Honda Civic vs. Hyundai Elantra

justin · December 2000

if you can afford it, get the GOLF. Out of all of the cars, it is the one that is SOLID, near luxurious, and just feels GREAT. The engine could be better, but if you are considering a Civic and Kia's and Saturns, then engine power probably is not that important anyway.

GO FOR GOLF, that is what I would do anyway. Then Sentra SE, then Protege, then Elantra.

All others too much money for too little car. The Cavalier? Don't do that to yourself Kym!!
The Focus feels great and looks great, but I would wait another year or two, when the recalls are all hopefully worked out.

kymcamp · December 2000

Sound advice. I'm looking at the TDI, its $800 more but the magical 50 mpg combined with the low cost of diesel fuel (here anyway. Diesel fuel doesn't have as many "sin" taxes on it) make the cost of admission worth it. It's a mere 94bhp, but the massive torque it generates means those horses start off at a dead run, generating far more acceleration then one would expect. I had originally considered the Golf overpriced, and it is somewhat. So is the Civic, but it seems to have less going for it to justify the cost.

Oddly enough, dropping into the Golf forums I'm hearing the same tired arguments, except subsitute "Golf" for Elantra.

kymcamp · December 2000

While on the topic of the Civic, we rented one not too far back. Maybe it was just that one particular rental car, but it seemed to sway back and forth so much at highway speed that it made my parents naseous. Has anyone else heard of this kind of problem?

justin · December 2000

yea, people say that all VW's are overpriced here. I don't agree. I think that Civics are overpriced. But with VW you get side airbags, four wheel disc ABS brakes, A/C, 8 speaker stereo and more ALL standard. Plus you get the good looks and fun driving

And like I said - the VW's just seem like they could cost thousands more...i think they are a value personally.

And don't forget the VW interiors. GORGEOUS is the word that comes to mind. Those cool blue lights...and the black steering wheels and dash....

kymcamp · December 2000

Browsing around the other forums, no wonder Civic people are defensive. There's Focus vs. Civic, Protoge vs. Civic, Corolla vs. Civic, Elantra vs. Civic, Golf vs Civic and on and on and on. It seems as though the Civic is on the defense in all of them. The Civic is a good car, but its not so "untouchable" or "unbeatable" as people claim it to be. This is not to say that the Civic is a bad decision. But it proves before running over to the Honda dealer like so many bleating sheep people really should look at the other options. Ditto for that other heavyweight, the Toyota Corolla.

kymcamp · December 2000

For all the Honda fans there, here's a good thing to ponder. Is it really worth buying the Civic, or should you pony up the money for the Accord. If anyone has read my review of the Pontiac Grand Am on Epinions, I recommend people skip over the Cavalier/Sunfire and spend the extra dough on the Grand Am instead. I wonder if its the same with Honda, for a few thousand more would you be happier with an Accord?

zengeos · December 2000

Well, I've had my Elantra for just under a month. I've found all of 2 defects

1) The gas filer door is difficult to open with the internal switch. The cable will need to be adjusted slightly.

2) Right rear passenger door lock doesn't un-lock automatically...and it's difficult even manually in the cold. I suspect maybe a little oil or grease got on the mechanism during construction and the coldness has caused it to become difficult to work.

Both of these are quite minor and I am scheduling these to be fixed when I get my oil changed next week and the mudguards I ordered put on.

All in all, this is minor IMO.

New love: Quick warming engine AND the great 5 speed heater/AC fan.

Minor complaint: Road noise (Did I mention that before?) Wind noise is almost nonexistent, but pavement sounds do seem to travel into the engine compartment some. I suspect the tire brand and model might have something to do with that.

AcuraGRL · December 2000

It's easy to see why most of the people in here own Hyundais......

bri70 · December 2000

The facts are not on your side when it comes to the VALUE of the Civic when compared to the Elantra. So you resort to name calling.

Get use to more people questioning the Civic and owning Hyundais. The sales are going up when other car makers are struggling.

zengeos · December 2000

AcuraGrl I think you are right on target.

Why do folks own Hyundais?

Great cars for even better price.

I owned a 95 Accent before I purchased my 2001 Elantra, so I guess you could say I'm a return customer

I think the Hyundais of today are MUCH better than the Hyundai's of 5 years ago and I was satisfied with my 95 Accent. Sooo....

Mark-

AcuraGRL · December 2000

bri70...when did I call names? Unless you yourself considering the phrase "Hyundai owner" name-calling....

