TVR as a daily
Discussion
Dr Wolff said:
The biggest problem is people driving into it in the carpark at work (twice, £1200 worth of damage the second time) - I suspect old boys with no neck movement who don't use their mirrors or can't see over the dash, or hear an accident which doesn't actually involve the noise of rending metal (You did know the bodywork is fibreglass, didn't you?)
Anyway, 20 miles each way, 2 or 3 days a week, but mainly March to November. No problems with reliability.
Parking would be my main concern, I never street park mine since I'm afraid someone will reverse into it.Anyway, 20 miles each way, 2 or 3 days a week, but mainly March to November. No problems with reliability.
Flying machine said:
I wouldn't want to use my TVR as an everyday driver, but I'm sure some people would and do! I prefer to keep it as a 'special' for the weekend etc
I use mine daily - they don't get any less special by doing so. 
That's a bit like saying "I have Angelina Jolie at home naked in bed sending me texts saying 'Get home soon as I'm desperate to get my lips round your enormous manhood' but just so that I don't get bored with her I think I'm going to cop off with this fat bird instead..."
Phil
Edited by Bassfiend on Thursday 20th September 21:55
When I was considering buying a Chimaera, my intention was to get rid of my diesel SEAT Ibiza and use the TVR as the daily driver. I think subconsciously I was thinking that it was a bit extravagant to own two cars when I'm the only driver in the household.
However, someone at work suggested that I work out the costs. I do about 16,000 miles a year, and once I'd created a spreadsheet to itemise the costs of doing all those miles in the TVR versus sharing them with my existing car, it was clear that I'd save a substantial amount of money by keeping two cars!
This also meant that the TVR would always be "special" every time I drive it. I don't care what anyone else says; anything you do every day will inevitably become that bit less special than it would be if you mix things up. If you ate fillet steak every day, you'd soon be craving a burger.
Also, I still have a car that I can load up with junk or garden waste to take to the tip, or buy long bits of wood or plumbing stuff from DIY stores.
And I have to say that some days I'm simply not in the mood for the TVR. I'm a fickle animal!
I drive the TVR to work maybe once or twice a week, and I have a special "TVR route" for those days. My mileage split has ended up being about 6,000 in the TVR and 10,000 in the SEAT.
I'm very glad that my colleague made me "do the math". I fully accept that it's perfectly possible to use a TVR as a daily driver, but I do think that keeping two cars may well be a better plan - giving you the best of both worlds.
However, someone at work suggested that I work out the costs. I do about 16,000 miles a year, and once I'd created a spreadsheet to itemise the costs of doing all those miles in the TVR versus sharing them with my existing car, it was clear that I'd save a substantial amount of money by keeping two cars!
This also meant that the TVR would always be "special" every time I drive it. I don't care what anyone else says; anything you do every day will inevitably become that bit less special than it would be if you mix things up. If you ate fillet steak every day, you'd soon be craving a burger.
Also, I still have a car that I can load up with junk or garden waste to take to the tip, or buy long bits of wood or plumbing stuff from DIY stores.
And I have to say that some days I'm simply not in the mood for the TVR. I'm a fickle animal!
I drive the TVR to work maybe once or twice a week, and I have a special "TVR route" for those days. My mileage split has ended up being about 6,000 in the TVR and 10,000 in the SEAT.
I'm very glad that my colleague made me "do the math". I fully accept that it's perfectly possible to use a TVR as a daily driver, but I do think that keeping two cars may well be a better plan - giving you the best of both worlds.
Bassfiend said:
I use mine daily - they don't get any less special by doing so.
That's a bit like saying "I have Angelina Jolie at home naked in bed sending me texts saying 'Get home soon as I'm desperate to get my lips round your enormous manhood' but just so that I don't get bored with her I think I'm going to cop off with this fat bird instead..."
Phil
Just had a mental picture of you and the fat bird getting out of your Chimp at the same time......wouldn't that create a bit of a vacuum in the region of the rear window? That's a bit like saying "I have Angelina Jolie at home naked in bed sending me texts saying 'Get home soon as I'm desperate to get my lips round your enormous manhood' but just so that I don't get bored with her I think I'm going to cop off with this fat bird instead..."
