I forgot to say the dealer mentions "package 1 GT hatch AT...", without being more specific about said package. I'm wondering whether this refers to some cosmetics (unwanted) which I've seen references to in recent posts.
From what others are getting (05, with ABS, tax/tags included, for my same quoted price), it seems my dealer's price is a bit on the high side.
General suggestion: when talking about offers, it really helps to state the dealer's offer price BEFORE any taxes or fees, e.g. license and documentation fees. Those taxes and fees vary greatly by location, so it's very hard to compare offers by using the "out the door" prices--even though the out the door price is of course very important to the buyer.
Unfortunately, I do not have that figure, just the OTD one. I suppose I can get it. I know that tax is 6.5%, and I would be transferring my tag ($90 approx.).
I wanted to know if, on an OTD basis, for an 05 GT hatch and A/T, it sounded as if the quote was "pretty high", "about right", or in "screaming deal" territory.
If I were to counteroffer, I could so on an OTD basis, if I knew what others consider reasonable, bottom, or tops.
Some advice, if I may: keep the transaction as SIMPLE as possible. That means, for one thing, deal with the salesperson or manager based on the price of the car before any taxes, fees, or rebates. That way you can tell easily how much more than or less than invoice price the dealer is offering. Once you and the dealer agree on that price, you can then easily deduct the rebates, calculate sales tax, and add license fee and any other fees (e.g. most dealers charge a documentation fee).
On the '05 GT with automatic ("package 1" refers to the car with its standard equipment), the invoice price is $15,016 including destination charge. You can see the details if you go to Edmunds.com's New Car section. That does not include the "advertising fee" that appears on some Hyundai factory invoices. If the dealer's invoice price is higher than the price I stated, you can ask to see their invoice from the factory and see if there is an added charge for advertising.
Deducting the $1250 rebate and adding sales tax of 6.5% gives $14,661. I assume there is some fee for license in your state. So an out-the-door price of $14,700 looks like a very good price, possibly a little below invoice. I am assuming you do NOT qualify for the Hyundai loyalty rebate or military personnel rebate.
The 05 GT tidal blue auto with Package 8 ABS, moonroof was 13669 with rebates applied. Should I have gone for a lower price? When showed invoice the offer was almost $200 below.
New '04 GT Sedan (crimson/5-speed) with package 8 ABS/'roof for 14400 before tax/rebate (which should make it about 14000 out-the-door). That's about $900 below invoice if I'm not mistaken. It would be perfect if it was only a hatchback, but I might be willing to settle for a sedan at that price.
The dealer is Auffenberg Hyundai in O'Fallon, Illinois (near St. Louis). I talked to the sales manager, and I think he's just looking to unload it before the new year, for whatever reason (probably trying to reach some monthly or maybe yearly dealer incentive sales target).
I don't _need_ the hatchback, but I was interested in trying one out since I've always owned sedans before. But a hatchback seems to make a lot of sense for me, a single guy who does a fair amount of travelling.
that 04 will be a Year older in about 32 Hours from now, East Coast Time. The Cars Value will decrease instantly. How many miles on that 04, can you swing an 05? My Dealer was out of 04 Elantras in October, got a great deal on the 05!
Since I'm hoping to keep the car for 5 years or more, I'm not too concerned about the value drop in 32 hours . By 2010, there probably won't be much difference in resale between an '05 or an '04 with the same mileage.
If you really want a hatchback, you could probably get a '05 GLS hatchback for about the same money. It's got the same "guts" as the GT, but no leather interior, alloys, rear spoiler, foglights, purple gauges, and blackout grille. Also some standard features on the GT are extra on the GLS (but if you get the ABS/roof package, that's a moot point). One more thing though is that if you like the Kenwood MP3 stereo on the '04 GT, that unit is no longer there for '05.
Consider that the rear seats fold down on the sedan too, so if you don't carry tall cargo much the sedan may fit your needs. And you could put a bike carrier in the back (w/trailer hitch) if you need to carry bikes.
Backy & Miamixt, here are answers to some questions you posed above—as succinct as I can manage w/o raising any new off-topic questions.
1. Part of my buying experience was not being told much by the dealer about breaking in the car, although I asked. I did NOT use the cruise control on my 200-mile drive home from the dealer.
2. I believe that I’m currently not driving in severe conditions, but will be this summer (mountains). I plan to follow the severe-conditions maintenance schedule.
3. The car is a 2005. There was no mention of a paint protectant on the window sticker. Another part of the buying experience: Never saw the window sticker until after the car was mine. I did ask them to leave the sticker in the car, when they finished prepping it. (As it turned out, I already knew everything on it.)
