Car's job sheet from Peninsular....££
Discussion
There's a good range of advice out there. There is no right and wrong way to go, as it depends on YOUR requirements. If you want the cleanest, smoothest, trouble free, problem free car, then you probably made a mistake in spending only £5K in the first place. There are many Wedges out there which you can buy for under £10K but which have cost their owners twice or three time that. To convert your car into one of those will cost you the same. On the other hand if you want the enjoyment of a Wedge at a £5K price, do the minimum to keep it a) safe b) reliable and leave the rest till you have the money or the time. I've had my lowly 350i for two years. It's nowhere near as good as many on this forum, but I bet I get just as much enjoyment from her. I expect if I took it to Penninsular I would get just as long a list. You have asked Penninsular to let you know what is wrong. By definition 'what is wrong' is 'what is not right'. But 'what is not right' doesn't necessarily need fixing or making right. Use your own judgement. The question I usually ask is, "If I don't have it repaired, what's the implications?" If it's dangerous, fix it. If not, leave it till later.
Enjoy!
Enjoy!
Here's my opinion
1. Slight rocker cover leaks (both)
Have a look where the leaks are, could be a doddle to rectify!
2. Gear box leak, at gear shift end - Again, take a look. Is it dripping on the floor in the garage or accumulated oil in the tunnel?
3. Power steering slight leak _ Take a look. It could be a jubilee clip that needs tightening at the reservoir? Maybe the end of the hose has perished or the rack unions need to be tightened. They are hard to access or see.
4. Diff leaks, in 2 places apparently _ Again, you need to look. Could be loose bolts, leaky seals or breathers venting.
5. Slight leak on brake master cylinder _ Have a proper look at this one! Maybe a union isn't tighened. If a seal has gone then a new cylinder isn't expensive.
6. Speedo cable plastic melted _ Nothing to worry about for the time being but look where the damage is. It could be really minor.
7. All bushes need replacing - Get a mot tester to have a look.
8. N/s front wheel bearing play _ Again, get a mot tester to look, may just need tightening.
9. N/s door dropped, runner inside rusted away-Forget it for now
10. O/s door dropped, motor not working _ Get somebody to check the motor, have a look yourself for the obvious, wires off etc.
11. N/s track control arm play _ MOt tester again.
12. O/s spotlight cracked, silver backing rusting - If your worried, remove them from the car or replace. You could even put silver foil inside them.
13. Rear discs worn_ Mot man again. They could be within tolerence. Just make sure they are safe and drive accordingly.
14. Small hole in hood _ Summer's coming!
15. Slight damage to corner on top of roof - Summer's coming (torsion??? or something) bar at rear _ is it trailing arm & the pin bent, or A frame and the tie rod bent. Mot man again.
17. Bonnet sound proofing needs re-sticking _ industrial glue.
18. Radiator leaking..re-core - Specialist required.
19. Boot gas struts knackered - In what way? My saab struts are useless in the cold but fine in warm weather, summers coming.
I'd get a second opinion and find a nice mot tester, preferably at a place that doesn't do repairs. There's a first rate MOT chap in Nottingham and he would tell you exactly where you stand. If the box is leaking badly, and the rack is leaking then you will need the engine hoiking out. Think about a cam change or bigger motor at the same time
1. Slight rocker cover leaks (both)
Have a look where the leaks are, could be a doddle to rectify!
2. Gear box leak, at gear shift end - Again, take a look. Is it dripping on the floor in the garage or accumulated oil in the tunnel?
3. Power steering slight leak _ Take a look. It could be a jubilee clip that needs tightening at the reservoir? Maybe the end of the hose has perished or the rack unions need to be tightened. They are hard to access or see.
4. Diff leaks, in 2 places apparently _ Again, you need to look. Could be loose bolts, leaky seals or breathers venting.
5. Slight leak on brake master cylinder _ Have a proper look at this one! Maybe a union isn't tighened. If a seal has gone then a new cylinder isn't expensive.
6. Speedo cable plastic melted _ Nothing to worry about for the time being but look where the damage is. It could be really minor.
7. All bushes need replacing - Get a mot tester to have a look.
8. N/s front wheel bearing play _ Again, get a mot tester to look, may just need tightening.
9. N/s door dropped, runner inside rusted away-Forget it for now
10. O/s door dropped, motor not working _ Get somebody to check the motor, have a look yourself for the obvious, wires off etc.
11. N/s track control arm play _ MOt tester again.
12. O/s spotlight cracked, silver backing rusting - If your worried, remove them from the car or replace. You could even put silver foil inside them.
13. Rear discs worn_ Mot man again. They could be within tolerence. Just make sure they are safe and drive accordingly.
14. Small hole in hood _ Summer's coming!
15. Slight damage to corner on top of roof - Summer's coming (torsion??? or something) bar at rear _ is it trailing arm & the pin bent, or A frame and the tie rod bent. Mot man again.
17. Bonnet sound proofing needs re-sticking _ industrial glue.
18. Radiator leaking..re-core - Specialist required.
19. Boot gas struts knackered - In what way? My saab struts are useless in the cold but fine in warm weather, summers coming.
I'd get a second opinion and find a nice mot tester, preferably at a place that doesn't do repairs. There's a first rate MOT chap in Nottingham and he would tell you exactly where you stand. If the box is leaking badly, and the rack is leaking then you will need the engine hoiking out. Think about a cam change or bigger motor at the same time
I'll try to phrase this as diplomatically as possible. My experience is that there are two types of TVR mechanic.
The first will list absoluteley everything that would need to be done to make your car perfect, including things that MIGHT fail at some point in the future ("just to be on the safe side") and will recommend that you fix / replace absolutely everything.
Although thorough, this type of mechanic will cost you an awful lot of dosh, but you will have an absolutely mint car that you will be able to rely on.
The other type of mechanic will fix things only when they break, and if they can't be repaired economically then (and only then) will suggest a replacement. He'll tell you things that might fail, give you an estimate of how soon they are likely to fail, and then leave it up to you to prioritise when to have them fixed.
I would humbly suggest that you have been given a list by the 1st type of mechanic, and you need to decide if this is what you want or whether you want to go back to them and ask them to imagine themselves as the 2nd type and give you a prioritised list.
The first will list absoluteley everything that would need to be done to make your car perfect, including things that MIGHT fail at some point in the future ("just to be on the safe side") and will recommend that you fix / replace absolutely everything.
Although thorough, this type of mechanic will cost you an awful lot of dosh, but you will have an absolutely mint car that you will be able to rely on.
The other type of mechanic will fix things only when they break, and if they can't be repaired economically then (and only then) will suggest a replacement. He'll tell you things that might fail, give you an estimate of how soon they are likely to fail, and then leave it up to you to prioritise when to have them fixed.
I would humbly suggest that you have been given a list by the 1st type of mechanic, and you need to decide if this is what you want or whether you want to go back to them and ask them to imagine themselves as the 2nd type and give you a prioritised list.
That gearbox oil leak: it's going to be one of two places, either the output flange oil seal, or the point where the gear linkage enters the actual gearbox. If it's the former, the seal is about a fiver, and any mechanic worthy of the name should be able to change it with the 'box in situ (exhaust may get in the way, however).
If it's the latter, they all do that, sir. Bit of crap (Rover) design that means the linkage pulls a slight weep of oil through. It would take a lot of driving for it to become a problem, so as long as the oil levels are checked when they should be, it won't be a problem. An 'engineered' solution would involve stripping the 'box, and machining a recess for a proper lip-type oil seal... and as nobody has yet done it (to my knowledge), it can't be THAT serious.
The PAS leak: my car leaked from the low-pressure return to the pump, cured with a proper crimp hose fitting instead of a Jubilee clip
and from the rack housing itself, AFTER I'd cleaned and painted the rack. The reason was that the rack was able to slide around the chassis on its new paint, which pulled the housing apart and allowed the leak. I fitted a new O-ring (20p) and removed the offending paint, and it hasn't leaked since. So it can be the daftest things...
ALL bushes NEED replacing? Hmmm... subjective there I think. Given how fast some TVR bushes 'go off', you'd be replacing them every month. I decided that my antiroll bar bushes needed replacing (they were looking a bit deformed) so I went for Poyurethane ones... only to find that it already HAD Polyurethane ones. They can't withstand deformation like rubber and the ARB had fretted against them like a file and worn them away.
Bent rear suspension arm: probably due to some monkey jacking the car in the wrong place. I NEVER leave my car anywhere for e.g. tyres, in case they pick the wrong tube to stick the jack under. They get it wrong often enough when I'm there! Depending on whether the arm is actually bent, you may get away with leaving it if it isn't affecting the handling (to a degree you can define). My Tasmin had plenty of dents in the radius arms but went in a straight line.
As Jim Meehan says elsewhere, these cars are not rocket science, and if you want an absolutely mint example, not only will you have to shell out to buy it, but you'll STILL be shelling out to keep it that way! You may as well live with the one you have: at least you know the work has been done (and when).
