TVR or Triumph?
Discussion
Wondering whether to replace my 1968 MGB Roadster, owned for 3 years, with something a little more pokey (once it gets back from having the rusty sills repaired!).
I bought the MG so I could enjoy spannering it, because I can drive the door handles off it and hardly trouble the speed limit, and because it's cheap as chips to run. Any replacement needs to be cheap to run (since I've already got a car that can soak up cash if the wallet starts to feel full), and easy to work on.
So my choices are to keep the MG - not a hardship, especially given the amount of work I've done on it on since I bought it - or buy a TR6, which I really fancy since I love straight six engines and you can pick 'em up fairly cheaply still, or buy a TVR S3 290S - fast and cheap, but not as easy to work on, could be a Plod puller and I'd have to pay road tax on it.
Bit apples and oranges I know, but that's how it goes isn't it?
I bought the MG so I could enjoy spannering it, because I can drive the door handles off it and hardly trouble the speed limit, and because it's cheap as chips to run. Any replacement needs to be cheap to run (since I've already got a car that can soak up cash if the wallet starts to feel full), and easy to work on.
So my choices are to keep the MG - not a hardship, especially given the amount of work I've done on it on since I bought it - or buy a TR6, which I really fancy since I love straight six engines and you can pick 'em up fairly cheaply still, or buy a TVR S3 290S - fast and cheap, but not as easy to work on, could be a Plod puller and I'd have to pay road tax on it.
Bit apples and oranges I know, but that's how it goes isn't it?
Edited by manek on Monday 6th July 15:35
Manek – there's a name I haven't seen in a long time... I've no experience of TVRs at all other than by reputation. I do have a lot of TR6 experience though. A well sorted TR6 is a delight. A badly sorted TR6 is horrible (IMO). And by badly sorted I don't just mean in poor shape – they really benefit from careful preparation, especially in the suspension department, to handle nicely. I love mine.
Itsallicanafford said:
Or you could get a mint Honda S2000 and kill both the TVR and Triumph everywhere?
Nice thought. I remember Edited by Itsallicanafford on Monday 6th July 15:16
(once of this parish) used to have one and swore by it, but I don't want to always be having to rev the nuts off it to make it go, and it's not a DIY sort of car...Yertis said:
Manek – there's a name I haven't seen in a long time...
I've no experience of TVRs at all other than by reputation. I do have a lot of TR6 experience though. A well sorted TR6 is a delight. A badly sorted TR6 is horrible (IMO). And by badly sorted I don't just mean in poor shape – they really benefit from careful preparation, especially in the suspension department, to handle nicely. I love mine.
Yes, I've not been around here much recently. I've no experience of TVRs at all other than by reputation. I do have a lot of TR6 experience though. A well sorted TR6 is a delight. A badly sorted TR6 is horrible (IMO). And by badly sorted I don't just mean in poor shape – they really benefit from careful preparation, especially in the suspension department, to handle nicely. I love mine.
Nice to be back.As for prepping the suspension on a TR6, I'd be happy to have a go at it, or have a specialist do it if necessary - as long as there's no rot. Hate rust... :0
manek said:
Yes, I've not been around here much recently. Nice to be back.
As for prepping the suspension on a TR6, I'd be happy to have a go at it, or have a specialist do it if necessary - as long as there's no rot. Hate rust... :0
The TR suspension is very easy to work on – I did all of mine. The Revington TR is the place to go for this, IMO. Check their integrated suspension pack, TR4/5/6, and associated options. Nice to be back.As for prepping the suspension on a TR6, I'd be happy to have a go at it, or have a specialist do it if necessary - as long as there's no rot. Hate rust... :0
Having had both, the TVR is considerably cheaper to run and more likely to get used more often. If you buy a 6 you'll always be wanting to get it to a particular standard and finding the right car this side of £10k will be a challenge. I sold my TR6 and bought an S3 with the "change" as a consolation and first feelings were "half the money for twice the car". That's not the full story as the 6 is a true undisputed classic and just looks great from every angle and sounds lovely in the earlier CP state of tune. I would still have one tomorrow BUT :
Spend £7k on a 6 and you're buying in a very grey area and could be looking at spending another £4-5k on the 'to do list'. I would always favour an early CP UK car (the one rated 150bhp). in reality there's not much between them but the later CR cars just aren't the same and the CP cars fetch more as they're 'the one to have'.
Telescopic rear damper conversion makes a huge difference and chasing rust is a big preoccupation. They like a drink (20ish MPG). Overdrive is a must and you can get them to handle with a bit of budget and expertise. CTM down in Hampshire are very good, as are Revington.
The TVR is cheap to buy, cheap to run (30+mpg all day) and can take some abuse but has very simple mechanicals and the only Achilles Heel is chassis rust which is pretty simple to spot and rectify. Any sign of chassis decay and walk away. The rest of it can be sorted at home. The TVR isn't a whole lot quicker but it feels MUCH quicker initially.
Buy a really nice one for £5k, enjoy it and if you still hanker after a 6 then keep looking for the right one. They are both wonderful, characterful 6 cylinder roadsters but the S Series is a steal for the money and feels like a car from 20 years on (which it is) but still has enough of the classic factor about it to turn heads and make each trip feel like an event. They have a very direct, raw feel and many TVR owners who 'progress' to later, V8 powered cars hanker after that raw feel and so buy another S to add to the stable!
The later the better with the TVR...or If you can run to a V8S then you'd probably lose interest in the TR for quite some time!
Spend £7k on a 6 and you're buying in a very grey area and could be looking at spending another £4-5k on the 'to do list'. I would always favour an early CP UK car (the one rated 150bhp). in reality there's not much between them but the later CR cars just aren't the same and the CP cars fetch more as they're 'the one to have'.
