, but the salesperson told me that they won't be available for a few months and that all I can get is a V6. Has anyone else heard of this?
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    ckiggins: That guy is blowing smoke. All the dealers I've been to here in Florida the past week (about six as I travel the state of Florida)either have had 4 cyls. since day one of intro & sold them or have some in stock. That sales rep is just one more example of a low life, creep, piece of garbage that permiates the car biz, he wants to sell you what he has in stock NOW and so he will lie to you to accomplish that goal. Tell me ONE lie & I'll never darken that dealer's door again. If they lie to you before you buy a car there think how well you'll be treated after they get your money ! Just typical of the absolute desperate state of the car biz. Just wait'till sales go deeper into the dumper next month, it'll be a freaking circus to see these poor souls do their dance LOL .

    hudrahead :)
  • ckigginsckiggins Member Posts: 68
    hudrahead:
    I figured that he was just giving me crap. The salesperson got kind of pissy with me when, after my test drive, I told him that I wasn't buying today and that it would be a few months. He looked at me for a second and then says, "well then why are you test driving today?" in a pretty snotty tone.

    My experiences with the Hyundai dealers in this area have not been positive thus far. Though, this one was slightly better in terms of pricing: they didn't have a "market adjustment," making the car $3k over sticker. But the dealer did add $1800 in dealer installed options such as ScotchGuard, paint protection and "Sound Guard," whatever the hell that is.

    When th etime comes I think I'm just going to use the internet to buy and cut out having to deal with these shady folks.
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    ckiggins: The Honda & Toyota guys were nice as pie back in the 70's & 80's before they hit the big time. After they got their reputation for a quality product, and no doubt about that, they are great cars, they became increasingly arrogant,developed a take it or leave it attitude. I'm afraid that Hyundai will go down that same road as their popularity increases. I bought my Tibby via Autobuytel and avoided all the hoopla and crap. Got a good deal and did not have to cross swords witht the F & I lizzards or the "let me talk to my manager" BS. A clean quick deal, probably not the lowest, last penny on the deal but ok considering the painless aspect of the deal. I probably will never go back to a direct deal again. After talking to these guys you just want to go home and take a hot shower before something rubs off them onto yourself LOL.

    hudrahead :)
  • ckigginsckiggins Member Posts: 68
    hudrahead:
    I'm all about using the internet, believe me. If there was a way to order directly from the manufacturer, I'd be the first to do it.

    Mr. BS Salesman yesterday told me that the insurance on the V6 was going to be very high because the GT was going to be classified as a "Type 1 sportscar." Know anything about that?
  • n8magicn8magic Member Posts: 15
    "Mr. BS Salesman yesterday told me that the insurance on the V6 was going to be very high because the GT was going to be classified as a "Type 1 sportscar." Know anything about that?"

    I don't think so. If anything, I would expect that the Tiburon would have insurance rates similar to that of a Cougar V6 (another V6 sport coupe)... I can't imagine the rates being that of a V8 car like a Camaro or Mustang.

    On another note, does anyone know what the freight/PDI is in Canada on this car?
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    ckiggins: had a little fun with a sales weasel @ the local dealer last evening. I had some time to kill before picking my wife up from her volunteer job @ Hospice thrift store and drove over to the Hyundai store. Most of the dealers close early on Sunday, about 5pm or so, and I expected them to be gone. New hours, open 'till midnight!! What does that tell you, eh. Anyway, I spotted a 2003 Tib GT, black & beautiful, 17" wheels and AT. I got ambushed before my feet hit the ground and could not escape the "land shark sales rep".

    He came off withe usual man, these are HOT and IF you want one you'd better jump on this one tonight because I don't know when we'll EVER get another one, blah,blah,blah ! Ok,Ok let's take it for a spin and while we are gone get your appraiser to see what my 2000 Sonoma is worth on trade. I had already noticed the MSRP on the TIB was packed to $4000 over by the way.

    I was impressed with the TIB and my better judgement was beginning to ebb (come on old boy get a grip here)so I said lets get something on paper. man,that sales rep almost began to slobber with anticipation LOL. Well, the sop trip to the "manager" was made and he came back with some figures on a slip of paper. They were offering just about "book trade" on the Sonoma in trade but did not budge on the bottomline Tib price. I shook my head and said "sorry you are $4000 too low on the trade". The guy looked shocked ! If you are adding $4000 ADP then so am I! He turned all red in the face and I guess he really didn't know what to say. The sales rep began to stutter as well. The manger just wheeled around, went back into his office and slammed the door LOL.

