Pontiac Vibe

1252628303157

Comments

  • edchenedchen Member Posts: 31
    In general you have until 1 month before the manufacturer's warranty expires before you have to purchase the extended warranty at used car prices. This gives you 2.5+ years to evaluate whether you need one. dogtrainer, is that a GM protection plan?
  • howardpmhowardpm Member Posts: 28
    Good luck getting that clip back in. I've now taken my car to the pontiac place 3 times for it, the first time they didn't have a clue and ended up losing the clip somewhere inside the gear box, then they told me they would get me a whole new gear box. So I bring in my car and it turns out they ordered the wrong part (this being 2 months later) so now I'm waiting for my next call from them.
  • lesterblesterb Member Posts: 13
    I'm not sure if I agree with your term that the Vibe is "ugly". I think it is far from it. Perhaps I may have misunderstood your statement.
    Anyway, as far as getting wet while smoking, maybe you should consider the optional ventvisor for the driver's and passenger windows.(Part#12498261) It may solve your problem.

    I have had my loaded base Vibe (Salsa) on order for four weeks so far and I have another 8-12 weeks to go!
  • zukhovzukhov Member Posts: 34
    I personally don't think that either of these cars are ugly, although I prefer the look of the Matrix. I know..it's a Vibe forum. Not sure what you mean by 'the gear box'. To me that means the manual tranny.
  • 56795679 Member Posts: 88
    Hands up—who thinks the Aztek is ugly.
    Ok now, who has ever driven anAztek thinks it's ugly?
    From the outside?
    Ok. hands down.
    Ok now. How many think the Rendezvous is ugly?
    The Vibe?
    The Matrix?
    Ok.
    Beauty then, is in the eye of the driver, it seems.
  • rookie34rookie34 Member Posts: 13
    As a former owner of a Ford ZX3 (a car which many people considered at best unusual and at worst an eyesore) I find the Vibe very eye catcatching and striking. I like a vehicle that doesn't come out of a cookie-cutter mold. Yes the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic are popular cars but they look - well - boring. No pizazz, no umph. Just a basic sedan that blends in with all the other basic sedans roaming the highways. Even the Aztec (which even I admit is a little over the top in the design category) has some redeeming qualities with its edgy styling. Like someone previously posted, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
  • bigdaddycoatsbigdaddycoats Member Posts: 1,058
    Where is the price increase that I have read about? I do not find any price increase listed on any auto configuration site. Just curious, let me know. I thought I heard a $700 increase??
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    I saw no price hike. Base was still C$19150 up here.

    As for the Aztek.. I am totally used to them now and they seem less ugly than before. That said, I don't think I could live with one personally.
  • lesterblesterb Member Posts: 13
    Yes, the Vibe, at least in Canada has gone up by $700 Cdn. If you check the GM website under Pontiac and "build your vibe" section, you will notice the base price is $19850 Cdn. Eventhough, the main page states a $19150 Cdn. base. When I ordered the Vibe, the dealership has charged the extra $700. I'm still trying to get to the bottom of this. If anyone has an inside scoop, it would be great if you could share it with us.
  • bigdaddycoatsbigdaddycoats Member Posts: 1,058
    It must be a Canada only increase. As far as I can tell the U.S. prices have stayed the same.
  • piglet1piglet1 Member Posts: 4
    Took delivery of a Base Vibe with Moons & Tunes, Power, ABS, Automatic, Cargo Mat & Net (19,375 MSRP)at near invoice price. Subtract my $4,518 gm card discount and the current $1,000 rebate and my $7,000 total discount almost covers the first year depreciation :)

    Still, hopefully it will be reliable for years. Driving it reminds me of my first car - Acura Integra: high-revving, nice steering, overall fun-to-drive, a little noisy (engine and pavement) and bounces and hops over pavement flaws. Good thing it has high headroom.

    Now I can cut up my GM Card.
  • touareg88touareg88 Member Posts: 18
    This only applies to the GT. I think they are no longer offering the 2-tone option for Canada. The $700 is for painting the cladding.
  • khy1316khy1316 Member Posts: 2
    Well let me first start by stating that I never own a american brand car before. Nissan was my first and now own a Acura. I never consider purchasing U.S. before due to the quality issue.

