what are they really like.....HELP!!!

hello everyone......i cannot get the GTA out of my head i have a few pounds to spend and i know very little about them.....but i have to have one.........would it be too much to ask in sayin the GTA is reliable? i would use it everyday but i really need it too be reliable....please tell me they are! i like the turbo version. help would be great as i am new to the GTA world!

Joe

Totally reliable as a daily driver .You need to make sure it's been well looked after and the battery's good have always run mine as daily drivers .Had a few probs but they are 15/20 year old ..............

Totally reliable as a daily driver .You need to make sure it's been well looked after and the battery's good have always run mine as daily drivers .Had a few probs but they are 15/20 year old ..............

great to hear that. many thanks!

[stephendell]

My daily drive is a GTA and it's reliable BUT the speedo is intermittent and the fuel computer doesn't work. This is very common.

I need a SAT NAV (with speed display) and a can of fuel so it doesn't let me down. Died last night on the A21 due to no fuel, so glad I had 4 litres in the boot!

Alternative is to keep it brim full. Quite thirsty as well.

The turbo has better mpg as a daily driver.

My daily drive is a GTA and it's reliable BUT the speedo is intermittent and the fuel computer doesn't work. This is very common.

I need a SAT NAV (with speed display) and a can of fuel so it doesn't let me down. Died last night on the A21 due to no fuel, so glad I had 4 litres in the boot!

Alternative is to keep it brim full. Quite thirsty as well.

The turbo has better mpg as a daily driver.

thanks a million stephen.....i imagined the electrics are a bit unreliable. but worth it though....what a beautiful car

You just aint gonna get a 155mph, 60 in 6, good looking, high performance car for such a steal. And the handling is great too.
Are new cars reliable? A GTA will only be as reliable as much as you maintain it, but being 15-20 years old, it was more over engineered than todays jelly moulds and the technology is very simple in comparison. Easily self-maintained or by an indi.

Go for it, you won't regret it. You'll only regret it when you sell it. Many will tell you this.

thanks simon.....very good response by the way. if that's your GTA, it is absolutely amazing, a credit it to you. the alloys are perfect, way better than the original. once again, thanks

Joe

[Alpineandy]

If you have an integrale at the moment then the GTA is likely to be much better (but a badly maintained one could be on par with a badly maintained integrale).

thanks andy, you wouldn't believe how good my integrale is. not one problem. it's the evo 2 and the best car i've owned, but i have heard some horror stories.

my future GTA is i think the most beautiful car i've ever seen. i'm sold on the car 100% but with a new venture i'd like to know it will at least make a round trip to ireland.

I can't wait. thanks for your reply Andy

Joe

Totally reliable as a daily driver .You need to make sure it's been well looked after and the battery's good have always run mine as daily drivers .Had a few probs but they are 15/20 year old ..............

Totally reliable??? Still using it daily are you then Lee???

An atmo is more likely to be reliable, less electronics to go wrong. Make sure you check everything on the one you buy.....electric windows, mirrors, guages and door openers are common problems.

Indeed I am I gets in it every morning and make the trip to my works

I've had my '87 GTA ATMO for close on six months now. Not yet my daily driver although that's what she was bought for and probably will be when I've sorted out all her little faults - of which there are quite a few! But - nothing so far that's left her unusable and I reckon daily use is quite realistic.

Mechanically, no significant problems. 2.9l v6 is quite smooth, ride's pretty comfortable and no turbo or fuel injection means I can do most work myself.

Electrically - that's another matter although it always tends to be ancilliaries - nothing that stops me from driving her. Dodgy speedo' is a pain but it's no problem to drive using the Tacho instead. Slow passenger electric window motor is annoying and needs help to close.

If the ignition light flashes or is on all the time this could be alternator. Mine's putting out 16.6 volts and a gadget (FM transmitter) I plugged into the cigarette lighter literally went up in smoke. Also the varying voltage means the headlights get brighter and dimmer. A recon alternator has just cost me around £115. In total I've spent around £500 in six months but don't think there's much more expense to come now. I'd budgeted for that and found most things when I checked her out anyway.

I've generally had no problems getting parts and I have a really enthusiastic friendly Renault dealer a few miles away who usually obtains bits within a few days.

All in all - absolutely no regrets. I've wanted one for the best part of 20 years, it seemed unobtainable back then and now there's this shiny red piece of exotica on my driveway! I think it's one of the best looking cars around, personally. Definite curiosity value as well - most people have no idea what it is and I get a lot of questions about her.

You seem to have made your mind up so best of luck finding the right car - you're unlikely to regret it

I know of a very smart 56000 mile titanium atmo for sale in Newtonards if youre interested....

joe mate, had mine (gta turbo) for a year, been a absoulte dream....get yrself a good one and you'll be laughin..not had any real hassels but any questions and theres loads of folks that can help sort with problems, in fact with the help of the lads here, Alpine ownership has bin nothing but pleasure!

Most importantly, once you get behind the wheel nothing else will ever do again


p.s. the turbo is an awsome car but now i have one i'm savin up for an atmo!

[Alpineandy]

Joe, Where are you based (roughly)?