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Comments
I bought a 03 GT, 5-spd.
The ABS only comes with the sunroof package (IIRC) but the sunroof doesn't automatically include the ABS.
In the end, I settled for a Chianti Red 5-spd & sunroof, w/o ABS because the locator didn't identify any 5-spd with a better set of options.
Good luck. You may be hunting for the proverbial needle in a haystack. That car was a tough find when they were new, let alone finding someone selling their prized acquisition.
good luck.
Invoice on the '04 GT with automatic and package 8 is about $16k. Less the $2000 in rebates is $14k. Since this will be a rare car, anything under $14k would be a really good deal IMO. Your GT might fetch $7000-8000 for a trade, that is a wild guess based on what dealers have offered on my '01 GLS 5-speed with half the miles of your GT. Good news is that your car should be desirable since it's rare, in mint condition, and still has warranty left. Edmunds.com's TMV and KBB will give you some idea of trade-in value, but I've found they overestimate trade-in value.
If you lived in Orlando or other areas of Florida hit by Charley, you could really get a deal right now. I saw an ad in the Orlando paper yesterday for a new GLS automatic for $7900. But you would need to be in the military, a recent college graduate, a Hyundai owner, and be replacing a car that suffered damage from Charley.
Before you order front rotors, call and make sure that the rotor screw holes are OFFSET from the lug holes. The actual screw holes should be a little left off dead center between the lug holes. The ones I ordered were dead center and did not line-up with the screw holes.
Back to the drawing board . . .
Funny thing happened tonight as DW and I were walking to the GT. We saw a '04 Prius in exactly the color I had ordered before I decided my current finances were better suited to the GT. I pointed it out to her and she said, "Eeew, what an ugly car! A jellybean car!" Then I said, "Um, that's the Prius we almost bought." "Oh!" she recovered, "it's not so bad." Yeah, right. I am now even more glad that I didn't spend the extra $10k on the Prius--although I happen to like how it looks. My DW likes zipping around in her Rally Red GT--and I do, too, whenever I get the chance to get behind the wheel.
GT is pushing 17,000 miles and you will
probably be bored for a long time. The
only thing that's gone wrong was the hood
release coming loose.
And my wife absolutely won't drive my car for fear of getting it dinged!
I noticed the Focus seemed to hunt for the right gear ratio on upgrades. I haven't noticed that on the GT.
The problem with the Focus' driving postition is that the driver's seat isn't as adjustable as in the Elantra. The front of the seat cushion is not high enough for my liking at its lowest setting. As you raise the seat cushion, the rear of the cushion tilts up relative to the front, making it even worse for me. Seats like the Elantra's with dual seat height ajustments make it easier to find a comfortable seating position. The telescoping wheel on the Focus helps a little, but didn't resolve the problem. But the Focus is better in this regard than, say, the Corolla.
I guess I'm easy; I just cranked my seat all the way down the day I bought it, and haven't had to touch it since...
I like to feel the backsides of my knees to be cushioned while I drive. That's why I like the Elantra GT.
It's amazing how few cars on the market in the lower price range have truly comfortable seating positions.
better gearing on 5spd (driving out of a corner in 2nd gear at 10-14 mph should be more lively, since this is what we all need to do all the time)
better mpg - some are getting good mileage, but it seems to vary from car to car too widely. I don't think I should lose 4mpg just because I am running the AC, might improve with better power.
auto-closing sunroof. I barely use mine, since I got too accustomed to my BMW that had an auto-closing unit, shut off the car and it should close...or be able to use the reserve power just like the windows.
aux plug-in for stereo - people have iPods and other music devices, let us have an aux plug-in for the stereo - why everyone isn't doing this is beyond me...
color-coordinated guages - might have fixed in 04, but having a purple-lit main cluster makes the green clock and radio displays look out of place...all or nothing, either the GT gets a full upgrade and matching displays, or leave it alone and don't change the main cluster at all.
better sway bar - anyone who cares is switching out the provided bar with one from Tibbie - make that one the standard...the car flexes and wallows through turns a little too much.
i'll post more if I can think of any...
Short shifter for sure, they don't have to
use a kit, they can make it that way for nothing.
