Had Vibe GT for 6 months- A review . . .

[jacmol]

After driving the Vibe GT for 6 months and 2800 miles, here are my thoughts:I love the way the car handlesI found the cargo area very handy and use it oftenThe seats are very comfortableGas mileage is goodHandled OK in the snowShifter could be a bit more smoothMoon and Tune package was worth the money - use alotAC plug-ins are located in bad spots - can't plug in my cell phone adapterThe beeping in reverse doesn't bother meThe engine hesitates periodically just before reaching redline (cuts in and out)The entire dash seems loose and rattles like it needs tightening - drives me nutsThere is a buzzing noise comming from the defroster vent - drives me nutsUnder max acceleration, there is a vibration comming from the shift area - drives me nutsOverall, the car is a keeper. There are some good and bad things, just like any car. I wonder if some of the annoyances will go away over time?

[Triton]

I love my GT as well. I have had mine for 3 months and all the things you described in your car are exactly the same in mine, except for the vibration around the shift area and the defroster vents. Most of my noise in the dash went away when it warmed up. It seems like you could hear a lot of stuff when it was below 25 degrees. But like you said, the car is definately a keeper. I love mine.

[Zamboni Guy]

I am crossing my fingers and knocking on wood, but I have not found any unusual sounds yet (~700 miles to date). Have the sounds been there from the beginning?

[jacmol]

As far as the sounds go, the buzzing noise (sounds like a glass full of marbles vibrating) from the defroster vent has always been there. It buzzes as the engine rpms go up and down. If I coast with the clutch in, the noise goes away completely. This is the most annoying sound.The dash (always been there) does not seem to be attached securely primarily on the driver's side. When the car is cold, it rattles alot when going over bumps. I put my left hand on the top edge of the dash and give it a shove to make it go away - but never entirely. I wonder where the dash is attached. It makes me think that if I could find a bolt to tighten, it would fix the problem. If I grab the left side of the dash and push-pull, it moves back and forth visibly. The rattle goes away when the car warms up - perhaps it expands.The noise I get when accelerating strongly (always been there) comes especially when the lift engages. Instead of having the pleasure of listening to the engine revs going up, you get alot of vibration sounds that seem to come from the shifter area. Like there is alot of plastic I can't see that vibrates when the engine revs up. The reson I bought the Vibe GT was because of the high reving 4 cylinder engine. The Vibe replaced my stolen Acura Integra Type-R which had a redline even higher than the Vibe (1.8L and 8600 redline). Absolutely no noises from the Type-R - Very tight auto. Darn Thieves!!I'm going to have the dealer look at the problems when I bring it in for an oil change.

[bh357]

So far, I haven't had any noises coming from the shifter. I do have the buzzing coming from the vents though. When I took it to the dealer, they told me that it is the plastic cowl piece (under the wipers at the base of the windshield) thats vibrating. They attempted to fix using some double sided tape, which lasted about a day. Another dealer I spoke with said they use butyl to isolate this. I just need to get motivated to bring the car back to the dealer.I'll have had my car for a year next month, and am already over 25,000 miles. I love the car so far, especially the sound the engine makes when the lift kicks in. So far my main gripes have been the squeaks and rattles, the *^$$($% automatic headlights, and the lack of low end torque. Overall, this is a great little car. Fun to drive. Equally adept at hauling stuff and hauling @$$.

[bh357]

Oh, I almost forgot, the "Tires-O-Death" are especially interesting in the snow. BTW, I have the optional 17"ers with the summer tires. And, yes, I live in Michigan

[jacmol]

After your reply, I took a look under the hood. The plastic piece under the windshield wipers makes since to me. There is a gap right in the middle which could vibrate with the engine. I'm going to take a small binder clip to it and see if the buzz goes away. If it does, I might drill a couple of small holes and put a fastener across the gap anchored by small bolts. We'll see.

[abronco1]

bh357 where in MI? I go to school in kalamazoo, but I'm from Rochester. Btw....I'm getting the 17 inch rims also....hopefully have my car by this monday!!!! I can't wait! What sort of rim size and tires do you use for the snow?-Eric

[Triton]

I am looking to get 17" Enkei rims for my car hopefully this summer. I am from Michigan as well, but I want another set of rims and tires to swap for different seasons.

[bh357]

abronco1,I live in Imlay City. This past winter, I used the "Tires-O-Death" in the snow. What color/trim/options are you getting? I have an Abyss monotone GT.

[abronco1]

bh357 I am getting the Neptune 2-tone 5-speed manual, ABS, Power Package, it's a dealer trade, and I'm getting the rebates that are good through march....so I couldn't be too picky. But I am definitely interested in purchasing your rims if no one else has. I would even be willing to pick them up in person (if you wouldn't mind). We can always discuss details later if it works out...-Eric

[meathead333]

theres a beeping sound, when you reverse?? is it loud, i havent noticed it yet on mine.

[Triton]

quote:theres a beeping sound, when you reverse?? is it loud, i havent noticed it yet on mine.It's only on the GT's. It is a safety feature because of where the reverse gear is located. You have to push the shifter as far to the left as possible and up. They don't want someone to mistake it for first gear or have somebody think they are in first when they are actually in reverse. Base Vibe's trasmissions are set up different so the beeping is required.

[ragingfish]

Hey guys...Check this thread, it seems that someone has already found and resolved the mysterious rattle under the defroster vents...http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=2522