I just wanted some feedback on this particular vehicle…im interested in a 2004 model with 86k miles. A bit high i know but the last and only owner has every record of maintanence and servicing it at a dealership its whole life right here in town…any postive or negative comments about Vibes? I know the engine/transmission is from Toyota…that could be a postive thing but i want your feedback, good or bad. Thanks!
The Pontiac Vibe is a clone of the Toyota Matrix. They are, except for minor trim differences, the same vehicle, both based on the the Toyota Corolla, one of the most reliable vehicles on the planet. Assuming it has been properly maintained, 86K miles is nothing on this vehicle. If the price is right this is a hard vehicle to beat.
Agreed; they are even built in the same plant in Van Nuys, California, by NUMMI, the New United Motor Manufacturing Inc., a joint venture between GM and Toyota. Since it is a Pontiac, it will have significantly lower resale value, thus a good deal to buy used. My brother owns a Toyota Matriix and it is as bullet-proof as they say. Expect a useful life of at least 250,000 miles with proper maintenance.
THanks for your feedback…what really attracted me to this vehicle is the double MPG for it…I currently drive a 2001 Ford F-150 SuperCab pickup truck with 4WD…in the city it gets 13 MPG at its best…and this Vibe gets 30 MPG in the City at least…thats more than double…Any other postives or negatives? Keep them coming. Thanks!
Matrix is built in canada not by nummi.
You’ve found the rare single owner car with all the records. Do they still have the original window sticker? 
The mileage tends to suggest it was a highway commuter. The only negative I can think of would be if the timing belt and water pump have been changed out yet. If not, expect a $500 maintenance bill in the near future to change them out, as most cars recommend 90k change intervals.
Also, if you do a lot of towing or deep snow traveling, keep your truck, it’ll come in handy to have an extra vehicle around.
Andrew, thanks for the correction. I was thinking of the Corolla and Geo Prism twins which are compact car clones, and built by NUMMI. By the way the Canadian Toyota plant is the best North American car assembly plant from a quality point of view.
In fact, the original window sticker was included in the manual…a very caring owner eh? ANyway, I wanted to let you guys know that I have purchased this car and it has been awesome so far…very good gas mileage and nice and sporty car for me (I’m 24, going on 25). HA. Thank you for all your feedbacks…I appreciate it snd I will look you up when or IF i have problems with this Vibe. Thanks!
This car has a timing chain.