[alexouns]

I test drove a 2008 GXP today with 66k on it selling for $15.5k.
I was so close to buy the car on the spot but I asked the guy if I can think about it for another day before I purchase it. After my endless researches i have done I pretty much made up my mind to buy this car with all the good things I read however, I need your HONEST and your non biased opinion about the car as an owner before I make my offer. I would greatly appreciate it if you can drop couple of lines saying what you don't like about the car and you wish it had this or that feature to help me make more rational decision rather than an emotional buy.
I'm looking forward to join the solstice owner's club.

 

[GODROD]

I test drove a 2008 GXP today with 66k on it selling for $15.5k.

I was so close to buy the car on the spot but I asked the guy if I can think about it for another day before I purchase it. After my endless researches i have done I pretty much made up my mind to buy this car with all the good things I read however, I need your HONEST and your non biased opinion about the car as an owner before I make my offer. I would greatly appreciate it if you can drop couple of lines saying what you don't like about the car and you wish it had this or that feature to help me make more rational decision rather than an emotional buy.

I'm looking forward to join the solstice owner's club.

Well I do love my 2008 GXP. But I would suggest that if it's from a dealer get a price for an extended warranty. If a private sale go to a dealer or carmax and they will inspect and seek you one. Thing I hate is my seat sensor went bad for airbag fault. This is covered under my carmax warranty and about $600 without it. Also I broke a door handle but I must admit it was a fairly easy fix.


Sent from Solo Dio

 

[2KWK4U]

Are you looking for a daily driver or a second/toy car? I daily drive mine (when I'm not living overseas, at least), but I'm in the minority of owners, I think, in that respect. It's not the most "practical" car. If you're looking at a solstice as your only car, think about what you're giving up in terms of a back seat and trunk space.

How mechanically-inclined are you? While these cars aren't lemons, there are some "common" problems that are somewhat unique to the platform (but that can be said about every car). Given that there weren't all that many made, and that there are no longer Pontiac or Saturn dealerships, it's hard to find a mechanic that knows the quirks of these cars as well as many owners on this board. If you're comfortable turning your own wrenches, a little research on this board and the others will save you $$ and headaches. If you don't work on your own cars, you might want to reconsider.

That's about all the negativity I can come up with. I was an early adopter when I ordered an '06 the first day we could (missed out on the first 1,000 b/c of the server crash) and bought my '08 sight-unseen before returning home from overseas. I sold the '06 before moving overseas and knew I had to have another. I have no regrets, and don't intend to ever part with my '08 GXP. Granted, I owned both cars from new, and did have one or two failures on each that were covered under warranty and would have cost a pretty penny were they not.

 

[sirwm]

sorry, buying these cars is not a "rational decision".

The cars are fun, not practical...

And we are all on this forum because we like FUN .

:lol:

 

[Northern Sol]

I love my Sol!!!! No complaints, except I have severe case of "moditis"!:thumbs:
If you can live with a tiny trunk space and no back seat you will love it. Also, prepare for lots of compliments and questions about the car from strangers / admirers.:thumbs:

 

[twowheeladdict]

sorry, buying these cars is not a "rational decision".

The cars are fun, not practical...

And we are all on this forum because we like FUN .

:lol:

That is why I thought I would never own one. I am not willing to pay a premium to own anything and every convertible and Jeep Wrangler I saw had an asking price thousands over NADA and KBB value.

The dealer I bought from ended up taking my offer after two hours and knowing that I was in the market for a new Buick for my wife.

Did you look up the NADA and KBB value for the car based on condition and mileage?

If you can only afford to spend $15.5k for a car and have no money left over to fix anything that pops up, then I suggest you purchase a new ford focus or chevy cruze with warranty and zero miles.

 

[redcoats1976]

there is enough room in the trunk for a les paul guitar in a hardcase and a toothbrush.that is all.not the most practical car you could buy but who wants a camry?

 

[wspohn]

sorry, buying these cars is not a "rational decision".

The cars are fun, not practical...

And we are all on this forum because we like FUN .

:lol:

I must demur.

I have driven two seater sports cars for all of my driving life, as my primary transport. I have never thought that they were impractical. I've driven them in foul weather, snow, ice, and they have handled themselves well. Of course they had obvious limitations - you aren't going to pick up that new flat screen TV in them, and you'd be well advised to choose only one of the wife or the St. Bernard, but I've managed to stuff lots of things into them over the years that now seem unlikely.

If your lifestyle rerquires a pick up truck, you'd be silly to be asking this question, but if you want something to drive that offers economy and fun and are willing to live with limited cargo space, the Solstice and most other sports cars can be very practical daily drivers. I think that the people that say they are impractical just have unrealistic expectations unless they are talking about them as the sole car for a family, which wasn't the question the OP asked.

 

[kwtoxman]

A few 08 GXP specific notes.

The 2008 is the first year of TPMS in the car. Some people like that, others not so much.

Early 08 GXPs had a running design change that eliminated the electronic vacuum pump. Some drivers reported a lack of initial brake power when moving after starting the car from resting longer than a couple hrs. It came to the point GM and the NHTSA got involved and GM produced a software fix. That wasn't enough for some people and they literally swapped in the older design, which get's pricey if they are paying for it. GM also moved back to the older design sometime in 08 on the car. http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/...ydraulic-boost-ohb-feature-information-34000/

There are a lot more threads on the forum here you can search and read. "brake booster" gets a lot of hits.

 

[2KWK4U]

I must demur.

:ack: :sorry: :chill:

I have driven two seater sports cars for all of my driving life, as my primary transport. I have never thought that they were impractical. I've driven them in foul weather, snow, ice, and they have handled themselves well.

