After 22 years....
Discussion
...it looks like the time has come to take my S3 off the road, maybe sell it.
I've had it since new (Feb 91) and it started off as a shiny pleasure car. Then it went to my commuting car and for the last two years it's gone back to a sort of pleasure car cum backup vehicle.
The thing is, at the last MOT they expressed concern over the exhaust manifold and if it doesn't get through in a few months time, it's going to be an expensive repair (even if I was able to do it myself, which I'm not).
If it gets through, I may put off the decision for year, but even so I've only done 500 miles in it this year and we really don't need a second vehicle, so the per mile minimum running cost (tax, insurance, MOT/service, petrol) of £1.70 is not really justifiable.
Otherwise I'll probably SORN it and keep it in the garage. I keep a battery charger permanently on it at the moment, but if it's off road I suppose I will disconnect the battery. Any tips for keeping it in a reasonable condition would be welcome.
If anybody wants to tell me I'm mad, feel free. I really can't make up my mind about it......
I've had it since new (Feb 91) and it started off as a shiny pleasure car. Then it went to my commuting car and for the last two years it's gone back to a sort of pleasure car cum backup vehicle.
The thing is, at the last MOT they expressed concern over the exhaust manifold and if it doesn't get through in a few months time, it's going to be an expensive repair (even if I was able to do it myself, which I'm not).
If it gets through, I may put off the decision for year, but even so I've only done 500 miles in it this year and we really don't need a second vehicle, so the per mile minimum running cost (tax, insurance, MOT/service, petrol) of £1.70 is not really justifiable.
Otherwise I'll probably SORN it and keep it in the garage. I keep a battery charger permanently on it at the moment, but if it's off road I suppose I will disconnect the battery. Any tips for keeping it in a reasonable condition would be welcome.
If anybody wants to tell me I'm mad, feel free. I really can't make up my mind about it......
unicorn77 said:
Dave, what sort of job is it to get the manifold off? (I'm presuming that was necessary).
Oh dear, you shouldn't have posted that as they will laugh soon!I have seen spanners once but any practical stuff doesn't mix well with me :rofL:
I don't think it was a hard job to remove, the welding worked really well and was a cheap option
unicorn77 said:
Dave, what sort of job is it to get the manifold off? (I'm presuming that was necessary).
This thread may give you some idea 
Hi Brian
I sympathise with your quandary - I've not had my S as long as you, but find myself in a similar position. It started out as a fun car, like yours, became the commute car for around 3 years, but has spent the last two years in the garage. Bought about by a combination of running costs and the fact that my wife purchased a motorhome. Just getting it out of the garage is a major car shuffling ordeal.
Do I leave it there for posterity, or sell it?
A couple of years ago mine developed an awkward manifold leak, the V8 manifold pipes are in an '88' configuration - the split was inaccessible from the outside. Fortunately my mechanic is a resourceful guy, he cut a patch from the outside of the pipe, repaired the split from the inside and put the patch back in - you need to find a skilful welder. Like any manifold job, getting the studs/bolts out in one piece is a fiddly awkward knuckle skinning event.
I don't want to sell the car, but it seems a shame to leave it languishing behind locked doors - what do you do?
Steve
I sympathise with your quandary - I've not had my S as long as you, but find myself in a similar position. It started out as a fun car, like yours, became the commute car for around 3 years, but has spent the last two years in the garage. Bought about by a combination of running costs and the fact that my wife purchased a motorhome. Just getting it out of the garage is a major car shuffling ordeal.
Do I leave it there for posterity, or sell it?
A couple of years ago mine developed an awkward manifold leak, the V8 manifold pipes are in an '88' configuration - the split was inaccessible from the outside. Fortunately my mechanic is a resourceful guy, he cut a patch from the outside of the pipe, repaired the split from the inside and put the patch back in - you need to find a skilful welder. Like any manifold job, getting the studs/bolts out in one piece is a fiddly awkward knuckle skinning event.
I don't want to sell the car, but it seems a shame to leave it languishing behind locked doors - what do you do?
