Hyundai Elantra 5-door

blackoutdotcom

Well, I tried to buy a Hyundai GT today for my sister.. and they started playing with the numbers agin. Can anyone show me a char where it will tel you what approximate beacon score gets what rate? For instance, If I have a 648 beacon or Fico score, what kind of a loan rate am I going to be looking at?

lngtonge18

That depends on the amount of down payment, but a 648 beacon score will in general net you between 9-13% interest. The more money put down, the lower the interest rate.

kaz6

Still waiting for the dealer to get the vinly trim for the door frame in. I wonder if they have anyone at the dealership that has the skill to replace it without bubbles, wrinkles, etc. After this go around, if the trim still looks bad or starts to peel again, I'm going to look into having the door frames painted. While the warranty covers the cost or replacement, it is a major inconvenience. I've also noticed that there is some plastic film coming out from under the rear spoiler(opp. side from first occurence). The last time I removed the spoiler, I noticed that the film was unevenly removed at assembly. It just needs some polish or rubbing compound to remove the gunk.
At almost 10k miles, I am very pleased overall with my GT! I love the seats for long trips; the ride is very supple and well controlled for the price range; my mpg has improved slightly to 22mpg in town from 19mpg when new.
No regrets!

blackoutdotcom

Can anyone tell me what insurance rates they are paying on their Hyundai Elantra GTs? I am getting ridiculously high quotes because they say it had poor crash tests? My sister bought a 2003 GT and she's 26 with no driving problems or tickets ever and the best rate she could get was almost $1000 every six months! $2000 a year seems damn high for a little car she paid $12,500 for!

Is there somewhere else to look for rates.

I am going to be in trouble because I have had insurance gaps and I just let it go because I wasn't even driving my truck for a long while. Good god what insane rate am I going to get hit with. I'm 30 with no points or tickets.

- Michael

revka

blackoutdotcom - Your insurance rates will be affected by number of factors including your state requirements, lender requirements (if you're taking out a loan), age, sex, and the individual line items (i.e., limits/deductible amounts) on your policy. So what others are paying here will not necessarily apply to your situation given all the different variables.

Not to mention, most insurance companies have their own prescribed package, which may be above/beyond what your state and lender requires; and these extras can jack up the costs. Keep in mind insurance agents are also salespeople.

It's important to understand that you are not required to purchase anything beyond what your state requires, or what you bank requires if you are taking out an auto loan. I'm not saying I recommend the minimum requirements, but perhaps take a little time to read some of the articles in our Insurance Section and familiarize yourself on the subject, before making any decisions.

In particular check out "10 steps to Buying Auto Insurance." and "How to save money on insurance." Others here may have more to add on the subject. Good luck, and please keep us posted. ;-)

Revka
Host of Hatchbacks & Wagons

backy

I pay about $400 every six months on my '01 GLS with Farmers--and the GLS has the same crash test scores as the GT (actually, to my knowledge the GT has never been crash-tested). But I'm in my 40s, that may have something to do with it.

backy

I finally saw a '04 GT hatchback today, in sterling. I was disappointed. It's the same front end as the GLS but with the band at the top of the grille blacked out instead of chromed, and of course with fog lamps. In the rear, there's the same circle motif in the lamps as on the GLS, but it's pretty much the same rear end. Inside there's the new dash (black), but the leather seemed a much lighter shade of grey than before--really lightened up the interior.

harlequin1971

I was again reminded how much I like this car!

I went to MN for a wedding, rented a car...long story short, they put me into a Mitsu Eclipse Spyder, V6. It was a nice looking car, naturally, but it drove very sloppy and although it had a decent V6, it didn't feel peppy as much as it felt "driven" into making power.

After four days of driving a sloppy, unresponsive, and lethargic automatic Spyder, I was pleased to jump into my Elantra and gun the gas. It may not be the most connected car on the road (BMW still owns that category) but for the price, it is a great car.

