Hyundai Elantra 5-door

gmarchan

I'm in the market for a used Elantra GT, and just wanted to check something out -- my understanding is that there is no difference between the 2001 and 2002 model years, since the 2001 wasn't introduced until late. Is this true, or are there differences? (Anybody have one they'd like to sell for a good price?)

compensate

Thanks for the info!

Actually, the short version of my story is:

(1) My front bumper paint began bubbling at around 38,000 miles, bubbles would split after a while, and paint would peel off. (I know that official paint warranty is 36,000 miles).

(2) Took it to dealer. Dealer looked at it and said it looked like bad paint due to bubbbling. He added that Hyundai might extend the paint warranty for such an issue as mine. Regional Rep looked at it a few hours later (I had left the car while I went to work) and had dealer call me and say that HE thought it was caused by road deris (what a joke).

(3) Arranged meeeting with Regional Rep about a month or so later. Rep and Service Manager inspected it, had me raise hood, and said it looked like the front bumper had been painted, as they pointed out overspray in engine compartment and a potential paint-tape spot under one headlight. I insisted that I had bought the car as new and had never had any paint work done. Rep said they might be able to find a place I could get it painted cheaper for me. I said I figured Hyundai should cover it if the dealer who sold me the car had sold me a "new" car that had been repaired. I was told by Rep to take it up with the dealer who sold me the car.

(4) Called Hyundai Customer Service where I explained everything and was basically told all they could do was write down my info because the Regional Rep's word was final.

I have since done nothing (my fault) due to being busy (I work 60 hours a week and have family), and didn't feel like dealing with more Hyundai folks (the dealership that sold me the car). I am considering reporting them to my state's consumer affairs office.

Sigh!

I have a 2001 Elantra with a horribly ugly front bumper.

Other than this issue, I do love the car. Just wish Hyundai Rep gave better customer service and not the run around. Guess his area's claim numbers were up or something. Sounds like the Bob Nardelli's "new" Home Depot: focus on numbers and not on the customer. Not a good way to get repeat business. . .

gmarchan

if the dealer sold you a new car that had been repaired (i.e. repainted), and you can prove it, you might be entitled to damages for fraud, depending on your state law. There was a case a few years ago that ended up in the Supreme Court where a guy found his "new" BMW had been repainted to cover up some damage to the finish, he sued, and got $4000 for his actual damages and $4,000,000 for punitive, since BMW apparently did this regularly. the Supreme Court reversed the punitive damages because they weren't "reasonable", but still -- the point is that if it was in fact repainted before being sold to you as new, it might be fraud, and you might be entitled to damages.

just a thought. if you've got a friend who's a lawyer in-state, you might want to run it by them...

backy

Actually there MAY be one very important difference. Early 2001 GTs did not have the sport-tuned suspension. Instead they had the regular suspension from the GLS, and this was reflected on the window sticker, I think by noting "comfort" suspension or something like that. So if you look at a 2001 and you like the firmer handling of the GT's sport suspension, you might check the build date on the car and if it's from early 2001 try to see if the owner kept the window sticker (I do for all my cars purchased new, I'm sure not everyone does). I suppose a Hyundai dealer could tell by inspection if it has the sport suspension (thicker roll bars etc.) too.

compensate

I had thought about that approach, but I am stuck pondering HOW I prove that the dealer had the bumper painted.

I figured it would end up being a battle of my word against the dealership's word, especially if the bumper painting was not recorded by the dealership.

Plus, I really don't have lots of time to deal with a court case. I suppose if Hyundai's Regional Rep is going to make me handle it, I'll simply report the dealer to my State's Consumer Affairs office and simply drive my car with an ugly bumper - I'm sure the Regional Rep doesn't care if my bumper makes people question Hyundai's paint quality, since he left it in my hands. . .

