Hyundai Accent Hatchbacks

elcerritotom · July 2002

Thanks to everyone for sharing your helpful experiences with the Accent. Those accounts helped persuade me to purchase one last week. I bought a new 2002 base model (L with no options) for $7000 (including sales tax, reg fees, etc) and have found it a pleasure to drive thus far. Here are a few questions I'm hoping for help with.

Has anyone added air conditioning post-purchase to an Accent? If so, did you go with an aftermarket supplier or with Hyundai parts (either from a junkyard or a dealer)? What about cruise control? Anyone know of an aftermarket source for cruise control for this car? Any experiences (costs, name of aftermarket supplier, etc) you could share? What effect will these have on Hyundai's warranties? And do people driving a GS or a GL like the driver's armrest? Some Hyundai literature says the armrest is an option on the 02 L while others say it is not an option. Anyone tried to add an armrest?

baber · July 2002

I have had a bad experience with aftermarket AC with a Subaru I bought new in 1982. The dealer installed the AC from a company called import air. That AC was always pretty weak. The factory AC in my 99 Accent has been great! I could hang meat in my car with the AC on high. It has stood up to three years of tough Florida summers and still runs cold as new. If the dealer installed AC uses factory parts it should be pretty good. If you get a chance go to the dealer and check out an Accent that has their aftermarket AC installed if they have any on the lot. When you pick up your car make sure the new AC works to your satisfaction before you leave. When I got my 99 Accent the dealer wanted $400 to install an aftermarket cruise control. I thought that was a little too much. I think you could get a garage to install cruise a little cheaper. I never did get cruise control for my Accent. Your base model Accent has the same engine as my 99. I have 84,000 miles on mine and the engine still runs like new. I have been changing the oil and filter myself with synthetic oil. It doesn't burn or leak a drop of oil. It has also never stalled or hesitated due to the excellent fuel injection. Very impressive for such an inexpensive car. Aftermarket AC or cruise control should not effect your warranty, but they would not be covered under the Hyundai warranty. I would make sure the AC you have installed has a good warranty.

lngtonge18 · July 2002

First, I would like to congratulate you on the excellent price you paid for your new Accent! What a deal!! Now I will address your questions. If you want AC added to your car, I would go ahead and have the dealer do it with factory parts. That way it will be covered under Hyundai's warranty. My dealer was gonna do it for the first Accent I was considering for $1000, but I found one on the lot with the AC added at the factory and bought it instead. Don't let them charge much more then $1000 to add it because you could have got one from the factory for only $750. As for the cruise control, my dealer didn't offer anything there. However, I recently got a quote from an aftermarket shop in my town that will add electronically controlled cruise for $320. They no longer sell the cheaper vacuum operated kind, so you might can find one of those for a little cheaper. Adding it shouldn't affect any part of your warranty. As for the armrest, it is something you miss on long trips. I wasn't aware that you could add it after the fact, but maybe it's a new dealer installed option for the L. I would ask the dealer for a definitive answer. Hope this helps.

mpgman · July 2002

for the bike info!

jimbeaumi · July 2002

It's good to hear your Accent was a peach. I do have a question, though. Since that car was so reliable, would the Elantra be a better "next car" choice than the Aerio? Similarly priced, but better equipped; quite stylish; and you have good things to say about Hyundai reliability.

(Subliminable message: Elantra ... Elantra ... Elantra ...)

lngtonge18 · July 2002

Originally, about 8 months ago, I was considering the Elantra since I do like Hyundai products. However, the styling got stale to me too quickly, well equipped 5 speeds are impossible to find in my area, and I want one of those new hybrid wagons, which Hyundai currently doesn't offer. The Elantra is just a bit too bland for my tastes and I don't care for the GT's rear end styling and standard leather. I also looked into the Tiburon but the V6 was too expensive, the ride too firm, and I couldn't find a four cylinder 5 speed to test drive. So, after much deliberating, I decided on the Aerio SX sport wagon, which comes in only one fully equipped model, making it easier to find the one you want (just pick the color and go, though 5 speeds are just as hard to find). I love its sporty looks, the interior is very very comfortable and extremely roomy, and the engine is the most powerful in the class. I was sold, but I will miss the long warranty. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion though.

