Solstice GXP - any reason not to?

bigbens6 wrote: What is that you are parked on and where can i get one?!?!?!? I wanna know.... and your garage is sick clean... omw

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/fod/4136578668.html

Also sold at any farm supply place for half as much.

Good score - looks like a nice car.

Don't listen to the guys that tell you they are lemons - they aren't. Like almost all cars, they had issues when first released that were sorted during production, with the result that the last years (2008 and 2009) were pretty well sorted cars.

The handling on them is, like all cars, a compromise calculated to appeal to the most people, so you don't get reviewers saying it is softer than a dishrag or complaining that it rides like a buckboard. I treated my coupe to a regime of stiffening members (isn't that the name of a band....) and a new set of sway bars, shocks and springs, and it transforms the cars.

You may be limited on what you can do as far as tuning the engine, but I have it on good authority (ahem) that they go much better with an additional 90-100 bhp, and they remain very reliable at those levels.

We've owned two...a GXP vert and a GXP coupe.

The vert was an 07 and we traded it for the coupe at 33k. No issues...seriously none other than a recall for a leaking diff cover.

The coupe is an 09 and only has 7k miles. It's been a great car and I like the coupe/targa combo a little better than the vert.

I'm not sure why wspohn thinks his own personal experience trumps the rest of us enough that you shouldn't pay attention to us, but whatever. IMO, one owners bad experience, while you may not want to hear it, is as valid as another's good experience. I put 54k miles on mine in 2 years. I'm not sure how many other owners can claim that. The car spent more time at the dealer than any of the 80+ cars I've owned. But like I said earlier, they were mostly niggling little problems. It only left me stranded once. And it had a talent for fixing itself. One day it would have an electrical issue of some sort, and the next it was gone. Consider this a reference point of "1".

Yes, there is a reason not to......its called the SKY Redline.

But seeing as you bought its safety edged sibling already(this has to be a record), congrats and add the GMPP tune immediately to get 290/290 for power/torque.....

Guy in our club has one and it has pretty much been ONLY an autocross car for its entire life. It has about 3,000 very hard miles on it now without any issues.

I've driven it a number of times and it's a hoot once you get a decent alignment in it.

yamaha wrote: Yes, there is a reason not to......its called the SKY Redline. But seeing as you bought its safety edged sibling already(this has to be a record), congrats and add the GMPP tune immediately to get 290/290 for power/torque.....

I do think Skys look better as well, which is why i'm guessing you wrote this.

Only thing is that coupe Solstice exists if you can find one.

My wife is STILL mad at me for buying our Astra instead of the Sky Redline we could have had for $3,000 more.

Hell, I'm still mad at me for that. It sucks to be the voice of reason.

yamaha wrote: Yes, there is a reason not to......its called the SKY Redline. But seeing as you bought its safety edged sibling already(this has to be a record), congrats and add the GMPP tune immediately to get 290/290 for power/torque.....

We looked at the Sky redline too, but felt the styling was a little too busy. I thought the Pontiac would age better. That was when we bought the vert, then Pontiac came out with the coupe and that was that...I really liked that one. We actually took delivery of the coupe after Pontiac was officially shuttered.

Also the GMPP tune can give up to 340TQ depending on transmission:

For 2007-2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP, 2007-2009 Saturn Sky, 2008-2009 Chevrolet HHR SS and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Cobalt SS turbocharged (will not fit supercharged Cobalt). Increases horsepower up to 290 @ 5200 rpm and torque up to 340 lbs.

or you could go with a 427: http://www.gmhightechperformance.com/features/ghtp_1208_2009_pontiac_solstice_gxp_the_werks/

I liked the Sky styling at first but cooled to it after some time - too fussy and I have a thing about fake vents that don't go anywhere and such fripperies (but that sort of thing apparently sells lots of cars). The Solstice is simpler cleaner looking, but at least there are two versions (not counting the Opel GT and Daewoo) out there to please either camp.

PS - bravenrace - I do know the niggling things that can plague new cars can be annoying and didn't mean to belittle your experience

The Solstice coupe aside, I also think the Sky os better looking. A sky Redline with all of the chrome blacked out will be in my garage one of these days I hope.