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Comments
My center stoplight was very loose and they retightened it thus eliminating the rattle, however, I can still move it with very little pressure and they did not put a piece of rubber in between the glass and light to keep it from squeaking in the future as I requested them to do. I will just make something myself to fit in there so it doesn't bug me in the future.
They somehow managed to get the glovebox to latch tighter, but the uneven gap still exists. I am happier with it though because it feels more solid now, instead of real loose and cheap. They said nothing else could be done about the fit with the dash.
Apparently, the driver's buckle has something broken inside it, because they ordered me a new buckle. They sprayed some lubricant in the current one, which got rid of the annoying squeak, but something must have been wrong with it for them to voluntarily order me a new one. It will take a week to get it, but the good thing is that I will be able to wait while they fix it instead of leaving the car with them all day.
Lastly, they looked into my engine codes and found no errors. He told me to document my mileage for a month so that they have something to show Hyundai. However, that may be unnecessary. I filled up just before going to the dealer and averaged 28.9 mpg. The only thing I did different this time was up the tire pressure slightly above the recommended rating 3/4 of the way through the tank (it was a bit low at 28 psi, so I increased it to 31 psi). Apparently, tire pressure has a major effect on fuel economy with this car, so I will see how it pans out now.
I did get one unexpected surprise from the visit. Even though they claimed they didn't do anything but look at the codes, something must have been tripped in the process. The car suddenly feels like it has 10 more horsepower! It no longer bogs down terribly with the AC running and feels just as peppy with the AC on as it did before with it off. I don't know what caused this newfound pep, but I am VERY happy with it. I think it will also have a positive effect on my mileage. I just hope the power increase isn't a short lived effect.
How is the Accent in snow?
Performance: At first the engine was tight and made an excessive amount of noise which wasn't exactly smooth sounding. After the first 10-15 thousand miles the car really broke in nicely and became smoother and quite spirited. It now has 43K miles and is sprightlier than ever before. It feels fast and is fun to drive.
Reliability: At around 13K miles the clutch went out and was replaced under full warranty. My car was even towed to the dealership FOC of course. Since then, I've had a blown tire (nail)and am still riding in the other three stock tires. Not bad. So on maintenance besides oil changes, spark plugs and air filter I have spent no money on it! Not bad at all. The car has a pronounced rattle but I can live with it on a $9,000 car. If it were on my Acura I'd be livid.
Over all I am very happy with my Accent and hope too drive it as my commute car for many more years!
Also, anyone who lives in NJ what insurance company do you have and how much?? I'm shopping around. Thanks
As to the person who wanted a comparison of the Accent and the Echo, here is my thoughts: The Accent beats the Echo hands down in warranty and value. You can get an Accent fully equipped for a couple thousand less than the Echo, and yet it feels just as well built as the Echo. It also offers power windows, something you cannot get on the Echo for any price. Looks are subjective, but I think the Echo is butt-ugly whereas the Accent is sporty and even a little classy looking. I could never get used to the tall skinny stance nor the weird dash layout and funky upholstery of the Echo. The Echo does have in its favor a more powerful engine and Toyota's name. Since this is the basic economy car class we are talking about, the Accent's clear price and warranty advantage was enough to offset Hyundai's checkered past for me. The Echo is just too expensive to be much of a value. I have been very happy with my Accent and do not regret my choice after almost 5000 trouble free miles. I suggest you check out the Accent before making a decision and I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how good of a car the Accent is (as long as you see it for what it is, a basic economy car).
Second, I personally would choose a manual tranny on this car (as I did). If you care anything about being able to accelerate at a respectable pace, than get the manual (the auto is painfully slow). The manual takes some getting used to since you don't know how to drive one, but once you master it, it isn't near as hard or demanding as many people tend to think and it makes driving much more fun and involving. I am 20 and have been driving a stick since I was 15. It doesn't bother me in the least, even when in heavy traffic. I don't even have to think to shift; it just comes naturally. The manual should also give you better fuel economy, especially on the highway. However, starting on a slippery hill may be a little tougher with the manual since the car will go backwards before you can engage the clutch (unless you engage the emergency brake while waiting for the light to turn green). This is the only area where a manual will be a little trickier to drive than an auto (and thus require more skill). Than again, the car is far from powerful, so the front wheel drive combined with the low power should give you plenty of traction.
Lastly, if you only want to spend $9200 and want AC, than I think you need to look at the L model, not the GS. Remember, the destination charge is not included in the MSRP and you must pay that no matter what. Destination is $435, so add that to the above numbers if you already haven't. Even with the current $500 rebate going on, an L with AC with cost you right about $9200-9300 before taxes and any dealer charges; expect about $500 more for the GS. There is a very small profit built into these cars, so unless the dealer is willing to dip into their holdback, the price quoted above is about as good as you can do. Personally, if you can afford it, go for the GS model. I got the L and miss the digital clock, tachometer, rear wiper, driver's armrest, multi-adjustable driver seat, full cloth seats and cloth door trim, and split-fold rear seat. Hope this helps and good luck!
