Hyundai Elantra 2001-2006

backy · June 2001

The asking price on the base Elantra 5spd seems on the high side, especially considering their pricing on the Sonata. You should be able to get an Elantra base 5spd for closer to $11,000, given low demand (5spd, no options). I've seen these models advertised recently in the Twin Cities for as low as $10,999, and in other areas for less. Still, it's a great price for a Sonata. I've driven the Sonata and I'd prefer it for long-distance cruising, but for around town I'll take the Elantra--more peppy (than 4 cyl Sonata) and fun to drive.

Re crash test results of Elantra vs. Accent, I was remiss in not checking for existence of results for the Accent, and also for forgetting that results are not comparable across vehicle classes. Still, the Elantra's scores are excellent and I'd have to believe it will do better than the lighter Accent.

mpgman · June 2001

Thanks for the mpg information and the pricing. This evening, I went to my local Hyundai dealer who called and said he just got a silver Elantra GT hatch automatic with the moonroof, ABS, traction control, mats, flaps, and cargo net. Drove it and loved it. Car had 3 miles on it so he was telling the truth. Even had to go get gas. He asked what it would take to make a deal. I said out the door for $16K complete, plus tax and tags. Deal made after a minute or two. I may have left a few hundred on the table, but hey, they are scarce right now and the dealer is entitled to make something. Will let you know how it rides and performs.

baber · June 2001

I own both a 99 Accent and 99 Elantra. We use the Elantra as our family car and the Accent as my 100 mile per day commuter car. Both have been great cars so far. Got over 52,000 miles on the Accent, very reliable so far. The Elantra has 23,000 miles and has been trouble free. We just took a trip to Key West last week with the Elantra. This is about 1,000 miles round trip from our home close to Tampa. The Elantra ran smooth as glass to 100 mph. Cruised easily with the cruise control set to 75 mph most of the way. Averaged 30 mpg with the AC on and auto trans. My Accent sedan was just too small for long trips. We are very satisfied with both cars, but if I could only afford one car I would get the Elantra, no contest.

cjaccetta · June 2001

mpgman,

Congratulations on your new GT. I'm sure you will love it. How do you like the silver color? Ours is silver, too and I wasn't thrilled with it at first but after a week it's really growing on me. Looks very upscale, even with the black belt trim (which I also like).

Looking forward to reading all the posts from present and future Elantra/Elantra GT owners out there....

Happy Motoring!
CJA

mpgman · June 2001

If you parallel park on a city street where people in front and in back of you park by sound, or if you park in a shopping center where people don't think before they open their doors, you will get to appreciate the black beltline molding and bumper molding that protrudes a bit from the surface of the car. Today's totally color coordinated cars look great in the showroom. Put them on the street for a while and it is a never ending quest to deal with chips and scuffs. When I saw the molding, it was icing on the cake. As to the silver color, I want the closest thing to dust. White gets dirty too fast, and the darker colors are murder if just a few drops of rain fall. Not too much of a color selection but silver with the leather color inside worked best for me. Good Luck!

darpin1 · June 2001

I had the same problem due to a change from the Khumo tires that were original equipment tires to Michelin x-one. The problem is what you call "Out of Round". No rim or tire is perfect (like an egg shape) what happens is at the factory they match (coded dots on the rim and tire) together they are the high point on the rim to the low point on the tire thereby cancelling each other out. In my case I had the tires balanced 7 times before we found out one of the rims was out of spec. You could actually see the wobble on the tire balancer. No amount of balancing would cure that. The rim was replaced and no more problem. However the tire(out of round) could be the culprit as well. Putting it on a good rim to test if it has a severe wobble.One way to test if it's the driveline engage the clutch or stick in neutral if it stills shimmies then it's tires or rim. If it stops then it could be the something in the driveline. I learned alot from this too also how alot of techs don't know what they are doing. Good luck to all!

majorthomecho · June 2001

The posts about the shimmy is one reason I like reading a lot of discussions and not just about my own car.

If I have a problem with a shimmy when I replace my factory tires, I will know a way to test for the culprit and how to correct it.

