Pontiac Vibe

mrnimmo

>Anyone put a canoe on top of a Vibe yet? Yakima lists no options; I assume the factory rack is too short to get the required spacing...

I've never been impressed that one needs a Yak/Thule rack for a canoe. Try using those foam deals on the crossbars of the Vibe with straps over the top of the canoe (best to strap at least one to the car itself) and tie downs front and rear. Yak/Thule is basically the same deal. You still need "strap thangs" or whatever they call them and bow and stern straps.

Now if the factory rack puts the canoe to far to the rear of the wagon, maybe Q towers are the only way to go.

lesterb

From other forums I have read is that the Vibe's low beam head lights are inadequate and does not offer much viewing distance. Especially on unlit country roads. Has any one experienced the same problem? If so, was it correctable?

cfilkins

Well, my Vibe is almost 5 months old, just over 4k miles, and I'm still getting encountering some interesting stuff.

First, I have always noticed the low beams - anyone else's look like they're cut off at the tops and the light just stops? That's kinda funky.

Second, anyone figure out how to put the spring back into the storage compartment in the console under the shifter? None of the Pontiac dealerships can figure it out either, and I'd love it if I could have it pop open again when I hit the release button.

Third, noticed this for the 4th or 5th time today - when going down fairly steep hills and I pump the gas, the automatic transmission will downshift and stay there for about 4 seconds after I hit the gas again. I've never had an automatic that automatically downshifted when I applied the brakes. Any ideas?

Chris

turksteritis

I just came back from a lengthy late night drive. I found the hi-beams to be amazingly good & the low beams to be amazingly horrible.

npgmbr

I guess there is a problem with them. I read a few postings in the Matrix forum and a few people there as well have one or more issues with the lights.

Guess i'll be finding out for myself real soon.

nippononly

I have a matrix - same auto trans - and the reason it downshifts on downgrades when you hit the brakes is to provide engine braking. Personally, I like this a lot, and is part of the reason I bought an auto this time instead of a manual - automatics have finally progressed to the point where they are as useful as manuals in non-enthusiast driving.

If you don't hit the gas again and remain on the downgrade, the transmission will not upshift until the speed drops substantially or you hit the gas.

The only thing with this particular car is that if you do hit the gas, it is slow to react, remaining in the lower gear longer than it should, IMO. If you hit the gas, that means you want to go faster, not brake, and it should instantly upshift, I think. For this car, if you are going to hit the gas, do it gently, gassing it just a little until it upshifts, at which point you can gas it as much as you like.

revka

Here's a direct link to Edmunds' road test of the 2003 Pontiac Vibe GT. What do you think?

Thanks for your comments!

Revka

Host

Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards

ztzz

"no surprise considering the fact that both the Vibe and Matrix are built at the same assembly plant in Fremont, Calif"

This statement is incorrect since the Vibe are made in Fremont and the Matrix are built in Canada.

dindak

The reviewer(s) didn't do their homework.

Oh well, decent review.

alaskahighway

I've been looking at the Matrix XRS and Vibe GT for the last couple months. I recently found a deal on a XRS for 19682. Still questioning which to buy. The XRS seems to be a little rough riding. I know its due to the sport suspention( Yeah right) and the 50X17 low profile tires. Any sugestions? Thanks

nippononly

get the 16" rims with the XRS - it will smooth out the ride a lot, but handling will suffer proportionately. There is a big comfort difference between the two tire/rim combinations.

5679

Dumb question but how do you know that (16" are preferable to 17" for improved comfort)?

alaskahighway

I was thinking of maybe a 60 or 70 series tire but I don't know if the would fit the wheel well. Guess it would be something to consider.

lesterb

Well, I have had my Vibe on order since July 15th/02 and GM still have not committed to a build date. My sales person says that GM hasn't even decided if they are going to build the car. I guess the five month wait is definitely true..
Took my wife out for a test drive with the GT and she loved it! She even took well to the six speed manual transmission. Our order is the Vibe base with moon and tunes and five speed manual. So I hope she won't be disappointed in the 130 HP engine. Although we did find the GT hard to get up to the 6000 rpm range since there was a lot of traffic on the freeway during rush hour. There was not enough spaces between cars to get up the rpms to pass.

I was impressed with the sound system of the DVD navigation system that the test vehicle had. Too bad it is such an expensive option. We took the six disc in dash premium sound system with our base Vibe. Also wished that the passenger arm rest was more comfortable to rest on. I found my hand slipping off at times. Oh well, maybe this will be addressed in the 2004 model.
In the meantime I'm anxiously waiting for the build date.

5679

The long wait contributed to my buying "off the rack", particularly when the car I got had everything I wanted (5spd. safety pkg, moon & tunes) except the colour I preferred (Neptune). I would also have preferred the Monotone. But, I've never been in a position of buying "tailor-made" before so I compromised for the silver and, as a result, have to wash it less. I've enjoyed it for a month, taken some trips with the sunroof open..........the fit is fine.........I can live with it.

nippononly

is I drove them both. The 17" rims come with lower profile tires (not surprisingly) and the combo of the reduced sidewall and the larger wheel make the ride a lot firmer, what I would call too firm - harsh maybe. But it handles way better in tight cornering - I had a blast driving it with the 17", but would not want that combo on the car I drive every day.

