Faults:

- Transmission slippage.

- Needed new tires (rattled on the highway).

General Comments:

Bought for roommate for $600. Was just a cheap beater.

Tranny slipped, changed fluid, ran great for 20k miles, and it made it from Minnesota to Oregon. Car still drove until the trans failed in 2010.

Was a die-hard vehicle. The engine wouldn't die. The car rattled at first, but new tires and balancing fixed all that.

Was an ugly little red, dented, rusty thing. Got from point A to B. Would buy for a cheap beater again.

Faults:

Clutch burned out at 153500 miles.

Lights went out at 153000.

General Comments:

Great value for the money.. I have recently seen new 08 Accents selling for 8995.. really incredible value. I only have a 97 but it gets 36 mpg in town and 39-40 mpg highway.. great for teenagers as I am one.

Faults:

The passenger door does not lock. After a year I started to have not serious issues with the transmission (it does not change the gear as fast as normal specially when I start running the car in the morning).

General Comments:

The car runs almost as good as when I bought it with just general maintenance. I use conventional oil for the engine with anything else, and still is good. The car is still cheap on gas (11 - 12 kilometers per L in the city, and 14 - 15 per L in highway). I got the same performance that my previous Toyota Corolla, but cheaper.

Faults:

Interior door handles are of poor quality (driver's side handle broke)

Hard plastic dash is prone to major cracking after several seasons of hot/cold.

The lowest of the three engine belts is susceptible to premature wear due to inadequate coverage by the splash guard.

Just replaced the coil pack at 105,000 miles. Rough idle and acceleration, first replaced plugs and wires. Finally diagnosed after noting a multiple cylinder misfire code.

Original struts appeared to wear prematurely. Replaced struts around 89,000 miles.

General Comments:

Adequate power and acceleration. Still getting close to 38-39 MPG on the highway when doing the speed limit and not using the A/C. This car is VERY reliable if routine maintenance is performed.

I've been able to obtain most all parts from local parts stores at very reasonable prices. The engine compartment is very easy to work in and there is plenty of space to complete routine maintenance.

I would have like to see a bit more quality in the interior. (Dash, door handles, etc.)

Overall, I am very pleased with the reliability and performance of the 1997 Hyundai Accent.

Faults:

The front axle developed a problem in 2000. I don't remember the exact name of the part that needed replaced, but it was very inexpensive to do so.

Just recently I had to replace the spark plugs and wires due to some misfiring. Given they were the originals, I was not surprised at having to do so.

The only other problems I have had with this car have been the standard ones: a couple new sets of tires, air conditioning needed recharged, and the struts and timing belt needing replaced.

General Comments:

This car has been very good to me. Its reliability has been a godsend.

The gas mileage is great. I average about 34 mpg on the highway and 31 around town.

Its handling is certainly not that of a sports-car, but it does very well for average driving. And its small size and turning radius makes parking a breeze in some areas where others can't even try.

The only exterior issues with the car is that the paint has started to peel on the non-metallic pieces such as the bumpers and the spoiler.