Disappointed.... <:-(

[Shane1V]

Forgive me people, but I can't join the throngs of Vibe enthusiasts. I REALLY wanted to be a Vibe owner too. Cool looking cars with great mileage. But...I test drove an 05 base. Very nice looking monotone silver one. Side airbags, ABS, Moonroof, no power l/d/w. $22000 about. Owch.It was weaker than I anticipated(& I did not expect alot of power) & I wasn't crazy about the ride, felt too much of the roads imperfections. Handled nicely though, good cornering.This car just isn't worth the $$ they are asking. It's nice looking & versatile but for about the same price($22,300) I would definetly go with a Tucson GLS or a CR-V EX that both have more to offer in power, safety features, nicer driving experience, more ground clearance for snow and other features(heated mirrors, Mp3 player 4 the Tucson, picnic table 4 the Cr-V, etc). ...and some of these are going for 27G's?? Thats just ridiculous, regardless it its a tricked out GT.This car would be great if it was significantly cheaper or had better power/ride.I thought this was supposed to be a less expensive alternative to a small suv!! Yet they are expensive, have less power & less room. I think Pontiac may be taking advatage of the Vibe's popularity & are gouging now. All it has on the cars I mentioned is MPG.There are just better values out there. I'm sad. I thought I'd found the pefect balance of fun,looks,versatility price.

[nismo]

Yeah. It seems that you got hoed man. I picked up my Vibe for $16k and proud of the deal I got. My car was MSRPed at $21k. So, yeah. You are entitled to your own opinion. I jus think that you were getting ripped off. Inder

[Vibe_dude]

hate to tell ya...but the price has dropped on the 05 models..by about 2000$...so if u think 22 is alot if u got that same car last year it was 24.....lol.if u think the ride in a vibe is rough and bouncy i cant wait till i read what u write about the tucson....its a truck....had my in-laws out for a drive......my god iam glad its not my car........my vibe is sooooo much better.

[BlueCrush]

Bummer! It's also not the greatest time of the year to be buying an '05. The prices always drop and rebates go up after the '06's start rolling out and the dealers are trying to get rid of the '05's on their lots.

[Shane1V]

I already drove the Tucson, it was had a much nicer ride IMO. Decent power, smoother, etc. It's doesn't have a truck-like ride, it's a car based small SUV.Now, to answer the other guy, at 16G's THATS more like it! Sounds like you had some GM card points and the like. Nice!!the 22G's for the Vibe I mentioend was MSRP, Im sure i could have gotten it for little less

[Kari]

What happened to the used Vibe you were looking at?

[Shane1V]

You are right about that, but I think for that weak a car, i'd have to pay what the other gent mentioned, in the hight teens. & I'd still be unsatisfied I think. I guess i need a vehicle with a LITTLE power...& I was gonna buy the AWD!

[Shane1V]

I was going to check out an 03' AWD this past Monday Kari, but I drove the Vibe I mentioend above on Saturday & realized the Vibe was not for me. I really am bummed. I was into it!If in future they offer the AWD Vibe for a more reasonable price and some more power, I'd jump at it I'm sure.Iit's a cool car!

[Kari]

Quote, originally posted by Shane1V »You are right about that, but I think for that weak a car, i'd have to pay what the other gent mentioned, in the hight teens. & I'd still be unsatisfied I think. I guess i need a vehicle with a LITTLE power...& I was gonna buy the AWD!I disagree that the Vibe is a "weak" car. Toyota's 4-cylinder has quite a bit more get-up-and-go than any GM 4-cylinder I've ever driven. When I test drove it, I had been swapping a 4-cylinder Sonoma and a V6 Sonoma back and forth with my dad, and I felt the Vibe drove a lot more like the V6 than the 4cyl. JMHO.Anyway, if it's not what you want, don't buy it, but please don't bash it.

[Shane1V]

I don't wanna offend here, i really like this site and u guys are cool. Just felt strongly about it.and the Vibe is cool! Just needs a liitle more power & reasonable pricing IMO i just saw the Dogde Vibe/Magnum pics on another thread...Nice!

