New Vibe Owner

[FootScoot]

Just purchased my '09 Vibe GT Wednesday morning, took it in to have the drivers door lock repaired Thursday morning, and have been driving their loaner car since. I've had the loaner longer than the Vibe. I'm hoping to hear from them today sometime, if not I'll be driving the Corolla all weekend. I'm sure I'll have questions about things.

[ehoff121]

Welcome to GenVibe!

[FootScoot]

Thanks for the welcome ehoff 121.

[FootScoot]

Alright! Got The Vibe back a little while ago. The Vibe drives and rides so much better than their Corolla. I'm glad to have it back.

[trb]

Congrats! Post up a pic if you can. It is great seeing all the new Vibes from the new members joining recently. You will really like the GT. My only complaint is I wish it got as good of mileage as my son's Vibe, but no way he could ever catch me from a stop!

[zyzyix]

Hi and Welcome.

[Mariachi]

Welcome

[thebarber]

Lol, nice.

Too bad its a pain to drop them with that independent rear suspension...

[tpollauf]

Welcome another 09 GT owner No regrets on what you just acquired Post pics as soon as you can. Again ............................... WELCOME

[star_deceiver]

Welcome to GenVibe!!!

[FootScoot]

I'll try to get some pics up tomorrow. I'm not worried about lowering it, especially around here. The roads aren't the best in the world. They would beat an Abrams tank to death. Thanks again for the welcomes.

[vibenvy]

Welcome to GenVibe! Good choice on the 2009 GT ! Looking forward to seeing some pictures of it!

[FootScoot]

I was going get some pics up, but it seems like everything was working against it. I had to work this morning. Then the camera battery was dead, nothing unusual. Then had to do lunch with the wife, then the grocery was next. Then I had playtime with my dogs. Then back to the grocery to get the things we forgot. What a day, and now it's too dark for pics. Will get some tomorrow for sure.

[FootScoot]

Finally got a pic.

[vibenvy]

Very nice ! I never get tired of seeing 2009-2010 GTs. They're so nice to look at !

[Pops]

Welcome to another '09' GT owner. And I really like the color.

[star_deceiver]

Very nice!

[FootScoot]

I was using some spray detailer to wipe it down before I covered it last evening, and noticed the rear spoiler seemed kind of loose. Is this normal, or is it actually loose? Seems to me it should be tight, with a slight movement allowing for cushioning in the mounts.

[vibenvy]

I was using some spray detailer to wipe it down before I covered it last evening, and noticed the rear spoiler seemed kind of loose. Is this normal, or is it actually loose? Seems to me it should be tight, with a slight movement allowing for cushioning in the mounts.

The spoilers do tend to seem a little looser then you would think they would be, but you may want to go ahead and double check the bolts that hold the spoiler down just to be safe. There's one 10mm bolt on each side of the hatch under a little black plastic circle (use a small flathead screwdriver to pop the plastic circles out of place). Then to get to the other 10mm bolts, you'll have to carefully pop the center plastic trim off the hatch (the trim piece that covers the 3rd brake light). It's held in with retainers, so be careful to not break any of the retainers or the trim piece itself.

[FootScoot]

I'll check it out tomorrow. I was going to look at it today, but it rained all day. May give it a bath tomorrow too.

[trb]

I was using some spray detailer to wipe it down before I covered it last evening, and noticed the rear spoiler seemed kind of loose. Is this normal, or is it actually loose? Seems to me it should be tight, with a slight movement allowing for cushioning in the mounts.

Yes, mine was really rattling a lot when I picked my 2010 GT up. One of the nuts was barely on the stud, so I tightened all of them down. Now they seem to have worked themselves loose again, as it rattles when I close the hatch. I may put some Loctite on them this time.

Pic looks nice! I don't tire of seeing new 09-10 GTs either. They are very rare down here in Houston.

[FootScoot]

My spoiler seems to move much more than it should. I may try to get some nylock nuts for it. Those wouldn't vibrate loose. Seems to me they should have Loctited them at the factory. Lock washers might work too.

[FootScoot]

I'm still figuring out how to remove the trim piece around the third brake light without messing it up. I did check the other two nuts under the plastic caps, one fell out as I removed the cap, the other was just barely hanging on. I just put some Loctite on them and tightened them down.

I thought while I was taking care of things I would put a new cabin filter in it. I take the glove box out, open the filter compartment, and no filter at all. It has one now.

I replaced the antenna too, with a Honda S2000 one. Looks much better matched to it than the stock one.

[vibenvy]

I'm still figuring out how to remove the trim piece around the third brake light without messing it up. I did check the other two nuts under the plastic caps, one fell out as I removed the cap, the other was just barely hanging on. I just put some Loctite on them and tightened them down.

I thought while I was taking care of things I would put a new cabin filter in it. I take the glove box out, open the filter compartment, and no filter at all. It has one now.

I replaced the antenna too, with a Honda S2000 one. Looks much better matched to it than the stock one.

I just took my time and carefully pulled around the edges of the trim piece until it popped up enough that I could pop the entire piece off. I'm willing to bet that just tightening the bolts on either end will make a big difference though. Loctite sounds like a good idea to avoid having the bolts constantly loosening up on you.

Well, I guess no cabin air filter is better then finding one full of dead baby mice or other gross things like some members here have experienced .

Good call on replacing the antenna! One of the easiest, cheapest mods you can do and it looks so much better then the factory antenna. Post some pictures with the new antenna when you get a chance !

[FootScoot]

I was going to get some more pics, but again the battery in the camera is dead. I definetly need a new camera or battery.

I did get the remaining bolts on the spoiler tightened and loctited. I was amazed how easy it was to remove the trim. If that would have been the Beetle I used to have, it would have been an all day job. Seems the Germans tend to overdo things. It's like the cabin filter in the Beetle. I had to remove the dashboard center piece, then remove the passenger side of the dash by prying it out of the snaps, unplugging the speaker wire. Then remove a brace over the filter box, then remove the top of the filter box. This takes at least 30-40 minutes. Whew! The Vibe is so much easier.

[vibenvy]

I was going to get some more pics, but again the battery in the camera is dead. I definetly need a new camera or battery.

I did get the remaining bolts on the spoiler tightened and loctited. I was amazed how easy it was to remove the trim. If that would have been the Beetle I used to have, it would have been an all day job. Seems the Germans tend to overdo things. It's like the cabin filter in the Beetle. I had to remove the dashboard center piece, then remove the passenger side of the dash by prying it out of the snaps, unplugging the speaker wire. Then remove a brace over the filter box, then remove the top of the filter box. This takes at least 30-40 minutes. Whew! The Vibe is so much easier.

Yeah, you need to get a new camera or battery so you can be sure and post pictures everytime you do something to the Vibe. We love pictures around here !

Glad to hear you got the trim piece off and were able to Loctite all the bolts. Man, that's a lot of work to go through to change the cabin air filter ! Hearing all that definitely makes me appreciate how easy it is to do stuff on the Vibe.

[FootScoot]

I found the perfect antenna for my Vibe GT. I had installed a Honda S2000 one, but it was kind of large on the base, and really didn't follow the line of the base, just little too large. I was talking with a friend of mine who has a 2011 Mazda 3 and he said his antenna was straight without a flared base end. Lo and behold he was right so I ordered one last week, and it came in today. Perfect fit! It's much shorter that the stock one to, but still has good reception. Part #EG23-66-A30.

I also finished changing my auto gear shift knob. I used a red snooker ball which I drilled and threaded with a M10X1.5 tap. Then put in a 8X1.25 threaded insert epoxied in with JB Weld. I will try to get some pics up tomorrow.

[Kincaid]

Oops sorry to see I never gave you a proper welcome. Hello FootScoot!