Sign In Join 



Pontiac Solstice vs 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata

376 messages,  Last post on Jan 17, 2008 at 3:20 PM

You are in the Pontiac Solstice Forum. Your Host is claires

What is this discussion about? Pontiac Solstice, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Coupe, Convertible


Messages Page 20 of 38
1
...
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
...
38
Prev
Next
Last
Go To Msg #
Search This Discussion

#186 of 376
Re: Solstice looks cool, but the (lack of) trunk will kill it. [jwstump] by ttbuyer
Mar 26, 2006 (5:22 pm)
Reply

Replying to: jwstump (Mar 25, 2006 6:16 am)

I don't golf, so I don't know if the bags will fit in the Miata.
 
But I thought I'd pass along a bit of news that may be of interest to this group.
 
It appears that supply has already caught up with demand for the Solstice. This weekend I saw an ad from a Pontiac dealer in the Cerritos Auto Mall advertising that they had 3 Solstices ("Solsti"?) for sale at MSRP.
#187 of 376
Re: Solstice looks cool, but the (lack of) trunk will kill it. [jwstump] by pao
Mar 27, 2006 (4:54 am)
Reply

Replying to: jwstump (Mar 25, 2006 6:16 am)

you can fit a standard golf bag in the bag of the solstice...dont know if two will fit or if they will fit in the MX-5 for that matter......we have had our solstice since Dec and love it....I will see if I can find a link for the bag..my golf friends tell me a ping golf bag fits fine
 
here is a pic for you of a golf bag in the solstice:
 
http://www.solsticeforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=820&sort=2
 
http://www.solsticeforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=4657&d=1142519281-
#188 of 376
Re: Solstice looks cool, but the (lack of) trunk will kill it. [ttbuyer] by pao
Mar 27, 2006 (4:57 am)
Reply

Replying to: ttbuyer (Mar 26, 2006 5:22 pm)

depends on what part of the country you are in....in the Northern VA/DC/MD area..you cant find a solstice sitting on a dealer lot, or at least one that isnt marked up with a dealer premium.....it appears there is still a 6-8 week order time...if you can find a dealer with remaining model year allocations.....
#189 of 376
Re: Solstice looks cool, but the (lack of) trunk will kill it. [pao] by ttbuyer
Mar 27, 2006 (7:46 pm)
Reply

Replying to: pao (Mar 27, 2006 4:54 am)

Nice photos. I am impressed that the bag will fit. I would not have guessed it. But, I suppose, no top down driving with the golf bag back there? Tell me yes, and I may reconsider the Solstice.
#190 of 376
Just bought it! by zonads
Mar 28, 2006 (2:35 am)
Reply
I have to agree that the Solstice looks better than the MX-5, hands-down... but I bought a MX-5 (Miata). For my price-range, if looks were the deciding factor I would have bought the Pontiac... if performance was deciding factor than the turbo-neon would definitely have won... but here's why I got the Mazda:
 
1: Everyone knows that you can typically rack up TONS of mileage on Japanese cars, just look at all the 200k+ mileage old Civics and Miatas out there.
 
2: The girlfriend loved the MX-5. We didn't get to drive the Pontiac, we only got to sit in it (I guess I should have worn a business suit to the dealership, with a checkbook bulging out of a pocket?)... I made my girlfriend practice leaning over and placing her head on my lap (it's obvious why) in both cars, and she said the Solstice's hand-brake was in the way and the center console was too wide for her to comfortably make the right motions... The Miata wasn't too comfortable for her either, but she said it much easier.
 
3: As my only car, I need trunk space.
 
4: some tuners managed to get over 320 horses (to the wheels!) in a 2nd gen. Miata with a turbo (flyingmiata I believe)... can't wait to see what they can do with the new, bigger engine.. And because I plan on owning this car for 5-10 years or more, reliability issues will come into play when it's time to throw a turbo on the car... and I have a feeling this Mazda will be more reliable than a Pontiac come then. Sure that Corvette-powered Solstice would be VERY COOL, especially since they managed to get 50/50 weight distribution with such a big engine... and there will surely be turbos available for the Pontiac at some point... but there seems to be so many hard-core Miata tuners out there that I bet the options for upgrading parts will be much better than the Pontiac's in the future.
 
After owning my MX-5 Miata for 3 days, here's my impressions:
 
The convertible top needs some break-in time (I imagine... and hope!)... the top on my '01 Miata was much easier to drop because my long arms made reaching the right-side clamp easy... with this new top, I have to get out of the car and press down pretty hard, I thought something might break at first... but it is nice how it locks in place and looks better than the old top... one thing I miss on my '01 is throwing the top down at 70 MPH!
 
You're definitely sitting higher up... like someone said, you feel more like you're in in the car as opposed to on the car
 
My God the 17" wheels look sooo nice on the new car... and it looks as though 18" will fit no problem! 17" 245s might fit, 225s for sure...
 
