GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

so around where i live there is an old airstrip that they guvment stopped using in the mid 90s. well recently they took down the fence for some reason or other and of course the car crowd started flocking there. cops dont mess with us since it keeps racing off the streets. so was out there last friday and was in my civic hatch won a few races, lost one, when this new guy pulls up in a white 09 vibe gt with a 5 speed. so i pull up and start to talking tell him about genvibe and my 03 gt. so then im like, "well i really want to race your new gt". he says thats cool, then he ask what engine do i have the 1.8 or the 2.4? of course there is only one option there and tell him the 1.8 and hes "like oh i test drove one of those dude no offense but they are kinda slow." so im like well just let me worry about that. so i fly home to get my vibe. well, we line up, rev and both dump the clutches. he pulls half a car lenghth on me before my lift kicks in but when it does it is oh so sweet. by the end of second gear i have a full car lenghth on him and im just walking away from him. when we cross the 1/4 markers i have at least 4-5 car lenghths on him. it was so awesome. he pulls back where everybody is hanging and is like man what have you done to that 1.8? so i explain to him that the 03-05 gt's had alot more horsepower. all in all he was a nice guy, oh i also beat a thrash talking 03 civic si that night. that was the sweetest kill of the night.

::borat voice:: niiice

well, the newer GT's may have more low end torque, once lift kicks in on the 03, he's definitely seeing your taillights!

sweetness

GM for putting a bigger motor in the car but can't even keep up to the old GT I guess I just don't get it... I know that our Vibe's aren't supercars...well, maybe to some, but if I were a manufacture, and I was updating a model with a GT, and the predecessor had a pretty decent motor / 6spd tranny... Wouldn't your newer model also have the 6spd, and maybe a few newer tweaks to the motor? I understand that the new 2.4L is toyota, not Pontiac, and I know that just b/c it's bigger doesn't mean better, but still, I'd think newer model = the new best thing...

2.4 is ok, but that 1.8l 2zz is a freaking awesome engine. I hate to see it go like that I want to see the 2.4 with lift that would be a beast to reckon with. Best thing is though, is a little 4 banger thats fast and gets good/decent mileage! love it! Awesome kill, i wonder how long it will take the 2zz to become a cult classic and have everyone wanting them

Quote, originally posted by Kamikaze »I guess I just don't get it... I'd think newer model = the new best thing...My guess is that Josh is just a better driver. Certainly more experienced with his car than the other fellow with his brand-new (probably not broken-in) car.

remember, look at the specs of the new GT. it's a GT in name only. bigger heavier engine with less power, though better low end tq. That's why the other guy can get off the line faster, but once you hit 6300 RPMs in the 03, that's where HP and weight will take over to his low end torque, lower HP and heavier car. Put the same driver in both cars, and I bet the 03 GT will still beat it or get better times. and just because it's a newer model does not make it "better" when it comes to performance. That is why even the 08 STI is slower in a straight line than the previous year STI models. However, on a slalom course, the 08 STI is by far faster. They tweaked the engine and power band differently, so though it may not be as fast down the 1/4 mile stretch in stock form, it will still kick some (removed) on the winding daily driven roads. I have yet to test drive the new 09 GT, but I'm sure I will soon.

I agree: and just because it's a newer model does not make it "better" when it comes to performance. but You'd think with today's market and everything else that they would try to make it better... not slower...hence the reason I wrote you can't even get a 6spd anymore I'm sure that the older GT's are faster, even with an experienced driver behind the wheel of the new one.

no, today's market is GO GREEN.everyone wants better fuel economy and let's face it, PERFORMANCE does NOT equal good fuel economy. You can get OK or so-so fuel economy, but not 40+ mpg. So you sacrifice performance for fuel, nicer amenities in the car like auto starts, sunroofs, leather interior, onstar, etc.... to help make up for the lack of OOMPH when you put your foot on the gas.

Quote, originally posted by AKLGT »no, today's market is GO GREEN.So you sacrifice performance for fuel, nicer amenities in the car like auto starts, sunroofs, leather interior, onstar, etc.... to help make up for the lack of OOMPH when you put your foot on the gas. That's what the base is for with or w/o the 2.4L... for the GT.. don't sacrafice b/c someone wants a "greener" model... I could get 30mpg with my dad's 96 Cobra (4.6L DOHC w/5spd) and it had more power than the normal GT... but my dad didn't buy the Cobra for fuel economy.. if he wanted economy he would have gotten a V6...

