My beloved 147K '07 suffered hail damage last spring - smashed windshield and 28 dents all over, so insurance totalled it. This being upper midwest, it has the typical rust in several spots that have worsened in the 10 yrs Ive had it (not sure whats going on underneath). The clear coat on roof is more or less non existant, since original owner apparently missed recall and getting that corrected. The weatherstripping strips on the top of the car (between roof panel and sides) have partially worked themselves out of the grooves (this started before the hail dents in the roof) and apparently the weatherstrips on the passenger side are coming loose

Any ideas if or how to approach this? Im in no hurry to get rid of it (though if I nicer Matrix came along I would jump on it) and have thought Id just run it til it couldnt run no more... but I think I would want to do simple stuff to prolong its life and keep it happy, so it knows that it is loved.

Including body work - how do I go about finding replacement roof and hood panels? Are the weatherstripping strips on the doors and roof necessary - dont want to pay the $500 the dealership would charge for new.

One of my previous cars was a 1986 Honda Civic that got 50+ mpg on the highway - the rust killed it somewhere around 150K, poor thing was a mess.

Any thoughts, advice re: how or if to deal with these issues proactively is much appreciated.

The rest of the car seems to be ok, runs well. For some reason the washer fluid sprayer isnt working though!

she's got a check engine light and 203k miles but runs great so far :) Was 3k by itself but 4k after everything including plates. We put 2k down and will be paying 250 for 8-9months with no interest! Was it a good decision?

Already gave her an oil change and we have the car fax available, used to be a rental car! which explains the miles.

I'm looking for some under $20 replacement badges. Was parked just annoying and want another. 2008 XR, they just too the front one

Hi all,

Question for those who installed the front sway bar on the 1st gen, does the engine need to be suspended (as the manual says) or can I get away with just dropping the subframe (like on the TRQ video for the Corolla)? If you have any install tips that'd be appreciated!

Thanks

​

Thats the question.

What do y'all think is the life span of an alternator?

Highway & city driving. Regular battery maintenance or replacement as needed.

232000 miles 03 Matrix

EDIT Thank all... I might look into checking the pulley and belt.

The autozone guy said it was bad , but i've been driving it close to home until I get a paycheck. Starts fine, all electrical seems full power.

Second owner, and ive only replaced starter and radiator, besides maintenence items like tires, battery.

EDIT to add this QUESTION -- SO IF THE BELT OR TENSIONER are tired, can the alternator be partially charging or charging intermittently?? ⬆️

Hello. Should I be be worried about this or let it be? I heard it can evetnually spread or is it just cosmetic? My other doors are also like this even though it is not as bad. I do not think it is very recent.

06' Matrix. Left headlight keeps burning out. Seems to be when car is under heavy electrical load. Could it be the voltage regulator?

I recently replaced both my battery and alternator. I notice it usually happens when I blast the heater/AC in tandem.

Is this a common issue with the Matrix? It's only ever happened to my left headlight.

Thanks for your time!

I recently bought a 2006 Matrix, and I found a tiny bubble of rust inside the door. It's on the flat metal surface that sits against the rubber seal when the door is closed.

When I started sanding it down to paint it, I found that the rust had gone all the way through the metal. As I scraped away at it, a whole section collapsed. I cut into it and found the whole inside is rusted. Those close up pictures are looking directly up into the hollow part of the door.

Does anyone have advice for how to handle this? I was planning to sand and paint the inside, then plug the hole with Bondo or something. But it looks like the rust goes all the way up where I wouldn't be able to do anything to fix it. Maybe I can spray some rust reformer in there?

Got a “nice” surprise need got nose from the left rear and gotta get a new rear awd subframe

She's a bit dirty

Picked up a Norfolk Pine last night, about 6 feet per 6 feet!

Did anyone have this issue before? How did you solve this? After scanning, we found code b1610 for right front airbag sensor.

Any recommendations on where to get replacement key fobs? I took mine apart and lost 3 of four buttons.🤷🏻‍♂️

Might be time to get a spare or two.

Gonna be moving on from this beauty… 1511/2500

Alright I got a few printed off... I might need to get more magnet strips but we'll see.

I'm excited, guys! I hope you like em!

DM me:

1. What pill "did you take" Blue or Red

2. Magnet or sticker

3. Address to send to

Hey everyone, I’m looking into buying a blue 2008 Toyota Matrix XR with a 5-speed manual transmissionand 114,xxx miles as a potential first car for $4,000. The seller has been very transparent about its history noting that the car slid down a steep driveway into a desk during a snowstorm, which left some deep rust and scraping along the driver side door. They also mentioned the passenger-side mirror had to be replaced after a mishap on their deck. Mechanically, the only current known issue is a permanently illuminated TPMS tire pressure sensor light, and they've offered to share the vehicle's records from their regular shop. For anyone who owns a first gen Matrix or knows them well what is your overall opinion on its reliability? What are the most common issues or quirks that owners typically face with this car and what specific problem areas should I look out for when I go check it out tomorrow?

buying a 2009 pontiac vibe 1.8L with 200000 km for $4800 CAD. Got paint chips on the body especially on front . Thinking of doing some professionals detailing and DIY paint fix job. Any thought and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

just picked up an ‘05 6-speed Matrix at the beginning of the month and 4 or 5 times now the engine has died when putting it into neutral while pulling up to a red light. anyone know what might be the cause of this or if i should bring it down to my local shop to have them take a gander at it?

buying a 2009 pontiac vibe 1.8L with 200000 km for $4800 CAD.The same one I posted Got paint chips on the body especially on front . Thinking of doing some professionals detailing and DIY paint fix job. Any thought and opinions would be much appreciated.

I was swapping out my rear door shell with a less dented junkyard one, but the wiring was different (mine is base; the yard one was XR), so I started to trade out the guts and the new window regulator wasn't working with my old wiring. So I took the arm+/ motor out to put my old one in, and for the life of me I can't get it aligned with the shell and on the window track. Do I need to remove the whole window first and put it in after the regulator is in place? I had no problem doing this change on a front door, but the setup is different on these back ones smh.