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Comments
(1) I am having what I think is seatbelt vibration noise from the front passenger shoulder belt area. I think others reported this. It's not too annoying, since it only happens on rough roads and is not very loud.
(2) When I take sharp turns, whether low or fast speed, I sometimes hear a "clack . . . clack . clack" type noise, in a random pattern. It almost sounds like one or more front wheels might be rubbing on an inside fender piece of material. The car tracks and drives fine, so I'm not sure what this is. I'll have to take a closer look.
Other than that, I am getting bored waiting for the end of the 1200 mile break-in. Actually, I just goosed it a bit today and got the rpms up to 4500 one time in second gear. Felt great!
As far as gas mileage goes . . . I have a 5-speed and dealer filled up gas tank when I went to pick it up. The mpg read-out above the odometer read 29.8 mpg as I filled up at about 430 miles. It took about 13.2 gallons to fill it up. Since the car had 55 miles on it when the dealer filled it, I got about 28.4 mpg, with about 75% highway driving. Not too bad for break-in period first tank. I expect it will get better with the next tank since I am now driving more highway miles than with the first tank.
Enjoy!
Has anyone else felt like the automatic was "unintelligent" in it's shifting? The car that I took out felt like it didn't know what it wanted to do. Most of my problems were under stop and go traffic. I felt like it would downshift too early and left you stuck in too low of a gear killing any acceleration.
When under hard acceleration, I had to let my foot off of the gas to allow it upshift as well. The car had only 50 miles on it, so I didn't want to drive it too hard without proper break in time.
It may just be me as well. I haven't owned a four cylinder, especially a small 4 cylinder, for close to 4 years now. I just may be used to the low end grunt of a big V6.
I was pleasantly surprised by the pep of the 5 speed though. I found myself easily going over the posted speed limit. It was also much more relaxed at highway speeds than I thought a small 4 cylinder would be.
As for the ride, I thought it felt very well composed. It felt much lighter than a 3000 pound car. Turning radius is great, and the right side visibility is superb.
I can't complain about the interior too much. All of my other vehicles have been Ford or GM products, so the Hyundai is actually a step up
The seats were fairly comfortable. I'm hoping that they will soften up just a wee bit though after being sat in for couple thousand miles.
Back seat space was excellent for a car this size and this price. I'm 6' with very long legs and I can put the drivers seat into a comfortable driving position for me, and then hop into the passenger seat behind me and still fit in there very comfortably as well.
I did have problems with the seat height adjustment and lumbar support knobs. They were so taunt that I could not adjust them from the seating position. The only way that I could get them to budge was by getting out of the car and using both hands to twist them. There is no way that my girlfriend would be able to adjust them herself. Hopefully that could be fixed by releasing some tension off of a bolt or something.
For 14,000, I really don't if you can buy a better new vehicle. I was very, very impressed.
The only thing stopping me is a horrid trade in value on a 2000 GMC Jimmy 4x4
With luck, I'll shortly be an owner of a Cobalt Blue 5spd.
The car we are looking at is stickered at $14,500. I was hoping to use the TMV and knock it down to about $13,600, and then use the $500 rebate to bump it down to about $13,100.
Has anyone gone below dealer invoice?
I don't know if it's a regional thing, or if it is a VERY recent promotion, but it appears to be legit.
I'm not complaining
For those who are interested in the Cobalt blue, and haven't seen it in color, let me tell you that it is georgous. The blue with the gray leather is an excellent combination.
I probably would have bought it anyway.
I did buy the diamond kote package. has anyone had any experience with that. i hope i didnt get taken.
First, they're starving, we buy their products, and now they get all selfish and greedy on us!
says:
http://www.autosite.com/new/grabbag/rebatet.asp
Where did Edmunds get the information?
Btw, did you see Post #609, by jdunne78 "I was also told repeatedly by the salesperson that the $500 rebate applied. I'm pretty sure that the sales representative even double checked with a higher up sales manager about the rebate."
For more information regarding Edmund's incentive & rebates, or to report what you may think is an error with this system, you can contact Edmunds technical/editorial staff through our Help Section. Look for contact information near the bottom of the page. Good luck.
Pocahontas
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Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards
To follow up on previous discussions regarding Edmunds' Incentives & Rebates information, I went ahead forwarded some your messages to the Edmunds' management, and asked them to look into this matter. Here's the information I just received:
"Hyundai has confirmed, however, that the new GT hatchback is excluded. The cash incentive has been removed from our database and will be deleted from the site when the data is refreshed tomorrow night. The special finance rates on our site agree with the current Hyundai programs. Dealer cash that is dependent on the dealer's sales volume is not included in our database because the incentive may not be applicable to a customer if the dealer has not met the volume threshold."
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As I mentioned above, the fact that this system is new may also mean there may be some glitches in the system. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you... and thanks for your patience as we're working to correct these problems.
Also, a special thanks to Mattwa and Diploid for helping to correct this error! ;-)
Pocahontas
Host
Hatchbacks / Station Wagons / Women's Auto Center Boards
Edmunds.com does a great job.