Steve
GadgeS3C said:
I've just spotted a new business opportunity!
Funnily enough Garry I had a similar thought....One or two folk have been on here saying "car may have to go, redundancy looking imminent" or similar.
How about a kind of TVR Pawnbroker service
Edited by phillpot on Tuesday 20th November 10:47
OK, so now I know for sure I personally won't be going near those bolts! But I will start investigating a repair....
I've changed my profile picture to show the car as of this morning. Actually, I think it looks quite good considering it's had no exterior bodywork attention ever and I can't remember when I last washed it.
I'm in the fortunate position that I'm not desperate for the likely lump sum a sale would generate, so if I can't get it through the MOT, it will most probably languish in my garage - I'm thinking it might increase in value quite a lot over the next few years so I could treat it as an investment punt. Hopefully keeping it idle in the garage won't be too detrimental....
I've changed my profile picture to show the car as of this morning. Actually, I think it looks quite good considering it's had no exterior bodywork attention ever and I can't remember when I last washed it.
I'm in the fortunate position that I'm not desperate for the likely lump sum a sale would generate, so if I can't get it through the MOT, it will most probably languish in my garage - I'm thinking it might increase in value quite a lot over the next few years so I could treat it as an investment punt. Hopefully keeping it idle in the garage won't be too detrimental....
I think I've screwed up my profile picture. So instead, here's a link to photobucket:
http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac241/unicorn77...
http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac241/unicorn77...
Well, out of interest, I just had a look through my documentation but I've got nothing to say what I ordered. In fact, I don't even have a receipt. I'm not actually sure I ever got one.
What I do have is the registration document (obviously - also kept the previous two), every service bill starting with the initial 1000 miles service and every MOT certificate. I also know the exact amount of cash I paid by BS cheque and the account details that it came from.
I think that would be enough to satisfy me if I were buying but does anybody know what the legal position is? Would it satisfy Mr. Plod if asked me "is this your vehicle, sir?"
What I do have is the registration document (obviously - also kept the previous two), every service bill starting with the initial 1000 miles service and every MOT certificate. I also know the exact amount of cash I paid by BS cheque and the account details that it came from.
I think that would be enough to satisfy me if I were buying but does anybody know what the legal position is? Would it satisfy Mr. Plod if asked me "is this your vehicle, sir?"
The registration document shows you as being the keeper of the vehicle but not necessarily the owner. However, I do not think that you would have any problem unless some one else claimed title to your TVR and had documents to prove their ownership (which, by definition they would not have). Ok you lot, you can stop forging those 1991 sales invoices now!
I bet that there are more cars on the road where the owner has no sale documentation than there are with such evidence.
Cheers
Tony
I bet that there are more cars on the road where the owner has no sale documentation than there are with such evidence.
Cheers
Tony
unicorn77 said:
It's half hide and the colour is a sort of light fawn, not sure what they actually called it but I've probably got that recorded somewhere. The dash has the walnut veneer.
mine has grey interior with silver dash etc.. Currently got biscuit mx5 seats en route to full colour change..get the manifold done shouldn't cost too much..
oh what's the chassis like.?
cheers Damian S3
OK, seems like I'm the legal owner, then!
As to the chassis, my man told me it was OK last February. The year before I had to have one of the rear trailing arms replaced (he said the other was fine). Six years ago, I had some major work done on the outriggers - all corrosion was cut out and new metal welded in.
I took some photos this morning but shoving the camera underneath and shooting blind wasn't too successful. For what it's worth, the view from the rear can be seen here:
http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac241/unicorn77...
(I'm assuming these links are viewable to the public, I can certainly see them....)
As to the chassis, my man told me it was OK last February. The year before I had to have one of the rear trailing arms replaced (he said the other was fine). Six years ago, I had some major work done on the outriggers - all corrosion was cut out and new metal welded in.
I took some photos this morning but shoving the camera underneath and shooting blind wasn't too successful. For what it's worth, the view from the rear can be seen here:
http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac241/unicorn77...
(I'm assuming these links are viewable to the public, I can certainly see them....)
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