i can't wait for the 5 speed. the headroom should be no problem for me i just grew an inch this year which brings my total up to 5 9 i don't think i'll grow much anymore an inch would be nice but no matter wat i think i wont hit my head on the gt.
I bought a red GT today. I got a call from a Los Angeles area dealer who said they had three in, but none with ABS. So I did some calling around, and found a dealer closer to me who had just received one GT that morning. I was hoping for cobalt blue but it turned out to be cardinal red, still in its wrapper, so to speak. I took it for a test drive and loved the car. Better cornering than the GLS and much nicer seats. I still can't figure out how to fold up the rear seat, although the manual insists I can do it. I will have to spend some more time trying tomorrow. The dealer gave me a story about how other dealers would soon be charging over MSRP, and how I would be extremely lucky to get even MSRP for this car. They first told me there was a $500 dollar rebate, but 10 minutes later found out that the rebate doesn't apply to GT's. I took about 2 hours of haggling, and at one point actually backing out of the dealership, before I could get a price I was happy with. I got my beautiful red GT for about $700 under MSRP. I think that at least at this time TMV is wishful thinking. I only have two complaints so far. Even before my test drive the Check Engine light was on. They said this had something to do with the pressure inside the gas tank and that the car was safe to drive. They will be fixing it next week. Also, I can't seem to get the CD player to accept a CD. Hopefully these will be minor inconveniences.
crap. i was hoping they wouldn't do this. but i guess charging extra for this car was gonna happen no matter what. i hope the 5 speed doesn't cost me alot. and i hope getting a black 5 speed is possible here. not many people know about the gt here in Long Island. actually nobody knows!
there's a black tab on the front bottom of each side of the 60/40 rear seats. pull it with a slight upward angle and these should release the latch and at the same time move the seat bottom a little. Then the seat should just glide foward and fold upright. A little different than foci/golf applications. hope this helps.
Our dealership just received our first 2 GT'S!! Wow,what a car! 1 Black(Sweetttt) with auto and floormats and one red auto,moonroof,anti-lock brakes! I took it out and I agree with visage(#243).I felt it was even quieter than the GLS and the handling was super.The leather seats are wonderful and the dash board(gauges) are really cool.These cars are certainly going to make a big slash in thie segment of the market. Hyundai has done it again....bang for the buck! Bob
The dealership in Golden (Planet Hyundai) is really good about the check engine lights. In fact all dealerships should not even let you in the car if that light is on. It's really not a bad thing but it does make the dealer look bad.
The mechanic that did my first oil change was a Honda mechanic for 10 years. In fact, right across the street from Planet Hyundai is Planet Honda where he had previously worked. He said that Honda's were getting worse (for mechanics) and he was tired of working on them. He transfered over to Hyundai and he and I spent 45 minutes on their computer while I showed him all of the GT stuff and the comments on Edmunds. He had no idea the car was coming out. He says he LOVES working on Hyundai's and that they are getting better and better. He argues a lot with the Honda mechanics because they think he's crazy for defecting. One argument they had was about the check engine lights. It is very common to get a shipment of new cars with the light on, it's not a bad thing. Out of 100 Hondas, PHonda had 3 lights on. Out of 100 Hyundais, PHyundai had 4 lights on. The Honda mechanics were pretty impressed.
As far as the CD player goes, I would be a little peeved. I would take a CD with you when you test drive the car but only if you are planning on buying that particular one. I take CD's with me when I look at stereos for my home. I don't care if Bruce Hornsby sounds good on a player. How does BT, AIR or Peter Gabriel sound at full volume?
Well, I just got my first test drive of a black 5 speed. It was raining like crazy, so not the best day to test the limits. The turning is fairly crisp - not the slightest bit harsh. The purple guages are really neat and the leather seats are comfortable. aside from that the interior from the drivers seat looks like the GLS. One thing that I'll have to get used to is the view out the back - there's not much of one. The window is blacked out except for a rectangle right in the middle. It 's just very small, but probably normal for hatch back drivers. The seating surface of the back seats lift up as mentioned in post 258. It is very easy taking about 2 seconds on a side. When the back headrests are removed the seat back does fold down FLAT to produce a very nice cargo space. Another dealership just called me and two just rolled off the truck. One of them is silver (my first choice) so I'm going to do some more snooping.
I see a lot of posts regarding test driving GTs, can you guys mention where you are from? I am curious to see how close they are getting to my area. My local dealer is still clueless..Thanks
I'm from Portland, OR (one of hyundai's port cities). Two dealerships in town have two a piece. The other two dealerships have no clue when they're getting them. I just got back from the second dealership and saw the silver and cranberry. Both are really nice looking and so far I've seen those two colors, black and cardinal red. The weather improved on my way to see these cars so I tried out the A/C, some hard cornering and actually looked around the car without getting soaked. I agree that the GT is quieter then the GLS - It's almost spooky. It also corners well and has pretty good response (not as good as the sentra SE). Other things: The body side moldings are black, not color matched. The hatchback cover is carpeted plastic. I had an inch of head room in the back seats. I'm 5'5 with a really long torso, probably like a normal 5'8-5'9 person. If you're leaning back, there's no headroom loss with the sunroof because it dosen't come all the way back. If you're leaning forward, you lose about an inch. Finally, the view out the back wasn't nearly as weird the second time around so I think it is easy to get used to.
Well, I have been reading this board for quite a while now, and am very excited that the GTs are finally showing up out there! My biggest concern now, like just about everyone here, is that they will be too good and end up costing too much for me(i.e. MSRP!). So far we have one naysay on the $500 rebate, but I am keeping hope alive. Do you know anything for sure yet, bobcook? They still don't have the build-your-own working on the website, so I can't really check there. Also, it was mentioned some time ago that the initial run would only be about 300 cars for the midwest. Any more word on future numbers? Maybe it is just silly to ask these questions, because if you knew anything you would have probably said it by now. Oh well.
Dan
P.S. Hyundai at least changed the picture of the GT on the website when you choose BYO, it's now a blue beauty!
I test drove a Black auto today, very quiet and comfortable. I brought a friend whom likes nothing but lexus and bmw, and he said he was really surprised to see how nice it was. I won't pay top buck either for the car... I can wait until they get more. 99% sure I will get one.
In all of my posts I can't believe I forgot to mention that aspect of the test drive. I didn't like the view out of the rear window. Maybe more test drives will help with that but I noticed immediately that it was somewhat awkward when looking in the rearview mirror. I am very used to driving a hatchback (Mazda MX3) and there is more of a wider view in the Mazda than in the GT. Although I should point out that the GT is longer, therefore the window would seem smaller than our 2-door Mazda. I just realized I was looking at the car behind me during the test drive and it looked like the Headless Horseman was driving. I couldn't see the guys face at all. We may go searching for more today so we can look at different colors. I will be calling some more dealerships in the next few hours.
By the way, I'm in Colorado (Boulder County) and the only dealership so far in my area that is carrying the GT was in Golden at Planet Hyundai. There was another post from someone in the Colorado Springs area south of Denver (about 2+ hours from me) and that poster had 5 GT's in his area. Sounded to me like they were moving west to east as far as shipments.
Rebates have just been released for the month of June and there are no rebates yet for the GT. I would think that if they would come out with rebates it would be much later on when supplies are more plentiful. In regards to supplies,I haven't heard what the numbers are for the next batch of GT'S. On a different subject,in my humble opinion,dealers that charge over MSRP for vehicles(GT's,Santa FE,etc) are only hurting themselves for future business. That practice only hurts long term customer/dealer relationships and,again, IMHO, is pure greed.Also,just a note, I am leaving our Hyundai store and going back to run our Chrysler/Dodge store(boy,do I have my work cut out for me!....not with our store,but working with DaimlerChrysler). I will be still visiting you guys periodically and will always be glad to answer any questions that might come up about Hyundai or anything at the dealership level.My email address is listed in my profile. Believe me,from my point of view, this is the most exciting franchise to be involved with and will only get more exciting in the future. Thanks to all!! Bob
I am in Kansas City, and one of the three Hyundai dealers in town has some GTs. Another one expected some in this week. In talking with one dealer, the initial allotment to each dealer is very limited (one or two cars a month), so I can't imagine getting a great price break. It is disappointing because they are selling base 2001 Elantra GLS's for about $11,000. I am almost tempted to just buy a GLS and save myself $3k. I also am having difficulty locating a manual transmission GT and was told that I can't order one. I don't really understand this as I could have ordered a Protege 5 a month before they hit the showrooms. I like the GT, but am getting tried of waiting without any information. If I knew I could get the car at a fair price in two - three months I would wait, but I don't want to pass up the great deals that are available on other cars waiting for something that may not happen.
I checked out the GTs at Metro Hyundai in Bloomington, MN today. They have 2, both auto, one red with moonroof and one pewter with roof and ABS. The pewter with black trim and interior was really sharp and classy I thought. (Plusses for the black trim: won't show scrapes as much as painted trim, and looks like a Saab.) I was disappointed with the red; I was hoping they would have something more like fire engine red or candy apple red for the GT.
I drove the red one. Immediately noticed the 4-wheel disc brakes, grabbed harder than the GLS. Ride was a little firmer than the GLS, not uncomfortable but definitely less suspension travel. Drove through several cloverleafs and it seemed just a tad steadier than the GLS. Salesman claimed the hp was bumped up to 145 for the GT--of course it is not. Also he did not know that the rear seat cushion folds forward, so I showed him how. Other than that he was pretty knowledgeable about the car.
Miscellaneous observations:
* I don't know what all the fuss re the rear window is about; I was able to see out just fine. (The window sticker created a huge blind spot to the left rear, but after we show off to our friends and family we can remove it...)
* Quality control was good except for an annoying squeak in the driver's B pillar.
* Leather upholstery felt slippery. The cloth provides better grip in the twisties. I wonder how it would feel at 20 below in January? No wonder heated seats are popular. It looked good, however, and the matching armrest cover and door trim was a nice touch. I remember seeing something about black being the only GT interior choice. I'd like to see a tan interior with the leather.
* A real nice touch are the seat belt locks built into the rear seat. I've never seen that before. They are plastic clips attached to the rear seat back to which you attach the seat belt buckles, to keep them from flopping around when you fold the seat.
* They have borrowed the international model's grille for the GT. Looks a little more aggressive than the GLS's, but has that V-shape at the bottom that I'm not crazy about.
The sticker of a 5-speed with moonroof, ABS, and mats would be about $15,750. That seems reasonable given all the content, but since there's no rebate and limited supply I'm probably looking at $6000+ out of pocket to trade in my 7-month-old GLS with 4000 miles for a GT. The GT is a slick piece, but I think I'll hang on to my GLS and my $6000. I've got the Caravan for hauling anyway.
The last time I checked this board was a few weeks ago and I got the impression that the GT's wouldn't arrive until late summer or fall. Then today I saw a TV commercial for the GT so I called around to the dealers in Central Florida for an update. They apparently just got a shipment yesterday, except for Bob Dance, who tried to tell me I saw a commercial for the 3 door Accent hatchback.
Anyhow, I will have to check the GT out. The first car I ever owned back in 1981 was a Toyota Corolla hatchback, and the GT's looks remind me of it a little. Never thought I'd own another hatchback, but I keep hearing that this is the next "hot" catagory of car, perhaps overtaking SUV's in popularity (once people realize that they get most of the benefits of an SUV in a hatchback/wagon, plus things like better gas milage, ride and safety). If hatchbacks do become "hot", I would think this would help with resale value.
As for the commercial, it ran on MTV of all places. Two office workers alone in a buiding grab the bosses leather desk chair and go tooling around the cubicles goofing off. The boss catches them and makes a comment about enjoying leather or something, then we cut to the parking garage where the goof-off workers get into "their own version of leather", a silver GT.
Not sure what kind of statement Hyundai is trying to make... I guess they're promoting the idea of getting a luxurious leather interior for under $14K. I know in my case, leather is probably the last thing I'd look for... in fact, I kind of wish they offered cloth as an option.
I went to Bob Ciasulli (sp?) in North Jersey to look at the GT. The first salesman I went to knew nothing about the car. He inquired with the manager and came back to tell me that they had 15(!) pre-orders and that I would have to make an appointment to see it.
If what he said is true; they can charge whatever they want. I'm going to have to wait awhile.
my brother just baught a sonata today and the guy that sold it to him knew the past history of it and everything. He said that he would call me as soon as he gets his first one so i can test drive it. i think i made a friend at the dealership. hehe.
145 HPS!! thats the craziest thing i've ever heard. it would be cool though....
test drove the GT today and loved it!!! I'm with Wed though the view from the rear view mirror is small and needs a little getting used to(I own two hatch backs right now a '91 honda civic and a '92 5 door ford escort and their view is not as small as with the St). I would have bought the car today but the only color they had was red, sorry Wed but I had to pass on the red, I all ready own two red hatchbacks and do not want a nother one, I also want a sunroof so i will just have to wait a little longer.
bri70: that's bad news coming out of North Jersey. I've twice visited the same Hyundai dealer and found them to be less than forthcoming with details about the GT. You might want to check twice about that pre-order situation, too. I was there last week practically ready to buy a GT and no one mentioned anything to me about pre-ordering or, for that matter, having to view the car by appointment. It could just be a smoke screen to give them ground on pricing. Did anyone mention when the GTs would be delivered?
On the other hand, there could have been a serious increase in interest during the last eight days...Still, that dealer makes me wary...
I'm with you, bri70...if dealers want to charge a premium for the new GTs I may just save some bucks and buy the discounted GLS. Heck, I'll use the money I save to buy a roof rack for my bikes!
I've been very disappointed by the initial quality of my new GT. Besides the dead-on-arrival CD player and the check engine light, I've found a few more problems this weekend. The rear seats will not budge, no matter how hard I pull on them. I can fold the seat back down but I can't fold the seat bottom up. I've tried everything I can think of, and I can only figure that the seat bottoms were somehow mounted incorrectly. The back side of the fuel door is only partially painted. Is this normal for Elantras, or did I get shorted on paint? I am also disturbed by the amount of air flowing through the vents when the fan is turned off. While I am not having regrets (yet), I am beginning to get aggravated.
"I am also disturbed by the amount of air flowing through the vents when the fan is turned off. While I am not having regrets (yet)..." Which vents? The outside ones?
When I lifted the rear seat cushion on the GT I looked at yesterday, it was not an intuitive operation. If I recall, I had to give the front edge of the seat a stiff tug upwards (using the loops, with the salesman helping me), then the front edge moved up and forwards. Now I can't remember whether the rear edge tilts up, or the front edge. But once it was loose it was obvious what to do. To get it back in place, I had to give the front edge a good push to lock it in place.
Re the fuel door being partially painted--my GLS' door is fully painted inside; the GT shouldn't be any different. At least that's an easily correctable problem. Makes you wonder about the quality checks though.
I've noticed on my GLS that a pretty good flow of air comes through the vents with the fan turned off. I think this may be a "feature" rather than a flaw, and I have noticed this behavior on other cars also. Because the heater is so fast to warm up, it hasn't been a problem for me. (In the winter, I shut off the outer vents.) In fact, I've taken to treating the no-fan setting as a super-quiet way of ventillating the cabin in moderate weather.
I gave the seats a nice tug from underneath, and they came loose. The seat cover was not attached directly underneath the loop, so the seat cover was stretching and the seat was staying put. Once I could see underneath, I reattached the seat covers (there's a long plastic clip underneath the seat) and then the loops worked fine.
That is the dealer that I got my 2000 Elantra from. Overall, I do not have a complaint about how that deal went through.
Thinking back, I'm not exactly sure what 15 pre-orders mean. I assumed leaving that meant they had 15 customer orders (seems like alot). Now I realized it could mean that they ordered 15 cars. Anyway I agree with you and I am suspicious of that number. The salesperson did try to make me make an appointment to see it.
I test drove a 5 sp GT yesterday. I went to the Van Nuys, Los Angeles dealer where Edmunds bought their long term test Elantra. They said they had 3 and sold 1. No abs in the 2 left. The salesman was ok, not too pushy...but definitely showed he wanted to sell a car to me. Anyway, I'm sorry to say I wasn't terribly impressed. I drove a 5 sp in Cardinal Red. I still felt the power was a little weak even when revving up to 4000. However, it did rev very easily, as opposed to the automatic. Because the drive was short, I asked to drive a regular elantra automatic so I can get a comparison back to back. The auto definitely didn't rev as easily...but even when the GT revved, it didn't feel like a lot of power. I also did a little swerving on a not-so-busy section of the test drive, but found only a slightly better roll control in the GT. But both went over a dip nicely...no rattle, well damped. Also, I actually didn't like the purple gauges as much as I thought...it wasn't that cool, it was TOO purple. Headroom in the back was not great...my head touches the roof and I'm only 5'6" with a very long torso. (I didn't try the headroom in the GLS.) And lastly, the hatch definitly makes for a smaller view to the rear. I tried to pull the rear cushin forward from the loop, but couldn't budge it. Should I pull up instead? Overall, I am reconsiding getting the GLS and save some money...cause I don't need the leather and I can't get ABS anyway. If I can get ABS, I think the safty of ABS is worth paying more.
wow, thanks. i'll be sure to make a note of these things when i test drive the gt. i really want the car but i mean if your experience was as told the car isn't worth it for me. i only wanted the gt for a sportier feel and maybe a 8 sec 16.2 quarter mile road track performance. i'll be sure to test drive both gt and gls and ofcoarse the other 2 i'm looking at.
The GT has the same engine as the GLS, so I don't think that you will see any better times in 0-60 or 1/4 mile in the GT over what you would get in GLS. My guess is that 0-60 would be in the mid-90s range.
I also think that the GT is a tough sell when you can currently get a GLS for $2k - $3k than MSRP for a GT. Not that the GT is necessarily a bad deal at $14k, but if you can get the almost the same thing for thousands less, it makes you hesitate before buying it. It certainly has made me stop and think whether I really need a hatch.
I am glad to read that you were happy with the deal from Casulli Hyundai. If we buy a Hyundai we will most likely shop there. After a couple of visits there to research prices, I was starting to feel a little wary of that dealer. Your comment has made me rest a little easier. Anything I should know before I go to negotiate...?
I'm gonna pop by there in hopes of seeing a GT. I'll see if I get the same info you got. Hope you're enjoying your Elantra!
Sorry but I do not want to steer you wrong. I bought my car nearly two years ago. This past weekend I did not recognize anyone. Totally new crew. I do not know if the manager is the same.
Bottom line: I can only tell you of my experience that happened awhile back with a salesman that is not there anymore. I would go with my gut instinct.
Someone suggested using Carsdirect.com and see if the dealership can beat it. If I do decide to purchase another Hyundai (or any other car for that matter) that is the route I am going to take. Carsdirect prices seem great.
Does anyone have any info. re. the more widespread release of this vehicle? Each dealer around here is only getting them one or two at a time and I cannot find a manual transmission. Also, the one dealer that appears to be knowledgeable says that I can't even order one. What is up with this. I might end up going with a Protege 5.
The dealer that was supposedly trying to get a manual GT for me hasn't written back, so I guess no luck on that. I don't think that there a lot of these cars around. I don't get. Why bother releasing a model and then produce only a handful.
Carsdirect.com does have good prices (usually right around Edmunds' TMV price), but unfortunately do not offer the GT yet. Anyone contemplating a Mazda Protege 5, however, Carsdirect.com does have those for a little under MSPR.
Remember, Hyundai is trying to have a record year and move their numbers up. There will be rebates on this car with larger inventories in a month or so... The best come to those who wait... I don't think everyone will be jumping for this car... many people are still cautious with purchasing a hyundai because of its past reliability. I'm sure sales will be good but hyundai will need to keep offering incentives until they establish a good record. I'm gonna wait
I stopped in at a local dealership (Beaverton OR) to take a quick look at a GT. They had 2 in stock, one auto and one 5 speed. I looked at the 5 speed; it had no options. Beside the mfg sticker was the dealer's markup: $2500.00. Can you beat that? Who would be so desparate for a Hyundai? The GT is at the top of my list, but I'm in no hurry.
ON A BASE GT TODAY. $13,600 + 299 DELIVERY FEE + TAX/TITLE. THEY HAVE ABOUT 10 BETWEEN THEIR TWO LOTS IN TOWN. MINE STILL IN THE PREP CENTER, READY FOR DELIVERY TOMORROW. ONLY BASE GT SO FAR, SINCE ALL I'VE SEEN HAVE COME WITH AUTO, OR SOME PACKAGE. I'LL MAKE SURE I DRIVE IT BEFORE I SIGN. I'VE DRIVEN TWO ALREADY, ONE AUTO AND 5SPD. 5 SPD IS BETTER IMO, BUT THE CLUTCH FEEL IS NOT WHAT I'M USED TO, BUT SHIFTS ARE SMOOTH NONTHELESS. ALSO WANTED SOME FEEDBACK FROM CURRENT OR KNOWLEDGEABLE ELANTRA OWNERS CONCERNING RELIABILITY. IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A LONG WARRANTY, BUT I'M HOPING I'LL NEVER HAVE TO USE IT EXCESSIVELY. ARE THERE ANY WIDESPREAD ISSUES ON THE ELANTRA, (IE: FOCUS TRANSMISSIONS, ROTORS, ETC...) WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE FOCUS WAGON, BUT NOT MUCH OF A GAMBLER MYSELF. THANKS FOR THE RESPONSES AHEAD OF TIME.
you should have no big problems with the elantra. this is the gt though and a new model so i don't know, every new model has some flaws because its NEW. other than that i think this car is gonna do real well. noting really diffrent from the gls other than more cool stuff. and looks like a saab(my favorite cars) i love hyundai but i dream about saab.
Recently, my spouse and I test drove an automatic Elantra GT Hatchback. We both were a bit disappointed in the sound and shift going out up hill. Otherwise, we really liked the car. We are waiting to test drive a 5-speed manual. But, in the meantime we reviewed the sticker price with the salesman. One of the OPTIONS included on the one we drove is $100 to meet California Emissions Standards, I pointed out we are in NEW YORK. The salesman told me that New York follows the California emission requirements so I have to pay for this OPTION. All the Hyundai cars on this lot had this so called option added on. But, I did not see this option listed separately on the Honda Civic we looked at. Does anyone know if this option for California Emissions Requirements is required for New York state cars or just another way to boost the sticker price?
i believe this is legit. CA and some other east coast states share the same emmisions standards. Honda civics are a ULEV certified vehicle and meet requirements in all 50 states. Elantras are not 50 state legal and require special equipment to meet standards in CA and certain east coast states. This is alot better than charging the whole country an extra $100, which certainly honda does, but cleaner air can't hurt either...
It's legit. New York, California, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticutt, and Pennsylvania all require a special emissions equipment that usually costs $100-150 extra. Hyundai uses this tactic, as does Mazda and a few others. Honda likes to brag about how clean running their cars are, so they equip all their cars with the necessary equipment and just bundle it into the sticker price. At least Hyundai gives those who don't need the extra stuff the choice to not have to pay for it.
Suppose you're not in one of those states and you do want to pay for it, will you be able to get one from your local dealer or do you need to travel to one of those states to get one?
My one-year-old 2000 Elantra has been just fine in the reliability area. No problems. Of course, it's not the same vehicle model as you are considering (mine is a 2000 GLS Wagon). Nevertheless, the motor, drive train and other mechanical bits are mostly identical, I believe. Regarding transmission choices, I like the 5 spd unit I bought much better than the auto tranny equipped ones that I test drove. I think the difference in performance (and fun -- I love to shift!) between the two is night and day. But hey, that's just my opinion. If you decide to get the GT, I hope you enjoy your new Elantra as much as I have mine.
Both Maryland and Virginia have the Cl. EM on the stickers... can anyone form another state post if they have the Cl. EM on their sticker? My gut feeling is Hyundai probably puts the Cl. EM on all their cars so they don't need to make a distinction on which state the car will be sold in or dealer it will be shipped? Maybe they figure he, if meets California it will be good to go anywhere from a clean air standpoint.
It is certainly typical that this extra cost is past on to the consumer. Seems to me it should only be on cars that are shipped to California dealers, or as has been stated above, maybe the handful of states that adhere to their standards? Virginia has never impressed me as a state that was really pushing the emissions thing, Maryland maybe? Oh well, we go on....
I'm leaning toward a Tiburon or GLS also, as I can't find any GTs in Virginia or Maryland to even drive yet. Locally, a base GLS with auto/mats,etc. can be had for $12,000 plus t/t. That is a bargain that is hard to pass up. I do however agree with Edmunds that they need to start adding a CD PLAYER in these cars as standard. I don't know anyone who buys cassettes, do you guys? Wake up Hyundai!
JM-- Fitzgerald Auto Malls (www.fitzmall.com) in Gaithersburg, Maryland is selling GTs on their web site for *below* invoice! Last time I checked they had two listed.
Comments
The dealer gave me a story about how other dealers would soon be charging over MSRP, and how I would be extremely lucky to get even MSRP for this car. They first told me there was a $500 dollar rebate, but 10 minutes later found out that the rebate doesn't apply to GT's. I took about 2 hours of haggling, and at one point actually backing out of the dealership, before I could get a price I was happy with. I got my beautiful red GT for about $700 under MSRP. I think that at least at this time TMV is wishful thinking.
I only have two complaints so far. Even before my test drive the Check Engine light was on. They said this had something to do with the pressure inside the gas tank and that the car was safe to drive. They will be fixing it next week. Also, I can't seem to get the CD player to accept a CD. Hopefully these will be minor inconveniences.
The mechanic that did my first oil change was a Honda mechanic for 10 years. In fact, right across the street from Planet Hyundai is Planet Honda where he had previously worked. He said that Honda's were getting worse (for mechanics) and he was tired of working on them. He transfered over to Hyundai and he and I spent 45 minutes on their computer while I showed him all of the GT stuff and the comments on Edmunds. He had no idea the car was coming out. He says he LOVES working on Hyundai's and that they are getting better and better. He argues a lot with the Honda mechanics because they think he's crazy for defecting. One argument they had was about the check engine lights. It is very common to get a shipment of new cars with the light on, it's not a bad thing. Out of 100 Hondas, PHonda had 3 lights on. Out of 100 Hyundais, PHyundai had 4 lights on. The Honda mechanics were pretty impressed.
As far as the CD player goes, I would be a little peeved. I would take a CD with you when you test drive the car but only if you are planning on buying that particular one. I take CD's with me when I look at stereos for my home. I don't care if Bruce Hornsby sounds good on a player. How does BT, AIR or Peter Gabriel sound at full volume?
The purple guages are really neat and the leather seats are comfortable. aside from that the interior from the drivers seat looks like the GLS. One thing that I'll have to get used to is the view out the back - there's not much of one. The window is blacked out except for a rectangle right in the middle. It 's just very small, but probably normal for hatch back drivers.
The seating surface of the back seats lift up as mentioned in post 258. It is very easy taking about 2 seconds on a side. When the back headrests are removed the seat back does fold down FLAT to produce a very nice cargo space.
Another dealership just called me and two just rolled off the truck. One of them is silver (my first choice) so I'm going to do some more snooping.
The weather improved on my way to see these cars so I tried out the A/C, some hard cornering and actually looked around the car without getting soaked. I agree that the GT is quieter then the GLS - It's almost spooky. It also corners well and has pretty good response (not as good as the sentra SE). Other things: The body side moldings are black, not color matched. The hatchback cover is carpeted plastic. I had an inch of head room in the back seats. I'm 5'5 with a really long torso, probably like a normal 5'8-5'9 person. If you're leaning back, there's no headroom loss with the sunroof because it dosen't come all the way back. If you're leaning forward, you lose about an inch.
Finally, the view out the back wasn't nearly as weird the second time around so I think it is easy to get used to.
Dan
P.S. Hyundai at least changed the picture of the GT on the website when you choose BYO, it's now a blue beauty!
By the way, I'm in Colorado (Boulder County) and the only dealership so far in my area that is carrying the GT was in Golden at Planet Hyundai. There was another post from someone in the Colorado Springs area south of Denver (about 2+ hours from me) and that poster had 5 GT's in his area. Sounded to me like they were moving west to east as far as shipments.
I drove the red one. Immediately noticed the 4-wheel disc brakes, grabbed harder than the GLS. Ride was a little firmer than the GLS, not uncomfortable but definitely less suspension travel. Drove through several cloverleafs and it seemed just a tad steadier than the GLS. Salesman claimed the hp was bumped up to 145 for the GT--of course it is not. Also he did not know that the rear seat cushion folds forward, so I showed him how. Other than that he was pretty knowledgeable about the car.
Miscellaneous observations:
* I don't know what all the fuss re the rear window is about; I was able to see out just fine. (The window sticker created a huge blind spot to the left rear, but after we show off to our friends and family we can remove it...)
* Quality control was good except for an annoying squeak in the driver's B pillar.
* Leather upholstery felt slippery. The cloth provides better grip in the twisties. I wonder how it would feel at 20 below in January? No wonder heated seats are popular. It looked good, however, and the matching armrest cover and door trim was a nice touch. I remember seeing something about black being the only GT interior choice. I'd like to see a tan interior with the leather.
* A real nice touch are the seat belt locks built into the rear seat. I've never seen that before. They are plastic clips attached to the rear seat back to which you attach the seat belt buckles, to keep them from flopping around when you fold the seat.
* They have borrowed the international model's grille for the GT. Looks a little more aggressive than the GLS's, but has that V-shape at the bottom that I'm not crazy about.
The sticker of a 5-speed with moonroof, ABS, and mats would be about $15,750. That seems reasonable given all the content, but since there's no rebate and limited supply I'm probably looking at $6000+ out of pocket to trade in my 7-month-old GLS with 4000 miles for a GT. The GT is a slick piece, but I think I'll hang on to my GLS and my $6000. I've got the Caravan for hauling anyway.
Anyhow, I will have to check the GT out. The first car I ever owned back in 1981 was a Toyota Corolla hatchback, and the GT's looks remind me of it a little. Never thought I'd own another hatchback, but I keep hearing that this is the next "hot" catagory of car, perhaps overtaking SUV's in popularity (once people realize that they get most of the benefits of an SUV in a hatchback/wagon, plus things like better gas milage, ride and safety). If hatchbacks do become "hot", I would think this would help with resale value.
As for the commercial, it ran on MTV of all places. Two office workers alone in a buiding grab the bosses leather desk chair and go tooling around the cubicles goofing off. The boss catches them and makes a comment about enjoying leather or something, then we cut to the parking garage where the goof-off workers get into "their own version of leather", a silver GT.
Not sure what kind of statement Hyundai is trying to make... I guess they're promoting the idea of getting a luxurious leather interior for under $14K. I know in my case, leather is probably the last thing I'd look for... in fact, I kind of wish they offered cloth as an option.
If what he said is true; they can charge whatever they want. I'm going to have to wait awhile.
145 HPS!! thats the craziest thing i've ever heard. it would be cool though....
On the other hand, there could have been a serious increase in interest during the last eight days...Still, that dealer makes me wary...
I'm with you, bri70...if dealers want to charge a premium for the new GTs I may just save some bucks and buy the discounted GLS. Heck, I'll use the money I save to buy a roof rack for my bikes!
Good luck.
Which vents? The outside ones?
Re the fuel door being partially painted--my GLS' door is fully painted inside; the GT shouldn't be any different. At least that's an easily correctable problem. Makes you wonder about the quality checks though.
I've noticed on my GLS that a pretty good flow of air comes through the vents with the fan turned off. I think this may be a "feature" rather than a flaw, and I have noticed this behavior on other cars also. Because the heater is so fast to warm up, it hasn't been a problem for me. (In the winter, I shut off the outer vents.) In fact, I've taken to treating the no-fan setting as a super-quiet way of ventillating the cabin in moderate weather.
Thinking back, I'm not exactly sure what 15 pre-orders mean. I assumed leaving that meant they had 15 customer orders (seems like alot). Now I realized it could mean that they ordered 15 cars. Anyway I agree with you and I am suspicious of that number. The salesperson did try to make me make an appointment to see it.
I test drove a 5 sp GT yesterday. I went to the Van Nuys, Los Angeles dealer where Edmunds bought their long term test Elantra. They said they had 3 and sold 1. No abs in the 2 left. The salesman was ok, not too pushy...but definitely showed he wanted to sell a car to me. Anyway, I'm sorry to say I wasn't terribly impressed. I drove a 5 sp in Cardinal Red. I still felt the power was a little weak even when revving up to 4000. However, it did rev very easily, as opposed to the automatic. Because the drive was short, I asked to drive a regular elantra automatic so I can get a comparison back to back. The auto definitely didn't rev as easily...but even when the GT revved, it didn't feel like a lot of power. I also did a little swerving on a not-so-busy section of the test drive, but found only a slightly better roll control in the GT. But both went over a dip nicely...no rattle, well damped. Also, I actually didn't like the purple gauges as much as I thought...it wasn't that cool, it was TOO purple. Headroom in the back was not great...my head touches the roof and I'm only 5'6" with a very long torso. (I didn't try the headroom in the GLS.) And lastly, the hatch definitly makes for a smaller view to the rear. I tried to pull the rear cushin forward from the loop, but couldn't budge it. Should I pull up instead? Overall, I am reconsiding getting the GLS and save some money...cause I don't need the leather and I can't get ABS anyway. If I can get ABS, I think the safty of ABS is worth paying more.
I also think that the GT is a tough sell when you can currently get a GLS for $2k - $3k than MSRP for a GT. Not that the GT is necessarily a bad deal at $14k, but if you can get the almost the same thing for thousands less, it makes you hesitate before buying it. It certainly has made me stop and think whether I really need a hatch.
Erik
I'm gonna pop by there in hopes of seeing a GT. I'll see if I get the same info you got. Hope you're enjoying your Elantra!
CJA
Thomason in beaverton and milwaukie have the GT's.
Floridian
Bottom line: I can only tell you of my experience that happened awhile back with a salesman that is not there anymore. I would go with my gut instinct.
Someone suggested using Carsdirect.com and see if the dealership can beat it. If I do decide to purchase another Hyundai (or any other car for that matter) that is the route I am going to take. Carsdirect prices seem great.
Good luck.
The dealer that was supposedly trying to get a manual GT for me hasn't written back, so I guess no luck on that. I don't think that there a lot of these cars around. I don't get. Why bother releasing a model and then produce only a handful.
Carsdirect.com does have good prices (usually right around Edmunds' TMV price), but unfortunately do not offer the GT yet. Anyone contemplating a Mazda Protege 5, however, Carsdirect.com does have those for a little under MSPR.
It seems to me that Hyundai is one of the industry's quickest when it comes to product redesigns. This car company is just starting to hit its stride.
I stopped in at a local dealership (Beaverton OR) to take a quick look at a GT. They had 2 in stock, one auto and one 5 speed. I looked at the 5 speed; it had no options. Beside the mfg sticker was the dealer's markup: $2500.00. Can you beat that? Who would be so desparate for a Hyundai? The GT is at the top of my list, but I'm in no hurry.
Erik
ALSO WANTED SOME FEEDBACK FROM CURRENT OR KNOWLEDGEABLE ELANTRA OWNERS CONCERNING RELIABILITY. IT'S GOOD TO HAVE A LONG WARRANTY, BUT I'M HOPING I'LL NEVER HAVE TO USE IT EXCESSIVELY. ARE THERE ANY WIDESPREAD ISSUES ON THE ELANTRA, (IE: FOCUS TRANSMISSIONS, ROTORS, ETC...) WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE FOCUS WAGON, BUT NOT MUCH OF A GAMBLER MYSELF. THANKS FOR THE RESPONSES AHEAD OF TIME.
hope this helps, if i'm wrong, please correct me.
My one-year-old 2000 Elantra has been just fine in the reliability area. No problems. Of course, it's not the same vehicle model as you are considering (mine is a 2000 GLS Wagon). Nevertheless, the motor, drive train and other mechanical bits are mostly identical, I believe. Regarding transmission choices, I like the 5 spd unit I bought much better than the auto tranny equipped ones that I test drove. I think the difference in performance (and fun -- I love to shift!) between the two is night and day. But hey, that's just my opinion. If you decide to get the GT, I hope you enjoy your new Elantra as much as I have mine.
DB
It is certainly typical that this extra cost is past on to the consumer. Seems to me it should only be on cars that are shipped to California dealers, or as has been stated above, maybe the handful of states that adhere to their standards? Virginia has never impressed me as a state that was really pushing the emissions thing, Maryland maybe? Oh well, we go on....
I'm leaning toward a Tiburon or GLS also, as I can't find any GTs in Virginia or Maryland to even drive yet. Locally, a base GLS with auto/mats,etc. can be had for $12,000 plus t/t. That is a bargain that is hard to pass up. I do however agree with Edmunds that they need to start adding a CD PLAYER in these cars as standard. I don't know anyone who buys cassettes, do you guys? Wake up Hyundai!
Regards,
JM
Fitzgerald Auto Malls (www.fitzmall.com) in Gaithersburg, Maryland is selling GTs on their web site for *below* invoice! Last time I checked they had two listed.
JDA