Is the GT a pain to drive in the city??

[Bobbyg123]

One of the reasons I'm leaning towards the base Vibe is because it's supposed to be more convenient in city driving. Taking performance out of the equation, how does the GT drive in city conditions? Do you get frustrated with the 6-speed, or does it shift easily enough? The more I think about it, having the extra pick up might be kind of fun. The premium gas sucks, but that only equates to around $900 more for 150K miles of driving. Hmmmmmmm?

[Mavrik]

You mean like having that extra gear to shift in the city?I bet the GT owners will agree with this and that is you get used to the extra gear and that Lift is a beautiful way of showing others not to be an (removed) on the road cause you'll be passed I've driven the GT in town and I own a base and don't believe the base has an advantage at all.

[DavidPIL]

Hey Bobby...Actually, the GT is fun in town... You can pretty much get up to speed from first to 2nd gear then shift into 4th to drive 30-35 mph... if you have a long run between lights or stop signs, then you can go into 5th. You don't really need 6th unless you're over 40 or so or you've got a longer stretch of road to go down. I fond the Vibe's 6 gears much easier to work with in town than my old 5 speed because, well, you don't have to be in a specific gear for a given speed. I mean, if you're going at 15 around a turn, you can still accellerate in 3rd or 2nd when my old truck would lug a bit in 3rd. It's really much less of a pain to deal with in town than you'd imagine.Just remember, unless you're going 40+ you don't really need 6th and since the gearing is so close, going from 1st to 3rd to 5th, still gets you goin... (I usually go 1st-2nd-4th or 1st-3rd-4th) hen pop it into 5th when there are no lights or stops to worry about.Dave

[03VibeGT6Spd]

I have to agree the 6 spd is much better in the city then any 5 spd I have had.1st gear will get up up to 40mph if you want it to. 2nd gear will get you up to 60mph.Usally In city driving I take it easy and use 1st and 2nd then skip gears upto 4th or 5th.So It's more like a 3 spd.The close gear ratio's make it a breeze.The only time you really need to use all the gears is when your pushing it hard and you only need to use them then to keep the engine in Lift.Remeber 3rd will put you above any speed limit in the United States.Also consider The GT doesn't have a speed limiter.It nice to be able to hit 130 in 5th gear or a little faster.Wait don't get a GT, or you'll be like me.Waiting to get a speeding ticket! lol

[goodvibe]

A smooth slow launch without using too much clutch isn't the easiest thing to do in the GT but I prefer everything else about it. That's more related to the light flywheel than anything else. A worthwhile trade. Quicker, fast reving up and down, and the gearing is such that you can skip a gear if you want less shifting.

[goodvibe]

A smooth slow launch without using too much clutch isn't the easiest thing to do in the GT but I prefer everything else about it. That's more related to the light flywheel than anything else. A worthwhile trade. Quicker, fast reving up and down, and the gearing is such that you can skip a gear if you want less shifting. I've always liked the shifter.

[Slimer]

Just my thoughts here. The GT would be acceptable for low-density city driving (and of course excellent for highway and open road.) By low-density, I mean suburban areas and spread-out city areas. High density would be city centers, tightly-packed cities like Europe and the Eastern seaboard has, etc. Its highway behavior is augmented by its stiffer suspension and more powerful engine. However, it would be terrible for high density city areas and stop and go traffic; the power would be irrelevant and shifting a lot would be a pain. The base Vibe would be a more pleasing proposition in that case. Personally, I do a lot of city driving in Denver, and could go either way, though I drive a base. It's nippy and probably handles no differently than the GT; they have identical torque figures so pickup isn't affected, and I rarely get going over 65. It doesn't complain about highway driving, though when I go to visit my parents, who live at 7500 ft altitude, it runs out of breath a little. Personally, I'm glad I saved the dough, because the base is entirely adequate for my driving style. Unless you're interested in performance and will be driving it aggressively, the base is less expensive to run, less hassle in the city, and more compliant on bad city roads. It's got my vote.

[joatmon]

There is probably not that much difference between the 5-speed base and the 6 peed GT when it comes to shifting ease, although there have been a number of people with clutch problems on the GT, nobody mentioning anything about clutch probs on the 5 speed. A auto tranny base would be a lot more convenient in city driving, stop and go, especially if the city has a lot of hiills. TH GT power is nice going up hills, if you want to run the RPMs up over 6000 all the time but an auto tranny car is a lot less trouble.I have a 5 speed, and rarely get stuck in stop and go traffic. When I have I was able to deal with it no problem, but there were a couple of times stop and go going up a hill that were a hassle.