The auto is fine, but I miss a manual transmission, its more fun, makes you pay more attention to driving, and gets better mileage.
The Accent is a good little car, with a really large cargo area. The seats don't fold don't quite flat, but its enough to load flat items. I measured 5 feet from the front seats to the trunk sill, big enough to lay a big dresser down flat.
The tires are way too small, I am going to get 15 inch rims and tires before winter.
My mom just bought a VW golf, which is a far better car, but then again, its 5 grand more.
A professional race car driver who knows how to properly modulate the brakes to keep them at their peak efficiency can possibly outstop an ABS equipped car. However, the average driver only knows how to stomp on the pedal and watch helplessly as they go sliding around. This is where ABS will always outstop locking the brakes, as long as the driver keeps the pedal firmly planted and allows the electronics to do the work. ABS will lengthen the distance if the driver releases some of the pedal pressure, thus turning off the ABS and not helping at all.
In short, it has been documented many times and proved in tests that ABS is a worthwhile option that does shorten stopping distances in almost every circumstance. The problem lies in teaching people to stomp on the pedal and leave it that way in an emergency rather than letting up on the pedal in fear of locking or losing control.
Secondly, most people don't know how to properly use ABS and have no idea of what happens when it is engaged. Some drivers are totally freaked out when they hear the loud groaning noises and feel the pulsations in the pedal and steering, causing them to let up on the brakes and thus take longer to stop and end up hitting something. The other problem is that people tend to release some of the pedal pressure because they are naturally scared of locking their brakes. This action confuses the electronics and causes the ABS to not engage. Lastly, many drivers are misinformed about ABS. They think it will keep them from getting into accidents, so they tend to tailgate more and drive more aggressively since they feel more confident with the car. If you are too close to begin with, than the shortened stopping distances won't help. Also, it is meant to be used as a way of avoiding accidents more than anything; the shortened stopping distance is just an added benefit. If the driver would simply learn to stomp on the pedal with all his might, leave it that way till he stops, and steer away from the impending collision, than he would reap the benefits of ABS.
In effect, it may appear there are more fatalities, but most of that is due to confusing, contradictory, and misleading statistics and driver error. Hope this explanation makes sense to you Aldag.
How does the Accent handle in the snow? I am driving a Miata. It's a light, RWD car and does not handle the snow very well. I am looking for a second automobile that I can use when it snows.
Thanks.
Ray
2001 Hyundai Accent GS
Manual
i was reading something about the engines being bigger or so. Is this true? Also... does a spoiler really help or does it just look good?
...Works for me !!!
INT
and having trouble locating it unless they jack the price up and it's like umm... no... the price is up enough. don't be pulling this stuff on me... you signed a paper saying you'd get the exact car for this exact price (not including taxes and fees etc). I think my mother's pretty good at bargaining. She got it for $9,800 which I'm guessing is REALLY good.
I've been investigating both the Accent and the Daewoo Lanos. I want a hatchback, not a sedan, so these are my basic cheapest choices (the civic will not come in hatchback in 2001 and I can't afford the Beamer hatchback!).
I'd like to know if any of you tested the Lanos before purchasing an Accent -- and if so, why you chose the Accent. I'm leaning towards Lanos at this point, but mostly because its so cute, not for any concrete reason.
Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated!!
The Accent impressed me with its huge cargo space, quiet ride, solid sounding doors, and simple, attractive interior design. I also liked how the Accent had a bigger car look to it and yet still looks sporty. It had better feeling brakes compared to the Lanos I drove and felt roomier as well, especially in the rear seat. The excellent warranty was the last thing that sold me on the Accent.
Now that the Accent has the same amount of power as the Lanos, I really see no reason to buy the Lanos over the Accent.
I own an Accent 95, been very pleased with it. This weekend I got to drive a Volkswagen Golf hatchback. I always made it up in my mind that Golfs are so much better cars than Accents (probably because they are some much more expensive). Wow, what a disappointment. The Golf is soooo cramped. Especially in the back, but also in the front. Since the Accent back seats seem to be lower, it's way roomier in the Accent. My Accent has close to 70k miles, the Golf I drove this weekend had 21k. So the pick-up was therefore somewhat better.
Besides that, I really didn't see anything remarkable about the Golf. I am very surprised that Volkswagen is getting away with these kind of prices for Golf, considering there quality track record (in the US) is somewhat questionable (fox).
Thought I'd share.