'Funny' looks, reactions to your GTA?

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'Funny' looks, reactions to your GTA?

Postby Juzzblack » Fri Apr 08, 2005 7:42 pm

I was just reading Liam McShane's comments in the visitor's cars section, about the reactions he has from other road users and pedestrians about his GTA.

So, because they're relatively rare and unusual, I thought I'd start a thread to share any anecdotes, amusing or otherwise, about reactions from other people to our cars.

I've often noticed people glancing sideways at my car when I'm passing them or at traffic lights, trying to work out what it is. At a set of traffic lights once the guy next to me was straining forward in his seat trying to see what badge was on my bonnet, to try and work out what it was!

I get slightly bemused looks at petrol stations when they see me open the 'bonnet' to put petrol in! They look into the luggage compartment as they walk past and you can tell their brains thinking: 'where's the engine?!' Sometimes people will strike up a conversation across the pumps, asking about the car, or when stood in the que waiting to pay. People will stop me and start asking about my car in car parks and outside shops etc. I'm often surprised how knowledgable some people are about the cars when you start chatting to them. Not just the GTA but other Alpines too.

I was at a set of lights the other day, when a Mondeo which had pulled up behind me, decided to pull back out and pulled up alongside me. The chap wound his window down (luckily I fixed my passenger window mechanism last summer, so it now works, or he would have thought me very rude!) and started up a friendly conversation about my car. His parting line before the lights changed was, 'I've seen you before, but I've never been able to catch you!' :D
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Postby peterg » Fri Apr 08, 2005 10:49 pm

They are great arent they???!!!! When I decided upon a GTA to use as my competition car I needed something that was genuinely quick but also something a bit rare and eccentric! I could have bought boring reliable japanese (crap!) from Nissan or Toyota, but I wanted something that had a bit of badge cachet about it.....and the wierdness of rear engine RWD. You wouldnt believe the stories I hear relating to GTA s and other Alpines. There is a genuine heritage associated with the car.......as well as a lot of hardship stories relating to reliability and treatment by Renault dealerships that had little or no interest in the car. Sooooo many people have approached me at events saying they had always wanted one its unbelievable! I'm proud to own a car that is so French and yet so English eccentric at the same time. :D
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Badge Heritage.

Postby Tony Smith » Sat Apr 09, 2005 9:18 am

I've always found that despite Alpines great heritage only people with a true interest in historic motorsport have any idea what it is. I've had mine referred too as a Porshe, kit car, Renault and a few other things over the years. If you wanted badge heritage you should have bought a Porshe or BMW - in this country anyway. Part of the appeal for me with an Alp is that nobody knows what it is - I like having cars where people can't happily pidgeon hole you as a particular type like they would with a Porshe etc. And I don't know about anyone else but I would class reliability as a positive trait in any car Japanese or not - surely its better to be driving it than fixing it!
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Postby simontaylor » Sat Apr 09, 2005 10:08 am

Tony, In your defence, just because japanese rhymes with Crap, for me that's the end of it. They too have done well and won Le Mans, F1, sell in their millions and reliability does not come much better. If you had worked for a French company as long as I have, you would hate anything French. That's why I understand Renault's spare parts pricing policy. Anyway, predjuices out of the way (Stephen: I need a Forum spell chucker), I should have got an Alpine years ago.

But to answer to Juzz's question, with a silver car I've found so far that it is a bit of a disguise, not much feedback so far, maybe it's just my ugly boat?

PS: if you think japanese is crap, you will probably be living the quiet life........ , without many electrical goods in your house.
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Postby Alan Moore » Sat Apr 09, 2005 10:16 am

As there are only currently 4 GTA Turbos, 3 Atmos in Australia. Only 2 of these are in Brisbane, so basically no one knows what they are, partly because Renault don't have very good badge recognition in Aus.

It looks like there will be another couple of Turbos leaving your shores for Brisbane in the next few months.

I even took the stickers off the back bumper to make it more anonymous.
If talking to enthusiasts, and say that you have an Alpine, they only think of the A110.
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Postby peterg » Sat Apr 09, 2005 10:29 am

I know Japanese cars are very reliable and very fast, but theyre also desperately dull......so many Skylines, Scooby turbos, Supras and Evos about they are becoming as common as Ford Focuses. Then there are the chavved up ones I see every night at Macdonalds :roll: Thats why I bought the Alpine! Tony, the people at events are car enthusiasts hence why Ive been overwhelmed with onlookers and interested people. If I took the car to Workington and parked it outside M&S youre probably right, very few would know what it was....and thats also part of the appeal. Those looks are so different to anything else around. I'm particularly fond of the look from the back....it has a very fine asp indeed! Move over J-lo and Kylie :lol:
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Postby Juzzblack » Sat Apr 09, 2005 2:30 pm

I share similar sentiments with Peter and bought my GTA for the same sort of reasons. I few years ago I was considering buying a nissan sunny GTi-R but went off japanese cars completely because I find them characterless and too common compared to my GTA.

