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Beginning search/decision on a GXP

7K views 46 replies 20 participants last post by  GWM 
#1 ·
Hi, first post.

Starting to think about a GXP purchase. I've read the appropriate "stickies", and have searched the forum, but I can't find any info on the following problem:
I went to look at a 2008 Solstice GXP. The outside temp. was 90deg.F and humid. The salesman drove the car around with the A/C on and at idle the fan/engine noise was so loud, you almost couldn't talk across the closed hood! You couldn't even hear the exhaust when you stood behind the car, because of the racket up front.

First time driving or hearing a Solstice, so I don't know if this was normal or not. It was certainly a turn-off and made me re-think my desire for a Solstice.

I didn't think to check the water temp. gauge and the test drive was 110 miles away(and they would not come down in price), so I probably won't be going back.

Is this fan/engine/compressor noise normal for this car(Solstice) or not?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks, G.W.
 
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#32 ·
Couldn't stand it any longer!

Going to pick up up the SOL this afternoon(two days early).

Have my fingers crossed on the weather. Only going 30 miles, but through 3 states(with a "borrowed" plate). I'm gonna try to go "stealth", but I know my "permagrin"'s gonna give me away!

Hope everyone's as HAPPY as I am today.

G.W.
 
#36 ·
Couldn't stand it any longer!

Going to pick up up the SOL this afternoon(two days early).
Lol, you sir have been bitten hard! Make sure you flip through the owners manual, and you may want to pick up the Solstice book by Gary Witzenburg who detail the build of the car from concept to production. There's also a new 2nd Kappa book coming out by Stan Kaminski that is suppose to be available this fall (2019). Enjoy your new car.
 
#33 ·
Most states will allow you to drive temporarily without a plate, specifically to get a car to the DMV so that you can get a plate. I would feel better about using no plate but having the bill of sale and proof of insurance with me. If something did happen, using the wrong plate is actually a crime.

Regardless, good luck and have fun.
 
#35 ·
Enjoy your new ride and post some pictures when you can!
 
#37 ·
"My Precious"(Golum from the Hobbit), is now in my possession. Drove home(3 states)(just 30 miles) with no tag. Took I-81 to miss the local traffic & guess what? Stone chips! 13K miles on car & no chips 'till now. Gotta find some touch-up paint. Dealer the best bet?

OK, here come the questions: (1) Doesn't the Solstice have an A/T dip stick? Can't see anything, anywhere.(2) Can a broken front cup-holder be fixed? I found a piece that looked like a chicken bone under the pass. seat(the "loop" or circle part was still intact on the side of the console).(3)Should a towel(or something thinner) be placed over the top when it's in the trunk?(4)Would any other owner use a California Duster on their car & if so, it should probably be a new one, huh?

And last, but not least, how do you remove the big panel behind the pass. seat that covers the sub-woofer? I think that there are some loose items behind the panel that are rattling against the panel.

Would appreciate any & all answers you guys might have.

It was 97degrees here today & between riding to the DMV & the State Inspection garage (with the "Top Down" of course), I now have one HECK of a headache! But, I'm STILL grinning!

Thanks for listening to my story so far,

G.W.
 
#38 ·
Glad you got it back, sorry about the chips. I have always gotten touch-up paint at Advance, Auto Zone, et al.

There is no dipstick. Fluid level is checked through the fill hole with the car on a lift.

Someone has 3-D printed cupholder parts, and there is a machined aluminum replacement available for about $200.

The most important thing to do in my opinion is to remove the plastic and rubber bumpers that push down on the top from under the trunk lid. They aren't needed and will eventually damage the top. They are glued on, and can be knocked or twisted off. After that, some people have used a sheet, towel, etc, but I don't think it is really needed.

Removal of the waterfall panel behind the seats is not a minor operation. It starts with the door sills and involves quite a number of panel fasteners. As with most things there are threads here that detail the process. A search for waterfall removal or subwoofer will likely find more than one of them.
 
#39 ·
I use a California Duster on both my Sols with no issues. I have the Santana Cup Holder replacement in my 2007 “Mean Machine”. I replaced the original which was fine as I prefer the look. I also figured the original would eventually break. I recommend it. My 2009 Coupe still has the original cup holder. They reengineered it by 2009 and it is stronger. Enjoy your new to you Sol and welcome aboard.
 
#40 ·
JohnWR, thanks for the info, I'll do some researching on the forum.

How about the California Duster use? Is that a no-no? And if not, should I purchase a new one for the Solstice exclusively?

I really appreciate all the info. that this forum and it's members provide.

Thanks again,

G.W.
 
#41 ·
Thanks Northern Sol for the feedback.

