should i keep my tuscan...forever?
Discussion
I have a mk1 tuscan which has had the mandatory rebuild about 3 years or so ago (going bloody strong!) re spray (ok not in a standard colour) re trim, suspension etc etc.
its done about 65k on the clock (but probably had 3 engines or so
its a good car, full history, no accident damage etc
however i just don't really use it, or infact really want to, when i do i really do love it, a trip to italy has spoilt motoring here tbh, our busy pot holed roads with mlms speed cameras and people doing 30 to save an extra 2mpg have finally driven me to despair. The italy trip reminded me why i love cars!
Anyway, i have been thinking of selling, putting some money with it, get a little loan and getting something like a 997 turbo.
But.....i have been thinking to myself why sell it, why not just keep it, its garaged, just use it for maybe a few hundred miles a year. i was thinking that in surely 30 years time a car like a tvr tuscan or intact any tvr still in one piece (which granted by then will need another refresh) will potentially be worth an awful lot of money? i suppose I'm asking is it worth keeping as an investment? in 20 or 30 years time i don't think mileage matters, what will matter is that its un damaged, serviced same owner for several decades etc. i would imagine keeping it long term like that would mean one day putting it back to an oe colour/spec etc.
any thoughts on this?
its done about 65k on the clock (but probably had 3 engines or so
its a good car, full history, no accident damage etchowever i just don't really use it, or infact really want to, when i do i really do love it, a trip to italy has spoilt motoring here tbh, our busy pot holed roads with mlms speed cameras and people doing 30 to save an extra 2mpg have finally driven me to despair. The italy trip reminded me why i love cars!
Anyway, i have been thinking of selling, putting some money with it, get a little loan and getting something like a 997 turbo.
But.....i have been thinking to myself why sell it, why not just keep it, its garaged, just use it for maybe a few hundred miles a year. i was thinking that in surely 30 years time a car like a tvr tuscan or intact any tvr still in one piece (which granted by then will need another refresh) will potentially be worth an awful lot of money? i suppose I'm asking is it worth keeping as an investment? in 20 or 30 years time i don't think mileage matters, what will matter is that its un damaged, serviced same owner for several decades etc. i would imagine keeping it long term like that would mean one day putting it back to an oe colour/spec etc.
any thoughts on this?
I almost can't see how in 20-30 years they won't be worth pretty serious money.
handmade british sportscar which may or may not exist still, no driver aids at all which even today is very unusual, classic unique shape which still looks fresh today, obviously very fast, even today ( some of the cars I've come up against in mine surprises me and them) I'm sure there are other plus points. tbh 795 isn't that much. how many will be left in 2050? its almost like saying how many of whatever car from 1975 are still about?
The only car that realistically appeals at the minute is the 997 turbo, remap and different suspension is meant to wake them up. If i keep my car id have to wait a bit longer until i could afford it. I just think it will be more useable on our terrible roads. That said I've not been in one let alone driven one.
handmade british sportscar which may or may not exist still, no driver aids at all which even today is very unusual, classic unique shape which still looks fresh today, obviously very fast, even today ( some of the cars I've come up against in mine surprises me and them) I'm sure there are other plus points. tbh 795 isn't that much. how many will be left in 2050? its almost like saying how many of whatever car from 1975 are still about?
The only car that realistically appeals at the minute is the 997 turbo, remap and different suspension is meant to wake them up. If i keep my car id have to wait a bit longer until i could afford it. I just think it will be more useable on our terrible roads. That said I've not been in one let alone driven one.
I have to admit, I made the mistake of selling my first Tamora. Now I have my second, I would never sell it as long as I can afford to run it and keep it in top condition.
I get almost as much pleasure from looking at it than driving it, and that's the Tamora - the runt of the T litter!
I get almost as much pleasure from looking at it than driving it, and that's the Tamora - the runt of the T litter!
M3 I've been going through the same conundrum. Last winter I hardly used it and have seriously started considering an r8 v10. Instead as I tinker with it I've decided this year to fit syvecs and traction control. I'll see how I'll feel next winter. Like you I've invested a fair bit plus I've largely done it all my self with the best hand picked parts, so have a bit of an emotional attachment
As for the willy wonka suggesting 795 is a lot of cars. Good lord that's about half of the Ferrari 360"s in this country. 795 cars is pretty dam small population in reality.
