I don't think the dash or cargo area is any different between the two color choices. The cargo areas seem to be a different shade than the rest of the interior anyway. I'm not sure why they even offer the two choices of upholstery, since they are very close. The graphite is darker of course, but there is really little to choose between them.
I'm thinking about buying a Vibe, but I'm not sure how to bargain with the sale man. I know that Vibe is offer $2,000 rebate. Most of the people that I talk to said make an offer about $2,000 below sticker price. So how does this work?
If the sticker price is $18,000 and with $2,000 rebate, should I offer the sale man $14,000? or when there is a rebate, the dealer will sell at sticker price less rebate. If this is the case? what is the point of the rebate because people will never pay the sticker price.
Any input would be greatly appreciated. My first time buying a new car here.
the rebate has NOTHING to do with the price of the car. These are factory to dealer incentives to move cars. If you don't have access to a car buying service, simply find out the dealer cost of the car from edmunds, and offer $350 over that cost. That's $350 profit AND the knowledge that the dealer is getting a car off his lot and does not have to make monthly payments on. All the incentives ($2,000) will come back to you if they are from GM. If they are now in the dealers hands, you simply deduct the $2,000 from the number you had after his $350 profit. There's even more options. Buy the car on line. You'll "ensure" your bottom line price even before you leave your home.
"All the incentives ($2,000) will come back to you if they are from GM. If they are now in the dealers hands, you simply deduct the $2,000 from the number you had after his $350 profit."
I just want to make sure that I understand this right. For example, the sticker price is $20,000 and the dealer cost is $17,650. So without any rebate, a fair price to the dealer would be $18,000 ($350 profit for the dealer). Now that I found out the factory offer $2,000 rebate. Should I reduce my previous offered price to the dealer by $2,000 and my final offer to the dealer would be $16,000.
you are both right. Simply research whatever the dealer cost is and add on what you feel is a fair offer for profit ($350). The $2,000 comes back to you. Just make sure you know how it is coming back to you before you sign the final deal. Geez, you guys are making me cry. I could have bought my AWD Vibe for $2,000 less than what I got it a year and a half ago. I need a beer!
Tell them you'll pay $200 below invoice*, let say $18,800 - $200. They'll either a)laugh out loud and try to make you look stupid, or b)try to negotiate. If a), they shrug your shoulders and start to walk out. If b), then settle to invoice, +/- $150 (+$150 towards beginning of month, -$150 towards last week of month).
Ask them what their doc fee is and subtract off offering price if it's over $200.
Ask them to show invoice of targeted car.
* The invoice will list: - Car price you get from edmunds.com ($18,000ish) - a few items that are not in edmunds.com: Advertising fee (about 1%) Financing (a few more hundred) misc (gas, owners jacket) There will be a note on the bottom that this does not include holdback (about 2-3%)
Overhead + some Profit is in there already.
Okay, so you have MSRP = $20,000 Settle on invoice dealer provided(est) = $18800 Add tax (assume 6%) = $1128 Add doc fee = $200 (this is pure profit) Add auto registration fee (should be no profit here) = $60
Get your total = $20,188 Rebate** = -$2000 GM Card credit (est at max)= -$1000 Your out of pocket = $17,188
**You may pay tax on full about, before rebates. I think varies by state regulations.
Don't forget to sign up on upromise.com 30 days before you take delivery - get back $150 for someone's college.
Just got new Vibe, black in color, with moon and tunes pg., power pg., and automatic transmission. I just went over 1000 miles, and have these observations:
- I had worried about a lack of power with the automatic transmission, but that has not been a problem. I won't win any drag races, but it gets up to freeway speeds quickly enough, and is peppy around town.
-When the shift lever is in "Park", it interferes with access to the climate controls, especially the fan rotary switch.
-The automatic light sensor-light turner-on thinger-do seems to work ok; don't have to worry about leaving lights on and killing the battery. However, there is a time lag between all the other inside lights coming on, and the lights in the shifter console coming on. I crank up at night, the lights in the shifter console don't come on immediately.
