Alpine A110 owners
Discussion
"Note! This thread was created before a sub-forum for Alpine related discussions existed. Now that there a specific sub-forum for Alpine related discussions it is advisable NOT to post any messages on this very long thread. Instead it is recommended to use other relevant existing threads to ask questions/comment/find information.
Here are some existing threads which might be useful in many cases:
The A110 Photo thread (for showing off your cars)
New A110 Owners (could also be used to address potential new owners)
Fuel Pumps fails in current production (fuel pump issues, queries, updates)
The A110 Wheels thread (inc alternatives)
Suspension Upgrade Options
All Things Tuning Upgrade
Using the A110 Tips and Tricks
Interior Storage & Luggage Solutions
Atelier Colours
A110R Radical
Seats - oh Gawd (queries on seat heights, types, pros, con's)
All Things Infotainment
Alpine App Help (queries on the app)
Alpine Centre Servicing Costs (also info on specialists)
The A110 road trip topic
A110 winter storage – tips?
My original post -
Test drove an A110 Pure yesterday and have to say was very impressed having owned 2 Elise’s and an Exige in the past.
Am thinking of ordering a Pure but wondered what existing owners think of the model and any ‘must have’ extras?
TIA
Here are some existing threads which might be useful in many cases:
The A110 Photo thread (for showing off your cars)
New A110 Owners (could also be used to address potential new owners)
Fuel Pumps fails in current production (fuel pump issues, queries, updates)
The A110 Wheels thread (inc alternatives)
Suspension Upgrade Options
All Things Tuning Upgrade
Using the A110 Tips and Tricks
Interior Storage & Luggage Solutions
Atelier Colours
A110R Radical
Seats - oh Gawd (queries on seat heights, types, pros, con's)
All Things Infotainment
Alpine App Help (queries on the app)
Alpine Centre Servicing Costs (also info on specialists)
The A110 road trip topic
A110 winter storage – tips?
My original post -
Test drove an A110 Pure yesterday and have to say was very impressed having owned 2 Elise’s and an Exige in the past.
Am thinking of ordering a Pure but wondered what existing owners think of the model and any ‘must have’ extras?
TIA
Edited by s111dpc on Monday 15th January 21:19
Edited by s111dpc on Monday 15th January 21:20
I took a big chunk of the options list, but in terms of must have? I find the reversing camera useful as I live in France where car parks, and parking spaces, can be a bit cramped. (To be fair, the letterbox view through the rear window isn't as bad as I expected). If you listen to music in the car, you might want upgraded audio. I have the standard audio and sound quality is not great. I have 18 inch wheels due to cosmetics, but I'd probably stick with 17's if I ordered again, as I suspect a bit more sidewall would absorb potholes better. You also want upgraded carpets (assuming these are still an option rather than standard), but don't bother with the boot carpets as the boot is already lined.
Incidentally, 8 months in, I still love the car. Point to point in real world motoring, it is extremely quick. I am still astonished at how quick the overtaking is, which has a lot to do with the semi-auto box (though I agree with those who yearn the loss of a manual).
Incidentally, 8 months in, I still love the car. Point to point in real world motoring, it is extremely quick. I am still astonished at how quick the overtaking is, which has a lot to do with the semi-auto box (though I agree with those who yearn the loss of a manual).
Edited by rick.e on Tuesday 3rd December 10:26
Edited by rick.e on Tuesday 3rd December 10:28
.....its also worth reading the Alpine Owners Club site here:
https://www.renaultalpine.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=2&...
https://www.renaultalpine.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=2&...
I have a PE which has most of the options. I've also driven the Legende with the reversing camera which I would recommend. I'd regard rear parking sensors as highly desirable as a minimum.
Not driven one on 17" wheels, but I'd personally think they are a good idea from what others and Alpine have said. However if you are going to track the car you probably will want to specify the bigger brakes, which will mean you need to specify 18" wheels.
I'd strongly recommend the Focal Audio - it sounds very good. But I wouldn't add the sub-woofer - it's rather woolly and spoils the sound to my ears. The standard Focal speakers produce surprisingly good solid clean bass.
