Hyundai Accent Hatchbacks

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  • lw12lw12 Member Posts: 5
    Ren mentioned using synthetic oil on his 2000 GS. does it really work better?and do u have to change it every 3000 miles?? any other stories of accents being reliable?? i am planning to buy a GS soon. thanks
  • baberbaber Member Posts: 96
    I have a 99 Accent sedan with 46,000 miles on it. The car has been very reliable so far. It has never stranded me , this is most important to me. The only major problem I had was a bad power steering pump (bearing) at 23, 000 miles. The pump gave me plenty of warning it was going bad so I was able to make an appointment with the dealer. It was fixed under the waranty, no problem. I have been using synthetic oil in my Accent since new. I change every 3K to 4K miles. I use Wallmart generic synthetic at $3 a quart. To be honest, regular oil is fine if you change it every 3,000 miles. The only real advantage of synthetic oil is it does not thicken up in cold winter weather. This means easier starting and better lubrication in cold weather. During the time it takes regular oil to warm up and thin out, the engine will not be lubricated as well as with synthetic. Synthetic is also better under very hot desert conditions. If you live in a place with very cold winters it is a good idea to use synthetic oil during the cold weather. This is just my opinion.
  • andy356andy356 Member Posts: 12
    I have heard that Synthetic oil will last for 10,000 miles between changes. You change the filter only at 5000 miles, and top off the oil. Then at 10,000 miles you change the oil and the filter. I suppose this would violate the warrantee on a new Accent. Any comments appreciated.

    Andy
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    I finally got the chance to test drive the Rio this past weekend. I was curious how it compared to the Accent because I may be getting a second new car in the next 4 months. I drove a Rio with the 5 speed manual. The best thing going for the Rio is its reasonably peppy engine. The engine was noticeably more powerful than the Accent 1.5 liter, which is odd since there is only a 4 hp difference between the 2 cars. The most shocking thing was how the AC did not change its performance. The base Accent's engine feels painfully slow when running the AC, but the Rio felt exactly the same whether it was on or not. However, this improved performance comes at the cost of fuel economy. I think Kia achieved the greater performance from simply lowering the final-drive ratio, which in turn is the reason why it gets relatively low fuel economy numbers. The Rio advantage stopped with its performance. The engine was noticeably louder and more unrefined sounding compared to the Accent. The doors did not close with the same solid manner of the Accent. The suspension seemed to transmit more impact harshness into the interior. The trunk was ridiculously small and offered no pass through. The windshield was more restrictive in visibility, giving the car a more cramped feeling. It just felt like more of a toy car, whereas the Accent feels like a bigger car than it is. The real shocker was how much the dealer was trying to sell these cars for. In addition to the sticker, there was an add-on sticker that had written in a marker "ADM $1795"!!!! My God! Are these people crazy? The pathetic part is that it doesn't even state what the ADM fee is for. Who knows how many poor people were suckered into this fee, but I think it's flat out robbery. There should be a law against such blatant gouging of the customer. That fee jumps the price of the cheapest car in the US into compact Elantra territory. Needless to say that if I ever want to buy a Kia, it won't be through that dealer! Anyway, the Rio is an overall acceptable car, one that could be substituted for the used car that has no guarantees. But when compared to the Accent, it quickly begins to pale. I still think the Accent is the best subcompact value out there. Mine will soon be a year old and at 14,200 miles she is still trouble free :) I love my little Hyundai. I'm hoping to add an Elantra GT hatchback to the fold soon!
  • scrdnscrdn Member Posts: 8
    Hi, just bought one last Saturday, and so far Aim pretty impressed. The only reason I bought it, was that I live in Southern Miss, and needed AC in a big way. The car I was driving , an 86 Honda CR with no air was unbearable last summer, and I dint want a repeat this year. So far, I find the car to be very smooth shifting (5sp)and handles quite well (I can still drive it like my CR). I now have 300 miles on it and I estimate my gas mileage to be around 26 mpg. The only problem I noticed is if I hit a bump on the road, I hear a squeak coming from the front tire.
    Cheers
    I
  • sfarkas2sfarkas2 Member Posts: 12
    Ingtonge18...YOu asked if I tried the GS when I was in the buying process for the GSi. Yes I did. The GS has a smaller engine and smaller wheels therefore did not have as much HP so it was a tad sluggish. The 14" wheels are a bit decieving. 14" rims with a 60 series tire on them are only slightly larger than the 13" rims with the 70's or 75's. But the low profile combined with sported tuned suspension gave this unit quite nice handling and cornering. Add the extra HP and it goes pretty good. Hope this answers your question.