Phil
Edited by Bassfiend on Thursday 20th September 21:55
I'm with Dr Mike on this - I have taken the TVR today for an 85 mile trip, having let the diesel Saab get very low on fuel on the way home yesterday, so that I would have had to have gone off in the wrong direction to refuel it this morning! Loved the drive down to clients, even though a lot of it was spent at 50 in traffic, but those glorious few bits of acceleration made it special.
Just to add to tings, it is really going to depend on your commute. Outside of shcool holidays there is so much traffic on mine that you just get all the disadvantages of the TVR and you can't enjoy the advantages so diesel cruiser makes more sense. Not that I couldn't use the TVR but i doesn't make much sense to do so.
Also, depending on the car, you have to face the fact that many of the cars are now getting on a bit so aren't going to be 100% reliable. Having a back-up motor just takes away all the stress of this. I'm not saying that TVRs are unreiable exactly but many are old cars and this is common to any old car. If you get one that is fully restored then maybe a different story...
Rob
Also, depending on the car, you have to face the fact that many of the cars are now getting on a bit so aren't going to be 100% reliable. Having a back-up motor just takes away all the stress of this. I'm not saying that TVRs are unreiable exactly but many are old cars and this is common to any old car. If you get one that is fully restored then maybe a different story...
Rob
Rob_the_Sparky said:
Just to add to tings, it is really going to depend on your commute. Outside of shcool holidays there is so much traffic on mine that you just get all the disadvantages of the TVR and you can't enjoy the advantages so diesel cruiser makes more sense. Not that I couldn't use the TVR but i doesn't make much sense to do so.
Also, depending on the car, you have to face the fact that many of the cars are now getting on a bit so aren't going to be 100% reliable. Having a back-up motor just takes away all the stress of this. I'm not saying that TVRs are unreiable exactly but many are old cars and this is common to any old car. If you get one that is fully restored then maybe a different story...
Rob
My 25,000 miles a year would kill the TVR, so I have a diesel auto for the rest of it and have the TVR for fun (2 or 3 drives a week and weekend events). Diesel cruiser does about 20,000 between services and always starts. TVR does 5000 between services and usually starts. Just changing the cruiser from a 7 year old Saab to an 8 year old Audi A8. Hope for smile improvement on weekdays shortly!Also, depending on the car, you have to face the fact that many of the cars are now getting on a bit so aren't going to be 100% reliable. Having a back-up motor just takes away all the stress of this. I'm not saying that TVRs are unreiable exactly but many are old cars and this is common to any old car. If you get one that is fully restored then maybe a different story...
Rob
Quietlybonkers said:
Rob_the_Sparky said:
Just to add to tings, it is really going to depend on your commute. Outside of shcool holidays there is so much traffic on mine that you just get all the disadvantages of the TVR and you can't enjoy the advantages so diesel cruiser makes more sense. Not that I couldn't use the TVR but i doesn't make much sense to do so.
Also, depending on the car, you have to face the fact that many of the cars are now getting on a bit so aren't going to be 100% reliable. Having a back-up motor just takes away all the stress of this. I'm not saying that TVRs are unreiable exactly but many are old cars and this is common to any old car. If you get one that is fully restored then maybe a different story...
Rob
My 25,000 miles a year would kill the TVR, so I have a diesel auto for the rest of it and have the TVR for fun (2 or 3 drives a week and weekend events). Diesel cruiser does about 20,000 between services and always starts. TVR does 5000 between services and usually starts. Just changing the cruiser from a 7 year old Saab to an 8 year old Audi A8. Hope for smile improvement on weekdays shortly!Also, depending on the car, you have to face the fact that many of the cars are now getting on a bit so aren't going to be 100% reliable. Having a back-up motor just takes away all the stress of this. I'm not saying that TVRs are unreiable exactly but many are old cars and this is common to any old car. If you get one that is fully restored then maybe a different story...
Rob
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Quietlybonkers said:
Bassfiend said:
I use mine daily - they don't get any less special by doing so.
That's a bit like saying "I have Angelina Jolie at home naked in bed sending me texts saying 'Get home soon as I'm desperate to get my lips round your enormous manhood' but just so that I don't get bored with her I think I'm going to cop off with this fat bird instead..."