-Checked my mileage on my third tank of gas. I'm getting about 30.9 mpg. That is with driving that is about 80-90% highway/freeway driving where the traffic flow is about 75-80 mph. The remainder (15-20%) is stop/go in town.
-I like the idea of that little supercharger, but haven't heard if it is available yet. Don't need it, but like the idea. Wife probably won't let me get one, even if they ever come out.
and congrats on your new Vibe! We appreciate hearing about your likes and dislikes..., and look foward to hearing more about your ownership experience. Happy motoring! ;-)
I bought a fully loaded FWD Vibe, automatic, moon & tunes, 16" Al whls, 6 CD changer, ABS, monotone color, side impact Airbags, Remote keyless entry. In addition got cargo net, cover, carpet, Lo Jack. Price was $19,365 including California 8.25% sales tax and license. Also include ext. maintenance service contract.
Discounts I got were:
GM retiree discount, $1500 and 2.9% financing for 36 months, additional $250 off from GM, $2664. from the GM credit card.
The only negative about the car so far are the rearview outside mirrors. On my previous car, a '87 Mazda 626, the mirrors swivel when you push them. On the Vibe, the mirrors a mounted in a stiff rigid shell fairing. On the Mazda, the door had a light when opened. I'm happy with the Corolla 16 valve engine and the acceleration which is good compared to the Mazda. I didn't opt for the AWD, because of the probable maintenance delta and the hit on the gas efficiency.
actually, the AWD is only 1 mpg less than the base automatic. Pretty impressive. Now that it is summer, I am getting 26 mpg (city) with my AWD. I hope there will not be additional maintenance concerns since it is a toyota AWD system. Nonetheless, I am prepared to buy a on-line warranty before the GM one runs out. Best wishes to you and your car dannari.
- That extended warranty is sounding better to me, also. I had to have the left front driveshaft replaced on my Vibe AWD already. I noticed grease splattered inside the wheel, something which could easily have been missed. My mpg has been 26 - 28 in mixed driving, with 2,800 miles on the odo. No other problems, and fun to drive.
the shifter console is only lit when the headlights are on - that will take a few seconds after you release the parking brake.
The gauges are backlit all the time ("optitron gauges") so they light up immediately.
I would guess the thinking was you would not need to adjust the fan speed much when the car is in 'park' - you can't drive in 'park' - but I agree - it does block it in that position!
Hey, the S/C is here!!!!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Just took delivery of a new 2003 Vibe !! I looked @ Matrix but gave up trying to deal with the Robber Barons @ Toyota. Those guys had the "shaft" all greased up and ready before I could even get to the showroom, LOL !!
Anyways, my Vibe with pwr package, moon & tune pkg,A/T,ABS, 16" alum wheels, mono paint pkg, came to a MSRP of $20,325.00. After dealer discount, $2000 rebate and another $1000 from GM cardit was $16506.00+ tax & tag out the door. They gave me $1000 more for my trade than Kelly BB to boot and 4.9% GMAC financing. A heck of a deal IMHO. Of course my wife has already confiscated the thing and it looks like I'll be driving the old pickup for sometime to come.
As I,m almost 70 years old I do get a lot of looks from the baggy pants, baseball cap on backwards set when I roll into the SONIC for my breakfast!! LOL.
I have bought a lot of cars over the years and have had very few that have offered the out-and-out top quality and value for money as the VIBE. Fit and finish is equal to cars costing twice, or more,than the VIBE. I recommend the VIBE to anyone looking for this catagory of vehicle. For the money you cannot do better. Now if I just live long enough to enjoy the thing I'll be happy LOL! By the way the base MSRP has already gone up about another $500 (got mine @ the old $16,485.00)
picked up my Vibe yesterday after eyeballing it for over a year (yeah, I know). Just couldn't wait any longer to see the new crossovers due out this yr ('93 Sentra inspection due soon). Never before even considered a GM. Paid 4% over invoice for a nicely loaded FWD ($800+ under msrp). Probably too much, but no one was really dealing as, I'm told that they are 'flying off the lot'. Witnessed 2 sales during my most recent visit. Took the 0.0%. 3 things I've noted so far...big blind spot rear drivers side, wish the side mirrors folded and the cargo cover was a roll-away. Will let you know more. As I haven't had a new car in 10yrs, do I need to keep it under a certain mph for the first 1000 miles or am I showing my age?
