My New Alpine a110 premiere edition......
Discussion
Sorry to hear that. Some of the dealerships really are poor. I completely understand why you lost faith in the car. Touch wood mine has been great for nearly 4000 miles but sorry to lose a fellow owner. I hope they fix the car as the last thing we need is a duff alpine going through multiple owners and killing the brand before it has taken off but it is entirely within their control...
There is a guy on one of the Mégane RS forums with an identical sounding issue (I'm sure you are aware it's the same engine). I believe he's now caught up in a legal battle to reject the car and get a full refund as both the dealership and Renault CS were purposely obstructive. Hopefully you don't suffer the same pain.
I love the a110 and really hope they can make the brand work. In the past Renault sport products have proven reliable so I hope Alpine is similar. I'm just not sure some of the dealers are aware of the higher expectations of customers buying a more specialist car at £50k+
I love the a110 and really hope they can make the brand work. In the past Renault sport products have proven reliable so I hope Alpine is similar. I'm just not sure some of the dealers are aware of the higher expectations of customers buying a more specialist car at £50k+
The point you make about customer expectations is spot on. After the first incident I would not take it back without a letter guaranteeing a full refund. After the second incident I triggered that letter and rejected the car for a full refund.
The recovery situation was ridiculous, and one of my concerns was being stranded without any support. It was 36 hours after reporting it that they came out.
I stand by my dissappointment, I absolutely loved the car, but as I was not offered a replacement car or any customer service I was left without any other options.
All the reviews in the wold are great, but you have to back it up in this day and age and I was frankly disgusted at how I was treated.
I am envious of the people that bought one and are having a trouble free time, I truly wanted to keep this car.
It will be interesting where it ends up, my bet is a specialist non Alpine dealer, sold on the quiet.
The recovery situation was ridiculous, and one of my concerns was being stranded without any support. It was 36 hours after reporting it that they came out.
I stand by my dissappointment, I absolutely loved the car, but as I was not offered a replacement car or any customer service I was left without any other options.
All the reviews in the wold are great, but you have to back it up in this day and age and I was frankly disgusted at how I was treated.
I am envious of the people that bought one and are having a trouble free time, I truly wanted to keep this car.
It will be interesting where it ends up, my bet is a specialist non Alpine dealer, sold on the quiet.
Just utilise your 30 day right to reject and you shouldn't have any issues ... As long as you've not had possession of the car for over 30 days (the clock stops every time it's in the garage).
Under your 30 day rights you don't have to give them the opportunity to fix it.
Had to use the same to reject an Alfa this time last year. Alfa were obstructive and annoying but got there in the end.
Mine ended up at auction, then sold to a generic dealer. Took them three months to fix it and move it on.
Under your 30 day rights you don't have to give them the opportunity to fix it.
Had to use the same to reject an Alfa this time last year. Alfa were obstructive and annoying but got there in the end.
Mine ended up at auction, then sold to a generic dealer. Took them three months to fix it and move it on.
Edited by stuart_83 on Monday 25th February 22:13
There is a fairly comprehensive list of "defects" experienced by users on the French owners club site (FAR). Most are niggles, and the most serious seem to be a small number of cracked windscreens, and the well documented dodgy auto start/stop. I have seen nothing as serious as detee's problem. Bear in mind that France has more cars than UK, theirs were delivered first, and some now have a fair few miles on. It does seem that detee's problem is a first.
I accept that this is no consolation to somebody having spent £50k on an example with a problem!
I accept that this is no consolation to somebody having spent £50k on an example with a problem!
detee said:
Thanks everyone, I am certainly not condemning the brand, just the awful back up service.
I am now starting to share a little of what detee is feeling!Buying a car of this type should be an enjoyable, and for some of us a once in a lifetime experience. The frustration expressed by people on the French Alpine forum shows clearly that buying an Alpine can be a painful experience, not a pleasurable one, and its about the buying experience not the product.