[joatmon]

Sorry you weren't impressed with the Vibe. No one vehicle is going to make everyone happy, that's why they sell so many different ones. I paid about $16K for an 03 with about the same option set, except no monotone. I wouldn't have spent $22K for one, probably would have bought a corolla instead, but I'm really glad to have a Vibe instead of a corolla. Better to decide the Vibe doesn't match what you want before you buy one instead of deciding a week after you took one home. I really like mine, but I won't try to change your mind.

[JustinVGT]

Wow, the prices must have gone up quite a bit. I ordered my Vibe GT in Feb 2002 and the MSRP was something like $22,800 and I was lucky to get about $1k off that. A lot of dealers at that time were marking them up with premiums. I ordered every single option except for the GPS system. I bought it right when it was introduced and paid more than a lot of people that waited for it to be out for a while. I agree, $22,000 sounds a little high for a base model Vibe.

[JohnC]

For what I wanted the Vibe for (commuting) $20k+ was too much, luckily I found a nicely equiped new 04 for 14,999. I have been very pleased with it. If I were in the market right now I would check out the Scion tc, it comes standard pretty much loaded, has a 2.4 160hp engine and I hear it handles very nice. my $.02

[MoonDogg]

I agree... that seems high... I got my '04 GT for 22K and it had everything except GPS... and I love my vibe I would figure you could get a '05 base for around 16-18K that would be reasonable... but of course if its not your cup of tea then don't drink it

[Jahntassa]

Yeah, the dealer you went to was trying to take you for a ride. I got my 03 GT for just over 21k with practically everything. - Nav- Power Package- Upgraded Security- 17" Rim optionAnd I think there might've been something else. A base for more than about 18k is simply price gouging by the dealer. Even if it is an 05.

[sylvainber]

it is always interesting to see how perceptions can differ so much around what could be called 'generally' the same experiencei paid 16K for a base with nothing on it. didn't get a deal, just msrp minus rebate.the car is everything i wanted. i'm adding a few things as i can afford them (power locks, better speakers, etc).it is not the most powerful 4-banger on the road... anything that touts good fuel economy usually trades off some (or all) of the performance aspect. although i must say that i love that 3000-45000 rpm range on my 5speed manual... there is indeed a bit of take-off power there sylvain

[drunkenmaxx]

definitely high priced. my 03 AWD is loaded (sans monotone/6disk/nav) and was only 22k!!

[kostby]

If you're suffering from 'sticker shock' and really intent on spending less money, look at GM Certified used (or comparable used cars programs from from Honda or Hyundai). There are LOTS of excellent 1-2-3 year old used cars that can give you performance, versatility, AND cost less than $22,000A local dealer is offering 'up to $5,000 off on Vibes', which brings a even a 27k Vibe down to $22,000. IMHO the Pontiac dealer you visited took you for a ride.

[NUBlackshirts]

Wow! That's how much the dealer wanted for my '04 GT, and it has most of the options GM offers. I ended up paying just over $18,500 for mine last Fall (rebates and Military discounts, plus 0% financing to boot). I wouldn't have bought anything but the GT though. The base just didn't have the power I was looking for. FWIW, I love the ride of the GT. I got rid of my Bonneville for it if that gives you any idea. To each his/her own.PS: Can't wait to see you and your SUV at the next stoplight!

[Mo4iu]

As I recall, the AWD's engine is dumbed down to 123 horses from...what was it....130 hp in the standard version and obviously more in the GT? So when you drove the AWD you were test driving the model with the least power. I have an AWD and am very happy with the ride, handling, and the thought that it should get me through the snow. But like the others I got a substantial discount off the $22,000 list by being the son of a GM employee, having a GM card, and with the addition of rebates that existed this past December. For the price I paid, I could not have gotten close to any other all wheel drive vehicle. I think you have to compare the AWD Vibe to other AWD vehicles in order to make a valid judgement. Good luck!