So is it true when the Hyundai USA website states that Elantra GT's come standard with alloys and leather?
I love alloys and leather
Before I bought my Focus, I test drove an Elantra sedan back when that was all that was available, and it seemed nice enough, but I noticed some things, and I'm wondering if they carry over on the Elantra GT:
1. entering the freeway onramp, I noticed that little rocks and debris hitting the lower half of the car resonated unpleasantly-- a lot of thunks and thuds. I took a Focus and a Golf down the same onramp and didn't notice the sounds (on the same day), so i know it wasn't due to paving or some other phenomenon. It was very noticeable how hollow-sounding these thuds were.
2. The handling and steering were mushy; the automatic was smooth shifting but the manual transmission felt like a 1992 Saturn or something, notchy as can be. The steering was limp and not heavy weighted like the Focus.
3. Those fake plastic wheel covers were about the grossest things i've seen. Ordering alloys is difficult due to its placement in one of those option packages.
If those conditions were any different, I would have picked the Elantra over the Focus. But, 7 months have passed. I love my Focus to death, it's more european than most VW's in terms of its handling and ride and steering manners, but my rotors are warped, my balance is still off after several attempts to fix it, etc. When it came down to it, the Hyundai dealer acted like I was trying to rob the bank when I asked for an Elantra GLS with Option 4 I believe? Automatic, Sunroof, CD player, etc. for drive-out. So, basically, 14,300. I went to the Ford dealer, and they gave me a ZX3 with a faster engine, 16" alloys, CD player, automatic, power everything, for 14,300.
But I'll consider the GT because I need 5 doors and can get leather and alloys.
Warped rotors? Join the club. Just bite the bullet and get some higher quality aftermarket rotors from EBC or Brembo, and you'll solve that problem.
So far, here is my synopsis:
(1) I don't notice the bad-smelling A/C stuff other people have talked about. Then again, my sinuses are not the best in the world. . .
(2) The CD/sound system, in my opinion, is pretty awesome.
(3) The A/C get cold faster than any other car I have ever owned.
(4) The car is beginning to pull VERY slightly to the left. I've checked all tire pressure and all were set to about 31psi by dealer (so, no overinflation for me). I'll wait before I make a trip to the dealer to have it fixed (probably minor mis-alignment issue).
(5) The only real bothersome problem I am having is that when I take a fairly sharp curve to the right, I hear an intermittent clicking sound from the front left wheel well area. This sound doesn't happen in right turns/curves, only when turning to the left. I don't know if this is a front-end/suspension issue or what. I may wait to get it checked. I wonder if this might be realted to the slight mis-alignment issue, since th car pulls slightly to the left and this clicking sound only happens when I make sharp left turns. Strange one... Anyone have any ideas?
Overall, this is a great car for the money.
focusmatt2:
I'd seriously look at the Elantra GT. I myself traded in my 1998 Escort Wagon and was pretty "upside-down" with respect to payoff on the Escort. My Hyundai dealer worked with me on increasing the selling price on the GT to compensate for the negative equity in my trade.
To answer your questions:
(1) I never noticed anything like this with my GT.
(2) The handling and steering might still be considered a little soft, but this simply makes the car more comfortable on long trips - better than the stiff sport-economy ride in my wife's 1999 Protege ES for sure. There is less road feedback to the driver, but the car still corners and handles very well, in my opinion.
(3) No wheel covers on the GT! Alloys are standard and not part of a package on the GT.
Good luck!
We'll see! Thanks for your comments.
And I know the handling can be foresaken, but people don't believe me when I tell them how great the handling is on the Focus. The ZX3 it's different than the sedan, actually, it has a sportier suspension and 16" tires (on my version). They're Z-rated tires and I've managed to turn 90 degrees left at 40 mph and still stay on the pavement. That's beemer territory.
But I'd be willing to foresake that at the right price. I have seen a few used Sonatas for sale with V6, with about 20K on the clock. I'd much prefer that when it comes down to it...I've driven the Sonata and it is a very wonderful well-screwed car.
For those of you who have heard a persistent clicking noise at low speed (sounds like it could be behind the dash), it was the right, front strut tower bearing in my car. The dealer was aware of this problem and reassembled the bearing assembly, which usually fixes the problem. In my case, it lessened the noise, but it comes and goes. the dealer said their fix from now on would be to replace the bearing and they have ordered the parts.
I changed my own oil at 2000 miles with Mobil 1 synthetic. I am curious to see if there is any affect on mpg. The oil change was easy - everything accessible.
I am use to luxury cars, which is an unfair comparison to the GT, However I believe the Elantra was definitely worth the money and a good commuter car - fun, well equipped, and fairly quiet for a compact.
I have the moonroof too, but no deflector so can't answer that question,( no rattles either ).
By the way, to protect my alloy wheels from being stolen I checked out getting locking lug nuts from Hyundai (about $25 for four), then found a set at Discount Auto Parts for $10. To save anyone the trouble, they are 12mm x 1.50 acorn shaped (Gorilla Guard # 61631N)
Take it easy, thanks to silver_bullet for the answer to the AC dilemma...
