Hyundai Elantra 5-door

dbwells

I just got back from checking out the new '04 GTs, and having my 2002 GT to compare to, I noted the following things (some already mentioned by others)

1. The leather is lighter/perforated and the dash looks darker (might be psychological). I thought it looked equally nice compared to the '02, and the perforated leather would be very nice for us extra-sweaty types.

2. The dome light had moved! It is now BEHIND the moonroof (where it ought to be), and it appeared that there were still map lights up front, though I could not tell for certain in the short time I was looking.

3. The front looks basically like the '04 GLS, with two exceptions: 1) as someone else mentioned, the trim around the grill is black (not chrome) to match the black body mouldings. 2) the addition of fog lights, which are small and round, and have a cool 'crystal ball' look to them.

4. Cobalt blue is back! For those who don't know, all the blue GT pictures on the Hyundai website are wrong, as they actually show a color which (until now) was only available on the '01.5 model year (the first one); the real color available was a much darker Carbon Blue (see the Tiburon pics for the difference). I am not sure if this brighter blue will replace the darker/purplish Carbon blue which was available on the 02-03s, though I am guessing it will.

That's all for now, I will try to snag some pics soon and post them.

DW

bundy4

Looks like I'm about to purchase for my very first new car the 2004 Elantra Hatchback 5 speed manual Gls . As a new commer to the Hyundai market, I have seen nothing but good reviews. In Oz the purchase price is $18,990 and on road $21,467. I would really appreciate comments if anyone has purchased this new model. By this time next week I'll hopefully be a new proud owner and an active member of your group.

Sylvia

We hope to see you back and hear about your new Elantra.

littlegtbuyer

Hi folks !

I'm interested in buying a 2003 5door hatchback. So as everyone else is doing I'm looking at edmunds and other sites for pricing information, before emailing the dealers.

Problem is Edmunds only list prices for the 2003 4door hatchback, NOT the 5door hatchback. But I know everyone is using Edmunds to get info to buy a 5 door. What's going on ? Where am I going wrong ? Can someone show me the link URL for tmv 2003 gt 5 dr pricing ?

THANKS !

aznmonty

the 4 door hatch is your 5 door hatch. so the price you see is the price you pay for a HATCH. Its all in the perception. I dont consider the hatch a door, but others do. Hope that answers your question. The 4 dr hatch price is NOT the sedan version of the GT. The 4 dr Hatch is the 5 dr Hatch GT.

donl68

Hello All,

FYI

I just got a recall notice from Hyundai regarding the brake lines. The notice is for 2001-2003 Elantras and also 2002-2003 Tiburons. The notice says that the repair should take a half a day.

Also, I finally got the pillar tape issue fixed, the dealer I went to did not replace the tape they painted it. It looks tons better.

gtovrit

Did your dealer offer to repaint instead of replace the tape, or did you have to make a big deal of it? My service manager claims there is no TSB on this, and is going to replace the tape for the second time.

jpryba

Yes, there is a TSB out on this. You can get to it by going to http://www.hmaservice.com/webtech/iindex.asp?id=394889753 (print it out and take it to the dealership -- I wonder what the service manager will say then!).

As I've said before on these boards, mine was painted instead of replaced. It looks pretty good even after about 6 months, and you can't really tell it's different than the rest of the vinyl trim unless you are looking at it in certain lighting conditions.

gtovrit

Thanks, but what I was wondering was if there is a TSB that calls for repainting instead of replacing the vinyl. This TSB is just for replacement. The service dept has already done this once, and I can't see this being the last time it will need it in the next four years, either. Let's face it, black contact paper is no substitute for paint. Hyundai should save themselves a lot of customer dissatisfaction and repaint, and stop using this inferior trim on their new models.

bundy4

Hopefully I'll have the new model Elantra Hatch this week in the Gold colour if anyone would like me to take a pic and post the new model let me know..

donl68

The dealer painted instead of taping it without me having to ask. They did have to paint it twice because they did a horrible job of it the first time but repainting was the way they fixed it. It looks nice now. Maybe you could try another dealer in the area, they might be painting instead of taping.

mpjl

I recently purchased an Elantra GT (automatic) and was thinking of buying a pop-up, also known as a folding tent(1,200-1,300 lbs) can this be towed by the Elantra? Does the Elantra even have a towing capacity listed? Any advice would be appreciated. mpjl

jimbeaumi

Towing info is in your owner's manual.

kaz6

My dealer in LA is also replacing tape instead of painting. I have a loaner for the time being-two days. The dealer called to say that the replacement vinyl was damaged so they have to get another. My loaner is a Mitsu Lancer. Aside from a very roomy back seat, I'd take the Elantra over it any day!