cjsb · July 2002

hello everyone. i have been checking out this board for a few weeks now (since first discovering it) and i could use some help.
i own a 2000 GSI model (canadian). i had a tire blowout on the weekend. i've spoken with my dealership about my options regarding what size tire/s i can use as replacements, as well as several mechanics.
I'M GETTING DIFFERENT ANSWERS FROM EACH OF THEM.
i understand the obvious; rims are 14" etc.
i'm hoping to replace the factory rubber with wider versions. is this possible? i'm generally being told "no".
factory specs = 185/60 r14
anybody help?

baber · July 2002

Remember to make sure the Dealer uses Hyundai parts for the AC. Some dealers buy their add on AC from outside venders because they are cheaper then factory parts. I had one of these AC units on my Subaru and it sucked. I read somewhere that the Accent does not provide enough vaccume to allow a vacume activated cruise control unit. The message I read was about a guy who had a vaccume cruise control installed. It would cut out when he went up hills because there wasn't enough vaccume from the engine to pull the throttle hard enough. He ended up bringing the car back and the dealer who installed it replaced the vaccume actuator with an electric one. When you get cruise control installed make sure it works when you climb hills. Also if you have a 5 speed make sure they install a clutch cut off switch so the cruise shuts off if you push the clutch in. Now the factory cruise control on our 99 Elantra is great! I don't understand why Hyundai doesn't offer at least a dealer installed cruise control kit.

lngtonge18 · July 2002

You can go up to 195/55 R14 tires without affecting the speedometer, but anything larger would be too large for the factory alloy wheels (I'm assuming they are 5.5x14" wheels. If they are 6.0x14", you might can try 205/50R14 tires). 195/55 R14 tires are hard to find as there is not many options, but they will give you better grip and look better too. So, yes, you can get larger tires, just make sure you follow this rule: For every 10mm increase in tread width, make sure you decrease the height of the tire by 5mm. Thus the size of 195/55 will work, but 195/60 will throw off the accuracy of your speedometer. Hope this helps.

elcerritotom · July 2002

Thanks Baber and Ingtonge18 for excellent advice on AC and cruise. That's helpful information; I'll start the process next week. Appreciate your time and thoughts.

nathan1368 · July 2002

What kind of a price are people able to get for a new 2002 accent, four door, option 3, with a 5 speed? I've already seen the TMV value of it but I'm wondering if anyone is getting a great deal on it, or if TMV is about what people are paying.

cjsb · July 2002

your insight is well appreciated...thank you. i'll be at canadian tire in the morning armed with this info. (i beleive the rims are 5.5" and they have said i can go no wider; i suspected they were wrong and was told the same by a friend).
i will look into the 195/55 options.
my 00 accent has been a pleasure to own/drive...75000 kms and 2 1/2 years in and i'm very pleased. once the loan payments end, i'll likely buy another hyundai.
i've read your postings and am interested to read further on how you like the aerio. the majority of reviews i've come across have been definitively favourable.
in the toronto area i've spotted three sport hatches on the road thus far...one of them parked every day at my office parking lot.
thanks again.

muffin_man · July 2002

Thanks for your crash information in the other forum. Since you just sold, how bad was the depreciation?

lngtonge18 · July 2002

The depreciation wasn't too bad, but I sold it to my best friend. He knew I took care of the car so he was willing to pay me top dollar for it. Sticker on my car was $10200 including destination charge. I sold it for $6000 after 2 years and 2 months of use. I did lose a lot of money to high interest rates though.

muffin_man · July 2002

It was a 2000, right?
How come some people are managing to get Accent L's for around $7000? Did yours have A/C? What did you pay for it? I never would have considered an Accent until I heard of people getting those ridiculous prices, and now I really want one.

