Which TVR?

[Matmulder]

I also investigated T350's a while back.

As mentioned, I hear the later the engine build, they more reliable they are. If you can get one thats had a rebuild, its a massive bonus. Don't they cost about 4-5k to rebuild if they go bang?

However, one BIG factor that put me off it parts supply - since TVR went under they can be very, very difficult to get hold of. Just make sure its not a car your rely on for work/transport!

Overall reliability stories are mixed - you can get good ones, which don't cost much to run as general servicing costs are relatively cheap for the looks/performance on offer. But you can also get a very bad ones, which will financially ruin you. So look at lots!

But if you can afford it and are aware of the potential 'worst case scenario' costs, then go for it. Gorgeous cars

 

[MagicBoy]

Nah, go classic - Griffith 500

 

[Matmulder]

Actually, I find a good way to judge running costs is to visit PH and look at members cars. Search for the model/derivative and find some people who'd entered their running costs.

For a T350, servicing comes in at around £400-700 depending on mileage. Clutch service is around £1200. Most services are exceeding £1000 with them having various other things looked at.

Have a look, makes for interesting reading.

 

[GreenMint]

Go Cerbera as said above, look stunning, unlike the ugly Sageris

 

[Housey]

And following on from an irrelevant and miss-informed response (all the duff engines have been replaced by now and later stuff off the line hasn't seen unexpected failure numbers - rebuild cycles are well over 20k but much lower than a Ford Mondeo as it's a race engine design)

Try asking in the TVR forums over on www.pistonheads.com or the TVR Car Club.

I'd agree that some of the posts have been a little misinformed, and I'd also agree that our OP should head off to Pistonheads if he wants the owners experiences, but I would disagree with your statement that "all the duff engines have been replaced by now" as it is simply false. Many on Pistonheads have done modifications, had a rebuild (or many) or know what to expect, but not all TVR owners post on Pistonheads, many have no idea about the 'issues'.

The engine that causes most concern is the Speed 6 as fitted to the Tuscan, 350's, Sagaris and some Cerbs. This engine it could be argued was one of the reasons TVR had so many problems and in the end closed. Have a nose at the Speed 6 forum in the TVR section of Pistonheads for the details, but in summary no one knows if the factory EVER built them properly or what bits they used in which engine, and this is the problem. Some owners will argue this is not the case, but most agree, as do the people who built them, many of who post on Pistonheads!

I think it is fair to say if you have a Speed 6 built before 2004 it is possible it will need a rebuild within 25,000 miles, and no one can say any different for those past 2004 either, as the vast majority of post 2004 cars will be under that mileage. It is also fair to say that because there is no audit trail, or any consistency in how the engines were built by TVR, even the later ones, that knowing if you have a 'good un' is hard to tell, unless you open it up.........or it goes pop. The engine was continually modified and parts sourced from a varied selection and quality of component manufacturers during its life that each one tends to have a mix of bits. If you plan to buy a Speed 6 engined car, you need £6K in the bank to cover what TVR owners will call 'running costs' but anyone else will call 'rebuild costs'.

Great cars, but go into ownership with your eyes open and anticipate a few problems along the way and then you wont be disappointed when you have them. When they run right they are great fun, but take TVR performance figures and engine outputs with a pinch of salt, most of them are a little or a lot off the stated numbers!

 

[Bakedgoods]

Just get a Westfield instead ;D

 

[/\/\j17]

I...but I would disagree with your statement that "all the duff engines have been replaced by now" as it is simply false...

Yea, fair cop - that was an over-simplification. Most engines seemed to go quickly if they were going to go would have been a more accurate assessment.

(The Speed 6) engine it could be argued was one of the reasons TVR had so many problems and in the end closed. Have a nose at the Speed 6 forum in the TVR section of Pistonheads for the details, but in summary no one knows if the factory EVER built them properly or what bits they used in which engine, and this is the problem.

I'd say it would be unfair to blame the 'fall' of the company on the engine - even with the engine issues the order books and balance sheets were in some of the strongest positions in the companies history.

Sadly the owner had been there/done that and wanted to move on to other things and sold it to some rich daddy's boy from Russia (who had already been given a bank by pops - as you do - and run that in to the ground).

According to the engine designer there was nothing wrong with the design - he was less then glowing in his opinion of the changes TVR made to his design and these have been the parts that have failed on a good proportion of engines.



Not that any of this would stop me buying one...if I had that sort of cash down the back of the sofa

 

[Housey]

..small point, but I said the Speed 6 was "one" of the reasons

 

[leon4112]

very nice cars driven a tuscan s for a 6 months last year very very very fast BUT make sure u know when and how to put the power down cos if you even think about it or make a mistake there is nothing forgiveing about these cars

my brother works in the morge at a main hospital and they told me when i was driving it the nick name for tvrs are widowers!!!
just respect it and ull be fine!! the newer ones have longer throatle pedals for this reason!

 

[Housey]

my brother works in the morge at a main hospital and they told me when i was driving it the nick name for tvrs are widowers!!!

I suspect you mean Widowmakers, and not sure what your brother does in the Morge, but I hear lake Geneva is very nice this time of the year..

just respect it and ull be fine!! the newer ones have longer throatle pedals for this reason!

Did a duck swimming in the Morge tell you this? I'd find said duck and force feed it for a few weeks, then enjoy some foie gras because he's feeding you something smelly based on the above 'reason'