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Offline watchdawg

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Newbie on board
« on: March 29, 2010, 10:54:50 AM »
Hello all,
I picked up my slightly used '09 Solstice GXP roadster last weekend.  I was in the market for something sporty in this price range for some time and I'd been following the Solstice since it's conception. 

So far, I've put ~500 miles on it, mostly on a trip up the Oregon and Washington coasts with the top down on Saturday.  I'm very impressed so far, she definitely has power and if I can manage to keep my foot out of the turbo her mileage is excellent.   I was originally shopping for a 5+ year old corvette but the price on the GXP was just too good to pass up, I bought her for $500 below trade-in value so someone else ate most of the depreciation and she's practically brand-spanking new. 

Pros: 
      Rare, I haven't seen another solstice or sky on the road since I bought this one.
      Convertible, this is the first one I've owned and I wonder why it has take me so long to buy one
      Power, amazing amount of performance
      The only car that my girlfriend and I both loved. 
      I'm amazed how comfortable the seats/seating position are, even after a whole day of driving.

Cons: 
      No surprises here, I'd like a bit more room just about everywhere, but I knew that when I wrote the check.
      A few rattles that I need to track down
      After years of driving pickups, I have to get used to no ground clearance again :-)
      I wish we could see what the 2nd generation of this car would have been like, it wouldn't take much to make
           it near perfect
      I definitely feel like an orphan since GM axed Pontiac, hopefully the forums will stick around awhile.

Planned mods:
     I just ordered my GMPP Turbo Upgrade, now I need to find a dealership to install/flash
     Splash guards are on the way, I have a 500ft gravel driveway that I have to crawl down until then
     Heated seats.  I ordered the kits, now I have to work up the courage to start taking her apart
     Underhood lighting, just in case
     Anything else someone might recommend?

Thanks to everyone for providing endless hours of reading material on the forum! 
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Offline Gentleman Jack

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2010, 11:19:08 AM »
Watchdawg,

WOW you are off to a great start!  You seemed to hit all the common first items already.  #1- tune (GMPP great start to keep warranty intact), heated seats, splash guards (I need to look in to those, I keep getting rubber all over the rear quarter panel somehow :) )

Keep us posted on your progress.

oh, also, Kelu our crazy Romanian member will tell you that this thread is worthless without pics!

Gentleman Jack
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Offline LiquidPT

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2010, 11:24:21 AM »
Hey Watchdawg. Welcome from WA....

The PNW Solstice/Sky club is holding a mod party in a couple weeks:

http://www.portlandroadsters.com/index.php?option=com_attend_events&task=view&id=55

Might be a good way to get your feet wet and meet everyone (and maybe get your heated seats in... ;) )

Oh, and what color is it at least?!?!?! ;)
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Offline watchdawg

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2010, 11:31:40 AM »
Quote from: Gentleman Jack on March 29, 2010, 11:19:08 AM
Watchdawg,

WOW you are off to a great start!  You seemed to hit all the common first items already.  #1- tune (GMPP great start to keep warranty intact), heated seats, splash guards (I need to look in to those, I keep getting rubber all over the rear quarter panel somehow :) )

Keep us posted on your progress.

oh, also, Kelu our crazy Romanian member will tell you that this thread is worthless without pics!

Gentleman Jack

Pics will be available soon, I keep forgetting to stop driving and upload them!   
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Offline watchdawg

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2010, 11:35:40 AM »
Quote from: LiquidPT on March 29, 2010, 11:24:21 AM
Hey Watchdawg. Welcome from WA....

The PNW Solstice/Sky club is holding a mod party in a couple weeks:

http://www.portlandroadsters.com/index.php?option=com_attend_events&task=view&id=55

Might be a good way to get your feet wet and meet everyone (and maybe get your heated seats in... ;) )

Oh, and what color is it at least?!?!?! ;)

Thanks for the reminder on the mod party, I may have to attend to at least see what everyone else has done. 

I knew I'd miss something in the description.  Although I swore I'd never own another black vehicle, she's mysterious. 
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Offline duckSol

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2010, 12:20:35 PM »
Welcome and do join in on runs when you can.
Nothing beats face to face in the sun.
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2012 Summer SOLSTICE In The Land Of SKY

Offline Kelu

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2010, 01:59:34 PM »
Oh no, not another Sol, common guys reinforce more the Sky/GT side too  :mad:
Besides you got a Sol you one of guys which love warranty  :banghead: at least you have some mods planned, that saved you from the curse of a guy from Dracula's country  :yay:

If you can drive and post here this means you can drive and upload photos too, so, there you go:
 :ttiwwp:


P.S. being mean is my way to be friendly  :D
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Dragula  ;) Opel GT  from Romania
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Offline watchdawg

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2010, 02:22:26 PM »
Quote from: Kelu on March 29, 2010, 01:59:34 PM

P.S. being mean is my way to be friendly  :D

I couldn't have read that any other way.  Thank you for the welcome.   

