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  Dec. 23, 2009 8:15 p.m. nicksta43 New Reader

  I have been infatuated with small hatchback's since GRM did an article on Yugo's then Suzuki Swift's. They have planted a little bug in my head that I haven't been able to shake out for years.

  I don't have any free time for a project car so I got to looking around at what was available new or slightly used that would kind of fit the mold. Something that would be an efficient commuter during the week but would still be fun to throw around some cones or tool around some of the local roads (I only live about an hour away from the dragon and there are some incredible driving roads in this area) on the rare chance I will get a weekend off.

  Keep in mind that I am not a fwd fan at all. My current car is the first fwd car I've ever owned and I am not impressed at all with the dynamics. But this silly little magazine that I picked up off the newsstand way back in 99' kept telling me that the steady brace of G.M. A/G, B, and F-body's that I have grown up with where not the only way to have fun with a car. After playing with my little BMW 320is I have learned to appreciate the virtues of a small fuel efficient runabout and as someone on this board once told me " it's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow".

  Anyway the new accent hb looks good on paper to me. 110 hp, 104 ft-lbs, are very close to the numbers my little bmw put out. And it has a five speed. So am I crazy for liking this car or could it be what I am looking for?

  ( Can someone tell me why I can't log in from my ps3 is it on my end or something with the boards)

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  Dec. 23, 2009 8:32 p.m. SlickDizzy SuperDork

  nicksta43 wrote: ( Can someone tell me why I can't log in from my ps3 is it on my end or something with the boards)

  PS3 browser is inherently broken, I have the same issue. It simply hates certain sites.

  Anyways, on topic, I got to mess with one at GMAS. Fit & finish was very good. I love the styling. It's BEGGING for a "WRC-look" kind of setup. I'd have to drive one to give a real impression, but it looks to be a very competent, extremely well-priced 3-door. If the aftermarket follows, it's sure to be a hit, especially with that autocross-friendly wheelbase...

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  Dec. 23, 2009 8:37 p.m. petegossett Dork

  I really like the new Accent SE hatch, test-drove a couple & had it on my short-list.

  I ended up buying a Fit instead & have no regrets. Yes, the Accent is a couple grand less, but enerything about the fit feels better & the resale difference is huge.

  That said, if you could find a MINI in your price range, you probably won't find a better stock handling FWD. In our case, MPG was more important so we chose the Fit.

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  Dec. 23, 2009 8:48 p.m. Stealthtercel Reader

  The Accent's hp/tq numbers are pretty close to the original VW GTI everybody sighs over. And there are some Korean-stuff tuner sources out there if you look.

  Totally unscientific observation suggests that Accents running around the Toronto area (think: winter salt) seem to last pretty well and rust a lot less than Hondas.

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  Dec. 24, 2009 12:29 a.m. 2002maniac Reader

  I remember seeing a sonata 4-banger swapped into one. I don't know what it did to the balance, but it looked quick!

  I almost bought an accent a few years ago, but was turned off when I went on a test drive and it revved to the moon on the highway. I guess they have some really short gearing to give it a little more zip around town.

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  Dec. 24, 2009 7:41 a.m. Bobzilla HalfDork

  That would have been the Elantra 4cyl swap (Beta Swap to the Hyundai guys). The new MC Accent is a nice car. REar suspension isn't the best setup, but it's capable. Good car.

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  Dec. 24, 2009 8:00 a.m. mndsm Reader

  Go Hyundai Excel. Add one dash of 4g63. Boost to the sky. Have fun.

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  Dec. 24, 2009 8:16 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork

  The accent is a great little car. It has a small but very dedicated core friends who can wring those little cars far beyond what they were ever intended to be.

  Skierd used to AutoX one.

  You mentioned having a BMW 320i.. have you looked into the 318ti? 140hp, 130something feet of torque, rear wheel drive, relativly rust proof body, big hatchback, and can still get mid 30s on the highway if driven gently.

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  Dec. 24, 2009 2:34 p.m. Vigo New Reader

  I always loved the 318ti's back when i was too young to drive.

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  Dec. 24, 2009 3:24 p.m. nicksta43 New Reader

  mad_machine wrote:

  You mentioned having a BMW 320i.. have you looked into the 318ti? 140hp, 130something feet of torque, rear wheel drive, relativly rust proof body, big hatchback, and can still get mid 30s on the highway if driven gently.

