Just Rambling

[Houston]

It's unfortunate that this great forum is declining in popularity. During earlier years there were many days when there seemed to be hundreds of new posts. Not so, anymore. This is to be expected, considering that the Vibe hasn't been manufactured in about five years. This forum gets a new member every now and then, somebody who recently bought a used Vibe, but that's about it. Many who used to post here have sold their Vibes and moved on to forums covering their new vehicles. This forum has been so helpful over the years that I'll stay here hoping to get help on problems that may crop up with my Vibe (and helping when I can). I haven't had any major problems yet, knock on wood.

After all these years, I've yet to see a Vibe that looks old. I sold my 2003 to my sister and even that still looks brand new. I rarely even see a clunker of any manufacturer that is eaten up by rust - something we old folks used to see all the time - so it looks like all manufacturers have solved that problem. I remember my 1967 Firebird 400 convertible (my favorite car of all time) that had rust holes through both rear fenders after only four years. Got that repaired and kept it for thirteen years. Wish I still had it.

[Caretaker]

Houston: You are right, it is a shame. I was torn between replying to this note and just sitting back to watch the Viewer count go up to 40 with no responses. That is about the amount of people left on this board. Many left not only because they sold their Vibe, but mainly because like with any site, lunatics, posting whores and cranks with no life come on here to post unnecessary negative comments and drive people away over time. Even when a technical question is posted on this site, the responses of late have been less than "on the money." Keep on rambling Houston. I'll be here to read 'em until we turn the lights off at the end.

And oh by the way, I do have a Vibe issue to discuss. In line with the well documented Corolla drinking problem (one quart every 5000 miles for mine), I am getting a smell of oil after I pop open the hood after nearly every trip. I am not losing any oil externally and it is clear that I am burning a quart every 5000 miles. So my question is (to keep this thread open and make Houston's rambling stay alive for a while): is the burning oil smell (with no visible smoke) from a very clean engine indicative of something such as the PCV or intake manifold (both of which have not been replaced), or are you oil burners also smelling the odor after you pop the hood? The odor is not from the tail pipe, but definitely evident when I pop the hood.

[Nasmfell]

This is a funny thread Sorry. Of course people left, the Vibe and Pontiac are no more, so it makes sense the membership would decline (same has happened at Suzuki vehicle based forums as well). Members who longer own their Vibes, what reason would they have to come back to this board?

[cptnsolo77]

I agree. I joined in 07 & members that used to post all the time dont even own Vibes. It will happpen to me as well. I dont post as often as I used to, but I do read new topics daily to inform myself of DIYs or solutions to problems that I havent encountered yet. I think of it as being proactive. Im at 172K right now & will keep the Vibe for another couple of years for sure. Im feeling the the "want" for a quieter smoother ride...OR get a weekend ride & keep the Vibe. I have been eyeing the 05 - 09 Mustang GTs cause they have come down in price. We will see. This is such a great car it will be hard to part unless I have to. I also remember seeing rustbuckets on the road or cars puffing out HUGE puffs of blue or white smoke LOL, cars are made so much better now. Last week when I came back from work there were 3 Vibes including mine parked in the same area. I do see MANY Vibes & all of the ones with cladding look like C R A P broken door handles, atennas.....except mine I have always babied all my cars though. Thanks GV ! In time my posts will be lost in cyberspace......

[kostby]

There is rambling.
And then there are Ramblers...

My late brother-in-law had an AMC Pacer, but he sold it before I ever knew him.
---
One of my college roommates had a dark blue '67 Firebird convertible.
Nice car.
Much nicer than he was...
---
My '03 Vibe with about 115,000 miles uses about 1 quart of oil every 5000 miles too.
I do lots of small town driving, short trips, with an occasional highway round-trip of about 50 or 60 miles round-trip. There is a smell of engine oil when the filler cap is removed, but otherwise no.
---
There is still an amazing amount of traffic here, given that the last Vibe was manufactured going on 5 years ago, and that after introduction, GM never did diddly-squat to sell more Vibes, except to offer cash rebates.

