GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Hey Everyone I'm working on the Vibe, for Pontiac, and need YOUR help. We want to better understand the 'tuner' phenomenon out there and would love to hear your thoughts on the following… What got you into it to begin with?How would you describe what’s so interesting about it to your friends that aren’t into the tuner phenom yet?What does your vehicle say about you?What would be the benefit(s) of owning a Vibe over other, more popular tuner vehicles, like Civics? Over the Matrix?Any interest in the Vibe "Sport Package" (with side rockers, etc., already installed)?What are the “do’s” and “man, don’t even bother’s” in advertising a car as a potentially good tuner vehicle to you? Has any car company done a kick-*** job at it yet?Specifically related to the Vibe, what would be a turn-off if it showed up in an ad?Where do you go (besides this site) to find out the latest? What about magazines?What tuner related events/groups/shows, if any, have you attended in the last year?What are a few other things that you’re really into besides your vehicle?I know, I know, lots of questions. But, ANY feedback as soon as you get the chance would be greatly appreciated.Thanks!!!

Welcome to the forum. Can you tell us what you do specifically with the Vibe for Pontiac?I'm sure many will post their opinions.. be sure to browse The Vibe Lounge and use Search to see other past topics on many of these questions you have.

Sweet we have a market survey being done on us!!My first question is when is the dress down kit for the roof rack coming out! But seriously, like Nsimkins said most of your answers are posted all over the site.

quote:Hey Everyone I'm working on the Vibe, for Pontiac, and need YOUR help. We want to better understand the 'tuner' phenomenon out there... So would I. What's the "tuner" phenomenon?

quote:Hey Everyone I'm working on the Vibe, for Pontiac, and need YOUR help. We want to better understand the 'tuner' phenomenon out there... So would I. What's the "tuner" phenomenon?I think he's refering to modifying the car by lowering it, changing muffler, headers, nitro, etc. Fast & Furious like.Lots of money for the aftermarket suppliers.

Ok I'll bite - I’ve been into customizing vehicles since I needed new shocks on my ’89 MR2. Going to change shocks so I might as well upgrade, might as well change springs while they’re out. Since the susp. is apart – may as well change the bushings. Shift Kit, diff, clutch, new wheels and tires. That sucker sure did corner… “Tuning” means I didn’t really care for the factory “compromise” or "cost-cutter" set-up. It’s my chance to play car-designer with my own model. It reflects the features that are important to me. Vibe over Honda, VW, Mazda was easy – The vibe is the most practical car you can buy with a 6-speed (cheapest too, I think). Vibe over Matrix was a matter of looks (better to me). To me, tuning is best when you find something available that you always thought your car needed. I look through SCC, Turbo, and sometimes import tuner to find what’s available. I haven’t done much to my vibe yet, but as the warranty period nears and more parts are available…“Good advertising” is when there’s lots of companies carrying accessories. “Bad advertising” is the Saturn “3rd door” commercial. That guy was a doof and the commercial definitely didn’t interest me in a Saturn (even though the feature was neat). I’ll buy a kit if it has a lot of the stuff I want and it’s a much better deal than buying the pieces one at a time. Or if there’s a lot of engineering involved. I’m not planning on buying the sport kit because you’ll probably charge me twice what they cost on a new Vibe or from Xenon / Wings West. If there was something you could do to offset the “penalty” for buying a Vibe early, I might reconsider. I prefer the “aggressor”, “avenger” or “samurai” look anyway. If you really want to help tuners – call some of the companies that post here (or matrixvibe.net) wanting to prototype on somebody’s car or looking for 10 orders to get started. Honda does well because there’s a lot of cheap, but high quality stuff (fits right) out there (none of which if factory). The shops we’ve heard from all start prototyping Honda stuff as soon as scans are available. I assume Honda helps them with these. Into – electronics, home improvement, travel, golf, sports, motorcycling, computers, etc.

OK Timoteo, I helped you, now you help me :Any scoop on future availability of mods? Supercharger for GT, 18" wheels (like TRD), v-6 crate motor, that sort of thing?Have you guys heard from Toyota if there's more horsepower coming for the 2004 Celica?That kind of information would really fire up some of the maniacs on this board (nobody I know, ofcourse).

The main thing you have to consider is that true tuners want to make their car unique, perform differently, and portray a certain image. Making the car highly customizable, rather than from factory wannabe, should be a big aspect of the deal. Putting out kits and performance parts is great, and lets people put in their own personal touches and preferences. People want selection, thats why the Civic is so popular. You can make it into anything you want because it is so easy and convenient to do. What am I into? My job, family, and driving excitement of course! The Vibe gives me room for everyone, cargo and roof rack for my long trips, and all the advantages of a larger car.