Hyundai sales are probably going up but so are Honda's. Their sales are up this year compared to last year's results and last year was a record-setting year for Honda/Acura. So guess it was some other struggling car manufacturer that you were referring to.

justin · December 2000

AcuraGRL does not own a Hyundai. Never has. What she has to say does not matter, as she has no credibility here. She is the PROUD (or not so) of an Accord. She should not be in the Elantra rooms anyway....something interesting going on there, huh?

I have owned both a Civic, and now an Elantra. The Elantra is better. The 97 Civic was fine, when it actually was on the road instead of in the shop.

alese1 · December 2000

Aguragrl: How does it feel to have paid about $26K - 29K for your Accord V6 EX? It must feel pretty nice eh? Actually I don't know if you have an Acura now, but since you love Hondas so much, Im asuming you own a Honda. Right?

Then let me ask you something? Why are you hanging out in this forum with us Hyundai owners? Why don't you type in your search the keyword "Accord" and hang out in those forums.

Since your expertise is around the Hondas and not the Hyundais, your comments would be appreciated in those forums more than in this Hyundai forum. Like everyone has said before, you don't own or never have owned a Hyundai so your opionions are not appreciated here and have no value to us. See I can be part of this forum because I own an Accord EX and I also own an Elantra '01, so I can comment in this forum. I don't defend one car over the other because they are both different cars. But please don't say "I can see why people in this forum are Hyundai owners". We don't want to assume that you are name-calling us, but what did you mean by that. We don't need your sarcastic remarks here. Don't insult our Hyundais because we love our cars. I personally don't like the Civic, I would have bought it if I did.

AcuraGRL · December 2000

alese: Actually I paid close to $23,200 for my Accord not $26-$29k. Yes I have a Honda but there is also an Acura in my driveway..a 92 Integra w/ 130k that still runs better than alot of newer cars that I have been in.

The name of this topic is Honda Civic vs. Hyundai Elantra. Since I have owned a couple of Civics my opinion is just as relevant as yours. If you don't want to deal with people who own Hondas maybe YOU need to stick to the Hyundai forums not forums that pit Hyundai up against other makes. Or I could say since you don't own nor have you ever to my knowledge owned a Civic that you don't belong in here. Betchya wouldn't like that.

Justin: I find it hard to believe that you would go from a VW to a Hyundai. I know both rank pretty low quality wise but at least the VW has some respect in the auto market and is fun to drive.

And yes, I am the VERY proud owner of my Accord and my Integra and all of the Honda/Acura products I have owned before these two.

kymcamp · December 2000

VW low on the quality scale? Do you judge all cars based on their performance in the 1980's? Anyway, this week or next I'm in "test drive phase". Among the contenders are the Civic, Golf, Elantra, Tiburon, Protégé and Sentra. I've been given drives in neighbors Sunfires (I swear they're in every third driveway) and can't say I'm very impressed, so I'll skip over them. I have test driven a Focus, and really, really like it. However, all the recalls make me nervous.

As mentioned before, I don't have any brand loyalty. Our family never has. I can only think of one occasion where we've actually bought from the same manufacturer twice in a row. But I can understand Acuragrl's loyalty. After all, our Mazda 323 is by far the best car we've ever had. We've had Toyotas and VWs, but we've never had a Honda though. Actually, the Civic was one of the top contenders last time, but was trounced by the 323. True, I wasn't old enough to drive when we bought the 323 (I learned to drive on it a year and a half later though), but I made the rounds with my parents and was there at the negotiations (my parents have always tried to educate me to be a smart shopper, and they've done fairly well). Now for those who might dismiss me as a know-nothing young'n, I should mention that I have an Engineering degree and have some serious money for a first car. I could look at cars in a higher price bracket, but considering the ridiculously high cost of rent and that I don't need a bigger car I figure why waste the money when I could invest it.

--Kyle

svenj · December 2000

I had an 89 Mazda 323 hatchback. What a great little car. Lot of cargo room, great gas mileage.
Never broke down in the 4.5 years I owned it. Bought it new, put 106,000 miles on it in the time I owned it. Looking back, I wish I hadn't traded it in so soon.

justin · December 2000

Since when? AcuraGRL is showing her age.....

VW's have not been bad in about a decade except for 95 Jettas. Honda quality has never been good. I know for a fact. My 96 Integra GS-R was nothing but rattles and squeeks. The 97 Civic? Let's not even discuss it. I can say that it did get great gas mileage.

My $10k Hyundai? No noise except the engine, MORE usuable power than ny $22k Integra GS-R....

What does that say? I just thank god or someone that I am not 22 anymore and making stupid decisions when it comes to buying cars....