    Secondly on my earlier post about jerky shifting on the 5 speed. Now that I have an additional 7-800 more KM's on the car, it shifts considerably better. So much so, that I probably will not ask the dealership to check into it. However, if it reverts to being jerky, hopefully warranty will take care of the problem. :)
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Here's a neat link I found that has a test drive of the Accent GSi. I'm so jealous of what the Canadians are offered!! Notice the nice looking white-faced gauges, two-tone leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, 14" alloy 5 spoke wheels, fog lights, and nifty storage tray to the left of the steering wheel! What a sporty looking car! I want one!!!


    http://www.canadiandriver.com/testdrives/01accent_gsi.htm

  • armaniexchangearmaniexchange Member Posts: 1
    Hey everyone. Im George and live in San Diego. Im in the market to buy a new car and im pretty sure im gonna get the new 2001 Accent. I keep on seeing adds for as low as 7,700 dollars in the news paper here in SD. Sounds like a pretty good deal with the warrenty and all. Does anyone already have one? Or if you have any information about this car it would be great. Any info about how the maintence is or if it brakes down, how the dealership treats you when you take it to get repaired. If you think i should buy it or not. THANKS.
  • honda719bhonda719b Member Posts: 19
    hyundai must worry that the hard driving the gsi would get in the usa wouldn't outlast the warranty. in canada, the warranty is a lot shorter. i'm sure they feel the cost of repairs for 10 yrs isn't profitable.
    i've been looking for a new car for the past few weeks, but i'd stop looking if the gsi was sold here.
  • dhaxtondhaxton Member Posts: 16
    If you like the white guages, ask dealers about them. I just bought a GS from stock, here in NJ, that had these. I haven't seen them listed on any web sites, in fact I didn't even want them at first since I didn't like spending an extra $100. Now that I have them I like them though. They look especially nice at night.
  • photog0264photog0264 Member Posts: 314
    Hello everyone I don't suppose you remember me. I am the ZX2er who seriously considered an Accent but went with another Ford Escort ZX2 following the untimely death of my first ZX2. IF you remember I released a protype of a Hyundai Accent page and then dropped quiet. The reasons for this where three fold. First I moved, second my Pc Died, third I then established a new domain. At any rate I have a rather eventfull several months obviously.


    As for how all this pertains to this forum the answer is I have re-establshed my ZX2 pages and also set up the ZX2 pages and corrected the Accent pages. I am eagerly searching for links to add to the Accent links page. So if anyone has any for the Accent please E-mail me at from the page. Also I am looking for suggestions on what to add to the page, and any general comments you may have regarding it.


    The Accent pages can be found at:

     http://www.photogsweb.com/TheAccentPage.htm


    And the ZX2 Pages are located at:

    http://www.photogsweb.com/zx2page.htm


    Also thanks for all your comments on my first try with this sight. Apart from the twit who was trying to argue the Cougar with a V6 (and costing approx $5000 more than the ZX2) was the supperior car to both the ZX2 and the Accent. Most of the comments where actauly quite usefull, and very constructive...

  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Well, it's been officially a year since I took home my Accent L hatch. She now has 14,520 miles. I'm happy to report that I have had absolutely no problems with her. She runs great and continues to impress me with how solidly she drives and how reliable she has been. Fuel economy has evened out to a constant 29-30 mpg in all city driving and 36-38 on the highway. I have been to the dealer only once to fix a squeaky seat belt buckle, misaligned glovebox, and creaky center stop light. All other maintenance has been performed by me. So far, she has performed as well as any Honda or Toyota, but for considerably less money. Thanks Hyundai for designing an excellent inexpensive car!
    On a side note, I reached a new top speed of 107 mph, which is 3 mph faster than the governor limited top speed of the 130 horse Focus ZX3! Considering her wimpy 13" tires, I was very impressed with how hunkered down and stable she felt at that speed. She felt like she could cruise at that speed all day and I felt thoroughly confident driving at such a high speed. I even returned 29 mpg on that tank, which is excellent considering half of the tank was all city driving with the AC on and I drove over 100mph for a few miles.
  • fitmanfitman Member Posts: 1
    I bought Hyndai-Accent (96) with 26K on it for 4000 out to the door. Can any one tell me that is it a good deal and what are the main problems with this model??????hey guyz I am waiting for your response
  • pocahontaspocahontas Member Posts: 802
    Hi lngtonge18- Thanks for the detailed one year update! It's always helpful for others to know what going on... with other owners of the same make/model. ;-)

    Hi Fitman- Congratulations on your purchase! What options are on it? Auto or manual transmission? What region did you make your purchase? These items also determine value. While you're waiting for a response here, you may also want to check with Edmunds.com's TMV Used Vehicle Appraiser.