[QUOTE]Hey Everyone I'm working on the Vibe, for Pontiac, and need YOUR help. We want to better understand the 'tuner' phenomenon out there and would love to hear your thoughts on the following… What got you into it to begin with?"THE GRAN TURISMO VIDEO GAME FOR THE PLAYSTATION BACK IN 1998 GOT ME INTO THE TUNER PHENOMENON"How would you describe what’s so interesting about it to your friends that aren’t into the tuner phenom yet?"BETTER PERFORMANCE AND A CUSTOMIZE CAR TO SUIT YOUR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OR WANTS"What does your vehicle say about you? A LEADER NOT A FOLLOWERWhat would be the benefit(s) of owning a Vibe over other, more popular tuner vehicles, like Civics? Over the Matrix?"THIS IS A TOTALLY NEW KIND OF CAR ON THE ROAD TODAY. I WOULD PREFER TO TUNE SOMETHING NEW THAN THAT OF SOMETHING ALREADY DONE."Any interest in the Vibe "Sport Package" (with side rockers, etc., already installed)?"PLAN TO GET THE ENTIRE SPORT PACKAGE HOPEFULLY BY SPRING AND I DO MEAN HOPEFULLY"Specifically related to the Vibe, what would be a turn-off if it showed up in an ad?"LOW HORSEPOWER"Where do you go (besides this site) to find out the latest? What about magazines?"SPORT COMPACT CAR"What tuner related events/groups/shows, if any, have you attended in the last year?"HOT CARS, COOL NIGHTS LAST SUMMER IN PONTIAC MICHIGAN AND THE DETROIT AUTO SHOW EVERY YEAR"What are a few other things that you’re really into besides your vehicle?RACING GAMES ETC.

I will say one thing. The only reason why I purchased the Vibe is because of the $2,000 cash back. The mornig I went to the dealer to buy my Vibe a Toyota dealer called me to sell me an XR Matrix with the sport package for $15,200. 2G's below MSRP!!! I paid a little more for my vibe, but it was a hard decision. I really think that Pontiac needs to rethink their pricing of the Vibe. An AWD Matrix starts almost 4 Grand less than the Vibe's? That is too big of a price gap. Just my 2 cents.

Any more comments/feedback?Keep 'em coming please. It's all great learning.Thankstim

quote:What got you into it to begin with?The room is what attracted my wife to the car, that and the gas mileage. She told me about it and I liked the way it looked. Went for a test drive and loved it. I liked the fact I'll be able to mod it.quote:How would you describe what’s so interesting about it to your friends that aren’t into the tuner phenom yet?The look. It's a all new look that is really catching on.quote:What does your vehicle say about you?Not sure. I buy what I like and don't care what others think. quote:What would be the benefit(s) of owning a Vibe over other, more popular tuner vehicles, like Civics? Over the Matrix?First off everyone and the mother seems to own a Civic. I don't want what everyone else has. The Vibe might some day be as popular as the Civic and that's fine but I like the fact it's sporty and functional all at the same time. (Lots of room)My wife and I pisked the Vibe over the Matrix because as small as this is the seats are much more comfortable in the Vibe. The Vibe seats also are a little higher off the floor than the Matrix. The Vibe to me felt like it had more room for the driver and passanger up front. (Maybe I imagined this) but I still think so. The rear doors on the Vibe seemed to open up just a little wider than the Matrix and entering the Vibe from the rear doors was easier because of this.Also I like the look of the monotone Vibe much better than the Matrix. This is just my opinion so please no Matrix owners be upset with me but I feel the Vibe is sporty looking compared to the mini van look of the Matrix from the side.quote:Any interest in the Vibe "Sport Package" (with side rockers, etc., already installed)?[quote]Hell yes. I'm waiting for the 2004 model to become available and them I'll place my order. I'd like to order the Vibe from the factory with the body kit all ready installed. The supercharger all ready installed. (Since I'll be order a base Vibe 1ZZ-FE) Hopefully for the 2004 model different wheels will be available. I hate the wheels that are available on the 2003 model. This is actually one of the reasons I haven't ordered I Vibe yet. I'd love to see the GXP Vibe wheels made available for 2004 or something very close to it. It the wheels don't change I'll end up adding wheels after the purchase but I'd rather have sporty stock wheels so I don't have to worry about it. The 17" tires are great but the wheels have to go![quote]What are the “do’s” and “man, don’t even bother’s” in advertising a car as a potentially good tuner vehicle to you? Has any car company done a kick-*** job at it yet?Pontiac seems to lack in the ad department for getting people attention in a ad. I have seen some new 2003 Subaru Impreza WXR ads and I end up watching the whole ad. They show the vehicle being raced around conners, you can here the engine and at the same time they are telling you about the engine specs at the same time. This could be done in a Vibe and talk about the available supercharger.Mitsubishi has some cool ads that show there vehicles with popular music. That show the car from all angles while playing a song that is or will be playing on the radio soon. Then everytime you hear the song on the radio I all ways end up thinking about the ad I saw on TV. Very good idea since everytime you here the song you think of there car.quote:Specifically related to the Vibe, what would be a turn-off if it showed up in an ad?Showing the two tone Vibe. People I have talked to that see the Vibe for the first time in a two tone option seem to not like it. On the other hand people seeing the Vibe with it's monotone option like it. If the monotone option were not available I would own a Matrix. I hate it that much. The two tone look should go away. It looks very cheap to me.quote:Where do you go (besides this site) to find out the latest? What about magazines?Matrixs sitesMR2 sitesCorolla sitesCelica sitesGM sitesTons of aftermarket company websitesAs for mags, any that talk about the Matrix or Vibe I look at that article.quote:What tuner related events/groups/shows, if any, have you attended in the last year?None. Will of course start in the future. Hopefully when this site becomes very large in 2 or 3 years we can start holding our own events and shows. quote:What are a few other things that you’re really into besides your vehicle?Well my family would be first. My job in the U.S. Coast Guard would be second and all the great people that are members of genvibe.com would be my 3rd biggest thing I'm into. Genvibe.com is my online family.