I think the bucket seats of the Pure are superb. However if you are broad in the beam or your OH is very different in size you might consider starting with a Legende. I find the so-called "comfort" seats less comfortable - but if you need them you will need to start with the Legende.
Telemetrics are good value - and the only way you will get an oil temperature gauge.
The storage pack is a rip-off so I'd avoid it. However if you have the bucket seats there are some storage boxes that fit between the seat and the door. They are both much cheaper and more convenient than the storage pack. There are plenty of storage nets on ebay which will supplement the standard (abysmal) internal storage. The net in the rear boot is useful - though you can get one on ebay which is much cheaper.
The passenger footrest is useful but robs a little legroom - only a problem for the very tall.
The sports exhaust is a matter of taste. Not really my cup of tea, but it divides opinion so you should try it yourself.
I like the folding mirrors, if only because it means it's obvious whether you have locked the car - but hardly essential.
Other things are just cosmetic and very much a matter of taste. Personally I can't see myself paying for the carbon roof, carbon backed seats or the extra faux suede headlining.
Hope that helps
Not driven one on 17" wheels, but I'd personally think they are a good idea from what others and Alpine have said. However if you are going to track the car you probably will want to specify the bigger brakes, which will mean you need to specify 18" wheels.
I'd strongly recommend the Focal Audio - it sounds very good. But I wouldn't add the sub-woofer - it's rather woolly and spoils the sound to my ears. The standard Focal speakers produce surprisingly good solid clean bass.
I think the bucket seats of the Pure are superb. However if you are broad in the beam or your OH is very different in size you might consider starting with a Legende. I find the so-called "comfort" seats less comfortable - but if you need them you will need to start with the Legende.
Telemetrics are good value - and the only way you will get an oil temperature gauge.
The storage pack is a rip-off so I'd avoid it. However if you have the bucket seats there are some storage boxes that fit between the seat and the door. They are both much cheaper and more convenient than the storage pack. There are plenty of storage nets on ebay which will supplement the standard (abysmal) internal storage. The net in the rear boot is useful - though you can get one on ebay which is much cheaper.
The passenger footrest is useful but robs a little legroom - only a problem for the very tall.
The sports exhaust is a matter of taste. Not really my cup of tea, but it divides opinion so you should try it yourself.
I like the folding mirrors, if only because it means it's obvious whether you have locked the car - but hardly essential.
Other things are just cosmetic and very much a matter of taste. Personally I can't see myself paying for the carbon roof, carbon backed seats or the extra faux suede headlining.
Hope that helps
Edited by bcr5784 on Wednesday 4th December 15:51
Edited by bcr5784 on Wednesday 4th December 17:46
I bought a fully loaded Legende, It was the demonstrator at the Welwyn dealership so I got it after 6 weeks rather than 6 months.
It has pretty much all of the options, exhaust, brakes, serac wheels, telemetrics etc.
I agree that the storage nets are complete waste of time.
if you are interested in a specific option, let me know.
It has pretty much all of the options, exhaust, brakes, serac wheels, telemetrics etc.
I agree that the storage nets are complete waste of time.
if you are interested in a specific option, let me know.
s111dpc said:
Thanks Glen, main thing I’m struggling with is whether it’s worth going with the 18” wheels and updated brakes. Car would only be used on the road and not tracked so thinking probably not at this stage but welcome others thoughts.
Cars with 17" wheels are very thin on the ground. It may be worth asking the question on the French FAR website. https://forum.alpinerenault.com/viewforum.php?f=80 You'll need to subscribe and post in French - but Google translate works reasonably well - using Chrome as your browser on that site will make the translation process much simpler.spinone said:
I don't think you need the uprated brakes for normal road use, I did spec up a car with the dealer and he agreed that they werent needed as standard brakes are fine.
I'm very much inclined to agree. The upgraded brakes are the same size as those on a 981S Porsche - which has similar performance - but is 300kg heavier. They are fine on the Porsche on the road, so probably overkill for the the Alpine on the road. That said the upgraded Alpine brakes are really nice in terms of feel and progression - whether on road or track,,,,,, Not sure if this is too late — I hope not!
