talk about hyundai

poconojoe

All you have proven is your narrow mindedness. You base your opinions on hear-say.
I'm not touchy, in fact I'm laughing at you for paying $13,000 for a Ford. I payed $7,995 for my Accent. It provides me with reliable transit to and from work(170 Mi. a day). On the weekinds I drive a Dakota. I was so impressed with my Hyundai that my wife drives a 2000 Sonata.

mzn

focuszr3x, as I understand it from the Focus topic, you haven't taken possession of your ZX3 yet. Is that right? If so, how can you get your opinion from "real use?"

carlady/host

poconojoe

Carlady, you really do your homework. Usually I ignore these types of posts. But why would a guy that is buying a Ford Focus, need to come to the Hyundai topic to flex his muscles. Just to fell good about himself I suppose.

focuszx3r

#1. I payed 12,000
#2. Narrowmindedness?? I dont think any car should burn oil at 70k, do u? Not to mention I know two of them.
#3. Good point, carlady, but I dont base my opinions on magazine reviews, and I havent heard of many mechanical problems on the message board, unlike the Hyundai message boards (Accent) and have heard of clutches and even whole Engines going at 10k. Thats insane. You dont see that on the Focus board!
#4 I am here to add only to prospective Hyundai buyers a warning, an opinion of somebody who has real car knowledge, that it has its dangers. So does the Focus, hey its made in Mexico, but these message boards are for information to make an informed purchase, and of course the majority of people who own a car are going to thinks its the best if it isnt, and I just offer the other side, and to give u Hyundai people a run for the money
Have a nice day :-)

181kmiles

i work at a hyundai/kia/daewoo dealership. since i was working there for 6 months i have seen 4 hyundais of different body styles come in each on them had less than 1000 miles and all 4 of them had blown transmissions. they didnt even drive. i kow about hyundai kia and daewoo. they are all junk. kia= killed in action. i dont like any car from korea. yes they have much improved since the early 90s but they still have a long way to go to match honda, nissan, and toyota. i drive a 91 honda civic hatchback and it has 181000 miles with the original engine, transmission, and clutch even. and these hyundais blow transmissions in 1000 miles. whats up with that.
also the dealership i work at sells all gm cars ( except chevy) toyota, nissan, kia, hyundai and, daewoo. of all the cars it sells toyota does the best followed by nissan then gm hyundai kia and daewoo respectively. if no one buys the korean cars, they must know a piece of junk when they see it. hyundai offers a 10 year 100000 mile warranty on there cars. that is whats gonna kill them. every thing except wear and tear parts such as brakes, tires ect. is covered under that warranty. when a car comes in with blown transmission, its covered for 10 years or 100000 miles. if a transmission is gonna blow after 1000 miles and 1 month within being purchased, hyndai is gonna be paying alot of money to the dealership in which the car is serviced at.
as far as a kia out lasting a honda civic, thats b.s. i havent seen a kia or hyundai with more than 50000 miles in that dealership. and just think ive seen more toyotas with over 300000 miles than i have seen hyundais with 50000 miles
and if you tell me that its because hyundai hasnt been around that long there is a customer with a 90 toyota that comes in and his car has 298000+ and a customer with a 89 hyundai with 78000+ miles
the camry runs better gets better gas mileage and has better performance than the hyundai.

bottom line anyone who owns a korean car is either cheap or ignorant. korean cars are crap

focuszx3r

Nice post, u r right and i hope these people who consider buying these cars dont, u seem like a good guy and thanx for the backup, later

