runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

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runningslow
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runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

This is my 2006 Pontiac Vibe Base, Lava Red, Automatic.
I'll post some more pictures when I find the time and a better place to "model" the car.

Image

I believe the only factory option it received was the Preferred Package (Remote power locks, Front power windows with one one-touch, Cruise control, Front reading lights). Currently is sitting on the factory 16" steel wheels with plastic covers.

Mods:
  • Installed an aging Blaupunkt Heidelberg CD-50 to replace the factory radio. I believe this is the 4th car this radio has been installed into in the ~10 years that I've owned it. It will be eventually replaced with a double DIN unit, but I needed something now that had an aux in. This radio has two rear aux inputs.
  • Added an Aux-In port to the lower tray of the center console. I will probably add a USB power source near it in the future.
  • 9" Stubby Antenna
  • SilverStar ULTRA Headlights.
  • Should I mention the Graco ClickConnect 40 car seat base in the backseat? That thing adds what.. like 40hp, right?
To-Do List:
  • Fluid swap to full synthetics in engine and tranny.
  • K&N Drop-In Air Filter.
  • LED interior lights.
  • Fix the worst of the paint scratches, primarily on the rear bumper.
  • Plasti-Dip rear bumper valence.
  • Paint roof rack rails.
  • Black emblem overlays.
  • New double DIN radio, upgrade speakers and add a sub.
Wishlist:
  • New 17" Wheels
  • Lowering Springs
  • 6 speed C60 swap
Last edited by runningslow on Thu Sep 26, 2013 9:36 am, edited 4 times in total.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
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runningslow
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

The (~10 year old) Blaupunkt Heidelberg CD-50.
It matches the interior better than expected. The main screen lights up blue, but all the buttons are red.

Before I added the spacer:
Image

I thought it was too far recessed, so here it is after I added the spacer:
Image
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
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runningslow
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

I decided to add an aux in port in the lower tray of the center console.

The Aux-In kit I used.
Image

Before:
Image

Drill hole:
Image

Installed:
Image
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by vibenvy »

Lookin' good ;)! How are you liking the SilverStars in the headlights so far?
Image
2009 Liquid Platinum Metallic Vibe GT - 5-Speed Auto – Garage
2009 Steel Blue Metallic Vibe GT - 5-Speed Auto – Garage
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runningslow
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

vibenvy wrote:Lookin' good ;)! How are you liking the SilverStars in the headlights so far?
So far, so good, but I need to buff out the lenses. They've gotten a little cloudy. Unfortunately, living where I do, I haven't had any opportunities to drive with the high beams on since I installed them, but I do like the low beam coverage.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by vibenvy »

I love SilverStars! I had them in both vehicles I owned before the Vibe and we started out with Ultras in both our 2009 Vibe GTs. Last summer we swithced to the zXes which are really amazing! Many people here aren't fans of SilverStars because they claim they burn out too quick, but I have yet to have a pair last less than a year.
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2009 Liquid Platinum Metallic Vibe GT - 5-Speed Auto – Garage
2009 Steel Blue Metallic Vibe GT - 5-Speed Auto – Garage
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

We're approaching the anniversary of the last post I made in this thread. Time for an update.

I'm looking at my initial post and I have not accomplished a single item on the To-Do list. After moving to Dallas last February and living off a single income ever since, money has been tighter than expected... so the fun is on hold until things settle.

I hated the SilverStar Ultras. I had both headlights go out on me at the same time during a road trip last December. I ended up driving on the fog lights alone for a couple hours in the dark while it was snowing in rural Indiana. Once I finally stopped to buy replacements (Basic Sylvanias), I was only able to change the passenger side, because I didn't have the tools with me to move the battery to reach the driver side. So, I had to drive another hour or so with only one headlight. Since that day, I've already had to replace them both again. Can someone recommend some bulbs that will last me more than 6 months?

I've added my "Hackima" cross bars. They're a work in progress...
Image

Eventually they will be outfitted to haul our bikes, but for now they work to haul anything else that I can strap down. I'd prefer to find a set of cheap factory cross bars, but these will work for now.

I'm also in desperate need of a new radio. The volume knob on the Blaupunkt is very nearly useless (volume likes to go down when you turn it up) and the radio tuner is horrendous (although, some of that may be due to the stubby antenna). A new radio just might be one of the first purchases once my wife finally gets a paycheck in the next few weeks.

