Hyundai Elantra Prices Paid and Buying Experience

themanx

sounds like an awesome deal on your GLS Gfox!

I would not sweat the 160 miles.. it is still a new car sold as new.

Enjoy!

ElantraStan

baber1

Sounds like my car! I got a Silver GLS 5 spd for $10,800 three weeks ago. Mine had package 2 (cruise control) ant the carpets but no net or mud guards.If yours is a package 2 car you got an even better deal then me! I love mine, hope you enjoy yours too!!

granolaj

Can anyone recommend a Hyundai dealer in the San Francisco Bay Area, within a 50-mile radius of Palo Alto? I'd like to buy an Elantra GT w/ABS. A used GT would make my wallet happy, but used GTs seem hard to find.

Thanks!

gfoxbruins

I think your deal just barely beats mine, as my $10,800 Elantra GLS doesn't have cruise control (which is more valuable than the mud guards and cargo net). I did however talk them into giving me 3 free oil changes, so maybe that tips the scale back toward even. At any rate, we both go fairly smokin' deals I think. I'm curious: was it pretty hard for you to talk them down that low, or did they cave right in? I'm assuming your price included the $2000 rebate that was going on last month like I got...

baber1

I didnt mention I got one year free maintanence too. This includes 3 oil changes, tire rotations and inspections etc.This is a promotion the Dealer is running since their grand opening. My 99 Accent was destroyed by a careless driver who blew through a stop sign. This happened on 5/5. I got on the internet on 5/6 on the Hyundai USA site. I built my car online and requested a qoute from the nearest Dealer. The qoute I got the same day by e-mail was $10,400. When I got to the Dealer I just showed them a copy of the e-mail. They tacked on a $399 "handeling" charge that made the car $10,799. This still made the car a great deal so I diddnt haggle any more. This car cost about the same as my 99 Accent automatic did. Now I loved that Accent but the Elantra is so much more car for the money.The dealer didnt have a GLS 5spd in stock so he traded another Dealer for it. They wanted to sell me an automatic on the lot real bad but I wanted the 5spd. He even gave me a new Sonata to drive overnight until I got my car. Got the car the next day on 5/8. This was a good experience. I like using the internet for qoutes since they try to give you a good price, maybe they think computer users are more serious. The price did include the $2000 rebate by the way. That $2000 rebate is a great deal. You still got a great deal. Just enjoy the car. I think some guys got some great deals on GT's too. Got 2,800 miles on mine already!!

dancingdesert

I think the $2000 incentive is down to $1500...at least in my area, MA.

baber1

Yes according to the official Hyundai web site the rebate is now $1500 as of June 2. Guess I got mine just in time!!

nortsr1

I did not know where to post this question to Backy...and...I know he frequents this topic. I tried to E Mail
, but the address is not posted.

mlsphd

Since the middle of last month I have been trying to buy a GT 5 door, automatic with package 8 (ABS/moonroof). It has not been easy or successful to date. Dealers dont seeem to have any way of knowing what is available in the region (I am in CT), so I had to call around the tri-state area. Hyundai customer dis-service said they would help but never called back as they said they would. To add to the displeasure, the unavialbility meant that I got caught in the "shrinking rebate" trend. I feel a bit scammed by the offer of a @2000 rebate but the unavailability of any cars with the highest level of SAFETY features. I might be able to get a car this weekend, but losing the $500 in rebate frosts me.

backy

I'd say the dealers you've talked to aren't trying very hard to earn your business. Any dealer should be able to check inventory within their region and find a car for you. Multiple Hyundai dealers (and dealers for other makes) have done that for me before--it takes a few minutes. Have you tried dealing directly with the dealers' Internet sales rep? (One way to reach them is use Edmunds.com's car finding service.) They seem to get right down to business and offer the lowest price w/o much haggling, in my experience. Another thing you might do is talk to the sales managers for these dealers, tell them what lousy service you've received to date and ask them what they are willing to do to earn your business before you go buy some other car.

