Faults:

Replaced the horn!

Right tie rod end.

General Comments:

This car and both previous Hyundais were ultra reliable.

My first brake job was at 185000 KM and only the front brakes needed replacing.

They should go back to a timing chain rather than a belt. It is an expensive job every 100000KM.

I am six foot five and 250lbs, and have plenty of room and can even wear a hat!

Faults:

55,000 miles, first set of tires.

75,000 miles, front brakes.

108,000 miles, second set of tires.

108,000 miles, timing belt/water pump/accessory belts.

Oil: Mobil 1 full synthetic extended range.

Oil Filter: Purolator 14459.

General Comments:

This 2004 Elantra is my wife's daily driver. She has owned it since new, and in 4 years put 108,000 miles on it. While I was reluctant to even touch such a great running vehicle, I just invested in a timing belt service and a few misc items (timing belt/water pump/tires/belts/coolant).

This car has been rock solid reliable and a great car in most every respect! We bought the car for 10,250.00 BRAND new, out the door, AFTER taxes in 2004!

This is my/our 5th Hyundai. I currently own an 05/Elantra GLS 5 door as well.

The car is great in every respect. It's still rides great with a solid, squeak/rattle free body!

We are Hyundai owners for life!

Faults:

At 69652 the car died at intersection and wouldn't turn over. Diagnosed by Hyundai service center and couldn't find anything. Car started up and ran the next day. So no repairs were done.

Less than a week later, the car died again. I had it towed back to the same service center. They found it needed to replace some faulty bearings, fortunately under warranty. They replaced it, and I authorized them to replace the clutch since they had opened it up anyway, and I just paid for the parts.

At 96500, I drove from my house to a local store. Soon after parking it, the car was on fire! Smoke was billowing from under the hood. I didn't open it in case there were flames. I had it towed to another Hyundai service dealer and will find out the problem.

Car has been maintained with every 3,000 mile oil changes, and a recent 90k maintenance check.

Loud idling.

General Comments:

With all the problems I've had, I won't buy another Hyundai again! I will pay a few thousand more for a more reliable vehicle.

Faults:

Wheel bearings on front right wheel failed and needed to be replaced at approximately 70,000mi.

Brake rotors suffered premature warp that necessitated replacement (couldn't be machined) @ ~ 75,000mi.

Passenger seat belt tensioner jammed and needed to be replaced. ~ 45,000mi.

Ball joints have begun to pop when steering is in full right or left lock, yet to be repaired. Started ~ 80,000 miles.

General Comments:

This car has been a daily commuter that sees between 70-100mi daily. I've owned it for about three years, and for the most part, it has proven to be very reliable.

In terms of engine and transmission, both perform as well as they did when I bought the car. The 2.0 16v DOHC engine is solid.

The auto box, though, can be kind of annoying because it sometimes hesitates when you really want it to shift. I test drove an Elantra with the standard 5-speed, and that's the one to go for. Though in reality it's not much faster than the auto box, it feels so much better and it lets you play with the bountiful revs that the car can deliver with it's CVVT system.

The other reason to avoid the auto box is because at highway speeds (65-75mph) it'll be pulling at ~3k RPM in 4th gear. It can get tedious.

The Elantra has a pretty stiff suspension, which is a plus in my book as it makes it feel more lively and it takes speed bumps pretty well.

Interior quality is starting to show. The fabric on the center console is already wearing thin, and the rattles on rough roads seem to get worse as the car ages. Some of the plastic is very thin, and some of it on the B pillar cracked for no apparent reason.

But, all of that aside, I like it and the most important stuff, the drive train, is holding up well. I'd give the Elantra a thumbs up to anyone looking for a cheap commuter.