Hyundai Elantra 2001-2006

backy · February 2001

Leasing: if you want the lowest lease payments, get a car that holds its resale value exceptionally well, like a Honda or Toyota. They typically have the lowest lease payments, even lower than higher-priced cars. Leasing a Hyundai is a losing proposition--you can get a loan with a lower payment than a lease, as someone noted. Sometimes you can find a great deal on a subsidized lease, like the $110/month lease I got on my '97 Sentra GXE. We won't see deals like that very often because of the bath that leasing companies took back in '97.

Mats: My mats act exactly the opposite: the little hooks grab the mats so well, I have trouble getting them off the floor.

Paint: My '01 (champagne) paint has held up very well so far, and had been through many car washes (the brushless kind of course!) with no trace of a scratch. I did apply Meguiars Clear Coat Wax this fall before the snow fell. Some posters have reported that the darker colors, especially black, tend to scratch more easily. Don't skimp on the wax! And watch out for the killer car washes with the brushes.

Gas: Again, I seem to have a weird '01 Elantra, as my gas gauge is deadly accurate. By deadly I mean when the needle touches the "E" bar, and BEFORE the low gas light comes on, there's just a tad more than one gallon left. And as all the Civic fans will tell you, that won't get you very far in an Elantra.

When I fill it, there's almost no room left after the auto-filler clicks off (I found out the hard way, tried to squeeze some more in there the first time and saw it pour out the side.)

Remotes: I got my second remote in the mail today, and scheduled the setup next Wednesday. The letter with the remote made it clear that two remotes are all that will work at one time--but a third remote can come in handy when they get lost (I know, my beautiful wife has lost both remotes for our Caravan). Once again, looks like I have a weird Elantra--another poster said his dealer took all day to set up his second remote, had to remove dash panels etc. My dealer told me it would take ten minutes. Nevertheless, I'm hiding these remotes from my wife.

lmoodyrn · February 2001

I currently have a '98 Honda Accord and feel as if I was ripped off. So, now I am looking at buying the Elantra. So far, all I've heard are good things for the most part. I thought my mind was made. But, then yesterday, I came across someone who was driving a brand new Elantra. She said that it was a "piece of carp." When I asked her why, she said it made lot of noise when idling and that overall wasn't a "good" car. This of course puzzled me, since all other reports have been so positive. Can anyone help fill in the gaps by giving me some honest, direct information to go on? What I mean is, can anyone tell me if this really is a too good to be true' deal? Any and all comments would be appreciated.

ral2167 · February 2001

buy a new 2001 camry LE with a sticker of around 21000-- offer 18800 for it and they'll take it... or buy a used 2000 camry LE with less than 20000 miles on it for 15500. trust me.

tonykrapil · February 2001

I have a 01 Elantra and an 00 Sonata. I prefer the elantra anyday. By no means is it a ultra smooth, ultra quiet car, however, it rides exactly as I would have designed it. I get just under 35 mpg highway and around 28ish city.

I have 3000 miles on it now and am totally amazed that the oil is as clean as new, it is actually hard to see it is sooooo clean.

It starts, moves and stops. It cools and heats well also.

In my opinion, it is an excellant buy and performer for the money. Until the other folks wake up, the resale value is not the greatest, BUT then again, it is a lot less up front in price too, so it may be a wash, I hear this isnt so.

I dont live in my car and dont want to have to either. For a vehicle to sit in the parking lot while I am at the office, why buy anything else? Its only going to get dinged and rained on etc so why even consider more??

01 elantra with auto was 12,500 for me.

As for the comment the woman made, who knows what her problem REALLY is??

Good luck deciding,

Tony

floridian · February 2001

imoodyrm & tonykrapic: That gal probably really wants a bimmer or some "large land mass" of a suv but could not swing the deal. I've driven the 2001 Elantra and belive me it is the best kept secret in it's class, a raging, run-away bargain. It is just as good as a Civic (oh my god this guy is nuts they'll say)for the money nothing in it's class can touch it. Side air bags standard, unheard of in this class up to now, very quick with 140 hp and quiet for it's class as well. Fit and finish as good as Civic and IMHO better paint finish as well.Resale ? Who cares ? In this class you are not gonna lose a lot of money anyway especially if you just drive the wheels off.