orlicki

Greetings all-- I'm considering purchasing a new car, and am tempted by the high rebate offers on the Mazda Protege 5. If I choose not to go with that, I will likely pursue an Elantra Hatchback in the spring. Any thoughts or suggestions from current Elantra ownders? I think the costs are fairly similar now for an '04 Elantra vs. '03 Pro5. Thanks.

backy

Since the costs are about the same, my advice is take them both for a long test drive over all types of roads (include some curvy and bumpy ones) and decide based on which one you (and any other drivers) like driving the best. They are both fine cars, with similar resale (although I think the Elantra may have a slight edge there being a new '04 while the Pro5 is a '03, and in its last model year). The Elantra has the edge in warranty, the Pro5 in predicted reliability. The Pro5 has sharper handling, while the Elantra has a bit smoother ride, plus more features (leather etc.). Ultimately I think it comes down to which one puts a bigger smile on your face.

blackandblue

We have a 2001 and a half GT and a 2003 Mazda Protege. The GT has more goddies but I enjoy driving the Mazda more (handling is excellant). The GT has a longer warranty but I've used it a few times already. The Mazda has a 4 year bumper to bumper warranty plus roadside, which is still longer that most. Over-all I think the Mazda has better overall quality. Priced at invoice with $2500 rebate made it an easy choice.

csandste

Not as sporty but having drove both find the Elantra better as an every day driver. If I could wait, I'd probably go for the new 3 which looks to be one real car!

gtovrit

Has anyone else received a recall notice regarding brake lines on the Tiburon and Elantra? I got mine two days ago, and thought for sure someone else would have posted by now. I just want to see if the work really is done in one half day, like they said. For those who haven't seen it, it concerns the rear brake lines rubbing against something (I don't have the notice here with me) and they have to reroute and lubricate the rub spot.

ellandry

gtovrit I had mine done and it took less than 30 mins to do. All they are doing is moving the brake line to another area to make sure that it does not get puctured or rubbed on.

steven39

mike, i just returned from the south fla auto show which is being held at the miami beach convention center and runs for about 10 days from today which is 11-7-03 through the 17th.anyway, i seen the exact car that you are looking for in the hyndai display area its a 04 gt, black with the options you were looking for.iam not sure what dealership the display cars are from but iam sure they are from a local dealership in the area. being that you live in sunrise that should not be a problem.and the 04 gt now comes standard with a kenwood stereo system which sounded really sweet while i was listening to it in the display area. if i were you i would go down there and see if you can maybe swing a deal on that car, as well as check out the other cars on display at the show. steve

kaz6

Just spent the day driving 3 friends around in my GT...covered 230 miles and averaged 28.0 in congested highway travel. They were amazed at the comfort and level of trim-couldn't believe that the car lists for 15k!!

backy

Just saw that Kiplinger's magazine named the GT hatchback their "best in class" for vehicles under $17,000.

gtovrit

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kentavos

I also had mine done recently and it was quick. They're just moving it slightly and reclamping it.

On another note. Has anyone had any issue with the car vibrating slightly at 70 mph? Also, I think I need the rotors turned, because it's shaking a little when I brake. These seems early to me (16,700 miles) for this type of maintenance. Will the warranty cover this?

Oh yeah, not to take away from the Fumoto drain valve, but I've been using the SureDrain valve since the Fumoto wasn't readily available. Works like a champ, except I would replace the hose with medical tubing or something.

5port

I got the recall notice and havent had it done yet. Good to know it was quick.

  I had vibration under braking at one time. Before having my rotors turned (which I think most people are too quick to do) I swapped wheels front to back and it was gone. Since changed tires and it never returned.

  It would be pretty hard to take anything away from the Fumoto valve. If you ever held one in your hand you'd see what I mean (quality). On something as important as that I dont scrimp. I wont buy anything made by Fram.

beatles363

hi all, i live in new york and as the weather has gotten cold, when i start the car in the morning, i hear rattling from the engine when i hit the gas. Its a very low rattling. The rattling goes away when the engine warms up. I usually let the engine idle for about 5-10 min before going. Do i have anything to worry about?
thanks

5port

Rattling on a cold engine could be anything from a loose heatshield to a loose belt. I would take the car to the dealer. They may have to keep the car overnight to duplicate the problem.

