Welcome - Recommended Reading / Favorite Topics

General discussions about the Pontiac Vibe & Toyota Matrix. New members, introduce yourself here!
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joatmon
Posts: 10018
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2003 5:19 am
Location: SMC MD

Welcome - Recommended Reading / Favorite Topics

Post by joatmon »

Are you new to genvibe?
The first thing you should do is sign up and say hello! We're glad to have you here.There are a lot of topics that are probably of interest to many Vibe owners, but new genvibe members might not readily find them. The purpose of this post is to list these topics, sort of a genvibe recommended reading list, something to help new genvibe members / new Vibe owners get started here. (I use the terms "topic" and "thread" interchangeably)

Some site admin stuff
The most important first topic would be the Forum Guidelines.
Also see the Use of Profanity Notice
Please don't create a signature that takes up too much space on the page, there are signature size guidelines

This forum software contains a decent help section providing info on how to use the forum software. If you have a question, check there first. There's a FAQ link at the top right of the page, which will take you to faq.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Download softcopy (PDF) versions of Vibe Owner's Manuals, and warranty info (PDF files)

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A good summary of the differences in the various model years of Vibes -> viewtopic.php?f=11&t=40003
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A few really useful threads that serve as indexes for popular genvibe topics are

Poor Man's Complete Performance Mod Guide for the 1ZZ-FE(Vibe Base & AWD) for Under $2,000
The Great How-To Maintenance Index!
The Great How-To Modification Index!

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There was a common problem and an easy fix for the air conditioning not being cold enough

An increasingly common Vibe problem is a failure of the motor that switches from fresh to recirculate, causing a loud clicking sound from the heat/AC system
- viewtopic.php?t=3435" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- viewtopic.php?t=19467" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- viewtopic.php?t=23692" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Issues with clutch life of the early GT 6-speed Vibes
1ZZ Supercharger
Roof rack cross bar removal (or reverse for install)
Torquing lug nuts
Sublimewind's Brakes Tutorial
An external site car audio reference


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Each month there are two contests here:
Vibe of the Month (VOTM) to highlight one members car
Member of the Month (MOTM) to highlight a member who has contributed value to the site
VOTM is about the car, MOTM is about the person. There is a subforum devoted to these contests.
Check out the Vibe/Member of the Month subforum to see the current activity, and nominate either a Vibe for VOTM or a genviber for MOTM, or to vote in current VOTM/MOTM polls
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We fellow users are glad you are here, and want you to feel welcome.
This site is a valuable resource for Vibe owners, but only because of the content posted by users.
- If you have a question, it's nice if you can search to see if someone has already answered it, but we don't jump on folks for asking a question that's been answered before.
- If you see technical info here that you feel is incorrect, misleading, or dangerous, we're counting on you to post up your concerns/corrections.
- It is better to ask a question by posting to a thread instead of sending an instant message to an individual user, because as a post, the question and answer will be there for the next person who has the same question.

If you have a thread that you think is extra useful, then reply here to get it on the recommended reading list, To keep this thread from getting too cluttered, if you have a specific question about anything other than this thread, please either post in an existing thread related to that topic, or create a new topic.
Last edited by joatmon on Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:35 am, edited 16 times in total.
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Reynoma
Posts: 868
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2003 11:38 pm

Re: Welcome - Recommended Reading / Favorite Topics (joatmon)

Post by Reynoma »

For any GT 6-speed drivers out there: http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=5172
Philippians 2:11
wicked1981
Posts: 1552
Joined: Fri Oct 31, 2003 6:15 am

Re: Welcome - Recommended Reading / Favorite Topics (joatmon)

Post by wicked1981 »

People interested in the supercharger. Great saving.http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=9588
2006 Pontiac G6 GTP3.9L V-6 240hp and 241 lb-ft or torque18" Aluminum, five-spoke, flangeless200 Watt, 8 speaker Monsoon sysChrome dual exhaust tipsLiquid Silver MetallicBorla Custom ExhaustDr. Speed Cold Air Intake
nismo
Posts: 2068
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2003 11:01 pm

