Vibe AWD or....

[AnonymousStoner]

hello guys, i spotted a 2004 AWD vibe today for sale. one owner super clean interrior (its like a time machine lol) car has 220,000 miles on it the overall condition of the car i would say is fair/good. not great. what is a good price for a AWD vibe with these conditions? he is asking $2,900 (car has new tires) but i feel that is still a little much. thoughts? or should i just look at something like a subaru forester or chevy S10 4x4

[SeattleJeremy]

I hope someone with more info about the AWD cars can pipe up. From what I've read make sure to stick your head under the car and look at the rear diff to make sure it's dry. If it's leaking walk away.

[CraftsmanQuad19]

Check the rear subframe too. They have a tendency to rust out. Replaceable, yes. But finding a clean replacement at a decent price can be difficult

[Caretaker]

I see that Michigan is your territory so you would know used car buying there better than I, but personally I'd be very nervous about buying that old of a car in the snow/salt belt. If sub-$3,000 is your price range, there won't be a lot of great options out there given the ridiculous prices used cars are fetching these days. Also IMO and through my research, despite Subaru's longevity claims in TV ads, they don't have that great of a reliability record going back many years. If "97% of them are still on the road" then people must be throwing a lot of parts and repairs into keeping them on the road. Do you really need AWD or will a much cheaper solution such as a great pair of dedicated snow tires do the trick?
And not to hijack the thread, but a recent Consumer Reports publication made mention of needing to replace all 4 tires on AWD vehicles when only one tire goes bad (puncture/malfunction/etc). I certainly didn't follow that recommendation when I owned my AWD Vibe. Is it really true that replacing only one or two tires can cause harm to the AWD system?

[zbyers]

Yes, check the rear subframe for rust. I have a pretty thorough post with info on the rear subframe and issues/repairs for it.

[AnonymousStoner]

I see that Michigan is your territory so you would know used car buying there better than I, but personally I'd be very nervous about buying that old of a car in the snow/salt belt. If sub-$3,000 is your price range, there won't be a lot of great options out there given the ridiculous prices used cars are fetching these days. Also IMO and through my research, despite Subaru's longevity claims in TV ads, they don't have that great of a reliability record going back many years. If "97% of them are still on the road" then people must be throwing a lot of parts and repairs into keeping them on the road. Do you really need AWD or will a much cheaper solution such as a great pair of dedicated snow tires do the trick?
And not to hijack the thread, but a recent Consumer Reports publication made mention of needing to replace all 4 tires on AWD vehicles when only one tire goes bad (puncture/malfunction/etc). I certainly didn't follow that recommendation when I owned my AWD Vibe. Is it really true that replacing only one or two tires can cause harm to the AWD system?

yeah idk what to do mane used cars are getting more expensive for the same old stuff with even more miles haha. i just want something that can go down a two track thats muddy with confidence. my car being FWD open diff i would never try it if the ground was muddy.

i will go back with my jack and jack the car up and get a good look at the rear subframe as well as the whole underside of the car.

[jolt]

You can check used car prices on line.. NADA pricing guide for a AWD Vibe 2004 with 220000 miles location of Grand Rapids, MI listed the following pricing:
Rough Trade-in valve of $1,025.00
Average Trade-in value of $1675.00
Clean Trade-in value of $2,200.00
Clean Retail is listed as $3,900.00 for a clean, no damage, retail car lot price.

You can also check other site like Kelly Blue Book, etc.... Prices will vary on location / zip code.

If you are looking for something for mud and snow, that a FWD could not get through, you need something that has tall tires, skinny tires, ground clearance, and an aggressive tire tread. The Vibe has none of these. Also do not confuse AWD with 4x4, they are not the same and do not work the same. Think of AWD as FWD with rear wheel assist. Tires are one of the most important things on a vehicle. If you do not have good tires, you are not going to go. That includes in the mud, or the snow, or the race track.

Also check the rocker panels. Not the plastic covers but under the plastic covers - from the ground looking up at the metal where the plastic covers attach to the metal body.

[AnonymousStoner]

went back with a tread depth gauge and my jack turns out my new tires have more tred on them than this car and i bought my tires last september... lol... but the guy wouldnt budge from the price and the rear subframe was kinda rough. oh well. it would have been nice to have an awd twin of my car.