   5-10 minutes is a long time to idle a car. I live on LI and I idle about 1 minute then I'm off to work keeping the RPM below 3500 till the car warms-up.

wantapassatnow

I have been considering getting a 2004 Sonata LX, but I can't get the Elantra GT 5-door hatchback out of my head! I test-drove both of them, and I did prefer the ride of the Elantra better; the Sonata seemed a bit slow and loud. However, the Elantra seemed a bit "young" for me -- I prefer the elegance of sedans -- and quite frankly the color choice of the Elantra sucks. Still, the Elantra's price is, of course, a lot more attractive to me than the Sonata, though they both seem like a great value. I like that both have leather seats.

Can anyone give me the pros and cons to getting the Elantra GT hatchback vs. the Sonata LX? Things like insurance prices, maintenance, fuel economy, etc.? BTW, I do mostly city driving (short hops to and from work). Also, I am not at all interested in the Elantra 4-door sedan. Thanks!

backy

Or is that Pepsi? Anyway, I think you nailed it as far as major pros and cons: the GT will be a lot more fun to drive than the Sonata. A few other plusses for the GT are a better sound system (in the '04 GT), lower price, better fuel economy (especially with a 5-speed), and maybe the biggest one: versatility of the hatchback. You may not think you need it now, but just wait until you want haul some STUFF and see how handy the hatchback is. Ask your insurance agent to compare rates. Maintenance should be pretty close. Plusses for the Sonata are that it has a softer ride (if you really like that) so it might be a better long-distance highway cruiser, it has a CD/cassette (got any old tapes to play?), and seating in the back for three will be a lot more comfortable than the Elantra. But c'mon--you know you really want that GT! A red one!

wantapassatnow

LOL! Not sure about the red ... Black or silver maybe!

Thanks for your input. You know, I *do* have old cassette tapes ... TONS! I am a child of the '80s, and the fact that the Sonata has a tape deck is a big plus for me! But with my current Mitsu Galant, I've lived w/o a tape deck for 4 years, so I could live w/o it longer. I'm going this weekend to test both cars again, this time bringing two family members whose opinions on things couldn't be more opposite. Can't wait to see what *they* think! Happy Thanksgiving!

backy

Keep in mind, if the lack of a tape deck turns out to be a showstopper for you, that the Elantra has a "double DIN" sized slot of which only 1/2 is filled by the factory stereo. There's room to slip in the CD/cassette unit that's used in the Sonata (and available from dealers, but kind of pricey I think) or an aftermarket CD/cassette unit. Now, this was true on the '01-'03 Elantras but I don't recall now if the '04s have the same configuration for the stereo (meaning there is an open box below the stereo).

themanx

I think both cars are good choices.. depending on your driving styles and preference, the car you like most should be the one you get.

The GT is a kicking little car with a price and warranty you cannot beat.

The Sonata is a midsize sedan with a great ride and killer warranty to boot, but at a higher price
than the GT.

Let us know what you decide!

ElantraStan

kaz6

Before I bought my GT I was a little concerned that the cargo volume was much lower than other cars I shopped; Matrix in particular. Having just moved apt's I can attest to the attributes of the GT's cargo bay! The biggest advantage is the LENGTH of the cargo area with the seats folded down flat! I'm sure that the Matrix has bigger volume but the length of its cargo bay pales in comparison. The cargo space behind the rear seats when upright is also very impressive! Much more than the Protege 5. I love my GT!

csandste

why not get one? Personally I'd like to have a hatch (I drive a GLS sedan), but if Hyundai hadn't found out that some GT drivers want a sedan they would never have put one out.

wantapassatnow

I assume your post was in response to my question? If so, the reason I don't want an Elantra sedan and prefer the hatchback is all superficial: It's the LOOK. IMO, the Elantra sedan has nothing to distinguish itself from the rest of the cars out there. OTOH, the Elantra hatchback is really cute and different, and the Sonata is a refreshing change from the sedan look that is so prevalent these days. The only sedan it bears a resemblance to is a Jag, IMO! So this is the reason I am choosing between these two cars and have ruled out the Elantra sedan. Thanks for your input!

backy

The other sedan the Sonata resembles strongly is IMO the Sable, especially from the A-pillar back. I suspect Ford tried to make the Sable Jag-like also, as Hyundai did with the Sonata. As for the GT, many people think it looks a lot like the Saab 9-3 five-door.

wantapassatnow

Backy, I agree with you that the GT hatchback looks like a Saab. That's what caught my eye in the first place!

