New member, looking for good Vibe

[MrWhoopee]

I've just joined this forum, so here's a little background.

I live in the mountains of northern California, we get snow, sometimes a lot. The roads can get icy and my unpaved driveway is steep, so AWD/4WD is a must. I have been a longtime fan of the '88-91 Honda RT4WD wagons (I have 3). My wife recently developed a problem with her left knee, making it very painful to drive a standard transmission. Unfortunately, automatic RT4WD wagons are even rarer than the standards. After some research, I've decided that the Vibe/Matrix AWD might be the right answer to her problem. So, being new to this breed, I need help. My budget is limited to about $5k max, so I'm going to be looking at something 2006 and earlier with (hopefully) 150-200k on the clock. I tend to keep my vehicles 'til they are no longer roadworthy, so I want to do this right the first time.

What specific issues should I be looking for?
What is the general opinion/experience regarding the longevity of the ZZ1 engine and automatic transmission?

Any warnings, advice or observations would be much appreciated

Thanks, Craig

[trb]

Main issue, if you haven't already see it, is the rear differential. They do tend to leak after a few years and if not taken care of, can result in a blown rear differential. There is one on ebay right now that needs a new diff but otherwise looks good. Those repairs can be expensive if you can't do it yourself. But otherwise, as long as the car is maintained, it will run for a long time.

Good luck in your search!

[vibenvy]

Welcome to GenVibe! You've certainly come to the right place to do your homework on Vibes! Unfortunately, I'm not very familiar with the 1st gens (2003-2008) since both our Vibes are 2nd gens (2009-2010), but I'm sure you'll get plenty of information and advice from other, more 1st gen knowledgeable members soon enough .

[Nasmfell]

Check for frame rail rust. There is a thread on this forum that discusses that.

[MrWhoopee]

Good stuff, thanks. Fortunately, California does not salt the roads and the low humidity keeps rust problems down. I will be checking the frame rails just to be sure. I have found an '05 with 250k on it for $2500, previously a company car. Haven't seen it yet.

Thanks again.