1995 Hyundai Elantra review from North America

I started having problems with this car 2 days after buying it. Within the first month I had the following replaced (thank God for warranty's!!!) :

Timing belt

alternator belt

battery

alternator- each part was a separate tow and trip to the garage.

About 3 months later, the factory installed tape player started eating tapes and only played in one direction.

I thought I was done with repairs for a while when a belt broke, I think it was the alternator belt again.

1 week after having the belt replaced, the car started making an extremely loud sound that turned out to be from a pulley that had split in half horizontally. The mechanic said he had never seen this happen before.

The car then was left un-driven for the winter (except for when it was started and left running in the driveway occasionally), and when I returned, would not start. I had the following replaced:

4 spark plugs

valve cove gasket

spark plug wire set

air filter

fuel filter.

And finally, 2 months later, the car is again dead in the driveway and will probably need to be towed again. The radio and accessories are all working fine, but the engine immediately loses power and stalls less than 5 seconds after turning over normally.

I am happy with how this car runs, when it is actually running. I have easily gotten it over 80 mph, and generally accelerates and brakes smoothly. I also like the size of the car, especially on narrow city streets.

I have had too many repairs in the year that I have had the car though, and don't trust it much. I am considering trying to sell it and getting a non-Hyundai before my next 6 hour drive from Vermont to Rhode Island for school. I don't trust it to make it that far again.