181kmiles

thanks focuszx3r
as for you pocono joe you dont know me i could be a 3rd grader but i could also be a highly educated hyundai exectutive who just doesnt like the company now obviously im not the executive and im not the 3rd grader. i am an 18 year old man who knows alot about cars. im just trying to help people from getting stuck with a lemon. if you read in the sport utilities section youll see im not all about bashing korean cars. i just speak the truth.i have numerous horror stories about hyundais and kias alike. but i can also say that hyundai has come a long way from where it was. you know honda started out the same way hyundai did. making cheap piece of junk cars. but look at it now. its one of the most saught after automobiles in the nation and the world. now hyundai is trying to make a turn around and they are slowly but surely. kia is another story.
kia has a good 10 years before they come as far as hyundai has and 25 years before they reach hondas level. if they dont go bankrupt before they do it

boltguy

because Hyundai bought out a nearly bankrupt Kia last year. They are in the process of trying to bring Kia's up to some level of reliability and quality. Hyundai has been the U.S.'s fastest growing make for over a year now and are poised to overtake Mitsubishi in U.S. sales. I don't work for Hyundai either. But having owned 3 new Hyundai's and being the very happy owner of a 2000 Tiburon, I have seen the quality go up drastically since my 92 Elantra.

focuszx3r

Where did it say owners in "talk about Hyundai". Even my third grade education tells me it doesnt. These message boards are here so people can make a wise purchase, and we provide the truth.
Bringing KIA to Hyundai standard isnt a major feat now is it?
Explain to me how a quality car blows a motor at 10k. All you can do is attempt to bash my inteligence because you know I have a valid arguement.
Hookt un foniks wurkd fur mE!

mark193

I have a 1997 accent.Today I took it to the dealer because the transmission is slipping.They hooked up a scan tool to it and found a faulty transmission control modual.This is a problem that will cost me $800.00 to fix.Has anyone had this problem and do they know of any hidden warranty?

181kmiles

see you only make my argument stronger. a 97 hyundai with a slipping transmission. why does this happen??? because hyundai is junk. i work in the only hyundai dealership in my area now (the other one closed down i wonder why) i have seen transmissions blown. they should cover it under warranty depending on how many miles you have on it. i think its 3 years 30000 miles. whichever comes first. also did you get the extended warranty?? if you did your covered. if not you have to pay the $800. im sorry to tell you that unless your dealership isnt kosher then theyll do it. but normally they wont. the dealerships dont like warranty work because they dont get as much money than if a customer pays. it sucks but i dont think theyll goive it to you under warranty. i dont know of any hidded warranty either. the best think you can hope for is they give you a break on the price. im sure if you complain enough then theyll give you a break. but please dont complain to hard. remember i know what its like for the service writers. you have to remember its not there fault and they catch all the hell so take it easy on the guy if your gonna complain. hell probably give you a break if you DONT complain. but i dont know how the dealership works so you have to discuss it with them. also i want to thank you for making my point stronger. sorry i have to use you as an example.

newbie4

I am a Hyundai owner who LOVES her 2000 Elantra (so far!) But I am also leary of Hyundai. You hear so much about the problems the earlier ones had! However, I bought my Hyundai betting that the company is only getting better at making its cars. Most of what I read indicates Hyundai put out problem cars prior to 1999. However, now I mostly read about how the earlier problems were corrected, warrantied, and the cars vastly improved. Just know going in you didn't purchase a Lexus (and there were probably reasons for that). I had an Escort in 1995 - okay car back then, but now you hear how the 2000 Escort has gone downhill and to stay away from purchasing it. So, car models appear to go up and down on the quality scale, and my fingers are crossed that the Hyundai models have gone up. As my car only has a little over 1,000 miles, it's too soon to tell for me.

You Hyundai nay-sayers keep on posting - it would be a boring read to have nothing to respond to but "Do you love your Hyundai? I love my Hyundai!"

181kmiles

well i wish you the best of luck with your hyundai. but like i said you get what you pay for. if you do wind up having a problem at least your covered for 10 years and 100000 miles. but i think that was hyundais mistake. they are gonna go bankrupt in about 5 years wait and see

mark193

I called hyundai Canada today and explained my problem to them.They said that since I don't take my car to the dealer for service they can't do anything for me. I am a mechanic at a busy shop and I fix my own car.But I do get all of my parts from my local hyundai dealer.The lady from hyundai Canada said that I am not a good custmer.That made me angry. I tried my best to use the dealer for parts and send people their way who were looking for a new car.So I told the lady that I am going to sell my accent and buy a good car.Now I am on the market for a ford product maybe a focus or a ranger.What do you think of ford?

focuszx3r

Hey I just bought a Focus 5-speed and I am drivin down to PA from NY to get it on monday (sooo excited). It is a sweet car and is a great value. Go to hatchbacks Focus conference V ti get all the info
good choice on selling your Hyundai

newbie4

I agree, the hyundai rep should never have told you were not a good customer.

