Alpine A110 owners

[Martyn P]

Wiseguy2012 said:

Cleaning the car ready for a little drive tomorrow and I have the cracked screen issue.

Hmmm, just polishing my car this morning and I noticed exactly the same thing - seems to be in the identical place.
I thought this problem had been sorted out by Alpine but obviously not.
I assume it is not a major issue that requires repair immediately?

[Meonstoke]

Gregg86 said:

Hi all, long term lurker here and aspiring A110 owner! Just test driven a Pure and now looking to bite the bullet (the wife is inside!).

I have a preference for the Pure seats, however once specked up I could spent a little bit more for a Legende GT the dealer could arrange...

Do people think the LGT, as a limited edition, is worth the extra?

Hi Gregg,

I take delivery of a LGT in a few weeks time. It was my intention to join this discussion group today as - based on the numerous A110 forums I've reviewed - this one appears to be one of the few where you can find useful information and insights, and without the trolling you often find on other forums which discuss the A110. So, my compliments to everyone!

Before I raise my own queries which I have for A110 owners, let me give my 2 cents worth on the LGT....

When I fist saw the LGT last March when it was first promoted, the Mercure Silver colour with the gold tints just blew me away! Of all the colours available it shows off the lines and curves of the A110 like no other - in my eyes at least. I also liked the cognac coloured seats - for me it combines nicely with the silver door caps together with the black leather - and just lifts the interior to look a wee bit classier whilst still sporting.

Yes, the LGT is a bit pricey when compared to other model versions however it is virtually "complete" with only a few options left over to tick e.g. the heated seats, Focal upgrade, telemetrics, and the cabin storage pack. I ticked them all except for the storage. Not particularly useful and blocks access to the back of the seats where you can place some items.

The way I saw the price is it is virtually the same cost for a fully spec'd Legende + Atelier colour - IF you chose the Mercure Silver which will not be available on other future models. In that respect, a LGT in the standard Abyss blue or black colour alternatives might be considered less special? I should think that a Silver LGT would hold its value slightly better than a similarly spec'd Legende with a standard colour option.

Regarding the Legende seats, they are also comfortable and easier to live with if there is more than one driver. Plus, I like heated seats for those cold days... I intend to use the car for weekend blasts and for vacation road trips as a GT. This was my intent for the classic cars I had - BUT the reality was somewhat different. I love old cars (for their style and emotional appeal) but too many issues, breakdowns, etc led to a gradual reluctance to use them for long driving trips. Hence - enter the A110 with it's retro style, hand-made, and with modern under-pinning's... almost a restomod if you think about it!

Hope this helps with your thought-process.

M.

[Sporky]

My best beloved had her first ride in the A110 yesterday, and declared it to be "fine" (which is high praise for a car). She did go "Wheeeee!" on two particularly good corners. I am happy to report that it is more comfortable and less noisy than she had expected.

[Franzino]

Sporky said:

My best beloved had her first ride in the A110 yesterday, and declared it to be "fine" (which is high praise for a car). She did go "Wheeeee!" on two particularly good corners. I am happy to report that it is more comfortable and less noisy than she had expected.

Same thing happened when we went on a Alpine test drive on street & track in 2018 which ended in an order with 2019 delivery.

[biggles330d]

Meonstoke said:

Gregg86 said:

Hi all, long term lurker here and aspiring A110 owner! Just test driven a Pure and now looking to bite the bullet (the wife is inside!).

I have a preference for the Pure seats, however once specked up I could spent a little bit more for a Legende GT the dealer could arrange...

Do people think the LGT, as a limited edition, is worth the extra?

Hi Gregg,

I take delivery of a LGT in a few weeks time. It was my intention to join this discussion group today as - based on the numerous A110 forums I've reviewed - this one appears to be one of the few where you can find useful information and insights, and without the trolling you often find on other forums which discuss the A110. So, my compliments to everyone!

Before I raise my own queries which I have for A110 owners, let me give my 2 cents worth on the LGT....

When I fist saw the LGT last March when it was first promoted, the Mercure Silver colour with the gold tints just blew me away! Of all the colours available it shows off the lines and curves of the A110 like no other - in my eyes at least. I also liked the cognac coloured seats - for me it combines nicely with the silver door caps together with the black leather - and just lifts the interior to look a wee bit classier whilst still sporting.

Yes, the LGT is a bit pricey when compared to other model versions however it is virtually "complete" with only a few options left over to tick e.g. the heated seats, Focal upgrade, telemetrics, and the cabin storage pack. I ticked them all except for the storage. Not particularly useful and blocks access to the back of the seats where you can place some items.

