TVR Tuscans
22 August 2001, 12:04 AM
#1
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The first few had alot of problems and had to go back to the factory.
A typical example is: owned for 13 months - in the factory for 7 months for warranty work.
InsBro
A typical example is: owned for 13 months - in the factory for 7 months for warranty work.
InsBro
22 August 2001, 12:05 AM
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I can't comment on Tuscans, only Cerberas.
what I would say is if you buy a TVR, don't buy a "new" model - wait till they've developed it properly and ironed out some major niggles.
Depending what you want it for, I think you may find it a huge culture shock coming from your EVO. Down country lanes, your EVO would whip it to submission - and what you can get away with in the EVO would probably equal major offs in the Tuscan.
Plus points are it looks gobsmacking on the road, sounds awesome and is genuinely very very quick.
Just don't want you to make the same mistakes frineds have made and been won over by the noise and looks......and then bitten very badly by everything else
what I would say is if you buy a TVR, don't buy a "new" model - wait till they've developed it properly and ironed out some major niggles.
Depending what you want it for, I think you may find it a huge culture shock coming from your EVO. Down country lanes, your EVO would whip it to submission - and what you can get away with in the EVO would probably equal major offs in the Tuscan.
Plus points are it looks gobsmacking on the road, sounds awesome and is genuinely very very quick.
Just don't want you to make the same mistakes frineds have made and been won over by the noise and looks......and then bitten very badly by everything else
22 August 2001, 12:20 AM
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Have to agree with most of comments above. I've owned 2 TVR's and overall they are great cars to drive as a weekend blast but not as an everyday car. I drove a Tuscan Speed Six 3 weeks ago and it was awesome! It was the fastest car up to 100 that I've ever driven and the look (inside and out) is so unique and 'special'. If you're going to get a Tuscan get one from a TVR dealer who has done the the factory suspension mods and make sure it's got air con. If you can find one in the Reflex/pearlescent paint (As per the film 'Swordfish') then go for it and they look amazing.
LOL.
Gareth.
P.S.Should be able to get a nice Speed Six for £32/£34k at a TVR dealer, private buys are very risky...
LOL.
Gareth.
P.S.Should be able to get a nice Speed Six for £32/£34k at a TVR dealer, private buys are very risky...
22 August 2001, 12:59 AM
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The 2nd hand value of ALL TVR's has dived in the last 2-3 yrs. I owned a Chimaera, bought for GBP27,000 from a dealer with 4,000 on the clock and I sold it 3 yrs later with 10,000 on the clock for GBP19/-....A similar car is now worth about GBP14/- one year on!! The "non-dealer" TVR's are always going to be about GBP 3-4 thousand cheaper due to no warranty etc...remember this when buying private...these cars are very fast (and dangerous if not given huge respect)and they will all have been driven VERY HARD!. I was in one when a dealer wrote it off at 60 mph...Now, that's another story................
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22 August 2001, 12:59 AM
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by mik:
<B>
(Sound gurgleorgeous too)[/quote]
PHone the people at Collins! That must be the best new 'word' in ages!
<B>
(Sound gurgleorgeous too)[/quote]
PHone the people at Collins! That must be the best new 'word' in ages!
22 August 2001, 11:34 AM
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Yo,
Are there any previous Tuscan owners on this board?
Looking through Top Marques, I have noticed how affordable these cars have become. Does anyone know why they have suddenly gone down from a £40k+ new price tag to nearly £28k in a years ownership?
Do the TVR owners know something we don't? Are they trying to jump ship? I know that these cars are serious machines and at £29k, well, they are starting to look really tempting to me. But it seems as though they have taken a massive depreciation trip, almost because of some well known defect?
Is this a pit fall I'm about to jump into?
Are there any previous Tuscan owners on this board?
Looking through Top Marques, I have noticed how affordable these cars have become. Does anyone know why they have suddenly gone down from a £40k+ new price tag to nearly £28k in a years ownership?
Do the TVR owners know something we don't? Are they trying to jump ship? I know that these cars are serious machines and at £29k, well, they are starting to look really tempting to me. But it seems as though they have taken a massive depreciation trip, almost because of some well known defect?
Is this a pit fall I'm about to jump into?
22 August 2001, 11:36 AM
#10
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They originally didn't come with the 'red rose' suspension pack as standard, and in standard form their handling was criticized. Now they do, and I suppose some people are getting shot of rather than forking out for the upgrade (ISTR it was about 4k)?
22 August 2001, 11:58 AM
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Carl is right about the "red-rose", but early criticisms of original demo cars are (slightly) suspect. Mr Wheeler complained of cars arriving back with "square wheels", and agreed that rear suspension on one of the cars was found to be out-of-alignment. He suspected it was due to a clunk....but admitted it COULD have left them in that way (in the rush to get cars to press).