Each of us CAN be a 'GenVibe evangelist' if the opportunity arises. If you talk to someone about your Vibe or their Vibe, invite them to drop in here for a visit. Please don't take offense at my use of the term 'evangelist'. I'm not saying that Vibe is a religious experience for everyone, just that a one-on-one invitation to visit here isn't such a scary thing to do, and might point someone who is searching for advice, information, and a few laughs, because they could also find GenVibe to be a useful rest-stop on the interstate of life.

I hope the Powers That Be who pay the bills for the GenVibe site are still getting enough click-throughs, or ad revenue, or whatever they measure, to justify keeping this site alive a while longer.

[joatmon]

It's unfortunate

I guess I understand why, but I do miss some of the old days and folks. When I joined, there was this air of discovery, as it was still a new model and there were a lot of things to be figured out. Sometimes it seemed like people would compete to be the first to discover something, or to reply to a question. ragingfish was a great one for that, that guy was fearless. Someone would ask a question, and he'd go disassemble his car to figure it out and post back with pictures and a detailed procedure. It was contagious. I know some of the things I figured out about these cars was driven by the explorer atmosphere here.

There used to be a lot more threads about mods, performance enhancements. I don't know if its because those things have already been run to ground, or if its that the people that still have Vibes are more interested in keeping them running than in getting them to run faster.

I used to have some really heated discussions with Stang2Vibe in the political asylum, I think we were both cautioned by moderators multiple times. The Iraq war was severely polarizing. The asylum is really quiet these days, even with the constant flood of news controversies.

Used to have some hyper active posters here, Hope/trdvibe/AKLGT seemed like she was on here 24/7 silverawd24, while he was here, was always here. When NovaResource posted anything technical, I trusted it completely, for some reason.

This site was responsible for two marriages that I know of. We used to have periodic other drama also, every know and then someone would melt down

I used to spend a lot (way too much) time here. A lot of the folks that I felt really close to don't show up anymore, and after over a decade, some of the thrill is gone. I still really like the car, but had a number of expensive equipment failures, and it takes the edge off the excitement. Still, after so many years, I don't know what it would be like to not have a Vibe. It's comfortable to know a lot about your car. I stopped keeping track of mpgs, it is whatever it is. I've probably changed oil in a Vibe/Matrix over a hundred times

A while back I bought a 68 Firebird convertible. Probably a mid life crisis that I guess I got over. It needed more work than I was willing to put into it, lots of rust(floor pans, fenders, trunk, hood, pretty much all the body needed work), and there was an issue with the title. Sold it for a loss just to get it out of the yard. I remember the glorious sound of that motor. But I realized that I either had to lay way back in the seat of the top of the windshield was below eye level, and I miss things like electronic ignition, fuel injection, shoulder belts, air bags, FM, etc. Still, the sound of that motor was nice. All I have left from it is a bird emblem.

I still wave at other Vibers. There's a Salsa Vibe I often see while commuting, she's going where I'm coming from, She even started to wave back, which was satisfying. If I see another Vibe in a parking lot I still feel like leaving them a genvibe invite, but I never do.

I still think this is a good and friendly car forum. Bad behavior isn't really tolerated, and folks seem to be nice to new members or members who ask questions that are very basic, of have been asked and answered a thousand times before.

For ten years, there's been a genvibe chat room, and at first it was really active, then it was active sometimes, then there was a period where some tried in vain to drum up interest for it, and now it's likely forgotten. There's a genvibe facebook group, but I am a facebook holdout and don't know what its like, but I expect some of the dialog among genvibers happens there instead of int he forums. Its a competitor to a forum, a different paradigm for users with shared interests to communicate, likley more convenient for those that use facebook for other social things. The forum is still the information archive though, the historical encyclopedia of Vibe lore.

