I went with a full set of Powerstop rotors and ceramic pads and got the recommended brake fluid as well. I saved about $15 buying the parts piecemeal on eBay rather than a kit on Amazon.
Thanks for all the input folks! I haven't made a decision on what exactly I'll do yet cause things have been busy, but when I do I'll post it here. It sounds like I should start with fronts only, buy quality rotors and ceramic brakes, and when changing out my brake fluid will go with a high performa...
I do a lot of mountain driving and I have been known to drive aggressively on those awesome mountain passes. I think it's time to invest in better performing brake pads and rotors on my 09 GT due to the progressive front steering wheel vibration ONLY when braking (started late last fall). I had the ...
Thanks for this post! I just had this problem with my '09 after I drove 2 hours through the mountains during the recent blizzard. The traction control came on a lot of times (I like living on the edge) so maybe that drained the battery a bit... The ABS, VSC and stability control were all very non-fu...
The last few days I've gotten a bunch of stuff done on the car: 1. Replaced the missing driver's side fender liner, washed and waxed. 2. Plasti-dipped the stock rims. 3. Painted the calipers with ceramic caliper paint. 4. Also Plasti-dipped my winter wheels. 5. Took some pics of the Toyota Matrix bu...
I plasti dipped my winter wheels. I forgot to take before pics, but I'll get some stock pre and authentic post pics up since the wheels are common MB motor 5x. I'm going to tackle the stock wheels and paint the brake rotors with a ceramic red tomorrow. I'm enjoying working with my hands on my mini s...
Okay all the panels have original VIN stickers on them. To the naked eye there is zero difference between panels - I must conclude that all the paint is original, even though the QP/driver door transition looks very different in those pics!
I just used it in a 1996 Accord v6, a single cylinder '08 150cc scooter, and the 09 Vibe by mixing in proper amounts (1oz/gallon gas). I can confirm that none smoked. The 96 and the scooter were noticeably better performers though (scooter was faster, Accord was smoother). Vibe didn't seem to make a...
Welcome Tom! I had a '94 9000 Aero that would push you all the way back into the leather bucket seats with the acceleration! I loved that car but it didn't love me, soooo expensive to maintain and finally the thermometer stuck and overheated the engine. The Vibe isn't as sporty but I'll trade 22 mpg...
From what I've read on multiple sites (about to use it myself), if you add it to your gas tank you don't get to enjoy the smoking extravaganza, if you add it directly into your engine then it's 4th and New Years all at once.
Now that I'm looking I just today noticed a recent model Benz and a high end Jeep rolling with full matte plasti on the highway. If it's good enough for them, I'll have to give it a try
Oh wow you're right! In the lighting in the pics the difference is really clear even though I've never noticed it in person. According to the car fax it was not in a wreck, but we all know the limitations of Carfax and other reporting businesses. I called the dealer who sold the car new, then took i...
Okay well that settles it then! It's there to stay. If I get ambitious maybe I'll clear it out and fashion a piece of plastic to cover the pocket and silicone it in. It is Mystic Blue, it's likely the poor quality pics and dirty car :) Speaking of Mystic Blue, mine has a bit of a yellow hue in certa...
It's hard to tell from the pics - are those little holes or little raised bumps? If bumps, perhaps it's just bug guts. I've had decent luck removing them with Turtle wax bug remover. If it's holes then I'd say you were behind a gravel truck
If people on here want to do some serious driving there are a lot of really nice mountain roads near Colorado Springs that you can have a great time on. Every heard of Berthoud Pass? It's so steep that numerous times people driving the road in the winter have been carried off down the slopes by aval...
People swear by Sea Foam for cleaning engines and helping with emissions. It sounds like you have some specific issues, but seriously go get a bottle (It's cheap!), follow the instructions and come back here and thank me. :lol: If nothing else it will help your idle and increase your proximity to pa...
I have an 09 manual (the gear shift shouldn't have moved far btwn years) and I thought the position was strange when I first saw it as well. However, it's quite comfortable and I'm very happy with it. Much better than my previous Honda Accord mt.
Grabbed a couple pics in the dark garage. Two pics of either side facing toward the front of the car, you can see the stuff accumulated. The other is toward the rear. Okay I don't understand why the website thinks my pics are invalid. If I have to resize I'm just not going to bother. Off to imgur we...
That's nuts! I imagine the engineers designed them into the car with bolt holes etc and then the accounting office came by and *yonk* no rear fender liners, gotta cut costs!