Telescopic rear damper conversion makes a huge difference and chasing rust is a big preoccupation. They like a drink (20ish MPG). Overdrive is a must and you can get them to handle with a bit of budget and expertise. CTM down in Hampshire are very good, as are Revington.
The TVR is cheap to buy, cheap to run (30+mpg all day) and can take some abuse but has very simple mechanicals and the only Achilles Heel is chassis rust which is pretty simple to spot and rectify. Any sign of chassis decay and walk away. The rest of it can be sorted at home. The TVR isn't a whole lot quicker but it feels MUCH quicker initially.
Buy a really nice one for £5k, enjoy it and if you still hanker after a 6 then keep looking for the right one. They are both wonderful, characterful 6 cylinder roadsters but the S Series is a steal for the money and feels like a car from 20 years on (which it is) but still has enough of the classic factor about it to turn heads and make each trip feel like an event. They have a very direct, raw feel and many TVR owners who 'progress' to later, V8 powered cars hanker after that raw feel and so buy another S to add to the stable!
The later the better with the TVR...or If you can run to a V8S then you'd probably lose interest in the TR for quite some time!
Good shout re GT6 but if your budget is less than £15-£20K, you are in troubled areas for a TR6. Yes you can get an American import but any UK car at the bottom end of 5 figures is going to be expensive to get to a reasonable standard. S3s can be great value. If budget is tight, I would go for the TVR.
Neil, thanks for the comprehensive response - it's much appreciated.
Yes, finding a TR6 at under £10k will be a struggle, I agree, so I might have to dig a bit deeper into the piggy bank!
I guess, having owned a Chimaera for four years previously, I know what the TVR ownership experience is like. Even though I loved it to bits, it was a bit of a money pit even though it was by no means a bad example, so I'd hope an S3 would be cheaper to run and easier to service myself. The S3 really does have a lot going for it.
On the other hand, the TR6 is a true classic, there are not that many about, and the values could well increase (though this is a minor issue: I buy cars to drive not sit in garages as investments). It's probably not as chuckable as the TVR though, as tales of its rear-end waywardness seem to be plentiful.
Dunno. Think I need to take a couple of test drives...
Yes, finding a TR6 at under £10k will be a struggle, I agree, so I might have to dig a bit deeper into the piggy bank!
I guess, having owned a Chimaera for four years previously, I know what the TVR ownership experience is like. Even though I loved it to bits, it was a bit of a money pit even though it was by no means a bad example, so I'd hope an S3 would be cheaper to run and easier to service myself. The S3 really does have a lot going for it.
On the other hand, the TR6 is a true classic, there are not that many about, and the values could well increase (though this is a minor issue: I buy cars to drive not sit in garages as investments). It's probably not as chuckable as the TVR though, as tales of its rear-end waywardness seem to be plentiful.
Dunno. Think I need to take a couple of test drives...
tapkaJohnD said:
Manek,
Buy a Triumph GT6, or a Vitesse.
2L of straight six as they came from the factory, just like the 2.5L which is dead easy to fit a 2.5 from a saloon - or a TR6! And revvable, unlike the long-stroke version. Half the price of a TR, and just as much fun.
John
You know, I was seriously tempted by a GT6 for quite a while, having seen a seriously gorgeous, seriously breathed-on car at Goodwood about a year ago but then, once the magic wore off and I started to look at it seriously, I realised that it wasn't quite doing it for me - bit small, bit under-powered, not a huge fan of the look. GT6 is still a possibility but not top of the list any more.Buy a Triumph GT6, or a Vitesse.
2L of straight six as they came from the factory, just like the 2.5L which is dead easy to fit a 2.5 from a saloon - or a TR6! And revvable, unlike the long-stroke version. Half the price of a TR, and just as much fun.
John
I know you've already discounted the option but I'd advise against the S2000. Not fun to drive at legal speeds, you'll be fed up within minutes as it sounds like you love driving the mg hard without actually going that fast.
Trust me, my A35 is more fun at 50 than the S2k was at 100 and with no risk to license.
Nice choice to have between the other cars.
Cheers.
Trust me, my A35 is more fun at 50 than the S2k was at 100 and with no risk to license.
Nice choice to have between the other cars.
Cheers.
Thanks for confirming, Andy, my thoughts about the S2000. Yes, the MG gets driven hard - in a way that the 911 doesn't - or can't be - unless I'm at a track day.
And as an aside, the name of the PH S2000 user in my response post above was p i k e y - not sure why the system's auto-moderation cut it out
And as an aside, the name of the PH S2000 user in my response post above was p i k e y - not sure why the system's auto-moderation cut it out
Thanks for the suggestions, guys.
You need to know that I test drove a TR6 yesterday, 1973 car in Mimosa Yellow, and was favourably impressed, insofar as a 20 minute tootle along an A road, in a car whose clutch has a very low biting point and a throttle pedal with an inch of free play, allowed me to get used to it. It went well, sounded great, very comfortable, it felt like I could drive it all day.
Apart from the clutch/throttle issues, which should be easily fixable, my only concern was that even my MGB has a sharper response to a quick jab at the throttle than the TR6 did. Is it normal, to have a fairly soft accelerator response?
You need to know that I test drove a TR6 yesterday, 1973 car in Mimosa Yellow, and was favourably impressed, insofar as a 20 minute tootle along an A road, in a car whose clutch has a very low biting point and a throttle pedal with an inch of free play, allowed me to get used to it. It went well, sounded great, very comfortable, it felt like I could drive it all day.
Apart from the clutch/throttle issues, which should be easily fixable, my only concern was that even my MGB has a sharper response to a quick jab at the throttle than the TR6 did. Is it normal, to have a fairly soft accelerator response?
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