Remote fob with starter, where you only have to have the key in the car and push a button.
Looser leather on the seats, although I know
tight perforated leather is the trend now.
Better remote to avoid inadvertently sending signal to lock doors
Hard plastic left foot rest
Same color lighting for clock and radio
Better visibility from narrower rear pillars
Brighter interior dome light
Flash to pass turn signals
Extended driver seat track
Better remote to avoid inadvertently sending signal to lock doors - '04 has different remote; I haven't accidently locked the doors with it yet.
Hard plastic left foot rest - you mean instead of the rubberized one? I actually like it just fine.
Same color lighting for clock and radio
Better visibility from narrower rear pillars - but not if that would reduce crash/rollover protection!
Brighter interior dome light - for the front, use the map lights + dome light.
Flash to pass turn signals - has it ('04 does anyway)
Extended driver seat track - the track was extended in '02--do you mean even longer?
DURING AN INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (IIHS) OFFSET FRONTAL BARRIER IMPACT TEST ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, FUEL SPILLAGE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF FUEL TANK DAMAGE CAUSED BY CONTACT BETWEEN A VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP EAR AND THE FUEL TANK. THE VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP EAR WAS FOUND TO BE MISPOSITIONED AND FACING TOWARD THE FUEL TANK.
I called the IIHS to ask when the '04 Elantra's test results would be made public, and they said they don't release that information to the public.
Does anybody who has had the upgrade now have second thoughts?
Thanks in advance.
I did the work myself in the driveway with no jack stands. No problem, took about 30 min. There are dealers that will do the install for you. Lia Hyundai in Conn is one.
" Any hints dropped that an upgrade might cause a warranty problem?"
Depends on the dealer. If you have the dealer do the install chances are better that they will honor the warranty.
"Does anybody who has had the upgrade now have second thoughts?"
My concern was similar to yours in the beginning:
1) Will it make the ride harsh?
2) Will it make the handling twitchy esp in rain?
3) Will the tire wear change?
4) Will the car be less safe in general?
I can happily answer no to all of the above. I've had the bar in now for about 1 year. Tire wear has remained the same. Handling has been much better (less lean in rear). Car feels just as safe as it always has. Ride has not suffered. I wouldnt go back to the OEM bar if they paid me. As a bonus the GT feels more stable in strong crosswinds. Great mod.
For 2005, Hyundai has no introduced 3 sedans and 3 hatchbacks. The top of the line hatchback is still called a GT, and now comes with an MP3 player, ABS and traction control, but is no longer available with leather or sunroof.
It's 19,495 for a 5 speed. You can also get a VE hatchback, minus the alloys, leather steering wheel/shifter, fogs and ABS/traction & trip computer - $17,765. You could even get a base GL 5 door with a/c for $16,395.
In the sedan, the upgrade this year is the SE. It's a sedan with a sunroof, ABS, trip computer, fogs, alloys, leather wheel and shifter, disc brakes - $19,495.
Adding a GLS style hatchback is a nice addition. There are a few people that wanted the hatch but not the GT package.
I never did understand why Hyundai will not give the Canadians the same warranty coverage as the USA.
7 year 120000 KM On powertrain
5 year 100000 KM comprehensive
8 Year 130000 KM emissions
5 year 100000 KM basic emissions
5 year Unlimited KM anit perforation
5 year 100000 KM roadside assistance
On the inside, there was another pleasant surprise. Instead of the rather boring cloth interior from the GLS sedan, there is a two-tone grey cloth interior that I guess one could describe as a "sport cloth" because it's not the velour but a woven cloth, like what you might find in the Mazda3s but I think better looking than the black/blue or black/red in the Mazda3s. The center armrest is covered in the lighter grey cloth, which looks sharp (also comfortable). Otherwise the interior looks the same as the GT, but with cloth inserts on the doors (which I think looks sharper than the vinyl on the GT). I expect the GLS doesn't have the sport gauges from the GT, but I didn't drive it so I don't know. And of course the GLS doesn't have the MP3 stereo.
