The 120k Mile Lament

[Yaris Revenge]

Alas, my 2003 Pontiac Vibe is finally beginning to betray her age. I had ZERO problems until the 90k mark, when the belt tensioner pulley bearing started grinding. Can't complain there... 90k problem-free miles is awesome, and the pulley bearing was an easy fix (supposedly... I'm beginning to have suspicions they only repacked it with grease and charged me for new parts, but I digress). Make no mistake, Toyota did a jam-up job with the Matrix/Vibe. Best car I've ever owned.

Anyway, currently I have the following issues:

1.) Passenger front window makes loud "pop" once when rolling rolling up and down

2.) Rear driver-side power lock only works 10% of the time (just started this past Sunday!)

3.) Numerous rattles and squeaks in dash and door panels in colder weather

4.) CD player is having problems loading and ejecting disks

5.) Rear hatch has developed a mysterious squeak just as it closes... I've greased everything that moves (and a few things that don't) to no avail

6.) Random Check Engine light that states "catalytic converter: below threshold". Tests show zero restriction, so could be bad rear cat sensor. I reeeeally don't wanna' but a converter on it... $700!

7.) Front driver-side strut developed leak (finally replaced, new set last week)

8.) The roaring noise in my engine has started to come back... sounds very much like the tensioner pulley bearing again, but could be another, I guess.

9.) Busted front passenger speaker. Notice that's the same one with the window problem? My wife is used to driving a truck and keeps slamming the door!

*sigh* I shouldn't really complain, since most of these are piddly little unimportant bits, and the car still runs great. It's just one of those things, knowing that it's all downhill from here on out, and remembering how awesome the car was when she was new.

That said, I'm really looking forward to the end of the year, and the possibility of getting a new Yaris as a replacement. I'll probably have 150k miles racked up by then, and I don't wanna' take any chances on having some truly expensive repairs. I'm holding out to see if the '08 liftback will have a built-in tach, or maybe even a T-Sport option. If not, I'd be happy to get an '07 model at a discount.

~YR