Backstory: Doing My Homework

When I bought my last car, I didn't even know what the internet was. When buying this car, 90% of the car research as well as the car pricing research was done online.

I think lots of research is supremely important on ‘big’ purchases. I spent a month researching a digital camera. I probably spent over 2 months researching my car purchase.

My sources:
1. I hit many websites with expert reviews like on Car & Driver, Edmunds, Car.com, About.com and many others. There is almost no reason to buy car magazines anymore. By reading multiple reviews from different sources, I was able see that there is a consensus that Hyundai can build a reliable high quality car. And they said Elantras have been fairly reliable since 2001, and have been steadily improving.

2. I read owner reviews from Edmunds and Yahoo!Autos. Though these reviews may lack the depth of the experts, they sometimes see things that experts miss. One owner complained it was hard to see out the rear window, something no expert reviewer mentioned. But I do believe some of the "overly positive" reviews are "plants" so you have to read with discernment to weed out the fakes.

3. I hit forums like Edmunds Towntalk. This is a great place to look for issues/problems that your car may have. This ’07 Elantra was a brand new design, so I was concerned with possible "first year" bugs and I was hoping since I was shopping 7 months into the year that some issues would have presented themselves. It was a chore to sift through hundreds of comments to find those pertinent to my purchase, but worth it. I found out about the Elantra speedometer issue on this forum (as well as complaints that the cloth seats are so light, that they show dirt easily. But I didn't find any deal breakers. I also found people divulging how much they paid for their car.

4. I visited dealerships because nothing replaces sitting in a car and actually driving it. But going in with all the internet research makes a big difference than going in "stupid." Try taking a car to rougher roads or hills. Any car these days perform great on flat smooth roads.

5. I got internet quotes from dealers in NorCal and SoCal, but sometimes they require you to act right away to get that price. I used the lowest prices I found as negotiation tools. Sometimes the dealers were kind of vague on the model/package they were quoting on.

6. I did pricing models on each trim on Edmunds and CarsDirect.com. Edmunds True Market Value tool gives you what the average price people are paying in your area for the car you want. CarsDirect.com give you a price quote, which they guarantee to be the lowest for a limited time. Both tools are valuable. The CarDirect price was also a tool I used for negotiation.

7. I did research on how dealers generally price their cars. This page on LeaseGuide.com is pretty interesting.

8. I did ask friends and relatives, but mainly about cars I already liked. Just to see if they can spot something negative that I might have missed.

9. Lastly after deciding on the car and the price I want to pay for it, it came down to figure out how to pay for it. How can I maximize savings? To get the $2000 rebate from Hyundai, I was required to finance $10k with Hyundai. Play it right and I still come out ahead. Play it wrong and I would piss away the rebate on interest. I might share how I am financing this car later.

One of the biggest strikes against the Elantra was the 5-Year Cost of Ownership factor. The COO Elantra was as high or higher than its competitors! Yahoo!Autos and Intellichoice have Cost of Ownership calculators. When I ran the Elantra against the Civic and even Toyota Prius, the figures were very close surprisingly. I thought I’d be saving money by buying the Elantra.

Three main factors for inflating the Elantra's COO were:
a.Insurance costs. For some reason, the Elantra is more expensive to insure than a $25k Prius. Something screwy there since the Elantra has 6 airbags.

b. Depreciation: The Elantra loses its value faster than Toyotas and Hondas. This is the biggest ‘cost’ in the calculation. But this is a non-issue if you plan to keep your car long term, which I hope to do. After ten years resale value gets really low on any make of compact car.

c. Repairs: Elantra parts may cost slightly more than more common Toyota and Honda parts.

So how did I justify still getting the Elantra. As I said depreciation is a non-issue for me and the Elantra has a longer warranty that may help offset some repair costs. BUT if you plan of selling your car in five years, the Elantra may not be that excellent a value as you thought. Also the pricing models these calculators use are based on MSRP's, not "street" pricing. One can bargain a much better price on an Elantra these days than on a Civic.

Hyundai Does the Decent Thing

Hyundai has finally addressed the issue of some Elantras not telling the right speed and the right amount of mile driven. Some complaints I read on Edmunds.com's Elantra forum reported differences of up to 10%. I heard about this before I bought my car, so I test drove my car along with my friend's Acura TL to check speed and it was spot on with it.

I won't retype the whole letter but it says automatic equipped Elantras made thru 5/28/07 MAY indicate fasters speeds and more miles than actual.

They are asking us to take our car to the dealer (call for appt)and they will reprogram the Electronic Control Unit at no charge.

They will also extend the mileage period of all warranties provided with your vehicle by 3.0%
(the percentage was red in my letter so I made it red here)

Good to know the company cares about our satisfaction and is doing something about this.

Backstory: Figuring Out What Car I Wanted

Here were eight of the major things I was looking for in a new car:

1. I wanted to spend about $14,000 to $18,000, though the more I could save, the more I could put into another project I am working on. $20,000 was doable, but not palpable.
   
   
2. It had to be a killer bargain. Whether I spent 14K or 18K, I wanted to make sure I was getting the most car for my buck.
   
