2004 Pontiac Vibe Consumer Reviews

Reliable, predictable, economical, zzzzz

Written by: Bradford on 02/05/2009

Vehicle

2004 Pontiac Vibe Fwd 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)

Review

My Vibe makes me smile. It's the red one you see most often in ads but not the GT. No supercharger. I bought it with 31k and put 32k on it. Besides oil changes only had to replace front brakes. Tight steering. Boring to drive but unbeatably reliable. It's a Matrix, after all. MPG averages 28-29 if I do 70 or under on the freeway and relax in traffic. Lots of space inside when you flatten the back seat. The car rides high for its light weight and you are at the driver level of the average SUV. You must adjust your mirrors accurately to avoid the blind spots - don't look surprised Toyota/Pontiac - you know they are there. Very easy to park and turn. A truly great little car... but boring.

Favorite Features

I like the exterior design. It has a sense of humor. Look at it head-on and it's smiling at you. MPG is good. The easiest car to drive that I ever owned. It never let me down. Radio is quite good. It is perfect for what it is.

Suggested Improvements

Passenger side front door moulding catches on the curb and when the passenger yanks the door to close it, the moulding pops out. Panoramic rear view mirror to handle the blind spots.

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

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175K Sold At auction for $3900

Written by: KennyG on 12/14/2008

Vehicle

2004 Pontiac Vibe Fwd 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Repo man took it at 175K. Miss my Vibe. Drove like a tank. Changed the oil religiously, didnt burn a drop. Can you imagine it sold at auction for $3900 with that kind of mileage?

Favorite Features

Stereo. Best I ever had. Like loud clear music? Buy one with Moon and Tunes. Liftgate window. Driving fun, ease to park, decent gas mileage. Capable handling. Love that plug for the computer. Take your laptop find a hotspot and your connected without a monthly service charge!

Suggested Improvements

Rear window gets rust for all the salt and sand that collects. It appears they did away with the liftgate window in 08-09 to deal with this. They might have fixed that problem with the new model; they took away a lot of utility. Find me any 4 banger where you can put a 4x 16 inside your car?

6 out 6 people found this review helpful

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Gerat Car!

Written by: Iheartmyvibe on 11/21/2008

Vehicle

2004 Pontiac Vibe Fwd 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I purchased the car second hand, and I've only had it for a few months so far. I've only had to replace a sensor for the heater (inexpensive). It drives well, great gas mileage and it is fun to drive. It seems like a very reliable car.

Favorite Features

Great gas mileage. Looks outdoorsy and handles well. All seats fold down so I can haul awkward sized things.

Suggested Improvements

Less noisy engine when starting (even noisy in the summer months) a little more kick on the highway wouldn't be bad. Once it's cruising it's great, but to get into passing mode takes a bit of time.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Good Viberations

Written by: Blue belle vibe on 11/12/2008

Vehicle

2004 Pontiac Vibe Fwd 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)

Review

We rented a Vibe for a weekend trip in 2004 because that's all they had left. My wife would not let me drive the car the whole trip she loved it so much. We bought a leftover model when we got back and got a great deal. She commutes about 45 miles a day and has not complained a bit. The car has tons of room and gets about 32 mpg. We camp a lot so the plastic back hatch area makes for easy cleanup. The roof racks are very useful and solid and we use them for our 2 kayaks. The back seat is roomy even for my football player son. I've replaced the brakes once and change the oil every 3000 miles. The car has 65500 mostly hiway miles. Hopefully they keep making these when we'll be ready for the next one.

Favorite Features

Useful roof racks. Great mpg, roomy, sunroof, stereo, good stiff suspension with good cornering, nice clean look,

Suggested Improvements

Motor could use a little more pep at takeoff even at the cost of a couple miles a gallon would be OK with me.

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

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Could not believe the room

Written by: Bobbydrums67 on 11/09/2008

Vehicle

2004 Pontiac Vibe Fwd 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Did not think I would own one till I drove one. I am a old 67 yrs old drummer. I have a 7 piece drum kit. They are fit on this Vibe. I am still amazed, I am 6ft 4in tall and i have plenty of head room, leg room, etc. Truly amazed. Wife is a rural mail carrier. With 4 bolts taken out the center console can be removed and if she needs a back up vehicle this little but big Vibe will do well. 37 MPG, great ride. We own 2 Hondas also, A CRV and an Odyssey. Would buy another Vibe in a heart beat. Same as the Toyota Matrix. Wife's sister owns a Matrix. That's what got me started looking into this vehicle. She lives in New Orleans, she visited us this year. She got 35 MPG easy on her trip to Indiana.

Favorite Features

Folding flush rear seats, 110 inverter, smooth ride for a small car, excellent mpg, 70-80 mph with ease, Bose stereo system, sun roof. We just love it

Suggested Improvements

Leave them the way they are. No problems at all.

2 out 4 people found this review helpful

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Awesome car!

Written by: mayonnaise on 10/20/2008

Vehicle

2004 Pontiac Vibe Fwd 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)

Review

Love, love, love this car! Bought used just over a year ago. Gets great gas mileage. Very comfortable seating. Very roomy & lots of space for passengers or to haul cargo.

Favorite Features

The SUNROOF! The storage space. Extra outlet in the storage compartment was a plus.

Suggested Improvements

Love the headlights coming on when sensors indicate (in case I forget) but would REALLY like the ability to shut them off w/o shutting off the car. An iPod jack would be great too!

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Good Value - but questions remain

Written by: Gary on 10/17/2008

Vehicle

2004 Pontiac Vibe GT Fwd 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 6M)

Review

Great Gas Mileage. Fun Car to drive. Fits smaller people like a glove. Some quirks that seem not to make sense such as Headlights always on(Can not be turned off at any time), Front windows recall(mine were fixed under warranty before recall), Front of car including hood chips very easily, and most nagging for me is the fan in the car is always on(air comes through vents constantly). These things get noticed after newness of car wears off!

Favorite Features

Good sound system, extra power outlets, high beam headlamps have great exposure to both sides of road, all components easily reached from drivers seat!

Suggested Improvements

Head lights that turn off ventilation fans that can be turned off. Better paint (chipping) on front of car

3 out 3 people found this review helpful

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5 years, no problems

Written by: wm on 09/28/2008

Vehicle

2004 Pontiac Vibe Fwd 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I purchased in Dec 2003, and nearly 5 yrs later I still love this car. It is incredibly functional, durable, and reliable. I have had ZERO mechanical/maintenance problems with it. My only complaint is the sheet metal for the exterior is easily dented - expect to see some dings on the bodies of older models. I am proud to say I just made a long distance drive on the freeway with the cruise control set at 65, and got more than 33 miles/gal. At 58,000 miles I'm just changing the tires. She still looks good, and is the perfect car for a dog owner/family man like me.

Favorite Features

Overall functionality. Interior space, hard plastic floor when rear seats are down, hard points for bungee cords/rope, useful front console, roof rack, comfortable driving position, good driver visibility - ave. 27 mpg in town, 33 mpg on hwy!

Suggested Improvements

More durable face for radio (the buttons on mine are worn beyond recognition), and tougher sheet metal for the body - unless that means a reduction in fuel economy.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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Fun to Drive

Written by: Good to Go on 08/20/2008

Vehicle

2004 Pontiac Vibe Fwd 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)

Review

I love this car! I compare it to the Subaru Outback because of its versatility. I've only had it two weeks but I can tell the gas mileage is great. Only problem I've come across is putting gas in the tank. The pump constantly shuts off like its full even when I just start pumping. Very annoying, takes 10 minutes to fill tank. Anyone else have this issue? I checked on recalls or campaigns and found none. Other than that, great car.

Favorite Features

The two back seats that fold down FLAT. I can load anything back there.

Suggested Improvements

The hard plastic back area. Anything I put back there slides around when I corner.

1 out 1 people found this review helpful

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Best of all worlds

Written by: Carcully on 08/14/2008

Vehicle

2004 Pontiac Vibe Fwd 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)

Review

We recently sold our 2003 Honda Odyssey, and replaced it with a 2004 Vibe. I'm thrilled with our choice. We have two young children, but really didn't want to drove a large van around any longer, partly because of rising gas prices, and also because the van became a holding ground for extra items we really didn't need to be using. The Vibe is perfect for us. It still has the ability to haul things if needed, has a decent-sized back seat for a small car, but has much improved gas mileage, ease of handling and parking, and is equally as comfortable. It is also a sharp looking car, and it sits you up nicely for a good view of the road. If something ever happened to mine, I'd buy another!

Favorite Features

Practicality, gas mileage, looks, comfort. Love the moonroof and upgraded stereo package ours came with (moon and tunes package). The car handles like a dream, and with the price of gas, the efficiency is welcome!

Suggested Improvements

I think they've addressed everything in the new 2009 Vibe...standard safety features, such as side airbags and traction control. I think they've even added air conditioning vents for the rear as well. I do wish all models came standard with keyless entry.

2 out 2 people found this review helpful

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