lngtonge18 · July 2002

Mine was a 2000 with factory AC. I think those $7k prices are very rare. My local dealer advertises the base Accent L for 8995 in the newspaper, which is simply sticker price without the destination charge. Those who get these unbelievably low prices either go to high volume dealers in large states where high sales numbers matters to them or are simply the lucky ones who happen to get the one price leader model on the lot. I wouldn't expect to pay that low of a price. I won't divulge how much I paid because the dealer royally ripped me off and I don't want to look like a retard, LOL. Let's just say this: It was my first car purchase ever and it showed. It was a learning experience to say the least.

elcerritotom · July 2002

I see there's been some discussion of pricing. For what it's worth, here are my experiences after just shopping aggressively for (and purchasing less than 2 weeks ago) a new Accent.

I was looking to buy either a stripped L, an L w/ factory AC as an option, or a GS (all manual trans). I bought a stripped '02 L for $6360 after $500 Hyundai consumer rebate. Total price after 8.25% sales tax and DMV (state) reg fees was $7,000 out the door. I had my choice of any stripped L on the dealer's lot-- basically could have gotten any color, all with California emissions and floor mats on most. To get that price took a fair bit of work/time, and some bargaining ability. I called perhaps 20 dealers in northern Cal., and visited perhaps 6-8 in person. I purchased quite late in the month, hoping to be the car that bumped the dealer over a sales volume target. I saw from another dealer's sales manager accurate info from Hyundai on Western Region dealer volume incentives-- over 65 vehicles per month translates to $1K per vehicle. I saw multiple ads in newspapers for the same vehicle at prices from $6850 to $8K. Probably 4-5 dealers would have sold me the stripped L for $7500 out the door-- and even without much work on my part. I was actually hoping to drop my $6350 price to less than $6K by purchasing a new '01, which were few and far between but (I assumed) should have been even cheaper. I could buy the new '01 for the same price, but not cheaper-- even from the dealer who sold me the new '02!
The cost to me of installing Hyundai parts AC afterpurchase is about $1K at this point-- again after some time and effort shopping for pricing. But the L w/ AC new from the dealer would have cost me about $1700 more than I paid for the stripped L. (Dealer cost of AC option on an L is $686; MSRP is $750.) Not so surprising, since dealers had huge numbers of stripped L's, but most had no L's with AC on their lots. Also, the best I could do on the GS seemed to be about $8900. The supply of those was quite low in relation to the stripped L's, and there were very few of them with manual transmissions. On the other hand, I saw a lot of GL's out there (almost all in auto), so I think the pricing on those should have been reasonable-- but I was only looking for a manual trans hatchback.

I suspect I could have paid slightly less if I was willing to hold off until after new '03s start showing up on lots. And I might have been able to get slightly cheaper by purchasing in SoCal, but figured after travel costs/time it would be a wash.

So I guess I'd say based on my experience that these cars are certainly purchasable for substantially less than MSRP or dealer invoice figures-- and certainly much less than Edmunds TMV pricing. The caveat-- you have to be willing to spend the time and have some bargaining skills.

lngtonge18 · July 2002

And you forgot to add: buy in California. Prices are very cheap and competitive in that state (that was one of the states I had in mind when people mentioned getting these awesome deals). On the east coast, it's not the same, at least not the southeast. Hell, Toyota charges extra freight to ship cars to the southeast and we are closer to their factories then California is!

muffin_man · July 2002

Thanks for the description of your buying saga. I would pretty much be going in the same direction. Stripped L, with AC. Before I heard about those ridiculous prices, I was planning on spending a lot more, but the lure of the 10 year warranty and almost nothing in monthly payments is winning me over.