    We'll I get a great discount on all GM products due to my employer being a supplier for GM so I decided to give it a try. I like the concept of Vibe/Matrix because of their size and utility.

    We'll my test drive turned out to be a total disappointment. When I first got in I noted to sales guy that the gear box was very ruff, I had to shove hard to get it in gear. He didn't say anything so off we went. Couple miles down the road the transmission gave out. The engine seem to be running fine, but got no action when I put it on any gear.

    I read couple other posts with the same problem and I glad this happen during a test drive. I know this experience is not the norm but I don't think I'll buy an american car, which is too bad.
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
    Do I understand your post correctly. Did you have to be towed in from the test drive?
  • 56795679 Member Posts: 88
    Put almost 800km on my base (5 spd) Vibe since picking it up this week, city/hwy. Cruised nicely at 110km/hr. Great mileage so far (43L/771km). Nice comfortable seats, front and back.
    Discovered more fully that this is just a Corolla in a different dress. No real need for a tach! A nice sound system.
  • bigdaddycoatsbigdaddycoats Member Posts: 1,058
    Can anyone tell me what the residual is on a three year lease for a Vibe ( % ). Is a 50% residual too high? Does this sound right?

    18400 - MSRP
    16652 - GMS price
    9200 - 50% residual after 3 years
    7899 - cost of lease 16652-9200=7452x1.06=7899
    6.5% - lease rate
    $242.10 - monthly lease payment for 36 months, o down.

    I think these figures are right any thoughts by anyone. Let me know.

    khy1316 - Basically it is a Toyota. Toyota drivetrain and engine. The Vibe is just the Pontiac version. Both are built on the same platform and share many many parts. Same as the Corolla platform. So on this logic you should not buy a Toyota?
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
    Looks like you figured out payments on $7,899 at 6.5% for 36 months like a loan. Here is how to figure it. Figures are for Mass / Northeast, may be different in your state. 36 Month / 15,000 miles per year residual percentage GMAC is 54%, rate is 6.5% and acquisition fee is $595.
    MSRP + Option Package Discounts (If any, ie Power Pack or Moon & Tunes) = Adjusted MSRP. Adjusted MSRP x Residual Percentage = Residual Value. Selling Price - Residual Value = Depreciation. Depreciation + Acqusition Fee = Total Cost. Figure 36 month loan at the lease rate for Total Cost (simular to what you did) = Monthly Cost of Car. Residual Value x (Lease Rate/12) = Monthly Cost of Residual. Add the two monthly costs to get approx payment.
  • bigdaddycoatsbigdaddycoats Member Posts: 1,058
    Thank you very much. Very informative. I've been trying to figure this out on my own but it can get confusing. How did you know the residual is 54%? Thanks again.
  • dogtrainerdogtrainer Member Posts: 96
    Sorry I didn't say, but I have a Matrix XR. I usually lurk on this board because they're twins.
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Vibe has a Corolla platform and engine but the entire concept is Pontiac as is the interior of both cars. Stereos are GM AC Delco also. The Vibe is what is sold in Japan, not the Matrix. It's got a different name though, it escapes me now.
  • johnclineiijohnclineii Member Posts: 2,287
    That would be the Voltz.

