Sky Walkaround

[Ramair-WS6]

I was running across I-80 in Pa today and I stopped at a small truckstop to relieve myself and to get a breakfast sandwich. Anyways, when I was walking back out to my truck there was a Chevy pickup fueling behind me and he was pulling a double car carrier. On the front was a mint bathtub Speedster, (that was his by the way), and on the back was a new Sky. I chatted with him as I walked around both cars and he told me that he had just picked the car up in the Boston area for his daughter as a graduation present. I asked him what he was doing in PA and he told me that was the nearest dealer that would sell him the car for sticker and also had an automatic in stock. Then I had to ask where he was heading, SOUTH BEND, IN!!!! 800mi to get a SKY at sticker!!!!. He said it was still less money driving up there to get it that what he would have had to pay in markup charges by the local dealers.

As I am walking around the car looking it over closely I am getting more and more depressed. The fit and finish on the car was horrendous. The gaps on the drivers door were in a manner that showed that the door was not hung properly and the line formed where the hood closed at the grill wasn't even CLOSE to being straight. The chrome around the taillights looked like it would be peeling off after the first few washes and neither headlight was centered with the surrounding bodywork. Another thing that caught my eye was the "wings" on the back of the top do not seat against the car, there is like a 1/4" gap and I do not know if this is how they are designed to be.

To say the least when I left the gentleman to head back to my truck I was shaking my head. GM needs to get some serious QC going at Wilmington or the Sky and Solstice are going to turn into flops in a big hurry.

[asim]

That does not sound good at all, the Sky that I have seen at the dealer was alright quality, but the interior was still a bit cheap, although a great looking design.

[kool_zx3]

Sounds pretty bad.... I also wonder where all the extra weight came from?

[suckstobeyou]

Originally Posted by Ramair-WS6

I was running across I-80 in Pa today and I stopped at a small truckstop to relieve myself and to get a breakfast sandwich. Anyways, when I was walking back out to my truck there was a Chevy pickup fueling behind me and he was pulling a double car carrier. On the front was a mint bathtub Speedster, (that was his by the way), and on the back was a new Sky. I chatted with him as I walked around both cars and he told me that he had just picked the car up in the Boston area for his daughter as a graduation present. I asked him what he was doing in PA and he told me that was the nearest dealer that would sell him the car for sticker and also had an automatic in stock. Then I had to ask where he was heading, SOUTH BEND, IN!!!! 800mi to get a SKY at sticker!!!!. He said it was still less money driving up there to get it that what he would have had to pay in markup charges by the local dealers.

As I am walking around the car looking it over closely I am getting more and more depressed. The fit and finish on the car was horrendous. The gaps on the drivers door were in a manner that showed that the door was not hung properly and the line formed where the hood closed at the grill wasn't even CLOSE to being straight. The chrome around the taillights looked like it would be peeling off after the first few washes and neither headlight was centered with the surrounding bodywork. Another thing that caught my eye was the "wings" on the back of the top do not seat against the car, there is like a 1/4" gap and I do not know if this is how they are designed to be.

To say the least when I left the gentleman to head back to my truck I was shaking my head. GM needs to get some serious QC going at Wilmington or the Sky and Solstice are going to turn into flops in a big hurry.

I've seen countless solsti and skies. I've loooked them over and over again and never saw those problems. Maybe it looking that way cause the car was raised up or maybe you're looking at it wanting to find mistakes.

[CRBoyd91]

Originally Posted by suckstobeyou

I've seen countless solsti and skies. I've loooked them over and over again and never saw those problems. Maybe it looking that way cause the car was raised up or maybe you're looking at it wanting to find mistakes.

And there are such things as lemons. This one sounds like just that.

[91 s-10baja]

The Saturn L-series was built there too, and my driver door never lined up well w/ the rear door. Maybe it is the workers!

Not a good picture but you can kind of see it here! I have seen many L's w/ same issue.

[big swede]

Originally Posted by suckstobeyou

I've seen countless solsti and skies. I've loooked them over and over again and never saw those problems. Maybe it looking that way cause the car was raised up or maybe you're looking at it wanting to find mistakes.

I'm starting to wonder also because he has posted other negative things about a different Sky breaking a radiator and blowing the transmission. Most people haven't seen one yet but he has seen at least two and they were both junk? Sounds a little fishy.

[Ramair-WS6]

Originally Posted by big swede

I'm starting to wonder also because he has posted other negative things about a different Sky breaking a radiator and blowing the transmission. Most people haven't seen one yet but he has seen at least two and they were both junk? Sounds a little fishy.

I do hope you are not refering to me with that comment. This is the first time I have ever made such a post about any GM car.

Now Yes I do have a critical eye, I make no bones about it, but when a new Impala's fit and finish is well ahead of a limited production car such as this then there is a problem. To be fair, the looks of these problems were both of a manufacture and assembly nature, hence why I said QC needs to be strengthened at Wilmington.

[Old Dood]

Originally Posted by Ramair-WS6

I do hope you are not refering to me with that comment. This is the first time I have ever made such a post about any GM car.

Now Yes I do have a critical eye, I make no bones about it, but when a new Impala's fit and finish is well ahead of a limited production car such as this then there is a problem. To be fair, the looks of these problems were both of a manufacture and assembly nature, hence why I said QC needs to be strengthened at Wilmington.

Maybe you needed to take some pics to "proove" what you saw... Seriously...I believe you...why shouldn't I.

Never know that car could have been a "Program Car" and was taken apart and put back together again...That is how he got the "price".

I am sure they will be bulding this car with allot of care. They need a new sporty cutting edge car.....This one just might be that car.

[big swede]

Originally Posted by Ramair-WS6

I do hope you are not refering to me with that comment. This is the first time I have ever made such a post about any GM car.

Now Yes I do have a critical eye, I make no bones about it, but when a new Impala's fit and finish is well ahead of a limited production car such as this then there is a problem. To be fair, the looks of these problems were both of a manufacture and assembly nature, hence why I said QC needs to be strengthened at Wilmington.

I went back and checked that other topic about the Sky and I must appologize to you. I thought I recognized the same unusual font that you use and I was wrong. Sorry again!

[gmhashope]

Sounds like a lemon. He could have taken I-80 for another 100 or so miles into Illinois and got a Sky without any problems at the dealer near me.

[Bvonscott]

Every SKY that has come through our dealership has had great fit and finish.. and that's alot of SKY'S!

[Cphelps]

Question about the sky thats been bugging me, maybe someone that has seen one in person can answer it. My apartment mate is doing an internship at Lockheed Martin and he told me one of the people that works there had a new sky, and that the guy was showing it to people and everything, and he said it had a rear mounted engine. I was under the impression that the sky and solstice were basically mechanically the same and that the solstice had a traditional FR arrangement. I asked him if he actually saw the engine there, and he said he did, so where is the engine actually? He could have confused the sky for something esle perhaps, but he is into cars too so otherwise I would take his word for it, I just didnt think this was the case?

[TaHoE]

Originally Posted by Cphelps

Question about the sky thats been bugging me, maybe someone that has seen one in person can answer it. My apartment mate is doing an internship at Lockheed Martin and he told me one of the people that works there had a new sky, and that the guy was showing it to people and everything, and he said it had a rear mounted engine. I was under the impression that the sky and solstice were basically mechanically the same and that the solstice had a traditional FR arrangement. I asked him if he actually saw the engine there, and he said he did, so where is the engine actually? He could have confused the sky for something esle perhaps, but he is into cars too so otherwise I would take his word for it, I just didnt think this was the case?

The Sky and Solstice are mechanically identical. They are both Front Engine, RWD. Kappa is not designed for Mid-Engine duty.

[Cphelps]

Thanks thats what I thought but him claiming he saw the engine in the back had me doubting it! Do any of the Euro-GM brand roasters have a rear mounted engine that he could have mistaken for a sky?