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Comments
Amazing that 1000 cars sold in less than an hour. Goes to show, good product at a fair price sells.
I agree that the solstice is one sweet-looking car and the price is sweet as well. I do think these folks jumping to pay more than MSRP for a car that has no track record yet really need some help. I've had 3 convertibles and may possibly own a solstice at some point, but post-bug season hopefully!!
Cool stuff. Maybe this American company will return to building cars with passion?? Hope this is a grand slam for GM so they'll upgrade the rest of their car line. Nothing like profits to silence the bean counters!
That all said, comparing the Fiero to the Solstice is about as big and as silly a stretch as you can get. I guess GM bashers have to grasp on to something for whatever reason.
The Fiero had Chevette underpinnings (not something you really wanted to emulate). Not until the very end of the model run did GM finally get it right with a decent suspension and drivetrain. Then, just as the car was getting good, GM in their infinite wisdom, killed it.
Solstice/Sky is being built on a new platform. From all outward appearances, it sounds like it will be a good one, right out of the box. You really don't know about a brand new design until you get them out into the marketplace. One thing's for certain, it will get people into Pontiac showrooms, though. That's something that Pontiac desperately needs.
That is only car your Mustang can beat to the service drive is a 4 cylinder because it cannot anything else.
Thanks!
I have to dream what a quality car they could make if they didn't have to pay union employees huge salaries for mounting pre-assembed components - a job that only requires a high school education. They also get paid during model change-overs, etc. The union guys I met at a family reunion in MIch were such jerks about their jobs and whining about this and that I almost had to leave. Ok off my soapbox. But when you see them using these cheap parts you can imagine where the $ is going. Management has their share of blame too, unfortunately.
I do think Lutz has the right idea on this one. Don't compromise and keep it simple, light, true. The Ecotech can be hotted up, don't worry about that. If you are a redneck and need a V8 get a GTO.
If I had money coming out my rear end I might have to buy year 2 of one of these, as I still can't belive that GM will get more than 90% right on the first year!
Does look great though....A WOW car = from Pontiac of all brands!
DD
Believer
Solstice will not be Meauto.
http://macleans.auto123.com/en/info/news/news,view.spy?artid=37902&pg=1 No mention of a change in price in this story.
Soldup: That price was probably "as equipped", not base. As recently as yesterday I got more info on the car direct from Pontiac and it still was quoted as $1995. We'll see.
Believer
"GM announces Solstice pricing
Two-seater will start at $25,695
ROBINSON/BEINTEMA
The all-new 2006 Pontiac Solstice two-seat roadster will arrive at dealerships this summer with a base manufacturers suggested retail price of $25,695, excluding applicable taxes and freight charges.
The curvaceous design of the Solstice is matched with impressive performance and a host of standard features, including a 2.4L Ecotec engine, 5-speed manual transmission, 18-inch wheels, 4-wheel disc brakes and much more.
"This thrilling addition to the Pontiac lineup, delivers performance in a fun, agile, affordable roadster," said Donna Martin, Marketing Manager for Small and Sporty Cars. . . ."
I think the solstice is very likely to be on my list of future cars to own, but I'll wait till the furor dies down and you can buy one where they should be.
I predict that GM will have incentives on the car before a year is out. Same thing happened when the Crossfire came out. I had a dealer tell me I could not even test drive one without a deposit------------ give me a break. Now you can buy one under invoice.
It will be interesting to see if the GM Card will have rebates on the Solstice from the git-go. They may not. They still do not have any on the Saturn. They did at one time for about a month tho.
Believer
The Toyota MR2 will be dropped after the 2005 model year.
The Pontiac Solstice's closest rival is the Mazda Miata which is new for 2006 (now called MX-5 for US).
p.s. I doubt everyone who will buy the new Solstice will buy it just to get attention.
