The 2003 Hyundai hits 200,000 KM!

I snapped this picture with my camera phone today as I was merging on the 407 at Brock Road. I thought it was fitting to post a tribute to the car I love to hate.

I bought this car on my birthday, October 24, 2003. It was a demo model from Pickering Hyundai. I had admired the Elantra GT (a 5 door hatchback similar in looks to a SAAB) from the day they were introduced (in 2002). I signed the papers more out of necessity than anything else - this dealer was the only one that would help me get out of the lease on the 2002 Dodge Dakota I owned. Soon after I took possession I decided to treat it as my tank, not to baby it, but to load it full of whatever I needed to, and to not be concerned about scratches or dents. The latter two were an additon after Vanessa accidentally backed into the front fender one morning, leaving no damage on her car and a sizeable dent in mine!

So I admit I've never been particularly in love with the car but it has a number of redeeming qualities that make me think twice about replacing it. For example:

• In three years and 200,000 kilometres the car has required a rediculously small amount of maintenance. Naturally it has had routine oil changes, a set of tires, brakes and rotors, windshield wipers, etc. Unexpected repairs have been few - two rear wheel bearings, a rearview mirror (my fault) and an unusual wiring fault. Since I do my own maintenance and repairs (and this car makes it easy) I've spent very little in this area.
• The car drives like a tank through any weather conditions. Rock solid at all times.
• I don't care for automatic transmissions, but this has to have one of the smoothest I've ever driven
• The electronic fuel mileage, distance to empty calculator gets heavy use.
• The air conditioning is so cold you can see your breath if you breath into the a/c stream in the summer. Best air conditioning I've ever had in a car.
• The cruise control is the smoothest and most accurate of any car. It's weird a creature comfort would stand out like this, but it has very intuitive controls and gets continual use (I've never bothered with it on any other car I've driven but this one lends itself to being used).
• The stereo system is very well balanced, 6 speakers with no distortion or rattling, even after 200,000 km and thousands of hours of use.

The car has also performed some remarkable feats for a 4 cyl econobox. Most notably:

• We used the Hyundai to tow our camping trailer a few times. Both the trailer and the car were fully loaded, plus Vanessa, the dog, and I. We towed it this way to Algonquin Park, and I've towed it to Balsam Lake and Orillia on at least two occasions.
• I've used the Hyundai to tow UHaul trailers to the dump, and to pick up goods at Home Depot.
• I've used the car for multiple trips to the dump carrying over 1000LBS, often with long planks hanging out the tailgate!
• I hauled Bob's 1600 DP engine AND front axle beam (in the back of the car) from Niagara Falls to Oshawa
• I hauled a stack of counter tops from Ikea in Vaughan to Oshawa, with Vanessa in the car too
• I loaded the car full of VW parts from the seller of our Westfalia, including a 091 transmission, three sets of fuel injection, camper tables, 2 van doors, and more
• I've made countless trips to Home Depot loading the car full of lumber, pipes, hardware, etc.
• I've made countless trips to Algonquin carrying samples of their auto parts and my packaging, often filling the entire car, sometimes even part of the driver's seat!
• I've driven from Peterborough to Oshawa with a bathroom vanity, completely assembled, hanging out the tailgate.

That's about all I can think of for now. So, despite not loving the car, it sure sounds like I like it a lot! I think I'm going to have to keep it now, at least until it hits 300,000. Or maybe 500,000??