GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I know you get a lot of these kinds of posts, but I was hoping I could get some answers/opinions about the Vibe itself, and in relation to other cars.My main questions (briefly):a.) What do you think of the Vibe's interior quality, comfort, ride quality, sound dampening, and overall "refinement"?In comparison to other cars in this price range ($17k-$22k US)?b.) What makes the Vibe preferable over other options you can get for the same money? (i.e. lower end midsizes, maxed out compact sedans, low-end compact SUVs.)c.) How about reliability, in general?---In detail (if you want to read more): I'm currently driving a '98 Cavalier LS 150hp Auto ABS/traction/airbags power locks/windows, keyless entry. Only put on 60,000 miles in ~8 years. I'm reasonably happy with it, it's been pretty reliable (only replaced tires, battery, a few recall fixes, no real problems). It has a fair amount of room, for being a compact sedan, performs well enough. My few complaints: The Cavalier (at least that year/model) has some really poor crash test scores. It lets in quite a bit of road/wind/engine noise. It doesn't soak up bumps in the road all that well. Occasionally (though not that frequently) I'd like to be able to fit some bigger items in the car, which is why I've been considering a wagon/hatchback sedan as an option.I've been sorta looking to "upgrade" to something a bit better. With the Vibe, I'd probably get a new Base FWD, Auto, ABS, Traction, Side airbags, power package, block heater, possibly MP3 1CD, Monotone appearance. (This ends up around $20.5k-21.5k. Something I can afford, but still a sizable amount of money.) AWD might prove worthwhile, during Minnesota winter/spring driving, though I've managed ok without it so far, and it cuts the Vibe's hp and mileage.I'm wondering if the Vibe will really feel like an upgrade. I know I should really see one for myself. Last time I went by a GM dealer, they didn't have a Vibe on the lot, new or used. The Vibe loses 24hp, about 9in overall length, and a couple inches wheelbase, compared to what I'm driving now. Loses/gains a little here and there for passenger dimensions, gains a lot in height/cargo capacity.Sorry that's so long. And I know since this is a Vibe forum, most people will have glowing reviews for it, but I wasn't sure where else to ask these questions. Thanks!

Great car, great gas, nice ride, dampening ... hmmm not so good.. dont get awd... basicaly no mods for those...get monotone, and charcoal not slate...mp3 1cd .. unless ur planning on changing the HU.. foglights...

Also: My car is rated at 22/32 for gas mileage, while the auto Vibe is 29/34, which should be a decent improvement.And I wouldn't be modding. I see a lot of owners here do, but it's not really my thing. I'm more "hands-off" I guess.

i say go test drive one your self. I liked it, the interior is nice, but my a-pillar rattles, easy fix with 3m double sided foam tape. the vibe would be a upgrade for space and gas mileage, but i think the ecotec cavy is faster. the vibe is great, but for winter its nice to have winter tires at least on the front. i just went through the winter with eagles that came with it but they really had no grip.

the short version. I went from a Mercury mountaineer AWD V8 to a vibe AWD Ride, quality and performance is all about the same MPG is 2x+ ( 12/15mpg- 25-31mpg) I would do it again if I had it to do over.

Welcome!I've had my Vibe for almost 4 years now and my previous car was a 2000 Cavalier. I think the interior of the Vibe is very good for its price range. It wa s definitely an improvement over the interior of the cavy. The ride is very comfortable. Seats in the front, I find very secure and easy to sit in. I'd say the reliability is good. I haven't had anything done to it in 4 years except oil changes. Hope this helps!

Quote, originally posted by Wraith »a.) What do you think of the Vibe's interior quality, comfort, ride quality, sound dampening, and overall "refinement"?I'd say the interior quality is above average, especially for a car in the price range, but it's not especially stunning. Sound dampening is average - you'll get some road & wind noise. If you like high RPMs, you'll get engine noise, but keep it below 3k and the engine is fairly quiet. Comfort and ride quality are very good. Lots of headroom, especially in the back, compared to other vehicles.Note that the driving position can take some gettnig used to. I felt awkward at first, but now it feels very natural and comfortable.Quote, originally posted by Wraith »b.) What makes the Vibe preferable over other options you can get for the same money? (i.e. lower end midsizes, maxed out compact sedans, low-end compact SUVs.)1) Safety: crash-test ratings, ABS, Side & curtain airbags.2) Cargo space, utility, & seating room/comfort.3) Gas mileage & reasonable performance.4) General reliability.Basically, it's rather hard to find anything else in the class or price range that even meets it on all of the above.As for AWD, you can get an 05 or 06 FWD model with traction control. This may serve you better than AWD for typical driving - as you noted, you get better mileage & hp.Quote, originally posted by Wraith »c.) How about reliability, in general?The exterior paint is weak & known issue. Otherwise, it's quite good. There's at least one member with a real lemon, though, and a few have had trouble with the 5spd manual tranny. We've got 2 Vibes in the family, and they've both been great.

http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/k...60403here. it's a quick link to a vibe and similar models comparison.i didn't go thru the whole process, so i don't know what their comparo results were. my opinion. the vibe was a great buy. some memebr have issues with paint. also, keep in mind. the vibe is due for a redesign in 2007-2008. that would certainly effect MY buying desicion. hope this helped.

Thanks all for the input.As for the paint issue: I currently do a lot of gravel driving. Would I be better served with the duotone instead of monotone? Making paint chipping less prevalent? I think monotone probably looks better overall, though I've seen a white duotone Vibe, and thought it looked pretty nice. How about mudflaps/splash guards?Are fog lights optional? (I don't see them on the build your own page.)As for mileage (www.fueleconomy.gov), there's really no Auto wagon with better mileage. The xB auto is only 1mpg higher for city, yet the Scions don't have cruise control (pretty much a requirement for me, as I don't do much city driving). The only other vehicles with better mileage are hybrids (I'm not ready to jump on that bandwagon quite yet), some VW diesels, and a handful of compact sedans (Civic, Corolla (basically a hatchless Vibe/Matrix), Accent, etc). Out of those, the new Civic looks most promising (140hp, 30/40 mpg, 5 Auto, standard ABS/side airbags). Good safety/reliability record. Similar price to the Vibe, though probably get less off of MSRP. Loses Vibe's utility. More GM dealers nearby than Honda dealers. Probably worth looking at though.Another question, I think I know the answer to: the Vibe doesn't have a trip computer does it? (For tracking trip, mileage, oil changes, etc.) And no Auxilliary jack for an MP3 player, right? (Would have to buy an adapter or a new stereo unit.) Outdoor temp gauge? Compass? These aren't priorities, but little would-be-nice-to-have features.

Quote, originally posted by Wraith »Another question, I think I know the answer to: the Vibe doesn't have a trip computer does it? (For tracking trip, mileage, oil changes, etc.) And no Auxilliary jack for an MP3 player, right? (Would have to buy an adapter or a new stereo unit.) Outdoor temp gauge? Compass? These aren't priorities, but little would-be-nice-to-have features.Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Vibe!The odometer cluster alternately displays 1)ODO total vehicle mileage to the nearest mile, OR 2)Trip A to the nearest tenth, OR 3)Trip B to the nearest tenth. You can let either A or B keep track of mileage between fillups, and use the other keep track of oil change intervals. You press the button on the cluster to switch between the three, ODO, Trip A and Trip B, and hold it in for a moment to reset either A or B when displayed.The outside temperature is displayed full time on the cluster.As I understand it from reading other GenVibe threads, some 2006 Vibe radios DO decode MP3 CD's, and those that do show 'MP3' on the face of the unit.

interior is awesome! i have a dark black interior.the drive is smooth, roomy and relaxing.great gas milage for the size of the car.I just dont prefer the strearing wheel. i like something i can hold onto the very bottom of the stearing wheel.