Thanks for the info.

elantra00 · June 2001

In addition to the molding, I park my Elantra far away. If I go to the supermarket, I park all the way at the far end in the LAST spot. One of my jobs is working at a supermarket and know what carriages can do! In addition...I dont parallel park in the street. I guess you could say Im the guy in the VW Jetta commercial dodging over the shopping cart. lol. I have the molding and although my car has not been hit yet, I will be glad its there if some moron rams my car with his door.

But most of us get off easy. Now, I am in NYC a lot. I have never ever seen a car there without at least 10 door dings or scratches in it, bumper scrapes from people ramming into it. Both my cars have been pretty much ding free. My Jeep has 2 small ones, then again it has 110,000 miles on it. The elantra remains ding free

mpgman · June 2001

I am in NYC a lot too. My Dodge Omni has the old style add-on upright chrome and rubber bumper guards that you could order from Stauss or other auto parts stores. Might look dorky but the chassis front and rear is like new. Today's body colored bumpers are a joke. At least put a protruding like color rubber insert band in them to protect the car. Guess the detail and scuff cleaner industry is smiling though.

bybon · June 2001

2000 Elantra Wagon
At 100 hi transmission hose burst and car would not start. My wife was in rush hour traffic in Boston paying a toll before entering Summer Tunnel.
At 5000 miles both disk brakes had to be resurfaced.
At 9500 hi the center console for the heating and air conditioning had to be replaced. Defective pump or vacuum?
At 10000 hi the lower block of the engine is being replaced (basically new engine) No oil is initially being delivered to the upper parts of engine.
Other than that the car has been very good. I am not being a wise guy in saying that. The service department has been very helpful and do care about me and the car. Pride Hyundia in Lynn, MA. All of this has not cost a penny. My other two cars are a Honda Prelude that has 180000 and runs fine and a 735i BMW that costs a fortune to maintain.

dirkm2 · June 2001

I'm going to be in the market for a new car soon, and have spending a lot of time reading the posts on the Elantra, and other makes I'm considering. For those of you considering an Elantra, I can share my experience.

I own a 1994 Elantra which I bought brand new. I now have almost 93,000 miles on the car. I've had the following service done on the car since I've owned it.

Soon after I bought it it was recalled for installation of a "cold weather starting kit," whatever that is.

At about 40,000 miles the front wheel bearings had to be replaced. That was under warranty. The ball joints were also replaced at that time, and I paid about $50 for that. The service rep said since they would have the wheels off anyway, they'd just charge me for the parts.

At about 45,000 the catalytic converter was replaced. That was under warranty.

I just had a worn intake manifold gasket replaced, and that cost $325.00. If I had bought the car just a few years later, that would be under warranty, too.

I did have the timing belts replaced at 60,000. That is a maintanence item, and it has to be done. It took the shop forever to do it, and it cost $400.

Other than that I've only had tune-ups, oil changes, and the brakes were redone at 50,000.

I'm very happy with my Hyundai. It's been very reliable. My only complaint is that it uses a quart of oil about every 800-1,000 miles, and my mechanic says don't worry about it. I just have to remember to check it often.

I test drove a new Elantra GT with automatic, and I hate the Hyundai automatic. My '94 has automatic. It doesn't shift smooth, it jerks, and clunks, and when I bought the car I thought it would be the first thing to break. It hasn't broken yet. I still hate it.

My Elantra was the base sedan which isn't sold anymore. A dealer told me it had the Alpha engine, and the new ones have the Beta engine. I think he means I have a 1.8 liter motor, and the new ones have a 2.0 motor. I have noticed that the new motors are quieter than mine. My car has hard seats, and cheap upholstery, and 65 tires instead of the 60's on the new ones. It has good accelleration, and handles decently. The ride isn't as smooth as I'd like, but mine had the cheap struts, too.

When I bought my Hyundai people shook their heads. How could I do such a thing? Now I guess the car is more legitimate.

I'm keeping mine till it dies. Basically because it has 0 resale value. I am driving it to Florida again next week. It has been the most reliable car I've ever owned, and I've owned a lot of cars.

