High-mileage Pontiac Vibe (2ZZ); what to look for?

I'm starting a new position at work that will be seeing me commute ~150 miles round trip on a daily basis, Monday through Friday. I have the option to either get paid for mileage or submit gas reciepts, so it makes sense for me to find something economical and make some money while I do the commute...as such, I've been looking around for something to replace my Volvo ('97 850R). Today I came across this 6-speed Pontiac Vibe GT for $2300 on my local Craigslist. 250K on the body, but ad claims engine and transmission were replaced at 120K...

http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/4761518979.html

It seems like a really good deal if the engine replacement can be verified...but I know almost nothing about the Matrix/Vibe platform. What should I look out for on this thing? Any problems they are known for? I know the 1ZZ cars get better economy, and I actually set out looking for one of those, but I can't find any 1ZZ/5-speed cars in the same price bracket as this 2ZZ/6-speed example, so...

Easiest place to find a 1zz is in a Chevy prism. 98-2002 iirc. Or maybe it was 99. Either way. I know the 2zzs are strong. The only.thing I'd look for is blatant oil consumption. I am a bit concerned as.to why the motor was r&r'd at 120k, those engines are pretty dammed stout, I'd almost be more.worried about deferred maintenance in a car like that.

3cyl geo metro or a ford festiva.

In reply to MrChaos:

I live in southern Wisconsin, the heart of the rust belt. Most are long gone, and I don't want to be stuck in a buzzbomb like that doing 75 on the freeway for multiple hours a day anyways...I'm willing to sacrifice a little bit of money for comfort! Besides, I'm asking about the Vibe, not what I should get instead.

mndsm, I had a similar thought, but I also wonder if PO missed a shift and grenaded the motor or something, then sold it back to the dealer or someone else who paid to fix it. It looks pretty decent for a 230K car. I'll look into the Prizms/Corollas, but I could really use the hatchback quite a bit.

The only thing that would really take a 2zz out at 120k would be a money shift. Fairly common on the earlier ones.

also from this http://www.speedhunters.com/2014/11/return-of-the-canyon-king/ article a 2ZZ can make 604hp on 104 octane.

They don't get good mpg (and require premium), so I don't understand the point of buying one?

The only way for it to be remotely worth it for you to switch vehicles is to buy a car that takes regular vs the premium of your volvo, and also one that gets close to double the highway mileage of said volvo. Anything less and I wouldn't bother personally...

You want a civic or a corolla, as new as possible.

Not sure I follow. There's some wonky math going on here.

It'll be cheaper to run, period.

The 1zz cars don't really get better mpg than the 2zz cars worth talking about, either.

Premium vs regular unleaded works out to... less than one cent different a mile.

Clearly, the answer is ScreaminE's MX6 GT. Will do better mpg than the Vibe, and is cheaper to buy.

My perception is that it would at least be an improvement, and give me some extra cash to pay off bills at the same time. If I can sell the Volvo (which does about 25MPG combined) for $3200 and score the Vibe for sub-$2k (and reports say the 2ZZ averages about 33MPG combined with a light foot) I'd be coming out pretty ahead. I know it's not a huge jump up in economy, but the Volvo is a lot more car than I need, especially around town; I'm lucky to do better than 20 getting around Milwaukee in the Volvo, and parking downtown for work is a PITA with a larger vehicle.

I'm going to call the guy tomorrow and see what the story is behind the drivetrain replacement. If everything checks out and I could score this for, like $1800, I feel like it would be worth having around anyway.

I drive an 03 XRS. Same car without the plastic flares. I get an average 28mpg.

At 130k I had to replace front bar end links and the cat. Its a big cat, with a big bill. But very strong, quick car. A little top heavy.

I have heard (and know of at least one confirmed case)that they burn a lot of oil, and the type of people who drive them are likely to run them out of oil because they don't check it enough. So a new engine doesn't surprise me. They don't seem to last long.

I can get mid 30s if I cruise at 75 but I drive a celica, and usually average 30-32. I'd be cautious with the transmission. I've heard that the c60 isn't the strongest/most reliable transmission. But, A reliable newish car for ~2k is not a bad deal no matter which way you swing it.

SlickDizzy wrote: I have the option to either get paid for mileage or submit gas reciepts,

I just want to say to take the mileage.
The federal gov says that it costs $0.55 cents per mile to operate the average vehicle. This $0.55 not only covers gas but also insurance, wear and replacement parts, depreciation, etc.
If you are only submitting gas receipts then who/what is buying you new tires and paying for oil changes?
Sure, as a GRM'er you can operate a car at less than $0.55 per mile. That saving from being a GRM'er should be your savings (profit) not the companies. Your co-worker (who is not a GRM'er) will likely need the entire $0.55.