Anyone else had problems with the mud flaps (and the wind deflector)?
Thanks!
pgh_elantra_gt: the "pgh" in your username wouldn't signify "Pittsburgh", would it? I grew up there but relocated to NJ in 1992. I still have a soft spot in my heart for the Steel City and I still follow all the mighty Black & Gold sports teams. Looking forward to the Steelers season -- Cowher Power!! Nice to have a Pittsburgher in the thread.
I find it interesting that some GT owners are having problems getting Hyundai-spec parts to fit their cars. Could it be that the GT and GLS are not so similar after all? I've had my GT for over a month now and I keep noticing small differences between the two:
-- The GT front grille insert (sloped bottom) is slightly different from the GLS (straight);
-- I think the front and rear seats are shaped differently in the GT and not just leather-covered; and
-- front (obvious) & rear fascias are different on the GT.
Any other subtle differences?
I used this ploy. Although I ended up buying at the original local dealer, the other dealer (about 50 miles away) found the exact car I wanted by checking around. Give the dealer a few days and they'll likely find what you want.
http://www.hwysafety.org/vehicle_ratings/ce/html/summary_small.htm
"HMA determined that an error was made on some 2001 Elantra GT Monroney price labels. The Monroney label, as was posted on the window of your vehicle, indicated that your 2001 Hyundai Elantra GT is equipped with a "remote hatch release". The Elantra GT is not equipped with this mechanism. We regret this error and wish to compensate you $100.00 for an inconvenience this may have caused."
It asks for a signature and says HMA will send the check in 2-4 weeks. While it isn't a $500 dollar rebate, I'll take it. I knew there wasn't a remote hatch release when I bought it. For those who have bought your GT in the last few weeks, is the remote hatch release still on the sticker?
The leg injuries were something else again and would have occured even if the sensors worked adequately. Because of this, the Civic would have out pointed the Elantra (except for bumper damage), but not by much. Hopefully Hyundai will do a voluntary recall on the sensors and seat track.
This was a voluntary retest, and the cars actually performed worse than the first go around, again because of the sensors, the head hit THEN the bags went off. Fix that and Hyundai will be in the top half of the ratings, altho. not up with the Civic.
Unfortunately, the safety results arent really a competiition between the cars. It is an independent evaluation of each individual car. They ALL could have rated excellent. The fact that the civic has such good scores, indicates that the Hyundai can be much closer to those results regardless of vehicle size.
There is some engineering that needs to be done, and hopefully soon. I wouldn't mind paying $1000 more for the same car, but with much better results.
triumphtriple: actually I bought both my Elantra's at Fort Myers Hyundai ( I live in Cape Coral ). I wanted the Pewter too, but I didn't want to wait for it, I like the cranberry now that I've gotten used to it. Let us know if you get the car you want...
Well, that settles it. I'm going to rush right out and sell my Elantra GT to some poor sucker, take the money and go straight down to the Honda lot and plunk down $16,000 for a Civic. Then I won't ever have to worry about ever being harmed in any kind of accident. Yeah, I might pay close to MSRP for the car, but I sure wouldn't want to have anyone second-guessing my purchase for me.
What the heck was I thinking when I bought that deathtrap Elantra?!? I must have been looking for a value-laden car with more features and perfomance for the dollar than almost any other compact Asian import. Well, no more well-built highly practical Korean cars for me! I've sure learned my lesson!
Thanks again to all the posters who keep chiming in with 10-day-old safety stories in this thread. You've finally shown me the error of my ways. Hyundai stinks! Look for me in my new car....
I'll be the one driving the Civic.
I am considering going into business to sell these padded covers. They will be black to match the Elantra's steering wheel, and will be filled with energy (and heat) absorbing gel. I don't have a price yet, but given all the ranting and raving on this forum about the airbag problem, I can probably get a lot for it--at least until Hyundai fixes the airbag problem. Well, I'd better get going and line up my venture capital.
Just to be sure:
As to the Civic....considering that side air bags and ABS are standard only on the EX, and that you can't even get traction control.....I am not so sure I would think I was so safe. I really wanted to buy a Honda, but the Civic's interior was one hellacious disappointment to me in terms of driver comfort and amenities.
Well, I came home with my new GT on Saturday. Got the exact car I wanted (pewter, 5spd., moonroof), although without ABS. Ended up finding it in Orlando (I'm in Lakeland), having just come off a truck on Thursday night. It still had all the plastic on the seats, etc. from transport, and I was the first to drive it (it had 9 miles on the odometer...). So far, so good -- although I asked for a cargo net as part of the deal and they looked at me like I was nuts. They ended up throwing a cargo net in, but I'm not sure it's a Hyundai net -- it might be from a Jeep. Anyway, I have no way to anchor it into the car --- any suggestions? Or, should I go to my local dealer and pick up the anchor mounts? Didn't realize they were missing until I got home....
Paid invoice for the car, so I feel like I got a good deal. Now to sell off my other two cars... Anyone interested in an 87 Saab Turbo 3dr, or a 74 Porsche 911?