vibe at a toyota mechanic?!

[Ronnie]

HiIm hoping someone on this board can help me. I'll be buying a used car soon and two models that I like are the vibe and matrix. Unfortunately the matrix is a little expensive for me so that leaves me with the vibe. But since Pontiac has closed down I'm a little concerned about future repairs and spare parts.So im wondering if its possible to get a vibe repaired at a toyota mechanic? Has anybody had any experience with this? What about unaffiliated mechanics that specialize in toyotas? In other words where do you guys get your repairs done?It should be said that I know nothing about cars myself.PS: hope this topic hasn't been up a million times. I couldn't find anything.

[star_deceiver]

Welcome to Genvibe!!!If the mechanics are competent, any former pontiac dealer should (being the keyword here) be able to fix it properly. A Toyota dealer "shouldn't" be a problem either. But check both out before you commit to any repairs. Part costs can vary greatly between GM and Toyota!!!

[vibolista]

Vibe parts will be around a long time. The Vibe is a Toyota Corolla derived car... mechanically identical to the Matrix. GM or Toyota will be able to do repairs/maintenance on any Vibe. The Vibes are so good that repairs to a well maintained one, are nearly unheard of. Go find figures for Toyota Corolla dependability and repair record. One of the toughest cars around... and has been for years. The Corolla is the Vibe's pedigree.

[808 Vibes]

Welcome! It's a little more reassuring when look at it this way-there still are TONS of Oldsmobiles still out on the road.

[Herb]

There are some Toyota dealerships that won't touch Vibes, you'll have to ask ahead of time

[kowell]

I go to the local Toyota dealer more often than my Pontiac dealer (now a Chevrolet). It's closer and they give me better prices.From what I have heard there is one Toyota dealer in town that doesn't want to touch Vibes... I have no idea why.

[lovemyraffe]

Finding someone to work on it shouldn't be a problem. Since it is mechanically a Toyota, Toyota should be able to work on it. GM will work on it too. Many times it is cheaper to buy the parts from Toyota than it is from GM. There shouldn't be a problem with parts or finding someone to fix it later down the road.

[Merzbow]

I work at a garage and we have only had two Vibes in the shop and not very many Toyotas in general. one Vibe was in for a tire repair and the other Vibe had engine sludge (most likely because he never changed the oil) So like Vibolista said, unless you have a freak, random issue, as long as you maintain the car it wont need any repairs for a long time.Any garage will be able to work on the Vibe just as well as a dealer would and a lot of shops will honor warranty work like my shop does so don't worry.Also, almost all parts from the first generation Vibes and Matrices are IDENTICAL with the exception of the body parts so you can find Matrix parts and put them on your Vibe no problem.

[Ronnie]

thx. These are great feedbacks.

[Tommychu]

Interesting thing about toyota's parts... I was having a conversation with my Toyota dealership and for the '80 hilux project that takes up all the time I'm not tinkering with the vibe, they still make about 60% of the parts that you could get for the truck in it's own decade. Not cheap though; the pin for the front spring perch off the rear axle was $80. for what amounts to a small plate, a stud/bolt, a nut and a couple bushings.Rear shackle would have been $160 but it wasn't seized quite as bad as the front so it came out undamaged.

[Gandalf]

The Pontiac dealer I bough my Vibe from effed up my Vibe so bad, UNDER WARRANTY, it still isn't right.The last time I was buying some Toyota ATF, at the local Toyota dealership, I asked the parts guy about working on Vibes. He said 'We get a fair number of them here. Usually after a GM dealership has screwed something up. People have complained about that a lot, from what I've heard. The mechanics like working on them, since they are the same as working on a Matrix'If and when my Vibe needs work that I can't do, I'm taking it to the Toyota dealership.

[vibeowner7]

I bought 2007 a Vibe in Sept of 2009. It runs great and gets GREAT mileage (33 mph in city!)I had the very same question as you about whether a Toyota dealership can repair Vibes long into the future.Since the engine is a Toyota I'm sure they can but I imagine any regular non-dealership mechanic can repair the Vibe.I had misgivings before buying it but I went ahead anyway with the attitude that there are so many Toyota Matrix cars made that parts should be around for a long time.Plus--I think that the Pontiac Vibe will become somewhat of a collectors item because it was unique to begin with and now with the ending of the Pontiac line I think that will add even more to that equation.For GM to quit making this fuel-efficient and roomy car is indicative of why they went bankrupt.Poor management decisions--EVEN AFTER they make a good vehicle.They should have proudly kept the Vibe model around.