I just checked out the Vibe on MSN Auto and it seems there's only one engine available on it. Can that be right?? It shows just a 1.8 litre 4cyl. with 126 HP. I'd always thought it had the same engine options as the HHR.

 

Nah, the Vibe has only one power plant . It is very fuel efficient , but noisy.
Also it has less HP when equipped with the AWD option.
.
The entire car is almost twice as noisy ( to me ) as the HHR. The HHR has a much more refined ride and is a bit larger and is not quite as good on gas. Trade offs exist between the two. I traded an '05 Vibe with 8K on it for a used '06 HHR with 8K on it.

Our Vibe was nicely put together with a moon and tune package as they call it. Nice stock stereo with a sub. Better than the premium HHR sound, that for sure
But still I took a loss and went for the HHR. No loss really except in the trade, but the car (HHR) is really what makes me smile.

I hated every stinking moment behind the wheel of the Vibe. For me it was the most dangerous car I have ever driven. I often had no control over it. I guess I can drive heavy cars well, but not light ones like the Vibe.

True, it is a reliable econobox, but it handled horrible in anything other than dry weather. I constantly burned the right front tire while accelerating up simple slopes. This loss of traction caused me to collide with a bus! The Vibe is just too light and over tired, so with a little snow on the road and a slight incline, it provided no ability to grip. The speedo said I was doing twenty or so, but all I could do was slide backwards into a bus!
The right front tire simply spun when it had trouble. No other tire came to its aid. This is not what I signed up for.

Positraction of some sort had been on many of my cars for years. This Vibe was a standard ( Manual ), so perhaps it had no such tire assist, but it could have used it! I drove my five speed manual Taurus SHO up that same hill for over ten winters WITH PERFORMANCE TIRES ON IT and NEVER had the problem the Vibe gave me.The Vibe is simply too light for its tires.

Get it with an automatic if you get one. My in laws have one with an auto and say they have no problems with it. But they are old and stay inside during inclement weather, so what do they know??!

In the rain, same problem, no grip when starting out, one tire spinning....Changed all four tires to gripper ones ($$$), still not much better.
Traded car for HHR = MUCH HAPPIER

Vibe ( for me, YMMV ) = noisy, dangerous in all but dry weather, harsh ride, but great stock tunes!
I'm betting an automatic Vibe AWD would have been the answer, but hey, that's why Subaru exists

We could have kept the Vibe, worn earplugs on the highway, and kept changing tires according to the weather, but the HHR called to us............
I'm much happier in HHR land. The HHR has a great body style that you can be proud to show off. The Vibe, well......... .

Here are the two having words with each other while I decide.........

 

to the site jbbadboy!!!

 

AS BR said, I just traded in an 05 Matrix with 64K on it for my HHR..I went through 2 New England winters with it and I did just fine with all season tires. Mine was an automatic XR model so maybe the autos do perform a bit different that the sticks.

I had no real complaints about the car for the most part. Got really good mpg during the summer. Biggest issue I ever had was the front drivers window fell off the track once. Fixed under warranty and was fine after that. Was a buzzier louder car than the HHR that is for sure but not horrible. Felt like a bigger car interior wise than it was, lots of room and one plus the car had was lots of storage space compared to the HHR...compartments everywhere. (hell of a lot better cup holders also.......don't laugh..this is a big thing for a lot of people)

When I traded it at 64K it still had the original pads and rotors and the only maintenance that I had to do on the car was change the oil every 4-5K and air filters...other than that...nada, not a dime.

I moved into my HHR for about the same $$ my Matrix cost and it is loaded up with a lot of nice features that the 'Trix did not have...leather, ABS...MSRP was 21195..after a few rebates it came to about 16.3K if I recall. So yeah, you should be able to make a great deal now.

As far as hauling stuff, I was able to put a storm door from Lowes in the back of the Trix with no problem..plenty of room with the seats folded flat..have not loaded the HHR yet but looks similar space wise

Anyways if you have some more specific questions let me know, I'll be happy to try to answer them for you.



Goose

 

I took mine in last Friday and they ordered the parts. With the recent temps here, I've been hearing it and just wanted to get it over with.

 

Welcome,
HHR all the way. I looked at both and the Vibe couldn't hold a candle to the HHR.

 

First of all welcome. I had a 2000 Gran Prix that i traded in for my 07 HHR. So my car was very much like your Monte Carlo. I went back to the Pontiac dealer i bought my Grand Prix from and test drove the Vibe. I was impressed with the Millage that it was supposed to get, but thought it was very sluggish. I have owned many Pontiacs over the years and have always been happy with them. There was just somthing about the Vibe that i just found...well boring is the only word that comes to mind. I'm so happy i went with the HHR. I like it better than the vibe in every way. Its looks, and pep are way better. I'm getting around 31 mpg's on the highway with the 2.4 engine. When it comes down to it, the Vibe was just to "Cookie Cutter" for me. Test drive them both and you decide. I bet you go with the HHR, and i bet you won't regret it.

 

Welcome to the site Hope you'll get a HHR

 

I've been looking to replace the El Camino for a little over a year. Was dead set on a Vibe until I sat in an HHR and fell in love. Test drove both and I felt the HHR was head and shoulders above the Vibe, and much peppier. I'll take the HHR anyday over the Vibe.

 

That's an awesome comparative pic...Wish I could have gotten one with my VW Golf and my new HHR next to each other.