    By the way, I think Toyota was far more involved in the concept than you think!
  • vswlawvswlaw Member Posts: 4
    I have visited 2 Pontiac dealerships in my area in S. Central Ontario and none of them would negotiate a lower price than the MSRP even though I am willing to order one direct. I was told that there will be 6 weeks to 3 months wait. The high demand negates any price negotiations and that is what they say. However, I hardly encounter Vibes or Matrixes on the street though. Anybody strucked a good deal lately? Not to mention that you try to achieve that 3 - 4% over invoice.
  • turksteritisturksteritis Member Posts: 95
    I got my Vibe & had to pay full blown MSRP. It was the only base Vibe available for sale in the whole province of Manitoba at the time. A dealer had a loaded GT with Nav system that he was willing to discount $2000 CDN. but did not want the GT. I did get a good deal on my trade however & flat out refused to pay the DOC(B.S. fee) fee & double whammy on the air tax.I also had $1500 visa GM earnings to use also. The air tax is allready on the msrp & every dealer tries to charge you twice.
  • lesterblesterb Member Posts: 13
    Hey Turksteritis,
    What Canadian MSRP did you end up paying for the Base Vibe? What options did it include? I'm comparing notes since I have had my Vibe on order for 5 weeks now and was hit with the $700 Cdn MSRP increase.
  • 56795679 Member Posts: 88
    One of the problems with buying a car (unless it's a fixed price Saturn) is that you can always find someone who paid less, someone who paid more, someone who is a better bargainer, etc. I can't go around torturing myself wondering if there is someone out there who got a better deal. It's like buying mutual funds today and the value drops tomorrow, or whose value increases.
    I just bought a loaded base 5 spd Vibe for which I may have paid too much. Maybe I didn't bargain hard or long enough. As many others have indicated, there certainly wasn't much movement going on. It was a take it or leave it situation. I got a better deal on my trade than I was previously offered. I preferred another colour with the same options but then I would have to wait for several months.I may not have gotten the best deal. Who knows? My time counts for something, too.
    I can't bemoan my decision or gloat over the price I paid compared to someone else.I chose this particular Vibe, at this time, over a Buick century (Custom). I am satisfied with my decision and my family and are totally satisfied with the car. Centuries are a dime a dozen and will be redesigned in a little while. The Vibe is NOW, Baby!
  • lesterblesterb Member Posts: 13
    Just an update that the Canadian base Vibe price is now officially $19,850. GM has finally updated the price on their website. So now everyone can rest easy.
  • 56795679 Member Posts: 88
    Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
  • beaterbeater Member Posts: 16
    After 4500 mostly trouble-free miles, I've begun to notice an intermittent rattle from the dash on my Vibe. The dealer had it for a day and claims to have pulled the dash and put in "extra insulation" to quieten things down. I can't see that whatever they did made any difference. The sound isn't constant; sometimes you can drive over speed bumps and get no sound and then hit a pavement joint and hear a brief rattle that isn't metallic but more like plastic. I can't find any tech service bulletins on the problem so I'm wondering if it's unique to my car or have many others experienced the same problem. Any success stories in treating this issue would be appreciated. Any suggestions on how to remove the dash or sections of the dash would also be appreciated since I can't locate any attach points behind it.
    At the moment, I've got a rubber doorstop wedged between the instrument cluster and the steering column which has helped a lot but it looks a little tacky. Surely there's a way to silence the thing once and for all.
  • pandboypandboy Member Posts: 28
    Did anyone notice that there were almost 20% true cost to own per mile according to edmunds on comparable trims. Although the assumptions were based on TMV. Can anyone share some insights regarding this big gap between these mechanically similiar vehicles?
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
  • missycan1missycan1 Member Posts: 7
    I was looking at the Ford Focus but got turned off with all the recalls.
    THEN I saw the Vibe!

    Problem is...none of the dealerships have any in their lots round these parts of Ontario!

    Anyone found one in Ontario? I'm looking for the 'Vibe' vibe.
  • 56795679 Member Posts: 88
    Use the little search button (on the GM Canada-Vibe site for your postal code. You'll find lots of them but probably not with the features you want.)
  • turksteritisturksteritis Member Posts: 95
    I got the base model with power package & Alloys. MSRP was $21,9850. Taxes extra.
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,825
    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... if that's correct, the General really screwed the pooch on this one.
    Somebody, please say it isn't so!
    -Mathias
    East Lansing, MI
  • beaterbeater Member Posts: 16
    Thanks for the website info. I checked it out and it looks good. Now if I can just work up the nerve to grab hold of the instrument cluster and pull...
  • dindakdindak Member Posts: 6,632
    Actually, the entire concept of the Vibe/Matrix came from GM using the Corolla platform. I read a big article about it in one of the trade magazines. Toyota loved the idea and went with it. Toyota did the Matrix up with their own styling but the basic body and all of the interior is GM Some people are always quick to put GM down, but there are some very bright people working there these days and we will likely see more interesting product come out of the old giant now the Mr. Lutz seems to be running the show.
  • 56795679 Member Posts: 88
    I am averaging 16km/L (or 24.7 mpg US) so far (5 spd, base Vibe) both with and without the A/C turned on.
  • pulgopulgo Member Posts: 400
    16 KMs/L is 37,64 MPG (US)
  • tafkasrptafkasrp Member Posts: 5
    Mathias:

