Alpine Part Supply
Discussion
well my car has now been at the (Alpine Approved) body shop for a month, no clue as too when the required parts will be available (front bumper \ wing and intercooler frame). This has made my decision about keeping the car at the end of the 2yr PCP (that will be a no from me, assuming it will be fixed by then!). Great cars but badly let down by a s
te company.
I've notified the finance company that THIER car is now off the road, what are they going to do about it.
te company. I've notified the finance company that THIER car is now off the road, what are they going to do about it.
It's maddening isn't it. The car has been in production at least 7 years and they haven't really changed it at all, so why are parts in short supply.
I hear similar stories about my current car, a MX5 ND4, and they've been knocking those out for 11 years or so.
Are the manufacturers making savings by building cars but not making sure that there are parts available for failures, accidents etc?
After the Alpine and before the Mazda, I had a Bigster and the forums were full of people who's new cars had spent more time in the service centres than on their drives.
OK, it's a brand new vehicle, only been around a year, but still......
I hear similar stories about my current car, a MX5 ND4, and they've been knocking those out for 11 years or so.
Are the manufacturers making savings by building cars but not making sure that there are parts available for failures, accidents etc?
After the Alpine and before the Mazda, I had a Bigster and the forums were full of people who's new cars had spent more time in the service centres than on their drives.
OK, it's a brand new vehicle, only been around a year, but still......
Sign of the times these days, especially for lower volume manufacturers. I own a Giulia QV too and part lead times for Alfa are terrible. Alpine specific parts will be longer lead times too, but at least there are shared Renault/Nissan parts.
Unless you own a BMW etc who hold a lot of stock in country due to their high sales volumes, delays are unfortunately to be expected. Add in supply chain challenges combined with cost pressures, it’s not a surprise.
Unless you own a BMW etc who hold a lot of stock in country due to their high sales volumes, delays are unfortunately to be expected. Add in supply chain challenges combined with cost pressures, it’s not a surprise.
Naturally_aspirated said:
Sign of the times these days, especially for lower volume manufacturers. I own a Giulia QV too and part lead times for Alfa are terrible. Alpine specific parts will be longer lead times too, but at least there are shared Renault/Nissan parts.
Unless you own a BMW etc who hold a lot of stock in country due to their high sales volumes, delays are unfortunately to be expected. Add in supply chain challenges combined with cost pressures, it s not a surprise.
A few years ago the aluminium plate under the oil sump off my Z4 3.0si needed replacing. It took months to get a replacement. I was told there weren’t any in the UK or Europe. Unless you own a BMW etc who hold a lot of stock in country due to their high sales volumes, delays are unfortunately to be expected. Add in supply chain challenges combined with cost pressures, it s not a surprise.
This was a few years after the model has gone out of production.
10 years from now I dread to think what it will be like finding A110 specific parts.
SpudLink said:
Naturally_aspirated said:
Sign of the times these days, especially for lower volume manufacturers. I own a Giulia QV too and part lead times for Alfa are terrible. Alpine specific parts will be longer lead times too, but at least there are shared Renault/Nissan parts.
Unless you own a BMW etc who hold a lot of stock in country due to their high sales volumes, delays are unfortunately to be expected. Add in supply chain challenges combined with cost pressures, it s not a surprise.
A few years ago the aluminium plate under the oil sump off my Z4 3.0si needed replacing. It took months to get a replacement. I was told there weren t any in the UK or Europe. Unless you own a BMW etc who hold a lot of stock in country due to their high sales volumes, delays are unfortunately to be expected. Add in supply chain challenges combined with cost pressures, it s not a surprise.
This was a few years after the model has gone out of production.
10 years from now I dread to think what it will be like finding A110 specific parts.
Safak said:
L1OFF said:
I think 10yrs is optimistic, more like 5 if were lucky.
I know it s not easy, but maybe a French entrepreneur will eventually start producing aftermarket Alpine specific parts. I hope we'll not end up seeing discussions about donor cars to source parts.
Although I don't think the insurance company would wear that.Im not one for moaning but the Alpine is the newest car I've owned & never had a problem with parts supply before. Currently 2 months into a (infinite?) Wait for a suspension arm. MOT has expired so I cant even use it.
What ive ended up with is a very expensive cobweb gathering ornament.
What ive ended up with is a very expensive cobweb gathering ornament.
LarJammer said:
Im not one for moaning but the Alpine is the newest car I've owned & never had a problem with parts supply before. Currently 2 months into a (infinite?) Wait for a suspension arm. MOT has expired so I cant even use it.
What ive ended up with is a very expensive cobweb gathering ornament.
This kind of issue for a car that is relatively new must be worrying for current A110 owners? I was considering buying one but this plus all the various build quality and reliability issues has completely put me off. What ive ended up with is a very expensive cobweb gathering ornament.
wax lyrical said:
This kind of issue for a car that is relatively new must be worrying for current A110 owners? I was considering buying one but this plus all the various build quality and reliability issues has completely put me off.
You can find threads like this on all car forums. They’re brilliant, don’t let a few posts about issues put you off as it doesn’t necessarily represent the experience of all owners.Naturally_aspirated said:
wax lyrical said:
This kind of issue for a car that is relatively new must be worrying for current A110 owners? I was considering buying one but this plus all the various build quality and reliability issues has completely put me off.
You can find threads like this on all car forums. They re brilliant, don t let a few posts about issues put you off as it doesn t necessarily represent the experience of all owners.I'm 2 years and 4 months into Alpine ownership and stories like this do worry me, as do other stories about poor support from dealers and failures to honour what seem to be reasonable warranty claims.
My plan is for long-term Alpine ownership, I've bought an extended warranty, had PPF applied and paid for a service plan.
I do occasionally get tempted by the extra drama (particularly the noise) of a 911 or AM Vantage but would these marques be any better?
I know of one owner of a recent 911 with a turbo fault who has already waited several months for Porsche to supply a replacement turbo and another who bought a nearly new Boxster which developed a fault with the folding roof, the dealer would fix it under warranty but were so busy they couldn't book it in for 2 months. And that's Porsche who we would assume have the sales volumes and financial strength to do after-sales properly!
There are already good independents servicing and maintaining Alpines, hopefully in time the after-market will start to supply good quality pattern parts where Alpine can't be bothered to keep stock.
My plan is for long-term Alpine ownership, I've bought an extended warranty, had PPF applied and paid for a service plan.
I do occasionally get tempted by the extra drama (particularly the noise) of a 911 or AM Vantage but would these marques be any better?
I know of one owner of a recent 911 with a turbo fault who has already waited several months for Porsche to supply a replacement turbo and another who bought a nearly new Boxster which developed a fault with the folding roof, the dealer would fix it under warranty but were so busy they couldn't book it in for 2 months. And that's Porsche who we would assume have the sales volumes and financial strength to do after-sales properly!
There are already good independents servicing and maintaining Alpines, hopefully in time the after-market will start to supply good quality pattern parts where Alpine can't be bothered to keep stock.
5 years in - no parts supply issues, no warranty arguments, no breakdowns, fine dealer service, corrosion dealt with without argument and its never been to the garage outside the service window. Great little car - French not German with all that that means. Paid £50K - worth £28 nearly 5 years later with 40K miles on it. Whats not to be happy about. Stop whining and get on with life.
...lone voice of content in the wilderness... as the tumbleweed blows gently across the landscape. 
I think you're the proverbial 'exception that proves the rule'.
Having said that, as a third car (not a daily) and one that I did not have to rely on, I'd be happy to own an A110. I just wish the engine had a bit more character and real noise (not the piped cr@p).
I think you're the proverbial 'exception that proves the rule'.
Having said that, as a third car (not a daily) and one that I did not have to rely on, I'd be happy to own an A110.
I just wish the engine had a bit more character and real noise (not the piped cr@p). OscarP said:
5 years in - no parts supply issues, no warranty arguments, no breakdowns, fine dealer service, corrosion dealt with without argument and its never been to the garage outside the service window. Great little car - French not German with all that that means. Paid £50K - worth £28 nearly 5 years later with 40K miles on it. Whats not to be happy about. Stop whining and get on with life.
wax lyrical said:
...lone voice of content in the wilderness... as the tumbleweed blows gently across the landscape.
I think you're the proverbial 'exception that proves the rule'.
Having said that, as a third car (not a daily) and one that I did not have to rely on, I'd be happy to own an A110. I just wish the engine had a bit more character and real noise (not the piped cr@p).
Most people who have had no issues don’t tend to go online to say ‘all is well’. I think you're the proverbial 'exception that proves the rule'.
Having said that, as a third car (not a daily) and one that I did not have to rely on, I'd be happy to own an A110.
I just wish the engine had a bit more character and real noise (not the piped cr@p). OscarP said:
5 years in - no parts supply issues, no warranty arguments, no breakdowns, fine dealer service, corrosion dealt with without argument and its never been to the garage outside the service window. Great little car - French not German with all that that means. Paid £50K - worth £28 nearly 5 years later with 40K miles on it. Whats not to be happy about. Stop whining and get on with life.
If 10% have problems, they will generate more internet noise than the 90% who are just driving the car everyday with nothing going wrong.
This doesn’t just apply to Alpine, or cars.
SpudLink said:
wax lyrical said:
...lone voice of content in the wilderness... as the tumbleweed blows gently across the landscape.
I think you're the proverbial 'exception that proves the rule'.
Having said that, as a third car (not a daily) and one that I did not have to rely on, I'd be happy to own an A110. I just wish the engine had a bit more character and real noise (not the piped cr@p).
Most people who have had no issues don t tend to go online to say all is well . I think you're the proverbial 'exception that proves the rule'.
Having said that, as a third car (not a daily) and one that I did not have to rely on, I'd be happy to own an A110.
I just wish the engine had a bit more character and real noise (not the piped cr@p). OscarP said:
5 years in - no parts supply issues, no warranty arguments, no breakdowns, fine dealer service, corrosion dealt with without argument and its never been to the garage outside the service window. Great little car - French not German with all that that means. Paid £50K - worth £28 nearly 5 years later with 40K miles on it. Whats not to be happy about. Stop whining and get on with life.
If 10% have problems, they will generate more internet noise than the 90% who are just driving the car everyday with nothing going wrong.
This doesn t just apply to Alpine, or cars.
Hopefully neither of you have a requirement for any Alpine specific parts. If you think having spent £70k on a car that is just 1yr old and is off the road without even any indication of when the parts we be supplied by Alpine is OK by you that's fine. I will caring on winging as you put it.
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