Picked up my Solstice GXP at a very far away dealership in Chicago yesterday. Flew in, drove out. Now in Chicago for a business meeting/academic seminar and want to report my first observations of the GXP vs Base Sol. This may be old news to some, but I wanted to add this:

The GXP (and admittedly mine is not broken in with just 324 miles on in 1 day breaking it in as recommended in the manual) appears to not be a fun as My former BASE PHATSOL. Now, before anyone gets angry and flames, let me say that I have not had it above 70, even 65, yet it appears to not FEEL as fun to drive in curves as my PHATSOL was. I had modded the PHATSOL with 20s and Nitto performance Z rated tires, so this may explain it, but the handling does not feel as go-cart fun or as precise in the GXP as the PHATSOL before the mods I did. Also, with the top up, the GXP with the acoustic headliner is VERY QUIET. Disconcertingly so. I liked the wind noise top up and down on PHATSOL.
The interior this time is ebony leather. Last time it was Steel and Sand and I personally did not like that. The EBONY with Mysterious is a better combination IMHO. The top appears to operate smoother versus my first times in PHATSOL. No misalignment issues, no flawed paint, and no other issues thus far.
Atfter 500 miles, I will report on how it feels to open it up. I have a date Thursday with this new GXP to return to New Mexico, and I plan on feeling some GXP power on the open road. Some nice twisties in central to western Missouri will test the handling prowess. At that, I cannot wait...

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Solstice GXP picked up 10/13/2006. Triple black Mysterious, Darkside, Ebony leather with red stitching. All Options, but no spoiler. 5 speed chrome wheels, XM, OnStar, sport metallic pedals everything but the blonde salesgirl...

New tires have always felt greasy to me. I have to put almost 1000 miles on a set before they feel right. It could also be how the tire is constructed. Maybe the base cars RS-A's feel better out of the box because of their construction. If it still feels that way after the cars broken in, try upping the tire pressure and see how that feels. For me, that's a quick way to improve response and turn in feel.

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2007 Cool GXP with Darkside Top, 5 spd, Ebony Cloth, Monsoon with Single CD, Sport Pedals, XM, A/C
Mods - Solo Street/Race Exhaust, K&N Drop-in Air Filter, EDAL

LV noted it did not have that "Go-Cart" feel earlier too ... I am driving a Suburban now, so it will be a nice change in pace for me.

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2007 Aggressive GXP (Manual) loaded minus On* and Smoker's Pkg (Born 11/10/2006 and picked up on 11/22/2006) SOLD 10/17/2008

Current sMiles: 21,622

Click Here To See My Mod Page

He is right, at least for my initial impression. I know you got yours coming soon from the dealership that Birdliver got his from. I jumped the gun and found one in the Midwest/Chicago, so it helped me there. You don't have an NA Sol for comparison, but it does seem less zippy and less go cart like.

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Solstice GXP picked up 10/13/2006. Triple black Mysterious, Darkside, Ebony leather with red stitching. All Options, but no spoiler. 5 speed chrome wheels, XM, OnStar, sport metallic pedals everything but the blonde salesgirl...

Man, I have not driven a N/A Sol to compare, but I find the GXP to corner excellently to me it is much like go-cart handling to me. And now that I am past break-in it is Flat Out Fast!!

I am getting together with HWSNBN to use his meter to test 0-60 & 1/4 mile! I will report numbers next week. Be aware that I am talking it carrying my heavy rear, so the times will be slower than they might be!

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Ernie Guzman Pontiac in Houston are liars and profiteers!!

Power Train Mods Are Done!!! Dejon CAI, Dejon IC Pipes, EDAL, Magnaflow 3" cat-back
Misc. Mods: WindRestrictor 2, stubby, de-badged, engine cover painted, garage door opener, headlights smoked, egg yolks gone, Garmin Nuvi 660, custom trailer hitch, upolstering
To Do: Calipers painted, Back mud flaps, ECM tune? Boost Controller?

Man, I hope you are right. Maybe mine is just tight, so that it might loosen up during breakin. Seemed to be getting slightly looser on my drive back to the suburbs along Lake Shore Drive minutes ago. That cost me 42 miles, so I am now close to 380 miles and can't wait to open this thing up some. 500 miles is soooooo close. It is hard to resist not putting my foot in it. Really puttin my foot in it, I mean. When I get to albuquerque Friday, this babe gets some new shoes and socks, .i.e. new rims and performance tires.

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Solstice GXP picked up 10/13/2006. Triple black Mysterious, Darkside, Ebony leather with red stitching. All Options, but no spoiler. 5 speed chrome wheels, XM, OnStar, sport metallic pedals everything but the blonde salesgirl...

To all those people that have not driven a NA Solstice with better tires like my 1st 1K with F1 GS-D3's, you have no IDEA how good the OLD car is, as far as handling vs the GXP with the F1 GS-2's.
I am glad that we have another owner with the old NA Solstice with better tires, and doing a first impression as myself when I drove my GXP.
I got a little bit of HEAT from other GXP owners when I said it did not handle as well.
I wish GoodYear would not have the F1 GS-D3's on back order so I can put them on the GXP and then make another comparison, other than taht the car is fast and quiet.