Although I didn't see a single solstice/sky on my travels over the weekend, I did see an Opel GT.  Sure, it was from the late 60's to early 70's, but it was an Open GT nonetheless!  ;)

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Offline duckSol

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #8 on: March 29, 2010, 02:39:20 PM »
Ignore the cruel to be kind overtones  :poke:
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Offline LatinVenom

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2010, 03:54:11 PM »
You need to add the BackBone to tie the frame together, the car will feel a lot tighter.
You may also want to consider the Probeam.
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Solstice GXP 2007.
Aggressive and fully loaded.
Mods: Magnaflow 2.5" exhaust, DDM Backbone & ProBeam,ZOK suspension,LV Kappa Front Chassis Brace, BTF Turbo Upgraded Wheel, Windristrictor, JPM Center console,arms,tulip,side doors,DDM Upgraded wheel tune.

Offline Critterman

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2010, 07:55:20 PM »
there is so much you can do to make this car more than you ever expected
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big brake kit, slotted/drilled Rotors w/Porterfield pads & blue juice, Backbone, Probeam, Cross Strut Brace Underhood, trunk, & door Lights, ZOK suspension
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Offline watchdawg

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #11 on: March 29, 2010, 08:15:20 PM »
Thank you to everyone for the warm welcome, I'll have to add to my mods list!

Here's a teaser until I get a chance to take better pics:

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Offline Brad Kenny

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #12 on: March 30, 2010, 10:21:41 PM »
She is a real beauty. Take care of her and she will take care of you.  Enjoy your new "toy", your are going to love it after a while. Driving them is by far the best part of them.

MODs are the second best part of the cars, just little things, one at a time. Suspension, lighting, stripes, rims, etc. Look through Joe's Garage on the forum it lists endless possibilities...

I know because the MOD Bug bit me about 6 months ago and now I can't STOP... It is way too much fun tinkering with your car!!!
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Offline GXPinKC

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #13 on: March 30, 2010, 11:11:44 PM »
Welcome watchdawg to the Kappa Performance Forum.  Sounds like you got a sweetheart deal on an 09' Mysterious GXP.  And your comment about having a convertible for the first time brought a smile to my face as well.  Yes, when you realize how much fun is to be had in a top down Roadster, you will never want anything else.  You certainly have beautiful country there in Gaston, Oregon to take plenty of curvy roads with the top down.  I certainly agree with Latin Venom who posted earlier about the DDMWorks Race Backbone and the Probeam.  I must say you will notice a profound difference in suspension and added handling improvements after adding these to your GXP.  Also, this forum is a major supporter of Lyndon Wester and his famous Tunes.  You won't be disappointed in a tune from him as he is the best and most respected Tuner in the Universe and of course the GMPP Tune is available as well.  Sometime you might want to consider a JPM Diamond Stitch Premium Leather Center Console.  Not only will the center of your cabin will be upgraded in appearance but the comfort level for your elbows will be greatly enhanced.  Well, so much for this long winded post.  Enjoy your new pride and joy fun maker.

GXPinKC
Ron
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Code 1100, Order#KCPDVV 04-28-2006, Delivery: 12-27-2006 

2007 Aggressive GXP, 5-speed, Ebony Leather seats w red accent stitching, Chrome Wheels, Air, 6-Disc, Monsoon, Sport Metallic Pedals & Premium Headliner.

MSRP $30,300 less $1,000 GMMC credit.  Deal: $28,180. ($2,120 under MSRP).


DDM Race Backbone, Probeam, & Red Cross Bay Brace
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Offline watchdawg

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #14 on: March 30, 2010, 11:32:31 PM »
Thanks again for the warm welcome.  I'll definitely check out the backbone, and I'm intrigued by the JPM Diamond stitch premium leather center console, I'll have to go read up on that.

I'm glad to see Wester's name on this forum, one of my other rides is a GMC Sierra with a Duramax diesel and Wester makes some of the best tunes in that arena as well.  For now I'll stick with the GMPP turbo upgrade for now just to save the warranty, but I wouldn't mind a better tune down the road.   
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Offline cruiservic

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #15 on: April 19, 2010, 12:45:24 PM »
I wrote on another part of the forum and decided to write here as well. I have an 09 Solstice GXP WRR coupe 5sp manual, that I never intended to buy. I was a lookyloo while visiting home as I was going out of country for two more years. I saw it, liked it, had to have it and bought it the following day. I bought it Dec.22 and left the states in February. I want to do all of the fixups that have been mentioned but will not be able to do it for two years. What fixups can be done personally and which ones need to be done at the dealer. I know that the GMPP turbo upgrade does. I appreciate any assistance on this. Before I left 3 years ago, I had another orphaned car, a 1963 Studebaker Avanti.
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Offline DeepBlueGXP

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #16 on: April 19, 2010, 09:22:47 PM »
cruiservic, welcome to the forum.   Two years, wow.   When you are abroad and cannot access the forum, email me at kappaperformance at yahoo.com.  There are some countries that spammers reside and their IP ranges are blocked, so depending on where you go during your two years, there may be a problem. 

What takes you away from your Coupe for two years?
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Offline cruiservic

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Re: Newbie on board
« Reply #17 on: April 23, 2010, 12:53:04 AM »
So far, I have experienced little difficulty with internet, although, it does go down once in awhile. I have an assignment that I have been on for three years and then was given the opportunity to come back for two more. I can only share general stuff on the net. Thanks for the welcome and I will be sure to check the site when I can.
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