2009 Vibe GT automatic test drive, we didn't buy it.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 3:15 pm

My gf works for a large dealer franchise here in West Michigan, so they sourced a grey 09' Vibe GT auto with sunroof to most likely replace her 03 which I now drive on rainy days/winter, she showed up home with it and I already knew I wasn't going to like the asthetics as IMO it's a lot uglier than the last generation, but that's subjective anyway and i'm not driving it so I wasn't going to let that bias my opinion of it.I popped the hood, crawled underneath, checked fit/finish and build quality, everything seemed pretty descent for what it cost so I jumped in, started the engine, rowwed the slushbox into drive and rolled slowly out to the main road.First I noticed the body roll / sloppy handling, even before I got up to speed, it didn't seem any more compliant than the old one, but either you need to run those 18" tires with far more than factory recommended pressures, or the car is simply much more sloppy than her old decaying base car on 16" hankooks.Not letting that discourage me (too much), I entered the freeway with the "GO" pedal to the floor, quicker than her 130hp base it's to replace? maybe a touch, lowend torque increases noticable? not really, certainly not enough to justify the upgrade cost.Basically, I ripped the car to shreds verbally, gf was very upset with me and crying because I was "ruining" her excitement in getting a new car, but I continued to say if you're going to spend ~20k$ on a car, it better be better than the one it's replacing, I told her to spend some time with it herself comparing it to her old one and it's up to her to make the final call, but I think it's a bucket of f*@^.So, she drives it to work the following morning (50 miles) and I encouraged her to drive it as she would her 03, she calls me at about 9:15 AM and says it handles poorly, she felt "unsafe" taking the normal highway interchanges at the speeds she would her base, it seemed to consume more fuel (not broken in yet) and overall she agreed with me that it was a pos and not in any way an upgrade besides some leather inserts and GT badges.So, back on the search I went for a cheap & reliable "sporty" fuel efficient hatchback that has an OK stereo, every corner pointed back to a mazda3, went to the local dealer and drove a S-touring mazda3 hatchback myself... I had previously driven a Mazdaspeed3 in the spring and had decided that was one of my favorite cars of 08' and if you were on a budget that was the car to get, but I really didn't expect much from it's cheaper more sensible brother, the normal sport hatch.Boy was I wrong, I loved every second of the drive, sure it's only got 160hp and it's not going to win any stop light contests, but it's a blast in the corners just like the mazdaspeed3 was.So I found a used 07 w/ 2k miles on it in ohio and we went and grabbed it over last weekend, she's extremely happy with it and won't step foot in the vibe again... and even I find myself wanting to take the 3 out for a spin leaving my 450hp vette garaged!

02csnow · Post by **02csnow** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 6:00 pm

Very good choice.

18stars · Post by **18stars** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 7:24 pm

Wow...I guess you feel silly about buying the Vette if you'd just as soon drive the Mazda!

kevera · Post by **kevera** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 8:01 pm

You came to the same exact conclusion I did.I'm looking to replace my work car,needless to say I won't be buying a new Vibe.But the new Matrix drove much better though,but I really like the mazda3.So I may get one also.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 9:19 pm

glad i'm not getting flamed here lol, the new ones are really garbage

Eloi · Post by **Eloi** » Sun Sep 07, 2008 10:01 pm

Quote, originally posted by BoostFrenzy Â»glad i'm not getting flamed here lol, the new ones are really garbageGarbage?? Come on, you may not like the 2009, but I have 11,000 km on mine and really like it, think it's an excellent car so far and a very pleasant ride every time I drive it.

DarkVibe · Post by **DarkVibe** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:08 am

Quote, originally posted by BoostFrenzy Â»Not letting that discourage me (too much), I entered the freeway with the "GO" pedal to the floor, quicker than her 130hp base it's to replace? maybe a touch, lowend torque increases noticable? not really, certainly not enough to justify the upgrade cost.i disagree, it's very noticeable, but then again, when you're use to a $60,000 car, i guess a little pee on like the vibe is nothing more then a pos. and shame on all the owners who bought them and like them, we must have been stupid to buy such a sloppy car and actually like it. i'm sure if you moded your vette and got a 30 hp and 37 lb feet of torque, you'd notice it.2009-158 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque 3160 lbs2003-130 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque 2650 lbsMazda3- 151 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque 2930 lbsQuote, originally posted by BoostFrenzy Â»Basically, I ripped the car to shreds verbally, gf was very upset with me and crying because I was "ruining" her excitement in getting a new carcan't say i'd brag about making my gf cry. Quote, originally posted by BoostFrenzy Â»glad i'm not getting flamed here lol, the new ones are really garbagejust because you've run in to members who who like their old vibes doesn't mean you can continue to trash the new vibe. i think your review of it was very wrong and biased.Quote, originally posted by kevera Â»But the new Matrix drove much better though,but I really like the mazda3.So I may get one also. funny, seeing as how they are the same car saying that one would drive better then the other, i think is all mental.

