2009 Potiac Solstice Convertible with 1,900 miles

[Winchester67]

My bride has always wanted a convertible. With the luck that always seems to happen to me, a heart surgeon buddy has a 2009 five speed Turbo GXP he would sell me at a discounted price. Basically, he bought it as a toy car and since he has more money than time, it only has about 1,900 miles on it. So it is essentially a new car...without the factory support. Anyone have any experience with these? Reliability issues? Pontiac is an orphan, but the engine and drivetrain were all borrowed items....I like the look of them, and they are not on every corner here in Missouri, which I like. (and can't say about the Miata)

[BarnStorm]

No personal experience with them but I do know that the GXP is a quick little car and would surely be a lot of fun to drive and can't beat that low mileage!

[Winchester67]

I forgot to add his new wife can't drive a stick shift, so she is pushing him pretty hard to sell it! I was impressed with how quick it was...260 rated HP, road tests of the time around a 5.5 zero to sixty. That is technology for you...15 second quarters, just like the big V-8 muscle cars I had as a kid but with decent mileage to boot.

[BarnStorm]

Very true. A lot of amateur class weekend racers go crazy over the coupe version of that car (and the book value certainly reflects that) And in my opinion it has already lost the largest percent of its value depreciation wise because 2009 was the last year for Pontiac. So the depreciation could make it a while lot of car for the money for you and her to enjoy.

[michael]

Buy it if the price is right. A friend of mine has it's cloned sister the Saturn Sky, and he and his wife love it. Same engine, and it's quick. I bought a Miata a couple of weeks ago (my first convertible) and I may never have anything else. Love the drop top.

[Mike Heckathorn]

It is pretty easy to drop a V8 in that car:smile:...

[Winchester67]

Like the '63 Austin Healey 3000 from my youth we dropped a 327 small block Chevy into? Sigfan, you are a bad influence! I think I am going to have to buy it...

[silversport]

Remember the drivetrain is tried and true GM and should be easy to get parts for...

Bill

[Spiffy]

When I was going through my corn-vertible phase I was looking at the then new 300z and a Jeep... I got the Jeep.

[DonaldM]

buy it and treat it well. I don't really see their value dropping to much. Pontiacs are pretty neat and since they stopped making them in 2009 people are going to want them. You have a collector car in your future and you don't have to worry about restoration and rust issues right now.

[Steve Paulson]

buy it and treat it well. I don't really see their value dropping to much. Pontiacs are pretty neat and since they stopped making them in 2009 people are going to want them. You have a collector car in your future and you don't have to worry about restoration and rust issues right now.

I've heard this before about them. I'd go for it...but don't blame me if you buy it and it sucks. :wink:

[Winchester67]

Since it was a parts bin special (transmission from the GMC truck, rear end from the Caddy, on and on) I am not too worried about mechanical parts...body parts may dry up as time goes on, but just don't wreck it, right? I have to admit, I lean towards older cars but this one is cheap and basically new...I think I am going to go ahead with it. If she wants a convertible who am I to say "no"? Besides, I have been without a convertible for a while and frankly I miss it....

[DonaldM]

Do it. People still want pintos and gremlins. I have a Datsun 280Z that I drove through high school and college a few years ago. I could get parts for it at autozone for the most part but could not get anything for my 2005 MINI Cooper S. You will be able to find parts for a very long time.

[Base Bleed]

Buy it. Any last year model holds its appeal because it always looks fresh...no newer version released to make it look old...imo.

God & Tribe

[Winchester67]

The trunk is pretty thin I must admit...but as a lifelong motorcyclist, it has enough space! It is pretty entertaining to drive...a turbo will never feel like a big block, but it is still fun.

[Chilicharger665]

You can get a factory GM ECU flash that will put it up to 290 HP. I personally didn't like the Sky Redline I drove and theres no storage space but you can definitely make them fast.

[Kenneth W]

Near impossible to drive one with boots on! But lots of fun when the boost kicks in.

[Winchester67]

So nobody in the tribe has a horror story about the reliability...good news indeed. I have read about the Flash horsepower increase, and it seems like a good value. When I was a young man, we had to replace the cam, put in higher compression pistons and scrap the factory intake for a performance version to go with the replacement carb. Still tough for me to get a handle on the idea of tweaking a couple of sensors and re-programing the black box, but I guess that is where we are now. Will probably hold off on the mods for a while...the wife currently drives a Hippie Mobile (aka Prius) and actually got a speeding ticket within the last four months. (I told her to fight it...plead to the judge that the only way a Prius could exceed the national speed limit would be to drive it over a cliff but...) But I think as a sunny day toy car, I am going to have to pull the trigger on this one.