N-Line Sendoff: The Right Car, Too Many Years Too Late.
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I wasn’t sure how I wanted to approach this post, and I’ve decided that I’m going to split it into 3 posts; the story below, a “Final Review” of my 2019 Elantra GT N-Line, and then when the time comes, an overview of the new vehicle that’s replacing it. Which CarMax should be delivering to my local store this week so I can check it out and get final stamp of approval.
If you’re not in for something long-form and not written by a professional journalist or writer, then you can simply skip to the bottom Tl;Dr paragraph. Then await the “2019 Elantra GT N-Line: Final Review” post. (I"m still getting the hang of the editing here, and I'm not good with Markdown)
The day is approaching that I didn’t expect to see. The day I let go of a car for the 25th time, my 2019 Elantra GT N-Line. When I originally leased it, I planned to buy it out and have it as a Forever Car; taking care of it and babying it from brand-new so there was never any question who cared for it and how well it was maintained. But unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. Sometimes we drift into a daydream, and as we come to, we realize… nah, it didn’t make much sense. Beginning around 6 months of ownership, and intensifying around the time we were told to stay home for the first COVID Shelter-in-Place.
Leading up to the time I picked it up I practically obsessed over it. It checked all the boxes; compact hatch, 200+ HP, tuneable turbo, big wheels, and lots of premium features like ventilated seats (magic), panoramic roof (brightens it up though arguably nicer for passengers to enjoy), and good handling. The DCT is quick and responsive, and though it doesn’t like to behave in more sedate driving, it didn’t matter to me – most of the time, I drove the car anything BUT sedate. (ironically this was also part of the problem with it. With ME). The first 6 months were an absolute honeymoon. I had plans to modify it. I was all but ready to buy a total Stage 1 kit for it, to do a muffler delete, all of that.
But then, after a while, I started to feel a bit stressed. Though it was fun and entertaining to drive, and WAS still comfortable on 2+ hour freeway trips despite the stiffened suspension, the busy-ness of the ride started to get to me. The frantic nature of the drivetrain; how Hyundai’s short-ratio 7 speed DCT winds the Gamma 1.6T into boost remarkably fast with the subsequent max torque barely above 1,500 whisking you away (or one-wheel peeling your front tires into TCS intervention, which consequently Hyundai also balanced nicely) amplified even further in Sport mode. The expense of low-profile 18” wheels and their propensity to pull in screws and metal chunks with ease. In short, after a while the fun little firecracker started to turn into an always-on anxiety-triggering steroidal hamster. At times, where the Sport button were, I wish it had instead been “Comfort”. There are other negative things it made me feel that balance out with a good many positive things too. But something hit me at that moment, and hit me even harder when my first body-damaging road debris hit the car…
This thing was more appropriate for me 20 years ago.
When I was in my 20s, I wanted so badly to participate in the Hot Hatch/Sport Compact explosion happening in the late 90s-through-2000s. So much so that I purchased a base 2002 Nissan Sentra SE-R SpecV (while also a fun car, was also a colossal piece of shit) that hung decidedly mid-pack among it’s peers, but had the best price and was just prior to Nissan’s [and the industry’s] first 0% financing offers (I got 1.9% at 21…).
At the time, I wrung it out. I made every corner work that Helical LSD. The transmission didn’t like my pushiness, the engine wailed as I was WOT whenever I could. I got speeding tickets (though the only two ever in my life, so far). I slid a few times, as ABD was an option and I was too excited to ride the edge of grip with any finesse. The ride was harsh, but it was more fun than uncomfortable. I vowed at that point, after having my automotive tuning appetite whet by my previous Grand Prix GTP, that I would only ever drive fast/sporty/sports cars in life.
Though shortly thereafter, my life took a big turn, the car left my possession, and I began a long dark period of just driving anything I could afford and get my hands on while I lived in various Northern California towns both large and small.
In the places I lived before, the economies weren’t that great. I fought like hell during the Great Recession for any kind of work, same as most anyone. We scraped and we saved, and finally we moved back out to California like we wanted.
