TVR "reliability" (a refreshing tale)
Discussion
Had the S at the office today... nice day, lunchtime blast etc.. 
Got the usual "they're unreliable" to which I responded... "really? How many have you had?"... typical reply was "er.. none"
What really made me laugh was the guy with the Boxster.. made the usual jibe... so I said, where's your car? "In the garage, I can't select first gear"..
...and TVR's are unreliable...
Got the usual "they're unreliable" to which I responded... "really? How many have you had?"... typical reply was "er.. none"
What really made me laugh was the guy with the Boxster.. made the usual jibe... so I said, where's your car? "In the garage, I can't select first gear"..
...and TVR's are unreliable...
I am gob-smacked that people still persist with this 'BS' that TVRs are unreliable. I have seen many interesting cars on the backs of breakdown trucks or at the road side, only 2 of these have been TVRs. 1 Griffith on the east bound M40 between J4 and 3 (this was pranged so it doesn't really count) and the other a Cerbera that lives in High Wycombe just the other day. I've lost count of the number of Porches and Ferraris broken down.
Oh come on guys...TVRs.
Of course they're not unreliable. Its just that there is a proportion that come out of the factory with engines that are destined for a short life...I think's colouring opinion at the mo'.
Its also depends on what you mean by unreliable. Our Chimaera has, since new, been plagued by a host of minor niggles that are extremely irritating until fixed. Has it actually let us down and prevented a journey? Once. That's all in four years. Once. I've had Vauxhalls worse than that.
To give you an idea though...my last Boxster S was recovered on a low loader due to failure of the PSM system and my current one has disgraced itself twice with failed 02 sensors meaning a low-loader recovery.
They don't normally have any niggles though - although mine has a minor one I'll berate then about at its first service.
Is the Porker reliable though? Fundementally yes - I've never had to stop a journey - I've always been able to drive home...
Depends on what you mean, doesn't it...
Of course they're not unreliable. Its just that there is a proportion that come out of the factory with engines that are destined for a short life...I think's colouring opinion at the mo'.
Its also depends on what you mean by unreliable. Our Chimaera has, since new, been plagued by a host of minor niggles that are extremely irritating until fixed. Has it actually let us down and prevented a journey? Once. That's all in four years. Once. I've had Vauxhalls worse than that.
To give you an idea though...my last Boxster S was recovered on a low loader due to failure of the PSM system and my current one has disgraced itself twice with failed 02 sensors meaning a low-loader recovery.
They don't normally have any niggles though - although mine has a minor one I'll berate then about at its first service.
Is the Porker reliable though? Fundementally yes - I've never had to stop a journey - I've always been able to drive home...
Depends on what you mean, doesn't it...
Don said:
Depends on what you mean, doesn't it...
Got mine to 110 yesterday
...oh I know I might have mentioned it somewhere before but I am a bit
excited still!.. That's 110 degrees not mph - when I was hooning around an airfield strip...
Otherwise 300+ miles yesterday. If I said "it didn't miss a beat" that might not be literally true. TVR's don't like idling when hot (do any of us?) and mine was showing symptoms of getting bored (especially with an extended M25 slow driving test session!). Sometimes this was accompanied by dips in the revs to 600 before settling back at 800 - otherwise it was reliable....
Now define "reliable"!
beano500 said:
Now define "reliable"!
"Rely"
29 To trust and depend on, with confidence,however,to be "reliant",you get three wheels,a green ladies one piece swim suit, red tights, a cape, a black mask and a sodding big bat telling you what to do!!
Well, it's toooooo hot, and we dont get out much ahh, home time!!!
>> Edited by hawthorns on Thursday 7th August 17:40
simpo one said:
Al - aren't you supposed to be directing accounts?
Don't say it like that
People will think I'm an accountant... (no offence meant to Basil or any other accountants out there!) 
I am getting a bit demob happy now though - just off home to polish the beast..oooer... ready for tomorrow.
I am taking bets on how many things I will forget to put in the boot!
Ah.. you want my passport???? 
Define Un-reliable?
How's about 2 new radiators in a year. Two new dash pods in eighteen months. £4500 of maintenance bills in 12 months. 1 engine rebuild. Doors which open at random when the vehicle is moving. A roof which p*sses water when it rains. Windscreen wash which doesn't work, headlights which fall out etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
My TVRD Tuscan delivered two of the happiest days of my life - 1) The day I collected it 2) The day I managed to ditch the piece of Blackpool Crock.