    We look forward to hearing more about your Hyundai Accent experience. Keep us posted. ;-)


    Pocahontas
    Host
    Hatchbacks/Station Wagons Message Boards

  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    The only known problem with the 95-97 Accents is the longevity of the automatic transmission. Some people have had problems with the automatic and some haven't. Other possible problems are the power steering pump and water pump ( just isolated problems with those). No known problems with the engine or the manual tranny (the engine is a very durable design). If the car really only has 26K, you got a great deal! It should be a reliable good economy car for many more years. But, I kind of wonder how it can have such low mileage and be 6 years old.
  • secretblendsecretblend Member Posts: 9
    Hello everybody. I have enjoyed reading what everybody has to say about the Hyundai Accent. Judging from what I read about the car. I am feeling pretty good of my recent buy. I bought the car about 4 weeks ago. It had 156 miles and now I already have over 4,000 miles on it. I drive alot for my job which is copier repair man. I drive all over south west Missouri. I have to say for the price of the car compared to others, the quality is very good. I have always been comfortable even there are couple of things I miss that I had in my old car which was a Mazda MVP Mini van (which I bought for the room and I regret buying it since I needed the silage more than room. I have been recording the gas I bought since I bought the car and I am averaging 33 in both city and Highway driving. It seems to be getting better because the last two fillips I got, it had 36 mpg. I think I am gonna be very happy with this car. I have noticed a couple of problems with it. One is my driver side mirror. the control is way lopsided. I can only move it up so much so they told me they got a new one on order and they will replace it as soon as they get it and it is covered under the warranty. I just hope the car keeps up with the demand I am gonna put on it and so far it has done that without a whimper. By the way, the day I signed the loan papers, I drove it to Dallas (for job) and it was a very comfortable car considering the price. I have driven across the country several times alone in various cars and this car is way up on my list of comfort. Anyway I hope to hear what other people have to say about this car and to learn what I can do to keep it in great shape and to help others with what I've learned with this car.
  • secretblendsecretblend Member Posts: 9
    I was just reading what I typed and I forgot to tell what kind of car it is. It is a 2001 Hyundai Accent. the color is silver mist. It is a 3-door Hatchback. it came from factory with A/c package and carpeted floor mats. the suggested retail price was 10,244. I had them add cruise control since i drive alot on my job. It is a 5-speed stick and the engine seems to be powerful enough to do what I want. It is no race car but the power is there when I need it. Hope this info helps alot..
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Did you get the L or the GS model? How much did the dealer installed cruise control cost? You are the first person in here to get cruise installed so I was wondering if you could describe the system to me a bit, like how the system operates, where the switch to turn it on and accelerate is located, whether the brakes still shut off the cruise just like factory systems. There are a few of us out here that have been real curious about cruise because most dealers simply told us you can't get cruise on the Accent. Your insight would be greatly appreciated!!
  • secretblendsecretblend Member Posts: 9
    I believe I got the L. I looked it up in my papers but it don't say but I got the basic model which is the L. right? My salesman took the car over to a mechanic somewhere (didn't go with him since I was busy signing papers) to get the cruise control installed. It is a after market kind and it works great. the switch is below and back from the turning switch. It don't even look out of place it looks like it is part of the car. the switch is on the side and you can turn it on and off and then pull it even farther to reset the cruise after you had it set and had to stop or slow down.. you can just pull it and it will go back to speed you were at ( as long as you don"t turn it off or turn the car off) and there is a button on side for setting the speed you are at. if you push the brake it does shut it off and you can reset it using the slide button that I mentioned above. The only down side is if you push the clutch it does not turn it off and the engine revs up, but that is not a problem since when do you push the clutch with engine running high? The only problem I had with it was the cable would come off the throttle body and it would try to keep the speed but since it was not right it would speed up then slow down over and over but I fixed it by putting a wire tie and tied that cable to main throttle cable right where it touches the cam and it solved it.
  • secretblendsecretblend Member Posts: 9
    You can also tell it to slow down or increase speed by using those same buttons without having to touch the throttle. As for the cost, to be honest I have no idea how much it was because I had to have it and i didn't care how much it was. It was not listed in the paper so it is included in the price of the car. Well I hope i have provided some information you have been wanting to know and if i can help out anymore let me know..
  • baberbaber Member Posts: 96
    Just hit 48,000 miles on my 99 Accent sedan I bought in Sept 99. The car has very much exceeded my expectations. I spend three hours and 100 miles a day in my Accent and it has never let me down yet. I hear about the post about power steering pumps being a problem, mine went out at 25,000 miles. It didn't strand me, just started to make a little noise. It was fixed for free under the warranty along with the radio that got struck by lightning. Those have been the only problems with the car so far. I still have plenty of wear on the original tires and brakes, and after a fluid change at 30,000 miles the auto trans still runs like new. The whole car still runs like new, and looks new when I wash it. I think the engine will run forever as long as I take care of it. Our 99 Elantra has been totally trouble free after 21,000 miles. Both of these cars had no factory defects. These are the first cars I didn't have to bring back to the Dealer for "adjustments", Very impressive for "cheap" cars. The only problem with the Elantra is my Wife has locked herself out of the car three times so far. She only had to use the roadside assistance once though, and it worked as advertised. I have owned Honda, Subaru, and Mercedes and our Hyundais have been better then any of them. I would reccoment Hyundai to anyone looking for the best value in a car.
  • gitongiton Member Posts: 15
    April is my 00 Accent GS's 1 year birthday.
    It has 9800 miles, auto transmission and A/C.
    The experience has generally been a good one.
    I live in Chicago, and having a small agile car is a real plus in dense traffic and tight parking situations.
    I got myself hopelessly stuck in the alley after a very heavy snowstorm. But then, just about any car except 4 wheel drive vehicles would have had trouble getting through all that snow. I am thinking of investing in snow tires next year.

