Ragingfish's Car Shopping Photo Journal (56K Warning!)

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 11:02 am

Yeah, I TiVoed it. They pretty much raved about it. I can't WAIT to see this thing in person!!!

Flip-Side · Post by **Flip-Side** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 1:40 pm

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish Â»The Solstice is coming! The Solstice is coming!Don't get too excited. The demand for the hand built Solstice outweighs production. They will be rare for a while, and I'm sure the will sell fast when dealers do get them. They are one of the things Lutz has done right.

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 4:57 pm

Quote, originally posted by Flip-Side Â»Don't get too excited. The demand for the hand built Solstice outweighs production. They will be rare for a while, and I'm sure the will sell fast when dealers do get them. They are one of the things Lutz has done right. I have a "plan" if I fall for the solstice that will get me out of the Vibe now but still get me in a solstice...stay tuned...

scherry2 · Post by **scherry2** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 7:16 pm

Quote, originally posted by Flip-Side Â» The demand for the hand built Solstice outweighs production. ? hand built? I thought they were built at an assembly plant in Wilmington.

ColonelPanic · Post by **ColonelPanic** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 7:22 pm

That's what I've heard, Wilmington is the only source of the Solstice AFAIK... I didn't know they were being "hands on" with this car so much...

Flip-Side · Post by **Flip-Side** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 8:45 pm

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic Â»I didn't know they were being "hands on" with this car so much...Structurally, observes Bob Lutz, the Solstice platform is like a "reduced Corvette," as there are two hydroformed frame rails running fore and aft. The cross-car beams are attached to those rails with MIG welding. Given the low-volume production volume of the vehicle, there is no robotic welding in the plant: all of the welding is performed by hand. Given that arc welding is a considerable skill and that most automotive welding is robotic resistance welding, extensive training was performed at Wilmington to get personnel there ready to weld what is arguably a hand-built car. Even though it was conceived and designed as a convertible, this arrangement makes the vehicle rock solid: it has a bending frequency of 20.9 Hz and a torsional frequency of 18.8 Hz.http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/090501.htmlThey are only going to build about 16-20,000 2006 Solstices, and 9000 have already been ordered. This is considered on par with the low volume production of the corvette.

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 4:46 am

Don't forget a lot of the body panels have to be hydroformed because of the complex curvature. This process is time consuming and also limits the ability for the plan to put out cars.Once they Sky and Opel roadsters are released and up and running, I don't doubt for a second that they will be struggling to meet demand.

ColonelPanic · Post by **ColonelPanic** » Fri Sep 23, 2005 3:57 pm

I've been reading the Solstice owner's manual and I came across something I didn't think about earlier. With those god awful roads you have to deal with, and your track record with bent wheels and such on the vizzle, hmm.. Quote, originally posted by Solstice Owner's Manual Â»If a Tire Goes FlatYour vehicle has a tire inflator kit. There is no spare tire, no tire changing equipment, and no place to store a tire.Kinda scary! Granted, this is the same thing they've been doing for a while now with the Vette, IIRC. But those have run flat tires on them, will the Solstice have the same, I'm wondering? I haven't looked close enough to tell At any rate, the lack of a spare, jack, and lug wrench on a daily driver, I dunno... The inflator thing they have is cool though. But, that's not going to help much if your tire is completely screwed... Kinda like the last flat I had, the inflator won't help much if you've got the belts showing through the rubber.

BOZACK · Post by **BOZACK** » Sat Sep 24, 2005 3:02 pm

So? Did you see it yet?