Floridian

Floridian

backy · February 2001

Not my '01 Elantra 5spd--it idles quietly and without vibration. The '01 has hydraulic engine mounts and is much improved in this area from the '00--maybe the comments were regarding a '00. Furthermore, there's no vibration through the shifter, a problem that my '97 Sentra had (and I've heard even the new Sentras have). Cruising is quiet also. Now noise while accelerating is another thing--it's got a definite growl to it, which I find sporty but not everyone will. That's why you've got to go and drive the car yourself to see if it's to your liking--don't let other people (even those in this forum, like me) make up your mind for you. One suggestion: if you think you like the Elantra after a test drive, see if your local Hertz outlet rents '01 Elantras--I've seen them in several cities. If so, you can check one out for a day or two for $25-50 and get a real good idea what it's like to live with the car over more than a 15-minute test drive. Also you can get an idea of how it will hold up after being driven hard for awhile. It's amazing how many rattles a rental can develop after just a few thousand miles of "abuse" by rental customers.

ebekins · February 2001

Hi there!

I went to the 2001 San Diego auto show yesterday, and I saw the Hyundai Elantra, and I really liked it's look, it's price, it's roomy interior, BUT, I thought the beige cloth pattern was not too attractive. The rep at the display told me that many people have said the same thing. She said it's either that interior, or the gray, which is not as bad, but I would prefer a lighter color inside my car.

I went to the auto show thinking I would like the Mazda Protege, but that car kind of let me down with it's smaller-than-I-expected interior, and it's tinny sounding doors. The Hyundai caught my eye, but my wife and I are still hung up on that interior pattern. Anyone else notice this, or is this just something you get used to after awhile? I really with they had just a plain beige interior, without that ugly pattern.

rab613 · February 2001

does anyone know how the elantra compares to the ford focus? many posters are reporting very satisfactory results with the elantra, but i wonder how it compares with other vehicles.

thanks

backy · February 2001

Beige cloth: I have the beige interior, champagne paint. I like the interior except for the cloth color--I refer to it fondly as "puke brown"--it even has the little bits of color to remind me of...well, never mind. The grey is much more attractive, but the only paint color I like with the grey interior is pewter, and they didn't have it in stock when I purchased. It's not something that bothers me that much, after all when I'm driving I'm not looking at the seats, and overall I really like the car. But if I had it to do over again I would probably wait until they got a pewter car in stock.

Focus: I've driven several Focuses (Foci?) as rental cars. It was that experience that led me to cross the Focus off my list. Here's my impressions of the Focus (note that this is based on the SE, non-Zetec, and automatic):

* Uncomfortable driving position, for me. This problem has been reported in some reviews in auto mags also. May not be a problem for everyone, but take a long test drive. My Elantra is much more comfortable in comparison.
* Nice handling--I think the best feature of the car. A little crisper than the Elantra.
* Ride is not bad, but not as smooth as the Elantra. I haven't tried holdling a full cup of coffee while driving over railroad tracks, as in the commercial, but I don't think I would want to.
* Good base stereo--sounds better than the Elantra's base unit.
* Pretty roomy back seat, but I think the Elantra's is actually roomier (with front seats adjusted for 5'10" driver).
* Acceleration not that good, but not a fair comparison to the Elantra since mine is a 5spd, 140hp and I only drove the Focus with auto and base engine. Check out the ZTS 5spd.
* Poor fit and finish and overall quality. This is what turned me off most of all from the Focus. Every Focus I drove, some brand new, some with 10K miles, had rattles and/or loose trim pieces falling off the car, both interior and exterior. Doors sound tinny when you slam them. That, plus the stories I had heard about poor quality on the Focus, was the clincher. The Elantra in comparison has excellent fit and finish inside and out, and the rental Elantras ('00 models) I've driven were always tight and rattle-free. Throw in the price differential between the Focus and Elantra (would need to get a ZTS to have a comparable car), plus the Elantra's warranty, and it was no contest for me.

jkempskie · February 2001

Check out this review.

http://carpoint.msn.com/vip/Jedlicka/Hyundai/Elantra/2001.asp

Actually, if you know anything about the car already, you probably won't learn much from this review.