I took delivery of my A110 Légende in late November 2019 here in Sweden, and pretty much maxed-out the options list as it stood when I ordered it back in May 2019 (so no carbon roof etc). I took every factory-fit thing that was available apart from heated seats and the passenger footrest, and no additional carpets/nets/etc. I do have the "Storage Pack", though.
My main use for the A110 will be roadtrips across Europe and track days 2-3 times per year.
My thoughts on the options, apart from the visual ones (since that's all subjective anyway):
- Alpine Telemetrics: Absolute must-have, IMO. There's some neat little features in there, and there's instances where being sure the car is within the correct temperature range is important. Particularly during breaking in you want to be sure the car is up-to-temperature before really booting it, and on track you want to keep an eye on things to make sure it's not overheating. Apparently the DCT is prone to overheat during extended, constant track use, so being able to keep an eye on that is good. On a personal note, since this is my first DCT, being able to see how the temperature of the clutch behaves is proving very useful to learn how to be mechanically sympathetic to the car — rowing down the gearbox and then accelerating is fine, but doing the same with your foot down causes the clutch temperature to absolutely skyrocket, for instance. I'm also a data geek, so having the ability to record GPS and other data to a USB stick sounds great, even though I haven't used it yet.
- Sport Exhaust: I love how it sounds, but I'd like to be able to decouple the extra noise from sport mode. I much prefer the sport mode dashboard screen, but trundling down the hill into the village I live in at night in sport mode I think is a little too obnoxious with the engineered-in extra pops and bangs.
- Big Brakes: Since I go on the track often enough, I opted for the big brakes. The others on this thread are probably right that the regular ones are fine, but I repeatedly had trouble with overheating brakes on my MX-5 when I went on trackdays, so I wanted to be sure I didn't have that problem again. A nice little tidbit I found is that there's a bolt in the front wheelarch that you can undo to remove the black inserts in the brake cooling ducts. This gives more brake cooling at the expense of worse fuel economy due to increased drag.
- Premium Sound: On the Légende, the only difference between this and the regular sound system is the sub. To be honest, I would have been just as happy with the car without it, but in my defence I was coming from an MX-5 where you could barely hear anything from the sound system above 60mph or so, so I wanted the best I could get.
- Comfort Seats: Not an option for me in the Légende, but I would have gotten them anyway since I'm 6'1" and my wife is 4'10" — having to get the spanners out when swapping drivers is a no-go on the practicality front for me. Thankfully, I like them a lot!
- Folding Mirrors: I'm a sucker for folding mirrors, but they hardly stick out at all when unfolded anyway.
- Storage Package (aka the triangular box between the seats): This is the most expensive box I've ever bought, and I haven't used it yet. However, on a long trip it'll be great for storing bottles of drink etc. Do note that the interior lining of the box doesn't come out, so try not to get crumbs/sticky things in there!
A note on storage: The storage tray under the centre console is great, but the sides aren't very high — if you put your phone and wallet in there and one is on top of the other, well, the thing on top won't stay put for long. It's also a bit tricky to fish things out. I'm considering making a removable tray that goes in there with some dividers - you'd just pull the whole thing out and access things that way.
A note on phone connectivity: On the iPhone, at least, the mySpin connectivity thing is awful. It barely works, and disconnects when you turn off the phone's screen. Uninstalling the mySpin app and using Music through the iPod mode (or Bluetooth) works much better.
On the whole, I absolutely adore this car. I took delivery of it on winter tyres, and I can't wait until spring comes around and I can get proper tyres on it. If I were to order the car again under a little more of a budget, I would skip on the premium sound, folding mirrors, and maybe the storage box.
It's nice to meet some other A110 owners, and I hope you order yours soon, OP — you'll love it!
The A110 is very rare in Sweden — I'm car #21 in the country, and apparently the only one that took winter tyres. Cowards!
I took delivery of my A110 Légende in late November 2019 here in Sweden, and pretty much maxed-out the options list as it stood when I ordered it back in May 2019 (so no carbon roof etc). I took every factory-fit thing that was available apart from heated seats and the passenger footrest, and no additional carpets/nets/etc. I do have the "Storage Pack", though.
