Looking at purchasing an used Vibe...Input please

[LuckyRugger]

I'm looking at purchasing an used vibe and was hoping to get some input. I'm looking at getting a fwd, 5-speed, base. I live in mid-michigan and I'll mainly be using it to drive back and forth to work and I live approx 6 miles from work. Below are a few questions I have about my next purchase.Are there any year(s) I should not look at due to reliability or other reasons?If you were to purchase a vibe all over again, what would you get?I would like to get a sunroof/moonroof and be able to plug in an iPod (but I can change that very easily).Thanks,Matt

[Kamikaze]

Other's will have more input than me, but I've heard that some of the earlier year vibes have paint issues. I know there was also a problem with some of the windows (they'd come off the track when rolling up and occasionally they have broken, not confirmed by me, but I have heard of it)If I could do it all over again, I would have gotten a manual. other than that, I like mine the way it is. (06, Leather, side curtain air bags, monotone, 17" wheels, Platinum in color, no sunroof (had them before, but never used it anyway))

[lovemyraffe]

I love my car. I would buy another in a heartbeat. I have an '05 base, auto. The only thing I would change would be to get leather and heated seats. Other than that, I think it's just about perfect.

[NibCrom]

Personally, I like the '05 to '08 body style as opposed to the '03 to '04. I would try the manual before you buy it. I test drove the GT, but I didn't like the clutch or the shifter. Your mileage may vary. Get a CarFax and look the car over carefully!

[northvibe]

03 some had cat converter issues fixed with tsb05 some/most had paint issues where it would chip off easy, specially off the front.I had a 04 base 1zz automatic, was awesome. If I would get another 04 or the 09, I dislike the 05-08 front grill. the GT manual's clutch is something to be desired but the base model's shouldnt be bad.

[LuckyRugger]

Does anyone know the MPG differance between a 5-speed and the automatic?

[ehoff121]

I would check the VIN code, to confirm model (FWD, AWD, GT) and restraint type (front airbags, front and side curtain airbags).The dealer I bought my 2005 AWD from listed side airbags, but the car doesn't have them. If I had checked the VIN card, I'd have seen it right away.2005 GM VIN Card http://prod.goodwrench.gmgssm....d.pdf2006 GM VIN Card http://prod.goodwrench.gmgssm....d.pdfFor those interested in a different model year, follow one of the above links, then change the year in the pdf name in the address bar of your browser, e.g., "2007vincard.pdf"

[northvibe]

with a manual you could prolly get high 30's to low 40's hwy, so its like 3-5mpg better. Manual has the 5 speed and the auto is only 4 so that extra gear helps a lot AND you can shift manually at 3k rpm to keep mileage up.

[joejoev]

My '04 Base w/ Moon & Tunes and auto trans has been great! Bought it new in Sept. '04 and just rolled 279,000, yes 279,000 miles last night. I make a living as a courier in the metro Detroit area, but go all over MI (mostly lower L.P.), OH, IN, and occasionally IL, PA.Even though the Vibe is well suited for my line of work, I didn't buy it for work. I bought it because I liked the style and features, wanted one, and needed a new car. The work thing just happened to workout that way. I was buying during the model year close out so my options were a bit limited, plus I was sticking with Red Holman Pontiac (personal ties).Not many repairs outside of regular maintenance. Really can't count accident repairs, but I popped Bambi's mom out on I-96 in June '07. The only major mechanical damage from that was the radiator. Everything else was cosmetic. Other than that, I replaced the OEM battery in Dec. '07 and the HVAC blower motor in Jan. '08. Just got my first CEL Sunday afternoon...a new cat converter goes in this weekend.Current Fuel economy: 32-34 MPG with a Tornado and K&N air filter (and the bad cat converter). I'm 60-65% highway, daily afternoon rush hour, and quite a bit of idling depending on the season when I'm waiting for jobs.I'm not in the market for a new car yet, but I'm already considering a Vibe for my next vehicle. Maybe in another year and a half after this one is paid off. Heck...she's got at least another 120,000+ miles in her. Me doing it all over? As a courier, I'd stick with the auto trans as it makes life at work easier. As a non-work vehicle I'd probably go manual trans, but it depends on the test drive. Got to have power accessories. M&T package all the way...at least the "Moon." The "Tunes" really don't matter because I dump OEM for aftermarket every time. I prefer leather interior, but I'm content with cloth. Prefer the '03-04 grilles over the '05-08.

[starmatt]

Quote, originally posted by LuckyRugger »I'm looking at purchasing an used vibe and was hoping to get some input. I'm looking at getting a fwd, 5-speed, base. I live in mid-michigan and I'll mainly be using it to drive back and forth to work and I live approx 6 miles from work. Below are a few questions I have about my next purchase.One objection I have heard is that the fwd vibes aren't so great in the snow (not too bad, but a little jittery). Mine is awd and came with a set of studded snow tires, so that hasn't been a problem for me, despite the record snowfall up here this winter and the long commute.