Anyway, I still have a VIbe, and I'll still be coming here at last as long as I have it, with no plans to go vibeless anytime.

(how was that for a counter ramble?)

[NascarXprt]

I feel exactly the same Joat, i still remember the time this place was thriving with members and great people we got along with well and joked around with, BlueCrush, DrunknVibe/Maxx, Hope/AKLGT/trdvibe, ToolGuy, and many others. i still have many good memories about members here who no longer visit or post.

I am not on here as much as i used to either, i occasionally check in every now and then. but i still have a Vibe, no longer my '04 neptune or my 06 moonstone, but an '09 GT and still finding new stuff on the car and still get enjoyment out of it every time i drive and always turn my head and look at the car as i walk away from the car. still a beautiful car to this day be it first or second gen.

yes the Facebook group has a decent amount of activity, but those who post on the group also post quite frequently on the forum.


if only those from years past who were regs on the site came back for a day just to catch up, that would be a great day.

[vibrologist]

to ramble some more:
I am to new here to feel nostalgic about more active times. But I think this is still a healthy forum. When I joined the Mazda forum it was so dead I had to answer my own question! Then I started answering other guys' questions. While I spend a lot of time on car related forums I feel this is better quality time than watching TV.
I think GenVibe is a nice forum. Certainly it will change reflecting the changing Vibe ownership. But I think there is a good chance that it will have enthusiast followers because the Vibe is one of the few modern cars with a character. And there is even a GenVibe meeting! That puts the Vibe owners on a level with Saturn enthusiast or Mini enthusiasts.

[09vGT]

When I first signed up in '09 there was a chat night. I miss it.

[joatmon]

When I first signed up in '09 there was a chat night. I miss it.

The chat is still there, at http://www.genvibe.com/html/misc/2nd-bday/chat.shtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It was set up in early 2004 by our seldom seen brother rasermon, as a special event for the site's second anniversary (that's why part of its URL includes "2nd-bday") Back then, genvibe was running zerofrum software, and there was no way to integrate the chat into it. There was no common login, no way to tell who was logged into chat while viewing the forum, had to log in to chat to see if anyone was there, which was usually no. There may be some available chat tool that more easily integrates with genvibe's current phpBB software, but I am not sure if it would be worth it. I think the chat is good for group get togethers, but I guess I would rather see vibe specific dialog happen in the forum, that way the information exchanged can be available to people who weren't on the chat at that time. Still, there's the link, feel free to try to drum up some interest.

fbv.jpg (43.25 KiB) Viewed 8633 times

[hotbug1776]

For those thinking the Vibe forum is dead, it's not. We use the forum, we just don't use it like a traditional forum anymore. Facebook gets you a faster response than a traditional forum when it comes to general communication. That and this wonderful place isn't bogged down with the 180 plus comment threads that muddy up the good parts of this site. For those thinking that this platform (the Vibe in of itself) is dead, say that to the classic car owners, I'm sure they will inform you that where there are enthusiasts, the platform will continue.

I had some punk kids making fun of my car last night, the hood, the wheels, everything about it. I was going to say something to them, but, as I looked at their bicycles, I knew they had no clue what I had. so I just smiled and gave them a earful of whine as I tore off into the sunset, breaking their necks from the double-takes they couldn't help but give.

The car may be no longer produced, and we may not be that active on this site, but we aren't gone, just enjoying the ride.

[10vibe]

Still have the 2010 Vibe. Still pop in and check active topics frequently. Just do not post much. Most questions have been asked and answered with a little search.

Went to an extended oil drain on last oil change. Put on around 8100 miles with Mobil 1 0w-20. First time that I have noticed that it was a little down on dipstick before change, maybe half a quart. Only have about 27k on the odo.

Biggest worry is probably the column mounted electric steering motor and shaft. Sometimes think I can hear a little rattle over bumps that might be coming from there.

Heard that momentary high pitched clatter a few times on cold startup that lasts like a second. Forget if that was part of the VVT or what. Need to search for that.

