Pontiac Solstice Forum banner

Tire options

5K views 30 replies 11 participants last post by  brentil 
#1 ·
So I notice in the Toronto pics that they're still showing at least one Solstice with Goodyear Eagle performance tires on it (F1's?), and others with RS-A's.

Could this possibly mean a tire option? Think maybe upgraded wheel finishes will come with upgraded tires as well? As it stands, I'm ready to just go with the base wheels and save the $$, but if a wheel upgrade would include performance tires (often less expensive than all-season tires at tirerack, at least) I'd go for it.

Thoughts?
 
#2 ·
I haven't seen any indication that there will be optional tires, but I have always thought it was wierd that they were not going to put any dedicated summer tires on the car. It would certainly make sense to have them available!
 
#3 ·
Maybe they got the RS-A to do most of what they were looking for? It states on the Pontiac website "0.90 g of lateral acceleration" as a feature, that's pretty darn sticky.

Or maybe they do have a summer tire but it comes with the "super model"?

Or maybe their research had some impact to sales when they advertize "summer only"? I know that happened with the Vibe GT - lots of folks were surprised (including a friend of mine) when the first snows came and they found out they bought the car with "hi performance summer-only" tires.

It's only 20-30000 vehicles? "Back-to-basics, low cost" and increased complexity tend to be somewhat negatively correlated...

I guess I can think of a few reasons why there's no optional tire.
 
#4 ·
solsticeman said:
I guess I can think of a few reasons why there's no optional tire.
But if there's no optional tire, then why show it with the high performance summer rubber? Sure, it's more sexy that way, but also a bit of a tease if they don't deliver the goods. I'm gonna be left with blue:( :( if they don't at least make the F1's an option!
 
#5 ·
2KWK4U said:
But if there's no optional tire, then why show it with the high performance summer rubber? Sure, it's more sexy that way, ...
Welcome to the world of marketing spin. If you want to show the car, put the absolute, koolest looking shoes on it...

...never mind that they might not be the same ones as the production car will have, nobody pays attention to tires.... :).

You answered it - it's more sexy that way. If you look at all the show cars making the rounds now, you'll notice that they have RS-A's on them.

And YOU're the only one who's noticed enough to post about it so far...:lol:
 
#6 ·
solsticeman said:
If you look at all the show cars making the rounds now, you'll notice that they have RS-A's on them.
Not so. In fact, that's the reason I started this thread in the first place. The one showing in Toronto right now has the hi-perf tires on it... but then again, don't the Canucks still have the concept car and specs on their GM website? :lol:
 
#7 ·
There's now so many pics I can't keep track of which one is which.

The show car that was shown in the 04 NAIAS had the Eagle F1 GSD3 tires, remnicient of the 'gatorback' tires that came originally on my Beretta GTZ back in early 90's.

I think that grey car is still around and still making rounds. I'm certain the black one at the 05 NAIAS had RS-A's on them (car made in the plant?). The Sky, however, had the GSD3's.

I also saw that the car on the Pontiac Website (which the color 'chops I made were based upon) had what appeared to be a third tire, maybe the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-2? It doesn't look like the Corvette tire I had seen and it isn't exacly the GSD3 either.

The other cars that were made "in the assembly plant" and used in various shows have had mostly RS-A's on them.

So, to the marketing folks, apparently they think that nobody pays attention and it just matters what "looks kool". I can't imagine any non-summer capability on the GSD3's, though it looks like they do very well in the dry and rain (from the tire rack and some european magazine evaluations).

It would be nice for Pontiac not to promise one thing and give us another. If it has all season tires standard, show them on the car.
 
#9 ·
#10 ·
#11 ·
RODEO said:
that seems high? The toyos on my toy are $105 or less, is that due to size/low profile? Heck, people over there say that's too high! The MSM runs 205/40R-17 toyos, is it the amount of rubber?
I also checked tirerack earlier. Its just the wide size, tall rim, and low profile. Most of the tires that were worth a damn were right around 200 bux a piece. It is crazy that the solstice is running some fat tread, 245/45-18 I believe, or is it 40?
 
#12 ·
Jus2shy said:
I also checked tirerack earlier. Its just the wide size, tall rim, and low profile. Most of the tires that were worth a damn were right around 200 bux a piece. It is crazy that the solstice is running some fat tread, 245/45-18 I believe, or is it 40?
clarify please. i get the wider size, what is the "tall" rim and low profile, the toyos are low profile, the Sol won't have low profile, correct? I'm guessing I misread your statement more than anything.
 
#13 ·
Jus2shy said:
I also checked tirerack earlier. Its just the wide size, tall rim, and low profile. Most of the tires that were worth a damn were right around 200 bux a piece. It is crazy that the solstice is running some fat tread, 245/45-18 I believe, or is it 40?
45 aspect ratio. Can be found to be accurate in the Technical FAQ.
 
