Tamora on a budget - recipe for disaster....?
Discussion
Hello all.
I've been lurking on here for a while but this is my first post on this particular part of PH. There are at least a couple of familiar names from s2ki who will know me.....
After 3 years of very enjoyable S2000 ownership, I'm starting to get the itch for something new. There's nothing wrong with what I've got, and on any objective level it's a top notch car which has given me a lot of pleasure - its just that feeling that maybe it's time for a change.
I've always had a bit of a thing for TVRs. The stories about mechanical problems, blown engines and hefty repair bills have always put me off in the past. But newly-married and with the prospect of the patter of tiny feet some time in the next 12-18 months, I'm beginning to think it's now or never and that I either try it for 12 months now and flog it when there's a need for something sensible with 4 seats or it probably won't happen for another twenty years!
I can't really afford to add much, if anything, to what I'll get for the S2000. Realistically, this gives me a budget which isn't going to exceed £22K at most. I've seen a couple of sub-£20K Tamoras on Autotrader, and there are a few within my budget on the PH classifieds. Typically, they're 02s or 52s with anything from 6,000 to 16,000 miles.
I realise running costs are going to be considerably higher than the S2000, and I think I can deal with that. My question for you all is whether I'm making a rod for my own back in trying to pick up a car which, to fit my budget, is inevitably going to be at the bottom end of the price bracket.
TVR ownership seems to me (as an outsider) to be something of a lottery - you can get a good one, which won't give you any trouble, or you can get an absolute lemon, which will cost you a small fortune to remedy when things go wrong. Clearly, the latter is something to be avoided given my budgetary constraints! This alone makes me think I should maybe steer clear but what do you lot think? What can I do to minimise the chances of buying a lemon? What do I need to be looking for practically as warning lights?
(I've done a search, so I'm familiar with at least some of the basic issues, and appreciate that I need to budget for a decent warranty if I was to decide to go down this road).
Cheers,
Mark
I've been lurking on here for a while but this is my first post on this particular part of PH. There are at least a couple of familiar names from s2ki who will know me.....
After 3 years of very enjoyable S2000 ownership, I'm starting to get the itch for something new. There's nothing wrong with what I've got, and on any objective level it's a top notch car which has given me a lot of pleasure - its just that feeling that maybe it's time for a change.
I've always had a bit of a thing for TVRs. The stories about mechanical problems, blown engines and hefty repair bills have always put me off in the past. But newly-married and with the prospect of the patter of tiny feet some time in the next 12-18 months, I'm beginning to think it's now or never and that I either try it for 12 months now and flog it when there's a need for something sensible with 4 seats or it probably won't happen for another twenty years!
I can't really afford to add much, if anything, to what I'll get for the S2000. Realistically, this gives me a budget which isn't going to exceed £22K at most. I've seen a couple of sub-£20K Tamoras on Autotrader, and there are a few within my budget on the PH classifieds. Typically, they're 02s or 52s with anything from 6,000 to 16,000 miles.
I realise running costs are going to be considerably higher than the S2000, and I think I can deal with that. My question for you all is whether I'm making a rod for my own back in trying to pick up a car which, to fit my budget, is inevitably going to be at the bottom end of the price bracket.
TVR ownership seems to me (as an outsider) to be something of a lottery - you can get a good one, which won't give you any trouble, or you can get an absolute lemon, which will cost you a small fortune to remedy when things go wrong. Clearly, the latter is something to be avoided given my budgetary constraints! This alone makes me think I should maybe steer clear but what do you lot think? What can I do to minimise the chances of buying a lemon? What do I need to be looking for practically as warning lights?
(I've done a search, so I'm familiar with at least some of the basic issues, and appreciate that I need to budget for a decent warranty if I was to decide to go down this road).
Cheers,
Mark
People here will of course say - go for it. You only live once. They are a great experience to own.. I know as I own two.
Try to look at a few before you decide..
Buying from a dealer can be expensive - they are typically 4K more expensive and come with a warranty which typically covers a max of £1500. They also will rip you off on a part ex.. but that's the price of convienience..
I saved the £4K and bought an AA policy (£500 max) for £52.
Try to look at a few before you decide..
Buying from a dealer can be expensive - they are typically 4K more expensive and come with a warranty which typically covers a max of £1500. They also will rip you off on a part ex.. but that's the price of convienience..
I saved the £4K and bought an AA policy (£500 max) for £52.
Hi Mark! 
I haven't been keeping an eye on dealer prices, mainly so as not to depress myself over what depreciation I have suffered, but I would have thought you should be able to find a reasonable car from a dealer for that budget if you're patient.
I would recommend the dealer route provided you are really clear with them that you want all minor niggles that might arise in the first few months sorted foc, regardless of the third party warranty they give you. I see the warranty as necessasry for engine concerns, but these are hand-built cars, and you could have annoying little things going wrong.
I had a few such vuisits in the first few months, was very impressed with how the dealer dealt with them, and generally these seem to be sorted, I'm not having to make visits to the dealer any more, and just enjoying the car.
As you say, go for it, and if neceessary sell the car after enjoying it for 12 months or so.
Good luck!
Alex
I haven't been keeping an eye on dealer prices, mainly so as not to depress myself over what depreciation I have suffered, but I would have thought you should be able to find a reasonable car from a dealer for that budget if you're patient.
I would recommend the dealer route provided you are really clear with them that you want all minor niggles that might arise in the first few months sorted foc, regardless of the third party warranty they give you. I see the warranty as necessasry for engine concerns, but these are hand-built cars, and you could have annoying little things going wrong.
I had a few such vuisits in the first few months, was very impressed with how the dealer dealt with them, and generally these seem to be sorted, I'm not having to make visits to the dealer any more, and just enjoying the car.
As you say, go for it, and if neceessary sell the car after enjoying it for 12 months or so.
Good luck!
Alex
Thanks for the replies, guys.
Alex, dealer prices still seem to start from a minimum of £25K from what I've seen so far. I'd prefer to buy that way but I suspect that price is going to mean I'm pretty much restricted to a private sale. There are a couple of real possibles in the PH classifieds which I might arrange to go and have a look at. But most depends on how quickly I can shift the S, and I can't see that being a quick process....
From the reading I have done, it seems as if the majority of the S6 problems have been with earlier engines, and relate to the 4.0 rather than the 3.6. (I know about your problems, Alex - gulp!) That does give me a bit more confidence, I guess. Anyone care to comment on S6 reliability in Tamoras in particular....?
How many of you out there with Tams have had to go through rebuilds? Since I'm likely to be looking at cars with a few thousand miles on the clock, the last thing I want to do is buy a car which has been reliable to date but which is just waiting to need a rebuild doing....
>> Edited by lurking lawyer on Saturday 3rd September 21:46
Alex, dealer prices still seem to start from a minimum of £25K from what I've seen so far. I'd prefer to buy that way but I suspect that price is going to mean I'm pretty much restricted to a private sale. There are a couple of real possibles in the PH classifieds which I might arrange to go and have a look at. But most depends on how quickly I can shift the S, and I can't see that being a quick process....
From the reading I have done, it seems as if the majority of the S6 problems have been with earlier engines, and relate to the 4.0 rather than the 3.6. (I know about your problems, Alex - gulp!) That does give me a bit more confidence, I guess. Anyone care to comment on S6 reliability in Tamoras in particular....?
How many of you out there with Tams have had to go through rebuilds? Since I'm likely to be looking at cars with a few thousand miles on the clock, the last thing I want to do is buy a car which has been reliable to date but which is just waiting to need a rebuild doing....
>> Edited by lurking lawyer on Saturday 3rd September 21:46
lurking lawyer said:
Thanks for the replies, guys.
Alex, dealer prices still seem to start from a minimum of £25K from what I've seen so far. I'd prefer to buy that way but I suspect that price is going to mean I'm pretty much restricted to a private sale. There are a couple of real possibles in the PH classifieds which I might arrange to go and have a look at. But most depends on how quickly I can shift the S, and I can't see that being a quick process....
