Just when I thought I had everything planned out, I am browsing Pontiac's website and I see the solstice. Wow - what a car! This little thing looks incredibly fun and for 10k less than the GTO. Do you still think I should buy a GTO because right now I am unsure, I might order a solstice instead. I am in the market for a fun driving car, so maybe the solstice is more for me? What do you guys think?

The Sol is a badass little car, but looses some functionality over the GTO, mainly in cargo, 2 seater vs 4, and practically no trunk space. But it is a convertible roadster, so thats kinda what its made for.

You need to sit down and honestly ask yourself what you want and need out of a new car.

Once you figure that out the decision will be easier.

What is it you want out of a new car? Once you can honestly answer that we could help you better. :)

Two thoughts:

1) It's about time some U.S. manufacturer built a decent looking/performing sports type car (other than the mega-bucks Vette). I wish them well. The market is terribly limited for a car of that type. Not many Mazda Miatas around here.

2) I hope Pontiac does a better job of building it than they did with the Fiero. The GTO proves they can do it. The automotive press will kill them unless it's a real winner, though.

Originally posted by mldavis@Sep 20 2005, 07:24 PM
Two thoughts:

1) It's about time some U.S. manufacturer built a decent looking/performing sports type car (other than the mega-bucks Vette). I wish them well. The market is terribly limited for a car of that type. Not many Mazda Miatas around here.

2) I hope Pontiac does a better job of building it than they did with the Fiero. The GTO proves they can do it. The automotive press will kill them unless it's a real winner, though.
The market is small because the miata is the only one...with no other option many people wont choose to go there.

Now that there is decent competition there will be more sales in general...that and the Miata hasn't changed styles in 20 some odd years now.

You'll probably have to wait a while to get a Solstice, as the demand is pretty high and supply low. I would also expect to pay closer to $25k for one, as the $20k version is stripped (no AC, no LSD, no power windows/locks, not even floormats.) Also be aware that it basically doesn't have any storage space. You may be able to fit a soft dufflebag in the trunk, but that's about it. I've also heard that the interior just screams "cheap plastic".

Also, although it should be fun to drive, it's not going to win any street races or autocrosses, it that matter to you.

Don't think I'm bashing the Solstice. I'm not. I'd like to have one myself. (Actually, I'm more partial to the Sky.)

So, it's kindof two sides of a coin. If you want high performance, nice interior and more room then get a GTO. If you want a stylish top down cruiser for a fair price get the Solstice.

PSH, the solstice interior is great.

Originally posted by Nocturn@Sep 21 2005, 05:20 PM
PSH, the solstice interior is great.
I hope so. It looks good in pictures, but you can't really tell much until you sit in it. I thought the G6 interior looked good in pictures too, but when I finally sat in one I was less impressed, especially with the console.

I've read several reviews complaining about some fit/finish concerns in the Solstice interior. Let's hope it's not as bad as they implied.

Steve

I am thinking of ordering one, then buying the warrantied supercharger that Ecotech plans on releasing, that should crank the HP up to around 210-240 for around 2k more. Then I will have a fast car and one that handles like a dream.

Originally posted by justincmd@Sep 21 2005, 02:58 PM
I am thinking of ordering one, then buying the warrantied supercharger that Ecotech plans on releasing, that should crank the HP up to around 210-240 for around 2k more. Then I will have a fast car and one that handles like a dream.
Just wait a year or two for the Solstice GT, turboed with 250 from the get go.

There aren't many people who can ignore the total lack of utility in the little 2 seaters. Count all the BMWs, Miatas and other roadsters that you see in a week and you'll see that the cars may be fun to drive around town on nice weather days, but winter and summer kill the fun, and you can't go anywhere in them with gear, you can't haul anything larger than 2 grocery bags. Not many people have that kind of "real car" money to blow on a city run around car that is neither very fast or very practical.

I have looked at the little BMW 2-seaters but just can't get past the idea of being limited to the local area or a very short weekend with one suitcase.

Check this out,


Car News briefs: Pontiac's Solstice going for thousands over sticker
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
AUTOWEEK
Posted Date: 9/21/05
Well, that didn't take long. With demand far outstripping supply, the Pontiac Solstice, which went on sale in early August, typically fetches about $5,000 over sticker price on eBay, AutoTrader.com and at dealerships.

That makes the new roadster the hottest Pontiac in years.

One eBay bidder dropped $32,900 for one of the low-slung roadsters, which start at $19,995 and rise to $24,700 fully loaded.

