How Impractical is an A110 Really?

[Rob_RCF]

Hi, I'm quite new here after recently discovering these cars, having a lot of test drives, and eventually ordering a GT. I currently drive a Lexus RCF.

Once I get the A110 GT it will be my only car, at least for a while, and I guess I just want some reassurances that it's not completely impractical. Has anyone done a weekly shop in one for instance? How did that go? What about a weekend away with a partner? Any good options for holding a cup?

[johnnyreggae]

Rob_RCF said:

What about a weekend away with a partner?

Read the long luggage thread: loads of folk go away for two or three weeks a deux - basically four bags

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

This should also answer the shop query (depending on how much you buy and whether some of it can get a little warm if you choose to shop hours away from home !)

Also ground clearance is surprisingly good so dirt tracks and/or speed bumps are not an issue

Edited by johnnyreggae on Wednesday 7th June 09:40

[bcr5784]

It really isn't that impractical. Re weekly shop - you can get three middling size shopping bags in the rear boot (but don't go far with perishables - the boot gets very warm on a run). The front boot is equally spacious, but shallow, so you'll need something to stop stuff running around - boxes of some sort.

More problematic is internal storage since they changed to carpet so it's no longer trivially easy to put cargo nets here and there I believe the storage boxes available from Alpine can be made to stick in place - but I'd check.

Weekends (or weeks) away are no problem if you have the right luggage - the main issue is to get something that uses the front boot effectively. There are Alpine carry on flight bags and lots of other options which work well - there are threads on here about options.

Cupholders are now an issue - the previous (useless) cupholder at least would accommodate a dual cupholder from eBay. I haven't seen as good off-the-shelf mod for the current one - perhaps owners of the current cars can advise.

[Rob_RCF]

johnnyreggae said:

Read the long luggage thread: loads of folk go away for two or three weeks a deux - basically four bags

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

This should also answer the shop query (depending on how much you buy and whether some of it can get a little warm if you choose to shop hours away from home !)

Also ground clearance is surprisingly good so dirt tracks and/or speed bumps are not an issue

Edited by johnnyreggae on Wednesday 7th June 09:40

Thanks, that thread is a treasure trove of information. I will have to see how well our current backpacks fit and then decide if it's worth getting new ones.

For shopping it looks like a combination of the rear boot, front boot and passenger footwell might be the way to go depending on the size of the shop and whether stuff is refrigerated/frozen, tall or oddly shaped etc.

Cupholder looks like the main problem although I wouldn't be using it too often I sometimes want to pick up a mcdonalds coffee etc and don't want to be stuck with nowhere to put it down if I'm alone in the car. I can think of one or two ways to secure it maybe, but all quite sketchy compared to a dedicated cup holder.

[Woody.GT]

Just got mine as a daily driver, does the school run with school bags, teenager and medium size dog! Passenger footwell is a good size.
Takes speed bumps with ease. I'm still getting used to the lack of vision behind and to side but that will ease.

[chuck_ster]

Use mine daily and for weeks away with my wife. As long as you don't need 8 pairs of shoes between you for a week away (to go with all the different fancy outfits) then it works really well
Most irritating thing is driving solo and accessing the frunk in a RHD Alpine...the bonnet release is in the passenger footwell. But that's a small price to pay for such an excellent car

[essexstu]

Did a trip to Germany last year for a long weekend and found it to be very practical lol

[xondat]

Don't forget you can use the passenger compartment too!

It really isn't an impractical car, unless you regularly need for fit huge items in...

2 cabin suitcases in the front, and 2 big squishy bags in the rear. Surprising amount of room behind the seats.

[Debbiesd]

Def not impractical at all,just pack creatively ,two boots (yep one gets a little warm) and loads of room behind seats, my (large) flat coat retriever is a very regular passenger,( def gets a few stares)
I also actually love the fact the frunk release is on the left hand side, I run a Porsche specialist and it reminds me of old 911’s , which were in exactly the same place .

[Pete182cup]

I use my S everyday for a 25 mile commute, go shopping, everything really!

It swallows a decent amount with both boots and the passenger seat if required!

[biggles330d]

As others have said, pack thoughtfully and it's not that impractical. You'll struggle with a 4 pack of 2l bottles of water and similar bulky hard items in the weekly shop without putting them in the passenger footwell, but squishy bags in the back and fitted luggage in the front is your friend. Room behind the seats is great for stuffing things in. 3 weeks in France last summer with two of us an no real problem other than the amount of champagne we could bring back.

Day to day, unless you routinely carry a lot of stuff with you for work beyond a laptop and bag of whatever, I can't see why you'd have any problem. Speed bumps are no issue, width is fine, it's not a golf when it comes to visibility for parking but you soon get used to it and rear parking sensors / camera are available. Probably easier than some vast SUV I'd imagine.

[RikkertBiemans]

By all the praise lets please also mention that you cant fit beverage crates in the Alpine. This is the only point that sometimes bothers me. Especially since the cayman could easily fit a crate in the frunk.

[s111dpc]

Totally practical - we’ve had a couple of one week trips complete with our black Lab, you just need to pack carefully

[7en]

Haha where does the dog go? Behind the seat?

[Whaleblue]

Who’s the peanut fiend?? Surely not the Lab?

[leef44]

Whaleblue said:

Who’s the peanut fiend?? Surely not the Lab?

Presumably dog food not peanuts.

[Rob_RCF]

Thanks everyone for the replies. So it's fine, you just have to pack reasonably intelligently and "make use of all the space" a bit more than you would have to in most cars.

[s111dpc]

Ha ha, not peanuts but dog food portioned out for each day.

Our Lab loves to curl up in the passenger footwell with his head of the wife’s lap - probably not RSPCA approved but he loves it

[leef44]

s111dpc said:

Ha ha, not peanuts but dog food portioned out for each day.

Our Lab loves to curl up in the passenger footwell with his head of the wife’s lap - probably not RSPCA approved but he loves it

That's probably safer than harness on the seat (in a car with back seats) or the boot

[Murphys]

There was a lovely couple we met back in early May who had travelled from Doncaster (I think) down to Warwickshie with a dog in footwell also equiped with camping chairs and a pic-nic !