As for the willy wonka suggesting 795 is a lot of cars. Good lord that's about half of the Ferrari 360"s in this country. 795 cars is pretty dam small population in reality.
TVRs do seem to have a lot going for them in terms of becoming valuable in the future but some marques just never seem to take off while other pretty ordinary ones soar in value. Lots of people seem to know about old Porsches and Ford Escorts. Not so many know anything about TVRs.
I'm sure good TVRs will continue to appreciate but never go bananas. I hope I'm wrong
I don't think you'd kick yourself too hard in 10 years time if you sold it.
I'm sure good TVRs will continue to appreciate but never go bananas. I hope I'm wrong
I don't think you'd kick yourself too hard in 10 years time if you sold it.
I've a Tuscan S and plan to keep it for the foreseeable, and I no longer even live in the UK where the car is located. Looking at 30-40 year old TVR's, they're not especially valuable, but at the same time they were parts bin kit cars then, weren't all that desirable or especially fast. There was no particular "mystique" about them, which there was for the newer TVR engined cars.
They will appreciate, and once Canadians start importing them (15 year age limit) they will go up. But the big bump in values won't come until they hit the 25 year mark. Then they become eligible for unrestricted US import. That's 10 years time for the earliest cars and there are plenty of blokes this side of the pond who by then will be in their 40s and 50s who know all about TVRs from GranTurismo and their amazing looks and performance, but were always denied the pleasure of ever seeing, hearing or owning one.
They will appreciate, and once Canadians start importing them (15 year age limit) they will go up. But the big bump in values won't come until they hit the 25 year mark. Then they become eligible for unrestricted US import. That's 10 years time for the earliest cars and there are plenty of blokes this side of the pond who by then will be in their 40s and 50s who know all about TVRs from GranTurismo and their amazing looks and performance, but were always denied the pleasure of ever seeing, hearing or owning one.
So, let me get this straight, you're only really considering selling because you don't like driving Sportscars in the UK, but with the proceeds you're going to buy a 997 Turbo?
Asides from going to the dark side, to me it's flawed logic‽ Unless you see the 997 as (only) a better investment.
Asides from going to the dark side, to me it's flawed logic‽ Unless you see the 997 as (only) a better investment.
The wife is keeping her Chimaera forever. By now it's constantly unreliable and the mileage it does is largely to and from the garage to be fixed. This is unsurprising as it is 17 years old now and things wear out.
After enough love and attention it will be reliable again for a while.
And there's nothing that sounds like it.
Having said this the Porsche Turbo is an amazing car. Ludicrously fast and thrilling. Nice choice to have - but I'd be keeping the Tuscan "in perpetuity" for the unique and rare experience it offers.
After enough love and attention it will be reliable again for a while.
And there's nothing that sounds like it.
Having said this the Porsche Turbo is an amazing car. Ludicrously fast and thrilling. Nice choice to have - but I'd be keeping the Tuscan "in perpetuity" for the unique and rare experience it offers.
I've been in your car and seen the way you handle it - with consummate skill. You are actually one of the few TVR owners I have met who can really wring every last ounce out of your car's capability without mating it with the scenery.
The Porsche is not such a daft choice - with performance upgrades to make it at least the performance equal of the Tuscan, you will gain a car that you can use all year around without worrying about chassis corrosion, and that should be mechanically reliable.
And I cannot speak for your other half, but mine loathes travelling in the TVR. However, she would be fine in the comfort, warmth and relative quiet of the Porsche. It actually upsets me that I have to do my TVR hobby on my own. I didn't marry her to leave her at home. Some time soon I will be getting a bank loan and buying a powerful convertible Mercedes or Porsche with all the little luxuries, for that European road trip. No way would she even consider the trip in my TVR. Too hot, too cold, too bumpy, too noisy (and she has the luxury of switchable hearing), too draughty, too everything.
Bank loan? Because I wouldn't want ever to be without the thrill of driving my TVR on the road or the track, with the good friends I have made through owning it.
The Porsche is not such a daft choice - with performance upgrades to make it at least the performance equal of the Tuscan, you will gain a car that you can use all year around without worrying about chassis corrosion, and that should be mechanically reliable.