Volvo vs Vibe
I spent many years like a manufacturer's rep so I always drove tons of miles to see customers/retailers. I had often considered a Vibe as a great combination and I had a rep who had one (1zz). For me, the reason I never bought one was the front seats. I found that they had poor lower back support. That is the single thing that ever kept me from buying one. Unfortunately, the GT's and The Matrix versions all get the same seat so there was no better-seat upgrade available. What I did buy (and loved) instead of a Vibe was a '95 Volvo 850 NA with manual trans. Quite ironic.

I had been considering replacing the Volvo with a Saab when word came down that we would get company cars. This resulted in a 4cyl Ford Escape that was a reasonable replacement for the Volvo.
I know you speak Saab so I will leave that to you to figure out.

My Volvo delivered 24 mpg in mixed driving.

Here is another tip. Go over to www.fueleconomy.gov and compare a few cars. The comparison allows you to customize your annual mileage and gas prices.
In doing this, you may see just how little you really can save buy going up just a couple mpg points.

A 2ZZ is probably the second thirstiest small I4 next to the 3SGE, and early 6-speeds are easy to money shift as others have said...other than that they're great engines with plenty of potential.

A lady at work had the toyota version with a slushbox and got 28 mpg.

Just as a data point: My automatic 1ZZ gets 32mpg no matter how I drive it.

Romp on it everywhere? 31.5mpg

Drive like grandma? maybe 33mpg

I don't understand an engine AND transmission replacement at 120k. And he specifies "new", not "another used one". How many Vibe's with 120k miles were worth a repair bill like that allegedly would have been. I'd need more info before I bought that story.

I do love the cars though.

I have a 2004 1zz automatic Vibe I bought with 100k on it a couple of years ago. I have put ~35k miles on it in the last couple of years. Problems and observations :

1. Replaced both front brake calipers at 120k.
2. Replaced intake manifold gasket, though I think this is a 1zz problem only.
3. The HVAC re circulation actuator broke a couple of months ago, though I understand it is easy to fix.
4. It gets 28-30 mpg no matter how it is driven on my 22 mile city commute.
5. It doesn't burn any oil at all.
6. I find that for me the front seats are pretty uncomfortable (I am 5'9", 155) due to lack of lower back support. The taller people I have met who have vibes and matrices don't seem to have a problem with theirs. It is tolerable with a lumbar support cushion.
7. It needs front sway bar links. They are getting noisy.
8. It is basically a tall corolla wagon, so it is pretty trouble free. The styling is decent, and the fold down seats make it very practical for hauling stuff.
9. Much to my dismay, it will probably run forever.

I don't think anyone else mentioned it on the 180 Hp GT model (only available with the 6spd. in some years IIRC)- I drove one on a test drive. You have to rev the ever-loving piss out of them to get into the power.

NGTD wrote: I don't think anyone else mentioned it - I drove one on a test drive. You have to rev the ever-loving piss out of them to get into the power.

That's good, though.

Out of lift, it drives just like a 1zz car.

I've yet to hear back from the Vibe guy, but found a few other options in my price range that might be worth looking into.

Infiniti G20T: http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/4733547408.html Maxima: http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/cto/4726998510.html VW TDI: http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/cto/4775499600.html

good taste

which ever of these four cars turns out to be the nicest condition is the one to get.

Swank Force One wrote:

NGTD wrote: I don't think anyone else mentioned it - I drove one on a test drive. You have to rev the ever-loving piss out of them to get into the power.

That's good, though. Out of lift, it drives just like a 1zz car.

And one of the best mods is to move the VVTLi engagement point lower - it's hydraulically actuated but electronically controlled.

Swank Force One wrote: Not sure I follow. There's some wonky math going on here. It'll be cheaper to run, period.

Pretty sure I explained it quite well. WTF is the point in changing a car to an unknown to save/earn an extra couple hundred dollars in a year?

There is VALUE in sticking with the volvo. A couple hundred a year would not be enough for me to justify switching vehicles, which brings a whole slew of other issues with it (mainly unknowns of maintenance, if tires have to be bought for the new car, etc etc) that would make the whole idea pointless. Derp.

HiTempguy wrote:

Swank Force One wrote: Not sure I follow. There's some wonky math going on here. It'll be cheaper to run, period.

Pretty sure I explained it quite well. WTF is the point in changing a car to an unknown to save/earn an extra couple hundred dollars in a year? There is VALUE in sticking with the volvo. A couple hundred a year would not be enough for me to justify switching vehicles, which brings a whole slew of other issues with it (mainly unknowns of maintenance, if tires have to be bought for the new car, etc etc) that would make the whole idea pointless. Derp.

Does the Volvo magically not require maintenance? Would it not be worth it for a newer and less complicated vehicle and a grand or so in the pocket to start?

Trust me, i'm all about "The Devil You Know," but if someone is paying me mileage, i wouldn't stick with the Volvo.

Would i go for a 2zz Vibe? No. But to say that it's not a step in the right direction financially speaking is asinine and short sighted.

Soooo... derp?

His question was: "What to look for on a 2zz Vibe?" Let's not GRM the E36 M3 out of the question.