lowincash · Post by **lowincash** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:18 am

yeah not everyone likes the look of the new one and not everyone likes the look of the old one. i for one like the new look (GT mostly) compared to the old one. it's no sports car so if you drive the hell out of it then yeah you won't be happy with it i guess. beauty is in the eye of the beholder and i don't have either lol but i think the 09 looks less cheap compared to the older ones. it just looks more...modern? i don't know how to explain it haha i haven't driven the older gen but my coworker got one as a rental and took me out to lunch in it...i didn't pay too much attention to it cuz i thought he chose an ugly looking car lolbut anyways the mazda3 is a great choice too. very very fun to drive. this was my first choice and i test drove one last year and was set on getting it. only turn off was the amount of road/wind noise that car had and the crappy a/c. i test drove it on a mid 80's day and had a/c on almost full blast...after driving around for 1/2 hour w/ the sales guy the a/c barely got cold. very disappointing i test drove the 07 model but i think the previous models' a/c was even worst.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:18 am

Quote, originally posted by DarkVibe Â»i disagree, it's very noticeable, but then again, when you're use to a $60,000 car, i guess a little pee on like the vibe is nothing more then a pos. and shame on all the owners who bought them and like them, we must have been stupid to buy such a sloppy car and actually like it. i'm sure if you moded your vette and got a 30 hp and 37 lb feet of torque, you'd notice it.2009-158 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque 3160 lbs2003-130 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque 2650 lbsMazda3- 151 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque 2930 lbscan't say i'd brag about making my gf cry. just because you've run in to members who who like their old vibes doesn't mean you can continue to trash the new vibe. i think your review of it was very wrong and biased.funny, seeing as how they are the same car saying that one would drive better then the other, i think is all mental. LOL well, the new one's much heavier and provides the same power/weight as the old one when curb weight's considered, thats why I didn't feel any gain in acceleration. Still doesn't make sense why the 03 with a live axle in the back felt more planted in corners, that itself is a mystery.how am i biased? i like the 03 just fine, it's been a great car and does everything a commuter should, but that doesn't mean i shouldn't EXPECT the new one to be considerably better in all ways, to me i'd rather be in the 03

kevera · Post by **kevera** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:21 am

Quote, originally posted by DarkVibe Â»funny, seeing as how they are the same car saying that one would drive better then the other, i think is all mental. I have a whole lot of problems too long too list,but that's another story.In all seriousness,the trix was surprisingly quieter than the vibe.I was the 1st around here to drive the 09 vibe,the AWD I had in the contest,I liked that one.But that's not the one I was going to buy.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:25 am

All I can say is if someone can drive a 185k mile 6 year old base through the same course as a brand new 09 GT and still feel like the old base is a way better car, something is seriously wrong.Has nothing to do with bias or "expectations" because I own a Corvette, part of being a car enthusiast is picking cars in EACH SEGMENT at EACH PRICE POINT to declare a winner, no brand loyalty, no unrealistic expectations... every segment has a winner with a blend of reliability/performance/asthetics/practicality (if applicable)/fuel economy... the 09 vibe is simply a huge letdown and the GMS+500$ rebate proves my point, the damn thing just came out!

ToolGuy · Post by **ToolGuy** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:30 am

We love our 03 all except for the drivers window falling into the door over the weekend. That is another story though. My wife was not set on the new Vibes but she saw a GT the other day and told me she liked it. Funny story though, last week I met with a GM customer of mine. She showed up in a new Vibe, non-GT and I said we have an 03 how do you like the new Vibe's?First words out of her mouth were it is noisy, and then it does not get all my radio stations... I told my wife not what I expected to hear from a GM person driving a new re-designed GM car.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:32 am

