Pontiac Vibe Drivers impression of the Mazda 3

3416 Views 20 Replies 10 Participants Last post by cowtown, Jan 21, 2004

Bono

Discussion Starter · Jan 20, 2004

I work at a Nuclear Physics laboatory and interact with many people from around the world. There are several German folks throughout the lab. One coworker of mine is a German and an automobile fanatic. If he isn't buying a car, he is helping someone else buy a car or lending advice in such endevors. Several weeks ago, his wife hit a deer and he was in need of a new ride. He purchased a Pontiac Vibe as soon as he got the insurance check. He had a chance to drive my wife's 3 today and was thouroghly impressed. some of his quotes are paraphrased as follows:

Too much horespower, but that's like having too much cash.
Smooth ride.
Shifts much better than my Vibe.
I like it.
Great excelleration.
Whoa!

Now you may ask why he bought a Vibe in the first place if he knows so much about cars. One, he needed a vehicle in a hurry. Two, he has a GM Visa card and had a lot of cash towards a GM product. Three, he has a disturbing need to be involved in a car buying situation.

Bono

Save

1 - 6 of 21 Posts

cowtown

· #6 · Jan 20, 2004

It's not as big because the Matrix/Vibe are like a freaking minivan next to the 3. I was next to a Vibe in traffic today and it was silly tall...

Save

cowtown

· #8 · Jan 20, 2004

A third of a foot is a fair amount of height when we're talking about cars.

Save

cowtown

· #10 · Jan 20, 2004

Regardless of the fact that it's "only" 4 Inches taller, 10CM, 1/3rd of a foot doesn't matter, the point that matters is that it looks freaking huge comparitively speaking. Honestly the car looks like it's either a lowered Asstek or a small mini-van when you drive next to one and it's not all height, it's width and styling too. But that's just me, a lot of people seem to like them, coming from a Pro5 I couldn't stand them back then either.

Save

cowtown

· #15 · Jan 20, 2004

Cripes I'm not saying it is a minivan but I'm saying that visually TO ME it looks like a minivan. The volume and design of the Matrix/Vibe obviously lead it to have certain advantages in storage, headroom and the like so hey that's great but visually and styling wise they look like a mini van. Irregardless like I said people obviously like them because there are a bunch out there but you won't catch me in one partly because in the case of a Vibe I dislike GM completely, in the case of the Matrix it's styling, no doubting the GT is a competent car performance wise.

Heh, yeah I saw the Mini in the truck picture I think some time ago. Funny enough there is a Mini that parks near my house and a couple doors down there are two lifted Ford pickups. With the lift and tires the Mini I don't even think comes up to door sill. Be funny/a shame if the truck miss parked, that'd be one squished mini.