From the reading I have done, it seems as if the majority of the S6 problems have been with earlier engines, and relate to the 4.0 rather than the 3.6. (I know about your problems, Alex - gulp!) That does give me a bit more confidence, I guess. Anyone care to comment on S6 reliability in Tamoras in particular....?
How many of you out there with Tams have had to go through rebuilds? Since I'm likely to be looking at cars with a few thousand miles on the clock, the last thing I want to do is buy a car which has been reliable to date but which is just waiting to need a rebuild doing....
>> Edited by lurking lawyer on Saturday 3rd September 21:46
Personally I think a high proportion of all Speed Sixes produced to date will need a rebuild by 30,000 miles. I believe things have improved considerably since the early Speed Six engined Tuscans where it seemed like they all needed rebuilding. Do I have facts/data? no not really, but just read some of the threads on the Speed Six forum. If I were puting 25k down on a car I would have my eyes open to the worst case possibility. Anyone who doesn't is a fool IMO.
Not trying to put you off, but the reputation of the Speed Six didn't occur for no reason. I think the engine is brilliant, but mine still may go bang.
nickfb1 said:
If you could budget for 24k, why not buy a nice example for 19k (if this is possible) theres a few on autotrader, then keep 5k in the pot for a rebuild just in case or go down the autocraft route and have the top end rebuild done as a preventative measure.
Thats what I would do!
nickfb1 said:
If you could budget for 24k, why not buy a nice example for 19k (if this is possible)
The £19K bit seems possible, but I'm struggling with the £5K reserve. At that price, there would be a couple of grand left in the kitty (without me having to top it up - which TBH I'm not prepared to do). I COULD raise the money if the worst happened and the engine went pop, but not without a certin amount of belt-tightening.
All of this is what lead to my original question - is buying a Tamora on a budget a recipe for disaster? I know that prudence would certainly dictate assuming the worst and budgeting accordingly, but I was trying to gauge just how likely the worst happening actually is.
I'm going into this with my eyes open regarding the foibles of TVR ownership and the idiosyncracies of the S6 engine, but don't really have a feel for how often the 3.6s in Tams do actually go pop, or require some other form of expensive remedial work.
It comes down to a head -v- heart thing. Having to budget for the worst makes me think that, with the limited funds available, I should steer clear. But my heart says go for it, take the chance and keep my fingers crossed. Hmmmm.
Anyway, please keep the comments coming
There does seem to be quite a few apparent bargains on the Autotrader site right now. It is very difficult to determine which one is best, unless you buy from a respected dealer or an independent who loves the marque with a passion, like James Agger.
I did buy ‘semi private’, and took a chance, with the few thousand I saved, the first thing I did was to have the Tam serviced and rear tires changed, after that, my car had a clean bill of health and I was still quids in, so much so in fact, that I treated my Tam to a new satnav system, custom carpets, kick plates etc.
Be under no illusion of how much you need to spend in their upkeep though, even a small service can knock you back £1K, but I am including a set of either front or back tires in with that.
I have always treated my car carefully, following the warm up procedures religiously, it seems I was fortunate enough to have bought a well looked after car. It has never failed to start first time, and has never let me down, and I use the car most days to get me to work and back (24 mile round trip)
There will always be the nagging doubt about reliability, and that one day the engine ‘may’ let go, but the fun you have in the meantime more than cancels out those doubts.
I do not view TVR through rose tinted spectacles – I am well aware that what I own is a car with near supercar performance, and one day I may have a big bill for that pleasure, I accept that, and if you can, you shall not be disappointed!
I did buy ‘semi private’, and took a chance, with the few thousand I saved, the first thing I did was to have the Tam serviced and rear tires changed, after that, my car had a clean bill of health and I was still quids in, so much so in fact, that I treated my Tam to a new satnav system, custom carpets, kick plates etc.
Be under no illusion of how much you need to spend in their upkeep though, even a small service can knock you back £1K, but I am including a set of either front or back tires in with that.
