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Honda Civic vs. Hyundai Elantra

1641 messages,  Last post on Feb 17, 2010 at 3:54 PM

You are in the Honda Civic Forum.

What is this discussion about? Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Sedan

Messages Page 54 of 165

#527 of 1641 . by AcuraGRL

Dec 13, 2000 (5:31 am)

justin: REAL people also say they love their Hyundais and their Hondas. It is very hard to be objective when reviewing a vehicle that you are personally paying money for. Maybe that's why we should look to quality surveys like Consumer Reports, Strategic Vision, and JD Power.


Saying that Hondas are tinny and overpriced is an unfair and unjustified statement. Do not get me wrong I can recognize the Jetta as a very nice car as I almost bought a 2000 GLS 1.8T. But so are Hondas. They are just different cars, both drive great but they drive different. The Civic according to many people and many publications is more reliable and "sturdy" in the long run than a Jetta.


elantra00: I do not know the current Integra's maintenance history as I just purchased it 5 months ago and it had 120,000 on it when I bought it. I do know that the tires were way out of balance, it needed 2 CV axles, timing belt, and a muffler. None of those are real mechanical issues but it does prove that the prior owner was not as anal retentive about their maintenance as I am. I also had a 1990 Integra that was bought with 130k that had very obviously NOT been well maintained and after I did the usual timing belt and CV axles the car was good for another 30,000 miles before I sold it to a guy who used it to deliver pizzas. So maybe you are right, any well maintained car has a chance of survival. It's when a car can be somewhat abused and still give it's owner confidence to jump in it and go anywhere that it becomes a true example of reliability. It also interesting to note that neither one of these Integras nor the 1994 or the other 1991 Integra I owned had any quality issues other than normal maintenance that I listed above. Same goes for the 89 Honda Civic we owned and a 93 Acura Vigor. The Vigor is a different animal though because it had been perfectly maintained before it came into the family at 42,000 miles.


I also want to comment on what an intelligent statement you made about the Civic shrinking. I guess though if you use your logic the Civic got kicked in the arse with a size 5 shoe while the Jetta got hit with a size 13 considering the Jetta is shorter than the Civic. The Civic also rides on a wheelbase that is nearly 5" longer.


And if you want power you wouldn't be looking at the Jetta, Civic, or Elantra. You would get a Nissan Sentra SE with 150HP.


bri70: A sticker price of $24,000 on a Hyundai would be enough to make me consider one since I bought my '01 Accord EX V6 for $23,200 and it stickers for $25,540 and once you are in that price range there are several other models that one might choose before going down to a Hyundai. But to it's credit, nobody pays sticker for a Hyundai so after all of the special financing and rebates that they throw at you one could probably be had for around $19,000.

#528 of 1641 My car is better than(mentality) by darpin1

Dec 13, 2000 (7:59 am)

My 2 cents worth.
I've owned a 99 Honda Odyssey and it had quality control problem just check the recalls and tsbs and Car and Driver's comment abot it being notso Honda quality.
If you know anything about cars you know how imperfect all of them are and that the real winners are the car manufacturers not us...
However how much you let them win is the game.
With Honda sure there great but follow their recommended service and you will pay thru the nose and change parts hat don't need changing (maybe thats why they are so relaible and add those wonderful secret warranties) they fix things before you find out...talk to a certified Honda mechanic. They don't depreciate so much because you pay so much...du!
I recently bought a 5-speed base model of the 2001 Elantra Love it, drives like a much larger car, feels solid, nimble, great little engine and power, noise from the Khumo tires (sound a bit like snow tires) isn't all that bad.
It looks great (distintive) in comparison to what else is available...The sentra se interested me it had 145 hp but in comparison to the Elantra looks no way...Motor trend timed the sentra se 7.9 sec 0-60 and the Elantra 8.4 sec 0-60 .5 difference worth the extra money for a marginal difference? Up to the individual...I think we who are Hyundai owners are tired of the Honda people trashing our inferior cars? We love our cars just as much as they love there hondas....We all payed for our cars with hard earned cash so lets give each other a break... the real winners are the car manufacturers...Thanks
 

#529 of 1641 yes! by justin

Dec 13, 2000 (3:12 pm)

It is the holidays! Let's all play nice today! I am hungover from a Christmas party last night and I can't deal.


It was HE** driving into work with a five speed today.... Should have paid a little extra and got an automatic.


I personally have not even been inside the new Elantras, but on the outside they look nice. I still think that 2000 Elantras look nice too. The 2000 has the "swoopy" look, while the 2001 is more creased.


I honestly do have a feeling that all of us Elantra owners, if we keep are ours for another 3 or 4 years, will find this resale thing a thing of the past... Hyundai's rep is changing in the marketplace slowly but surely. Especially here in metro areas.....middle America might not be trading their Camry's and Taurus' in for Sonata's yet, but I see a lot of Sonata's around here. Quite handsome I think...


Anyway - The new Civic Sedan looks nicer than the old one, but the coupe went all wrong in my opinion.

#530 of 1641 My 2001 Elantra Test Drive by phillips9055

Dec 13, 2000 (7:48 pm)

I been waiting for a while to test drive this car. The Hyundai dealer in my area took a long time to get them on the lot. To my surprise, they also had the new XG300 on the lot. I took a closer look and it had the features of a $30,000 luxury car. I was shock to see the sticker with only $23,000 on it. That the price of a high-level Jetta or Accord.


Anyway, I test droved severals cars during past two months.


2001 Volkwagon Jetta
  Very nice looking car, but I can not afford to buy the base model. I can't picture paying $15,000 and up for a car that does not have power windows and cruise control.


2001 Volkwagon Beetle
  They had to nerve to try to get me to pay $20,800 for a Beetle. No way!!!


2001 Nissan Sentra
  I was very impressed with this car. It has a spunky engine. The interior looks nice. The exterior is kind of bland. Looks like a mini-Altima. The only thing I did not like about this car was the fact I did not have any real leg room. My knees kept touching the steering wheel even with the seat all the way back. So I dropped the Sentra from my list.


2001 Honda Civic EX Coupe
  Honda has done it again. They are bringing out a nice product. Now, I do not like the Civic Sedans. Talk about plain!!! I just don't feel they are worth what they are asking even it is so called reliable. The only one I like is the Civic EX Coupe, but thats out of my budget.


2001 Hyandai Elantra
  I was just like most people when it came to "Hyandai" = "Garbage". My mom had an 89 Excel that was ok, but it later died on us. From then on I this company has never crossed my mind. Well here it is 2000 and I have yet to hear any major complaints about Hyandai. My brother recently purchased a Sante Fe after leaving a bad experience with a 93 Pontiac Bonneville. When I got into that Sante Fe, thats when I knew Hyandai has changed a lot. So I test drove an Elantra because it seems to be in my budget. I was so impressed. The outside looks ok and the inside is ok. It looks more expensive now. I am planning to buy a 2001 Elantra next year. I felt it had more to offer for my money, plus having the best warranty in the industry does not hurt.

#531 of 1641 Messages gone by kymcamp

Dec 16, 2000 (7:03 pm)

Hey, they redid this thing and about 40 messages have dissapeared. Oh well, life goes on.
 
--Kyle

#532 of 1641 Testing 123 by kymcamp

Dec 18, 2000 (7:32 am)

Just a test to see if my message gets posted. The one I tried earlier disappeared.

#533 of 1641 nobody kill me by justin

Dec 18, 2000 (11:26 am)

I could not take driving a 5 speed anymore, and I came into some Christmas money, so I dumped the Hyundai. Not for any reason except these two. I had a Jetta that was loaded and nice...the Hyundai left me feeling very bargain basement. Also - it was a 5 speed and I sit in Rt.7/Beltway traffic everyday. Also - I have a four door Pathfinder.
 
So guess what I got? I am going to catch soooo much sh** for this...
 
2001 Honda Civic Coupe EX. Eternal Blue/Beige interior. AUTOMATIC.
It is not as fast as the Elantra...but I knew that. It is more luxurious and looks nice in the Blue/Beige combo. For once, Honda got some decent colors out there, and the interior actually has some style! Everyone is yelling about the suspension being downgraded this year...who cares. I don't really notice. The car is much "firmer" and rides "harder" than the Jetta or the Elantra. Seems kind of sporty to me...
 
Anyway - I did not look at the Hyundai Elantra automatic for two reasons as well. Number 1, this was a major impulse buy. Number two - they don't come in 2 doors, and the Tiburon is as bad as a Pontiac Sunfire, looks wise.
 
Please - be nice....I am NOT siding with any arrogant and obnoxious Honda owners. I never plan to be that type of Honda owner.....
 
Got $7800 for the 2000 BASE BASE BASE Elantra.....not bad considering I paid just under $10k for it...

#534 of 1641 re:justin by liufei

Dec 18, 2000 (11:59 am)

LOL, congratulations on your new civic. Hope you will enjoy it for the next year that you going to own it.
Thats some serious impulse buying though!!

#535 of 1641 damn justin... by elantra00

Dec 18, 2000 (8:56 pm)

how do you afford to keep switchen cars like that? Thats got to be expensive with losing money on trade-ins so quickly. Congradulations on your new civic and I hope you enjoy it, but I do have one commment about it. That had to cost you around 16 or 17,000 for the EX and in automatic. You should have gotten a Jetta. maybe the turbo, if you really haggled. or 1.8t golf. Remember our arguments in here about the EX being pricy...but if you are happy, that is all that counts.
 
Lots of luck

#536 of 1641 Congrats by kymcamp

Dec 19, 2000 (6:53 am)

Glad you like your new car. Of course, there's a certain someone around this board who's probably going to be very,very smug. I tried the new Civic, and it was very nice. But it just didn't appeal to me much for some reason, but then again they won't have the racy SI coupes in until April or so.
 
It's hard to resist impulse buying, so that's why I'm looking at cars now. I don't start my new job until January, so I CAN'T buy a car now, thus I can't impulse buy.
 
--Kyle

Messages Page 54 of 165

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