[Mavrik]

Quote, originally posted by joatmon » I have a 5 speed, and rarely get stuck in stop and go traffic. When I have I was able to deal with it no problem, but there were a couple of times stop and go going up a hill that were a hassle.You can have that issue no matter what speed the manual transmission is.

[joatmon]

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »You can have that issue no matter what speed the manual transmission is.Right, but I wasn't sure if Bob meant how is the six speed compared to the 5 speed, or how is the six speed compared to an automatic. was trying to say that I don't expect much difference in shifting trouble between the two manual tranny's, but an automatic is easier in heavy city traffic.

[Slimer]

Did he mean the automatic Base or the manual Base? I was assuming auto.

[Smokin' Rubber]

Yeah I'm assumin he means auto too implying that the act of shifting in general is what he was debating, not whether or not having a closer gearbox was a big deal. And as all the other guys said most of the time I drive using 3 or 4 of the gears. Sometimes if I'm really lazy and feel a need for speed I'll floor it in first to around 43 then shift to 5th and just cruise. Downtown Seattle can be kind of a ***** tho since all the stop lights are on hills =/ but I don't mind it as much as I used to. If you don't live in a really hilly area I'd go with the GT just cause its alot more fun to drive and not a hassle at all

[joatmon]

http://www.suntimes.com/output....htmlQuote »The GT engine seems out of place in the Vibe because it's from the racy Toyota Celica GT-S. It comes only with a six-speed manual gearbox, which must be shifted a lot to get the most performance and thus isn't any fun in the city. Although a bit notchy, it has an easily reached high-mounted shifter. Take this with all the credibility you would normally give some newpaper car reviewer that you don't know

[sloth]

Taking off can be pain sometimes with the GT, when you need to quickly go from a stop into a hole in traffic. I had mine for about a month around St. Louis and didn't have much problems. But it can be tough to get going in those situations without burning the clutch a bit. I was never stuck in any 5 mph traffic jams with it in St. Louis. However I did take the family to Bear Country USA outside of Rapid City. Basically it's a drive through zoo. I'm really suprised I didn't have to get the clutch replaced after that. The GT is just not meant to go 2-5 mph. Worst driving experience I think I've ever had was that day.

[AKLGT]

i work outside sales. my job is driving in both the city and hwy every single day. ya, it can be a pain at times, but i wouldn't want it any other way. i love my 6 spd and the power and control of shifting as i please and not when the car decides. still fun to drive 99% of the time.

[kaybeejay]

I would NEVER drive my GT in "the city". (San Francisco)The low torque, weak clutch combined with the uneven roads and hills would put some serious stress on me and my GT.

[AKLGT]

ah. well i got the cai and chip... so i'm good to go. i can zip in and out just fine.

[kaybeejay]

Then again, there are parts of SF where the streets are soooooooooo steep that the sidewalk has to be stairs or else people wouldn't be able to walk up the street.

[AKLGT]

i'd be afraid of scraping bottom! i've been to san fran and parts of tacoma and seattle are also like this!

[03VibeGT6Spd]

Another nice thing with the 6speed Is when your cruising down the road say 40-50 all you do is down shift into 2nd and you have instant get-up and GO POWER!

[Cubanpete]

bet the GT owners will agree with this and that is you get used to the extra gear and that Lift is a beautiful way of showing others not to be an (removed) on the road cause you'll be passed ........You are 100% correct here.....its no problem at all!

[AKLGT]

Quote, originally posted by Cubanpete » bet the GT owners will agree with this and that is you get used to the extra gear and that Lift is a beautiful way of showing others not to be an (removed) on the road cause you'll be passed ........You are 100% correct here.....its no problem at all!oh so true!!!!

[joatmon]

I guess it's how you define "city driving" I think of it as a lot of traffic lights, heavy traffic, 25 or 30 mph speed limits, lots of pedestrians. You guys are hitting lift in situations like that? You're nuts

[Triton]

I drive 90% city and love every percent of it. I will cruise all around town between 40 and 45 in 6th gear with no problems.

[JustinVGT]

I actually find it very easy to drive my GT in traffic that goes like 2-5 mph. I have a highway near where I live that creeps around 2-5 mph, sometimes getting up to 10 every Friday afternoon rush hour. I have crawled in it many times. I just keep it in 1st gear. You can crawl like 2mph pretty much at idle and unlike all the people driving automatics that are riding their brakes the entire time, I'm having no problem creeping along and not wearing out my brakes. Now, coming to a complete stop, then moving a few feet, stopping again, move, stop... that is more of a pain, but I don't mind it that much. Just be easy on the clutch. I'm very happy I decided to get my GT over the base, hitting lift is awesome!

