Hyundai Elantra 5-door

gtovrit

Anyone remember the perception of Honda cars when they first came out? Mazda's first rotary engines?
Both were laughable. Hyundai is on its way up, look at the demographics on buyers, mostly young. The word will get around, these cars are a great deal.
 On another note, sign me up for the burnt headlight club, 15,000 miles, just lost the left one. The dealer says it's covered, I'll get it replaced tomorrow.

backy

Edmunds.com's editors had no problem naming the Elantra one of their "Most Wanted" cars two years running. So I don't think they would have had any problem naming the Elantra the top economy car in their latest comparo if they felt it was in fact the best car in the test. Coming in less than one point behind the top-end Civic EX, priced over $4000 more, is pretty darn good, as is topping the Protege, Sentra, Corolla, and every other car in the comparo.

jeffhall76

Let's just hope our resale values start going up while Hyundai's image continues to improve and we see more on the road. Right now my GT is worth $9,500 (2002, 24K, fully loaded). I went to Carmax and had it appraised. That's $3,000 less than I owe (not suprising). I was thinking of selling it in favor of a 1999 Cadillac Catera Sport but have thought again. The Hyundai seems tons more reliable and is obviously more economical to own.

Jeff

kaz6

I've just replaced the rear speakers with Pioneer 3-way 6.5". I didn't realize what a problem it would be to replace them as the openings are not a standard size. I know there was a posting about it but they didn't mention how they fitted them in. I had to buy some fender washers and foam weatherstripping to make sure they were secure. The Pioneer's have clear high and mid but no bass whatsoever. I'm a novice at this so could someone explain why the rear speakers have so little power going to them in relation to the front's? My previous car, an ECHO, had a kick-butt OEM system with very crisp/clear midrange and deep bass. I guess I'll eventually have to trash the OEM unit to get better sound.
On another note: I've just installed the air filter element in my Mom's GLS and mine is next up. The filter element is rather substantial and much more effective than what Toyota has in their Prius. It's well worth the money!
I also installed the full front bra to protect from flying stones and bugs during my monthly LA-Vegas trips. It fits very well and the materials feel substantial. Very easy to remove as well for the rest of the time.
The engine is finally broken in!!! 1900 miles and I LOVE it!

harlequin1971

The speakers in my Elantra are plenty bassy and I doubt your Pioneers would perform worse than the OEMs.

It is likely one of two issues:

Phase Alignment: If one of the two speakers is wired in reverse (positive signal to negative terminal and vice versa), it can do exactly what you are describing. Speakers that are out of phase will work very similar to noise cancelling headphones, bass will disappear and volume will reduce significantly. Check the connections of your speakers. If you ran new wires, make sure that they are correctly wired from source to speaker.

Baffle/Damping Issue: You mentioned that you had to use some custom technique to get your speakers to house in their locations. If the speakers are in phase and have no bass, you are suffering a wave baffle cancellation. Simply put, think of a gallon jug (one used for ice cream, but empty), if you take off the lid and smack it, it will make a noise, but the noise will be at a much higher pitch, and much lower volume than if you put the lid on the jug and smack it with the same force. The lid forms a sealed enclosure on the jug. Home speakers work the same way, most of the time, the major difference between a $200/pr of home speakers and a $500/pr of the same size is the enclosure tuning and materials.

Several products are available, but I suggest you find an adapter plate for your speakers and consider some of the baffle products available. There is a decent foam baffle that can be installed and fits the available space behind the speaker easily.

Generally, if you make sure that the seal is complete (no leaks or areas where the speaker can vibrate the surrounding material) it will improve the sound, creating an "infinite baffle."

Let me know if this helps. (Getting closer on a definitive answer to my speaker quest to see if MBQuart 7" speakers will fit in the car)

harlequin1971

front 6.75 with 1 inch tweeter in upper door area....
rear 6.75 in by the windows....
the gls/gt 4 door has 6x9's in the rear deck

Thanks!

