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Spinoff: Do We Need a Toyota Matrix Tribe?  

post #1 of 21
6/15/07 at 5:35pm
Thread Starter 
I was just checking out the carseat thread and realized there are a LOT of folks here driving Matrixes! Mine is a 2003 and will be paid off next May. Woo! It has 43k miles on it right now, and I'm planning (here's where this belongs in the frugal living section) on driving it until the wheels turn to dust.
post #2 of 21
6/15/07 at 7:05pm
I have a pontiac vibe... which is essentially a toyota matrix w/a different name and slightly different look in the front... The inside's all matrix, though... do I count? hehehe :
post #3 of 21
6/15/07 at 9:28pm
I just got a 2003 and I : it SO much! I downsized from a huge SUV and am so happy. I also plan on driving it until the wheels fall right off
post #4 of 21
6/15/07 at 9:34pm
EEK! I have a 2003 Matrix with almost 95000 miles. I bought it new (May 02) when they first came out. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will last me a long, long time.
post #5 of 21
6/15/07 at 9:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juvysen View Post
I have a pontiac vibe... which is essentially a toyota matrix w/a different name and slightly different look in the front... The inside's all matrix, though... do I count? hehehe :
I actually used to kick myself for not buying a Vibe. The same car for less money!
post #6 of 21
6/16/07 at 1:10am
I just bought a Matrix four months ago--an 07. Downsized from a minivan. I LOVE IT. We're saving a ton on gas, it's got plenty of room, it's maneuverable. I'm an economy car driver at heart and never did get comfortable in our old minivan.
post #7 of 21
6/16/07 at 9:43am
Me too!!!! I have a 2003 Matrix and love it. Unfortunately we are buying a minivan in the next few months. UGH! I LOVE my car so much. I think it's got right under 58K miles on it right now. We've done a 12hour one-way trip about 4 times in it and it fits our family of 4 perfectly. I've tried putting 3 carseats across the back and they just don't work. So we are sizing up to a minivan.
post #8 of 21
6/16/07 at 10:04am
Heck yeah!! I got my 07 Matrix earlier this year - upgraded from a pocket rocket after DH wrapped it around a tree *sigh*

I love my car - and I'm SO excited to hear that it CAN handle three carseats!
post #9 of 21
6/16/07 at 1:13pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by alicia622 View Post
I actually used to kick myself for not buying a Vibe. The same car for less money!
You know, I was *this close* to buying a Vibe--I literally had the pen poised over the paper. Then I chickened out. I ended up with the Matrix because it had a longer warranty. I do think the Vibe has a much cuter front-end design.
post #10 of 21
6/16/07 at 2:40pm
I was looking at Vibes too but my mechanics steered me away from Pontiacs due to reliability issues (I found links like this): http://www.autooninfo.net/NAEd200703...oAvoidList.htm

Even though in the past the Toyota Corolla and say the Chevy Nova have been the same car , for some reason the Toyotas seem to last and their GM variants die??
post #11 of 21
6/16/07 at 2:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by earthymama2b View Post
Heck yeah!! I got my 07 Matrix earlier this year - upgraded from a pocket rocket after DH wrapped it around a tree *sigh*

