Hyundai Accent Hatchbacks

queensmike · May 2000

I've owned a 99 Accent L hatchback since Feb.99, and haven't had any problems.

FAVORITE THINGS: The solid sound of the door when you close it. The stereo is surprisingly great for a budget auto. The fuel low indicator is nice, tho maybe all cars have that now. The passenger capacity is great for such a small car. Recently took 5 adults on a 2 hour trip, and everyone comfortable.

WORST THING: Lack of height of windshield. I have to scrunch down to watch red lights. I'm only 5' 11'. It would be great if there were a way to lower the seat. Also, after about 45 mins, the seat becomes uncomfortable--tho I just discovered there's a lumbar support lever (driver only), and it does help. Those wooden bead thingys that cabbies use solve this too. Not such a problem for city use. Rattly window when partially open. Lackluster power, tho not bad if you go to high revs. Doesn't really want to go over 70, but I have only 6000 miles, so maybe not fully broken in. The ringing sound during acceleration bothered me a lot at first, but the dealer's mechanic said the part was functioning properly, and it doesn't bother me anymore. I may just call about the fix tho.

bennj1979 · May 2000

Okay, i'm done trying to figure out what your username might mean... (hehe), anyway, funny how you mention that after 50 the acceleration seems better, I find the same thing with my old Hyundai, I mean, yeah, it's old and rattly, and cycling 1 - 4 takes a while, but once I hit that 5th gear, boy oh boy, you ain't never seen overdrive on a volkswagen like this (lol)... sucker just takes off into oblivion.. I guess the key word here is "momentum?"

At any rate, I was asking around about Kia... most of the responses were, "Don't even bother..." then I asked about Hyundai, "Good warranty, try it," then I asked about Daewoo, and I got, "Well, if they build ships and automobile parts, and they've been doing it for years, they're probably not a bad car." Daewoo sounds nice, my only concern is the parts thing, I mean, so if I buy the darn thing, and take extra good care of it, fine, what happens like when it hits 60K mile mark, and my clutch goes out?... am I in a fix or what? Parts is definately a problem (even though they're probably so light and cheap, I can toss you the clutch and you can catch it with one hand.)

Friend of mine from school who works with machinery and hydraulics told me, all those Korean car companies, esp. Daewoo are only going to get bigger in the US, probably taking up a large chunk of what Hyundai used to have, is this just wishful thinking or a strong possibility?... Maybe i'm overanalyzing, but when it comes to my hard earned $$$, I don't assume anything, i'm sure you know what I mean.

We have one of the highest (if not THE highest) auto insurance rates in the country, for example, i'm paying $1,200.00 a year for liability on my current Hyundai. I also live in the worst auto insurance zone in the state, Hudson County (across from Manhattan) which means i'll be paying alot more automaticially due to where I live and park the car.

Today I priced out a Saturn coupe (I hear that branch of GM are good cars, though they're styling is a bit too mid 90's for me, they're coupe looks like a restyled Camaro with that huge nose and 4 foot long doors), got like $2,300.00 for full (i'm financing), and about $2,500.00 for Hyundai Accent (all 2000 models). I haven't gotten the Daewoo quote yet, though it is expected to be around these ranges, now this is cheap.. I know because I tried 3 other companies, both private and state affiliated, and I get around $5,200.00 for full with other carriers.. pretty much exceeds the price of some used cars.. I went to get a 1998 Chevy Prizm for about $6K and the quote came back about the same.. I was like, "Holy ship."

Most ppl say I can get it cheaper, but I doubt that, VERY MUCH... I can probably match it very closely, but not beat it.. i've tried. Friend of mine told me to try his company, Liberty Mutual or something... they still haven't gotten back to me those sons of guns...

Will post later.

baber · May 2000

I have Progressive Insurance and live in Florida I have $500 deductible $20,000 too. Costs me $580 a year for my 99 Accent sedan. I'm an old fart though. I love my 99 Accent. I spend 4 hours a day in it and I am comfortable. Put 23,000 miles on it since I bought it last September. No defects, no problems. I bought a 99 Elantra sedan for my wife last August. She has 11,000 miles on her's with no problems too. Niether car has been back to the dealer yet, just no need. I do the oil changes, and had a local tire shop rotate the tires. These are the only new cars I have bought that had no factory defects. The cars I have bought new are Honda, Subaru and Mercedes. This is VERY impressive for such low price cars. I bought my 99 Accent as a cheap econnobox. I was suprised to find I bought a REAL CAR. My 99 has a very solid feel for such a small car with suprising room too. Very stable at high speed even with heavy winds. I average 35 mpg mixed driving. The best I got so fat is 39 mpg, but I think I can break 40 mpg if I drive straight highway, this with the automatic. The 2000 is even nicer with more room and a nicer interior. The AC is great but really sucks the power from the engine. I would reccomend the Hyundai Accent and Elantra to anyone, great cars!!

bennj1979 · May 2000

Thanks for the reply.