[LesPaul]

...I drive in rush hour traffic from the downtown core everyday, the acceleration in GT is awsome for finding those holes in traffic. Just like a few other GT owners have said..its always nice to blow by idiots with fart cans.

[joatmon]

Quote, originally posted by Cubanpete » bet the GT owners will agree with this and that is you get used to the extra gear and that Lift is a beautiful way of showing others not to be an (removed) on the road cause you'll be passed Reading http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=5172, sounds like lift is also a great way to smoke other cars on the road

[MJN2]

The only time I've not liked my GT was while sitting in Chicago stop-n-go traffic for almost 3 hours. My left leg was killing me after awhile. But, that would happen with any manual-transmission vehicle after that period of time.Other than that, it's gotten me out of trouble a few times i.e. avoiding idiots where braking will do no good.

[Keely]

Coming from someone that initially had an auto AWD on order, learned how to drive standard and then quickly changed her mind and scooped up a GT...I would never choose the "convenience" of an automatic transmission even for city rush hour driving over manual again. Having to plan ahead and make adjustments keeps my mind on the road, constantly observing the drivers around me and looking for potential problems (or openings to scoot into!). Without this constant challenge, I'd fall asleep behind the wheel (so to speak), which would make me just like 90% of the drivers out there on the road - an entirely preventable accident just waiting to happen.Unless you've got serious budgetary concerns, I can't see any reason why you'd shortchange yourself with a base manual. If you don't drive hard enough to hit lift (but you will, trust me - it's addictive) or have many occasions to drive in 6th, you're still going to enjoy the additional pep.Good luck!

[sloth]

I have to agree with Keely on keeping your mind on the road. Plus if you have to do any mountain travel, especially over mountain passes, you will be very happy with a manual transmission. Shifting down to 3rd or 4th and coasting down the hill is much nicer than smelling that burned brake smell.

[vibegtdriver]

Quote, originally posted by goodvibe »A smooth slow launch without using too much clutch isn't the easiest thing to do in the GT but I prefer everything else about it.....Quicker, fast reving up and down, and the gearing is such that you can skip a gear if you want less shifting. I've always liked the shifter.The one characteristic of the GT is that its clutch takes some getting used to (I don't recall the 5-speed's clutch being so touchy). I have a 5-speed Saturn Vue and you can apply gas and launch smoothly whether you got the clutch pushed in a few inches or almost all the way to the floor w/o fearing of over-revving the engine or stalling the car. Get careless in the GT and you can embarass yourself. You get used to it.On the plus side, it is a lot of fun, and don't forget the harmonious sounds of all 6-speeds from that tailpipe. Gear-heads delight!

[drummerdude]

Quote, originally posted by vibegtdriver »The one characteristic of the GT is that its clutch takes some getting used to (I don't recall the 5-speed's clutch being so touchy). I have a 5-speed Saturn Vue and you can apply gas and launch smoothly whether you got the clutch pushed in a few inches or almost all the way to the floor w/o fearing of over-revving the engine or stalling the car. Get careless in the GT and you can embarass yourself. You get used to it.On the plus side, it is a lot of fun, and don't forget the harmonious sounds of all 6-speeds from that tailpipe. Gear-heads delight!I taught my GF how to drive a standard on my GT and she onlykilled it once. She's never driven a manual in her life! AND! Shekilled it in Second. I had her shift from 1st to 2nd and then i was going to have her shift up to 3rd and she got nervous and hit the brakes without the clutch and it died. She never killed it starting off! I was proud!

[ian]

I've had a Vibe GT for about two weeks in South Florida - I love this car. The 6 speed takes a little more time to get used to (this is my 6th manual car - all others 5-spd), but if you like manuals, you adapt quickly - I don't think its a problem.I drove a Matrix XR 5spd - at low rpm, I don't think you'll see that much difference between the cars - the extra hp doesn't kick in to 6200 rpm with the GT/XRS.'04 Vibe GTAbyss/Graphite/MonotoneM&T/6 CDPower Group17" Alloys20% 3M Metal tint except front

[Slimer]

You know what I'd really like? That new DSG gearbox that Audi/VW are coming out with. Double-clutch hybrid transmission, no torque converter, shifts as fast as a human being. The first clutch transmits the power while the second one "preselects" the next gear, and the transition is super-fast and smooth. You shift with a knob or with paddles behind the wheel. I drove one of the new V6 Audi TT's with the system...it's incredible, like driving an F1 car, and the shifts are barely even noticeable. It even matches revs after the shift, which sounds awesome. It's similar to what the WRC rally cars have, in principle, and it truly does combine the best of both worlds. The mechanical efficiency and sporting character of the manual, with the convenience of an automatic when you want to just drive. Gimme a GT with the Volkswagen 200hp 2.0 turbo and DSG...and maybe even AWD, as long as I'm dreaming. That would be the perfect car.

