Originally Posted by DejaVue
Originally Posted by Ifixyawata
So are you guys saying Vibe/Matrix because it's an overall excellent car or is that just because we're talking 'only hatchbacks'?
Both.
"Overall excellent" doesn't mean it's not still an econobox that gets mediocre mpg compared to newer econoboxes, but it's a good econobox. It's arguably the most practical car made in the last 15 years, besides the Honda Fit.
My best Buddy's car,(until recently listed in my sig) is an 03 Vibe.
He bought it in the summer of 2010, with 120k mi, for $5k. (had I lived closer and been able to see it pre-purchase, I'd have told him to run far and quick from it) It was clearly in a front end collision, and hurriedly thrown back together in a "that'll do" fashion. front panel gaps are ALL over the place, no splash shields, or plastic inner fender liners. passenger side window will go down, but not back up, the internal structure for the track/motor is all bent out of shape.
blend door actuator is broken and ticks, fan only works on high...etc.
oh! the A/C Compressor died a couple years back,
and the hood latch wouldn't stay fully down, so i had to install hood pins.
as soon as he bought it, i changed the plugs, and air filter, and up until he moved back down to Cols 2 years ago, i did the oil every 6mos/5k mi or so... AFAIK it hasn't had an OC since the last time i did it ... April of '17(VWB &Wix)
he's approaching 250k mi. everyone who looks at is says he needs to replace it, but it just won't die.
in the 8yrs/100k mi he's owned it, aside from brakes(he did a couple pad &Rotor replacements himself, but took it some where after he had a stuck caliper for 2 years) and tires, the only times he's had it in the shop were for 3 starters, and a MAF sensor.
I'm hoping it will make it to 300k +, just so i can first hand see a well documented issue with these cars(Vibe/Matrix/Corolla of that gen) the odometer just stops @ 299,999.9 It will not tick over to 300,000.
as to practicality, a couple summers back, his mom bought all the mulch bags the gas station near her house had left, (i want to say 40-ish bags, but my brain says it couldn't be that many..maybe only 20-30)...we fit them ALL in the vibe with the back seats folded flat. (suspension was already ruined..)