keep it under 55 mph for the first 1K, but really, is that possible? I would just try to keep it under 3500 rpm or so. The other thing is, don't take any long trips where you drive at one fixed speed, and take it especially easy on the brakes for the first 200 miles.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
sharon: What nippon sez is correct. Avoid high RPM and long steady cruising on the interstate IF possible. Keeping it under 3500 RPM should not be a problem as 70mph in top gear overdrive (automatic tranny) would figure out to almost 90mph !! LOL
Last three or four cars I've had all had folding mirrors. Can't think of a single time I ever needed them to do that. Just lucky I guess. I put the cargo cover on the shelf in the garage as it looks like it would be more trouble than it's worth. Only got about 300 miles on mine so far so no info on MPG. I looked at almost every make and model out there before plunking down my bux. For the money the VIBE is a no-brainer. Matrix is ok too but just too much of a hassle dealing with Mr.Toyota and SE Toyota (Florida) price packing bandits !!
Good luck with you new toy. Let the rest of us know how it is going from time to time.
Hope to get a 04 AWD Vibe. Heard AWD system is by trusted Toyota. Is it the same that was in the Corolla AWD wagon & how reliable is it? What are chances of getting a loaded 04 w/16" aluminum wheels & side air bags by mid Nov without ordering? Thanks
I have over 20,000 miles on my AWD Vibe, and will purchasing an on-line extended warranty very soon. There are 3 good ones I have found and posted on here before. All have excellent AM Best ratings. You were smart not to buy the GM warranty. While good, it is waaaay overpriced.
Looking everywhere for a "Hoppy" or Drawtite T-one type no splice connector set up to wire my trailer lights without cutting wires. Could not find any for Vibe and found out the hard way the Matrix set up does not fit???? Anyone know if/where this set up can be found. Hard to believe Toyota and Pontiac don't even use the same wiring harness. No wonder cars are so expensive.
My 3 choices that I have posted here before are (in no particular order):
www.warrantybynet.com www.warrantywizard.com and warranty gold, which probably is the name of their website too, but I didn't have it written down. Check all 3 out. I will once again pair them against one another in another 10k miles or so to determine the winner. I believe I have been leaning towards warrantybynet, although I plan on getting whatever gets me to 10 years of ownership. Happy hunting.
Along with the basic 3 year/60,000 Km GM Canada warranty, we also have a 5 year powertrain warranty. Does that render pointless the purchase of any extended warranty? I know it doesn't cover features such as sunroof/window motors etc. but what are the chances anyway, within 5 years or so, of this type of problem arising? Just curious as to what others think.
I keep my cars 10 years, so I know I'll use it. I am one who never recommends extended warranties on anything (other than cars). I learned my lesson (the easy way) with my 626. I have put over $3500 on my $650 extended warranty. I realize the 626 is Ford junk compared to the Toyota (Vibe), but nonetheless, for $1200 for a 10 year warranty, I know I'll be enjoying my Vibe for a long time to come.
And I bet that warranty is a factory sponsored one. The GM warranty has a MSRP. The price of it, like the price of anything else at a dealership, can be negotiated.
Third party warranties can have problems with getting claims paid, dealers/repair shops to accept them, and even, in some cases, with the company still being there to pay claims.
Extended warranties are a very personal choice. What's right for me may not be what is right for you. Just do your research and do what seems right to you. Then don't look back! :0
Does anyone have a tow package on their Vibe, if so what are you towing and are there any problems. Looking to put a hitch on to tow a small trailer and my Motocycle. Any advice? Have the 2003 Vibe GT, and love it by the way.