Quote, originally posted by ToolGuy Â»We love our 03 all except for the drivers window falling into the door over the weekend. That is another story though. My wife was not set on the new Vibes but she saw a GT the other day and told me she liked it. Funny story though, last week I met with a GM customer of mine. She showed up in a new Vibe, non-GT and I said we have an 03 how do you like the new Vibe's?First words out of her mouth were it is noisy, and then it does not get all my radio stations... I told my wife not what I expected to hear from a GM person driving a new re-designed GM car. Nice C5!It's just a miss for GM on this one, that 03 was a HUGE surprise to me (she purchased it before I met her), the thing's been rock solid and while it isn't TRYING to be awesome like the 09s are, it's more humble and respectable... least if it's going to be a boring drive might as well enjoy 33-34mpg

ToolGuy · Post by **ToolGuy** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 3:12 am

Quote, originally posted by BoostFrenzy Â»Nice C5!Thanks! I just picked up a set of 2003 highly polished rims for it.And likewise nice C6. My disappointment in the 09 Vibe is all the standard things or the majority of them on the older Vibes like my 03 are now options on the 09 Vibes.

high revin · Post by **high revin** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:47 am

Id take her over the the Honda lot and let here test drive a Civic SI , the quailty in these cars are so nice and for the price pretty remarkable! if i didnt have to haul stuff i would have one!

DarkSpork · Post by **DarkSpork** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 11:17 am

Quote, originally posted by BoostFrenzy Â»glad i'm not getting flamed here lol, the new ones are really garbageI like the look of the 4 door 3s. If and when I need to replace my Vibe it would probably be with that.

scooter · Post by **scooter** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 8:05 pm

Quote, originally posted by BoostFrenzy Â»glad i'm not getting flamed here lol, the new ones are really garbageEveryone is entitled to their own opinion, but I couldn't disagree more. I find my 09 GT to be a huge upgrade from the old model, which was a bit of a "road toaster". From both a styling standpoint, as well as the extra pep, I am quite happy with mine so far.

3_D · Post by **3_D** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:29 pm

I love my 2009 GT. It is so much better in so many ways to my 2005. It's faster, quieter, safer and better built than my 2005.

NibCrom · Post by **NibCrom** » Mon Sep 08, 2008 10:51 pm

Quote, originally posted by BoostFrenzy Â»and even I find myself wanting to take the 3 out for a spin leaving my 450hp vette garaged!I might have to flame you for this.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 12:19 am

Quote, originally posted by NibCrom Â»I might have to flame you for this. i've ALWAYS been a fan of light & nimble well sorted tight suspension compacts, problem is they're never packed with any power to go along with it (when i say power, to my (removed)-dyno a 350whp evo/sti is slow)hopefully the C7 fits this mold as these huge V8's aren't going to be commonplace anymore, the vette will have to get smaller & lighter with a smaller powerplant (but hopefully still 400+whp)

lowincash · Post by **lowincash** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:34 am

Quote, originally posted by BoostFrenzy Â»i've ALWAYS been a fan of light & nimble well sorted tight suspension compacts, problem is they're never packed with any power to go along with it (when i say power, to my (removed)-dyno a 350whp evo/sti is slow)hopefully the C7 fits this mold as these huge V8's aren't going to be commonplace anymore, the vette will have to get smaller & lighter with a smaller powerplant (but hopefully still 400+whp)kinda off topic but just curious...what mpg does your corvette get?

Mavrik · Post by **Mavrik** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 1:50 am

I'm curious about the 09 as in personally driving it and comparing it to my 04. But so far by appearances and what not, the 03-04 model year is still my fav.Now I've driven and enjoyed the style and handling of the mazda speed 3. I haven't driven a mazda 3 though but I doubt it would be as fun (no turbo) haha.

Whelan · Post by **Whelan** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:08 am

Well here is my take. I currently own a 2005 Matrix XR AWD. I was looking for specifics on a car which led me to this decision. My competition was a Subaru 2.5 wagon, Mazda 3 hatch.The Subaru first off was waaaay overpriced for what it was, and it really looked more like a wagon than a hatch. The Mazda 3 was nice, a little lacking in the space department, and the biggest flaw. No AWD was offered.The Matrix, good looks, solid ride, the AWD has IRS thus much better handling. The AWD factor was key, it also got the best mileage or the others. (Mazda was out at this point due to no AWD). I sacrificed not having the manual transmission even though I want one so bad, it was not available, but to me AWD was more important than shifting gears. This was gonna be a daily drive in traffic anyways.The cargo room is incredible, the functionality of the space is awesome, I can plug anything into my car via the two-prong outlet without having to buy car adapters. I upgraded the lighting to HIDs and yellow fog lamps (sorta Lexus like). The car fit the bill.I average 28-30+ mpg, and two years later have 78,000 miles on it with oil changes, tires, brakes. Before this winter I will be flushing the tranny and coolant and getting the rear drums replaced. Other than that it has needed a serpentine belt which I already replaced myself with a Goodyear Gatorback. So it has been a very very inexpensive car to maintain. Oh, cabin and airbox filters as well.Could I have gone faster and more sporty, yes. But at 27 I'm not a boy racer and going fast is not on the agenda at this point. But the car will do 80 no problem and pass just fine on the highway. And for a hatch, it is a very very manueverable car compared with my 02 Civic EX, this car outhandles it and that was a 2 door coupe 5spd.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:39 am