Still hear a little valve clatter at cold startup that goes away when it hits proper operating temperatures. I do run lower viscosity oil of a certain brand (Mobil 1 0w-20) that might exacerbate that a little.

Gas mileage has gone up to usually in the low to mid 30's. This little engine seems to have to get into the mid teens before it gets broken in. Or it could of been the initial driving style that hampered the break in. Also, moving to a different area where I am not doing as much stop and go and very short trips of less than 2-5 miles has helped mpg's. I keep thinking what would happen if there were two more gears in this four speed auto or a cvt like in the new Corolla's.

I really like the new Mazda 3's and 6's and the gas mileage they tout, although the brake regeneration thing is in models I would never buy. I do yearn for a little more sport and road feel at times.

Overall, this Vibe has been a heck of a car with no real problems other than recalls. It might sound as if I am complaining about every little thing, but actually just trying to be complete and specific for anyone else that might be hearing the same things.

There were few, if any, better choices in the summer of 2009 when I bought this thing. Maybe the Honda Fit. Wanted a hatchback that could haul things. Had to be an economy car. Had to prioritize maximum city mileage over highway mileage. Wanted an automatic transmission because I had a fierce addiction to slushies, icees, and slurpies at the time and needed both hands for other than driving! Thank goodness for knees. There really needs to be a 12 step program for the double fisted, frozen brained, slushy monkey on the back! I really was riding the snake! Did not matter what flavor; cherry, cherry limeade, mountain dew, coke....it was all good. Darn! Got to go, I think I just fell off the slushwagon. Wonder what flavors the Speedway down the road has.....maybe if I mix em.......

[cptnsolo77]

The early Firebirds seem to be a popular car here.My father owned a 68 400 hardtop auto in dark green. After some research i think it was veldoro green. I remember many nights falling alseep in the back seat after visiting relatives during the holidays. I was around 7 years old at the time. I would love to own one ! Great looking car when pontiac had some really great styling. They are still a great bargain compared to the camaro big blocks.

[Caretaker]

Went to an extended oil drain on last oil change. Put on around 8100 miles with Mobil 1 0w-20. First time that I have noticed that it was a little down on dipstick before change, maybe half a quart. Only have about 27k on the odo.

Thanks 10Vibe: you have come the closest to even attempting to answer the question I posed earlier:

I am getting a smell of oil after I pop open the hood after nearly every trip. I am not losing any oil externally and it is clear that I am burning a quart every 5000 miles. So my question is (to keep this thread open and make Houston's rambling stay alive for a while): is the burning oil smell (with no visible smoke) from a very clean engine indicative of something such as the PCV or intake manifold (both of which have not been replaced), or are you oil burners also smelling the odor after you pop the hood? The odor is not from the tail pipe, but definitely evident when I pop the hood.

As such, I will take the time to respond to two of yours:

Heard that momentary high pitched clatter a few times on cold startup that lasts like a second. Forget if that was part of the VVT or what. Need to search for that.
Still hear a little valve clatter at cold startup that goes away when it hits proper operating temperatures. I do run lower viscosity oil of a certain brand (Mobil 1 0w-20) that might exacerbate that a little.

If you mean by the high pitched clatter at startup, a grinding noise that lasts for a second that sounds like a fan blade is chewing through a heat shield, that would be the bendix gear in the starter going bad, not the reported timing gear actuator in the engine. I had both replaced, timing gear actuator first, then an new Denso starter installed. The one second grinding at startup is the starter going bad.
As for the valve clatter, that unfortunately is normal for the corolla engines you and I have. I have been told that there are no adjustments that can be made to the intake or exhaust valves like is done on many Honda engines. I'm guessing that changing the thickness of the oil would alter the harmonics a bit, but I don't think it is worth doing. It is just a noise we have to live with.

