Need help from AWD owners

[bikrr]

Hi I'm new to the forum, am looking seriously at getting a Vibe, and need help deciding on AWD or not. If you have an AWD (Vibe or Matrix:1. What kind of highway mileage do you get?2. Do you feel it has enough power - mainly for passing etc.? I'm not a big performance guy but I want it to move when it has to.3. If you've had the chance, how is it in snow? Mainly up grades and starting out from a stop.4. Have you had any issues with the drive train?5. Would you go AWD again if you had the choice?6. What is your biggest gripe if you have one?Thanks for your help. This is a very good forum and I hope to join you as a car owner also. I had a FWD Vibe as a rental for a week and loved it. The only other vehicle I see that compares is the Caliber from Dodge but they seem smaller and cheaper inside and although they have bigger engine options, they probably won't get the mileage I'd like.

[tnpartsguy]

1) My highway mileage is limited, but the few times I have taken longer trips I've gotten from 26~28, my wife got 29.5 once.2) The power is sufficent, I have no problem running 80 and passing people when i need to.3) I've have mine just over a year, and had one ice storm last year, and a few minor snows this year, and never slipped a wheel, and I live on a hill.4) Only issue I have had was noise, and it ended up being a low tire.5) I will try to replace the Vibe with another AWD/IRS vehicle if at all possible, would love to get the Cadillac SRX AWD if possible, mainly because I'm not a big 'ru fan, and no AWD will be offered after this model year on the Vibe.6) Biggest Gripe...has to be paint quality, or lack there-of. 2nd biggest would be that I can't add the supercharger to the AWD car. 3rd woudl be the goofy cupholders that won't hold 2 large cups.

[drunkenmaxx]

well, first of all, it handles great in the snow! you just have to be a bit careful, because you may drift like a RWD. however, you can also do this: http://forums.genvibe.com/zero...s.movthe speed isn't anything to behold, but it's enough. a CAI does a lot to help with a little extra oomph the AWD needs.my MPG is right around 30 on the highway. i drive 60 miles a day, so that's a good thing.

[zionzr2]

Quote, originally posted by bikrr »Hi I'm new to the forum, am looking seriously at getting a Vibe, and need help deciding on AWD or not. If you have an AWD (Vibe or Matrix:1. What kind of highway mileage do you get?2. Do you feel it has enough power - mainly for passing etc.? I'm not a big performance guy but I want it to move when it has to.3. If you've had the chance, how is it in snow? Mainly up grades and starting out from a stop.4. Have you had any issues with the drive train?5. Would you go AWD again if you had the choice?6. What is your biggest gripe if you have one?Thanks for your help. This is a very good forum and I hope to join you as a car owner also. I had a FWD Vibe as a rental for a week and loved it. The only other vehicle I see that compares is the Caliber from Dodge but they seem smaller and cheaper inside and although they have bigger engine options, they probably won't get the mileage I'd like.Welcome to our Vibedom!Welcome Fellow Wisconsinite!Awnsers:1. I get average 27.3mpg overall. I have exceeded 33MPG on the highway several times. The HWY range has been 27 worst hwy to 35 best hwy.2. I have had No problems passing! Tip use the O/D OFF button just before passing.3. Great in the snow (however get better tires than stock. see tires threads) GY Tripple Treads are one popular choise. I'm still on stock RS-A's.4. ZERO drivetrain issues.5. YES!6. No heated side mirrors. Paint Quality Sux!Other thoughts: NO OTHER AWD vehicle gets the mileage that the Vibe AWD gets PERIOD! With a few slight tweaks the Vibe has been a great car to own. The tweaks i have made are mostly electrical. For example, Horn, DRLs, FogLamps, and FM modulator.

[Digger]

1) I get about 27 all around with 33 being the highestall 4 lane. It is better in the summer2) Power is good I did put a short ram intake on though3) Love it in the snow.4) None5 ) yes.6) Nothing with anything that matters. I would change a few designs though

[Cougar Vibe]