Quote, originally posted by lowincash Â»kinda off topic but just curious...what mpg does your corvette get?I get 18-21 in town depending on my right foot to and from work (8 miles each way with several stops), I can make it 21-22mpg shifting out of 1st @ 2k and going into 4th then 6th by 35mph, but that's simply no fun!At 70mph I get 29-31mpg with the stock tires (285/35/19) and stock 3.42 rear, I may upgrade to a 4.10 rear and 305/30/19s which would cost me ~1-2mpg on the freeway all said and done.However though it's interesting you bring this up because the SOLE REASON I went with a new corvette was the fuel economy, granted my 2008 with the larger "430hp" 6.2 litre engine gets -1mpg vs. a previous 400hp LS2, but the LS3 I have is so much more engine than the LS2 ever was.Honestly, I just got sick of building small displacement high strung turbo motors, that even stock got pretty "terrible" MPG due to the low compression pistons utilized for boost, some day in the future when direct injection is FULLY mature we should see better-than-my-corvette fuel economy with equal to or MORE power, but we're not quite there yet.For instance, with a stock STI you're lucky to get 15city/24highway and much less driving spirited... we're getting to the point where the high strung turbo motors are the gas guzzlers! Before anyone flames that statement, YES I UNDERSTAND an EVO/STI is about as aerodynamic as a fridge and the AWD drag helps kill MPG as well, but I simply wasn't going to put the gas in it for a measly 400 at the crank (my 04 ran mid 12s @ 108mph, pump gas, stock turbo & injectors) which equates to around 300 at the wheels once the drivetrain loss is spoken for, compared to my stock vette which routinely puts down 390-400 at the tire with only "430hp" at the crank (many feel it's underrated) and considerably better fuel economy, lighter weight and AS CHEAP as a brand new EVO/STI, it was the choice for me!

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:50 am

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik Â»I'm curious about the 09 as in personally driving it and comparing it to my 04. But so far by appearances and what not, the 03-04 model year is still my fav.Now I've driven and enjoyed the style and handling of the mazda speed 3. I haven't driven a mazda 3 though but I doubt it would be as fun (no turbo) haha.Looks are subjective as I said, but in my opinion our loaded 2WD AUTO 03 base is MUCH more car than the 09 for OUR intended purpose, which has been 30-40k highway miles per year, carting my *** to all these nearby states to pick up cars, hauling engines/transmissions/wheels/tires/plasma tv's and doing it with 32-33mpg freeway and 185k on the clock and no part failures, 16" tires are cheap too, just seemed like the 09 GT was going to have a higher maintanance cost, tire cost, FUEL cost and the larger engine wasn't noticably better than the little 1ZZ we got in the 03... we could have considered a loaded up 09 1.8 auto model, but then we'd still be looking at a GT pricetag... but if we're considering looks, will someone please tell GM chrome wheels are out of style? I just turned 28 and polished/chrome rims RUIN a car in my opinion.I drove a mazdaspeed3 earlier this year and I was BLOWN AWAY, for ANY vehicle enthusiast that wants a quick fun to drive car and has The standard mazda3 sport hatchback on the other hand, no it doesnt' have WRX/Mazdaspeed3/STI horsepower, but for our commuting purposes and fuel economy the power defeceit is early discarded, but the handling and fun factor is still there.