Finally, I wasn’t told about a lot of nice features the car has that I am discovering as I use it. I’ll look for the appropriate forum to rave about them.
In the buying experience part you did little wrong, aside from NOT seeing a MSRP Sticker on your Elantra, it is against Federal Law to remove it prior to the Sale! Personally that is the first thing I look at, and wouldn't even consider buying a Car that didn't have one?. And the Aftermarket part of the Sticker is designed to look like part of the Factory Sticker, and is used by most Dealerships to confuse the potential buyer. Every Car I have bought in California and Florida has had one, that is where you would of seen the 3 M Appearance "Package" we referred to, no big deal. All Cars call for an initial break in period, in fact the Elantra's Manual calls for a break in period of 1250 Miles, more that my ex Turbo Subaru. Part of the Dealers responsibility is to make you aware of servicing requirements, etc. You will find that on the Factory Survey you will get in the mail. To keep your 100K Warranty valid (yes John 100K), Hyundai wants to make sure you understand everything you need to know. Your Dealer knew you wouldn't be coming back to that Store most likely, but why was that Sticker not on the Car, now that sounds 100% wrong?
One reason the sticker would not be on the car when it was sitting on the lot would be because it was a demo, or a prior sale. How many miles were on the car at delivery?
then all his posts about Brand New pricing comparisons were irrelevant, the only real Post with the Most, would of been his long itinerary from wherever he lives, to wherever he went to buy it. When we talk prices here, we can't compare Apples to Oranges, so I do wish John luck?
Gosh, how easily I misled everyone. Didn’t mean to.
The sticker was on the window, where it’s supposed to be, when I arrived at the dealership. I test drove the car and asked a few questions. Then the salesman and I went inside and started on the paperwork, while the car was being prepped. I mentioned that if they were going to remove the sticker, to please put it in the glove compartment. They did.
In other words, I did see the sticker before I bought the car; I just didn’t read it. I had a sheet from the dealer with the breakdown of the options and the prices we had agreed on. So I knew what was on the car.
Some of you told me that buying a car from out of state is a pain. Does an account of the trouble I’m having getting my 2005 Elantra 5-door smog checked, so that I can then register the car in my state (California), count as part of the buying experience? Or should it go under Problems & Solutions? It feels like the final chapter of the buying experience, but might it get a more helpful response under the P & S?
Call the DMV ask to speak with someone who is in Charge. Coming from California & now Florida (hopefully for not much longer) I know that the California Hyundai has the ULEV, or SULEV Engine, the one that's less powerful. In Florida they got rid of all Emission Testing and Car Inspections about 4 Years ago. And in California, if a Car didn't pass, the "Mechanic" would tell you how he could get your Car to pass for an extra $50, and then he would just remove all the hoses, thus Zero Emmisions, and it passed. Also you can go to a shop where the Mechanic Smogs his own Car, just puts in your Cars Info, both of these are illegal Practices. But most important, why didn't you just buy a Car from your State? What happens when it breaks, and although Hyundai's are good Cars, they do Break, more than you think?
Thanks for the link. The document I downloaded from this web page could be better organized for the sake of clarity, but . . . It appears that if a new car brought in from out of state is California-certified, then it’s legal and can be registered, provided it passes a smog check.
In other words, if it’s got a belt, you’re okay, provided you pay for suspenders. Indeed, both Lithia Hyundai in Reno and my local AAA office told me that I’d have to have a smog check.
Since my 2005 Elantra is California-certified, I should have had no problem. I took the car to one of the two shops in town that do smog checks. It passed the portion of the smog check that they were able to perform, but their equipment and/or software could not communicate with the OBDII (pronounced O-B-D-2). In short, it failed the smog check.
I thought I was going to have to take the car to the nearest California Smog Check Referee, and fully expected them to obtain the same results. The nearest referee is a 4-hour drive one-way.
The only good news was that the shop didn’t charge me anything, since they were unable to complete the check.
Today, before making an appointment with a referee, I took the car to the other shop, Eastern Sierra Motors (Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Mazda). The car passed the check. As the first shop should have known, a lot of 2004 and 05 vehicles are exempt from the OBDII part of the test, because the software that California distributes by their wide-area-net can’t communicate with it.
Why did I buy out-of-state? At a mere 200 miles, Reno was the closest dealership selling the Hyundai Elantra GLS 5-door. Also, Nevada prices are about $400 lower than in California. The redundant, but required, smog check cost $62.25.
Well, it’s less about air pollution control than it is about revenue and special interest for California car dealers and auto repair shops.
