The new 2004 Hyundai Tiburon Hardtop *CONVERTIBLE*!!! (1 Viewer)

[David Susilo]

2.7L V6 GT version has 170 horses.

Yep! 170 horses at 6000rpm, 181 lb.ft at 4000rpm

compare it to this

1.8 litre inline-4 engine (albeit with Turbo)

180 horses at 5200rpm, 178 lb.ft at 1950rpm!!

and forget about spending $$ just for 10HP boost. With a 15-minute US$300 ECU upgrade, I now have about 225 hp at 5200 rpm and 240 lb.ft of torque at 2000 rpm.

still 600km per 55 litre tank. versus 450km per 55 litre tank of the V6 Hyundai*.

* The Hyundai gas milage is based on what my neighbour told me. He used to own a Tiburon V6 until last week. He is now a happy Jetta Wolfsburg owner. Very similar bells and whistles as the V6 Hyundai for only a couple of grand more (he bought the Wolfsburg for only Cdn $25,400 plus PDI and taxes).

 

[Moe Maishlish]

Yep! 170 horses at 6000rpm, 181 lb.ft at 4000rpm

compare it to this

1.8 litre inline-4 engine (albeit with Turbo)

180 horses at 5200rpm, 178 lb.ft at 1950rpm!!

and forget about spending $$ just for 10HP boost. With a 15-minute US$300 ECU upgrade, I now have about 225 hp at 5200 rpm and 240 lb.ft of torque at 2000 rpm.

still 600km per 55 litre tank. versus 450km per 55 litre tank of the V6 Hyundai.

Ok, so there will always be a faster car out there... that wasn't the point of this thread. You're happy with what you drive, I'm happy with what I drive... so we're all happy.

I started this thread to appreciate the new concept Convertible Tiburon, not to dis the car.

By the way, what do you drive, and what modifications have you made to it other than the turbo?

Moe.

 

[David Susilo]

Just a Jetta 1.8T with ECU mod., nothing else. The turbo is factory designed and installed. Cheap too (Cdn$26,000) and the insurance is also cheaper than the Hyundai.

I test driven more than 17 cars and my choice were dwindled down to Tiburon V6, Accord V6, Jetta V6 and Jetta 1.8T.

Accord V6:
the look is too ugly. Slow from 0 - 60 kph.
Jetta V6:
No faster than the 1.8T, but cost about $10,000 more. Smoother transmission, though.

Tiburon V6:
LOOOOOVE the looks. Slowest of the bunch. Pricey insurance (rated as the number 1 stolen car in Canada)

Jetta 1.8T:
exact same looks as the V6, but $10,000 cheaper than the V6, cheapest and easiest to mod, same insurance rate as the Accord V6 (which is cheaper than the Jetta V6 and also cheaper than the Tiburon).

One day, if I have some money to burn, I'll buy the 4-banger version of the Hyundai convertible though... love the 'eyes'. Just to drive it downtown where acceleration means zilch.

 

[Scott L]

Looks slick and that retractable glass roof is *very* fetching. They need to do a little tweaking on the headlamps.. it's missing something to my eyes. And as stated above, the wheels look very Volvo-ish.

I really wish Hyundai would squeeze more horsies out of their V6's. Or just cheat like VW does and slap a turbo on a small ass I4.

 

[David Susilo]

I think they really ought to. Adding Turbo doesn't add more than US$500 in production cost (I'm not talking about Turbo add-on kit).

I'm sure people would rather have 170hp on an I4 than 170hp on a V6 considering the current price of gas. (not to mention that an I4 Turbo will inherently be cheaper and runs quicker due to the weight)

 

[Steve Schaffer]

Glass hardtop stupid in any warm climate--imagine the greenhouse effect if you live in Arizona, Florida, or here in Central CA. Now a metal version would be much lighter and thus more reliable due to less stress on moving parts, motors, etc.

Retractable hardtop is also an ancient idea, the French were doing it before WWII on some Peugeots.

Ford sold a retractable hardtop Fairlane from 57 thru 59, and it was a full size car--downright huge by today's standards with a real back seat and all. The top mechanism was fully automatic and power operated long before the advent of the microprocessor, and actually quite reliable.

 

[Dustin Wind]

I think Tiburons are one of the ugliest cars ever made.
They are BAD news.
Even worse with the big spoilers and loud music coming out of them.....give me a break.

 

[Joel Mack]

Thanks, Dustin. Your insightful and well-thought-out arguments are appreciated.

 

[David Susilo]

By having sunroof, won't that be a disaster in waiting?

I don't mean to pooh-pooh sunroof, I really don't know anything about sunroof and very nervous of having rattles and leaks sooner or later.

Can anybody share their experience with sunroof?

 

[Mark Hamilton]

Moe, what's your username on www.newtiburon.com/ ? Mine is Tibfighter, I'm one of the creators and administrators.

I didn't expect to run into another NT user of on the HTF.

It's nice to see some informed, articulate, comments here, though a few people have exhibited the intelligence of a 3 year old in regards to their comments about this car.

The 2003 Tiburon is a marked improvement over anything Hyundai has offered before, especially in this price range. But it isn't close to what many consider its primary competition, the RSX and the Celica, both of which weigh hundreds of pounds less, sport far more efficient 4-cylinder engines, and significantly better resale. Still, as far as "bang for the buck" is concerned, it's hard to top what Hyundai is offering with the V6 6spd packages. Almost every option imaginable is offered, and future years will also have Nav systems and HID.

