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engiekev
engiekev HalfDork
4/14/21 8:43 a.m.
fatallightning said:

I still want one, I see 8-9k asking for some turbo models with under 75k miles. Couple small bolt ons and a tune and you're at 300/300 hp/tq at the wheel. 

Wow, you're not kidding. That's a pretty compelling option compared to Miatas which are quickly rising in cost!

cargurus for Solstice GXP manuals, but not many below $10k

Can you still get the GM tune?

eastsideTim
eastsideTim PowerDork
4/14/21 8:43 a.m.

I looked at a Solstice coupe during the very short period in the financial crisis/Pontiac closure where a lot of cars had fire sale prices.  Kind of wish I'd pulled the trigger.

engiekev
engiekev HalfDork
4/14/21 8:44 a.m.
wspohn
wspohn SuperDork
4/15/21 12:18 p.m.
engiekev said:
Can you still get the GM tune?

Yes, they still sell it.

I ordered it before I actually took possession of my coupe.  Nice power bump, but aftermarket tunes gave more power, and (I am told) showed less knock kick back.  I run a Trifecta tune with a modded higher output turbocharger now.

You are good with modding up to around 400-450 bhp without going inside the engines but really should buy different connecting rods and pistons for more than that.  They have seen 0ver 600 whp on some crazy builds (Cobalt owners seem to be the craziest tuners around).

Always makes me wish for a compact 4 liter V8 using the LNF architecture - 800 bhp plus with great fuel economy if you weren't in boost all the time. If GM didn't have the LS series on line they might have tinkered with an Ecotec V8 (with the DOHC the engine would have been fairly wide up top, mind you).

fatallightning
fatallightning Reader
6/3/21 10:18 a.m.

Put my money where my mouth is and just picked this up. 08 GXP stick, 31k miles. Don't have a ton to say about it yet. Interior is cramped and plasticky, top operation is insipid, trunk is a joke, lol. Felt slow honestly, maybe I'm just not used to the linear torque curve of moden direct injected turbos compared to the older wait and rip 90s stuff. Gearing seems too long with the 5 speed, and it's lazy to drop revs and rev match on downshifts. Don't know what kind of gas or how long its sat in there, so some fresh 93 might wake her up. She makes 14-15 lbs of boost and no codes, so all seems right there. Also on terrible all season tires. But chassis feels decent, brake pedal feels good. Going to get some DDM braces and a tune on her ASAP. 

wspohn
wspohn SuperDork
6/3/21 2:40 p.m.

Nice colour.

Look at Trifecta for tuning.

fatallightning
fatallightning Reader
6/4/21 9:20 a.m.
wspohn said:

Nice colour.

Look at Trifecta for tuning.

Brazen, aka inferno orange metallic. Put some fresh 93 in it, and it has the mid range punch I thought it was missing before. Even seems to idle better too. Probably will do a Trifecta tune with a high flow cat. The charge pipes and intake kits evidently don't really make any more power, but I do like turbo noises. Besides the DDM brace pack, was looking into the Z0K rear sways and springs, but seems NLA now. Same with the GMPP springs.

wspohn
wspohn SuperDork
6/4/21 2:12 p.m.

Replacing the charge pipes gets rid of the horrid looking factory bends, but you are right, no more power. Be careful with the intake - some aftermarket intakes mess with the engine sensors and cause issues. I use the factory GMPP intake, because it looks better, cleans up the engine bay, and eliminates a rather vulnerable plastic fitting that goes into the stock pipe and very often gets broken when a mechanic changes the air filter.

I use ZOK sway bars front and rear (for the FE3 suspension which is stiffer than the naturally aspirated cars) and I like it. I also use aftermarket shocks from BC Racing which are adjustable and of far better than stock quality.

If you are interested in modifying these cars, this thread on a Kappa site (posted long ago) detailing my own upgrade path might be of interest.  

www.solsticeforum.com/forum/f43/coupe-378-mod-thread-102178/

 

Jerry
Jerry PowerDork
6/6/21 11:10 a.m.
Jerry said:

A little late, but it popped up in Facebook Memories from 2017. Rolled over the 10k mile point while driving, doubt her parents have added another 1k.

SWMBO told me her parents are getting tired of paying the plates and insurance for a car they seldom drive.  They had already intended to leave it to her kiddo in their will.  Looks like SWMBO is now getting it very soon, and she has already hinted that I have more space at the moment.  I might end up with this temporarily.

Jerry
Jerry PowerDork
6/17/21 8:59 a.m.

And she drove it for the first time today.

Aaron_King
Aaron_King GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
6/17/21 9:27 a.m.

In reply to Jerry :

A Redline manual one of those is fairly high on my want list, nice looking car.

maschinenbau
maschinenbau GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
6/17/21 9:35 a.m.

In reply to Jerry :

So uhh, you going to keep it or...? This could be the answer to my new Fiat convertible/old Saturn problem.

preach (fs)
preach (fs) GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
6/17/21 3:05 p.m.

Look to Europe possibly for tuning/parts options. Heck I'd even buy the badges and stuff needed to badge it an Opel just for, well you know, I am an Opel guy.

Jerry
Jerry PowerDork
6/18/21 7:57 a.m.
Aaron_King said:

In reply to Jerry :

A Redline manual one of those is fairly high on my want list, nice looking car.

She's enjoying it.  I forgot to mention it's a Redline but an automatic.  Good for her, not so much for me.  (I'll probably still drive it once in awhile.)

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