I just found out that Daewoo is in bigtime debt, and will probably be selling out to someone like GM, or Ford, probably Ford from what I understand. I don't know what that will mean as far as parts go, but, I just did some research on the Saturns - they are American assembled, and have such a high saftey factor, it really shows up in premium quotes! They are a bit pricey for domestic, but then again, you get what you pay for I guess.

Now, comming back to Hyundai, my experience leads me to believe that some people buy Hyundais that were made on Mondays and Fridays, while other people (like me) bought one that was made on a Wednesday. Maybe this isn't a fair thing to say, but, while some ppl hate the idea of driving a Hyundai, others (like myself) enjoy it. I think they're great dependable cars, and I feel sorry for those ppl that don't know how to take care of cars, like by letting the oil slip the 3000 (I do every 2000) mile mark for oil, until it ends up like Mississippi mud, or why they wonder they burn up seals or get premature knocking when they insistently had gunned the engine during its "break in" period unneccesarily.

At any rate, I'm down to Hyundai, and Saturn, and though I have absolutely no time during the week for shopping (when offices are open) I don't know when I'll be able to get a better policy, as it is, i'm going to use my remaining credit on my current policy until I can get just the right price, and thanks for your help.

Stay well.

lngtonge18 · May 2000

I laughed so hard when you said you were trying to figure out what my screenname means! I guess I should tell you the story behind it since I got such a kick out of your response. First off, I should have formed a car related name for this forum, but I was afraid I would forget my login so I just used one of my screennames from AOL. I didn't realize I would like these forums so much and be visiting them daily. Anyway, the 18 in the name stands for age, though it has been 2 years since I formed the name. The rest stands for "long tongue". I got this idea from a friend of mine who used to always call me Tongueman in high school, because I have an unusually long tongue. I was kind of a freak show in high school. Everyone knew me as "the kid with the long tongue". My one and only claim to fame, pretty sad don't ya think? LOL
Anyway, I would stay away from Saturn. Their only real strong point is their good dealer service, and not every dealer is that way. I have been visiting the Saturn forums and many people have had rather premature engine problems even though they changed the oil every 3000 miles (one guy was told he needed a complete lower engine rebuild after only 82K miles and he was religious with oil changes;it cost him $2500) and many complain of annoying rattles in even one year old cars. From my own experiences, even brand new Saturns rattle when you shut the door. The interiors are horribly cheap looking and the door slams with a tinny sound (caused by the famous plastic panels). The drivers seat sits real low in the car and does not provide much support. It was very uncomfortable to me. The rear seat sucks too. Overall, the Saturns are way too high priced for what you get. They are not a very good value. You end up paying about the same price as you would for a Honda Civic if you know how to haggle. In other words, probably way out of your price range.

Lastly, I now understand why your insurance rates are so high. You have now convinced me to steer clear of that area when I graduate from college and start looking for a place to work. Talk about high costs of living! Good luck in your search.

bennj1979 · May 2000

I visited a local Saturn dealer a few miles from where I live today. The visit was brief, I have no time, and of course, it's the 5th day straight of rain for us in North New Jersey.

The visit was nice, I mean, all that stuff they say about going into a Saturn dealer is true. The cars seem nice too. I'm not too picky when it comes to all those things you mentioned "long tounge," however, yeah, the seat is low, maybe too low to see certain things, and i'm 6'0"!

The best deal he could get me (for my price range) was a 1997 SC2, or something, 4-speed auto, leather, cruise, etc, for $9995.00. Brace yourself for the mileage: 29,000 miles. What I don't understand is this, this car probably had one owner, and that owner lived in Jersey City, because they left the parking permit on the fender which I read. Why is it at a Saturn dealer lot if these are supposed to be such good cars? I turned it on, but didn't drive it, again, it was dark already. No problems there. I dunno, i'm sort of wary though, the dealer, though mild mannered and patient, didn't see what I was trying to get at, I wanted a vehicle as new as possible for a $10K limit, he seemed more concerned in selling me supped up packages, which I didn't need.. What college student needs leather and in dash CD?.. sure, it's nice, but even at low prices, one must wonder what the dealer is thinking when your walking thru the lots, passing by, what may be good deals for you, only to look at picked out cars?... HIS picks.

I dunno, i'm at my last straw... i'm thinking Hyundai now. I know I can get a new one, stripped, only with A/C for under $10K. What do you think?

lngtonge18 · May 2000

Why pay 10 grand for a 3 year old Saturn that may have been traded in because the owner was having problems with it when you could buy a brand new Hyundai with an extrememly long warranty that will cover any problems you encounter for up to 10 years? You do sacrifice some luxury, but like you said, you have no need for big luxury items like leather and the more options on a car, the more things there are to break. Once you have graduated from college and established your credit, you can always trade up to the nicer, more luxurious cars. Thats the way I see it. I only plan on keeping my Accent for a year maybe 2 years max. As soon as I have a good job, I plan on trading up to an Elantra, Tiburon, or another car company. I see the Accent as basic transportation to get me where I need to go and establish the credit I need to get ahead in life. Since I do all my own maintenance and am very leery of used cars, I would shy away from a used car that costs the same as a new one. Who knows how the car was taken care of and whether you will run into problems that has no warranty to cover them. Anyway, thats my advice, but the decision is yours. It all depends on how much of a risk you are willing to take.
If you do decide to go with the Accent, I would not buy one that does not already have factory A/C on it! I almost made that mistake. The dealer tried to charge me $1300-1500 to add it to the car when I found one on the lot that was the same exact color and model but had the factory A/C for only $750!! In other words, they were going to rip me off $600 of my hard earned money. So don't fall for their games and only buy one that already has it. If your credit is already established, you might want to try and buy one from www.Carsdirect.com They often offer cars for below dealer invoice and can save you hundreds of dollars!

