About to buy

vibepa · Post by **vibepa** » Wed May 19, 2004 11:26 am

Hey all, I am planning on purchusing a 2004 Vibe in either July or August or sooner if I run out of patietence. I am waiting till then because I beleive I will get the best deal possible. SInce the 2005 will start hit the salesroom floor at that time. The thing is I am un-decided on getting a AWD or FWD vibe, I live in PA so the AWD will come in handy at time but will be restricted with the aftermarket mods I can make to it. To those that have a AWD vibe and have experience with it in the snow I would like your feedback if you have the time.Also I plan on getting the sport package:SPORT PACKAGE FASCIA EXTENSIONS SIDE ROCKER EXTENSIONS ROOF & MIDGATE SPOILER I was wondering I haven't seen one on any dealers lot yet so I have no idea what it actually looks like. So to those that have this package and to those that seen it does it look good and is it worth the 1800 dollars to the base price? Thank you Vibepa

wicked1981 · Post by **wicked1981** » Wed May 19, 2004 11:41 am

Here are pics of the sports package. NICE!

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wicked1981 · Post by **wicked1981** » Wed May 19, 2004 11:43 am

2

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wicked1981 · Post by **wicked1981** » Wed May 19, 2004 11:44 am

3. Hope this helps. by the way WELCOME!!!

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Mavrik · Post by **Mavrik** » Wed May 19, 2004 12:21 pm

With the lack of aftermarket kits, go with the one for the Vibe, its awsome. I wish I had gotten it... still might and install myself.Unless your in snow country, the fwd handles just fine.

vibepa · Post by **vibepa** » Wed May 19, 2004 12:27 pm

Well it does snow here but I never had a problem getting around with my 2000 impalla so I probably go with FWD. Thank you for the pics, it does add something to the appearance to the car. I wish they offered it in Fusion color but salsa looks nice also.

Herb · Post by **Herb** » Wed May 19, 2004 2:18 pm

Quote, originally posted by vibepa Â»Hey all, I am planning on purchusing a 2004 Vibe in either July or August or sooner if I run out of patietence. I am waiting till then because I beleive I will get the best deal possible. SInce the 2005 will start hit the salesroom floor at that time. The thing is I am un-decided on getting a AWD or FWD vibe, I live in PA so the AWD will come in handy at time but will be restricted with the aftermarket mods I can make to it. To those that have a AWD vibe and have experience with it in the snow I would like your feedback if you have the time.VibepaI don't know what it's like out there but I know around where I am, AWD and GTs are harder to find on dealer lots. If you want a 2004 AWD you should probably start looking to see where they're at.

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Wed May 19, 2004 2:30 pm

Don't wait TOO long, the 05 model is already hitting showroom floors now, so 04's are going to quickly become harder to find!

vibepa · Post by **vibepa** » Wed May 19, 2004 4:35 pm

I think the front of the 2004 is alot better than the 2005. Also I could do with out all those extra features.

Mavrik · Post by **Mavrik** » Wed May 19, 2004 8:12 pm

You can get the body kit in fusion, the dealership I work at tried to sell me on that body kit and my Vibe is fusion. (see sig for pics)

Jahntassa · Post by **Jahntassa** » Wed May 19, 2004 10:10 pm

Plus you'd probably have to wait until later in 2005 to get the same kind of deals you would the 2004. I've noticed that most of us tend to be late-model-year-buyers... (Got my 03 GT in 7/03

)

jake75 · Post by **jake75** » Wed May 19, 2004 11:29 pm

IMO - If you are going to keep a car a long time, then it might make sense to get a 2004 at an end of the model year price. If you trade every 3 years, then you will be as well or better off getting a 2005 as it will be worth that much more at trade-in time. I was looking at a 2003 T&C in late summer 2003. Decided to wait for the 2004's. By the end of October I was able to buy the 2004 for what the 2003 woudl have cost in July. I think that the automakers are going to have to maintain or increase incentive deals to keep the factories running at least in the near term. Once the 04's are gone, I am sure the '05 will be sold near the same price.

russ257 · Post by **russ257** » Wed May 19, 2004 11:59 pm

i have an awd and it does great in the snow. i never drove a base in the snow so i really cant compair

wicked1981 · Post by **wicked1981** » Wed May 19, 2004 11:59 pm

Quote, originally posted by Jahntassa Â»Plus you'd probably have to wait until later in 2005 to get the same kind of deals you would the 2004. I've noticed that most of us tend to be late-model-year-buyers... (Got my 03 GT in 7/03

)I picked mine up Nov 03...

