Alpine A110 owners
Discussion
Cheers guys, I’m no EVO journalist either !! I’m hoping to drive the S next week so I can form my own judgement but strongly favouring the Pure / Legende at the moment.
The ‘fast road’ touring I really enjoy is probably the toughest test I can think of for any cars suspension set up and I’m hoping the A110 will relish the challenge
The ‘fast road’ touring I really enjoy is probably the toughest test I can think of for any cars suspension set up and I’m hoping the A110 will relish the challenge
Franzino said:
Our Legende has the lowered Life110 springs and even with extreme high speed compression (on Nürburgring) no grounding out or contact with the track surface (also no contact of the tyres hitting the wheel arch 
)
Ha you do look quite er loaded up there )I did wonder if EVO just managed to kiss those small plastic mud flaps or whatever they are that project down just in front of the wheel. Something of nothing if that’s all it was
Simon Owen said:
Ha you do look quite er loaded up there
I did wonder if EVO just managed to kiss those small plastic mud flaps or whatever they are that project down just in front of the wheel. Something of nothing if that’s all it was
Do I take it from your comments on the GR Yaris that you have now settled on the A110? Personally (not having driven the GR) I suspected that the ride might be the deal breaker for me - so interested to read your comments. I suspect the seat wouldn't be a no no for me - but then I am a shortarse.I did wonder if EVO just managed to kiss those small plastic mud flaps or whatever they are that project down just in front of the wheel. Something of nothing if that’s all it was
Simon Owen said:
Ha you do look quite er loaded up there
I did wonder if EVO just managed to kiss those small plastic mud flaps or whatever they are that project down just in front of the wheel. Something of nothing if that’s all it was
Those small flaps are removed on our car (1 min job to do yourself). As stated in the Alpine manual; you can remove them to create extra cooling for the brakes (they are designed to be removed if wanted for extra cooling on track). You create a little bit more drag and marginally more fuel consumption on long highway runs (at high speed). I did wonder if EVO just managed to kiss those small plastic mud flaps or whatever they are that project down just in front of the wheel. Something of nothing if that’s all it was
bcr5784 said:
Do I take it from your comments on the GR Yaris that you have now settled on the A110? Personally (not having driven the GR) I suspected that the ride might be the deal breaker for me - so interested to read your comments. I suspect the seat wouldn't be a no no for me - but then I am a shortarse.
GR is something totally different then the Alpine...but as an everyday car the GR is more practical (more storage space then the Alpine and the rear seats can fit small kids or a dog). A standard A110 (Pure / Légende) is softer (more subtle) then most sporty cars on the market. What I heard from reviews is that the GR is rather stiff on bumps. What the Alpine and GR have in common; they are both new (and fresh) cars and not an evolution of something else which was made before. In my opinion they also have this in common; a GR & Alpine are mainly bought by people who really love driving and did not buy it for brand and/or image. A GR looks like massive fun for the money. Ok for a Yaris it's expensive, but you need the see beyond the Yaris name and see what the GR is (a little bit like that the Alpine is not a typical Renault). For me personally; a GR is awesome...but not a car I would buy myself. I'm just not that into hot hatch cars and the look for me personally is a bit to boy racer and not my personal style (and I own a M2 which is already a bit boy racer
)bcr5784 said:
Do I take it from your comments on the GR Yaris that you have now settled on the A110? Personally (not having driven the GR) I suspected that the ride might be the deal breaker for me - so interested to read your comments. I suspect the seat wouldn't be a no no for me - but then I am a shortarse.
We drove the GR yesterday and yes decided it wasn’t for us. It is a mighty impressive thing and there are lots of bits I really liked. Interestingly I didn’t once think the ride was harsh, and it was a CP car. It’s not soft but feels very well resolved and plush for a hot hatch, we were only in it for 30 mins but you can usually tell the ride in a few metres can’t you so looks like Toyota have nailed that. For us we just didn’t get on with the sat on rather than in feeling, worse for the passenger as no adjustment for height. Completely a personal thing though, I wouldn’t say it was a bad driving position.Interestingly I missed the delicacy of the way our 86 changes direction.
So yes A110 it is, I hope that it will be a nice/natural progression from the 86.