Also, in regard to Alan's comment about the A110, I was walking back to my car outside the shops one day when a chap started up a conversation about my car. He said he always liked the Alpine A110. When I said my GTA was also an Alpine he said, 'yeah, but the A110 is a proper Alpine isn't it, not a Renault!'. :evil:

And, Peter, I too like the rear view of my GTA! It's the aspect that most struck me when I first saw one in the 'flesh'! :D
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Postby simontaylor » Sat Apr 09, 2005 3:05 pm

I suppose you were so stunned about that chaps "Renault" comment, that you forgot to mention that it is an Alpine, from the same Alpine factory that built those A110s, it was distributed by Renault UK, and with their service support (a loose term these days), just like A110s were distributed and supported in France. So did this contradicktory chap drive off in one of his A110s? probably not :?:

Isn't a Jaguar only really a Ford these days then. I used to lust after a Ferrari, but they are just part of the Fiat group, they use some common parts and the 308 earth strap is the same as a Lada part. The Ferrari Owners Club have the same challenges and debates as us in finding equvilant parts for their cars.

Oh well, badge snobs and dreamers, but I do drive an Alpine GTA! :D
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Postby David Gentleman » Sat Apr 09, 2005 3:54 pm

I like it how some people think they know things about the car. One guy told me it was the succession to the Fuego(!), and alot of poelpe ask me if its the 'twin turbo model' :roll:

On the good side though, I find everybody looks at the car, no matter what they drive...Ferrari..Porsche etc.. I never had the same looks in the A610 as in the GTA though...lots of kids and bikers like it too..and every body finds having the engine in the back intriguing. I was down Nemesis the other day, where Skylines, Supras , RX7s are common place, yet all the employees draw round it and smile, and are impressed to see a V6 turbo, when most of the cars there have bigger engines, and twin turbos! :D :shock:
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Postby Juzzblack » Sat Apr 09, 2005 4:35 pm

simontaylor wrote:I suppose you were so stunned about that chaps "Renault" comment, that you forgot to mention that it is an Alpine, from the same Alpine factory that built those A110s, it was distributed by Renault UK, and with their service support (a loose term these days), just like A110s were distributed and supported in France. So did this contradicktory chap drive off in one of his A110s? probably not :?:


I tried to tell him, but it just didn't seem like it was sinking in! :roll:
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A quote from when my car was magazine featured.

Postby Tony Smith » Sun Apr 10, 2005 8:30 am

When my car was featured years ago I was quoted as saying "...GTA's have the sexiest rear end there is..." Nothing has come out since to change my opinion.
I get the feeling a few of you on here think I'm a massive japanese car fan - nothing could be further from the truth. Theres nothing I enjoy more than wasting Scoobys in the 21 Turbo, and hopefully I'll have a GTA capable of wasting some big scalps soon too. But you have to respect there 'bombproofability' and tune-ability.
Peter your power to weight ratio's going to be on the wane if your down McDonalds every night! Or maybe your just secretly admiring the Skylines :lol:
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Postby stephendell » Sun Apr 10, 2005 11:14 am

It looks like there will be another couple of Turbos leaving your shores for Brisbane in the next few months.


Alan, are you offering an import service for GTA's now :wink:

It looks like the Le Mans and another red turbo are heading your way 8)
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Postby stephendell » Sun Apr 10, 2005 11:55 am

I get the feeling a few of you on here think I'm a massive japanese car fan


For serious japanese fans only

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/WWW/CA ... 4188040258

I thought it was a bit steep until I noticed the rear spoiler was included 8)
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Postby simonsays74 » Sun Apr 10, 2005 10:06 pm

Tel: 01226 762707
Distance: 1 mile
Price: £259,500 ono.

jeepers, that must be some civic :shock: :shock:

i had somebody ask me was the black GTA a new car??
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Postby Alan Moore » Sun Apr 10, 2005 11:48 pm

Stephen,
It does seem that the word in Australia is spreading faster now. Alpine Affaire in Melbourne have been bringing in various Alpines and R5 Turbos for 20 years, but these cars stayed mostly in Victoria. All up there are over 40 Alpines and R5 turbos in Aus.

Another GTA Turbo is on its' way to Brisbane now, with another person seriously looking for one, and yes, I will be the middle man in his purchase, to hopefully ease the angst.
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