How's about 2 new radiators in a year. Two new dash pods in eighteen months. £4500 of maintenance bills in 12 months. 1 engine rebuild. Doors which open at random when the vehicle is moving. A roof which p*sses water when it rains. Windscreen wash which doesn't work, headlights which fall out etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.
My TVRD Tuscan delivered two of the happiest days of my life - 1) The day I collected it 2) The day I managed to ditch the piece of Blackpool Crock.
My previous car was a Soobarrow Impreza, which I bought because they were "bulletproof"......hahahahah...one month out of warranty I was replacing a £4000 pound engine.
So when I bought my Chimaera I thought I may be taking a risk....a year later and all that has gone wrong was the starter motor (hot start fault), which the very kind dealer went halves on as a goodwill gesture.....My TVR has let me down far less than that Jap Crap
So when I bought my Chimaera I thought I may be taking a risk....a year later and all that has gone wrong was the starter motor (hot start fault), which the very kind dealer went halves on as a goodwill gesture.....My TVR has let me down far less than that Jap Crap
Little niggles - yes always something to fiddle with is they way I look at it.
Let me down? Only time in 5 1/2 years (to date) was a flat battery (which I knew was flat, I thought I'd charged it up enough - my fault, not the car). It's never left me stranded. You can't say that for many modern cars.
Let me down? Only time in 5 1/2 years (to date) was a flat battery (which I knew was flat, I thought I'd charged it up enough - my fault, not the car). It's never left me stranded. You can't say that for many modern cars.
In two years my Chimaera has never left me stranded.
On two occasions it has caused me to leave it at home - fuel pump relay failure and bonnet release mechanism failure (this was 'cos I did not want to drive 400 mls without being able to check the oil/water levels).
The latest escapade of not being able to select odd numbered gears was caused by the failure of a £3 part connecting the gear lever to the remote mechanism but I could still get home on 2nd & 4th.
As Don said there are a number of niggly things but you get that with any car. Now that mine is reaching its 10th birthday there are bound to be a few things that need replacing.
Now the Jag - 3 times would not start at home and left me mid journey 3 times as well in the space of 4 years.
Bob
On two occasions it has caused me to leave it at home - fuel pump relay failure and bonnet release mechanism failure (this was 'cos I did not want to drive 400 mls without being able to check the oil/water levels).
The latest escapade of not being able to select odd numbered gears was caused by the failure of a £3 part connecting the gear lever to the remote mechanism but I could still get home on 2nd & 4th.
As Don said there are a number of niggly things but you get that with any car. Now that mine is reaching its 10th birthday there are bound to be a few things that need replacing.
Now the Jag - 3 times would not start at home and left me mid journey 3 times as well in the space of 4 years.
Bob
I've had my Chimaera 2 years now and whilst it did let me down a few times with overheating problems shortly after I bought it, these were soon fixed and it has never let me down since.
I've recently had a leaking exhaust manifold gasket which has now been repaired, but I count that as a "thing wearing out and needing replacing" maintenance task in the same way that tyres need replacing when they wear out.
I've recently had a leaking exhaust manifold gasket which has now been repaired, but I count that as a "thing wearing out and needing replacing" maintenance task in the same way that tyres need replacing when they wear out.
Hey guys...and girls...of course.
The only time the green goddess of speed (aka my V8s) let me down was when the imobiliser, that the insurance company wanted fitted, failed to work coz it hadn't been fitted properly...earthing problems on a plastic car was the excuse !
That was a couple of years ago now.
Sometimes the idle is a little erratic, buts that's about it so far in...ooh..er...almost 6 yrs now.
This year the imobiliser (cobra) decided not to work @ all.....so yours truly got his soldering iron out and removed the......lets see......where's the appropriate icon.....nah.....its not there......even if I knew how to add it (virgin PHer).....little offending item !
G.
PS Why am I in on an eve like this.....coz I've had too much of the old amber nectar to be out running average cars off the road !....oops...not pc correct !!!
The only time the green goddess of speed (aka my V8s) let me down was when the imobiliser, that the insurance company wanted fitted, failed to work coz it hadn't been fitted properly...earthing problems on a plastic car was the excuse !
That was a couple of years ago now.
Sometimes the idle is a little erratic, buts that's about it so far in...ooh..er...almost 6 yrs now.
This year the imobiliser (cobra) decided not to work @ all.....so yours truly got his soldering iron out and removed the......lets see......where's the appropriate icon.....nah.....its not there......even if I knew how to add it (virgin PHer).....little offending item !
G.
PS Why am I in on an eve like this.....coz I've had too much of the old amber nectar to be out running average cars off the road !....oops...not pc correct !!!
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