OK, more questions: (1) When should I do the next oil change? Right now, the DIC says 28% left. I'll probably only put 1K to 2K more miles on it(now at 13K), before parking it for the winter(and I'm still not sure about that parking part). Should I go ahead & change it now, since it's new to me. Or wait till colder weather and lower oil life % before(maybe) storing it & doing the oil change?

(2) I have gallons of 5W-20 & 0W-30 synth. oil in stock. Can I, with good conscience, use either of these weights? Or should I only use the recommended 5W-30? Not that big of a deal, moneywise, but I would like to use up what I have, if possible.

(3) The car('08, NA, 13K miles) has original tires(RSA's) that look as if they are showroom. No checkering, not drenched in tire dressing, no uneven wear, no problems with air pressures. Can I keep running them without having doubts( I'll probably not take them onto the Interstate again)? I'm only cruising this thing locally, so it's not like I need exotic rubber.

I took the usual advice (RTFM & use the forum search) & still was unsure of the answers to the above.

Hope to get some opinions or facts out of you guys.

Thanks, G.W.
 
#42 ·
Your first stop should be to a tire shop... it's not the mileage or appearance of the tires that matters - it's the age. If you are a fair weather driver, take a look at the Michelin Pilot Sports - I LOVE them and it was a HUGE improvement over the stock tires. Do the oil change ASAP and make a plan to change ALL the fluids in your 11 year old car. Again, don't be fooled by mileage, these fluids breakdown over time, which can lead to bigger problems. Regular coolant changes may delay waterpump issues. I would stick to the spec oil weight and buy a high grade synthetic. My oil changes happen on a 12 month or 5K cycle regardless what the DIC says. Use the search bar on this forum to research maintenance tips and tricks.
 
#43 ·
I mostly agree with this.

The tires should certainly be replaced due to age. Also, RS-As are notoriously bad in the wet, and can lose traction instantly. What you get will depend on what your planned usage is, mainly whether you will be driving or even moving the car in cold weather. For an NA, especially given the type of driving I think you said you'd be doing, a good touring tire is perfectly adequate, and will be more comfortable. I have Michelin MXV4s on my NA and really like them. They have been on a number of very spirited runs, and I have never had problems keeping up with anyone because of them. Unfortunately they are no longer available. The RL has PS All-Seasons because I drive year-round and the MXV4s were not quite up to the extra power.

Do you have any service records? Brake fluid and coolant are both probably due to be replaced. Wit an NA you are significantly less likely to have water pump problems in the first place, and from what I have read it is bearing failure that destroys the seals and not the other way around, so that shouldn't really be a factor.

I agree with staying with the specified oil weight, but you could probably get away with the 0-30 if you really wanted to. I would stick with 1 year or 10% oil life, but that also is a personal choice. Extra oil changes waste money and resources, but won't hurt anything else.
 
#44 ·
When I bought my 08 GXP it had two original tires with 42k miles on them...and some ultra-cheap mismatch tires on the front. I almost didn’t buy the car because it was so difficult to control. One set of Pilot SuperSport tires later and it was an entirely different car. Get new tires, as others have mentioned, but think about how and when (and in what kind of weather) you’ll be driving. My 08 lives in Palm Springs now with its new owners so those summer tires are fine any time of year. Probably not the kind of weather you’ll need to prep for unless it’ll spend winters hibernating in the garage.

And congrats! Sounds like a great find. I missed my first one so much I had to hunt down a second!! Snagged an 09 coupe w 3770 miles on it (original tires as well) along with a pile of in-box, never used accessories bought with it by the first owner. I’ll keep the old factory-fresh tires on the stock rims in storage (may swap them on for a car show or something) and mount some new Pilot Sport 4S tires on the second set of ‘snowflake’ optional rims.
 
#46 ·
You could probly use your extra oil up and not be a problem for the short time its in there. Me though if I had 20 wt on top I would put a qt. after draining the oil after oil change to drain the little bit of old oil that was left in there. Its already paid for. Forget oil life monitor thats eco BS to not have so much oil waste by the same people of the 2.5 shower head. I use 50% or up to 5000 mi or in the Solstice case once a year. The filters arnt any better to start pushing it farther.

Seen dusters used on a lot better cars than a Solstice but after he cover came off not instead of a wash job. If your unsure about your tires why not get new ones and have some fun burn your old ones on on a burn out.

 
#47 ·
RMarion,

Thanks for the Crutchfield reference. I can view the pictures but can't see the Mastersheet, unless I pay them $10.

Would greatly appreciate your assistance. Don't want to damage anything I don't have to, just to find a rattle!

Thanks again, for everyone's help on this forum.

G.W.
 
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