Surprised by a Vibe!

[Wurf]

He started a fraction before I did. (I think he planned to cut me off at a upcoming ramp)

Well he got the jump on you, that extra second makes a big difference, especially if you're in the wrong gear (you had just shifted in 2nd going only 10-15mph). The hasn't had a chance to build boost at this point, so he might have still been in his sweet spot and got a bit of an advantage. Had you run 3rd gear all the way up, I'm sure you would have blown him away. That gear is a monster.

My thoughts exactly.

I've driven the latest manual and auto Matrix as well as the older, 180hp high revver with a manual trans. I was considering one for quite some time before I discovered the Mazda 3 and finally the SPEED3.

The original XRS with 180hp - Off the line....you could bake a pie waiting for the power to come up and for the car to take off. I though there was something wrong with it the first time I drove it. The only way I could get it moving satisfactorily was with the pedal to the floor almost all the time, whipping the piss out of it in order to accelerate.

I later drove the 2009 models and was more impressed with the added displacement and additional torque, but it's still a stone on the street.

My last DD car was a 4cyl 2005 Camry and it seemed to accelerate much better in comparison.

I like Yodas by the way. I am looking pretty hard at a V6 Rav4 to replace the wife's aging 2002 Maxima. They rip pretty good for a wagon and will actually give a speed3 a run for the money.

 

[Hyun]

lol @ this thread.

 

[bbrich57]

+1

30 years from now, the 1zz-fe will be one of the respected engines

Can I quote you on that?

Oh, wait? I just did!!

I don't know about the long term. I would say you seem to have more faith about that than I currently do.
If in 10 yrs (we tend to keep our cars a longer time than most people) it still runs well and does not use any/much oil perhaps I will feel as strongly about it as you seem to now. But reality dictates that nearly all the cars we talk about here and now will be in the junkyard. Few will survive and be cherished in the long run. Car these days are built to be expendable and have a relatively short functional life. That's my feeling about it.

For now, and for us, its a great little car... It has "something" even if its not by any means perfect. It makes me WANT to MOD it and see what I could get it to do.

 

[Wurf]

In ten years electric cars with boatloads of torque will make the point mute. At least I hope in 10 years anyway. Maybe that's premature. Especially if certain powers in Washington have their way in the near future.

I don't think for minute we'll be waxing sentimental about the cars of the good old days like all the 50 to 60 year old guys drooling over Novas, Chevelles, Goats, and Camaros, on Mecum or Barrett Jackson today.(cryhard)

I should probably qualify my statement by stating my age - 42. I'm probably older than a majority of the members here. I don't cherish the stangs and maros' of the 80's or consider them with any high regard and I feel the same way about all the old muscle car era iron. To me, cars are a lot like computers and I don't have any love or sentiment for a TRS-80 or a 286 either.

 

[hyperpm]

Boost limited in lower gears + heat soak?

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

My thoughts exactly.

I've driven the latest manual and auto Matrix as well as the older, 180hp high revver with a manual trans. I was considering one for quite some time before I discovered the Mazda 3 and finally the SPEED3.

The original XRS with 180hp - Off the line....you could bake a pie waiting for the power to come up and for the car to take off. I though there was something wrong with it the first time I drove it. The only way I could get it moving satisfactorily was with the pedal to the floor almost all the time, whipping the piss out of it in order to accelerate.

I later drove the 2009 models and was more impressed with the added displacement and additional torque, but it's still a stone on the street.

My last DD car was a 4cyl 2005 Camry and it seemed to accelerate much better in comparison.

I like Yodas by the way. I am looking pretty hard at a V6 Rav4 to replace the wife's aging 2002 Maxima. They rip pretty good for a wagon and will actually give a speed3 a run for the money.

Did I just read that a V6 Rav4 will give a speed3 a run for its money?

 

[camrycev6]

I never saw anything on the car that made me think it was modded...however I didn't really get a good look at the front or the rear of the car.....

Speaking of a Toyota (Rav 4)...my father is 100% convinced he would crush my Speed3 with his V8 Tundra... I just laugh at him.....

 

[robin2660]

http://www.dragtimes.com/Pontiac--Vibe-Drag-Racing.html

My GF has a 2005 XRS with the 1.8 2ZZ-GE. It is not fast (about on par with Civic Si) but a pretty nice motor nonetheless - redline is 8200 and the VVTL-i kicks in at about 6200rpm, giving a little turbo-like kick. Get that thing into the power range and shift ... well, it sounds like a high-revving motorcycle (or a VTEC ;-). Curb weight is a little over 2600lbs. 82 mm bore, 85.1 mm stroke, 11.5:1 compression ratio. This motor was developed in cooperation with Yamaha much as the old Taurus SHO engine - it's about as built as it gets so very little can be done to improve performance. ANY stock NA motor that gives nearly 100HP/Liter is a pretty damned good engine, IMHO. Gas mileage is 25/32 and she consistently gets over 30 in suburban commuting (non-highway).

It DOES have a pretty nice shifter - much better than ours!

 

[camrycev6]

My ex girlfriend had a 2006 Vibe.... That thing was a dog! A hill would just about cripple that car.

 

[Saskatchewan17]

Did I just read that a V6 Rav4 will give a speed3 a run for its money?

It's quick for a cute-ute... but nowhere near MS3 speed. Maybe it would give an Si a run for its money.

 

[boosted1]

In ten years electric cars with boatloads of torque will make the point mute. At least I hope in 10 years anyway. Maybe that's premature. Especially if certain powers in Washington have their way in the near future.

I don't think for minute we'll be waxing sentimental about the cars of the good old days like all the 50 to 60 year old guys drooling over Novas, Chevelles, Goats, and Camaros, on Mecum or Barrett Jackson today.(cryhard)

I should probably qualify my statement by stating my age - 42. I'm probably older than a majority of the members here. I don't cherish the stangs and maros' of the 80's or consider them with any high regard and I feel the same way about all the old muscle car era iron. To me, cars are a lot like computers and I don't have any love or sentiment for a TRS-80 or a 286 either.

Well, I'm 50 and I feel the same way you do, about the muscle cars of the '60's/'80's. I enjoy the modern tech of today!(iagree)

 

[leadf00t]

Did I just read that a V6 Rav4 will give a speed3 a run for its money?

Yeah, I'm still laughing !!

 

[08CWP_SoCal_MS3]

Boost limited in lower gears + heat soak?

still not likely. (drive2)

 

[Sport6]

This whole thing was probably because his gas pedal was stuck down.

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

This whole thing was probably because his gas pedal was stuck down.

Priceless!

 

[blh_wakeboard]

This whole thing was probably because his gas pedal was stuck down.

Toyota, moving forward, even when you don't want to.