Even though I have become less impressed with the dash treatment over time, I still think it is a better treatment than the Eclipse. Only thing I missed today was the steering wheel radio controls...found myself reaching behind the handles for the volume and fast forward buttons. Three things my Elantra is missing that makes me still yearn for a luxury ride: steering wheel stereo controls, power seats, and a perforated air-cooled seating system like Saab has.

All in all, I liked the Eclipse, but was happy to be back into my Elantra GT...and I would never buy the Spyder.

ras4151

I just took possession of a 2004 GT automatic on tuesday. I had wanted to wait for a car with package 8(anti-lock brakes and moonroof) but who knows when one would be available. Instead I got package 7(moonroof). I couldn't be happier. The quality of the car makes you feel like you spent $25,000-30,000. It comes with a Kenwood stereo with MP3 player as standard equipment.The car has plenty of power and rides and handles great.They even put a sunglass compartment overhead which you couldn't get in a 2003 with the moonroof. Out the door I paid $17,731. I think I got my moneys worth.

aznmonty

Just hearing about the kenwood stereo made my mouth water bigtime!!! Did they put a dome light for the rear seats and a brigther trunk? Tell me of the other new amenities available on the 04 ras4151...

revka

I believe you're the first 04 GT owner in this discussion! We look forward to hearing more.... ;-)

Happy motoring!

Revka
Host of Hatchbacks & Wagons

mpgman

My left front bulb blew out on my 01 GT with 36,000 miles. The dealer replaced it under warranty, no quetions asked. I noticed that a few of you either paid the dealer for this or are doing it on your own. I'd ask the dealer about it. Some cars have shorts in the system that blow the bulbs long before their life should be over.

gtovrit

Oops, first major problem with my 2002 GT. I came home the other day and saw a big oil puddle in the driveway where I park. Turned out to be trans fluid. It had leaked overnight, but I didn't notice it until I got home the next day. I didn't drive it that day, called the dealer and I will take it in tomorrow. I checked the fluid level tonight, and it is low enough to not register on the dipstick. Checking the book, it says to use Hyundai trans fluid, or something called SPIII. I went to the parts store, and their computer doesn't list an alternative fluid, which means I have to call the service dept. tomorrow morning and find out if it is some Hyundai specific stuff or if I can use Dexron III. I won't drive it to the dealer that low, and I don't want to drive over there to pick up a quart, come back, put it in the GT, and then go in, so if there is no aftermarket fluid that is acceptable, I guess Hyundai will have to have it towed to the service dept. Makes me glad for the Hyundai warranty, anyway. Stay tuned...

dbwells

Hi all,

Well, I haven't been in here much in the past year or so since purchasing my 2002 GT, but I saw my first 2004s yesterday and grabbed a few pics for your enjoyment. Sorry, these are all of the GLS, but I spotted a GT on my way out and it looked nearly identical to these in the front, and nearly identical to the 2001-3 in the back. Here they are:

http://www.artisence.com/2004elantra1_sized.jpg
http://www.artisence.com/2004elantra2_sized.jpg
http://www.artisence.com/2004elantra3_sized.jpg
http://www.artisence.com/2004elantra4_sized.jpg

If my opinion counts for anything, I think the GLS is improved in looks, but the GT is about the same, better in some ways, worse in others. I always liked the GT's pointed grill far more than the GLS's straight one. Also, the cars seem to be looking more like their Kia counterparts, which also has its ups and downs.

DW

inharmsway

ras4151
I hope you will be happy with your new GT. Could you please do me a favor. Look in your owners manual under trailer towing, and see if the towing capacity for the 2004 still is 1874 lbs. with trailer brakes like the earlier models, and if there are any other restrictions.
Thank you,
Niels

gtovrit

Got my car back this morning-I had to call and ask if it was fixed, they don't call me to let me know. They replaced both transaxle seals and refilled with magic Hyundai juice. The vinyl door pillar trim is on order. Seemed to drive normally in the four miles back to work.

lenka12

We bought 3 days ago

Elantra GT 2003
- Automatic Transmission
- Power Moonroof w/Sunshade
--------------------------------
MSRP Price was: $16,689
Rebate was : -1,500
So we paid : $14,000

jimbeaumi

I recognize those pics from the supplemental Fox lot in GR -- who doesn't recognize the ever-empty perpetual computer store?