    Hauling capabilities of the hatch have been a pleasant surprise. I moved a tall 5 drawer dresser, flat, with the hatch closed. Its 5 feet from the passenger seats to the lip of the hatch, very roomy. I moved a large television that a friend could not get into his toyota camry.

    Safety. Its a small light car, so if I get hit by a Ford Excursion, I will probably be history. On the other hand, I am almost always driving in dense, slow urban traffic, it doesn't seem like anyone around me is every moving fast enough to inflict much damage.

    Driving dynamics. Its pokey. But heck, its gets fantastic gas mileage. Despite what the edmunds.com review says, I think it corners nicely, and the light weight of the car makes it feel very nimble. I recently rented a Mustang GT while in LA, and that car felt heavy and awkward compared to the Accent. The Mustang is a very fast car, but I actually preferred the light feeling of the Accent, rather than the powerful yet ungainly feeling of the Mustang.

    Reliability. Its only a year old, but I have had absolutely no problems.

    Nitpicking. The stock tires are too small.
    I plan to get good tires for summer (15"), and a set of snow tires for winter. The cargo floor cover is very flimsy. I removed it.
    The seat backs don't fold quite flat.
    The rear speaker mounts stick way out into the cargo area.

    The Accent is a great urban car, and the hatchback configuration is perfect for maximizing the cargo capacity. I plan on keeping it for many many years...
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    The bearing in my water pump is going. I have been hearing an odd noise from the engine for the past month. When traveling at a steady 40 in 4th gear, the engine was making a sound similar to tranny whine but it changed in note (kind of like a wha-whaa-wha-whaa). I just blew it off as gear noise because it wasn't consistent. But recently, I could hear a rough clattery bearing sound when accelerating. I inspected the engine and noticed the water pump pulley was wobbling. I took my car to the dealer and revved the engine for him. He immediately said it was the water pump. He also readily admitted its a problem with the Accents. I will be the 4th water pump replacement in the 7 months he has been a service manager there. He has never seen someone come back for a second water pump failure so that's encouraging. It's kind of a letdown, but at least he didn't try to tell me its a normal sound and "they all make that noise". He very quickly admitted the problem and was very straight forward with me, which I really appreciated. The good thing is that Hyundai made a smart move by making the water pump an accessory instead of putting it inside the engine and driven by the timing belt. So the repair will only take 2-3 hours and they won't have to tear anything else out to get at it. Hopefully this was just a fluke and not a sign of things to come.
  • baberbaber Member Posts: 96
    I had the bearing start to go in my power steering pump at about 23,000 miles. It started to make a whining noise too. The dealer gad to order a new one since he said the power steering pumps don't fail too often. I got a free loaner car overnight and the car was fixed the next day under the warranty. So far this has been the only major problem in 48,000 miles.
  • chapsrlchapsrl Member Posts: 1
    I am looking into getting a 98 Hyundai Accent base model, after looking at a few I have found several that drive quite well and are in my price range, but seem to have a beige sludge accumulating on the oil filler cap, as well as on the dipstick.

    Is this normal?

    Also is there anything else that I should look for with regards to trouble with this year/model?