My main use for the A110 will be roadtrips across Europe and track days 2-3 times per year.
My thoughts on the options, apart from the visual ones (since that's all subjective anyway):
- Alpine Telemetrics: Absolute must-have, IMO. There's some neat little features in there, and there's instances where being sure the car is within the correct temperature range is important. Particularly during breaking in you want to be sure the car is up-to-temperature before really booting it, and on track you want to keep an eye on things to make sure it's not overheating. Apparently the DCT is prone to overheat during extended, constant track use, so being able to keep an eye on that is good. On a personal note, since this is my first DCT, being able to see how the temperature of the clutch behaves is proving very useful to learn how to be mechanically sympathetic to the car — rowing down the gearbox and then accelerating is fine, but doing the same with your foot down causes the clutch temperature to absolutely skyrocket, for instance. I'm also a data geek, so having the ability to record GPS and other data to a USB stick sounds great, even though I haven't used it yet.
- Sport Exhaust: I love how it sounds, but I'd like to be able to decouple the extra noise from sport mode. I much prefer the sport mode dashboard screen, but trundling down the hill into the village I live in at night in sport mode I think is a little too obnoxious with the engineered-in extra pops and bangs.
- Big Brakes: Since I go on the track often enough, I opted for the big brakes. The others on this thread are probably right that the regular ones are fine, but I repeatedly had trouble with overheating brakes on my MX-5 when I went on trackdays, so I wanted to be sure I didn't have that problem again. A nice little tidbit I found is that there's a bolt in the front wheelarch that you can undo to remove the black inserts in the brake cooling ducts. This gives more brake cooling at the expense of worse fuel economy due to increased drag.
- Premium Sound: On the Légende, the only difference between this and the regular sound system is the sub. To be honest, I would have been just as happy with the car without it, but in my defence I was coming from an MX-5 where you could barely hear anything from the sound system above 60mph or so, so I wanted the best I could get.
- Comfort Seats: Not an option for me in the Légende, but I would have gotten them anyway since I'm 6'1" and my wife is 4'10" — having to get the spanners out when swapping drivers is a no-go on the practicality front for me. Thankfully, I like them a lot!
- Folding Mirrors: I'm a sucker for folding mirrors, but they hardly stick out at all when unfolded anyway.
- Storage Package (aka the triangular box between the seats): This is the most expensive box I've ever bought, and I haven't used it yet. However, on a long trip it'll be great for storing bottles of drink etc. Do note that the interior lining of the box doesn't come out, so try not to get crumbs/sticky things in there!
A note on storage: The storage tray under the centre console is great, but the sides aren't very high — if you put your phone and wallet in there and one is on top of the other, well, the thing on top won't stay put for long. It's also a bit tricky to fish things out. I'm considering making a removable tray that goes in there with some dividers - you'd just pull the whole thing out and access things that way.
A note on phone connectivity: On the iPhone, at least, the mySpin connectivity thing is awful. It barely works, and disconnects when you turn off the phone's screen. Uninstalling the mySpin app and using Music through the iPod mode (or Bluetooth) works much better.
On the whole, I absolutely adore this car. I took delivery of it on winter tyres, and I can't wait until spring comes around and I can get proper tyres on it. If I were to order the car again under a little more of a budget, I would skip on the premium sound, folding mirrors, and maybe the storage box.
It's nice to meet some other A110 owners, and I hope you order yours soon, OP — you'll love it!
The A110 is very rare in Sweden — I'm car #21 in the country, and apparently the only one that took winter tyres. Cowards!
Especially relevant as despite previously owning 2 x Elise and an Exige my current ‘fun’ car is an MX5 
Looks like a recipe for a great B-road fun car, I must have a test drive to see if it should be added to our little collection! Especially after the transformed build quality and performance the Alpine factory brought to humble Renaults - I've never been able to part with my Alpine-built Clio 200 Cup.
Val Thorens ice driving school now have one if anyone’s heading that way. Unfortunately we were just there for the ice karts - which were great fun.
http://www.icedrivingvalthorens.com/Le-circuit?lg=...
Edited by tail slide on Friday 17th January 11:14
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