[vibenvy]

The amount of new posts and members who post on a regular basis has gone down since I joined a little over 5 years ago, but I don't think it has dropped off too much. Although I have a Facebook page, I never go on there. I do know alot of members post more on Facebook because as hotbug said, you will typically get a faster response to a question, etc. I think it's shame though because as others have said, GenVibe is if nothing else, a vast wealth of knowledge that owners can search through to find answers to questions, resolutions for issues they're having, etc. It is much harder to find that type of information on Facebook IMO.

I have learned so much from reading through posts on here over the years. Heck, I read anything I could find on the 2009s back in late 2008 / early 2009 when I was considering getting a 2009 Vibe. Ultimately, GenVibe was a huge part of my decision to get a 2009 Vibe. It was a great feeling knowing I would have this wonderful place full of information at my fingertips. I still feel this way. And I am always excited when I can pass the knowledge I've gained on to someone else. I will continue to be an active part of the wonderful forum until it no longer exists.

On a bit of a side note, although I have not owned a J-Body (Pontiac Sunfire, Chevy Cavalier, etc.) since 2009, I still read through posts on the J-Body Organization website every so often and try to help out whenever I can. There's just some random bits of information that I never seem to forget so I might as well help others out with it whenever I can. IMO they are plenty of people, myself included, who, although they no longer own a certain type of vehicle, they still hang around and help others, keep an eye on what projects people are currently working on, etc. Call me crazy, but the vehicles I've had throughout my life have all had a special place in my heart and head and always will. It's nice to know I can head over to the JBO and see what other people are doing to their Sunfires and perhaps inspire them with something I did to mine back in the day. I don't see myself stopping visiting the JBO either until the day comes when it finally shuts down.

[10vibe]

And oh by the way, I do have a Vibe issue to discuss. In line with the well documented Corolla drinking problem (one quart every 5000 miles for mine), I am getting a smell of oil after I pop open the hood after nearly every trip. I am not losing any oil externally and it is clear that I am burning a quart every 5000 miles. So my question is (to keep this thread open and make Houston's rambling stay alive for a while): is the burning oil smell (with no visible smoke) from a very clean engine indicative of something such as the PCV or intake manifold (both of which have not been replaced), or are you oil burners also smelling the odor after you pop the hood? The odor is not from the tail pipe, but definitely evident when I pop the hood.

Sorry Caretaker, also meant to say I have not smelled any oil burning except after a sloppy oil change from walmart. I know, I know, better off to do it myself, but have moved and tools are in storage and no longer have a driveway of my own. Actually thought about doing a change in the corner of a parking lot or at my storage facility.

They do say that a clogged pcv can cause excessive oil consumption, especially in prior Toyota 1.8's.

They have made a simple pcv change much harder in our engines (2zr-fe). Looks as if you have to unbolt intake manifold to get to it now, unless have mad skills and small hands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4iKLYpOg4A" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[10vibe]

Caretaker,
This is what I think I have heard a few times. So this noise could be a bad starter instead?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pQZgDvOuaY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8Xo_Y9jFTs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/323-1 ... a-tsb.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73xNtxOn0_Y" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.toyotapart.com/BRIEF_ENGINE_ ... 087-09.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Caretaker]

10Vibe: thank you again for your post. I listened to each of your you tube videos. That noise is slightly different from the bendix gear noise in the starter. Here is what the bad bendix gear sounds like. It is a higher pitched, scratchier sound than the videos you posted. This is exactly the noise I had:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdR9_bRj6bo" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Let me know which one is closer to yours; the lower pitched flutter that was demonstrated on the videos you posted, or the higher pitch ("heat shield being eaten up by a fan blade") noise I posted above.
Thanks for your note about oil consumption and the PCV. I think I may just do a little preventative maintenance and have my PCV and intake manifold gasket changed out, just to be sure. That is an excellent 2ZR video on the PCV valve removal you posted. What a hassle just to get at an $8 part. My mechanic didn't want to do the work the last time we spoke because he believed if it was going bad, it would throw a code. I don't know if that is correct or not. My mechanic is excellent, but failure of the PCV can cause some issues. Moreover, the first generation Vibes had issues with the intake manifold gasket. I don't know if there have been any with the second gen Vibes though.