Have a Drawtite hitch for my Vibe. Easy installation. I tow a small utility trailer without any trouble. One problem I'm having though is finding easy to install t-type trailer wiring adapter. Found out Matrix set won't work in Vibe
I have a Matrix XRS, but the suspension is the same on the Vibe and Matrix regardless of trim. My previous car was a Cadillac Catera and while the ride is not as soft, it is not harsh by any means. I am 6'0 210 and have driven up to 4 hours comfortably. The cruising noise is pretty good. At 70 MPH the only annoying noise is the cheap goodyear tires. The engine can be loud when revved (of course it goes to 8000 RPMs . The only thing I would change are longer cushions ( a tad short on thigh support) and better tires. I love my XRS, but I am not in the group who believe the Fast and the Furious should be lived daily. I had the same tires (Goodyear RSAs) in the same size as on my Catera and will be replacing them when they wear out (scarily soon with just 5500 Miles on them) with Continental CH95's. A much quieter and softer tire.
an XR with the Continental tires, which are both durable and quieter than the Goodyears. This car has a firm but comfortable ride for long trips, and the seats are very comfortable. Note that stillageek has the XRS, so that car probably has the 17" rims with the tires with shorter sidewalls and a firmer ride.
I have driven it to L.A., about a six-hour trip, with no problem at all.
One important note: check the seat cushion carefully...while I have no problem with it, some people have posted saying it is too short and does not properly support their thigh. Take a good long test drive in it and pay attention to the seat.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Check out the GM 24hr Test Drive Program, can probably link off of http://www.gm.com . Hope you can meet the qualifiers. Then find a dealer that has a Vibe on the program, most should. Take it for a long ride and judge yourself. Good luck.
scottdude: Just bought a 2003 Base VIBE for my wife. She had a 2000 Mitsu Galant (traded) and so far she is in love with the Pontiac. What little I have driven it impresses me favorably. I'm 5'9" and about 175# and the seats are just fine. We will be going on a road trip soon (3k round trip) and that will tell the tale on all day driving. It is much quieter than I would have thought tho those Goodyear tires are noisy. Her Mitsu had the same tires and they were loud. We replaced them @ about 40k with Dunlops and the difference was astounding.Virtually no tire noise from them.
As to the ride, it does seem a little harsh over washboard or lightly broken pavement as well as tar strips, expansion joints etc. More felt thru the steering than in the car's structure and may be coming from those Goodyears. The car did have way too much pressure in the tires as delivered (10# too much) and getting that back to normal helped a lot. I would term the ride quality as "sporting". If you are used to a soft riding vehicle you may not lke the VIBE's ride. I have always had imports / sports cars so the ride is fine for me.
The overall noise level is very low as the engine is only turning about 2500rpm @ 70mph (A/T tranny)have NOT noticed any noise from the roof rack as some folks have noted. Really not too bad even with the sun roof open tho it will buffet a little over 70mph.
So far we both are delighted with the car especially with the killer deal GM is giving on rebates , low APR etc. hard to beat for the money. One other thing that impresses is the absolute perfect fit and finish of the vehicle. it would do justice to a car costing twice as much or more. First car in a long time that was delivered to me in pristine,perfect condition. Better than my old Boxster by far, but that's another story. LOL
I have the XRS with the 16 inchers and a sunroof. Toyota and Pontiac didn't offer the 17's and sunroof due to various reasons regarding the extra chassis flex with the sunroof. Moon and Tunes on the Vibe includes a 6 disc in dash cd changer. A very nice unit. I had it in my Matrix until I yanked it and installed the Factory navigation system I found on ebay. I am a geek and it was a must have.
Purchased a 2004 neptune blue vibe last night with ABS, moon&tunes, 16in alloys, & monotone. The instrument cluster is new with the white background, very nice. Does anybody know what else was changed in the 2004's? Can't wait to drive it today!
scottdude: the moon & tunes pkg does include a SINGLE cd player. The 6 CD changer is a stand alone option or add on to the upgraded M & T pkg but is not standard at least on the 2003's. I can't speak for what the 2004's may have to offer.
get on "gm buypower.com" and you can download actual stickers from dealers in your area that will give you the exact price etc for any given car they have in stock. The base price of the 2004's will be approx $500 more ( even some of the last built 2003's) than the 2003's still on the lots. A 2k rebate will sweeten the deal if you act quickly. Good luck. We just love our VIBE.
hudrahead: I can't get the 2004's to come up on the GMbuypower web site. But the 2003's show up: one dealer has 33 in stock!