bennj1979 · May 2000

I visited the same Saturn dealer today, determined to walk away with something.

I test drove one, and dealt with another (somewhat snobby salesperson). I drove one of the 4-door S-Series sedans. It was apparently a trade in or something. It was like a 1996 with 71K, and I must tell you, the ride wasn't bad at all, and the car handled itself fairly - I wasn't too impressed, it's not a 2001 Cadillac or anything. However, it was a good ride, and I blasted the engine, slammed the breaks, and everything in between. The only problem I found was braking suddenly, for some reason, the wheel (and steering column) shook violently, i'm assuming it was the brakes, they were very squeeky, and the salesperson said, they didn't have time enough to inspect the car, it had just come in recently.

Though for the most part, they are probably very good cars, (though slightly overpriced for DOMESTIC) I think they do not make very good "starting out" cars, unless your daddy has the dollars to shell out for a new one, in that case, more power to you. But for the rest of us real people, the Saturn doesn't make sense for my age range-college student type deals. Not at all. Sorry GM.

My last resort is the Hyundai dealer (LoL). I know I can get financed, even without a cosigner, though that might help my standing as far as credit goes, Saturn wanted a cosigner. Your making perfect sense, Long tounge, and that is exactly what I asked myself today, do I really need a 3 year old off lease car that has been thru Heaven and Hell's gates? Not really. I think a Hyundai might last just as long. Koreans aren't new to the concept of "economy" in a country financially strapped and polictically burdened... sounds the like U.S. eh?

Well, i'm overall pleased with my efforts - for over 2 weeks, I studied Kia, Hyundai, Saturn, and a whole crap load of other cars, and their parent companies - I think i'm not going wrong here, not to mention my rich uncle suggested I go with Hyundai, he's rich now, but he was like me at one point so I'll take his advice (he's not really rich, just very happy let's say).

Hey, you think I can get a loyalty rebate out of my Excel?... like maybe $50 bucks? Hehehe

bennj1979 · May 2000

Check out the English Hyundai homepage, you'll find that these guys produce interesting non-U.S. models, like one called the XG, it almost makes Cadillac look like a hot wheels toy (LoL), though I didn't compare them. I did compare the Mistubishi Montero to the Hyundai Galloper, when I noticed the mirrors are amlost exactly identical, hard to tell from a screen with low res. Coincidence?... I compared those two, they are similar, but the Galloper is underpowered compared to the Montero, but it is suprising to find that though... Just giving you the FYI.

slava1 · May 2000

I just had my alternator replaced under warranty on my 99' Accent hatchback auto after my airbag warning light came on a couple of times. Turns out the alternator was overcharging the battery. I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that I try to warm up till RPM hits 1000 every time the car's cold. Other than that the only problem is rattles and squeks coming from everywhere. Otherwise, I love my Accent.
Slava.

baber · May 2000

The new Kia Rio looks like a nice car worth considering. It will have a 108 hp 1.5 liter engine, nice. I don't think I will get rid of my 99 Accent soon though. I have 23,000 miles on it, and it is still rattle and squeak free. I have the sedan, maybe the hatchback is more prone to squeaks and rattles. Anyway, I am very happy with my 99 Accent so far. Right now the Accent is the cheapest real car you can buy, but this may change when the Rio comes out.

Scott

poconojoe · May 2000

baber,
I recommend anyone getting an insurance quote from Proggressive, to get it in writing. I received a very attractive phone quote from them. Accepted it, and using my credit card to pay the down payment. Later, in the mail I received a higher premium. When I called them they said that I had an accident 2 years ago. I told them that on the phone when I was getting the quote. A fender bender with a $1250 payout.
Anyway my rate came in $800 dollars more than the phone quote. Now I'm shopping for a new insurance company. Watch out for the bait and switch.