I recently bought a 20-year-old Esprit: on the face of it, it's a money pit. I've already spent £500 on it (with more to come), and it hasn't turned a wheel in anger yet. But I wanted it, and I'll live with it, and if I do the work then I know I can rely on it. But I won't gibber over every bit of perished rubber or worn leather: as long as the fundamentals are right it's still an Esprit, the same as your car is still a TVR 350i, for all its drooping doors and dripping fluids.
Tell 'em to fix the essentials, and do the rest as and when!
Ian
If it's the latter, they all do that, sir. Bit of crap (Rover) design that means the linkage pulls a slight weep of oil through. It would take a lot of driving for it to become a problem, so as long as the oil levels are checked when they should be, it won't be a problem. An 'engineered' solution would involve stripping the 'box, and machining a recess for a proper lip-type oil seal... and as nobody has yet done it (to my knowledge), it can't be THAT serious.
The PAS leak: my car leaked from the low-pressure return to the pump, cured with a proper crimp hose fitting instead of a Jubilee clip
and from the rack housing itself, AFTER I'd cleaned and painted the rack. The reason was that the rack was able to slide around the chassis on its new paint, which pulled the housing apart and allowed the leak. I fitted a new O-ring (20p) and removed the offending paint, and it hasn't leaked since. So it can be the daftest things... ALL bushes NEED replacing? Hmmm... subjective there I think. Given how fast some TVR bushes 'go off', you'd be replacing them every month. I decided that my antiroll bar bushes needed replacing (they were looking a bit deformed) so I went for Poyurethane ones... only to find that it already HAD Polyurethane ones. They can't withstand deformation like rubber and the ARB had fretted against them like a file and worn them away.
Bent rear suspension arm: probably due to some monkey jacking the car in the wrong place. I NEVER leave my car anywhere for e.g. tyres, in case they pick the wrong tube to stick the jack under. They get it wrong often enough when I'm there! Depending on whether the arm is actually bent, you may get away with leaving it if it isn't affecting the handling (to a degree you can define). My Tasmin had plenty of dents in the radius arms but went in a straight line.
As Jim Meehan says elsewhere, these cars are not rocket science, and if you want an absolutely mint example, not only will you have to shell out to buy it, but you'll STILL be shelling out to keep it that way! You may as well live with the one you have: at least you know the work has been done (and when).
I recently bought a 20-year-old Esprit: on the face of it, it's a money pit. I've already spent £500 on it (with more to come), and it hasn't turned a wheel in anger yet. But I wanted it, and I'll live with it, and if I do the work then I know I can rely on it. But I won't gibber over every bit of perished rubber or worn leather: as long as the fundamentals are right it's still an Esprit, the same as your car is still a TVR 350i, for all its drooping doors and dripping fluids.
Tell 'em to fix the essentials, and do the rest as and when!
Ian
Agree, thanks for all your help chaps. Phoning today for a cost estimate.
At the moment i am not concerned about the roof, gas struts or spotlight. The bonnet i will sought out myself by re-sticking the sound proofing.
I have had a look at the o/s window motor and wires, cleaned them and still doesn't work! It did when i parked her up..now nothing??
I was aware of slight fluid weeps on the previously mentioned areas, but the car only dripped twice on the garage floor in 5 months of being parked up..and that was from the diff.
So...my plan after thinking about it with mucho help from all
Is to do what is necessary for the MOT, service with fluid changes. I just want to drive her. I certainly do not want to be without the car at the BBWF, which is creeping closer and closer.
I'll let you know the outcome...brmm brmm
Wayne
At the moment i am not concerned about the roof, gas struts or spotlight. The bonnet i will sought out myself by re-sticking the sound proofing.
I have had a look at the o/s window motor and wires, cleaned them and still doesn't work! It did when i parked her up..now nothing??
I was aware of slight fluid weeps on the previously mentioned areas, but the car only dripped twice on the garage floor in 5 months of being parked up..and that was from the diff.
So...my plan after thinking about it with mucho help from all
Is to do what is necessary for the MOT, service with fluid changes. I just want to drive her. I certainly do not want to be without the car at the BBWF, which is creeping closer and closer. I'll let you know the outcome...brmm brmm
Wayne
waynester said:
I have had a look at the o/s window motor and wires, cleaned them and still doesn't work! It did when i parked her up..now nothing??
Have had the same happen on numerous cars, usually packs up with the window down and is a prelude to torrential rain - try spraying large amounts of WD40 into the window switch - due to the heavy load and the action of the switch the contacts get pitted and burnt and this might just dislodge enough to make contact.
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