Now on to my test drive experience:
One of the things I like about these Town Hall forums is reading about other peoples experiences in owning and test driving cars. This has really helped me narrow down my choices as I decide to buy a new car. Today I had the chance to test drive three cars at one of those credit union rental car (Enterprise) sales: a Camry, Altima and Pontiac Vibe, all 2003 models with a/t and 4 cyl engines. I was able to take these cars out on my own (with no salesperson) for very extensive test drives (about 45 minutes each) on city streets (including some old brick ones) and the interstate. I thought I’d post my impressions on the cars in their respective topics here in the Town Hall. I guess some might say that test driving a rental car may not be fair because it is not the same as “brand new” and may have been abused, but I look at it as a way to see what a car might be like after it has several thousand miles under it.
Vibe Originally I was leaning towards a sedan as my next car, but I saw a blue Vibe and liked the looks, so I decided to take it for a drive. This is a very well built car. It felt solid on all the roads I took it on, even the brick streets (although it could not match the Camry’s ability to soak up the brick bumps). I’ve read that some think the acceleration is weak, but I had no problem getting on the interstate and zooming over to the far left lane, cruising at about 75mph. Off the interstate I tried the brakes and was equally impressed very smooth and solid feel. The car has tons of room inside and has a nice contemporary feel. I guess my biggest concern was my driving position: try as I might, but I just couldn’t seem to get an upright seating position that was comfortable on my back. Maybe I would get used to this in time. Speaking of the seats, they do seem very durable. One other nitpick is the red instrument panel. Maybe it looks OK at night, but in the daytime I found it a little difficult to read. The Vibe has lots of features, but I missed not having a remote trunk switch in the car or on the keychain perhaps this is available as an option? The only defect I think I found was on the front passenger seat: it is supposed to fold flat, I think, so you can use the back as a table. On this car it would not fall completely flat. And finally, the rear visibility seemed small, but again, maybe this is something owners get used to. Overall, this is a fun, sporty and very useful car for people who need to move large objects or other people. Considering the rebates GM is offering now, I think this car offers a great bang for the buck. It is also one of the few cars I would actually consider getting in black. Although I think black cars are a pain to maintain, a black Vibe would look sweet, so it might be worth it.
there is a separate lever for this - it is not the one you usually use to recline the seat back. Perhaps that was the problem?
As for the rear hatch, all but base Matrix, and I believe most Vibes as well, come with keyless entry which includes a button for the hatch window to pop open. If you mean the whole door, then the lock for the rear door operates with all other passenger doors, and then the door itself has its own handle.
One press of 'unlock' for driver's door only, a second press for all other doors to unlock.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
scottdude: you can open the hatch glass seperately from the rear "door" with the button on the dash if you are inside the car. If you are outside the car push and hold down the "hatch" button for about 3 seconds and just the glass will pop open. I think some folks are confused by the term "hatch" on the key fob. They think that is what opens the rear "door"
Test drove a couple Vibes last week. I concur with everything I've read. Vibes are good cars for their price. Worst thing for me was driving position. I prefer sitting in the upright position, like an SUV. The Vibe driver seat will raise up, but it also moves forward at the same time. That's bad when you're 6'2". I want up, not up and in. Does anyone (MJG222) know if they're going to correct this with the 2004 model?
"Detroit can breathe easy, because two of this top ten vehicles are doemstic makes"...yeah, but one is the Vibe, essentially a Toyota!
These twins are so similar that sometimes it seems to me it is silly for consumer mags, etc to consider them as two different vehicles. Of course, the deals on them are different, as is the look, so I guess they are different enough to consider separately.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I just find it funny, now that Vibe has been around a while, that it is beginning to "pop out" on studies and surveys as the most reliable and quality-built Pontiac, and has some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings for Pontiac as well. It being mechanically a Toyota, with some Toyota input for body and interior design as well, probably had a large influence on that.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
some influence inside too. For instance, it took exception to the usual style of GM HVAC where the only way to get recirc air is to put it on "max A/C", so they insisted on a button to push to have recirc any time, just like all the other Toyotas. And if I had to guess, I would say the largeness of the rotary HVAC dials is also their handiwork. I am glad they are large!