Twelve years ago when I moved to California with a used car I bought in Texas, I was fortunate that the car was sold new in California. I had to pay for a smog check. (The mechanic had to tweak the engine—at no extra cost!—for the car to pass.) Had the car not been originally from California, I would also have had to pay about $350, as I recall. Some years later this requirement was thrown out by the courts, and California was required to reimburse everyone with interest.
The exceptions you listed were for cars with only federal certification. For cars that are California-certified, the burden is simply paying for a smog check by an authorized shop in California. Perhaps this will someday be thrown out, also. The same car sold in California would not have had to have a smog check. This looks to me like a tariff on interstate commerce, which I believe is unconstitutional. Needless to say, the sales tax on the car (called a “use tax”) went to California.
I will be gone a Week. When I return I hope to read you have successfully Registered your Car. Part of buying a Brand New Car is that the Dealer has 'experts' that take care of all these little things. Enjoy your Elantra!
I am considering buying 2005 Elantra GT, 5 speed manual, with package 8 (leather, moonroof, ABS/TCS, etc.). What should I pay (before tax, after rebate). The current rebate (until Jan 31, 2005) is $1750. Please give me any prices as before tax, after rebate.
I have an offer from the dealer for $14,100 (before tax, after rebate).
Also, any comments about how Elantra with TCS will perform in snow? I live in Denver and will be replacing SUV.
I have a '04 GT with TCS and in its first real test (2" of icy sleet/snow) the car did fine. In fact, I had to TRY to engage the TCS, which I did by accelerating away from a stop with more pressure on the gas than I know is advisable in such conditions. And the TCS engaged and moved the car forward straight and sure. If I lived in a rural area that gets a lot of snow I'd probably get winter tires or even an AWD car, but the Elantra does fine in a city like Minneapolis.
I bought this brandnew 2005 Elantra GLS on the last day of 2004 from Rick Case Hyundai, Cleveland, OH.
The price before Tax/Title/Fee: $12100 ( after rebate of $1250 + $500 trade-in for my Geo Prizm ).
A/T,
Cruise Control,
Floor mat.
I paid much of the price, with a couple of thousands on mortgage at 4.9% for two years from Hyundai motor Financial Company.
Visited another dealer, Rick Case Hyundai/Mitsubishi and they only offered to sell a base GLS for #13300 ( out of their mind ? ) while pushing me to buy their new Galant at $15999 which I rejected.
I live close to the dealer and I feel good about the saleman and the dealership. Got to use their free twice a month car wash when I live close by.
Enjoy the riding. MPG is bit high, 22 so far. Got 780 miles on it. Haven't hit highway yet. After 1200 miles gonna test it on highway.
So far so good.
Just my full coverage insurance looks too high, $460/6 month. I got this quote from Esurance. Any comment on this insurance company?
The insurance doesn't sound too bad. I'm in a prime group for age, location, driving record etc. and get all the discounts for multi-car, home + car, etc. and my insurance on my '01 GLS isn't much less than yours. That is, it wasn't BEFORE I added my 16 year old son to it. Now it's quite a bit higher. :-( This is with Farmers Insurance.
P.S. It's ok to take it out on the highway before 1200 miles, just keep the revs down. If you stay under 60-65 it should be fine. You'll find that the fuel economy improves after you get some miles on it; mine improved quite a bit after about 1500 miles. Now after 4+ years and 30k miles I get high 20s in town and get over 40 on the highway when I stay to the speed limits. This is a 5-speed. But I can get mid-20s in town and upper 30s on the highway with my '04 GT automatic.
The AAA insurance on my 2005 Elantra GLS 5-door is $600 per year. You didn’t specify what your coverage was. Mine is 100K/300K, uninsured motorist, and $500 deductible on comprehensive and collision. There may be some other coverage, but I believe that’s most of it.
After reading your post, I dare to test it on highway. Well, in a huge snowstorm:) Driving under 50 mph, but enjoy cruise control and the ride. I hope my Elantra will get the mpg your GT gets.
I'm considering buying a 2005 Elantra GLS, but I'm still not quite decided. I've been flipping through the message boards, and I've got some questions, if anyone has a second.
First - one of the posts above said something along the lines of the Elantra was good in snow with the right tires - does this mean that the standard tires are only ok? Lousy? Good but not in snow? I live in New England, so I really need something that can handle snow/sleet/slush, etc. I'm really not looking to add new tires after I plunk down a lot of money for a new car.
Second - somewhere on this list (either this section or another one) someone had mentioned that they were staying off the highway until they had gone 1200 miles, and someone else had replied that they could do the highway, as long as they kept their speed down to 60-65. Is this "break-in" period (which I'm guessing it is) unique to the Hyundai, or is it recommended for ANY new car? (it's been ten years since I had a new car, so I've long forgotten this piece of advice, if I ever knew it). I'm wondering as I commute 40 miles a day, a combination of highway/local roads, and would like to know if I'm going to have to be really careful about speed etc with a a new car.
