GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I had (it pains me to type that word) a 2006 base trim Vibe with 188k trouble free (not counting the 2 recirc motors) miles on it. It got totaled (not my fault) two weeks ago, so I've been looking at a replacement. I checked out the HR-V but, short version, it sucks. I checked out a few others but really just wanted my Vibe back.

On the used market, I found a 2005 Moon & Tunes Vibe with 152k miles on it for $4000. It looks/feels like my old Vibe. I trust it, but feel a bit wary of it since it's a year older than mine and mine was already getting old.

I also found a 2009 2.4L GT (automatic) listed at $7900. I tried buying the exact same car last week for $6500, but somebody else got there first. I've always disliked the redesign (poor visibility, ugly), but looking at this one it's quite beautiful. So, if I can talk him down a bit, should I get it? Are the Vibes after the 2009 redesign as reliable as my old faithful 2006 was? Are they known to have any specific problems I should look out for?

This forum will be one of the things I'll miss most in a post-Vibe existence. Thanks in advance for your help.

FWIW, we have not had any major issues with either of our 09 GTs.

That said, there are some 09 2.4L engines that consume oil, but this seems to be limited mainly to early 2008 built 09s. Our Vibes were built in October and November of 2008 and do not consume any oil at just under 70,000 miles.

JPark wrote: So, if I can talk him down a bit, should I get it?

YES ... GET IT !!!

I had my 2010 GT for about 2-1/2 years and from 36K to 78K miles and had no issues except for a battery and broken radio knob. The prior owner only had it in for service to replace the radio knobs twice under warranty. I would still be driving it if my daughter didn't get rear ended in it.

While I can't comment on the Camry engine, as the current/former owner of both generations, I think the second gen is better in almost every way. I can only imagine that the Camry engine powering such a small car is a thrill to drive compared to the Corolla engine. Both engines seem to be oil burners so you are taking a risk there when you buy a second generation Vibe. Heck, even my '03 AWD "consumed" a quart of oil between oil changes just like my current model does. If it happens that your "Camry" Vibe consumes over 2 quarts in between oil changes, there are TSBs out there addressing the consumption in the 2.4 liter engine. Let us know how it works out. Bottom line: not only is the second generation extremely reliable, I could write several paragraphs on why it is an improvement over the first gen. My issues with the second generation over these past 7 years:
- slight oil consumption, well within specifications
- new water pump
- new alternator
- broken radio volume control knob
- paint chips on the hood

Everything from the fabric on the seats to how the car has aged in repeated DC winter/salt environs has illustrated to me that this car looks MUCH better and has held up better at age 7 than my '03 did.

I bought it, broken radio knobs and all. Aside from a bunch of chips on the hood and two mean dents on the door frame, it seems to be in great shape.

Edit: I tried uploading a pic but couldn't get it to work. I'll try again in the morning.

JPark wrote:Edit: I tried uploading a pic but couldn't get it to work. I'll try again in the morning.

Pics have to 130kb in size or less.

Looks nice! Great picture. Congrats!

Oh, I still have a rear cargo cover from my 10 GT if you want one. Just LMK.

trb wrote:Looks nice! Great picture. Congrats!

Oh, I still have a rear cargo cover from my 10 GT if you want one. Just LMK.

Sure! I wondered if that was supposed to come with the car or not. Mine didn't. How much do you want for it?

Congrats on the "new" Vibe! Do you have any modifications planned for it?

vibenvy wrote:Congrats on the "new" Vibe! Do you have any modifications planned for it?

Thanks! For now I'm just doing a cargo mat (Home Depot entry mat variety). After that it depends on if I need to spend much on maintenance. It has a bit of a chirp when I let off the break a little, and I may get the TPMS taken care of.

Potential near term mods:
- aftermarket head unit
- hitch
- bike rack
- route a charging cable

JPark wrote:

trb wrote:Looks nice! Great picture. Congrats!

Oh, I still have a rear cargo cover from my 10 GT if you want one. Just LMK.

Sure! I wondered if that was supposed to come with the car or not. Mine didn't. How much do you want for it?

I need to weigh it and get a price for shipping, but it shouldn't be more than $14 for a priority medium box, probably less. I was asking like $50 for it, but can do $40 + shipping. Post your zip and I can calculate an exact price.

I was gonna jump in and say - heck yeah, buy it NOW - but you did. So I will say - congrats! It looks great!

For hard-to-find parts at pretty good prices, you might also try http://www.xpressgmparts.com. I'm lucky - I live about 10 minutes away from them, so I don't have to pay postage.