Newbie

Hi all

Am interested in buying a GTA Turbo and am looking for some advice on what to look for/common issues and some general feedback in what they are like to own.

Many thanks

[Alpineandy]

Hi Lloyd?

There're quite a few posts on here asking similar questions. have a search. It would help to know roughly where you are in the country so that someone locally may be able to help out.

Hi

Thanks I will take a search through. I'm based in Corringham, Essex.

Basically my brother and I are looking for a car we have take to track day and have some fun with, but also be comfortable enough for us to do some long distance driving to Le Mans, or Spa or the Nurburgring - especially important as I'm 6ft2 and my brother is 6ft1.

We've been looking at various options, but the GTA appears to tick a lot of boxes in terms of affordability and performance.

Cheers

Lloyd

Two choices, if you're good with the spanners and hot stick, then just read, read and read. On this forum every possible problem is covered with a solution to boot. There is a few parts getting harder to source and a few that can make or break you financially but it's all possible.
When all's said and done they were a low volume car with a composite body, a back bone made by a few men by cutting, bending and welding plus some standard size box section and a GRP shell with some ABS panels.
It's all down to having some fabrication skills, tools, time, space, motivation and some people to help you out when it's getting tough !
If it's rotten you can make it, if it's plastic/GRP you can repair it or replace it.
Lots of mechanicals are Renault parts bin, but being 30 year old parts bin that doesn't help in many cases.
The other choice if you are ' non hands on' or ' limited skills ' is buy the very best you can afford, taking lots of advice. researching the cars on offer and even paying a specialist to assess the car you are looking at. A few quid in labour will save you thousands in the long run.
Meet other owners ( new southern monthly meet?) and you can limit the hassle you will have, note the use of limit ! , they are now old cars and many are only just getting the love they deserve but are a cracking, rewarding drive and surely will start putting some fat on their values when people start wearing bleached skin tight jeans and luminous socks........80's turbos will rise.
Saabs are getting minty, 5Gt's in original trim are going skyward fast, interest rates are pants, if I had a warehouse I'd fill it with GTAs.........and luminous socks............................

Thanks for the advice.

Both myself and my brother are pretty handy with a set of spanners - my brother runs his own race bike and I used to mechanic in saloon car racing. We are also pretty realistic to the 'fun' thats involved in owning/running an old car.

Certainly looks like a GTA is a possibility.

[The Saint]

I would just like to thank Mr Turbell for that last post. That was the best description I have read in these forums, covering the subject. Spot on!!
Thanks.

A lot of sense in this thread. Alpine's are great cars but any 30 year old car will need some TLC. Just buy a good one from RATS or at least get him to take a look at what you are thinking of.

Regarding height, I am 6"3 and have no problems in the Alpine. My seat has a fair bit of travel to go before it is right back. Big MVS is 6"7 I think and the Alpine is just about the only sports car he can fit in. My brother is the same height as me and has sat comfortably in the back of my car too.

I do have a good one I can recommend having just had a fair amount of work done and fresh MOT .Car is located in London .
It's this one from a recent article in PPC mag.

Welcome.

I have to ask a question, have you ever owned an Alfa Romeo ?

Hi Bob

I've never owned an Alfa but driven many and shared in the suffering of my friends who have.

Best handling was my friends 75 Twin Spark - weight distribution was great, but reliability was incredibly poor.

Hi Bob

I've never owned an Alfa but driven many and shared in the suffering of my friends who have.

Best handling was my friends 75 Twin Spark - weight distribution was great, but reliability was incredibly poor.

I'm a long term Alfa sufferer.

This quote

An Alfa can be mouth-watering in its beauty but eye-watering as you watch that beauty fade to rust. The interior will charm you with its sporting attitude and then slowly crack, fade and fall off. The crescendo from the exhaust will exhilarate as you climb through a twisty mountain pass, only to resolve into the crackle and pop of a car cooling by the side of the road after it’s overheated. You’ll love engaging that sweet 5-speed gearbox – until the second-gear synchros die on you.

sums up the experience of owning an Alfa nicely.

In my experience, also sums up GTA ownership.
I've had my Turbo for a year now.
During that year, I've spent large amounts of time drooling over it, smiling while driving, and extolling it's virtues to anyone who will listen.
I've also spent an equal amount of time wishing it would just catch fire and be done with it.......................

On the plus side, you're in the right place, lots of knowledgable and friendly folks on here.

Buy one, but buy a good one..........
You'll only regret it half of the time.

[BIG_MVS]

pfft, six foot one and two = short arses. You will easy fit in a GTA no danger.

My only advice would be to get one in regular use and recently been to a specialist for work or to be looked after. They are quite reliable on the whole, they just don't like being left alone for long periods. That said you can come across a good un from time to time that's been off the road for years so it's luck of the draw really.

Good look with the search, they are worth the wait.

Thanks all

Have some advice from Lee at RATS so just discussing with my brother our options. Certainly going to be a GTA of some description, just which one.

I'll second the comments made by Big-MVS, the car I bought was in regular use and had a rebuild at RATS by the previous owner and so far any problems have been minimal (apart from not wanting to start if left sulking alone for too long). Goes to show that you gotta use 'em. You might find one that has been stored off road and is good but IMHO they are too much of an unknown quantity (especially if not a runner) so be circumspect before parting with the cash. What might appear as a bargain could end up costing the thick end of a wedge to put back on the road.

Am picking F700 BJW tomorrow