The control stalks on the steering column are all Toyota too.
Someone posted somewhere saying the seat material was "cheap like the cavalier", and clearly not to their liking, but the material is identical to the seat material of my current-gen Toyota Celica before I sold it, and I personally like it. I think it feels pretty good, and I also think it will be very durable.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Comments
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
I'm thinking about buying a Vibe, but I'm not sure how to bargain with the sale man. I know that Vibe is offer $2,000 rebate. Most of the people that I talk to said make an offer about $2,000 below sticker price. So how does this work?
If the sticker price is $18,000 and with $2,000 rebate, should I offer the sale man $14,000? or when there is a rebate, the dealer will sell at sticker price less rebate. If this is the case? what is the point of the rebate because people will never pay the sticker price.
Any input would be greatly appreciated. My first time buying a new car here.
Thanks,
There's even more options. Buy the car on line. You'll "ensure" your bottom line price even before you leave your home.
I'm still confused with the statement below:
"All the incentives ($2,000) will come back to you if they are from GM. If they are now in the dealers hands, you simply deduct the $2,000 from the number you had after his $350 profit."
I just want to make sure that I understand this right. For example, the sticker price is $20,000 and the dealer cost is $17,650. So without any rebate, a fair price to the dealer would be $18,000 ($350 profit for the dealer). Now that I found out the factory offer $2,000 rebate. Should I reduce my previous offered price to the dealer by $2,000 and my final offer to the dealer would be $16,000.
Thanks again Maxx4me
Tell them you'll pay $200 below invoice*, let say $18,800 - $200. They'll either a)laugh out loud and try to make you look stupid, or b)try to negotiate. If a), they shrug your shoulders and start to walk out. If b), then settle to invoice, +/- $150 (+$150 towards beginning of month, -$150 towards last week of month).
Ask them what their doc fee is and subtract off offering price if it's over $200.
Ask them to show invoice of targeted car.
* The invoice will list:
- Car price you get from edmunds.com ($18,000ish)
- a few items that are not in edmunds.com:
Advertising fee (about 1%)
Financing (a few more hundred)
misc (gas, owners jacket)
There will be a note on the bottom that this does not include holdback (about 2-3%)
Overhead + some Profit is in there already.
Okay, so you have MSRP = $20,000
Settle on invoice dealer provided(est) = $18800
Add tax (assume 6%) = $1128
Add doc fee = $200 (this is pure profit)
Add auto registration fee (should be no profit here) = $60
Get your total = $20,188
Rebate** = -$2000
GM Card credit (est at max)= -$1000
Your out of pocket = $17,188
**You may pay tax on full about, before rebates. I think varies by state regulations.
Don't forget to sign up on upromise.com 30 days before you take delivery - get back $150 for someone's college.
- I had worried about a lack of power with the automatic transmission, but that has not been a problem. I won't win any drag races, but it gets up to freeway speeds quickly enough, and is peppy around town.
-When the shift lever is in "Park", it interferes with access to the climate controls, especially the fan rotary switch.
-The automatic light sensor-light turner-on thinger-do seems to work ok; don't have to worry about leaving lights on and killing the battery. However, there is a time lag between all the other inside lights coming on, and the lights in the shifter console coming on. I crank up at night, the lights in the shifter console don't come on immediately.
-Checked my mileage on my third tank of gas. I'm getting about 30.9 mpg. That is with driving that is about 80-90% highway/freeway driving where the traffic flow is about 75-80 mph. The remainder (15-20%) is stop/go in town.
-I like the idea of that little supercharger, but haven't heard if it is available yet. Don't need it, but like the idea. Wife probably won't let me get one, even if they ever come out.
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
Discounts I got were:
GM retiree discount, $1500 and 2.9% financing for 36 months, additional $250 off from GM, $2664. from the GM credit card.
The only negative about the car so far are the rearview outside mirrors. On my previous car, a '87 Mazda 626, the mirrors swivel when you push them. On the Vibe, the mirrors a mounted in a stiff rigid shell fairing. On the Mazda, the door had a light when opened.
