GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Hi, Everyone:I'm thinking about purchasing a new Vibe while the employee pricing discount is in effect. However, the posts about poor paint quality have me somewhat concerned. Is this still a recurring issue with the car or simply a flaw in the first couple of model years? Does Pontiac sell some sort of shield/deflector to protect the hood, etc?Also, has anyone chosen the cargo bin option for their car? Does this storage unit slide around on the plastic floor? Would I be wise to also purchase the cargo mat?Thanks for your help!

I have had my '05 vibe for a couple months (just around 5000 km). The paint seems pretty good but I have found that it scatches easily. I have some stone chips but all cars do. I drive mostly highway. The handles do not have a protector around them so everytime I put my fingers in the handle to open it I am careful to not scratch the paint with them. My daughter is not so careful. I have those little scratches in the paint that can be buffed out. But so far that is it for the paint.As for the cargo bin, I did not get one. I bought an aftermarket one from crappy tire and it works well. And the car mat issue, there is a guy on here who made one out of an outdoor carpet from Home Depot. Looks amazing and works well. Costs $15.00. I don't remember the thread but it is on here in I think in the interior section. Complete with instruction.

The factory storage bin comes with two sets of "feet" that you stick on yourself -- one velcro (if you have the carpet for back there) and one rubber. It doesn't slide around once you put those on.

Quote, originally posted by baass » The handles do not have a protector around them so everytime I put my fingers in the handle to open it I am careful to not scratch the paint with them. My daughter is not so careful. I have those little scratches in the paint that can be buffed out. But so far that is it for the paint.Get a small bottle of buffing compound at your local autoparts store and put a pea sized amount on a clean rag, wipe the marks with the rag in a circular motion and they will dissapear for the most part, follow up with a little bit of wax over the area.

I have gotten ride of the tiny scratches several times and I have Maquire's wax on the car. But those nail marks, they just keep appearing. I'm going to end up down to metal if I keep using the buffer in the same spot.

I've had paint problems with the rocker panels, especially on the drivers door, chipping. I know of another 05 with the same issue.So this is still an issue. There was a post about GM's addressing of known problems, and it said the paint wouldn't get addressed until the 2007 model.

Some news from thecarconnection.com 7/15/05:"GM, Toyota Investing in NUMMI General Motors and Toyota Motor Corp. will spend roughly $143 million to upgrade the joint-venture NUMMI plant in California. The New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) facility currently builds the Pontiac Vibe, Toyota Corolla, and Toyota Tacoma. The improvements will be made over the next five years; the first upgrades will be to the plant's paint shop, which will be renovated by 2007. Company officials have not confirmed the report, which originated in the Japanese daily newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun. NUMMI opened in 1984 and built nearly 381,000 vehicles last year, the Journal adds."http://www.thecarconnection.co....htmlIf they are investing money to improve the paint shop, hopefully paint quality will improve.

Quote, originally posted by micbarric »Some news from thecarconnection.com 7/15/05:"GM, Toyota Investing in NUMMI General Motors and Toyota Motor Corp. will spend roughly $143 million to upgrade the joint-venture NUMMI plant in California. The New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) facility currently builds the Pontiac Vibe, Toyota Corolla, and Toyota Tacoma. The improvements will be made over the next five years; the first upgrades will be to the plant's paint shop, which will be renovated by 2007. Company officials have not confirmed the report, which originated in the Japanese daily newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun. NUMMI opened in 1984 and built nearly 381,000 vehicles last year, the Journal adds."http://www.thecarconnection.co....htmlIf they are investing money to improve the paint shop, hopefully paint quality will improve. There was another posting on feedback on issues from GM, which stated that the paint would be improved for the 2007 model year.

Quote, originally posted by baass » The handles do not have a protector around them so everytime I put my fingers in the handle to open it I am careful to not scratch the paint with them. You could go to your local Sprawl-mart and get some of the clear Mac-Tac or any other clear shelf liner.Cut out a couple of pieces to fit the inside contour behind the exterior door pull, and stick them on.That will help protect the paint there, and not be too noticeable.