I've read reviews and checked out the specs. Can I get some real people views on the Elantra. Should I buy one or keep looking? If you don't think I should buy one suggested cars in same price range would be nice. Thanks

I bought a 2001 Elantra back in 2001 and I was a little weary at first. So far it has been a great car for me. No problems mechanically. I couldn't pass up the deal I was getting on the car when factoring in all standard options plus the warranty. You will not find a better deal on a Civic, Corolla, Cavalier....trust me I looked.

shit i would get one just for the warranty!

Has anyone ever purchased the advantag plus plan? Is it worth $1000 or is it just a scam to get more money out of you?

I just bought my 2004 Elantra and love it. You can't beat the price, warranty, and all of the features it comes with. Make sure you get the GT though. I wouldn't worry about the advantage plus plan. I don't know anyone that paid extra for it.

I recently bought an 04 GT and I have about 1500miles on the od now. I bought this car because Car&Shriver rated it number #2 Econobox. My motor now sounds like a Cummins Diesel, The door panel rattles at ear level, the Kenwood radio's FM reception is for $hit, and the driver seat feels like it moves under acceleration.

Is this typical build quality or is this unusual?

I have the same amount of miles as you, and I haven't had a single problem. Maybe you should take it in and have the dealer check it out. It should be covered under warranty.

Already took it in. Stealer told me the loud engine was normal from timing belt break-in/CVVT, and the poor radio reception is normal on the Kenwood's as the other GT in service was doing the same thing.

My gas pig Buick had no mast antenna but could still pick up Chicago stations in Rockford, ~120 miles.

Am thinking of getting the GLS package 3 and got a price of 12,444 for it. Like the car. Real nice. Now if the financing is decent I'm going to trade in the Accent for the new ball of wax. With warranty and all I can't see how I could go wrong. Already playing games with one dealer who wants me to come in and have a tete-a-tete when I ask him about financing and then when I pushed never returned my call. I called an internet dealer who came up with a $500 cheaper price tag. Got my own financing but will see if this guy can do better. My advice is fill out the web search for the car. I ain't buying a Hyundai because I have $500 to throw the dealer a Christmas present in May. I go to pick it up on Saturday. Unless they try to dick me around in which case I will probably look into another car i.e., Honda, Toyota etc. even though I have a good track record with my Accent and am happy with the car overall. Why can't a can of beans just be 59 cents plus tax. Why do I have to waste my time and energy making sure that some schmuck isn't going to cheat me out of my money and do it legally? Oh yeah. The American Way. Screw you before you screw me. Ah!!! :smokin:

The few problems I am having with my Elantra are annoying, but when I think about it, I have had more serious problems from the start on other vehicles I have owned. I looked at the Honda before buying my GT. I found that everything I got standard, including side airbags, was an option on the Honda, and expensive ones at that. Plus you only get a 3/36K warranty on the Honda. Price wise, you need to do some research when you buy any car, not just Hyundia's! Go to the Kelly Blue Book website, www.kbb.com, and look up your proposed vehicle new car blue book, (Invoice Cost). Always start from invoice and negotiate from there, not sticker. Why go with the GLS? For little more you can get the GT.

I've had nothing but problems w/ the Elantra I had bought fresh from the dealership. I wouldn't recommend buying it to anyone.. but hey.. that's just my personal experience(s)

I've had nothing but problems w/ the Elantra I had bought fresh from the dealership. I wouldn't recommend buying it to anyone.. but hey.. that's just my personal experience(s)

For example??? :smokin:

I owned a 99 elantra and traded it in on a 2004 gt...It had 105000 miles on it and only had 100 dollars in repairs done to it...I have 14000 miles on the new one and not a bit of trouble...almost 36 mpg on a trip too !!!

Whats the advantage plus plan? If it the extra warrenty (10 year bumper to bumper) I would buy it, its just nice having that extra piece of mind, and you'll be surprised hoe fast the miles frack up, my accent is 2 year and 4 months old, and i have almosk 40 k on it

ok never buy one i hate them so bad
iv had nothing but problems
for exmaple:
ac has mold really bad the first day i bought it
2nd day right side of car's electronices fried (including no back light, on anything)
pass air bag problems
pass window motor going out
and now my alarm system that came stock wit my car goes off for no reason its the third time
and i got it in july

members please pay attention....

First off, this thread and the original poster was started last year in 2003. (LOOK AT THE DATES). I am sure the poster either bought the Elantra or something else that better suited their situation.
Second, postings such as Cobras (What am I going to do with you) :banghead: are just opinions and should be taken as such. Not as fact. What happens with one owner might not necessarily mean it happens to all.

Now for the sake of arguement, I will address the issues Cobra brings up. This way any future reader can judge for themselves.

ok never buy one i hate them so bad
iv had nothing but problems
for exmaple:
1-ac has mold really bad the first day i bought it
2-2nd day right side of car's electronices fried (including no back light, on anything)
3-pass air bag problems
4-pass window motor going out
5-and now my alarm system that came stock wit my car goes off for no reason its the third time
and i got it in july

#1- I referred to you the TSB that deals with the mold/odor in this thread. (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=2222635#post2222635)Your dad bought you the 04 model in July around the end of July (the 26). The vehicle is less than a year. In fact you state that the mold/odor problem started occuring only about a month or two after he got it in July, so it should be under warranty and no cost on his or your part to get the problem fixed. Outside of the warranty, it would seem that other manufacturers also have this problem not just Hyundai due to the intricate design of the evaporator coils. The greater evaporator surface area used is required to get adequate performance out of the new R-134A refrigerants, but with all the nooks and crannies means more spaces for mold and mildew bacteria to build on to. Even if one were to get the filters from Hyundai remember they are only thin pleated paper and do not block out any smells. The best solution would be a carbon filter, but I do not believe they make them for the car. I plan on doing a DIY that would use a home depot Carbon pre filter (http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&MID=9876&com.broadvision.session.new=Yes&CNTKEY=Products_2%2fHeating+%26+Cooling%2fAir+Puri fier+Filters)and cut it to size of the Hyundai one and see if that would work.

#2- As stated above, you got the vehicle at the end of July (the 26). You inquire about removing the stock radio on the 29th of July (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=2092111#post2092111)and install it on the 30th (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=2095263#post2095263). Which causes the electronics to not work. Cause of it, a faulty wire harness with a loose wire. Now you do not specify it it was a dealership that installed the new stereo with the faulty harness or if you did it. Most likely you did since you inquired about how to do it. But regardless, if the dealership or whomever installed it, then they should fix it. If it was you then you can't blame Hyundai for it.

3- The Passenger Air Bag problem is not only Hyundai but systemwide. I talk about it here (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=2138612#post2138612) and here (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=270483&highlight=airbag).

4- This could be the window runner. Either way please refer to my bold text in answer #1 above.

5- This could be the hood pin switch not contacting correctly. Check to make sure it is not damaged or the rubber peice on the hood has not fallen off or is indented too much. (It presses down on the switch when the hood is shut.) See elantra pics here (http://www.nitrousworld.com/pictures/IMG_0487.JPG) and here (http://www.nitrousworld.com/pictures/IMG_0488.JPG). This actually happened on my Santa Fe and I improvised by placing a screw in the middle of the rubber bump because I was too lazy to go to the dealership and now I have no more false alarms. But the dealership should be able to replace it at no charge.

The point of all this is to demonstrate that one cannot judge a vehicle by just one members post. At first glance one would think the vehicle is a lemon and should be avoided at all costs, but upon further examination, one realizes the following..

1- Not every vehicle is perfectly made. Even the Benz, BMWs and Honda all have problems. Every manufacturer has it load of recalls, service advisorys, defects, problems etc.
2- For every problem Cobra faces there is a solution presented. Again all cars have problems.

Of all the vehicles I have owned, the Hyundai one is less problematic and combined with the best warranty in the industry and priced way lower than others, one comes to realize that Hyundai is second to none. There are countless internet sites besides this one that cater to the Elantra and one gets the feeling that the problems arrising from these discussions groups indicate that the vehicle as well as the whole Hyundai brand has less problems than their competition.


TS out