I think I remember reading a review of the Matrix recently in one of the car mags where they essentially said the same thing. They thought the ride too firm with the sport combo...

npgmbr

I had no concerns about this but it seems to keep popping up. A friend of mine used to own a Paseo until his engine was damaged because of the sludge issue associated with some toyota engines. I simply assumed that it was his lack of attention that caused the problem but have seen posts about it several times over the past months.

I think there was even an article about it in Car & Driver a few months back.

Does anyone think that this will affect the Vibe or is it even anything to worry about?

nippononly

affected 2.2 and 3.0 liter engines - AND the paseo didn't have either of those, so your friend's problem was another different isolated problem.

Bottom line: all Toyota engines affected by sludge problem are covered for eight years/unlimited mileage from first date of service, and the Matrix/Vibe does not have one of them, it has the 1.8 from the new corolla.

5679

FYI:

http://forums.genvibe.com/zeromain

dudleyr

Can anybody tell me what the engine rpm is at 60 mph for the vibe (in top gear), for the auto tranny and the manual.

Thank you.

turksteritis

I drive a consistent 70 mph in my 5-speed base Vibe & rpm,s are about 2800.

hudrahead

Was "lot prowling" this AM to avoid the sharks in the white shirts. Saw this Vibe GT with a computer generated MSRP window sticker, not the regular ones usually seen on new vehcles, just plain info about equipment etc.

It listed a "1.8 Yamaha engine" !!!! I thought all the Vibes had Toyota engines. Is Yamaha doing the tweeking to get the 180HP or what? I have never heard of this before. Have I been missing something or is this something new ?

Hud :)

npgmbr

Nope your not missing anything at all. Its been an option for months now but im not sure if its been there from the beginning.

If you go to the GM BuyPower site and build your own Vibe GT, when you reach the options you'll see that you can chose between two engines and one of them is that Yamaha you spoke of.

hpulley4

That's why...

sar4

Could someone tell me who makes the ABS system for the Vibe (GM or Toyota)? I know the brakes are Toyota but I've been getting conflicting information on the ABS system.

thanks

nippononly

the GT, the whole package, brakes and ABS as well as powertrain, is Toyota's, I am pretty sure.

wgr

Does anyone know if/when the 180 hp engine will be available with the automatic ?

montanafan

What is the conflicting info you are getting? I have seen an answer some where, will search and post back later.

dindak

I wouldn't bother with an auto as you will never get good power out of the 180hp version because you need the high revs you can only get with a 5-speed. Matrix has an auto with the 180 version if you really want it though.

xalms

I am thinking of buying a vibe with a salvage title.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1860245371

I was told the repairs would cost around $5000. I don't know much about cars and I was wondering if anyone thought that this figure would be in the right ballpark. How can I tell if the engine has been damaged, they dont quote the engine on the estimate I received.

Just wondering whether it would be worth it, Would come out to about 10,000-11,000 total for a vibe which is about 50% of its new value.

Thanks a lot of any help you can give.

mummy03

I own a base Vibe with 5-sp manual transmission. The car won't start unless the clutch pedal is buried into the floor mat. I thought this had to be an assembly problem so I went back to the dealer to have it adjusted. The salesperson who sold me the car said all Vibes are that way. The mechanics said there's nothing that can be adjusted; they're made that way. It doesn't seem right that the clutch pedal has to be forcefully pushed against the floor to start the engine. Anyone else bothered by this problem???

5679

You will get used to it.

montanafan

You haven't posted back with the specific info that you needed. The ABS system is a Lucas/Sumitomo system, so it is neither a GM or Toyota system. Both the Matrix and Vibe use a 4 channel ABS system. There would be no sense in building simular cars if they used different parts.

sar4

Sorry been away for a couple of days. The conflicting info was that one GM dealership said that it is the GM ABS on the Vibe (like the ones on the Cavalier) and another GM dealership said that the ABS was all Toyota's. Thanks for the information

rookie34

Well, I'd love to tell you all that I have been driving and loving my Vibe for the past two months. Part of that statement is correct - I still love the Vibe but I ended up driving a Mazda Protege for 2 out of the past 8 weeks. Reason: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ISSUES
One week after taking possession of my Vibe, the check engine life came on. Took in to dealer, the hooked it up to their computer and it spit back out at them "engine misfire". So they changed a spark plug and sent me on my way. One week later, check engine light back on. Essentially the dealership said "We don't know what is wrong, so make note of the driving conditions when the light comes on again." One week later, check engine light back on (I sound like a broken record). This is where the 2 weeks in a Mazda begins. They apparently had no one on staff who knew what to do with this problem, so the called in some big honchos from GM to come down and look at the vehicle. They eventually say - "change the fuel rail". So now I wait and see if this finally fixes the problem. It is soooooooooooooo very frustrating when a dealer sells you a car but they can't fix it!!!!!!!! Other than that problem - I love the car, love how it drives, and have received many compliments from my friends and co-workers. It has travelled to Darlington, South Carolina for a NASCAR race and has comfortably kept three people busy playing Yahtzee while waiting out a rain delay. (Gotta love the fold down passenger seat with the hard top). Hope this is the only problem I have.

johnclineii

How did the Protege compare to the Vibe, he asked evilly...