    Thanks for any input.
  • secretblendsecretblend Member Posts: 9
    Does anyone change their own oil? If so what oil filter do you use? I've been told that they have a history of having trouble with other oil filter brands? I checked with Hyundai and their filter is alot more money than other brands and wanted to see if they work or not?
  • aldagaldag Member Posts: 81
    I have been using Deutsch brand filters. These are not expensive and seem to be working well. The oil stays quite clean for a long time. Also used a Bosch filter, but that cost twice as much. I have been changing the filter with every oil change, why not, it is not expensive. As for the appearance of gray sludge, I have seen a small amount of this, I believe it is caused by condensation during short trips that don't completely bake out the moisture in the crankcase. It disappears after a longer trip. What can cause a water pump bearing to fail? Many things. A misalignment of the bearing during assembly, a bad batch of antifreeze without the lubricant additive, a belt which is too tight and overstresses the bearing, the bearing alloy was too soft, and so on. With all the possible variables, it is a wonder that cars work at all...
  • baberbaber Member Posts: 96
    I use the Hyundai oil filters they are very high quality and I don't think they are too expensive. If you change your own oil you need to get a crush washer for the drain plug bolt at the dealer. I like the Hyundai oil filters because they have a bypass valve and a tapered oil seal. Sometimes Dealers give you crap if you use non Hyundai oil filters.
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    I use Purolator. They have the same oil bypass valve as the Hyundai filter but at a much cheaper price. My dealer charges $7.50 a piece for the Hyundai filter whereas the Purolator only costs $2.29. Purolator has been shown to provide superior protection compared to other aftermarket brands because they use the oil bypass valve and filter out smaller particles. I haven't had any problems with using it.
  • secretblendsecretblend Member Posts: 9
    do you use the "crush washer?" I have never heard of that for the drain plug. Where do you get the Purolator oil filter? Has anyone ever looked into getting the cruise control after my comments?
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Secretblend: I do use the crush washer because it provides a much tighter fit than does the traditional plastic or metal ring. They don't cost much and I get a whole bunch at one time from the dealer. Purolator is sold at Pepboys, Discount Auto, and Autozone I believe.

    As for my water pump repair, I finally got it replaced today. The engine is so much quieter now. However, I was disgusted with how the dealer treated me and tried to twist their words. I set up the appointment a week in advance and the advisor told me they would have a pump in stock for me when I come in. I dropped the car off on Thursday at noon as I was told and expected to have it back by 4 or at the latest the end of the day. I had a friend come pick me up to waste a few hours and then drop me back off. I waited an hour in the lounge room. When 4:30 rolled around and I still had not received a phone call as to what was going on, I went and asked the advisor how much longer till it is ready. He proceeds to tell me they hadn't even looked at the car yet!! They only had one Hyundai technician and he was backed up. I was furious! He tried to tell me that he originally told me it would have to sit overnight, which was pure bull because I made sure to ask that my car would be ready Thursday when I dropped it off. He went on to say that the problem hadn't even been diagnosed yet and therefore he could not give me a loaner. Because of my small size and young looks, he treated me like a kid and offered a couple times to talk to my dad. This irritated me because I'm 21 and the car was bought in my name only and is paid for by me. I had to tell him to diagnose the problem NOW and get me a loaner. He did do it, but not before rolling his eyes and giving me attitude. He never apologized for my inconvenience. To top it all off, after all the commotion, I left my bag with a brand new shirt in the waiting room. I asked about it and they remembered it sitting in there but didn't have the smarts to go pick it up and put it where it would be safe. They just left it there for the cleaning crew to steal. Just my luck. Needless to say, I'm totally unhappy with Tallahassee Automall's pitifully poor service. It's not Hyundai's fault though because this dealer sells Chrysler, Plymouth, Jeep, Lincoln, Mercury, Hyundai, and Daewoo. The dealer is just too stupid to hire enough people to service all the cars they sell.
  • njbongonjbongo Member Posts: 66
    Hello all...I ususally don't post here since I got a new 2001 Focus ZX3...HOWEVER..I still have my 2000 Accent L and my 1995 Accent.

    Just wanted to tell you guys what a truly awesome car this really is. Although the 2000 is a MAJOR improvement over the 1995, I just wanted to share this:

    OK, I bought the 95 in Feb, 95 before it was "officially" released and no-one even new what an Accent was. It is Montego green (the one on the cover of the 95 brochure), 5 speed with power-steering, no other options. I paid about $8000 for the car, since I was a returning Hyundai customer. This car just turned 6 in Feb, 2001 and has 90000 miles on it. Aside from the 2 recalls (strut towers and a wiring harness)...this car has NEVER gone back to the dealer for ANYTHING...I changed the oil myself, as well as all other maintenance...and just recently did the timing belt at 80000. I can't stress enough that you guys change your belt at the recomended 60K...mine was in horrible shape and had lots of cracks....the brakes lasted me till 70K miles, and I changed the water pump along with the timimg belt.