Hope my Regional Rep's claim figures are looking better now. . .

lngtonge18

I just thought I would tell everyone how much Hyundai appears to be concerned with customer service. I've never seen a manufacturer go out of their way as much as Hyundai has to make a dealer follow through on a promise that has nothing to do with Hyundai corporate. Here's the story:

My local dealer promises a $100 birddog fee to a customer if they refer another person to the dealer and they buy a Hyundai from them. Well, I bought an 03 Elantra GT for a friend of mine back in May of 03 (I got $100 after a week of hassle). In November, my boss said he was interested in looking at a Sante Fe for his daughter and asked my opinion on Hyundai. I told him I've been happy with 2 Hyundais and had no problem recommending one to him. I referred him to the local Hyundai dealer where he bought a Sante Fe and my name was mentioned as the person who referred him. I talked to the saleslady during the buying process. I even went down to the dealer in person, provided the info she asked from me, and expressed interest in buying an 04 XG350 from them. I purchased an 03 Diamante instead since I got a better deal. My friend then came into town and the new car bug bit him after seeing my Diamante. He was interested in trying to trade up to a Sante Fe. He drove one (same saleslady) and was going to try to buy it. However, since I was disgusted over how the dealer had bs'ed me for over a month now, while we test drove the Sante Fe, I suggested we stop at Mitsubishi and take a look at what deals they were offering. My friend liked the Endeavor better and tried to give the Sante Fe back to the dealer but the saleslady wouldn't accept it back, telling him to drive it longer. Long story short: my friend traded in his Elantra for an 04 Endeavor. The saleslady was furious when the Mitsu dealer returned the Sante Fe to her. It had been at least 6 weeks since my boss bought a Hyundai from the dealer and the saleslady kept coming up with excuses as to why she couldn't get the money. After knowing I bought a Diamante and my friend bought the Endeavor, she definitely wasn't interested in trying to get me the birddog fee anymore and I was going to let it drop since I was tired of dealing with it. Step in Hyundai....

The Elantra was serviced for the brake recall the same day my friend bought the Endeavor. Hyundai called me to do a survey...:) Well, I said I had no problems with the repair service but I did let her know I liked Hyundais, had bought 3 of them, and because my dealer renigged on their $100 promise, Hyundai lost a sale to Mitsubishi. The survey lady appeared very concerned and interested in my story. Not 2 days later, I received a call from the service manager telling me that he and the OWNER of the dealer had heard from Hyundai about my complaint and they wanted to make things right with me. The service manager even asked me to return his call to his personal cell phone because this matter was so "important" to them. They told me that when I receive the JDPower service survey in the mail, to bring that in to them and they would give me my $100 and fill up the tank on my 03 Tiburon. Yes, a little bribery was involved, but, I gave them what they wanted (a perfect service rating on the survey) and yesterday, I got my $100 and a full tank of gas! So apparently these surveys do matter a lot to the dealer.

Kudos to Hyundai for caring about something that was really a policy of the dealer not Hyundai corporate and putting the fire under their bad dealer to make me happy. If anything, Hyundai increased my faith in their company and their ability to get things accomplished fast.

compensate

Wish I'd had the same experience as you.

Since Hyundai corporate basically told me that my Regional Rep's word was "final" (even though he had changed his assessment and shoved me off on the selling dealership instead of handling it), I am not that impressed with their customer service, especially the fact that Hyundai's policy says that a Regional Rep's word is final. That IS a sad policy, from a customer service standpoint.

I can't even get justice for a lying, manipulative Regional Rep.

Kirstie_H

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backy

That is a great story. I wish Hyundai would respond as quickly and decisively on larger issues. It took two letters from me to HMA's President to finally get a response from someone in customer service. I wrote to ask about Hyundai's plans to rectify the "Poor" score of the '01 Elantra in the IIHS frontal offset crash test. I finally got a call and played phone tag for a few weeks before I talked with a live person. And then he promised to dig into it but never did get back to me with anything of substance, although I called him back a couple of times to check on status. So I am glad you found a sympathetic ear and someone who was not afraid to take action.

kaz6

Just achieved an all-time high in mpg after my trip back to LA from Vegas: 34.5mpg!!! This is with the a/c off and average speeds of 70-80mph, and ambient temp. in the 50's. This matches what my ECHO managed on the same route. Love my GT!

compensate

With my Elantra at almost 60,000 miles, I need to replace the timing belt.

