Solstice vs Cayman?

[Allen K. Littlefield]

Just received my June 30 copy of AutoWeek and on the inside of the back cover is a Pontiac ad for the Solstice GXP Coupe. Claims it will "tame" both the Z4 coupe and the Cayman. Does anyone have any specs on this car? Car doesn't look bad in the photo and I will have to see it in the flesh in order to pass judgement on looks. The ill fitting top on the current Solstice is certainly a put off and maybe they will have upgraded that for a better looking fit.....or not!

AKL

[Quickurt]

I have a good friend who has a Solstice and is sorry he does........

[Quickurt]

I just went and looked at the photo gallery on road and track

It looks like it was designed by a boat manufacturer kit car company

.......................................

I just took my siggy out to keep all that barf off it!!

[rick3000]

If you go and look at one in person you will realize you don't want one. The quality is no where near the same as the Cayman ... or the Z4 for that matter. They can advertise what they want, but I wouldn't believe them.
My biggest problem with the Solstice is that it is cramped. The trunk isn't big enough to fit more than a sweater. If you want to carry more than that your SOL or you have to get a trailer hitch.
Go look at one and make up your own mind, this is just my $0.02!

[Kirk]

I don't know. I think the Solstice looks alright in person.

But it's still a GM product and will have GM's level of poor quality. That's the biggest thing that turns me off about that car. I wouldn't worry about the GXP version putting the Cayman to shame. GM engineers think they can put a high output engine in a car and call it a sports car. Pure, straight line power may be on par with the Cayman, but the other driving dynamics such as cornering ability, braking, feedback, etc. will never compare. Porsche makes pure sports cars. GM, with the exception of the Z06, does not. Plain and simple.

[steve00s]

Looks like visibility might be a bit of problem. I'm not a huge fan of the sliver like windows.

[Brucelee]

The Solstice is a very nice looking car and I think a good value for the money. Not in any way a real competitor to Cayman, price being what, half that of the Porsche?

Anyway, I wouldn't rag on it, it is nice for what it is.

[Sputter]

It's a nice enough car for what it is. I even toyed with the idea of Saturn Sky Redline. (better put together imho).

I recall them comparing their Solstice GPX vs a Base Boxster for numbers.
Of course they couldn't have put it up against the Box S. (even though they used their higher output model against it)
It's all smoke and mirrors with a healty dose of PR.

The average joe might eat what GM feeds em but anyone doing their homework while shoping for a sports car will see the Emperor, indeed has no clothes.

It's not even close to a Porsche in quality. The interior with tell you that straight off. Just throwing HP at a car doesn't make it more than just another lowend car.

--edited for fat finger typing-

[Quickurt]

I love your fat finger typing comment. We're in that ball park together.
My buddy's Solstice is at the shop way more than it's in his garage, and way, way more than he has it to drive. It would be bad enough if the problems were minor or changing, but they're not. It's in for the same thing, over and over. Main problem is front shocks and suspension parts. They're junk. HE drives it a few days and the front shocks bind up again. THey just keep putting the saem crap back in it. Apparently there is unibody hardware or mounj differences between the standard and the GXP, so they can't upgrade his to GXP shocks and suspension. Another repeating problem is with door handles and they're the same on both models. The top is not only ill fitting and ugly as hell, it keeps the weather out about the same way it looks and he says it's so damned loud (wind noise) with it up, he has ear plugs in the glove box.
They want him to trade up to a GXP, but they won't give him his purchase price for his baseline model, that was all he could get the first year. He's now initiating lemon law on it to get his money back.

[Topless]

GM has come a long way. The Corvette is really pretty nice and my current work truck is an 05 Silverado which I beat on constantly and it still runs great.

The Solstice GXP "Taming" a Cayman... Pleeeeeeeease. When pigs fly.

[pompous]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

The Solstice is a very nice looking car and I think a good value for the money. Not in any way a real competitor to Cayman, price being what, half that of the Porsche?

Anyway, I wouldn't rag on it, it is nice for what it is.

I was just about to type this. haha...
Seriously though, I don't think there's too many of us that have our boxsters as DDs. That said, I love my box, but it is small and at best, will accomodate my luggage if traveling for a weekend. Don't even get me started on the girlfriend (LOL I need a Uhaul trailer for that one). Anyway, I don't mind the solstice...its just when they start thinking they are anything near a P-car is when it gets silly. Porsche was a "want" of mine for a long time and now it is certainly an "addiction" a "way of life" even. Its a different feeling driving these cars and no Pontiac owner would understand IMHO So, i'll just let them be. You can't miss something you've never had...right?? LOL

[baseball]

I think the Solstice looks great. And that's where the positives end. If you're thinking of buying one, take one for a test drive - once you do, you won't want one anymore. Everything about it is cheap, clunky and flimsy and the ride is buzzy and grating.