My life situation turned around drastically in the Summer of 2015, and I fixed a lot of things I was working on. Within 30 days of moving, I had a pretty decent IT job. My first “decent” one since I left California in 2008. At that time, we had a rusted out Grand Caravan that thankfully made it across the country but it took it’s toll and it was slowly falling apart. While we saved money and righted the ship, Mister Disdainful would dutifully walk to work every single day, for months, until we got him that ill-fated 2016 Fiesta SE with that damned DCT. A story for another time (or never).
Skipping over other events, like the purchase and subsequent sale of my beloved E36 328i sedan, we land in the Now.
COVID-19 changed everything in that part of my life, in addition to being directly affected by Climate Change with California spending most of this Summer and Autumn straight up on fire and coming perilously close multiple times to needing to evacuate. I went to mostly work-from-home since March. Even when I do go back on site presumably (so far) this Summer, I may still work from home 50% of the time. The department was going in that direction even before the pandemic, and I was already in discussions with my boss about it anyhow. In the meantime I volunteered to go on-site one day per week to help with physical things that needed to be done. I normally would take the commuter bus most of the time, and drive when it suited me or I woke up late and missed it.
Driving only one day per week, before and now DURING the pandemic, didn’t make it any more special. Instead it felt like a once per week chore, in a vehicle that seemed to stress me out more than give me any sense of enjoyment. Coupled with being a [low mileage] lease, I’m paying all this money on a vehicle I don’t even put 200 miles a month on. Thus the final nail was when Carvana started offering stupid amounts of money on trade-ins. It means I could get out of my lease nearly free. Spending the time and money on something I chose to not even keep, was just too much for me. Despite being a lease, my desire to modify and customize it just fell flat and faded. True, I did modify my E36. But it was primarily cosmetic.
The Tl;Dr (especially for those who skipped to the end).
The car is wrong for me. The love wore off because the ride is too busy, the drivetrain is frenetic, I feel anxious and bullied on the road, the dynamics of the vehicle was a willing accomplice in my aggressive driving habits, and I wanted something larger (ironically, the replacement vehicle is not). I didn’t feel like I was having fun when I drove, especially in Bay Area traffic. I just felt like I muzzled and tightly reigned a playful toy, that would better serve someone else. I don’t feel I appreciate the car for what it is, for the mission it was given, for the fun it was supposed to convey. I want something quieter and calmer to drive. This car just needles my anxiety issues. It’s not the car’s fault.
I originally selected a CX-5 Grand Touring Reserve as its replacement. I still want one. But we also decided that we needed to save more money. And with my credit repaired, and his well on the way, I could actually get approved on a used car. We are also trying to get into a larger apartment which means larger rent, and we have to reduce some expenditures to make up for that Quality of Life improvement. The side order of this plate, is the anxiety and Crisis of Car Guy [faith] I faced. Without restrictions on type, style, doors, drivetrain, size, etc and the only criteria being “under $35,000” I simply couldn’t decide what I really wanted.
And for the first time in my life, I look at my N-Line and think “how in the hell did I choose so wrong?”. So much self-reflection went into this. So much consideration for the future, too. I’m turning 40. I need to think of what the rest of my life, our lives, is going to be. And this bothered me. I still sometimes just can't quite suss out if there's more to this, mentally, than I realize or that I admit. Why does this thing trigger my anxiety so consistently? I can only conclude that I bought what I THOUGHT I wanted, BEFORE. But not Now. It doesn't fit Now.
So, I decided my replacement vehicle would be something almost completely antithetical to the N-Line. Even going so far as to choose a color (and I DID have a choice) I wouldn’t normally choose, and costs almost exactly half of my original budget. It’s something I can’t even really effectively modify, and so it prevents the temptation of spending hundreds to thousands on mods. That post will be forthcoming, if and after, I take possession of it.
The next post will be my review and retrospect of nearly 2 years of N-Line. Something I never thought I would write. Though hopefully it won’t be as confusing and meandering as this post probably is. I just had too many thoughts ping-ponging around in my head. I hope this wasn’t too difficult to read. Subjective writing is always more difficult than objective.