BTW my 99 Accent has 30K miles and still squeak and rattle free. Getting 40MPG commuting mostly highway.

bennj1979 · May 2000

I think alot of the lower cost cars (economy cars) tend to squeek and rattle when it's very cold, for example, temperature plays a role in how parts move and if they're going to rub together or not. This is something not considered in the engineering of the cheaper cars, for good reason, obviously they are lower cost. The gentleman (or lady) above with the squeeks and rattles never stated where he/she is living, or the temperature at which they are operating the car - sounds pretty cold to me if you have to wait a more unusual amount of time until RPMs hit 1000. On my old Hyundai (1990) during a bitter Jersey winter, I had the same problem, doing an injector/throttle clean up did help some, but I still had to hold down the gas to warm it up, I'm glad to say, front wheel Hyundais are great in the snow, I never got stuck, and in fact, had plenty of ponies to get myself out of the average snow in, just don't try going over 25 MPH on the highway, that would be a bad idea.

baber · May 2000

Talk about cold weather makes me remember my first new car, a 1977 Honda Civic 5 speed. Even though my 99 Accent is 22 years apart from the Honda, I still tend to compare them. The 77 Honda had a 1.5 liter engine that put out about 68 HP. It used a carberator and had a manual choke. The engine ran terrible in cold weather, no matter how I set the choke. This is the reason I got rid of it after 1 year. The car did squeek and rattle more in cold weather until it warmed up. The car rode like a rock untill the suspension warmed up too. Snow and ice would get packed into the steel wheels and put the wheels out of balance too. We don't have a lot of cold weather here in Florida, but we did have a few days close to freezing. My 99 Accent ran great in freezing weather. I love the fuel injection, the throttle response is fantastic! The 77 Honda and 99 Accent both average about 35 mpg, but my 99 is an automatic the 77 was a 5 speed. The 77 had an AM radio, no AC or power steering. The 77 cost me $4500 without AC, the 99 Accent cost me $10,000 with AC a nice stereo and automatic. There is such a difference between economy cars of the 70's and now, it is really amazing. The new cars ride and handle so much better with better economy and lower emmissions.

natron1 · June 2000

does anyone know where to find performance parts for an Accent? I am considering buying one (price is right), but want to make sure I can tweak it.

slava1 · June 2000

I think, I might surprise you revealing that I live in sunny LA, CA. And still wait about 2-3 minutes in the morning for the tach to hit 1000.

sheenac · June 2000

Hi there, I am an owner of a 1993 hyundai scoupe. I am so sick of doing repairs on it, so I went into my local hyundai dealer to see if they could help me out with a trade in for a newer hyundai since GM or Ford wont even spit towards a hyundai let alone buy one! Stupid...anyways...so I found a 1998 hyundai accent L model for $9,999 (Canadian). Nice colour, I hate red but this is like a maroony red, its nice. But this car! It is in good body and paint condition and only has 35,000 km on it, meaning warranty! Which is VERY good. But its got nothing in it! No anti-lock brakes, no power steering, no air bags, no CD, no air conditioning and no cruise! At another hyundai dealership, I found a 1999 Hyundai accent GT Sport for $10,900, with only 55,000km on it! Probably has the spoiler, possibly air bags, better wheels....any advice from you hyundai owners out there?

sher6 · June 2000

For anyone who has any doubts about the safety of an Accent - my son lost control of his 1999 Accent and rolled it into a gully. He and his friend walked away from the car without a scratch. They were both wearing seatbelts. The car was demolished but the roof and door supports were solid through the crash. Maybe an Accent is not flashy but to me it looked like an $80,000 Mercedes when I saw my son safe and unharmed.

sheenac · June 2000

Thank you for your posting, I think when it comes down to it, safety IS what is most important!

aldag · June 2000

I bought my 2000 Accent Hatchback in February after my eight year old Dodge Shadow was totaled during a snowstorm by a maniac in a Honda Odyssey. The hatchback Accent reminded me very much of my Shadow, and so gave me a feeling of continuity. I now have about 4000 miles on the car with no problems so far. It makes a very interesting sound as the engine revs up, almost like a jet turbine. I bought it with the dealer installed A/C which cost an extra $899 which I did not feel was too unreasonable. For a small car, the A/C works remarkably well, producing very frigid air almost right away. Of course, this takes considerable power from the engine, but this is true of most small cars. (I call the Accent my "midget car".) It has a five speed manual which is fairly easy to shift, though the throw into second gear is fairly long. That just takes some getting used to. The tires are quite good for an economy car, very grippy. I remember changing the original tires on the Shadow almost right away because they had a tendancy to hydroplane at relatively low speeds in wet weather. But the Accent tires seem quite good. The fuel economy is remarkable. Even with $2.00 gas, I have yet to consume a $20 bill to fill the tank, and I seem to drive for weeks before I get gas. It will be most interesting to see how this car stands up to the test of time. I think the folks at Hyundai put a lot of thinking into this car and came up with much more than one might expect for an economy car.....

baber · June 2000

I bought a 99 Accent sedan last September. Got 23,000 miles now with no trouble. Very happy so far, a lot of car for the money. Bought a 99 Elantra for my Wife. We have 11,000 miles on that car with no problems too. The 2000 Accent is an improvement, more room, nicer interior, fold down rear seat in the sedan now. My 99 has great fuel economy and it does have a great air conditioner.

stefann · June 2000

I'm on the verge of buying a Hyundai Accent 4-door sedan, stickshift. I've test-driven a couple of them, and I'm wondering if anyone can allay my following concerns:

BURNING BRAKES: on the models I've test driven on hills, the brakes smell as if they're old and need replacing. Is this normal for brand new brakes, and will it go away after a few hundred miles?