I think I'm going to add some soundproofing to my To-Do/Wishlist. We have now taken several road trips in the Vibe since we bought it and the road noise is pretty bad. I have to crank the radio all the way up when driving at highway speeds just to listen at a comfortable volume. I mostly listen to podcasts while driving and a few of those are still too quiet to hear properly. Perhaps some new tires will help, as well as the new radio I keep talking about.

This post sounds like I'm complaining. Well, I am, but only because I haven't been able to give my Vibe the TLC it deserves. I absolutely love this car.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by vibrologist »

runningslow wrote:We're approaching the anniversary of the last post I made in this thread. Time for an update.

I'm looking at my initial post and I have not accomplished a single item on the To-Do list. After moving to Dallas last February and living off a single income ever since, money has been tighter than expected... so the fun is on hold until things settle.

I hated the SilverStar Ultras. I had both headlights go out on me at the same time during a road trip last December. I ended up driving on the fog lights alone for a couple hours in the dark while it was snowing in rural Indiana. Once I finally stopped to buy replacements (Basic Sylvanias), I was only able to change the passenger side, because I didn't have the tools with me to move the battery to reach the driver side. So, I had to drive another hour or so with only one headlight. Since that day, I've already had to replace them both again. Can someone recommend some bulbs that will last me more than 6 months?

I've added my "Hackima" cross bars. They're a work in progress...

Eventually they will be outfitted to haul our bikes, but for now they work to haul anything else that I can strap down. I'd prefer to find a set of cheap factory cross bars, but these will work for now.

I'm also in desperate need of a new radio. The volume knob on the Blaupunkt is very nearly useless (volume likes to go down when you turn it up) and the radio tuner is horrendous (although, some of that may be due to the stubby antenna). A new radio just might be one of the first purchases once my wife finally gets a paycheck in the next few weeks.

I think I'm going to add some soundproofing to my To-Do/Wishlist. We have now taken several road trips in the Vibe since we bought it and the road noise is pretty bad. I have to crank the radio all the way up when driving at highway speeds just to listen at a comfortable volume. I mostly listen to podcasts while driving and a few of those are still too quiet to hear properly. Perhaps some new tires will help, as well as the new radio I keep talking about.

This post sounds like I'm complaining. Well, I am, but only because I haven't been able to give my Vibe the TLC it deserves. I absolutely love this car.


Hi, runnningslow:

I don't have experience with the Silverstars. On my former Windstar the original headlight bulbs quit after 9 years. I read the labels of the Silverstars and decided that's not for me: right on the package they say that they last about half as long as the LL bulbs and they cost twice as much. At least with Ford I noticed that the original bulbs last very long. But the replacement bulbs I bought at parts stores or Wal-Mart do not last nearly as long. When changing the bulbs be careful not to touch them with your fingers because the oils of the skin will affect the bulb's clarity and possibly cause heat build up. That would make them burn out early.

That radio may not be as bad as you think. It seems the volume control has some issues. There is probably some dirt inside the potentiometer. If you can take the radio out and open it up then you could spray some electronics cleaner into the potentiometer while you turn the volume knob. That should improve the contacts and make it work as designed.

When I bought my 05 Vibe it too was very noisy. I knew it needed new tires and I bought Michelin Defender because they are quiet, not mute, but quiet.
That helped a lot. But I wanted it quieter yet. I added sound deadener in several steps: first the trunk area and inside the sub woofer (moon & tunes), then in the doors and finally under the carpet. Steps 1 and 2 made a significant difference, step 3 not so much. I used a brush-on sound deadener and Peel & Seal from Lowe's and some Roxul insulation. There are some good threads on sound insulation on here. There is also a Youtube on how to remove the inner door panels.
Our Vibe is much quieter than it was when purchased but it is not comparable to a luxury car. My work really paid of in the sound quality of the Moon & Tune system. The low frequencies come through and the sound is much clearer than before.
We have another noisy car: 2000 Ford Contour 4 cylinder. I added an insulating pad under the hood and this helped keeping the engine noise in control. The Vibe may also benefit from that but I don't feel it is needed. I think the law of diminishing returns is in effect.
Vibrologist
'05 Vibe

"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"

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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by lannvouivre »

You may consider using carpet padding if money is tight. If you go to Lowe's or Home Depot and ask for the cheapest padding they have, they may have remnants in the back you can use. I ended up pulling out the spare tire tray/cover and keep the tools on top of the carpet padding. Thanks to the shape of the spare tire space, you can keep them from moving around pretty easily and maybe just wrap a towel around the "tire iron" or jack to keep them from rattling. It's also SO much more convenient than fiddling with that stupid tray, holy bujeezus.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by vibrologist »

