I am not talking about high-tech gimmicks that you can get as an option/package for a 1000's of $$.
I mean things that are standard or are included with low cost packages, or just small things that are standard, or part of the inherent design, or part of a low cost package that you like, but go mostly unnoticed, and are special for the class/price of the car ...
things that you may have not noticed during the first 3-4 months of ownership, but made you go "wow - cool - I didn't know it had that... "
I'll start off:
2003 Elantra:
-standard heated mirrors
- a pleasant surprise for an econo car, with auto trans being the only option. SO USEFUL in winter mornings.
Very few cars, even now, and being upscale has these as standard. (car also has power mirrors, power windows and locks as standard on the base GLS model)
-padded, comfy, arm rests: yeah it's a small thing, but again, tiny nice feature for econo class; most cars of that year had hard plasticky arm rests.
-driver foot rest: not many cars have these either, nice on long trips.
-interval wipers standard - don't know how common this was at the time with other econo cars.
EXCELLENT headlights - NONE of the cars I have driven have such excellent headlights - high beams are like daylight. (Osram H1 and H7 bulbs I think)
-headlights can NOT come on if key is not in ON position - i LOVE this - can never leave headlights on by mistake after turning off car, and also never forget to turn them on at night - if key is in and car running, headlights WILL BE on.
standard side air bags: again, nice to have on a econo base model as standard.
-very comfy and supportive seats with manual lumbar adjust - very good seats for the class.
-dash gauges are luminescent somehow; even with parking lights not on, going through a tunnel or dark area, they glow anyway - nice.
- all switches for the power windows etc are illuminated - may sound small, but I like it, and have seen MANY cars that don't have it.
-cargo nets on backs of seats (meh - again, wife thinks it's cool)
-fold down rear seat: idk - it maybe not that special, but sure is uselful sometimes.
-lamps on door that actually lights up: most cars just have reflectors in this class.
- 4 very nice floor mats with HOOKS to HOLD THEM IN PLACE in front- standard/no cost item !!! (hint: think toyota) they also have "Elantra" embroidered onto them
- Trans position indicator on dash - again, no big deal, BUT uselful to have - wifey likes it, and doesn't like that my Tbird lacks it.
-Looks: looks WAY refined and more serious that econo boxes of same class, and a bit heavier too, which i like, for improved stability on roads (doesn't get blown off by passing trucks like some compact cars do)
- gets 30-32 mpg avg hwy, (we've seen 36 a couple of times)
-interior room: The Elantra is EPA "compact" for exterior dimensions, but is classified as "mid-size" in interior room category by the EPA.
-not very imp. for me, but wifey likes following:
-fold down sunglass compartment, slide out cup holders under the rear seat (which we discovered almost an year into ownership)
-2 level storage in arm rest.
-vanity mirrors in both sun visors (i know it's a common feature)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997 Tbird (sport):
-speed sensitive power steering standard: pretty cool when trying to park, - Bird is heavy.- and keeps car stable at high speed.
-fuel disable on impact: shuts off fuel on a rear impact and has a switch to reset.
-auto lamp and auto on interior lights when using keyless entry- (not sure if part of a package) turns on headlights when it's dark enough
-foot well illumination on both sides upon opening the door.- very nifty useful feature I think.
- all switches for the power windows etc are illuminated - may sound small, but I like it, and have seen MANY cars that don't have it.
-Slide AND tilt moonroof - wifey likes this more than me.
-LED tail lights - pretty cool to have in a 1997 and looks great (made by HP at the time for the 1996-97 Tbirds)
-ILLUMINATED vanity mirrors on both sun visors - i don't care but wifey thinks it's cool and is jealous that Elantra lacks illumination.
-very thin pillars all around: EXCELLENT visibility all around - Tbird is the best car i have driven in terms of visibility, period.
-rear defroster turns off automatically after about 20 minutes - cool feature that prevents from running it all the time if needed only when you start driving.
-Very slanted windshield - great visibilty esp. in rain - for some reason, water just seems to vanish from my windshield - wifey noted that it's 100x better in rain comp.to her Elantra.
-interval wipers with about 10 speeds !
-great dash/console material: miles better than some of the cars even in higher classes; no cheap shiny thin plastic stuff that looks and feels better than most cars of this class/age.
-emergency brake is foot operated - no cluttering of console.
-leather steering wheel and shift knob - feels great, but not sure if it was an option - i am PRETTY sure it was standard with all v8 Tbirds.
-coin holder in console - yeah I have actually found this very useful
-gets 25-27 mpg for a pretty torquey v8
-HUGE trunk.
-EXCELLENT sounding factory FM radio - yeah it's so good that I am reluctant to upgrade to a CD receiver - i listen to FM most of the time anyway - and the factory speakers and radio just ROCK - and i am somewhat of an audio snob
-oh yeah - I also like the power antenna.
Looks - yep - i think it's a timeless design, that started in 1989 - to me, it still looks good and looked VERY nice in 1989.