1) Averaging 28mpg on a mix of interstate & state highways. As mentioned earlier, best fuel efficiency of any AWD vehicle sold in North America.2) Power is adequate for passing, but definately not performance inspiring. The 1ZZFE engine is designed for commuting, not spirited driving.3) Very mild winter this year, but on the few days it did snow it was a very easy drive. Standing starts and hills were no problem, but like many will say, AWD will not help you if you drive too fast for conditions and start to slide. The Vibe is fairly light, so if heavy snow is a regular occurance, snow tires might be a good addition.4) None, nichts, zilch. 5) Yes, absolutely. Vibe/Matrix wouldn't have been on my list if a AWD version wasn't offered. Other cars we looked at included Subaru Forester, Mitsubishi Outlander & Audi A4 (used).6) I have real gripes as of yet. The interior plastic in the cargo area is a little too easy to scratch/dent. No cross-bars for the roof racks is sort of lame. Paint is an issue for some, but I have a full bra on mine during the winter months & for long trips, so mine looks pristine. Also, buy a set of the fog light covers sold here; those fog lights are expensive to replace, the covers aren't. My personal Vibe gripe deals with the body claddings and plastic parts offering too many places for wax to build up. Not a big deal though...

[RIT]

I have a base 5-speed, and I put snows on it, and it has been fantastic in the snow. It is a bit faster, and gets about 3 mpg better than the figures that people have been quoting for their AWDs. I have had zero problems, and I find that to get more pickup, it is best to keep the rpms up above 3K. Plus the non-AWD had a bigger gas tank. My one complaint is the slope of the rear hatch costs some storage, and looks like they will fix that in the spy-photos of the Vibe II. Also, I wish the length of the roof were longer. If is tough to carry a canoe on the roof.

[zionzr2]

Quote, originally posted by RIT ».... Plus the non-AWD had a bigger gas tank... the gas tank in the base and awd are the same!!! the manuaul and documentation are wrong!!

[drunkenmaxx]

Quote, originally posted by zionzr2 » the gas tank in the base and awd are the same!!! the manuaul and documentation are wrong!!not from what i have heard. word on the street is the tank is smaller to work around the AWD system.

[RIT]

When i did the Vibe Factory Tour, at the gas tank leak-testing station, they pointed out that the Non-AWD, and AWD had different tanks. I suppose that this could be verified by looking up part numbers. Possibly they have the same volumn, but I don't think so.

[tnpartsguy]

Gas Tank is different, I promise, 2 gallons of capacity lost to the fact they had to arch it up to let the driveshaft pass.

[mikey00]

I was faced with the same decision a few months back. I wanted AWD. But the Vibe was already underpowered, so I didn't want the HP loss and additional weight of the AWD. The smaller gas tank, less mpg and additional cost were also negatives. I ended up purchasing a base Vibe with StabilTrac which includes Traction Control. For winter I put on 4 Michelin X-Ice tires. This car is fantastic on snow and ice. I also own a Lexus RX 300 with AWD and Michelin Cross Terrain tires, so I did some comparision this winter. I stopped mid way up a hill covered with snow and ice and did acceleration tests with both. The RX won here, but I was still very pleased with the way the Traction Control combined with Michelin X-Ice tires was able to pull the Vibe up the hill from a dead stop half way up. Next test was zig zagging through an empty parking lot pushing both cars to the point of StabilTrac kicking in. The Vibe won here by a lot. The StabilTrac does some nice things here like preventing an accident on a slick road.My biggest gripe with the Vibe, as others have already mentioned, is the paint quality. It is soft and scratches very easily.

[bikrr]

Lots of good information from everyone. Does the AWD have the StabilTrac functionality built in or is that just something for the FWD? If it is only on the FWD could see the value of that being used on wet roads etc. more often than the AWD being required. I also have a FWD Saturn Vue and had to put Michelin X-Ice tires on it. They helped but for some reason that vehicle seems to spin far faster than any other FWD I've owned, even with the control of a 5 speed. Maybe it is the torque or the lightness but its failures on snow is what had me leaning AWD in the first place. I'll have to compare with test drives and weigh the pros and cons. I guess I've managed in our climate for 20 years since I last had an AWD, so maybe I do a few more and reap the $ savings from the sticker and gas??

[mikey00]

StabiliTrak is available on FWD auto only. As far as tire spinning goes, the Traction Control will totally prevent this. And if for some reason you want to spin tires there is a button to turn it off.

[bikrr]

Quote, originally posted by mikey00 »StabiliTrak is available on FWD auto only. As far as tire spinning goes, the Traction Control will totally prevent this. And if for some reason you want to spin tires there is a button to turn it off.Thanks for the StabiliTrac info. I do have TC on the Vue but not much help on that vehicle. It just has too high of rpm on the wheels even when you really try to feather the clutch. I have better luck with 5 speed Saturn SL w/o TC sometimes. I think it is just a combo of the gearing and light front end peculiar to that vehicle because I've always heard good things about TC and that is the only thing I've had it on.Do you have an auto or manual Vibe?

