[VanIsler]

Greetings all!

Just purchased a 2013 Titanium Grey Coupe Very happy with the purchase, coming from a 2009 Accent HB. Loved the Accent for short commuting etc, but a recent long road trip exposed its...."shortcomings". No cruise, little power for hills/passing, etc.

I test drove several Kia's (Optima..nice car! Forte coupe), Honda Civic, Golf and Jetta, Ford Focus, etc, and then drove the Elantra Coupe and GT. I did get a very good trade on the Accent staying with Hyundai, but I also just LOVED the look and driving characteristics of the Coupe. It could use a bit more power, but at least I got the 6 speed manual (GLS) so I can rev it if I want. I also have a Triumph Street Triple so anything short of 300 hp in a car is going to feel slow to me off the line

Wanted to get a black one, but there was a multi-month wait for one, so the Titan Grey was the ticket. It is really growing on me and experience with black cars tells me this color will be easier to maintain ;0)

Anywho, heading out for a little road trip up-island, so be safe our there and look forward to reading about your Elantras!

Cheers,
Vince

 

[ElantraFan]

Welcome VanIsler

Congrats on getting an Elantra Coupe in an awesome color, you should post pic's of it in the picture thread HERE.

Those older Accents were nice aside from their looks, I just didn't find them appealing much. The new generation of Hyundai has caught my attention like no other! and of course it's shortcoming like you mentioned made it a not so great car, but still good.

Surprised you tested all of those good cars, which some I think come close to the Elantra. What exactly about the Elantra's driving characteristics made you want it? Did it feel more like a drivers car or what?

Sucks you couldn't get a Black elantra as soon as you wanted but like what was mentioned to you, the grey is much easier to clean, thats a plus!

Keep us posted on your Elantra driving experience

Any plans on doing any light modifications? tints maybe?

 

[crownr0yal]

Congrats!!!!

 

[VanIsler]

Thanks folks

EF, yeah, I'm not sure...it feels quieter and more solid than the Forte Coupe (although nothing really wrong with that car) and I loved the driving position. Seats are awesome, so...maybe more from the intangibles than the actual hard parts performance? Had a few days to drive it now and it is growing on me even more. The shifter is so much better than the Accent, and as soon as I get the clutch pickup point nailed, my 1-2 shift will be smoother lol

Not sure about mods...Tinting isn't allowed up here, at least on the front windows, so not sure about that. Thought about an amp and maybe component speakers for the front to improve the sound. Does a 32gig USB stick count as a mod? 'cause I'm "rockin dat".

Still, loving it as is for now!

Cheers,
Vince

 

[hyundaipwr]

welcome to the forum.

what other cars have you owned in the past?

pic's of your elantra?

 

[VanIsler]

welcome to the forum.

what other cars have you owned in the past?

pic's of your elantra?

Thanks! Cars in order going back to the old beater days:

'76 Pontiac Ventura (for donuts in the church parking lot in Calgary)
'78 Honda Civic Hatch (gold coloured, nicknamed "The Nugget")
'82 Datsun 210
'02 Mazda Protege Sport (5 speed, loaded, first new car!)
'90 Honda Civic Hatch (after the lease on the Protege was up...never leasing again!)
'09 Hyundai Accent HB (traded in for the Coupe )

Motos:
'90 Kawasaki Ninja 250 (14,500 rpm red line)
'91 Honda CBR600F2
'00 Honda VFR 800 (V4...what a sound!)
'06 Kawasaki Ninja 650R
'10 Triumph Street Triple (favourite bike so far...by FAR. And the others were really good bikes!)

Pics coming, as soon as it stops raining and I can get her washed up

 

[crownr0yal]

Thanks! Cars in order going back to the old beater days:

'76 Pontiac Ventura (for donuts in the church parking lot in Calgary)
'78 Honda Civic Hatch (gold coloured, nicknamed "The Nugget")
'82 Datsun 210
'02 Mazda Protege Sport (5 speed, loaded, first new car!)
'90 Honda Civic Hatch (after the lease on the Protege was up...never leasing again!)
'09 Hyundai Accent HB (traded in for the Coupe )

Motos:
'90 Kawasaki Ninja 250 (14,500 rpm red line)
'91 Honda CBR600F2
'00 Honda VFR 800 (V4...what a sound!)
'06 Kawasaki Ninja 650R
'10 Triumph Street Triple (favourite bike so far...by FAR. And the others were really good bikes!)

Pics coming, as soon as it stops raining and I can get her washed up

I bet you have some S T O R I E S! What a list. Question...why would you never lease again?

 

[fwdftw]

hey VanIsler, welcome!

 

[VanIsler]

I bet you have some S T O R I E S! What a list. Question...why would you never lease again?

Hey Crown. I felt like after the lease was up, I had just "rented" a car for 4 years lol I still had a big chunk of change to finance if I wanted to keep it, which bugged me. So, I walked away and bought the Ninja

I spent a lot of time not building any equity (although new cars are about the worst depreciating asset you can find) leasing it, and the ONLY good thing about it was the lower monthly payment. But they also generally ding you with a higher interest rate, and you don't even own it at the end. Just my opinion, YMMV.

 

[ElantraFan]

Hey Crown. I felt like after the lease was up, I had just "rented" a car for 4 years lol I still had a big chunk of change to finance if I wanted to keep it, which bugged me. So, I walked away and bought the Ninja

I spent a lot of time not building any equity (although new cars are about the worst depreciating asset you can find) leasing it, and the ONLY good thing about it was the lower monthly payment. But they also generally ding you with a higher interest rate, and you don't even own it at the end. Just my opinion, YMMV.

did you buy the new Ninja 300?

 

[VanIsler]

Nope, went for the 650R... sort of a cushier Ninja. No radical clip-on handlebars or brutal ergo. Motocross style bars and more upright seating. Loved it. But the parallel twin didn't have the character (or the horsepower) of the new Triumph. Now THAT is a MOTOR!!! And what a sound...like a 60's Mazeratti at full song

 

[hyundaipwr]

Nope, went for the 650R... sort of a cushier Ninja. No radical clip-on handlebars or brutal ergo. Motocross style bars and more upright seating. Loved it. But the parallel twin didn't have the character (or the horsepower) of the new Triumph. Now THAT is a MOTOR!!! And what a sound...like a 60's Mazeratti at full song

congrats on getting that kawi have any pic's/video of it?did the mod bug hit you yet