Might buy a Vibe/Matrix...

[cliefan]

I am looking at getting one of these mainly for the gas mileage and cargo room. I drive atleast 300 miles a week. Sometimes a lot more. The cargo room will be nice for transporting servers/workstations, etc. I'm an IT guy.I've got a 98 Bonneville with 140 k that has started to break down quite often. Intake manifold gasket, power steering pump, water pump...I'm looking in the 40-50k mileage range. Manual. Probably not a GT (cheaper insurance). What problems should I look for (if any)? I'm not into the modding scene any more, got that out of my system with the Talon TSI (AWD Turbo) i used to have. What is your recommendation on model/year, etc? And what prices should I be expecting? Thanks!

[northvibe]

There are some "hot soak" issues with 05 and up, trouble starting when its hot. Also some of the 2005 and up models have DBW. some 2005's also have weak pain on the front end that chips easy. most people just get the clear car bra (bluecrush has it) and they are fine. It also depends on if you like the front end style of the 03/04 and the 05+. So it sort of depends if you want to buy it new or used, but for a used one i think they go for like 13-15 depending on the options and mileage. IT hey me too...sorta. Im still in coolege though, the vibe is awesome for hauling all my stuff around and i drive nuts and get 28mpg so i love the car! I have a 2004 vibe base (1zz engine) in automatic. oh and welcome!

[cliefan]

What about clutch wear and tear? I had read somewhere that the clutches are the greatest in these vehicles.I have also read about something people are calling oil sludge in these. I'm sure its just poeple not changing their oil.

[ZubenElGenubi]

Welcome to GenVibe!There are some clutch issues with the GT's, but you could chalk up some of that to hard driving. That won't be an issue with the base 5-speed.I'm putting 300 mi/week as well and going 300+ miles on each tank (avg 31 mpg with 50/50 city/highway). Mine's an auto; you'll perform much better with a manual.Haven't heard of the sludge issues. I change my oil every 5K miles with Mobil 1 5W-30 and it's nice and clean.If you're not modding much, the 05+ will perform well for you. Can't say much for prices...you should check Kelly Blue Book and Edmunds for better info.Good luck with your search!

[808 Vibes]

Welcome to the board! I'm a former-V6'er here too. Happy to go to 4 cylinder...no looking back. I'm starting a business soon, the Vibe's cargo area will be an asset. Where I live gas is $3.39 (87), $3.49 (89) and $3.59 (92) and add ten more cents to those prices in town.Gotta love roomy AND good on gas! I was in traffic for over 2 hours last week, Frosty's temp gauge did not go up the slightest bit. I was very impressed with how it did in horrendous traffic. My V6's weren't like that.

[joatmon]

I don't remember reading about anyone having to replace the clutch in a 5 sped vibe. There have been a few who have bearings fail in the 5 speed tranny though. The 5 speed gets the best mpg, which is why I bought one. As in any car model, the manual tranny adds a lot to the sportiness of the drive, but can be a pain in stop and go traffic. The trannies in the auto FWD vibes seem to have been quite reliable.So far, nobody has posted about having an oil sludge problem in their Vibe. That may have been in different Toyota engines.Some people (ok, a lot of people) have complained about paint chipping problems, especially on the nose and hood. If the car has the stock factory tires on them, and 40K miles, you'll need to replace them. The factory brakes last a long time unless they've been abused. The 03/04 had a smaller battery than the 05+, that might be an issue if it gets real cold in the winter where you are.

[Tubaryan12]

Quote, originally posted by cliefan »Probably not a GT (cheaper insurance). I don't know how old you are, but for me (42) the difference in the price of insurance was $7 per 6 months. If you are worried about cash, don't get a GT because it requires premium gas which not counting the lowered fuel economy, will cost you at an extra $2-$3 per tank.

[cliefan]

Awesome. Thanks for all the info everyone. I'm gonna go test drive a couple '03s next week.

[crazytrain]

Quote, originally posted by cliefan »The cargo room will be nice for transporting servers/workstations, etc. I'm an IT guy.I'm an IT guy myself and purchased the Vibe for some of the same reasons you're looking at - cargo room & fuel economy. One thing that may surprise you is that the trunk in the Bonneville is probably deeper than the Vibe with the seats up. The '99 Saturn SL2 I just got rid of had a deeper trunk. With the seats down there's plenty of cargo room though. The plastic scratches easily, but you can get protective cargo mats. One is provided for the rear cargo area, but not for the seats. However you can find them on Ebay or make them yourself.One thing that I really like is the straps and tie down hooks in the Vibe. Plus there are tracks that allow you to place additional tie down hooks to secure your stuff. They only give you two straps, but straps or bungee cords are easy to find in stores.I carry all my misc stuff in plastic drawers and tubs. In the drawers I have cables, RAM & small adapters. In the tubs I have things like routers, switches, hard drives, CD drives, etc. I have the driver side rear seat folded down and usually keep the passenger rear seat up - I'll fold it down when I have equipment to transport. The passenger seat is folded down and the flat surface makes a great work area.One drawback is the lack of places to store a cell phone for easy hands free operation (or other small electronics), but I'm working on getting dashboard mounts. Also, the rear cargo cover can use improvement, but to me that's a minor issue. One thing I can advise is to take a good look at the cargo area and try to imagine how all the stuff will fit. Take measurements if need be. Take a look at where the tracks are and where you might place the hooks if you need them.In reality I could have used a larger SUV, but I wanted to stay under $20K and near 30MPG. The Vibe basically met all my criteria.