I've never test driven one, but I've read as much info as I could find, and when I get back, I'll be heading over to the nearest dealership to check them out. (and I'll be living in So Cal)

baber · July 2002

I can usually find the base Accents with factory AC, but Stripped Accents with out AC are rare as hens teeth here in Florida. Almost all new cars are sold with AC here because of the climate. I would be leary of dealer installed AC as I have been burned with a poor dealer installed AC in the past. My Wife and I have a 99 Accent sedan and a 99 Elantra sedan. The factory AC in these cars are first rate. It is great to drive around in my Accent drinking coffee when the temp outside is in the 90's. It would be interesting to hear from people who have had dealer installed AC in their base model Accents. I would be interested to hear if their AC is a good as the factory unit. You have to remember that the factory installed AC is covered under the 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty. I don't think you could get anywhere near that kind of warranty with a dealer installed AC. Just one repair to a dealer installed AC unit could wipe out the price advantage with buying a stripped car and having the AC installed. That price sure is tempting though, and the Accent is such a solid little car, I just love my 99 even after almost 85,000 miles.

mpgman · July 2002

Anyone know what changes will be made to the Accent? Thanks.

nathan1368 · July 2002

I don't know, but does anyone know when the 2003's are going to come out. I really wanted to get a coastal blue accent, but according to the local dealer, they have no more and will be making no more 2002's in coastal blue.

He thought the 2003's will be out in November? If that's the case, I'm going to have to get something else.

lngtonge18 · July 2002

For those who wanted to know, here's what the 03 Accent will look like:

http://www.hyundai-motor.com/cybermall/showroom/index.html

The front looks less aggressive, with a smoother appeareance and larger headlights, but I don't care for the grill. The rear is a definite improvement though. It looks very upscale! I wonder if the attractive 14" alloy wheels, fog lights, and body-colored mirrors and door handles will be offered as a new option. The interior looks unchanged except for the possible addition of chrome door handles and a digital odometer. What does everyone else think?

p.s. Since the site is in Korean, click on the links at the bottom left side of the screen to see more pics of the new Accent. You will see the links show up in English in the bottom portion of your browser (it will say interior, exterior, etc.).

lngtonge18 · July 2002

When you click on the link above, click on Verna first and then you will see the other links I was referring to.

mazdaprofour · July 2002

Interesting...I like it. Are you sure that the US 03 model will also look like this?. If so, I might have to wait...when would the 03 models come out?

muffin_man · July 2002

Great link Intonge. I just hope they don't raise the price. I still have $7,000 dreams!

lngtonge18 · July 2002

I'm almost positive the 03 Accent will look like this. In recent years, there has been no styling difference between the Korean cars and the US cars. Korea gets to see the new models first, usually about 6 months or more before we get them (a good thing because that means they have time to work any bugs out of it before it gets here). I would expect to see the 03 Accents hit dealers around November, maybe October if we are real lucky.

I also noticed a new seat fabric design in the interior pic. Looks more luxurious and attractive. Hyundai seems to be on a roll with designing attractive facelifts, first the Sonata and now the Accent. I hope they don't let any of their designers get snapped up by other automakers.

perry40 · July 2002

Yeah, the new 03 Accent looks rather nice ... HMC are really designing some attractive vehicles these past couple of years ... hope they keep it up. I noticed some other models on the HMC website that I'd love to see selling here in Canada ... the Click and Lavita are cool cars!

kagedude · July 2002

Here in NYC, various dealers were advertising the base Accent L for around $5788. I went down to a few to see if I can get it at that price and for the 2 dealers I went to, after their hidden costs, they added destination of $495 + dealer prep of $349 and then negated a $1000 hyundai loyalty rebate which was already in the price. The sale price came out to $7632. Now, here is the catch, to get that price, you'd have to finance with them for an APR of at least 12.50%. I calculated this and it basically comes out to be the same as buying it at regular price and financing it at normal APRs. I ended up getting an Accent GL stick no package for $9500 with 7.99% apr. I must say coming down from a 2K1 maxima, I don't miss the feel and performance of it.

muffin_man · July 2002

one of the things that has really attracted me to the Accent was hearing about people getting it for $7000, but I would never agree to 12.50%, unless I intended to pay it off very quickly.

