My initial Review:
First of all, I wanted to drive a couple of weeks before I gave my initial interview. Good thing I waited, because a few minor issues have sprouted up in the last week. Those that know me know that I am passionate about this car, but I DO NOT subscribe to the school of “ignore” the minor issues (clunks, ticks, trunk size, cup holders, etc). I believe that if we make our voices heard, then GM will continue to “tweak” the little things … believe me there are not too many issues with this car.
Current Status of GXP:
MPGs:
City 19 – 22 avg (playful – tame) MUCH better than my Burb!
Hwy 27-33 avg
Mixed 24-28
Issues:
Passenger Cup Holder = DOA
Rear trunk lid = needs a slight adjustment
Roof = mechanism broke after 1 week (rod that connects roof to buttress?)
Chip (small) in hood paint (I need to get my Venture Shield on ASAP!)
I am a little concerned about the roof and others are reporting issues with theirs. Mine seemed “tight” at first, and then it stopped half way down next. Eventually I realized that it was a loose rod and I hope it is an easy fix.
Mods: lil chromies, O&J Stubbies, tinted windows, Custom plate (on order), Custom Wind Restrictor (on the way), Venture Shield clearbra (on the way)
Overview:
My car is over 1800 miles and it turned 3 weeks old today. I will easily hit 2500 (maybe 3000) miles by her 1 month birthday. I never owned a 2006 (NA) Solstice, so this review might bore the “old timers” and may benefit the newer guys. However, I have “trolled” the SF for over a year and have learned a lot from the posts of the previous owners. Overall I am VERY pleased with my purchase and would do it again. The wait (16 months) was HELL … but after Iraq I learned to have patience and not sweat the small stuff.
The Exterior = 5 of 5:
I really did not like the GXPs fascia when I first saw it in late 2005, but to tell you the truth I like it more than the NA now … I guess it grows on you. The car looks VERY mean and I have already got the “It looks like the Viper” compliment (or an older Vette/Porsche). Real car lovers love the look and most cannot believe it is a Pontiac … my badges are still on and people will still ask what it is.
The “lip” of the bumper is not painted on the bottom, which saved my paint on my first “bump” with a parking block.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the look of the dual exhaust … want the 3” and some deeper exhaust notes. However, if I owned a NA my first mod would be dual exhaust! Spoilers are not everyone’s cup of tea, but I really like the OEM spoiler. It does not take away from the “flow” of the car IMHO and at $275 it is WELL worth the money.
I replaced the RC antenna ASAP with an O series and now have the J (… OJ …
) The tires are great and grab good enough for “spirited” driving and I feel they look much better than the RSAs (sorry Nick
).
The Interior 3of 5:
WOW … where do I start? … okay here is where the old timers will say smart remarks (like just deal with it )
Good:Radio controls are easy to reach … I have the steering wheel controls, but I tend to use the controls on the radio most of the time. The shifter is in the perfect location and the
passenger’s cup holder is located great for the
driver. The airbag light does not bother me as much as others have said it bothers them. The GXP and red stitching looks AWESOME! The pedals look great with the metal covers and the GXP mats and personalized Solstice “door jam” look s great too.
The Bad:
The lock and window switches are in very odd locations … you will soon master to work the windows with your right hand (much easier than with your left). I wonder who thought that the switches and cup holders were in good locations. I think that if I have enough free time and “gonads” I will attempt to move my window switches to the shifter area. The seat adjuster knob (for your back) it similar to my old MR2 (1991) and wish the seats were a bit closer to my Burbs comfort.
The Ugly:
No surprises here … The cup holders are hands down the worst thing on the GXP (inside or out). I accidentally hit the middle one daily and the passengers always get hit as well. The passenger side was broke since day one, but I have been having too much fun driving to get it fixed. I put the lil chromies on ASAP and they look 1000 times better than those plastic ones. I have no fit issues with them and they are a nice cheap mod. The "Troll" in me wanted to say the trunk ... but even I would balk at that.
The Mechanics/Options (5 of 5):
I love the turbo sound (wheeeeze) and everyone thinks it sounds cool so far. I thought the “tick” was annoying at first, but I have grown accustomed to the sound. I am more anal than most people and no one has said anything about the noise … until I pointed it out. (right … Nick) I love trying to hit higher PSIs on the boost and have hit 19 (barely) once and 16 seems to be my “average.” I am ready to “boost” the “growl” of the GXP a little, because it seems a little “tame” (sleeperish) now. NOTE TO VENDORS: Our numbers (GXP/RED LINE Owners) are growing fast and I am very interested in seeing some more performance mods.
Conclusion (4.5 of 5):
I did not buy the GXP for the Interior, so my issues with the interior are really a “non-issue.” The car continues to give more everyday and I am VERY happy with the responsiveness of my car. I like the GXP on the speedometer, but wish it would light up like the MPG readout does. I waited “officially” from late April like many of the owners have and think it was worth the wait. I shopped around for Z4s, 350Zs and S2Ks (all well over my ~$29K MSRP) and think that the GXP is a bargain. The only reason I would not give it a perfect score was because I want Pontiac to continue to make improvements … I AM NOT A HOMER!
I will post more comments as I put more miles on this car. I will hit about 3000 the first month and it is a daily driver, so I will continue to put about 2000 a month on this car. So far, this car has made me very happy … just look at my avatar.
BTW: I am 5'8" (on a good day) and I have no issues with "fit" in the car ... I can see the road and instruments fine.