NibCrom · Post by **NibCrom** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:53 am

If you want lots of power and decent highway fuel economy, a Corvette is probably unbeatable.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:54 am

Quote, originally posted by Whelan Â»Well here is my take. I currently own a 2005 Matrix XR AWD. I was looking for specifics on a car which led me to this decision. My competition was a Subaru 2.5 wagon, Mazda 3 hatch.The Subaru first off was waaaay overpriced for what it was, and it really looked more like a wagon than a hatch. The Mazda 3 was nice, a little lacking in the space department, and the biggest flaw. No AWD was offered.The Matrix, good looks, solid ride, the AWD has IRS thus much better handling. The AWD factor was key, it also got the best mileage or the others. (Mazda was out at this point due to no AWD). I sacrificed not having the manual transmission even though I want one so bad, it was not available, but to me AWD was more important than shifting gears. This was gonna be a daily drive in traffic anyways.The cargo room is incredible, the functionality of the space is awesome, I can plug anything into my car via the two-prong outlet without having to buy car adapters. I upgraded the lighting to HIDs and yellow fog lamps (sorta Lexus like). The car fit the bill.I average 28-30+ mpg, and two years later have 78,000 miles on it with oil changes, tires, brakes. Before this winter I will be flushing the tranny and coolant and getting the rear drums replaced. Other than that it has needed a serpentine belt which I already replaced myself with a Goodyear Gatorback. So it has been a very very inexpensive car to maintain. Oh, cabin and airbox filters as well.Could I have gone faster and more sporty, yes. But at 27 I'm not a boy racer and going fast is not on the agenda at this point. But the car will do 80 no problem and pass just fine on the highway. And for a hatch, it is a very very manueverable car compared with my 02 Civic EX, this car outhandles it and that was a 2 door coupe 5spd.In a PERFECT world if my girlfriend didn't need to drive so much per year I would make AWD a requirement and she'd own a brand new A4 quattro, sipping fuel and enjoying the benefits of, what I believe to be, the best all wheel drive in the world (i've just about owned and drive them ALL by now lol), but for her needs it just isn't feasable, nothing beats that torsen center differential in an audi though! So, FWD with snow tires will have to do for now and even THINKING about Audis makes me want to go buy some more mmm torsen.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 2:56 am

Quote, originally posted by NibCrom Â»If you want lots of power and decent highway fuel economy, a Corvette is probably unbeatable. yeah if it didn't snow here she would WITHOUT A DOUBT be driving a 6spd AUTO C6 Corvette, absolutely no doubt in my mind, how awesome would that be?

NibCrom · Post by **NibCrom** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 3:17 am

Hey, you used to have an 02 Z06. That's what my dad has. It wasn't Electron Blue, was it?

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 3:59 am

Quote, originally posted by NibCrom Â»Hey, you used to have an 02 Z06. That's what my dad has. It wasn't Electron Blue, was it?millenium yellow, didn't keep it very long... hated it, kind of like a cavalier with a big engine, felt like the landlord of a trailerpark... C6's are muuuuuch nicer.

lowincash · Post by **lowincash** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:48 am

holy cow...your vette gets great mileage! compared to my 2002 maxima lol my maxima is a 3.5L and only 255hp and i get around 14-15mpg around town and about 23mpg is the best i've gotten on hwy. i have a feeling something is wrong with my car but i don't care...i want to get rid of it and get a 4cyl car asap =/

kevera · Post by **kevera** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 4:50 am

Quote, originally posted by lowincash Â»holy cow...your vette gets great mileage! compared to my 2002 maxima lol my maxima is a 3.5L and only 255hp and i get around 14-15mpg around town and about 23mpg is the best i've gotten on hwy. i have a feeling something is wrong with my car but i don't care...i want to get rid of it and get a 4cyl car asap =/I thought you were buying a Vibe.

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:13 am

Quote, originally posted by BoostFrenzy Â»Looks are subjective as I said, but in my opinion our loaded 2WD AUTO 03 base is MUCH more car than the 09 for OUR intended purpose, which has been 30-40k highway miles per year, carting my *** to all these nearby states to pick up cars, hauling engines/transmissions/wheels/tires/plasma tv's and doing it with 32-33mpg freeway and 185k on the clock and no part failures, 16" tires are cheap too, just seemed like the 09 GT was going to have a higher maintanance cost, tire cost, FUEL cost and the larger engine wasn't noticably better than the little 1ZZ we got in the 03... we could have considered a loaded up 09 1.8 auto model, but then we'd still be looking at a GT pricetag... but if we're considering looks, will someone please tell GM chrome wheels are out of style? I just turned 28 and polished/chrome rims RUIN a car in my opinion.I drove a mazdaspeed3 earlier this year and I was BLOWN AWAY, for ANY vehicle enthusiast that wants a quick fun to drive car and has The standard mazda3 sport hatchback on the other hand, no it doesnt' have WRX/Mazdaspeed3/STI horsepower, but for our commuting purposes and fuel economy the power defeceit is early discarded, but the handling and fun factor is still there.see and that's where i'd completely disagree (new STI sucking). I have the new 08 STI and with an intake and catless DP, I run 12.7's without even trying. But I wanted a hatch with a turbo and AWD so that made the Speed3 a no go. But wow! again, awesome little car and I really enjoyed driving it. My 08 STI is more refined vs the raw feel of our 07 STI, but again, needed the hatch for more hauling power and doesn't take much at all to get the car up to 300whp. It may feel less powerful, but I can say it is in no way less. I ran mine completely stock to 13.11 @ 102 mph. oh and btw, I get 20-22 mpg city. however, with the intake on the car, my mpg on hwy sucks. I only get 21-22 mpg, but without the intake I get just under 30!I do agree that the 03/04 Vibes were great. And I enjoyed both my 03 VGT and our 04 base Vibe (both manuals though). We haven't test driven the 09's yet, but I was a bit disappointed to see they made the GT in name only. I can say that my 03 VGT was a fun little car. what you need is a GTR! Now that car is awesome!!!!