[cieglo]

Quote, originally posted by Shane1V ». Side airbags, ABS, Moonroof, no power l/d/w. $22000 about. Owch.This car just isn't worth the $$ they are asking. It's nice looking & versatile but for about the same price($22,300)...and some of these are going for 27G's?? Thats just ridiculous, regardless it its a tricked out GT.This car would be great if it was significantly cheaper or had better power/ride.I agree that price has a lot to do with the enjoyment of this car. I got a fantastic deal when I bought my pre-broken-in '03 GT this past January. And the fact that I got such a fun car for so little makes me enjoy it all that much more.Look for a left-over '04, you can probably get a good deal, though finding exactly what you want is sometimes hard. But if you don't want a Vibe, fuggedaboudit and go buy a Focus or Kia - I hear you can buy them on a 2-for-1 deal!!!

[ShadowRuleZ]

MSRP on ours was 22,5, with all the same options you listed and the power stuff. We had gm employee pricing and a few other goodies that put it into the 17s. Then you had to add tax and title and crap to it.

[wolfsburg_de]

For those of you who took advantage of GM Employee pricing, did you disclose that discount when you started negotiating or only after you had settled on a deal? My wife and I are currently Vibe shopping and have a GM card balance, a "GM in the Driveway discount" (which looks to be $888 for the specific options we are looking for), as well as the current GM March Madness $1500 discount, and the Conquest Discount ""If you own or are leasing a NON GM vehicle you will receive an additional $1,000 rebate off the purchase price. ""Thanks!

[scherry2]

GM in the driveway 1st then all other incentives.seems kinds strange that the GM in the driveway is only $800.00.people I have given them to have come up with $1500.00 to $2000.00

[wolfsburg_de]

scherry2, Thanks for your response! I got that $800 figure by going to the website linked in the GM Family First Authorization email that I got.I'm shopping for a pretty low-content Vibe, base (in Moonglow/Graphite if that matters) with Power Group and 16" Alloys. MSRP comes to $18,980.00, the driveway discount gets it down to $18,101.54.Is it possible this is a different program? My friend who gave this to me does not work for GM, I believe it is a supplier program. Thanks in advance for sorting out this confusing rebate stuff for newbie.

[scherry2]

I tell ya what. email me with your birthdate, and last 4 digits of your S.S. # and i will email you an authorization #take it to the dealer and show it to him and see what the price difference is. if it isn't any better don't use it if it is add all the other incentives and see what you come up with. it can't hurt.there is a difference between supplier and employee price.

[wolfsburg_de]

Excellent, thanks! We're planning to test drive tomorrow night and purchase ASAP.

[Mo4iu]

Hi Wolfsburg,If you are eligible for the employee price there is no need to keep it a secret. Actually, it is better just to be upfront about it because the dealer is required to give you the price without any monkey business. That said however, you might come out better by letting them know you are eligible for the employee price but that you want that price without using your GM eligibility. The reason is that you can't apply your GM CArd earnings to an employee purchase. I ended up better that way. With an MSRP of $22k+ , my dealer agreed to sell it to me on a regular deal for $21 and then subtract total discounts of $6000 of which $2500 was from my GM Card. So I ended getting the Vibe for $15k plus tax. If I'd bought it on the employee program I would have gotten a price of $20k+ but the discounts would only have been $3500 because of not getting the GM card earnings discount applied. The first dealer I approached wouldn't take the deal that way and wanted to sell it to me for $22 and then deduct my $6000. So I went to a second dealer and laid it out and told them take it or leave it and they said no problem. They dealer traded for the car with the first dealer I approached who wouldn't take the deal and I ended up with my price and the 2nd dealer got a no effort sale. Long story but moral is shop around until you get the price you want. If one dealer won't do it, another will. ;-)Best of luck, Mo

[wolfsburg_de]

Mo4iu,Thanks for the advice, I wasn't aware of the GM card points conflicting with the employee discount. Considering that my last car purchase (MINI Cooper S) was at MSRP (even today, almost none of them go for less), all of these rebates are a new thing for me. A local dealer has pretty much the car we want with a mirror tag showing a price of $15,610 (MSRP is $18,980) with a very hard to read asterisk stating that the sale price includes the Conquest ($1000) and March Madness ($1500) rebates, so that's pretty much identical to what the gmbuypower site lists for the Family First discount on this particular model. I'd like to get it for under $15k, then apply the GM card points. We have a '93 Tercel with 130k miles that we can use for trade-in as well, but I doubt the dealer would want it ... blue book value is zero.