Stang2Vibe · Post by **Stang2Vibe** » Thu May 20, 2004 2:08 am

I have a GT and have had really no problems in the snow with a decent set of snow tires on. I'm used to putting snow tires on in the winter, as I feel that it is the best way to go around here.And for finding a reasonable supply of AWD or GT's, that doesn't really seem to be a problem in this region. I would be concerned about finding the exact options that I wanted if I were you though. Many other car buyers out there are thinking the same way you are and waiting for the new models to hit the lots to get deals on last year's leftovers. As soon as the prices drop, find the one that you want and snag it fast or it will probably be gone. Good luck finding the Vibe that you want and welcome to the forums! Hope to see you around here.

jake75 · Post by **jake75** » Thu May 20, 2004 2:50 am

Did the prices on the 2003's drop last year at the start of the 2004 model year - more than perhaps a $200 extra dealer discount? My recollection is thet the major difference was that the new 2004's had a lesser rebate for a (short) while.

Mike-NC · Post by **Mike-NC** » Thu May 20, 2004 3:06 am

Don't forget that you may get the conquest $. ($1000). I am sure those will run out soon on the 2004.These are available to dealers to use at their discretion, so ask about it at your dealer. They only get a certain #, based on sales volume.

hjwii · Post by **hjwii** » Thu May 20, 2004 4:13 am

Just an observation, but....When I tried to buy a 2004, I wanted M&T, power pkg and 5 speed. This was about 4 weeks ago. After a trip to 5 local dealers, I was told there were none to be found - everyone was gearing up for the 2005s. So, now I await a 2005, but that's another story in itself...

kostby · Post by **kostby** » Thu May 20, 2004 4:18 am

Welcome to Genvibe, the Encyclopedia of Vibe!In my experience, most cars remaining on dealer lots by July/August tend toward one of two extremes:1) Stripped with no options beyond standard factory equipment. (Not necessarily such a bad thing, since the base Vibes are pretty well equipped with A/C and CD/AM/FM)2) Loaded with every conceivable option, including some you may not want to pay for.I'd suggest that you go to http://www.pontiac.com, 'Build' your ideal 2004 Vibe, and then use the 'Find' function to see how many AWD's are actually out there on dealer lots in your area.Don't forget to check ebaymotors.com. Some dealers are selling new and low-mileage AWD Vibes there.

vibepa · Post by **vibepa** » Thu May 20, 2004 7:57 am

Thanx for all your replies I found the vibe that I want only 9.7 miles away from me. I will be going to the dealership a week or so to check it out.

ColonelPanic · Post by **ColonelPanic** » Thu May 20, 2004 9:33 am

Quote, originally posted by jake75 Â»IMO - If you are going to keep a car a long time, then it might make sense to get a 2004 at an end of the model year price. If you trade every 3 years, then you will be as well or better off getting a 2005 as it will be worth that much more at trade-in time.I agree with you... The way I look at it, if you buy a 2004 now, since the 2005's are out, the car will be one year old by book value if not now, it will be by a month or two. Even if it has zero miles. I've been burned by doing this, only worse than just a one year model difference. I bought a leftover '98 Malibu LS brand new back in the spring of '99, only had 36 miles on the clock. It only took a couple months for it to become two years old, by book value standards. I ended up not getting the deal I thought, and I had already signed on the x when I realized I was getting screwed. And the resale value really put me in a bind that I still pay for to this day. My mistake, and I've definitely learned from it.But, if you're gonna keep the car for a while, and can find an '04 acceptible to your preferences, go for it... Especially if the deal is very, very good. Which will more than likely be the case, they really want to push out those old units this time of year. Just be sure you find exactly what you want.Whatever you decide, I'm sure that most of us agree that there is a good chance you'll be very pleased with your purchase! Keep us posted, and welcome aboard!

noginsk · Post by **noginsk** » Thu May 20, 2004 9:49 am

Quote, originally posted by silverawd26 Â»I say go with the 2005, don't follow the flock.I like some of the new changes, the traction control, tire pressure monitoring system, leather, onstar.....2006 should be a shocker!Why? What do you know about the 2006 model?

ColonelPanic · Post by **ColonelPanic** » Thu May 20, 2004 9:59 am

IIRC, rumour has it the Vibe will be redesigned for '06... More than just the simple front-end reskin we get for '05.

jake75 · Post by **jake75** » Thu May 20, 2004 10:25 am

QUOTE: "Thanx for all your replies I found the vibe that I want only 9.7 miles away from me. I will be going to the dealership a week or so to check it out."What makes you so sure it will still be there in a "week or so".

vibepa · Post by **vibepa** » Thu May 20, 2004 11:58 am

Well I hope it is. Since I got to take care of some of things with my trade in. I am trading in a 2000 Chevy Impala with 74055 miles on it, the thing is I got a check engine light on that wont go away eventhough my mechanic says there is nothing wrong with the car. I want to take care of that before I bring my car in to the dealership. Besides that my car is in great shape and hope I will get 6k for it. I am going to the dealership on Saturday and check it out and maybe see what they will give me for my car.

