Vibes...reliable??

[Juelze]

Hey guys,Still trying to decide if I want this: http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/...ist=2I currntly drive a 96 Pontiac Grand Am SE with a 5spd and it has 132,000 miles on it. I paid $6k for it about 6 years ago and have probably dumped $3K in repairs. I swore after this piece of crap that I would never buy an American car again. However, I really dig the Vibe and hearing that it has a Toyota engine and tranny in it I figured that it's the perfect blend of american styling and japenese reliability. However, I see all these posts with people with problems with their transmissions and this that and the other thing. I'm almost leary of buying the above car in fear I'll have all these problems. I definitely don't want to buy a Vibe only to have to shell out a couple of grand to fix the tranny and/or clutch. Are these threads in these forums just the vocal minority? I guess it's like my Xbox 360. People said they are junk and don't work but I have had no issues with mine. The people who complain or have issues are the ones who will bring it to everyones attention. The ones without problems won't. So with that said if I buy a Vibe should I feel fairly confident that I will have a reliable vehicile for years to come?-Juelze

[Mrizzle05]

It looks like a good deal and its a GT and its got a ram air hood.All in all its a nice looking vibe. My car a base and has 18k on it now. no problems so far... *knocks on wood*Vibes are really good cars... sometimes **** happens. and if your clutch goes then you just upgrade to a ACT racing clutch. Hope you get the vibe and join the family... and if you need help or have tons of questions, we have answers or can point you in the right direction.

[mcgusto82]

the vibe was a right desicion for me. my wife loves it. she hasn't complaint about anything. and she's always complaining about something. loli bet your grand prix had tranny issues. i used to have a 96 riviera. same drivetrain. that specific yr model had a weak tranny when coupled with the supercharger. i still like american cars. make sure you drive it really well before you buy. if you really want a comparison. drive a new one, and then compare the two.

[GMJAP]

I think you'll find those with tranny issues are in the vocal minority. Most manual tranny issues that have been posted are with 5spd base. Dont' recall many with the 6spd GT. The paint issue is a majority issue, though.

[AKLGT]

remember, this is not just a pontiac, but a toyota. the engine and drivetrains are well proven minus a few lemons. but you can always get a lemon no matter what you buy. in the GT's, the 03 seemed to have clutch issues (weak clutch). as for the paint issue, that's gonna be true for any toyota or NUMMI vehicle. but i'll tell you that even on the subie forums, people complain about that paint. nowadays, i think the paint issue is prevalant no matter what make or model. i never had any problems with tranny issues in my 03 VGT, my clutch was starting to slip but had i kept the car, i'd plan on replacing it with a TRD sport clutch. really the biggest complaint about the VGT's is the clutch imo. so yes, it's a very very reliable car, unlike your 96 grand am (my first car was a 98 GA SE MT and my ex had a 96 GA SE AT). i had that car for 10 mos before trading it in on a 92 Chevy Blazer 4wd (bad bad bad!) which then was sold after 6 mos of ownership. i love toyota engines (my family has owned several) and i bought the VGT after selling my 01 Toyota Tundra. Had they had a similar or like AWD vehicle as my Subaru Legacy GT, i'd have gotten that instead.

[Juelze]

Well thanks for the advice guys. I think I'm going to unfortunately skip on getting the Vibe all together. I don't want to have to spend $1000 to get a clutch fixed on a nearly new vehicle. It's a shame because they are precisely the type of vehicle I'm looking for.

[Mrizzle05]

theres an alternative... you could get a new vibe GT!

[djb383]

Can you buy an "Extended Warranty"?

[Jahntassa]

Quote, originally posted by GMJAP »I think you'll find those with tranny issues are in the vocal minority. Most manual tranny issues that have been posted are with 5spd base. Dont' recall many with the 6spd GT. The paint issue is a majority issue, though. Other than the crappy stock clutches (on the GT), no real problems with the gearbox here.

[the1stacekiller]

Absolutely no problems with The Vibe here.. but I have an auto... cheers & hope it works out with what ever you choose

[Juelze]

I was thinking about that. $1000 for the warranty but maybe it's worth it.

[jimincalif]

Quote, originally posted by Juelze » I don't want to have to spend $1000 to get a clutch fixed on a nearly new vehicle. It's a shame because they are precisely the type of vehicle I'm looking for. :-(Hey, make 'em a low ball offer, use the clutch as a negotiating point. If you can save if off the price, you can afford to replace it later. I have 33K miles on my 03 GT clutch. So far so good. No other significant issues, just dash rattles.

[ColonelPanic]

You probably don't have to worry too much about reliability, I guess... The majority around here seem to have happy little Vibes and only have had to visit the shop only on an occasion or two. Then you have only a few sorry people like me who are overcome with joy that they've been able to go one entire month without having anything new break or without going in for service. Don't pay much attention to my crap over in problems & warranty issues, nobody else does. Very few of us have ended up like me... But Toyota or not, it IS possible to have something incredibly unreliable, I've got one - something to think about. If you get the car, I highly recommend the GM MajorGuard extended warranty. It is a bit pricey but well worth it. I've had all kinds of stuff replaced with mine - power steering pump, a few a/c compressors, catalytic converter and computer, automatic transmission, window regulators and door checks, etc... No questions asked, I just show up, they replace whatever is broken on it this time and I'm done with nothing out of pocket.On this Vibe, is that a shadow or does it have some sort of snazzy hood on it? Looks like it has the spoilers on it too... Just as long as the previous owner didn't rag the pee out of it, maybe the clutch is still good.