I have found a few different sources for timing belts online, but most them need specific belt specifications (can't order by car type).

I want to try to find a timing belt that is higher quality than OEM, maybe with Kevlar reinforcement. Maybe urethane?

Anyone have any helpful advice on where to find a very high quality timing belt?

And does anyone know the "stats" for the 2001.5 Elantra timing belt? Such things as:

Belt Type (e.g. MXL, XL, HTD3, T5, etc.)
Pitch
Width
Etc.
Etc.

Anyone?

Thanks!

5port

Have you checked out this site:

<http://www.hmaservice.com/webtech>

   It shows the complete timing belt replacement procedure but they never give it a part number. Its an on-line Hyundai shop manual. Select Shop Manual at the top, your car and use the manual on the left.

compensate

Thanks for the link 5port. I had seen that before.

I printed the timing belt documents for a local garage (NON-DEALER) to use.

I did find a pretty inexpensive, OEM, timing belt at importedautoparts.com. Was the cheapest timing belt I could find that was still an OEM part. Cost = $45, including shipping. Dealer wants $70 + sales tax for same OEM belt.

I just hope the current belt holds out until I am able to pay the $175 labor charge for installation. I'm at 60,080 miles right now.

Parts and labor at dealer would have been around $400! And the local garage is highly reputable and honest.

dairyshick

I know this is a little off the topic of the room, but it's the best place for me to go. I have a 2000 Elantra right now, and was just looking to make a minor upgrade by throwing the wheels from an Elantra GT on it. My car rides like crap right now, and I think it's due to the tires on it now being odd shaped, so I figured if I could get a good deal on buying new tires AND wheels, I might as well. So if anyone has a GT that they're upgrading their wheels on, I'd be happy to purchase your stock ones off of you.(with the tires and wheels together.)....I live in northeast PA, just in case distance is a factor. Just post me a message to let me know or email me.....Thank you!

jimijames

wow, $175 for a timing belt seems like a good deal and that importedautoparts.com seems like a good find too.

as for the current belt... I wouldn't worry too much if you can't replace it right away. Nowadays some cars, including California elantras (I have to double check the manual), don't need to replace the belt until 105,000 miles and I don't think the belt is any different vs non-CA cars.

tomkimbene

Jimijames is correct, California Elantras don't have different timing belts. It's simply a case of pro-consumer legislation. Personally, I've always been a bit skeptical of the 60K replacement guideline -- I'd really like to see a statistical study of the incidence of failure at various mileages. Anecdotally, I just don't hear of timing belt failure very often...particularly at less than 100K on the 1st belt. My wife's '95 Mazda has 62K, and my gamble is that it can make it to 80K without a timing belt change. If I'm wrong, I basically write off a car worth $3K (and the attendant risks involved with any complete breakdown). If I'm right, I save $250 - $400. So, if the chance of failure before 80K is less than 8-10%, I've made a good bet. Crazy logic perhaps, but we wouldn't all be driving Elantras if we weren't risk-taking bargain hunters, right?!!

5port

"Crazy logic perhaps, but we wouldn't all be driving Elantras if we weren't risk-taking bargain hunters, right?!! "
-------------------------------

  The days of having to be a risk taking bargain hunter to own a Hyundai are long gone.

jimijames

So californians get to save their money cause the govt mandates it? What a crock! I too am skeptical of the 60,000 mile thing... I think it's more preventative damage control by the manufacturers. Most engines nowadays will bend valves if the timing belt breaks, which will be a very costly repair for the consumer. The less educated consumers will assume a broken belt is a design flaw which will create bad word of mouth for the brand. So the manufactures play it safe and say change the belt at 60k since there's probably a very low chance of a belt breaking before then.