The engine options are fair, though certainly don't do the stunning chassis any justice. The torque generated by the ineffecient V6 is just enough to help the car scoot while the 4-cylinder renders the car little more than a pretty commuter vehicle. New springs, an exhaust, an LSD, and the Alpine supercharger quickly turn the V6 model into a beast, however.

The convertible will be interesting, to say the least. If Hyundai can keep the price down while retaining a great deal of build quality (I think I'd be tempted to opt for an ext. warranty with a hardtop convertible) than it could be a good deal. If the Eclipse convertible can sell, then this will. I just hope they ship it with the nicely sculpted 17" wheels that the current V6 Tiburons ship with. Those are... like somebody else said to Volvo-ish.

And if anybody is interested, here's my Tiburon.

 

[David Susilo]

Mark, that Tib looks much nicer than my neighbour's. The red colour is just a lot more dashing.

What's your take on the sunroof in general? Does it eventually rattles and leaks? What's the difference between sunroof and moonroof?

 

[NickSo]

Whoa, those are sweet wheels on your Tib Mark!

David: I dont know if you're talking about sunroofs in general , or the sunroof on the Tiburon, but my Dad has a 1990 Grand Prix, and its totally leak and squeak free... However, it has developed a slight rattle due to the inside cover of the sunroof... I can stop the rattling by opening the sunroof, or closing the inner cover. So even after almost 14 years, it still works fine.

 

[Mark Hamilton]

Thx guys!

Well, a sunroof is traditionally a sliding panel that is NOT glass and is painted to match the rest of the car. A moonroof on the other hand is either a popup or sliding panel that is made of glass, which, of course, is transparent.

I had a moonroof in my Sunfire and never hand any issues with it and the moonroof in my Tiburon has always been fine. My car, like most hatchbacks, has some rattles, but they are not related to the moonroof.

 

[David Susilo]

Cool! Thanks for the info. If I had known that moonroof won't give trouble, I would've get the moonroof option on my Jetta.

Oh well, maybe for the Tiburon next year.

 

[Moe Maishlish]

Moe, what's your username on www.newtiburon.com/ ? Mine is Tibfighter, I'm one of the creators and administrators.

I didn't expect to run into another NT user of on the HTF.

Mark/Tibfighter!!!

My username on NT is Drexel! Talk about the internet being a small place (well, not small, but whatever... stranger things can happen... ).

Since purchasing my Tib GT, I've had 95% compliments, 4% puzzled looks (as in, "what kind of sweet car is that?!?), and 1% ignorant comments (see above). I can definately tell you that I'm happy with what I've bought, although I'm aware that any car can have problems.

Your car is SWEET! I'm not really planning on modding mine until after the warranty has expired, but when that happens I'll most likely add a CAI, and maybe experiment with some other performance enhancers. I'll be honest - the car is plenty fast for me right now. I'm not a speed demon, and I definately am not a fan of getting pulled over by the local police, so I'm happy with what I have right now!

By the way - good job with the NT forum! NT & HTF are the two forums that I frequent consistently on almost a daily basis. That says a lot about the quality of the membership & content!

Moe.

 

[Mark Hamilton]

It is a small world, huh!

Cosmetically the 2k3 Tiburon is stunning, provided that no hideous bodykit, metal wing, or plethora of stickers are plastered to the exterior. I'm probably the most hated adminstrator over at NT because I'm so vocal about my hatred for the garbage that so many users are plastering onto their cars. Metal wings, chrome wheels, stickers galore, hideous and low-quality bodykits, etc. It wouldn't bother me so much if they weren't ruining the gorgeous factory lines. This isn't a Civic, which could do with some "cosmetic enhancements..." This car has already been blessed with a wonderful silloutte.

Thanks for the compliments. Also, I do hope you at least add the KDM Tuscani trim (Tuscani badges, billet metal Tuscani door sills) and a splash of silver in the interior by way of some Taken Racing vent rings. Trust me, they really liven up the interior and the exterior Tuscani badges will bring even more positive attention to your car.

Mark

 

[Moe Maishlish]

Cosmetically the 2k3 Tiburon is stunning, provided that no hideous bodykit, metal wing, or plethora of stickers are plastered to the exterior.

I'm in complete agreement with you there. I'm no fan of overly cosmetic changes which do nothing but shine a negative light on the car. Unfortunately, most of the "bodykits" are loud, crude and in your face, with very little elegance, style, or grace in mind. The Razzi Kit, and a couple of the wide body kits just take things to an obscenely shameless level. Wings usually non-functional, so I like them a little more subtle - the high-spoiler on the Tiburon is PERFECT... any higher, and it would look silly.

The only kit that I'd consider adding would be the Tomato A&P... it's not overblown or in your face, and improves on the already beautiful lines of the Tiburon.

For the moment though, I need to order front & rear Tuscani Badges, and I'm planning on spicing up the interior with some custom paint to the trim pieces (I'm thinking Chrome). Nothing crazy, just a little bit of color to distinguish it from the rest of the black cars on the road.

Moe.

 

[Chris Hovanic]

here is the ultimate retractable hardtop

'57 Ford

 

[Scott L]

What do you think would happen if you accidentally pressed the button while going down the highway?

 

[David Susilo]

nothing will happen. all car manufacturer installs safety lock so the button will only work when the car is not in motion.