    I spoke to a Yakima rep in March. After a spell of rudeness, he responded to my 'dumb' question with "Of course we'll fit it," about the Vibe. To date I've seen nothing from Yakima. However, you might give Rutabaga a call at 800-472-3353 (they sell canoes and Yakima, and are generally quite helpful). Perhaps by combining Yakima parts for the Vibe and Matrix you can acheive acceptable spacing? Please report if you get answers.
  • steine13steine13 Member Posts: 2,825
    Scott,
    Thanks for the reply... it's not that Yakima says they won't rack it, they only show options for bikes and skis and such. For the matrix, boats are also listed as an option.
    This isn't surprising since you can only achieve a bar spacing of about 2ft or so, I haven't measured it... not the best for canoes. I suppose it would work, but I'd feel better if it was sanctioned.
    Of course, you could do Q towers in the front door for the front bar, and mount the rear bar to the rack; now you're $500 into it and got spare parts for another Vibe... great design...
    I was hoping someone might have real-world experience.
    I want my rain gutters back!!!
    -Mathias
    East Lansing, MI
  • slovett1slovett1 Member Posts: 5
    I'm happy to announce that I am the pround owner of Neptune Vibe GT. I've had it about 2 weeks now and have already logged about 1600 miles! This car is sweet! Great power, great handling, and AWESOME brakes. The interior rocks too! I love the high seating positon and low floor!

    I have a question for the forum of owners here. Has anybody been able to disable the reverse beeping for the 6-speed manual? It's the only thing about the car that I find extremely annoying.

    Thanks, and happy motoring!
  • whothemanwhotheman Member Posts: 169
    And what's up with the SuperCharger? Is that available at GM Parts yet? Is it $2995 plus labor?

    whotheman
  • tafkasrptafkasrp Member Posts: 5
    "Of course, you could do Q towers in the front door for the front bar, and mount the rear bar to the rack..."

    That's what I meant. I know its expensive. You're right: For boaters, it's poorly done.

    "I was hoping someone might have real-world experience."

    If anyplace does, it's Rutabaga: paddlers.com
  • rbarritrbarrit Member Posts: 14
    I'd not try that. Twice, when shifting into first in a hurry at a light, I put mine in reverse. Without the beep...

    What I'd like to have have is a reverse lock-out that needs to be pulled to allow reverse. I guess the beeper was cheaper.
  • imacumacimacumac Member Posts: 18
    will the gt model eventually get the awd option? does anyone knoe if this on the next model year?
  • robodog63robodog63 Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone else have the dashboard rattle and buzz also? I have 350 miles on it and I can't belive my dashboard already rattles. My Civic with 190,000 miles on it doesn't have a rattling dashboard. Can it be fixed?
  • montanafanmontanafan Member Posts: 945
    Check out posts #1379, #1381 w/link, and #1386.
  • robodog63robodog63 Member Posts: 2
    Thank you for the info. I am taking it to the dealer on Tues. I will ask them to do this "fix". I don't want to pull my dashboard apart already. I does seem like this is the problem and it saves me alot of time and troubleshooting. Thank you.
  • 56795679 Member Posts: 88
    Pulgo, I stand (or sit) corrected!
  • 56795679 Member Posts: 88
    Took my daughter back to university (652Km (391 miles) on 48L of gas) of gas today with all of her clothes, food, computer, stereo and a Lazy Boy recliner. I was, to say the least, shocked at the amout of stuff I was able to take. WOW!
Sign In or Register to comment.

Your Privacy

By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our Visitor Agreement.