I mean things that are standard or are included with low cost packages, or just small things that are standard, or part of the inherent design, or part of a low cost package that you like, but go mostly unnoticed, and are special for the class/price of the car ...
things that you may have not noticed during the first 3-4 months of ownership, but made you go "wow - cool - I didn't know it had that... "
I'll start off:
2003 Elantra:
-standard heated mirrors
- a pleasant surprise for an econo car, with auto trans being the only option. SO USEFUL in winter mornings.
Very few cars, even now, and being upscale has these as standard. (car also has power mirrors, power windows and locks as standard on the base GLS model)
-padded, comfy, arm rests: yeah it's a small thing, but again, tiny nice feature for econo class; most cars of that year had hard plasticky arm rests.
-driver foot rest: not many cars have these either, nice on long trips.
-interval wipers standard - don't know how common this was at the time with other econo cars.
EXCELLENT headlights - NONE of the cars I have driven have such excellent headlights - high beams are like daylight. (Osram H1 and H7 bulbs I think)
-headlights can NOT come on if key is not in ON position - i LOVE this - can never leave headlights on by mistake after turning off car, and also never forget to turn them on at night - if key is in and car running, headlights WILL BE on.
standard side air bags: again, nice to have on a econo base model as standard.
-very comfy and supportive seats with manual lumbar adjust - very good seats for the class.
-dash gauges are luminescent somehow; even with parking lights not on, going through a tunnel or dark area, they glow anyway - nice.
- all switches for the power windows etc are illuminated - may sound small, but I like it, and have seen MANY cars that don't have it.
-cargo nets on backs of seats (meh - again, wife thinks it's cool)
-fold down rear seat: idk - it maybe not that special, but sure is uselful sometimes.
-lamps on door that actually lights up: most cars just have reflectors in this class.
- 4 very nice floor mats with HOOKS to HOLD THEM IN PLACE in front- standard/no cost item !!! (hint: think toyota) they also have "Elantra" embroidered onto them
- Trans position indicator on dash - again, no big deal, BUT uselful to have - wifey likes it, and doesn't like that my Tbird lacks it.
-Looks: looks WAY refined and more serious that econo boxes of same class, and a bit heavier too, which i like, for improved stability on roads (doesn't get blown off by passing trucks like some compact cars do)
- gets 30-32 mpg avg hwy, (we've seen 36 a couple of times)
-interior room: The Elantra is EPA "compact" for exterior dimensions, but is classified as "mid-size" in interior room category by the EPA.
-not very imp. for me, but wifey likes following:
-fold down sunglass compartment, slide out cup holders under the rear seat (which we discovered almost an year into ownership)
-2 level storage in arm rest.
-vanity mirrors in both sun visors (i know it's a common feature)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1997 Tbird (sport):
-speed sensitive power steering standard: pretty cool when trying to park, - Bird is heavy.- and keeps car stable at high speed.
-fuel disable on impact: shuts off fuel on a rear impact and has a switch to reset.
-auto lamp and auto on interior lights when using keyless entry- (not sure if part of a package) turns on headlights when it's dark enough
-foot well illumination on both sides upon opening the door.- very nifty useful feature I think.
- all switches for the power windows etc are illuminated - may sound small, but I like it, and have seen MANY cars that don't have it.
-Slide AND tilt moonroof - wifey likes this more than me.
-LED tail lights - pretty cool to have in a 1997 and looks great (made by HP at the time for the 1996-97 Tbirds)
-ILLUMINATED vanity mirrors on both sun visors - i don't care but wifey thinks it's cool and is jealous that Elantra lacks illumination.
-very thin pillars all around: EXCELLENT visibility all around - Tbird is the best car i have driven in terms of visibility, period.
-rear defroster turns off automatically after about 20 minutes - cool feature that prevents from running it all the time if needed only when you start driving.
-Very slanted windshield - great visibilty esp. in rain - for some reason, water just seems to vanish from my windshield - wifey noted that it's 100x better in rain comp.to her Elantra.
-interval wipers with about 10 speeds !
-great dash/console material: miles better than some of the cars even in higher classes; no cheap shiny thin plastic stuff that looks and feels better than most cars of this class/age.
-emergency brake is foot operated - no cluttering of console.
-leather steering wheel and shift knob - feels great, but not sure if it was an option - i am PRETTY sure it was standard with all v8 Tbirds.
-coin holder in console - yeah I have actually found this very useful
-gets 25-27 mpg for a pretty torquey v8
-HUGE trunk.
-EXCELLENT sounding factory FM radio - yeah it's so good that I am reluctant to upgrade to a CD receiver - i listen to FM most of the time anyway - and the factory speakers and radio just ROCK - and i am somewhat of an audio snob
-oh yeah - I also like the power antenna.
Looks - yep - i think it's a timeless design, that started in 1989 - to me, it still looks good and looked VERY nice in 1989.
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