That was what I thought. Every online car audio expert site has a different answer. Sadly, Crutchfield was the most accurate, but I am not a fan of their products.

I sent in an inquiry on the MBQuarts, they are listed as 7" separates (front) and 7" coaxs (rear) but they fronts show a E-Z rating for installation, so same should be true in back. If so, I should have new speakers within a week or two.

I am gonna have to spend the bucks for the install though, I am not as limber as I once was, and no garage in AZ heat means installing in 105 degree sunny days - no thanks. Let the insured pros do it, I say. I have cut enough knuckles and re-run enough speaker wire to last me a lifetime.

Why can't the OEM world get with it? I appreciate the cost-saving efforts, but junk is junk for me, and sound counts. I listen to most of my music in the car, it matters what the music sounds like.

harlequin1971

the system in the Hyundai sounded better than the system in my '95 BMW did before I junked the whole thing and went Sony ES/ADS aftermarket.

Drove my GT up to Sedona this weekend, mileage jumped into the 30s, the car was very comfy during the 2-hour ride, and I was appreciating the cool AC.

Every day, I am appreciating my GT a little more. It is a slow courtship though, as my ex (the BMW) is still lingering in the wings with a sad look on it's face and a "For Sale" sign in the window.

Enjoy the ride.

kaz6

The speakers I have don't have much of a bass response by nature. I don't think I've seen any 6.5" with significant bass. The speakers on demo at the store sound exactly the same as mine do. The OEM rear speakers have marginally more bass but no mid range and poor high end. Oh well. I still don't understand why the rears' volume isn't as great as the front set. The rear set doesn't have any distortion at peak volume, btw. They just don't seem to have the umph that the front set does. I think the biggest hinderance to the system is a lack of a midrange control. My ECHO's system sounded about the same without the midrange control in effect.
Thanks for the info at any rate.

gt_fan

Harlequin1971,

I hear you on having to watch your Bimmer sit with a For Sale sign. My beloved (but fatally expensive and unreliable) Audi Quattro gave me baleful expressions every time I walked by it in the garage for two months. I really am much happier with my GT though.

The only thing I really miss is the Audi's "let's go big guy" attitude toward Autobahn-class speeds. It really wasn't happy on the interstate at anything under 90 mph. The GT is perfectly capable of running at 100+ mph speeds, but doesn't seem to beg for them. Oh well, It'll probably save me some big-time speeding tickets!

compensate

Pioneer makes an oversized 6.75" 3-way speaker that I installed to replace the dull OEM rear speakers. I can't remember the model number. It's the only after market speaker I could find that fit. I also used some of that anti-vibration mat around the edges, which seems to help boost the low-end response of the speakers a little.

The only drawback is that the OEM front speakers are so darned efficient compared to the Pioneers in the rear. So, I keep my fader setting adjusted toward the rear speakers and it sounds pretty good now!

I have a powered Bazooka sub (from YEARS ago) in my closet that I will try to install in the hatch myself, when I get some time! I also plan to install my 12-year-old Alpine AM/FM/CD head unit (also in storage) one day in the future to improve sound quality a bit (bass and treble controls on the Alpine are centered at better frequencies than the standard 100 and 10,000 Hz settings that most head units use).

lngtonge18

The OEM stereo's amplifier may simply be too weak to power the more powerful rear speakers to the same volume as the front without increasing the volume further (if you still have the original speakers in the front). Higher quality speakers require more power to run them to the same volume. Of course, like harlequin suggested, you may have the positive and negative wire switched. I made that mistake when changing the rear speakers on my Aerio. When I had the wires switched, the speakers sounded a bit muffled. After fixing the wires, the speakers sounded much louder and clearer.

lngtonge18

Hyundai is improving their stereo systems. Just check out the Tiburon GT's kick butt stereo! Now that thing is a serious system. It plays so loud, so crisp, and has such good bass that it feels like I'm sitting in a club or at a concert. Even Edmunds rated it very highly. The rather basic stereos in the Elantra and Accent still trump the horribly weak and tinny stereos in the Civic. In 2000, my Accent put out 35 Wx4 whereas the Civic put out 15 Wx4. I believe Honda has since moved up to 25 Wx4, but they still can't match even the most basic stereo from Hyundai.