I'm happy with the Corolla 16 valve engine and the acceleration which is good compared to the Mazda. I didn't opt for the AWD, because of the probable maintenance delta and the hit on the gas efficiency.
Revka
Host
Hatchbacks & Wagons Boards
The gauges are backlit all the time ("optitron gauges") so they light up immediately.
I would guess the thinking was you would not need to adjust the fan speed much when the car is in 'park' - you can't drive in 'park' - but I agree - it does block it in that position!
Hey, the S/C is here!!!!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Anyways, my Vibe with pwr package, moon & tune pkg,A/T,ABS, 16" alum wheels, mono paint pkg, came to a MSRP of $20,325.00. After dealer discount, $2000 rebate and another $1000 from GM cardit was $16506.00+ tax & tag out the door. They gave me $1000 more for my trade than Kelly BB to boot and 4.9% GMAC financing. A heck of a deal IMHO. Of course my wife has already confiscated the thing and it looks like I'll be driving the old pickup for sometime to come.
As I,m almost 70 years old I do get a lot of looks from the baggy pants, baseball cap on backwards set when I roll into the SONIC for my breakfast!! LOL.
I have bought a lot of cars over the years and have had very few that have offered the out-and-out top quality and value for money as the VIBE. Fit and finish is equal to cars costing twice, or more,than the VIBE. I recommend the VIBE to anyone looking for this catagory of vehicle. For the money you cannot do better. Now if I just live long enough to enjoy the thing I'll be happy LOL! By the way the base MSRP has already gone up about another $500 (got mine @ the old $16,485.00)
HUD
3 things I've noted so far...big blind spot rear drivers side, wish the side mirrors folded and the cargo cover was a roll-away. Will let you know
more.
As I haven't had a new car in 10yrs, do I need to keep it under a certain mph for the first 1000 miles or am I showing my age?
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Last three or four cars I've had all had folding mirrors. Can't think of a single time I ever needed them to do that. Just lucky I guess. I put the cargo cover on the shelf in the garage as it looks like it would be more trouble than it's worth. Only got about 300 miles on mine so far so no info on MPG. I looked at almost every make and model out there before plunking down my bux. For the money the VIBE is a no-brainer. Matrix is ok too but just too much of a hassle dealing with Mr.Toyota and SE Toyota (Florida) price packing bandits !!
Good luck with you new toy. Let the rest of us know how it is going from time to time.
HUD
Has anyone bitten on an extended warranty from dealer or elsewhere?
Thanks
Anyone know if such a product is available in Canada?
www.warrantybynet.com
www.warrantywizard.com
and warranty gold, which probably is the name of their website too, but I didn't have it written down. Check all 3 out. I will once again pair them against one another in another 10k miles or so to determine the winner. I believe I have been leaning towards warrantybynet, although I plan on getting whatever gets me to 10 years of ownership. Happy hunting.
Does that render pointless the purchase of any extended warranty? I know it doesn't cover features such as sunroof/window motors etc. but what are the chances anyway, within 5 years or so, of this type of problem arising?
Just curious as to what others think.
Third party warranties can have problems with getting claims paid, dealers/repair shops to accept them, and even, in some cases, with the company still being there to pay claims.
Extended warranties are a very personal choice. What's right for me may not be what is right for you. Just do your research and do what seems right to you. Then don't look back! :0
Have a Drawtite hitch for my Vibe. Easy installation. I tow a small utility trailer without any trouble. One problem I'm having though is finding easy to install t-type trailer wiring adapter. Found out Matrix set won't work in Vibe
Are the seats comfortable on long trips? Do you feel every bump in the road? Is it a quiet ride?
I have driven it to L.A., about a six-hour trip, with no problem at all.
One important note: check the seat cushion carefully...while I have no problem with it, some people have posted saying it is too short and does not properly support their thigh. Take a good long test drive in it and pay attention to the seat.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
As to the ride, it does seem a little harsh over washboard or lightly broken pavement as well as tar strips, expansion joints etc. More felt thru the steering than in the car's structure and may be coming from those Goodyears. The car did have way too much pressure in the tires as delivered (10# too much) and getting that back to normal helped a lot. I would term the ride quality as "sporting". If you are used to a soft riding vehicle you may not lke the VIBE's ride. I have always had imports / sports cars so the ride is fine for me.