It brings up two questions for me, though. First, he claims the Elantra doesn't offer traction control. I thought it was available with the package 5 (ABS brakes, etc.).

Second, he says that the 5 speed revs at 3400 RPMS at 65mph. Is that so? Sounds pretty high to me. Anyone with the 5 speed find this to be the case? Is it loud or annoying? I'm wondering because I do lots of highway driving...

JK

ken126 · February 2001

That doesnt sound to good to be revving at 3400 doing 65 mph. No wonder the gas mileage is not as good as it should be. My prizm revs at 2100 doing 65 mph, which is a pretty big difference. Even so, when the hatchback hits the US, I'm buying.......

cliffords · February 2001

I used the link in #558 and looked at the article too. I very recently drove an '01 with automatic and took note of the engine speed at 65 mph; it was in the low 2300 rpm range. It doesn't make any sense what so ever that the manual would require another 1000 rpm to maintain the same speed. I am no engineer, but if the motor is turning 30% faster to maintain the same speed, wouldn't it by default be getting at least 30% less gas mileage? Yet, I believe the automatic and the 5 speed get the same highway mileage rating. If you look at Jedlicka's ( the fellow from MSN Carpoints) article on the new Mazda Protege', which is posted with the article on the Elantra, it has almost the identical set of notes (except it says 3400 at 70 mph). My theory is either the poor slob working for Jedlicka typed it wrong, or old Jedlicka got his files mixed up. That's my story and I am sticking to it!

darpin1 · February 2001

Some of these reviews the guys make typos...
I have a 5 spd 2001 Elantra: 2400-2500 rpms at 100 kph (metric) or 62 mph...My Chrysler Concorde with a 2.7 V-6 at the same speed 2100 rpms.

At a little over 140 kph or 85+ mph about 3200 rpm approx. at that speed I'm busy driving and not staring at the gauges.

This (in my opinion) is one of the smoothest 4-cylinders on the market...

Makes you wonder how accurate the rest of that persons review is whether he ever drove the car or just his keyboard...I'd rate him 1 out 10 since it's this guys job to know what he is talking about maybe his hard-drive is turning over at 3400 rpm ...

jan89 · February 2001

HI! Can't decide between an Elantra or a Daewoo Wagon. I like the ELantra for the options and price, but is it really that reliable? Any one out there who carts around kids and backpacks and dogs...can you move in the Elantra? I am looking to purchase soon. Any advice greatly appreciated.
I need an inexpensive car that is very reliable.
Had my last car (Mazda 323) for 11 years...not without problems these last years though. Looking for something similar, but can't afford over $15,000. thanks!

backy · February 2001

Hmm, a reliable car for dogs and backpacks and other stuff under $15K? Personally I wouldn't go with either the Daewoo or Elantra--the Daewoo because of their uncertain future (at least in the U.S.), and the Elantra because it's a 4dr sedan. Now if you can wait a couple of months for the 5dr Elantra hatchback, then you might have a winner. It should fall under $15K. Other options to consider are:

* Saturn wagon (reliable, roomy, under $15K, doesn't rust, really nice dealers--not much else to say for it)
* VW Golf 2dr (would squeeze under $15K if you watch the options)
* 2000 Civic DX Hatchback (maybe you can find a new one leftover, or one with low miles)
* 2000 Elantra wagon (not as nice as the '01 Elantra, but more room and can probably get one under $10K with low miles--you might even find a new one left over)
* 2001 Suzuki Esteem wagon (reliable, under $15K, did I say reliable?)
* 2000 Subaru Impreza wagon (you might be able to find a used one under $15K; I've seen new 2001 sedans advertised under $16K recently)

gtmustang · February 2001

I own the Elantra wagon. I bought it new in 1997 and it is a wonderful car. I have not had any problems with it and it has 53,000 miles on it now. I drive it every day and have gone everywhere with it. It is Excellent in the snow and it's economical and relaible.
DO NOT LISTEN to anyone who tells you that Hyundai Elantra is no good. It IS a good quality car. Hyundai has been making Excellent quality cars now for the past 10 years. They have excellent warranties and service. They do not have the problems which they had with their cars in the 1980's. They have very High quality cars now and are into the Luxury car market.
You will not be making a mistake if you buy the Elantra or Elantra wagon. It is definitely a good car.

ohiogoodguys · February 2001

If you want something other then a sedan:

1997+ Honda CRV (own a 2000 and Love it)
2001 Jeep Cherokee 4door (over 15K but have seen extremely cheap lease)
1999+ Chevy Tracker

Sedan Wise:
98+ Honda Accord (bullet proof car)
97+ Toyota Camry
1999+ Hyundai Sonata (you can get a New 4cyl for a tad over 15K) If you are in the Ohio area I saw a 1999 Sonata with 40K GLS V6 for $11,900 and a 2000 Package 13 FULLY LOADED, Leather and roof for 15,900K. You would get more for your money with a year or 2 old sonata then a new elantra. In my opinion the sonata is the better value (especially with children and a dog)

DO NOT BUY A DAEWOO because of their uncertain future (at least in the U.S.),

Jack

JEgan98@aol.com

ANY QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO E-MAIL ME.

grovig · February 2001

To the people considering an Elantra, wanted to say that I just bought my 3rd Elantra. Have a 2000 sedan w/auto (Daughter #1), 2000 wagon w/auto (mine), and as of today a 2001 sedan w/auto for Daughter #2. Had 2 defects on my wagon, warped brake rotors and transmission seal leak. Rotors and seal replaced on 7500 mile service, no hassle. No other problems either car, just total satisfaction with the VALUE received.

Drove the 2001 home and loved it! They made a good car quieter, smoother, handle better, added armrests and interior tweaking, fixed the rather ugly tail end, and it seems to shift smoother. Out the door cost with 3% tax/title/fees for package 2 and mud guards, floor mats, and extended bumper to bumper warranty ($659 as I am repeat buyer) was $14,200. People may not realize that for $50 you can transfer that 10/100K warranty to a new owner if you decide to sell privately. The basic warranty stops at 5/60K if you sell. Also, I save about $68 a year in AAA fees for the duration. The Elantra is absolutely the best value going. If Hyundai made a pickup, I'd have bought one of those for my son, who loves his Toyota's reliability but dislikes the lousy comfort (it is killing his back) and cheap interior. My only dislike with the 2001 was the ribbed seat back. If I can talk my daughter into letting me drive it once in a while, perhaps I will get used to it.

By the way, I'm not independently wealthy. The kids are making a large chunk of the car payments, but this way they get a safe, reliable car with no unplanned upkeep costs. I had spent $2500 trying to keep Daughter #2's '95 Neon running over the past 2 years and just said the heck with it.

To the lady who hated the seat fabric pattern: spend $60 on seat covers in any color you want.

darpin1 · February 2001

I tested my 2001 Elantra 5 spd late this evening (so I don't get any tickets) and here are the numbers I got:

Kilometer Per Hour (Kph)
100 Kph (2500 rpm) 62 mph
110 " (2700 rpm) 68 mph
120 " (3000 rpm) 74.5 (75) mph
130 " (3200 rpm) 81 mph
140 " (3500 rpm) 87 mph

I really like the way the car rides...
The only thing I don't like are the tires...Khumo...they sound like snow tires yet they suck in the snow...I hope you have better tires as OE on your cars than we do here in Canada.

bri70 · February 2001

After a largely very praiseworthy review, Jedlica ends it with: "As is the case with most South Korean cars, the Elantra has the refinement that leading Japanese economy cars possessed a few years ago. It's just that Japan keeps raising the bar."

Rarely do I see a review that does not knock Hyundai in the same manner. I rarely see competing Japanese makes compared to each other in the refinement category. I'm looking at maybe getting the hatchback when it comes out. Besides the engine growl, where else does Hyundai lag in refinement?

