TVR as a daily
Discussion
Hi folk,
I am looking to change cars and have a random thought and I am now trying to do the pro's and con's for using a tvr as a daily driver. I'm on a rough budget of £15000 which seems to through up a fair few options. I don't have a big daily commute 8mile round trip and doing 12,000miles a year.
So what are people's thoughts on this, is it do-able and what sort of model should I be looking at? And what are the major issues of them?
Thanks in advance,
Kev
I am looking to change cars and have a random thought and I am now trying to do the pro's and con's for using a tvr as a daily driver. I'm on a rough budget of £15000 which seems to through up a fair few options. I don't have a big daily commute 8mile round trip and doing 12,000miles a year.
So what are people's thoughts on this, is it do-able and what sort of model should I be looking at? And what are the major issues of them?
Thanks in advance,
Kev
I have had my Tuscan just over 3 months and use it as my daily. Morning school run and short trips to work. Only cover about 8k miles a year. No probs so far. Drives smooth around town at low speeds so no worries. Still go for a weekend hoon ass well of course. I think things should be used and enjoyed. I also where my Rolex everyday as well (Tut Tut) while others hide them away for special occasions. I say go crazy, Tuscan gets my vote. Just shop carefully and get a good one and your be fine. GL.
I have used the Tamora for its first 3 years as a daily then again more recently. No problem doing it, but a cheap runabout, or a bike, will do the boring commute just as well, without needing the servicing that the TVR will.
I would spend your money, but only use it as a 'daily' once a week. Makes you appreciate it more.
Edit to add the bike comment, seeing as it is only 8 miles.
I would spend your money, but only use it as a 'daily' once a week. Makes you appreciate it more.
Edit to add the bike comment, seeing as it is only 8 miles.
Edited by madbadger on Monday 17th September 15:27
The biggest problem is people driving into it in the carpark at work (twice, £1200 worth of damage the second time) - I suspect old boys with no neck movement who don't use their mirrors or can't see over the dash, or hear an accident which doesn't actually involve the noise of rending metal (You did know the bodywork is fibreglass, didn't you?)
Anyway, 20 miles each way, 2 or 3 days a week, but mainly March to November. No problems with reliability.
Anyway, 20 miles each way, 2 or 3 days a week, but mainly March to November. No problems with reliability.
I did it with a 450 Chimaera, for just over 2 years (3 winters!) and 33,500 miles as my ONLY vehicle.
Mixed bag, IMO.
Firstly, it's great driving a TVR and it's fun. Every drive is an event. More than enough people will tell you of the virtues.
On the flip side. Servicing and fuel costs rack up. If it does let you down, then you could be without it for a week or so - getting to work was a problem (and expensive).
Sometimes you feel like s
t, and driving a loud car isn't fun. The snow and the ice can be tricky - not just for you, but the idiots on the road. Sometimes there are places you just don't want to leave the car, but have little choice, and when you go to Waitrose and park almost in a different timezone, someone will have parked within millimeters of your drivers door.
Pros and cons...
Glad I did it, but I wouldn't do it again.
Mixed bag, IMO.
Firstly, it's great driving a TVR and it's fun. Every drive is an event. More than enough people will tell you of the virtues.
On the flip side. Servicing and fuel costs rack up. If it does let you down, then you could be without it for a week or so - getting to work was a problem (and expensive).
Sometimes you feel like s
t, and driving a loud car isn't fun. The snow and the ice can be tricky - not just for you, but the idiots on the road. Sometimes there are places you just don't want to leave the car, but have little choice, and when you go to Waitrose and park almost in a different timezone, someone will have parked within millimeters of your drivers door. Pros and cons...
Glad I did it, but I wouldn't do it again.
Been using a TVR as my daily driver since 1989, 72,000 in a 350SX ( still got it) about 180,000 in four Griffiths, 100,000 in 2 Cerbs and 90,000 in my current Sag
I often finish a long day with a long drive and I've always believed that the visceral nature of the TVR keeps you concentrating when a waftmatic might allow you to wander. They are rubbish in the snow, but other than those 4-5 days a year its a great way to get around and if they're used I think there are less reliability issues
Only problem for me now is - where do I get my next one from? Looks like a running rebuild of the Sag over the next few years - we've just done the diff and shocks, so let's see...
I often finish a long day with a long drive and I've always believed that the visceral nature of the TVR keeps you concentrating when a waftmatic might allow you to wander. They are rubbish in the snow, but other than those 4-5 days a year its a great way to get around and if they're used I think there are less reliability issues
Only problem for me now is - where do I get my next one from? Looks like a running rebuild of the Sag over the next few years - we've just done the diff and shocks, so let's see...
We've had our Chim for nine and a half years and it's been my daily drive for most of that. I do about 6,000 miles a year on a commute that is 10 to 15 miles each way depending on the route I take.
Reliability has been good with a few failures:
Reliability has been good with a few failures:
- needed a new alternator last year
- top eye on a front spring/damper unit sheered off while parking
- immobiliser needed replacing
Used my Chim 450 as a daily driver for 3 months when I first got it (during summer). Once properly serviced and sorted it caused no problems back and forth to work (8 miles round trip) and errands around and about were fine (surprisingly big boot).
