Time to take it in yet?

[byounger]

I just got my 04 vibe GT in aug. I have about 1400 miles on it. The transmission feels a little rougher and I hear some rattling when I have the clutch pedle pushed in (at a stop in my garage). Im a relatively new stick driver (drove my dad's old 65 plymouth barracuda, column shift 3 speed b4).....so the transmission and I have been getting used to each other. I heard that having the oil and trans fluids changed was a good idea due to particle build up in the system after the break-in period. Should I take it in for an oil change and trans fluid change?I would rather be safe than sorry with this trans. Also, I checked my tire pressure after reading the posts on the site about dealerships not properly inflating the tires. I had already driven close to 1000 miles before I realized the pressure issue. Is there any recommended service I should do on the tires as a result? (ie rotation?)Thanks for the suggestions.........New Vibe owner.

[Reynoma]

First > Welcome to the GenVibe family.... I was a stick driver for years, and it took me about 1.5 months to come to terms with the Vibe's clutch.I had not heard about the maintenance issues you raised. It would probably be considered"not a bad idea, but it might not be worth the money".

[NovaResource]

quote:I heard that having the oil and trans fluids changed was a good idea due to particle build up in the system after the break-in period.Acording to page 6-5 of the 2004 owners manual, that is not required until 30,000 miles.quote:Also, I checked my tire pressure after reading the posts on the site about dealerships not properly inflating the tires. I had already driven close to 1000 miles before I realized the pressure issue. Is there any recommended service I should do on the tires as a result? (ie rotation?)According to the owners manual and the sticker in the glove box: tire pressures are 32-psi. Also, page 5-68 of the 2004 owners manual says you should rotate your tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles.

[meathead333]

quote:Also, I checked my tire pressure after reading the posts on the site about dealerships not properly inflating the tires. I had already driven close to 1000 miles before I realized the pressure issue. Is there any recommended service I should do on the tires as a result? (ie rotation?)Thanks for the suggestions.........New Vibe owner. what was the pressure at?

[byounger]

The pressure in the tires was ~ 18-20Thanks for the notes to the owners manual as well. I will review that part again. So I am basically looking at just an oil change then?I do want to have dealer mech....or someone who is familiar with vibe/matrix stick, test the car and make sure it sounds ok. Not sure if im supposed to be hearing what I do. This is also my 1st time having to deal with a dealership for car maintence (owned a '75 plymouth valient b4....just used a family mechanic). Will dealership test drive the car if I tell them Im worried about the clutch? I read a thread on "premature clutch failure" on this site. How do you deturmine the health of your clutch and if you need to do proactive maintence on it? In terms of the symptioms I am noticing....The rev noise and vibration felt in the clutch pedal has increased since I first started driving the car. Is this a usual symptom after break in period? Also, when stopped, I notice an additional ticking sound when I have depressed the clutch pedal comming from under the driver's side of the car. it goes away when I release the clutch (car in neutral). Has anyone noticed this sound? Am I just being paranoid?Finally....not clutch related....was there an explaination for the speaker blast that comes when you turn on the car? I saw the thread for the white noise that occurs when you turn off the car but did not see an explaination for the initial blast.

[Raven]

Mine were at 40+ lbs. when I picked up the car new. Apparently they are shipped this way and the dealers sometimes forget to check them. Always a good idea to give a new car the once over.

[threekrows]

I don't have any vibration,but that ticking noise is considered normal,they call it "angular deflection" or something like that.I hear mine more like at the bank drive-thru window.I'd still have someone drive it,just to be sure.

[byounger]

Thanks for the info. I will have em drive it.