    I do the oil every 3500 miles. This car is absolutley amazing.. a few rattles here and there, nothing major....but it rides like a dream, and when people ride with me in it, they can't beleive there in ANY car with 90K miles, never mind a Hyundai.

    I have to admit, I am in love with the ZX3...huge tires, more power, better handling and a much smoother ride (but the 2k Accent is close in ride quality). I only hope the ZX3 lasts as long.....anyway...my point is the ACCENT is amazing...I was going to get rid of the 95 since its a third car and I really don't need it...but guess what, I just can't bring myself to part with it...it's been awesome, still looks VERY good and I can't let go of it.....it just keeps staring at me in the driveway like a sad little puppy that doesn't want to leave home....OK, I know I'm sick....but it's true. Enjoy your cars....later

    Vic

    PS - I don'tdrive like a Sunday driver...in fact, some poeple tell me I drive like a maniac...so the Accent got it's fair share of abuse too !!!
  • floridianfloridian Member Posts: 219
    Was out "lot prowling" early this Sun.AM. Saw a 2001 Accent GLS, hatch with the white faced gauge option ($100) Really neat, kinda light gray rather than a flat white. Red needles, black numbers. I bet they really look cool at night too. Kinda pricy @ $100 but then again it would probably cost that much with labor etc to do a aftermarket upgrade.

    Floridian
  • truckdude1truckdude1 Member Posts: 88
    do you think the hyundai accent 4 door with spoiler would suit 2 people nicely, we have seen them close up they look decent,but is the engine smooth enough or peppy enough to keep it at 80 mph on the freeway? we only drive about 12 thousand a year so would you think if we maintain it will it last 10 years nicely and will the paint hold up? we have no idea on this car,but its a cheap buy, my friends Corolla DX 1993 is nice,never broke down and its already got 133,521 miles, nice as new,but the tranny is slipping as he floors it to take off, we would accelerate hard on the accento too,but would maintain it..please advise us..thank you
  • njbongonjbongo Member Posts: 66
    Well, read my last post #484...my 95 Accent has about 90,000 miles on it and it looks pretty good, and runs amazingly. Mine also NEVER broke down, except for a flat tire here and there. I also have a 2000 Accent (now my roomates car), which is even nicer and the same style as the one you are looking at. The only difference in the 2001 is the engine going from 1.5L, 92 HP to a 1.6L, 103 HP.....I think it's really just the same engine bored out a little for a tiny bit more power. I also have a 2001 Focus ZX3...which was about $5000 more than the base model 2000 Accent, but worth every penny.

    I guess my advice would be this....if you really want to stay at the $10K mark, go for the Hyundai....if you can spend a little more, a Focus can be had almost fully loaded for about $15K. I'm really torn, because I LOVE both cars for different reasons....if the higher cost is still reasonable, test drive both of them and decide for yourself. I think both cars are the absolute best bet for you money in those two ranges.

    Good Luck,

    Vic
  • richardirichardi Member Posts: 4
    Hi all:

    I had been searching for a compact car for the several months and finally decided on a white Accent Hatch back last week. The car has been perfect thus far. As a single University faculty/administrator (mid thirties) the Accent really fits me. The car (Ms. Whitney) had about 41,000 miles when I made the purchase. I keep thinking that my luck will run out soon and something will go wrong with Ms. Whitney. I purchased her from a an excellent dealership (as excellent as one can be) here in Burlington, Vermont. Are there things that I should watch out for or can I do any preventive things?

    Mercy,

    Ricardo
  • destro2001destro2001 Member Posts: 15
    Hi, I've been lurking in a bunch of Edmunds boards, especially this one, and I'm kind of planning to get a 2001 Accent. I've checked out CarsDirect.com and they offered a price of $10,556 for a GL with auto, air, floor mats, and package 5. The rebate is included in the price, but tax, title, and other fees aren't. So my question is, is this a decent price?? It's really convenient which is why I want to get it this way, but I have no idea what a good price for it would be.