Great fun. But it is noisy and once I was stuck in traffic for 40mins so got a bit tiring. Also the clutch, handbrake etc are heavy and not suited to stop start traffic.
The biggest worry was leaving it all day in works car park at the mercy of other drivers.
In the end I bought a shed for commute and keep the TVR for high days and holidays. SO yes you can do it but my advice would be buy a shed for the commute and keep the TVR for what it was primarily designed for.
Great fun. But it is noisy and once I was stuck in traffic for 40mins so got a bit tiring. Also the clutch, handbrake etc are heavy and not suited to stop start traffic.
The biggest worry was leaving it all day in works car park at the mercy of other drivers.
In the end I bought a shed for commute and keep the TVR for high days and holidays. SO yes you can do it but my advice would be buy a shed for the commute and keep the TVR for what it was primarily designed for.
arbydb7 said:
I have had my Tuscan just over 3 months and use it as my daily. Morning school run and short trips to work. Only cover about 8k miles a year. No probs so far. Drives smooth around town at low speeds so no worries. Still go for a weekend hoon ass well of course. I think things should be used and enjoyed. I also where my Rolex everyday as well (Tut Tut) while others hide them away for special occasions. I say go crazy, Tuscan gets my vote. Just shop carefully and get a good one and your be fine. GL.
Snap, I use my Tusc S whenever I can and my Rolex has been on my wrist for 15 years.Some things are too good not to use.Thanks folk for all the replies, I'm liking the amount of positive replies. I'm the same as a few folk here, in that if you've got it use it.
My current weekend toy is a Westfield and I won't be getting rid of that either.
Yes it's only an 8mile round trip but am still doing approx 200miles week. Fuel isn't to much of an issue, currently daily gets about 18 round town. Could anybody body tell me if tvr's have a decent sized tank?
The work car park is not bad, it is a factory carpark and usual not bad for a space with nobody about. I did know that they were fibreglass. I guessing that they are built from, fibreglass, gelcoat, primer and paint?
Servicing, I am not shy to using the old spanners, so would probably do the 6k service myself and have 12k done by the garage to have the valve spacing done. How easy is it to get spares and part?
Thanks again,
Kev
My current weekend toy is a Westfield and I won't be getting rid of that either.
Yes it's only an 8mile round trip but am still doing approx 200miles week. Fuel isn't to much of an issue, currently daily gets about 18 round town. Could anybody body tell me if tvr's have a decent sized tank?
The work car park is not bad, it is a factory carpark and usual not bad for a space with nobody about. I did know that they were fibreglass. I guessing that they are built from, fibreglass, gelcoat, primer and paint?
Servicing, I am not shy to using the old spanners, so would probably do the 6k service myself and have 12k done by the garage to have the valve spacing done. How easy is it to get spares and part?
Thanks again,
Kev
Spares are not really a problem. The Speed Six TVRs do have some bespoke components which are much more than the off the self RV8 parts. Eg. Front discs - Griff = £200, Tuscan S = £400+.
If you service yourself you may take a bit with depreciation from a resale perspective, plus from the miles you put on. A higher mileage car (maybe even a repairedCat D) may be a good bet as they have already had a substancial hit on their values which have been absorted by someone else. Plenty of waxoil & regular inspections & getting rid of stones underneith (outriggers etc) will be required but all part of the fun of TVR hands on involvement!
Just be aware of car part knocks etc - all paint, no bumpers & fibreglasss means any parking taps could be expensive. Speed bumps too mean a few roads are out of bounds...
Why not get something like a Merc SLK55 - that would be my choice if I had to combine my Tuscan & daily drive Focus?
If you service yourself you may take a bit with depreciation from a resale perspective, plus from the miles you put on. A higher mileage car (maybe even a repairedCat D) may be a good bet as they have already had a substancial hit on their values which have been absorted by someone else. Plenty of waxoil & regular inspections & getting rid of stones underneith (outriggers etc) will be required but all part of the fun of TVR hands on involvement!
Just be aware of car part knocks etc - all paint, no bumpers & fibreglasss means any parking taps could be expensive. Speed bumps too mean a few roads are out of bounds...
Why not get something like a Merc SLK55 - that would be my choice if I had to combine my Tuscan & daily drive Focus?
I used my Tuscan as my only daily for a few years. The only impact was all the stop start commuting meant I went through a few clutches. It's been moved to second car status as I'm now doing 20k+ miles a year.
Re servicing, I use and indie for the 6k and 12k services to keep the stamps going and do the valve clearances and any other bits myself.
Re servicing, I use and indie for the 6k and 12k services to keep the stamps going and do the valve clearances and any other bits myself.
I tried it twice and both times I got fed up and bought a daily run-around. It's the winter months that make the daily use of a TVR bloody miserable to me - the summer is fine. That being said, I just sold my daily run-around today so I expect I'll last a couple of months before getting fed up again.
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