2003 vibe

[Flying Dagger]

Hi, everyone, I have been reading posts on the forum for a while and really impressed by everybody's ethusiam. My wife and i are looking for a wagon/hatchback/crossover(or whatever you call it) to replace our camry. A friend of mine who happens to run a mechanic shop recommended pontiac vibe. I went for a testdrive at a dealership (lafayette, IN) and it was quite nice. The dealer told us he can get as much as 3000 off the sticker price (20 grand for 2WD with all the major packages). In the meantime, I also found a used one on cars.com. 2003 Pontiac Vibe, Mileage 48,000 Cylinders 4 Cylinders Manual Transmission, Condition Excellent, Drive Train 2WD VIN 5Y2SL62833Z402164, Features: A/C: Front, Cruise Control, Power Locks, Power Steering, Remote Keyless Entry, Airbag: Driver, Airbag: Passenger, Fog Lights, CD Player, Premium Sound, Power Windows, Rear Window Defroster, Rear Window Wiper, Alloy Wheels, Sunroof/Moonroof Additional Selling Points: Great car! I've never had any problems with it. All service records available. The lady asked for 11K. Long story short, I wanted to ask if I should go with dealer for a brand new one or this used 2003. And what are the major changes on 2005 model in comparison to 2003 model. Thanks a bunch, guys!!!

[Wimperdink]

personally, (and i'll probably raise some neck hairs with this) but I'll never buy new. I bought my AWD used and love every minute of it. even the stupid stains left by previous owner, crap down under back seat that I never took the time to fish out cause I'm scared of what might be there, OE scratchs n dents all over . warranty be damned. Pick up a wrench. Nah seriously though, if your going to do modifications, and if the car runs great and drives great I'd go with used. It will give you more money to play with, with your aftermarket toys. If you perfer any repairs to be done at dealership no matter what they are,and dont intend to modify things. Then go with new and utilize warranty. Just my $.02.

[Ponyota]

Welcome to GVC! Nice to see yet ANOTHER person from Lafayette join up! Mike Raisors is a great place to purchase a car. I've had nothing but good things to say about the service department there. Major differences are the base and the GT. If they are the base then I believe that the HP is the same. 03 GT has 180 Hp because of the more peppy VVTL-I engine 04 they changed it to 170+. If you want MPG, go with the base 130+ HP. The front end is the most noticeable difference between the 05 and the 03. Some of the packages have changed. 05 has the optional side air bags, don't include the top cross bars as standard, don't include the little storage compartment under the center arm rest and the cig lighter inside the center compartment for charging cells and such, 05 has included a sub in the rear for more bass. Anyone think of anything else off the top of their heads?

[Wimperdink]

Can get 05 with leather and I think interior is diff. no chrome bars on the doors and I believe I saw no cloth on the door panels either. Minor stuff

[kostby]

Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Vibe!Standard powertrain warranty is 3 years/36,000 miles, so you're already 12,000 miles out of warranty, if that makes a difference to you. If you haven't looked at the thread showing Vibes sold by month, the "2003" model year actually began in early 2002. From the VIN you reported, the '03 you're looking at was built fairly early in 2002. VIN 5Y2SL62833Z402164 = # 2164 off the line. There are quite a few used Vibes out there (some used far less than others) and probably more will be coming off 3-year (2002-2005) leases, so don't rush in to buy the first used '03 you see without looking around a bit more.I bought a used 'sold in May 02' 2003 base with 22,000 miles for $13,100 from a dealer about 16 months ago, so I still had the benefit of factory warranty until the end of this month.All 2003 Vibes had chrome and cloth on the front interior door panels, just not on the rear door panels. Outside mirrors are black, even on ones with the 'monochrome' package until '05. Honk as you drive by Lebanon on I-65!

[Mr. Poopypants]

Yeah, I would have to say get the 2005.

[jake75]

Quote, originally posted by Wimperdink »personally, (and i'll probably raise some neck hairs with this) but I'll never buy new. I bought my AWD used and love every minute of it. even the stupid stains left by previous owner, crap down under back seat that I never took the time to fish out cause I'm scared of what might be there, OE scratchs n dents all over . warranty be damned. Pick up a wrench. Nah seriously though, if your going to do modifications, and if the car runs great and drives great I'd go with used. It will give you more money to play with, with your aftermarket toys. If you perfer any repairs to be done at dealership no matter what they are,and dont intend to modify things. Then go with new and utilize warranty. Just my $.02.Personally, (and i'll probably raise some neck hairs with this) but I'll never buy used. What is 48,000 miles worth? You may be looking at a host of needed service and replacement parts. Tires, brakes, struts, timing belt, battery, CV joints, etc. etc. etc. What is a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty worth. [And there is always some psychological "value" to having a new car. Like having a lobster dinner instead of a fish sandwich at McDonald's.] A dealer will make $200 on a new car, but typically $2,000 on a used car. Drive a new car off the lot and it depreciates by a bunch, but also drive a used car off the lot and it too depreciates a bunch. Most private sellers ask too much for their used car. You can get that occasional cream puff that is fairly priced (meaning near trade-in value) but be prepared to put a lot of personal time and effort into the hunt. Most sell in a hurry. IF one decides that used is the way to go due to monetary constraints, a friend of mine who always buys used has what I think is the only way to go. His dealer will get a car to this friend's specifications at auction and charge him $500 for the service. Usually buys a 2 year old car with no more than 24,000 miles.

[GMJAP]

05 has chrome & cloth on the front doors.The 05 has mostly minor changes, the new airbags are a great feature, IMO. The changes I can think of are:1) Center armrest/storage cover is lower and doesn't have top tray (but can be gotten for $100)2) Center storage +12 V socket no longer comes in the car (but can be gotten for about $40 + time to wire it)3) No longer has a pocket on the back of the driver's seat.4) Doesn't come with crossbars on the luggage rack.5) Side airbag option now includes curtain airbags.6) ABS option now includes tire pressure monitor.7) Throttle is now drive-by-wire; no longer cabled.8) Leather interior is available (& looks nice!)9) 04/05 have better gauges in my opinion. (Optitron white with red, instead of all red)10) Has a better stock battery.11) Rear wiper spray is a dual nozzle instead of single nozzle.12) New front styling.

[Wimperdink]

Quote, originally posted by jake75 » What is 48,000 miles worth? You may be looking at a host of needed service and replacement parts. Tires, brakes, struts, timing belt, battery, CV joints, etc. etc. etc. What is a 3 year bumper to bumper warranty worth. [And there is always some psychological "value" to having a new car. Like having a lobster dinner instead of a fish sandwich at McDonald's.] A dealer will make $200 on a new car, but typically $2,000 on a used car. Drive a new car off the lot and it depreciates by a bunch, but also drive a used car off the lot and it too depreciates a bunch. Most private sellers ask too much for their used car. You can get that occasional cream puff that is fairly priced (meaning near trade-in value) but be prepared to put a lot of personal time and effort into the hunt. Most sell in a hurry. IF one decides that used is the way to go due to monetary constraints, a friend of mine who always buys used has what I think is the only way to go. His dealer will get a car to this friend's specifications at auction and charge him $500 for the service. Usually buys a 2 year old car with no more than 24,000 miles. As soon as you drive the car off the lot it dumps a good 2,000 - 5,000 depending on vehicle etc etc.. I would hate to decide I cant afford my car 6 or 8 months later and have to sell it for less than I owe on it. Also my point with doing mods. Most mods, not all but most, will drop the resale of the car too. Many people dont want to buy a car that someone has either torn into the engine to pep it up. (its probably been beat on) or who's interior or exterior has been very modified or personalized. So why drop that much value off of a new car price when who knows you may have to sell the thing one day. I'd personally rather spend half the money and mod the crap out of it knowing full well the major value drop has already occured before I bought it. Got my 03 AWD for 11,500 loaded and with 18,000 miles. Saved myself about 9 or 10 thousand dollars of modding $

[joatmon]

