RE: SOTW: Renault 5 GT Turbo

[zakelwe]

Lovely.

Saw in Autocar that for the updated C1/107/Aygo there will be a 1.2 litre 3 pot turbo assigned to it. These cars weigh less than 900kg and so with a bit of tuning and upgraded rubber you have a modern day equivalent, or as near as you could get anyway.

Andy

[cirks]

had a pearlescent white one running at 170bhp for a few years. It was great fun and very quick. Flimsy doors (and even more so after some daft woman pulled out in to the side of it!) but still one of my favourite cars. No reliability issues other than one covered under a recall and the other being the clutch cable snapping on the North Circ!

[Gazzab]

I was in my early 20's back when I had my GTT in early 90's. Insurance premuims killed the car values but tbh I didnt find my premiums too bad.

[green911]

Had one as a company "pool car", so quite clearly faster than anything else, ever!

used to go through clutch cables at an alarming rate, I can remember the look of disappointment on the AA man's face, when having recovered me from the Euston Underpass during evening rush hour on a Friday, I opened the boot to reveal the spare cable that we always carried. Fitting it, whilst the car dangled from the lift-truck provoked a deluge of expletives!

[The Donster]

DaveL485 said:

The Donster said:

DaveL485 said:

BriC175 said:

Marf said:

Gazzab said:

Lots of my friends also had them with lots of remaps

How do you remap a mechanical carb?

Love it when people talk about 'chipped' Renault 5's.

You can change the AEI unit to one from a R9 or 11 Turbo for a couple of degrees extra advance but thats it.

Ive had one or two of these but only to sell on. I do still have a 9Turbo though and i'd never part with it, ever.
Great little motors save for the flimsy build and the fact you have to dislocate your hips to drive it if you're over 5'6"
I rapidly discovered that the 21 Turbo gave the same experience as the GTT but everything was magnified about three times over. Much much better cars.

Anyone who does a HG on one of these engines though deserves it. You look after it right (and yes, I understand that requires a bit of specialist knowledge) and they are absolutely rock solid engines....same goes for the 21 Turbo.

Isn't it funny how the rapid Renault hatch lovers progress onto the bigger rapid Renault saloons! I sold my 11 Turbo for a phase 2 21 Turbo (sadly, not a Quadra) and oh my, that thing absolutely flew. Two cars I still miss today, 17/18 years later.

It is, isn't it? I've had many, of all flavours. Currently have a Ph2 Quadra with around 250 horses and also a Fuego with a 21T 2wd running gear that sports over 300 bhp/tonne and 350lbft/tonne shared with a mate.
Stick a bit of boost up a 2wd and it turns into a frantic, lunatic experience of torque steering lunacy. Brilliant!

My red phase 2 ran a standard chip and Scorpion exahust and still put out 200 bhp, at 100,000 miles +. Awesome.

Wll have a look at your site when I get the chance - might find my old car on it (G830 PHO).

[Nickellarse]

Really wanted either this or a 205gti, but when you are 18 and the insurance is more than the car it tends to end in tears, or in my case, a mini...

[focus man]

a11y_m said:

Love them!

Still unsure I'd risk the ownership of one though - even my 2004 Clio 172 was problematic reliabilty-wise. I can only image the fun I'd have with a 20 year old Renault...

Agree, ran a new one on a f plate at the time,midrange was stunning....but was as reliable as russian vodka swilling security gaurd!!!!

[dbdb]

It isn't doing anything for me I'm afraid, but I can see why they are popular.

[adey1984]

Had it chipped? Err yeah ok then lol. Awesome cars with a huge following and rtoc.org has all the info you would ever want to keep it running sweet.

[sideways sniffer]

I had a renault 5 (albeit an m reg 1.4 prima - couldn't afford a turbo on a students budget) when i was 18. Racked up almost 60,000 of trouble free motoring. Interior trim was very fragile though. Would love an un molested example - such a shame most have been chav'd up. Seem to remember people dropping the 1.7 turbo lumps from a renault 21 in them......

[bunsofsteeeel]

i had one when i was 18 kept it for 4yrs in that time i spent 20k tuning it and keeping it running right until a lady in cheltenham ran into the back of it and wrote it off!!! back then roland at gt tuning was the king and he tunes the new minis now to big power apparently.