I forgot to list the carpet padding. Just like lannvouivre said: I bought some at Lowe's and put it under the door panels but over the factory plastic shield on all four doors.
Vibrologist
'05 Vibe

"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=43476
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runningslow
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

vibrologist wrote:Hi, runnningslow:

I don't have experience with the Silverstars. On my former Windstar the original headlight bulbs quit after 9 years. I read the labels of the Silverstars and decided that's not for me: right on the package they say that they last about half as long as the LL bulbs and they cost twice as much. At least with Ford I noticed that the original bulbs last very long. But the replacement bulbs I bought at parts stores or Wal-Mart do not last nearly as long. When changing the bulbs be careful not to touch them with your fingers because the oils of the skin will affect the bulb's clarity and possibly cause heat build up. That would make them burn out early.

That radio may not be as bad as you think. It seems the volume control has some issues. There is probably some dirt inside the potentiometer. If you can take the radio out and open it up then you could spray some electronics cleaner into the potentiometer while you turn the volume knob. That should improve the contacts and make it work as designed.

When I bought my 05 Vibe it too was very noisy. I knew it needed new tires and I bought Michelin Defender because they are quiet, not mute, but quiet.
That helped a lot. But I wanted it quieter yet. I added sound deadener in several steps: first the trunk area and inside the sub woofer (moon & tunes), then in the doors and finally under the carpet. Steps 1 and 2 made a significant difference, step 3 not so much. I used a brush-on sound deadener and Peel & Seal from Lowe's and some Roxul insulation. There are some good threads on sound insulation on here. There is also a Youtube on how to remove the inner door panels.
Our Vibe is much quieter than it was when purchased but it is not comparable to a luxury car. My work really paid of in the sound quality of the Moon & Tune system. The low frequencies come through and the sound is much clearer than before.
We have another noisy car: 2000 Ford Contour 4 cylinder. I added an insulating pad under the hood and this helped keeping the engine noise in control. The Vibe may also benefit from that but I don't feel it is needed. I think the law of diminishing returns is in effect.
I appreciate the reply.! :D The next time I buy bulbs, I'm going to do my homework on replacements. I always make sure I'm wearing nitrile gloves when changing them.

I don't need to make it sound studio quiet, but I'd like to make it a little more comfortable. I've never owned a particularly quiet car, definitely nothing that could be confused for a luxury car: 88 Festiva, 88 Dakota, 95 Neon, 00 Escort, 97 Aspire, a GY6 scooter, 97 Ranger and then the Vibe... not counting my wife's cars, which really only adds a 91 Escort and the 05 Corolla. I'll look for the guides on the site. I figure I can track down some of the rattles while I'm at it, too.

One thing that will help is that I know the tires are getting pretty worn. Thankfully, I don't need to worry about too much snow here in Dallas, which was one of the nice things about living in Florida, too. So, I'm not a in a big hurry to replace them. I'm hoping I could out long enough to be able to afford some new rims, too. Heck, I'd be happy with a set of the factory 17" if I could track down a cheap enough set.

Here's a brief history of the radio in question: this is the 4th car it has been mounted into. I bought it in college (circa 2000) for the Neon... totaled the car. It moved into the Aspire. When the Aspire died (transaxle) the radio was moved into the Ranger. With about 300K on it, the Ranger blew the head gasket and I bought the Vibe. The LCD on the Vibe's factory radio was intermittent and it didn't have any sort of Aux input... so in went the Blaupunkt.

Short term, cleaning the volume knob would probably help. In fact, I've been considering trying. What do I have to lose? The radio tuner has been problematic for years. Even when mounted in a car with a proper antenna, it will have a hard time tuning in strong local stations. Sometimes, it would lose the signal all together for a few minutes. Also, the CD player has been reliable... constantly skipping with the slightest bump. In these days of smartphones and iPods, I don't listen to much radio or CDs (can't remember the last time I played a CD) anyway, so that's not such a big deal.