But I don't think it's unreasonable for Hyundai to request that, if you expect them to honor a warranty or verify a defective part was in issue, they have their own mechanics do the work on the car. That's not meant to imply you are not a great mechanic, just I can see where Hyundai needs to have had some control over the product if you come back with a problem. Their request was pratical, not picky. But - hey - I am a driver, not a mechanic.

By the way, I mean that in the sense of having major mechanical work done (like a transmission failure) as opposed to an oil change.

newbie4

While I couldn't care less that there are negative opinions regarding Hyundai on this board, could we now go back to the Hyundai topic instead of discussing which other car brands to buy?

181kmiles

do me a favor. go to the SUV column and look at my second to last post that i put up in the kia sportage is it as good as it seems?? post
that applies to you

poconojoe

Carlady/Host,

Is there any way of blocking users that are distracting this topic from its intended subject.

mzn

Friends, let's focus on why we're here. We want to share our information and experience in a respectful and friendly way. If you have some negative information to share, please provide it without a "car-bashing" attitude. There are good points and bad points to every manufacturer and model. No one car is right for everyone.

If you need a refresher, please reread the participant agreement to which you agreed. This topic is about Hyundai hatchbacks. Other conversation is off topic.

Thanks for everything you do to make this the best place on the net to talk cars!

carlady/host

lngtonge18

It's so disturbing how a few people can cause such a distraction in a topic, as if they have nothing else better to do but to bash cars they have never driven or have never owned. Let's keep this topic to those who actually have experience with these cars shall we??
On another note, I just bought a 2000 Accent and absolutely love it. Sure I feel hesitant about the cars long-term reliability, but this car is put together way better than the Sephia I test drove, and on equal terms to the Focus ZX3 I drove. The car's fit and finish is as good as my mom's (92)and sister's (94)Hondas were when they were new. Hyundai is not as crappy as you think they are! I have heard nothing but praise for the 98-2000 Elantras and mostly praise for the Accent. Also, the tranny problems I have heard about all center around the automatic, which I have no interest in and did not buy, so do not care! Who buys an economy car with an auto anyway?!
Since I have test drove the Focus, I can compare it to the Accent. The Accent has a nicer, more contemporary Honda-like dash treatment (looks very similar to my mom's 92 Accord). I could not get used to the rear end looks of the Focus, though the front is aggressive looking. The Accent and Focus were on equal (surprised me) terms in light to moderate acceleration. I could not tell any difference between them engine wise! Pretty good considering the much better hp and torque of the Focus. Another thing, the Focus engine is no quieter than the Accent's and they both are equally smooth. They both had a solid structure and a solid high quality sounding thunk to the doors. The particular Focus I drove had a jumpy engaging clutch, something I did not encounter in 3 different Accents I drove. In fact, the clutch in my car is buttery smooth and very easy to engage. I am one that loves a sport seat with big side bolsters, as I also own a VW GTI with recaro lookalike seats, but the Focus's seat was way to confining for me. I could not get comfortable the entire time I drove the car, and had to sit unusually close to the steering wheel to reach the pedals. The seat also felt way too soft and unsupportive (exactly like my friends ridiculously uncomfortable soft and spongy 99 Taurus seats). The Accent, on the other hand, has very firm comfortable seats that provide good support and allow me to keep a good distance from the wheel. Anyway, that is my subjective comparisons of my experiences driving both cars.
Most cars come with a minor production defect from the factory, sometimes numerous ones. I have looked over the car many times and can't find a single mistake made in its production. I think that speaks well for how well the car was assembled. My roommate likes the look of the car and loves how it drives, and he owns a Mitsubishi Diamante luxury car!
And for all those who think that Korean cars are made of inferior thin tin can metal, I know someone who hit a Mack dump truck head on in his 94 Excel at 70 mph and lived to tell about it. I have seen pictures of the car to prove it. It took him a couple months to recover from his injuries, but he is completely back to normal now and has no permanent damage from it. He told me he had no problems with the car except the radio did not work. To prove how much he believed in the Hyundai and how it saved his life, he went out and bought a 92 Elantra and loves it!
My sister recently bought a 2000 Honda Odyssey and with less than 1000 miles on it has already had the A/C compressor replaced due to a loud clunking metal sound heard on start-up. She is not convinced that was the problem; she thinks it is the transmission. I haven't heard whether it fixed the problem or not. My point here being that even Hondas have big problems with few miles. Once my Accent gets up to 1000 miles with no problems, I can already start my gloating
To make a long story short, I think the Hyundai slogan says it best, "Driving is Believing". It sure made a believer out of me.