[NeutralFanboy]

adey1984 said:

Had it chipped? Err yeah ok then lol. Awesome cars with a huge following and rtoc.org has all the info you would ever want to keep it running sweet.

This is a long shot but did I get the Gorblimey off you through rtoc?

That reads like getting an sti through a dating agency

[LuS1fer]

I had a 1986 GTT in 1989 and apart from needing a new ECU, it was relatively reliable, chipped to an alleged 150hp (though still not as quick off the mark as a Cossie)and great fun, even down to perfectly catchable 4 wheel drifts. Those were the days when manufacturers made some effort with different rear suspension to the standard cars. I never understood the girly 205 GTi and after a test drive of one had no problem choosing the Renault....though the driver's seats often failed and I had to have the frame welded but it was a cinch to strip down.

[anything fast]

LuS1fer said:

I had a 1986 GTT in 1989 and apart from needing a new ECU, it was relatively reliable, chipped to an alleged 150hp (though still not as quick off the mark as a Cossie)and great fun, even down to perfectly catchable 4 wheel drifts. Those were the days when manufacturers made some effort with different rear suspension to the standard cars. I never understood the girly 205 GTi and after a test drive of one had no problem choosing the Renault....though the driver's seats often failed and I had to have the frame welded but it was a cinch to strip down.

agree prefer this to the 205 GTI, but my fave will be always be the series 1 RS turbo (although for a grand you will not get a series one, just a cardboard box full of rust!!)

[Obiwonkeyblokey]

ive got a standrda one now and love it. bought it last year having owened a few about 20 years ago. only downside is the servcie bill this time round is over £800. my bloody ferrari 575 didnt cost that!

[swisschris]

buy it, ship it to switzerland and sell it for a HUGE profite...

I could only find one for sale:
http://www.autoscout24.ch/AS24Web/Detail.aspx?from...

Admitedly, it seems to have been extensivly restaured...

[Gazzab]

swisschris said:

buy it, ship it to switzerland and sell it for a HUGE profite...

I could only find one for sale:
http://www.autoscout24.ch/AS24Web/Detail.aspx?from...

Admitedly, it seems to have been extensivly restaured...

A phase 1 model I think but it doesnt look quite right to me - looks like it might have some phase 2 panels, mirrors....? Its missing phase 1 decals and wheels I think.

[LuS1fer]

Gazzab said:

swisschris said:

buy it, ship it to switzerland and sell it for a HUGE profite...

I could only find one for sale:
http://www.autoscout24.ch/AS24Web/Detail.aspx?from...

Admitedly, it seems to have been extensivly restaured...

A phase 1 model I think but it doesnt look quite right to me - looks like it might have some phase 2 panels, mirrors....? Its missing phase 1 decals and wheels I think.

Yes, Phase 1, wrong wheels and sprayed mirrors and plastic rear light sections upper and lower. The "shadow decal" made up of vinyl and dots" is missing suggesting a respray.

[959er]

Bought a red one from seeing it at the first Silverstone GP ('87) - knackered it by Jan '88 and bought another new one in silver ... had it boosting at 1.4 bar with a heavy leather belt stopping the plastic end caps popping off the intercooler (as recommended by Radbourne Racing who did the same with the R5 cup prep.) Had a new 328GTB at the time but nearly always went out in the R5GTT though because in the real world it was more fun, and quicker living in the as yet camera free leafy lanes of Surrey .... although it was dead by June '88!
I'm seriously tempted, but then I bought a Z900 a couple of years ago for nostalgic reasons and it was usually the GSX1400 I went out on. Lovely idea for half an hour on an August Sunday morning, but the past is the past, and its best left alone - unless there's a way of going back and negating Tony Blair of course!

Come on shed, find us a time machine for under a grand!

(959er (959? - yep, had a real one - what a bloody lucky bd, I know!!!) is currently residing in France for the foreseeable future; its like having the roads of 1990 with the cars of 2010 - still got UK plates & licence and am left alone - vive la France!)

merci beaucoup

[Jimmy Mc]

I ALMOST had one of these 10 years ago, but insurance was a killer at 18. Finally persuaded mum that her campus model needed swapping for one but she was warned off it by a mechanic whi was a friend of the family.

I've never been so gutted!