17th Feb 2009, 11:46
I've had my 2005 for almost three and a half years now and have put 150,000 km on it. Overall it is the best car I've ever owned. Tons of storage space and great handling for a wagon. It also performs great when towing a small trailer as long as you keep the load fairly light (4-wheeler, aluminum boat, snow blower). Had a couple run-ins with deer and got lightly rear-ended by a lady who fell asleep at the wheel, but the car seems to have fared well through it all. Easy access for DIY oil changes and tune ups. I'd recommend installing a high-flow reusable air filter like K&N...might help with those cold starts too.
Here are a few of the issues I've had along the way. The fuel pump went after about a year but was still covered under warranty. As mentioned many times, the original tires wore out very quickly but I replaced them with good hard rubber ones for summer and also a set of winters, since we have snow & ice here for 5 months of the year. The fog lights seem to be vulnerable to stones but I suppose that's a common problem for all vehicles with them. The most annoying thing so far is that the middle section of the radio display has doesn't light up any more making it difficult to see the display.
All in all I would recommend this car to friends.
24th Apr 2013, 11:38
Yesterday, I bought a 2005 Vibe with 118,000 miles from a used-car dealer who bought it at auction. The car check report had revealed that a year ago, it had an encounter with a ditch, which left it with "minor" damage.
I called GM with the VIN and was told that this car is not listed under any safety recalls.
I love the car. It's a two wheel drive, automatic transmission. I have no user manual, but have many questions. Any advice from those familiar with this model is greatly appreciated.
25th Apr 2013, 16:20
I'd re-check on those recalls. The Vibe is a Toyota and has been included in a number of Toyota's record number of recalls. We looked at the Vibe a few years back, but passed it up because it was a Toyota.
23rd Mar 2014, 19:05
I have a 2005 Vibe that I bought almost 4 years ago with 108K miles. It has 175K miles on it now and runs brand new.
Recently I took it from Ft Lauderdale, FL to NYC (with my wife and two kids!) and back and it burned 1/2 qt of oil after 2800 miles.
The A/C is the best I've ever had. Have had similar problems with the tires, radio display, had to replace the cruise control switch ($168).
I wouldn't be surprised if I hit 300K with this car. I've owned 4 Corollas (94, 99, 01,0 3) and this is way better.
The hatchback feature/fold down seats is very practical. A full size washer or dryer will fit in it.
John.
16th Feb 2009, 17:10
I've been very happy with my 2004 Vibe. It could be the best car I've ever had.
I have to totally agree with everyone about the tires. I have a little different situation in that I use my Vibe as a work horse. I deliver the mail from this vehicle! I've taken out the middle console and I sit on a board wrapped in a towel while I straddle the middle. It works really well. Doing this job though, I sure go through the tires... and brakes.
I'm starting to pour money into the car also. $208 for a driver door handle... ouch! $30 for 3 lug nuts only made for this car. There's no after market for this item so the dealer has you. Next will be struts. And, I have some sort of rattle on the right side of the car that I haven't had diagnosed yet.
I've had the tranny and radiator flushes, a new battery, and other than these things, I've done all the oil changes, air filters, and spark plugs regularly myself.
The spark plugs are amazing. Good for 100k miles. I changed mine at 78k because I'm really beating this car up. They looked a lot better than plugs I've changed on other cars at 30k miles.
This is a great little car and I hope I have it a long time. I was getting about 31 mpg freeway, and sadly I blow through almost half a tank of gas on a 48 mile postal route. It takes me 4 hours to do the route. That's 4 hours of idling, stop and go, and engine on and off with dismounts. My little red "Chili" car is always dependable and keeps on going.