PS: My partner still loves his 2018 Elantra GT Sport and we are buying out that lease, this Autumn. It’s not an N-Line, but it’s 95% of one. So a bit of salve on the wound is the fact that I will still have a Gamma-T powered DCT Hyundai hatchback in our stable, and I can take it out just about whenever I want.
Edit: A bit of a "P.S.S." here: I was in a fairly serious auto accident about a decade ago, and that colors my views at least so far as a daily driver is concerned. I also have anxiety issues and feel I would benefit from a vehicle that drives a bit more calm. As a result, I only consider later model vehicles with decent safety ratings and standards. No Rad 90s $2,500 cars to drive til they die. And I tend to shy away from all out sports cars anyhow. The Stinger, for example, would have just been a reflashed 2.0T.
Due to this accident, I can't have a manual as a daily driver as my left foot is mildly fucked. Especially in Bay Area traffic.
2018 Elantra GT Sport | 2023 Bolt EUV
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@rykros-the-disdainful
Hmm. Well, I don't know what to say. There are times when my WRX feels a bit frenetic and it's always a bit too loud. I still drive it like I'm 20 even though I'm well into the age of responsibility. I've driven a lot of rentals over the last few years and can see where something else might better fit my needs, especially for long trips. But I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet. That second-gear pull is just way too much fun!Never discount the possibility that you might live through it.
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@bicyclebuck said in N-Line Sendoff: The Right Car, Too Many Years Too Late.:
That second-gear pull is just way too much fun!
one gear change to 60mph at redline... yes! I'm sure they geared these to minimize the 0-60 time
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@rykros-the-disdainful It's good to change, to get something well-suited to now. And also the great thing is if you want an n-line again, there will always be one out there for sale.
I’m a thousand miles from nowhere, time don’t matter to me
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@beefchips That's true, though if I'm going back to a compact I'll probably do a Kona N or another N car that has AWD. I don't know that I want a FWD Hero car. I'd rather have RWD/AWD and something a little larger. There's also an "out" for me, in that since the candidate is already a few years it's had a good chunk of it's depreciation hit already in case my mind or situation changes. There's also the CarMax 7 day return policy, which factored significantly in my choice of places to source the next ride.
The CX-5 and the Stinger were my top candidates. Unfortunately, Mister Disdainful put the kabosh on the Stinger. His words were that I could buy anything I want, under our budget, and I'm STILL cleared to spend $35K if I really wanted to. But his only restriction is that I'm not allowed to buy an all-out sports car. At least as a daily driver. He's afraid I will get into another huge wreck like I did about 9 years ago; maybe I should amend my post and add that. I think it's important context.
@BicycleBuck If I had a WRX I probably would feel more inclined to keep it, except the insurance is absolutely ridiculous. Mister Disdainful originally wanted one, but he didn't want a CVT (he can't and won't drive manual) and then we did the insurance quote and he immediately said "fuck no". He's not a car person, so, it wasn't tough for him to just move to the next candidate.
I just don't really know what to say or think, either. But I think as a daily-driver, it isn't the right fit. But if it were a secondary car, I don't think I'd settle for something that "only" has 201 HP.
2018 Elantra GT Sport | 2023 Bolt EUV
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@rykros-the-disdainful I know this feeling, I was tired of being beaten up by the ride in my lowered 335xi. Ironically my Si is a competitor to your N-line, and even though it's got a sporty suspension with heavily bolstered seats, the adaptive dampers and those seats along with good general refinement make it enough of a comfy, regular-car experience for me that I don't feel like I'm being beaten up.
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I read the first couple paragraphs and thought "that's just you getting old", and I know this because I feel it too.
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@texturedsoyprotein If the Si came with a DCT like the ILX, I probably would have bought one. Unfortunately, due to traffic and the fact that my left foot was damaged in the accident, I can't drive a manual as a DD. I love manual trans cars, and I want and will have another one in the future. But I can't swing it right now, and I don't have the space or want to spend the spare money on a project car.