Again, I think you and I are in the minority (or considered by many as "irrational")

Of course they had obvious limitations - you aren't going to pick up that new flat screen TV in them, and you'd be well advised to choose only one of the wife or the St. Bernard, but I've managed to stuff lots of things into them over the years that now seem unlikely.

If your lifestyle rerquires [sic] a pick up truck, you'd be silly to be asking this question, but if you want something to drive that offers economy and fun and are willing to live with limited cargo space, the Solstice and most other sports cars can be very practical daily drivers. I think that the people that say they are impractical just have unrealistic expectations unless they are talking about them as the sole car for a family, which wasn't the question the OP asked.

The OP was asking for negative aspects of Solstice ownership. There was no further information given with regard to what the OP intends to use the car for. Perhaps alexouns does intend for this to be his/her sole car.

The fact remains that Kappas aren't "practical" cars in terms of what you can transport. But I agree that they can be reliable daily drivers - and outfitted with good winter tires (or in a pinch all-seasons) can be pressed into service year-round in most climates. I know. I've seen me do it.

But then again, I still have my wife's daily driver, that serves as our "family car." I can drive it to work if there's more than 4" of snow on the road, and use it to go grocery shopping, run to Home Depot for anything bigger than a bag of charcoal, drive anywhere that's at the end of a gravel road...

 

[twowheeladdict]

My motorcycles are my daily drivers. My solstice is my work travel vehicle when the weather is too iffy for the bikes, or I have ridden that route before and want to experience it by car. My touring bikes can carry more volume than the solstice with top down.
So, even though my mode of transportation would be considered impractical by most, I still consider the Sol my motorcycle with a roof for when it rains.

 

[alexouns]

Well I do love my 2008 GXP. But I would suggest that if it's from a dealer get a price for an extended warranty. If a private sale go to a dealer or carmax and they will inspect and seek you one. Thing I hate is my seat sensor went bad for airbag fault. This is covered under my carmax warranty and about $600 without it. Also I broke a door handle but I must admit it was a fairly easy fix.


Sent from Solo Dio

yeah I'm buying it from carmax, and i wasn't sure about getting the extended warranty but i guess that would be beneficial on the long run. Thanx

 

[alexouns]

sorry, buying these cars is not a "rational decision".

The cars are fun, not practical...

And we are all on this forum because we like FUN .

:lol:

haha i hear ya

 

[alexouns]

That is why I thought I would never own one. I am not willing to pay a premium to own anything and every convertible and Jeep Wrangler I saw had an asking price thousands over NADA and KBB value.

The dealer I bought from ended up taking my offer after two hours and knowing that I was in the market for a new Buick for my wife.

Did you look up the NADA and KBB value for the car based on condition and mileage?

If you can only afford to spend $15.5k for a car and have no money left over to fix anything that pops up, then I suggest you purchase a new ford focus or chevy cruze with warranty and zero miles.

yeah i looked up on both of them, the price seems reasonable

 

[alexouns]

there is enough room in the trunk for a les paul guitar in a hardcase and a toothbrush.that is all.not the most practical car you could buy but who wants a camry?

hahahaha good one!:lol:

 

[TX08manualGXP]

After owning an 06 (NA) for a few months and the fact that while my 06 was being delivered the dealer gave me a GXP to drive as a loaner to drive, I searched for a GXP. after a few months, I ended up finding an 08 GXP with 31k miles for under 18k. it's fully loaded and I absolutely love it. The exhause was too quiet so I made it louder and that pretty much made it. I have the brake issue but it's not that big a deal and I plan on driving the wheels off the thing.

 

[alexouns]

After owning an 06 (NA) for a few months and the fact that while my 06 was being delivered the dealer gave me a GXP to drive as a loaner to drive, I searched for a GXP. after a few months, I ended up finding an 08 GXP with 31k miles for under 18k. it's fully loaded and I absolutely love it. The exhause was too quiet so I made it louder and that pretty much made it. I have the brake issue but it's not that big a deal and I plan on driving the wheels off the thing.

your brake issue is related to the infamous solstice brake issue everyone is talking about?

 

[alexouns]

:ack: :sorry: :chill:



Again, I think you and I are in the minority (or considered by many as "irrational")



The OP was asking for negative aspects of Solstice ownership. There was no further information given with regard to what the OP intends to use the car for. Perhaps alexouns does intend for this to be his/her sole car.

The fact remains that Kappas aren't "practical" cars in terms of what you can transport. But I agree that they can be reliable daily drivers - and outfitted with good winter tires (or in a pinch all-seasons) can be pressed into service year-round in most climates. I know. I've seen me do it.

But then again, I still have my wife's daily driver, that serves as our "family car." I can drive it to work if there's more than 4" of snow on the road, and use it to go grocery shopping, run to Home Depot for anything bigger than a bag of charcoal, drive anywhere that's at the end of a gravel road...

This will be my weekend car only.

 

[The_Ghost]

Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!! You cannot be rational with this car....they are SOOOOO much fun, it's hard to walk away from it after you have test driven it.... You have the bug...and let me be the first to say, "Welcome to ownership"!! I have an '08, tuned, aftermarket exhaust....I wouldn't trade it for the world!

 

[mcpigm01]

I'm on my second solstice. The car is a fun car for daily driving. It's not really a sports car in my opinion, but just a sporty car. My GXP is fast and handles great but I almost preferred my N/A because something about it was more fun to drive. I drive it every day to work and most of the time it's pretty pleasant. It's useless for hauling anything. The trunk is too small for a set of golf clubs or an acoustic guitar. There are mechanical issues to be expected with this car with 66k miles on it because it's a safe bet that the car has been ran hard. I know both of mine have been but I sold the last one and made that very clear to the buyer. If you want it, buy it, if you don't want it, don't.