I'm not going to replace it with anything fancy, but I would at least like the replacement to have bluetooth for easier linking to my phone and I'd like something double DIN to fill the hole in the dash better.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

lannvouivre wrote:You may consider using carpet padding if money is tight. If you go to Lowe's or Home Depot and ask for the cheapest padding they have, they may have remnants in the back you can use. I ended up pulling out the spare tire tray/cover and keep the tools on top of the carpet padding. Thanks to the shape of the spare tire space, you can keep them from moving around pretty easily and maybe just wrap a towel around the "tire iron" or jack to keep them from rattling. It's also SO much more convenient than fiddling with that stupid tray, holy bujeezus.
vibrologist wrote:I forgot to list the carpet padding. Just like lannvouivre said: I bought some at Lowe's and put it under the door panels but over the factory plastic shield on all four doors.
It looks like I'll be making a trip to the Depot here soon.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by vibrologist »

I don't need to make it sound studio quiet, but I'd like to make it a little more comfortable. I've never owned a particularly quiet car, definitely nothing that could be confused for a luxury car: 88 Festiva, 88 Dakota, 95 Neon, 00 Escort, 97 Aspire, a GY6 scooter, 97 Ranger and then the Vibe... not counting my wife's cars, which really only adds a 91 Escort and the 05 Corolla. I'll look for the guides on the site. I figure I can track down some of the rattles while I'm at it, too.
You are certainly not a spoiled brat! That Festiva could be a lot of fun if you swap in a larger engine (a secret dream of mine). We have a 97 B 2300 (same as ranger 2.3) in our family.
One thing that will help is that I know the tires are getting pretty worn. Thankfully, I don't need to worry about too much snow here in Dallas, which was one of the nice things about living in Florida, too. So, I'm not a in a big hurry to replace them. I'm hoping I could out long enough to be able to afford some new rims, too. Heck, I'd be happy with a set of the factory 17" if I could track down a cheap enough set.
Use TireRack to do your research on a new set of tires. The ratings for different criteria can be very helpful. New tires will help with the noise but some are really good in that regard.
Here's a brief history of the radio in question: this is the 4th car it has been mounted into. I bought it in college (circa 2000) for the Neon... totaled the car. It moved into the Aspire. When the Aspire died (transaxle) the radio was moved into the Ranger. With about 300K on it, the Ranger blew the head gasket and I bought the Vibe. The LCD on the Vibe's factory radio was intermittent and it didn't have any sort of Aux input... so in went the Blaupunkt.

Short term, cleaning the volume knob would probably help. In fact, I've been considering trying. What do I have to lose? The radio tuner has been problematic for years. Even when mounted in a car with a proper antenna, it will have a hard time tuning in strong local stations. Sometimes, it would lose the signal all together for a few minutes. Also, the CD player has been reliable... constantly skipping with the slightest bump. In these days of smartphones and iPods, I don't listen to much radio or CDs (can't remember the last time I played a CD) anyway, so that's not such a big deal.
You got your money's worth out of that radio. You deserve a new one.

If I find some pictures on the sound control measures I will add them to my garage thread. viewtopic.php?f=30&t=43476" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Vibrologist
'05 Vibe

"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=43476
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

vibrologist wrote:You are certainly not a spoiled brat! That Festiva could be a lot of fun if you swap in a larger engine (a secret dream of mine). We have a 97 B 2300 (same as ranger 2.3) in our family.
A dream we share. To this day, I want to find another Festiva just so I can drop in a B6T. The wife is aware of this.... we'll see if that ever happens.

There's something to be said about a boy and his first car. It's been 16 years and there's not a day that goes by that I don't miss that car. I had a small fender bender in it when I was 17 and the insurance company decided to total it. My family actually owned a string of Festivas. I think there were 4 in all, not counting the Aspire. My dad used to commute 100 miles a day for work and he loved those little things. They were cheap and fairly reliable. Mine was a hand-me-down from him when I turned 16 and he bought a 91. My brother tried a B6 swap on one of them, but he never got it to run.... between you and me, I just don't think he knew what he was doing. It may have also been the junkyard motor he was using. I think he ended up putting the B3 back in and sold it.

My Ranger had the 2.3. Great truck, but when the head gasket blew it just sat. I wanted to keep it and fix it (or swap in a 302), but it had to go when we made the decision to move.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by lannvouivre »

vibrologist wrote:Use TireRack to do your research on a new set of tires. The ratings for different criteria can be very helpful. New tires will help with the noise but some are really good in that regard.
And the goodyear eagle rsa tires that come with the car stock are clearly engineered to be terrible in every imaginable aspect: ugly tread, can be mounted facing the wrong way, loud, grip as though slathered in lube, harsh ride, and sometimes I have to look at them at the Toyota shop and it really aggravates me to have them exist in my space.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

Once I get some friendly weekend weather, I'm going to tackle some soundproofing. I've purchased a couple rolls of Frost King Duct Insulation that I plan to use on the floor and I'm planning to get some carpet padding to line the door panels with. It was a tad too chilly for me this past weekend, but this coming weekend looks promising. I really want to get it done before we drive the car to Houston for Thanksgiving.