Thanx

molly26 · February 2001

I am ready to buy the 2001 Elantra except for one thing. I can't stand the smell in the inside of the car. While testing driving the car I came away with a headache. Does anyone know what this funky odor is? Does it go away? The salesman said it was from the catalytic converter.

floridian · February 2001

darpin1: while "lot prowling" this morning before any of the lot sharks were out of bed I noticed that ALL the 2001 Elantras on this particular lot had 15" Michelins on them. The other Accents and Sonatas all had Kummo or Hankook tires. I think putting the "Michies" on the Elantra was a very wise move and just makes the car a even better value.

molly26: Being in business we buy a lot of cars for our sales force per year, both domestic and imports. ALL new cars have some sort of odor. Some nicer than others. Fear not, the smell will go away as soon as all the "new" plastic and paint settle in. My wife complained for about 6 months about the reeking leather in her Bimmer ! Go figure, some folks just love that leather smell and others can't stand it! Squirt some Lysol in there 'till it settles down it'll be fine. I doubt the smell was from the cat convt unless it smelled like sulpher (rotten egg smell) but that would not likely be noticed inside the car as a constant. Like most car salesmen, he doesn't have a clue as to what he's selling.

Floridian

jkempskie · February 2001

Thanks for the RPM info.

formula94 · February 2001

The car is still in the shop (8 days now) the parts are in back order. The wiring harness needs replacement. For those who want to know I live in CT, I have the '01 option 4 manual.

They state water may have got into the wires causing the corrosion. We did have some bad snowstorms and my wife drove through some large amouts of snow/slush.

Regarding the gas gauge ours comes on with about 2 gallons to go. Will keep ya'll updated... Cant wait to get my Firebird on the road. : )

cliffords · February 2001

I completely agree with your observation. It's like "hey, this is a really good car!" and then they pour cold water on it by slamming it somehow. Consumer's reports came the closest I have read to really coming out in support of the Elantra. I don't work for Hyundai, but I have to tell you after hearing glowing remarks by uncle on his '99 and after driving an 01' automatic a couple of weeks back ( I believe Hyundai's slogan is "Driving is believing"), I'm a believer. I drove a Honda Civic LX and Chevy Prism LSi with hours for a comparison, and as far as I was concerned, the Hyundai won hands down! I told the a_ _ _ _ _ e salesman at the Honda dealer after my test drive what I was comparing to and that his machine came in a solid second behind the Hyundai and he literally starting screaming at me what a "piece of s_ _ t the Hyundai was and that I must " know nothing about cars at all!" It was obvious that his flat world had just turned round before his very eyes and he couldn't begin to deal with it. I actually feel sorry for him. I am attending the Columbus, Ohio autoshow in early March and understand that the hatchback will be on display. I can't wait. For those of you out there looking at a Civic/Corolla/Prism/Elantra decision, drive an Elantra and at least give it a chance . . . . I'm glad I did!

jcacc · February 2001

I just got a 2001 Elantra, and I must say I really like it. We test-drove all the compact sedans, and it was by far the most comfortable. Mine is champagne, with automatic, Package 4, and the mats, mudflaps, and moonroof air deflector.

As for the funky smell some people have noted, mine doesn't have it. It smells like saddle soap--maybe they did something to it at the dealership.

amiebea · February 2001

Hey All! I have posted in the Sonata message center before, but this is my first time here. I bought a 2001 Elantra champagne, manual and I really like it! It is so quiet and warms up fast. I hooked up my portable CD player to the tape deck and the sound quality is amazing! The only thing I'm bummed about is that it was a model for something and doesn't have cruise. I called the Hyundai service dept and they said they can't add it on...that I should have bought an option package. But later they called back and said they can add it via A.C.T. whatever that is for about $400! But then they mentioned something about being careful not to do anything to void the warranty. Does anyone know anything about adding cruise to the Elantra? Thanks! And I have the beige seats too and don't find them too offensive. I too liked the grey/pewter combo better. Also, the smell to me is just new car smell. It's my first new car ever (Never even had a car made in the same decade I was living in before!) and I enjoy the new car smell immensely!

amiebea · February 2001

In reading through these posts, I notice that Backy bought his car from the exact same place I bought mine! I loved my salesman, but had a less than stellar experience with the sales manager. But we got a good deal. I was not aware of the free washes...how does that work? Any info you have would be great! Love my new car!