th003g

the stereo in the tibby GT was tuned by infinity (with a y) it has separates and a sub in back... i think its an 8 inch....
I spent about 800-1000 on my stereo sytem (didnt install myself) and learned a lot in the process...the reason fronts are more powerful than rears usually is because quality stereos have a front biased soundstage.... the idea is to make it feel like the singer and the band is in front of you not behind you...the rear speakers are used for what is called "rear fill"
before i went whole hog with my system I had replaced the headunit with an aiwa CDC-mp3... (matched blue dash)... it had 50x4 max power but rms is 15-20wx4 sounded better with more power to speakers... then i went with the kicker RS6 fronts powered by a 100x2 rms wattage kenwood amp running off the kenwood headunit (x659)... ahhh... volume....but then I wanted to even it out a bit and added the kenwood rears and switcht to a kenwood 50x4 rms amp... fronts died down in volume a bit but tuning the amp correctly I can still get crisp clear LOUD sound from the kickers at a volume setting of 10 ( goes up to 50)
midrange speakers are exactly what they are called ... midrange... they are not supposed to handle bass... just the central frequencies... no highs and lows.... thats why I got the basslink..10" DVC sub (100w RMS).... to have the correct frequencies sent ot the right components my headunit and speakers all have crossovers that filter out frequencies above or below the setting I use...
hte stock headunit runs about 100 total watts max but is in actuality 10-15wx4 rms

harlequin1971

makes a big difference as well. Most door speakers (7" and smaller) are truly mid-range, but can extend down to 50-60 hertz, that is a fairly long wave to reproduce (from top of wave to bottom, it likely stretches the expanse of your car from side to side). Most traditional music played on accoustic style instruments range in the 80-18k range, with notes below 120hz being quite rare. Some classical music will use large kettle drums (or the infamous canon from the 1812 Overture) that can produce soundwaves in the 20-40 hz range.

If you like electronic music - jazz fusion, electronica, rap/hip hop, and most of the pop music made today - you are going to see sounds that can go down to 20 hz. Small speakers can smack these waves out, but not very well, and while they are trying, they will draw a great deal of power and often distort other notes while playing. You media also plays a role, a tape often doesn't even have the capability to record sounds below 40hz or above 16k. CDs can record from 5-20k, but most players play the 20-20k range. Radios broadcast in a limited range as well, though I forget the cut offs.

When you hear that deep bass thump from a car stereo (the kind that rattles windows), it is likely to have most of its amplitude in the 100-250hz range.

I like the authoritative punch of a sub, plus it takes the stress away from smaller speakers. Did you know that a 20hz wavelength is about the length of your car? (If I remember my training correctly.)

Sorry, I am getting all tweaky.

and yes, Hyundai OEM stereos are decent, better than most at the price, but all car makers have long ignored their option to design a system around the car that will rival home systems. Mostly because most people don't care, or don't care enough.

You should see the lengths that Mark Levinson went through while designing their system for the Lexus SC430. That was one of the only examples I can think of where the audio maker collaborated with the car designers WHILE the car was being designed and were allowed to spec the system out to their tastes...hence, an amazing, albeit expensive, audio system.

Little things would make a big difference. Enclosures for speakers, better placement for sound stage, better damping, thicker cable, OEM radios that came ready to accept aftermarket add-ons (subwoofer being the biggest one, just give us a low frequency, RCA output).

Even after I spent $1800 redoing my BMW system, the sound was only so-so. The biggest two reasons were damping/vibration issues and speaker placement. Putting the midrange speakers at the floor level (in this case, they are in the "kick panels) and then the tweeter all the way up by the rear view mirror does terrible things to imaging. Not to mention that the speakers placed in kick panels collect more dirt and debris than ones placed in doors.

