2005 Hyundai Elantra from North America - Comments

All cars with timing belts and not timing chains, with 16 valves (4 cylinders) twin camshaft, have to change timing belt all the time!! (Honda, Mitsubishi, Toyota, etc). The Civics of 90s are very sensitive on this point. Many broken Honda engines, due to this fact.

If you don't want to change the timing belt all the time, buy a Mercedes 190E or a 200E of the 90s or an Alfa 75 of the 90s 1.6, 1.8 liter. Practically every asian car and most EU cars have this weak point.

If you don't change timing belt in a multi camshaft, multi valve car you are asking for trouble!!!

To the poster on here who didn't know if the newer Civics had a timing belt or not, the 2006 and up Honda Civic has a timing chain, not a timing belt. I know this because I have an '08 Honda Civic, it has a timing chain.

Honda and Toyota have switched to timing chains on most of their engines that last the life of the engine with no replacement interval. If you have a Hyundai with over 60k on the odometer, I highly recommend changing the timing belt if it hasn't been done. If it breaks, not only do all the exhaust valves get bent, totally trashing the cylinder head, but I've seen quite a few where some of the valves get broken off and lodged in to the tops of the pistons, and also scoring the cylinder walls. In these instances, the engine is trashed and not worth repairing, and replacing it can cost between $3000-4000 with labor, and that will be for a rebuilt engine.

I'm at 95,000 miles on my 2003 Elantra GT. Not to happy with rotors and brakes. The rotors seem to warp and wear fast. I have not changed my timing belt yet, and it is just starting to show signs of wear. I have driven the heck out of this car and have only replaced the brakes, rotors, tires, and the thermostat. Very happy with the car.

"The rotors seem to warp and wear fast"

I had this problem with a previous import. I solved it by switching to special thicker heavy-duty rotors. Also, NEVER have your rotors turned unless they are scored, as this takes off material and leaves them thinner and more prone to warp. I have NEVER turned the rotors on any car I've ever owned. I drive only domestics now (better quality) and generally get no less than 70,000 to 100,000+ miles out of a set of brake pads.