First time buyer
Discussion
I am in the process of aranging my finances to buy an S, i have been drooling at tvrs since i was a wee nipper and always dreamt of owning one. S is my first enrty into the TVR world and would appreciate any advice you can give me.
1- How do you pick a good S ( i am after a gunmetal grey with magnolia interior)
2- What should i be looking out for regs condition
3- Where is the best place to start looking ( I have noticed no dealer sells S anymore ) I live in Farnham Royal near Slough in Berkshire
4- Is S3 the best to go for( i prefer the dash to these than the earlier models)
5- What mpg should I be expecting from these?
1- How do you pick a good S ( i am after a gunmetal grey with magnolia interior)
2- What should i be looking out for regs condition
3- Where is the best place to start looking ( I have noticed no dealer sells S anymore ) I live in Farnham Royal near Slough in Berkshire
4- Is S3 the best to go for( i prefer the dash to these than the earlier models)
5- What mpg should I be expecting from these?
I am in the same boat as you.
1). Found that by looking in Autotrader and a variety of other car magazines is good, and by asking or some references here.
2). Not sure, I got a friend who works on TVRs regularly to look at the cars for me.
3) #1
4). So I have heard, some one please correct me if I'm wrong.
5). The guys on here have said anywhere between 12 - 30, depending on how hard/often you press the loud pedal.
The guys on here are really helpful. I'm sure they can answer most of your questions.
1). Found that by looking in Autotrader and a variety of other car magazines is good, and by asking or some references here.
2). Not sure, I got a friend who works on TVRs regularly to look at the cars for me.
3) #1
4). So I have heard, some one please correct me if I'm wrong.
5). The guys on here have said anywhere between 12 - 30, depending on how hard/often you press the loud pedal.
The guys on here are really helpful. I'm sure they can answer most of your questions.
cerbaholic said:
I am in the process of aranging my finances to buy an S, i have been drooling at tvrs since i was a wee nipper and always dreamt of owning one. S is my first enrty into the TVR world and would appreciate any advice you can give me.
1- How do you pick a good S ( i am after a gunmetal grey with magnolia interior)
2- What should i be looking out for regs condition
3- Where is the best place to start looking ( I have noticed no dealer sells S anymore ) I live in Farnham Royal near Slough in Berkshire
4- Is S3 the best to go for( i prefer the dash to these than the earlier models)
5- What mpg should I be expecting from these?
1. Everybody is different, in terms of colour its your personal choise, but metalic paint and Magnolia leather would be a good start!
2. The chassis is always a good place to start (although you do need someone who knows what to look for! Bodywork of course and the hood? Check electrics too as they tend to be iffy!
3. There are a few specialist dealers that might have an S in stock, but PH classifieds, Sprint and Autotrader are your best bet! most people who use PH are enthusiasts and tend to look after their cars so normally they will be good examples.
4. Of course the S3 was the latest model so is probably the better car, but its more down to finding a good S whether it be an S1, S2, S3 or V8S there are good and bad examples of all models. If you are really tall the extra long doors in the S3 might be helpful. I have an S2 and love it, does the job for me!
5. mpg now whats that then..........? Apparently between 23-30mpg depending on how heavy your right foot is!
Hope this is a little help, but no matter which car you choose you wont be disapointed, more smiles per gallon guaranteed for sure!!
>> Edited by mike j smith on Friday 15th August 13:39
Chassis is your number one concern - as it's very expensive to sort out if it's corroded. If it's been kept garaged (and not driven in the winter) that helps a lot - but you have to guage how much you trust the vendor on this sort of a question.
Worth checking the electrics too - as quite a few of the peripherals tend to get a bit iffy. Look for service history - if it's complete and it's obvious it's been well serviced and looked after that helps. Guage the owner - when you test drive - do they rev the arse of it ? or do they merely drive it quite hard ? If they drive it with care - they probably looked after it with care.
Get "the bible" that has a buying section. The S3 apparently has the better handling (which is why I bought one) - but IMHO the S2 dash looks nicer !
Happy Hunting - You won't regret your purchase, whichever you buy,
WG
Worth checking the electrics too - as quite a few of the peripherals tend to get a bit iffy. Look for service history - if it's complete and it's obvious it's been well serviced and looked after that helps. Guage the owner - when you test drive - do they rev the arse of it ? or do they merely drive it quite hard ? If they drive it with care - they probably looked after it with care.
Get "the bible" that has a buying section. The S3 apparently has the better handling (which is why I bought one) - but IMHO the S2 dash looks nicer !
Happy Hunting - You won't regret your purchase, whichever you buy,
WG
!!!...My Bible arrived today...!!! I can see what people say when stressing its necessity.
Welcome to the 'TVR Searchers Club' there seems to be a lot of us tyre kickers about at the moment, we all have to start somewhere.
Good luck on finding the right car, but not too much Cos I want to get there first!!
cerbaholic said:
1- How do you pick a good S ( i am after a gunmetal grey with magnolia interior)
2- What should i be looking out for regs condition
3- Where is the best place to start looking ( I have noticed no dealer sells S anymore ) I live in Farnham Royal near Slough in Berkshire
4- Is S3 the best to go for( i prefer the dash to these than the earlier models)
5- What mpg should I be expecting from these?
1. In terms of colour, it's all down to personal choice, but I'd definitely recommend a metallic or mica rather than a solid colour. It's probably best to have 2 or 3 preferred colours as you could be looking for a long time if you restrict yourself to one combo.
2. As has been said previously, the chassis (especially the outriggers that run along the sills) is the most important place to check - the bible tells you what to look for. You should also realise that digital cameras can be very forgiving when it comes to blemishes so, when you go to view, be prepared for a 10 plus year old car, not a showroom fresh model. Having said that, you don't have to settle for tatty, unless you negotiate the price down accordingly. Mechanically, checks should be standard Ford V6 stuff.
3. Check out this thread for a few places to look. You should also be prepared to travel to find the right S (although you may get lucky and find one locally).
4. IMO the best model is down to personal choice. I prefer the S3 dash, lights and mirrors (on later S3's), and I need the longer doors in order to get in and out! Other than that, the differences are detailed in the bible, and it's up to you to decide what you want (e.g. LSD on S3C, 2.8 in S1 etc.)
5. I reckon I get mid to late 20s
Other than that, get to your local TVRCC meeting if you can (Berks meet is next Tuesday evening at the Swan, just off J11 of the M4), ask advice on here, read the bible, and browse the previous PH postings.
Happy hunting!
cerbaholic said:
Thnx Shnooz - just ordered the bible - i laready feel one step closer.
I forgot to mentin that it will be my everyday car and according to my search's its very reliable for it.
Many thnx
I use mine everyday, in the summer, and its proving very reliable and gives me the perfect start and end to my working day, enjoy!!
Visit "shpub" website and have a nosey around the FAQ section is worth a read
www.tvrbooks.co.uk/
And this site has some more info
www.tvrsseries.com/
And as Podie said check the car objectively before you turn the key cos once you've started it its 80% sold
happy hunting one and all
www.tvrbooks.co.uk/
And this site has some more info
www.tvrsseries.com/
And as Podie said check the car objectively before you turn the key cos once you've started it its 80% sold
happy hunting one and all
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