GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Just want to report in that I saw a '05 Red Vibe at Don Miller Pontiac on the west side of Madison the other day while I was at the Mazda dealership.Just a heads up for those that are wondering, looks like they might be trying to really push '04 units to make room for the new line!

Wonder when the first one will roll of the trucks here... Its weird there has been no Vibe GTs here in the past year coming into the dealership...

i should go check out the dealership here ... see if there are any yet. very doubtful tho.

Gonna go to the local dealership soon about my tranny, i'll be sure to look.

From the reaction here - the '04's will continue to have a $2,000 rebate, but the '05's will need a $3,000 rebate :>))).

Well, there could be a good reaction to it. Not everyone is like us, remember! I've seen a sudden outcropping of Vibe's in the town i'm in (including a Frosty GT, gotta get in touch with them!). They mostly seem to be Mom/Family cars from who i've seen driving it. Yes, the 03-04 is much sportier, but the 05 styling might fit into the more "popular" crowds, and finally drag the Vibe out into the limelight.

Wow I can't believe that the new Vibes are in show rooms already. It seems like automakers are doing that even earlier and earlier now. Soon it will be like a magazine, where you get the June issue in at the end of April or beginning of May. Quote, originally posted by Jahntassa »Well, there could be a good reaction to it. Not everyone is like us, remember! I've seen a sudden outcropping of Vibe's in the town i'm in (including a Frosty GT, gotta get in touch with them!). They mostly seem to be Mom/Family cars from who i've seen driving it. Yes, the 03-04 is much sportier, but the 05 styling might fit into the more "popular" crowds, and finally drag the Vibe out into the limelight.The first time I see a soccer Mom drop off her kids in a Vibe, I think I might cry. I like having a nitch vehicle. Hopefully it will be in a 2005 though cause those look like minivans anyway.

Quote, originally posted by redlava » The first time I see a soccer Mom drop off her kids in a Vibe, I think I might cry. I like having a nitch vehicle. Hopefully it will be in a 2005 though cause those look like minivans anyway. What if its a hot soccer mom?

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »What if its a hot soccer mom?(removed) *rolling eyes* you guys! and what if she has 4 kids crawling out of the vibe too? LOL...but then, what if it's a HOT dance team mom? i think carrie's official title of her daughter's dance team is the dance team mom.... ha ha ha!

Quote, originally posted by Geo »Just want to report in that I saw a '05 Red Vibe at Don Miller Pontiac on the west side of Madison the other day while I was at the Mazda dealership.Just a heads up for those that are wondering, looks like they might be trying to really push '04 units to make room for the new line!Well I know where I'm going on my lunch today. I doubt they'll let me test drive, but I'd like to see if anything looks/feels different from my 2004. Also be interesting to see what they are asking for it.

Quote, originally posted by Salsa! »I can see it already.... Nice soccer moms.

What a nice set of soccor moms! Bellybutton alley.Anyway - the '05 Vibe front end reminds me a little bit of my 1978 Chevette 4 dr hatchback. See, I was on the cutting edge even back then! [My recollection is that it cost about $2,700 new.]

Ok...I went to Don Miller on my lunch today to check out the 2005 Vibes. He had three of them. They will only be available in monotone until the fall. The radio plays MP3 encoded disks according to the salesperson. The rear window sprayer has been improved. Instead of one dribbler there is two. I didn't try them to see if they spray or dribble though. On a sad note, they eliminated the sideskirts . The front looks much nicer in person than it does in the pictures. The interior of the car is identical to my 2004. The crossbars were not installed, but the sales person did not know if that's how it's supposed to be. I told him that alot of the Vibe owners, including myself, would like the stock crossbars to be not installed. Price is the same as far as I could tell. Pretty nice, but I think I will hang on to my 2004 for now.

i'll keep an eye out for them in my area... i havent seen any yet. Nathanycart1201

Quote, originally posted by ebslopp »The crossbars were not installed, but the sales person did not know if that's how it's supposed to be. I told him that alot of the Vibe owners, including myself, would like the stock crossbars to be not installed. Price is the same as far as I could tell. Pretty nice, but I think I will hang on to my 2004 for now.Last I heard the car comes without them, they cost extra if you want them.

To anyone that has a 2005 in their area, maybe you could pull up next to one with your 2003 or 2004 and get some pics? I'd like to see the two compared to each other.

I'll definitely keep an eye out... I'm anxious to see this thing!