@Zaphod-s-Heart-of-Gold It's that transparent, isn't it? I mean I admit I have long-running anxiety issues, including Panic Disorder and OCD, but perhaps I should just admit that yeah... I'm getting too old for this shit LOL. I don't care any more if my car can cut the corners AS quickly. So long as the thing can launch off the line with authority, and it gives me a satisfying push when I boot the throttle, call me sold.
I'm fairly certain the next DD, or perhaps what comes after it, will be a full electric. It isn't very feasible right now being an apartment dweller. Also just waiting for them to become more common, since I don't really care for most of the BEVs on sale right now (I like how Teslas drive but I don't want one)
2018 Elantra GT Sport | 2023 Bolt EUV
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@rykros-the-disdainful The Elantra N will be available with a DCT but I'm not sure if the ride will be comfy enough. The Veloster N even with its adaptive dampers in the softest setting is not especially comfortable.
You may want to keep an eye out for the next ILX or whatever Acura calls its replacement. The current ILX is basically a lux'd up 9th gen Si with a DCT & open diff. For whatever reason Acura kept on Acura-fying the 9th gen Si and never made the 10th gen Civic into an ILX. Probably cost cutting.
The new one will likely have a lot in common with the 11th gen Si. If I were running the show at Acura, I'd make base and Type-S versions, with the Type-S offering adaptive dampers, 250-275 hp, and an LSD. But, who knows how that'll shake out.
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@rykros-the-disdainful Yeah, it's obvious. I'm still a bit younger than you but when I bought my 2010 MS3 at.....25? I knew I wasn't going to modify it as much because I didn't want to deal with the added vibrations and noise and harshness every day. Just didn't have it in me to drive a race car to work every day. I put springs and a sway bar on it, moved over my intake and called it good. And it's remained that way for over 5 years. And now at times, I drive it and think about putting on the stock springs. I cringe when I see pot holes, feels like the car is trying to eject my spine.
But like you I love the spirited drive (I think everyone on this site does), and when I hit some twisty roads I can't help but wring it out. I hit my own limits before the car does still (Mazda knows how to build a chassis) and it excites me to drive it hard. But day to day I almost rather jump in my Gladiator and let the 33" tires soak up the bumps and just.....cruise. Sporty cars don't do the cruise thing as well.
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@texturedsoyprotein Elantra N is tempting. Especially since I LOVE the look of the new CN7 car. But AGAIN... FWD. I'm just over it lol. I was actually looking at used CTS and like I said, the Stinger too. I'm the guy who always said I'd never buy a Domestic car, yet here I am looking at Cadillacs.
@Zaphod-s-Heart-of-Gold That's how I'm feeling. I'm about to turn 40. And I've gotten a bit banged up in the meantime lol. I also want to make room, in the future, to import an S15 Silvia Spec R and/or an R33 GT-R. There's also some other imports I'd like to get one day, like a Pulsar GTi-R or a Bluebird SSS. Many of us are the type that multiple cars probably makes sense. I'm no exception. A nice quick comfy daily driver, and a rambunctious little firecracker for fun.
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@rykros-the-disdainful For my MINI Cooper S, the suspension-affecting modifications I've done have only softened its demeanor, and I welcome it. It's much more forgiving toward road imperfections, and even with its lower handling 'threshold', it's still fun to push the car harder when the feeling arises.
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@rykros-the-disdainful said in N-Line Sendoff: The Right Car, Too Many Years Too Late.:
didn’t feel like I was having fun when I drove, especially in Bay Area traffic. I just felt like I muzzled and tightly reigned a playful toy
I've been there.
Well, not literally, I have yet to visit California... But I have owned a car that didn't fit the area that I often drove. (older turbo Subarus are hella fun on gravel and snow, but hell in traffic and boring on pavement.)
And now that I'm a little older, I don't even think I need a "powerful" car... Just a car that feels powerful. Besides, if the torque is there, 200hp in a small daily driver is definitely still fun.
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@rykros-the-disdainful said in N-Line Sendoff: The Right Car, Too Many Years Too Late.:
@BicycleBuck If I had a WRX I probably would feel more inclined to keep it, except the insurance is absolutely ridiculous. Mister Disdainful originally wanted one, but he didn't want a CVT (he can't and won't drive manual) and then we did the insurance quote and he immediately said "fuck no". He's not a car person, so, it wasn't tough for him to just move to the next candidate.
