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Coupes & Convertibles Pontiac Solstice Pontiac Solstice vs 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata
376 messages, Last post on Jan 17, 2008 at 3:20 PM
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I got done reading a review comparing the Miata and the Solstice and I am very mad. I mean it sounded like the guy owns Miata's and wants to make everyone sure he bought the right car. The road tests were almost identical, the 0-60 times were maybe .2 seconds different and the overall performance is pretty much the same. The only real issue is comparing their looks. Making a issue on 0-60 times, if anyone buy's these types of cars for drag racing they have something seriously wrong with them and shouldn't be even looking at buying this type of a car. It's a roadster. How it handles a mountain road is more important as that is what they were really designed to do. They are not a stop light to stoplight racing car. Buy a vett or a GTO if 0-60 times is important. It just needs a decent enough powerplant to make it balance out overall. So how can one car be 10 billion times better than the other? Even a top of the line Ferrari isn't that much better than any other car except maybe a pinto, that one really deserves an moron award or something. I quit reading about computers on ZDnet after they were bought out pretty much by Intel and never gave AMD systems any decient reviews and this review stinks just like those reviews from that biased computer site!!! So I have to ask, what is going through that nuts head? He must either own a Miata or is paid by them or is so biased he can't do proper reviews and should find another job. Weird that another review on this site gave the Solstice high marks, I guess that guy doesn't own a Miata or is open minded and can see a car for what it is. For myself I think the new Miata's look funny and the Solstice is a much better looking car but that is just my opnion as everyone sees something differently. Why Mazda tried to make the Miata look a lot like the RX-8 is beyond me but those fenders sure suck. I wish they would have kept the 2005 body and the 2006 motor and I'd love it. My decision on buying either one sure can't be made from that review as it was pretty much useless and THAT is what I do not like to see on any review site. I'm going to just keep checking out the Solstice forums and see how the true owners like the car and see how it handles the reliablility tests and so on. So far the Honda S2000 is my top pick and the Solstice is second. The Boxster has some major reliablility issues that shouldn't be there for that expensive of a car. I like the Miata as well, it's a very nice roadster, at least till they changed the body anyway which took it off my list. Pontic came out with a fantastic looking car, I just hope they can make it reliable. The weight doesn't really bother me that much, convertables have issues without the hardtop and pontiac made sure it was a solid car that most likely won't twist it's frame on high G loading turns. I'm glad they give you the choice of not having A/C as for a convertable that is not needed and is wasted weight and power robbing luxury (when used) that really isn't prefered for a true sports roadster. It should have come stock with the LSD though. A 6 speed tranny isn't a big thing either. I remember when 4 speeds were the norm and only exotic's came with a 5 speed. People are getting spoiled if they think a car is useless or hampered by having just a 5 speed. A 6 speed is nice if it gives you a better rear end gearing for torque mult. gains but it's not going to be that big of a deal. Oh well, that's my 10 billion cents worth on that review. |
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All things considered, the Solstice is far better than I expected and almost as good as I had hoped. In fact, considering that the Solstice is a GM product, it is almost miraculously good. It doesn't surprise me at all that the 2006 MX-5 won a head to head comparison; what surprised me was that the Solstice was so competitive. After years of pathetic, embarrassing GM cars I expected the Solstice to be a watered-down, under-engineered poser machine. Let's hope this demonstrates GM's commitment to quality products in the future. I believe that the Solstice's trunk space (or lack of space) will be its downfall in the marketplace. The lack of a trunk is what killed the Toyota MR2 Spyder and it looks from the photos that the Solstice has even LESS trunk space. It looks as though, if I were driving my son to baseball practice one warm, summer day, we would have have the top up (i.e. closed) in order to fit his bat bag in the Solstice. Inexcusable. Plus, having to "undo" the convertible top's "flying buttresses" to open the tiny trunk is really lame. I think that chore will get very old, very soon for most owners that use the car for anything other than a weekend fair weather toy. Maybe the Saturn Sky will be better in this respect. I hope the Solstice is a great success, but after the initial excitement and novelty wears off, I suspect that those folks cross-shopping the MX-5 and the Solstice will choose the Mazda. A prediction: in about 2 years GM will have to offer big rebates to move Solstices (and Skys) and there will be no second generation (think Fiero). Still, I hope the small rear drive Kappa platform gets lots of use and that GM brings us interesting well balanced small cars based on Kappa.
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Their MX-5 was substantially quicker in every accleration test, had better braking, better roadholding, and average 8 mpg better than the Solistice, yet they picked the Pontiac. Go figure. They say it's more practical, but the trunk essentially disappears when you fold the top, that nixes the practicality. Roadsters are all about open air, and you can't lower the Solistice's top from the driver's seat. I'll still try one out, but I'm not convinced the Solistice deserved to win that comparo, not with the test data they measured. -juice |
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These figures were closer, but Miata seems to take the acceleration and braking tests, while Solistice had a quicker slalom. This is my fave quote from the article: the Solstice doesn't feel like a razor-sharp racer with some luxury thrown in for the street So first ask yourself what you really want. A razor-shapr racer is exactly what I'd want. To convenient top and bigger trunk are just icing on the cake. Solistice might grab more of the buyers that just want a comfier boulevard cruiser, though. That may be risky given the Thunderbird failed with that strategy, but the prices points are much lower this time. I think both will succeed in the market place. It's funny to observe all the newcomers and how they're supposed to be the car to take out the MX-5, yet it has outlived every competitor thrown at it. Z3 RIP. MR2 RIP. S2000 RIP. The MX-5 lives on. I doubt the Solistice will change that, though I hope it lasts longer than those 3 did. -juice
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In my 8 years of driving, I have yet to find the function of the oil gauge. Seriously what does anyone use an oil gauge for other than bragging that they have one? Now the temp gauge is slightly more important. Its nice to know when you can turn on the heater in winter and get hot air.
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I posted this previously in the other solstice thread ... A review from a CANADIAN source, with a few good comments on how it stacks up to the Miata in terms of everyday usefullness and driveability. The Review is by a very good journalist, Jim Kenzie. http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Art- - icle&cid=1125006612685&call_pageid=968867497088&col=969048871196 |
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Replying to: ateixeira (Sep 23, 2005 7:34 am) The Miata is a nice, cute looking little roadster for the masses. And it has won the hearts of many. But is clearly not in the same serious sports car league as the S2000. The only car I test drove that was competitive with the $33,000 S2000 when I bought one in late 2001 was the $55,000+ Boxster S. Even the $50k M Roadster and $55k SLK32 felt cumbersome and imprecise by comparison. Perhaps if you are defining the Miata as a "razer-sharp racer", you see things differently. And to each their own. But whether or not Honda continues to build the limited production, hand built S2000 beyond 2006 has nothing to do with competition from the Miata or Pontiac Solistice, IMO. I know of no one that would drive those two cars back to back with the S2000 and scratch their head in indecision. Certainly, I wouldn't have. |
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Replying to: ateixeira (Sep 23, 2005 7:34 am) |
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Auto makers love to show horsepower figures and EPA numbers but are they really worth paying attention to at all? I had driven a few well respected cars before i.e. BMW M3s and M5, Ferrari 456 GTA, Porsche 911 Turbo and 'new' MX-5, Porsche Boxter S. I am sure any car guy can rank the horsepower figures, lateral-g and stopping distance of the cars in order. Among these car, of course, I would like to be seen in the Ferrari (major chick magnet) but the driving for daily around town use is awefully harsh! The Porshe 911 Turbo probably matches all of the so call performance figures of the Ferrai but it is as good fun (and easy) to drive it slow as to drive it fast (very fast) --but not as harsh as the Ferrari. Of the the above car I have driven, I would say the best balance car to drive both on track and daily around town was the BMW M3 (E36 body with only some 200 hp) and the E39 M5. It is balance that counts not performance figures. How many of the daily driver would rev the engine up to 3000 to 4000 rpm and drop the clutch in our daily driving. Isn't it that's how the 0-60 figues arrive by 'test drivers'. I have use the G-Force gadget on a few of these cars and the results were nowhere close to what was published because I applied the clutch normally. I have to agree, we do not buy roadster to drag race. We drive roadster to feel good in the wind when the top is down. To say the Miata feels calm in the cabin while driving top down is entirely missing the point. If I want 'calm' I would have the top up and close all my windows. I am sure MG and Truimp did not get to know to be the best roadster of their time because they drive like a quiet two-door. Now comes to EPA: I was given a VW Jetta TDI to drive for a week a few years back. Having been told (or should I say been brainwashed by VW's ad) that their TDI has great fuel economy, I was so excited to find out how good it was myself. After driving it (in the city and no highway cruising) for a week, I have to say it was not much better than any economy car (except that it was cheaper to fill up in diesel). For those who have highway driving everyday may it is worthwhile for them to 'test drive' the TDI to really find out how good the EPA figure is. (for their application) Whether MX-5 really has a 8 mpg advantage over Solstice, it all depends on how the driver drives his car. If we have a guy who wants to show how much 'smarter' he is to own the MX-5 than the Solstice and racing his MX-5 whenever he sees a Solstice on the road, I bet the 8 mpg would run out really fast. In terms of road handling figures, Solstice has all season tires and MX-5 is equipped with all summer tires by factory. Thus, comparing the road handling figures are not even relevant. So far all reviews I have read have said the margin of MX-5 over Solstice is so small that it is only relevant on figures and they are not vast. So what would happen if MX-5 is equipped with all seasons tires or Solstice is equipped with all summer tires by factory? Solstice is heavier but more solid which is very important in a convertible set up. In term of look, I have not heard from anyone who would say the MX-5 is as good as look as the Solstice. That may explain why it was the Solstice that was the 2003 best looking concept car and not the MX-5. I have heard people saying the 'new Miata' looks just like the first generation but with bigger "aftermarket" fenders. My response was " so why do you said it was 'new' " . It just looks like the oldest Miata with wider fenders. The Solstice is 'NEW'. Does the Miata (now the MX-5 and so called 'new Miata") looks like a bar of soap? I guesss only those who use bath gel or lotions would not see the resemblances. Some say the Solsitce looks like a rabbit (seem the pictures in, guess where -- Miata forum site). It does and it is very cute. If God one day says He would purnish me and turn be into a 'thing' and give me a choice between 'a rabbit' and ' a bar of soap', I would definitely choose to be a rabbit. (Just imagine the kind of sex I would enjoy being a rabbit and picture where would a bar of soap go in the shower ---Ahrrr.. the choice is obvious). For those who say he (or she to be fair) the Solstice look doesn't do much to him, just go to check out his wife or girlfriend and probably you can understand where he comes from. For looks, my choice is Solstice and any Ferrar other than the Enzo. For fuel economy, I will choose the Honda Civic. For handling, I will pick an old BMW For speed (and speed tickets), I will choose the Porsche and Ferrai. If I have to own a Miata or  the MX-5, I will have to chance sex because I have yet to see a guy to look good in a Miata. Miata was a girly car and the MX-5 is a girly car with 'try to look elegant' wide body fenders -- a contradiction in my opinion.
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Replying to: iloveit (Sep 23, 2005 6:07 pm) I do prefer the look of the new Solstice, and would possibly consider a hardtop version, which will come later, if they have more room inside. The Miata is kinda cramped inside. The BMW Z4 seems like the only one with some room. Loren |
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