Daily driver - realistic or unrealistic?

Daily driver - realistic or unrealistic?

Author
Discussion

captainflash

Original Poster:

13 posts

172 months

Friday 7th August 2015
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Hi guys - or give me if you've had this question too many times in the past. Can I use a Tuscan as a daily driver realistically?

Got an underground car park to keep it in, have a job that requires reliability to arrive at work. I'm not worried about niggles, but would like it to fire up and go from A to B fairly reliably. Thoughts?

Cheers

m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Saturday 8th August 2015
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In a word ... No.

There will be those that disagree, but their horribly prone to rust once the salt goes down.

Milky400

1,960 posts

177 months

Saturday 8th August 2015
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Agree and as said there will be others that disagree and any that do use them every day.

If the budget allows I would have a runaround and keep the Tuscan for high days and holidays and the odd sunny commute into work. How long is you commute? Remember These cars can take a good half hour to fully warm up on motorway runs

gacksen

680 posts

142 months

Saturday 8th August 2015
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just dont do it. get yourself a regular car and for fun times use the tuscan.

blueg33

35,567 posts

223 months

Saturday 8th August 2015
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I agree with the others. Road salt will be bad for the chassis. I used mine as a daily from spring to autumn. Also service intervals are close together and not that cheap.

I used mine one overnight stay in the winter. Overnight temps dropped to minus 6. The oil never got above 20 degrees on the drive home, I coildnt de ice the windscreen and driving a Tuscan with hydra track on icy roads is terrifying.

Edited by blueg33 on Saturday 8th August 08:50

andyvdg

1,536 posts

282 months

Saturday 8th August 2015
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I drove my 2 Tuscans daily for 13 years. Duration of the regular servicing was the only pain (1 week or more). They are less fun in the winter but you get a good feel of the grip for when it warms up.

Cheers,

Andy.

nrick

1,866 posts

162 months

Saturday 8th August 2015
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You can use them everyday if you want, I think they work better when they are used everyday. The above caveats hold true, they keep you focused in the rain and the ice, the chassis needs to be kept on top off, there will be a few niggles like windows, heater controller and fans etc. They aren't mainstream manufactured cars so things like corrosion on connectors can catch you out. Servicing costs, clutch costs, rebuild costs need to be factored in. Fuel and servicing won't be cheap (well compared to a modern eurobox diesel) but manageable. Isn't that why we do the lottery?

Depends if you like a challenge! At the end of the day they are just cars, hand built sportscars though.

m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Saturday 8th August 2015
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I guess it also depends what sort of car you buy and how it looks. I got lured into driving my fully referbed engine bay car in February this year with a friend. Literally 5 mins from home it tipped it down.... Put it back in the garage, and the following week all of the bright work on oil pipes etc was corroded.

Great cars it the underside is very exposed compared to modern fare


Edited by m4tti on Saturday 8th August 19:18

nrick

1,866 posts

162 months

Sunday 9th August 2015
quotequote all
If we are going to rule out days it rans then we might not be driving that often at the moment, every time I have taken it out it has rained at some point!

I agree it does matter what type of car you are buying, top of the line concours or bottom of the market fixer up.

It also depends what you want to do with your spare time, the sensible choice is an R8 or a Vantage if you ask me. However I have seen a couple of sub 40k miles engines go on the R8.

The Tuscan will need fettling or servicing regularly IMHO, there is always something.

m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Sunday 9th August 2015
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Neil you need to get down to the Kent Riveria it's been dry and baking for a while now biggrin

nrick

1,866 posts

162 months

Sunday 9th August 2015
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Good point and well made smile

captainflash

Original Poster:

13 posts

172 months

Monday 10th August 2015
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Thanks for the input guys. A mixed bag by sounds of it.

nrick

1,866 posts

162 months

Monday 10th August 2015
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Use mine most days, but have a back up. I used it as my daily driver for a year, no real problems.

Konrod

866 posts

227 months

Monday 10th August 2015
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I would agree with the sentiments here - it depends on exactly what your question is...

Can a Tuscan be used as a daily? Yes, it will stand up to it and if serviced properly will remain (perhaps more so than if used irregularly),

Should a Tuscan be used as a daily? Probably not as servicing is too frequent, the chassis requires more care and the lack of aids in the winter can make it harder work.


In my view, use it for work when the fancy takes you.

alex_gray255

6,313 posts

204 months

Monday 10th August 2015
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In short no.

Use it as a daily driver during the summer months, but chassis corrosion is a issue jnless you plan on zinc coating it or something similar.

matt-man

2,665 posts

218 months

Monday 10th August 2015
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No way! Today was a case in point...I don't usually use mine in anything other than sunshine (not a garage queen but a bit of a cleaner!) But today I had to take it in for its 12 service so decided so use it for work and drop it in at the end of the day as it was convenient.

Noisy, bumpy, can't make a phone call, can't rush out of the office as you have to wait for it to warm up....not fun!

I LOVE my Tuscan but if I had to use it as a daily, I would get very fed up with it very quickly and wouldn't get the same fun I get on a sunny day when I pull it out and go for a hoon!

Basil Brush

5,059 posts

262 months

Monday 10th August 2015
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Mine was my only car and used through all weathers for about 6 years. The car can handle it, as long as you keep up to maintenance etc. I wouldn't do it now as too used to comforts like heated seats and auto boxes.

It is nice to leave work on a sunny day, take the roof off and go the scenic route home though.

Flying Penguin

326 posts

158 months

Tuesday 11th August 2015
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Basil Brush said:
... on a sunny day
Now that's the tricky bit

Englishman

2,215 posts

209 months

Tuesday 11th August 2015
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You can use any TVR as a daily driver, but there are compromises. I managed snow and ice for a number of years successfully with wedges. They misted up in the wet, needing the window partly open, the heaters were marginal, some leaked and of course you had to be careful with your right foot.

The later cars are much, much better and I'm happy to use all the year. But they will never be as practical or idiot proof as a modern box.

They will also deteriorate if salt etc. is not hosed off underneath and serviced regularly, but with TLC there is no reason only to use on sunny days.

Basil Brush

5,059 posts

262 months

Tuesday 11th August 2015
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Flying Penguin said:
Basil Brush said:
... on a sunny day
Now that's the tricky bit
I'm sure I managed at least 3 in the 6 years!