I drive the S tomorrow lunch so I can get my head around the whole standard vs S debate !! Used market is a bl**** nightmare though, so little stock
Franzino said:
GR is something totally different then the Alpine...but as an everyday car the GR is more practical (more storage space then the Alpine and the rear seats can fit small kids or a dog). A standard A110 (Pure / Légende) is softer (more subtle) then most sporty cars on the market. What I heard from reviews is that the GR is rather stiff on bumps. What the Alpine and GR have in common; they are both new (and fresh) cars and not an evolution of something else which was made before. In my opinion they also have this in common; a GR & Alpine are mainly bought by people who really love driving and did not buy it for brand and/or image.
A GR looks like massive fun for the money. Ok for a Yaris it's expensive, but you need the see beyond the Yaris name and see what the GR is (a little bit like that the Alpine is not a typical Renault). For me personally; a GR is awesome...but not a car I would buy myself. I'm just not that into hot hatch cars and the look for me personally is a bit to boy racer and not my personal style (and I own a M2 which is already a bit boy racer )
Both cars are probably the only ones that I have much interest in as fun cars at the moment. Although you can consider them different and if you need/want (effectively) a 2+2 then there is obviously only one choice. If you don't then other factors come in to play. In some senses of course the GR is more practical - but as a long distance companion I suspect the A110 is probably the more "rounded" choice and a bit more liveable as a daily. I haven't driven a GR but from what I have read the A110 is quieter and more comfortable. I don't think I can resist trying a GR - though it sounds as if I will need to be quick if I actually am thinking of buying one.A GR looks like massive fun for the money. Ok for a Yaris it's expensive, but you need the see beyond the Yaris name and see what the GR is (a little bit like that the Alpine is not a typical Renault). For me personally; a GR is awesome...but not a car I would buy myself. I'm just not that into hot hatch cars and the look for me personally is a bit to boy racer and not my personal style (and I own a M2 which is already a bit boy racer
)I was interested in Henry Catchpole's comment that left foot braking was definitely advantageous on the road - not something I'm used to doing in a manual car.
So I have just had an hour in the A110s, and quite timely EVO has popped through the door with an A110S in ECOTY 2020.
It was always going to be tricky judging in isolation, and it’s a good while since I drove the stock car. The ride was probably a tad firmer than I expected but certainly not unbearable and I did not notice any “thumps and crashes” as described by the EVO team in ECOTY ? Steering felt really nice to me. Seems to me the S gets a bit of bad press because it’s always compared to the stock car rather than the competition .... is it really that much firmer than say a Cayman S or an M2 comp for example ? I suspect not.
It seems to get criticised for feeling darty, busy and alive in your hands rather than this being a positive.
Without a longer, faster test drive in better conditions I think my verdict would be to go with the softer car but I wouldn’t say it was an easy decision. The precision and dartyness of the S has its appeal.
I also take some comfort in that there do not seem to be many A110 owners feeling the “need” to upgrade to the S and in fact the opposite.
Decisions decisions !!!!!
It was always going to be tricky judging in isolation, and it’s a good while since I drove the stock car. The ride was probably a tad firmer than I expected but certainly not unbearable and I did not notice any “thumps and crashes” as described by the EVO team in ECOTY ? Steering felt really nice to me. Seems to me the S gets a bit of bad press because it’s always compared to the stock car rather than the competition .... is it really that much firmer than say a Cayman S or an M2 comp for example ? I suspect not.
It seems to get criticised for feeling darty, busy and alive in your hands rather than this being a positive.
Without a longer, faster test drive in better conditions I think my verdict would be to go with the softer car but I wouldn’t say it was an easy decision. The precision and dartyness of the S has its appeal.
I also take some comfort in that there do not seem to be many A110 owners feeling the “need” to upgrade to the S and in fact the opposite.
Decisions decisions !!!!!
Edited by Simon Owen on Friday 4th December 15:26
Simon Owen said:
It seems to get criticised for feeling darty, busy and alive in your hands rather than this being a positive.
Without a longer, faster test drive in better conditions I think my verdict would be to go with the softer car but I wouldn’t say it was an easy decision. The precision and dartyness of the S has its appeal.
I also take some comfort in that there do not seem to be many A110 owners feeling the “need” to upgrade to the S and in fact the opposite.