#14 ·
2KWK4U said:
Not so. In fact, that's the reason I started this thread in the first place. The one showing in Toronto right now has the hi-perf tires on it... but then again, don't the Canucks still have the concept car and specs on their GM website? :lol:
Remember that the one at CIAS is numbered 1/1000 so its been around for a LONG time, long before anyone took a mule out onto a track to determine optimum tire and handling specs.
 
#15 ·
RODEO said:
clarify please. i get the wider size, what is the "tall" rim and low profile, the toyos are low profile, the Sol won't have low profile, correct? I'm guessing I misread your statement more than anything.
The 17" wheels on your MSM are the current "in" size with enough volume to support decent prices. Stepping up to 18" or bigger is much more expensive, hence why I've never understood this choice as standard on a 'back to basics' roadster.
 
#16 ·
Why 18"?

'Cause "this one goes to eleven". They look "kool", man! (with a 'k').

Bigger is better, isn't it? That's always the answer for automotive designers...

24" on the Caddy sixteen, I'm sure 30" are only a few years away 'fore you see them on a concept car, if not for GM then for one of the car companies.

Just like the AFBTS's.
 
#18 ·
chenslee said:
Feeling guilty when the black stripes start showing up is the last think I want in my life. $200 a tire is $66 a month on the "smoke'em if you got'em" plan. Squeezing out that last .05 g's is just not in my "back to basics" paradigm.

Hankooks in 40 aspect ratio can be had for a bill.

http://www.edgeracing.com/tires/2454018/
Yeah, but they're 45, not 40 on the Solstice.
http://www.edgeracing.com/tires/2454518/
Which changes the price drastically.

Also the RS-A are all season rubber. If they had wanted to give an even better lateral G value for production they would have shipped it with some really nice Summer tires. Which is perfectly fine for me here in FL, but the rest of the country would have been pissed.
 
#19 ·
brentil said:
...If they had wanted to give an even better lateral G value for production they would have shipped it with some really nice Summer tires...
What, ought point nine skidpad not enough for you? :)

On all-weather rubber?:thumbs:
 
#21 ·
solsticeman said:
What, ought point nine skidpad not enough for you? :)

On all-weather rubber?:thumbs:
hehehe nope, not good enough. :lol:
I was just pointing out that if Pontiac had wanted to play the "our #'s are the über" they could have just used expensive summer only tires, and the majority of the 50 States + Canada would have been screwed.
 
#22 ·
I assume many will opt for new wheels and tires soon after purchase, I say watch for those to go on sale!

On the '04 MSM, the wheels are $370 each, and the tires are $105 each. I bought a full set from a 2500 mile MSM for $650 shipping included. 3 other sets are up for sale at $1000-$1100.

That's one way to go!
 
#23 ·
RODEO said:
I assume many will opt for new wheels and tires soon after purchase, I say watch for those to go on sale!

On the '04 MSM, the wheels are $370 each, and the tires are $105 each. I bought a full set from a 2500 mile MSM for $650 shipping included. 3 other sets are up for sale at $1000-$1100.

That's one way to go!
Let me get this straight. You bought a MSM as a "hold-me-over" untill the Sol comes out, then went and bought a SECOND set of stock wheels and tires? I don't pretend to know what your grand plan is, but the hold me over thing is starting to sound fishy... ;)
 
#24 ·
chenslee said:
Let me get this straight. You bought a MSM as a "hold-me-over" untill the Sol comes out, then went and bought a SECOND set of stock wheels and tires? I don't pretend to know what your grand plan is, but the hold me over thing is starting to sound fishy... ;)
Ahhhh, you caught me, I'm just a troll on the Solstice forum, the Outlandish Ninja Turtle Miata Forum Troll! :glol:

Here's the scoop:

First, how long until I can get a s/c Sol with a $7K discount from MSRP, I think I've got a while to wait, NO?

Second, I dinged one of my wheels pretty bad, a replacement was $370, I paid $650 for four with fairly new tires. When do you expect I'll need a new set of tires the way I get smiles every time I drive ;)

I figure I'm going to be on a third set of tires (at least) before a Sol is a real possibilty, so, anyone with an MSM want to sell their tires?
 
#25 ·
chenslee said:
Let me get this straight. You bought a MSM as a "hold-me-over" untill the Sol comes out, then went and bought a SECOND set of stock wheels and tires? I don't pretend to know what your grand plan is, but the hold me over thing is starting to sound fishy... ;)
Didn't you know, Outlandish Miata Forum Trolls love the taste of MSM wheels+tires. :lol:
 
#26 ·
brentil said:
Didn't you know, Outlandish Miata Forum Trolls love the taste of MSM wheels+tires. :lol:
I've got an idea for a new avatar :glol:

Now, back on topic or else we'll get bashed :lol:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top