[Small Dealer]

eBay Solstice index: Warmish
Automotive News / August 15, 2005

The Solstice has arrived -- but the profiteers aren't celebrating.


If you've got a Pontiac Solstice to sell and are trolling for suckers, don't spend those windfall profits yet. Early results on eBay suggest people so far aren't willing to pay crazy money for the sleek two-seater.

Unlike the Ford Mustang GT, which still fetches $2,000-plus over sticker, a few Solstices on the Web site were drawing premiums of about $750 over the sticker price of $19,995.

Someone in Missouri was trying to sell the 130th Solstice built for $40,000. No takers.

It will take awhile for the market to shake out. And the Solstice will be far more difficult for Pontiac dealers to come up with than, say, an Aztek. General Motors says it has 10,000 orders in hand -- about the same number it plans to produce by year end.

 

[aawil]

I'm glad people aren't willing to pay that kind of money for it. For one thing the car is suppose to be an "affordable" roadster. Tack two grand to a well equipped car and you might as well get a S2000.

 

[JonzeOnSolstice]

no offense to any one her, but I'm really tired of reading everyonse comments on how the sol shouldn't go up in price. I say that a bunch of bull. I think this is a very nice, unique car and is worth going up in value. Understanding that it will never be a vette, or porsche, well ok no prob, but hey if being the first 1k orders is special than hey, let the price rise. If can happen for a stinken ford why not a pontiac. I like to think that this car has the potential to hold it's value, and then some and hopefully 20 years down the raod be somthing to tell your kids about..."I used to have a solstice when I was younger..." kindof story. So if ebayers want to sell the car for a higher price great hopefully someone will buy. As for my I am happily awaiting my first 1k order .

 

[SCISOLSTICE]

Now now lets all calm down.

 

[sol4soul]

I hope the 1st 1000 that purchased the car to just make a profit by selling it immediately get screwed. For those that ran into financial problems and are forced to sell, may you make a handsome profit that will help your financial problems. Just my opinion.

 

[SD SOL]

no offense to any one her, but I'm really tired of reading everyonse comments on how the sol shouldn't go up in price. I say that a bunch of bull. I think this is a very nice, unique car and is worth going up in value. Understanding that it will never be a vette, or porsche, well ok no prob, but hey if being the first 1k orders is special than hey, let the price rise. If can happen for a stinken ford why not a pontiac. I like to think that this car has the potential to hold it's value, and then some and hopefully 20 years down the raod be somthing to tell your kids about..."I used to have a solstice when I was younger..." kindof story. So if ebayers want to sell the car for a higher price great hopefully someone will buy. As for my I am happily awaiting my first 1k order .

Gee - isn't this is same comment you made on the "for sale" thread?
By the way - NO ONE has said that the Sol shouldn't go up in price - eventually. The issue is, and as far as I'm aware always has been, about profiteering! GM has produced a car for "the masses" at a reasonable price. The issue most have is with those who look at this as an opportunity to "scalp" the public.

 

[C5Vette]

I think part of the reason that there hasn't been higher bids and activity on E-bay is that people don't know about the car and haven't seen one yet. Once they start seeing them on the roads and know what a Solstice is, I think demand will go up. How can an E-bay auction get a lot of hits/activity if people don't even know to look for it?

At this point we are still in the minority of people that have heard about this car...so far only one person I have encountered knows about the Solstice, and he is another car guy that is in our Corvette club. (Of course, everyone that knows me now knows about the Solstice since I won't shut up about it! )

 

[JonzeOnSolstice]

Gee - isn't this is same comment you made on the "for sale" thread?

Yeah sorry, thought it would fit better in the "for sale thread" and since there were no responses for a while i placed it over there. Now I see that ther are more posts...I forgot about the "forum lunch rush"

 

[ntouched]

Not a true statement for Southern California.....

eBay Solstice index: Warmish
Automotive News / August 15, 2005

The Solstice has arrived -- but the profiteers aren't celebrating.


If you've got a Pontiac Solstice to sell and are trolling for suckers, don't spend those windfall profits yet. Early results on eBay suggest people so far aren't willing to pay crazy money for the sleek two-seater.

Unlike the Ford Mustang GT, which still fetches $2,000-plus over sticker, a few Solstices on the Web site were drawing premiums of about $750 over the sticker price of $19,995.

Someone in Missouri was trying to sell the 130th Solstice built for $40,000. No takers.

It will take awhile for the market to shake out. And the Solstice will be far more difficult for Pontiac dealers to come up with than, say, an Aztek. General Motors says it has 10,000 orders in hand -- about the same number it plans to produce by year end.

I've owned many hot new, latest and greatest cars over the last 15 years. I've averaged $5,000 to $10,000 over my purchase price on everyone. You will be amazed at what people in So. Cal will pay for something that everyone wants. :yesnod:

 

[danlbrau]

no offense to any one her, but I'm really tired of reading everyonse comments on how the sol shouldn't go up in price. I say that a bunch of bull. I think this is a very nice, unique car and is worth going up in value. Understanding that it will never be a vette, or porsche, well ok no prob, but hey if being the first 1k orders is special than hey, let the price rise. If can happen for a stinken ford why not a pontiac. I like to think that this car has the potential to hold it's value, and then some and hopefully 20 years down the raod be somthing to tell your kids about..."I used to have a solstice when I was younger..." kindof story. So if ebayers want to sell the car for a higher price great hopefully someone will buy. As for my I am happily awaiting my first 1k order .

