2002 Hyundai Elantra review from North America

Before my first payment was due, the paint went bad. Little pits all over the trunk, roof, and hood. The dealership tried to tell me it was caused by bird droppings, but there had not been a dropping on the car at all. It's black, and they tried to tell me that the dealership I bought it from (not them, by the way) had left a black car on their lot covered in bird droppings. Baloney. Anyway, I left the car, called back a week later and they hadn't started painting yet. Everyone else came before me. the guy admitted he had moved me to the back of the line, but didn't way why. When I got it back, after a total of 3 weeks, the electric windows didn't work. They changed a fuse, but two days later, the windows didn't work again. It took them two more days to find a crimped wire and fix that.

I understand that things will happen, but I really have a problem with a dealership that will let a brand new owner sit without a car they are making payments on for over 3 weeks. And because I live in a rural area, each trip to the dealership, round trip, was about 45 miles. That's 180 miles and a lot of time on the road for a working woman.

I love the car, no doubt about it. But the uncaring manner of the dealership has taken the "joy" out of this new car for me. And, believe me, I waited a long time to make this buying decision.

I am also worried about the the power surges I feel when I am driving with the air conditioning on. I have a standard transmission, and when I have the air conditioning on I lose power during turns and going up even mild grades and hills. I have a 91 4cyl. Chevy S-10 truck and never had this problem with it.