Overhaulin'

Considering buying a 2000 Hyundai Elantra, any reviews good or bad about this car?

I dont really know anything about them....The car has 115,000 miles on it....How many miles can these cars normally go for? Also if something should need to be fixed in the near future will the parts be really expensive because its an import? Any input would be appreciated

Public Comments

1. I bought an '03 Hyundai Elantra and I absolutely LOVE the car. I've had no trouble with it and I bought it used three years ago. The gas mileage is great. The one thing is that they don't have much acceleration power when you have the AC on, so I kind of treat that like my 'turbo' button and turn it off when I know I'm going to need to accelerate quickly. I'm not sure about the prices for parts because I've never had to buy any for it. I would think that the car should be fine to drive up to 200,000 miles, but again, mine is only an '03, and I haven't hit the 100,000 mile mark.
2. The Elantra is Hyundai's best seller and they've come a long way in 17 years. 115K on a 4-cylinder is a lot of miles. However, I've seen an Accent that had 400K miles. It all depends on how you treat it and how the previous owners treated it. They did approx 14,375 miles per year which is below average. I'd find out about the previous owner. Did they do all the maintenance required? Did they do it at proper intervals? Have all the recalls been performed? At 120K you're looking at replacing the timing belt (usually around $350.00) and it's a good idea to do it. All dealers have different services based on Hyundai's recommendations for your climate region. I would call your local dealer and ask what should be done.
3. I have a 2001 Elantra w/ 130,000 on it and still going strong. 2000 is just before they introduced the new generation of Elantras. Not a bad car but 2001+ are better because of the improvements mechanically to the engine and trans.
4. I guess you should also check insurance quotes for Elantra before buying one, for example here: http://carquotes.imess.net As I remember it is expensive to insure.