By Tim Odell
In today’s edition of Rare Does Not Equal Valuable, we’ll be examining a Renault GTA in 7.5/10 condition. The GTA was a special version of the Renault-built-in-Kenosha Alliance that had the first $1,500 worth of mods anyone would do to sport-up car: body kit, seats, exhaust, motor mounts, lower gearing, sway bars, alloys, etc. According to wikipedia, the main auto mags liked it well enough (despite making a mere 95hp). If nothing else, the GTA gets bonus points for being manual-only.
This example is the extra rare convertible, so the seller can’t really vouch for whether the A/C works or not. Other than that, it’s largely devoid of rust in the rockers or more typical places. Between the old weatherstripping and some hints of orange in the floor, it seems this one might not be completely water-tight anymore.
So, unlike the preposterously priced LUV from earlier today, this one’s got a reasonable no-reserve current bid of $1,175 with the auction ending on Saturday. For a small stack of Benjamins you could have the pleasure of constantly reminding people it’s not a Cavalier.
1987 Renault GTA for sale – eBay Motors
Jeff Glucker
Yes, cleanest, but likely the last one remaining.
Who will we be telling it’s not a Cavalier? The mechanic we will be visiting everyday?
Having owned two GTAs, your comment is just laughable. These cars were among the most reliable I have ever seen, and with just basic maintenance both my cars have gone 192K and 240K, respectively. Weaknesses are motor mounts and wheel bearings, and if the timing belt is not changed at 100K it will break and ruin the engine. The car was $5K cheaper than a GTI, and that shows in the interior plastic and seats, which don’t age well. For that much less however you got a car that was faster and cornered better, so don’t knock a car you haven’t driven.
I’ve amazed people with all the cars I’ve taken over 200k, but that is all anecdotal. As is the fact that I had a shitty ’86 GTA in ’95 that caused me no end of trouble. But pipe down there, Francis, it was a joke.
Any troubles I had were because I took it to a mechanic who didn’t have a clue how to fix it and had no interest in learning. Yes, one of those instances was dealing with a Jeep/Eagle mechanic who didn’t give a damn. When I took matters into my own hands and fixed the car myself, it was actually quite simple to fix and I usually had no problems after that
This is an automotive porn star, and I mean that in the most non-complimentary way possible: it may fuel a really awesome fantasy for some of the more twisted among us, but hooking up in reality would be really, really unpleasant.
And just to be clear, I assume you’re talking about a porn star that saw her daily rate drop by about 80% and is now a born again Christian.
So…a French car built in Wisconsin by guys whacked out on curds and Molsen?
Yeah…no.
I’d sooner own an Eagle Premier over this, and I don’t want one of those.
Hope he’s had the infamous heater core recall done. Alternately, it may be the cleanest Alliance out there because the interior’s been Steam-Cleaned
https://www.automd.com/recall/campaign_c22444/
1987 Renault Alliance Visibility Recall 92V051000
Action Number: N/A
Service Bulletin Number: 92V051000
Report Date: Apr 10, 1992 Component: Visibility
Potential Units Affected: 540000
Manufacturer: Chrysler Corporation
Summary: The end cap connecting the heat exchanger’s core to the engine cooling system could rupture and allow hot coolant to escape into the passenger compartment.
Consequence: The coolant escaping into the passenger compartment could contact the driver’s feet and injure the driver. Also, steam from the heatedliquid will cloud on the window surfaces and impair the driver’s vision andcould result in a vehicle accident.
Remedy: Replace the heater core with a core of different design which will not rupture and leak in the passenger compartment.
Notes: System: water heater; heater core. Vehicle description: passenger automobiles.
I’ve never heard of anybody having a heater core failure, so this thing is overblown. There was a recall shortly after the car was sold, they sent everyone a new rad cap that was supposed to release the pressure, but my cars have never blown off steam through those caps so really, is it that much of an issue? Take any car, look up the recall history, and then say it’s crap because of some fictional account of that recall being life threatening? You can do better than that.
Right.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/ACM983033/VQ-485203-YN.PDF
So, a recall is carried out in 1987 for the cars, and your proof that the car is dangerous was a case where the owners did not get the recall done and someone got hurt? Come on. I am absolutely certain that someone did get hurt before the recall, that’s why they had it. But they reacted right away and the solution worked, so the cars are not any less safe than other products of the eighties. Just about every Chrysler, for instance, in the last few years has been recalled for far more serious problems and the airbag recall affecting mostly Japanese marques is far more of a ticking time bomb. I know dozens of people with GTAs and none of them have heard of this actually happening.
95hp wasn’t all /that/ bad for the time, honestly. A simular vintage Golf GTI only made 110, yet weighed a little more. Plus there was no drop top GTI.
I used to blow by GTIs in my GTA and it wasn’t even close. That’s why VW dropped the VR6 into the GTI next year, they were getting embarrassed by a car that was $5K cheaper.
I still own a red 87 gta convertible with 26k original miles.
There’s a ridiculously clean gray one in my town. I’ll have to get pics of it sometime.
I’m impressed by the owners diligence and commitment. It can’t be easy.