Well, today my family went with me to test both cars. They overwhelmingly preferred the Sonata LX to the Elantra GT hatchback. And now that I've seen and driven both again, so do I. Thanks to everyone for sharing your information. See you in the Sonata forum!

southpawboston

Has anyone had any experience with Mirak Hyundai service? I need to bring my '02 GT in for it's first round of warranty issues and would like to try them out since they're the closest to where i live. Any other recommendations? How good is Clay Hyundai?

Thanks!

ellandry

well when I bought my 03 Elantra GLS I just got them to throw in a 6 cd disc changer in the trunk for free so now I have tape cassette/radio and CD. the pioneer they sprung for in the trunk sound great also.

mpgman

If you do a lot of city driving you may also do a lot of city parking where the drivers in front and in back of you parallel park by sound. If that's the case the Elantra GT's black bumper insert could make the difference between several paint scuffs on the bumper or none at all or at the worst, less. New car bumpers look great in the showroom only, unless you always garage the car and never come into contact with anything. This might sound trivial since you can add some rub strips to any bumper but the triviality ends with the first scuff.

nodule

I presently lease a 2001 Nissan Sentra GXE which
will be ending this February, and im now debating
if I should just buy the car or turn it in and buy
a new car this time.

Well, the other day I visited my local Hyundai
dealer to test drive a new 2004 Elantra GLS. I
was very impressed with the ride comfort of this
car as opposed to my Sentra. The ride is much
more smoother due to the fully independent suspension.

But I just cant get past that thought of buy a
Hyundai. When I told friends I was considering
a Hyundai they looked at me with utter disappointment, saying I will be sorry.

I just dont know about the long term reliability
of Hyundai at this point. I mean think about it.
Who has a 100,000 mile plus Hyundai Elantra that
runs perfectly on this forum?? Please come forward
and tell us! please!
The price and warranty is just too good to be true. You never get something for nothing in this
world. Somewhere, Hyundai is cutting major corners
to keep the price so low.
So again, my question is how many 100,000 + mile
Hyundai Elantras are on the road that are running
flawlessly. Thats the question we have to ask
ourselves here.
We all know there are thousands of Civic and Corollas running flawlessly at 100,000 + miles!!

backy

We all know there are thousands of Civic and Corollas running flawlessly at 100,000 + miles!!

Maybe so, since both cars have been selling for over a quarter of a century and recently at a rate of over 500,000 per year combined just in the U.S. So of those many millions of Civics and Corollas, I guess it's fair to say that thousands have been running flawlessly at 100,000 miles.

The Elantra has only been around for about 10 years and in its present generation for 3. They are currently selling in the U.S. at a rate of a little over 100,000 a year. So one thing to keep in mind as you are looking for those flawless samples is that there's a lot fewer cars in the sample size.

I would guess that there aren't many owners of '01+ Elantras who have both driven an an average of 33,000 miles a year, and also follow this board. The other thing to keep in mind is that Hyundai has been steadily improving the quality of its cars over the past few years, and what was once a dismal record for reliability is now quite good (for example, check out how many Hyundai models are recommended by Consumer Reports now and have at least an "Average" predicted reliability from CR). So keep that in mind as you get data from owners of older Elantras.

But getting back to your question... I'm not quite sure why you are comparing the reliability of Elantras to Civics and Corollas, since it seems your choice is to either keep a '01 Sentra or buy a new car, perhaps an Elantra. The '01 Sentra has an "Average" reliability rating from CR--the same as the Elantra. However, should something go wrong with your Sentra, you won't have much if any warranty left to take care of it. You will have the warranty with a new Elantra.

As for what corners Hyundai is cutting to keep prices so low, one way Hyundai has kept prices down is that its labor costs in South Korea are lower than those in places like Japan, the U.S., and Canada--where many of its competitors are built. The other difference is that Hyundai IMO does not have quite as up to date engine technology as Toyota and Honda. For example, it was just in the '04 Elantra that Hyundai introduced VVT technology, several years after Toyota and Honda offered it in its small cars. And Toyota and Honda's engines typically offer better fuel economy than Hyundai's.

For myself, I made exactly this decision three years ago. I decided in the fall of '00 to get rid of my leased '97 Sentra, a nice little car in excellent shape with only 24,000 miles, for the then all-new '01 Elantra. I too found the ride quality to be superior to the Sentra (previous generation), and found the Elantra superior in many other ways such as rear seat room, driver's seat comfort, quietness, and power. I have driven the current-gen Sentra and believe those same benefits hold true. The only major advantage I saw to keeping the Sentra is slightly better fuel economy (comparing my '97 with the 115 hp engine to my 135 hp Elantra), but I don't think the mpg ratings of the current Sentra and Elantra models are much different. I liked the car, and the warranty clinched it for me. So far I've been very pleased with my Elantra, and in three years it's had only one significant problem (O2 sensor failure) which was of course fixed under warranty.