In other news, I'm brainstorming a small 7" tablet mount for the dash. I like the ProClip style mount, but I'm not a fan of the position because it blocks the vent. I'd like to make up something that sits closer to the passenger side.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

runningslow wrote:Once I get some friendly weekend weather, I'm going to tackle some soundproofing. I've purchased a couple rolls of Frost King Duct Insulation that I plan to use on the floor and I'm planning to get some carpet padding to line the door panels with. It was a tad too chilly for me this past weekend, but this coming weekend looks promising. I really want to get it done before we drive the car to Houston for Thanksgiving.
While, I found the time and had good weather. I lined all 4 doors with carpet padding. I laid down the Frost King stuff in the hatch area and under the backseat, plus a bit carpet padding on top of that. Honestly, I haven't been able to see much benefit. There seems to be a minor difference, but honestly not enough to justify the time and money spent on materials. I only had it on the highway this morning on my way to work, so we'll see if it helps on the longer drive to Houston.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by vibrologist »

I would rate noise control measures in this order of efficacy:

1. New tires.
2. Mass loaded vinyl sound deadener applied to inside door skins and floor. The factory has done some on the floor already.
An alternative to expensive MLV like dynamat is "Peel and Seal" rubber.
3. Insulation.

Frost King makes a number of product, so I am not sure which one you applied.
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'05 Vibe

"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=43476
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

vibrologist wrote:I would rate noise control measures in this order of efficacy:

1. New tires.
2. Mass loaded vinyl sound deadener applied to inside door skins and floor. The factory has done some on the floor already.
An alternative to expensive MLV like dynamat is "Peel and Seal" rubber.
3. Insulation.

Frost King makes a number of product, so I am not sure which one you applied.
Tires on my list and I'll be getting them in the near future, but I'm going to try and get through the winter with the ones I've got. I'm hoping this will help.

I used Frost King Self Adhesive Foil and Foam Duct Insulation after I had read a few accounts online of it doing a passable job. I was hesitant to use Peel and Seal because of the tar and I don't have the budget for Dynamat. Thankfully, this stuff will be extremely easy to remove if choose to try something different down the road. It cost about the same as Peel and Seal, so I'm not out too much money, but it was still a pain to install.

Like I said, this week I'll be able to give it a good road test. It might help more than I originally thought.

Maybe I was just expecting too much.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by vibrologist »

I was hesitant to use Peel and Seal because of the tar
I was hesitant as well, but to my surprise it did not have a tar smell to it.
Vibrologist
'05 Vibe

"It is important to know the difference between 'accurate' and 'precise' even if you are neither!"

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=43476
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

Latest addition. I'm happy so far and it was dirt cheap.

It barely fit and will still need a little more tweaking to the mounting position to get it just right. I also need to fill the gaps on the sides, because the face was too large for the trim piece that came with the dash kit. Time for more Dremel fun.

The good news is that it goes louder than the old radio, so that I can drown out the road noise. My efforts in sound deadening were in vain.

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Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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runningslow
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

Here's a question I posted to the GenVibe Facebook page.
I need some help with my radio. Its supposed to have an auto dimming function when the headlights come on and it says to connect the "illumi" wire from its harness to the headlight 12V+. I connected that wire to orange wire in the wiring harness adapter assuming that would work, but that appears to put the radio into dim mode all the time, because the backlight in the physical buttons was always on. I have since cut that wire and the radio still works, but it doesn't dim at night and I don't can't see the buttons.

So, two questions:
-Does the dimmer wire on the car side have a constant voltage with the radio on and the voltage just varies with the dash dimmer switch?

-What would be a better wire to tap into to have it dim when the headlights come on? Perhaps the light circuit in the AC controls?

I don't have any wiring diagrams for the car, so someone will have to point me to the right wire
Really, I just need to know what wire to tap into for a 12+V when the headlights are on. Probably just a wire for the backlights in the A/C controls.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

runningslow wrote:Really, I just need to know what wire to tap into for a 12+V when the headlights are on. Probably just a wire for the backlights in the A/C controls.
Well, in case someone comes across this thread and is curious, I had found my 12+V source with the headlights on. I tapped into the green wire in the rear defrost plug.