The Hyundai is indeed quite a step down for me. But I also have a $31k 2001 Pathfinder....could not justify my Jetta's expense anymore...also moved into a nicer place, stock, etc. You better believe I will be back in the VW/Audi fam ASAP!

If the Acura CL-S had some style to match it's comfort and performance, it would be in the running as well. Great value, that car is. But from the front it looks like a Mazda 626....and nothing else is remarkable about it. Interior is decent though...especially in CL-S form.

See - I don't dislike all Hondas, just the average performing overpriced ones.

zengeos · December 2000

My 95 Accent was quite fun to drive. It was quite willing and enthusiastic for a small car in its size and price range. It felt much more zoomy than it actually was. When I drove it I felt like I was going faster than the odometer read. That to me is fun factor.

No car is perfect...not my mom's Probe or my Elantra, nor my best friend's Honda Civic (which feels much smaller inside than my Elantra)And let's not even get started with Saturn SL! poor styling queues and noisy!

Anyways...onwards..

I test drove a Ford Focus over the summer and was unimpressed. While I don't change seat positions often, I don't like the fat that with the door closed I could not fit my arm down between the seat and the door to make fine tune adjustments. I literally had to open the door to adjust the seat.

In addition, the Focus simply felt small to me at the time...before the Elantra came out.

So, one could say it's 6 of one and a half dozen of the other. One could also say to each his/her own.

Mark-

AcuraGRL · December 2000

justin: Your post shows your bias. VW's do very well in studies like the APPEAL but didn't do very well in the JD Power Initial Quality Survey. Owner's love their VW's, I will not dipute that but after being in a few later model VW's I can say that their overall feel is good but their overall quality still isn't the best on the market nor is it as good as the Hondas that I have owned and been in.

I am 21 right now and I am happy with the decisions that I have made buying cars as all of them have been absolutely perfect with the exception of replacing CV axles at 130k and changing timing belts.

And for someone who worships VW's to say that Hondas are overpriced...that's kind of a stretch. The Jetta in base form only has 115HP and is actually smaller inside than the Civic with a shorter bumper-to-bumper warranty. Yes, the Powertrain warranty is 100,000 miles but chances are the problems are going to be more of the electrical type with the VW anyways.

justin · December 2000

Where are you getting your info? And like I said - JD Powers has ZERO credibility. You have to go by what REAL people say. And real people know that Civics are just tinny little overprices cars with sewing machine engines....and VW are sturdy, classy, well assembled road cars.

And yes, VW's in base form are EXTREMELY overpriced. But in any case, a base Jetta is more car than a same price LOADED Civic ever could be.....

But that is off topic

elantra00 · December 2000

Stop living in the 1980's. been there done that as i always say. Forget the past and look at 2001 models as they are regardless of past problems. Things change over time, such as Believe it or not, cars have fuel injection now rather then carburetors back in the 80's. so like technology improvements like that, cars can get better, like hyundai. hehe

so what if you have a an integra with 130k miles on it. Big deal. Obviously it was well maintained. My friend has an 88 Hyundai excel with 110k miles on it. So what do you have to say to that? Like i have been trying to tell you all along, they way you treat a car is how reliable it will be. Obviously you treated your car well and it returned that favor. The excel was a piece of crap, but treated well, it can last, just like any honda.

And VW has poor quality? I dont think so. Go slam the door of a civic and then slam a door of a jetta while you are sitting in it. The civic sounds tinny. The jetta sounds much more solid, it is also MUCH better looking interior and exterior. the new civic looks like it got its [non-permissible content removed] kicked in cause it shrank. Yea, the jetta is underpowered with the base 2.0 engine w/ only 115 hp. That is the only flaw and that is why i didnt get a used one, but the civic isnt that much more, maybe 10 or 11. But if its power you are looking for, then neither is a good choice. ELantra wins hands down. (not including VW DOHC 1.8 turbo or VR6)

bri70 · December 2000

"Goslam the door of a civic and then slam a door of a jetta while you are sitting in it. The civic sounds tinny."

Or for that matter an Elantra. The doors (at least the 99/2000 model) close with an authoritative thud.