I'm very attached to my Elantra. We've been through snow together, -20 degree temperatures, rain, everything. My children have grown up in its rear seats. And stained them.

I'm test driving an Elantra GT tonight. With manual transmission.

sanger4 · June 2001

Hello,

My wife and I are seriously considering buying a new Elantra. I've done a lot of research and have approached the purchase in a couple ways. Using the Autobytel service, we were connected with a dealership in Fairfax, VA. We told them that we wanted the 2001 Elantra with option package 4. They offered us that car, albeit with some extras. Using Edmund's pricing service, we determined that:

MSRP should be $14,594
Invoice should be $13,290
TMV should be $13,532

We also determined that there is a $500 rebate in effect. The dealership offered to sell it to us for $13,449 AFTER rebate, but BEFORE a $300 "processing charge". In turn, I offered them $13,700 BEFORE rebate, but AFTER processing fee. Now as I understand it, it's the Hyundai Corporation that pays the rebate, so I was offering to pay $13,700 for a car that the dealership paid $13,290 for. Is this correct? Is this a fair price? The dealership counter-offered with $13,533 AFTER reabte and processing fee. I refused.

If you found that paragraph confusing, well, I found the entire procedure confusing, but that's about how it went. I guess my basic question is, how much should I REALLY expect to pay for this car (MSRP $14,594) right now, while the $500 rebate is in effect.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Jason

dorf47 · June 2001

Went to E-loan for a quote, got 7.19. When I went to the dealer for my Elantra pkg5, Ocean Blue, he asked what rate I got and asked if he could try to beat it. He came back with 6.74 (which, of course I took it!) It doesn't hurt to see what the dealership can do, you don't have to take it. I've had the car for about a week, and with the break in going on I'm getting about 31-32 combined, and I'm not a great respector of speed limits. As far as swapping out the radio, check out Crutchfield.com, then go to the Huyndai site and download the service info on taking out the radio (it's basically pretty simple). Crutchfield provides everything necessary to install the new unit, and matches the units to the car it's going to be installed in. Congrats Mpgman, you're gonna love it!

browney · June 2001

Jason,
Try www.carsdirect.com also for pricing.
According to their site they will give you a 2001 GLS 5sp pkg 4 for $13,340 this includes the rebate and all fees except taxes tag and title.
Also try E-loan for loan quote.

dorf47,
Great work on using E-loan rate as leverage to get good rate from the dealer.

sanger4 · June 2001

Thanks for the advice Dorf47.

One problem is that, as residents of Maryland, apparently we cannot use an online broker to buy a car. Too bad becuase, as you say, Carsdirect offers a good price. So, I'm essentially stuck with a dealer. I keep reading messages in which people claim they've purchased their Elantra for under invoice. Is this possible!? Are we talking about the same invoice prive that Edmund's lists? I can't even get a dealer near TMV, let alone invoice. So how accurate IS TMV? Where are these dealerships that offer TMV? We found the one dealer who would give it to us at TMV, but that was only with the $500 rebate added in. This is pretty darn frustrating.

cyanogel · June 2001

I know a friend who purchased an Elantra GLS with pkg3 for $11500 in NJ! I got an offer of $12500 for the same car through email. Both prices are lower than invoice.

sanger4 · June 2001

Well, we did it. We bought ourselves the first new car either of us has had in ten years. It was a grueling process.

Using the Edmund's information, we'd established that the price it was supposedly going for in this area was $13,500. With the $500 rebate Hyundai is currently offering, that price should have been closer to $13,000. We were all set to buy it via an online broker, who claimed that it could be had for right around that price. It turns out, however, that Maryland has a law against brokering cars, and although we tried to manipulate it, it seemed that buying online just wasn't going to work. So we tried a telephone service that hooks us up with a dealer in the area who has the car. As a result, we got a call from a dealership in Virginia. This was supposedly supposed to be competitive pricing, but after an offer and counteroffer, the lowest I could get this guy down to was $13,533. I was getting frustrated.

So we got back online to determine if there was some way, again, that we could broker it, perhaps using a relative's address in another state. This time it sounded like it might work out, but the details started getting a little too sticky, and I thanked them and gave up that option. So I finally just started calling dealers in the Baltimore/Annapolis area asking if they had the car and if they'd give me a quote over the phone. The car, with the options we wanted, in the colors we wanted, was sort of hard to come by, and I wasn't expecting much. One of the dealers I called quoted $13,800, and seemed to belligerently defend the price when I pointed out that I had a better offer. Another refused to talk price over the phone. Others didn't have the car, but tried to tell us that they could get it. I was starting to have a headache.

Finally a dealer seemed willing to work with me. The salesperson got his boss on the line who asked me what I'd be willing to pay for the car. I told him that I had an offer already, and that I wanted him to tell me what he'd sell the car for, bearing in mind that I already had an offer. He asked me what the offer was, but I explained that I didn't want to provide information that he would just match. He said "Look, we sell a lot of cars. And I want to sell you a car. Tell me the offer and I promise we'll beat it by at least $200." So I took a chance and told him that I'd been offered $13,533 and (doing my math incorrectly - grin) told him that I'd buy from them for $13,233. He agreed.

We drove to this dealer near the DC beltway and, much to my amazement, nothing at all had changed. We went through the whole thing with no hassles whatsoever. The dealer and salespeople were a delight (they even threw some pinstripes on for us while we waited), and we now have a new car. With cruise control, sunroof, remote locks, alarm, power windows, stereo w/CD and four speakers, and split rear seats, it's pretty darn loaded.

So there ya. I didn't exactly get my car for invoice, and I didn't even get it for TMV, but after a semi-fruitless and frustrating search, I feel good about the price we DID get.

Sanger4

dorf47 · June 2001

I've seen ads in New York City papers advertising extremely low prices, not just on Hyundai but other makes. The catch is that you must finance the car through the dealer at extremely high rates and are not permitted to put a large down payment down. I paid $14070.00 for an automatic w/pkg 5, floor mats and mudguards. This was $90.00 more than TMV. But since the Consumer Reports issue with a favorable review (one for both Elantra and Santa Fe's)and other very good reviews (including Edmunds) dealers don't seem inclined to "wheel & deal" as much as they did before. The cars are selling well, even in this unsettled economic climate.

cjaccetta · June 2001

Good point, dorf47. I just paid about $200 over Edmunds TMV for my Elantra GT last week and I felt lucky to have gotten that price. Dealers are willing to move on the Elantra, but not as much as I previously thought. You have to do like sanger4 did and contact a lot of dealers (I called five before purchase).

The word may finally be out about Hyundai and the Elantra in particular. I hope this doesn't become a situation of demand exceeding supply.

jimarth · June 2001

My first post... I'm frustrated with the doors. Otherwise, the car is great. This morning I even went looking at other cars, and after driving the Corolla, I was reminded that the Elantra is indeed quieter, more powerful, and more refined looking. None-the-less, there is a problem with the design, that Hyundai Motors, to be fair, should correct.

Off subject briefly, after reading what others are paying, I got the deal of the century (details below).

I've had my Elantra for 3 months (3500 miles) and have had it with the doors. I've read several hundred posts (scanning for similar problems) and it appears there are indeed others with the same symptoms. The common concensus seems to be the doors are hard to close because the seals are very tight (i.e., airtight cabin, etc.). I took the car in at 300 miles and was told this very reason (tight seals, etc.) as the reason for difficulty in closing the doors. I don't buy it, period. Let's not take a problem and blame it on magnificient engineering... (Imagine that! You have to slam your doors because the car is engineered so great--it's airtight! Pretty good con job, Aye?)

I've since sat in another Elantra (new car on the lot), and while the doors do require more force to close than most other cars, it's not nearly as bad as my particular car.

I suspect this is an engineering problem. If the latching mechanism was larger, i.e., had more "leverage" (larger actuating stroke, etc.) and perhaps a stronger spring, then, when the door engaged the latch, the latch would have the "strength" to finish the door closing process.

