The seller of today's Nice Price or No Dice Solstice describes themselves as 'motivated and responsive.' Let's see if they have priced their Pontiac to make us feel the same way about its potential sale.
Linguistic differences aside, it's challenging to distinguish between the phrases "going the extra mile" and "taking things too far." One has a positive connotation, while the other is, more often than not, offered as a condemnation. Both, however, maintain similar enough contexts, which can confuse those unfamiliar with English language constructs.
It could be said that the creator of the 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser Marilyn Monroe tribute car we looked at yesterday went the extra mile in modifying the car. Likewise, the car's audacious and over-the-top presentation could also be viewed as having gone too far. See? It works both ways. What didn't work was the result. At least, that was the takeaway from the comments. At $6,500, the Pinup PT was slacking in the price department as well, as evidenced by the 65% 'No Dice' loss it suffered.
The Solstice occurs twice a year, marking the northernmost and southernmost declination of the sun from the celestial equator. Pagan traditions in ancient Europe celebrated the Winter Solstice, commonly referred to as Yule, as a day of rebirth following the longest night of the year. It seems fitting then that General Motors' Pontiac brand used the name for its two-seat roadster, introduced for the 2006 model year, as it had previously used the names Firebird and Phoenix, both derived from historic legends about rebirth and renewal.
Sadly, the Pontiac Solstice would prove to be one of the last models Pontiac ever released, as the economic downturn that occurred two years into its short model run led GM into bankruptcy, ultimately killing off the Pontiac brand and, consequently, the Solstice.
That was unfortunate, because despite its obvious flaws (almost zero trunk space, not a Miata), the Solstice was, and still is, a pretty neat little car. It's very unlikely, however, that it or its Pontiac parent will ever rise from the ashes in phoenix-like fashion.
The Solstice, along with its Saturn Sky, Opel GT, and Daewoo G2X production line siblings (all also R.I.P.), was built on a brand new platform, which GM designated Kappa. It was intended to underpin a whole slew of different cars, but the economy and the market's general penchant for crossovers over small cars quashed that plan.
That was less of a consideration in late 2005 as GM was having enough trouble just getting the Kappa production line up and running to crank out what was arguably the most interesting new cars the company had produced in a long time.
This 2006 Pontiac Solstice is one of the first 1,000 to roll off that assembly line, as evidenced by the placard it wears on its dashboard. As this is an initial run car, it's not the later GXP edition, and therefore features the naturally aspirated 2.4-liter 16-valve Ecotec four-cylinder engine rather than the smaller 2.0 turbo unit. That means 177 horsepower rather than 260, and less torque as well. On the plus side, the Ecotec is paired with a five-speed manual transmission in this car, rather than a fun-sapping automatic.
Other factors in this Solstice's favor include its "Sly" Steel gray paint that looks to be in great shape, a two-tone gray and beige interior with leather seating, and a top that appears to be in as-new condition. The car's great overall shape is reflective of its low 48,500 mileage, and what the ad claims is a history of being "beautifully maintained." As a result, the seller classifies the car as being in excellent condition, claiming it to be a 100% turnkey driver.
Unlike yesterday's heavily modded Chrysler, everything about this Solstice appears to be factory. The alloy wheels are un-curbed and wear rubber that has plenty of tread. Befitting a car of its age and stature, the cabin is somewhat bare bones, lacking a center stack screen in favor of a CD stereo. The windows and locks are powered, but the seats and the top are both manually operated, with the latter requiring the driver to get out of the car and open the trunk lid for its raising and lowering.
There are a good number of Solstices (Solsti?) on the market, and there's a pretty solid fan base supporting it, as well. Another factor is that GM raided the parts bin for many of the model's features and drivetrain, so replacements are both inexpensive and readily available.
At $8,450, this one is also obtainable. The question, though, is whether that's a logical expenditure, or if a similarly priced and spec'd Mazda MX-5 might not be a better bargain.
What do you think? Is this Solstice the right choice? And is that $8,450 the right price? Or does the car and the asking indicate dark days ahead?
You decide!
Nice Price or No Dice:
Seattle, Washington, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Fauxshizzle for the hookup!
Help me out with NPOND. Contact me at robemslie@gmail.com and send a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle.