Decisions decisions !!!!!
I wouldn't have said the S was more darty than the standard car, initial steering response is a bit better but overall it has more understeer which (Alpine say) makes it a bit more stable in crosswinds. I would describe the ride as busy or "fidgety" - but not the steering. I know that the car is quite sensitive to it's geo - so I suspect that some of the comments made may be as a result of minor changes in setup from one car to another rather than real differences.Without a longer, faster test drive in better conditions I think my verdict would be to go with the softer car but I wouldn’t say it was an easy decision. The precision and dartyness of the S has its appeal.
I also take some comfort in that there do not seem to be many A110 owners feeling the “need” to upgrade to the S and in fact the opposite.
Decisions decisions !!!!!
Edited by Simon Owen on Friday 4th December 15:26
bcr5784 said:
I wouldn't have said the S was more darty than the standard car, initial steering response is a bit better but overall it has more understeer which (Alpine say) makes it a bit more stable in crosswinds. I would describe the ride as busy or "fidgety" - but not the steering. I know that the car is quite sensitive to it's geo - so I suspect that some of the comments made may be as a result of minor changes in setup from one car to another rather than real differences
Good luck with the decision making.
Good luck with the decision making.
Simon Owen said:
Guys, having owned and lived with cars for a while now can you relate to the comments made by EVO a few years back ... they were on Buttertubs Pass, a particularly challenging gnarly B road in the north.
Comments were made about “big dips bring the sound of light contact, wheels rubbing in the arches and the front being distracted by certain combos of bumps”.
Is this a slight compromise to the soft set up or have you just never noticed it ? I love challenging B roads and fast single track in the Highlands where you can really push on at sensible speeds and would have thought the non S Alpine would be in its absolute element ?
Cheers.
Buttertubs is spectacular but an awful road for going for anything resembling a hoon. I've truly no idea why it's listed as a 'driving road. Comments were made about “big dips bring the sound of light contact, wheels rubbing in the arches and the front being distracted by certain combos of bumps”.
Is this a slight compromise to the soft set up or have you just never noticed it ? I love challenging B roads and fast single track in the Highlands where you can really push on at sensible speeds and would have thought the non S Alpine would be in its absolute element ?
Cheers.
Bit of help please guys ...
I’m hoping to close a deal on a car on Monday, car is just coming up to a year old and so just checking if the dealer will throw in the first service. Is it due year 1 regardless of mileage ? And how much have you guys paid roughly ?
2nd point is trickle charger, looks a bit of a faff to access the battery, just wondering what ‘bits’ you used to hook up a permanent lead to the front boot I think ?
Decided to go non S in the end, see how I get on and perhaps consider Life geo at some point but wholly due to how I feel the car feels. I’ll be checking tyre pressures as I drive away !!!!!
I’m hoping to close a deal on a car on Monday, car is just coming up to a year old and so just checking if the dealer will throw in the first service. Is it due year 1 regardless of mileage ? And how much have you guys paid roughly ?
2nd point is trickle charger, looks a bit of a faff to access the battery, just wondering what ‘bits’ you used to hook up a permanent lead to the front boot I think ?
Decided to go non S in the end, see how I get on and perhaps consider Life geo at some point but wholly due to how I feel the car feels. I’ll be checking tyre pressures as I drive away
!!!!!Service is due annually regardless of mileage and cost me £325 for everything.
I use a Ring smartcharger, i have connected their connector to the battery which sits behind the front boot.
To access the battery you have to remove the boot liner, its fairly straightforward to do it but once the connector is on its very easy to connect up when you leave the car parked up.
I haven't driven an S, very happy with my PE which is still completely original.
I use a Ring smartcharger, i have connected their connector to the battery which sits behind the front boot.
To access the battery you have to remove the boot liner, its fairly straightforward to do it but once the connector is on its very easy to connect up when you leave the car parked up.
I haven't driven an S, very happy with my PE which is still completely original.
I bought a ctek charger with an extension and the 10mm connector. Didn't need to remove the boot as the top of the battery is accessible with the panel removed. I have run the cable through the hinge into the boot. I have seen someone cut a hole in the boot and fit a connector which is another possibility.
I think they should include the service in the price.
I think they should include the service in the price.
Gassing Station | Alpine | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff