New member, haven't bought a Vibe/Matrix yet

[dr_time]

Hey guys, new to the community. I'm looking to buy a used Vibe/Matrix, and wanted to know if there's any specific things to watch for?Years to look out for/differences between years/common problems// etc?Looking to find a good deal, but the car doesn't necessarily have to be brand new if these cars have good engine/tranny life?Any opinions would be appreciated!

[NibCrom]

I would buy used as you can save money on depreciation. Get a CarFax, if you can have a mechanic you know look at it, that's a plus. Look at the tires, it costs a few pennies to replace those.I personally like the 05-08 fronts better than the 03-04.If I did it all over again, I would consider AWD. My FWD doesn't handle snow very well.If it has a manual, check the clutch to make sure it's working well. A number of members have had troubles with theirs.Good luck and welcome!

[dr_time]

Are the front ends interchangeable? I'm assuming you're talking body/trim wise...

[NibCrom]

Yeah, I'm talking about the front grill. I don't know how difficult/expensive it would be to change that out.

[Kamikaze]

NibCrom was referencing the front's of the Vibe changed in 05, it's basically the bumper that changed.

[dr_time]

Cool...I'm currently checking out this one: http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/703892194.htmlSeems like a good price, I'm emailing the guy about it.

[ramenboy...]

Quote, originally posted by dr_time »Are the front ends interchangeable? I'm assuming you're talking body/trim wise...yeah nils is talking about just the fascia. i've got the 'older' 03-04 front. think it looks a little more agressive than the 05-08 , but they're all good.lets see... you're out in texas, so handling snow isn't a big deal. gt's have more power but they take premium gas. watch out for their clutches, too as they've been known to need replacement early.more members will post more i'm sure.other than that, happy hunting. good luckand welcome to the family

[dr_time]

So GT's are 2.2l models then?

[NibCrom]

GTs are 1.8L with more hp.Edit: The 09's have a 2.4L on the GT.

[ramenboy...]

the base is 1.8 ±130hpgt is also 1.8±170hpthe new gen o9s have a choice between a new 1.8 and 2.4

[dr_time]

Soo, what are they doing to the base engine to make it output 50+ more horsepower?Or is it just the same litres, but a completely different engine?

[ramenboy...]

the gt owners will chime in soon... but they're basically the same engine, but the gt is tuned more aggressively by yamaha. same engine that was in the celica gt-s. and then tune a little more, its the engine sitting in the lotus elise

[lovemyraffe]

Welcome! They are great cars. That's the same year and color as mine!

[WaveAction]

welcome to the forums

[jwalcik]

Welcome aboard!The 03-07 GT's have lift. at somewhere between 6k and 7k RPM (depending on the year), you get a kick in the pants and 40ish extra HP. The 03-07 GTs also require premium gas.

[WaveAction]

Quote, originally posted by jwalcik »Welcome aboard!The 03-07 GT's have lift. at somewhere between 6k and 7k RPM (depending on the year), you get a kick in the pants and 40ish extra HP. The 03-07 GTs also require premium gas. actually if im not mistaken the 07's never came in GT..cause if it did i would have gotten one..

[dr_time]

So I'm looking at financing a used vibe with 65k miles on it. What are some typical service needs that would be coming up on a Vibe @ this mileage?

[808 Vibes]

Welcome!

[VivaVibe]

Quote, originally posted by dr_time »So I'm looking at financing a used vibe with 65k miles on it. What are some typical service needs that would be coming up on a Vibe @ this mileage?OM says change all filters, air, oil, cabin / Change all fluids oil, coolant, tranny /Check tappets-valves / Check belts /Rotate tires.It doesn't call for plugs until over 100k, but I'd check them anyway. If it hasn't already gotten a new battery, you may need one. You also may want to add a bottle of Techron to a full tank of gas to clean the fuel injectors.These are very reliable cars. I'm at 60k and getting ready to do some of these. The only thing other than normal maintenance I've done so far is replace the battery.PS: Your CraigsList link has been tagged for removal. Does that mean it's been sold?

[zionzr2]

Welcome to the Vibedom!Fellow Texan!

[dr_time]

Nah, it means some idiot thought it was too many posts or a scam. I've already talked to the seller, it's a dealership in Dallas. Here's a more recent link. The price is really quite good, and the Carfax indicates it was probably a rental at some point.The rental aspect makes me a little nervous, since you don't know how people are driving it, but most people drive real carefully in rentals on average.http://dallas.craigslist.org/car/719533334.html

[joatmon]

I wouldn't expect much, if anything, to be wrong with an 05 vibe with 65K miles, and $10K is a reasonablr price, although the listing does not say if it has any options other than power windows/locksThe 36 MPG the listing prominently diplays was for the manual tranny base model, this auto tranny one was rated at 34 MPG highway. Might be worth figuring out if the seller just didn't know, or is a slimeball who'd lie about anything to sell a car.

[dr_time]

Well, I've also noticed that most dealers on craigslist consistently use the OLD EPA ratings and not the revised ones.