Newbie Looking for A610

I do, I find more problems originate if the cars are left sitting around

Very true ,I use mine almost everyday,even tho I work from home, just to keep it in order.Once left it standing for two weeks in November whilst away on holiday and had to spend quite a few quid to get it going again They don't like sitting around

I use my 1988 atmo GTA as my daily driver and have done about 10,000 relatively trouble free miles in the past year (I've probably jinxed it now!). Perhaps there's an advantage in buying an atmo GTA - less to go wrong? I would thoroughly recommend it. I recently had to replace the clutch master and slave cylinders which together cost over £200. A bit steep, but hopefully they'll last another 17 years. I'm sure a GTA will be more reliable than a lotus (everyone knows what LOTUS stands for - Loads Of Trouble, Usually Serious!)

You will be fine as long as you go in with your eyes open....its not a Renault like other Renaults, its a handbuilt pedigree with some Renault parts and as such you pay high prices....well at least for the non Renault bits which is most of the car barring the engine and gearbox.

It winds me up about 'what Lotus stands for' There is no truth about this whatsoever. Which is good really because it keeps the average person and your boy racer well clear of these cars.
The only expensive thing that can go wrong on them is the engine and gearbox. The engine costs about £4-5K for a full rebuild (£2-2.5K for me). This sounds quite cheap when you compare the cost even for a head gasket on the Alpine £1.1K.
The gearbox is exactly the same so nothing to compare here.

Fronts Discs Lotus £120 Patent £40
rear Discs Lotus £120 Patant £60
Pads Lotus £200 Patent from £12 (Lucas) or £50 for Hawk or EBC
Air filter £8
Oil Filter Lotus £11
Plugs Lotus £10
Master Cylinder £36
Slave Cylinder £56

25 MPG
Insurance £442
Since owning my Esprit I've spent the following:

1. Refurbing split rims from procean £280
2. Front and side clear indicators £80
3. 323mm front, 321mm slotted big disc conversion £200 (development project).
4. Front Hawk fast road Pads £50
5. Battery £39

Most of these are improvements or upgrades rather than running costs.

It's the silly things like door mirror Lotus £250. It's from a Citreon CX for £60!
Like most other things off the car, do enough research and you'll find the part off another vehicle.

I think though, it's safe to say running costs are about the same (give or take) as the Esprit. Just need to find a local guy in Merseyside to look after it for me.

Dave ,it's not well known to non believers but ,

Got Trouble Again

Why I don't usually go in for slating anybodys choices on what car they drive I often feel that once someone owns a car they tend to see it through rose coloured spectacles. Early Lotuses (Loti?) fully deserved there reputation for horrific reliability. It wasn't until the mid 80's when Toyota became involved that things improved considerably. I'm sure the later cars are much better but if the Elise's I've looked at are anything to go buy then its still pretty poor. Once a marque has a reputation its hard to shake it off. In the early eighties the Lancia's were the best rustproofed cars on sale yet people still harped on about them being rust buckets because of the palava in the 70's. GTA's are not well built either but I would say they are better overall than the Esprits from an equivalent year. I considered an Esprit (amongst many others) before I bought my GTA but overall preferred the looks and the way the GTA drove and most of all the cockpit which I found very claustrophobic in the Esprit, but I am tall. Lets be honest you wouldn't buy either car for its build quality!
Maybe the boy-racers have a point, why would you want to shell out the silly prices they ask for Elises when you can buy cars of a similar age that are much faster, more reliable, better built, better looking (subjective obviously) cheaper to maintain and repair. I'm sure the roadtesters would say the Elise has unrivalled handling finesse and steering feel but I don't find that much consolation as you watch another M3 or Sti disappear into the distance!

I know, that was lazy, so suggestions for ALPINE and RENAULT on a postcard please

I'm with Tony.....the people I know who have owned or own Loti do have a fair few problems. Then again, you dont buy one expecting Toyota reliability unless you are derranged (same goes for Alpines)!!! I have a big soft spot for the Esprit but the one I want, the V8 is still too expensive and from the one they bought to use on 5th Gear they sound like very serious money pits unless you pick up a very good one!
Engine rebuild for the GTA is around the £3000 mark from what Ive seen on the forum (the one done on mine 4 years ago was £3300) so its not horrendous, the problem with other more minor operations comes from the fact that the engine and gearbox often need removing to do them. But as David says....its only 6 bolts
Clee.....ALPINE....Alot of Large Problems Infact Never Ending

Daily driver from Longbridge, you guessed it, now called "over", as in "all over". Sad but true, but parts are cheap as nuts, in fact it is neally as cheap to just buy another one, on ebay of course.

I think the GTA wins everytime, £5k for a sorted Turbo What's the damage for a equivalent Lotus Your going to have the same running costs .

Just answered my own question with Autotrader .Think I'll get another GTA
for the Missus .

I was really after an Alpine because it has additional seats for my 6 year old daughter. Not very big seats but it has them.
What's the handling like on these cars then? Are they like a kart or are they more forgiving?
Is there any roll when cornering on a standard set-up?

Depends on the model. GTA has very quick response, and amazing steering, and feels light and nimble. A610 feels very sure footed on the limit, but rolls more and the steering feels like any other car being power assisted, and is longer ratio than the GTA

Lowering the GTA and using uprated dampers transforms the handling. Both cars are on par with the Lotus on handling, but they are known to be easier to drive fast through the extra torque..

Need to have a drive in one or at least be a passenger to compared but thanks for the imput.
I've had Esprits with and without PAS. I was surprised when I got my current one and the PAS stops at anything other than low speed. I was a little worried before buying it but now I would change it.
The last car before I'd changed the wheels to wider ones and parking was a nightmare! The new ones have 245 fronts and 285 rears, imagine trying to park those!
So did PAS only come in on the A610 then?

BTW, by the looks of things, I might keep all three cars and buy a GTA. Need to keep it somewhere away from home as the missus will go ape s**t. I can then say I've bought a project car that Iam rebuilding avor a period of months. She won't know the difference!!!

Superdave, being 'next door' to you in Cheshire I'd be happy to arrange to meet you with my GTA sometime to show you round it and take you for a spin.

Only problem at the moment is I don't know when that would be possible!

Check out: http://www.renaultalpine.co.uk/PHPBB/ph ... .php?t=588

and all will be clear!

I think I should have it back soon! However, being an Alpine that could mean days or it could mean weeks! I'll keep you posted and let you know when I have it back if you're still interested.