A/C: Front, , Power Steering, , Airbag: Driver, Airbag: Passenger, Fog Lights, CD Player, , Rear Window Defroster, Rear Window Wiper are standard on any VibeCruise Control, Power Locks,Remote Keyless Entry, Premium Sound, Power Windows, Alloy Wheels, Sunroof/Moonroof are optionsWhether to buy new or used can be a tough call sometimes. I bought mine new, and it is nice to have a brand new car, new car smell, full warranty, no worries about abuse by the previous owner, all that kind of thing. There are some serious purchase price differences between new and used though, and it depends on your finances and priorities. I bought mine in december 2002, so there really weren't any used ones for sale yet, at least not anywhere near me.We all hope that these cars having mostly Toyota parts will make them reliable. For the most part, it seems to be workiing out that way, although some people have had troubles. Putting aside all wear/maintenance/warranty stuff, the 2003 has advantages of having a better center console, and coming with the cross rails for the roof rack. The 2005 has some new options available if you are willing to pay for them, and also comes with a bigger capacity battery. I also like the different color of the instrument cluster in the 04/05 Vibes compared tothe red cluster in the 03's, but some people prefer the red 03 cluster, so I guess that's an individual choice. Most of the 05's have an electronic throttle, the 03's use a cable connected to the gas pedal. I can't remember if anyone has a cold air intake that works with the newer 05 throttle, (at least I remember seeing some discussion about that as an issue, but it might not be an issue if you don't plan to modify it)If you are looking for a used one, check out autotrader.com as well. They will have listings that cars.com doesn't.it is hard to know what to recommend, if a new one similiarly equipped is going to cost 20K, and a used one costs 11K, it seems like a lot would have to go wrong with the used one to make up that 9K difference in non-warranty repair. If you do buy a used one, be sure to check out the paint, especially on the hood and other leading edges. Paint chips have been an issue for these cars, I don't think an 05 is likely to fair any better than on 03, but it's something to look for in a used one. There was also a problem with the 03 cladding, some people were getting abnormal wear and had it replaced under warranty. Stock tires seem to wear out, if this one has 48K miles on it, the current owner may have had to replace them already. If not they are probably totally shot. I have about 80K on mine, and am on my second set of tires, but the brakes are still fine. (They are probably getting close to needing replacement, but they will start singing when the time comes)It is hard to say whether that particular car is worth $11K. A lot depends on how well the current owner kept it. Some people (not me) keep their cars immaculate, the "used" part of it might not be as big of a factor as it would if you were thinking about buying mine, which is not for sale but is indisputably used.

[Flying Dagger]

Thanks a bunch to all the ppl who have given kind replys to my questions. I think we are gonna take our time to do more homework before we make any decison between new and preowned.

[jake75]

Before next winter my 2003 will have a bigger capacity battery as well because I am not one to wait until it's dead to replace it. Probably wil get a Sears Diehard $55 on sale less a $5 coupon = $50. Peace of mind is worth not trying tio push a 3 year battery beyond its limits. I don't know if Sears still has free installation.

[robodoc]

Bought mine new/used. Basically that means it was a dealer demo with $5k miles on it. Used because it was and they knocked the price down on it pretty good. New because they extended my warranty and gave me some 'extras' for having GMS. It was kind of the best of both worlds. If you want GMS(GM employee pricing) I can give it to anyone I want, but it has to be used at the dealer here in MI. Some funky promotion they ran about 8 years ago when GM was on strike.

[jake75]

For fun go to http://www.cars.com and check out the listings on "all 2003 Vibes". That one for $600,000 especially floored me. In general the listngs were what I would deem "pricey".

[ragingfish]

I can't fathom ever owning a car that someone other than a member of my family has owned, maintained, and driven. In other words, personally, I always hope to buy new...

[joatmon]

that's great if you and your family can afford to always buy brand new cars. I've had pretty good luck with used cars, and by buying used cars, getting them paid off, and keeping them beyond payoff, I got to the point where I can buy a new car without having to take out a loan. To me that absence of car payment is more valuable than that new car smell. With the Vibe, I was able to get both but everybody is different and has different circumstances. There is no single answer to the used vs. new question that works for everyone. If I wrecked my Vibe tomorrow and wanted to replace it with another Vibe, I'd buy a used one, it would probably have a lot less miles on it than the one I currently have

[PhillyVibeGT]

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »I can't fathom ever owning a car that someone other than a member of my family has owned, maintained, and driven. In other words, personally, I always hope to buy new... I agree with Ragin, I wouldn't buy a used car. who knows what the person before you did with/to it. It's kinda like buying used books in college.LOL

[03VibeGT6Spd]

I seen a used 03 Vibe GT on an A lot last week. It was a 1SA package! which is 2 tone, moons & tunes, 16" wheels, keyless, windows, cruise. miles were 35,600KThe dealer wanted $10,300 only price.I figure it was a off lease car.I was seriously considering it myself!But I'm waiting to test drive a new Pontiac Solstice before I buy anything.(Ponitac read this! Quit delaying my new car Damnit, before I'm force to buy something else!)lol