Hello all

I have just purchased an 1990 GTA Turbo, "Blind".It could be a good move or it could be a disaster, I am not in the UK right now and the car came up at a very affordable price so I bought it. Luckily I was able to check out the owners credentials and theyre A1, I was looking at this forum and it seems nobody uses these cars to drive very far, Are they unreliable or are the owners nervous? Do they make decent everyday drivers? If I wanted to take mine around Europe during the summer would that be questionable? 3500 miles in 4 weeks as this is the reason I bought it. Any info would be very helpful, Thanks and hello.

My suggestion would be to get to know your GTA well before taking it away, and get yourself a service manual. I had mine in France for 2 months last year without problem, but I am insured with Norwich Union (£169, fully comp, bonus protected, 4000mile annual milage) which comes with quite a comprehensive Continental Breakdown and accident recovery service, run by the RAC. at no extra cost, with a phone number to call should you breakdown. Quite reassuring. Unfortunately other breakdown insurers wont touch cars over 15 years old, unless someone knows better!!!!!

Thanks for the advice, I'll be usiong it as a daily driver for a few months before I go. What should problems. items should I check when I get hold of it. The owner has had it for 10 years and can't remember changing the clutch in that time, Do these go slowly or as he thinks at once. If so is it an easy job for a mechanic to change or is it a specialist job? Thanks

I've driven 120000 miles in a GTA over 10 years so yep they can be used as a daily driver providing you keep them serviced and fettled.

Clutches don't go pop all at once, although slave and master cylinders do. The clutch is easy to check in terms of the actual plates - just put it in 5th, 2000 revs and floor it and watch the revs, boost and speed and see if it slips.

Clutch changes are an engine out job. Plenty of people on here who can advise. My second clutch lasted 100000 miles and was virtually unmarked -we only changed it as the engine was out anyway.

Like anything it depends how it's driven - the GTA is just odd in that some parts are over engineered and other parts are as bad as a cheap kit car.

The best advice I can give is start using it, and post any problems you might get, there is a wealth of advice on this forum, but be specific with your probs. With regard to the clutch, a lot depends on milage, and how heavy previous owners have been with it. Any good garage (renault) should be able to change it without much difficulty, although time consuming. It should not go suddenly, unless you loose the hydraulics, if it is normal wear, you will get clutch slip well before it gives up completely. If you can get a manual, it always helps the garage if you are somewhere where there is no renault garage. Just for info, can you do repairs yourself or are you going to have to get a garage to do them for you, or are you a quick learner

[BIG_MVS]

I have just purchased an 1990 GTA Turbo, "Blind".It could be a good move or it could be a disaster, I am not in the UK right now and the car came up at a very affordable price so I bought it. Luckily I was able to check out the owners credentials and theyre A1, I was looking at this forum and it seems nobody uses these cars to drive very far, Are they unreliable or are the owners nervous? Do they make decent everyday drivers? If I wanted to take mine around Europe during the summer would that be questionable? 3500 miles in 4 weeks as this is the reason I bought it. Any info would be very helpful, Thanks and hello.

I do really suggest having a look before you buy as buying an Alpine "Blind" unless it's ultra cheap is a big gamble.

Pictures can be very misleading, it may look good on the face of it. Check for rust, rust, and did I mention rust??? This is all underneath as the chassis was not galvanised from new. Check rear subframe, rear turrets and jacking points, also rear suspension arms. Also check the doors do not drop on the pillars (sometimes they drop due to worn hinges which is repairable but still a bigger of a job).

Also check for accident damage which has been badly repaired, front or rear.

Find a good one and it will be a good car. Rare, fast and relatively easy to live with.

Sorry to sound all doom and gloom, you should be fine!!!

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I do really suggest having a look before you buy
!!!

Martin, he has already bought it, so lets give him some encouragement and help, if we can. At least its another Alp in circulation, thats a good thing, is,nt it? or do you know better

John

[BIG_MVS]

[
I do really suggest having a look before you buy
!!!

Martin, he has already bought it, so lets give him some encouragement and help, if we can. At least its another Alp in circulation, thats a good thing, is,nt it? or do you know better

John

I agree another one on the road with an enthusiastic owner is a good thing, I think he knows we are all here to help. Just don't want him to end up with a lemon, so if it's rotten he can either walk away or re-negotiate

[
I do really suggest having a look before you buy
!!!

Martin, he has already bought it, so lets give him some encouragement and help, if we can. At least its another Alp in circulation, thats a good thing, is,nt it? or do you know better

John

I agree another one on the road with an enthusiastic owner is a good thing, I think he knows we are all here to help. Just don't want him to end up with a lemon, so if it's rotten he can either walk away or re-negotiate

I totally agree with you Martin, I hope jasond has got a good one, I just could'nt resist having a pop at you, payback for the caravan pic .........remember

Anyway jasond, dont worry about our little banter, all part of the fun, but post any probs you might have and I am sure you will get a lot of help from these guy's,

John

[BIG_MVS]

I know John, you have not got over me calling you Gene Hunt, it's not rhyming slang you know

Jason - Keep us posted, lets have some pics as well!!!

I had to buy blind as I am out of the country for a while. however all that I could do was do a background check on the owner, The guy is a very respected gentleman, A partner in a very upmarket firm of solicitors, He has had the car for 10 years and has ben more or less a daily driver, He has always had it serviced at TT garage in Dorset (They prepare a lot of cars for the London to Peking rally) I called them and everything checked out, they know the car well and assured me that it was in sound order both cosmeticaly and mechanicaly. The owner told me it had problems which turned out to be cracked front lights and maybe a few paint blemishes, but it has never failed an MOT for the lights and just passed without problems last week. The Turbo was reconditioned about 2 years ago and the owner says he never uses the turbo until the temperature is up. A racing driver friend of my sisters knows the car and the owner and says both are sound and very honest, so therefore I purchased it. I actualy was loking for a fiat coupe but it sems they have many problems. I basicaly want a GT to do a grand tour of Europe this summer and this was the right price. I guess I shall be looking for support, Great, now hopefully I can get into classic events for free this summer. Bye all