I am now 60k euros poorer, yet still don't have my car! After signing up in January 2018, updates from Alpine were none existent,and in my case the famous App which is supposed to keep us informed still shows deposit paid and delivery date to be notified, despite the fact that the car is sitting at the dealer fully paid for, but undeliverable. Despite chasing up the dealer for a realistic delivery date, the first feedback I received was a phone call 10 days ago to say the car had arrived and payment was expected before they could prep the car. Payment was made as fast as my bank could arrange it, and I have spent the last few days trying to agree a time to collect the car, without any response. I have now been told that there is a problem with the front bonnet catch, which being safety related, means the car cannot be delivered. This was said to be a problem with many of the cars, yet the dealer is awaiting advice from Dieppe on how to fix it. Something doesn't sound right here!
It gives me no pleasure to criticise the company, but it has to be said: I don't hear these types of complaints from Porsche or Lotus buyers! If Alpine is to truly compete, it has to be about more than the product. The whole buying experience needs to be markedly improved. Those of us from a low volume car background, in my case several TVRs, may have a little forgiveness. Those drivers Alpine hopes to attract from the German brands won't.
Wizzkid69 said:
The fix is to check the bolts on the bonnet catch for tightness and only affects a small number of cars.
I’d have thought your car could be collected next week without issue.
..... It doesn't, or shouldn't, take a week to adjust a bonnet catch, nor should it require discussion with the factory. I’d have thought your car could be collected next week without issue.
So finally my A110 arrived! My journey home started in the Friday evening Marseille rush hour, before crossing the Luberon on roads much more suited to the car. The car is every bit as good as I remember from my test drive last year, and the 14 month wait was worth every minute. It is a dream to drive on the mountain roads here, even with my current 3500rpm running in limit. (Though I have to admit to exceeding this briefly a couple of times as the engine revs so freely. Safer to stick to the manual shifts as the auto can drop 2 gears in a blink, and revs go skyward .)
Here in France I am treated as royalty, probably more than I would in any other car: Heads swivel in the street, everybody let's me out at junctions, and even in the car park of my local DIY store this morning, a little old man asked if he could take a picture.
Here in France I am treated as royalty, probably more than I would in any other car: Heads swivel in the street, everybody let's me out at junctions, and even in the car park of my local DIY store this morning, a little old man asked if he could take a picture.
Edited by rick.e on Saturday 23 March 13:13
Prestonese said:
Check out the predicted residuals in that report too but don't tell Schmed. Edited by springfan62 on Tuesday 2nd April 17:04
detee said:
Good review, on the bag/ storage front, I have a holdall for the rear and the two saddle bags, brand new in wrappers that are going on e bay soon.
I am afraid the Auto Express reviewer did the Alpine an injustice on this subject. The design brief for the car included the ability to carry 2 airline standard carry-on wheeled cases, and that is precisely what the front compartment will do. I am aware that there are those with supposedly compliant cases which stretch the airline limits, but I can confirm that my two fit in snugly side by side with no problem. The rear compartment, though larger in volume, is a little more difficult as the aperture is quite small, nevertheless it will swallow a couple of reasonable sized soft bags with ease. So if you plan to pack ski boots and bulky winter clothing, or take along your scuba gear, you might struggle. But for a week touring the Alps in the Summer, my wife, not known for packing lightly, would be happy with her wheeled case plus a holdall, leaving the same for me. (Just make sure you don't put your chocolate, the wine, or your sun cream, in the rear compartment as it does get a little warm in there).
And don't forget the area behind the seats. Because there is so much legroom - enough for someone way over 6ft, if you and/or your OH are quite small you can get a carry on bag behind one or both seats plus bags of shoes, cameras, coats and so on on top. For us (both under 5'6) there is actually as much stowage behind the seats as in both boots put together. Not that easy to access, it must be agreed, particularly with the fixed backrests of the bucket seats, but we will have no trouble accommodating enough luggage for a forthcoming holiday approaching 3 weeks.
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