I’ve had my 2018 Elantra GT for 100,000 miles without any major issues. It was part of the engine fire lawsuit and got a security ‘upgrade’ with a weird extended warranty from the settlement. Now, I’m getting worried that something big might go wrong, and the dealership will try to deny me coverage. Plus, my insurance is way too high even though I’ve had no accidents. Lately, I’ve been seeing 24 Jettas for decent prices, and since I handled my FIAT’s maintenance, I think I could manage the VW too. So, should I keep my Hyundai until it dies or sell it while it still holds some value?
I have a 2014 GT with 151k miles. It’s been a reliable car. I change the oil every 5K miles with full synthetic, and it still gets me 34-36 mpg on highway trips. Keeping up with maintenance is key. Unless you’re facing problems, it’s cheaper to stick with the car you know.
@Barrack
Fair point. I have the automatic, and while I haven’t had any issues, mine does burn oil at a similar rate. I get around 30-32 mpg on my commute.
HyundaiEnclave said:
@Barrack
Fair point. I have the automatic, and while I haven’t had any issues, mine does burn oil at a similar rate. I get around 30-32 mpg on my commute.
Make sure to change all fluids at 100k – brake fluid, transmission, and oil with synthetic every 5k miles. I don’t rev over 4k RPMs, which helps with wear. A VW or FIAT may be less reliable in comparison.
@Barrack
Having had a FIAT, I can say it never stranded me. However, I had to replace small things like sensors and rear wheel bearings, which was about as tricky as changing brake pads.
HyundaiEnclave said:
@Barrack
Fair point. I have the automatic, and while I haven’t had any issues, mine does burn oil at a similar rate. I get around 30-32 mpg on my commute.
If you’re burning oil, try using Valvoline restore and protect. It might help reduce the oil consumption.
If there are no major issues, I’d say keep it! I have a 2016 model with about 140k miles. I’ve been burning oil since just after the 100k warranty expired. The car still runs well. I replaced the catalytic converter last year due to the oil burning, but I’d rather keep it than face new car payments. I’ll probably trade it in soon because I know it’ll need brakes and struts soon, but it has served me well.
@YukiJane
I’m in a position where I could buy another car and sell this one privately for more than I’d get on a trade-in. Thanks for your input .
I’m not sure if it still applies, but FIAT was jokingly called ‘Fix It Alla Time’ because of frequent issues.
Alexy said:
I’m not sure if it still applies, but FIAT was jokingly called ‘Fix It Alla Time’ because of frequent issues.
Lol, the newer ones are actually pretty reliable. You won’t get stranded, but small things like sensors and bearings can be a hassle. If you’re not attached to the car, it can be annoying. I was one of the ones who loved theirs.
I would check the second-hand market. If you’re going to spend around 10k, it might be better to buy a newer car rather than putting that money into an old Elantra.
Mine started burning oil around that mileage too.
At this point, the Elantra doesn’t have much residual value. It depends on how much your insurance premiums are compared to a used car from another brand. If you don’t want the cost of a new car, maybe look into quotes for used Mazda 3 or Honda Civic. I’d stay away from VW, even if you can work on it. Why pay to replace parts when you could have a more reliable car? If you save on insurance, it might make sense to trade.
@Sadie
Thanks for the advice! I’ve been looking at Honda and Mazda, but the prices are marked up above KBB value by $3-4k. At that point, I might as well buy a new car.
@Sadie
The GT doesn’t have the same theft issues as the sedan versions. Liability-only insurance is still reasonable for mine.
Masitsa said:
@Sadie
The GT doesn’t have the same theft issues as the sedan versions. Liability-only insurance is still reasonable for mine.
I’m looking into quotes, but I’m currently paying over $300 a month for insurance.
VW… RUN! My last VW caught fire in my driveway just 30 minutes after I signed for it.
I have a 2017 Elantra with 145k miles and no issues so far. If you take care of it, it should last.
I have a 2014 Elantra GT (manual, with all the features). No unscheduled maintenance so far. I plan to run it into the ground. I’ve considered getting a used MX-5, but I’ll probably keep this one going until it’s done.
I have a 2014 Elantra sedan with 120k miles. It ticks like a sewing machine, but I’m still not ready to let it go. I’ll drive it until it dies.