If anyone else has any advice or info about their experiences with an '05, for someone who's interested but still on the fence, feel free to share.
I have some recent experience with the Elantra in pretty deep snow (8") and also have owned another Elantra for over 4 years. The standard Michelins are good all-weather tires--but they aren't snow tires. I live in an urban area (Twin Cities) and the streets get plowed pretty fast, so I don't have to venture out in deep snow very often. If I did, I'd either opt for winter tires or even get an AWD vehicle (like the Tuscon maybe). But that being said, my Elantra GT (same tires as the GLS) with ABS and traction control did fine in our recent storm, and the ABS and traction control came on only once or twice. Still, I think the ABS/traction option is worth it for people like us who live in snow country. Even if you only really need it ONCE, that one time could save you lots of money or save you or others from injury.
I just put Kumho Ecsta HP716 tires on my '01 GLS and they did very well in our snow too (OEM Michelins wore thin after 30k miles, and the Kumhos are much cheaper and I actually like them better than the Michelins).
As for break-in, every new car has some sort of break-in recommendations. There are a few important things such as not to do hard stops (hard on the brakes), avoid high speeds, and above all VARY your speed. So you should be fine commuting to work with a new Elantra as long as you stay within speed limits and don't keep the same speed a long time, i.e. don't use cruise control.
Hard to tell. Are there any other options on the car besides the automatic? Is that the price before tax, license, & fees and after rebates? If so, it's not a very good deal IMO. There's a $1750 rebate on the car right now, plus over $1000 in dealer profit to work with.
Yes, I should have mentioned that. That's with tax, title, and license. He said he could put a CD player in it for another $100. Auto, GLS, for $13,400 and nothing more. What do you think?
Edmunds' TMV for the GLS with automatic and no other options is $12,178 after the $1750 rebate. That allows for about $350 dealer profit (not counting holdback), which is pretty generous I think given that the Elantra is not a "hot" car in the market. If it were me I'd pay no more than $12,000 + tax, title, and license, and I'd try very hard to get the car for invoice less rebate, which would be about $11,800. So if the tax, title, and license add up to $1400 or more I think you have a good deal. $100 for a CD player is not bad depending on how good a unit it is.
What is tax in your area? Do you have access to the price of the car before TTL? The CD player sounds like a decent deal coming from a dealer - and unlike aftermarket systems, you don't have to install it yourself (a half hour job) and you've ideally got a warranty from the dealer on the product, so if it fails it's their problem.
Just bought an '05 Elantra GLS Hatchback, paid $12,009 +TTT. Price included rebate. Options included were cruise, floormats, 6 speaker CD. I checked all over the internet and a few different dealers, and got this price from Hyundai of New Port Richey, FL.
Tax on the car in Austin, TX is 6.5% I got another dealer to tell me that I could have the car from him at $13200. Hey, what do you think about an Elantra GT for $13,750 + TTL(no ABS)?
I got a quote on an '05 elantra GLS hatchback - automatic, w/ABS & traction control - of $15,383 - basically invoice price, then the 1750 discout off of that. That's before taxes, etc.
I've got a question though - the salesman was refreshingly BS free, BUT for his request for a $198 "paperwork fee". Is this legit? Or his he scamming me? I hate to quibble over 200 bucks, but well, it's 200 bucks. Also, I go to see the invoice for the car (or what looks like an invoice) and it included the $545 delivery charge, which i've seen everywhere, but it also includes a $505 "advertising charge". Is that one ok also, or is it a load of crap and I only think I'm getting a good deal? I'm inclined to think it's a pretty decent deal - after tax, title, etc (plus the $198) it comes up at $14,367. I'm willing to try and get some of that $700 off if it's a bunch of crap. I'd love to hear thoughts....
The "documentation fee" as it is sometimes called seems to vary a lot. In my area it's typically around $75. The only way you can tell if it's legit is to check with other dealers in your area and see what they charge. You could also ask the sales rep or manager what they do for the $200, and ask if there is any of it you can do instead, e.g. take papers to the courthouse. Maybe some government agency charges the dealer a certain fee for this, so they pass it on to you.
The advertising charge seems to be a regional thing. I've never had any Hyundai dealer in my area (Twin Cities) try to include an advertising fee on an invoice, and I've bought two Elantras and negotiated on a few more in the past 4+ years. A couple of times the advertising fee came up early in negotiations, but they dropped it when I asked to see the invoice. But people in other states have found out that their dealers are adamant about the fee, as it shows up on their invoices. If it is in fact a factory invoice and not something the dealer drummed up, it's a legit charge and part of the dealer's cost of doing business. The only thing you can do is check around and see if other dealers charge that fee, and if you find one that doesn't you can try using it as bargaining leverage with the original dealer.