Okay I've searched up and down, and I'm going to check with you guys before giving up. My 09 GT is missing the rear fender liners/splash guards. I believe they are missing because it appears that there are some mount points for a plastic guard, and there's a spot in the front of the wheel that is ac...
Those look great I'm tempted to do this for a little craft project! How long do you think it will last, assuming nothing untoward happens to them? Did you do any prep to the wheels before dripping?
I just bought Toyo Observe 205/55 R16 for the winter (screaming deal on CL!) and I was sweating that the wheel will look too small/speedo will be way off. This thread took all my cares away! Thanks folks!
I got those tires at Onlinetires.com - I called first and had no issues. They were by far the cheapest source. Continental extreme contact DWS Those are all season, and I'm running full summer and dedicated winter given the driving conditions when going skiing. I've seen enough cars in the ditch and...
Thanks all! I'll have to go check the intake and see if I can adjust it some more. Perhaps I can muscle it down deeper. I've got to say the new Sumitomo HTR Z III tires I just put on are pretty awesome. Very quiet compared to the crappy ones I had on before and the cornering stability is a night and...
Has anyone tried the lubrication method of fixing this problem? http://www.colinkraft.com/shaft.php This page documents the removal and lubrication process for GM's design flaw that effects a lot of their cars. Problem: Clunk Noise From Front Of Vehicle During Turning Maneuver/Steering Wheel Rotatio...
Bring on the pics! I did a little study of the Vibe. Check it out! So did you get the Mystic Blue GT from Jeff Haas Mazda? Yes!! That's the one! I called them the day they lowered the price. They seemed reputable given the Google reviews and I worked with Brenda (wonder if you met with her?). That's...
I recorded 35 mpg on one tank when we averaged 65mph, but for the first two tanks we were doing 80mph and averaged 26mpg. Maybe there was some headwind, I don't know. Two of the tires are quite bald so I would think that reduces mileage too. I'll get pics of the car next weekend when the new tires a...
Thank you! I'll start searching on there. I registered with that forum to see if I can find anything out. It seems like I might have a somewhat unique issue because the problem is isolated to one spot on a newish car with no other paint issues... I haven't found anyone in a similar situation yet. **...
I just bought a used '09 and it came with a clear coat problem on the hood. I did a bunch of research, but want to see what others think. It seems like the paint everywhere else on the car is pristine, but sadly right here, where I notice it, it's messed up. Also some dufus (probably the previous ow...
Hello, I'm excited to be here! I recently purchased an '09 Vibe GT and I'm very pleased. I feel like the Vibe has one of the best price/quality ratios out there. Here's a little (haha okay it turned into a lot) background to my purchase: I have a few requirements: wagon, cause they get better gas mi...
From user jmkcc I started by changing the door speakers and the tweeters along with a Pioneer FH-X700BT head unit. I was going to keep the factory amp - but there was a slight hiss which I figured was because mismatch with the HU and amp. I ended up adding a Pioneer GM-D8604 4 channel amp. I tried r...
I spent a fair amount of time searching this forum for information on modifying the audio system in the 09 and 10 models with the Monsoon stereo system. I haven't found much, and definitely nothing in an organized post, so I'll post my questions here. While I'm impressed with the stock Monsoon sound...
If you're installing yourself then get a well reviewed one from Crutchfield - they send all the extra stuff and instructions you'll need to install. If you're getting one installed, I don't think it probably matters that much what you get as long as it's not some weird off brand. I've had great luck...
Oh man I wish I'd seen the step by step in this post. It took me about 3 hours (with some distractions) to add the Typhoon. Most of the trouble came from the screw holding the EVAP sensor bracket (WD-40 and removal of the unit from the car to put it in a vice did the trick) and step 19 getting the s...
Thanks for posting - I don't have answers for you but am looking at the identical amp. I'm wondering about the seemingly low power rating (14 watts rms IIRC) and the 4 speaker outs. How did you get the 1" tweeters to work with only 4 speaker outs? How did the Crutchfield conversion kit work and...
I second the gas mileage info - I was recently talking with an '06 AWD owner who said he gets 22 mpg average. At that point, just get a Subaru Impreza cause they are way faster and get better mileage.
Well, it's with some disappointment on my part that I report that Rodney found a buyer for his original asking price. While I'm happy for him I have to say I'm kinda sad. I had just test drove a similar (automatic/cigarette smell) '09 GT and really liked it a lot. Plenty of power, fun to drive, good...