[10vibe]

Caretaker,
Have heard that higher pitched noise at least once after restart from waiting for a train. At time, figured that I actually did not shut engine off like I thought and grinded the starter, although I thought that was an impossibility with the Toyota design. Now I am not sure what noise I occasionally hear on the cold startups.

Just know that I only have until August (five years) for powertrain warranty issues and not sure where a starter fits in to that. Probably 3 years/36k. Which brings me to another question. Steering column shafts and EPS motor warranty ended after 3 years/36K? Does TSB's extend that or just recalls? Need to get the old manual or warranty book out. Hopefully all the electronic versions I downloaded made it to the backup drive before old computer met it's demise.

I just hesitate to let GM/buick techs touch the car. The three recalls were an ordeal as it was.

[Caretaker]

My bendix gear (starter) mainly made the screeching noise when it was cold outside. At first, it was once a month, then twice. Then once per week. The decline took about a year. I brought it in 3 times to the dealer before they finally heard the noise. My starter was replaced at 67,000 miles for free so I'm guessing it falls under the powertrain warranty. The new one clearly has Denso stamped on it. I believe it is different than what came from the factory floor.
I certainly agree with you about taking your car back to any dealership mechanic. GM nearly killed me when they didn't torque my axle bolts on properly and the axle snapped off; I have also had them improperly clamp a CV boot after they replaced the outer boot for free, resulting in grease shooting all over the place; and they wrongfully replaced the timing gear actuator because there was a TSB, only to then replace the starter which was the real cause of the noise.

[joatmon]

'twas In the darkest depths or Mordor, I met a girl so fair, but Gollum, the evil one, crept up and slipped away with her

[vibrologist]

Out of the way!!!
We are professionals!

[kostby]

All our staff are... committed to serving you

LOL Sounds like marketing from a bunch of cannibals...

[tpollauf]

OK .... my turn. As a GenVibe member for 4-1/2 years now I think there is still a lot of activity BUT you older members (subscription-wise that is!) would know for sure. I try to get on every day or two and add my two cents worth of opinions where applicable. I just wish I were not so busy with my job/career as I have a head full of modding ideas that I will turn into reality once I have the time. Some of them just may have to wait till retirement (5-8 years from now) before I can seriously start on them. I'll easily be on this forum another 20 years and I'll still own my Vibe. Hopefully I'll be one of the knowledgeable Vibers by then who many of you can rely on for expertise! This is a great place!

[Nasmfell]

Of course the activity has slowed down. The stopping at 299,999 K/miles ODO issue in the 2003-2008 modles is a big disappointment. Owners who would want to share how many miles their cars have gone can only due so up to the mileage cut off. How many are going to switch out ODOs to continue to track mileage. Eventually these ODOs are going to run out, if they have not done so already, then what? Track by trip meter, to keep up with maintenance? Sure for a while, but that would get tiring after a while.

Also of disappointment, GM and Toyota were aware of this, and chose to do nothing, thereby practically assuring these cars as "disposable". For you owners of the later models, hopefully this ODO issue won't affect you.

[hotbug1776]

Of course the activity has slowed down. The stopping at 299,999 K/miles ODO issue in the 2003-2008 modles is a big disappointment. Owners who would want to share how many miles their cars have gone can only due so up to the mileage cut off. How many are going to switch out ODOs to continue to track mileage. Eventually these ODOs are going to run out, if they have not done so already, then what? Track by trip meter, to keep up with maintenance? Sure for a while, but that would get tiring after a while.

Also of disappointment, GM and Toyota were aware of this, and chose to do nothing, thereby practically assuring these cars as "disposable". For you owners of the later models, hopefully this ODO issue won't affect you.

