GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I initially wanted a Civic or Accord for reliability as I have a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am GT and the mileage and reliability is horrible. Went to the dealership and the guy had me try the Vibe GT and I loved it. All Toyota parts is very reassuring and the abundance of room in the car is a big plus. Any tips or information you think I should know?

The Vibe has 110,XXX and just had the catalytic converter replaced. Anything I should look for before I pay for it on Tuesday and drive it home? Only have a deposit on it now but it looks clean and drives nice.

Hi FinkVibe! welcome to the group. the 03 GT is a great car, but I am concerned by the cat replacement at 110K miles! From my experience this doesn't happen unless there is or was a serious engine problem. Another possibility is an inaccurate odometer reading. I suggest having a good mechanic go over the car and do a compression test to check the engine. Check the condition of the interior, the seats should be like new with only 110K miles. carfax checks are a joke on older vehicles, so don't rely on that. I hope the catalytic converter was replaced because of physical damage, like driving over a curb. I hope it checks out for you, but be careful.

I just bought my 03 Vibe GT in November with 130K miles. It had just had a new clutch put in and that's something you'll need to plan for. Chiadog makes a good point, it's not unheard of them needing to be replaced around 100K miles but it's a good idea to make sure the O2 sensors are in good shape and there isn't something leaking into the exhaust. Also get a compression test before buying it. You should see them above 180psi and only maybe 10-12 psi between them.

Have you hit LIFT yet? It kicks in at 6200 rpms and that car will take off like a rocket.

Thank you so much for the tips! I will definitely have this checked out before I buy. Now I am driving like 90 minutes to buy it. Should I go to a mechanic around that area to have it checked out?

FinkVibe wrote:Should I go to a mechanic around that area to have it checked out?

Yes. If you have a trusted mechanic in your area, ask them if they can recommend someone around the seller's area to inspect it. Usually they're more than happy to do so, considering if you buy it they know they'll be servicing it.

By now I'll assume you have possession of this Vibe. Congrats Post pics of it real soon and give us an update as to how you like/dislike it. Welcome and get involved here with the rest of us

tpollauf wrote:By now I'll assume you have possession of this Vibe. Congrats Post pics of it real soon and give us an update as to how you like/dislike it. Welcome and get involved here with the rest of us

I was able to pick it up and get back in town just in time for work, It drives great and I absolutely love it! I will update more tomorrow seeing as it's late and I have class in the AM.

Welcome to GenVibe! Congratulations on your "new" Vibe! Looking forward to seeing pictures of it *hint hint* !