[tnpartsguy]

All AWD Vibes are Autos as well, I would really rather have had a stick.

[mikey00]

Mine is auto with StabilTrac. Something sounds fishy with your Vue. I have had many cars with traction control and it always prevented wheel spin. Are you sure you have it? If so it sounds like it is not working.

[drunkenmaxx]

Quote, originally posted by mikey00 »Mine is auto with StabilTrac. Something sounds fishy with your Vue. I have had many cars with traction control and it always prevented wheel spin. Are you sure you have it? If so it sounds like it is not working.keep in mind, if it's slick enough, or you have crappy tires, they can still spin. i've had all 4 spin quite a few times.

[jasonvibe]

REMEMBER THE AWD has fully independent suspension while the FWD has a solid rear axle. Drive them both a few minutes apart and the AWD is the comfort winner. My AWD get on about 30mpg highway. In the city it is around 22 or so. I live in a hilly area so this 22 mpg is not a surprise to me. The only neg. is the darn drive axles are already showing signs of rust. While it never happened on my last car after 10 years. It is always washed when needed. This thing is only 6 months old! Does anyone elses AWD have the rusty drive axles???

[bikrr]

Quote, originally posted by mikey00 »Mine is auto with StabilTrac. Something sounds fishy with your Vue. I have had many cars with traction control and it always prevented wheel spin. Are you sure you have it? If so it sounds like it is not working.Yes I have TC and it is "working" because there is a difference when the button is on or off. It does control spin but tends to reduce the ability to pull it up a slope. From info I've gathered on a Saturn forum it sounds like TC may work better with the gearing on an auto tranny and some of the manual owners start out in 2nd to help with starts on slick slopes. I'll give that a try next time. My driveway is not that steep but comes after a near 90 degree turn so I'm probably asking too much out of it.

[mikey00]

Quote, originally posted by drunkenvibe »keep in mind, if it's slick enough, or you have crappy tires, they can still spin. i've had all 4 spin quite a few times.You can spin all of them because you have AWD which does not have Traction Control. I can't spin them with my FWD with traction control.

[jasonvibe]

you are dreaming if you think all the wheels drive at the same time. When slip happens, Only one front and one rear works in either forward or reverse . Tested this many times. Maybe for a split second you get all 4 together. This is not a limited slip type set up at each axle like a truck

[drunkenmaxx]

Quote, originally posted by mikey00 »You can spin all of them because you have AWD which does not have Traction Control. I can't spin them with my FWD with traction control.so, you're saying that if you are in snow, your wheels will not spin whatsoever? come on, seriously?

[drunkenmaxx]

Quote, originally posted by jasonvibe »you are dreaming if you think all the wheels drive at the same time. When slip happens, Only one front and one rear works in either forward or reverse . Tested this many times. Maybe for a split second you get all 4 together. This is not a limited slip type set up at each axle like a truckreally? i wish i could see my donut video here at work, i never noticed which wheels were spinning.

[mikey00]

Quote, originally posted by drunkenvibe »so, you're saying that if you are in snow, your wheels will not spin whatsoever? come on, seriously?Yes , that is exactly what I am saying. This is from a practical standpoint. I am sure if some scientific measurment could be done there may be some slippage which is undetectable to the driver. In fact there must be some undectable slippage to activate the system, as with ABS. It works by using ABS to apply the brakes to the wheel with the least traction and also throttles back the engine. However, this does not make Traction Control a perfect system and there are still some benefits of AWD. In fact Traction Control does have an off button to if you want/need to spin the wheels.If I could to set up some kind of test where the incline and the road traction could be varied and continually decrease the road traction and increase the incline there is going to be some point at which a Vibe with Traction Control will no longer move. If I were to place a AWD along side of it with all other factors the same (tires, etc), I suspect the AWD would be able to move. So if you are often in situations where your AWD Vibe with all season tires won't get the job done and you require dedicated winter tires w/AWD, FWD may not be the best choice. But if your AWD Vibe with all seasons is getting the job done, FWD w/TC and dedicated winter tires is an interesting alternative.I equipped my Vibe with Michelin X-Ice tires because I do understand it is not AWD. At this point I bet I am very close to AWD with all season tires. Now add to that the fact that StabilTrac, which controls sidways skids, and Traction Control come together. I prefer this over AWD for the type of winter driving I do in NJ.