With the hap-hazard way that speakers are "fitted" into modern car design, it proves that good sound continues to be an after-thought. The best system I ever had running in a car was my old Saab. Had 3.5" speakers in the front dash, pointing at the glass (factory location), 5.25" coaxs in the rear deck and a pair of 10" subs in the trunk, facing up.

The speaker locations allowed those small speakers to produce most of the critical sound information at the listener's head level, bouncing off the glass and not buried next to the driver's legs or under the dash. The sub allowed me to cut the low frequencies from the small speakers, keeping them very clean, and the 10" subs were wired in stereo (for a reason) and were tight and responsive, not boomy.

In fact, at volumes that would make you have to shout in the car, you could barely hear the stereo playing outside the car with the windows up. My idea of stealth and quality in car stereo design. All the extra waves were shooting into the sky above the car. I am sure that if you were floating about 20 feet above me, the boom-boom would have been very loud.

harlequin1971

buy bookshelf speakers for your home stereo and then place them on the floor behind the couch? Not if you wanted good sound, but that is what modern car makers are doing with stereo layouts in cars.

I say, bring back a 4" hole on the dash, give me a spot to add a center fill speaker if I want, angle in the rear speakers, and add a sub rather than flashy separates for the front. They look cool, but a sub is a better improvement than separating a coax.

My ideal would be very similar to the old Saab layout. In the meantime, I am not into custom jobs and spending a few grand to custom cut dashboards and run wires of equal lengths to all the speakers, etc.

I will work within the limitations they designed for me...and hope for the best...but the difference between tweaked sound design and a simple quality upgrade can be huge.

Ok, I think I am done geeking out on audio for today.

kaz6

I do the same thing with mine: bias the fader towards the rears.
Ingtonge18: I tested the rear replacement before completing the installation. I left one side with the OEM speaker to compare. The OEM had better bass but very muddy mid and high. The replacement was just the opp. The foam insulation strip I ran on the edge of the cutout for the rear's eliminated any vibration and allows for clear sound at max. volume.
My ECHO had dash mounted tweeters and I really miss the sound quality of the OEM unit in that car!
My seat's leather is breaking in nicely and I've conditioned them about 4 times so far. They seemed very dry when I took delivery a month ago but seem fine now.
Anyone with any comments on the A/C filter re: usage life? The filter looks very substantial and dense...should be good for a year. I'm installing mine next week. My Mom's GLS has it already and love having it!

compensate

Actually, just because a speaker handles more power does not necessarily make it a better quality (or better sounding) speaker.

I prefer efficiency over power handling anyday, which is why my Klipsch Forte home speakers (97db @ 1 watt @ 1 meter) only require a 30-watt per channel amplifier to fill the room with deafening sound!

Pardon me for digressing!

beatles363

wow this board has hit a wall. I guess everything is pretty much covered in the over 3500 messages. Its been raining here a lot in new york, and i love how you can vary the intermittent wiper speed. I haven't driven many cars so i don't know if they all have this, but the feature is so useful. Especially when its barely drizzling, the lowest rate is great, and the highest rate being great for the regular rainfall. Another one of the little things that make me love this car.
The spray for cleaning the windows isn't great though.

5port

On the subject of wipers. Take off those stock blades and put on a set of Bosch Micro Edge blades. Much better than stock. I have them front and rear. 18/20 inch front and 20 inch rear hatch.Yes the variable speed at its slowest setting has been very useful here in NY lately.

gt_fan

Since we're on the subject, over the winter I noticed that the rubber-booted winter blades I had on my GT did a very poor job at highway speeds. I recently installed a new set of Anco blades (I agree on the superiority of the Bosch blades from using them on other cars, but the store didn't have them). The Anco's work just fine at 75-80 mph. Probably it's due to the summer blade's much lower profile not catching as much wind.

At work this week, we had a thunderstorm drop some marble to grape size hail. As I stood at the front door with my coworkers, watching potential doom descending on our cars, they gave me a hard time about how the "cheap Korean sheetmetal" on my Hyundai was going to take a beating. Now these guys drive Porsches, Mercedes, BMW's, even a Ferrari, so I'm used to catching disparaging remarks. But I was proud to see that my GT came through it just fine. No damage at all.

tapointer

Also on the subject of wipers, does anyone know why the Elantra does not have a single wipe or mist feature on the wipers? I don't currently own an Elantra but hope to get a 2004 GT when they come out. This is a very useful feature on the wipers and I use it all the time on my current car. I find this particularly strange since every other hyundai including the Accent has this feature. Every salesperson I've talked to about it is dumbfounded. I sure hope they include this feature on the 2004's.

gotb

Bosch MicroEdge Excel does clean windshield better than OEM although they are kind of expensive ($12 each). I use them on all my cars. Make sure you get Bosch MicroEdge Excel not the regular MicroEdge.

inharmsway

Does anybody know what changes are in store for the 2004 Elantra GT, and when it will be go on sale?
              Niels

compensate

Not sure why the Elantra doesn't have the "single-wipe" feature, but this can easily be bypassed by simply flipping the wiper controller to "on" (intermittent) for a second and back to "off" again. I've done this a few times.

As far as variable speed intermittent wipers go, my Elantra's range of wipe speeds is the best I've seen!

Also, I have enjoyed the performance of Bosch wipers in the winter, spring and fall, but once the summers here in TN hit the upper 90s, they haven't fared so well for me (warping!).

kaz6

Not to beat a subject into the ground, but... I've noticed that the driver's side wiper blade tends to skip once it ends the leftward movement(the near vertical part of the cycle). Has anyone else have this happen? My car is very new so I don't know if the tension needs to be adjusted. I agree about the 'mist' feature. Even my ECHO had it and came in very handy. At least the rear wiper has both interval and regular settings. BTW, my wipers don't skip at all at 80+mph.

pedennison

My driver side wiper blade often skips. The dealer replaced the wiper arm, and I replaced the blade with a Bosch, but the skipping still occurs. I can minimize the skipping if I clean the windshield with window cleaner to remove the dirt, and then with isopropyl alcohol to remove what the window cleaner leaves behind.

jacobi1

The GT symbol on the rear of the car is starting to fade, it was red...now it's more like a pink. I'd like to paint it but am unsure what type of paint to use to brighten it up? any ideas?

Thanks, enjoy the ride.

kaz6

The best, and cheapest, thing to use is nail polish.

jacobi1

Nail Polish??? seriously??? won't that chip and fade quickly???

gpagpa

I too have noticed the poor job of the oem wipers. With the Bosch Micro Edge, are you changing the insert (rubber blade itself) or the cartridge that connects to the arm? The rear wipers does a decent job, but don't notice it that much since I rarely use the rear.

gpagpa

After doing some reading on changing oil, I think I make take the plunge and change the oil myself for my next interval. I was interested in the Fumoto valve (how has this worked out for everyone) and had a question regarding the crushable washer. How often do you change the washer since you won't be taking off the valve itself, but rather turning the lever. And where do you get the washers. Regarding the oil filters, are you going with the Hyundai brand and can you only get them from the dealership?

thanks

gpagpa

In order to change the oil, is it better with jack stands or ramps? How do jack stands work anyway and how many do you need? Is it 2 jack stands on one side of the car and none on the other or do you need to use 4 stands in each corner? With the ramps, do you just drive up the ramp and work with the front of the car elevated? I guess since the drain plug is on the back of the oil pan, gravity would aid in the cars slant and the oil would flow backward to drain.

thansk

kaz6

Nail polish works well. Some even tell you to go over small scratches with clear coat of polish to camoflauge and protect. Just go easy with the coating. I might color mine a darker red as my car is dark blue and the "GT" tag looks faded already.

tomkimbene

After doing my own oil changes for 20 years, I've finally got the system down. Here's how to do it. First, take a drive somewhere to warm up the oil well. Skip the ramps. It's pretty scary driving your car up those things, and sometimes the ramp shoots out when your half-way. Get a hydraulic jack and two jack stands. Definitely use a Fumoto valve. The one with a nipple works best -- get a 10" plastic tube at a hardware store to connect to the nipple and drain the oil right into a gallon jug. No need to worry about the crushable washer business; that only comes into play if you're removing the drain plug. The Fumoto comes with a soft gasket that takes the place of the crushable washer...and again, you'll never remove the Fumoto once it's install. After draining the oil, remove the small plastic covering under the car just below the oil filter. A little oil may spill out when you remove the filter, so be prepared. Some people put a plastic sandwich bag around the filter when removing it, catching the oil as the filter comes off. Use a pair of disposable latex gloves to keep your hands clean and to avoid burning them with hot oil. One more trick, about changing the oil -- wrap old newspaper around your arm with tape before starting. That way, if your arm touches the exhaust or if hot oil hits your arm, you won't be burned. With the Elantra oil filter placement and the Fumoto valve, the newspaper trick isn't really necessary, but it's not a bad idea. Have some oil dry (looks like cat litter) handy in case you spill a couple drops of oil.

harlequin1971

I have my first oil change coming in a few weeks. Dealer offered me a free oil change at 1750 miles. Just curious, if I provided them with the Fumito valve, would they install it for me? I am not a mechanical guy (better with wires and electronics) and would be very upset if I screwed up something.

Where do I get the fumito and are there different sizes?

car report: hit 1000 miles this weekend, car is averaging 32 miles with AC on and freeway driving, about 25 in the city. Phoenix heat wave has us plastered with 102-109 days for the last 14. The AC comes in good, much better than my last car, but can just barely overcome the heat of the sun beating down.

Still wishing that they would offer the GT in white or a cream metallic (like they use for the Sonata).

The rear gear is not a problem, was concerned with it's engagement, but it has just been a learning adjustment, not a fault of the car. I haven't had it slip since that first week.

Last gripe, trying to find some seat covers, but having issues with the side air bags. Anyone suggest a good seat cover that can protect my seats and not heat up so much, black leather under AZ sun is not a great mix.

Planning to spend some bonding time with Chianti this weekend, a nice wash and wax.

5port

Purchase Fumoto valve here:

<http://www.fumotovalve.com>

   I have the valve without the nipple. My drain pan is tall so there is no problem. If you use a short drain pan buy the valve with a nipple and connect a hose. Click this link and scroll down for pictures:

<http://www.gwebworks.com/elantra_gt/garage.shtml>

jrs333

I'm thinking of adding on the HDK spoiler for the GT. Have any members added the spoiler? How much was the labor (assuming you had a body shop or the dealership put it on)? This would by my only aftermarket addition to the GT besides a JVC KD-SX990 MP3/CD player (which is great on road trips...10 hrs of music on one disc :-). I'd really appreciate any info/opinion on the spoiler and the cost. Thanks!

5port

I have no exp with the spoiler from HDK. However HDK has a very bad rep as far as delivery. You will be lucky to get anything at all from them and you can forget about customer service!

jrs333

Thanks for the input 5sport! This is the first I've heard about bad service from HDK. What were the details of your experience (if you don't mind me asking)? Regardless, I'll do some searching & see if there are any other sources for this spoiler.

bri70

I do not know if this has been mentioned here before, if so I apologize. But the review of the 2003 Elantra by the above website is the best I have seen. The guy loved the Elantra, and without qualification called it among the best in its class.

http://www.newcartestdrive.com/review-intro.cfm?ReviewID=1301

revka

because it was not within our Town Hall guidelines. Please be aware that vehicle ads are not allowed in our discussions. For the sake of continuity, another message in direct response to this post was also deleted.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions about our policies. Please do not address this matter with me here. And now back to the subject of the Hyundai Elantra GT. Thanks!

Revka
Host
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gtovrit

Hey folks, it was no big deal, let's not let it put a chill on this board. Post on!

kaz6

Just installed a/c filter last week. Highly recommended for any allergy sufferers out there!
My in-town mileage is hovering around 23mpg right now. Love my GT!

donl68

Anyone have more details on this filter? Where can you get one and where does it go? Thanks!

5port

<http://www.gwebworks.com/elantra_gt/garage2.shtml>

kaz6

You may find it easier to just squeeze the glovebox sides to let the bin swing down past the bump stops. The elastic tether on the right side of the bin is easily removed for this. With the bin down past the bump stops, the a/c filter housing is easily reached. I believe this same procedure is stated in the owner's manual.
Also, do not push the filter element in too hard. The only rigid side of it is the front part (plastic) so if you push too hard it starts to fold up like an accordian. As long as the front of the element is flush with the housing, it should be fine.
Great pics, btw 5port!

compensate

Well, I had a most unpleasant experience when I took my Elantra to a local dealership to see if I could get my bumper repainted. I mentioned in an early post that the paint on my bumper was forming small bubbles, then "smearing" in the wind when driving, and finally breaking and chipping off.

First, the service person said that the paint job is not covered by the 60,000 miles bumper-to-bumper warranty and that it was limited to 36,000 miles. Since my car has 44,000 miles, the paint job would normally not be covered. He then asked how long this had been happening. I told him that the paint had been doing this for several months, but I hadn't had the time to come it since I work 55+ hours a week.

He then told me that he would have to speak with his "regional rep" to see if he would be willing to extend the warranty to cover my paint problem.

The next day, he said that his "regional rep" had looked at the car and said he thought the paint issue was due to road debris, even though he could see the paint bubble around the chips in the paint and refused to cover it.

So, I now get to drive my Elantra around with an ugly bumper! Great advertising for Hyundai paint quality, huh?

I guess I am most upset with the fact that they considered extending the warranty and then some "regional rep" somehow decided I was lying about how the paint was chipping. Insulted me in the extreme!

This experience has made me wonder if I ever want to buy another Hyundai in the future.

tmant

Took my first GT test drive the other day, and it seemed nice. I was a little turned off however at how dirty the cars on the lot were and the fact that the battery was dead on the car I looked at.

I noticed something that was not on the GLS I test drove a while back. The windshield on this GT had the window tint on the top band along with the dotted area above the rearview mirror. Is this new or for GT's only?

harlequin1971

that would have me wondering about your dealer, not so much the car itself. If possible, I would try another dealership.

I have now had my GT for a month and I truly like this car as much as any car I have had. It has such a nice blend of "luxury" features in a utilitarian package that I feel like I snuck away with a steal of a car! I like the way the car drives and looks and it feels very solid.

Not sure about the window tint, but someone here is bound to know.

Good luck.

lngtonge18

While I feel your frustration over the refusal to fix your paint, I do see their point. The paint is clearly only warranted for 3 year/36k and the dealer has no say in extending that warranty. That is why he said he would speak with the regional rep over the problem and see what he thought. It is ultimately the regional rep's decision, just like in lemon cases and other out of warranty repairs. The dealer didn't make you a promise, so you shouldn't be too pissed. At 44k, you are way over the paint warranty so it was a shot in the dark at best, especially since you waited so long to report it and front bumper blemishes are the toughest to prove since they bear the brunt of damage from road debris. I doubt the regional rep thought you were lying; rather, he probably felt the damage was too hard to determine to be a paint defect since you waited till after the warranty was up to complain about it. Again, I feel your anger, but don't let it cloud your thoughts about Hyundai in general. You could just pay the $200-300 to get it repainted and it will look brand new. I know its the principle, but still, $300 isn't too bad.

p.s. If it's any consolation, my sister encountered a multitude of problems with her 00 Honda Odyssey and had to deal with a jerk regional rep too. The dealer knew her by first name and agreed the car had way too many problems but it was the regional rep's decision to claim it a lemon. She had to fight him for a year (he went so far as to state she was imagining noises and never returned her calls) before Honda finally agreed to buy it back. The difference was, her car was actually under warranty. If they play hard ball that much while under warranty, I can imagine how tight they are out of warranty.