Believer
Already 2005 Mustangs are going through the auctions and are popping up on the used lots, virtually brand new. How about a loaded coupe with 500 miles on it for the asking price of $16950 !! I think all the hype on the Mustangs kinda fell flat or it is just a down market generally for the car biz. I did not note any of the "gotta have it now" nonsense on the mustangs either. They were going for under sticker here from the git-go.
Crossfires (base automatic) 2004 with 5000 miles for $19995 ! I wonder how the geeks that paid close to 40K for the same car last year @ intro feel about that ?
When it comes to cars all common sense flys out the window.
Believer
Used Crossfires for $20K, wow. I am surprised.
Ah yes, the fit issue. Brings back old memories of fit issues with my 1984 Fiero. Both doors rubbed the fenders when opening, wore off the paint in the first week. Mine did not burn to the ground as did many others but the tranny leaked like a sieve and was "retrofitted & resealed" three time on recall. They never did get it to stop leaking. Always carried 2 qt. of tranny fluid to top-off once a week. When GM puts out a product like that and now seems to possibly doing it again I bet those "lucky" 1000 folks that have pre-ordered are feeling just a bit ill. I would think to save face that those first 1000 cars should be hand assembled to SHOW QUALITY and shipped in closed vans to each buyers front door. Yeah, right LOL !
Believer
I drove a new xfire about a year ago and with dealer's bump sticker - $42K. I just thanked them for the test drive and told them I'd wait a couple of years. Glad I did, they don't do much for me now. The little pop-up spoiler seems a little cheesy to me!!
Pontiac is making sure that they get the car right.
Read this article about the 2006 Pontiac Solstice.
2006 Pontiac Solstice
I agree GM is trying to make sure the car is right.
It would make since to me to make sure the car was right before all of the marketing hoopla. They should have been sure the car was right before taking orders. Now that it has people's attention the delay's do more to hurt GM's image regarding quality. I have a gut feeling the issues are far from over.
It looks to me that 2005 will be another year GM will want to forget. So far they've lost over $1 Billion, they've delayed the Solstice to end of summer, and recalled 2 million vehicles. and we're not even to May yet. What else can go wrong?
I agree with some of you that GM absolutely had to delay the Solstice to get things right, but the point that dieselone made is important - MAKE SURE YOU CAN DELIVER THE CAR BEFORE YOU SELL IT!!
These poor 1000 saps who jumped in and bought one are gonna get it just in time to roll it in the garage for the winter!!
My niece by marrage is from China. She works for Delphi and holds MBA as well as a MME degrees. She travels to China for Delphi several times a year and has a finger on the pulse of the budding auto industry there. When I asked her recently about the quality of the products that will soon be coming to the US she said with agreat BIG smile ( in perfect English by the way) "you just watch, they will blow you away in cost, quality and design" May be the only way out for GM in the long run is just let someone else, China, Korea and Japan et al, build ALL their cars for them and just stick a GM badge on 'em, cross their fingers behind their backs and make believe they are really GM products LOL.
Believer
Regards, Believer
Also, does it really get that cold out there on the left coast or Texas or down south? That is where most of the convertibles go anyway.
As a 2nd point what is wrong with Mazda? they are starting their introduction of the MX5 in October!!! That is 3 months after the first Solstices start hitting the streets!!
GM launch the Saab 9-3 convertible in January, if I remember correctly. And now the G6 hardtop will arrive in the first quarter of 06 - that could be good though since it will likely be late and arrive in spring of 06.
As for the Solstice - maybe it is not so bad that it will arrive in late summer. I imagine that a larger percentage of convertible sales are in the south and west where convertibles can be used more days per year. And the Solstice is most likely considered a third vehicle, not a daily driver.
But in this case maybe GM got lucky. They already sold out the first 6000 (say 3000 actually buy) or so. Now the plant will be at capacity from the launch thru the winter. Then the normal spring selling season will start and keep it at capacity. What more would they want? Remember this is an ultralow volume segment. Miata only sold 9300 cars last year and MR2 sold 2600.