DIFFICULT SHIFTING: it's been kind of hard getting the stick into second and third at times. Has anyone else experienced this, and does it get easier as the car breaks in?

OIL ON ENGINE BLOCK: on one model I drove, checking under the hood I saw some oil around the oil cap. What's up with this?

INSURANCE: what's a good rate on the Accent, considering its somewhat questionable issues with safety? I'm 32, with good credit; this'll be my first new car.

What is everyone's general impression of the Accent?

Thanks!

sach1 · June 2000

the brakes may need to seat themselves if brand new, this will naturally occur after a few hundred miles. sounds like some service schlepp wasn't too careful topping off the oil and spilled some. I have the auto, so not much i can tell you about the stick shift. Overall, I am extemely satisifed with the Accent HB, (18,000 miles on a 2000 so far) almost went with a Focus but the steady stream of recall and service notices scared me off. Sounds like another fine Fix Or Repair Daily product out of Dearborn. You can't beat that Hyundai 10-year warranty either.

elantra00 · June 2000

all that stuff is normal. i have a hyundai elantra in 5 spd. when i first got it about 2 months ago, the shifter was tough to put in gear. this is because it has to break in. 2000 miles later, its smooth and easy. the smells you are smelling are just parts breaking in, seals sealing themselves up. after 1500-2000 miles if this is still going on, bring it in. oil around engine cap...guy probably spilled it putting it in. check under the car to see if its leaking, then you got a problem. i just realized, is this a new car or used car? if its new, then follow what i said above. if its used, i wouldnt get it. good luck

aldag · June 2000

I now have over 4000 miles on my 2000 Accent, so far, so good. Yes, there was a burning smell during about the first two weeks or so, but I have experienced this smell with other new cars and it goes away in a short period of time. I attribute it to labels and/or grease, or paint, or undercoat on exhaust components which burns away. The brakes work fine on this car, I am very satisfied with the stopping characteristics. There was a bit of oil on the plastic valve cover when I obtained the car, which I wiped off. It has not reappeared. The oil plug and oil filter were incredibly tight to remove when I did my first oil change, thankfully nothing was stripped. Shifting was a bit easier after break in, but getting into reverse is sometimes a bit finicky, which reminds me of the Nissan Pulsar I once had. The seats in this car I must rate as extra firm, like riding in a German bus. I usually sit on a "booster pillow" anyway, for better driving position.

The engine must be built to very good tolerances. It used absolutely no oil to the first oil change and the oil stayed very clear to about 1500 miles when the usual gradual darkening started to occur. The oil filters are commonly available as it seems the Hyundai uses the same oil filter across their product line and for many of the past years. That is very smart, I wish other car makers would do the same. I bought a wheel so that I can have a full size spare. I also bought a couple of spare belts, to keep in the trunk for emergencies, just in case.

As for insurance, I was driving an eight year old Dodge Shadow. My rates for the new Accent went up by only $76 annually. That seems pretty reasonable to me. The insurance company apparently treats the Accent as a sub-compact family car, that would be my guess, judging from the affordable rates.

lngtonge18 · June 2000

Most of your observations were normal. New brakes tend to smell some when being broken in, especially if you are using them hard on a hill. Never use new brakes hard or u risk glazing them and loosing some of their effectiveness. It's possible what you were smelling was the undercoating burning off the exhaust system. My 2000 Accent smelled pretty nasty the first week or so that I had it. I only noticed the smell when I got out of the car or had the A/C on fresh air. I too had an oil stain around my oil filler cap. I find it odd a few people have mentioned this.
As far as the stick shift is concerned, it is NOT one of the smoothest shifters around. It may get a little better once you break it in, but I have 2600 miles on mine and I still sometimes have grinding problems going into second and third and difficulty engaging first. I believe it is a design flaw as one guy has emailed me concerning his shifting problems combined with a noise that I have also encountered and he is now getting an entire new transmission installed. I hope I do not have to go that route. Anyway, the notchy, finicky shifter is not enough to deter you away from the car. You get somewhat used to it and I still enjoy the car despite it.

lngtonge18 · June 2000

I was wondering if anyone that owns a 2000 Accent 5 speed with a tachometer would be willing to help me out. I unfortunately have an Accent L which lacks the tachometer. I am curious as to what rpms the engine is turning at certain speeds so I can tailor my driving. Currently, I am using only engine note combined with actual speed to determine when I shift. I think I am shifting too soon, but am unsure. My questions are: What rpm is the engine at when going 70 mph in fifth gear? At what speed is the car moving when you hit 2,800-3,000 rpms in second, third, and fourth gears with light to moderate acceleration. I currently shift into third when moving at about 25 mph and into fourth at about 38. Ideally, I would like to shift at 3,000 rpms to avoid lugging the engine too much. Thanks in advance to anyone who is willing to help me out

