How much Pontiac is in the Toyota Matrix?

B

BRODEY1

New member
I understand that the Pontiac Vibe and the Toyota Matrix are related, but just how much Pontiac is involved?



I don't want to pay top dollar for a Toyota with a bunch of Pontiac in it.



I looked at the reliability ratings on MSN.com, and it was perfect across the board, which leads me to assume its mostly Toyota.



I would really appreciate any insight on this.



Thanks! :wavey
 
Same engine, same plant in Californie NUUMI, same people putting them together....



Main difference AFAIK is the available options - and obviously the styling...
 
Actually I think its the other way round. Its how much Toyota is in the Pontiac ;) Its virtually the same car for two generations now. People who don't know will pay more for the Toyota at resale!

Toyota has even done this with the Corolla in the past. For example people who know this will pick up a Geo Prizm (aka Chevy Prizm) from 1990-2002 for $2k under the equivalent and identical Toyota Corolla at resale. Both cars are the same thing right down to the engine, tranny, suspension and interior.
 
A great topic with great points about PERCEPTION and its power on people when it comes to Japanese cars.
 
Got a 2009 VIBE GT a few months ago and love it! 26mpg daily, 30mpg hiway, great ride, drivetrainand suspension. All black, debadged the liftgate, love the looks!!!
 
I agree^^ :D

The Vibe looks better than the Matrix this time around. I preferred the Matrix over the Vibe in the previous gen.

I am not a badge snob, so if I was in the market for these two cars I would just pick the styling I liked and buy it.



I think what you have here is a perfect example that shows you how much the Big 3 are going to have to work to change perceptions. The fact that you can have two identical cars, made by the exact same workers, in the exact same plant, and all you do is change the badging and tweak the styling, call one a GM Pontiac and call the other a Toyota Matrix, AND still people prefer the Toyota almost 4-1. That's harsh commentary :)
 
The wife got a 03 Matrix XRS in the summer of 02. It was build in Canada with the Pontiac too. The car has been the worst Toyota we ever had to date. I have spent over 4000 in repairs and other XRS owners on some forums had said they had the same problems with their cars too. Maybe the new ones are better now but we are not going to get one from Toyota this time.
 
Zoom and I have compared notes on the Matrix. My wife also drives one... an '05 XR, automatic. While his is the worst car they've owned, mine is probably the best. With about ten Toyotas in the extended family over thirty years, this Matrix is by far the best car we've owned at the 36 month (paid off) stage.



I put a set of Michelins and Iridium spark plugs in it and the car handles great w/ 30 mpg. I don't know where our Matrix was manufactured, but afaik that makes a BIG difference. I know the local Toyota shop always makes a fuss over the "J" VINs (Japan.) I think that Zoom's car has a standard tranny, and I recall that being a source of trouble.



Sorry that you got the short straw on this one, Angelo.
 
yea i had a 03 matrix xr awd, and yea i had some problems too, tho great car,

bad engine... my engine oil was sludging... and my local toyota dealership didnt want to cover it.



but anyways yea i have a 05 scion tc, it has the same 2.4l engine as the new matrix/vibe. good engine all around
 
Yeah there have been some issues with the ZZ engines based on where they were manufactured. It really sucks that workers in the US and Canada can't put together and engine, while workers in Japan do a better job of putting together the same engine. Its so bad sometimes that people are checking VIN plates before they buy their cars these days. Shame :(
 
Yal said:
Yeah there have been some issues with the ZZ engines based on where they were manufactured. It really sucks that workers in the US and Canada can't put together and engine, while workers in Japan do a better job of putting together the same engine. Its so bad sometimes that people are checking VIN plates before they buy their cars these days. Shame :(
Click to expand...



I think that as a rule, the above observation is such a figment of peoples imagination its crazy and its perceptions such as those that will be nearly impossible for certain companies to overcome. And BTW, the 1ZZ and UZZ are largely MACHINE assembled at any of the plants. If we look at the number of TSBs and recall pieces that have come out of Japan in the last half dozen years, the info shows not so one-sided. My friends newer 2006 Scion Xa has had a few issues from the cam gears, to the rear bumper not fitting on the drivers side and finally the paint not being applied properly inside the hatch and under the hood. It was made in Japan but i GUARANTEE you if it were made in the US, people would say, "well thats cause Americans cant put em together".





CHRIS
 
Oh and if anyone wants to see ZZ based engine failures, look into the last gen MR2s...some clogged cat break down and some poorly built and some couldnt take the rpms. Lots of failures abound. And as far as I remember, they werent made here.



CHRIS
 
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