Personally, and I think I may be a very small % of the people on this forum, I have no intentions of changing anything on my Vibe. I owned a 99 Civic before this and I had dreams of making drastic changes to it (for show only), but with the Vibe (at least the model I have), I don't feel the urge to make changes. I would make changes to the actual car itself for future models/years, but otherwise, I will keep my Vibe as is. I didn't even bother to get it tinted because I didn't want to spend the extra $$$.

Hey Everyone I'm working on the Vibe, for Pontiac, and need YOUR help. We want to better understand the 'tuner' phenomenon out there and would love to hear your thoughts on the following… What got you into it to begin with? Something new and different. How would you describe what’s so interesting about it to your friends that aren’t into the tuner phenom yet? There is so much you can do to make them HOT and FAST. Plus you don't have to spend a ton of cash to do it. What does your vehicle say about you? Right now.......NOT MUCH. I can't find any PONTIAC parts for my Vibe. Pontiac should take note from TRD and come up with a similar product line if they want to make $ and compete. People won't sit around and wait much longer. What would be the benefit(s) of owning a Vibe over other, more popular tuner vehicles, like Civics? Over the Matrix? Love the more aggressive look of Vibe over Matrix. Went out on a limb with the Vibe, as I've owned five Honda's. Hope it will be worth it. Any interest in the Vibe "Sport Package" (with side rockers, etc., already installed)? [Yea, I want one. What about that Supercharger????????? If your not going to make tuner parts for the car, then you need to get with some of the companies that do and get the products out there. Someone will get my $, weither its Pontiac or someone else is yet to be determined./B] What are the “do’s” and “man, don’t even bother’s” in advertising a car as a potentially good tuner vehicle to you? Has any car company done a kick-*** job at it yet? You guys need to get these concepts out of storage and get the to some of the shows, like NOPI Nationals and show off the potential. Seeing it on a piece of paper is nothing like being able to see it in person. Specifically related to the Vibe, what would be a turn-off if it showed up in an ad? [Marketing it totally to Gen Y or X. I'm 38 going on 20 and I love the Vibe so far. Kids aren't the only people who drive and fix up these type of cars./B] Where do you go (besides this site) to find out the latest? What about magazines? [ Sport Compact, Super Street, MartixVibe.org, NOPI.com/B] What tuner related events/groups/shows, if any, have you attended in the last year? None in 2002, but will goto several in 2003. What are a few other things that you’re really into besides your vehicle? Family Hope the input helps. Be sure to let us know..............Don

A tuner tends to be young, aspires to more uniqueness than he (they're mostly he's, right?) can afford, and is proud to get there a piece at a time. I'm 50, paid cash, and I read Consumer Reports. That said, I'm not so far from your market, since no one will tune a new model unless they can afford both the car and the parts. Plus, my wife says I drive like an 18-year-old. What does your vehicle say about you?At the moment, "willing to take a risk on a new model." What would be the benefit(s) of owning a Vibe over other, more popular tuner vehicles, like Civics? Over the Matrix?We engineers prefer current technology, functional configurations, and the Vibe looks better than the Matrix. But I'll probably buy parts from Toyota... Any interest in the Vibe "Sport Package" (with side rockers, etc., already installed)?I think it is a tad tacky, prefer a cleaner look, but paid for monotone and would also have paid for better appearance. What are the “do’s” and “man, don’t even bother’s” in advertising a car as a potentially good tuner vehicle to you? Has any car company done a kick-*** job at it yet?You almost have to advertise just the car -- any lifestyle statement is going to offend part of your audience. Specifically related to the Vibe, what would be a turn-off if it showed up in an ad?If it looked like a GM ad. Where do you go (besides this site) to find out the latest? What about magazines?Unless you reach me on the internet, you'll have to advertise in Business Week, Newsweek... What tuner related events/groups/shows, if any, have you attended in the last year?Zip What are a few other things that you’re really into besides your vehicle?Paragliding, skiing, soccer (add Paragliding Magazine to the above list, see ushga.org)Monotone GT, 17" wheels, power packagehttp://vibeowner.home.attbi.com

We want to better understand the 'tuner' phenomenon out there and would love to hear your thoughts on the following… What got you into it to begin with?Always wanted to understand mechanical stuff; took my toys apart when I was 4 to see what made them tick, put a lawnmower engine on my bike when I was 12 (47 years ago! -Not your typical Vibe owner, I think.), started hacking up my first new car ('70 Z-28) 5 min. after I got home with it...How would you describe what’s so interesting about it to your friends that aren’t into the tuner phenom yet?It's something I would only do with a vehicle that captured my interest and appealed strongly to me. Would never modify, say an "appliance" car like a Corolla. The changes are to bring the generic, compromised but basically superior design closer to my ideal, both for the performance results and to make a statement re my interests and capabilities.What does your vehicle say about you?"Man of unique and striking tastes, strong sense of exactly what he wants in a car, and the ability to find/create the elements to achieve results and project the desired image.What would be the benefit(s) of owning a Vibe over other, more popular tuner vehicles, like Civics? Over the Matrix?I was actually planning to get a Cavalier appliance car to replace my worn out '87 Pontiac/Suzuki Firefly, but realized how often I needed to carry bulky objects that wouldn't fit. The Vibe gave me that capability (but someone should have told the Japanese about 4' x 8' panels! -the diagonal measurement of the hatch is 46-1/2" and carrying panels on the roof calls for cut outs for the antenna!) along with sporty image and performance. Only after I had ordered it did I begin to consider it's potential for tweaking. (Being Canadian, I had lots of time to ponder this between order and delivery, as you will have read ad nauseum on this site...) Why not Matrix? Lower body styling of Matrix, GM loyalty (20 + new GM vehicles), $3,400 of GM Visa points burning a hole in my pocket...Any interest in the Vibe "Sport Package" (with side rockers, etc., already installed)?Elements of it, yes, but the whole nine yards is a little too "Batmobile" for me.What are the “do’s” and “man, don’t even bother’s” in advertising a car as a potentially good tuner vehicle to you? Has any car company done a kick-*** job at it yet?I've never seen an ad targeting, or even acknowledging, the tuner market. A good one would be a TV spot starting with a base Vibe, say monotone white, with a very prim & practical couple standing by, and intoning something like: "Some people see the Vibe as just a cute, practical and affordable car" (cut to rapid-fire shuffle of accessory parts flying into place and the actors' garb and grooming becoming much more laid back) "You see it as a blank canvas for your imagination. Vibe: More than just transportation."... A bad ad would have actors so freaky and outer fringe they would brand the car "for weirdos only". Specifically related to the Vibe, what would be a turn-off if it showed up in an ad?Trying too hard to be cool -it's the kiss of death! -Subtle hand (not the strong point of most ad agencies) required!Where do you go (besides this site) to find out the latest? What about magazines?Assorted car-related TV shows, a growing array of import-focused tuner mags (Translating from "Matrix mods", since no mainstream US car mags seem to have noticed the Vibe), sites like this, GM and TRD sites..What tuner related events/groups/shows, if any, have you attended in the last year?NoneWhat are a few other things that you’re really into besides your vehicle?Grandkids, travel, technical reading, motorsports, friends' project cars, retirement planning. (Like I said, not your typical Vibe customer, but maybe that's the point: Broad appeal!)Hope this helps!