[RobertO]

OK ... I've been lurking here for a while ... ever since I first heard about the upcoming Slingshot a couple months ago. I was buying into all the hype and just couldn't wait for this thing to come out. I was certain I'd be dropping cash for one as soon as I could order.

Now that it's here: Unbelievably disappointed.

Less then 200 hp and less than 200 ft/lbs torque? Only .88 g lateral grip? 1700 lbs? For $24k?

Sorry. Not getting my money.

A stellar used 1400 lb. Lotus 7 replica (Brunton Super Stalker) can be had for that price with upwards of 300 hp, 300 ft/lbs that'll pull 1.2 g lateral on Toyo RA1s or R888s.

This thing's been pitched as a corner carver, but at only .88g there are literally dozens of better (many of them open top) corner carving options out there for similar money that don't require wearing a helmet, don't require motorcycle endorsement and are far more versatile: used Boxter S, Turbo Miata, used Evo, used Lotus Elise, used STI, one of the many exo cars available out there right now, etc.

I'm not writing this to complain. I'm just really bummed. I wanted to love this thing so badly.

 

[NickJ]

What about that 2 year warranty?
What about NOT being a Miata?
What about it being $19999?

 

[dascrow]

You've got some good points but I wouldn't give up on yet it. Drive one, I think you'll find it delivers a completely different driving experience then any of the cars you mentioned.

 

[4Nines]

Don't forget about not having a windshield, roof or doors! There is an excited and a connection to the road that you get in the Slingshot that you will never get in any of those cars that you mentioned.

 

[Tango]

Come on man. You can't compare anything new to anything used. This thing will be $12,000 used in a couple years so the comparison is still the same as new vs new. Name just one dozen of cars that can hit .88 for less than $20,000 new? Alright, I will make it easy - name one.

Now imagine if you put the money that any of those cars cost NEW:
Boxster S
Evo
Lotus Elise
Turbo Miata

You would have at least $10,000 to drop in it. ($43,000 in the case of the Porsche Boxster S) What could you do with that? 260-420hp, adjustable coilovers, bigger meat, new adjustable control arms, Brembo brakes. This thing would absolutely eat everything on your list dollar for dollar, new for new without question.

Be practical. You get a warranty and a hell of a platform to build on. Off my box now.

 

[NickJ]

^^^ Preach ^^^

 

[RobertO]

What about that 2 year warranty?
What about NOT being a Miata?
What about it being $19999?

Well, my CBR1000 came with a warranty, only weighs a bit over 400 lbs, has almost as much HP, was only $11,000 new and will pull 1g lateral at a 45 degree lean angle. Also, that $19k price is just going to be the start: add helmet, better wheels and tires, turbo or s/c, etc. I'm just really struggling to see what the Slingshot gives me that I cannot get more/better of at similar or less money. It's really that .88 g lateral that's killing me. For something billed as a corner carver, that isn't even in the ballpark. And, it's dangerous considering how this thing is being marketed. People are going to be taking these things out thinking they can rail in the twisties and then they're going to be putting them into the ditch (or oncoming cars in the other lane). If it's over steer at the limit, the breakaway had better be exceptionally progressive and controllable. However, I have a feeling it's going to be understeer that will be hard to remedy and get the vehicle to rotate if you've gone in too hot and the front end is pushing.

I still plan to try to get behind the wheel of one to see, but I've already driven a Campagna T-Rex and as someone who lives for the twisties, I was not impressed. I was holding out hope Polaris found a way to get the cornering capability that Campagna could not. Once again, very

 

[NorCalRider]

"that'll pull 1.2 g lateral on Toyo RA1s or R888s."
Put a set of those tires on a slingshot and I bet you pull close to the same lateral g's. I'm sure Polaris is under rating rather than over rating on these claims. A good set of sticky tires on this thing will probably wake that handling right up if it's not good enough for you. The T-Rex was fun, but seriously overpriced. I think this is going to be a lot more fun.

 

[RobertO]

Come on man. You can't compare anything new to anything used. This thing will be $12,000 used in a couple years so the comparison is still the same as new vs new. Name just one dozen of cars that can hit .88 for less than $20,000 new? Alright, I will make it easy - name one.

I can give you one that get's close: Subaru BRZ will do .9 on stock rubber.

And you could go ahead and add $10k (go big and make it $20k) of aftermarket goodies to the Slingshot. It still isn't going to run with a Brunton. An LS3 powered Stalker can be had for mid $20s if you drop the drivetrain in and do the paint and finish work yourself (not that hard). That will smoke nearly any other U.S. road legal vehicle at any price.

 

[Mustang Man]

You are never going to find a new vehicle that is comparable in price and performance to a used car or a kit car built yourself.

 

[NorCalRider]

And no warranty on a kit car either or dealer service.

 

[Tango]

I can give you one that get's close: Subaru BRZ will do .9 on stock rubber.

And you could go ahead and add $10k (go big and make it $20k) of aftermarket goodies to the Slingshot. It still isn't going to run with a Brunton. An LS3 powered Stalker can be had for mid $20s if you drop the drivetrain in and do the paint and finish work yourself (not that hard). That will smoke nearly any other U.S. road legal vehicle at any price.

The BRZ is $5,696 more than the SS. I know a SS can do .9+ by just changing the rubber (the Kenda tires are 3 season).

You would be adding at least $25k to the SS compared to the Brunton and it will probably run with it fairly well at that price. The SS is no 4 wheel vehicle so physics will step in at some point just as it does between motorcycles and cars.

An LS3 powered Stalker "new" and finished is somewhere around $45k. (I don't plan on finishing the SS myself).

Another thing you pay for is... piece of mind. Don't let that whole warranty thing get swept under the rug. There are 1700 Polaris dealerships in the US. How many Brunton dealers are there? How many trained technicians are there on it? One - You. And while that sounds appealing to me, for many many others it doesn't. I kicked around the idea of a Caterham replica and a Cobra replica but it gets expensive quick. People complain that the SS is expensive - well what can you get for $45-$50k?

The thing I like about the warranty is not that I have someone to fix it if it breaks, its that everything was engineered to last at least that long. Not everything does, but it was engineered to.

I respect your decision to buy a used car as opposed to a new SS, it certainly isn't for everyone (just read the Cycle World review). I think you will get way more than 50% of the Brunton experience for 50% the price - and that is why I am getting a Slingshot.

 

[Vantage]

You can get a warranty on any one of those used cars you mentioned. Just saying..

 

[NorCalRider]

The BRZ is $5,696 more than the SS. I know a SS can do .9+ by just changing the rubber (the Kenda tires are 3 season).
You would be adding at least $25k to the SS compared to the Brunton and it will probably run with it fairly well at that price. The SS is no 4 wheel vehicle so physics will step in at some point just as it does between motorcycles and cars.

An LS3 powered Stalker "new" and finished is somewhere around $45k. (I don't plan on finishing the SS myself).

Another thing you pay for is... piece of mind. Don't let that whole warranty thing get swept under the rug. There are 1700 Polaris dealerships in the US. How many Brunton dealers are there? How many trained technicians are there on it? One - You. And while that sounds appealing to me, for many many others it doesn't. I kicked around the idea of a Caterham replica and a Cobra replica but it gets expensive quick. People complain that the SS is expensive - well what can you get for $45-$50k?

The thing I like about the warranty is not that I have someone to fix it if it breaks, its that everything was engineered to last at least that long. Not everything does, but it was engineered to.

I respect your decision to buy a used car as opposed to a new SS, it certainly isn't for everyone (just read the Cycle World review). I think you will get way more than 50% of the Brunton experience for 50% the price - and that is why I am getting a Slingshot.

I'm in the same boat, my warranty will be out the window in the first few weeks as I plan on turbo charging mine along with suspension mods and lighter larger/wider rims with sticky tires.

 

[Tango]

You can get a warranty on any one of those used cars you mentioned. Just saying..

Yes, and as Tommy Boy once said...
Ted: But why do they put a guarantee on the box then?
Tommy: Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of sh&t. That's all it is. Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time.

 

[BMWDAD]

there are some slingshot road tests out by motorcycle mags, but under the watchfull eye of polaris, I am waiting for a real street review

 

[407guy]

Less then 200 hp and less than 200 ft/lbs torque? Only .88 g lateral grip? 1700 lbs? For $24k?

My thoughts as well especially for lateral grip. Polaris should not have made a point to mention that in their videos.

And regarding the HP number.... admittedly I laugh to myself when I read about "adding a turbo". Good luck with the extra HP and torque with that belt drive.

 

[4Nines]

I've put almost 300 miles on a Slingshot already. I've also owned a Corvette Z06, BMW M5, replica AC Shelby Cobra and I've also built my own race car (Pikes Peak RZR-X1). I can tell you that pound for pound, the Slingshot beats all of those cars for the sheer fun and driving enjoyment hands down! All the other cars mentioned will cause you to spend a ton of time working on them (if you ever even get the project done) or you'll decide it's too nice of a car to rag-out on a race track. I will happily drop $20,000 on a Slingshot, drive it to work, get off early to drive it down to the track, wring it out on the road course and then enjoy the drive all the way home. That's my $.02 cents.

 

[RobertO]

I've put almost 300 miles on a Slingshot already. I've also owned a Corvette Z06, BMW M5, replica AC Shelby Cobra and I've also built my own race car (Pikes Peak RZR-X1). I can tell you that pound for pound, the Slingshot beats all of those cars for the sheer fun and driving enjoyment hands down! All the other cars mentioned will cause you to spend a ton of time working on them (if you ever even get the project done) or you'll decide it's too nice of a car to rag-out on a race track. I will happily drop $20,000 on a Slingshot, drive it to work, get off early to drive it down to the track, wring it out on the road course and then enjoy the drive all the way home. That's my $.02 cents.

Without even drivng the Slingshot, I would agree with most of what you say above. For pure fun and driving enjoyment, I'm sure it does beat all of those vehicles. I've owned a C6 Corvette and have driven an M3. They are both heavy and the Vette has some of the worst feedback / numb handling characteristics I've ever experienced in a high performance vehicle. A Slingshot and a 3,000+ lb. car is really an apples to oranges comparison.

But, I'm not talking about just the "fun factor". I'm talking price for performance. A Miata is "fun". So is an RX8, Bugeye Sprite, etc .... that doesn't mean I want one.

Also, not true that all the other cars I mentioned require spending a ton of time working on them. Neither my old Elise or Exige ever needed much maintenance. I've done 2 project cars, both starting with rolling chassis so neither of them took a ton of work to complete. They were very reliable after initial setup and shake down and really didn't need much attention after that.

Autocross in the Slingshot is out and I wouldn't be suprised if many tracks end up not allowing them for HPDE events due to the "perceived" lack of stability of 3-wheel vehicles. So where exactly is one going to "wring one of these out"? One of my local tracks has already said "no" and the other said they would allow them for motorcycle HPDE events but not car days. Taking one of these to a bike HPDE would mean you are just going to be getting in everyone's way and pissing them off.

 

[407guy]

I agree with many of the posts in this thread. And will go back to what I have posted elsewhere in this forum: the SS is a niche vehicle in a niche market. The only real comparison for us in the US, is the T-Rex. And between the two, the choice is easy IMO. Everything else is just apples to oranges.