And as a former Pontiac owner, if you think Porsche service is bad, you haven't experienced anything til you've owned a Pontiac. So bad I've sworn off ever owning another GM car.

[ky944s]

Try and put somthing in the trunk of the Solstice........Ah Ha you can't :dance:
Now put the top down and try. What still no room

I guess you could have the passenger hold whatever it is you need to bring with you....

[rick3000]

I don't mind the way it looks, but that is all it has going for it.
I just have a lot of trouble with the trunk. Because even as a weekend only car, you can't even fit a tennis racket, let alone a set of gold clubs in it.

[Brucelee]

I rented a G6 GT recently and was impressed. Given the price, it was a lot of car for the dough, handled well, was tight and quiet.

Having said that, the GM dealer network is what it is, not very good.

[Quickurt]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

I rented a G6 GT recently and was impressed. Given the price, it was a lot of car for the dough, handled well, was tight and quiet.

Having said that, the GM dealer network is what it is, not very good.

It seems like every time we go to Seattle to visit my daughter and family, I end up with a four door standard G6.

[Jaxonalden]

It's a shame that Detroit, trying to keep up with the rest of the world, is always shooting themselves in the foot with all these models that don't cut the mustard. Have you seen how thin the metal body panels are on a Dodge? Not sure but I think GM still uses those cheap ass throttle body injection units. I believe their main problem is that the UAW is making them design with their hands tied behind their backs and their heads up their ass's. What I mean is the Union basically holds the big three hostage an threatens them with striking unless their over-inflated demands are met. With that, auto makers end up paying way more than the worker is worth for the job they do. The benefits package? Well we won't get into that.

And people wonder why Detroit can't produce a car that will keep up with the foreign models. That's easy to see why, to keep profit margins up for the investors and after paying the ransom from the UAW, they have to skimp on matrials and technology (which in the end equals quality) to keep the cars in a price range that the majority can afford.

What ever happened to loyalty? If workers treated their jobs like they were on a team and sacrificed themselves for that team I think we would produce a car that no one could touch. But since we don't have that I guess that's what they call "capitalism".

[944boy]

Because it was mentioned. I drive my Boxster daily. In fact except for about 6mo. I have always driven a Porsche as a DD. My dad has a 993 he uses every day.

We had a Toyota Celica ('87), that occasionally had to be rescued by my 944. Even my mom's M3 has left her stranded.

In nearly 100K miles only 3 times did my 944 leave me stranded. Only once was it major (clutch, original at 180K). That car now has 230K miles.

Personally a well built (albeit expensive) car is worth it. A civic is great as a beater, but a Porsche is more rewarding to drive. I got to ride in a brand new '09 I think V6 accord. A stripped base v6 it cost about the same as what I paid for my '05 base. It was nice, much improved from previous models. But its still a toaster.

As sad as it is that GM can't produce a good car to save their lives, it's true. We knew one couple who traded their 996 for a Corvette and a few months later got another Porsche and ditched the vette.

I also got to drive a G6 GT, it was crap.... The traction control didn't do anything, not that it could spin the tires (I tried, it was an auto however)

I won't say a Porsche is 'cheap' to own, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

[blinkwatt]

Originally Posted by Sputter

I recall them comparing their Solstice GPX vs a Base Boxster for numbers.
Of course they couldn't have put it up against the Box S. (even though they used their higher output model against it)
It's all smoke and mirrors with a healty dose of PR.

You forgot to mention they put their manual Solstice GPX, up against an tiptronic base Boxster

I had to deal with a dick at work that though their Solstice was faster then my manual....idiot.

[nola911]

blah blah blah, I hate magazine hype.

First- Think of it this way, porsche used a timeless design on the cayman tat mimics a 40+ year old set of lines. It also incorporates a mid engine. I promise that the cayman will be one of the most sought after collectors cars in the future. The pontiac will look old in 3 years when they come out with a new design. The BMW will probably last a little longer but I think they went too angular with this run. As for current production, here and now the Pontiac is a great looking car but does not stop traffic like the sleak lines of the cayman, which in my opinion is the best looking Porsche ever built.

Second- The quality of the three cars is not comparable, don't believe me, go test drive them. The Cayman and BMW are much better feeling cars.

I would compare the pontiac, the saturn, and the chrysler to one another, but stop it right there.

I may be biased, but it is my future plans to trade my 996 for a cayman in the upcoming years. To trade it for something American made would be foolish in my opinion.

On the other hand, I do like that the solstice can be bought with full warranty and low miles for 15k on ebay, as it would probably be a fun to daily driver so the porsche can avoid the deadly potholes and traffic of new orleans.