The overall noise level is very low as the engine is only turning about 2500rpm @ 70mph (A/T tranny)have NOT noticed any noise from the roof rack as some folks have noted. Really not too bad even with the sun roof open tho it will buffet a little over 70mph.
So far we both are delighted with the car especially with the killer deal GM is giving on rebates , low APR etc. hard to beat for the money. One other thing that impresses is the absolute perfect fit and finish of the vehicle. it would do justice to a car costing twice as much or more. First car in a long time that was delivered to me in pristine,perfect condition. Better than my old Boxster by far, but that's another story. LOL
HUD
get on "gm buypower.com" and you can download actual stickers from dealers in your area that will give you the exact price etc for any given car they have in stock. The base price of the 2004's will be approx $500 more ( even some of the last built 2003's) than the 2003's still on the lots. A 2k rebate will sweeten the deal if you act quickly. Good luck. We just love our VIBE.
HUD
Now on to my test drive experience:
One of the things I like about these Town Hall forums is reading about other peoples experiences in owning and test driving cars. This has really helped me narrow down my choices as I decide to buy a new car. Today I had the chance to test drive three cars at one of those credit union rental car (Enterprise) sales: a Camry, Altima and Pontiac Vibe, all 2003 models with a/t and 4 cyl engines. I was able to take these cars out on my own (with no salesperson) for very extensive test drives (about 45 minutes each) on city streets (including some old brick ones) and the interstate. I thought I’d post my impressions on the cars in their respective topics here in the Town Hall. I guess some might say that test driving a rental car may not be fair because it is not the same as “brand new” and may have been abused, but I look at it as a way to see what a car might be like after it has several thousand miles under it.
Vibe
Originally I was leaning towards a sedan as my next car, but I saw a blue Vibe and liked the looks, so I decided to take it for a drive. This is a very well built car. It felt solid on all the roads I took it on, even the brick streets (although it could not match the Camry’s ability to soak up the brick bumps). I’ve read that some think the acceleration is weak, but I had no problem getting on the interstate and zooming over to the far left lane, cruising at about 75mph. Off the interstate I tried the brakes and was equally impressed very smooth and solid feel. The car has tons of room inside and has a nice contemporary feel. I guess my biggest concern was my driving position: try as I might, but I just couldn’t seem to get an upright seating position that was comfortable on my back. Maybe I would get used to this in time. Speaking of the seats, they do seem very durable. One other nitpick is the red instrument panel. Maybe it looks OK at night, but in the daytime I found it a little difficult to read. The Vibe has lots of features, but I missed not having a remote trunk switch in the car or on the keychain perhaps this is available as an option? The only defect I think I found was on the front passenger seat: it is supposed to fold flat, I think, so you can use the back as a table. On this car it would not fall completely flat. And finally, the rear visibility seemed small, but again, maybe this is something owners get used to. Overall, this is a fun, sporty and very useful car for people who need to move large objects or other people. Considering the rebates GM is offering now, I think this car offers a great bang for the buck. It is also one of the few cars I would actually consider getting in black. Although I think black cars are a pain to maintain, a black Vibe would look sweet, so it might be worth it.
As for the rear hatch, all but base Matrix, and I believe most Vibes as well, come with keyless entry which includes a button for the hatch window to pop open. If you mean the whole door, then the lock for the rear door operates with all other passenger doors, and then the door itself has its own handle.
One press of 'unlock' for driver's door only, a second press for all other doors to unlock.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
HUD
http://autos.msn.com/advice/windowshop.aspx?contentid=2893&sr- c=MSN
These twins are so similar that sometimes it seems to me it is silly for consumer mags, etc to consider them as two different vehicles. Of course, the deals on them are different, as is the look, so I guess they are different enough to consider separately.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The control stalks on the steering column are all Toyota too.
Someone posted somewhere saying the seat material was "cheap like the cavalier", and clearly not to their liking, but the material is identical to the seat material of my current-gen Toyota Celica before I sold it, and I personally like it. I think it feels pretty good, and I also think it will be very durable.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)