aldag · June 2000

I also have the tachless version of the Accent, so I can't really say what the RPM's are at any particular speed. However, it sounds like you are shifting at about the right speeds, similar to what is suggested in the owners manual. I usually remain in first to about 15 mph, then second to about 25, then third to about 35, then fourth. Now the manual suggests fifth at about 45, but my feeling is that this is too early for fifth as there is reduced torque in fifth gear and the need to accelerate into highway traffic seems to be better satisfied by remaining in fourth until at least 50 mph, and then slipping into fifth seems to work well. The engine speaks very clearly when it wants to be shifted, the sound is not likely to be missed. As with most small engines, the maximum power and torque are produced at relatively high rpm's, so for power accelerations, holding it in the lower gear longer can provide an extra boost, especially with the A/C running. In fact, it might be a good idea when entering the highway to turn off the A/C for just a few moments so as not to over tax the engine and get maximum acceleration. I enjoy driving this standard shift Accent, as it improves my driving concentration and driving experience... :-)

mmy2 · June 2000

I'm looking at a '96 Accent with 35,000 miles. this is a 4-door Hatchback with sunroof, 5-speed.
The last offer was 4500. I have concerns about safety and reliability because this is for my son who will be driving to school 360-400 miles. ANY COMMENTS ON A 96 ACCENT?

mmy2 · June 2000

The Accent is NOT a hatchback-sorry!

photog0264 · June 2000

Currently I drive a brand new Escort ZX2 (see my frequent posts in the ZX2 forum topic 1886) . Fast, very sporty, comfortable and a great handler. Unfortunatly some twit broadsided me in the first 4000 miles doing approx $5500 in damage. At the moment until the repairs to my car are complete I am driving a rented smelly and underpowered automatic Escort sedan (Despite the name they are TWO VERY DIFFERENT CARS). At any rate though, it has got me thinking about how convienant it was when about 10 years ago and some imbecile ran a stop sign on me and I had the luxury of 2 vehicles.

At any rate I am now thinking I should plan on going for a second vehicle sometime next year. Perhaps when the model year ends in the fall. As I see it my choices for getting a new Econo Zip Box are either a Hyundai Accent or the Geo Metro. There are some other used cars I may also through into the mix just to keep it interesting. The price range would be under $10,000 and feature a manual transmission. About the only luxuries I am looking for are Air Conditioning, a basic stereo, and a sunroof. Everything else is not required as I don't plan on driving this second car much beyond errands, bad weather, and emergencies.

Does anybody have any thoughts about the Geo Metro versus the Hyundai Accent? Both seem to fit my bill for an Econo Zip Box with a hatchback and come in under $10,000. At the moment I am only in the earliest of planing stages. If my finances say no about this time next year. Obviously I won't be getting one. However this Escort I am in right now has me positively going nuts. And when I had the luxury it was nice...

baber · June 2000

The new Kia Rio should be comming out soon. It will have a 108 hp engine, so it should have pretty good performance. The Accent is a little underpowered especially with the AC on. The Metro is even slower and smaller inside too. I would take a good test drive on the Kia Rio, Metro, and Accent with the AC on just to see if you can live with them.

Scott

photog0264 · June 2000

I had not even considered Kia... To be honest I don't know a whole lot about them either. I now something new to look at. About a year ago I test drove an Accent but it was an automatic and it was on a cold winters day. At the time I pretty much wrote it off as being next to useless, because it was so slow. However I have encountered several people who swear by the Manual versions of these cars.

As for the Metro a quick visit to the Chevy web sight has me now convinced it would be better to buy another ZX2 used as opposed to buying a new Metro. Do you realize you can pick up a BRAND NEW ZX2 for about $12,000? You would have several times the preformance and a lot more comfort all for about the same price as a new Chevy Metro.

At least the Accent isn't trying to pretend it is something it is not. Still the prices of used moderate mileage Metros is very tempting. You can pick one up for only about $5000 and often still have a little bit of the original warranty on them. Though in fairness used Accents are also in the same price range and have an even better warranty.

photog0264 · June 2000

My prefered second car would be a 2 Door coupe or 2 door Hatchback. I am single and live by myself and as strange as it may seem realy dislike driving sedans. All but the sportage convertible seems to be a sedan. Though in fairness I did rather like the look of the 2 door Sportage convertible. It is alas way outside my price range. On my next day off I think I may follow Scotts advise and go for a test drive in an Accent just to see. I am still months away though from getting anywhere near serious.

zyria · June 2000

I haven't visited Edmunds.com since I purchased my Accent 2 years ago...they really helped me get a great deal on my car - I ended up getting my 1998 Accent GS with AC and Cassette for under 8000$.

Anyway, I own a 1997 Camaro Z28 and the 98 Accent GS, and I love both cars almost equally. The Camaro is fun and agressive but I do need a break from it sometimes, and the Accent is really the perfect break for me. It's small, quiet, inexpensive, and best of all, worry free. I've driven it for 29k miles (and being a Camaro driver, I drive my cars HARD) and there have been absolutely no problems with it. I love it to death, and if I could do it all over again, I'd definitely get the Accent.

I thought the Accent was one of the better looking cheap cars when I got it...but I've changed my mind: I think it's THE best looking car under 10k. What else even comes close? Nothing. The Accent 2 door is both cute AND sporty. I think I even like my 98 design better than the new ones.

The engine is lacking, but then again I'm a Z28 owner. Still, when I'm driving my Accent I'm not exactly looking to drag race - it's my commuter car - so I have no problem with that. I've heard complaints about resale, but I plan on driving this car until the very end, so that doesn't worry me. All in all, it's definitely got to be one of the best values around!

cavi · June 2000

I'm about to purchase a new Accent and have heard
the manual version is hard to shift, may not be
worth the bother. My wife will probably be driving this car (after she cools off from me
buying it), so if it's hard shifting I thought I
better go with an automatic.

Can any of you new owners of Accents tell me of
your experiences of what you have?

By the way, with the research that I've done so far on the Accent, it appears to be the best thing going for good economical driving (a big concern of mine with gas prices these days).

Thanks a lot!

sach1 · June 2000

One benefit of hatchbacks, imo, is the versalite cargo-carrying with the rear seat down. Anyone got real-world experience they want to share re: how much stuff or how large an object they toted in their Accent N/B?

sach1 · June 2000

make that versatile.

photog0264 · June 2000

IT sounds like you are in a similar position to me with a second car. Though your primary is a little more exotic than mine is. I love my ZX2 to death and I am moaning about it constantly since the accident. However in my case the objective would be relieve a little of the mileage of ZX2 and hopefully keep it new longer Another objective would be to have it as a backup to the ZX2 when it is sick and also get something that can handle snow and bad weather a little better. The Hyundai Accent 2 door hatchback seems to be strongest little car in it's category. I will have to visit a dealer on Tuesday, see what options are available and maybe take one for a spin.

photog0264 · June 2000

Not to be argumentive but the trunk in my ZX2 is larger than the trunk was in my 1987 Acura Integra. Granted I no longer have the Vertical room that hatchbacks provided, but it does have the edge in Horizontal room. I also like the fact that I don't have to worry about the false back window deck sagging. Which seems to happen on most hatchbacks over time. I has done on all 3 of the hatchbacks I have owned.

In your favour of your argument though. When it comes to moving odd size loads the very fact that you can pull out the rear false deck is tremendous god send. In a couple months time when I move to another apartment I have distinct feeling I am going to miss my old Acura Hatchback. Not the least of which is because the thing was so ragged out it realy didn't matter if I treated her roughly. Where as on my ZX2 which I had been babying until the accident and will be again after I get her back. A scuffed seat can and will produce a merry fit.

In the case of the Accent part of the apeal is a tough little Zip box I can play a little rougher with. I also like the idea of a narrow wheeled manual car for driving in snow in AND the odd errand runs we all make.

photog0264 · June 2000

A strange question here. An earlier poster mentioned that the Accents are a little underpowered. Does anybody have any experience driving these cars in the mountains? I realise the Automatic probably won't cut it. However how well would a manual trans with A/C blasting version, fair climbing up hills in the mountains with say 230lbs man (myself) and about 80lbs of cargo in them?

baber · June 2000

Kia seems to have been better at making subcompacts then compacts. Their Sephia has a lot of problems, but their Aspire and Festiva they made for ford have been very good reliable cars by most accounts. I hope the new Rio will continue this trend. I have a 99 Accent sedan with the automatic trans and AC. I bought the auto so my Wife could drive it too. I am very happy with the 4 speed auto in my Accent. It shifts pretty smooth and the overdrive with lookup torque converter really lets the car cruise quiet at high speeds. The engine turns about 2700 rpm at 70 mph. I average about 36 mpg with no AC running and about 33 with AC blasting. I get about 40 mpg on the highway. The engine could use about another 15 hp, but it will give you all it's got with no fuss. Decently smooth and quiet for a small sedan. It also feels pretty solid on the highway even in heavy winds. I have put about 25,000 miles on my Accent since I bought it last September with no problems at all. The 2000 Accent has some improvments over my 99 too. The complaints I have is no tilt steering wheel, and the hard plastic dash is a little cheap looking. Overall I am very happy with this car and would reccomend it to someone looking for an inexpensive second car or first car for a young person. Like I wrote before the Accent is the cheapest real car you can buy.

zyria · June 2000

Both of my cars (Camaro Z28 + Accent GS) are hatchbacks, and I think it's the greatest thing. I've had to move twice in the past 3 years, once with my accent and once with the Camaro. Both times, I went into it thinking, "Man, this is gonna suck, these cars have no cargo room..." But the folding chairs and Hatchback is a godsend! Once those chairs are down, your "trunk size" will be bigger than any car out there, other than the SUVs. I just LOVE hatchbacks.