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Please do not mis construe what we are saying, it is not bad at all, however what were are saying is the OLD one with better tires is BETTER than the new GXP with it F1 GS-D2's..

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Aggressive GXP at $25,995.00 shipping of $600, Manual Transmission.
Options:
Air, $960; Chrome Wheels, $545; PCQ, Premium Package (Leather), $525; Radio, 6-Disc with MP3, $495; Monsoon, $395; Premium Acoustic Headliner, $150; and Sport Metallic Pedals, $115; all totals $29,180.00.
No XM/OnStar and NO Spoiler.

MODS (RKSport/Magnaflow dual exit exhaust system, K&N filter, Ventureshield.
First 1000. Aggressive with everything, NO XM/OnStar. SOLD
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NASSOA
Founding member
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I agree with both of you. At least as another GXP driver I know what you mean. I just don't prefer to explain it as being less go cart like. I still think that you feel and are more involved with the base car (which I also miss) because you are working to get every last bit it has to offer. As opposed to sitting there less involved in what's happening and calling on reserve power that's just there waiting for you by putting your foot down. I perfectly understand how you get the impression that it doesn't perform as well but I believe it can and does. I think it requires more skill to drive it at it's limits than the base car does and that's part of it for me. I can drive the base at it's limit but right now I'd constantly be off the road in big trouble if I tried it in the GXP but the car can do it, I can't. Another way of saying it may be that I hold back in the GXP and I didn't in the base car cause I know I'll be in trouble. I don't have the confidence of knowing what's going to happen like I do in the base car and realize it will take me beyond MY limit at this point. So, I'm saying that if you put an experienced race car driver familiar with both vehicles, speed factor aside, the performance capacity of both cars will be in the same ballpark in terms of turning capacity etc. tires being the same etc. etc. I say same ballpark allowing for small differences that may result from the change in weight distribution. I do agree with Latin on the tire issue but I think the issue is more because of the above explanation although I don't dismiss his point at all.

Stevie, Congratulations (reason for edit) I should have said this first!-bird

Looks like I need to plan on getting new shoes for my GXP......GM didn't go with better tires; that's sad.

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Team Solstice 2008
HOT SHOT
Aggressive 2007 GXP Auto-minus On*Star, spoiler, and smokers pkg.
Delivered December 4, 2006
Ave mixed driving 26 mpg
2 failed pinion seals...300+ miles, and 9,700+ miles...and one more under recall at 12,636 miles for a grand total of 3!
Driver's outside door handle came apart in May 2008...repaired June 2008
Canvas top replaced June 2008.
Gas cap replaced.
All repairs covered under warranty.

Birdliver,
Please I am only making reference to the handling and not anything to do with the power of the car, all I WANT and hope to get once the Eagles F1 GS-D3's are on the GXP is as good but hoping for even better feel in the handling of the car and communications from the steering.
I hope what I am trying to communicate becomes more clear, the car is GREAT and if I had never owned the 1st 1K, with the different tires, I would feel extremely satisfied with the GXP, specially since when it comes to power it feels like you are driving a small well tune V8, plus it is a very quiet ride compare to the OLD 1st 1K.

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Aggressive GXP at $25,995.00 shipping of $600, Manual Transmission.
Options:
Air, $960; Chrome Wheels, $545; PCQ, Premium Package (Leather), $525; Radio, 6-Disc with MP3, $495; Monsoon, $395; Premium Acoustic Headliner, $150; and Sport Metallic Pedals, $115; all totals $29,180.00.
No XM/OnStar and NO Spoiler.

MODS (RKSport/Magnaflow dual exit exhaust system, K&N filter, Ventureshield.
First 1000. Aggressive with everything, NO XM/OnStar. SOLD
~~~~~~~
NASSOA
Founding member
~~~~~~~

Hi Latin,
No No, I understand what you mean. I really can't wait till you get your new tires and tell us what you think. I will buy them also next Spring but I want to hear your report ASAP. I have a feeling that you almost know what you are expecting and can't wait to be back on them. I'm just gonna burn through these here learning how to master this very refined beast and then make the switch when the weather up here improves again. I do hope that you find satisfaction with them. Regarding the N/A Sol, it's not beyond me to get another one of them again, either. I will of course keep Stinger but I do miss my red car. I ran into the guy who bought it the other day and he loves it and also wants a GXP. Maybe I can get it back if he follows through. I'm sending him the Window Sticker for it and asked him to pass it along it with the car if he sells it. He's a Porsche and Jag guy, so I think he will.

latinvenom, i'm surprised you didn't trade the gs-d3s from your 2006 solstice for the gxp tires. or were you hoping the gxp tires would be as good?

LV,
Did they say when you would get your tires?

The forum member that bought the car want it them, and I was very sure there would be no problem getting a new set, but they are on backorder.

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Aggressive GXP at $25,995.00 shipping of $600, Manual Transmission.
Options:
Air, $960; Chrome Wheels, $545;