4-SALE: 2005 Vibe Base

[sgbills]

PICS: http://southjersey.craigslist.org/cto/4059064200.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Selling this for a family friend. It's a 2005 Pontiac Vibe (Toyota Matrix) with 153k hwy miles. It has 4 Brand New Tires, New Front Brakes & Rotors & Fresh Oil Change. This vehicle was dealer maintained, adult driven and it shows (see pics). Interior and exterior are very clean. It is loaded with every option available from Pontiac, including 1.8L Four-Cyl Toyota Motor (33mpg), Automatic Transmission, Power Locks, Power Windows, Power Sunroof, Cruise, Rear Wiper, Folding Rear Seats and the Monsoon Subwoofer System. Drives like new. Includes a clean Carfax Report (see below). $4500 firm. If interested call or text 856-Five Seven Five -1507.

[jake75]

Glad I no longer can't afford new tires and have to buy retreads.
Also glad that I no longer have to roll the dice and buy vehicles with 153,000 on the odometer.

[KITT222]

Glad I no longer can't afford new tires and have to buy retreads.
Also glad that I no longer have to roll the dice and buy vehicles with 153,000 on the odometer.

Can you please stop with these backhanded comments? They can come out at very rude. 153xxx isn't a lot on modern cars, especially Vibes. Buying a used anything is taking a chance it won't work. Heck, buying a CAR in general means there's a chance it's a lemon.


To seller: keep in mind the price of Vibes in your area. If your price undercuts them, but keeps with similar mileage, you'll be golden. If that car was in my area, I'd call it a decent price (than again, Vibe prices in my area are inflated).

[jake75]

Glad I no longer can't afford new tires and have to buy retreads.
Also glad that I no longer have to roll the dice and buy vehicles with 153,000 on the odometer.

Can you please stop with these backhanded comments? They can come out at very rude. 153xxx isn't a lot on modern cars, especially Vibes. Buying a used anything is taking a chance it won't work. Heck, buying a CAR in general means there's a chance it's a lemon.


To seller: keep in mind the price of Vibes in your area. If your price undercuts them, but keeps with similar mileage, you'll be golden. If that car was in my area, I'd call it a decent price (than again, Vibe prices in my area are inflated).

Didn't mean to be rude - but IMO 153,000 miles is a lot even on modern cars, even Toyota clones like the Vibe. My cousin was a used car dealer - he told me that the problem is that these older higher mileage cars don't rust out anymore so they look good, but on average they are close to their expected useful mechanical life. I bought a Toyota Celica from him for my son at his cost - had 103,000 miles. The engine blew at 120,000 miles. Now I will be rude - 50 years ago when I was about your age I thought I knew everything too.

[KITT222]

Didn't mean to be rude - but IMO 153,000 miles is a lot even on modern cars, even Toyota clones like the Vibe. My cousin was a used car dealer - he told me that the problem is that these older higher mileage cars don't rust out anymore so they look good, but on average they are close to their expected useful mechanical life. I bought a Toyota Celica from him for my son at his cost - had 103,000 miles. The engine blew at 120,000 miles. Now I will be rude - 50 years ago when I was about your age I thought I knew everything too.

You never want to be rude, but it always comes out like that. It sounds more like a lemon problem. And excuse me? Did I hit a nerve? I know I don't know everything, and I don't pretend to think I do. Any insinuations that I do are dead wrong.

[lannvouivre]

Didn't mean to be rude - but IMO 153,000 miles is a lot even on modern cars,

But it really isn't. Even if you have to replace an engine at 150k miles because it wore out or the owner just never maintained it, that's still going to be cheaper in the long run than buying an entire new car, which may-or-may-not end up having problems within the year.

[jake75]

I will more than readily admit that I don't know everything either. But I have been there, done that. There are so many expensive things that can go wrong/wear out on an older high mileage car than just the engine. I recently bought a 2001 Honda Odyssey for my under-employed son for $6,000. I jumped on it as it was owned by an older person, kept garaged, and only 87,000 miles. I saw similar ones a year or two newer with nearly 150,000 miles that were about the same price. Do you think any of the auto warranty companies are going to issue a warranty contract for a vehicle with 150,000 miles? If they will the price will shock you. That should tell you something. Unfortunately solid data is hard to find to prove or disprove the wisdom of buying a car with 150,000 miles. Just go into it with your eyes wide open.

[mrm1149]

@jake75 > On many forums you're posts would be considered inhibiting the sale. On those forums Moderators would delete your comments...................

[jake75]

@jake75 > On many forums you're posts would be considered inhibiting the sale. On those forums Moderators would delete your comments...................

In fact and in truth the ensuing discussion may have been reassuring to a potential buyer.

[shaeet]

my 230k vibe runs & drives better than my 75k matrix. original motor & trans too. Explain that one to me.

IMO the vibe/matrix is one of the most reliable cars you can buy in existence. I"ve had zero problems with mine and haven't heard of many major issues with these cars. You'd be rolling the dice if it was a 153k volkswagen though. Those things are a pain in the (removed) to maintain but I own 2 anyways cuz I like the upscale feeling, aftermarket and the TDI fuel econ & power.

[meinmi]

Wanted to weigh in on the mileage issue. In my opinion low miles on a used car can be very overrated. In our driveway right now we have a 1998 Honda Accord with 212,000 miles (bought used with 124,000 miles 7 years ago), 2002 Aztec with 254,000 miles (bought new), a 2005 Chevy Colorado with 304,000 miles ( bought 5 years ago with 72,000 miles), a 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe with 145,000 (bought 3 years ago with 54,000), and a 2006 Vibe with 154,000 miles (bought 2 years ago with 67,000 miles). The only repairs or parts on any of them have been for normal wear pieces like brakes and tires as well as one water pump. We change oil and filters every 5,000 miles, and stay on top of odd noises before they become problems. I realize I am comfortable with these cars because I know them but any of them could be taken to an independent mechanic for a thorough check up and bought with confidence. Heck, like someone else said buy one cheap enough and you could put a used motor with lifetime guarantee on the engine and labor for under $1,500. The garage we use does this quite a bit on used cars. Really just comes down to your tolerance level for possible problems. That's the great thing about buying vehicles - everyone gets to do what they want as long as they can afford it. (oh, before you feel sorry for us having all those old cars keep in mind we have two kids in college, are pretty devout Dave Ramsey money manager types and take some great vacations to the beach and Europe on the money we don't spend on car payments)

[bikes1]

150,000 is not a lot of mileage for a modern car. 300,000, if properly maintained is not at all unusual.

Just in case it's deemed important by some, I'm older,57, a mechanic, former service manager and I've owned a number of high mileage vehicles.

My last vehicle was a '97 Mazda Protege that went to the wreckers at 270,000 because the undercarriage was thoroughly rotten. The engine was in fine shape, the transmission was great, normal wear and tear on the suspension and brakes.

The vehicle before that was a 1991 Chev Venture van that threw it's timing chain at 370,000. I installed a used engine, drove it to the wreckers at 510,000, again because the undercarriage rotted out. Chuckles, actually broke.

Before that, numerous high mileage cars. 150,000 km is not even 100,000 miles and cars have easily done that for decades now.