Quote, originally posted by redlava »Wow I can't believe that the new Vibes are in show rooms already. It seems like automakers are doing that even earlier and earlier now. Soon it will be like a magazine, where you get the June issue in at the end of April or beginning of May. For the record, this trend was started by Ford, when they introduced the 1965 Mustang in May(?) of '64. Legally, they can sell an '05 starting January 1st '04...

FYI: The Mustang was introduced on 04/17/1964 as a 1964 1/2. Ford had introduced several 1963 1/2's a year earlier (Galaxie Fastback and Falcon GT come to mind)The Mustang was the Official Pace Car of the Indy 500 in 1964. (I grew up in Speedway, Indiana, home of IMS)There were actually minor changes to the 1965 models intro'd in the fall of 1964. The reason I remember the date is because there was allegedly a sign at Ford HQ saying "417 by 4/17", meaning they hoped to sell 417,000 Mustangs by 04/17/1965. In the most successful new car launch to that date, they did!

Quote, originally posted by redlava »Wow I can't believe that the new Vibes are in show rooms already. It seems like automakers are doing that even earlier and earlier now. Soon it will be like a magazine, where you get the June issue in at the end of April or beginning of May. Yeah, the 2003 Vibes came out in February maybe even late January of 2002. I ordered my GT in February of '02.Later,

What about the soccer coach pulling up with a Vibe and 4 daughters getting out of the Vibe? (Yes, that is me.)In my area, there are Vibes all over. They are driven by all different age groups. My daughters tell me it is an old man's car, because many of the old men in my area are driving them! I guess I need to go get a CTS V!

Quote, originally posted by michaelgt »What about the soccer coach pulling up with a Vibe and 4 daughters getting out of the Vibe? (Yes, that is me.)In my area, there are Vibes all over. They are driven by all different age groups. My daughters tell me it is an old man's car, because many of the old men in my area are driving them! I guess I need to go get a CTS V! Well in this area of the world the guys driving the vettes, the 350z etc. are all old guys, not a bad thing.

Guess I know where I'm heading today. Whats up west side!

Quote, originally posted by ViciousRR »Guess I know where I'm heading today. Whats up west side!Did you get to see them? What did you think?

2005 vibes available in Halifax Nova Scotia. One of my co-workers brought one over on a test drive tonight. Had my 03 right beside it but I didn't have my camera. Personally I think the new front end is ugly-it looks very similar to the prototype Solstice from the autoshow in Detroit a few years ago. I guess they (pontiac) want to keep some brand identity which is understandable. The one I saw was monotone and Salsa! (nice colour its the first one I have seen in person.) I did not notice much difference inside and the drive is the same. The button to open the compartment under the shifter is different from mine but it could be the same as the 04?!? Also the passenger seatbelt warning light said AIRBAG also, does it not go off if there is less than 70lbs on it?Thats all....

I'll check our local dealer's lot tomorrow, see if they've hit the east side yet...doubt it though...

Here is the scoop of poop y'all. I checked out the '05 Vibe, they had 3 there, 2 blue and 1 red (salsa). Inside they look the same, feel the same when you sit in them. Also along with the body (front doors back). But I could NOT get over how UGLY the front looks now. 03 - 04 look agressive, and fast. The new style reminds me of a minivan. Pontiac screwed up on the front end and now ot looks like all the other wagons/ minivans. I won't be getting a 05 Vibe, probably an 04 Vibe.

Didn't have any at Lou Sobh in Conyers. But I still want to see one in person..

I dont know if this was documented anywhere, but the outside mirrors now match the color of the car when you get the monotone package. They were always black in 03 and 04 i believe.

For those in the Philly area, Loughead Pontiac on Baltimore Pike in Springfield has four 05 Vibes on the lot...and twenty-six 04s!!!Also, Perrine Pontiac, Route 130, Cranbury, NJ has one 03 GT on the lot! WOOOO! I might go check it out for a trade...

Just saw two 05's today at Jaggers GM in Lebanon, IN. A Lava 04, followed by two 05's (base mono Fusion and a base mono Salsa) then more 04's

Attached files

I also noticed that the headlight assembly is entirely 'chrome' - no black at all.

Attached files

Pic of the rear subwoofer. Kinda disappointing IMHO. It looks to be about 6.5", like having another door speaker! The cubbyhole cover is different too.

Attached files

Pic of the dual spray nozzle

Attached files

Quote, originally posted by kostby »I also noticed that the headlight assembly is entirely 'chrome' - no black at all.Odd. The 05 we saw at the Auto Show had all black lenses. *shrug*

Here's one more slightly 'bugeyed' look at the Fusion '05 nose. Not bad, just different. From the driver's seat, they all look the same!

Attached files

It is starting to grow on me...

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »It is starting to grow on me...I don't know, whats growing for me is my dislike for them even more. Sure glad I bought one before they changed.

Thanks for the pics. I can now see them next to each other to compare. From what I see, there really is very little difference between the two. It is amazing though, how such a little difference can change the mood of the styling. It is so much less "agressive" than before. I only notice 3 three things changed from the angles of the pics.1. The grill is the biggest change. It is flush with the front and more rounded, almost BMW "kidney" like.2. The side panels that can be bought monotone on the 03-04 look like they wrap around to the front like an 03-04, but they are angled down towards the road, not stright across.3. The lower grill has no "bar" in the center and extends to the fog lights this time.I didn't notice any other changes. I think it is going to take me looking at one in person to see if I really like them or not. In the pics, when I look at it by itself, it looks fine, but put it next to an 03-04, and it is not so good.

The look is starting to grow on me. I still prefer the more agressive styling of the '03/'04 models though, but if I hadn't bought my '04 already and was still looking I would consider the '05. I don't understand why they are taking off the cross rails from the roof rack though. I happen to like them. I know a number of people took them off. What sense is there having a roof rack if you don't have the cross rails? Can you still use it for anything functional? It doesn't appear that the cross rails are an option on the '05s either.

Quote, originally posted by SGT »I don't understand why they are taking off the cross rails from the roof rack though. I happen to like them. I know a number of people took them off. What sense is there having a roof rack if you don't have the cross rails? Can you still use it for anything functional? It doesn't appear that the cross rails are an option on the '05s either.They will be available for purchase through your dealer as an accessory, but not a factory option.

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »They will be available for purchase through your dealer as an accessory, but not a factory option.Thanks for the reply. I just can't figure out why you would have a car with a roof rack with no cross rails. I know a lot of companies are selling them this way, but it just seems that it makes the roof rack non-functional. Of course I suspect 80% of people never use the roof rack and or cross rails anyway. I just happen to like the way it looks.

One of the things I always thought looked goofy about the Mitsu Outlander was the lack of cross bars on the roof rack. Kinda strange without them, I think. I have never used the roof rack, and I probably never will, but I still like having the cross bars. Personal preference, I suppose. But, hey - one less thing to make noise! On the down side, that new nose has a larger painted area to get chipped up. All in all, I like it - and like it more with each new pic I see. Can't wait to see one in person.

When you see them side by side, it almost looks like they styled the 05's first with the 'conservative' look, and then they wanted a brawnier, more agressive look, and came up with the 03-04 front end! I truly wonder how they will make the two-tone cladding work with the new (apparently one-piece) nose!

Yeah, it still looks like 2 pieces to me. And I'd have to examine it up close to be sure, but I'd bet that if you really wanted to, you could buy an 05 and swap out the front end for an 03 or 04 front end. You'd have to get the older style grilles too, but I don't think it would be difficult. Would be fun to try it anyway! Wouldn't that be trick? An 05 Vibe that swapped out the front end for the previous style!

Well our dealership here has one, a frosty. I know I was pretty hard on the new look, but it doesn't look as bad as I thought it would. And I kinda like the chrome accents around the main grill. Dresses it up a little bit. I still like the aggressive frontend of the 03-04, but I would not be ashamed to own a 05.here's a side shot.

Attached files

An angle shot...

Attached files

And a front shot.

Attached files

Lookin' at redlava's pictures, the side and the angle make it look much more attractive than the 03-04 (in a 'general public' kinda way). It looks more streamlined, and definitely a little more sophisticated. The dead-on front shot, however, makes me cringe. It looks like the grills are painted on. If they had inset the grills ever so slightly, it might not look as strange. But...as I've -yet- to see one up close, i'm still a little reserved.I still think the changes they made will make the Vibe a much more desirable car for people on the market.

Quote, originally posted by Stang2Vibe »Yeah, it still looks like 2 pieces to me. And I'd have to examine it up close to be sure, but I'd bet that if you really wanted to, you could buy an 05 and swap out the front end for an 03 or 04 front end. You'd have to get the older style grilles too, but I don't think it would be difficult. Would be fun to try it anyway! Wouldn't that be trick? An 05 Vibe that swapped out the front end for the previous style!That would be cool. The best of both worlds. The looks of the 03-04 and the features of the 05. Wonder how feasible this really is?