Did anyone who got their Accent for $7000 (or so) have a similar experience?

But man, that must have hurt to go down there thinking $5788, and walking out with $9500. Not that it's a bad deal or anything, just not what you were expecting.

" must say coming down from a 2K1 maxima, I don't miss the feel and performance of it. "

You don't? Why?

kagedude · July 2002

Regarding the comparison with the Maxima w auto, I am going by my personal driving habits. I don't really push the gas much or do slaloms on the highway to see how great the handling is. Going at 60-70mph, the "feel" of the handling and response of the car is really not that far off. Of couse when you start pushing the car to its limits, the difference is night and day. I still have the Maxima on the side but with my 600 mile commute a week, it was eating up too much gas and the warranty.

muffin_man · July 2002

That is good to hear. I really want the Accent for use as a long term commuter, and I'm glad it feels more solid than it looks.

mpgman · August 2002

You are not allowed to pay these off early.

kagedude · August 2002

I've had my Accent GL for 1 week with 600 miles. I'm curious what kind of gas mileage is everyone getting on theirs. The first fill up averaged 36mpg. The 2nd was 30mpg. Both were routine hwy driving. A little perturbed by the discrepancy. In other aspects, the car is pretty tight except that I noticed a light squeaking around the glove compartment. It turns out to be some wire underneath the glove compartment that is a little loose.

perry40 · August 2002

I drive a 2001 Accent GS Automatic (Canadian model) and as far as fuel milage is concerned, my fuel consumption didn't improve until the car was well past the break-in peroid ... 8 to 9 months past taking delivery. I also find that the car gets significantly better milage in summer than winter. Did have it calculated once, but unfortunately I didn't copy down the figures (anyways, an Imperial Gallon has more volume than a US Gallon thus the mpg figure I calculated would likely be higher than what our American counterparts would come up with) ... one thing that puzzles me though is that the Accent should be as fuel efficient as its direct compeditors, but it isn't ... anyone care to shed some light on this?

wmmiller · August 2002

I have a 2002 GS manual. Like perry40, I saw a significant change long after the break-in period should have been over. In my case, it was at about 6500 miles.

However, it was very sudden, from one tankful to the next, which leads me to think it was a change in gasoline formulation rather than something intrinsic to the car. Prior to the second week of March, I had averaged 32.0 mpg (US). Since then it has been 33.9. It will be interesting to see if it goes back to the earlier average this winter.

I'm a bit disappointed that I'm not getting higher mileage, but I'm still very pleased with the car overall.

perry40 · August 2002

I too have noticed that the change in milage is a sudden thing ... changing from one tankful to the next at around the same time each year. Someone told me that in colder northern climates, an additive is added to gasoline during the winter months that is an aid to "cold starting" but unfortunately causes poorer milage ... don't know if its true or not, but it would explain the dramatic increase in milage if/when winter gas is discontinued for the season. Any comments? Wish my Accent were as fuel efficient as my co-workers Toyota Echo though ...

kagedude · August 2002

Hi. I've had my 5 spd Hyundai Accent GL for 2 weeks and I'm almost done with the break-in period. I reached 1000 miles last night. After paying the toll on the hwy, I decided to test out its 0-60 run and I was not disappointed. The car was real peppy (although a bit loud) running to 3500 rpm. I didn't want to pass 3500 rpm yet, maybe after 1200 miles. I felt like I reached 60 in under 9 sec. Anyone know the tested time on this? I thought I saw 8.8 sec somewhere but couldn't retrieve it. I also topped at 80mph and it was very happy from 70-80mph. Handling is fine for 13 inchers.

