R5 GT Turbo Buying guide (from old site)

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD>GT Turbo Buying Guide

contributed by Mark
What to look for to help you choose a good GT Turbo


Launch of the GT Turbo
The Renault 5 GT Turbo was originally created as a publicity stunt by Renault, to draw attention to their F1 cars.

Previously, the 5 had been available with a turbo in the form of the Gordini Turbo - very quick but it didn't catch on with the British buying public. There are still one or two around today.

The Renault 5 GT Turbo was launched back in 1985, with a 1.4 litre turbocharged engine capable of reaching 60 m.p.h in a fraction over 7 seconds and a top speed of around 120 m.p.h.

Phase II
In 1987 the Phase II model was launched, which offered an extra 5 b.h.p increasing the power output to 115bhp (although the 0-60 time increased by around one fifth of a second). Among other things, the Phase II had better five-spoke alloy wheels, lower suspension giving sharper handling, a better interior, and came with colour-coded bumpers and bodykit which improved the front-end considerably. A rear hatch spoiler was standard as was a better interior console.

Later cars gained a water-cooled turbocharger. An anti-percolator fan was also fitted to Phase II models in order to overcome the hot-start problems experienced with earlier cars, blowing cool air to the base of the carburettor for around 15 minutes after the ignition is switched off and preventing fuel vapourisation under hot starting conditions.

When buying, bear in mind that while the engine in these cars is fairly strong, the interior and electrics, and to some extent the standard turbo, are not. The seat mountings wear causing the seats to rock back and forth, the seat bolsters fall off, electrics fail or become intermittent...

Raider special edition
There was a special edition "Raider" model which came with matching body-coloured wheels and was available on G and H plates. The Raider is felt by some to be the best-looking GT Turbo, and can be recognised by the distinctive midnight blue colour and black/blue wheels, black carpet and blue decals in the seat trims. However, there is no difference in performance with this special edition.

Choosing a GT Turbo
It is best to go for a late Phase II model with mileage as low as possible. If you're planning major styling modifications which might include a full respray (allow around £1000 - £1500, especially for a colour-change) your best bet is a car which is mechanically sound but with bodywork defects or poor paintwork; however mechanically abused cars will often also have poor bodywork so choose carefully. Likewise if you are looking to install a hybrid turbo, a car with a knackered turbo will be cheap to buy. If you can negotiate the price down you may well get a bargain and, if resprayed, a car which looks like new. By their very nature, encouraging fast driving, these cars are often abused by their owners.

Take care when buying - while these cars are becoming less common there are good ones around. Expect to look at at least ten or so cars before making up your mind. AutoTrader's Web Site is an ideal place to start, and will certainly give you an idea of what price you can expect to pay. Also check the specialist tuners who regularly have GT Turbos for sale - a good source if you're looking for a modified car.

Modified cars
Avoid "home-made" performance modifications at all costs, check receipts for work done. Check panel fitting for signs of accident damage, and that if the car has standard phase II alloys it's running 195/55 tyres (cheap remoulds are often fitted).

Always shop around for an insurance quote before you consider buying to check how much you're likely to pay, and allow for a 10-15% premium loading for moderate modifications. If you're buying one that has had serious modifications, check that you are able to insure it at all first. Check the insurance page for some insurers you can call for a quote for a modified car. Even if you don't plan to modify it, you will find yourself having it lowered to reduce the horrendous amount of bodyroll, so allow £150 for a 35mm drop, or around £500 for a lower drop using a coilover kit. The rear of the car uses a torsion bar and is best lowered by professionals. As standard the suspension is simply not up to coping with the power.

Many owners fit larger alloys to cope with the power (more tyre in contact with the road, so more grip), especially before starting on major engine modifications. If you can pick up a car with decent alloys already fitted you'll save yourself at least £400. Cars with alloys larger than 15" may experience dangerous rubbing problems. 17" alloys will probably mean that you will not be able to have passengers in the back seat or the car will rub on the tyres.

Production of the GT Turbo was discontinued in 1991; there are a very limited number of J-plate cars around which attract high resale values, and apparently five late registered K-plate cars.

What to look for

1. Worn turbo
2. Blown head gasket
3. Worn clutch


All three of these are expensive to repair (around 400.00 each).

The engine should be warm before the turbo is used, and should be allowed to idle for approximately 30 seconds before switching off the engine, as this allows the turbo to de-spin. If it is spinning when the ignition is cut, no oil pressure will be available at the bearings and they will seize. How the owner drives the car is an indicator of the care that is taken in this respect.

Always take a test drive
You can test the turbo and clutch together by putting the accelerator to the floor in 4th at 25mph. This will cause the turbo to spin up to maximum and should reveal a slipping clutch. There should not be any noise from either. The turbo may make a very faint metallic spinning noise which might be heard with the window open, but no louder than that. Any shrieking or metal on metal sounds will mean the turbo is on the way out. The standard turbo running standard boost lasts for approximately 80,000 miles. At 16psi (uprated boost levels) it is unlikely to last for 30,000 miles.

After accelerating hard to 50mph, back off the accelerator and watch for blue smoke from the exhaust - a sure sign the turbo is on the way out (oil in exhaust fumes). Also, a large amount of blue smoke at startup is another indicator when started from cold.

You must ensure you see the engine started from cold. If the engine is warm it will take about 2 hours to cool down (these cars run very hot!) The clutch is important as changing it requires the engine to be removed. So check the pedal operation carefully and watch for any signs of clutch slip. Check the oil on the dipstick to ensure it is maintained at the right level (very low may indicate poor care or that it's coming out of the exhaust!) and it doesn't have any mayonnaise type deposits on it. Check the water expansion tank - the water should be clear. If the water tank has oil in it, or the dipstick has cream coloured deposits, the head gasket is on the way out.

Check everything
Check all panel fitting and look for signs of welding in the engine bay - sure signs of a front-end shunt especially if the bumper does not fit properly.

Check all electrics as these cars are prone to electrical problems. With the car standing, turn the steering wheel and look for signs of play - the front wheels should move immediately. If not, the car may have a worn steering rack or worn couplings. Pushing down hard on the corners of the car in turn should reveal worn shock absorbers or springs - the car should dip then rise and settle, and not 'bounce' more than once. Rev the engine and watch the colour of the exhaust smoke. White can mean head gasket failure, blue is oil (very bad!) although some cars will leak some oil - this can be normal - but only a very small amount. If the exhaust steel has a very blue hue to it, it may be best to avoid the car.

Many cars when uprated are set to overfuel to avoid pinking, so some black smoke (unburnt fuel) may be normal when revving. (Don't stand directly behind the exhaust!) After a test drive open the bonnet again and ensure the anti-perc fan is operating (left hand side of the bay, light humming sound - blows air to base of carb) and the radiator fan is working (very noisy usually!). Check the head gasket isn't leaking.

If the standard 13" wheels are fitted the tyres should be 195/55 profile. Cheap 185/60 profile are often fitted. The car will handle very poorly with those and braking will be affected. The brakes are discs all round so check the condition of those, and finally - and very important - while driving the temperature gauge should not read much higher than half. Try to do a fast run then sit in traffic or at idle and watch carefully. The fans should cut in and temperature should stabilise. If the reading goes much higher or the warning light comes on, the rad may be blocked (common problem, about 160.00 to sort out).

The main cause of head gasket failure is overheating. These cars do run hot so it's essential the cooling system works properly. The oil pressure gauge is inaccurate and often breaks. For oil level, you're better to check the dipstick. If the gauge is giving readings, but very low ones when the car is moving, the oil pump may be on the way out. The oil pressure often falls to near zero when standing but usually reads 2 to 6 when moving.

If the car has a sunroof, it probably leaks - most do. The interior doesn't stand the test of time very well, so try to get a good one. Finally, most GT Turbo owners would admit that the 5 GT Turbo is not the most reliable of cars, which is why it's so important to get a good one. If you're planning modifications you'll want a car which is reliable enough to direct your cash on styling or tuning, rather than repairs.

Check very carefully, and if in any doubt at all, walk away - there is no shortage of cars for sale!

Leaded and Unleaded Petrol
According to both GT Tuning and Prima Racing, the GT Turbo is capable of running on Super Unleaded petrol as standard, though it was designed for leaded petrol. The GT Turbo can be modified to run on ordinary unleaded petrol and there are several solutions are available, including fuel catalysts or fuel additives.
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