[John B]

Hi fellow forumites, what are your comments on a 2003 Hyundai Elantra  XD GL with 112.720  ks   for $5000 with three years extended warranty. My grandson is in the last year of high school on his L plates . He has not seen the car yet  and as it is a Sunny Yellow colour at least he would be seen coming  now it could be that he does not want to be seen in it,  but I thought I would find out your opinions from any one that is familiar with this model any bad points and the good.  All comments appreciated.

[Just Rick]

Two fellow work mates have that very car,in that very colour(I wouldn't want to be seen in it either)another friend up here in town has one in the funny metallic brown they had then,the two at work have been well looked after and maintained,and the owners are still very happy with them.

The third the one the wife's friend up here has,well lets just say,I wouldn't buy it in a pink fit,but funnily enough you can't kill it with a stick,starts every time (when the battery is charged) drives nicely.

The price would have a fare margin in it for the three year extended warranty and they when you read all the fine print,cover very limited occurrances,but from what I have seen on the market,this price is right at the top of the range,but they do range from $3000 to $5000,most I have seen are in the $3500 to $4000 range,even the slightly older Excel if you getn one which has been looked after go forever and their $2500 and under.

Sound like a reasonable deal,but I would be going through the fine print on the extended warranty with a lice comb,Trust me I used to own a Bunky Car Yard and extended warranties and warranty packs where our bread and butter,or icing on the already loaded cake

[John B]

Thanks Rick, I agree the colour is well I can't say on here what I think but sometimes these youngsters surprise me with their choices, I will let you know what he says when he sees a picture of it  I will definitely be looking at the warranty offered if  the grandson is at all interested. The  Ks look reasonable for that age if they are genuine of course. Been trying to find some thing safe for him until he starts work and then he can save up and then chop it in for a late model of his choice.

[Just Rick]

Thanks Rick, I agree the colour is well I can't say on here what I think but sometimes these youngsters surprise me with their choices, I will let you know what he says when he sees a picture of it  I will definitely be looking at the warranty offered if  the grandson is at all interested. The  Ks look reasonable for that age if they are genuine of course. Been trying to find some thing safe for him until he starts work and then he can save up and then chop it in for a late model of his choice.

 

[Lakes]

Yellow is one of the most visible colours, then white. to be safe you need to be seen. no more grey or silver grey for me! i think some people can't see too well & don't notice a grey car. i had a guy do a right hand turn right into the front of a grey ute i had, said did not see me.

[John B]

Yellow is one of the most visible colours, then white. to be safe you need to be seen. no more grey or silver grey for me! i think some people can't see too well & don't notice a grey car. i had a guy do a right hand turn right into the front of a grey ute i had, said did not see me.

I entirely agree with you and that is what surprised me when I ordered my i30 Elite Hatch, there was not much choice on colours. My daughter has got a new Brilliant Red i30 ( not what I call a real brilliant red rather a darker red ) and I did not want to copy her choice, that left me with Dazzling blue ( a very dark Blue ) Sleek Silver, Aqua Blue ( not keen on that colour ) Phantom Black and Creamy white. Having had several white cars in the past I was ready for a change so I ended up choosing the Sleek Silver, don't get me wrong I think the sleek silver looks great and I am very happy with the choice but I agree it will not be as visible as the white. You raised an interesting point and it has me wondering how many people buying a new car would choose a colour that is highly visible rather than a colour they really like.

[FatBoy]

My car is "Continental Silver", which was more by means of saving $4000 on the price, rather than my choice.  However, I do think it looks good.  Notwithstanding, I turn on my lights earlier, rather than later, so that I can be seen.  I also turn them on during inclement weather (which I think more young drivers should be taught the benefits of doing).

[John B]

My car is "Continental Silver", which was more by means of saving $4000 on the price, rather than my choice.  However, I do think it looks good.  Notwithstanding, I turn on my lights earlier, rather than later, so that I can be seen.  I also turn them on during inclement weather (which I think more young drivers should be taught the benefits of doing).

Yes I do the same and I am driving a white car at the moment. I was taught that many years ago it makes a big difference .

[Dazzler]

I don't mind that Yellow (at least it is safe, as several have said)

We had a 2002 Elantra in 2006/7 (as a fill in car) it was a bit of a looker (see below) and had a great manual gear change but we had a lot of minor annoying issues with it. It is a wonder we bought an i30 afterwards!



Having had a very short stint selling cars I am also unimpressed by those aftermarket used car warranties.. there is normally some excess on the major components that makes a claim unviable and lesser things like batteries are excluded.

I reckon you can do better for 5k   

[Surferdude]

I agree with Dazz on th eaftermarket warranties.
Not worth the money.

[John B]

Thanks Dazz & surfer dude, point taken and noted, extended warranty is therefor binned

[John B]

Hi  all, Looked at the yellow 2003 Elantra but it was bit battered & sorry for itself so the grandson is now looking  at a couple of other cars it's a choice between a 2004 Corolla with 132.000 ks or a 2007 Elantra with 77.000ks both in very good condition with the Elantra being about $1.500 dearer,  I have had a look at reviews on the net but as usual good reports and bad so not a lot of help so your thoughts if any one has had experience with these cars appreciated.

[TheReaper]

My misses, when she was with her ex husband, said she had an 07 elantra (his car, but in her name), she had no breakdowns and no issues and had over 100, 000km with just doing oil changes and services

[John B]

It looks like the grandson has decided to stick with the Hyundai family and go with the 2007 Elantra SX hatch, it looks really nice and the service book shows the service history is spot on, being a tall lad he found the drivers seat on the Toyota Corolla did not go back far enough . I must admit the style of the 2007  model is much nicer than the earlier ones. Will test drive it tomorrow and carry out the usual haggling and hope it all works out.

[rustynutz]

Good luck! 

[Doggie 1]

 

[John B]

Thank you Rusty & Doggie 1, everyone is getting their car before me, still waiting for delivery of my new car 

[Phil №❶]

All good things, come to those who wait 

Patience is character building. 

[John B]

That's what the wife say's .  Still waiting ( know what I mean ) 

[The Gonz]

I think the topic title should now be changed to 'Servicing'

[John B]

Well its a done deal,pick it up Thursday after couple of very small scratches have been fixed up. Grandson is so excited and so he should be , my first vehicle was an old Morris ex fishmongers van ( stunk like hell.  )  I was married then and the wife was not too thrilled as it had no passenger seat in it, I did eventually put one in , would not get away with sitting on a cushion these days and of course seat belts were unheard of then. Ahhh the good ole days.  Any way here is a photo of no 2 grandsons car. Yes Yes I know it is not as safe as yellow. 


 2007 Sx  Elantra 74.000ks

[rustynutz]

Looks good, John! 

[Dazzler]

  and I like that colour! 

[John B]

Looks good, John! 

Thank's Rusty, got fed up looking around , amazing the amount of rubbish out there and even more amazing how much cash their hoping to get for it.   

[Phil №❶]

He's a lucky lad 

My 1st car was a Morris minor 850, but it was the ohv powerhouse engine, not the side valve. 

Reg # RCS 408

[John B]

and I like that colour! 

Thank,s Dazzle nearly the same colour as my Daughters new i30. Just hoping we don't get the niggly problems you said you had with your earlier Elantra. Had a good look all over the car and it seemed great & drove well but of course buying a second hand car is a bit of gamble sometimes you win and some times you loose.

[Phil №❶]

It's very low kms, so should have a few left in it yet, mind you, youngsters know how to pile the kms on though.

And he can be a member here too, we might be able to help him get to know about his car and how to look after it properly.

[John B]

He's a lucky lad 

My 1st car was a Morris minor 850, but it was the ohv powerhouse engine, not the side valve. 

Reg # RCS 408

He sure is,but thankfully he is teenager that really appreciates things , had a job convincing him to have this car rather than an old cheap banger and my motive for that was I am getting to old to get under these cars to repair them.  Ahh the good old Morris Minor you were posh the fish van I mentioned was the old side valve engine.

[John B]

It's very low kms, so should have a few left in it yet, mind you, youngsters know how to pile the kms on though.

And he can be a member here too, we might be able to help him get to know about his car and how to look after it properly.

Can only hope, mind you it could happen he 's thrilled to bits with it and I have drummed into him " look after your car and it will look after you "

[Dazzler]

First cars always get a hard life (fortunately, you being a retired mechanic helps a bit!)

The problem with ours was I bought it from a dealer 100 kms away and the things that cropped up should have been picked up at their "99 point quality check" or whatever they called it. Things like faulty wipers, leaking washer bottle, noisy speedo cable. Nothing major but half a dozen annoying faults..

My first car was a 1968 440 cortina with 100,000 miles on it..