Regarding the 2003 model from the link, the front looks like the last generation elantra which I didn't like so much. I kinda like this current models front fascia. Very aggressive and sporty.

kolt1 · August 2002

I have been following this board for a few weeks and just recently purchased a used 02 L with A/C, mats, CA emissions, and only 245 miles (older fellow bought it with a 5 spd... couldn't deal with the shifting). I paid $8800, which is more than $1000 under invoice for a brand new one. Use to have a 97 Metro... it was totaled when a young girl hit my son broadside one rainy evening (no injuries). Currently the odo reads 500+. Since I do most of my own regular maintenance, I was wondering what type of oil filter most of you use? Last but not least... so far I am pleasantly surprised with the vehicle. My son says that it is light years ahead of the Metro in terms of power, headlights, sheet metal, and handling. Safety is a concern... besides the usual crash stats, has anyone experienced the crash worthiness of this vehicle? I plan to keep everyone posted on the reliability and performance (I tend to keep vehicles until the wheels fall off... or are totaled).

lngtonge18 · August 2002

Congrats. I initially used Hyundai filters for the first few changes and then switched to Purolator. Purolator filters use internal pressure bypass valves just like the original filters, but at half the cost. Just keep your receipts in case the warranty needs to be used.

revka · August 2002

and congrats on your 2002 Accent! Thanks for sharing the details.... We look forward to hearing more about your ownership experience. Happy motoring!

Revka

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kagedude · August 2002

I posted back #885 about the squeak coming from the front glove compartment panel. I thought it was the wires but now its back and loud when I am driving around 65mph on the hwy with smooth pavement. Its more of a rattling sound now. I checked the windows, the panels, the glove compartment, the wires and I can't pinpoint where its coming from. Anyone experience this as well? Thanks.

aldag · August 2002

Just went over 28,000 miles, everything seems to be working fine with no problems so far. I think I will change the spark plugs soon. The AC has been great with the hot weather we have been having lately. A slow leak has developed in one of the tires, probably from a road hazard. I might get a couple of new tires before the winter season.

diswar · August 2002

I am really pleased with my Accent--I bought it as a Christmas present to myself this past year, after I was told that my '94 Toyota Tercel needed over $2,000 in repairs--ouch. Anyway--I love the Accent-very nice car for the price. However, in the last week or so, I have also noticed the squeaking noise coming from the dashboard area. I notice it more on bumpy roads when I am going a little slower than normal. Could this just be a production problem? I've noticed a few other people have mentioned this squeaking and I just had to respond and say that mine does the same thing! Otherwise, my Accent runs great!

lngtonge18 · August 2002

My friend, who now owns my 00 Accent, had a small scare with the check engine light. It started flashing at him right after getting the oil changed so he thought they didn't fill it up enough. It turns out he simply didn't tighten the gas cap down enough. I told him to take it off and retighten it 5 clicks. Sure enough the light turned itself off. I think its cool Hyundai allows the light to turn itself off instead of some other cars that require you to have the code cleared at the dealer.

perry40 · August 2002

Funny ... I was under the impression that a constantly lit CEL was an indication of a minor problem (i.e. loose gas cap, bad O2 sensor, etc.) and that a "flashing" CEL was an indication of a more serious problem which may require service ... anyone care to clarify this?

wmmiller · August 2002

I just had the 15,000-mile service on my 2002 GS 5-speed, and I've had absolutely zero problems so far. (Well, the plastic finishing plug for one of the bolt holes in the passenger side arm rest somehow worked its way loose and I had to put it back in.) Overall, I'm extremely satisfied with the car and am looking forward to a long relationship with it.

hyundaima · August 2002

This should be explained in the owner's manual. Please let me know if you can't find it.

muffin_man · August 2002

I test drove a Accent GS on friday and was shocked at how long the throws were on the 5 speed! Good lord, I thought I was going to elbow my friend in the back seat. I couldn't believe I had never read anything about that before.

lngtonge18 · August 2002

The throws on 5-speed Hyundais have always been a bit on the long side, although the new Elantra and Tiburon have improved on this greatly. It is odd at first, but you quickly forget about it. The throws may be long, but they are positive and not sloppy. Other then that, what did you think of the Accent?

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