Looking at Used vibe-what to look for?

[akwebb81]

Looking for a used vehicle for my wife, and the vibe fills exactly what we're looking for. I was just wondering what to be hypervigilant for when looking/driving these? I don't want one with over 50k miles, but there is an '03 GT 6-speed with 85k miles and is "fully loaded" with the sunroof, factory navigation, one owner and is being sold at the same dealer where it was bought new. They are asking 8999 for it. What is there to look for on these, especially a GT with the 6-speed? I was leaning more toward one with an AT and less miles on it for my wife, but what is your opinion? Thanks in advance!

[keithvibe]

the three that i can think of off the top of my head are one the clutch... there is no indication that they are due... just one day the car won't go in to gear... at the high millage that is one think i would look in to to have them replace.Second the navagation unit is WORTHLESS.. they haven't updated the maps since 03... so The last is the battery... they came from the factory with a crappy batteryAlso drive the car and make sure that lift ingages. hit 6200-6400 rmp and there will be surge of power...

[Whelan]

I bought my 05 Trix XR AWD with 29,000 on the odo. I bought it Certified Pre Owned from Toyota. Had to drive 2.5 hours to get it. But I personally like the CPO route. I did that for my Civic as well and you get a 7yr. 100k powertrain warranty on it which is a nice factor. Plus a 3 month 3k bumper to bumper in case things happen early on.They are very reliable cars all around. But I would check the following.-check the drivers side window switch panel to make sure the tabs are broken and it's in place as it should be.-Look under the car for rust or an exhaust and cat system that looks to be in bad shape.-Check under the hood at the fluids, belt, etc.-Drive the car, do a full test drive on side roads and highway to kinda get a feel for the car throughout the ranges, you can check the brakes, check the E-brake, acceleration, engine, etc.-Check all the lights, inside and out to make sure they work properly and have not been tampered or are out.-Look the car over for big scratches or dings that may not be easily repairable or cleaned off with the proper stuff.-Check the tires, be sure there is plenty of tread left on them and you are not buying something that was just put on the lot to sell quick.Again I did all of these even though the car was CPO, and personally for me, it's a good way to go.

[engineertwin2]

If she isn't big on shifting, don't get the GT. While I love shifting, the 6 gears are pretty tight so there's a lot of shifting to do in town if you want good fuel economy. The base model does get better gas mileage and unless your wife will be screaming the car up to redline a lot, there isn't a significant difference in power between the base and GT at low engine speeds (base has a little more torque).As with all used cars, especially higher mileage vehicles, I recommend an independent inspection. Sure, it will cost you about $100, but it gives you better leverage. I'd ask if you can try it out for the day, and during that day, have your wife drive it on her normal routes to see what she really thinks. Then take the car into a mechanic (with an appointment of course) to perform a vehicle inspection. Explain that you want to see what type of things need to be fixed or may need to be addressed soon. Should go a long way when negotiating with the dealership.Realistically, most people would get an inspection if they purchased from an independent/private seller, but for some reason they don't go through the same rigor when purchasing from a dealership. Even if it is certified pre-owned, that buys some comfort, but not enough to warrant not getting the inspection in my opinion.