New Vibe Owner Reporting In

[NawlinsJay]

Hey everyone. I just wanted to report in as one of the newest Vibe owners on the block. I picked up my Vibe on Tuesday, and I love it.My initial decision to check out this category of vehicle was mostly utilitarian... I drive a lot for work... need more space than a sedan (for work stuff on the weekdays, and fun stuff on the weekends)... I am all about good fuel economy and low(er) emissions... and I needed something affordable. I knew when I saw the Vibe, however, that it was going to be fun to own and drive, too.Of course, when I found a used '04 with less only 550 miles on it (dealer repurchase), I wasn't so worried about shopping around for the exact configuration for me... Base with automatic and power were my minimum requirements, and that's exactly what I got!Anyhow... I'm hoping y'all can suggest a few ideas to help me customize my Vibe (it doesn't even have a name yet). I'm a newbie who's never modified ANYTHING on ANY vehicle before in his life, so I'm not about to install the supercharger... but maybe some inexpensive and not-too-difficult starter mods to make it my own?Anyhow, I can already tell that this site will be a great resource... I'm headed to Lowe's tomorrow to give this a try:http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=1366 NawlinsJayBoston, MA

[AKLGT]

good start on mods!and welcome to genvibe. i hope you enjoy your stay here! and thanks for posting a pic!

[ragingfish]

Welcome aboard!Glad to see another Boston member...I've been actively trying to find some space up there for a meet. I lived in Boston for 2 years, and miss it dearly. I think Boston would be a stellar place for a meet. If only we could park cars on the Esplanade...As to customization...well, there's several routes you can go. In terms of simply aesthetics, GrafxWerks makes vinyl decals that can customize your ride. From overlays, which are available in reflective and non-reflective finishes, and simply stick to existing badges and such...they're great. They also make vinyl decals for other uses - windshield banners, etc. I even had a custom Canada decal made. And the best part is, the vinyl is removeable, so if you ever get tired of it, you can peel off and start over...Here a sample of two of my overlays: Reflective at night: Now if you're talking handling and performance changes, that's more fun, and much more satisfying. The lowest-cost and simplest modifications IMHO are lowering springs and a cold air intake system. I personally bought Tein S.Tech springs, but have not had a chance to install them yet. I will hopefully have them installed in August. But lowering about 2", from what I'm told, can make a significant improvement in handling. After all, the Vibe is tall, and dropping the COG 2" can make a big difference.I also have an Injen CAI, and am very happy with it. Runs about $250, and gives you a good 7 extra horses. Especially in the upper power bands, so when passing or going uphill, it helps with the sometimes prevalant lag. Then again, bopping the O/D button off and on can do the same thing. But come on, that's the wussy way to do it. And prior to the Vibe, I had NO mechanical no how. I'm ashamed to admit I couldn't even check my own oil. Since I got it, I've installed horns, installed an air intake, installed an aftermarket radio system, removed the dashboard, removed the front bumper, and much much more. This car is a BLAST to work on!If you have any questions, hesitate not to ask here. But always search before you ask, because you'll likely get faster answers if it already has been covered.

[kostby]

Welcome to the encyclopedia of Vibe! Your new baby is barely broken in--congrats on the new car.

[AKLGT]

kostby, you crack me up! you're signature changes as often as mine!

[Psychobroker]

Welcome aboard!

[Fialchar]

Welcome to Genvibe As already listed, a cold-air intake and some lowering springs will be some simple, cheap performance mods. You can either use a short ram intake, or a full cold-air intake. The full gives better performance, and the short ram is easier to install.Another cheap mod is getting aftermarket ground wires installed. A few others you might wish to consider would be getting Unorthodox pulleys. If you have any questions, there's more Vibe knowledge here than at a dealership.

[scherry2]

Welcome to genvibe. enjoy the stay.

[Triton]

Congratulation on your purchase and welcome to GenVibe!

[Mr. Poopypants]

Congrats and Welcome.

[ArcsVibe]

Welcome to genvibe! Looking forward to more pics of your ride.Bruins RULE!

[VIBERAITOR]

Welcome. Hope you enjoy your new ride

[justb68]

Congrats on the Vibe!I just picked up mine on Tuesday, also! I actually look forward to driving to work now!This is a great site. It helped a lot with my decision to purchase a Vibe. I joined up this week and have found some really useful information - such as ordering my mud flaps!

[AKLGT]

great to see so many new members! guess we're keeping this site pretty busy if it's popping up on the search engines a lot! good job everyone! welcome to gvc!

[Celtic_Curse]

Welcome to Genvibe, good choice on color.

[Jahntassa]

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »And prior to the Vibe, I had NO mechanical no how. I'm ashamed to admit I couldn't even check my own oil. Since I got it, I've installed horns, installed an air intake, installed an aftermarket radio system, removed the dashboard, removed the front bumper, and much much more. This car is a BLAST to work on!Don't forget that remote-start system! But I second everything that's been said, if you have a question, more than likely, it's been covered! So try that Search tool at the top of the forum, and if you still can't find it, ask! We're all quite knowledgable, and someone will definitely be able to explain things so you can figure it out!Again, welcome to GenVibe!