Some of the first 1,000 cars, which were sold to buyers through a promotion on the hit TV show "The Apprentice," are bringing an even bigger premium. One eBayer paid $10,000 for the right to buy car number 664.

GM says it will build about 7,000 Solstices this year.

Pontiac dealers have ordered 13,000 Solstices; many won't get more than one until next year.




http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=103226

I've heard from people on Porsche message boards getting excited about it. If it gets a 250hp version, I would think it would be about as quick as the new Boxster or 350z, say high 13s or so.
If you're single, the only downsides I see is the (presumably) poor crash safety and having a 4cyl exhaust note..

a 250HP version will run mid-low 13s....compare HP/LBS ratios, its a better ratio than a Mustang GT.

That would be great if it did. I'd compare it to the Boxster though, virtually identical weight and power (240hp) and it runs about a 14 flat. Hard to beleive people paid 45k for those things, and here pontiac comes out with a near identical car for half the price. Since a fully loaded base Solstice comes out to about 22k, hopefully you'll be able to get a turbo'ed car for ~26k. Esp considering the way gas prices have been, these little cars are going to sell like crazy.

I would wait a little bit before buying a Solstice. From what I hear, they have been marking them up a bit.

Here is a short list of cars that people who are thinking of buying a Solstice(or any other car) for more than MSRP should think about:

1979 Mazda RX-7
1982 Chevy Corvette
1982 Porsche 944
1984 Chevy Corvette
1981 Pontiac Trans Am
1982 Pontiac Trans Am
1984 Pontiac Fiero
More recently:
1990 Mazda Miata
2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
(Ahem) 2004 Pontiac GTO
...........................on and on........

What do these all have in common? People paid way too much for them because they bought into a 'gotta have it now' hype.

Cool your jets for a few months, and you'll save a ton of money, and get a better car because the bugs will be worked out, and the first round of upgrades will be added in.

I can't imagine a worse feeling than getting on a waiting list, paying over MSRP, and then seeing the same car selling for thousands under MSRP a few months later. Not that anyone on this board ever saw THAT happen.

81-82 Trans ams....what? If anything it would be 79 as that was the last year of the big blocks. more TAs sold in 79 than any other year.

Originally posted by honkinunit@Sep 23 2005, 05:12 PM
Here is a short list of cars that people who are thinking of buying a Solstice(or any other car) for more than MSRP should think about:

1979 Mazda RX-7
1982 Chevy Corvette
1982 Porsche 944
1984 Chevy Corvette
1981 Pontiac Trans Am
1982 Pontiac Trans Am
1984 Pontiac Fiero
More recently:
1990 Mazda Miata
2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
(Ahem) 2004 Pontiac GTO
...........................on and on........

What do these all have in common? People paid way too much for them because they bought into a 'gotta have it now' hype.

Cool your jets for a few months, and you'll save a ton of money, and get a better car because the bugs will be worked out, and the first round of upgrades will be added in.

I can't imagine a worse feeling than getting on a waiting list, paying over MSRP, and then seeing the same car selling for thousands under MSRP a few months later. Not that anyone on this board ever saw THAT happen.
Gotta agree with this advice.. so you have it before anyone else.. that's nice and all, but in a few months it won't matter, and you'll be kicking yourself for wasting 5 (or in some cases 8 or 10 :blink: ) grand.

Originally posted by Nocturn@Sep 23 2005, 07:01 PM
81-82 Trans ams....what? If anything it would be 79 as that was the last year of the big blocks. more TAs sold in 79 than any other year.

Only the T/A 6.6 1979 models sold for MSRP, the rest you could deal on. Yes, they sold over 100,000 '79 T/As, which was one of the reasons you could get a deal on all but the T/A 6.6 versions. They only made 7-8000 with the T/A 6.6, because they had already stopped production on the 400 engine and gone to the auto only 403 Olds. I knew two people who bought 1979 T/A 6.6 4-speeds, one was a 10th Anniversary and one was a custom ordered, totally stripped WS-6 T/A 6.6, with vinyl seats and no A/C. Another friend of mine ordered a late 1978 T/A 6.6 4-speed, but it was damaged on the train ride, so he took a 1979 403 Auto instead. Huge mistake. He spent thousands just to get it close to a stock T/A 6.6, which was not exactly a fast car by today's standards. BTW, if you wanted to see an example of Detroit ****py quality at its worst, the '79 F-bodies had to be the pinnacle. It was a miracle if anything lined up on those cars.