P.S. I drove the GLS hatchback today and thought it was great. I thought its ride was even a tad more compliant than my GT's over bumps, but still good in turns. I also drove the Cobalt and Mazda3i and I think it's as good or better than those cars in most respects, but costs thousands less comparably equipped.
Where: Hyundai of Everett (Washington state, north of Seattle)
When: 29 January 2005
Price: $14,732 before rebate, tax, license ($1750 rebate got that price down to $12,982 before tax and license.)
Buying Experience:
I mostly negotiated through email with about 6 dealers in the Seattle area. Some dealers with start you on email and then try to get you in. So, it was a great experience and it is the end of the month with Nov-Jan being the slowest car sales months....
I don't know if it was a mistake of not, but they did try to have a higher price when I was paying for it and blamed it on being busy, etc....
History:
I got an offer on a new GT 5 speed w/ no options for $12,500 since I was looking a used '02 GT w/ sunroof and 40K miles for $9,000 and they wouldn't come down. So, they got me going on a new one and offered a low price to get me away from the used (that was a lucky move and might be a good one to exploit - go in for used and get them to see if they can come close on new.) Eh, it's theory.
For the car I purchased, I might have been able to get them down a little lower since there where a few dealers going after me (Car Pros Hyundai did a great job, too), but 5 speed GT w/ sunroof was rare in this area so I jumped on it before the rebate went away in a few days, plus with the rebate this was $1400 under TMV for my area.
Other price reference points:
I saw a used '03 GT w/ 28K miles with sunroof and trac. control/ABS for $10,888. They would not come down past $10,500. Now, I'm grateful.
Also, there was a used '03 GT w/ sunroof and 26k miles that sold for $9,500 - for a day they had it down to $9,000, but only on their website so they might have sold it for higher than that.
You all and Edmunds.com was big reason I kept coming back to the Elantra GT since I was looking for a used car as a commuter. I couldn't bring myself to paying a few thousand more for an '01 Honda, Toyota, Mazda with no warranty and 60k+ miles. So, due to luck, the rebate, consumer and reviewer opinions, features, low price, hatchback, and warranty, I went w/ a new GT.
Current Cars: '83 Saab Turbo (/great/ car but w/ 330K miles and starter problem, I'm getting rid of it now) and 2000 Honda Odyssey
The standard tires and good tires, but they are not snow tires. If you will be driving in more than say 8 inches or more of snow I would consider buying Snow tires. But that is true for for almost any non 4x4 vehicle.
Your second question. No there is no need to keep it off the highway. Yes people are referring to the break in period that all new vehicles have. Years ago this was gospel because of the tiny shaving made in the engine for the first 1000 miles or so. However nowadays engines are made much more precicely and for the average driver and vehicle you need to take no special note of it. High performance vehicles are the only ones that really need to pay attention to this, and I can show you studies by many experts that would even argue that you should drive your vehicle hard for the first 1000 miles. Hyundai officially states no break in time is needed.
Invoice on that vehicle is $14015. That Includes advertising and shipping. There is currently $1750 rebate on the vehicle. At 6% sales tax you would be at $13105 (your sales tax may differ) which leaves $300 for Motor vehicle work, Doc Fee plus anything else they might try to pack on to it. That sounds like a fair deal for a cash deal. If you are financing it thats another story and I need more info. But the dealer will make about $800 to $1000 on the deal depending on how many he sells for the month. So yes they are being pretty fair with you.
To tell if you received a good deal or not you need to look at a few things. $12009 sounds like a great deal. What is the Doc Fee charged on the buyers order? This varies from dealer to dealer. Here in New Jersey State Law caps how much we can charge, so you wont see any Doc Fees for more than $200. However in Florida I know many dealers that charge $600 to $700 for their Doc Fee. Also did you finance it? If so we make money on that as long as you have good credit.
Comments
From what others are getting (05, with ABS, tax/tags included, for my same quoted price), it seems my dealer's price is a bit on the high side.
Comments welcome.
Thanks.
Comments welcome.
Thanks.
Unfortunately, I do not have that figure, just the OTD one. I suppose I can get it. I know that tax is 6.5%, and I would be transferring my tag ($90 approx.).
I wanted to know if, on an OTD basis, for an 05 GT hatch and A/T, it sounded as if the quote was "pretty high", "about right", or in "screaming deal" territory.