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 3:41 am

Hey guys, saw the Solstice this past Saturday, it was fricken AMAZING! Didn't get to drive it or even sit in it, but just being NEXT TO one was surreal.Got pics, but haven't had time to upload them. Running out the door to work, will try to get them up tonight or tomorrow. That being said, now that I've seen a Solstice, I can FINALLY sit down and make a final decision. Hope to do so before the end of October. Waiting to see what the final "damage" is after the new exhaust manifold, as well as other parts from the Vibe's current repair visit (still in the shop BTW, one week tomorrow).Will keep you posted...

tnpartsguy · Post by **tnpartsguy** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 6:43 am

Mike, I hate to be negative here, but I just drove one, and I just am not impressed. It drove fine, but it just didn't have the horsepower I expected, and the fit and finish wasn't quite there. That said, I will state this car was an early production one, and probably has been beaten a lot. It looked great from 25 feet, but up close, it just wasn't what I have been expecting.

binary · Post by **binary** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 12:57 pm

I wonder if you'll see the "Dealer Rape" we witnessed when Chrysler was selling their Prowlers?A dealer locally had a $36,000 price tag on their only one in the lot. Supply and demand I was told. Let's hope they sell close to their sticker price when they do hit the lots. Err maybe it was a lot higher... I remember it being outragously overpriced. Meh - didn't care much, I wasn't buying.

kostby · Post by **kostby** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 1:35 pm

Quote, originally posted by binary Â»A dealer locally had a $36,000 price tag on their only one in the lot. IIRC Prowlers had a retail of somewhere around $35,000.$36K for a SOLSTICE??? The most expensive Solstice combination I can come up with on the pontiac.com website has an MSRP of only $26,095. That is not RAPE. That's freaking felony sexual battery against a mentally handicapped minor child in front of her parents and the news media!Hmmmm. Bob Lutz neglected to tell us that the price of his 'under $20,000' sportscar didn't include the additional $10,000 consumer screw-job markup by your friendly neighborhood Pontiac dealer.

ColonelPanic · Post by **ColonelPanic** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 2:05 pm

I would hope that binary was still referring to the Prowler. Otherwise, I'd tell Lutz and co. that they can take their Solstice with the $10K+ markup and stick it where the sun don't shine. There will be a markup, no doubt in my mind about that. I just hope they keep that crap to a minimum. It's new, unique, going to be hard to come by for a couple of years - you bet those sharks in polyester are going to take advantage of that so they can screw the customer and make a quick buck for themselves. So, this nifty little roadster that was supposed to be "affordable" will still end up costing you out the wazoo. That's not good business, I really don't see why they need excessive markups. One would think by now they should have realized that by doing so, the product is just going to be sitting around, inventory piling up, because people don't want to pay MSRP let alone $5-10K above that! Some people will pay far more than they should, but I would say most would not, especially on something in this price range. Funny, I bet the industry wonders why niche vehicles such as these which were supposed to be the "next big thing" don't last long before the bean counters realize they have to phase them out due to poor sales. I don't know, things such as that keep me in the market for relatively boring cars that people might want to buy, but sure as heck won't be beating down the dealer's door to try to get their hands on whatever car that is... Ideally, a car that I can actually find in good quantities out on dealer lots so I can have some variety to choose from, and not have to pay thousands over MSRP. Forget about those waiting lists - if I choose to trade tomorrow, I want to go home in that car tomorrow. And not have to drive myself crazy for several months waiting on it to arrive.

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 4:41 pm

GM is URGING dealers to NOT mark up the price of the Solstice. I think they actually deemed it an "unwritten law" of sorts. But my understanding is the General will not tolerate consumer rape when it comes to pricing on the Solstice.That being said, I present, my piez de resistance! The Solstice!My dealer had 2 on the lot. Yeah. 2. Both were from the "First 1000" batch. In pics through the windows, you can kinda see the "First 1000" plaque on the dashboard. Sorry for the shoddy quality...my camera sucks, and I did the best I could in the little time I had.

Flip-Side · Post by **Flip-Side** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 9:15 pm

My complaint is that they went with an overbored ECOTEC, instead of a turbo charged one that was expected. 170 hp is a lot different from 220. Still a sweet car though. I wanna go see if I can get a test drive too.Also...what is with the plain-jane grey rims? Slap some chrome or polished aluminum all up ins!

