Too hipster for a Miata, what about a Sky Redline?  

"Milky" (jordanmielke) 10/18/2016 at 16:52 • Filed to: Sky Redline, Saturn sky, Sky, Redline

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Oppo I just found out how good of deals these are. Found a few for $15k with 15k miles. 260 hp & tq and easily tuned to 300hp. Anyone here have experience with these or the Soltice GXP?

Nibby > Milky 10/18/2016 at 16:53

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Milky > Nibby 10/18/2016 at 16:55

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extraspecialbitter > Milky 10/18/2016 at 16:56

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Why don’t you get the thing I thought I read, but was wrong because I think I’m dyslexic?

GTS is around $15k right?

Jayhawk Jake > Milky 10/18/2016 at 16:58

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Don’t. The Miata is better in every way.

I get it: you don’t want to be “that guy that owns a Miata”, but if you want a fun convertible it is the best choice. Period. If you want something with more power, get a Corvette. S2K is a potential alternative, but I don’t think they’re as fun as Miata or Corvette and the prices are higher than they should be.

Out, but with a W - has found the answer > Milky 10/18/2016 at 16:58

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Considered one (well, the Opel GT) before getting my MR2, but it was somehow even more impractical (and a lot more expensive to run). Looks amazing though.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Milky 10/18/2016 at 16:59

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The GXP Is exactly the same as the Redline same for base models as well, just the Solstice is ugly. The only Solstice I’d get would be the coupe because hnnggg

MonkeePuzzle > Milky 10/18/2016 at 17:02

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solstice is better

coupe is better

Tripper > Milky 10/18/2016 at 17:02

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My best friends father has the Solstice GXP, I did the stereo/nav in it for him so I got to take it for a spin to “road test”. It was fun, not like M roadster/boxter fun, but close.

Kanaric > Milky 10/18/2016 at 17:03

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Don’t forget the S2000

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > extraspecialbitter 10/18/2016 at 17:05

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Better than that. You should be able to get them for $11k - $12k.

Milky > extraspecialbitter 10/18/2016 at 17:12

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But what happens when I put 25k miles a year on it and have to wait for parts to show up?

Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy > Milky 10/18/2016 at 17:14

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Get GXP coupe. Do LS swap. Win.

Milky > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/18/2016 at 17:14

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I agree but I could get a Miata RF / 124 abarth / Elise for the price. Cool but I don’t know about $30k cool.

Nibby > Milky 10/18/2016 at 17:14

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Tareim - V8 powered > Milky 10/18/2016 at 17:15

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it’s ok you can just overnight parts from Japan

Nerd-Vol > Jayhawk Jake 10/18/2016 at 17:16

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This, the Miata is the one. Either that or a corvette.

Milky > Tareim - V8 powered 10/18/2016 at 17:18

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Damn it

yamahog > Milky 10/18/2016 at 17:21

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I’ve heard good things, and I know at least one person in Detroit region SCCA has an LS-swapped Solstice so there’s that

Milky > Camshaft Chris: Skyline/McLaren/Porsche Fanboy 10/18/2016 at 17:27

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None of that is $15k.

Milky > MonkeePuzzle 10/18/2016 at 17:29

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But convertible life could be fun.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Milky 10/18/2016 at 17:40

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Maybe the Elise, the other two don’t do anything for me. mostly because the Miata has always been a little too small and not special enough and the 124 Abarth isn’t all it could be here in the US.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > Milky 10/18/2016 at 17:47

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You can LS or 2JZ swap one, so that’s a plus.

They are tiny little cars inside. I’m 6' and driving a Solstice is difficult because my head is like 4 inches above the windshield with the top off. I can scrunch down and fit in it with the top up and a helmet on, but it is no fun.

MarquetteLa > Milky 10/18/2016 at 17:51

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If this is going to be your daily driver, just be warned that the trunk is laughably small. It’s also where the soft top goes, so you won’t be carrying much with the top down.

Milky > Kanaric 10/18/2016 at 17:57

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Didn’t. Just hard to find a good, low mileage car relatively close that isn’t new Miata price.

LongbowMkII > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/18/2016 at 18:03

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Elise’s are paragons of space and practicality.

Milky > Nerd-Vol 10/18/2016 at 18:04

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I like driving something not seen often but drive too much and don’t want to repair something european. So the struggle is real. S2k does seem good, just hard to find a good mileage/price/location example.

Milky > yamahog 10/18/2016 at 18:05

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Long term goals.

Milky > MarquetteLa 10/18/2016 at 18:06

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Yea, that makes my Crossfire seem practical.

Milky > Tripper 10/18/2016 at 18:08

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Euro cars seem great and I do want. But 25k miles a year and repair bills are my life.

Milky > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 10/18/2016 at 18:08

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So make sure I fit before I let this thought go any further.

CaptDale - is secretly British > LongbowMkII 10/18/2016 at 18:11

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Well I mean GM could’t even get the Targa top to fit inside the trunk on the Solstice Coupe when its off.... But compared to my Fiero, the Elise fits more in it’s trunk

And the Sky/Solstice has less space especially with the top down

404 - User No Longer Available > MarquetteLa 10/18/2016 at 18:36

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I’ve transported rear diffs, bumper covers and stacks of laptops with my car before. It works, provided you don’t have passengers.

404 - User No Longer Available > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/18/2016 at 18:38

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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

CaptDale - is secretly British > 404 - User No Longer Available 10/18/2016 at 18:43

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I said, “The Solstice is an ugly car compared to the Sky!”

404 - User No Longer Available > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/18/2016 at 18:46

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Fine.

CaptDale - is secretly British > 404 - User No Longer Available 10/18/2016 at 18:49

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EWWW WTF have you done?! Just buy a Sky for the convertible and the Solstice for the coupe. Don’t make some Frankenstein monster of the two. ICK!

For the record, the Solstice coupe looks great, just not the convertible.

Vicente Esteve > Milky 10/18/2016 at 18:51

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You know you actually want this

JRapp: now as good as new again > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/18/2016 at 19:11

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What’s the body kit on your Fiero?

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > Milky 10/18/2016 at 19:12

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I would recommend that for the Sky, Miata, BRZ, that little Fiat thing.... Especially if you’re tall.

CaptDale - is secretly British > JRapp: now as good as new again 10/18/2016 at 19:13

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Huh? I didn’t have a body kit on mine.

Milky > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/18/2016 at 19:15

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Honestly I’d really like an Abarth but they’ll probably go from $28k to $20k in year.

Also I believe you posted the Europa’s trunk, this is an Elise:

61hp > Milky 10/18/2016 at 19:17

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My dad has one as his daily driver in the Detroit area, he has the GM stage 2 tune (290 HP/ 340 lb-fts) and a set of PSS for summer tires and a set of winter tires, other than that bone stock, 80k-ish miles. When I visit my parents it is the main car that I drive, for comparison sake I used to have a supercharged NB Miata.

Pro:
- Car looks great (subjective)
- Interior, while not great, is a clean design and is miles above the Solstice in design, materials, and finish.
- Fast, yet gets good gas mileage when you drive it normal. With the relatively low weight and torque you can surprise most Mustangs/Camaros.
- Car handles really well, but it feels more like a Corvette or Mustang then a flickable Miata or even S2000. Maybe because you sit very low in it.
- Comfortable on long drives, if you are okay with stiff suspension. Drove from Charelivoix along Lake Michigan then through GR on the way back to metro Detroit. Legs were a little tired, but overall felt great.

Cons:
- Storage. Minimal in the interior, and the trunk is only useful if you pack in soft sided luggage, most if not all carry-on rollers will not fit. To be fair, the trunk will hold an okay amount if you spread your stuff around all the nooks and crannies, but it is a bad design.
- Having to get out of the car to put the top up or down. Total PITA after driving a Miata or pretty much any other modern convertible.
- Cowl shake and rattles. The suspension is firm (firmer than a Fiesta ST) and the hood and front fenders are one piece, when you hit a bump it shakes and there are quite a few rattles in my dad’s car now.

Overall, I would consider buying one. They are relatively rare, looks great, and are fun to drive. The only real drawback/deal breaker for me is the top.

Milky > Vicente Esteve 10/18/2016 at 19:22

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Shut up, I do. Currently thinking I’ll get something for a year just so I don’t crest 200k in the Crossfire and trade up again after that.

Also: http://jalopnik.com/here-is-why-you-should-buy-a-used-fiat-124-spider-but-a-1781761763

Racin'Jason001 > Vicente Esteve 10/18/2016 at 20:10

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But when you can’t afford that...

The AE86 of Mt. Akina (Hachi) > Milky 10/18/2016 at 20:35

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I’ll pass.

JRapp: now as good as new again > CaptDale - is secretly British 10/18/2016 at 20:38

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The photo you posted is with a body kit. The area behind the trunk is elongated, and the rear clip shapes are not stock..

I guess I overlooked that fact that you may have used an online photo...

Edit: Never mind. Found the original photo from Pennocks. Seems to be a Mera.

Tripper > Milky 10/18/2016 at 21:48

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Yea and I don’t think he’s had much if any trouble with the solstice.

Vicente Esteve > Milky 10/18/2016 at 21:52

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I can’t explain my anger at Fiat of Mexico for not bringing it here.

extraspecialbitter > Milky 10/19/2016 at 08:09

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One million mile GTS-T. Doo eet.

Milky > Little Black Coupe Turned Silver 10/19/2016 at 09:45

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6' also. Just fit in the Crossfire and I like that. But thats its a valid point, some cars I’m considering are just small.

Milky > The AE86 of Mt. Akina (Hachi) 10/19/2016 at 09:54

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That is still relatively light. As in only the Miata/S2K are lighter. Also:

Sky Redline - 11.8 hp/lb

NC miata - 14.7

S2000 - 11.7

Crossfire - 14.2

*ignoring Elise & 4c since they’re in a different class

Milky > 61hp 10/19/2016 at 10:14

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This is good info and that GM tune seems like a must get.

I do the Detroit to Ludington drive often just for comparison. The top does seem annoying but at least there is less to break compared to a powered one. Is cowl shake necessarily bad? I’ve never owned a convertible and it seems annoying but I already put up with a rattle-y Chrysler interior.

Milky > Tripper 10/19/2016 at 10:15

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It is a parts bin special, but thats good to hear regardless.

Milky > extraspecialbitter 10/19/2016 at 10:32

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If I don’t move or change jobs it’ll take me approximately 40 years.

61hp > Milky 10/19/2016 at 10:45

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The cowl shake doesn’t really bother me. The chassis appears to be quite stiff, so I think it more to do with the clamshell design making it more noticeable then other cars.

CaptDale - is secretly British > JRapp: now as good as new again 10/20/2016 at 11:12

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Ha yeah, that photo is a Mera. My i sold over a year ago and it was normal.

The AE86 of Mt. Akina (Hachi) > Milky 10/21/2016 at 19:13

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Yes, the power to weight is not that bad, but in terms of handling, the Miata is simply gonna be better.

Also, the belt line is stupidly high.

Milky > The AE86 of Mt. Akina (Hachi) 10/23/2016 at 11:45

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#HighBeltLinesSaveLifes and imho look better.