    I told the sales rep that was MY final offer, but if he REALLY wanted to sell me a car to think it over and give me a call in the morning (today) I checked my messages a little while ago but no word yet. The day is still young tho. A little taste of their own medicine did not go down well. LOL

    hudrahead :)
  • ckigginsckiggins Member Posts: 68
    I'm sure you won't get a call today...you can almost bet on that!
    The dealer I went to on Saturday (Mr. No 4-cylinder) had 18 '03 Tibs. He was swimming in them. Lots of people looking, but no one buying. I'd be curious to see what they're actually selling for and if people are paying the ADP. Edmunds has the TMV at below sticker, but I bet that it doesn't include actual transaction prices as of yet...
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    ckiggins: Well, the lower level sales weasel did not call me BUT his boss did. Actually I had a message on my pager but did not check it until about noon.

    This is too funny ! He said he'd "meet me half way" and only charge $2000 over MSRP but he also wanted me to come down $2000 on my price for the Sonoma LOL! So actually we were really still @ square one. They only have the one car in stock at the moment, and it's a no-no black (a black car in Florida, I don't think so)plus I noticed it has a dent in the rear bumper too.

    hudrahead :)
  • revdrluvrevdrluv Member Posts: 417
    I just saw a new tiburon racing around the track in the US grand-am series. Could it be that hyundai is looking to up its street cred with a bigger investment in the field of motorsports? I certainly think that it is a great idea and nothing but good could come from it.
  • ckigginsckiggins Member Posts: 68
    What a guy...$2000 over MSRP. It's a wonder these guys can feed their families charging prices like that. How *do* they make any money? NOT.

    I guess I can sort of see it if it's teh only one on the lot...but the guy I went to this weekend had 18 of them.

    If you make them order one from the manufacturer, does ADM even become an option at that point? I mean, you can tell them you don't want scotch guard, paint protection, etc...most of the stuff they tack on as markups. Can you just deal off of MSRP sticker at that point?
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    ckiggins: According to the GM @ the Hyundai place there is no such thing as "ordering a car". They pretty much have to try to find something @ POE that fits what you want, but to order a specific car equipped JUST as you want it, color, package combo etc., unless it has been built thay way and is "in country" you are out of luck. They will search inventory and see if one is nearby that fits your requirements. Considering the few colors, packages etc the chances are pretty good they can probably find what you want from whatis available. Due to the realitive low number of cars available they really don't want to "mess around" with a order. Sell what you have is the order of the day with them.

    hudrahead :):)
  • ckigginsckiggins Member Posts: 68
    Well, basically the reason I ask is to try and get around the DIOs that they put on..crap like ScotchGuard, paint protection, etc. I figured if you ordered one, they wouldn't get a chance to put it on.

    I have a hard time paying for stuff I can't see, anyway...how do *I* know that they sprayed ScotchGuard on the seats and some kind of paint sealer on the outside? I just have to take their word for it...and their word isn't much. Certainly not worth what they want for it.
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    ckiggins:My son was a service manager @ a local Buick dealer some years ago. He said their SOP was NOT to put the stuff on ( the wax, Scotch Guard etc) until it was a done deal as so many people balked at paying for the stuff that they'd wait 'till delivery to do it IF the poor sap buying the car was stupid enough to go for it. I guess they figured they could always add the DIO stuff after the fact. Be pretty hard to take it off once it was done. Makes you wonder how many times the poor suckers paid for the stuff and did not really get it. Naw, those fine upstanding car dealers would never do that would they ? LOL !

    hudrahead :):)
  • pghtiburonpghtiburon Member Posts: 22
    The 2003 Tiburon looks sharp, but IMHO the interior is very bland looking, especially compared to the '01 version. More brushed aluminum would help I think. And I find the color selection to be boring; Mystic Teal is OK, but I loved the previous generations colors of Jazz Orange and Lithium Yellow...hopefully the '04 version will add some unique colors and dress up the interior a little bit -- then I may consider buying one.
  • crazed17crazed17 Member Posts: 9
    In the world of car sales, the cheaper the manufacturer, the lower the salespeople's salaries/commissions. That's why a BMW salesperson will always be nicer to you than at Hyundai. My girlfriend, who was a job counselor, met a rookie saleswoman (off the job) here in NY and she told her they get $50 a sale to start, unless she sells the extras. That creates a lot of pressure. It explains why everyone I know has had a bad experience at Hyundai, including selling cars without the advertised equipment (although this was fixed after my friend realized what had happened). Although everyone I know that has bought a Hyundai has been happy with the cars and the price.

    I'm surprised to hear that the new Tiburons aren't selling better. It might be the only affordable sporty car, as not everyone can afford a Celica GT-S. Maybe it's the stigma attached to cheap car manufacturers. But the car looks nice and seems to have the specs it need to compete, unlike the old model.
  • revdrluvrevdrluv Member Posts: 417
    Are the new tibs in the dealers already?
  • beowulf7beowulf7 Member Posts: 290
    This past Sat., I finally got the chance to test drive the 2003 Hyundai Tiburon GT. I called the local dealership pretty much biweekly, and that morning, the sales manager said he had 2 GTs in the lot - of the 6 speed manual variety, *and* they both had "UltraSports Package 3". Anyway, I went in for a test drive. First of all, I have to state the obvious, it looks like a beauty from the outside. I then took it for a 6 mile drive w/ the saleswoman w/ me. (Incidentally, she said she doesn't know how to drive a stick, so I had to pull it out of the lot.)

    I pretty much got what I was expecting from the drive. The controls are pretty obvious. Acceleration was responsive, but it's no sports car. The car did feel a little heavy when compared to my 1999 Integra. The steering and suspension felt nice. It was the first time I ever drove a 6 speed manual, so I had a little hard time finding how to go in reverse (since the 6th gear is in the lower right), but then I saw the ring that's by the knob that allows you to go another notch to the right (and down) to go in reverse.

    The interior, as many of you stated, is disappointing. The aluminum highlights look nice; the gearbox reminded me of an Audi TT and the speedometer/odometer area looks nice. But it's the stereo and climate control console that upset me. For some reason, that part didn't receive the aluminum touches (but the 2001 Tiburon did, according to her!). I also noticed the cutouts in the console. The first (leftmost) controls the foglights, but the other 3 are ostensibly placed for show. That was poorly designed and implemented.

    Finally, the price. What is the markup, you ask? The car MSRPs for $19,997 before the destination cost. The dealership was asking for (after destination charge) $22,729 (and they claim these new Tiburons are flying off as soon as they receive them). That's a $2 - 2.5 k markup. Oh yeah, they do give you pinstriping and fabric protection for that trivial sum (sarcasm intended). The saleswoman was frank with me and said those cars won't be selling for MSRP or below until summer. I appreciated that honesty. Any other experiences?

    BTW, I previously asked on the RSX vs. Tiburon discussion board if the Tiburon GT comes with a CD changer. The short answer is "no". It only has a single in-dash CD and cassette player. The 8" Infinity subwoofer in the trunk is decent, but I could only hear it after I opened the trunk. In other words, the sound system didn't seem to be all that. :(
  • charliemikecharliemike Member Posts: 87
    At $20k you can always put a bling-bling system in your car if you choose.

    I sat in the Tibby at the DC Car Show and I loved it. Yes it's "bland" but I hate aluminum-plastic crap ...
  • hudraheadhudrahead Member Posts: 169
    In the face of the new Nissan "Z" car basing @ about 27K I don't think Hyundai can expect to keep getting the dealer ADM price of 25K for a Tibby GT. Of course the Nissan folks will probably ask 30K for their sleds too. !!LOL !

    hud :):)
  • acelinkacelink Member Posts: 106
    According to the article "Eight great rides" from April issue of Sport Compact Car, Tiburon got a pretty good review.

    Performance Acceleration
    0-30 mph: 2.9 sec.
    0-60 mph: 7.6 sec.
    30-50 mph: 2.8 sec.
    50-70 mph: 4.1 sec.
    Quarter Mile: 15.6 sec. @ 88.8 mph

    Handling
    Slalom (700 ft): 68.2 mph
    Lateral grip (200ft skidpad): .84g

    Braking
    60-0 stopping distance: 122 ft.

    It performed better than TOYOTA CELICA GT-S.
  • toyunkitoyunki Member Posts: 25
    Can't believe it?


    http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/archives/features/feature01_0302b.shtml#dyno


    Methanol alone can't be it.? What is it?

  • boomn29boomn29 Member Posts: 189
    Yes, it said it beat the GTS. BUT, the GTS they had (for some reason) was having a shut-off problem at 7500 RPM's. So, they couldn't receive near max performance out of the car.
    The real shut-off isn't until 8300 RPM's, so there was a lot more to get our of that car!
  • estoesto Member Posts: 136
    The tib had 2 engines, one in front and one in back - read all about it.

    Erik
  • valonvalon Member Posts: 22
    hi all, im new on this message bord but I had too write something for the new tib 2003.I was waiting too see the new tiburon with attention too buy one of them, yesterday I want too test drive and I was dissipointed a lot,reason is cause is very tide inside plus is very low consider that im only 5"9 my had was too high so even when I pushed the seat back still it was not room,I think that if Hyundai want too sell tib must do something about that maybe change seats something like mini has. would like too know what you people think about that cause for my self I think im gone go for rsx
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