Hope this helps a little. Good luck with your decision!

jimbeaumi

Here's the update: the latest survey from CR shows the Elantra improving to "above average" and the Sentra dropping to "below average".

Nodule, your friends are like many other people who don't understand how very far Hyundai has come over the years. "Quantum leap" improvement might be a good way to state it. I was a very skeptical shopper in 2001, had only owned domestic cars, grew up in Detroit and still remembered very well how awful the first years were for Hyundai products. Then I did the research, which is exactly what you are doing and what your friends have not. Show them how smart you are. Backy enjoys his Hyundai, I am thrilled with mine, and most owners on these threads are happy as well. Keep us posted!

nodule

Backy...You presented a very strong agruement for
the Elantra GLS. Thank You. I do, however, have several questions for you, if I may....

1. Do you feel that the new 2004 Elantra GLS is
   a significant improvement and a move that gets
   it even closer to Honda/Toyota reliability?

2. With the new VVT engine, do you feel its
    pulling close to Honda/Toyota refinement?

3. Im a healthy, athletic 40 yo man, and I have
    to be honest, around here in Central NJ, I
    ONLY see elderly man an women driving this
    vechile. I would be curious to know the ages
    of the folks here who are Elantra owners.
    
     Im wondering your thoughts on this...

4. If heard one of the reasons pricing is so
     low is because Hyundai uses cheap low end
     sheet metal for the body of car which dents
     every easy and also, the paint is off low
     quality. If that indeed is the case, well,
     there ya go...those are two areas where they
     are cutting corners to maintain the low
     price.

5. Im also wondering about the long term life
     of internal components, such as water pump,
     alternator, front end suspension parts...are
     they of lesser quality than Honda/Toyota.

Thanks!

ceyan

Just curious, since I see so many people buying GTs, are the leather seats heated? If not, is there something new with the leather that makes it worthwhile to overlook the non-heated seats?

nodule

Do you know if the wind noise/weatherstripping
problem has been resolved with the 04's?

I think im going to go back this Friday and
do an extended test drive.

southpawboston

nodule,

i bought an '02 GT. while i agree with backy and others on this forum about the "quantum leaps" in quality that hyundai has demonstrated, i have to agree with your point #4. the sheet metal is thin compared with the sheet metal of the elantra's competitors, and i see many new elantras (and also accents) with a disproportionate number of dents/dings. i worry that pressing too hard on the body panels will distort them. and i and others have also noticed that the paint is very fragile. it takes almost nothing to scratch the paint. whether this will have any long-term effects on the appearance of the car is a good question. i hope to be able to enjoy my GT's appearance for some years, but i suspect i will have to be careful with this car.

on the plus side, i have not noticed rust on any recent (<10 year old) hyundai, so at least i don't think we have to worry about them becoming rust buckets prematurely.

nodule

Thanks for the information!

Well, if that indeed is true regarding soft, thin
sheet metal which dents and scrathes easily, and
no improvements were made to the 04's, than I would have to say that the 04 Eltantra GLS would
be out of the question for me.
Maybe I will still go to the dealer Friday for the
test drive and ask the saleman if I can intentionally dent the fenders...(yeah right).

My 2001 Sentra GXE in Ice Cappucino color is perfect, body wise...not
 a single dent or scratch
and perfect paint. And this is a car that is NOT
garage kept, sitting in a condo parking lot!

Hey Backy, what are your thoughts? Does your
Elantra have soft sheet metal and scratch easy??

aznmonty

Paint...it looks good. and since its exposed to the elements all the time, may need maintenance. Better go and get maaco. Paint is not that big of a deal since you can always have it repainted for not too much $$$.

Leather seats...think about it, whats the point? You get into your car in the winter and what do you expect? It takes a while for the seats to heat up. By that time, your bum would have warmed it up already. I believe heated seats come with the 04.

With the GT, you are not comparing it with a Civic or Corolla. GT is distinct in its styling to european cars.

Sheet metal is not too bad. My friends climbed on my hood and trunk. no damage.

I dont believe that Hyundai "cuts corners". They have a lower margin return per car because they believe that a lower price would mean greater sales.

Toyotas and Hondas are overrated. If you look at realiability in recent years, Hyundai is up there with those two.

Proud Hyundai Elantra GT 03 owner. 17,500 miles and counting...Always get complements from people who experience the ride in my GT for the first time. Smooth and quiet. Youthful appeal.