I love my car - and I'm SO excited to hear that it CAN handle three carseats!
Who said that? What kind of car seats do they have? WE have a graco turbobooster(backless), an Evenflo Titan and when we tried putting in a Graco Snugride infant seat, they were WAY off. They would have been completely unsafe in the back. A backless booster and two convertibles won't even fit. My guess is unless you pay for a few Britax Marathons or a Radian, you won't get 3 carseats across the back.
post #12 of 21
6/16/07 at 2:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by faerybugmady View Post
Who said that? What kind of car seats do they have? WE have a graco turbobooster(backless), an Evenflo Titan and when we tried putting in a Graco Snugride infant seat, they were WAY off. They would have been completely unsafe in the back. A backless booster and two convertibles won't even fit. My guess is unless you pay for a few Britax Marathons or a Radian, you won't get 3 carseats across the back.
There is a thread around here somewhere asking about cars that could fit 3 carseats in the back, and several people have said that they could fit three in their Matrix - I asked for specific models, cuz I figure it's cheaper to get the right carseats from the start, than to have to upgrade to a new car a few years down the line.
post #13 of 21
6/16/07 at 2:55pm
I almost got one when the first came out, but wanted a used care instead of new : Maybe for my next car....
post #14 of 21
6/16/07 at 3:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by earthymama2b View Post
There is a thread around here somewhere asking about cars that could fit 3 carseats in the back, and several people have said that they could fit three in their Matrix - I asked for specific models, cuz I figure it's cheaper to get the right carseats from the start, than to have to upgrade to a new car a few years down the line.
Yeah I was going to say, I think those people with 3 bought the britax marathon or the radian.
post #15 of 21
6/16/07 at 4:53pm
Just took my 04 Vibe into for an oil-change yesterday. Love that little baby, had no problems in the year we've had it, and its up to 90,000 mi. We're planning to drive it for awhile, especially if I can get 3 carseats in it. I love that ours is a stick, too. So much fun to drive!

Not that it matters, but its neat so many mamas like it. Dh commented the other day that we only see old people driving them here!
post #16 of 21
6/16/07 at 11:36pm
I laughed when I saw the title of this thread. I don't own a car right now, but if I move to where I have to have one, it will probably be a Matrix. It's good to see so many people like it!

One thing--the Car Talk guys said on their test drive that the only downside is that you have somewhat limited rear visibility because of the window design. Do you find that to be the case?
post #17 of 21
6/17/07 at 4:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KarenEMT View Post
I was looking at Vibes too but my mechanics steered me away from Pontiacs due to reliability issues (I found links like this): http://www.autooninfo.net/NAEd200703...oAvoidList.htm

Even though in the past the Toyota Corolla and say the Chevy Nova have been the same car , for some reason the Toyotas seem to last and their GM variants die??
2 reasons:
1) Many Many less Corolla Novas were sold than toyota corollas, so naturally less are left.
2) GM Mechanics at stealerships working on Toyotas isn't a particularly good idea.

As for Vibe/Matrix The cars are made in the same factory, the bumper and part of the interior are all that is different.
post #18 of 21
6/17/07 at 8:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fuller2 View Post

One thing--the Car Talk guys said on their test drive that the only downside is that you have somewhat limited rear visibility because of the window design. Do you find that to be the case?
Absolutely. I can't tell you how many times we almost died because we didn't see the car approaching from behind: That was the one major problem with the Matrix when we first got it. The visibility sucks. However, if you are really anal about adjusting your mirrors it helps a bunch and eventually you learn to look differently so you don't crash!!!
post #19 of 21
6/17/07 at 9:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShaggyDaddy View Post
2 reasons:
1) Many Many less Corolla Novas were sold than toyota corollas, so naturally less are left.
2) GM Mechanics at stealerships working on Toyotas isn't a particularly good idea.

As for Vibe/Matrix The cars are made in the same factory, the bumper and part of the interior are all that is different.
I just could not chance owning a Pontiac again myself but I hope the Vibes are indeed reliable. RIP to our old Pontiac - engine was still going but everything else fell apart. We don't use dealerships either thank God, we use a reliable local mechanic. Our local GM dealer has a "dry erase" board with their labor rate - it goes up so often they just erase the old rate and draw in the new one. :

As for the visibility issue, I got teeny "fish eye" mirrors for my Matrix. I'm used to using those for driving our family truck so I had DH stick them on the outside of the Matrix mirror to help with in-traffic visibility. As far as parallel parking and such, I've had a pretty easy time of it just because the car is so small so it has not been an issue.
post #20 of 21
6/17/07 at 2:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fuller2 View Post
One thing--the Car Talk guys said on their test drive that the only downside is that you have somewhat limited rear visibility because of the window design. Do you find that to be the case?
No, not at all. It took me a while to get used to using the passenger side view mirror and ALWAYS glancing right rather than just relying on the rear view mirror, but, I wouldn't say it's limited. A station wagon jsut has a different shape than a sedan, and it's DEFINITELY better visibility than any SUV I've ever been in.
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