Also, I was recently in Portland on business and saw Hyundais all over the place! But here in the North Country, I see Fords and GMCs and Hondas and Toyotas everywhere but narry a Hyundai...what's up with that?

backy · February 2001

I believe the free washes at Roseville Hyundai (Roseville, MN) are for when you bring the car in for service. I don't think you can just stop in for a wash anytime. My old Nissan dealer, Feldmann, used to do that, and hand washes no less--saved me a ton of money--but last year they changed to offering washes only with other service. (Maybe if I bought an S-Class from them instead of a Sentra, I'd get the free washes. :] ) Yes, Ed the Sales Manager is, uh, intense, isn't he--from Jersey I believe. But I've found he's an OK guy once you actually close the deal. I like their service department also--but I've only used it once, for their free one-month inspection (and wash!). Tomorrow I go in to get my #2 remote set up (no wash--it's going to be 15 below tomorrow).

Congrats to all the new Elantra owners posting recently! If this board is any indication, Hyundai should have a stellar February. I'm starting to a few '01 Elantras around town. I see lots of '99-'00 Elantras and current-generation Sonatas and Accents. Not many Santa Fe's yet, which is puzzling since they should be popular here in SUV Country.

lngtonge18 · February 2001

Anyone know if Hyundai has any kind of customer loyalty deals going on? If so, how do you find out about them? I currently own a 2000 Accent but may be adding an 01 Elantra soon. It would be nice to get $500 off for being loyal to them.

jsapie · February 2001

Can you post the Dealer name and phone number because I also want to purchase the 10 year warranty on my 2001 Elantra.
Thanks so much!!

parsej · February 2001

Hello Everyone,
Bought my Elantra just last week. First new car! Also the first car I've ever driven that was from the same decade that I was living in. My dealer gave me 10 free oil changes to sweeten his deal, is this unusual or anything? Also, the car manual says to change your oil every 7500 miles if you do mostly highway driving, 90% of the miles I put on this car will be hw., should I go by what the manual says or the usual 3,000 miles per? I love my car, I only paid $6 more than TMV and it has option 4 and is a stick, I feel I made out fairly well but others here seem to have done better. I guess I will negotiate harder next time.

bobcook54 · February 2001

The only additional customer loyalty rebate at this time is a $1500.00 rebate to current Hyundai owners(whether you trade your Hyundai in or not) is on the XG300. All of Hyundai's incentives are on a month to month basis, so this is due to expire on 2-28-01.

backy · February 2001

Changing oil every 3000 miles or so is a good policy in my book. Consider that you have a hard-working small engine, the oil is the lifeblood of your engine, and... your first 10 oil changes are free!! Also, if you read your manual closely you'll see all kinds of other reasons besides short-distance driving that qualify for "severe service" intervals. When you drive on the highway, do you ever hit rush-hour traffic? That alone would put you into severe-service land. So does cold weather, and dust.

Re the deal you got--it's pretty good when you figure in the savings on the oil changes--about $250-300.

netranger4 · February 2001

When I read of Consumer Reports saying anything good about cars other than Honda & Toyota or something with a V12 and 500Hp it sent me into a near faint. It seems that the Elantra was second only to the Honda Civic. Amazing.. As for the new Santa Fe my local dealer tells me that they are in such short supply that Hyundai has promised to build more to keep up with the demand. Same for the Elantra. Those are selling off the truck that delivers them while the lots around here are loaded completely with mostly Detroit iron - late model and very forlorn.

bobcook54 · February 2001

The reason for the short supply of Santa Fe's is due to 1)obviously strong demand 2)production of Awd systems and v6 engines can't keep up with demand. I am a manager at a Hyundai dealer and that is what I was told by the brass at Hyundai. An expansion at the V6 engine plant in Korea is due to go on line by mid March and should help. But, still don't expect any relief until late May or June. As far as Elantra's go,since all the good publicity,sales no doubt have shot up. I guess we are blessed with a nice inventory at the right time because we dropped Mitsubishi and are know concentrating on Hyundai soley in this store. Hyundai told us that they would double our inventory if we did that and they kept their promise!

dweezil · February 2001

on Van Nuys Blvd.in Van Nuys Ca. They have at least half a dozen Santa Fes. I was impressed with the Elantras in the show room, very nice and I truly believe that their styling is among the best. I love the front and rear ends especially.The price and std. equipment were impressive as well. Have never ever considered a foreign car before and I am so sick of hearing about Japanese cars, it's been fun to watch both Kia and Hyundai grow.It's certainly the right size.
Should I decide to switch brands,this one is on my list and I think I will suggest it to my parents as well.
ALSO:you can get the scent out of your car by keeping an open box of baking soda in it. Not fully open, you don't want to spill it, but partially.The CD holder will do. I think I'd like to open the door and encounter that smell every a.m. tho....

chameleon3 · February 2001

I recently purchased an Elantra 01. I am quite pleased with it but have a single major complaint. The first time I went to fill the tank, the remote fuel door release would not work. Although the weather has been cold (NJ), it has not been exceptionally so. There was no ice on the exterior of the door or the car for that matter. After a 45 minute drive to work, I was able to open the fuel door.

A day later, I tried it again in the afternoon with temperatures between 35-40 and had to tug hard 3-4 times before it would release.

I have owned many different cars over a 30 year span. However, I have NEVER encountered this problem before and it troubles me. Anyone else experience this problem with their Elantra?

Would it help if I sprayed WD-40 on the interior latch?

Thanks!

jsapie · February 2001

Mine did the same thing. Took it back to the dealer and once it was inside it worked fine.
Just one of those things about winter. Don't run your tank low!

jsapie · February 2001

Anyone get a good price on the 10 year bumper to bumper warranty. I am looking for the one that was posted for $659.00

If you have purchased one for that price please post the dealers phone number.

Thanks

ral2167 · February 2001

if you bought a new elantra..and the fuel door is not working..why mess around with WD-40?? -- take it down to the dealer in the next day or so-- have em fix it-- should be a simple fix-- no calculus involved.... take advantage of the warranty... am i nuts?

netranger4 · February 2001

For those of us who don't live in a warm climate but are forced to drive in snow, slush, bitter cold and freezing drizzle for part of the year appreciate the capabilities of AWD or Full/Part time 4Wd vehicles. It's great when you wake up to 2-4' of snow and still have to go to work because in our part of the continent weather is not an excuse. That's when vehicles like the Santa Fe keep the boss happy and us in paychecks.

chameleon3 · February 2001

Because by the time I drive to the dealer with the car warmed from the drive, the fuel door will undoubtedly open.

This seems confirmed by a prior poster who has experienced the same problem and the dealer did not "fix" the problem.

I find the dealer's probable answer that this is a problem related to the cold and I need to adjust my schedule on when I fill my gas tank as absurd! As I stated, I have lived in NJ and owned cars for 30 years without EVER experiencing this inconvenience. If lubricating the interior latch doesn't work, I will bring it back to the dealer. I have little or no faith in the dealer's ability to: (a) recognize that this is a problem and/or (b) correct it.

I have owned Honda Accord/Civic models for the past 20 years. I did a great deal of research including test drives and thought Hyundai represented a better value and comparable quality to the Civic. However, never being quite certain if the fuel door will open or not (i.e., depending on the outside temperature), does not inspire confidence. After three weeks of ownership, I don't relish returning to the dealership with a problem that should not even exist on ANY car at ANY age or mileage. Understand, I am NOT trashing Elantra BUT this is an inconvenience that I could certainly have done without!

chameleon3 · February 2001

After reading the posts concerning RPM, I decided to monitor my Elantra (manual transmission).

My Elantra 01 is 3 weeks old and here are my results:

2500 at 55 mph
2700 at 60 mph
2900 at 65 mph

I seem to be higher than the other posters. Will this change after the "breaking in" period?