In reality, the latching mechanism does not have the strength. (No leverage: this is like trying to start up an inlcine in 4th gear... no leverage i.e., like first gear, no go). Therefore, we (collectively, Elantra owners with this problem) have to roll down the windows to avoid strenuous door slamming, to overcome a weak latching mechanism. In my case, even with the windows down, it's still necessary to use substantially more force than with just about any other car.

This fact shows a deficiency in the latch design, which is aggrivated when you're fighting air pressure (windows up) as the door closes.

Fit and the door-closing sound seem to be perfect, so that's why I blame the latch design. I'm not holding much hope for a repair, either, for this reason (that is, the seemingly perfect fit). I looked at the latching mechanism for adjustments, and there are none.

My other problem: Tires out-of-balance symptoms. That was the other reason the car was brought in at 300 miles. The dealership simply could not fix the vibration problem while I waited; they rebalanced the tires twice. They asked me to bring the car back and keep the keep it a day. They greatly improved the symptoms (violent vibration reduced to just noticable at freeway speeds). I'm gonna have them look at that again, as well.

For those who are interested, my purchase details: I try only to buy cars on ad (although after this experience, I may change this habit). As such, I waited and watched until I saw the car (Elantra with automatic) advertised for $9977.00. I was at the dealership before they opened, found the car on the lot, and then aproached the sales team with ad in hand. Stuck to my guns, got a bit shafted on interest, but countered the high interest by taking only a 2 year loan. Further reduced the interest hit by paying half the loan balance 2 weeks later (simple interest loan).

So, the ad car deals are out there, you just have to find them and be prepared for any games that follow.

I really did not get my options and color, for the sake of saving money. I noticed the door problems immediately but assumed it would be easy to fix. So, I got a great price... or did I?

backy · June 2001

Methinks you do not have an engineering problem, but an assembly problem. You said "even with the windows down, it's still necessary to use substantially more force than with just about any other car." On my Elantra, the doors close with a push of one finger if a window is open--as easy as any other car I've owned. If it were an engineering problem, it would appear on every sample. You yourself have observed that the doors on another Elantra on the lot closed more easily than yours. Have you tried having the dealer adjust the doors? From your description, it's taking way too much force to close the doors even windows up. Reminds me of my Grand Caravan's side and rear doors--those can really provide a workout (less time needed at the gym). Chrysler "fixed" that problem by motorizing the doors. But I don't have $30K for a new one with motorized doors, so I'll keep slamming. The side doors did work better once the dealer, on his own initiative, replaced the door tracks. So maybe some type of adjustment on your car could help. Probably can't make it much worse.

presario1 · June 2001

When will Hyundai take note that vibration in one too many new cars is a cause for a recall on a specific batch of tires or rims? Or will they just ride the storm and let individual owners deal with the frustration of service calls, including wheel balance and alignments, that don't work?
Those of us with shimmy/vibration, what state are you from? My elantra is in Ohio.

bigzee2 · June 2001

Hi there.. can anyone give me a good dealership/experience
in central FL? How much over invoice am I expected to pay?
Did anyone have an dealing with "Universal Hyundai" on OBT-Orlando. Their ad in the Orlando Sentinel says- 2001 Elantra's starting at $9999!! Any comments?? I am thinking of getting the Elantra with package 3. Also I am thinking of paying cash & not financing.
Would I get a better deal? Is this a good thing? thanks.

tonykrapil · June 2001

I bouht mine at universal and had no pronlems. I bought a 01 Elantra. I dont know what package it has by name, but this car is basic with only an auto transmission. Great car.

I bought my 00 Sonato from Coastal Mitsu/hyundai in melbourne. That was a very pleasent experience.

Actually both were, but stand strong ay Universal.
Lets face it, their job is to get as much of what you have and your is to give up as little as you can. Dont feel sorry for the dealers. Trust me, they would NOT sell the car if there was nothing in it for them in one way or another.

I brought my edmunds printout to Coastal when buying the Sonata and the COST price is what we used right off my printout. We didnt even bother using his paperwork.

At Universal, they were kind enough to let me use their PC and internet to connect to Edmunds to search for best price. Then went on to make a good deal, but had to play a bit of hardball to win at the price I was willing to pay. They knew I was going to buy one there or at Coastal, so they made the right choice.