    Also, at Hyundaiusa.com I built this same Accent and the MSRP came out to $10,444, while at CarsDirect.com the INVOICE came out to $10,707 and the MSRP was $11,459!! What gives? One of them must be listing an incorrect MSRP I assume. Please help quickly as I am planning on trying to get one by the end of the week! Thanks.
  • destro2001destro2001 Member Posts: 15
    the Accent that I referred to in the above post is a 3-door hatchback. I also live in Chicago, in case it makes any difference.

    Thanks in advance!
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    If it's a hatchback, than it can't be a GL model. You must mean the GS. At any rate, there is no package 5, so I'm a bit confused. Does the package that you want include power windows, locks, mirrors, and a CD player? If so, than it is package 3. And if that's the one you are talking about, than the price you quoted is a good deal. It is only a hundred bucks above the invoice price, which is a very good deal considering you don't have to haggle with a dealer to get to that price. I say go for it!
  • dbwellsdbwells Member Posts: 44
    destro2001: maybe you got mixed up when you priced it out on one sight or the other, since, as lngtonge18 pointed out, the GL is the 4 door, not a hatchback. Also, Carsdirect does include the advertising fee in their prices while the Hyundai site does not, due to the fact that these differ depending on where you live.

    lngtonge18: actually, they recently added packages 4 and 5 to the Accent. They are just like 2 and 3 with the exception of the white-faced gauges, and they come at a $100 MSRP premium. This puts the car essentially at invoice, so I will agree that it is a fine price.
    (almost exactly what I paid for the same car without white gauges 4 months ago)

    DW
  • lngtonge18lngtonge18 Member Posts: 2,228
    Thanks for the tip about the new packages. Apparently, Edmunds has not heard about them yet as they are not mentioned. $100 is a steal for the gauges! I wonder what they look like at night. Anyone know if they are still green in color or a different color?
  • destro2001destro2001 Member Posts: 15
    Thanks to lngtonge18 and dbwells for your replies!

    I made a mistake on the model, it is in fact, like you indicated, not the GL, but the 3-door GS model, with auto and package 5 (deluxe interior, adjustable driver's seat with armrest, white face gauges, but no power locks/windoews or CD player), for $10,523 total (but not including tax, title).

    Does this still sound like a good deal if it's the GS 3-door?
  • dbwellsdbwells Member Posts: 44
    Sorry, I got my info a little bit off in my first post. What I said was basically right, but there THREE new packages (4, 5, and 6) which correspond to the original three (with package 1 being just the standard car) while adding the new gauges. So, package 5 is in fact like the old package 2 with white gauges, so I think you could do a little better on the price, maybe $200-300 less depending on the actual invoice advertising fee in your area. Most dealers are willing to sell at around invoice minus rebate.

    DW
  • snoopy24snoopy24 Member Posts: 4
    Hi. (Please excuse my (sometimes) bad english.) Just wanted to tell my story about my '97 Accent GLS (5-door, automatic, 78.000km) and share my experiences. The car has dissapointed me in several ways: The power locks broke down (warranty), sunscreens creaked (warranty), windowwiper engine broke down (warranty). Now to the non-warrantys but out-of-my-pocket fixes: Both front springs and a stability-pole(?) snapped b'cos of driving in salty winter conditions. (Expensive fix.) In addition the automatic suddenly lost all it's oil, hence the engine stopped at low speeds + terrible gear shifts. This happened two days after the 75.000km service... Broken battery-pole-clamp hence the car wouldn't start, broken pipe to the engines oil stick, bad paintwork on door, generally thin/crispy paint overall, weak headlights, uncomfortable seats, the automatic doens't like to be driven very aggresive --> painfully gearshifts, loousy korean tires (changed imidiatly), the loins handle-adjustment-thing on drivers seat keeps going to zero position, it's alot of different noises in the car that wasn't there 4 years ago, the 55amp battery is too weak at cold mornings... and so on and so on. The things I like with my Accent is my stereo equipment (bought by myself) + after a nice matching paintjob of the doorhandles + sidemirrors, the car doesn't look too ugly anymore. I was lended this car for free by my health insurance fond, b'cos of my handicaps. I only have to pay for gas+services/repairments so I really shouldn't complain too much, though I wish I was given another car. I'll sadly have to say I'm looking forward to 2004 when the car is to be traded in.
  • baberbaber Member Posts: 96
    Just hit 50,000 miles on my 99 Accent Gl Sedan last week. This car has been very reliable. I had only three problems so far. The bearing on the power steering pump started to make noise at 23,000 miles, replaced under warranty. The AM band on the factory radio failed after a lightning strike, repaired under warranty. And a very minor leak in the automatic transmission caused by the dealer after replacing the fluid and filter, repaired by dealer for free with apologies. The car still looks and runs like new. I still have plenty of wear left on the original brakes and Kumho tires. The Kumho tires have been pretty good to me. I have only had to rotate them every 7,500 miles and only had to re-balance them once. The auto trans has been great so far. The paint is a little thin. I have got a few scratches and chips that I have touched up with touchup paint I bought from the dealer for 5 dollars. My main complaints are no tilt steering wheel or cruise control and the thin paint. The engine has been great, it just runs and runs, never stalls and great on gas. Overall this has been the most trouble free car I have ever owned for the first 50,000 miles. I think the Accent is a very impressive little car for the price
  • njbongonjbongo Member Posts: 66
    Sorry to hear of all your problems....however, I should point out that there are very big differences between the USA and European versions (like engines, transmissions, etc.) I'm not sure where you are because I can't remember what countries flag is next to your name...hehehe..i think it's Norway, am I right ?