[jmf2]

wow, work on that price man. we paid 17500 for our second vibe with the accessories listed below. we love the ride and the power is just fine. my wife and i are in the middle of a trip right now and we're averaging 31-32 mpg, doing 80mph and traveling through the rockies. sure helps when paying 2.10gal and more!

[wolfsburg_de]

Hmmm ... with Vibes, is it generally possible to get the car for invoice or less? Looks like $1287 difference between MSRP ($18980) and Invoice ($17693). Holdback should be 3% ($531), for a total of $1818 between MSRP and true invoice with holdback ($17162). Thanks for the feeback and advice.

[ragingfish]

I'm not sure what my total cost is/was, but I know I'm paying $14381 to GMAC over 5 years at 0%...not sure what I put down...I'm guessing I was somewhere around 16k.

[Jahntassa]

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »I'm not sure what my total cost is/was, but I know I'm paying $14381 to GMAC over 5 years at 0%...not sure what I put down...I'm guessing I was somewhere around 16k.Now add the general cost of what you've spent on it since I came around...

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by Jahntassa »Now add the general cost of what you've spent on it since I came around...Hmm...I've got a $40000 vibe!!!Nah, just kidding...but I've put at least $2000 into this puppy... And so much more to come...

[rAERRK]

22 for a base with just moonroof? That's crazyWe got our 05 GT fully loaded (except navigation) for 21 OTD

[ShadowRuleZ]

The GM employee pricing is marked on the invoice for the car, under GMS. You get that price (no questions asked), and any current discounts. The conquest rebate wasn't supposed to be valid, but the dealer screwed up and told us over the phone it was valid with employee purchase.This was in November. We got employee pricing, 1k conquest, 1.5k something or else rebate, and that was it. Doesn't sound like pricing has gone down any over the past 5 months.The same thing goes for the ford/mazda x/a/b/etc plans. All marked on the invoice.

[Tvibemom]

I'm a first timer here. Was excited to find a place to talk about my Vibe.I looked at the Tucson as well, and really liked it. But the mileage wasn't there and no incentives on the Tucson yet. I really wanted something that had better gas mileage that I could throw my bike in back or a bale of hay, or kid stuff. And I wanted something sporty. This was the only vehicle that met my criteria.And with gas going up and up I'm really glad I got the Vibe. But, I just tried to figure my mileage -- and, well, it's not at great as I expected. Any discussions on that?

[tnpartsguy]

http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id ... d=13039And many, many more.....those were just the 2 I saw with the most responses....

[ragingfish]

If your car is new, it will take at least 1500-2000 miles for the engine to break in. During that period, don't drive at any one speed, fast or slow. Avoid cruise control. Avoid full-throttle starts. This helps ensure proper break in of the engine.That being said, your mileage will not be stellar during this period. I have almost 50000 miles, and I see my mileage still continually getting a bit better (though I haven't checked it recently). Like a fine wine, gas mileage gets better with time and age. Also, if you do more stop and go than highway mileage, you'll obviously see a decrease in fuel efficiency.Keep in mind, it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to ever achieve the MPG ratings found on the window stickers of vehicles. EPA testing is done in a lab, by GM, on a dynonometer, and is not an accurate represenation of real world driving.

[Tvibemom]

Thanks for the insight.I’m still under 1000, I do a lot of stop and go and quick starts, and yes, I saw a news item about unrealistic EPA testing.So, still, I'm better off than the other gas-guzzlers around me sitting in Atlanta traffic.Cheers

[kostby]

Quote, originally posted by Tvibemom »I'm a first timer here. Was excited to find a place to talk about my Vibe. And with gas going up and up I'm really glad I got the Vibe. But, I just tried to figure my mileage -- and, well, it's not at great as I expected. Any discussions on that?Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Vibe!I echo the comments about a 1000 mile break-in period for a new car before you try to determine your mpg. I've averaged about 26 mpg over 10,000 miles of combined driving, mostly short trips in a small city (average 20-24 mpg) with occasional 30 mile trips (average 30-35 mpg) to the regional shopping mall. My highest mpg has been 37.6, lowest mpg was 18. Remember that idling is ALWAYS 0 mpg.