ColonelPanic · Post by **ColonelPanic** » Wed Sep 28, 2005 9:16 pm

Schweet, the hood is hinged at the front. And what a roomy trunk. Glad to see you finally getting up close with one of those things. Not too shabby!

jimincalif · Post by **jimincalif** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 12:20 am

I am the last person to come to the defense of car dealers, other than lexus they all suck. However, I don't blame them at all if they mark up a hot selling car. They buy the car from the manufacturer, it is their property to do with as they please. What they paid for it is really irrelevant to what they can sell it for. Just like a homeowner has no qualms about selling a house for 2-3x more than it was purchased for. That's the market. There is a subset of buyers out there who absolutely have to have the latest and greatest at any price. If they are willing to pay a higher price, so be it. If you are not willing to pay a higher price - don't. The higher price decreases the number of willing buyers to the point where the demand equals the supply. If they did not mark up the price, they would have a showroom full of buyers and no cars to sell them. Then what, a lottery to determine who gets the few that come in? Or just an impossibly long waiting list?Quote, originally posted by ragingfish Â»GM is URGING dealers to NOT mark up the price of the Solstice. I think they actually deemed it an "unwritten law" of sorts. But my understanding is the General will not tolerate consumer rape when it comes to pricing on the Solstice.

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 2:52 am

Quote, originally posted by Flip-Side Â»My complaint is that they went with an overbored ECOTEC, instead of a turbo charged one that was expected. 170 hp is a lot different from 220.The GXP model coming next year will be turboed. There was never any plans to release the base model with a tc.Quote Â»Also...what is with the plain-jane grey rims? Slap some chrome or polished aluminum all up ins! Polished wheels are an available option. This buyer clearly did not opt for that.

silver_vibe · Post by **silver_vibe** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:22 am

I went to look at the Solstice during lunch. I thought it looked better in photos than in person. I was actually a bit disappointed. With the top down, there is NO truck. Also, the plastic on the door panel was falling off. Maybe it was the color (dark green). My 2Â¢.

scherry2 · Post by **scherry2** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:38 am

Quote, originally posted by silver_vibe Â» With the top down, there is NO truck. with the top up there's no TRUNK either.

drunkenmaxx · Post by **drunkenmaxx** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:44 am

also, what the hell is up with that dealer plate?

silver_vibe · Post by **silver_vibe** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:00 am

Quote, originally posted by scherry2 Â»with the top up there's no TRUNK either....but the little bit of space you do see with the top up is COMPLETELY filled with the top down.

Mr. Poopypants · Post by **Mr. Poopypants** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 7:34 am

I almost joined Mike in the "getting rid of the Vibe category" today. I was on my way home from one of our restaurants and a car dealership had a used 2004 GTO. Red 6 speed with the color match interior. I test drove it and worked out the numbers, my payments would have been a little higher than on the Vibe, and since the Vibe is almost paid off, I decided to stick with her.But my god the GTO has some giddy-up and go.

tnpartsguy · Post by **tnpartsguy** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:47 am

Quote, originally posted by Mr. Poopypants Â»I almost joined Mike in the "getting rid of the Vibe category" today. I was on my way home from one of our restaurants and a car dealership had a used 2004 GTO. Red 6 speed with the color match interior. I test drove it and worked out the numbers, my payments would have been a little higher than on the Vibe, and since the Vibe is almost paid off, I decided to stick with her.But my god the GTO has some giddy-up and go.And being married MIGHT make it insurable for you.......

Mr. Poopypants · Post by **Mr. Poopypants** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:50 am

I have a clean driving record, so I wasn't worried about insurance.

AZViking · Post by **AZViking** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 9:56 am

Was waiting at the dealership for my Vibe's new belt tensioner to be installed when I saw this in the display case.

Mr. Poopypants · Post by **Mr. Poopypants** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:55 pm

2 red Xs?

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 5:05 pm

Quote, originally posted by drunkenvibe Â»also, what the hell is up with that dealer plate?It's to remind you which end of the car you're looking at in case you forget...

ColonelPanic · Post by **ColonelPanic** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 6:02 pm

Well, at least their name isn't, uh, see attachment. I know that dealer all too well...

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AZViking · Post by **AZViking** » Thu Sep 29, 2005 10:18 pm

&$@* Well it worked from my computer yesterday.

I'll try again when I get home from work. It was nothing special, just a 1:18 scale Solstice with the hood, trunk, and doors open. Thought it looked cool, and it reminded me of this post.

BigMac · Post by **BigMac** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 8:28 am

I have to say, the Solstice is a really sweet looking ride. There's no point talking about trunk space, that's not why you're buying it.That being said. I'm a huge fan of the G6, and probably would have gone that way instead of the Vibe if I had more money. I really love the sunroof that was featured in the ads, the one that tilts in components and then pull back accordion style.

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 12:00 pm

Quote, originally posted by BigMac Â»I really love the sunroof that was featured in the ads, the one that tilts in components and then pull back accordion style.This one? Yeah, it's fricken awesome.

Stang2Vibe · Post by **Stang2Vibe** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:41 pm

Ok, I've got to ask. What's the pedistal in the trunk of the Solsitce for? Do each of the "first 1000" come with their own girl who won a bikini contest to stand and do the Queen Elizabeth wave on the pedistal as you drive around? And if I buy one, can I sell the car next week but keep the bikini girl? Oh, wait, girls cost way more than cars to upkeep. Scratch that. When I get sick of the greedy, whiny, self-absorbed bikini girl, can I sell her and keep the car?

millster · Post by **millster** » Fri Sep 30, 2005 11:30 pm

I would imagine that the bump in the trunk is the fuel tank. That's just a guess though, I could be wrong.

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 11:27 am

Quote, originally posted by millster Â»I would imagine that the bump in the trunk is the fuel tank. That's just a guess though, I could be wrong.Correct. The Solstice only has about 3" of ground clearance, so that, in addition to the 50/50 weight ratio, means the fuel tank ended up there.It also helps support the rear glass when the top is down (yes, the rear is GLASS)

kostby · Post by **kostby** » Sat Oct 01, 2005 11:47 am

So when does YOUR Solstice arrive, Mike?

binary · Post by **binary** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 12:04 pm

Quote, originally posted by Mr. Poopypants Â»2 red Xs?(laughing my (removed) off...)

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AZViking · Post by **AZViking** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 12:23 pm

See if this one works...

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BOZACK · Post by **BOZACK** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 12:54 pm

Now there is a car I can afford. LOL.

AZViking · Post by **AZViking** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 1:00 pm

2nd pic

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kostby · Post by **kostby** » Tue Oct 04, 2005 5:14 am

Gee, AZVikingI didn't realize they include that cool acrylic garage in the $19,995 MSRP.

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Fri Oct 07, 2005 7:18 pm

Final two test drives later today:G6 4-cylinderG6 GTPAt that point, I will have ALL the info I need to sit down with my thoughts and make a decision!I expect to be able to stick to my 10/15 announcement date...

ColonelPanic · Post by **ColonelPanic** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 8:57 am

Woo hoo!

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 9:30 am

Well, test drives never happened. A combination of getting home from work at 6 AM and oversleeping, with torrential rains that would've kept me from truly being able to experience the cars, I opted to reschedule the two test drives for Thursday. Stay tuned...

ColonelPanic · Post by **ColonelPanic** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 9:47 am

ARRGH! Keepin' us in suspense man, you're killing us! Am I going to end up with a new car before you? lol! I just have to find money, wherever one gets that kind of thing, and go pick the car up, I know what I want.

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 9:58 am

Trust me, it kills me more then you dude.

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Sat Oct 08, 2005 6:18 pm

i cant find that solstice model

ragingfish · Post by **ragingfish** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:06 pm

Called the dealer today. They're closed Thursday, so I'm going in TOMORROW morning to test drive a 4-cylinder and a GTP! Here's the kicker...the only GTP on the lot is a 6 speed. RF is gonna try his luck at that manual shifting thing...Stay tuned for pics and details!!!

northvibe · Post by **northvibe** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 12:08 pm

i had to drive my drunk roomies home in one of their manual integra's....yea...its been 7 yrs since i drove one...and im not good going from N to 1 hahhahah stalled 4 times

Ragingfish's Car Shopping Photo Journal (56K Warning!)

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