This was the car that replaced the Bronco II when its dependability decreased and my dependency on it increased. In addition to providing reliable year-round transportation, I wanted something that could occasionally serve as a sleeping platform as the Bronco had. Part of my shopping ritual was climbing in the back of any candidate to see if I could stretch out. As you can see, the Vibe worked out fairly well for that.
Having a second vehicle that I wasn’t afraid to drive for long distances meant that the Corvette did not have to carry road trip duty all by itself. The little Pontiac wasn’t heavily used in long trips but it did take part in sixteen documented outings. However, not being a particularly glamorous vehicle, it did not show up in many pictures. Both photos included here were taken on a SCCA race weekend when I was proving to someone that I really did sleep in the car.
As mentioned, the car was not glamorous. Nor was it fast, a great handler, super comfortable, or overly capable in snow. But it was adequate in all those departments and it was a Toyota Matrix at heart so it was wonderfully reliable. I got a little more than a hundred thousand miles out of it and, by last report, its third owner is nearing 180,000 after replacing the clutch.
The Vibe didn’t give me much trouble or many stories. I guess the closest thing to a problem was finding the battery dead on three occasions when it was left outside overnight in quite cold temperatures. Online research led me to a possible cause. There was no on/off switch for the headlights. They operated automatically. It was reported that something in the mechanism could freeze up, turn them on in error, and drain the battery. It was suggested that leaving the high beams selected (there was a switch for that) might keep that from happening. I started doing that and never had the problem again but can’t be certain that was the reason.
The list of complaints was almost non-existent but there weren’t many standout features either. There was the legendary Toyota Corolla reliability, of course, and the surprisingly usable interior space. There was an AC outlet that came in handy for charging things and now and then using a laptop computer. Seat height was something I came to appreciate over time. For the Corvette, entry and exit was a matter of falling in and climbing out. It was the reverse for the Bronco. The Vibe seat seemed just right for easily stepping out for a few pictures then just as easily stepping back in.
As I hinted, a non-glamorous highly reliable car is simply not a great source for stories. Looking through the trip reports turned up just one significant mention of the Vibe. It involved the Tail of the Dragon on the TN-NC border. You may recognize the name and, if so, you’ll know that it consists of 318 curves packed into 11 miles. It’s a fun north-to-south downhill challenge for motorcycles and sports cars on sunny days. I drove the Vibe south-to-north up hill in the rain. It just ain’t the same.
My Previous Wheels: Chapter 33 — 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
My Next Wheels: Chapter 35 — 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
Having owned two Matrixes, a base model and a top-line XRS, you know I was waiting for this installment to comment.
I’d have another Matrix! They are just so darned useful. But if I wanted to throw a car down a twisty road … well, the Matrix was a sloppy handler. My Ford Focus, believe it or not, handled like a ballet dancer in comparison.
My first Matrix fried its transmission to the tune of $3,000, making that the single most expensive repair of my automotive history. Toyota reliability my foot.
Yep, I knew you were a Vibe/Matrix fan. “useful” is a good description. Not outstanding at anything but pretty good at almost everything. “sloppy handler” also fits quite well.
It’s a sad truth that, even when a good reputation is deserved, not every specimen will live up to it. On the other side of things, I recall that the manual transmission Vibe’s developed a reputation for pressure plate failure shortly after reaching 50,000. Mine was doing fine well past 150,000. I know that being an exception doesn’t make you feel any better but I was OK with it;-)
I think you had the GT right? It had a different manual gearbox than the base model.
No, it had the base mechanicals. The GT manual was a 6-speed. Mine was 5. Guess I just got lucky. It at least partially made up for the previous My Wheels chapter ending with no reverse gear at all.
As of april 2021 I have two pontiac vibes, a 2003 and a 2004. The 2004 was bought new
With 320,000 miles on it its still going strong. Omain odometer stopped at 299,999 so we keep track with the trip odometer. It has let us down once with battery issues. We’ve had front end issues that were fixed easily. The 2003 was bought used and now had 190,000 miles. No they are not glamorous, no they are not photo worthy. But they have been sturdy, dependable and room to haul almost everything. (daybed with trundle and mattresses was a challenge) I would buy 10 more if they were still made.
That’s great to hear. Yep, I think the Vibe & Matrix are among the most practical cars ever made. My grandson just bought one but I don’t know year or any other details. I’m sure there are a few camping trips in its future.
I had a 05 Matrix AWD that I sold with 950,000 Km on it (tracked using trip metre, it was shipped to Africa
Still drive my 06 Vibe daily, great mileage with stick, holds 60 2x4x8
Wow. Those are impressive numbers. I always wondered if an AWD version would hold up and they obviously hold up just fine.
Inherited a 2004 Vibe with 37,000 miles. Am going to have to donate it and buy a new car which is a financial hardship. It won’t pass state inspection because check engine light won’t stay off. Camshaft solenoid, camshaft solenoid actuator sensor, bent valve, fuel tank pressure sensor, gas tank cap have all been replaced according to diagnostics, light comes back on within 30 mi of each repair. On board computer problems have been ruled out. GM engineers have said it might be a hairline crack on the engine block which can’t be gotten at to repair. Doesn’t qualify as a lemon because it’s not still under warranty. Sad because it runs great no performance problems.
What a bummer. At 37,000 miles, it had a potentially long life ahead of it.
Yep. A friend today said if I could find a good electrician there should be a way to cut the wire that is connected to the light. Another guy told me he had this problem and used electrical tape to cover the light on the dashboard, because it was black on black it didn’t show. His always passed emissions checks, and this hid the light. On mine nothing even shows up on the diagnostics anymore but legally the shop owners can’t pass it for inspection because of the light being on. I can’t afford a new car the plan when I inherited this one was for it to last the rest of my life. (I’m not that young). So I’m going to have to find a way around this.