   
3. I wanted high reliability. An inexpensive car that requires a lot of repairs is not a bargain. A sexy powerful car that falls apart after a few years is not a turn-on for me. I previously drove a Civic and a Corolla and a Geo Prizm (which is basically an American Corolla). Those are my benchmarks.
   
   
4. I like my creature comforts and safety features: Sunroof, AC, ABS, comfortable seats, front and rear airbags, power windows, powerful sound system. Extras would be an MP3 player or auxiliary port for one.
   
   
   
   
5. It had to be a compact. No SUV for me. In parking-tight San Francisco, a car under 180 inches long has A LOT more choices. That is definitely more important to me than 4-wheel disc brakes. Also I am kind of environmentally conscious and wanted to get something with at least as good or better gas mileage as my old car. While car marketers are bent on convincing us to “graduate” to bigger better gas hogging vehicles, I truly feel as I get older, I should be more responsible and be graduating to cars that save more gas and pollute less.
   
   
6. But not a subcompact. I want to sit comfortably. I want others in my car to sit comfortably. I want a trunk to haul stuff.
   
   
7. Decent engine power and performance. The 105-hp on my Geo Prizm was not terrible by any means. I usually kept my Geo Prizm under 3000 rpm when accelerating. Never needed to go to 4000 rpm even on short highway onramps. But I don't mind getting a little "juice" in my new car.
   
   
8. Looks: I am a graphic designer. I like to look at pretty things. My car doesn’t have to be the sexiest thing on the road, (I don’t want to tie my ego to my car), but I admit I need my car to be fairly good looking - at least to me. Smart ergonomics are important to me, too. And yes there are some cars I would refuse to consider outright just because of the way it looks...like the Malibu Maxx.

Other Cars on My List and Why They Didn't Meet My Requirements:

1. Honda Civic: Was only interested in the 06-07 body style. Heard some bad things about it dash layout, but I didn’t think it was troublesome at all. Excellent well rounded compact, but it was difficult to get a good deal on one either new or used. Demand is too healthy for it. Even a 2005 Civic EX with 24, 000 miles on it cost more than a well-equipped brand new Elantra.
   
   
2. Scion TC: Love the look of this car inside and out, but it is too small and gas mileage is not very good for a small car.
   
   
3. Mazda3: Very popular with its zoom-zoom sportiness. Interior is very cool. But again even a used one with the features I wanted(like the sunroof) cost at least 17,000 used and 19,000 new. I did find an automatic for 15,000 but it had manual windows. Also my gut feeling says Mazda's reliability is not as good as Hyundai's.
   
   
4. Nissan Sentra: Very roomy new design (also classified as mid-size), but I heard questionable things about their CVT. Reliability not as good as Hyundai.
   
   
5. Pontiac Vibe(used): (Runner-up) This is the twin of the Toyota Matrix, so the reliability is there. I thought it was cool that it is built at the same plant in Fremont, CA, my Prizm was built. It costs more than a Matrix when new, but it doesn’t hold its resale value as well. So a used Vibe can be an excellent value. I really loved the way the seats fold completely flat. I could’ve put my bike in the back without taking off its wheels or putting on a rack. It was fun to drive, too.
   
   
   
   
   
   I found one with a sunroof for about $13,900, but it did not have ABS or rear air bags and the interior is very bare bones, unrefined feeling. If I spent 14,500 on an Elantra GLS it would have ABS, 6 airbags, bunch of other stuff, and the interior of the Elantra just makes you feel like you are sitting in a nicer car. Plus it would not have 25,000 miles on it and almost no warranty left. So in the end a used Vibe just didn’t stack up as well value-wise to a new Elantra. But still very nice...it's very under-appreciated car in this class in my opinion.
   .
   
   
   

So how well does the Elantra meet my 8 requirements?

1. Price: My negotiated price was under $17,500 including tax/fees for a SE (middle trim) with a sunroof...well within my price range.
   
   
2. Was it a bargain? By far the Elantra has the most features for the price of any compact car. But with the $2000 rebate, it was an even more appealing deal. Plus there was room to negotiate even lower.
   
   
3. Reliability: Time will tell for this new redesign, but according to Edmunds and other hearsay, Hyundai’s quality/reliability has come a long way. Kelly Bluebook highly recommends buying a used Elantra. That speaks volumes. JD Power Initial Quality rating is very high on this car. Great warranty to back up the quality.
   
   
4. Features: It is the only car in its class with 4 disc brakes. And it is the least expensive! The features list is absolutely stellar. front, rear and curtain airbags, heated mirrors, 16” alloy wheels, steering wheel mounted stereo controls, ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution, illuminated door switches on all four doors, cabin air filter, fog lights….Sweet! My sunroof was installed aftermarket, but it was included in my negotiated price.
   
   
5. It is a compact 177 inches, which means I am hunky-dory in the parking fight dept. But it is also roomier enough inside to be classified as a midsize. But at the same time it gets a decent 28/36mpg and - bonus - it is classified as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle. Very green.
   
   
6. It has pretty decent leg room even in the back. You don’t feel you are sacrificing comfort for space or for price. The trunk is a nice size, too.
   