Also, when first starting the car it races to about 1500 RPM, but does drop down after a few seconds. My gas mileage (1st tank) was 31 mpg with about 85% highway and 15% city driving.

Thanks in advance for any opinions on my personal RPM situation!:)

darpin1 · February 2001

I have 10,000 km or about 6200 miles so I think to allow for a break in period that you should see it gradually improve which is normal.To get better gas mileage I've increased the tire pressure up from 30psi to 33 psi(cold pressure) and on just a highway trip I did I managed driving about 105 kph about 65mph 45 mpg (highway) that's Canadian. Naturally the ride is a little sporstier you increase tire pressure and the life of the tires.

Just a side Note
Some Protege posters left us some interesting info.. apparently Pro LX and ES the have to use premium fuel...horsepower from 1.8L 122 hp up to 2.0 130hp that replaces it. But the car gains (according Car and Driver) an extra 100 pds "... so power to listed weight is all but unchanged: 20.8 pounds per horsepower for the 2000 ES and 20.3 for the 2001" Basically stays the same but the gas mileage goes down, lower than 2001 Elantra that has 140 Hp...I like the Protege I sure hope Ford doesn't mess with it too much.

This spell checker sucks...

bsevern · February 2001

I blew the motor in my 89' Mustang GT and have been car shopping. Two months ago I would've said you were crazy if you had a Hyundai, but after reading tons of reviews, I think I've changed my mind. So far I'm impressed by the price/features of the Elantra, so I decided to go test drive one. I took out a base model with a 5-speed (don't want auto), and I was fairly impressed, considering the dealer is only asking $10,599 (inc. rebate).

I also tried out a Tiburon, and I thought it was a nice car, and really liked the hi-tech look of the interior. They said they could do $14,000 on a Tiburon (wasn't sure if that included the rebate, but I bet it did).

I had a couple of questions before I pull the trigger on one this weekend.

I thought that the 100K mile warranty was included with the purchase of the vehicle, but I see posters here asking what the best price of the 100K mile warranty is, is there an additional cost for this warranty?

Is $10,599 a good price for a base Elantra?
Is $14,000 a good price for a base Tiburon?

Any thoughts on buying a Tiburon over an Elantra? I read somewhere on the web that the Tiburons suspension was designed by Porche, can anyone confirm this?

Thanks,
Brian a soon to be Hyundai owner

tonykrapil · February 2001

That is a GREAT price for an 01 Elantra. Yu make me feel like I over paid for mine. 12,500 with auto.

My ONLY comment and suggestion is this....

I have a 00 Sonata and an 01 Elantra. The Sonata was soooo good I did not hesitate the Elantra purchase at all.

They seem to be great cars, I hope they continue this way for a long time.

IF you have a choice of Elantra's for that price, check out the 'build date' and get the most current one. It is locared on the drivers door edge which I thought was weird as the info tag is usually placed on a chasis stucture like a door post, not a replaceable door. This is the Sonata has it.

Good luck with it. I am under the beleif that IF you treat the car 'roght' it will be as dependable as whatever anyone claims to be the most dependable car out there.

Tony

dbwells · February 2001

About the 10 yr. warranty, all the cars come with 10/100,000 for the power train but 5yr./60,000 bumper to bumper. I believe the other posters were talking about the price of increasing the bumper to bumper to 10/100,000.

Hope that helps.
DW

dolphin24 · February 2001

I too have an Elantra 01 and only once experienced the problem mentioned in posting 586. This happened in about 30 degree weather. I thought I just didn't pull the latch all the way up so it didn't open. I then made sure I pulled it all the way up and the door opened. The only other problem I have is that the screw covers on the door panels pop out when I close the doors. Does anyone else have this problem? I have had my car for three months and after putting a full tank of gas in it the car stalled out. Anybody else have this problem too? Other than these few minor things my car is running great and looks great.

pcedpr · February 2001

My wife just recently purchased an Elantra '01. The temperature display shows it in Celcius degrees instead of Fahrenheit. Does anybody knows how to switch from one to the other?

Hyundai Elantra 2001-2006

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