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:17 am

Quote, originally posted by kevera Â»I thought you were buying a Vibe.Kev, I can see you in a Speed3... awesome little car!

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:40 am

Quote, originally posted by AKLGT Â»see and that's where i'd completely disagree (new STI sucking). I have the new 08 STI and with an intake and catless DP, I run 12.7's without even trying. But I wanted a hatch with a turbo and AWD so that made the Speed3 a no go. But wow! again, awesome little car and I really enjoyed driving it. My 08 STI is more refined vs the raw feel of our 07 STI, but again, needed the hatch for more hauling power and doesn't take much at all to get the car up to 300whp. It may feel less powerful, but I can say it is in no way less. I ran mine completely stock to 13.11 @ 102 mph. oh and btw, I get 20-22 mpg city. however, with the intake on the car, my mpg on hwy sucks. I only get 21-22 mpg, but without the intake I get just under 30!I do agree that the 03/04 Vibes were great. And I enjoyed both my 03 VGT and our 04 base Vibe (both manuals though). We haven't test driven the 09's yet, but I was a bit disappointed to see they made the GT in name only. I can say that my 03 VGT was a fun little car. what you need is a GTR! Now that car is awesome!!!!the price tag is what threw me off on new STI's, the STI was a great car at 30-31k$ invoice +tax out the door, 35+ with BBS wheels that USED TO BE included is a joke, when I paid $38k for a brand new corvette that would WIPE THE FLOOR of any STI short of a forged block, 400+whp and a ton of suspension work, which in the end, you would have spent a buttload more on the subaru to make it contend or beat a stock vette, subaru's out of their mind charging what they charge for the once ecnomonical race carGT-R's nice and all, but for the price tag, again I wouldn't buy it, the Corvette's a FULLY daily drivable car with excellent fuel economy/reliability to boot... no AWD worries either, I wouldn't drive a new ANYTHING in our salt filled crappy winter

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:49 am

LOLI've watched the GTR run an 11.95 @ 121 mph completely stock. yes, it's expensive, but you get what you pay for. for a C5, you still have to mod it. and for a Z06, you're gonna spend a lot more than $38K. if not, I'd have bought one.the STI's are spendy, but what you get for the price, there aren't any other vehicles in it's class other than the Mitsu X and even then, if you want some cargo space, it doesn't exist in the X. Corvette's are nice, but if I were to buy one, it'd have to be the Z06, no question. but up here, why buy a car I can only drive 4 mos of the year? $35K for LARGER and WIDER BBS rims, better braking/stopping power, larger intercooler, larger fuel pump, more cargo space, etc.... I don't see that being a huge bump over the $32K we paid a year ago on the 07 STI with no options what so ever. I have a lot more options and a lot more things on the 08 and yes, it was worth the $3K more I paid. If I really wanted a fun little car and didn't need AWD, hands down, the Speed3 would have been in our garage long long ago! I've not test driven the 09 Vibes yet, but am told I'd be very disappointed if I did.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:07 am

Quote, originally posted by AKLGT Â»LOLI've watched the GTR run an 11.95 @ 121 mph completely stock. yes, it's expensive, but you get what you pay for. for a C5, you still have to mod it. and for a Z06, you're gonna spend a lot more than $38K. if not, I'd have bought one.the STI's are spendy, but what you get for the price, there aren't any other vehicles in it's class other than the Mitsu X and even then, if you want some cargo space, it doesn't exist in the X. Corvette's are nice, but if I were to buy one, it'd have to be the Z06, no question. but up here, why buy a car I can only drive 4 mos of the year? $35K for LARGER and WIDER BBS rims, better braking/stopping power, larger intercooler, larger fuel pump, more cargo space, etc.... I don't see that being a huge bump over the $32K we paid a year ago on the 07 STI with no options what so ever. I have a lot more options and a lot more things on the 08 and yes, it was worth the $3K more I paid. If I really wanted a fun little car and didn't need AWD, hands down, the Speed3 would have been in our garage long long ago! I've not test driven the 09 Vibes yet, but am told I'd be very disappointed if I did. I won't be scared of any GT-R's when I *DO* see one on the street, I have an 08' Corvette, *NOT* a 2005-2007 LS2 powered one... I was once of the opinion that if it's a C6, it HAS TO BE a Z06 or NOTHING! But, when the LS3 powered 08+'s came out and I saw them going 11.7@120 FACTORY BONE STOCK, I knew that I could live with a much much more affordable non-z06 coupe, plus the removable roof and 22cu/ft of storage space is nice.See, I drag raced and built subarus for years, still do, I came to the conclusion that if I so desired (and I did) a 120mph trapping car, first i'd be giving up a ton of low end power due to the compressor needed (even an FP green has a poor boost threshold IMO) and I *wouldn't* be able to do it on pump gas, so I gave up the whole going fast with a subaru thing, we've got my buddy's trapping 119 with a forged block and a FP RED, but my vette still pulls away on a highway roll bone stock on pump gas... so it just further enforces my pointspeed3's a GREAT car if you don't have corvette money and/or need a winter drivable car, all in all corvette cargo area is HUGE for a purpose built "sports car" so it's really hard for me to consider spending 35 or more on a STI when twice the car exists for 38-40

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:27 am

interesting. again, I could have bought one, but no good for wintertime here. and yes, I do drag race, autox and rallyx mine. 6400 miles on the clock yesterday and it's been to 8 autox events, 8 drag racing events (about about 100 runs down the 1320), and 1 rallyx event. I'm actually looking to do the AMR T50R turbo on my 08 this winter: $3K and will get me 11.5's @ 115+ on 93 oct (of course we only get 90 here, but I don't want to go any faster or I have to have a rollcage/rollbar).I'd still want the Z06 though just something about having a Z06....

lowincash · Post by **lowincash** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 6:55 am

Quote, originally posted by kevera Â»I thought you were buying a Vibe.yeah i am...i currently have a 2002 maxima but i'm getting a 2009 vibe gt hopefully within the next couple months. should be a fun car compared to my maxima. the test drives felt fine but maybe that's because i'm sick of my maxima haha

kevera · Post by **kevera** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:03 am

Quote, originally posted by lowincash Â» should be a fun car compared to my maxima.ahahahahaha,that I doubt,but it's your money.

DarkVibe · Post by **DarkVibe** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:08 am

Quote, originally posted by kevera Â»ahahahahaha,that I doubt,but it's your money. wow, what a nice thing to say.

kevera · Post by **kevera** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:10 am

Quote, originally posted by DarkVibe Â»wow, what a nice thing to say. I'm full of nice surprises.

DarkVibe · Post by **DarkVibe** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:18 am

Quote, originally posted by kevera Â»I'm full of nice surprises. so i've seen, and i'm not impressed.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 9:53 am

Quote, originally posted by lowincash Â»yeah i am...i currently have a 2002 maxima but i'm getting a 2009 vibe gt hopefully within the next couple months. should be a fun car compared to my maxima. the test drives felt fine but maybe that's because i'm sick of my maxima hahaWait, WHAT? You're going to get rid of a VQ35 V6 Maxima for a Vibe GT?! that's ridiculous dude, those are fun little (well big) cars, the vibe's going to be a slug in comparison!I was going to buy a 6spd VQ35 Maxima for my winter beater had I not taken this 03 Vibe on, do some suspension & light bolt ons and keep it!BTW your Maxima rates at 17-19mpg city with NEW EPA ratings, replace the tune up items (plugs/wires/o2 sensors) and you should negate ANY reason to give it up for a vibe, or maybe just chop the lead foot

lowincash · Post by **lowincash** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:49 am