A lot of folks (Mr Wheeler inc) preffered the original (sofer) set-up......think it was axed due to lack of interest more than anything else(?). Came with 16" wheels as std, 18" option (18" as std with red-rose).
Early cars had poor lock, so some folks ran out of opposite lock and stuffed them.
Low price more likely related to reliability problems with early cars (allegedly)....all sorted on current models (er...allegedly).
Interesting proposition though (do you need your car every day any way?
).....and hubba hubba HUBBA fast and sexy. (Sound gurgleorgeous too)
22 August 2001, 01:15 PM
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A friend of mine bought a tuscan brand new last year, it's been back to the dealer several times with problems such as faulty electric windows, a passenger door that 'sticks' shut and has to be tapped open from the inside, a wayward speedo, problems with the security system etc etc. For a car that cost over £40k, these are problems I could not put up with. They don't bother my friend one jot, however, and having been around donnington in it, I can now see why!! VERY fast!! 
...and as for the noise - Glorious!! 
...and as for the noise - Glorious!!
22 August 2001, 01:19 PM
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Cem might have something to do with them spending more time at Blackpool than on the road.
My mate has got a 4.5 Cerberra and he`s blown it up twice,had a full elecrical re- wire and a whole host of things wrong
My mate has got a 4.5 Cerberra and he`s blown it up twice,had a full elecrical re- wire and a whole host of things wrong
22 August 2001, 01:32 PM
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You can buy a TVR Warranty direct from Warranty Holdings- For my Chimaera 430 it was £500 p/a - max claim being £7500.
InsBro
Hmm - Didnt post twice browser was reset?!
[This message has been edited by InsBro (edited 22 August 2001).]
InsBro
Hmm - Didnt post twice browser was reset?!
[This message has been edited by InsBro (edited 22 August 2001).]
22 August 2001, 01:46 PM
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Seems my suspiciouns are founded. I wouldn't use it for going to work, but it would be used everyday.
I can imagine big bills on a car like this.
I wonder if these cars are selling well. It would be nice to know if I could sell it soon after buying one. That way I would have a safety net.
Cem
I can imagine big bills on a car like this.
I wonder if these cars are selling well. It would be nice to know if I could sell it soon after buying one. That way I would have a safety net.
Cem
22 August 2001, 03:13 PM
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BD
Do as I did ring some TVR dealers trying to sell it (as though youve got it now)and see what price they will give you now.
It does work!
InsBro
Do as I did ring some TVR dealers trying to sell it (as though youve got it now)and see what price they will give you now.
It does work!
InsBro
22 August 2001, 04:53 PM
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Last car before the Scooby was a brand new TVR Chimaera (1998). By the time I sold it in Mar this year it had 47K miles on the clock.
The good points were
1)Good car for everyday use, as the design was 8 years old and most glitches were gone.
2)Posing potential and torque were incredible, even in the wet. Add to this the noise and choice of incredible paintjobs and you have a great combination at a cheap price (£35K new at the time)
3) Cheap insurance (Scooby is now £900 per year, TVR was £600 full comp)
The bad points were:
1)Massive running costs soon as you get into the 40K miles (Service £700+, aswell as clutch, radiators, pads etc). Up to that mileage all that was really needed was a service every 6K miles at £500 and a set of tyres every 12K costing £500 aswell.
2)As they are hand built, there are always going to be some glitches. Mine were headlamp bulbs burning out, windscreen delaminating etc. It never once failed to start and it never leaked.
3)Demands more concentration than a Scooby epecially in the wet and when braking. Remember no ABS, good for the track maybe but not on the road.
My advice would be if its an everyday car, don't choose a new model its still got teething problems. Go for an older model. Overall you have to accept the car for what it is , and not compare to a Scooby or BMW.
Good luck
J
The good points were
1)Good car for everyday use, as the design was 8 years old and most glitches were gone.
2)Posing potential and torque were incredible, even in the wet. Add to this the noise and choice of incredible paintjobs and you have a great combination at a cheap price (£35K new at the time)
3) Cheap insurance (Scooby is now £900 per year, TVR was £600 full comp)
The bad points were:
1)Massive running costs soon as you get into the 40K miles (Service £700+, aswell as clutch, radiators, pads etc). Up to that mileage all that was really needed was a service every 6K miles at £500 and a set of tyres every 12K costing £500 aswell.
2)As they are hand built, there are always going to be some glitches. Mine were headlamp bulbs burning out, windscreen delaminating etc. It never once failed to start and it never leaked.
