Thanks for the response! Car was listed on Craigslist and, yeah, that's pretty much where I was at with the price - kind of like those buy one get one deals at the grocery store (well, I don't really need this now, but it's such a good deal and I'll probably need it soon enough!). And I hear you about the ideal scenario of having a mechanic check it out - certainly will entertain that if possible - I just have a feeling that may be hard to swing.Caretaker wrote:Well, this board is not very active actually, so getting answers is not as easy as it used to be. Welcome...
Cosmetics aren't much of an issue for me (you should see my 2-tone rattlecan roof on my Cheroke!). I'd probably strip the hubcaps off and black out the wheels anyhow (ideally using those for snows and get another set of lookers to mount the all-seasons on). I agree more and detailed pics would have been great, but luckily it's not too far from me to take a look at. From talking to the guy he sounds like he's not the most "involved" Craigslist seller - initially he only had the one picture of pretty much just the hood and only added the others after I emailed him requesting more pictures.ehoff121 wrote:Welcome to genvibe!
Saw the listing and, from the pics, I noticed minor cosmetic issues (cracked rear right hubcap, front passenger door molding needs a clip or two). No pics of the engine is a negative in my book- dirty engine = rough service life.
There are newer models listed for not much more $ that you might want to take a look at...
Interesting thought about the dealers. The price *MAY* be too good to be true (for some currently unseen reason), or, hopefully, it may be a deal that just snuck under the radar (he lowered it from $3900 to $3700 after just a few days). I'm somewhat glad I can get there before the weekend - maybe I'll get lucky and get there before a dealer! I am prepared to walk though if it doesn't feel right.Caretaker wrote:well, I think it looks very nice despite the minor crack on the rear wheel cover...So I'm left thinking that the price is a bit too good to be true, especially if he/she had to lower it once already. Dealers should have jumped on it at $4,000. It should have sold in minutes at the price it is selling for now. Dealers troll these sites every day to find bargains so they can jack the price up $2,000 or more to keep their lights on and their kids in college.
I’m not quite ready to give up the Vibe / Matrix quest just yet - thankfully the Cherokee is still ticking, so for now time is on my side. We test drove a new Fit a couple years back - it didn’t really speak to us. I like the wider wheelbase of the Vibe and it just seems a bit beefier, which I like. My commute is long and on first blush, the Vibe seemed pretty comfortable. Of course, I’ve been doing it in a 22 year old boxy utility vehicle without cruise or AC for upwards of 4 years now, so comfort is quite relative.Caretaker wrote:wow, good call then. You really know your stuff. While the Vibe/Matrix is a very good vehicle, it certainly has not been, what I would call, bulletproof. Check out used Honda Fits if that size vehicle meets your needs. ...
Thanks for the info. Any good sources out there to guide this process (pictures, cleaners etc)? I’m not yet familiar with the layout of this engine.andrewclaus wrote:While cleaning the TB, do the MAF, too (with the correct cleaner, of course). That smoothed out the idle nicely for me.
I cleaned the TB with alcohol and a cloth. I learned from working on a Prius it wasn't a good idea to spray cleaner all over the place on that car. I don't know if that warning applies to the Vibe.
Thanks! I poked around with a mechanics stethoscope and the noise, while barely perceptible when I was out there, may be coming more from the header to exhaust area - so I’m hoping it’s a heat shield or something. That would be AWESOME. I actually thought that area was where the motor meets the transmission - my RWD bias showing through, as it’s nowhere near the torque converter (not that sounds don’t travel in strange ways in an engine).vibrologist wrote:Congrats, Salinity!
Have a look at the Maintenance Bay for articles and videos related to you new to your Vibe: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=44875
I bet that the chirps will be gone when you have all new engine/transmission mounts. I've read that the rear mount is critical and of course the hardest to replace. Still doable though.
I left the TB on the car, removed the air intake from it after loosening clamps. The MAF is on top of the intake just before the TB, and comes out of the intake easily with two small Phillips screws after unplugging the wiring harness. Be sure to get the sensor out of the intake for cleaning with MAF spray, both the sensor bulb and heater wires. I cleaned the TB with some denatured alcohol on a cloth, and used a toothbrush (my wife's of course) to scrub deposits off the plate and around the shaft. It's a motor-operated throttle, so you need to open it from inside the TB. There should be generic Youtube videos on this, too.salinity wrote:Thanks for the info. Any good sources out there to guide this process (pictures, cleaners etc)? I’m not yet familiar with the layout of this engine.andrewclaus wrote:While cleaning the TB, do the MAF, too (with the correct cleaner, of course). That smoothed out the idle nicely for me.
I cleaned the TB with alcohol and a cloth. I learned from working on a Prius it wasn't a good idea to spray cleaner all over the place on that car. I don't know if that warning applies to the Vibe.
it should not be loose. Somehow the PO managed to bend it. I have not taken a headliner out yet but it should be quite easy. You have to remove the upper level trim pieces. Most of them are clipped in place. Then remove the visors and dome lights and it should drop in your hands. your options would be to replace it or glue some form of reinforcement to the back.did notice the roof over the rear seats seems oddly “loose” - is this typical? It sounds like a loud sheet metal whomp when the back doors are closed. It was actually somewhat dented and I pushed it up from inside the car - I wonder if a support is broken.
Here's one I took after putting the rack on yesterday... Got underneath to properly look around this morning (chasing a rattle described in another thread) and found a bit more rust / corrosion than I'd like to see (particularly on the lower ball joints and around the wheel bearing covers / control arm / sub frame - the passenger side dust shield was pretty much crumbling away as well). I decided to try and wire brush away as much as I could and get a couple coats of rattle can Rustoleum on it before the winter to try and offer a bit of protection (shielding the brake drum, of course). Maybe in the spring I'll try to replace the lower ball joints (castle nut looks pretty rough) and try to rust-bust a bit more thoroughly and get some proper undercoating on there.vibenvy wrote:Welcome to GenVibe! Congrats on the "new" Vibe! Post some pictures of it when you get a chance !
anything on the belt would certainly do that (a big reason why belt “dressings” are crap).ehoff121 wrote:Totally random on the squeaking near the water pump at lower RPM-
I went to figure out where my squeak was coming from, but noticed a possible oil leak from the head gasket. I figured I'd clean the oil from the pulley side of the engine with brake cleaner first with the engine running to make sure it wasn't leaking. Some overspray got on the belt and pulleys.
When I went to check for the squeak-- silence.
Maybe there was just enough oil/dirt on the belt/pulleys to make it slip for just that RPM range?