And PhotoG, I really can't think of any other car in the sub-10k range that's going to be better than the Accent. I wouldn't consider the Metro for even a second. It just can't compete with the Accent or Sephia. When I got my Accent in 98, I felt it was the best choice in that price range. It had come down to Accent vs Sephia. It's been 2 years since then, and the Accent has been completely redesigned and comes with a truly [non-permissible content removed]-kicking warranty, while the competetion has been stagnant. Bottom line: it's even a better buy now than it was then, and that's pretty impressive.

lngtonge18 · June 2000

I have the 2000 Accent with the manual tranny. It is a bit notchy shifting, but you get used to it after a few days. It's really not that bad, just not the greatest shifter around either. It actually shifts quite good when it is cold, but first and third get a bit tougher once the car has warmed up fully. Make sure you depress the clutch fully before trying to shift into third and it goes in smoothly. If you don't do that, you will encounter some resistance and possibly a grind. I have no idea why that certain gear is more finnicky than second, fourth, and fifth, which all engage smoothly.
I personally would stay away from the automatic, because I already feel the manual has enough problems accelerating with the AC on and it also will lower fuel economy around town. When the AC is off, the manual actually feels pretty peppy. Also, Hyundai doesn't have a very good track record with their auto trannys. I would keep that in mind, although the warranty does cover it for 100k miles. It all boils down to whether your wife is willing to shift for herself or trade performance for the automatic. Good luck!

photog0264 · June 2000

Okay the Metro idea is now gone. I test drove a used one today and what piece of junk. It's an econo box without the zip. I meant to test drive an Accent but never got around to it. There is at present several used sports cars and Coupes that I am also debating about. However the Accent is fairly high up on my list at the moment. ANyone know when the Model year ends for the Accent? Perhaps if I hold off a little longer I could pick up a good deal on one next year when the dealers are clearing the lots.

lngtonge18 · June 2000

Well, I have a few things to post regarding my 2000 Accent. First, I really like how the gas light and gauge is very acccurate. The light flickered for a sec today and it took 10 gallons to fill her up, just 1.9 gal from empty. My Mom's Accord, on the other hand, turns its gas light on and reads dead empty when she still has 4-5 gal left! I find it refreshing to have a light that is actually accurate. However, I only got 240 miles to those 10 gal, meaning I averaged 24 mpg! I just don't understand why I am getting such low fuel economy from such a puny engine. I do all my driving in town, but it should still get somewhere between 27-30 mpg. I got better mileage when the car was brand new than I am now with 2800 miles. I'm curious if it has something to do with the octane rating. When it was new, I used 89 and averaged 29-31 mpg in the city. Once I switched down to 87, the fuel economy has steadily dropped for the last 3 tanks, going from 29 to 27 and now to 24! What gives?? Has anyone else noticed better fuel economy from 89 octane? All my gas has been from the same 2 gas stations (Shell and 76).
Lastly, the dealerships really rip you off with their prices for oil filters! It costs 7.50 a piece for an oil filter and 1.40 a piece for the crushable oil plug gasket! With those prices, I may not stick with using Hyundai filters. I can get the same high quality Purolator filter for 2.50 at Discount Auto.

poconojoe · June 2000

I was buying Hyundai oil filters from the dealer for $4.60 until this time the price went up to $6. I did the first tune up and found that the OEM parts were resonably priced compared to Chrysler or Mitsubishi parts I used to buy.

Ingtonge, you must have A/C and auto tranny with those MPG's your getting. The mileage does get better with break in. I don't think the octane has anything to do with it. I run only 87 octane, and with the 5 speed and no A/C I get 40 MPG on all highway driving. But its been a very hot summer w/o A/C.

lngtonge18 · June 2000

Nope, I have the 5-speed and A/C. Thats why I don't understand the pitiful 24 mpg I am getting currently. And this tank included the new addition of ultra dark 15% tint on all windows, meaning less heat gets in so the A/C doesn't have to work as hard in Florida's heat and humidity. I don't accelerate hard at all and almost never exceed 3000 rpms. So, my thought is that I am using poor quality 87 octane fuel. I see no other explanation for the poor fuel economy. My 84 VW GTI with a much more powerful and larger 1.8 liter engine and 200,000 miles gets 27-28 mpg under the same circumstances. I hope this mileage improves quickly, because I bought this car for fuel efficiency purposes, not to drink gas at the same rate as a V-6 powered sedan.

baber · July 2000

I have a 99 Accent sedan with AC and Auto. I average about 35mpg with no ac and about 32 with ac. I don't think I have ever gotten less then 30 mpg. The best I got so far was 39 mpg with mostly highway driving. I bet I could hit 40 with straight highway driving. I am really happy with the economy of my car especially with the automatic. I live in Florida too about 50 miles north of Tampa. The 2000 Accent is about 150 lbs more then the 99 and it has slightly lower EPA fuel economy numbers. I like the interior of the 2000 better though. Anyway if your mileage does not improve bring the car to the dealer. You could have a fouled plug or something like that.

poconojoe · July 2000

Just thought I'd pass this along.
I was hearing a runaway bearing sound on acceleration. Took to dealer and it was the water pump making the noise. Replaced and covered under warranty.
33,000 and still running good other than that.

Hyundai Accent Hatchbacks

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