1997 Hyundai Elantra from North America

Summary:

This car is sour like a lemon!

Faults:

I had to replace my brakes twice on car.

Transmission went out at 70,000 miles.

Check engine light has become a usual thing on my car. The light never turns off.

Car really doesn't want to go. I can floor it and it still does not want to get up and go. I have changed the spark plugs, spark plug wires, and the air filter. I have even started using 93 octane gas and performed bi-weekly gas treatments. I cannot find the problem. The dealership cannot find the problem either.

My car easily dents on the side. I was told that Hyundai's have some kind of magnetic strip on the side so it attracts dents... if they makes any sense.

The wheel bearings on my car messed up at 35000 miles.

This car has some kind of emission control problem that no one can seem to fix.

General Comments:

I let all my family and friends know that if they want a quality car then don't get a Hyundai. My 1997 Hyundai Elantra has caused me nothing but trouble and heartache. Hyundai never has to worry about me buying another one of their cars again.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 26th November, 2002

14th Aug 2006, 14:42

My '97 wagon has 225,000Kms on it, it has travelled all over canada, and spent 4 years in the most harshest of regions, Newfoundland & Labrador. What have I had to pay for beyond regular maintenance (tires, brakes, oil changes, etc.??)

- One clutch

- New set of plugs.

Here's a clue for those who complain about their cars - the old saying is an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Change your oil regularly, replace the timing belt precisely at 96,000 k's and don't drive your car like an idiot and I guarantee it will reward you with many years of service. I hope to get at least 300 - 400K out of my vehicle before I buy another, its just too bad they don't make the wagons anymore.

1997 Hyundai Elantra GLS from North America

Summary:

I love this car!

Faults:

The power window on the drivers side broke.

General Comments:

This car is a great running car. The gas mileage is great!

I took the car to Florida from Pennsylvania the first week I had it and I was really impressed.

It runs great!

It handles great!

This car may look small, but has a ton of room on the inside.

The car has pep.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd October, 2002

1997 Hyundai Elantra from North America

Summary:

The car was a bad bargain and I will never recommend buying a Hyundai

Faults:

Transmission has had to be fixed 7 times within the first 2 years.

Brakes have gone.

Alternator had to be replaced within the first 2 years.

Battery had to be replaced.

Tires replaced 2 times.

Head gaskets replaced.

General Comments:

I believe that if the dealership had replaced the transmission it wouldn't have kept breaking down.

The car has not pick up speed and cannot get out of its own way.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 19th September, 2002

1997 Hyundai Elantra from North America

Summary:

A cheap yet expensive piece of junk

Faults:

The timing chain and timing chain guide had to be replaced 2 days after getting the car.

Oxygen Sensor and passenger side front wheel bearing had to be replaced.

Has gone through 4 sets of tires since 2001.

Noise coming from the back of the car that turned out to be a bent strut.

Had to have 3 wheel alignments.

On the freeway, if you hit a bump you may fly across the lanes.

Engine is extremely noisy, dealer tells me this is normal.

Gone through 3 sets of brakes and replaced rotors once.

General Comments:

This car is made cheap, and expensive to repair.

Doors make squeaking noises.

I have manual windows, and when driving the road noise is horrible. I have to tighten the windows to lessen the noise.

Transmission jumps gears when quickly accelerating.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 4th August, 2002

28th Aug 2012, 01:47

I own a 1997 Hyundai Elantra 5 speed, and it runs like a demon. Sounds like whoever had the car before, really turned it into a mess. Don't get your hopes up. Those Elantras run amazing. Mine is riced out with performance goodies. I suggest trying to fix it. They're cheap for parts, and great dependable cars.

1997 Hyundai Elantra 1.8 from North America

Summary:

Got the car cheap because its resale value is poor, but I feel I got what I paid for.t

Faults:

Hydraulic clutch went out shortly after I got the car, dealership fixed it under warranty. Front wheel bearings went out on both wheels at the same time at 75,000 miles, cost me $750.00, I could not believe such a high cost. Check engine light stays on constantly, I just ignore it. Had gas tank replaced at 66,000 miles warranty recall, it had leakage. Paint chips very easily on the front end.

General Comments:

The car has decent performance, very peppy little car.

The ride is a little rough and the steering is somewhat quirky.

Floor carpet is very poor quality.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 26th May, 2002

1st Nov 2009, 21:26

The common theme I find among these bad reviews is that the people who write them can't work on their own cars and complain about routine maintenance. Wheel bearings wear out on all cars, not just Elantras. The check engine light is the funniest part of some of these reviews. It turns on, and people stare at them hoping they'll just magically turn off, instead of taking it someplace to have the code read by a scanner (auto parts stores will do this for free) and then taking care of the problem. The check engine light is TELLING you that something needs to be fixed, but people like this person here just ignore it.

In reply to 1st Nov 2009, 21:26

5th Feb 2024, 22:06

An older comment, but sums up a lot of things best :)