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Wagons Pontiac Vibe New Vibe Owners - Give Us Your Report
66 messages, Last post on Nov 06, 2009 at 4:47 PM
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I have 70,000 miles on my 04 awd and have had no problems at all. A coworker who had an 03 sold it with almost 200,000 miles. Any car will last if you keep up with a proper maintenence schedule. I have towed a trailer with mine with 2 motorcycles in it. With the rear seats down, it holds about 9 bales of shavings and at least 2 large bales of hay. I have also taken it down many dirst roads and over small hills with no problems; it actually tracks better than my friend's full size chevy. For the people who say "go with your gut and buy a matrix" psssh. They are the exact same car. I presonally think the vibe is styled better. From what I hear the next model vibe (08 I think) is supposed to be really good looking. Not quite as tall and a little wider. If they make it in a awd, it may be time to trade in ol silver.  The only complaint I ever had with my car is the wimpy tires it comes with, and I took care of that by swapping with a more aggressive tire. I have Fuzion tires on it now. They were noisy during break in period, but hold up in the rain really nicely.
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Replying to: viberant (Nov 25, 2006 2:55 pm) I agree with you. I test drove the Matrix and found the interior a bit cheap plus the overall dimensions were tiny bit smaller. The Vibe is a bit roomier. I test drove two different Vibes automatic and standard transmission. I prefer the standard. I owned a Ford Ranger before so I did have to get use to sitting lower. The adjustable seat and the tilt steering wheel was a big plus. I am small and my husband is almost 6 feet. The only complaint he has is the pedals are too close, however, that is perfect for me since I am petite. The gas mileage is great 36 – 40 mpg. With any new vehicle, you can run into problems as I did with my Ford Ranger. My 06 Vibe is almost year old with absolutely no problems. On long trips, the ride is very comfortable. This car is so great that four other family members bought one. |
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| I bought my first Vibe, a new 2004 after my Toyota Corolla (143,000 miles) was destroyed by a rather inconsiderate SUV driver. My Vibe was a base manual trans and I never had it back to the dealer except for one time for paint issues (the bumper started peeling at the car wash). The dealer repainted the bumper promptly for me. I put 65,000 miles on it with absolutely no other problems though I did have to replace the tires on a regular basis. Leg surgery forced me to give up my manual transmission so I traded it in for a new 2006 Mazda5 automatic. At the same time I bought a used 2003 Vibe automatic for my girlfriend. It had 32,000 miles on it and now has 55,000, again with no problems until just recently. The check engine light came on a week ago indicating a catalytic converter inefficiency problem (PO420 I believe). I cleared the computer and will see if anything develops again. The Vibe is a fine little car and for me has been very reliable. Sorry about trading for the Mazda mini mini van, but it is roomier, quieter, and better riding for the same money and so far I have driven it over 25,000 miles with no problems. Still I miss the Vibe's better fuel economy and feel it is a great little car overall. | |
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Replying to: viberant (Nov 25, 2006 2:55 pm) That's what I know. But the extremely funny thing is that JD Power shows 2006 Matrix reliability at 4.5 stars (out of 5), while 2006 Vibe is listed at 3 stars. Are the Toyota owners thinking of exactly the same car a bit too highly? BTW, Stabilitrak is not available on Matrix, is it? And on Matrix you can't get ABS without getting 17 inch wheels too, can you?
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I have had my Vibe GT for over a year now and am extremely happy with it. I did have an accident with it back in June (my first accident in 22 years). A Subaru Forrester pulled in front of me (illegal lane change)and there was no time to stop. The Vibe didnt hold up as well as the Forrester - thats for sure. There wasnt any damage to the drivetrain however so all is well (new fender, bumper, headlamp). I have the leather interior and it proves easy for me to keep clean so I would recommend that as an option. I really like the motor in the GT and I am surprised it is no longer available. The car can really get out of its own way IF YOU WANT IT TO. Otherwise you can drive it easily (I seldom do) and get pretty good gas milage. I usually drive the car pretty hard and average 25 mpg. I really like this car!!! Patrick |
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Replying to: bcmalibu99ls (Feb 05, 2007 12:47 am) As far as the customer sat goes it is most likely due to the ability of the service dept. Pontiac dealer is not as proficient at servicing a Toyota vehicle as the Toyota dealer is. There are also many paint issues with the Vibe which do not exist with the Matrix most likely due to the different manufacturing locations. I don't think it has anything to do with the Toyota owners thinking too highly of their ride. Also Matrix/Vibe twins have Toyota Vehicle Skid Control (VSC) as an option. GM has chosen to drop the Toyota VSC name and use their own StabilTrac name. So in reality, yes you can get a Matrix with StabilTrac. And you can get ABS without 17" wheels on a Matrix. |
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Replying to: pevitts (Sep 08, 2006 6:46 am) |
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A reporter is hoping to talk with current Pontiac owners who are long-time Pontiac enthusiasts. Please reply to ctalati edmunds.com no later than Thursday, May 10, 2007 with your daytime contact info and a few words about your experience. A reporter is hoping to talk with current Pontiac owners who never before owned a Pontiac. Please reply to ctalati edmunds.com no later than Thursday, May 10, 2007 with your daytime contact info and a few words about your experience.
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| I bought my car about a month ago. I had to buy a brand new one because I wanted OnStar (which is awesome!) and NONE of the Vibes on the lot had it. My main reason for buying a vehicle was to get something for my two Lab-sized dogs to travel with me. This car is fantastic! Lots of pep, comfortable, fun to drive - I love it! I live in the mountains and drive over to TN a lot - it cruises up inclines at 80 with no problem. Gas mileage is GREAT - 26/36 right now. I've heard I'll get better with more miles on the engine. I was considering the Vibe and a Saturn Vue, but I'm sure I made the right decision. I call this my "SUV sports car". I keep the back seats down (which fold flat, unlike the Vue) at all times and the dogs have plenty of head room. The back window that opens is perfect - I can open it with no concern that the dogs will exit the car while putting in groceries, etc. Its so much fun I can't stop driving it! Deb in NC | |
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Replying to: pevitts (Sep 08, 2006 6:46 am) |
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