  Even though it's not quite as hatchbacky as I would like the 318ti it is rwd and definitely one I would consider. However due to various financing and timing issues the stars would have to align in a way that's never before been seen if I want to put one in my driveway.

  I went down to the dealer earlier to look at the accent's on the lot I liked what I saw on the outside. I think I'm going to have to go back for a test drive nest week.

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  Dec. 24, 2009 3:44 p.m. White_and_Nerdy Reader

  The WRC look on a Hyundai wouldn't be entirely out of place.

  

  Seeing as how they used to run in the WRC. :)

  I'm a hatchback fan myself, including the 318ti. Pretty rare these days, but quite cool. And I, too, was introduced to the joys of a low powered great handling RWD vehicle by a 320i. It wasn't a sport model, but I added the sport model's rear sway bar and factory Recaros to mine.

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  Dec. 24, 2009 4:32 p.m. ignorant SuperDork

  Some guys on here had turbo accents.....

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  Dec. 24, 2009 9:36 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

  White_and_Nerdy wrote:

  Seeing as how they used to run in the WRC. :)

  I'm a hatchback fan myself,

  Aside from my sports cars and my first car (a VW superbeetle) all of my cars have been hatches.. I have only ever owned on sedan my entire life and I really do not intend to start any time soon

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  Dec. 24, 2009 10:52 p.m. Lesley SuperDork

  I love me my hatches. My current Mazda 323 is my fifth, it's so simple and primitive that there's very little that can go wrong with it. I'd love to own a really modified version (once bought a GTX turbo motor, but ran out of time and bux to go through with the project). I keep being pleasantly surprised when I hop into it after driving some expensive (but numb) sedan, and having steering that responds. Not bad for $900 :-)

  The Accent's a fun little car (except in auto, ew).
  But the Fiesta's way more fun, has much more accurate steering and it's a hundredfold stiffer. Really looking forward to driving the new Focus - it's a real looker if you like hatches, with german engineered & track tested handling.

  Anyone seen the new Aston Martin hatchy-thingy? Kind of hard to swallow that wee thing, but I'd sure like to try it :-)

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  Dec. 25, 2009 8:08 a.m. suprf1y Reader

  Lesley wrote:

  Kind of hard to swallow that wee thing, but I'd sure like to try it :-)

  I'm not touching that one.

  The hatchback was dead in the US market for a long time, but never lost popularity in Canada. If I were looking for a new small car, the Accent would be on the list. The Focus is a big car. The fact that it's a hatch is deceiving. Probably on the top of my list would be a Yaris. I liked the Echo hatch, and like the styling of the Yaris even more.

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  Dec. 25, 2009 8:58 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork

  never drove the Echo hatch.. had the displeasure of driving the echo sedan...

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  Dec. 28, 2009 8:29 a.m. Gimp Dork

  

  My old Accent still haunts the streets and autocross. The new owner took off my turbo setup and slapped on some huge rubber up front. The car now pops motors if you corner too hard (me thinks he'll be working on baffles this winter).

  I LOVED my Accent. It never broke unless I something I did was the cause. While I couldn't live with it in the state I had it when sold (gutted, really still coilovers, side dump exhaust after the turbo, etc) I'd buy it back in a heart beat.

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  Dec. 28, 2009 8:36 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork

  looks really good on that much rubber

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  Dec. 28, 2009 8:57 a.m. mad_machine SuperDork

  and lots of alcohol?

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  Dec. 28, 2009 9:46 a.m. GlennS Dork

  Can you give us any numbers to work with? Do you have a price range? If your financing are there mileage or age restrictions?

  "Could it be what im looking for" I think what you are looking for is a mini or GTI.

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  Dec. 29, 2009 10:05 p.m. skierd Dork

  Out the 15 or so I've had, my accent is the only car that I miss.
  

  

  Gimp's old car in its new owner's hands won FSP in the DC region this year I think. The new accent SE is very similar, on paper, to the Mini except for being 2" taller. It would make a fun HS car if you could get someone to make struts for it. The old cars are actually decent to drive for gutless econoboxes.

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  Dec. 30, 2009 2:09 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

  I will admit.. I do kind of miss my Tib.. and sometimes I even miss my old Excel.

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  Dec. 30, 2009 2:24 p.m. Gimp Dork

  Andy knows I'm first in line to buy my old car back. I just never want to have to commute in it again.

  He did, in fact, win DC's FSP this year.

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