   
7. Decent engine power and performance? The California SULEV version gets 132-hp out of its 4-cyclinder 2.0 liter engine. It has some pep to it. Performance-wise it is not a slalom king, but some reviewers called it a fun car to drive. Suspension could be better damped and less floaty, but otherwise it meets my expectations fine.
   
   
8. Looks: Its exterior doesn't have the distinctiveness of a current Civic or a Mazda3. But in my opinion, it does look a lot more cooler than the previous Elantra or the bland '05 Civic. The rising beltline and wide stance gives it much more confident look.
   
   The 5-spoke Euro-flange alloy wheels adds sportiness, without being too pretentious. The straight-on side view reminds me of some Dodge or Pontiac sedan (especially how the rear window tapers), but from most angles it is really handsome. The interior, as I said before, makes you feel like you are in a more expensive car. It is mostly plastic, but the California Hyundai design team makes excellent use of textures and metallic tones. The cloth seats have a plush feel, but I think the material attracts dirt too easily.

Backstory: When is it time to buy a new car?

There is a personal thing really. Some people think they ought to buy a new car every five years. I am not one of those people. I bought a 1993 Geo Prizm LSi back in 1996. Found it in the paper. (This was before I knew what e-mail or the internet was!) It was 3 years old and only had 24,000 miles on it. Very clean. . It had an alarm, sunroof, and 10-disc CD player installed by the previous owner. With all that and a price of $10, 500, it seemed a great deal.
After 11 years of ownership, it turns out to be a one of my best buying decisions. The car was generally reliable except for occasional electrical problems early on. The car still runs well and gets good gas mileage. The seats are still supportive and in good condition. But the rear seatbelt does not work, the light on the clock/stereo display is out, and the right passenger inside door handle recently broke. I lived with the stereo display out for years, but the door handle is more a safety issue than a mere inconvenience. That was the probably what pushed me to look for new car.
I still have not sold the Geo yet. I still drive it to work, when I don’t ride my bike in. The Elantra is now my weekend car and the car I use when I need to carry passengers. Why? A friend of mine actually encouraged me to keep it for a while, so I would put less wear on the Elantra. Makes sense, but it can be a hassle to keep two cars….Insurance, finding parking spaces, registration, upkeep. Eventually I will unload it, but there is no rush I guess.

Ownership Upate #1

Had the car 5 weeks.
Odometer: 730 miles


Just filled my tank for the second time(third tank of gas overall, since dealership gave me a full tank to start). According to the trip meter, the average gas mileage on this second tank was 27.2mpg, which to my relief is a lot better than the 23.9(or so) from the first tank. This car is supposed to get 26/36! And the mpg from that first tank was making we wonder if I should've sprung for a Prius!

When I got gas I just let the pump auto-stop. It made a disconcertingly loud sound at shut-off. I hope it is OK. I've heard on one Elantra owner who's gas pump interface malfunctioned. I've had a Mustang rental that did this. We thought we would run out of gas because, the interface refused to engage the pump. Eventually we found a trick to let us get some gas in it.

Tonight on an 8 mile stretch of highway I averaged 38.5 mpg at the end of the stretch, so that was pretty impressive. So I guess the engine/transmission is breaking in OK. (No I wasn't going 55)

Today I found a crack on the foot rest (area for your left foot to rest). The foot rest is made of gray plastic, but I didn't expect it to crack. The foot rest on my Geo had a rubber layer like the gas pedal. I wore out the rubber, but never broke it. I am definitely going bring this up to the dealer to see if the bumper-to-bumper warranty covers this. I don't remember accidentally putting excessive weight here or kicking it. Even so this area should be engineered to withstand long-term use. It is not a big deal. I can still rest my foot on it, but Hyundai should redesign this.

First Post: Chronicles of A Hyundai Elantra Owner

This might be a terrible idea for a blog, because I don't intend to obsess over my new car for much longer. But after buying my first new car ever I find myself thinking about it way too much. I am not a car nut. I generally don't care that much what people think of me and especially what I drive. But after finding myself the owner of a new Elantra, I feel compelled to find out as much as I could about the car (as if I didn't know enough already after many hours of research on it and other cars over the course of two months.) It is a strange feeling...it's not like I bought a BMW Z4 or an Orbea Orca.

After a few weekends of Googling.

-I have went on YouTube and looked at the Elantra commercials (old and new) and the TV car reviews.
-I've seen home-made videos of dudes racing their Elantras.
-I've discovered that there are not one but two Elantra enthusiast sites. (Elantraclub.com and ElantraXD.com). People actually trick out their Elantras. People are actually proud of their Elantras. Shocking.
-I found out that the previous Elantra platform was known as the XD and the new 2007 platform was codenamed 'HD'.
-I found out Hyundai had a JDPower Ranking about Toyota and Honda in 2006, but went down to #12 in 2007 because of issues with their mini-van or SUV(not sure which). But the Elantra fared well fortunately.
But this isn't half of what I've learned on my web surfing binges.

I will first be posting some backstories of how I came to buy a Hyundai, a brand that still doesn't get much respect in the US, especially in the SF Bay Area, where Hondas and Toyotas have ruled for eons.