[Psychobroker]

Driving a GT is no more a challenge then any other manual. It just happens to be a LOT more fun, especially after tightening up the slop with a couple cheap mods.Although, I admittedly drive too fast. I'm used to cruising in 6th at 85-90 on our So Cal freeways (405, 105, 110, 91. etc). I drive my GT in the 4200-8200 RPM range, no short shifting, and it's just way too much fun

[Puckman27]

well......... the day i got mine i was stuck in chicago rush hour for 2.5 hours...... that kinda made my heel sore and the engine got a little warm (it was friggin hot out)....... but other than that i love it. traffic is traffic...... once u get used to where the clutch engages its not bad at alland u don't NEED to spend 2.25 a gallon on premium, thats just if you want max performance...... and my driving record and my wallet can't afford that

[Psychobroker]

Quote, originally posted by Puckman27 »well......... the day i got mine i was stuck in chicago rush hour for 2.5 hours...... that kinda made my heel sore and the engine got a little warm (it was friggin hot out)....... but other than that i love it. traffic is traffic...... once u get used to where the clutch engages its not bad at alland u don't NEED to spend 2.25 a gallon on premium, thats just if you want max performance...... and my driving record and my wallet can't afford that :-PActually, you do need to according to GM. But, to each his own castle

[StampedeVibe]

I don't have any problems driving the GT in the city. And the extra power from dropping from 5th or 6th, just can't beat that feeling. The clutch on the Vibe is more sensitive than other cars, but again, it just takes getting used to. My gf hates driving the GT in traffic, but that just means I get to drive more. As for the gas, well, 91 Octane costs an extra 0.10-0.15/L, which works out to about $3-5 per tank (Canadian). If your going to skimp on that, well, you might as well skimp the oil changes, afterall, they're only recommended. But seriously, why try to save $20-30 a month on a car that you just dropped $20k+ on?

[jcarvibegt]

I've driven my GT in Miami Rush hour, Fort Lauderdale Rush Hour and Orlando rush hour. And It's not any different from any other manually. 1. Once your used to the GT's Clucth, you can drive it smoothly and easily. 2. The good thing is that since there is so much RPM availible to use, you can stay in one gear from a low to a high speed. ie.. I can use 2nd gear from 5 mph all the way to 65 mph. 3rd gear is good up to 90mph. 4th to 115mph 5th to 130. you know, city speeds! LOLBTW I haven't topped out 6th gear yet, but i've had her upto 135 mph with plenty oomph left!Also I had a friend drive my car and fill her up with regular. She ran so so. I had to get octane booster b/c she started idling kind rough and twice she didn't engage lift over 6000 rpm. So i highly recommend you stick to the 91+ octane on the GTs

[cspmeinkc]

piece of cake in the city.At around 2000 miles now, i had it over 100mph this weekend for the first time. It felt great, very easy, smooth, and suprisingly quiet!

[AKLGT]

never had mine more than 120 mph. and not sure if i ever will. seen too many bad accidents and not worth dying over. straight areas of the hwy where there aren't any cars is one thing, but up here i also have to watch out for animals.... and that can kill you. right now, i have too many things to live for than to be careless w/ myself or others. but ya.... when i had it up to 120 it was sweet!

[cspmeinkc]

oh i agree!I have a 10 year old son, and i totaly understand.I may never go 120 in mine, but i did go around 105 for almost 10 miles straight.It was on Sunday, the freeway was clear of traffic.

[AKLGT]

yep. and when mavrik was here over memorial weekend, i got him on video passing some trucks on the hwy doing about 100 mph. we had a 4 hr drive back to catch his plane home! loland i admit that i drive fast. but i'm always careful of my surroundings and try my best not to make sudden jerks or moves, use my turn signals when i'm passing so other cars know where i'm going. if only they would just move out of my way and let me thru, i wouldn't have to speed!

[jcarvibegt]

well i've only done the 135 thing once and it was on the way back from Moroso . We had just finished doing the 1/4 mile and watching a whole lotta cars and trucks race. So i was kinda in the mood. Anyways florida is very flat and not a real big problem with animals in the road. Hopefully one day the conditions will be right to drive 125 mph on the highways like in the movie IRobot!!