[goodvibe]

The first Matrix/Vibe I drove was an auto and I almost dismissed the vehicle because it didn't have enough go for me. The base stick was fine and I ended up with a GT. Shane1V tested the slowest version. He doesn't care about handling since if road any softer it would defenitely effect cornering and how can he complain about the road clearence since we're already an inch higher than most vehicles. He's looking for a taller softer SUV and should never even have tried the Vibe and then complain that it wasn't an SUV. He didn't get a better price because he didn't try. Why bother when it's not what you want.

[Vibe_dude]

Quote, originally posted by goodvibe »The first Matrix/Vibe I drove was an auto and I almost dismissed the vehicle because it didn't have enough go for me. The base stick was fine and I ended up with a GT. Shane1V tested the slowest version. He doesn't care about handling since if road any softer it would defenitely effect cornering and how can he complain about the road clearence since we're already an inch higher than most vehicles. He's looking for a taller softer SUV and should never even have tried the Vibe and then complain that it wasn't an SUV. He didn't get a better price because he didn't try. Why bother when it's not what you want. AMEN!

[Shane1V]

Whoa, relax Goodvibe! 1st of all, you read my post incorrectly- I did not test drive the slowest Vibe(AWD), I drove a base model.I also did not complain about the ground clearance, I just mentioned the Tucson was higher.& I DO care about handling, as i mentioned the Vibe handled nicely.I have to question your reading comprehension....and I was not complaining that the Vibe was not an SUV(whatever that means), I was quite aware of what the Vibe was going in, & I was excited about it. I like the Vibes looks & versatility.My issue was with what I felt was too little power(IMO), & cost, which are both valid regarding the car i drove and the price that was asked.& I "didn't try" to get a better price because I don't have GM incentives/Card points, etc up the wazoo like some of you lucky dogs have & a Vibe is just not worth 22G's. I know I wouldn't have paid invoice even, thats why I didn't try.I think the Vibe would be awesome with a 2.4 4cyl. engine. or if the 180 HP version was offered on the AWD.Some peopel love it as it is. I'm sure the GT would be fine for me, but I don't care for a stick & that engine is not offered with the AWD, which i definetly want.So there

[goodvibe]

What's wrong with what I said. You want an all wheel drive that rides better and you don't want a stick. If the ride was any softer(which is what you prefer) it wouldn't handle as well. Your priority clearly isn't handling. I personally think the base shocks are a bit soft. I agreed that the auto is a bit slow for some and the all wheel drive doesn't have a percievable difference in performance from what you drove. Add a passenger and that's your difference. You see more ground clearance as a good thing (I lowered mine so it would handle even better) which along with 4WD puts you firmly into SUV land and SUV means the other 2 vehicles that you mentioned liking. What did that comment mean. I've recommended CRVs to freinds and own another Honda but I'd never buy one. It's just way to tippy and soft for me. It is what I'd recommend for you. Great vehicle but not for me. You didn't try for a better price because it wasn't for you. There are always incentives and dealers willing to move on Vibes. You shouldn't have bought it if it were 3 grand less anyway. Nothing wrong with prefering something else but it's not the Vibes fault that it's compromises aren't the same ones your willing to except. At least the Vibe offers a few distinctly different models instead of dress-up upgrades. Like I said, I wouldn't have bought an auto either but a lot of people love em. Like every vehicle, they're not for everyone. Be happy with what you get and not dissapointed in what is for many a great vehicle just because you don't want one. It seems that I had to paraphrase everything I said before to help you with your comprehension on how my post directly relates to your original post. One of us definitely has a problem with perception about both vehicles and prose.

[Shane1V]

Agreed.