Discussion
Hi,
I'm new to TVR ownership, and decided to go for a Tuscan straight away.
I liked the Chimp, Griff, and Cerb, but when I saw the Tuscan I just fell in love.
Anyway it took me 18 months of searching to get the right one, and a couple of times I nearly bought one of the above, because I was getting so frustrated with not finding the right one.
Now I am really glad I waited.
I had read all the horror stories about widow makers, and poor driving characteristics, so as you can imagine my first test drive I was really nervous.
The first test drive ended up being the one I purchased, all the others I had looked at just didn't tick the boxes for me, so I didn't drive them.
What surprised me was how much better it was than I expected, but at the same time really involving, better and more fun than driving one of todays modern cars.
So if you want a Tuscan go for it, be careful with your right foot, and all should be fine.
I did buy from a reputable source which has given me piece of mind with the warranty provided, but paid a little more than the 18K you want to spend.
Bear in mind that I'm also itching to spend the dosh to improve/replace parts on the car, but I keep reminding myself this can be done over a few years.
This car is a keeper, and I imagine it will be my first and last TVR.
Good Hunting.
I'm new to TVR ownership, and decided to go for a Tuscan straight away.
I liked the Chimp, Griff, and Cerb, but when I saw the Tuscan I just fell in love.
Anyway it took me 18 months of searching to get the right one, and a couple of times I nearly bought one of the above, because I was getting so frustrated with not finding the right one.
Now I am really glad I waited.
I had read all the horror stories about widow makers, and poor driving characteristics, so as you can imagine my first test drive I was really nervous.
The first test drive ended up being the one I purchased, all the others I had looked at just didn't tick the boxes for me, so I didn't drive them.
What surprised me was how much better it was than I expected, but at the same time really involving, better and more fun than driving one of todays modern cars.
So if you want a Tuscan go for it, be careful with your right foot, and all should be fine.
I did buy from a reputable source which has given me piece of mind with the warranty provided, but paid a little more than the 18K you want to spend.
Bear in mind that I'm also itching to spend the dosh to improve/replace parts on the car, but I keep reminding myself this can be done over a few years.
This car is a keeper, and I imagine it will be my first and last TVR.
Good Hunting.
jamieduff1981 said:
I had a bit more RWD experience when I started but agree TVRs aren't that scary to drive in the wet. They're scary to drive fast in the wet, so don't.
If the road is wet, then just aim to keep up with the normal flow of traffic and you'll have no problems. The only caveat is that unless you're regularly driving something of normal performance, it's easy to forget just how quick your TVR is especially when traffic is light.
The only time mine has given me a moderate slap on the face was when I tried to accelerate off a damp roundabout at a normal rate - which turned out to be the sort of rate a Focus RS would struggle to keep up with.
You need to keep yourself grounded, but otherwise, TVRs are pussy cats for normal driving.
This.If the road is wet, then just aim to keep up with the normal flow of traffic and you'll have no problems. The only caveat is that unless you're regularly driving something of normal performance, it's easy to forget just how quick your TVR is especially when traffic is light.
The only time mine has given me a moderate slap on the face was when I tried to accelerate off a damp roundabout at a normal rate - which turned out to be the sort of rate a Focus RS would struggle to keep up with.
You need to keep yourself grounded, but otherwise, TVRs are pussy cats for normal driving.
The Cerbera is just like any other car to drive in the wet if you aren't going too fast.
fatjon said:
Either a very very nice well looked after mint V8 rover engined model or a Cerbera V8. Avoid the Speed 6 cars at all costs, if it has a new engine it's just waiting for the next one which might be sooner than you expect.
A good Tuscan / Tamora will be much kinder on your wallet than a bad V8 Cerbera, the OP should buy on condition, not reputation.
fatjon said:
Either a very very nice well looked after mint V8 rover engined model or a Cerbera V8. Avoid the Speed 6 cars at all costs, if it has a new engine it's just waiting for the next one which might be sooner than you expect.
I assume you've had plenty of personal bad experiences with S6 engine cars you have owned, then?Plenty. There is a good reason why the S6 has it's own Pistonheads forum telling the woes of other people who have similar experiences. Of course there are now companies selling modified versions that reckon to solve the problems (and probably do) but since they cost as much as the next 2-3 rebuilds I'm not surprised they are happy to warranty them as you have already paid for the warranty costs and then some. I now have V8 Cerbera which despite costing me a fortune in every other department does not have a propensity to digest its own engine every 30k miles or so.
fatjon, your experiences matches a lot of Cerbera owners I know, the AJP8 engine is actually pretty reliable, it's everything else that bolted to it which lets it down be that starter motors, electrics, exhaust manifolds, clutches, induction systems. Maybe its the heat in the engine bay? Otherwise everything else is normal TVR.
As a balance, my S6 Tuscan has been pretty good overall, a couple of clutches and general wallet busting servicing only and 60k miles of wonderful re-build free fun.
As a balance, my S6 Tuscan has been pretty good overall, a couple of clutches and general wallet busting servicing only and 60k miles of wonderful re-build free fun.
I did use my first Tamora to commute to and from work every week day for three years, and I took it for blasts at the weekend. never any real problems. That's why I bought my second one last year.
I loved my Chim 450 before that, but there's no way I could ever go back - it would feel like a backward step. Always had the hot start prob with my chim, too..
ETA - they love to be driven, and driven often, and hate being garage queens....
I loved my Chim 450 before that, but there's no way I could ever go back - it would feel like a backward step. Always had the hot start prob with my chim, too..
ETA - they love to be driven, and driven often, and hate being garage queens....
Edited by chris watton on Wednesday 22 October 13:33
The Surveyor said:
fatjon, your experiences matches a lot of Cerbera owners I know, the AJP8 engine is actually pretty reliable, it's everything else that bolted to it which lets it down be that starter motors, electrics, exhaust manifolds, clutches, induction systems. Maybe its the heat in the engine bay? Otherwise everything else is normal TVR.
As a balance, my S6 Tuscan has been pretty good overall, a couple of clutches and general wallet busting servicing only and 60k miles of wonderful re-build free fun.
Some of that is true enough but the clutches are common to both cars and equally likely to fail on either. Much of the suspension and braking system is common, the MBE engine management is common to both as are the T5 gearboxes and GM diffs. So we are left with a tendency for AJP exhaust manifolds to crack when they get quite old which is pretty much the only substantial and uniquely AJP downside. A set of new ones can be had for circa £1200 and quite often the old ones can be repaired anyway. I have a spare set I picked up for £60 and TIG welded the small crack in the Y. I think any TVR can be and often will be a money pit and certainly the AJP and Speed 6 cars are going to cost a more to maintain than the Ford or Rover engined cars but the S6 has a well known and well documented Achilles heel. It's not just theoretical they have been dropping like flies since they were introduced and the fact that a few people have S6 engines that have covered high mileages without failing (yet) does not change this. I'm not sure I would not, in good conscience, advise anyone to buy a Speed 6 engined car over a V8 because the AJP starter motors sometimes get cooked and cost you a couple of hundred quid or you might have to buy a couple of £30 coil packs over the life of the engine.As a balance, my S6 Tuscan has been pretty good overall, a couple of clutches and general wallet busting servicing only and 60k miles of wonderful re-build free fun.
Most of the comments above are fair.
I would take issue with "fatjon's" advice re: the Speed 6 engine cars (Although, the early units were nightmare'ish). Post 2004, the Sixes were benefitting from better quality components and there are still original engines of this vintage ('04 ->) that are going strong. Additionally, a lot of the pre '04 cars will have had an engine re-build by Str8 Six or TVR Power. The knowledge and experience of these two specialists, now makes the straight 6 engine as good as anything mainstream.
The Rover V8 cars are great fun too. The main TVR failing is corroded electrical connectors - IMHO, and heat stress to electrical components in the engine bay.
Nick
I would take issue with "fatjon's" advice re: the Speed 6 engine cars (Although, the early units were nightmare'ish). Post 2004, the Sixes were benefitting from better quality components and there are still original engines of this vintage ('04 ->) that are going strong. Additionally, a lot of the pre '04 cars will have had an engine re-build by Str8 Six or TVR Power. The knowledge and experience of these two specialists, now makes the straight 6 engine as good as anything mainstream.
The Rover V8 cars are great fun too. The main TVR failing is corroded electrical connectors - IMHO, and heat stress to electrical components in the engine bay.
Nick
My 00 Cerbera 4.5 cost more in 12 months than my 03 Tam has in 45 months, was I unlucky with the Cerb, or lucky with the Tam?
Of the last 4 cars I know requiring engine rebuilds in South Yorkshire, 3 have been AJP Cerbs (including my old Cerb) and a 4.0 Tuscan.
You pays your money.................
Of the last 4 cars I know requiring engine rebuilds in South Yorkshire, 3 have been AJP Cerbs (including my old Cerb) and a 4.0 Tuscan.
You pays your money.................
3 AJP's rebuilt in Sheffield recently, a Tamora that has not yet exploded and a Cerbera that cost more to maintain than a 3 year younger car. I take it all back, case dismissed. All those people taking their S6 cars back to TVR for multiple engine rebuilds must have been mistaken, along with the hundreds posting in the nearby forum about their knackered rattling engines, dropped valves, Mersey tunnel shaped valve guides, plumes of blue smoke, low flying shims and chocolate finger followers.
Just my twopenneth, having owned two AJP Cerberas and a Tuscan - The Speed Six, whilst astounding, was fragile. Mine was rebuilt at 32k down to valve guide wear. The AJPs stronger mechanically, but surrounded by a Cerbera which are built "delicately", let's say. The Tuscan was better built and finished in every department than either of my Cerberas, but driven by an inherently troublesome (but mesmerising) engine. Of course, where a TVR is concerned there is no hard and fast rule.
I can't argue with that. The Tuscan is gorgeous and way better made than the Cerbera. I really wanted one but was just not prepared to spend that much money on that big a risk. If you get one at the right price and have your eyes wide open then good on you. You will have a wonderful car with no need to think about beige Hondas but I will not in good conscience spout off to a potential TVR buyer about how good the S6 is just to protect my own resale value when it's patently not true. The AJP is pretty much bullet proof and the RV8 sounds horny and is not such a wallet killer when it snuffs it.
fatjon said:
3 AJP's rebuilt in Sheffield recently, a Tamora that has not yet exploded and a Cerbera that cost more to maintain than a 3 year younger car. I take it all back, case dismissed. All those people taking their S6 cars back to TVR for multiple engine rebuilds must have been mistaken, along with the hundreds posting in the nearby forum about their knackered rattling engines, dropped valves, Mersey tunnel shaped valve guides, plumes of blue smoke, low flying shims and chocolate finger followers.
I'm glad a summary of my recent experiences have convinced you......just making the point that in 2014 things are a little bit different in terms of the number going bangGassing Station | General TVR Stuff & Gossip | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff