GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Hi.

I live in snowy Quebec, Canada. Until 20 months ago i owned a 2.4L XR Matrix. I liked this car a lot. No problem at all. Now, i need a cheap reliable hatchback car. I found a 2009 1.8L Vibe with 127000km for about 6000$ (CAD). It seem in perfect shape. I have not done a road test yet since i will have to drive 200km. They offer a 1700km warranty on it.

Is it a safe car to buy with this milage? Anything to look for when i drive it?

Thanks!

well certainly have a mechanic check the whole car out. Since you already owned a "Camry Matrix" I'm assuming it was a 2009 or newer model as well, correct? If so, you already know the ins and outs of owning this car. Your test drive of the "Corolla Vibe" may make you think it is underpowered compared to the Camry engine you just got rid of.
Since you have to drive some distance to see/test drive the car, you will want to do some research on the internet to find a reliable mechanic in the neighborhood where the seller lives. I just tried entering some Quebec zip codes into the http://www.cartalk.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; website (bottom right of front page) but it appears to only have listings for US mechanics.

Caretaker wrote:well certainly have a mechanic check the whole car out. Since you already owned a "Camry Matrix" I'm assuming it was a 2009 or newer model as well, correct?

Yes, it was a 2009 "Camry Matrix". It was powerfull but not crazy powerfull. Sold it to a very good friend of mine. I can even see it from my window! I come back from a 1 year long bicycle-backpack trip. I was in Ecuador 4 weeks ago. Now i need a cheap reliable car. I really liked the Matrix. I was looking at older model to stay in budget but this 2009 127000km one appeared. I could get a 110000km 2005 Corolla for 5400$, a 2009 96000km Versa for 6500$, a 2007 42000km Spectra LX and a few others and don't really know which one to choose. What i know is i like Matrix/Vibe but i am not sure about a 127000km car. I usually buy low miles cars and sell them before 100000km. I don't drive more than 12000km/year (usually).

I am open to suggestions!

Thanks a lot

127,000 km is barely broken in. Our 2006 has 260,000 km. The only thing we've replaced other than front brakes, tires and fluids is the right front wheel bearing. As soon as it gets warm I'll be replacing the rear brakes. They are not worn out but the drums have rusted away to the point that I don't trust them. Even the clutch is original.

congrats on your Ecuador adventure. Great country as long as you stay away from the northern border. Anyway, I too was torn between the Versa, the Vibe and the Fit for our third car. I went with the only one that is a no brainer bullet proof car: the Fit. Like you, I had to drive over 2 hours to get it, and actually bought it sight unseen over the phone knowing that the Fit is very difficult to break. As for your three choices, despite the great comfort, sight lines, and interior room of the Versa hatchback, I'd stay clear of that vehicle. Some owners do have a long history of no issues with that car but most owners sadly do suffer from many nagging issues reported with that car. So again, stick with the Toyota product you already know. They are not perfect cars by any means but a mechanic will be able to confirm if the Vibe you are looking at has sound corolla/camry/rav4 components to last you for some time to come. Good luck with your decision.