I've gotten good service from Fox. Have you?

ras4151

Inharmsway There is no change for the towing capacity. Still 1874lbs.After only having my car for just 6 days, yesterday on the parkway I had a meeting with a seagull. He didn't make it but it cracked my lower valance and loosened up the right fog light. I guess I got that first damage out of the way a little sooner than I expected. Besides that the car has been fantastic.So far with 1 tankful of gas and a lot of stop and go driving I have gotten 20.5 mpg.Hopefully it will only go up.

dbwells

Good eye, man!

As for your questions about Fox, if you are actually talking about the service department, yes, most of the guys there are pretty nice. If you are talking about sales, I haven't had much luck. I bought my Accent in K-Zoo, and I actually drove all the way to Chicago to buy my GT since it was about $1600 less than Fox's "best" price. Liars.

inharmsway

Thanks ras4151
Sorry about the seagull kamikaze.

Niels

jacobi1

I'm not sure but I may be the only one that is reaching 100,000 on their GT? Overall, I'm not sure quite how to feel about the car. I've had no major problems except for a steering column issue that took a few trips to the dealer to fix/figure out. However, I've had a million small problems. Mainly these problems have been cosmetic, like the paint problems (doors not aligned, inner door trim chipped and paint just chips too easily!!!) and the vinyl trim on the door has been replaced twice and needs done again!??. Inside the moulding around the trunk came off, it was reglued without a problem. I do have tons of rattles and sounds in the car, I expected some but not as many as I've enountered. Lights, 2 headlight bulbs replaced and both turn signals replaced as well (I've seen a million posts about bulbs burning out). Aluminum wheels, they tarished over the winter to the point I had to have them redone as they looked terrible (wheels make the car in my books).

Well, I guess it runs ok???...certainly not as nice as it was when I first bought it 15 months ago. I'm probably one of the few that has realy put this car to the test (true Canadian winter and 100,000kms). I'll guess I'll say I'm not really that pleased with it...I'll remember the saying "you get what you pay for" when I purchase my next vehicle. I'm sure Hyundai has improved upon the GT for 2004, I hope so...for any buyers sake.

have a good one, enjoy the drive...

blackoutdotcom

Well I just saw and drove the 2004 GT hatch and I have to say that there are some good and bad things. I don't know how I feel about the change in the front... my sister just bought a black 2003 with a moonroof so I took a close look at hers, as I am probably getting a black 2004 with the moonroof. From the pictures I had seen on hyundais site and on other elantra GT fan club forums, the car had looked cooler as it had the rear spoiler from the sedan. I was upset when I went to the dealer and the 2004 hatchback still had the stupid cheapo looking lip that the 03s have. No biggie though I can always add a spoiler. I was also upset that they lightened up the color of the interior leather, I really liked the dark grey almost blackish look of the 03 GTs, the 04s are a very light grey, however the leather did feel to be of higher quality than the 03s and the seats and feel in general was beefier and more solid feeling than the 03s. The dash of the 04 also looked cooler as it went darker, almost black. I wish they would have kept the leather seats the same color as the dash!!!!! Dumb move hyundai! Other than that, I like the new light design they look cool but I didn't mind the old ones either, and the best change is the cool kenwood cd/mp3 player with a very cool color cycling detachable face. As your driving around listening to music it cycles through the full color spectrum which is pretty neat at night. I didn't have a CD with me so I can't tell you how good the stock stereo is, but I am probabaly spoiled because I had a custom system in my last car.