Re your 95 mazda... I'd be more concerned with the age of the belt than the mileage. Over time belts dry out and get more brittle. You could pop off part of the timing belt cover and have a look to better the odds on your bet... good luck!

lngtonge18

I think Hyundai has stuck with the 60k timing belt intervals because previously, they had problems with the timing belt snapping prematurely. The 91-94 Elantras are known for belts that break right around the 60k mark. Even though they improved the design of their belts, I'm sure they are just being cautious in this very important time of increasing the public's awareness of the long lasting quality of their cars. I'm sure the belt can last at least 90k. My mom's 86 Accord didn't get the belt changed until 105k, even though it was supposed to be changed at 60k.

That being said my Mitsu mechanic friend (Mitsu also mandates 60k intervals) mentioned something I didn't think of. He said he likes to change the belt at around 59k. That way, if anything breaks in the process or a leaking oil seal is found, he can fix it under the 60k powertrain warranty.

tomkimbene

"The days of having to be a risk taking bargain hunter to own a Hyundai are long gone"

I agree with you, 5Port. As a 16-month owner of a Hyundai, I am completely convinced that the cars are well-made and reliable.

However, at the time that I bought the car, I had to take a leap of faith that the car wouldn't prove to become a laughingstock like the first Excels. Fortunately, the opposite has become true...Hyundai's are increasingly becoming recognized for their quality on top of their incredible value.

gt_fan

Does anyone know for sure if the Elantra has the kind of engine where the pistons can contact the valves if the belt breaks (ie. "zero clearance")? My mom just had the timing belt break on her '92 Tracer (think "Escort") with no engine damage and my '78 Rabbit survived two breakages.

If there's no risk of engine damage, I'd be inclined to stretch the 60k recommendation too.

Mark

lngtonge18

I'm pretty sure the 2.0 four cylinder is an interference engine design. Meaning, when the belt breaks, the valves get bent.

compensate

Most Hyundai's have interference type engines. The current Elantra is no exception. Timing belt breaks, bye bye engine in most cases (level of damage can vary).

Someone mentioned that the reason for these types of engines is for increased compression, better fuel efficiency.

After reading the posts, I will likely NOT risk a timing belt failure, even if they can last 100,000 miles or so.

On our other car, a 1999 Mazda Protege ES, I had been misinformed on the engine type. A Gates manual said it was an interference engine, but I still let in go to 75,000 miles before having it replaced. When I found out later it was a non-interference valve design, I was a bit upset, but at least now I probably won't have to worry about the timing belt in our Protege until after 160,000 miles or more.

jimbeaumi

Just browsing here ... I understand both viewpoints on Hyundai quality, as I was also a skeptic when I bought mine, even a bit after doing all of my research. After nearly 40K miles I am no longer skeptical. I am enamored.

I like the 59K mile timing belt change idea. Fortunately, we will have the option of remembering this for other maintenance at 99K miles (just before the warranty expires). Smart!

indomie

I have just spent the last several hours catching up on around 600 messages. I bought my 5-speed 2001.5 Chianti GT in April 2002 for a steal and loved it every second I had it. All 24,000 miles.

Well, last weekend my wife swerved to miss a car that was coming down the center of the road in our neighborhood and crashed straight into a tree. Said she was going about 20 mph, but the car was declared a total loss. Her airbag blew and the engine dropped (as it is supposed to do). No injuries to humans, but I have to admit that I felt more than a twinge of sadness as I sat in the car that one last time to clean it out.

So, now I have a decent check from the insurance and almost 3k coming in from taxes (good timing!), and I need to replace the car. I have to admit, I seem to be in a minority that doesn't like the new features of the 2004 over the 2003 -don't like the small foglights, don't like the stick-out A/C buttons, don't like the weird new A/C vents, don't like the new look of the speedometer/tach/etc (instrument panel?). The new radio is nice, though. : )

So, my dilemma is as follows... Is there ANY chance of still finding a 5-sp 2003 GT 5-door? Anywhere???