If I were to counteroffer, I could so on an OTD basis, if I knew what others consider reasonable, bottom, or tops.
Comments welcome.
Thanks.
On the '05 GT with automatic ("package 1" refers to the car with its standard equipment), the invoice price is $15,016 including destination charge. You can see the details if you go to Edmunds.com's New Car section. That does not include the "advertising fee" that appears on some Hyundai factory invoices. If the dealer's invoice price is higher than the price I stated, you can ask to see their invoice from the factory and see if there is an added charge for advertising.
Deducting the $1250 rebate and adding sales tax of 6.5% gives $14,661. I assume there is some fee for license in your state. So an out-the-door price of $14,700 looks like a very good price, possibly a little below invoice. I am assuming you do NOT qualify for the Hyundai loyalty rebate or military personnel rebate.
I don't _need_ the hatchback, but I was interested in trying one out since I've always owned sedans before. But a hatchback seems to make a lot of sense for me, a single guy who does a fair amount of travelling.
Consider that the rear seats fold down on the sedan too, so if you don't carry tall cargo much the sedan may fit your needs. And you could put a bike carrier in the back (w/trailer hitch) if you need to carry bikes.
1. Part of my buying experience was not being told much by the dealer about breaking in the car, although I asked. I did NOT use the cruise control on my 200-mile drive home from the dealer.
2. I believe that I’m currently not driving in severe conditions, but will be this summer (mountains). I plan to follow the severe-conditions maintenance schedule.
3. The car is a 2005. There was no mention of a paint protectant on the window sticker. Another part of the buying experience: Never saw the window sticker until after the car was mine. I did ask them to leave the sticker in the car, when they finished prepping it. (As it turned out, I already knew everything on it.)
Finally, I wasn’t told about a lot of nice features the car has that I am discovering as I use it. I’ll look for the appropriate forum to rave about them.
Gosh, how easily I misled everyone. Didn’t mean to.
The sticker was on the window, where it’s supposed to be, when I arrived at the dealership. I test drove the car and asked a few questions. Then the salesman and I went inside and started on the paperwork, while the car was being prepped. I mentioned that if they were going to remove the sticker, to please put it in the glove compartment. They did.
In other words, I did see the sticker before I bought the car; I just didn’t read it. I had a sheet from the dealer with the breakdown of the options and the prices we had agreed on. So I knew what was on the car.
Some of you told me that buying a car from out of state is a pain. Does an account of the trouble I’m having getting my 2005 Elantra 5-door smog checked, so that I can then register the car in my state (California), count as part of the buying experience? Or should it go under Problems & Solutions? It feels like the final chapter of the buying experience, but might it get a more helpful response under the P & S?
Thanks.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/noncaveh/noncaveh.htm
In other words, if it’s got a belt, you’re okay, provided you pay for suspenders. Indeed, both Lithia Hyundai in Reno and my local AAA office told me that I’d have to have a smog check.
Since my 2005 Elantra is California-certified, I should have had no problem. I took the car to one of the two shops in town that do smog checks. It passed the portion of the smog check that they were able to perform, but their equipment and/or software could not communicate with the OBDII (pronounced O-B-D-2). In short, it failed the smog check.
I thought I was going to have to take the car to the nearest California Smog Check Referee, and fully expected them to obtain the same results. The nearest referee is a 4-hour drive one-way.
The only good news was that the shop didn’t charge me anything, since they were unable to complete the check.
Today, before making an appointment with a referee, I took the car to the other shop, Eastern Sierra Motors (Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Mazda). The car passed the check. As the first shop should have known, a lot of 2004 and 05 vehicles are exempt from the OBDII part of the test, because the software that California distributes by their wide-area-net can’t communicate with it.
Why did I buy out-of-state? At a mere 200 miles, Reno was the closest dealership selling the Hyundai Elantra GLS 5-door. Also, Nevada prices are about $400 lower than in California. The redundant, but required, smog check cost $62.25.
All’s well that ends well, I suppose.
vehicle purchased with less than
7,500 miles on the odometer a NEW
vehicle. California Law also
prohibits a California resident or
business from driving their vehicle
to obtain in excess of 7,500 miles.
Exceptions:
As a California resident, you may
register a new out-of-state vehicle
certified to federal emission standards
only if you:
§ obtain it as part of an
inheritance or divorce
settlement
§ purchase it to replace your
California registered vehicle
that was stolen while out-ofstate;
or
§ purchase it to replace your
California registered vehicle
that was destroyed or became
inoperative beyond reasonable
repair while out-of-state.
When you apply to register the
vehicle, you must show proof - such
as a court order, police report or repair
invoice - that you qualify for an
exception
Twelve years ago when I moved to California with a used car I bought in Texas, I was fortunate that the car was sold new in California. I had to pay for a smog check. (The mechanic had to tweak the engine—at no extra cost!—for the car to pass.) Had the car not been originally from California, I would also have had to pay about $350, as I recall. Some years later this requirement was thrown out by the courts, and California was required to reimburse everyone with interest.
The exceptions you listed were for cars with only federal certification. For cars that are California-certified, the burden is simply paying for a smog check by an authorized shop in California. Perhaps this will someday be thrown out, also. The same car sold in California would not have had to have a smog check. This looks to me like a tariff on interstate commerce, which I believe is unconstitutional. Needless to say, the sales tax on the car (called a “use tax”) went to California.
I am considering buying 2005 Elantra GT, 5 speed manual, with package 8 (leather, moonroof, ABS/TCS, etc.). What should I pay (before tax, after rebate). The current rebate (until Jan 31, 2005) is $1750. Please give me any prices as before tax, after rebate.
I have an offer from the dealer for $14,100 (before tax, after rebate).
Also, any comments about how Elantra with TCS will perform in snow? I live in Denver and will be replacing SUV.
With good tires it will go great in the snow.
I bought this brandnew 2005 Elantra GLS on the last day of 2004 from Rick Case Hyundai, Cleveland, OH.
The price before Tax/Title/Fee: $12100 ( after rebate of $1250 + $500 trade-in for my Geo Prizm ).
A/T,
Cruise Control,
Floor mat.
I paid much of the price, with a couple of thousands on mortgage at 4.9% for two years from Hyundai motor Financial Company.
Visited another dealer, Rick Case Hyundai/Mitsubishi and they only offered to sell a base GLS for #13300 ( out of their mind ? ) while pushing me to buy their new Galant at $15999 which I rejected.
I live close to the dealer and I feel good about the saleman and the dealership. Got to use their free twice a month car wash when I live close by.
Enjoy the riding. MPG is bit high, 22 so far. Got 780 miles on it. Haven't hit highway yet. After 1200 miles gonna test it on highway.
So far so good.
Just my full coverage insurance looks too high, $460/6 month. I got this quote from Esurance. Any comment on this insurance company?
The insurance doesn't sound too bad. I'm in a prime group for age, location, driving record etc. and get all the discounts for multi-car, home + car, etc. and my insurance on my '01 GLS isn't much less than yours. That is, it wasn't BEFORE I added my 16 year old son to it. Now it's quite a bit higher. :-( This is with Farmers Insurance.
P.S. It's ok to take it out on the highway before 1200 miles, just keep the revs down. If you stay under 60-65 it should be fine. You'll find that the fuel economy improves after you get some miles on it; mine improved quite a bit after about 1500 miles. Now after 4+ years and 30k miles I get high 20s in town and get over 40 on the highway when I stay to the speed limits. This is a 5-speed. But I can get mid-20s in town and upper 30s on the highway with my '04 GT automatic.
After reading your post, I dare to test it on highway. Well, in a huge snowstorm:) Driving under 50 mph, but enjoy cruise control and the ride. I hope my Elantra will get the mpg your GT gets.
Should contact AAA for a quote. thanks.
I'm considering buying a 2005 Elantra GLS, but I'm still not quite decided. I've been flipping through the message boards, and I've got some questions, if anyone has a second.
First - one of the posts above said something along the lines of the Elantra was good in snow with the right tires - does this mean that the standard tires are only ok? Lousy? Good but not in snow? I live in New England, so I really need something that can handle snow/sleet/slush, etc. I'm really not looking to add new tires after I plunk down a lot of money for a new car.
Second - somewhere on this list (either this section or another one) someone had mentioned that they were staying off the highway until they had gone 1200 miles, and someone else had replied that they could do the highway, as long as they kept their speed down to 60-65. Is this "break-in" period (which I'm guessing it is) unique to the Hyundai, or is it recommended for ANY new car? (it's been ten years since I had a new car, so I've long forgotten this piece of advice, if I ever knew it). I'm wondering as I commute 40 miles a day, a combination of highway/local roads, and would like to know if I'm going to have to be really careful about speed etc with a a new car.
If anyone else has any advice or info about their experiences with an '05, for someone who's interested but still on the fence, feel free to share.
Thank you!
I just put Kumho Ecsta HP716 tires on my '01 GLS and they did very well in our snow too (OEM Michelins wore thin after 30k miles, and the Kumhos are much cheaper and I actually like them better than the Michelins).