gojo1

I bought a new Accent on Feb 28 2000, it now has 2000 miles. I average 36 miles per gallon living in a small town and comutting 5 miles to work. The car is peppy for an econnobox. Fit & finish is very good with no decernable wind noise. Road and engine noise do come into play, but not more than I would accept for a car in this price range.
The only defect has been loose threads on seat back which I still am waiting to be replaced.
To this point in time I am very happy with it, but it is still to early to give a glowing recomendation. I just try to report the facts and let you decide. Will try to post every other month.

newbie4

You know what I find amusing? That you consider the Accent an "econobox". That term reminds me of the square cars of the early 90s (Sprint, Aspire, Metro, etc.). If I had been able to get a car that looked like the Accent back then!...I mean, it looks like a real car with no sign of the "box" effect. It looks nice! What I would have given for a trunk back when I owned a true box!

Very happy to hear the performance and drive more than matches its appearance thus far.

vonr91

My wife and I purchased an Accent GS in Feb.98.
Since that time, it has died on her four times on the road.Each time the dealer/mechanic had to replace the spark plugs and wiring harness.They can offer no explanation as to why this problem keeps occuring.Now the fuel gauge doesn't work, and with 50,000 miles on the car and the warranty long expired, this will be a costly repair.Has any one heard of the spark plug/wiring harness problem? We purchased this vehicle to be a reliable commuter car (120 miles per day)but now I believe we made a mistake. I was initially impressed with the Accent but now I'm just frustrated.

marby

I WAS GOING TO GET A 2000 ACCENT , BUT AFTER READING COMMENTS I WILL NOT GET ONE,OR KIA!!!! I AM GOING WITH A CHEVROLET METRO

jtnett

I'm really amazed at how some people can find a flaw and pick it to death. 181kmiles and focuszx3r need to go find a place where they're happy and quit blowing hot air around here in the name of truth. Marby, I'm sorry if you'd let comments like theirs sway your decision. I'm hard pressed to think of a make of car that doesn't put out a lemon every once in a while. I feel bad for people who get ahold of these cars and wish them the best at resolving their problems. Please check and see if your state has laws to help you out.
For the nay-sayers, check out the latest issue of Popular Mechanics and see what their top pick was for sub compact cars. Yes, of course it could be slanted!!!! As for the Accent - drive it yourself then go jump in a Metro and if you choose the Metro over the Accent, to each their own. I wish you many happy days. I simply couldn't see stepping down to a Metro for the same price. Also, take a look at the Metro posts and see some of the stuff there. My bottom line is as I mentioned earlier - all cars have some troublemakers. And you know what? Being the humans that we are, we seem to have a propensity to focus on the negative. Who in their right mind would spend their time reciting all the cars that came thru their life that had no problems? Heck no! Its the problems that stick out more (sore thumbs, squeaky wheels) and get the spectacular attention.
Anyway, I'm still really likin my Accent. Could it be a bit quieter? more powerful? have more luxuries? Sure, but then it wouldn't be my Accent and I couldn't have touched it for the price I did. I get 36 mpg average on the last 4 tanks, the high was 39 around town. I'm trilled that I got just what I was looking for and my blessings seem to be holding out. Best wishes to all.
In a sad but impressive local story, a 99 Accent tangled head-on with a massive cement mixer (not the usual rear mix deal, this one was a HUGE one that discharges over the front cab). The Accent driver (new driver)lost big partly because he was doing 70 in a 45 zone and swirved into the mixer which was going 45mph. It was an offset head-on (one of the worst type for any car) crash with a 115mph impact but the Accent totaled the mixer too. No kidding. I was amazed as I thought the mixer would've just thumped over the little car but it didn't. It's not like the Accent didn't get a scratch but I only mention this because a friend showed me that story saying, "Bad news for your new car." I laughed thinking that a monster construction vehicle would be bad news for any car. No doubt the bad mouthers would turn this into concrete proof on why to not buy a Hyundai.
So, there's lots of bad stuff going on out there, do your best to avoid it. Also if your buying any car please check out the buyers guides on this site and be firm with the dealers. They ain't nothin special. The sales manager here still won't look at me on the rare occasion that I stop in. It's funny.
Well I've rambled enough, I've got to get back to enjoying my GS. See you later.

wipeout9

I am the proud owner of a brand-new loaded Ford Focus wagon. Just picked it up on Monday. Had to wait six months exactly to get it with all the options I wanted.

Just over three weeks ago, my old car ruptured a break line. Since the arrival of my new car was imminent (at least according to the computer printouts at the dealer) I chose to send it to the wrecking yard instead of fixing it. In the meantime, I rented a car for a week and a half. I went for the cheapest I could get. The rental agency gave me a 2000 Hyundai Accent with 8000 kilometers. Automatic transmission and a radio.

This doesn't qualify me to say anything about long-term reliability, but the vehicle seemed well put together. The transmission shifted smoothly and the car handled well. Noise wise, you could ask for a quieter car, but it was at least as quiet and likely better than my old 1975 Honda was. At 80 kilometers per hour the noise was quite tolerable. At about 105 kilometers per hour the car began to have a resonating rumble from the engine/exhaust.

One thing I noticed was that the engine RPMs are quite low. There is a lot of torque at the low end. On the highway, RPMs are about 75 percent or less of what I was used to with my Honda. The Honda had absolutely no guts below 2000 RPMs. However, these low RPMs contribute to a steering wheel shake when sitting at a stop light.

For the price, I am now considering getting one as a second car. I can lease it, put on 15,000 kilometers for work, 5000 for myself each year, and still make money from the business mileage. I am basically looking for something that is cheap (the Accent is the cheapest available) and reliable (according to comments I have seen). So far any negative comments about recent Hyundai Accent's or other Hyundai's seem to be all secondhand. The "I know somebody who...". I am not in any hurry and can change my mind in an instant, so we'll see.

ymt65w

I bought my 2000 Tiburon 6 months ago and have driven 10000 miles so far. And I personally think that it is the best car for 17K (with all the options), period. During my car shopping, I have considered and test-driven a lot of cars that were under 20K, and Tiburon was the best fit in terms of design, performance, and warranty in the current market. If those of who have written harsh critiques think that Hyundai should be criticized because of its previous reputation, think of Honda. When Honda was introduced in the U.S. market, it had pretty much same bad reputation as Hyundai. However, you would mind one of those Honda Accord these days. If you want brand name other than true value and quality, why don't you buy BMW or Lexus. If you can't afford one of those, you better shut up and appreciate the value of 'NEW' Hyundai.

toyotabuyer

Hello everyone. I'm trying to decide whether to buy a (new) 2000 Accent, or a used Tercel, Civic, Corolla, etc. To be honest I've only owned a car once before (it was a piece of crap Plymouth Horizon that broke down after a few months)so I'm a bit unsure of what to do. I'm afraid of getting ripped of if I buy a used car, but I'm wondering about reliability of Accent (I may not be using it all that much--just to get around town and for occassial trips to other cities). Any advice? Thanks in advance