I just don't really know what to say or think, either. But I think as a daily-driver, it isn't the right fit. But if it were a secondary car, I don't think I'd settle for something that "only" has 201 HP.
I have to admit that I didn't even consider the insurance costs when I bought my WRX. As it turned out, it wasn't much different than my old B-3000, probably because of the truck's age, my age, and the ridiculously high insurance costs in Louisiana. It became more of an issue when my son started driving. We have N-1 cars for the drivers in the house, partly so we can defray some of the insurance expense. Being able to say that he is not a primary driver makes a big difference. I really need to get something old and janky so we can make it his primary vehicle.
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@rykros-the-disdainful Good oppo post and great read if a bit melancholy. Have you looked at the accord sport with the type r engine and 10 speed automatic? Sporty, good chassis, comfortable, wicked powerful.
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@rykros-the-disdainful I'd consider the new Acura, comes in AWD, is getting great reviews (I haven't test drove one yet) and should balance comfort and power nicely if it's anything like previous Acura offerings
"The all-new 2021 TLX leads the way in pushing the limits of performance, tech, and design. Every TLX gets the thrills of a 272-HP108 VTEC
Turbo engine and luxurious amenities in an alluring, sculpted body. Customized drive modes, ambient lighting, and available rear-biased Super Handling All-Wheel Drive
(SH-AWD) deliver pleasure and performance like never before."
(edit - I think this is what @TexturedSoyProtein was mentioning above...)
Hondas, Accuras, BMWs and a 300ZX (gone but not forgotten Tc, Ford Ranger)
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This post speaks to me. I like sport compacts (see username) and I try to live with their compromises, but I'm getting a bit old for it. And for all the hate that crossovers get, I've really enjoyed how easy they are to drive when I've had to drive them.
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@jayvincent No I'm not talking about the TLX. Acura is going to have a replacement for the ILX coming for probably the '22 model year.
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@jayvincent said in N-Line Sendoff: The Right Car, Too Many Years Too Late.:
@rykros-the-disdainful I'd consider the new Acura, comes in AWD, is getting great reviews (I haven't test drove one yet) and should balance comfort and power nicely if it's anything like previous Acura offerings
"The all-new 2021 TLX leads the way in pushing the limits of performance, tech, and design. Every TLX gets the thrills of a 272-HP108 VTEC
Turbo engine and luxurious amenities in an alluring, sculpted body. Customized drive modes, ambient lighting, and available rear-biased Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) deliver pleasure and performance like never before."(edit - I think this is what @TexturedSoyProtein was mentioning above...)
Update! There's a timely video comparing the Sonata N, Accord and TLX to be found on Motor1. Check it out!
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For those who may have missed it:
I finally did the writeup for the replacement vehicle, here. Read on to find out why I decided to go out on a limb and get my first PHEV! In red!
I haven't quite summoned the inspiration to write my ownership review of the vehicle. It isn't that I hate the vehicle, but I have a lot of personal things I'm working on right now that are taking the time and energy. I may get around to it in the next month or so.
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A small update to the post:
The vehicle has been gone a few months, now, and with mixed feelings I have to say.... I rarely think of it.
I've been smitten by the Volt; it's simply the right vehicle, that fits my needs perfectly, when I needed it.
I figured what softened the blow is Mister Disdainful's Elantra GT Sport, which I have a few mild mods for now (upgraded MAC boos solenoid and intake catch-can, later this Summer a stiffer lower trans mount) But any time I get in his car, I only enjoy the drive if I am in a perky, sporty mood.
It otherwise just feels like a jerky car. By comparison. I love the DCT, but, I'm not always in the mood for a jerky ride.
But the N-Line? I just don't give it a thought. Which is a shame, but, also very telling.
Have also been thinking of getting a rat-rod on the side. An old Astro van, or a RWD Volvo, just to tinker with and maybe do some cheap amateur racing with. But that would just be another money sink.
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Referenced by
Rykros the Disdainful