I live in Jackson, MS, where there has only ever been one GT hatch (now in a junk heap - sniff, sniff). The three dealers w/in 100 miles have no hatchbacks in 2003 or 2004. I have tried searching the net for other dealers, but have had a monumentally difficult time finding them for some reason. Any suggestions??? Should I just give up & get used to the new design features? I would be fine to travel if I could find one, but after almost a week of searching am starting to doubt there are many/any left.

Man, I miss my GT!!! I need a new one! HELP!!

backy

When I was in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago I'm pretty sure I saw ads for 2003 GTs, at very good prices. There seems to be a couple of large Hyundai dealers there, or at least they claim to be. I don't remember the names of the dealers. Maybe someone from that area could comment.

southpawboston

that's a tough predicament you're in. i've got a 2002 hatch and love it, and i share your opinions about the cosmetic changes to the '04 model. have you considered buying a used '02-'03? i got my '02 used and couldn't be happier (but you sacrifice the 10/100k powertrain warranty when you buy used).

however, if you go for the '04 and live with the cosmetic changes, you'll actually benefit from a few small technical improvements. the seat tracks were modified after the '01-'03 models fared less than perfectly during the insurance institute offset safety crash, and the '04 also has the new variable valve timing (VVT) valvetrain, which yields a modest (3hp) increase in power while polluting even less. other changes include minor improvements to things for which there were technical service bulletins issued for the '01-'03s (e.g., problems with door wiring connector corrosion, wind noise due to a faulty door seal, idle stabilization problems caused by a bad throttle position sensor).

so the model is improving technically, but at the cost of some cosmetic changes that some consider to detract fro the car.

i hope this makes your decision a more informed one!

5port

Southpawboston makes some very good points when considering an 03 vs 04. AFAIKT the door wiring connector problem seems to affect people who use the automatic car wash often. The high pressure water easily making its way in.

   For the record I'm not happy with the cosmetic changes either. I'd take that new Kenwood stereo though ;-)

dovid2

When I bought my '04 in late December, Jim Ellis in Atlanta had
a number of the previous models left. You might try Internet
searches of dealer inventories near you.
The '04 does have some nice tweaks, although maybe they were addressed in '03 and I just didn't hear. The funny thing is that
all the things that bother people don't bother me & the radio everybody loves is a pain to me with the tiny dim buttons and the heavily programmed settings. It's all I can do to change the stations
while watching the road.

indomie

Thanks all...

dovid2 - I will check w/ Jim Ellis. I have family in Atlanta, so I could kill two birds with one stone. I finally did a 500-mile radius search from my home zip and found around 100 dealers. E-mailed those who had websites and am waiting to hear from them.

Backy, southpawboston, 5port - I appreciate the tips on the benefits of a 2004 over a 2003. That will help if I end up having to get one. I may go sit in the '04 GT sedan at my local dealership again and see how "horrible" it REALLY is. : )

My coworkers think I'm nuts. They don't see why I would be willing to travel to buy this car. I laugh and tell them that I loved my old one, it is a steal of a deal, and I couldn't be bothered spending the hours and hours to research again when I would probably still come back to the GT.

Keep me posted if you see any in your area! I'm on the prowl...

harlequin1971

I will trade stereos!

I would think they use the same plugs and all.

j/k of course...but I have thought about upgrading the OEM '03 stereo in my GT.

Anyone else having problems with their speakers? Seems like my driver side tweeter buzzs, but not at all volumes and not on all music, just certain songs. Would suggest that their is a resonant tone that is buzzing something else, but when it does it, it definately sounds blown to me.

Disappointing, in that the car is 8 months and only 7k miles old.

compensate

Are you sure the buzzing is coming from the tweeters?

Most of my experience with speaker buzz has been due to a torn mid/woofer cone, but I guess it could be a torn tweeter diaphragm. Should be replaced under warranty.

compensate

After 61,000 miles, my front brakes are getting close to needing to be replaced.

I have been looking at getting some upgraded pads because my rotors are showing signs of needing to be shaved, and I want a front brake pad that will be kind to my rotors.

I am looking at (1) Hawk and (2) EBC Green Stuff pads. Both claim to be easy on rotors.

