Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General Well I may get a lancer

I'd be giving that new Tiburon a close look!

For the price of the Protege you can get 2 KIA RIOs.

Join StreetKiaz.com

WOOHOO!!

Then get a bumper sticker that says "My other car is a POS too!"

just get the Mazda Protege Mp3, screw the wagon 5. , don't wanna be called a sissy or a soccer mom

Wagon, WTF???

I swear Americans have a phobia of "wagons". The MP5 is a 5 door hatch (also another yank-phobia). IMHO the 5 door hatch of the Protege, the ZX5, WRX AND the Matrix look very sweet and flowing.

Case in point - a Suburban, Tahoe, etc IS a wagon jacked up on a higher suspension, but your average fool doesn't realise this, and hence, calls it a SUV - "whatever, I do what I want" (Cartman quote:D)

The number of times I wish I had a bit more cargo space is grdually increasing. My next car will be a 5-door hatch, that I am sure of.

Tell me that this Mondeo isn't a good looking car, with practicality!

Its called a Protoge 5, an MP5 is a sub machine gun.

Sorry Aussie, but a wagon, SUV, or minivan all scream "soccer dad" about the occupant. I agree that the Mondeo is well styled, and allows you to haul a$$ along with the wife and kids, but it's still a wagon... so it still screams "family truckster" as it screams down the road.

Drive a wagon, and you'll never get laid, as all the girls will think you're cheating on the wife.

The Protege 5 is NOT a wagon, it's a 5-door hatchback. I do understand where one gets the impression with that ugly roof rack, but it's removable. It does not give the "family truckster" image.

The Matrix/Vibe and the ZX5 are also 5-doors (though the styling of the ZX5 is an abomination), but the WRX is a wagon. It's all in the horizontal plane of the roofline. At least it doesn't look totally like an AMC Pacer anymore

My next car will be a 5-door hatch too. The Mazda 6!

Don't believe the reviews. None of them know their posteriors from holes in the ground, and they'd be afraid to give the Yugo a bad review.

Don't knock the Kia Rio. For it's class, it's really a pretty good car.

zero, where is the Elantra "best-in-class" in anything? Sorry, but that car just screams "cheap" at about 140 decibels. It also has a worse-than-average reliability record.

Tiburon is going into a market like the new Eclipse. It lacks substance, and really isn't a deal at the prices they're charging. A 3.8 Mustang would be a better deal there.

Just because you don't like it and type pointed opinionated comments about it doesn't mean it's a bad car. Have you even driven one? Or are you trusting the reviewers who "don't know their posteriors from holes in the ground, and they'd be afraid to give the Yugo a bad review?" I'm not saying it's God's gift to automobiles, just a viable alternative to the Lancer-- that's all. I don't want one, but I'm not in the market for a Lancer either. Contours have proven to have less than average reliablity problems (according to Consumer Reports and JD Power)yet you and I own one. The exception is, our Contours would still be covered by the full factory warrantee for 60 months if it had Hyundai's warrantee. Every car has its issues.

It offers class leading warrantee and price for what you get. Along with an extensive list of standard features. ex: standard leather interior, heated mirrors, pw, pdl, etc... Hyundai has also made huge strides to improve reliablity.

http://www.edmunds.com/new/2002/hyundai/elantra/gt4drhatchback20l4cyl5m/overvi ew.html?id=lin0006

http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.rp?kbb.IL&60563&11&02elantra2

Like I said, I don't want one or even like it all that much myself. But it is a good alternative to a Lancer, which itself has had initial reliablity problems and offers no performance to get excited about.

Actually I did drive an Elantra GT, and it wasn't half the car of a Protege 5, which I recommended. In my opinion, it is a mediocre car in a class with excellent alternatives.

On reliability, the Contour was average when I bought it, and slipped afterwards.

To me the warranty is a gimmick used to try to get people into the car. It's a powertrain warranty, not covering the things which actually go wrong. Also, just because you don't have to pay for the repair doesn't make it any less of an inconvenience to get it fixed.

I've driven the Lancer OZ Rally Edition and Elantra GT and feel the Elantra was by far the better car. I was actually rather impressed with the Elantra GT in ride and drive and performance driving.

svtcarboy-- I haven't driven a Protege5 so I won't comment extensively on it. On paper and looks, I'd give the nod to the Protege5 but I have no idea where reliablity stands. I'd be very impressed if it indeed that much better than the Elantra GT as you say. I'd pass on the Focus sedan on looks alone.

btw-- sorry if my post above came across as snotty, but I don't agree about the Elantra GT. peace

Korean people DO NOT buy Korean cars.
Draw your own conclusions...