In the drive-through windows and elsewhere, people give the car the left-to-right visual sweep and are very impressed... instead of the old "cute car" responses the '01 Miata got, now a more typical response is "bad-ass" or simply "nice wheels".
 
If my car had a vagina somewhere on it than it definitely wouldn't be driving straight, and would already need lube/oil maintenance... I love this car!
 
-Z
#191 of 376
LMFAO by zonads
Mar 28, 2006 (3:27 am)
Reply
haha speaking of which, there is a covered hole about 2" in diameter on the right side of the bumber on my '06 MX-5... The perverted engineers must have had similar thoughts as me lol
#192 of 376
Re: Solstice looks cool, but the (lack of) trunk will kill it. [ttbuyer] by pao
Mar 28, 2006 (4:31 am)
Reply

Replying to: ttbuyer (Mar 27, 2006 7:46 pm)

yes you can drop the top..it basically rests on that hump you see..which is the fuel cell....so you can have the top down with the back in the car...I think there is another pic somewhere showing it....
#193 of 376
Re: Just bought it! [zonads] by pao
Mar 28, 2006 (4:39 am)
Reply

Replying to: zonads (Mar 28, 2006 2:35 am)

hey all good personal reasons..for the choice...I have a solstice....older I admit....(50)...and love the car...the Miata was too small for us....as the cockpit is bigger in the solstice...wasnt looking for power or to put a turbo on it later......the solstice GXP will solve that for the folks who want it......
 
we personally didnt like sitting higher in the MX-5....we wanted that roadster feel..and got it in the solstice...having the car wrap around you.....and cruising with the top down is a great feeling......
 
as your only car...yes..trunk space is important..for us...this is a third car.....with a Ford Bronco..and Chevy Maxx in the stable..for the other cars.....but we seem to be spending a awful amount of time in the solstice these days...
 
reliablity....a proven point in the miata....for Pontiac..and GM as a whole..they are trying to break a mold from the past....and seem to be making progress..but only time will tell.....
 
tuner....well...again not really into that..but realize that mazda has been on the market for over 10 years now...and the market as had time to provide plenty of aftermarket items...in time you will see the same for teh solstice....the ecotec engine is highly tuneable..if you want to go that route...springs sway bars..cai..exhausts etc..are already on the market for the solstice...and a turbo kick is in the working..again.....in time there will be plenty....
 
enjoy the new ride......glad you are enjoying it....as we are ours...cheers
#194 of 376
Re: Just bought it! [pao] by zonads
Mar 28, 2006 (5:13 am)
Reply

Replying to: pao (Mar 28, 2006 4:39 am)

thx man
 
from what I have seen the Solstice is a great car, and I would love to have one some day. I guess the proven long-term reliability of the Miata was the clincher for me. I hope the Solstice proves reliability in 5 years from now, then for sure I would pick one up. For now, I'm thinking a good question is this: What was the mind-set of the employees at the time they built the Pontiac? If they were mostly upset over the impending loss of benefits/pay/etc they were sure to see..... the car may prove to have a poor build quality in a few years time, however, if they were aware of and understood the doomed collapse of GM and used this to motivate them to do an extra great job (like us Americans are capable of), then the Pontiac Solstice could prove to be a very reliable car. The cool thing is this- we are both happy with our rides! Obviously, GM and Mazda did two things right here! cheers
#195 of 376
Re: Just bought it! [pao] by zonads
Mar 28, 2006 (5:32 am)
Reply

Replying to: pao (Mar 28, 2006 4:39 am)

Yeah, about sitting in the Miata higher up... it seems as though Mazda made sure the Miata was upgradable to 18" rims and upgradable suspension... from reviews, it seems as though the Solstice pushed the limits a bit further with the stock cars as far as handling goes... with the 18" wheels and wider rubber... this makes me believe that the MX-5 is more capable of larger upgrades than the Solstice, albeit it will be costly
 
Without having actually drove the Solstice, this is probably an accurate poll-
 
The Solstice is better looking, more spacious on the inside, less spacious in the trunk, has bigger wheels and tires, is "easier to drive fast", has no build quality reputation, has cheap plastic interior, turbo option soon. The Miata is smaller, quicker, has a bigger trunk, more cup holders, proven reliability, it's easier to get head, it's easier to come by, and it has a covered 2" hole on the right side of the front bumper haha
 
ok I just waisted too much time posting here so it's time to sell my computer...adios

Messages Page 20 of 38
1
...
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
...
38
Prev
Next
Last
Go To Msg #
Search This Discussion
To POST a message, please Sign In.

New? Join Now!

Forum Tools

Please sign in.
Email Address:

Password:

Forgot Password?

Search Forums

Enter Keyword(s)

Advanced Search

Browse by Vehicle



View All Vehicles
Advertisement
Ask the Community
See What People Are Asking

Browse by Board

Browse by Topic


View All Topics

Today's Chats

Advertisement