Possibly buying a 2007 vibe soon and want advice

[redchicago]

Hi,I am possibly buying a 2007 vibe soon with 79k miles on it. My mechanic still needs to do the inspection before I purchase it, but I wanted to get feedback from other vibe owners on this site. Although the car might check out fine, my mechanic said he had a customer recently with a matrix who needed to replace the catalytic converter before 100k miles. Both the customer and my mechanic were shocked at the cost of $1600 to replace it ( i think that includes the labor).I'm worried about buying a vibe and having incredibly costly repairs in the near future.If anyone has feedback they could share with me, I'd greatly appreciate it.

[nerka]

That sounds insane...... CompareWalker Catalytic Converter 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe •Availability: In Stock•Fit Note: FWD, Ultra Model.•Warranty: Walker's 5-year or 50,000-mile structural integrity warranty•Brand: Walker•Part: Catalytic Converter•Part Number: WK93236•Low Price GuaranteeOur Price: $124.41 Quantity: Product Description:WALKER CATALYTIC CONVERTER -- 49-state legal; Not for sale or use in California; Cannot be shipped to California addresses; 2 in. inlet; 2 in. outlet; Single inlet and outlet configuration; 13.25 in. overall length; Oval stainless steel casing; Has broad application coverage; Features stainless steel body, aluminized expandable bushings and heat shield for enhanced strength and durability; Modification of the exhaust is required. This Product Fits the Following Vehicles:2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe 2003-2006: GT; 4Cyl 1.8L;2003-2007: Base; 4Cyl 1.8L;Less... •2003-2006: GT; 4Cyl 1.8L;•2003-2007: Base; 4Cyl 1.8L;

[northvibe]

what year matrix? the 03's had some cat issues. But theres 2 or 3 so if mine went bad I would just remove the bad one and put a straight pipe part in.The vibe for the most part is very reliable. My 04 was sold to my sister a few years back, has like 110k miles with zero major issues. Just standard maintenance done and my over analness for changing trans fluid, coolant, etc.

[BlueCrush]

That's crazy. Do they include dinner and Vaseline in that price too? They should at least buy dinner before they screw them.

[lovemyraffe]

Quote, originally posted by BlueCrush »That's crazy. Do they include dinner and Vaseline in that price too? They should at least buy dinner before they screw them. Agreed. $1600 for a cat is absurd. I've had my Vibe for 3 years now and only had to replace the intake manifold gasket and the MAF. Everything else I had to replace was my own fault.

[jkm311]

53k miles on my 2006 and I am only in need of a new belt tensioner. Even with labor, that's under $400.

[djkeev]

I purchase my 07 brand new off the lot with 16 miles on it. It now has 70,000 and I've changed the oil faithfully in the engine as well as the transmission (automatic).The items I've had to repair are......#1 uhhhhh, well, ......... ummmmm....... nothing.Possibly the best and most dependable car I've ever owned (and if you look at my list of cars in a post on this site the quantity has been considerable)Change the oils, and drive the sucker!!Dave

[redchicago]

Your comments make me feel better. I'll have to ask my mechanic about what he replaced on that Matrix and the year. All of your experiences with the vibe sound fine. I think the car has been well taken care of as well. One owner who did most of the maintenance himself and did it well.I know the Vibe has a toyota trans and motor, and I hope it is as dependable as a lot of other toyota transmissions and engines I've known. Pontiac and Toyota together seem like a good mix. My last car was a Pontiac Bonneville and I drove that car into the ground. When it finally met its end, I had put 272,000 miles on it...original trans and engine.I doubt the vibe will last to 272k miles, but I'd like to get close to 200k. Think that's possible with good care?

[redchicago]

One thing I wanted to know was what I would probably need to replace in the near future on this vibe. As far as i know, everything on the car is the original equipment that came with it new.

[vibenvy]

Quote, originally posted by redchicago »I doubt the vibe will last to 272k miles, but I'd like to get close to 200k. Think that's possible with good care?Read this!Also, if you do end up buying the Vibe, I see you're from Chicago. There are 6 or 7 members in the Chicagoland area that are all great people. We have already had one meet this year and we all had a blast. Perhaps you could join us for our next get together (whenever it may be) or even for the huge Vibe meet in Indy in July .Best of luck with whatever you decide .

[cptnsolo77]

Bought my Vibe @ 38K, I now have 95K. So far I have replaced a battery, starter, fan relay & 3 door handles. No major issues & im getting 28MPG with city/highway.