All in all a very good car still, but it could be perfect if they changed a few things. I was able to find one for 14,200 ($15,800 out the door) with the moonroof option (manual tranny) but I am still considering getting a 2003 for about $12,000....there are a few left and they will make good deals on them is the 04 worth $2200 more? That is what I am deciding tonight and tommorow.

Hope this post helped some of you out.

- Michael

http://blackout.com

kentavos

ras4151, please enlighten us about the interior light situation. You had mentioned a sunglass holder, which is great, but did they add rear dome lamps for the back seat and more lights for the rear hatch? This was always one of my bigger complaints.

BTW as an update. I have a 2002 with 14,500 miles on it. I drove it across country (CA-MS) two months ago and was thrilled by its performance.

My father actually drove back with me and he was impressed as well by its handling, pep, gas mileage (we were getting 27-28mpg with cruise) and overall comfort level. I always like to talk about how it's such a great car and when you add in the price (14,000 out the door with 0 down and the moonroof, manual) it makes it an incredible car.

I've began changing the oil with synethic oil hoping it will add to the life of the car. After 14,000 miles the only thing it needs is an alignment and balance. I'm hoping the warranty will cover that.

This car rocks.

blackoutdotcom

I am extatic! After following these boards and other sites about the Elantra GT for over 7 months, I finally got a brand new 2004 Elantra GT Hatchback, stick, black, and with a moonroof and the new Kenwood audio system, for $14,200! About $15,600 out the door. My payments are $287 a month which is not bad at all for this amazing car. The car was the only 2004 GT delivered to the dealership and it was all shrinkwrapped. i got to pull the shrinkwrap off! Yeah! Talk about NEW!

All in all I have to say that in comparing the 2003 to the 2004, the 2004 does appear to have thicker leather and a slightly more solid build quality. I have heard many people complain of little rattles and squeaks in their 2002s and 03s, and my sisters 2003 does have a couple tiny little ones but my 2004 so far (I've only had it a day,) is quiet as a mouse and it drives excellent!

It has been very hard for me to restrain and keep it under 4000 rpms and under 60 mph for the first couple thousand engine break in miles. I did test out it's speed just for a little bit and got it up to over 95 mph on the highway and it was whisper smooth and quite! I didn't even feel I was going that fast. I guess the roundish style of the hatchback really does do something for low wind resistance. Of course, I am coming from driving a little Isuzu pickup for over 7 years which sounds like there is a windstorm when you're driving 70 on the highway, and the rpms of my truck were very high so then you had engine noise, all together you were lucky if you could hear the cd player and on a roadtrip it became tiring. I feel like I'm in a damn mercedes in this little Hyundai, it's absolutely great and another plus is that it appears that NO ONE in Ft Lauderdale has this car. I have driven all over the place and maybe in several months time seen one or two other ones. People already have been asking me, "what kind of car is that? I've never seen one of those."

A great, great, and unique car for an incredibly good price. The only downside I have encountered so far is the overpriced insurance rates but hopefully after 6 months I will renegotiate for a lower rate. I wasn't going to buy a new car because I had my Isuzu pickup truck (payed off with no payments) which I new would run for ever and having no payments is nice, but this car was so impressive and such a value that it called to me, I fell in love with it, and I took the plunge and am very happy with it. I am an actor/singer/writer/director/producer all around creative artist so I travel alot and am always toting around different production equipment, and I have to say the hatch has an amazing amount of space! You open up and are like "wow, where the hell did all that space come from in this little car?!"

My friends are jealous, they want one too.

Awesome car.

- Blackout

http://blackout.com

compensate

Some of you may remember that I was having paint problems with my front bumper, where the paint would form bubbles, then start peeling off. Here is an update.

I scheduled a follow-up meeting with the Regional Rep at a local dealer (Franklin, TN near Nashville). When I showed he and the Service Manager the paint in detail, they reached the conclusion that the buumper had been repainted. The Service Manager even showed me what appeared to be a tape mark under one headlight as well as some paint overspray in front of the radiator.

