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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
You are in the Pontiac Solstice Forum. Your Host is claires
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Replying to: iloveit (Sep 23, 2005 6:07 pm) A- We would not be spending any time on the Solstice if it did not merit it. B- The MX5 deserved its merit in the 80s, and since then has not come into any considerable engineering changes, with the exception of minor HP. All MX5 fans always wanted to see a rotary engine in that platform. C- The solstice is undeniably a tribute to aesthetics, the time to production crunch leaves a lot of room for error and fine tuning. I would highly recommend waiting for newer revisions of this vehicle where the bugs have been resolved. There are clear indicators that simple improvements on performance can be achieved based on displacement to HP ratio. D- CONCLUSION DESIGN IS WORLD CLASS, FIT&FINISH AS WELL AS MATERIALS ARE PREMIUM, SUSPENSION & BRAKES ARE APPROPRIATE FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE, YET ENGINE, ELECTRONICS, AND FINE TUNING OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE A LARGE RANGE FOR IMPROVEMENT. I SUGGEST WAITING FOR THE 2007 SOLSTICE
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Replying to: bottomline (Dec 12, 2005 10:19 am) |
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Replying to: paul38 (Sep 30, 2005 4:51 am)
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test drove the mx5. It might be the newer miata, but had same plastic, handled a little more sluggish due to larger size and weight. Compared to solstice, nimbler, better handling, and engine sounded way better. Don't quite understand mx5's attraction. Soltice's design and looks rule. Check it, clean, new, amazing.
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Replying to: draknad (Dec 22, 2005 11:32 pm) Sport Compact Car had an article on the MX-5. Apparently, it loses 15-20 of its horsepower when the ambient temperature is above 77ºF! The ECU does it on purpose, for longevity. What Mazda should do is put the 2.0L head (which is better) on the 2.3L block (which is... bigger). According to the magazines, they're compatible. |
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Replying to: otillito (Dec 22, 2005 11:12 pm) aftermarket products are beginning to hit the streets and the cold air intakes and improved exhausts seem to be helping immensely..per some recent dyno tests posted on another forum....waiting to see how the combination of the two items increase HP at the rear wheels now.... we arent out to autocross ours....but find it to be nicely responsive...and can easily get down the highway.... |
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japanese cars always seemed a bit week. Miata's always been low on power, and suposedly high on handling/performance. Here, solstice matches or beats miata in handling, power, and definitely styling. Remember mustanged v8 miata's? Check out Solstices Corvetted 400 6.0 l Solstice. Kiss miata mustang goodbye. Mallett Solstice -thedrak
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Replying to: draknad (Dec 27, 2005 2:27 pm) Actually, most road tests seem to confirm the Miata is quicker in 0-60 and 1/4 mile, has shorter stopping distance and has a handling advantage over the Solstice. Why? Maybe the 400 extra pounds of curb weight the Solstice lugs around has something to do with that. And if your idea of making the Solstice 'better' is cramming 400 hp under the hood (and a few hundred more pounds over the front axle), you miss the point of these cars.
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Replying to: rorr (Dec 27, 2005 3:52 pm) As for the handling experience, seems to me there is a real choice and real reasons for choosing one over the other. The reviews all take pains to point out the Miata is more skittish, while the Solstice has more or a planted to the ground feel. I had a Miata for many years. Skittish is fun in short bursts. You can live with it on long trips, but it gets tedious. If I were to buy a car now, my main use would be for extended road trips in the US and Canada. As it would just be me, the storage situation is not an issue (I like to travel light anyway). Better road feel characteristics could push the Solstice (or more likely the Sky) over a third generation Miata for me. n.b. It will be interesting to see which direction Nissan takes with the Urge. Solid or skittish?
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Replying to: logic1 (Dec 28, 2005 6:53 am) Agree 100%. I think the point I was trying to make to a different individual (who seemed to have some sort of an issue with Japanese cars in general) was that the Solstice wasn't obviously superior to the Miata in all performance categories, which was the original implication. If fact, I had to laugh at the idea that the existence of a 400hp Mallett Solstice somehow made the ordinary Solstice 'better' than the Miata. "As for the handling experience, seems to me there is a real choice and real reasons for choosing one over the other." The whole 'handling' issue seems (to me at least) to be very subjective. Some folks have a tendency to just look at slalom times and skidpad results and proclaim one car superior to another based on stats. I don't recall the term 'skittish' being applied to the Miata but I wouldn't be surprised. Perhaps 'excessively responsive' would put a more positive spin on the Miata's handling characteristics. I think this is intentional on Mazda's part; they want the Miata to feel more 'lively' in the driver's hands. In the proper circumstances, this is desireable. For long distance driving, I can see where this would NOT be desireable for the reasons you mentioned. I envy your ability to take ANY kind of extended solo road trip. I did a few of those when I was in college; any future road trips I undertake would include (at a minimum) my better half. In this case, a Solstice would make absolutely zero sense due to the total lack of storage space. While the Miata is no minivan, it at least is feasible to use it for an extended weekend for two.
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