As far as car dealers go, I think they are a fine dealership.

Coastal was about 65 miles from Orlando (guessing) Universal was about 15.

Good luck.

Tony

tonykrapil · June 2001

I have an 01 Elantra too and as most folks have indicated it does require some effort to close the doors. If the windows are slightly cracked open it becomes easier meaning it is air pressure cushioning your effort to close the door.

If comparing it to your x-corolla, consider the age perhaps of that car and was it a two or 4 door? 2 door do have more momentum than a smaller 4 door. ALSO did the corolla have frameless side windows? You know, the type when you open the door and there is nothing around the glass? These do not seal very well.

I think you truly mistaken that your effort required to close the door is a defect. It IS a indication that the car is tighter than what you are used to is all.

Now the wheel vibration is a REAL problem. I just paid to have a tire shop rebalance my tires and same trouble.

I used to have my car tires trued, but the cost of that procedure has gone way up in price. Use to be about 10 bucks a piece and very worth it. NOW they want 25 bucks a piece !! I can buy new rubber for few bucks over the truing cost!! (maybe not michelin quality, but perhaps without the shimmy too)

All I can say is you are taking a chance of them doors falling off completely if you hound the dealer over a non issue.

Tony

jimarth · June 2001

presario1, We're in SoCal.

tonykrapil, I have an appointment on Tuesday and have requested a "regional support technician" (or something like that) from Hyundai to look at the car. I had two dealerships tell me the same thing after looking at my car, and accepted the diagnosis at face value (did not challenge them). I'll do the same with the Hyundai technician; but will also point out to him that another Elantra did not seem nearly as bad (I would suspect he'll be well versed with this problem, though, and that's why I called customer service). I might also add that both dealerships main product is other brands: one's Chevrolet, and the other, Nissan.

I test drove a Corolla yesterday (never owned one) and still like the Elantra better (even though no door issue w/Corolla). The Elantra is quieter, more powerful, and more refined--just hate the doors! Our other car is a 2000 Accord, very quiet, excellent door seals, and the door closes smoothly and gently. Please note I'm not comparing the Accord and Elantra because there's a substantial cost difference between the two--simply, the Accord also has a tight cabin, but doors close effortlessly.

I also had a 99 B2500 pickup and 99 B4000 pickup. The B2500 was a standard cab. No problems closing the door on either, but as other pickup truck owners probably know, large doors and small cabins make for an instantaneous pressure surge (back pressure effect) strong enough you can feel it in your ears. It bothered my teenage son so much we always had to roll down the windows before closing the door (for his ears, not to get the doors to close). Yet, the doors closed easily and gently with windows up, despite the brief back-pressure created. That's why I suspect it's more of a latch design problem.

backy, I agree with you to a point... there are going to be variences in manufacturing, could be that my car's latching post may be in a slightly different position enough to make the difference, or perhaps the rubber insulation is slightly stiffer on my car, both "within" tolerance. I've looked at the alignment of the door to body, and it really looks good. That's why I'm concerned that the problem cannot be fixed (I doubt they'll burn off and re-weld the latching post--wouldn't allow it, either).

What's interesting (I didn't mention this in my first post) is that the doors close much easier when pushing closed from the outside, as compared to pulling the door closed from the inside. Don't exactly know what that means...

Thank you all for your thoughts; I'll post what Hyundai reports with the vibration and door issues...

ryan41 · June 2001

Just turned 1000 miles on my 01 Elantra. Same shimmy as everyone else. Tires have been balanced twice already little better but still there. Had a 98 Elantra never any problem. My car was bought at a dealer in New York. Other than the shimmy, the car is fine.

mpgman · June 2001

I posted my impressions for the first 800 miles of ownership on the Hatchbacks board under Elantra 5-door. So far, so great! This is a neat car with a lot of cargo carrying versatility. I have the auto but loved driving the 5 speed.

mpgman · June 2001

Given the weight, length and engine output of the Elantra, as well as the interior room, is the best comparison with the Civics, Corollas, Golfs, and Proteges, or is it more like the Nissan Altima...an in between vehicle slotted above the former but below the larger Camrys and Accords? Got to thinking about this when doing my comparison shopping.

cjaccetta · June 2001

I also had a minor shimmy in the front wheels when I boutgh my Elantra GT. It disappeared after about 350-400 miles. I think it was a flat spot on one or more tires. I have over 700 miles on the car now. I bought my Elantra in New Jersey (suburban NYC), where I also live and do most of my driving. See my other posts in the GT forum.