The car on the lot was Rally Red, the same color as the GT I bought in March. If the GLS had been available in March, I'm sure I would have gone that route because it would have the same driving performance as the GT for a lot less money. Plus I prefer cloth interiors. I think the new GLS 5-door is the best deal out there today in a 5-door hatchback. Consider the Spectra5 (which I also saw today for the first time) starts at $15.5k. The Elantra GLS starts at just over $14k and has a $1000 rebate right now. That's a $2400 difference. The Spectra5 has alloys and SACs, but I don't need alloys (they just get nicked up, as on my GT) and the SACs don't seem to help the Spectra5's crash test ratings compared to the Elantra. I drove an Aveo 5-door today that was priced the same as the Elantra GLS 5-door, and while the Aveo had a moonroof it didn't have the performance, driving comfort, or features of the Elantra.
BTW... I guess this entire post is off-topic. :-( Where are we supposed to post messages regarding the GLS 5-door? Maybe we could resolve the potential confusion by renaming this discussion "Hyundai Elantra 5-door", otherwise we'd need a separate discussion for the GLS 5-door and that would be too much fragmentation IMO.
The main reason I like the black trim stips is that all they need is a little Armor All or the like to shine them up, whereas the painted side trim and bumpers continually get nicks in the paint from parking lot mishaps etc. Plus the black trim looks more "European" I think.
About the gt vs the gls 5-door. Backy you said they had the same performance, but I think the gt like we have is equipped with a more sporty suspension. That was one of the reasons we bought the gt. Harder springs for tongue weight support on our trailer.
Niels
The GT steering is 3 turns lock to lock vs 4 turns for the GLS.
The GT steering rack is half-hard mounted to the fire wall for more feel (one-half of the mount is rubber and one half metal...all rubber for the GLS).
The GT shocks are a different gas composition than the GLS shocks.
I wonder if any of this has changed?
* Sport Tuned Power Rack and Pinion Steering
* Independent MacPherson Struts Front Suspension With Offset Coil Springs, Gas Filled Shock Absorbers and Sport Ride Type
* Independent Multi-Link Rear Suspension With Trailing Arm, Offset Coil Springs, Gas Filled Shock Absorbers and Sport Ride Type
* Front Power 258-mm Ventilated Disc and Rear Power 257-mm Solid Disc Brakes
Backy, the top of my page says "Hyundai Elantra 5-door (Hatchbacks Board).
"What is this discussion about? Hyundai Elantra, Hatchback, Sedan"
I’m in the market for a new car. I haven’t bought a new current-year car in a long time. I’m considering the ’05 Elantra GLS hatchback. I drove one about a week ago and was impressed with its power, the comfortable, quiet cabin and amenities, and, of course, the low price and long warranty.
I’m surprised, though, to hear people on this board say that the ’05 GLS 5-door has the same suspension as the GT. I wonder if what people have read or heard about the GLS suspension is correct. I haven't driven a GT, but I found the suspension on the GLS 5-door rather floaty. I’m willing to live with that, if I have to, given everything else the car has going for it.
Before I started reading this board, I was thinking that I’d prefer the performance and handling of a GT, but couldn’t see buying a car with spoilers and leather seats. I’d pay extra, if necessary, to have cloth and no spoiler. (Just my personal preference.)
In the discussions here people have mentioned getting various kinds of work done on their Elantras at other places besides their Hyundai dealer’s. Doesn’t this in some cases invalidate the warranty? Also, if you need specifically Elantra parts, don’t you have to have the work done by a Hyundai dealer? How does the warranty work, anyway?
I live about 200 miles from the nearest Hyundai dealer. Not only would it be extremely inconvenient to have to make 400-mile roundtrips for service, but what happens if a problem with the car makes it impossible to drive it 200 miles?
Someone mentioned having to have a clutch replaced at their own expense, even though their GT was still under warranty. I don’t get it. If the clutch isn’t covered under the warranty, what is?
Finally, I think some people were saying that the poor offset crash-test results for the Elantra are out-of-date and/or that there’s been another offset test, but the public doesn’t know the results yet? If the IIHS or whoever doesn’t release the results to the public, then surely someone else will “leak” the results on their behalf, so to speak.
I hope this wasn’t too many questions for one post—warranty, suspension, crash-test results.
Deciding what car to get is a lot of work, but fun. Thanks for any help.
-- John (200 miles from the nearest real city)