At $12,500, Could This 2008 Pontiac Solstice SCCA SSB Light Up Your Life?

The stripes and SSB badges on today's Nice Price or No Dice Solstice commemorate the model's 2006 and 2007 class wins in the SCCA's Showroom Stock B racing series. Let's see if this low-mileage example's price tag hits the winner's circle in our voting.

As a kid, you might have played the game, "The Floor is Lava," much to the irritation of your elders, who didn't much like you traipsing all over the furniture and swinging from the chandelier. In states that offer such an option, registering a vehicle under Planned Non-operational (PNO) status is like a game of "The Street is Lava," as the law doesn't allow a vehicle thus registered to so much as touch a tire to the tarmac. 

Why would anyone put their vehicle in so strict a timeout? Well, maybe the car won't be used. Or perhaps it needs repairs that can't be completed anytime soon. Those repairs could be connected to a failed smog test, which would prevent standard on-the-road registration, likely the most vexing reason for a non-op status. The 1987 Mazda 626 turbo coupe that we considered on Wednesday fell in this netherworld of non-op status, but the seller was sly in omitting the reason. That, along with failing paint, condemned the car at its not insubstantial $6,750 asking price, and when we counted up the votes, it had fallen in a massive 92% 'No Dice' loss.

No such registration consternation or trial by emissions faces prospective buyers of today's 2008 Pontiac Solstice SCCA SSB sports car. Per the seller, this car comes with a clean title, current tags, and a clean bill of health from the tailpipe tester. And that's just the appetizer.

For the main course, this Solstice offers a modest 80,000 miles on the clock, a promise of zero issues, and the added bonus of the SCCA SSB trim package. Those letters correspond to Sports Car Club of America Showroom Stock B, the class the Solstice dominated in the two years prior to this model run. The package consists of a pair of gradient stripes on the hood and boot lid, callout badging on the front fenders, and embroidered seat backs in the cabin. 

There were no mechanical changes to the model, meaning it came with the same 177-horsepower, 2.4-liter, Ecotec DOHC four-cylinder engine as the standard car. According to the seller, this one has benefited from a performance tune from Thornton Chip Tuning. They don't say which stage of tune that is, but since it's just a plug-and-play OBD dongle, it shouldn't be too hard to discern by peeking under the dash. A five-speed manual backs up the engine, driving the rear wheels.

That rear axle was shared with the Cadillac CTS. In fact, there are a lot of communal parts bin pieces on the Solstice. Among those are numerous interior trim and instrument cluster elements, exterior lights and door handles, and, of course, the drivetrain components. That's all good, as parts should still be fairly readily available despite Pontiac having gone belly up as part of GM's great unburdening in the late Aughts.

Those parts all appear present and accounted for on this Solstice, with a couple of exceptions called out in the ad. The factory stereo has been given the heave-ho in preference for a more modern double-DIN unit that offers Apple CarPlay, a backup camera, and phone connectivity. The speakers have likewise been upgraded, although thankfully in the same grilles, so nothing has been cut out of the cabin. The seller describes the car as being in "perfect condition," and claims it "runs like brand new."

While Mazda's Miata was obviously in the sights of Pontiac engineers when designing the Solstice and its Kappa-platform siblings, the execution fell short when it came to offering much in the way of practicality. The awkward-looking top takes up almost all the space in the rear boot area when retracted. There's not much space at all in there, even with the top up, and the rear-hinged lid makes accessing it a chore when the top is in place. There's not much room for belongings in the cabin either, which makes the Solstice impractical as a primary car for anyone but a swinging single or angry loner. 

Craigslist

On the plus side, it's a hoot as a second, weekend-warrior car for carving up the canyons, gymkhana heroics, or even track antics. With its seemingly excellent condition, low miles, and that plug-in tune, this special edition player looks ready to take on any of those challenges.

The question, of course, is whether it's priced right to take on those intriguing opportunities. It's also debatable whether this SCCA SSB edition should be sacrificed to sporting endeavors or preserved as a showpiece. According to the seller, only 250 cars with the package were built, meaning it's appreciably rare.

Okay, with all that in mind—and yes, it's a lot to consider for a small car from a dead brand—let's now take into account the seller's set $12,500 asking price. To start with, they tout that the car will appreciate in value, but that's a subjective opinion not backed by much real-world data. You might also be interested to know that this is probably the same car that was sold on Bring a Trailer not quite two years ago (many of the same photos from the BaT auction are used in the current Craigslist listing) for a grand total of $10,000. If it's not the same car, then it's the exact same specs and similar (higher) mileage, and the new stereo.

What do you think? Is this near-perfect Solstice worth that $12,500 asking? Or does that price tag eclipse any interest?

You decide!

Las Vegas, Nevada, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

Hat tip to Paul Ang for the hookup!

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