I told them that I had bought the car new and I had never had it painted. They seemed a bit nervous when I said that and said I could probably get it repainted for not too much money and they might be willing to see if they can recommend a place that will do the job for less money.

I told them that I was upset that I would be sold a new car with a repainted bumper that wasn't disclosed to me when I purchased the car. They really didn't comment on it.

I called the Hyundai North America Customer Service Center and described the conversation. I was told that the Regional Reps decisiob was final and that they could log my complaint, but that was about all they could do.

What I would like to know is if there is any legal action I can take because I was sold a car that may (or may not) have been repainted and this fact was not disclosed at the time of purchase? All I want is for the dealership that sold me the car (Hallmark Hyundai, Madison, TN) to pay for a repaint on my bumper.

Of course, I wonder if I should get a professional assessment from a body shop first to make sure they reach the same conclusion.

Any comments/suggestions?

Thanks!!!!

PS - 53,000 miles so far. . .

backy

Sounds like a matter for the dealership's owner to me.

iggie45

I have never purchased a Hyundai before and am interested in the 2004 Elantra GT. I read it's getting VVT this year. I live in PA an am wondering if the acceleration is going to be affected by this. It's a nice car and a lot for the money. I've read it's fairly quick but am concerned about the VVT affecting that. Can someone shed some light on this?

revka

We look forward to hearing more details about your ownership experience. Please keep us posted.... Happy motoring!

Revka
Host of Hatchbacks & Wagons

iggie45

I have never purchased a Hyundai before and am interested in the 2004 Elantra GT. I read it's getting VVT this year. I live in PA an am wondering if the acceleration is going to be affected by this. It's a nice car and a lot for the money. I've read it's fairly quick but am concerned about the VVT affecting that. Can someone shed some light on this?

carlisimo

VVT will add a few horses, but probably not enough for you to feel the difference.

ras4151

Sorry Kentavos there is still only one dome light right behind the moonroof. Also there is only one light on the right side under the hatch. One thing they did change is there are now perforated leather seats which gives it a classy look. The Kenwood stereo is only 50 watts but sounds great and having a standard mp3 player makes up for it. One item they don't have on the US model that I saw in photos of the Korean model was rear cupholders. Hope this helped.

backy

There is just a little bump in horsepower with the VVT, up to 138 from 135 with the 5-speed, but down to 132 with the automatic. Maybe ras4151 can tell us if that is any different for the GT, as it was rumored the GT would get a slightly more powerful engine than the GLS. All I've seen are the power ratings on the '04 GLS.

npaladin2000

I can't seem to find a spec page, but from what I heard the VVT engine would come in 2 levels: a ULEV version @ 138 HP and an SULEV 132 HP version for CA and NY.

backy

You are right, the hp diffs are due to the emmissions ratings. I had a momentary brain short-circuit and was thinking of the mpg ratings which vary based on whether its a 5-speed or automatic. The 5-speed's rating went up a little for '04 (34 hwy) while the auto's went down a little (32 hwy).

iggie45

Thank you for the info on the VVT. Does anyone know where I can find some pictures of the exterior/interior of the 2004? They are hard to find on the Net. Dealerships in my area don't even have brochures yet! Please let me know.

aznmonty

I just got back to Chicago from Minnesota. Carried three passengers with me. The ride was wonderful, this is the longest roadtrip i took the GT on. It was a one tank trip, averaging 35mpg while going 75mph. Ride was very comfortable as all my passengers fell asleep 10 minutes into the ride. The hatch provided for an extra passenger when we bumped into some friends in Minneapolis. The person in the hatch said the ride was nice and comfortable...(something to think about when you have more than 5 people in your car...)

Friend from California was totally surprised by the quality of the car. This was someone who was totally against Hyundai, now he wants one...

jimbeaumi

I finally got to take a look at the '04 GT. I am so happy the leather interior is now a lighter shade of grey AND perforated! It looks as if the purple VDO gauges have been axed. Does anyone here know for sure?

revka

iggie45 - Post 3899- Have you tried looking at the Hyundai Motor UK or Japan websites. I remember seeing a couple 04 Elantra pics at the Hyundai Motor UK website a while back. Good luck.

aznmonty - Thanks for the vehicle report!