    Anyway, regardless of what 'version' of the car you have, these problems are unacceptable. Have you ever complained to Hyundai directly? Sometimes, this actually helps.

    In your case, and PLEASE don't be offended, but being that you do have some type of disability, they may be more responsive to your problems. Hyundai does seem to care about their reputation, and when I had a recall problem with my 2000 Accent, I ended up getting them to pay 3 months worth of car payments to make up for all the trouble I went through to have the recall fixed.

    If you have all of the documentation for these problems, present it to them and maybe they willing to do something. It's worth a try.

    Being that I own a 95 and 2000 Accent, I can honestly say I like the more 'sporty' feel of the 95, but the 2000 feels way more refined with a much quieter ride and it feels more solid. It may be worth giving the newer model a look. Plus, with the 10 year warranty, you can't really lose.

    Good luck either way
  • snoopy24snoopy24 Member Posts: 4
    Yep, it's Norway njbongo. (Btw. "Mai 17" is also our constitutional day... so the flag fitted nicely on my Mai 17 posting there. 8-)

    I guess there're smaller engines on the Accents in Norway than US. Only 1.3L, not 1.5L anymore... The 1.5L was only imported until modellyear 1996, which really is a shame. My 1.3L with an automatic is quite slooow to fire up, 15.3sec 0-100km/h.

    I'll try to write directly to Hyundai, thanks for the tip. I don't think they'll pay out for some of my earlier expences, but at least they'll get some feedback on my car. And maybe I'll get some type of goodwill in return...

    It's not that I think my Accent is a big piece of cr.., I quite like it when it works fine. It's all the stuff that breaks down (too early I think) that's annoying and disapponting.

    Btw. in Norway the warranty is 3-year/100.000km, not 10-year. I kindof envy you that 10-year warranty, I think it whould have solved alot of my problems.
  • njbongonjbongo Member Posts: 66
    Wow, that does stink about the warranty...I thought is was a world-wide policy.

    By the way, the 2001 Accent GS and GL in the USA come with a 1.6L, 105HP engine. It's really just the 1.5 bored out a little to 1.6. I have driven one thought, and it's amazing what a difference that little power makes.

    I can't imagine driving a 1.3L Accent. My 95 1.5L is pretty damn quick (both cars ar manual). It is possible that the model you guys get is just not as good as ours. Just Curiuos though, what would you pay in US equivalent dollars for a base model Accent there with no options. I got my 95 for 8000 even (with tax, title, etc) and my 2000 was 9900 with AC.

    I would still definetly contact Hyundai about it, and lay it on thick. I did and it payed off.

    Good Luck
  • destro2001destro2001 Member Posts: 15
    Hey everyone, thanks for all the advice on buying an Accent. I just got my new 2001 black 3-door GS today in Chicago, for a total price (including everything) of $10,850. It has auto, A/C, mud guards and floor mats. I'll be updating occasionally on my new car to let people know how it's holding up in the rough midwest weather.

    Cheers!
  • snoopy24snoopy24 Member Posts: 4
    The base model in Norway, the 2001 Accent L Special (1.3L 5-speed man, 3-door, no options) you would pay: US$ 14200,- (Yes, cars are very expensive here!) This base model does not have power steering, power locks, heated seats, power windows/mirrors and so on.

    The 2001 version of my model, the 2001 Accent GLS (1.3L aut. 5-door) you would pay: US$ 17800,-

    In Norway there's special taxes based on volume of the engine (that's probably why it's only underpowered 1.3L here), horsepowers, and the weight of the car. And then the 24% ordinary tax is added upon that again.

    It's bcos of these stupid taxes on new cars, the average age on cars here is nearly 10 years. That's about the oldest in Europe.
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