Phil
Just had a mental picture of you and the fat bird getting out of your Chimp at the same time......wouldn't that create a bit of a vacuum in the region of the rear window? That's a bit like saying "I have Angelina Jolie at home naked in bed sending me texts saying 'Get home soon as I'm desperate to get my lips round your enormous manhood' but just so that I don't get bored with her I think I'm going to cop off with this fat bird instead..."
Phil
Sorry Phil, but was funny
domV8 said:
Quietlybonkers said:
Bassfiend said:
I use mine daily - they don't get any less special by doing so.
That's a bit like saying "I have Angelina Jolie at home naked in bed sending me texts saying 'Get home soon as I'm desperate to get my lips round your enormous manhood' but just so that I don't get bored with her I think I'm going to cop off with this fat bird instead..."
Phil
Just had a mental picture of you and the fat bird getting out of your Chimp at the same time......wouldn't that create a bit of a vacuum in the region of the rear window? That's a bit like saying "I have Angelina Jolie at home naked in bed sending me texts saying 'Get home soon as I'm desperate to get my lips round your enormous manhood' but just so that I don't get bored with her I think I'm going to cop off with this fat bird instead..."
Phil
Sorry Phil, but was funny
There is a further advantage to keeping the TVR as a second car: it means that you can tinker with it and not worry about getting it back together in time to drive to work on Monday morning. In fact, having two cars is invaluable while you're doing a job, because you can always jump in the other car to go and buy the bits you unexpectedly need.
I'd say if your mileage makes it worth splitting between two cars, and if you've got the space, then do it!
I'd say if your mileage makes it worth splitting between two cars, and if you've got the space, then do it!
Until recently I have used my TVR's as dailys since about 1998.
They were my Wedge, Chimaera and Tuscan Mk1 and the drives included driving back and too to Germany.
After my Mk1 I got a Mk2 Tuscan and started using her daily as well but my travel commitments meant that she was more and more left in an Airport car park.
Also it can get a bit hairy in the snow so last year I bought a Chimaera for the winter months in Germany
They were all very reliable with very few problems.
The Mk1 Tuscan required the most attention but she was very good also once I had finished the jobs list.
Unfortunately the Chimaera is still not quite finished on the repairs that it needed and so she hardly got used last winter. Should be ready in October.
Again unfortunately, I feel that using the Tuscan less is responsible for some of the recent small problems I've been experiencing.
My opinion only but I realy do believe that they are better when driven regularly.
For me the question would be "which model" as aposed to "should I ?".
They were my Wedge, Chimaera and Tuscan Mk1 and the drives included driving back and too to Germany.
After my Mk1 I got a Mk2 Tuscan and started using her daily as well but my travel commitments meant that she was more and more left in an Airport car park.
Also it can get a bit hairy in the snow so last year I bought a Chimaera for the winter months in Germany
They were all very reliable with very few problems.
The Mk1 Tuscan required the most attention but she was very good also once I had finished the jobs list.
Unfortunately the Chimaera is still not quite finished on the repairs that it needed and so she hardly got used last winter. Should be ready in October.
Again unfortunately, I feel that using the Tuscan less is responsible for some of the recent small problems I've been experiencing.
My opinion only but I realy do believe that they are better when driven regularly.
For me the question would be "which model" as aposed to "should I ?".
^^ ^^ ^^
That's interesting as I'm looking for a weekend toy / sometime commuter with the odd 600 mile trip or so.
Can I ask which you find more enjoyable for a daily drive? The Tuscan or the Chim?
I'm toying between a Tamora and a Chim at the moment.
I'm not the fastest of drivers but love the sound and handling of the range.
I had a Tuscan 2 for a while but fancy either a Tamora or Chim next.
That's interesting as I'm looking for a weekend toy / sometime commuter with the odd 600 mile trip or so.
Can I ask which you find more enjoyable for a daily drive? The Tuscan or the Chim?
I'm toying between a Tamora and a Chim at the moment.
I'm not the fastest of drivers but love the sound and handling of the range.
I had a Tuscan 2 for a while but fancy either a Tamora or Chim next.
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