Were you glad to get back in the Vibe? Sorry to see the Protege go?

And why doesn't a GM dealership have GM loaners available?

rookie34

Wellllll, I did test drive a Protege5 before I purchased the Vibe. Not really impressed with the vehicle - white dashboard instrumentation very cheap looking, shifter was clunky, and it looked way too much like a station wagon (which, I guess, is what it is). The Protege I was forced to drive for 2 weeks was the basic sedan - and an automatic. So I spent the first couple days trying to shift gears using a nonexistant clutch. Then, when I finally got back into the Vibe, had to spend a few minutes readjusting and getting my bearings. As far as a GM dealership not using GM cars for loaners - you would think they would - but this car came from Hertz, so maybe the dealership had no control over the situation. Anyway, it has been 11 days and counting since I got my Vibe back from the shop and still no reappearance of the Check Engine Light. (Knock on wood a couple hundred times). Hopefully now I will only have to visit the dealership to have my oil changed.

5679

Great fun driving this car. I love it and the long periods between fillups! The only negative thing I've noticed is the passenger seat now rattles and it didn't before.

howardpm

Well, had my vibe for 6 months and this weekend I went back to the dealership and traded it in. I just wasn't enjoying it. I hated the blind spots out the back windows. 3 times into the dealership and they still couldn'tfix the little gear shift comparement box nor could they order the right piece. They wanted to give me 13,500 for it, but I got them up to 14,375. The car had 7800 miles on it a bunch of small dings and paint peels. I ended up getting the new sunfire 2003 with every option available. I'm going to mis the automatic lights but thats about it.

dindak

Ouch, not fun taking a $$ hit on a 6 month old vehicle.

New 03 Sunfire is a pretty dated car but at least has the Ecotec and some revised styling this year. Saw one at the rental place the other day.

howardpm

I think the vibe cost me 21,000, it was the standard one with the 6 disc changer and good sound system and sun roof. I actually like the new sunfires though I had a 2000 before, but the new one I got basically has everything. I don't think I'll be buying a first year car again.

lesterb

That's too bad, you're the second guy that has decided to say goodbye to the Vibe. Another gentleman from the Genvibe forum has done the same and gone for a Subaru WRX.
Oh well, I guess emotion must have overcome you when you first test drove the Vibe. I have test driven the vehicle several times and I know it is not perfect but for the price point and its fit for my current lifestyle, I think it can't be beat. This will be my first vehicle in 18 years and I'm looking forward to it!
The only thing I hate is the long waiting list.

dindak

Ya, the 03 Sunfire looks much better than the 02 and the Ecotec is a great engine.

nippononly

I thought the new Sunfire was a Saturn coupe. Lack of originality? I would say so.

Too bad you are saying goodbye to the Vibe...you won't be able to fit four bikes in the Sunfire!

dindak

I saw on CNBC that the Vibe plant in California will likely close in the next few days due to a parts shortage. There is a dock worker strike dragging on.

5679

Is this report true—0% financing for up to 60 months or $1500 cash back? My bad luck, again?

bigdaddycoats

yes, it is true. pretty good deal. maybe this is why the vibe has a higher price than the matrix - at least this is my theory. GM knew that it would eventually has rebates and good financing on the vibe and priced it accordingly from the start. the prism always had a higher price than the corolla but always has incentives on it.

nippononly

a dockworker strike, a dockworker LOCK-OUT.

And yes, it is stopping production at NUMMI plant today, killing the Vibe line and also the Toyota tacoma line. No more parts...

clyde2000

I just visited the Vibe pages at GM Canada's site, and they list the base price as being $20,190... that's $1000 more than when they introduced it.

Although I like the Vibe, I'm starting to seriously reconsider, even with by GM card points and the grad rebate incentive, the price maybe to high.

vonnyvonce

Had Vibe with automatic since June. Update as follows: Fine vehicle, fun to drive, comfy, Moons and Tunes work well for me. Only things troubling so far.
1. Auto headlights. What engineer decided to place sensor in the shadow of the A pillar. This turns lights on sometimes in bright daylight as sensor is in the "dark". Sensor should be in the center of dash.
2. Fuse box location. I'm getting to old/fat to be upside down under dash trying to replace these crazy mini fuses. Put the fuse box where it can be accessed easily. How about under the hood and use fuses I can pull with my fingers, not a tweezer.
Otherwise so far so good. MPG average 32+/-.