I have always treated my car carefully, following the warm up procedures religiously, it seems I was fortunate enough to have bought a well looked after car. It has never failed to start first time, and has never let me down, and I use the car most days to get me to work and back (24 mile round trip)
There will always be the nagging doubt about reliability, and that one day the engine ‘may’ let go, but the fun you have in the meantime more than cancels out those doubts.
I do not view TVR through rose tinted spectacles – I am well aware that what I own is a car with near supercar performance, and one day I may have a big bill for that pleasure, I accept that, and if you can, you shall not be disappointed!
Platinum said:
Do you have your mind set on a Tamora?
If I'm going down the TVR route, yes, I think so. With the greatest of respect to the Chimaera, as good a car as it is I'm afraid it looks a bit dated to me. I'm not wholly convinced by the Tam's looks (especially the back end), but at least it looks contemporary.
I'm off to do some reading up about warranties now. Anyone want to chip in with details of what's out there, what it covers and what it costs?
Lurking
Have a look here
www.warrantyworks.co.uk/HTMLFiles/CARS_TVR.php
I've just covered my Saab with these guys and seems fairly comprehensive
davidy
Have a look here
www.warrantyworks.co.uk/HTMLFiles/CARS_TVR.php
I've just covered my Saab with these guys and seems fairly comprehensive
davidy
AlexRWD said:
I can't remember reading many stories in this Tamora thread of Tamora Sp6 engine rebuilds, if any other than mine
From memory, I think I've heard of 2 or possibly 3 Tamora SP6 rebuilds on this forum. Like you mentioned earlier, it seems the 3.6 is far less likely to blow up than the 4.0 litre.
And the dealers are always telling me that once you've passed 7 or 8 thousand miles, the engine is OK. Not completely convinced of that one though!
davidy said:
Lurking
Have a look here
www.warrantyworks.co.uk/HTMLFiles/CARS_TVR.php
I've just covered my Saab with these guys and seems fairly comprehensive
davidy
Have you seen the prices to get even £500 per claim cover though?? (12 months cover)
Limit Cover Price(inc IPT)
£150 Powerdrive £393.12
£150 Bronze £446.04
£300 Bronze £521.64
£300 Gold £642.60
£500 Gold £672.84
£150 Silver £703.08
£500 Platinum £748.44
£300 Silver £801.36
£500 Silver £816.48
£1000 Gold £824.04
£1000 Platinum £831.60
£2500 Platinum £1,890.00
Sorry about that then
My Saab 9-5 2.3 Turbo Estate 5 years old and with 102K miles on the clock cost me £595 for 3 (Three) years £1000 Gold cover from now including the Turbo. My vehicle only has a value of 6K though so my max claim limit is £6K
That was definitely a good deal as I will do approx 80k miles in the next 3 years, obviously they are wise to the potential costs of the SP6 engined TVRs
davidy
My Saab 9-5 2.3 Turbo Estate 5 years old and with 102K miles on the clock cost me £595 for 3 (Three) years £1000 Gold cover from now including the Turbo. My vehicle only has a value of 6K though so my max claim limit is £6K
That was definitely a good deal as I will do approx 80k miles in the next 3 years, obviously they are wise to the potential costs of the SP6 engined TVRs
davidy
pamelahaswell said:
I also have my head in a spin wanting to upgrade to a TVR - the insurance was a nasty shock for a driver with maximum NCB - has anybody else mentioned insurance?
Privilege insurance, max no claims, NCP, legal protection10K (I think!) limited mileage per year, wife as a named driver, all for less than £600!
I do, at one time remember having to pay £740 for an MGF Trophy160!!
and, strange as it may seem, I had a £40 refund when renewing my insurance from the Chim to the Tamora, it's cheaper! pamelahaswell said:
I also have my head in a spin wanting to upgrade to a TVR - the insurance was a nasty shock for a driver with maximum NCB - has anybody else mentioned insurance?
I guess it must depend what you are swapping from. For me, a 52 plate Tamora with an estimated value of £20K or so is a good £150 cheaper than my S2000 - around £800, with 8 years NCB, one SP30, two claims (one fault, one no fault) and garaged in East Cheshire. And that's just the one quote I got (from Tesco) without any shopping around.
I was pleasantly surprised.
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