As for break-in, every new car has some sort of break-in recommendations. There are a few important things such as not to do hard stops (hard on the brakes), avoid high speeds, and above all VARY your speed. So you should be fine commuting to work with a new Elantra as long as you stay within speed limits and don't keep the same speed a long time, i.e. don't use cruise control.
I got a quote on an '05 elantra GLS hatchback - automatic, w/ABS & traction control - of $15,383 - basically invoice price, then the 1750 discout off of that. That's before taxes, etc.
I've got a question though - the salesman was refreshingly BS free, BUT for his request for a $198 "paperwork fee". Is this legit? Or his he scamming me? I hate to quibble over 200 bucks, but well, it's 200 bucks. Also, I go to see the invoice for the car (or what looks like an invoice) and it included the $545 delivery charge, which i've seen everywhere, but it also includes a $505 "advertising charge". Is that one ok also, or is it a load of crap and I only think I'm getting a good deal? I'm inclined to think it's a pretty decent deal - after tax, title, etc (plus the $198) it comes up at $14,367. I'm willing to try and get some of that $700 off if it's a bunch of crap. I'd love to hear thoughts....
Thank you!
The advertising charge seems to be a regional thing. I've never had any Hyundai dealer in my area (Twin Cities) try to include an advertising fee on an invoice, and I've bought two Elantras and negotiated on a few more in the past 4+ years. A couple of times the advertising fee came up early in negotiations, but they dropped it when I asked to see the invoice. But people in other states have found out that their dealers are adamant about the fee, as it shows up on their invoices. If it is in fact a factory invoice and not something the dealer drummed up, it's a legit charge and part of the dealer's cost of doing business. The only thing you can do is check around and see if other dealers charge that fee, and if you find one that doesn't you can try using it as bargaining leverage with the original dealer.
P.S. I drove the GLS hatchback today and thought it was great. I thought its ride was even a tad more compliant than my GT's over bumps, but still good in turns. I also drove the Cobalt and Mazda3i and I think it's as good or better than those cars in most respects, but costs thousands less comparably equipped.
Where: Hyundai of Everett (Washington state, north of Seattle)
When: 29 January 2005
Price: $14,732 before rebate, tax, license ($1750 rebate got that price down to $12,982 before tax and license.)
Buying Experience:
I mostly negotiated through email with about 6 dealers in the Seattle area. Some dealers with start you on email and then try to get you in. So, it was a great experience and it is the end of the month with Nov-Jan being the slowest car sales months....
I don't know if it was a mistake of not, but they did try to have a higher price when I was paying for it and blamed it on being busy, etc....
History:
I got an offer on a new GT 5 speed w/ no options for $12,500 since I was looking a used '02 GT w/ sunroof and 40K miles for $9,000 and they wouldn't come down. So, they got me going on a new one and offered a low price to get me away from the used (that was a lucky move and might be a good one to exploit - go in for used and get them to see if they can come close on new.) Eh, it's theory.
For the car I purchased, I might have been able to get them down a little lower since there where a few dealers going after me (Car Pros Hyundai did a great job, too), but 5 speed GT w/ sunroof was rare in this area so I jumped on it before the rebate went away in a few days, plus with the rebate this was $1400 under TMV for my area.
Other price reference points:
I saw a used '03 GT w/ 28K miles with sunroof and trac. control/ABS for $10,888. They would not come down past $10,500. Now, I'm grateful.
Also, there was a used '03 GT w/ sunroof and 26k miles that sold for $9,500 - for a day they had it down to $9,000, but only on their website so they might have sold it for higher than that.
You all and Edmunds.com was big reason I kept coming back to the Elantra GT since I was looking for a used car as a commuter. I couldn't bring myself to paying a few thousand more for an '01 Honda, Toyota, Mazda with no warranty and 60k+ miles. So, due to luck, the rebate, consumer and reviewer opinions, features, low price, hatchback, and warranty, I went w/ a new GT.
Current Cars: '83 Saab Turbo (/great/ car but w/ 330K miles and starter problem, I'm getting rid of it now) and 2000 Honda Odyssey
Care Considered:
Honda Civic and Accord
Toyota Corolla, Prius, and Camry
Mazda3
Subaru Forester, WRX, and Legacy
Ford Focus
Hope this helps and good luck,
u4ea
Your second question. No there is no need to keep it off the highway. Yes people are referring to the break in period that all new vehicles have. Years ago this was gospel because of the tiny shaving made in the engine for the first 1000 miles or so. However nowadays engines are made much more precicely and for the average driver and vehicle you need to take no special note of it. High performance vehicles are the only ones that really need to pay attention to this, and I can show you studies by many experts that would even argue that you should drive your vehicle hard for the first 1000 miles. Hyundai officially states no break in time is needed.