Re: Welcome - Recommended Reading / Favorite Topics (joatmon)

Post by nismo »

It was a very easy procedure (removing cross-bars). It's on this forumhere's the link to the instructions:http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=11484Inder
2008 Chevy Cobalt SS Turbo - Fun stuff under there somewhere 1998 Nissan Sentra - Sold2004 Pontiac Vibe - 107k and SoldCosmo CAI
gagemaster2000
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2005 7:43 am

Re: Welcome - Recommended Reading / Favorite Topics (joatmon)

Post by gagemaster2000 »

Hello everyone,I just picked up my new 06 Vibe Wed after waiting 2 weeks to locate one the way I wanted it. Boy was it worth the wait .Looking forward to being a new member.Thanks,gagemaster2000
2006 Platinum Monotone base Power packageSun & Sound package
JJRSDS
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2005 7:26 am

Post by JJRSDS »

Just bought 2003 Vibe base 5 spd a week ago and love it so far. I had been browsing this site for a few weeks to make sure this is the car for me.
no1fromnowhere
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 9:33 pm

Re: Welcome - Recommended Reading / Favorite Topics (joatmon)

Post by no1fromnowhere »

Hello, I just found this forum & look forward to using it. I have a blue 05 Vibe, & I live in Central Florida.
teachrsun
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:27 am

my 2004

Post by teachrsun »

I have a 2004 metallic blue vibe with the stripes on the side. It's now 2007, and I have 75,000 (a little +). It's still going strong, and I think this has been the best car I've ever owned. I have a teenager and haul around her friends too every once in a while. I can slide the back seat down and PACK that thing up! For a small car, it sure does the job. I also really like the plug I have in the front, too. I'll probably have this little car for a long time. BTW, it snowed here, I've had NO problems with it. Oh yes, one. If you don't close the gas nozzle completely shut it blows some sort of fuse in the engine and the "service engine soon" light comes on. Grrr.. I don't like that part, but it's no biggy.
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joatmon
Posts: 10018
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2003 5:19 am
Location: SMC MD

Re: my 2004 (teachrsun)

Post by joatmon »

I don't think it blows a fuse, the car's computer does a check on the integrity of the fuel system, and tries to put a vacuum on the fuel tank to control gas vapor emissions. If it can't do it,because the gas cap is off, or perhaps for some actual parts failure, it turns on the check engine light. If you fix the problem, hopefully just by putting the gas cap on right, the light should go off after a while by itself, maybe a week or two of driving, or you could take it somewhere, like Autozone, and they can hook up a tool for free, tell you why it came on, and turn it off. if it comes back, it might be some other cause
Last edited by joatmon on Mon May 07, 2012 5:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
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leb
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:53 pm

Re: Welcome - Recommended Reading / Favorite Topics (joatmon)

Post by leb »

hey i was wondering if 18s would be a good size to go with for wheels and who makes a grille for a vibe
Sublimewind
Posts: 5140
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 4:44 am

Re: Welcome - Recommended Reading / Favorite Topics (leb)

Post by Sublimewind »

Under recomendation of joatmon, i thought i would add to the thread, even if it's doesn't ever get read by anyone.... First is a great link if you care anything at all about your brakes and can possibly make things last longer and work better...http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=28516The next relates to torque specs and has some interesting things about what happens if you add any sort of lube to the parts being torqued.... this also realates to torquing the lugs on your wheels.... If you never thought about torquing your lugs YOU SHOULD, i bet 50-75% of warped rotors are caused by improper torque on your lugs (numbers are not based on anything, understand)http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=28517the last is a link to just about anything you ever wanted to know about car audio... and much crosses over to home audio as well.... http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id ... njoy,Aaron
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