Tell me about TVR
Discussion
RIght now I'm driving a TT, the 225 quattro coupe to be exact, and a very nice car it is too.
The thing is, I don't plan on holding on to it beyond summmer really, and I had a crazy idea; buy a Cerbera instead.
So, for £15000 (which is about what my TT will be worth), what kind of car could I get? Would it have aircon? How reliable on 20k miles a year? Insurance group? Running costs? Depreciation?
It would be parked on the street - its a nice area, so I'm not too worried.
The thing is, I don't plan on holding on to it beyond summmer really, and I had a crazy idea; buy a Cerbera instead.
So, for £15000 (which is about what my TT will be worth), what kind of car could I get? Would it have aircon? How reliable on 20k miles a year? Insurance group? Running costs? Depreciation?
It would be parked on the street - its a nice area, so I'm not too worried.
www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?p=1&s=6
£15k may get you a 1996 cerbie with 40k onthe clock.
slightly different beast to the TT...
£15k may get you a 1996 cerbie with 40k onthe clock.
slightly different beast to the TT...
for 15k it would be an old one from that late 90's
insurance group 20 without a doubt, will probably be a v8 because the v6's are newer. not sure about depreciation but it would certainly be over the worst of it.
IMO i dont think tvrs are the best suited cars for doing 20k miles a year but people might argue that with me, cerbera is a tourer isnt it?
insurance group 20 without a doubt, will probably be a v8 because the v6's are newer. not sure about depreciation but it would certainly be over the worst of it.
IMO i dont think tvrs are the best suited cars for doing 20k miles a year but people might argue that with me, cerbera is a tourer isnt it?
tomtvr said:
for 15k it would be an old one from that late 90's
insurance group 20 without a doubt, will probably be a v8 because the v6's are newer. not sure about depreciation but it would certainly be over the worst of it.
IMO i dont think tvrs are the best suited cars for doing 20k miles a year but people might argue that with me, cerbera is a tourer isnt it?
Griff and Chims are more than capable of reliably doing 20K miles PA, in fact they are more reliable if you do this sort of mileage. In the 12 months I owned my Chim I clocked up 33K and only ever had to get it serviced and tyres replaced.
A Cerbera is a different story altogether though! As amazing a car as it is, rather you than me!
I had a similar budget to yourself and was initially looking at the cerbs, until that is I realised just how much they can cost to keep on the road. I test drove both Cerb and Chim and eventually settled on a 97 Chimaera which I picked up yesterday. It has a far more relaxed (though still sporty) driving position than the cerb and felt a lot easier to drive. The Cerb was very low and flat and whilst it took days to wipe the grin from my face didn't feel as if it would be as much of an all rounder as the Chim. For your budget your also only looking at the very bottom end of the cerb market whilst you'll have masses of much later model Chims to choose from.
Corin Denton said:
[quote=tomtvr] will probably be a v8 because the v6's are newer. quote]
There is no V6, it's a straight six and should be avoided at all costs if you are a high mileage user on a budget.
The V8 is a much more reliable beastie.
argh what was i thinking, i know its a straight 6, im a tvr nut - dunno y i put v6?
tomtvr said:
argh what was i thinking, i know its a straight 6, im a tvr nut - dunno y i put v6?
It's a subconscious desire to own one of these.
www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/detail.asp?i=31634&s=5
By the way Parrot of Doom, your 15k would buy you the biggest and baddest of supercharged wedges. Lots of power, zero depreciation, and more exclusive than a Griff or Chim. Just a thought.
www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/detail.asp?i=31750&s=5
Oh, and for a look under the bonnet of a DPR converted wedge with a sprintex supercharger:
www.tallbloke.net/350SX.jpg
>> Edited by tallbloke on Monday 10th January 20:38
parrot of doom said:
If it's hot enough for aircon, why not take the roof down? or open a window, its a sports car.
OK, so you may need a little suncream and/or the adornment of a cap, but otherwise can't see why not, did the 500 miles down to Le Mans roof-off without a problems (Bright red burnt face excepted!), you'll find the purchase of a TVR changes your outlook on weather, even though you won't have an electric roof it'll be down in everything but rain
Do spend some time making sure you know what you are getting into, I spent a lot of time looking at getting a TT when they were new on the market, must have done 5 hours of solo test drives in both roadster and coupe as well as track time at Brands Hatch before deciding they weren't for me, also spent seven months last year with the same chassis and engine in a Leon Cupra-R.
£15k will not likely buy the best Cerbera, it will need maintenance and probably cosmetic work, the standard costing for that is £3k per year for an AJP V8, so factor that in on top of the costs bringing it up to scratch.
IIRC The TT is ins group 18, so the jump to 20 will be no biggy as the value is similar.
Driving is nothing like the TT, it may be a Grand Tourer, but TVRs definitions would put the Ariel Atom at the mild end of the spectrum! The Golf Mk IV chassis is not very talkative and has to be assisted with electronics, the TVR shouts with feedback (not all good or correct!) and does not assist in any way, you have to have your wits about you and a trip that would be a no brainer in the TT could exhuast you in a Cerbera (or any TVR).
Financially, my advice would be to go for a Chimaera or Griff as a starter TVR, picking purely on your favourite look as price wise with both you are quite safe at the £15k price level. Give that a few years, then move to a Cerbera.
Good luck in your search!
Parrot,
If you really want a TVR for 20k miles per annum I think you need to stay well clear of a Cerbera, fabulous though they are I would never want to rely upon one to that extent. I also think you need to consider your needs very carefully, and how deep your pockets are.
I have a Chimera450 as a weekend car - which is what I think it is best suited to, although many will disagree. Mine is an early 98 model and in the six months I have had it has cost me about £2k in bills - servicing, tyres, a bit of engine work etc. I expected this.
I also have is garaged - I wouldn't like to think of it being rained on, snowed on and exposed to ice and the elements. I think you will also be suprised how much attention one will attract even on the quietest residential road.
Your insurance will also be quite a bit higher, as most insurers want them garaged. Your fuel costs will be a lot higher, as will your servicing and maintenance at 20k per annum.
TVR's are specialist enthusiast vehicles, that implies a lot of care of a kind that an Audi TT or a Boxster simply doesn't need.
That said, I love them, and this is my second TVR, so I don't want to put you off, but do urge a purchase that is made with the head as well as the heart in these circumstances.
Hope that helps.
If you really want a TVR for 20k miles per annum I think you need to stay well clear of a Cerbera, fabulous though they are I would never want to rely upon one to that extent. I also think you need to consider your needs very carefully, and how deep your pockets are.
I have a Chimera450 as a weekend car - which is what I think it is best suited to, although many will disagree. Mine is an early 98 model and in the six months I have had it has cost me about £2k in bills - servicing, tyres, a bit of engine work etc. I expected this.
I also have is garaged - I wouldn't like to think of it being rained on, snowed on and exposed to ice and the elements. I think you will also be suprised how much attention one will attract even on the quietest residential road.
Your insurance will also be quite a bit higher, as most insurers want them garaged. Your fuel costs will be a lot higher, as will your servicing and maintenance at 20k per annum.
TVR's are specialist enthusiast vehicles, that implies a lot of care of a kind that an Audi TT or a Boxster simply doesn't need.
That said, I love them, and this is my second TVR, so I don't want to put you off, but do urge a purchase that is made with the head as well as the heart in these circumstances.
Hope that helps.
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