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[northvibe]

thats the SLP ram air hood. looks like a good deal only 11k miles on it and its a GT for about $14k not bad. its a 03 so stock it has those red gauges. Just bring it to a mechanic and have them check it over. When ever i buy a used car thats what I did i think its 100 bucks for my mechanic to do a full look over on a car and they find out if its going to be reliable enough for me

[AKLGT]

the clutch issue didn't affect ALL gt owners, just a few but enough to make noise. the new owner of my VGT hasn't had it replaced and it works just fine for her. of course, i know i'd have killed it any much longer with my driving style, so it's really dependant upon how you drive the car. that's also why i consistently got 26-28 mpg while others here get 30+, and my LGT i get 17-20 mpg while most everyone else seems to get 22+.

[ToolGuy]

Hello and welcome hopefully soon to the site! I think in your case if you do buy another used car you should get a certified car and definitely an Extended Warranty. Honestly if you paid $6,000 for a used car, you are taking your chances with any make. You can run a car fax report and that will tell you where the car has been but not how it was taken care of. You will never know how a car was taken care of unless you know the previous owner. A friend of mine bought a used Honda Prelude had lots of issues with it and got tired of paying the high repair bills because it was foreign. He sold it and got a GM product. I really feel you should invest in the extended warranty if you buy another used car foreign or domestic. I have not had any issues with my Vibe bought new. It has been to the dealer once for a TSB issue...Good luck!

[Juelze]

Well guys I have skipped on getting that Vibe GT. However, I'm not done shopping for Vibes. I think I'm going to save money on gas and get a base Vibe with a 5 speed manual. I really hated how the shifter felt in the GT. Getting into 1st and 2nd felt very awkward and I didn't like that. Do people seem to have better luck with the 5spd vs. the 6spd GT?-Juelze

[ZubenElGenubi]

That's a shame that you're foregoing looking at that GT, Juelze. At $13,900 with only 11K miles, it's not a bad deal. Looks clean...got the SLP ram hood (that's a $700-800 hood right there)...got the Sport Package too (that was a $2K option)...doesn't look like it has power windows/locks though (not listed). I'm surprised with the low miles that an extended warranty would be $1000.OTOH, with gas prices the way they are, you might be better off with a new 5-sp Vibe. Certainly would be less expensive on the gas and better fuel economy.In any case, Welcome to GenVibe! Hope to see you in a new car soon!

[Mrizzle05]

I have a base 5-speed... havent driven a GT so couldnt tell you whats better or the differences. but i love the 5-speed. its kinda wierd for me though cuz the car feels like a truck clutch with a car shifter. but thats my opinion. this car is fun and has great gas milage.

[Baltovibe]

Quote, originally posted by northvibe »thats the SLP ram air hood.When I see that hood, I think of an under-30 guy racing around and being hard on that clutch!Don't get me wrong ... I think the hood looks great, but it usually ends up on a vehicle that is driven hard.

[Juelze]

Ya, it is a shame but the interest rate I was promised and what I was offered plus if I took the warranty (would want the warranty with a GT) put me at more then I wanted to spend. I also hated the shifter in the GT. It had power everything on that car as well as moon and tunes package. With that low of miles it just seemed there was something wrong with it but who knows. I found a base Vibe with a 5spd that I plan on checking out this weekend. I gotta get me a Vibe though, it's the perfect car for me.

[Mrizzle05]

i gotta a base 05 stick... runs strong and looks pretty nice. im used to a cavalier, like the 2 door sportier cars... but when i drove this, i just could see myself in it. it fits for any and everything i do in my daily lifestyle! so its a really good choice in a car.Good luck

[NascarXprt]

i think you already specified that you had the 5spd tranny. anyway i hope everything goes well for you and you get that one vibe to make yours. welcome to the family (once you get your vibe)

[BigMac]

Hey,I haven't posted in a long time, but I'll always recommend getting a vibe. Seems like you're already convinced, but I'll throw my two cents in.I've had no problems, and am passing 22k KM.It's a great car, and I'm always amazed at just how much stuff you can cram into it. It even holds more stuff (with the back seats down) than my old Bronco II.Good luck finding the right car for you!

[Mrizzle05]

Quote, originally posted by NascarXprt »i think you already specified that you had the 5spd tranny. anyway i hope everything goes well for you and you get that one vibe to make yours. welcome to the family (once you get your vibe)man you keep on pickin on me today!!! (removed)... im trying to help a guy out. just makin it clear i have a 5-speed!!!

[NascarXprt]

yea i dont know what it is today ive just notice that i have been pickin on ya. my bad

[jasonvibe]

I am surprised of a 2003 with only 11k...Is it for real? ALso CP, your CAT CONV and computer and dozens of other emission items are under federal emissions law warranty for 70k or 8 years. I hate when dealers lie. As far a clutch in a used 6 speed...no dealer will give you more than a year on it unless you bought a warranty.