I may have tipped my hat to the spouse

I talk about cars all the time, and I dream about "my next car" incessantly. I suppose I do this with tools, motorcycles, boats and lots of other stuff too. My long-suffering wife (16 years, love you babe) can generally ignore all my ramblings, but apparently she can also tell when my dreaming turns into planning. She recently sat through a dissertation about the Hyundai Elantra N and asked "are you going to go look at one?"  I feigned ignorance and pretended like I was just daydreaming, but she said "I can tell when your wheels are spinning for real". 

Was I really considering a move from the Fiesta ST? I love my FiST and find it hard to find something that ticks all the boxes for me, but maybe the Elantra N does?

• Horsepower - Check, more than the Ford
• Torque - Check, about the same
• Traction - Check, LSD and wider rubber 
• Transmission - Check, I would go for the DSG in fact, but the manual would also be good. 
• Room - Check, I would miss the hatch, but more useable interior space suite my real-world needs better 
• Style - I have none, so who cares? 
• Price - Check, it is not $40K 
• Reliability - Check, I have had great luck with Hyundai/Kia

I guess I will see if they are selling at MSRP or not, I will not pay over sticker for anything. (This is on principal, and because I am cheap, and because I am broke. )  And if local dealers get any, and if they are in high demand, etc.  If all looks good, what does the tribe think of the Elantra N? 

I don't have any seat time with the Elantra, but I do find it strange that your list excludes all the things to love about the FiST - namely anything related to handling, fun factor, braking, and seat-hugginess. If you graded the Elantra on what the FiST does well, would the score would look much different?. Seems like deep down you want the Elantra, and that's coming through subconsiously in how you are comparing them. 

That 69 Caddy that Asa found in Orlando, the one that mndsm and I wete going back and forth over? I asked SWMBO what she thought and she didn't try to talk me out of it.  Didn't even balk at the thought of me and the hellspawn flying down and driving it home.

She's a ruler for sure .

In reply to Appleseed :

I've said it before.....do I need to go fetch it? It's only about 45min from me.....

I saw an Elantra N in the wild this weekend, I think the styling is a little overwrought personally. 

calteg said:

I saw an Elantra N in the wild this weekend, I think the styling is a little overwrought personally. 

I wish Hyundai would use the styling of the Non-N cars on the N cars.

cyow5 said:

I don't have any seat time with the Elantra, but I do find it strange that your list excludes all the things to love about the FiST - namely anything related to handling, fun factor, braking, and seat-hugginess. If you graded the Elantra on what the FiST does well, would the score would look much different?. Seems like deep down you want the Elantra, and that's coming through subconsiously in how you are comparing them. 

That's also kinda the point. I have loved the FiST for 8 years now, longer than my first marriage. So yes, it does so much so well and nothing will compete with it 1:1 at the same price. But it is not competitive in STH because for all of its power, it is limited to 205 or 215 tires. It is also starting to show some wear and tear that I need to address. I don't have Apple Car play. I don't commute in traffic anymore. I have a huge van for hauling stuff. I am tired of the little issues the car does have, like the low clearance and stiff ride. I am at the 8-year itch stage I guess. 

I think going back to a street class and just arriving and driving would be nice for a while. A decent ride on the highway for longer trips would be nice. Something that doesn't scream 20-year old kid! would be nice. There is 100% nothing bad or wrong with the FiST, I am just tired of apples and am ready for oranges. 

That's kinda what I was getting at. Your definition of "best" has changed and no longer is the Fiesta. Everyone has a different definition of "best" for different purposes, so your original post seems to say that now the N does fit your personal definition of "best" for a lot of the reasons a Fiesta can't compete.

But it also sounds like your wife already picked up on all that, haha

Apparently my local Hyundai dealer has a DCT Elantra N for $34k advertised price on the lot.  I haven't seen it though.  If they made the Elantra GT N I would be having an issue.

Do I even need to comment here? 

nocones said:

Apparently my local Hyundai dealer has a DCT Elantra N for $34k advertised price on the lot.  I haven't seen it though.  If they made the Elantra GT N I would be having an issue.

 

 

 

 

i20N would be my kryptonite right now.

Are the Veloster and Elantra platform mates? Or distinct? I wish we got the i30n. I don't buy new cars, but still.

In reply to fatallightning :

Yes. they share a lot.

nocones said:

  If they made the Elantra GT N I would be having an issue.

Yup this or a 4 door Veloster N

Isn't that one of the engines related to their massive engine failure recall right now? Theta II GDI right? 

In reply to maschinenbau :

no. That's the 11-16 (in the article you quoted).

Can you wait until the spicy Corolla comes out? Even if you'd rather get the Elantra N, I suspect it will get a few dollars off if mentioning wanting to check out the Corolla before making the decision while at the dealership

I like it a lot for all the reasons you listed in your original post. Time to move on, nothing wrong with that.

How can you know without driving the Elantra first?

Oh my, that would be the ultimate ticket for me. 

Didn't you tip your hand to your spouse?  As in, let her know what your devious automotive intentions are?  You can tip your hat to her (in tribute) after she lets you proceed with your scheme. 

Oh yeah- you should totally buy it.

I think you mean "Tipped my hand"

If you want an Elantra GT N with DCT you should look at the Kona N since that actually exists 

Id be all over a Veloster N, Elantra N or even the Kona N if i didnt just buy a 2021 F150 to replace my Colorado. My Fiesta ST is great but i find that even with the LSD and 225's the torque vectoring system kills the car on track. It just wont go much faster without some serious re-engineering of the ABS programming to remove torque vectoring.

The I20N would be in my garage right now if they sold it here. Same with the I30N. I cant get over the 3 doors on the Veloster, the face of the Elantra N or the FWD part of a Kona N. 

Not to be That Guy, but "tip your hat" means to compliment or acknowledge someone.

"Tip your hand" means to give away secret plans, accidentally or on purpose.

Of course, if you know that, kindly accept my apologies for being That Guy.