Anyone have any knowledge of which premium brake pads would be best (without spending a fortune on the pads)?

Thanks!

southpawboston

compensate,

first of all, i commend you on getting 61k miles from your front brakes. it means you know how to drive well and that you don't over-use your brakes!

how can you tell that your rotors are close to needing to be resurfaced? you need a micrometer to measure the width of the rotor, and the difference between "new" and "out of spec" can be as little as a couple of millimeters. all rotors wear with use, even with gentle pads. the rotors are cast iron (usually), and whenever your car is parked, the rotor surface is rusting. each time you drive, your pads polish off the fresh layer of rust. plus, the rotors will accumulate ridges with use, which is more or less normal (maybe that's what you're seeing). therefore, each time you replace your pads, even if your rotors are within spec, they should be resurfaced so that the new pads will seat correctly onto a smooth surface. i wouldn't worry about choosing a brand of pad that will be particularly "gentle" on your rotors. plus, most rotors should be replaced at your second pad replacement anyway, because they usually are not thick enough to withstand being resurfaced twice.

as for switching pads, both hawk and EBC green stuff make excellent pads. the EBC pads are known for not generating lots of brake dust, if that's at all important to you. or you could just choose to go with the original hyundai pads, since they obviously served you well.

hope this helps!

compensate

Thanks for the compliment.

One reason (among many) that I usually buy cars with manual transmissions is because brakes generally last longer. Also, I use a braking method my brother told me about whenever I have to brake quickly from high speeds - I pump the pedal repeatedly (acting like a manual anti-lock system). I also use my parking brake when I have to sit at traffic lights, since the front brakes take the brunt of the wear.

The reason my rotors need to be resurfaced is because I am getting "shimmy" (proper term?) when I brake. This started about 5,000 miles ago. (Side Note: Our 1999 Protege did not need a rotor resurfacing when we replaced the front brakes at about 70,000 miles - no shimmy, fade, etc. -amazing brakes)

fjm1

I've had quite a bit of experience with both the Hawk and EBC pads under autocross conditions. Are you looking for a performance upgrade? If not, then get stock pads. The performance pads you listed will wear quickly, produce more dust than OEM, and cost substantially more.

Under no circumstances should EBC Green be used on the front wheels of a front wheel drive daily commute type vehicle.

My '92 Integra's best braking setup so far (I've tried a few)is OEM pads w/Brembo rotors up front and EBC Greens on stock rotors in back.

I'm looking to trade it in for an Elantra GT (possibly) some time in the near future, that's why I'm lurking here. ;-)

lesm

I was just at a Hyundai dealer in burlington, VT - looking for a 5-dr Elantra GT. Most of them had tags on them, increasing the price by $1500-$2000. I can't remember the exact title - but something to the effect that the car is so popular they're increasing the price - I ran into this 3 years ago with my Santa Fe too. 50 miles down the road at another dealer there were only 2 Elantra GTs on the lot, but they had no sign indicating a higher price. Any info? Thanks!

backy

It's an old trick called "ADM", or "additional dealer markup." Most people just chuckle and let the dealer know they think it's b.s. But just think, if even one buyer falls for it, it will net enough profit to more than pay for the ADM labels on all the cars.

IMO Elantra GTs are not that rare or desirable to warrant this treatment. Otherwise Hyundai wouldn't have to slap rebates on them, would they? Even with cars such as the Toyota Prius that have 6-month waiting lists, most dealers are not charging more than MSRP and some even give discounts. If the dealer persists in this behavior, there are other dealers and other cars (e.g. the Mazda3s 5-door) out there.

lesm

I was just at a Hyundai dealer in burlington, VT - looking for a 5-dr Elantra GT. Most of them had tags on them, increasing the price by $1500-$2000. I can't remember the exact title - but something to the effect that the car is so popular they're increasing the price - I ran into this 3 years ago with my Santa Fe too. 50 miles down the road at another dealer there were only 2 Elantra GTs on the lot, but they had no sign indicating a higher price. Any info? Thanks!

compensate

Thanks! That is excellent information!

Good luck on finding the right Elantra GT - get a slightly used one for a steal (demo maybe?) as their current resale is still pretty low, but won't be low for long!!

southpawboston

finding a late-model used GT is a great way to go. i did that, and couldn't be happier. i got an '02 last year (it was just over a year old based on the manufactured date), with 12k miles, for $10,800 US. it was like new in every way, and i saved over $5k from the orig. sticker price.

just beware, you lose the 10/100 extended warranty when you buy used. you still get the 5/60 bumper to bumper.

good luck!

aznmonty

I took the first step to really changing something on my 03 Cobalt Blue 22k hatch. New stereo...I got a mp3 player and now my dash matches colors.

In response to the tweeter issue on the driver side...i think it is the door paneling that is buzzing for certain songs. I have that issue too. Doesnt bother me too much i suppose...if it was a real problem, then i would have addressed it the day after i bought it 8 months ago. Yup, had the buzzin tweet for a while. I guess i'll send it to be check on for my next oil change.

Harlequin, i am so beating you on miles driven!! When are you going to catch up to me?

jinx1224

I kinda have the same problem, but my tweeter just seems to have some static in it when the volume is adjusted. Had the dealer check it out, but it still does it and now I'm past the 36,000 mile warranty on it. I figured out how to fix myself...... I just CRANK IT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

dairyshick

I'm considering buying an '04 GT and I think I can get a good deal on one, but I have a big concern about the resale/trade-in value for this car. Does anyone have insight into whether this car's resale values will ever improve?.....it seems that even with a good deal on a 60 month loan, I'll have a tough time not losing money when I get rid of it in 2 or 3 years.
   Also, I know that the '04's have the Kenwood MP3 player and 6 speakers standard, but are the speakers still your run of the mill factory throw-ins, or are they actually kenwood speakers as well??

southpawboston

jinx1224, my factory deck made the same static noise throgh the left tweeter when adjusting the volume. i only heard the static as i was moving the volume knob, not when i was just listening at a given volume. this was caused by the voume controller being in need of cleaning. pick up a spray can of "tv tuner cleaner" from your local radio shack. pull the knob off, and spray some cleaner in towards the radio along the shaft. put the knob back on, and turn it left and right a few times. it may take some time for the cleaner to work it's way in. the noise should disapeaar after a few minutes.

hope this helps!

backy

If you want to sell a car after 2-3 years and not lose money (I assume you mean "the car is worth more than the loan payoff" since you'll lose money on any car you buy), Hyundais are not the car for you--yet. Your best bets in a small car if you want high resale value after 2-3 years are the Mini Cooper (maybe the best), Impreza, Golf/Jetta, Civic, Corolla, and ECHO. Hyundai's resale values will increase after they have established a track record for long-term reliability and become more desirable to the general public, so that Hyundai can cut back on the rebates. I think that's a few years off yet.

Be sure though that you do the math and do comparisons in dollars, not percentages. For example, suppose a Golf GLS costs you $18k and a GT costs you $15k (base MSRPs). Suppose the Golf returns 62% of MSRP after 2 years and the GT returns 57% (percentages from Kiplinger's 2003 Car Guide). The Golf will lose $6840 after two years; the GT will lose $6450. So a lot depends on how good a deal you can get upfront on the GT and what your alternatives are.

lngtonge18

The Elantra is not a car you buy new and expect not to lose money on when trading it in after only 2 or 3 years. Keeping it 4 years or more is a different story. If you can't stomach keeping a car longer then 2 years, then the Elantra is definitely not your cup of tea.

dovid2

Cars are just not investments (except classics).
Almost any car is going to be upside-down for
a few years. If you really plan to get rid of it, better to buy an older used car where the depreciation is nil.

andil1

for another Hyundai, you'll probably receive closer to the blue book value than if you try to trade it in on another brand of car. I did pretty well when I traded in a Sonata for my GT.

backy

There's those "loyalty" rebates from Hyundai.