AcuraGrl, have you seen the XG300? Why don't you humor us and actually get inside one. Over the weekend I took my buddy to the local Hyundai dealership. This guy used to sound like you. We did not test drive it, but just getting inside he admitted that it was a very nice car. He was also shocked at the sticker price 24K for leather and the works. Hyundai sales are breaking records for a reason.

kymcamp · December 2000

Dropping off the VW topic for a bit, I've test driven an Elantra. I think my only compaints are i)that horrifying Korean new car smell. Apparently its due to some chemical that the Koreans use in shipping (the same smell is in Kia's and Daewoo's). Whatever it is I wish they'd stop using it.
ii)the "fairy princess" door chime. Americans cars make a "Gong, Gong" sound, Japaneese a "beep, beep" sound, but Hyundai's go "tinkle, tinkle". Its rather annoying. However, in the old Excel we had I got used to it. It must be emasculating in the Tiburon though.
iii)Hyundai seemed to cut corners on the trunk lid. The rest of the car is solid as a rock, but the lid seems like it would dent easily.

The dashboard reminds me of an older Volkswagon in the way its layed out. The beige interior was pleasant, but the black dashboard seemed out of place. The grey was more suitable. Also, I don't really care for the "antique rose" (I think it's called cranberry in the U.S.) color of the test car. But, I wouldn't be buying it in that color so it really doesn't matter.

The engine is remarkably quiet, except when revved high. Steering is responsive and the ride is smooth. Next up on the test drive list is the Golf.

elantra00 · December 2000

sorry bout the VW talk, but i love VW. if i had enough money, i wanted the turbo golf in 2 dr. Quality and performance, but you are paying for it at $17,000+. But i am happy with my elantra. For 10,800, i could not have picked a better car. I dont care what other people say. When it comes to money, i want the most for it. Why the hell am i going to pay more money for less features or less engine power? That would be silly. Just so i can say, "yea, i own a "honda"" and people bow down to me? If someone said that to me, i would bow down, turn around and fart in their face. j/k...got to have some humor in here.

But seriously, ask yourself that question before buying a civic. Like Shoprites slogan, "Why pay more?" The elantra has proven itself reliable. Honda owners cannot argue this fact. The elantra came out in 1994 and had no problems except for timing belt. but if changed at 60k miles, then that is not even a problem. the elantra is not the excel. SO I KNOW IM RIGHT AND THEIR WRONG WHEN IT COMES TO VALUE AND PERFORMANCE.

So to all those people ignorant towards hyundai, go ahead and buy your overpriced underpowered, option-challanged civic and prepared to be smoked by my twin cam w/ at least 13 more hp, fully loaded, less money but better value, hyundai elantra with the force field of a 10 yr warranty. that one sentence sums it all up folks hehe. we needed some humor in here. too much tense.

elantra00 · December 2000

i didnt realize the title i gave it. The VW section was for you, bri170. everything else after that was for anyone in general

AcuraGRL · December 2000

justin: REAL people also say they love their Hyundais and their Hondas. It is very hard to be objective when reviewing a vehicle that you are personally paying money for. Maybe that's why we should look to quality surveys like Consumer Reports, Strategic Vision, and JD Power.

Saying that Hondas are tinny and overpriced is an unfair and unjustified statement. Do not get me wrong I can recognize the Jetta as a very nice car as I almost bought a 2000 GLS 1.8T. But so are Hondas. They are just different cars, both drive great but they drive different. The Civic according to many people and many publications is more reliable and "sturdy" in the long run than a Jetta.

elantra00: I do not know the current Integra's maintenance history as I just purchased it 5 months ago and it had 120,000 on it when I bought it. I do know that the tires were way out of balance, it needed 2 CV axles, timing belt, and a muffler. None of those are real mechanical issues but it does prove that the prior owner was not as anal retentive about their maintenance as I am. I also had a 1990 Integra that was bought with 130k that had very obviously NOT been well maintained and after I did the usual timing belt and CV axles the car was good for another 30,000 miles before I sold it to a guy who used it to deliver pizzas. So maybe you are right, any well maintained car has a chance of survival. It's when a car can be somewhat abused and still give it's owner confidence to jump in it and go anywhere that it becomes a true example of reliability. It also interesting to note that neither one of these Integras nor the 1994 or the other 1991 Integra I owned had any quality issues other than normal maintenance that I listed above. Same goes for the 89 Honda Civic we owned and a 93 Acura Vigor. The Vigor is a different animal though because it had been perfectly maintained before it came into the family at 42,000 miles.

I also want to comment on what an intelligent statement you made about the Civic shrinking. I guess though if you use your logic the Civic got kicked in the [non-permissible content removed] with a size 5 shoe while the Jetta got hit with a size 13 considering the Jetta is shorter than the Civic. The Civic also rides on a wheelbase that is nearly 5" longer.

And if you want power you wouldn't be looking at the Jetta, Civic, or Elantra. You would get a Nissan Sentra SE with 150HP.

bri70: A sticker price of $24,000 on a Hyundai would be enough to make me consider one since I bought my '01 Accord EX V6 for $23,200 and it stickers for $25,540 and once you are in that price range there are several other models that one might choose before going down to a Hyundai. But to it's credit, nobody pays sticker for a Hyundai so after all of the special financing and rebates that they throw at you one could probably be had for around $19,000.

darpin1 · December 2000

My 2 cents worth.
I've owned a 99 Honda Odyssey and it had quality control problem just check the recalls and tsbs and Car and Driver's comment abot it being notso Honda quality.
If you know anything about cars you know how imperfect all of them are and that the real winners are the car manufacturers not us...
However how much you let them win is the game.
With Honda sure there great but follow their recommended service and you will pay thru the nose and change parts hat don't need changing (maybe thats why they are so relaible and add those wonderful secret warranties) they fix things before you find out...talk to a certified Honda mechanic. They don't depreciate so much because you pay so much...du!
I recently bought a 5-speed base model of the 2001 Elantra Love it, drives like a much larger car, feels solid, nimble, great little engine and power, noise from the Khumo tires (sound a bit like snow tires) isn't all that bad.
It looks great (distintive) in comparison to what else is available...The sentra se interested me it had 145 hp but in comparison to the Elantra looks no way...Motor trend timed the sentra se 7.9 sec 0-60 and the Elantra 8.4 sec 0-60 .5 difference worth the extra money for a marginal difference? Up to the individual...I think we who are Hyundai owners are tired of the Honda people trashing our inferior cars? We love our cars just as much as they love there hondas....We all payed for our cars with hard earned cash so lets give each other a break... the real winners are the car manufacturers...Thanks

justin · December 2000

It is the holidays! Let's all play nice today! I am hungover from a Christmas party last night and I can't deal.

It was HE** driving into work with a five speed today....:( Should have paid a little extra and got an automatic.

I personally have not even been inside the new Elantras, but on the outside they look nice. I still think that 2000 Elantras look nice too. The 2000 has the "swoopy" look, while the 2001 is more creased.

I honestly do have a feeling that all of us Elantra owners, if we keep are ours for another 3 or 4 years, will find this resale thing a thing of the past... Hyundai's rep is changing in the marketplace slowly but surely. Especially here in metro areas.....middle America might not be trading their Camry's and Taurus' in for Sonata's yet, but I see a lot of Sonata's around here. Quite handsome I think...

Anyway - The new Civic Sedan looks nicer than the old one, but the coupe went all wrong in my opinion.

phillips9055 · December 2000

I been waiting for a while to test drive this car. The Hyundai dealer in my area took a long time to get them on the lot. To my surprise, they also had the new XG300 on the lot. I took a closer look and it had the features of a $30,000 luxury car. I was shock to see the sticker with only $23,000 on it. That the price of a high-level Jetta or Accord.

Anyway, I test droved severals cars during past two months.

2001 Volkwagon Jetta
Very nice looking car, but I can not afford to buy the base model. I can't picture paying $15,000 and up for a car that does not have power windows and cruise control.

2001 Volkwagon Beetle
They had to nerve to try to get me to pay $20,800 for a Beetle. No way!!!

2001 Nissan Sentra
I was very impressed with this car. It has a spunky engine. The interior looks nice. The exterior is kind of bland. Looks like a mini-Altima. The only thing I did not like about this car was the fact I did not have any real leg room. My knees kept touching the steering wheel even with the seat all the way back. So I dropped the Sentra from my list.

2001 Honda Civic EX Coupe
Honda has done it again. They are bringing out a nice product. Now, I do not like the Civic Sedans. Talk about plain!!! I just don't feel they are worth what they are asking even it is so called reliable. The only one I like is the Civic EX Coupe, but thats out of my budget.

2001 Hyandai Elantra
I was just like most people when it came to "Hyandai" = "Garbage". My mom had an 89 Excel that was ok, but it later died on us. From then on I this company has never crossed my mind. Well here it is 2000 and I have yet to hear any major complaints about Hyandai. My brother recently purchased a Sante Fe after leaving a bad experience with a 93 Pontiac Bonneville. When I got into that Sante Fe, thats when I knew Hyandai has changed a lot. So I test drove an Elantra because it seems to be in my budget. I was so impressed. The outside looks ok and the inside is ok. It looks more expensive now. I am planning to buy a 2001 Elantra next year. I felt it had more to offer for my money, plus having the best warranty in the industry does not hurt.

kymcamp · December 2000

Hey, they redid this thing and about 40 messages have dissapeared. Oh well, life goes on.

--Kyle

kymcamp · December 2000

Just a test to see if my message gets posted. The one I tried earlier disappeared.

justin · December 2000

I could not take driving a 5 speed anymore, and I came into some Christmas money, so I dumped the Hyundai. Not for any reason except these two. I had a Jetta that was loaded and nice...the Hyundai left me feeling very bargain basement. Also - it was a 5 speed and I sit in Rt.7/Beltway traffic everyday. Also - I have a four door Pathfinder.

So guess what I got? I am going to catch soooo much sh** for this...

2001 Honda Civic Coupe EX. Eternal Blue/Beige interior. AUTOMATIC.
It is not as fast as the Elantra...but I knew that. It is more luxurious and looks nice in the Blue/Beige combo. For once, Honda got some decent colors out there, and the interior actually has some style! Everyone is yelling about the suspension being downgraded this year...who cares. I don't really notice. The car is much "firmer" and rides "harder" than the Jetta or the Elantra. Seems kind of sporty to me...;)

Anyway - I did not look at the Hyundai Elantra automatic for two reasons as well. Number 1, this was a major impulse buy. Number two - they don't come in 2 doors, and the Tiburon is as bad as a Pontiac Sunfire, looks wise.

Please - be nice....I am NOT siding with any arrogant and obnoxious Honda owners. I never plan to be that type of Honda owner.....

Got $7800 for the 2000 BASE BASE BASE Elantra.....not bad considering I paid just under $10k for it...

liufei · December 2000

LOL, congratulations on your new civic. Hope you will enjoy it for the next year that you going to own it.

Thats some serious impulse buying though!!

elantra00 · December 2000

how do you afford to keep switchen cars like that? Thats got to be expensive with losing money on trade-ins so quickly. Congradulations on your new civic and I hope you enjoy it, but I do have one commment about it. That had to cost you around 16 or 17,000 for the EX and in automatic. You should have gotten a Jetta. maybe the turbo, if you really haggled.

or 1.8t golf. Remember our arguments in here about the EX being pricy...but if you are happy, that is all that counts.

Lots of luck

kymcamp · December 2000

Glad you like your new car. Of course, there's a certain someone around this board who's probably going to be very,very smug. I tried the new Civic, and it was very nice. But it just didn't appeal to me much for some reason, but then again they won't have the racy SI coupes in until April or so.

It's hard to resist impulse buying, so that's why I'm looking at cars now. I don't start my new job until January, so I CAN'T buy a car now, thus I can't impulse buy.

--Kyle

alese1 · December 2000

You had mentioned in your previous post (see post 529) that the new Civic Sedan is nicer than last year's model, and that the "coupe went the wrong way", and you go on impulse and bought yourself a Civic coupe EX! You probably spent at least 19K (including taxes) on it. The coupe is nice, but isn't it kinda off uncomfortable? Everytime someone sits in the back the person sitting in the front has to move forward a little bit. I'm not particularly fond of the coupes. I think the sedans look better, and the insurance is probably cheaper since the coupes are considered to be more sporty-looking.

Anyway, congratulations on your purchase. It is a nice car you got. The when it comes to Civics, the EX model is the way to go.

elantra00 · December 2000

elantra00 · December 2000

you did say the civic EX coupe went the wrong way back in post #529. What were you smoking when you bought that car?! hehe. I think you should slow down your car buying. I mean, from a Jetta VR6, to an elantra now to a civic EX, you must have blown off 5,000 in losing on resale so soon. I think you should slow down your car purchases because a car is a big investment and you should think of what car you want that is in your price range. At 19k on a civic EX, you could have gotten another Jetta and saved money from "car hopping" hehe.

liufei · December 2000

I didnt expect an EX to cost that much!! I was expecting in the range of 17K. For 19K I will get an Accord/Camry or a Sonata V6

justin · December 2000

Who pays even close to $19 for any Civic?? You guys are nuts. I paid $16300 plus tax. I could have done better, but did not feel like haggling. They were selling 2001 Civic EX sedan 5 speeds for 14885 plus tax. I guess either Honda has realized that they have major competion from the new Elantra, or this area is just overstocked.

Yes - on paper and on Internet I thought the new Civic Coupe was HORRIBLE. I never saw the blue/beige combo though. It really makes the car to me.... I love how long it is. Longer than the sedan. Plus the EX sedan had horrible cloth seats..the Coupe has a nice design.

Believe me - I would not pay $19k for ANY Honda, not even an Accord. They are fine cars, as I have always said, just not any BETTER than the Elantra. I wanted a two door. The VW GTI-VR6 can't be had in an automatic....and I don't want a turbo anything. And VW base engine? That is a joke....I love VW's but they need to let the GTI VR6 have an autostick at least...

Again - you don't pay even close to $19k for a loaded Civic right now. Now that Bush is in and the economy and stock market have tanked, and will continue to do so (all in the name of infamous Reagan-era tax cuts....), this is your chance to get good deals. Remember - always buy your car and house during a republican recession, if you can afford it. Prices are slashed - you can always refinance when Hillary wins in 2004

formula94 · December 2000

Imagine if ALGORE was in the office, my what a recession we would be in. We can thank the Felon Clinton for this one, reminds me of what Jimmy Carter left for reagan, but at least he cleaned it up!

jerent · December 2000

My 95 Elantra has 151000 miles on it. It still runs like brand new and has been a great car. I had the timing belt go out right at 100000, replaced an alternator, and a water pump. That's it! This car has to last me 1 1/2 more years. My question is: Is there any specialized maintenance I should do on it at this mileage level? I do the routine maintenance myself and don't want to 'fix anything that isn't broke'. But is there something I should be watching for?.?.?

Thanks for any replies. 200000 miles, here I come...

tamk · December 2000

I'm not sure why anyone would feel smug just because they own a Honda - are people really like that?

I've had my 1999 Civic sedan (VP, I think - value package) since April of 1999. I paid $14,064 once you include the floor mats. It's automatic with AC, remote keyless entry, and a CD player. I love the clover green color.

It's not my favorite car on earth, but it does what I need it to and it has had no mechanical problems whatsoever (as you'd expect - I mean, it's only got 16K miles on it anyway). And, my car is always happy to see me. I can tell.

I like how some of the Hyundais look. I've never driven one, though.

elantra00 · December 2000

151,000 miles? Thats great! Makes me feel like I made a wise choice. The only thing I would watch for is if the car starts to burn and/or leak oil. check the oil every now and then. All cars start to do that at this point in there lives. That and parts just wear out over time, like belts, exhaust. Thats about it. If it runs great, then all i would do is check out those things, because they just wear out over time from normal use.

sobers · December 2000

I would like to clear that I don't have anything against Hyndai.
I am just giving you some facts to consider.
Two of my friends, one is having 99 Elantra, other having older(96? not sure) ELantra. The 96 Xmission blue up last month:total damage 1500 ! 99 Catalytic Convertor needed replacement. 99 Cruise Control wasn't working. minor chatters in Audio system

There is a dedicated site for Xmissions(forgot eaxct url) I happened to browse a few days ago. (Automatics)
Best Shift quality xmissions in the world: GM (even Benz gets from them for a few high performance models) Then Toyota

Average Longevity: GM: 100K+ miles
Ford: 70-80K miles
Toyota/Honda : 150K+miles
Mazda: Like Ford 80-100K
Crysler & Hyndai: 55-60K......Yes this number is too low which can be offset by longer warranty. BUT this warranty I think is NOT transferable to second owner(powertrain 10 years-100K). Only comprehensive warr is transferrable to second owner (Not sure I could be wrong, Please correct me)

Resale: We don't need to talk about. Honda even outsmarts Toyota when it comes to resale. Higher resale depends on manufacturer credibility, past history, Qaulity & the most imp factor which depends on teh first 3, DEMAND. Used Hondas are rediculously are ion deamnd as it is very difficult to find them on used car lot. This is mainly due to highly controlled fleet sales.(Less than 2% !!)

-HYndai has the worst possible track record.
-Quality of new cars is also questionable, so is the build quality.
-a LOT/TON of fleet sales flooding the used car lot which would virtually strand you without any consumer to buy your car after 2/3 years. There is NO demand for used Hyndai's bcos of maybe very HIGH supply in used car market.

Honda/Toyota have earned recognition after 20-25 years, it is not an overnight success. Except Corolla which is 'slightly' getting hurt due to Chevy Prism in used car market Toyota is very good in maintaining their resale value. (They have slightly disappointed me with increased fleet sales of Camry to make it #1 & also of Corolla)
Ofcourse it is way ahead of others & is a slightly below Honda(resale)

If you plan to keep car for more than 6 years, which is unlikely & you don't mind frequent trips to dealer for warranty work. If you don't have extra 2-3 grand for Honda/Toyota & would like to have better features, power of Elantra over Civic, then yes go ahead with Elantra. But keep in mind, it is *your* money.
It is the cost of ownership over 3-5 years where Civic is 'better value' than Elantra. New Civic has 1year/10,000 miles for an Oil-change !! It gives high 30s mileage which the new Elantra can not dream of getting. Is more refined, much better interior materials. Reliable tarck/history & much more *precise* engineered car than any Hyndai. Panel gaps are reduced to rediculous levels from older Civic which was in turn bench mark for the build quality.
Safety Civic Sedan has earned 5star front & 4 star side crash ratings. Coupe is all-around 5 star rating along with Volvo S80!!
Is Civic worth the extra cash (extra 50$ per month than Elantra)..Yes it is to me...U decide for yourselves.

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BTW: This new townhall stinks like anything. I am trying to post this from a long time, eeven if I logon & go to end of the discussion it says u need to logic before ucan post blah blah...click on login & it says Hey man u have already logged in....What the heck....
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backy · December 2000

sobers, just a few questions on your post:
1) Where are you looking for used Hondas and Hyundais? In my area (Twin Cities), it's the Hondas that are in abundance and the Hyundais that are scarce. Of course, there's a lot more Hondas sold than Hyundais, so this is not unexpected.
2) What tons of fleets are the Hyundais in? I've seen a few Hyundais on Hertz lots and driven some Elantras as rentals--are those what you mean?
3) On what figures is your 3-5 year cost of ownership comparison between Honda and Hyundai based? Granted that the Honda will retain a higher percentage of initial purchase price over the first 3-5 years, but that is offset by the Hyundai's lower initial price. Also, when you calculate cost of ownership, please include the future value of the initial price difference. For example, if you keep a Hyundai for 5 years and saved $3000 initially compared to a Honda, that $3000 invested over 5 years at 8% return will grow to about $4400. Regarding maintenance costs, yes, you may save a little bit with the Honda's longer oil change intervals (10,000 vs. 7500 miles). But check the fine print and you'll probably find that the oil change interval for most owners is much less than 10,000 miles, since "severe service" covers most driving conditions. Also, with the Hyundai, you will have no unscheduled repair costs for 5 years/60,000 miles, two more years and 24,000 miles longer than the Honda. If you or a family member continue to own the Hyundai in years 6-10 (which is my plan), you'll have no powertrain repair costs in those years. Gas mileage will be higher in the Civic, although Elantra owners report mid-30s when broken in, not far off the Civic's mpg and a fair tradeoff for the extra power. All these factors should be included in the cost of ownership.
4) On what facts is your claim of more "precise" engineering for Honda based? On engine technology, yes, Honda has done some remarkable things with VVT and clean-burn technology. For the number of years that Hyundai has been working on the Elantra's Beta engine (many fewer years than Honda has been working on the Civic's engine), I could make the case that it's a solid effort, e.g. nearly equals the output of the legendary 2.0L in the Sentra SE. As far as other measures of "precision", I've owned two Civics and I can find no noticeable difference in panel fit, switchgear operation, solidity of the body etc. with the 2001 Elantra. As another poster has pointed out, the same robots--Hyundai robots--are used to make Hyundais and Mercedes Benzes.

I agree with your closing that we have to decide for ourselves if the Civic is worth more than the Elantra. To me, the Elantra was the clear choice, because to get a comparable Civic I would need to get the EX 4dr, and that would have cost me $4000-5000 more up front, $6000-7500 over five years (future value again). I feel I got every bit as good a car, for my needs, in the Elantra compared to the Civic--in some ways a better car. And I loved my two Civics. For those who have no problem paying the extra bucks, the Civic is a great choice. I just have other places to put those extra bucks right now other than a depreciable asset like a car.

kymcamp · December 2000

We're not dragging up the old "resale" thing again are we? I'm not even going to say anything more about it. We've discussed that to death.

Anyway, I saw a Honda coupe the other day. I said I wasn't impressed by the new Civic I sat in, but that was a sedan. The coupe is really cool, and it looks so much better in real life than it does in pictures.

--Kyle

bri70 · December 2000

A Hyundai salesman told me that the 2001 Elantra has a traction control system and had heated side mirrors. I'm curious if the Civic comes with those two options. Side airbags, traction control, heated mirrors. Short time ago those would have been available only in more expensive vehicles.

bri70 · December 2000

I just checked Hyundai's web site. The traction control is optional and comes with ABS.

kymcamp · December 2000

At least you can get ABS. It's not available on the Canadian Elantra (but the heated mirrors are standard)

Honda Civic vs. Hyundai Elantra

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