Quote, originally posted by BoostFrenzy Â»Wait, WHAT? You're going to get rid of a VQ35 V6 Maxima for a Vibe GT?! that's ridiculous dude, those are fun little (well big) cars, the vibe's going to be a slug in comparison!I was going to buy a 6spd VQ35 Maxima for my winter beater had I not taken this 03 Vibe on, do some suspension & light bolt ons and keep it!BTW your Maxima rates at 17-19mpg city with NEW EPA ratings, replace the tune up items (plugs/wires/o2 sensors) and you should negate ANY reason to give it up for a vibe, or maybe just chop the lead foot honestly i drive like a granny...i do 60-65 mph on the fwy and hardly do i step on it all the way. i love the power on this car, it's just not a very comfortable ride. i have a lot rattles everywhere and the ride is not smooth =/ also has a lot of wind and road noise which drives me crazy. handling on the maxima isn't great either...has the torsion beam and i hate it lol my car has like 120k miles on it and it's time to change. since i don't really care much about performance i would just get the base 2.4 but i love the look of the GT so that's what i'm going to go with. from my test drive the vibe seems to be smoother than the maxima...a lot less wind/road noise too so i guess anything's an upgrade for me lol but i'm looking for an economy car and i've been looking at quite a lot and so far the vibe gt has almost everything i wanted. i just wished it had stock xenon lights lol

kevera · Post by **kevera** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 10:50 am

Quote, originally posted by DarkVibe Â» and i'm not impressed.Don't be sad you own an 09.FYI,after edits are ghey.

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:21 am

Quote, originally posted by lowincash Â»honestly i drive like a granny...i do 60-65 mph on the fwy and hardly do i step on it all the way. i love the power on this car, it's just not a very comfortable ride. i have a lot rattles everywhere and the ride is not smooth =/ also has a lot of wind and road noise which drives me crazy. handling on the maxima isn't great either...has the torsion beam and i hate it lol my car has like 120k miles on it and it's time to change. since i don't really care much about performance i would just get the base 2.4 but i love the look of the GT so that's what i'm going to go with. from my test drive the vibe seems to be smoother than the maxima...a lot less wind/road noise too so i guess anything's an upgrade for me lol but i'm looking for an economy car and i've been looking at quite a lot and so far the vibe gt has almost everything i wanted. i just wished it had stock xenon lights lolwell if a vibe OF ANY YEAR is quieter and more luxurious than your maxima, your maxima has a ton of worn out seals and needs some work, not that i consider ANY "luxury" japanese cars to hold HALF a candle to a german car, but still... last thing i think of in a jap econobox like the vibe is cabin quietness

BoostFrenzy · Post by **BoostFrenzy** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:23 am

Quote, originally posted by kevera Â»Don't be sad you own an 09.FYI,after edits are ghey.you know, I usually frown upon previous generation owners bagging the new generation, but the vibe follows suit with the imprezas as truly being better 1 generation back, just like the prelude in 1997, this doesn't happen very often at all, usually the "next" generation cars make the last generation a piece of junk.surely if we owned 09s though we'd be TRYING to justify the purchase and find things that hold it above a 03-08, once you've bought new and the depreciation & sales tax are gone, you're married to it for awhile... that's why i was so harsh on my gf about it because there was no going back if she did it

DarkVibe · Post by **DarkVibe** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:35 am

Quote, originally posted by kevera Â»Don't be sad you own an 09.no worries, i'm not, i am however 'sad' that the members of a VIBE site are saying don't buy a VIBE, great way to treat your new members. i have to say i'm very happy with my vibe, it's my first new/nice car, so for me it's a step up. you are proud of your vibe, as i am with mine, please let me have that.Quote, originally posted by kevera Â»FYI,after edits are ghey.a) the edit button is there for a reasonb) i edited it less then a minute after i postedFYI acting like an @$$ won't get you very far. but whatever helps you sleep at night i guess.

lowincash · Post by **lowincash** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:57 am

i'm sure there are pros and cons for both the new and old vibes...and not everyone will agree on everything, especially the look lol. it's not really that people have to justify their purchase by finding things that hold it above the previous gen...i'm sure they bought it because they liked it and it's what they wanted/need. i have read of many first gen vibe owners that are very satisfied with the new vibe that they bought. i don't think i have yet read about someone with the new one wanting to get the old one back or whatnot. this is very typical tho, i've seen it on many forums. the previous gen owners will always bash the new gen to make themselves feel better that they own an older model. i do the same. on the maxima forum i always say the 04-07 maximas are ugly and looks like a bloated whale haha and on the accord forum we use to say how the new redesigned accord is ugly and this and that. it's natural i guess. since i don't own any gen vibes i can't be bias to either one. but having been in both i definitely like the new one.damn sorry if i was going in circles...i had so many things to say in my head and got lost with what i was going to say lol plus this "quick reply" box is so damn small i can't see what i wrote above =/