Revka
Host of Hatchbacks & Wagons

ras4151

Jimbeaumi the VDO gauge lights are still purple and look great. The GT comes withe the SULEV engine which has 132 hp. It's got plenty of power especially mid range. My car is an automatic so I guess the 5 speed will be quicker off the line. It's fine for me. Any other questions I hope I can help.

harlequin1971

I like them alot, but aesthetically, the green lights on the center console clash with the purple and red display of the VDO. How much more would it cost to put purple plastic instead of green into the injection molding equipment? I doubt it would cost any more in material, just require more details for the factories to track during assembly...but if they can swap out the VDO, why not swap out the center console plastics as well...heck, even the stero should be purple or red to match.

To my mind, it is a minor, but valuable, factor of feeling good about a car, that the aesthetic details have been looked over.

lngtonge18

I totally agree with you. The green and purple clash enough to bother my eyes when I drove my friend's 03 GT sedan. The purple isn't as readable as the green, thus causing my eyes to wig out trying to readjust every time I looked between the 2 colors. I think a cool bright blue, like Mitsubishi uses on the Endeavor and 04 Galant, used throughout the interior would be a welcome change.

kaz6

My service advisor told me that the door frame trim will take a couple of days to do properly. They ARE going to provide me with a loaner for the entire period at their expense which is a load off of my mind. The service tech was showing my door to his manager because they have many customers starting to come in with the problem. You would think that Hyundai would've corrected this after the first year? Other than that, everything else is great.

blackoutdotcom

The color problem you are talking about is in the 03. In the 04, the lights are red/indigo and the kenwod stereo system can be set to whatever color you want, or you can just let it cycle through the full specturm. I let it do that because it looks neat but if I lock it on a color it's hot red, deep blue, or purple.

Hot red really looks sharp and goes the best with the other colors in the car dash and the tailights.

- Blackout

http://blackout.com

abcguy28

I just purchased a 2003 Elantra GT Hatchback several weeks ago...waiting for the last few months. For your info, I bought this car based solely on internet research and this forum. (I didn't even test drive my vehicle until after purchase.Yes, not recommended although I felt confident with the warranty.) I have been really happy with the vehicle except I notice that it seems to sound a bit loud in the car when driving on freeway - a lot of road noises. Is this normal? Not sure if this is due to the type of tires or roads in northern California - I drive on regular interstates. Any comments appreciated.

backy

What kind of noise? Tire noise? Wind noise? Engine noise? Other?? I've noticed that the Michelins can be noisy on concrete highways, but crusing on blacktop the car is very quiet (for its class, anyway). Do you have an automatic or stick? I've noticed the automatics seem even quieter than the sticks--maybe because of the lower rpm's on the highway. There's also some wind noise at the A pillar on my car and many other Elantras, for which there's a TSB calling for replacement of the weatherstripping. But I had that done and it didn't make any difference. Still, it's a faint noise and noticeable only because otherwise the car is pretty quiet.

gtovrit

If this is your first hatchback, that mey be the noise you hear. This is mine, and the lack of insulation from sound is due to not having a metal wall between the passenger compartment and the trunk, so the rear wheel noise is more noticeable than in a sedan.

jacobi1

For those of you that have the moonroof, close the shade when driving. You'll notice a huge difference in wind noise.

jacobi1

Hey,
Over the past few months I've had a headlight burnout, then my left turn signals and then just the other day one of my fog lights burnt out? Back when I was reading this forum I noticed a few posts of this issue, any recent updates? experiences?

abcguy28

Thanks to all for your comments. This is my first hatchback and the noise does sound like it is from the rear wheels. I guess this may be due to the insulation. I was previously in a GLS sedan and it didn't sound that loud. Thanks again for all your input.