Think about the reality that the 1979 T/A 6.6 Trans Am was close to being the fastest new car available, and it ran a 15 second quarter mile! Of course, when the gas crunch hit, you could pick up any number cars for under $2000 that would waste a stock '79 T/A in the quarter. Mine was a '70 Mach I with a 428SCJ, 4-speed with a 4.30 Detroit Locker in the rear. I paid $1000 for it, sold it with a cracked block 18 months later for $1200, and thought I was really making out. Yes, I wish I still had that car. No, I have no idea where it is today. I had friends with outrageous cars that they had all picked up for $2K or less, sometimes far less. For under $2K I saw 440 Chargers, a '70 Boss 302 Mustang, a real live (except for the long gone original engine) Boss 429 Mustang, my Mach I, 396 Chevelles out the wazoo, and what was by far the biggest steal I ever saw, a $300 (!) 1970 340 Challenger with a pistol grip 4-speed and the Chrysler shaker hood (another rant - I can't f'in believe what these Chrysler shaker assemblies go for now - there is a ratted out HOOD (just the hood!) going for $3900 on eBay right now).

But I digress.

The 1981 4.9 Turbo models sold for over MSRP because it was the last model year of a long running body style, and it was a pretty limited production item. They also had major problems, and died a rapid death. I haven't seen one alive in years. The 1982 models had a lot of hype out of the box, and dealers got over MSRP for about the first six months, until people realized they were pretty ****py cars, too. GM was on a major losing steak for a long time there.

Anyway, anyone buying a Goat, or a Solstice, or almost any car out there right now is crazy to pay over MSRP. Except for the Prius!! I talked to a guy that for the last three years buys a new Prius, takes the sweet Colorado tax break, and sells it for more than he paid for it!

Hey hey, I own a 79 fbody....so watch it B)

As for quality, I am yet to replace anything but the Transmission (was a richmond 5 speed when I got it, and was shot due to previous owner). Since then I havn't had to replace anything that needed replacing, just minor restoration like hoses and such that would need replacing on any 1979 vehicle.

The 4.9L was based on the 301 Pontiac mill.....which many enthusiast refuse to acknowledge actually existed...that and a pull through type turbo....added up to a pretty horrible drivetrain.

Originally posted by Nocturn@Sep 26 2005, 08:07 PM
Hey hey, I own a 79 fbody....so watch it B)

As for quality, I am yet to replace anything but the Transmission (was a richmond 5 speed when I got it, and was shot due to previous owner). Since then I havn't had to replace anything that needed replacing, just minor restoration like hoses and such that would need replacing on any 1979 vehicle.

The 4.9L was based on the 301 Pontiac mill.....which many enthusiast refuse to acknowledge actually existed...that and a pull through type turbo....added up to a pretty horrible drivetrain.

The 400 and 403 were pretty solid, the 4-speed was solid, the rear end was pretty good.

For some reason the autos were lousy. The TH350 just wasn't up to the task, especially if you added power.

The body and interior were pathetic. Talk about instant rust. The louvered taillights rarely lined up with the gas door, the spoilers were often crooked right out of the box, the wheel spoilers had gaps. The interiors rattled from day one. The quality wasn't there in the design or in the build.

There is a '79 10th Anniversary T/A 6.6 4-speed on eBay right now (starting bid is 20K) with 25000 miles on it. It is as good a '79 as I've seen in a long time. There are really good photos, that show exactly what I'm talking about. Take a look at how the body panels don't line up on this car! However for for closer to $10K I'd like this car, just for the nostalgia.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1979-Pontia...1QQcmdZViewItem (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1979-Pontiac-Firebird-Trans-am-10th-Anniversary_W0QQitemZ4578179769QQcategoryZ6427QQrd Z1QQcmdZViewItem)



I bought a 1977 T/A 6.6 in 1981, and it had already had rust repaired on both quarters. By 1983 when I sold it, the quarters were gone again and the lower door jambs were almost rusted through. It had all the usual rattles and misaligned body panels, too.

For some reason, the Camaros from the era didn't seem to rust as badly. I knew a few '79-'81 Z28 owners, and they had much better luck.

Lol i'm not going to get into an argument with you about it, but it was the 70s(80s practically) and nothing was made that well. I have had mine for about 3 years now without any problems I didn't know about before hand. I am yet to do any bodywork to it, and havn't needed to.

take it from a 79 TA owner, the car has its flaws, but it's not as bad as your making it out to be.