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Thu May 20, 2004 4:00 pm

i have an 03 GT and i live in ALASKA.... if you are worried about snow... well.... we get snow here. w/ good snow tires or studded tires, FWD is no prob. i'm sure the awd would be nice at times, but awd= 123 hp auto vs GT=180 hp 6 speed... i went with the GT! and yes, def get the sport appearance package fr the dealer installed so you can roll it into your pmts... had i been smarter, i'd have had the dealer order it and include that on my final ticket along w/ a sunroof! oh well.... life goes on.

vibepa · Post by **vibepa** » Thu May 20, 2004 7:02 pm

I would be getting the GT also but I don't know how to drive stick =/

jake75 · Post by **jake75** » Fri May 21, 2004 5:35 am

Quote, originally posted by vibepa Â»Well I hope it is. Since I got to take care of some of things with my trade in. I am trading in a 2000 Chevy Impala with 74055 miles on it, the thing is I got a check engine light on that wont go away eventhough my mechanic says there is nothing wrong with the car. I want to take care of that before I bring my car in to the dealership. Besides that my car is in great shape and hope I will get 6k for it. I am going to the dealership on Saturday and check it out and maybe see what they will give me for my car.Why not take it in with the engine light on - they'll probably tell you what it is for free as they'll need to do that in evaluating the trade-in value.

vibepa · Post by **vibepa** » Sat May 22, 2004 2:59 am

Well just got back from the dealership. The Vibe I want is just stunning. Abyss with Sport package, exhaust tip, Moon and tunes, Power and protection as it options with the sticker price of 22,900. But here is the thing, before I went to the dealership I stoped by my local garage to get the daignostic read-out of the check engine light. Well I am not a car guy so I have no clue about these things but the codes that it gave are at follows.200 Chevy Impala LS V3 3.8lP0102- Mass Air Flow sensor- not to bad might just be the wiring or the fuseP1811-Shift at Max- I have no clue what this one is about, if anyone can explain this to me it would be appreciated.I am going to be taking it this week to my regular mechanic to get these two issues fixed and depending on the bill it will determine if I get my Vibe. If I am going to sink more than 500 dollars to get these two items fixed I am going to keep my car, pointless of spending money on the car just to get a better trade in valueVibepa

jake75 · Post by **jake75** » Sat May 22, 2004 5:07 am

Life is really on the edge if a $500 difference in the value of a 4-5 year old trade-in makes the diffeecnein whether or not to buy a new $20,000 car.

SWiRv · Post by **SWiRv** » Sat May 22, 2004 5:45 am

Dude, trade in the old car and get the GT! Go to AAA and take a short course on driving manual transmissions or find a very trustworthy buddy to show you. Winter tires definitely make a difference in the snow especially for a front wheel drive vehicle.

VibeChick · Post by **VibeChick** » Sat May 22, 2004 7:49 am

Quote, originally posted by SWiRv Â»Dude, trade in the old car and get the GT! Go to AAA and take a short course on driving manual transmissions or find a very trustworthy buddy to show you. Winter tires definitely make a difference in the snow especially for a front wheel drive vehicle.Yeah, I agree! I had a one hour lesson before I got my new manual vibe...been driving it now for a few weeks - no problem! It's really not hard to learn...just takes practice.

vibepa · Post by **vibepa** » Sat May 22, 2004 9:25 am

Well I think I lack the coordination for a stick shift so I will stick with the automatic. Jake75, It is just my personal choice in the matter.

vibepa · Post by **vibepa** » Thu May 27, 2004 7:01 am

Well I took my car in to the dealership with the check light on it anyways. My mechanic informed me that it would be around 200.oo to repair the MAF. I figured why put the money into the car when I am going to trade it in.I went in expecting that I would not get what I want for the car or even near it. To my surprise I got more than what I wanted.SO tommorow I will be picking up a 2004 Satelite Vibe, moon and tunes, sport package, muffler tip, and power packagsticker price 22,903.00price i paid 9,054.79I could not pass up this eal so I bought on the spot

AKLGT · Post by **AKLGT** » Thu May 27, 2004 7:36 am

well, your impala is still relatively new model even w/ high miles. they will prob do an inspection, clean it up and can easily turn around and sell for a nice profit! but that trade in and finance amt is very very nice! def get us some pics when you get your new vibe!

vibepa · Post by **vibepa** » Thu May 27, 2004 8:02 am

Will take pictures tommorow when I pic it uo

jake75 · Post by **jake75** » Thu May 27, 2004 12:52 pm

Hey VibePA - didn't Jake tell ya not to waste your time and $$ and just take it in with the light on? Ya done good. Look at it this way. You traded a car with 75,000 miles for a new one for $9,055. Figure the Vibe is worth a $2,500 less than the a new Impala. That's still about 15 cents a mile depreciation on your trade. I paid $9,100 plus tax etc. to trade a '01 PT with 26,000 miles for a '04 T&C MSRP $24,465. [24,465 - 5,965 disc/rebates - 9,400 trade = 9,100]. Anyway I figure that PT cost me 35 cents a mile depreciation. It was worth it though. Plan on keeping my '03 Vibe and '04 T&C for longer than 3 years this time.

vibepa · Post by **vibepa** » Thu May 27, 2004 1:11 pm

Yes you did, lol thanx for the advice.

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