3)Demands more concentration than a Scooby epecially in the wet and when braking. Remember no ABS, good for the track maybe but not on the road.
My advice would be if its an everyday car, don't choose a new model its still got teething problems. Go for an older model. Overall you have to accept the car for what it is , and not compare to a Scooby or BMW.
Good luck
J
22 August 2001, 08:14 PM
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My friend bought one of the first Tuscans and it is an amazing car.
I think the straight 6 engine note takes a little getting used to and the styling (inside and out) is a bit of an aquired taste.
I was fortunate enough to have a multiple test session of driving the Tuscan, a Chimera and my STi down some great country lanes (we all swapped cars and "passengered" as well as piloted) and I have to say that while I enjoyed both of the TVR's (and I thought the Chimera sounded best) I was glad to get back in my car at the end.
The STi was just so much more composed over crests and through tight and fast sweeping bends (I run it on Eibachs) that you could afford to go that much faster all the time.
The overall impression of the Tuscan was "great car", awesome speed, but don't let your attention slip and don't brake too late cause the tail starts to waddle and it's as likely to overtake you!
Neil.
I think the straight 6 engine note takes a little getting used to and the styling (inside and out) is a bit of an aquired taste.
I was fortunate enough to have a multiple test session of driving the Tuscan, a Chimera and my STi down some great country lanes (we all swapped cars and "passengered" as well as piloted) and I have to say that while I enjoyed both of the TVR's (and I thought the Chimera sounded best) I was glad to get back in my car at the end.
The STi was just so much more composed over crests and through tight and fast sweeping bends (I run it on Eibachs) that you could afford to go that much faster all the time.
The overall impression of the Tuscan was "great car", awesome speed, but don't let your attention slip and don't brake too late cause the tail starts to waddle and it's as likely to overtake you!
Neil.
22 August 2001, 09:54 PM
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Hey Blowdog...
very nice looking and highly desirable & incredible straight line speed and noise but main point is what can you do with them ? I'd stick with the M5 or maybe Noble.
IMO, because the power is not exploitable, the handling is highly questionable and they are handbuilt/problematic & also very expensive to run they are not particularly good for:
a) cross xountry hack (bumps bumps !)
b) track day (far better machines out there)
c) long journeys (fuel & reliability)
d) everyday use, commuting (ditto)
so what do you do with one ? Kings road ?
this from a previous owners (current M5 + EVO6 owner):
"The Tuscan was ****e for a few reasons. Firstly, as a drivers car, it didn't work. Sure, it was firkin quick - probably one of the fastest cars I have ever driven. Using that performance was v. difficult. The steering was too direct, and lacked lock. 1.5 turns lock-to-lock, but you could barely do a 3 point turn in it, and on certain slow corners, struggled to get round. Lack of grip was evident on anything other than a totally bone dry road - i.e. too much power for the chassis. Build quality was appalling. Ended up taking legal action over it: Oil leaks, fuel injection problems, door problems, window problems, heater problems, aircon problems, paint problems, wheel problems: and so on. In 7 months of ownership, 4 months in the garage.
Have owned a Griffith 500 so used to TVRs. Great car to pose in though - great looker, everyone stops and stares. It is also expensive for what it is. As you could only use about 70% of the performance on the road, that means cars like the EVO and my M5 are always faster (other than on the Motorway, and what fun is that).
My other half's old Punto Sporting was quicker than the Tuscan on a wet day! Even on the track, they are nothing special. Straight line, if you have really bendy feet (the throttle travel is about 45 inches long), and you put your foot down, it will accelerate bloody quick, but it can loose the back end even on a straight flat road, in the dry! Don't understand that sort of car anymore. I think good road cars are totally different to good track cars - it is hard to get a car that is good at both. My M5 for example, is awesome on the road (probably quicker the EVO in most conditions)," ....<snip>
very nice looking and highly desirable & incredible straight line speed and noise but main point is what can you do with them ? I'd stick with the M5 or maybe Noble.
IMO, because the power is not exploitable, the handling is highly questionable and they are handbuilt/problematic & also very expensive to run they are not particularly good for:
a) cross xountry hack (bumps bumps !)
b) track day (far better machines out there)
c) long journeys (fuel & reliability)
d) everyday use, commuting (ditto)
so what do you do with one ? Kings road ?
this from a previous owners (current M5 + EVO6 owner):
"The Tuscan was ****e for a few reasons. Firstly, as a drivers car, it didn't work. Sure, it was firkin quick - probably one of the fastest cars I have ever driven. Using that performance was v. difficult. The steering was too direct, and lacked lock. 1.5 turns lock-to-lock, but you could barely do a 3 point turn in it, and on certain slow corners, struggled to get round. Lack of grip was evident on anything other than a totally bone dry road - i.e. too much power for the chassis. Build quality was appalling. Ended up taking legal action over it: Oil leaks, fuel injection problems, door problems, window problems, heater problems, aircon problems, paint problems, wheel problems: and so on. In 7 months of ownership, 4 months in the garage.
Have owned a Griffith 500 so used to TVRs. Great car to pose in though - great looker, everyone stops and stares. It is also expensive for what it is. As you could only use about 70% of the performance on the road, that means cars like the EVO and my M5 are always faster (other than on the Motorway, and what fun is that).
My other half's old Punto Sporting was quicker than the Tuscan on a wet day! Even on the track, they are nothing special. Straight line, if you have really bendy feet (the throttle travel is about 45 inches long), and you put your foot down, it will accelerate bloody quick, but it can loose the back end even on a straight flat road, in the dry! Don't understand that sort of car anymore. I think good road cars are totally different to good track cars - it is hard to get a car that is good at both. My M5 for example, is awesome on the road (probably quicker the EVO in most conditions)," ....<snip>
23 August 2001, 12:00 AM
#24
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>
Never really understood TVR's to be honest, very quick and sound lovely but a nightmare to drive and own from all reports. Basically a kit car with production car price tag.[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
You said it......not understood
There quick and sound good, but not a nightmare to drive. Thats down to the driver. I assume you mean either the brakes or suspension let the car down. Which is why their are upgrades, just like the Scooby ones. It depends on how you wish to drive and handle your car.
As for the kit car bit......well it used to be true. Thats how the company started, sticking lightweight bodies on old early 1900 cars. A high percentage of other car parts were used up til late but things have changed.
Question that everyone seems to be asking at the moment though is M3 or Scooby, with the Scooby getting accused of what TVR were...
J
Never really understood TVR's to be honest, very quick and sound lovely but a nightmare to drive and own from all reports. Basically a kit car with production car price tag.[/B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
You said it......not understood
There quick and sound good, but not a nightmare to drive. Thats down to the driver. I assume you mean either the brakes or suspension let the car down. Which is why their are upgrades, just like the Scooby ones. It depends on how you wish to drive and handle your car.
As for the kit car bit......well it used to be true. Thats how the company started, sticking lightweight bodies on old early 1900 cars. A high percentage of other car parts were used up til late but things have changed.
Question that everyone seems to be asking at the moment though is M3 or Scooby, with the Scooby getting accused of what TVR were...
J
23 August 2001, 12:54 AM
#25
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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Dave T-S:
<B> S
Allegedly VBH is spanking it.....bib on
[/quote]
Been there, done that...
<B> S
Allegedly VBH is spanking it.....bib on
[/quote]
Been there, done that...
23 August 2001, 12:59 AM
#26
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I think that splitter incident sums up TVR workmanship - they know that car was being used for a top speed run and you would have thought everything would've been meticulously checked.
As usual with TVR - Zero development.
Maybe not quite zero but you know what I mean....
Just think what they COULD be like if, say, VAG purchased them....
They've transformed the Diablo without altering it's basic appeal.
A car with the performance of a TVR, quality and reliability of VW/Audi.
Now THAT would be good.
As usual with TVR - Zero development.
Maybe not quite zero but you know what I mean....
Just think what they COULD be like if, say, VAG purchased them....
They've transformed the Diablo without altering it's basic appeal.
A car with the performance of a TVR, quality and reliability of VW/Audi.
Now THAT would be good.
23 August 2001, 08:01 AM
#28
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Just read a test on the Tuscan S
390hp and only just over a tonne in weight Thats better PWR than a Diablo 0-60 in less than 4 secs looks to die for and all for £45-48k
Want one
390hp and only just over a tonne in weight
Thats better PWR than a Diablo 0-60 in less than 4 secs looks to die for and all for £45-48k Want one
23 August 2001, 08:09 AM
#29
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Isn't the Tuscan S being featured on Top Gear (spit) tonight?
Probably being spanked within an inch of its life by that buffoon "Tyre Smoke" Needel.
Much as I love the cars, I'd only spend the money on one if it really was DISPOSABLE cash. Otherwise, choose something else, B10WDG...
[This message has been edited by Squizz (edited 23 August 2001).]
Probably being spanked within an inch of its life by that buffoon "Tyre Smoke" Needel.
Much as I love the cars, I'd only spend the money on one if it really was DISPOSABLE cash.
Otherwise, choose something else, B10WDG... [This message has been edited by Squizz (edited 23 August 2001).]