I guess the GTs sat in port for a while, but that can't explain the shimmy on GLS models.

Godd Luck.

mpgman · June 2001

I'm in Jackson, NJ. You?

elantra00 · June 2001

Im up in Basking Ridge, NJ north of you. Co-worker of mine lives in Jackson where you are. Actually, I bought my car from Brad Benson Hyundai, which isn't too far from you down on Route 1 in Monmouth Junction, NJ. Good to see Jersey people here

Representin Jersey!

griffey2 · June 2001

I bought my '01 Elantra a few weeks ago. I live in Snow Country (Spokane WA) and am wondering if snow tires are needed for this car, or if I can get by on all-seasons or siped all-seasons?

If anyone has any advice, I would really appreciate it!

cjaccetta · June 2001

I'm in Montclair. Bought my GT at Bob Ciasulli on Route 46. Despite what you may have heard about that dealer, and despite some of my earlier posts, I have no complaints at all about the buying experience or the dealer service. Haven't brought my car back yet, though.

(I guess we can all fire up our Springsteen CDs and drive down to LBI, or, for those of us in Northern NJ, Satriale's Pork Store...Jersey Rocks!).

elantra00 · June 2001

lol....I have to laugh at that one. At a small car show in Secacus NJ at one of those buildings on the Meadowlands parkway, I won a Bob Ciasulli T-Shirt!

I havent heard anything bad or good about them. Just know they are there! Brad Benson is pretty good down on Route 1. I recommend them. Also Towne Hyundai up on Route 10 in Denville NJ is where I have all my service down and they are FANTASTIC.

Goin down to LBI next week. Just heard Glory Days by Springsteen on the radio this morning. Jersey does rock!

backy · June 2001

Sorry to carry on with this thread, but the last post on this by jimarth really got my gears turning: why would the door be harder to close when you're sitting in the car rather than standing outside? I haven't had Physics since 10th grade, but something comes to mind:
leverage is not as great when you're sitting in the car. The door handle is mounted near the middle of the door, and when you close it from the outside you're probably pushing on the handle or the window frame, near the outer edge. More leverage means more force applied for same effort. I don't know the scientific term for it anymore, but I'm sure nobody cares (if they are still reading at this point).

You're right about the Accord, it proves it is possible to make a tight-sealing car (at a higher price point of course) with easy-closing doors--albeit bigger doors. I bet Hyundai's main design goal was to make the interior quiet, and they didn't make easy closing a high priority. That reflects the compromises necessary to make a car like the Elantra that sells for under $12K. (One day, I'll plop down my $35K for a no-compromises Bimmer.) Still, it sounds like your doors are more stubborn than some others so I hope the techs can figure it out. One thing you might check: I've noticed that the door seals are not attached all that well, and I've had to pop one of them back into place a couple of times. If the door seals are not seated properly, they might be binding up and causing hard closing.

dorf47 · June 2001

Haven't had mine too long yet (just turned 500mi) but the doors worked fine (normally) from the first test drive. I've read of other owners having the problem, wonder if there's a connection with when the vehicles were made? Something done differently on the assembly line, a particular shift, etc. It seems that either the doors take more effort to close right off the bat, or they are fine. This doesn't sound like an overall design issue (or we all would have the problem) but one of manufacturing. I wonder if you can find out exactly when your car was assembled?

cjaccetta · June 2001

Thanks for the tip about Towne Hyundai. I'll keep them in mind for service needs if Ciasulli doesn't work out.

Ciasulli was allegedly going to be investigated by the NJ attorney general for fruadulent business practices. I think the complaints were centered on Ciasulli's used car sales. Some were over 10 years old. Again, I have no complaints about that dealer.

Well, fellow garden staters, I'm off to listen to some Bon Jovi albums....happy motoring!

frankiep · June 2001

I just bought a new Elantra yesterday. I have haunted the internet for car reviews and bulliten board comments for months. After seeing jimarths' comment a few days ago, the first thing I did was to check the door closing bit with my new car. It seems that I don't have this problem.
I do think that the backy comment about misfitting door seals has merit. After going over my car, I have found a few issues regarding the fabric and carbet in my car. All of these I will probably fix with super glue.

chiggerfree · June 2001

Could any of you tell me if the Hyundai (I have a 1995 Elantra with 80K) has a history of the water pump shaft coming out of alignment?

The serpetine belt broke 5 days ago(I bought the car used 1 year ago) and someone (not Hyundai) said the belt broke because of friction caused by a misalignment in one of the pulleys used by the serpetine belt.

Hyundai said the serpetine belt had been put on backwards, but said nothing about misalignment. Can a serpetine belt be put on backwards?

Any help is much appreciated.

jyk1981 · June 2001

Here is K & N Air Filter part # for 2001 Elantras: 33-2753

That # is same as for 2000 Elantras, and it's not 100% fit(actually its tiny bit bigger). I think someone posted that like 2 months ago.

However,if you squeeze little bit, it fits in 2001 Elantra and it works fine.

If you want K & N, you can buy one from

http://www.performanceintl.com for $32.99..

tonykrapil · June 2001

Have you noticed any improvement yet?

Thanks for the info

Tony

mpgman · June 2001

Thanks for the info. Exactly what benefits are you supposed to get for your $30+?

elantra00 · June 2001

I have a K & N filter on my Elantra. It doesn't do anything for acceleration, if thats what you guys are looking for. I don't notice a differenece in power at all. However, it does greatly improve the gas mileage is one benefit. The parts person told me that it might. I get about 40 mpg on the highway now. There is really no such thing as "bolt on" horsepower meaning a filter like that, etc. My car is 5 spd, though. Now, my friend has a Dodge Neon w/ 3 spd auto and he does feel a difference. He says he can peel out now and couldn't before. I guess auto vs. 5 spd may have something to do with it. But it does improve gas mileage, so its worth the $30 I paid for it. Also, it is of much higher quality then the Hyundai filter. The K & N is good for a long time as long as you clean it with their cleaners. So you dont have to replace it as often as the normal filter. That saves money in the long run inturn a benefit

cjacetta....Goin to listen to some Bon Jovi albums?...Im going to see him July 28 at the stadium

tonykrapil · June 2001

Here is K & N Air Filter part # for 2001 Elantras: 33-2753

Is the maintenance of the filter messy? I had a filter a long while ago that made me look like I worked on an oil drilling rig for 8 hours when I cleaned it.

Thanks

Tony

pedennison · June 2001

K&N now lists a filter specifically for the 2001 Elantra. It is part number 33-2201.

http://www.knfilters.com

jenandjoelcom · June 2001

I have been researching the 2001 Hyundai for some time now and I was set on a package 5. My dealer (Orem, UT) said he has never seen one on a 2001 Elantra! Says they don't send them at all. Also said the 2002 models are coming in October. Should I wait for 2002 model (Probebly more expensive) with the possibility that it will offer Anti-lock/Traction Control, or is the new model not worth it?

dorf47 · June 2001

Your dealer is blowing smoke. Got a pkg 5 two weeks ago. It was the only one on the lot, but had been part of the dealers early inventory (they opened in Feb.). Package 5's are very hard to come by, but they are there.

jyk1981 · June 2001

I don't know about other people, but for me, I think the Power had been improved little bit.. (when you floor your car with air conditioning on, the acceleration is little bit better..)

I'm getting about 25mpg in city and 38mpg in highway..(before the K&N installed, it was about 19 mpg in city and 28mpg in highway..)

majorthomecho · June 2001

From what I understand, the K&N filter by itself cannot improve your horsepower. My source is Pat Goss (sp) of Motorweek Illustrated. NO filter by itself can improve horsepower.

Hyundai Elantra 2001-2006

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