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Thanks again!
Jill
My husband is outside right now working on those rascals and he's scorching the air with his vocabulary--- any hints or tricks would be much appreciatied by this longsuffering wife...
Connie in TX
I test drove the Honda Civic too. I'm 6'0, somewhat broad shouldered and have a long torso, meaning I need more head and elbow room than the average Joe. I thought the Honda drove nice, but it was cramped (and yes, I adjusted the seat). I felt like I was flying in coach.
My Elantra GT is nice and comfy. Plus with the leather seats... it's not "First Class", but definitely "Executive Class" at least. I don't bump my head, have nice shoulder and elbow room. Plus those extra 13 horses and 19 pounds of torque in the engine (pushing just about 100 pounds more weight) make it nice and peppy.
The Civic's advantage was a slightly smoother ride and less road noise. But pop a cd in the *standard* cd player on the GT, turn up the bass a notch, and it's easily covered. Plus after driving stiff-suspension trucks and SUV's, it's definitely an improvement.
I've had this puppy three weeks and still haven't used up the full tank of gas the dealer gave me, despite a 180 mile road trip last weekend. Of course, I don't commute (take the bus), but it's great for driving in my off hours.
I got to borrow my mom's Mercedes for a 90+ mile drive (round trip) to see my best friend when I was down home last month... no contest. The Mercedes kicks the heck out of this (what, you thought I'd say this beats a Mercedes?). But if you can't afford a Mercedes, this is a darn fine alternative.
- Greg
The coat hanger hook is a joke. One of these days I am afraid I am going to rip the head liner.
There should be a parking brake "on" audible reminder.
The dash fades out in sunlight.
The green turn signal lights and green clock readout don't go with the purple display.
By the way, for those of you that have ABS and traction control like I do, you will hear a click from under the car after you drive a few dozen feet....that is allegedly the TCS kicking in.
However, I was wondering if anyone has encountered any problems when actually trying to put gas in the tank. I went to the gas station yesterday for the first time since buying my GT. The fuel gauge (which read full when I bought the car) indicated there was a little less than 1/2 tank of gas. At the pump, I was able to only put in about 3.5 gallons of gas when the automatic shut off on the pump engaged, which I thought was strange since I was expecting to put in about 7. When I turned that car on again, the fuel tank gauge did not go to full (although it did go up to about what I would expect for an additional 3.5 gallons). In any event, I thought the problem might be related to the one that others have addressed.
However, later that day, after driving a lot of the day and running the fuel gauge down to just below a half tank, I tried again to fill the tank and this time I couldn't get any gas in the tank at all without the pump immediately shutting off. In fact, after a few of my persistent attempts to put gas in, I noticed that the gas line spit back some gas as if the tank were over filled.
I suspect there may be a problem with the fuel valve but I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem or if they have any thoughts.
Thanks in advance
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nycdriver...take some spare gas with you and drive it as close to empty as you dare.At 3000 miles I did this and it fixed whatever "gremlin" was in my tank.With a 14.5 gallon tank you can get a general "range of travel" to experiment with.I'd of course take it in for service if ALL methods were exhausted.Your prob sounds like a carbon copy of what I went through.good luck!
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mpgman...regarding your minor gripes...coat hanger hooks?? Do you mean those driver/passenger handholds above the door,that's the only thing I've noticed there? I've got a problematic left leg and since I'm a big guy(6ft 3inch,210lbs)I use my driverside handhold to exit the car,it's been working great for that.Also,one of the first extra's I bought was a dashcover since I never tinted the front window and don't use a sun-shield. Green with purple!?? Yeah.However,if you experimented like I have over the years you soon realize all the colours run together eventually.lol.
It is to allow rings to seat properly and prevent oil consumption later in the life of the motor. The generally accepted procedure is to vary speed, do not over rev or lug the engine, and do not exceed 75-85% of maximum rpm of engine. Sustained hiway speeds during the first 500-1000 miles will give you the greatest probability of having an oil burner.
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/ncap/ncap.cfm
Jill
"Can anyone explain to me what exactly the purge valve does..."
Also, here is another discussion where you might get some answers: Auto101: How To and How it Works! Good luck.
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards
I know companies change but a guy at work bought a XG300 and two weeks after purchase he was stranded when something or other failed. Not the vote of confidence I was looking for. BTW he also bought a Santa Fe so apparently he likes the brand.
I have yet to see a GT on the road here (pretty major metro area). I'm sure they're out there, got to keep looking.
I've recently discovered something about the GT that I really like: the little power boost you get when you wind the engine over 4,000 RPM. That muffler bypass valve opens up and results in a little extra punch. Very handy when passing on congested NJ roads.
By the way, my sister-in-law owns a base 1991 Excel and she has well over 100,000 miles on it. Other than a clutch cable replacement a few months ago she's had no trouble with it. I guess even the older Hyundais turned out to be reliable every now and then.
I've also begun to see a few more GTs on the roads here in the Garden State. My feelings of exclusivity have been diminished. Rats.
Have a happy Thanksgiving, GT owners!
http://www.mpt.org/motorweek/reviews/rt2111.shtml
I am sure if we looked hard enough we could find someone who was stranded by their Camry after just a few weeks of ownerships as well. No car maker is going to get it right every time, the question is, do they get it right often enough so that the car can be considered reliable.
Normally, three passengers wouldn't be a problem but these guys are: 6'3"/240 lbs, 6'4"/235 lbs and 5'10"/228 lbs.
That's a lot of beef! It'll be interesting to see how we all fit. Is this the kind of scenario auto journalists dream up to test the size of rear accomodations? We'll see...
Yes, please let us know how that works out...! Good luck, and have a great time at the game. ;-)
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards
Hope the Steelers have a great game--THIS week. Next week, I hope they have a down week (Vikings come to Pittsburgh).
Though I wouldn't advise anyone to carry that much "beef" around in his or her Elantra GT, at least you now know it can be done. And fairly comfortably, to boot.
GO STEELERS!!
The hangup i'm having is that it would be a little weird to have 2 GT's in the family garage but the Spectra is just not a looker or a performer on the same level as the GT. I think the GT has spoiled me. ( My father can get both cars at almost the same price maybe 300-500 diffrerential , If that).
YOur opinion please?
On the other hand I don't think the Spectra isn't a bad car, it just doesn't compare well with the Elantra GT. However, if the price was right I would consider the Spectra if I needed a second car (along with the Rio wagon and the Echo). Have you looked at a Rio wagon? It will certainly be less expensive than the Spectra or the GT and is roughly the same size as the Accent. Personally, I think it would be cool if Toyota developed a 5-door or wagon version of the Echo. That car would rock!
Good luck.