If I wanted fuel economy, I'd buy a Prius. again, the Vibe GT isn't a sports car, never will be no matter what you do to it. Just not designed for it. Trust me, I had to realize this myself.... trying to make my LGT into an STI and spent over $8K doing it... sure, it was pretty quick and still a lot of fun, but it just wasn't made for the handling the STI is. I put a lot of money into the suspension, and it just doesn't handle near as well as the stock STI. The car wasn't made for that, it was made to be a nice sport sedan family grocery getter.

Quote, originally posted by injun_josh »so i explain to him that the 03-05 gt's had alot more horsepower.Don't the '06 GTs also count? They simply had a lower horsepower rating on paper, because of the way that SAE calculates horsepower changed in '06.Great kill, btw. That abandoned guv'ment airstrip sounds like a hell of a place to race.

no. starting with the 04 models is when they changed the SAE calculations. In 05 they added an air pump and it just went down hill from there in order to get better fuel economy and emissions, they lowered the peak power. The 03 VGT had the most power before they started "making it better."

Quote, originally posted by AKLGT »no. starting with the 04 models is when they changed the SAE calculations. In 05 they added an air pump and it just went down hill from there in order to get better fuel economy and emissions, they lowered the peak power. The 03 VGT had the most power before they started "making it better."Good to know, thanks!

i think people were swapping ecu's between years also, forgot if the 03's had the lower lift engagement or it was the 04...... at any rate yes the air thing kinda....made things funny. BUT ive still never gotten a ride in a 2zz...kinda want to feel this lift.

Quote, originally posted by northvibe »i think people were swapping ecu's between years also, forgot if the 03's had the lower lift engagement or it was the 04...... at any rate yes the air thing kinda....made things funny. BUT ive still never gotten a ride in a 2zz...kinda want to feel this lift.the lift is like crack cocaine... its da bomb baby!!!. but seriously its like having a 30 shot of nitrous that never runs out. and it was the 03s with the lower lift kick in. my good lobes start spinning at 6200 rpms. i got a video of me driving it on here watch it and listen to the engine when the revs hit 6200.

btw the way northvibe, nice car. i am currently in the process of switching jobs so ill be making some serious money and i am either getting a ms3 or a rx8. i know the ms3 is faster and a hatch, but hot dizam!! that rx8 is glued to the roads!!! i love both but know i cant have both, so i gotta choose..... unless i can convince the wife not to by a house and we just have awesome cars!

go with the MS3 vs the RX8. The 8 looks nice, but that's it. MS3 will run circles around it.

Quote, originally posted by SLORegal »Don't the '06 GTs also count? They simply had a lower horsepower rating on paper, because of the way that SAE calculates horsepower changed in '06.Great kill, btw. That abandoned guv'ment airstrip sounds like a hell of a place to race.oh its an awesome place, well after me and a bunch of the car crowd guys used like 5 gallons of round up getting rid of all the weeds and grass in the cracks.

sweet story

Nice win.

Quote, originally posted by injun_josh »btw the way northvibe, nice car. i am currently in the process of switching jobs so ill be making some serious money and i am either getting a ms3 or a rx8. i know the ms3 is faster and a hatch, but hot dizam!! that rx8 is glued to the roads!!! i love both but know i cant have both, so i gotta choose..... unless i can convince the wife not to by a house and we just have awesome cars!AH thanks! yeah i graduated college, got a good job then said...i need a fast car haha so I sold the vibe to my sister and did the ms3 vs supercharged cobalt debate and picked the ms3. Man i love the car and recommend it over the rx-8 just on reliability of the engine and gas mileage. I have some cool performance parts on order...sooo we should see some nice gains soon...mmm boost.

I smoked an RX8 in a very bad way on Weds night. SLOW. Go with the MS3. More function, speed, and well, it's a freaking fun car if you don't need AWD. RX8 looks nice, but you are just very limited in what you can do with it (for daily use, not modding potential).

hope, Don't waste your time test driving an '09. You'll miss your '03. Heck I miss your '03. I loved your ghost flames.

This is always good info to know Does anyone know if the 03 is noticeably faster than the 04-06?

there shouldnt be a noticable difference. I think it would really be a drivers race. But you do see lots of 04+ wanting the 03 ecu for that lower lift engagement.

What's the rpm difference? is it from 6200 to 6500?

I've driven both. I hate to say it but the '03 just seemed a little more.... violent off the line and when it hit lift. My '04 is still a blast though.

nice kill

Quote, originally posted by 4X4CHICHI »hope, Don't waste your time test driving an '09. You'll miss your '03. Heck I miss your '03. I loved your ghost flames.but curiousity kills me. And I need to go test drive the SRT4 Caliber. If they ever get an Evo X MR, one of those too.

I wish I had a GT But congrats on beating the trash talker. Always feels good to beat someone who won't shut their mouths!

ep3 SI's sigh ,i leave them by 3 cars on a 25 roll lol nice races tho