And I cannot speak for your other half, but mine loathes travelling in the TVR. However, she would be fine in the comfort, warmth and relative quiet of the Porsche. It actually upsets me that I have to do my TVR hobby on my own. I didn't marry her to leave her at home. Some time soon I will be getting a bank loan and buying a powerful convertible Mercedes or Porsche with all the little luxuries, for that European road trip. No way would she even consider the trip in my TVR. Too hot, too cold, too bumpy, too noisy (and she has the luxury of switchable hearing), too draughty, too everything.
Bank loan? Because I wouldn't want ever to be without the thrill of driving my TVR on the road or the track, with the good friends I have made through owning it.
QBee said:
I've been in your car and seen the way you handle it - with consummate skill. You are actually one of the few TVR owners I have met who can really wring every last ounce out of your car's capability without mating it with the scenery.
thanks mate 
I do like to use it to it's ability. But that is perhaps one problem with it and I'll explain with regard to the bloke saying I don't want to drive performance cars here.
I've been down to tuscany a couple of times and it basically woke me up to how bad our roads are, the minute your on French soil the roads become smooth and traffic free (generally) the Italian B roads are how B roads should be. Smooth, generally good visibility, lots of corners some long some basically hairpins. The warmth in the air heats the Tarmac up meaning there's some sensible heat in the tyres now. Confidence is inspired.
Back to the uk and it's B roads are (where I am anyway) a pretty much rutted mess, busy with traffic and police and speed cameras. Cold Tarmac most of the year round, bad visibility in the summer as the weeds grow about 6ft high on the verges.
The Tuscan is actually very capable, infact way more capable than myself and pretty much everyone out there. But due to the tram lining nature on a B road I have literally s
t myself so many times. Even the other day I came off a roundabout, gave it a little dig in second and was greeted with a huge dose of unexpected sideways which while fun isn't that clever really, I see how some people crash these cars! Interestingly on a warm day on a European B road I struggled to break traction at all 
The want for something like a porsche turbo comes from not a lot more than crazy straight line performance and B road usability. I think buying the right one wouldn't lose a lot of money either. All that would worry me is along the lines of I had an evo 9 a few years back and it was so good it was actually boring. However now I understand that was geometry set up, as I've been told it should be easy to get them sideways (mine had the rs running gear etc).
That said I do love the Tuscan. I'm just curious if one day it will be worth a lot of money, and as such worth keeping hold of as opposed to selling to fund something else. Sadly because of general boredom on the road when I use it I sadly find myself not that bothered about cars nowadays
which is sad because I have always been obsessed.There's a thread about Porsches (and possibly all modern sports cars) that are too capable to be fun going on in the General forum right now.
The Tuscan still has the ability (or inability) to scare you, whereas the far more competent modern will not let go until you are at crazy velocities and angles.
They are, in effect, vastly capable and well engineered Zimmer frames with no fun available in anything like normal circumstances.
I think the OP might regret loosing the Tuscan, not for any financial reasons but just because his new toy isn't as much fun as his old toy.
The Tuscan still has the ability (or inability) to scare you, whereas the far more competent modern will not let go until you are at crazy velocities and angles.
They are, in effect, vastly capable and well engineered Zimmer frames with no fun available in anything like normal circumstances.
I think the OP might regret loosing the Tuscan, not for any financial reasons but just because his new toy isn't as much fun as his old toy.
Reliability is all relative and down to personal experience... meaning all reviews are mixed!
I'd love a 911, but you would need to buy from a reputable dealer and have certain models properly inspected, plus purchase with a good warranty. Porsches are by no means bomb proof and have reliability issues of their own, which include bore scoring, cam bearings. gearbox casings, frequent coil pack failures etc.
They don't have the chassis/ rust issues of TVR, but they also don't look like the car for the home mechanic. The grass is always greener and all that.
If you want a change, then there's usually no compromise, but if you have a fully sorted Tuscan, then it may be worth sticking with it. The last thing you want to do is take out a loan, sell a reliable car and then end up with a total pup.
I'd love a 911, but you would need to buy from a reputable dealer and have certain models properly inspected, plus purchase with a good warranty. Porsches are by no means bomb proof and have reliability issues of their own, which include bore scoring, cam bearings. gearbox casings, frequent coil pack failures etc.
They don't have the chassis/ rust issues of TVR, but they also don't look like the car for the home mechanic. The grass is always greener and all that.
If you want a change, then there's usually no compromise, but if you have a fully sorted Tuscan, then it may be worth sticking with it. The last thing you want to do is take out a loan, sell a reliable car and then end up with a total pup.
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