baber1

I needed a new car quick after my 99 Accent was totaled in a crash on 5/5. I got on the Hyundai USA internet site and built my Elantra online. I requested a quote from the nearest Dealer. I got a pretty good quote so I went to the Dealer the next day with a copy of the E-mail quote in hand. I wanted a Elantra GLS package 2 (cruise control) with the 5 spd trans. They didnt have any 5 spds on the lot so they checked the inventory of other dealers. This took only a few minutes. They ended up getting me just the car I wanted by trading a nearby Dealer for it. They gave me a new Sonata for a loaner and I picked up the car the next day. Some Dealers are willing to make the deal some want to sell only what they have on the lot I guess. I would try a different dealer if I was you. It sucks about the drop in the rebate. Maybe you can look at the new Spectra it is pretty much an Elantra inside. Good Luck!!

mlsphd

Well, I did get confirmation of a car from a dealer. We will pick it up this weekend. They are selling it at dealer invoice and we will get the $1500 and a $400 college grad rebate. Hyundai customer dis-service is still MIA in responding.

The dealer that got the vehicle was easy to work with. They were truthful throughout and have thus far have delivered what they said. It's too bad the dealers closer to home were such unhelpful twerps. This dealer is about 80 miles away, and I must have a dozen dealers closer to home.

The dealer that is delivering is Millenium Hyundai in Hempstead, NY

mlsphd

The salesman called about 6pm this evening regarding my delivery scheduled for tomorrow. The sales contract says 5 door, and he asks if we wanted the 4 door, since they dont have the 5 door. Small favor is he called before we had driven 1 1/2 hours tomorrow. I can't believe they screwed this up. I called repeatedly to confirm, and had even gotten a copy of the invoice to verify price. The invoice gives model codes, so the uninitiated cant tell from the invoice if it is 4 door or 5 door.

The car is for my son who was flying in tonight to be avaoilable for the sale tomorrow. He is leaving for Europe on Thursday, so this is a royal pain. I did find one dealer who had the 5 door with ABS but he said he was going to sell it only for sticker price. I'd rather wait for 2005 models.

Back to the phone looking for 5 door with abs.

Anyone know of any on the east coast (in silver)

mlsphd

We woke up yesterday morning disappointed about not having the car we thought we were getting. My wife gave me the ad from the NY Times with tri-state dealers and I started calling. One dealer, from about 50 miles away, called back after doing a search. His comment was "I'd like to sell you a car, but I found one listed at the dealer nearest you". I had talked to them over a month ago, told them of my interest, and never heard back. When I called and spoke to the GM, it seemed they had ordered some cars brought in from Indiana and not gotten around to calling me. They had just the car we wanted, it was 15 minutes away, and the final price was invoice plus their $249 document fee--which was right in my ballpark. The other dealer in the state that had one wanted MSRP + $395 document fee.

So, surprisingly,we got just the car we wanted, at a good price, close to home, and best of all, son loves the car.

biikman

I didn't get a good a deal as I thought...We just bought a 2003 elantra I am on the deal we got. we paid 9500 plus the usual fees tax. the nagging part is the miles, it has just over 21,000. he made a point of showing that the NADA book shows that as just about right for a 2003 (in fact nada website adds $75 for the mileage) but I always thought it was more 12-15k. Anyway, hope this is ok to post here, wasn't sure, as a brand new member if I should post in a thread, or create a new one. thanks, and I am glad to have found this forum, I'll be visiting regularly, and learning alot.
dave

Sylvia

Hey Dave - first off, Welcome! Posting here is just fine. the Elantra is one of our Editors Most Wanted. Without knowing all the details, it is hard to tell about the price. In eyeballing it, it looks like you beat what we would have had for that car if purchased from a dealer (we show ~$10,000). The mileage is a little high - a -$64 adjustment, but I wouldn't have any regrets. Sounds like a pretty good deal.

Are you happy with the car? Do you like it? Sedan or hatchback? Now that you are an owner you can share your experiences (and ask questions to your delight) of others in the various Hyundai Elantra discussions. On your left use the Browse By Vehicle Make > Model to see all the Elantra discussions.

Once again - congrats and welcome.

altsuv

biikman - I'd say you got a good deal, especially compared to mine.

I got my 2002 Elantra GLS at the end of February, same mileage (21,000) for just under 9k. Yours is a year newer, so from my point of view, you got a good deal. If yours is a GT sedan or hatch, I'd say you got a very good deal.

What options did you get? CD player, ABS, sunroof, etc.?

biikman

We are picking it up today, so I'll post more once we've driven a bit in it. After reading the other forums now I'm nervous about the reported "shimmy" many experienced, although I don't recall noticing it when we drove it. The model we bought is the GLS, base package: am/fm cassette, power locks/windows, tilt, cruise, AC. The downside is I'll be driving the 2002 cavalier we bought last year while the wife enjoys the Hyundai
Dave

backy

You should contact HMA, they might want to do an ad featuring your family!

opalope

2004 gls automatic for 12900 out the door?i think thats selling just over invoice but do you think thats a good deal?

altsuv

I'm not sure - it kinda depends on what other options it has besides auto transmission. Does it have sunroof? CD player? ABS/Traction Control?

opalope

no just the standard gls model, could i bargin them down some more?or at least get all those extras thrown in at that price?i just read the other posts and looks like some got theirs for 11,000?since im getting an automatic i should be able to get one for 12,000?what site is a good site for a price quote i think i used cars direct for mine.thanks for the reply how do you like your elantra?i just cant get that thing about long term reliability outta my head also.price is great but i just need to get that little bit of unsureness thanks again

bikerpa

...I can say that a dealer in Gaithersburg, MD (Fitzgerald) is selling base GLS autos for $11,900-$12,100, it looks like depending on how long they've been on the lot, plus tax/tags/title but including freight and $99 dealer processing. I had a really good experience getting my '04 GT hatch from them for $12,806 (including tax/tags/title, freight, dealer proc, and the 100k bumper-to-bumper extension) back in April, when the $2k rebate was in effect. You may be thousands of miles away, but there are good deals to be had regardless, I'm sure. What's your location? Chances are someone around here might be able to help.

backy

It's hard to tell if the price you were quoted is a great deal because we don't know how much the taxes, license, and fees are. What is the price before all that?

opalope

i live in san diego ca, tax lisenses and all that is the net cost plus 10% added to the price.so i think the net cost was 11,700 for gls automatic model.as how do you guys like yours?im actually considering buying a used civic now cuz my mom has a friend at the honda dealer ship.so im thinkin about a 02 lx autoe around 30k miles for 12000 out the door or new elantra for 12,900(or less???) please give me your opions .thanks again for helping me out this is my first time buying cars and its super stressful.ok thanks

bikerpa

...you'll find some people would do one, some would do the other. Depends wholly on your situation and preferences. If you'd like me to weigh the options the same way I did, then it came down to owning a new-car-smelling auto with a 100k powertrain warranty and way mo' betta' standard features (GT: leather, fogs, alloys, keyless, kenwood mp3), at a better finance rate 'cuz my credit union gave me a couple points lower due to it being new. Also, I plan to drive it into the ground, so resale value eight years from now doesn't matter one bit to me.

I'd go into further detail, but this is really a question for one of the Civic vs. Carolla vs. Elantra vs. Mazda3 vs. Focus vs. Sentra vs. Lancer vs. Golf vs. Cobalt vs. Aerio vs. Neon threads that're out there, and I don't want to get our moderator annoyed at me for going offtopic!

opalope

yeah i guess your right on the comparison thing,well hows the price sound to you guys?i sent out some more qoutes and stuff.and im awaiting if a dealer beat the one i got.

backy

Edmunds.com's TMV for the Elantra GLS automatic with no options, in San Diego, is $12,387 after the $1500 rebate. There's also a $500 rebate for military personnel and $500 owner loyalty rebate (you or someone else in the family would need to own a Hyundai). If you don't qualify for either of these rebates then it looks like you are getting a great deal, several hundred dollars under invoice before the rebate.

elangt

My insurance company negotiated a price for a 2004 Elantra GT that was $150 above the commonly posted invoice and I though that was great. However the Invoice price according to the dealer included a $415 Advertising fee. How can I tell if this is valid or if the dealer just added $415 to his invoice and I got the car for $565 over invoice price?

danf1

Advertising fees are legitimate costs on invoices, as long as it is not a handwritten add. The reason you do not see advertising costs posted on the internet is because they vary by district with Hyundai.

backy

You could ask the dealer to let you look at their actual factory invoice. If it shows the advertising fee, it is legit. The dealers that I have talked to in my town didn't try to add an advertising fee to the invoice. That leads me to believe the advertising fee is either a regional thing or a way for dealers to pad their profit.

I assume the price that was $150 above "invoice" was before any rebates, right? There's currently a $1500 rebate on the Elantra plus other rebates for special situations like military people and Hyundai loyalty.

scorp200

Now it doesn't say what model so I should assume GLS: they are giving an internet 'special' of $1000 and the current 1500 rebate and 500 loyalty (loyalty not listed below):

--------------
this weekend only, $1000.00 below factory invoice MINUS REBATE on All instock New 2004 Hyundai's. That is ONE THOUSAND BELOW INVOICE!!

-------------

A New 2004 Hyundai Elantra with a MSRP of 15272, and an Invoice of 14412.
Take 14412 minus $1000.000 equals 13412.
Second Take 13412 and minus 1500.00 rebate, and you get a total of 11912.
------

I want to trade in my Accent for an Elantra and prefer GT but not sure I need it. Thanks!

btrfly

I'll probably be going back to get an elantra around the end of this month here in san diego. I've been VERY impressed with this car dealer (esp after the awful experience I had at a chevy dealer who had the nerve to say to me "u again!"). They offered me to take the sonata for the whole day! (I loved the sonata but need better gas mileage) Very classy dealership as they even had someone call me regarding me experience.

erins

Purchased today...

8600 + tax, title, registration, document fee.

2002 GLS Sedan, black. 22400. Power everything, automatic, cruise, alarm, keyless entry, window etching, cargo net, CD. I imagine some of those things came standard. Not sure if it has ABS.

All in all, I'm quite pleased. Especially considering the warranty.

We would never have intentionally considered a Hyundai, but we're very impressed.

bikerpa

"We would never have intentionally considered a Hyundai, but we're very impressed."

man... if I had a nickel for every time I heard that...

nice find. Enjoy it!

erins

Thanks, we will!

Our only concern so far is gas mileage... it looks like we may only be getting around 20 mpg.

Anyone know if there's a way to improve on that?

backy

Under what driving conditions are you getting 20 mpg? On my '04 Elantra GT automatic, my wife gets only about 22 mpg in short-distance city driving with a heavy foot and the A/C on all the time. I manage to get around 26-27 mpg in the city but have a lighter foot, anticipate stops, and like using the moonroof instead of A/C except in real hot weather. On the highway, I've gotten 37 mpg with the GT with a fully-loaded car, driving 60-70 mph but w/o A/C. With my '01 GLS 5-speed, I get about 27-29 mpg in town (lower number in the winter), and have topped 40 mpg on the highway on long trips. So yes, it is possible to get over 20 mpg. Be sure your tire pressures are good (at least 32, I put mine at 35), keep the revs down, anticipate stops, keep to speed limits on the highway.

erins

Well, we've done maybe 65% highway driving at 65 mph, mostly with the cruise control on, AC on half the time, no extra revs, anticipated braking.

I'll check the tire pressure once we get it back; it slept over at the dealership last night because they didn't finish the cleaning/touch-ups they were doing yesterday.

Is 32-35 for the standard 15" tires?

Thanks for your help!

backy

I'd say 20 mpg is way low for the kind of driving you described--should easily be over 30. Be sure not to judge from just one tank however--take an average over several tanks.

I think 32 psi is standard; 35 is a little on the high side (but within max pressure) but improves mpg and also handling with little impact on ride quality. Some people set their tire pressures much higher (e.g. 40-44) for better fuel economy, but I don't think the tradeoff in ride quality is worth it and I don't drive enough miles to make it pay off.

smith20

We have a 2004 Elantra GT Hatchback with A/T.

The mpg is really variable depending on the driving conditions . . . but I think that is the case with any car. When I drive my horrifically congested stop-and-go 4.8 mile route to the train station which takes about 15-20 minutes (yes it's probably 15 mph average, I hate it) I average about 21-22 mpg. When my wife uses the car to commute to her job it's a 20 mile route at higher speeds (45-65 mph most of the way) but still has about 12 traffic lights to go through and gets in a few back-ups, so she still has some stop and go and averages 26-27 mpg. The two road trips we have taken in the car (around 800 miles round trip for each) averaged around 33-34 mpg. Our tire pressures have all been between 32-35 the whole time as well.

There's our experience, if it helps any . . .

BTW, I think 21-22 is good for the Elantra for my commuting route because the '95 Plymouth Neon I drove to the train station would average about 18-19 . . . it feels very, very wrong to get that low mpg in a compact car. Oh well.

bikerpa

also, check numbers against tank and odometer rather than the onboard computer... the computer is a nice thing to have, but it averages over the life of the car unless you reset it, and it's only estimated. Over my 16-mile commute, 1/2 highway 1/2 city, lead-footed stickshift, and 32psi, I usually get around 28-29mpg; I routinely road trip on I-95 between South Carolina and Baltimore, and have had it hit 34mpg on that stretch doing 75ish for hours on end. My car with four people, camping gear for a weekend, and four bikes clamped to the roof driving up and down mountains made 25mpg, which impressed me.

erins

Thanks for the help, everyone!

I eyeballed the tires today, and I thought they looked a little low; I'll check the pressure tomorrow.

So far we've gone 250 miles, and we're just under a quarter of a tank. I'll take your advice and measure over the first few tanks, though.

Online research turned up this low mpg advice:

When getting low mpg in an Elantra, try --
-wash and wax car
-change oil
-change air filter
-replace fuel filter
-replace possible faulty spark plug
-raise all air pressures in tires to 34 psi
-make sure tires have good tread depth and car has had 4 wheel alignment and 4 wheel balancing within past 12 months
-do not buy cheap gas because cheap gas burns poorly and leaves heavy carbon deposits on your valvetrain.
-buy a quality 87 octane gas like shell, amoco, chevron, texaco.
-if you do all of the above and don't get at least 25 MPG city you have a drivetrain problem and need to go to dealer.

I don't know how valid this advice is, but I thought I'd share.

backy

Well... washing and waxing the car may make you feel better and make you think you are going faster, but any impact on fuel economy is negligible.

Changing oil and filters could help a bit, and also spark plugs if they are fouled. Shouldn't be worn out yet on a '02 Elantra.

As for "cheap gas"--I buy the cheapest gas I can find, but from large local outlets (SuperAmerica and Holiday for me) and have never had a problem with fuel economy on any car I've owned over 30+ years. When I buy gas from Amoco and the like, I never notice any change in fuel economy.

The 25 mpg threshhold is artificial, IMO. As I and other posters have noted, it is quite possible to get under 25 mpg in the city. Shoot, the EPA rating for the car is only 24 city! Consumer Reports got 25 mpg overall in their test of the '01 Elantra.

erins

Thanks -- you make good points.

As an oil change was done just prior to the sale, I think I'll stick with checking the tire pressure and averaging the first few tanks to get a better idea of how many mpg we're getting.

themanx

I run my 03 Elantra GLS at 35 psi in the tires.. not too rough, and usually when they get down to 32, months later, the tires are still inflated well.

I get about 20 to 22 in the city as we do alot of stop and go. With 12K on the speedo we are broken in for sure!

Yesterday was our one year mark for owning our Elantra.. great little car.

ElantraStan

erins

We ended up with 324 miles for the tank -- not great. We actually got a bit more than that, but 324 is when the gas light came on. The tire pressure ended up being okay. The air filter is next on my list, even though my husband thinks it's a waste of time to even check.

smith20

324/12.5 is almost 26 mpg. I assume 12.5 because I think the gas light is about 2 gallons left and it's a 14.5 gallon tank. If that's the case that's certainly better than 20 mpg. The most I've ever put in is just over 13, and that's running for a bit after the gas light came on.

At 26 mpg for 65% highway, 35% city, you might not have too much upside beyond that number.

Sylvia

If you would like to discuss ownership experiences of the Elantra, please visit the Elantra Owners Club area.

This discussion is for people looking to learn about pricing.

Thanks!

johneh

Have been working with Dealer for over a week now. Like GT better but not sure what I should pay. Edmunds sets TMV in my area (BOISE, ID) for GLS (w/CC and single CD player) at $12,626 and the GT (w/Power Moonroof) at $14,255. I think both are TOO HIGH. It is nearly the end of the month and 2005 is just around the corner. The Dealer has 20+ GLS's and only 4 GT's so I'm sure he's more anxious to get rid of GLSs than the GTs. However, the GT I'm interested in has been on the lot for quite a while. I'm thinking I should offer $13,900 (after rebate and before tax, license, etc.) for the GT. Is that too much? Too little? HELP! ANY INPUT/IDEAS?? Thanks in advance!

johneh

Sorry, forgot to include YEAR = 2004 on BOTH!