It shouldn't go up in price, and it won't. That's just basic automotive economics. Unlike real estate, they WILL be making more, and soon the Sol will be upgraded with all sorts of things people want now but are willing to pass up because they want the new kid on the block.

Just look at the Fiero, there were people that thought it would be a collectors item. And certainly the volumes were small enough to make it scarce. But that didn't seem to help it retain it's value.

 

[Sydney]

GM has produced a car for "the masses" at a reasonable price.

SD, Sorry, I'm not tring to pick on you today, but 1. The "masses" can't afford $20K cars and 2. If they could they wouldn't buy a 2 seat roadster ragtop.

 

[AztekzRpurty]

I was really hoping we had finally passed the point where every Solstice article in the press had to bash either the Fiero or the Aztek. (sigh)

 

[Editguy]

SD, Sorry, I'm not tring to pick on you today, but 1. The "masses" can't afford $20K cars and 2. If they could they wouldn't buy a 2 seat roadster ragtop.

I don't agree with the first thing you said here, The masses are affording $20,000 new cars. The average price of a new car is over that amount. But I will agree that the 2 seater narrows the field.

 

[SCISOLSTICE]

The only thing you can count on is that money you have in mattress.

 

[RichSol]

...and you liked it!

no offense to any one her, but I'm really tired of reading everyonse comments on how the sol shouldn't go up in price. I say that a bunch of bull. I think this is a very nice, unique car and is worth going up in value. Understanding that it will never be a vette, or porsche, well ok no prob, but hey if being the first 1k orders is special than hey, let the price rise. If can happen for a stinken ford why not a pontiac. I like to think that this car has the potential to hold it's value, and then some and hopefully 20 years down the raod be somthing to tell your kids about..."I used to have a solstice when I was younger..." kindof story. So if ebayers want to sell the car for a higher price great hopefully someone will buy. As for my I am happily awaiting my first 1k order .

Yeah, we know. When you were a kid you paid 25% OVER invoice, and you liked it!
Anyway, easy for you to be cool about the gouging when you scored one of the 1st 1k. That's EXACTLY why we all tried to get one of those....before the gouging. Well, we don't have to like it, do we?

 

[achieftain]

Gouging is so, so American. Too bad we're trying to move away from it. If you want gouging, price a Viper or a Ford GT. Of course if you can afford a MSRP $125,000 car then it's one of those "If you have to ask the price, you can't afford it"

 

[Bonzo]

I was really hoping we had finally passed the point where every Solstice article in the press had to bash either the Fiero or the Aztek. (sigh)

Nope, never ever.

 

[Sydney]

I don't agree with the first thing you said here, The masses are affording $20,000 new cars. The average price of a new car is over that amount. But I will agree that the 2 seater narrows the field.

I guess it really boils down to who the "masses" are. I don't know what the actual ratio is between used car dealerships and new car dealerships are but I'll bet it's better than 3 to 1. My point being that more people buy used cars than new ones. I don't think that the average used car is over $20K. I consider my income slighty above average and when I get my Solstice it will only be the second vehicle that I ever paid over $20K for in the last 38 years.
Maybe the masses where you live are rolling in money, not around here.

 

[Editguy]

I guess it really boils down to who the "masses" are. I don't know what the actual ratio is between used car dealerships and new car dealerships are but I'll bet it's better than 3 to 1. My point being that more people buy used cars than new ones. I don't think that the average used car is over $20K. I consider my income slighty above average and when I get my Solstice it will only be the second vehicle that I ever paid over $20K for in the last 38 years.
Maybe the masses where you live are rolling in money, not around here.

Well, I was referring to new cars. And I stand by my assertion that in the new car market the average price is over $20,000. I consider a $25,000 vehuicle to be a modest price in todays economy. But, it doesn't require a huge income, just management of finances. I make a very modest income (if you want to know how much, I will tell you), yet I have purchased 3 new cars in the past 3 years (long story), and the least expensive was $24, 000. When I get my Solstice, I won't be trading in my '03 Trailblazer, and the Trailblazer will be paid for. But around here there are a lot of people buying vehicles in the $30, 000-$45,000 range.

 

[Sydney]

Well, I was referring to new cars. And I stand by my assertion that in the new car market the average price is over $20,000. I consider a $25,000 vehuicle to be a modest price in todays economy. But, it doesn't require a huge income, just management of finances. I make a very modest income (if you want to know how much, I will tell you), yet I have purchased 3 new cars in the past 3 years (long story), and the least expensive was $24, 000. When I get my Solstice, I won't be trading in my '03 Trailblazer, and the Trailblazer will be paid for. But around here there are a lot of people buying vehicles in the $30, 000-$45,000 range.

Don't need to know your income, Editguy. :lol: There are lots of people here spending big bucks for cars also. We just have differing opinions on who "the masses" are so let's just call it a draw and change the subject. One last question. Are the $30-$45K buyers part of "the masses"? Man, use that phrase enough and it starts to sound quite humorous. :lol: