Man I got to agree on the Flinstone analogy. My N/A soli was so much smoother rthan the GXP these tires blow. You feel like you'll chip a tooth compared to the N/A SOLI LOL
The performance suspension, which I like, accounts for much of this as well, I believe.
Location: Rosamond, CA - Home of Willow Springs Raceway
Quote:
Originally Posted by birdliver
The performance suspension, which I like, accounts for much of this as well, I believe.
It's pretty much the suspension as the tires don't have that much impact on ride.
__________________
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
If you are talking the feel of when you go over bumps etc, yes the suspension is what you feel, but driving impressions between both tires is like totaly different.
The GS2's feel rock hard with no give, the car skips and rolls, the GS-D3's on the other hand plants the car until you push it to the outer limits of the tire.
Love them on my 1st 1K Solstice, to the extent that when I first drove my GXP, it felt worse in the handling department than 1st 1K, had some folks here posting NO WAY, but it was true until I put the GS-D3's on the GXP and the car comes alive and you are able to push it with confidence, something you can not do with the GS2's, (everything OFF).
__________________ 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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Founding member
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Location: Rosamond, CA - Home of Willow Springs Raceway
Quote:
The GS2's....the car skips and rolls
I agree 100% with this part of the statement. The GS2's do skip when I push it which is weird. I need something that plants and the GS2's aren't it.
__________________
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
Location: Yuba City, California .... The BIG Cowpie!
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolsticeMan
Oh yes they do...
A BIG impact on ride.
Can you recommend any good riding performance tires for the Solstice? I am in the thin minority here in that ride is more important to me than all-out handling.
Ride I will appreciate every moment behind the wheel. I'll probably never drive more than 6/10ths in the Solstice and won't need that razor edge of handling.
Unlike LatinVenom and others, if I never put on the GS-D3s, then I'll never know that pure go-cart feeling, so I won't miss it. Ignorance is bliss, you know.
Do you have any recommendations for a Solstice tire that optimizes ride without giving a way too very much. Thanks.
(Now watch S-man recommend the Goodyear GS2s )
In fact, I would expect to stay with the GS2s, as they were designed for the Solstice, so they may well exhibit the best compromise of ride and handling for the car. But I still hope to hear from S-Man, Miles or anybody else who know the best riding tire for this car that gives up little in the way of wet/dry performance.
__________________ Solstice GXP Coupe You still don't need a trunk to haul ass...
even at Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas!
The old Potenza S-03 and now the new 050's have pretty stiff sidewalls. So they may have a firmer ride. I don't think the Goodyears F1 GS-D3's have an overly stiff ride. We have them on a '95 Impala SS and our '98 M3. Love 'em on both cars. I'd highly recommend them for the TurboSol.
Location: Rosamond, CA - Home of Willow Springs Raceway
Quote:
In fact, I would expect to stay with the GS2s, as they were designed for the Solstice, so they may well exhibit the best compromise of ride and handling for the car.
The GS2's ride great. Everyone that rides in my car is surprised at the ride. Too soft for me but great for everyone else. I would stick with the GS2's. It's really not a bad tire. Also, it worked great for me in the rain too. I had NO hydroplaning at 70 mph with a steady downpour. It wasn't act of God rain but pretty good rain. They also seem to deal with the cold pretty well too. Some of my past tires seemed a bit greasy until warmed up in the winter. I would recommend them to anyone that wants a good compromise between grip and ride. Seriously, if I wasn't fanatical about dry weather grip I'd just stick to the stock meats.
__________________
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
Location: Yuba City, California .... The BIG Cowpie!
That is good to know.
I would be looking for a livable tire and not one that subordinate ride and livability for the ultimate in performance. I simply will never push the car that hard. The Solstice is inherently nimble and responsive in nature. That will be plenty good enough for me (I think...)
Now if the GS-D3s ride very well, then I would go that way. But it sounds like I will be very happy with the performance of the GS2s.
Thank you.
__________________ Solstice GXP Coupe You still don't need a trunk to haul ass...
even at Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas!
I would be looking for a livable tire and not one that subordinate ride and livability for the ultimate in performance. I simply will never push the car that hard. The Solstice is inherently nimble and responsive in nature. That will be plenty good enough for me (I think...)
Now if the GS-D3s ride very well, then I would go that way. But it sounds like I will be very happy with the performance of the GS2s.
Thank you.
From what you are saying, I think you wll be quite satisfied with the GS2s. I agree that a lot of thought went into their selection and I like them very much. Unfortunately, my experience is similar to what Latin has said consistantly from day one. I have driven/owned the base Sol and would like to get the tires that get the GXP closest to the riding and handling characteristics of my original Sol. After all, that, more than anything else is what I want. (yah, I know... it's pretty, too) I will probably try the GS-D3s this Spring (still need to rule out a couple of others) but I have no qualms about snapping the GS2s back on when good driving season draws to a close.
Location: Wilds of Canada, or the Pac NW, or the Upper Penninsula of MI...
The GS-D3s are a bit harder for ride than the GS-2. Same for the RE050A PPs. Not much, but noticeable.
If I were a southerner and didn't have to worry about snow, I wouldn't have a problem with the GSD3 or the RE050A PP. But if you prefer ride over handling, sticking with the GS2 is a pretty good bet.
I heard that the continental tires in this size suck the big one on a solstice/sky, so IMHO stay away from them.
Location: Yuba City, California .... The BIG Cowpie!
Great. Thanks for the tip. That's what I wanted to know, because I do value ride over handling, since it is not like the GS2s result in a poor handling car.
Thank you much.
__________________ Solstice GXP Coupe You still don't need a trunk to haul ass...
even at Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas!
Jimbo, I have to agree with SM, the ride is not much different between the two, the GS-D3's are a little more suspension jarring than the GS2's, so the GS2's will probably be fine for your style of driving.
__________________ 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
~~~~~~~
)