The way I saw the price is it is virtually the same cost for a fully spec'd Legende + Atelier colour - IF you chose the Mercure Silver which will not be available on other future models. In that respect, a LGT in the standard Abyss blue or black colour alternatives might be considered less special? I should think that a Silver LGT would hold its value slightly better than a similarly spec'd Legende with a standard colour option.

Regarding the Legende seats, they are also comfortable and easier to live with if there is more than one driver. Plus, I like heated seats for those cold days... I intend to use the car for weekend blasts and for vacation road trips as a GT. This was my intent for the classic cars I had - BUT the reality was somewhat different. I love old cars (for their style and emotional appeal) but too many issues, breakdowns, etc led to a gradual reluctance to use them for long driving trips. Hence - enter the A110 with it's retro style, hand-made, and with modern under-pinning's... almost a restomod if you think about it!

Hope this helps with your thought-process.

M.

Welcome to the forum! Indeed it appears to be the friendliest and most helpful I've found so far and instrumental in helping me to the point of order, so eagerly looking forward to delivery later in the year.
The LGT does look very elegant with the subtle gold wheels setting it off, along with the tan interior that I think is great. Much as I'd have loved an LGT, it was a stretch too far for me so I went down the 'bespoke pure' route in Abyss blue and a handful of options.
The LGT is an interesting proposition as it appears to really play on the 'mini GT' character and capability of the car without changing any of the fundamentals of engine/transmission/suspension/space etc - something I hope it really lives up to in real life as that is a large part of my intended use of my Pure that should be equally as capable.

I guess I'm thinking of the comparable differences you might find in an M-spec or SE spec BMW or similar Audi/Mercedes sport v lux spec's where I'd imagine the different wheel and suspension set ups between models make a huge difference to the characteristics of the driving experience of what is essentially the same basic vehicle.

[Wiseguy2012]

Martyn P said:

Wiseguy2012 said:

Cleaning the car ready for a little drive tomorrow and I have the cracked screen issue.

Hmmm, just polishing my car this morning and I noticed exactly the same thing - seems to be in the identical place.
I thought this problem had been sorted out by Alpine but obviously not.
I assume it is not a major issue that requires repair immediately?

Sucks that it’s happening so regular. Dropped mine off at Winchester last week for that and my other very minor rattle issues.
Was covered under warranty and not questioned, they had a screen in stock too which was great.

I pick it up next week sometime

[craigjm]

What’s causing the screen cracking?

[bcr5784]

Wiseguy2012 said:

Sucks that it’s happening so regular. Dropped mine off at Winchester last week for that and my other very minor rattle issues.
Was covered under warranty and not questioned, they had a screen in stock too which was great.

I pick it up next week sometime

Slightly worrying for those who have PEs an haven't had the issue. Hoping the normal windscreen insurance will cover it, if the worst happens when we are out of warranty...

[bcr5784]

craigjm said:

What’s causing the screen cracking?

It's very thin, there have been some question of the windscreen surround metal having some imperfections causing local stress points. Problem said to be solved by a different toughening process now being used for the windscreen.

[footsoldier]

So new cars don’t have the issue, and replacement windscreens don’t crack again?

[Martyn P]

footsoldier said:

So new cars don’t have the issue, and replacement windscreens don’t crack again?

My car is new only 700 miles. Apparently replacement glass won’t crack. Seems Alpine are using old glass at the factory!

[Venisonpie]

Martyn P said:

My car is new only 700 miles. Apparently replacement glass won’t crack. Seems Alpine are using old glass at the factory!

Was yours a factory order or a showroom car? I wonder if some showroom cars that may have been hanging around for a bit had a previous batch of screens?

[Meonstoke]

Hi,

As mentioned a few replies back, I have joined this discussion group to learn from experienced A110 owners. I take delivery of my silver LGT in a few weeks. I have a ton of queries, and of course I am scrolling through previous topics and discussions to minimize raising anything too repetitive.

The first topic I'd to raise is connected to one of my first decisions which is to PPF or not to PPF? Yes, this old chestnut has been raised multiple times - but I'd like to raise it from a different angle or at least from one that I've not yet seen widely discussed.

I don't doubt that high-end PPF such as XPEL Ultimate film looks great on the A110 when it's first applied and that it will indeed help prevent many light stone chips from occurring on the front of the car or on the sills. I also know the skill of the detailer is a crucial factor- which makes perfect sense.

My interest is receiving insights from A110 owners who have applied high quality PPF on their cars 2-3 years ago; and to understand what they now think about PPF after these 2+ years... e.g. Has it met their expectations? And what would they do differently now (if anything) given the benefit of 2+ years experience of PPF? And, for PPF to remain hydrated enough (and therefore to remain effective) does ceramic coating need to be applied or not?

Is there anyone on the A110 discussion thread who can give their personal experiences and thoughts to my questions above please?

Thanks.

M.

[Mannginger]

Meonstoke said:

Hi,

As mentioned a few replies back, I have joined this discussion group to learn from experienced A110 owners. I take delivery of my silver LGT in a few weeks. I have a ton of queries, and of course I am scrolling through previous topics and discussions to minimize raising anything too repetitive.

The first topic I'd to raise is connected to one of my first decisions which is to PPF or not to PPF? Yes, this old chestnut has been raised multiple times - but I'd like to raise it from a different angle or at least from one that I've not yet seen widely discussed.

I don't doubt that high-end PPF such as XPEL Ultimate film looks great on the A110 when it's first applied and that it will indeed help prevent many light stone chips from occurring on the front of the car or on the sills. I also know the skill of the detailer is a crucial factor- which makes perfect sense.

My interest is receiving insights from A110 owners who have applied high quality PPF on their cars 2-3 years ago; and to understand what they now think about PPF after these 2+ years... e.g. Has it met their expectations? And what would they do differently now (if anything) given the benefit of 2+ years experience of PPF? And, for PPF to remain hydrated enough (and therefore to remain effective) does ceramic coating need to be applied or not?

Is there anyone on the A110 discussion thread who can give their personal experiences and thoughts to my questions above please?

Thanks.

M.

I have nothing to add of value but also very interested in this for my pending GT and also whether spray is holding up "better" than film if anyone has experience of both?

[domrusty]

I have no direct experience to offer but have a good friend who is obsessive about his cars and used to do professional detailing.

His advice was that for the price of PPF you can just get the paintwork reconditioned every few years. Ceramic coating will make it easier to wash regularly and will provide some chemical protection to the paint surface, but you’ll still get stone chips.

I’m going to get my car detailed and ceramic coated soon (car arrived at Christmas) but not bothering with PPF.

Appreciate that this is just third hand opinion, so feel free to ignore!!

[Fudgie01]

Would you believe it... read this thread updates before leaving work tonight and thought touch wood I’ve been luck with my screen! Went outside and thought I’ll give it a check and there staring back at me in the bottom NS corner of the windscreen is a stone impact mark & crack. Wasn’t there last weekend when I washed her

[s111dpc]

domrusty said:

I have no direct experience to offer but have a good friend who is obsessive about his cars and used to do professional detailing.

His advice was that for the price of PPF you can just get the paintwork reconditioned every few years. Ceramic coating will make it easier to wash regularly and will provide some chemical protection to the paint surface, but you’ll still get stone chips.

I’m going to get my car detailed and ceramic coated soon (car arrived at Christmas) but not bothering with PPF.

Appreciate that this is just third hand opinion, so feel free to ignore!!

I’m of a similar view to the above. I had my car ceramic coated soon after I got it a year ago. Since then it’s picked up 2 or 3 stone chips which I’m happy to touch up for now. If things look bad in a couple of years then I’ll get the front resprayed.

[Miserablegit]

My car is on about 21,000 miles
I had it Xpel filmed - bonnet, bumper, wings, rear bumper with the rest ceramic coated

The film has definitely been of use as there are about 3 marks on the bonnet film from large impacts that do not look to have broken the paint. I think they can get the marks out with hot air
I’m less convinced by the ceramic coating -
The car really gleamed when I collected it but it took them about 5 days to wash, paint correct, apply film and ceramics when it was first done.

I haven’t found the opportunity to drive for an hour to drop the car off again and get a taxi back to allow them to do a maintenance session on it.

The film isn’t invisible- it doesn’t cover the entire panel and so the edges are visible - it hasn’t yellowed however.

[springfan62]

My Xpel ppf is 2 and 1/2 years old 4000 miles and no sign of discolouration or peeling.

I also can see small marks in the ppf where there has been impact, I imagine these would have been chips without the ppf.
I understand you can fix these with hot water I am just not brave enough to try it.

The area where there is most impact is the rear part of the cills.

My car is a forever car so the cost was worth it but if you are only going to keep the car a few years I wouldn't bother.

[bcr5784]

springfan62 said:

The area where there is most impact is the rear part of the cills.

My car is a forever car so the cost was worth it but if you are only going to keep the car a few years I wouldn't bother.

Speaking as someone who hasn't PPFd - the paintwork at the front is pretty much unmarked in 2 1/2 years and 11000 miles. Perhaps I have been lucky - a pretty big stone hit the screen and needed a repair. Had it hit the bonnet I can't believe it wouldn't have caused damage. My previous Cayman had much more damage in a similar mileage. I wonder if it's colour sensitive. Mine is Alpine Blue.