Chicago Tribune Automotive reporter Jim Mateja published an interesting Automotive Q&A piece on the subject (published in today's Omaha World-Herald Auto Section). Someone asked him about going to a larger size tire in their '00 Taurus SE wagon. Jim contacted Ford. Ford said that you have to be careful. Going to a larger tire can sometimes cause problems with odometer and speedometer readings, impact turn radius, and cause suspension problems (e.g., strike shock towers). Ford said people can contact a Ford dealer who has their "Mass Fitness Guide" that details if any alternative tire sizes can be used without causing any trouble. Good advice. Wouldn't make sense to go to a larger tire and cause harm.
Can anybody tell me how much they paid at their dealerships. THis is my story so stick with me(might be weird)
I financed a 2000 elantra for atlantic auto mall in Long Island. I'm going to give that to my parents and take their 1997 elantra and trade it in. I was waiting for the elantra gt but i've been told that its gonna come out in december and i don't want to wait till march of next year to see the price drop. SO i want to get the xg300. I am a little young at 19 yrs of age so i don't even know if the guy is going to take me serious. I've paid and been paying for the elantra by myself. I jsut wanted to ask how much you guys paid and if i finance it how much do you think its gonna cost me overall and monthly. I'll be making around 500 a week(before taxes) starting this summer so i don't know if i can afford it. The only thing i pay for is college and thats like a grand per semester since i go to cheap community college. and i pay for insurance which would probably raise up to like 300 bucks since "its a V-6 and I'll race it because i'm a KID" when abviosly this is not a 740iL. so you guys think i can afford it. i plan to keep this baby and do some engine mods ofcoarse over time and make it look a little nicer by throwin on rims and fatter tires so its esthetically pleasing to me. im really excited since its such a luxourious car by my standards and it would be such a personal accomplishment for me to do this all by myself but i don't want to make myself look like an idiot so i'm asking u guys who are older and have more experience than me in buying cars. I'm planning to trade this summer like in july maybe even june if i can't wait . ur help would be greatly appreciated. thanks.
its a V-6 and I'll race it because i'm a KID<----- you'll lose every race unless you either get turbos or a supercharger for the car.. and no.. no one makes them.. so it'll have to be a custom job..
and no... you can't chirp the tires.. as the car isn't designed to...the power delievery is very smooth..
if you want a car that moves when stomped on... look at the sonata... it moves when stomped on.. not like the XG300
OMG, i might be kid but i'm not an idiot. Over time i will make this car go fast, OVER TIME. That means an intake will be put in later on and a turbo, i will also change the exhaust to maybe put out an extra 3-6 horses. I work for everything i have so it will TAKE TIME. I'm not no regular kid who gets mommy and daddy to buy them a car and make them go fast. I'm planning to make this car maybe do a quarter mile in around 15-15.5, which is not fast but is respectable for an xg300. ANd i do not plan to race it. pay more attention to my last post it was in quatations, thats wat the insurance company would say to me because of my age because u got kids racing stock hondas and corollas. i like doing engine mods for fun, nothing serious. Sorry but please don't delete this post, i just got to stick up for myself and let people like him know that not all kids are ignorant taking out their parents cars and racing them in the streets. Some of us actually listen to our elders and learn.
Now can somebody else answer my question or are u gonna be like him and brand me as a rev-happy kid? just a simple question, you guys are older and have more experience.
liljonson, I don't think yk911 was picking on you, I think he was trying to answer some of what you posted. It might help us answer your question if you tell us again what it is - are you asking the folks here if they think you can afford this vehicle?
Pat Host Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
oh my bad. thats wat i'm asking some people say yes and some say no. i personally think i can but an opinion from somebody who owns this car would be better.
options for more power = NOS (cheap.. not reliable) =supercharger(expensive.. not much boost from stock internals 5-6 psi?) = turbo (expensive.. alot of piping needed expect to pay about 5-6 grand) = engine swap(from the mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4.. possible... expensive)
keep car as is... adding air filter(open cone type will make your car abit noisy).. as for power gains... i'm still working on it... exhaust.. it could use a dual exhaust(two muffler set up)... no idea on horsepower gains yet.
Yea, i've been carefully looking at the performance upgrades on the car. ofcoarse adding more power means less engine life in some cases. I don't think i will be doing anything crazy, Seeing a big car like the xg driving around like a small 2 door with the intercooler sound doesn't sound and look very attractive. i'll just try to bring up the horseys a little bit with small amount of engine mods that won't put a burden on the engine.
someone wrote they had a hard time seeing inside the car b/c of the dome light that is non existent..
here is a suggestion... purchase a dome light made for another hyundai model.. and install it right after the sunroof opening..
the problem is... will your dealer do it for you? or if you do it yourself.. will your dealer honour warranty if the electrical system needs servicing.
I am not a hyundai fan nor do I own a hyundai. Just want to say that I saw a black XG300 today on interstate. And it is one of the best looking car I have ever seen in my life.
I think the Korean politicians should ride one with pride in their home country. Cool !
Mud Guards on Hyundai XG300: We are in the process of purchasing an XG300 and noticed that it has front mud guards but no rear mud guards. Every Hyundai on the lot (Elantra, Sonata, etc.) except the XG300 had front & rear mud guards. When we asked our salesman he said they checked with the factory and that Hyundai does not make rear mud guards for the XG300 -anyone know anything about this or have rear mud guards on their XG300? Thanks!
wow, thats really weird. i'm gonna ask too now, i don't want the mud gaurds but still why don't they make it for their most expensive car and make it for their other cars. well after the LZ comes out its gonna be the second most expensive. does anybody know how much its gonna cost. my rough guesstimate is above 25K lol
I am getting ready to take delivery of a VW Passat that I ordered and waited 2 months for. However, I made the mistake (if you want to call it that) of driving an XG300L, as the VW dealer also sells Hyundai.
On the surface, the XG seems to be a terrific value--but I cannot get over the fact that "its a hyundai." The dealer has quite a few XG300L's on the lot now and the VW's re in big demand here, so it wouldn't be a problem if I decided not to take it (and the Hyundai would be about 8K less than the VW).
My only hesitation is the fact that its a Hyundai! For those of you that own an XG, are you happy with it? how reliable is it? would you buy it over again?
But beware it's not a sports sedan more of a luxury ride to it. I've had my XG since February and would still buy it again. No regrets thus far. Only thing I would do differently is get the "L" version to get the little extras not on mine thou I do have the sun roof.
Sun dance... I agree with John on the "L" version. I was doing EXACTLY the same thing you are, except I was one nanosecond away from ordering a Passat. Then I drove an XG. I was thrilled that I could get ALL the features I really wanted (with the XG-L) for 1000's less than the Passat. I also was having trouble with the pedals in the VW... they seemed too close together, and my "average" sized feet kept getting caught under on or the other. No regrets so far with my Titanium XGL... It does ride a little "softer" than the Passat, which I actually prefer. 2000 miles so far and I love it.
that is one major obstacle that hyundai is going through at this time- gaining back consumer confidence. With the XG300- by the looks of it alone, it shows that hyundai didnt cut corners in producing their flagship model because they are that determine in making a mark. Personally, i am not a "brand-conscious" person. I trust my own instincts, decision and never get influenced even by the most persuasive salesman, media-hype, etc. When i bought my XG300, i am also sceptical about it. But i did went to the dealership and checked out the car myself. Luckily, the guys here are so nice enough to let me test drive it for half day. So at this time, i got the chance to check out the car inside and out. I was impressed overall. I have driven mostly japanese cars (Accord, Camry, Subaru, etc) and this car matched if not exceeds most of my expectations. Yeah, i do get some negative remarks that its a hyundai but i always challenge them into trying to drive my car, and although i may not be able to convert them, i was able to point out that I am a person who isnt afraid of what anybody else may comment on my choices, the thing is, it is my choice- a reflection of my personality and individuality- not made for me by someone else. So if my XG fails in the future which i doubt it, i will have myself to blame. The important thing is that, i am happy with the car, looks and performance-wise. That is what matters most. more than resale value.
And that is why i want the xg300 and am telling everybody who wants me to get a maxima or a accord and my favorite one is "get a civic lx". Those cars have their strenghts. maxima-great car, sick of seeing it every 5 feet and never liked them. Accord-same as maxima. Civic lx-I can't believe people are telling me to buy that since i currently own a 2000 elantra which i'm trading in. VW are great cars but you can spend that extra $6k or watever it is on something else. I heard these cars are sleepers. nobody really knows wat they are, rather than a Hyundai, which i believe are great cars. and the xg300L has that cool thing in the middle that tells you how many miles you got left before you hit empty, now thats what i call an added extra that is cool.
Yes i would buy it again as long as they dont increase the price like the overpriced toyotas and hondas. As they say, XG is a luxury without the high price tag. Or at least in my opinion...
Yes, I would like a picture e-mailed to me (my e-mail is smj_54@hotmail.com). I sent an inquiry to Hyundai regarding the rear mud guards and was told they do not offer rear mud guards at this time. I was wondering if there is a Canadian dealership we could order them from - very strange to have them in one place and not another don't you think? Anyway, thanks for your help!
I'm looking for some good options on the XG300. I even checked out http://www.santafeforum.com and am currently waiting a reply. Any one know what new options are coming?
the only thing i don't like about the L is that they don't give u many extra's but i can understand that since the stripped comes more loaded than any other car. Would be nice if everything was standard on the L version but thats asking too much for a car that already offers alot.
Here is a story of my "conversion" to Hyundai, if it can help anyone. I had a friend in the late 80s who bought an Excel and swore I would never EVER buy a Hyundai. It was over 10 years ago. Enter my husband, who just arrived in this country last year from Israel and wasn't "prejudiced" against the brand. He drove Lantra (NOT ELANTRA - slightly different) over there for 3 years and was extremely happy with the car (had to sell it, of course, before coming over.) So he wants to buy a Hyundai here telling me it's an extremely reliable car, never gave him any troubles in that hot climate over there plus many Israeli companies pick the Hyundai as the company car for their employees (standard part of employee compensation.) It was really hard to convince me, but I listened, and, more importantly, took a test drive in 2000 Elantra. To make a long story short, we bought it after carefully test driving all competing models, and, trust me, that car was bought on merit. Two months ago we traded it in for XG300 (with broken heart), since we suddenly needed a bigger car, and LOVE IT! It gives one an unbelievably smooth ride and millions of options. I think it's the most underpriced luxury sedan currently available in the US. As to people who are "brand conscious" (except may be those who need it for work) - I've heard statements like "My friends will laugh at me if I buy a Hyundai" - may be they should re-examine their friendships. I totally agree with people here who believe it's important to trust ones' own instincts, go, look, drive and form an independent opinion.
everybody laughed at me too when i bought the 2000 elantra(i'm about to give it up to the parents and trade their 98). I make enough to finance a 25K car with ease but i decided to start of small. my friends laughed at me that i had a choice to buy a car since my parents didn't help and i bought the elantra. they still make fun of me but i shut them up when everybody else compliments on the car. I know i'll get laughed at when i get the xg300, saying its not worth it but the ignorant people can spend much more and get their loaded accord or camry or maxima. i can honestly say these are the best priced cars ever built. How much room is in the xg300 anyway. a little less than the maxima? or about the same. i heard that the maxima had the most room (leg,head,etc.) just wanted to know the comparison.
Just wondering if anyone else has had any problems with their cruise control? Yesterday while driving on the interstate I moved my foot and guess that I may have inadvertently hit the brake pedal. The car suddenly went off of cruise. I accelerated back up to speed then again set the cruise. However, this time it simply would not engage. I shut off the toggle on the dash two or three times, each time again attempting to get the button on the steering wheel to engage but it just was not going to happen. The light on the toggle on the dash was coming on but it just would not engage. The cruise indicator on the instrument panel never came back on either. I drove on to work, got in the car that afternoon and everything again worked fine. Any ideas anyone? By the way, just over 2000 miles now and I appreciate the car more each day.
1. make sure you know where the guages are/were when u start to take the needle off.
2. replace one guage at a time. since after you install the white face guage u have to drive the thing to make sure the needle is seated properly and seated the same as before you removed the factory guage.
taking the guage apart is fairly easy.
remove two screws(upper)... pry at the bottom with window handle remover. then remove four bolts that holds the guage cluster on both sides..4 screws.. two each on both side.
and your done.. the guage cluster is removed.
it took about 3 hours to get everything done perfect. it was my first time doing anything like this.. so it might have contributed to the long hours.
(i took some extra time away from the three hours to put on some carbon fibre tape.. to make it look more awesome)
i have purchased my 1999 XG300L at a price of U$17,200 brand new. My dealer is selling the 2001 at 25,000. BOth of this model year have the same specs and options with them. Could anyone comment if i get a good price on my 99 XG300L.( By the way, I am on assignment here in the Middle East, so i have to make some currency conversion)
Was the car truly brand new? Not a demo? How many miles on it at sale? While the price is certainly low for a new car it doesn't take into account the depreciation which has already occurred.
2 model years have come and gone and the '02's will be out in the fall. Have you thought about this? If you are intending on keeping the car for many years then this will be less of a factor, of course. I still think you could do some more haggling.
no, it is not a demo. It has got 135 kms. on it. I am positive it is brand new with all the plastics I plan to keep it for 5 years the most- if the car will hold up that long. So how much should have been my haggling price?
Are you going to be shipping it anywhere soon? Does the dealer know this? I hate to keep bugging you with questions but car buying at any time is tricky but most especially when there are overseas implications.
As to price, I would have tried to get it a little lower because of what was already mentioned and now added to. Another $1000 off couldn't hurt. Actually, I might have started at $15K but not if it was going to insult anyone. But you would know best how eager the dealer was to unload an older model. The BEST thing is it's an L. Your five-year plan sounds wise. Did you inquire about the warranty? Does it start from sale or is it going to be pro-rated? Otherwise, relax and enjoy!
this is in the Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I am not planning to ship it anywhere because my contract here is for the next 7 years. I plan to use it within this time. The warranty here as with any other dealer is not as generous. Only 60,000 kms or 3 years whichever comes first. It starts from the sale.
I take it this is a done deal? Already signed? In any case don't sweat it. If this dealer is likely to be the one servicing your car, you definitely want to stay in good relations.
I think you will enjoy your XG no end. Anytime you have to press that #1 seat memory button you will smile all day long.
it is somehow a done deal. But a friend of mine is so amazed with the car that he is planning to get one since there are still 5 on stock. I dont want him to make the mistake i made of not haggling just because i was so impressed with the car at first sight. (it truly was impressive)so i am trying to educate him through your wise suggestions by the way on how can he get a better deal than i did. anyhow, you have been great. thanks for the advice.
from my obervations... the car will tend to use up more gas as the engine breaks in....after the break in period... gas consumption seems to be "normal"
Comments
I financed a 2000 elantra for atlantic auto mall in Long Island. I'm going to give that to my parents and take their 1997 elantra and trade it in. I was waiting for the elantra gt but i've been told that its gonna come out in december and i don't want to wait till march of next year to see the price drop. SO i want to get the xg300. I am a little young at 19 yrs of age so i don't even know if the guy is going to take me serious. I've paid and been paying for the elantra by myself. I jsut wanted to ask how much you guys paid and if i finance it how much do you think its gonna cost me overall and monthly. I'll be making around 500 a week(before taxes) starting this summer so i don't know if i can afford it. The only thing i pay for is college and thats like a grand per semester since i go to cheap community college. and i pay for insurance which would probably raise up to like 300 bucks since "its a V-6 and I'll race it because i'm a KID" when abviosly this is not a 740iL. so you guys think i can afford it. i plan to keep this baby and do some engine mods ofcoarse over time and make it look a little nicer by throwin on rims and fatter tires so its esthetically pleasing to me. im really excited since its such a luxourious car by my standards and it would be such a personal accomplishment for me to do this all by myself but i don't want to make myself look like an idiot so i'm asking u guys who are older and have more experience than me in buying cars. I'm planning to trade this summer like in july maybe even june if i can't wait
and no... you can't chirp the tires.. as the car isn't designed to...the power delievery is very smooth..
if you want a car that moves when stomped on... look at the sonata... it moves when stomped on.. not like the XG300
Sorry but please don't delete this post, i just got to stick up for myself and let people like him know that not all kids are ignorant taking out their parents cars and racing them in the streets. Some of us actually listen to our elders and learn.
Now can somebody else answer my question or are u gonna be like him and brand me as a rev-happy kid?
just a simple question, you guys are older and have more experience.
Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards
here is my homepage...
http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/7886
=supercharger(expensive..
not much boost from stock internals 5-6 psi?)
= turbo (expensive.. alot of piping needed expect to pay about 5-6 grand)
= engine swap(from the mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4.. possible... expensive)
keep car as is... adding air filter(open cone type will make your car abit noisy).. as for power gains... i'm still working on it...
exhaust.. it could use a dual exhaust(two muffler set up)... no idea on horsepower gains yet.
hmmm.... that's it for tonight folks..
someone wrote they had a hard time seeing inside the car b/c of the dome light that is non existent..
here is a suggestion... purchase a dome light made for another hyundai model.. and install it right after the sunroof opening..
the problem is... will your dealer do it for you?
or if you do it yourself.. will your dealer honour warranty if the electrical system needs servicing.
I think the Korean politicians should ride one with pride in their home country. Cool !
as for the politicians in north america... i've seen several driving sonatas.. having custom options in it.. but non.. the Xg300 as of yet..
We are in the process of purchasing an XG300 and noticed that it has front mud guards but no rear mud guards. Every Hyundai on the lot (Elantra, Sonata, etc.) except the XG300 had front & rear mud guards. When we asked our salesman he said they checked with the factory and that Hyundai does not make rear mud guards for the XG300 -anyone know anything about this or have rear mud guards on their XG300? Thanks!
anyone else?
http://www.fxtreme.org/forums/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=11&t=000026
On the surface, the XG seems to be a terrific value--but I cannot get over the fact that "its a hyundai." The dealer has quite a few XG300L's on the lot now and the VW's re in big demand here, so it wouldn't be a problem if I decided not to take it (and the Hyundai would be about 8K less than the VW).
My only hesitation is the fact that its a Hyundai!
For those of you that own an XG, are you happy with it? how reliable is it? would you buy it over again?
Thanks!
but the americans get two models... the striped down version and the L version with tons of options..hmmm
it took about a month to get it here from korea.. as the canadian models don't have this option ..i'll be the first one in canada with one
I had a friend in the late 80s who bought an Excel and swore I would never EVER buy a Hyundai. It was over 10 years ago.
Enter my husband, who just arrived in this country last year from Israel and wasn't "prejudiced" against the brand.
He drove Lantra (NOT ELANTRA - slightly different) over there for 3 years and was extremely happy with the car (had to sell it, of course, before coming over.)
So he wants to buy a Hyundai here telling me it's an extremely reliable car, never gave him any troubles in that hot climate over there plus many Israeli companies pick the Hyundai as the company car for their employees (standard part of employee compensation.)
It was really hard to convince me, but I listened, and, more importantly, took a test drive in 2000 Elantra. To make a long story short, we bought it after carefully test driving all competing models, and, trust me, that car was bought on merit.
Two months ago we traded it in for XG300 (with broken heart), since we suddenly needed a bigger car, and LOVE IT!
It gives one an unbelievably smooth ride and millions of options. I think it's the most underpriced luxury sedan currently available in the US.
As to people who are "brand conscious" (except may be those who need it for work) - I've heard statements like "My friends will laugh at me if I buy a Hyundai" - may be they should re-examine their friendships.
I totally agree with people here who believe it's important to trust ones' own instincts, go, look, drive and form an independent opinion.
How much room is in the xg300 anyway. a little less than the maxima? or about the same. i heard that the maxima had the most room (leg,head,etc.) just wanted to know the comparison.
here is the link
http://www.fxtreme.org/forums/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=11&t=000028
but the guage overlay/replacement only comes in KM/H
canada is in KM/H..
1. make sure you know where the guages are/were when u start to take the needle off.
2. replace one guage at a time. since after you install the white face guage u have to drive the thing to make sure the needle is seated properly and seated the same as before you removed the factory guage.
taking the guage apart is fairly easy.
remove two screws(upper)... pry at the bottom with window handle remover. then remove four bolts that holds the guage cluster on both sides..4 screws.. two each on both side.
and your done.. the guage cluster is removed.
it took about 3 hours to get everything done perfect. it was my first time doing anything like this.. so it might have contributed to the long hours.
(i took some extra time away from the three hours to put on some carbon fibre tape.. to make it look more awesome)
pics can be seen on my homepage.
http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/7886/mycar.html
are 205-60-16
2 model years have come and gone and the '02's will be out in the fall. Have you thought about this? If you are intending on keeping the car for many years then this will be less of a factor, of course. I still think you could do some more haggling.
Thanks
Are you going to be shipping it anywhere soon? Does the dealer know this? I hate to keep bugging you with questions but car buying at any time is tricky but most especially when there are overseas implications.
As to price, I would have tried to get it a little lower because of what was already mentioned and now added to. Another $1000 off couldn't hurt. Actually, I might have started at $15K but not if it was going to insult anyone. But you would know best how eager the dealer was to unload an older model. The BEST thing is it's an L. Your five-year plan sounds wise. Did you inquire about the warranty? Does it start from sale or is it going to be pro-rated? Otherwise, relax and enjoy!
I think you will enjoy your XG no end. Anytime you have to press that #1 seat memory button you will smile all day long.