I don't use my odometer for anything any more. Maintenance schedule is also done by timed schedule as well. oil should be changed at so many months or miles, whichever comes first. same for other maintenance, 3 years, 6 years, etc., not based solely on mileage. Even if you change it early on a gut feeling, are you hurting anything? no.

[jake75]

Of course the activity has slowed down. The stopping at 299,999 K/miles ODO issue in the 2003-2008 modles is a big disappointment. Owners who would want to share how many miles their cars have gone can only due so up to the mileage cut off. How many are going to switch out ODOs to continue to track mileage. Eventually these ODOs are going to run out, if they have not done so already, then what? Track by trip meter, to keep up with maintenance? Sure for a while, but that would get tiring after a while.

Also of disappointment, GM and Toyota were aware of this, and chose to do nothing, thereby practically assuring these cars as "disposable". For you owners of the later models, hopefully this ODO issue won't affect you.

I doubt that there are many motor vehicles that survive beyond 299,999 mils. My memory s that the old odometers turned over at 99,999 miles. That said, I don't understand why the limit could not have been 999,999 on these digital unts. One could pretty much predict the mileage over 299,999 by the gasoline used. Of all the things I can think of to complain about this is low on my list. The ever failing defective gear on the recirc mechanism is a lot higher and affects a lot more people.

[ColonelPanic]

I don't suspect the decline in GenVibe participation has much to do with Toyota's lack of one extra segment on the leading number in the odometer display. Several here have exceeded that maximum reading so the cars are more than capable of doing so. Toyota owners can apparently whine to their dealers and sometimes get new clusters at a reduced rate.

Personally, I am not very concerned. While we're putting a few more miles on the Vibe than was once the case, it has still taken almost 12 years to arrive at 95,000. I'd imagine the body, mechanicals, and plastic bits will be in considerable disrepair by the time it ever reaches the dreaded 299999.

[star_deceiver]

This forum is still the best one I've been a part of... And why I keep coming back. I keep hoping to see my old Vibe driving around, one day...

[clw3388]

Well considering I'm not an old timer on this forum, i'll leave the nostalgia to some of you others. This site was one of the reasons I chose to buy my vibe. I've always looked to the internet for common problems and quirks in a vehicle before making a purchase. Though the vibe is not without it's quirks and issues, this site made it bearable to face some of these head on.

Thank you old timers for all you've done!! genvibe lives on!

[Nasmfell]

Well considering I'm not an old timer on this forum, i'll leave the nostalgia to some of you others. This site was one of the reasons I chose to buy my vibe. I've always looked to the internet for common problems and quirks in a vehicle before making a purchase. Though the vibe is not without it's quirks and issues, this site made it bearable to face some of these head on.

Thank you old timers for all you've done!! genvibe lives on!

You don't own your Vibe anymore?

[Nasmfell]

Of course the activity has slowed down. The stopping at 299,999 K/miles ODO issue in the 2003-2008 modles is a big disappointment. Owners who would want to share how many miles their cars have gone can only due so up to the mileage cut off. How many are going to switch out ODOs to continue to track mileage. Eventually these ODOs are going to run out, if they have not done so already, then what? Track by trip meter, to keep up with maintenance? Sure for a while, but that would get tiring after a while.

Also of disappointment, GM and Toyota were aware of this, and chose to do nothing, thereby practically assuring these cars as "disposable". For you owners of the later models, hopefully this ODO issue won't affect you.

I doubt that there are many motor vehicles that survive beyond 299,999 mils. My memory s that the old odometers turned over at 99,999 miles. That said, I don't understand why the limit could not have been 999,999 on these digital unts. One could pretty much predict the mileage over 299,999 by the gasoline used. Of all the things I can think of to complain about this is low on my list. The ever failing defective gear on the recirc mechanism is a lot higher and affects a lot more people.

There are a few that can, some can go upwards of 400,000 miles. It may be low on the list of complaints, but still disappointing that the cheaper in price Echo, xb, and Xa (1st Gen) can read past 300,000 m/km. One owner even was able to get 450,000K+ miles out of his Echo, and it showed it on the ODO.

[truckerick]

I've read about this odometer problem a few years back but I wasn't too concerned about it .
A coworker told me his wife's 06 Matrix has 335,000 kms on it .
So guess what just happened to my wife's 04 Vibe . That's right , the odo stopped at 299,999 .
This is still the most reliable car we have ever owned , so I guess we'll just track the mileage with the trip meter .
We bought it in 06 with 60,000 kms on it .
Here's a list of things I had to repair in 8 years .
Replace lights in radio display
Replace spark plugs at 160,000 , but the old ones still looked like new when I removed them
Replace front brakes at 195,000 kms
Replace original battery in 2013
Replace front struts and sway bar links at 279,000 kms
Replace rear brakes at 295,000 , but the original brakes still had some meat on them and the parking brake would still lock em up at speed
I do change the oil every 5000 kms and I only changed the trans fluid once at 80,000 kms

[clw3388]

You don't own your Vibe anymore?

Oh goodness me!! Yes I still own (and love) my vibe.

[808 Vibes]

I'm here, I'm here! (Big squeezy hug to Joatmon, Houston and everybody else!) I am on the macehook thingy. I'm just dealing with the same stuff. I am in no way out of the woods, but I do pop in from time to time to make sure everyone is behaving, spelling correctly and that those spammers haven't taken over.

[vibolista]

Slowing of activity on this forum was bound to happen once Vibe and Pontiac went away. Many of us still have our Vibes, so we'll keep coming back to look in and see what's happening and who's still around on genvibe. One thing for sure, it's still populated by a group of great folks, who are never unwilling to help out, or answer questions.

The Vibe formula was and is still brilliant. Small car with huge interior capacity, a fair selling price and for the segment, plenty of quality and durability. Not perfect, for sure. I don't think there's a perfect car out there, but the Vibe does a lot of things quite well. I've been a fan since the first one showed up here in the Portland, Maine area back in the fall of 2002, if I remember correctly. I went out on a test drive and though right then that it was pretty close to perfect for my needs.

At that time I was driving an equally robust little car, a '99 Saturn SW2 wagon that got me to work and to the ski slopes in the worst weather conditions imaginable. It ran really well, tracked really well and got good MPG, but as all cars eventually are dissolved by salt up here in the northeast it eventually came time to replace it. It was nearly the end of 2008 and the Vibe deals were flying. I scored my '08 and was really glad I did. We paid a whopping $13k and something, on new car stickered just under $20k. I couldn't believe what a great deal that was.

It's still my "SUV". Don't think I'll be giving this car up for quite a while yet. So I'll definitely be here from time to time to check in and read what the "old timers" and new owners of used Vibes are doing. My sister and I just completed a fun 3 day bicycle event here in Maine, and the Vibe, driven by my wife, was our support vehicle. My sister lives in Seattle, drives a Subaru Crosstrek, and couldn't believe how much room there was in our "ancient" Vibe. It still compares favorably against a brand new car.

Like others have said, most of these Vibes still look darned good. I've seen a few that have been neglected, but nothing a little wax and a random orbital polisher wouldn't cure. Haven't seen rust on any of them, except on the one's equipped with steel wheels (easily fixed with a steel brush and Rustoleum). Most of the Vibes I see around here wear alloys and look to be well maintained. The interior in ours is still holding up like new. I cut a big rubber mat to fit over the hard plastic on the load deck when the seats are down (most of the time they are down) to keep stuff on the load area from slipping around. The mat has also kept the hard plastic from getting marked up. Got that bright idea from someone one this very forum.

I still can't find one thing to complain about on our Vibe. No maintenance issues, no unusual tire or brake wear. So must say that I'm still enjoying this car, and this forum as well! I hope both will be around for a while yet!