[Bigbird]

With the avaliable mods for the 1.6 now it is pretty easy to overwhelm the stock power train. Only reason I'd want to do a swap would be to get a more powerful package with less strain on the motor and components.

 

[Bigbird]

Just wonder why he doesn't sell and move on...

It's easier to complain about it and then get a chuckle out of all the dudes sitting at the gas sation for another expensive refill than it is to become that dude wishing your awesome platform was practical, affordable or well equipt.:crazy:

Just to be clear, I do tend to agree with him though about not wanting to spend the time, money or effort to swap a another motor into this platform. I think the existing power train packs plenty of punch for the car.

 

[Bigbird]

Buy an AWD car then

I feel that same way about the engine swap. But it's fun to consider what one could do. Especially when the mad scientists at N are putting engines in the back.

 

[Bigbird]

If only Hyundai would give it performance to match it's looks

I donno... with some modding and tuning, mid/upper 200s whp is pretty good for a 2800(ish)lb car. Plus that extra power isn't very expensive either. If you were going to improve upon that in any way I think N nailed it.

 

[Bigbird]

It's not geared for acceleration and I'm talking about from the factory, no mods. Us who mod our cars are only 5% of the people buying the cars.

If it had more power from the factory it would either be built like crap, cost more, look like crap or not be equipt well. But I don't care what 95% of owners want, we 5% wanted cake we could eat... so we built it. Or at least tried.

Same song and dance... are there better performance platforms? Oh yeah. But I'll enjoy this thing while I have it, especially because it isn't a mainstream tuner.

I'm not knocking people who trade up. I'll do it some day and if you have the ability and want then why not. But we all knew what we were buying when we bought it so it's inadequacies should be a surprise to anyone.

 

[Bigbird]

Hyundai marketed the VT to be "quick/fast". What do you think owners are going to want? All the first owners with the 2013s had no idea what the inadequacies were or if there were any. The 2013 owners are the ones that paved the way for the rest that followed. You can definitely bet my pink slip that if I knew about all the issues the VT, its capabilities(YAY for gas mileage) and potential(ever so small) it had was before I bought it back in 2012, I would have bought something else.

Who remembers Superbowl 2012?

This was my first new car and even I knew you NEVER buy the first model year. I waited a full year after I learned it was the first platform Hyundai used this motor in. If you didn't do your homework and/or waited to see what issues arise then issues like the ones we see in the 2012/13 years can happen. Same story with almost all new car models. I'd be willing to bet many 2014 owners knew that. I get that it's frustrating that the car isn't a power house like it looks like it should be, or what a 10 million dollar commercial makes it appear... but hopefully, lesson learned.

 

[Bigbird]

Yeah the NAV isn't a power house but drive a smart car and compare the two. It's night and day.

My friend dragged me along to test drive one of those things last month. It was hilarious. I've never felt so awkward in a car before, and I've been three abreast in an El Camino on the Myrtle Beach strip before. Lol. The smart shifts like it's a wonky manual tranny... but it's rear engine, RWD and light as a feather so it's got... um... that, going for it.

 

[Bigbird]

That's what everyone always say and knew that was coming. "NEVER buy the first model year", but if noone ever bought the first model year car. How will there be a later model car and how can all the quirks get worked out for the later models? Oh leave it to other "stupid buyers" to buy the first model year you say? How would there be aftermarket support if the "stupid buyers" weren't into modifying cars? What? No aftermarket parts for my 2014 when the car has been out for more than a year? How does technology advance? Should we all have stuck with our home telephones or brick cell phones? Perhaps the first use of fire had to be avoided also so we could all be eating raw meat? Lesson never learned, because there will always be people willing to give new technology a try. That's how we all advance as a people. If everyone thought like you, we'd be foragers because I thought throwing a rock wouldn't kill/injure or didn't want to use a stick to kill or defend against predators because I didn't want to be the first one to try it. Yes, common sense, people do have it. Some goes against their intuition because they love new "things" and new technology for worst or better and be pioneers.

Fortunately, I mainly bought the car for its fuel mileage and decent power, everything else was just a pro or con. It is disappointing to find out the stock engines can't handle no more than 280+ whp after purchasing if some day I wanted to push the engine over 300+ whp without tearing the engine apart. It is what it is, huge disappointment. It's life. I get it, not everything in life are peaches and rainbows. I stand by what I said in my previous post, if I knew there were more cons than pros I would have went with a different platform to begin with.

*Geo Metro with Buick GNX engine on the topic of fast little cars.

If you bought it knowing there could be issues as a first model, than that's a gamble you must have been willing to take. I never said anything about being stupid and I don't think people who buy the first model are, so don't put words in my mouth. Those who do either don't know or don't care. You do pave the way for improved models down the road. I don't gamble with my money when it comes to a big purchase (I just throw it away on parts that ruin the car). I'm not a consumer hero, just a buyer. Never aspired to be anything else.

I too bought the car for fuel mileage and it's still not bad after all the parts and tune. So even though we both wish it would be a better performance platform, at least it's still a good DD. It's pretty cool that with the performance of a stock FoST or WRX it still gets better mpg.

That car must be insane. My buddy is working on a 71 colt grudge/bracket car ATM. Can't wait to take that for a test drive.

 

[Bigbird]

Smart is dropping all gas engines from their cars for electric only for that reason.

Now, perspective golf cart buyers will have more choices.