That being said, the cheap Chinese radio is gone. I was relatively happy with it for what I spent, but I was having issues with the clock not staying set properly. When I had it set to autoset with RDS the time would usually be correct, but it would sometimes jump several hours off. If I turned off the autoset function, the clock would usually drift off the actual time... ~ 1 minute per day. I had a few communications with the seller trying to fix it, which included them sending me a software update: A software update that borked the colors on the LCD. All the functions were still there, but it didn't fix the clock and everything was so color shifted that blue became orange... They were unable to send me a software upgrade/downgrade that would return the colors to normal (I could have lived with the clock being goofy), so I returned it to Hong Kong at my expense.... :evil:

I've since purchased a JVC KW-R910BT that should be arriving on Saturday. :D
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

Added a hitch receiver over the weekend. It was a CURT 122343 and wiring kit 55057. The wiring was by far the worst part (had to snake a wire under the car up to the battery), but I also had to take a hammer to the muffler to allow a little extra clearance for the receiver. After installing it Saturday, I was driving around and I kept hearing the muffler hitting the back of the hitch, usually at an idle. A couple well placed blows with a hammer and all was well with the world.

I also installed my new JVC KW-R910BT. Its head and shoulders better than the Chinese unit I had. I still had trouble with the dash kit fitting over the radio, so I'll still have to come up with a solution to fill in the gaps. Probably have some plastic lasercut.

I'll snap some pics of both, once I've had some time to wash the car.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

First. I hate people. Woke up this morning to find this:

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My car wasn't parked in its normal place because of this:

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We just got back from a road trip, pulling this trailer on the way home for roughly 1100 miles. I could definitely feel it behind me and my gas mileage suffered, but the car seems no worse for wear this morning after dropping the trailer off.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by trb »

Wow Josh, that really stinks about the car. People can be such low life trash. Hope Karma catches up with them soon....

Good info on making the hitch fit. I think I have the same one I used on my 10 GT to pull about the same trailer from Houston to Nacogdoches and back, and my mileage did suffer, like 12 or so I think, fully loaded! I put the hitch on my 03 GT and the muffler hit it too. I ended up pulling it off until I could look into massaging the muffler or whatever it was hitting.
Thomas
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

Over the weekend, I took the Hackima cross bars off since I never got around to finishing the bike racks I was planning.
With the new hitch installed, I'll just get myself a hitch mount bike rack.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

A few updates from the past week.

On Saturday I flushed my brake fluid and replaced both of my front brake calipers and pads. A few months ago I had replaced my pads and rotors, so hopefully, this will once and for all fix my brakes woes. I don't think I ever brought this up on the forum before, but ever since I bought the car I've had a recurring brake issue. I would get a terrible vibration when braking, especially from high speeds. Initially, I would take it back to dealer where I bought it and they would turn the rotors and the problem would go away... for awhile, but it would always return after a month or so. I bought the car As-Is with no warranty, but they were nice and would do this for free. They never bothered to diagnose the cause and after the 3rd time I came back, they decided that they could no longer do it for free and that's when I started to check it out myself. The driver side front pads were always wearing faster than passenger side and wearing at an angle, plus recently I started to hear them dragging. After some searching online, I finally concluded that I have a stuck caliper. If I'm wrong and the problem returns, I'm out of ideas. Everything has been replaced at this point.

Then last weekend, I bought a new hitch mount bike rack from Harbor Freight. It was definitely cheap, but its working well. I'll probably get more use out of my rear window now, since I have to fold the rack out of the way to open the hatch.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

Wow. I really need to update this thread. I've posted all the things I've done to the Facebook group, but I've been slacking off here on the forum.
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by tpollauf »

C'mon Josh. Some of us "older" folks aren't Facebook users and rely solely on this forum. Thanks for "waking up" to the rest of us here :lol:
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by runningslow »

Unmodding the car. Factory radio reinstalled with the LCD backlight repaired.
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FB_IMG_1502414357502.jpg (99.25 KiB) Viewed 7717 times
Josh
2005 Vibe GT ~ Platinum
2006 Vibe ~ Lava, Base, Auto
2005 Corolla S ~ Silver Streak Mica, Manual (Wife's)
A common mistake that people make when trying to design something
completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools.
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Re: runningslow's 2006 Vibe Base

Post by zbyers »

You REALLY need to update this thread now. :lol:
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