New member advice
Discussion
Firstly hi all,
i'm new to the site, am 21 and currently drive an '92 Audi cabriolet (although this is up for sale!) and once sold will be on the look out for a mk1 Tuscan, have roughly £20/22K to spend so probably about a 2000/2001 model.
I gather that full SH is a must and the general feeling is that they can be abit temperamental but the grin factor far outways the bad points but dont fully understand what to look for in the way of engine rebiulds. Should i dismiss any car that has not been rebiult ? Also should things like leaky roofs and doors filling with water been done under warranty ?
Any advice on other things to look for would be greatly appreciated.
Looking forward to owning my first tvr !!
Cheers, Lew
i'm new to the site, am 21 and currently drive an '92 Audi cabriolet (although this is up for sale!) and once sold will be on the look out for a mk1 Tuscan, have roughly £20/22K to spend so probably about a 2000/2001 model.
I gather that full SH is a must and the general feeling is that they can be abit temperamental but the grin factor far outways the bad points but dont fully understand what to look for in the way of engine rebiulds. Should i dismiss any car that has not been rebiult ? Also should things like leaky roofs and doors filling with water been done under warranty ?
Any advice on other things to look for would be greatly appreciated.
Looking forward to owning my first tvr !!
Cheers, Lew
Yeah, three words written in tablet of stone "Full Service History"
It really is a must. Warranty is a nice word also. There has been endless discussion on here re the pro's and cons of rebuilt engines, so you are best off spending a few hours researching the posts on both this and the engine forum.
Going to meets will give you the chance to speak to owners directly, who usually are only too happy to discuss their car.
Without sounding rude, it is also adviseable to have enough money set aside for if the worst does occur. Also look into the general running costs cos they sure aint cheap.
After all of that go and buy one, its an experience you shouldnt miss.
Good luck.
Di
It really is a must. Warranty is a nice word also. There has been endless discussion on here re the pro's and cons of rebuilt engines, so you are best off spending a few hours researching the posts on both this and the engine forum.
Going to meets will give you the chance to speak to owners directly, who usually are only too happy to discuss their car.
Without sounding rude, it is also adviseable to have enough money set aside for if the worst does occur. Also look into the general running costs cos they sure aint cheap.
After all of that go and buy one, its an experience you shouldnt miss.
Good luck.
Di
I'd check out the insurance as well Lewis, with you only being 21.
As Di says, FSH is essential. TVR are now offering a used car warranty (not sure if it's available for a 2000 car?) which may be a good "peace of mind" investment. Just beware that if things do go wrong it can be expensive so, as with all cars of this type, you need a contingency.
If you get a good car that has been looked after you won't regret it.
As Di says, FSH is essential. TVR are now offering a used car warranty (not sure if it's available for a 2000 car?) which may be a good "peace of mind" investment. Just beware that if things do go wrong it can be expensive so, as with all cars of this type, you need a contingency.
If you get a good car that has been looked after you won't regret it.
Lew, welcome
Lady Topaz and Unrepentant have given you some sound advice. I also urge you to read up on the ownership of a Tuscan before you buy one and gain numerous insurance quotes. In general terms, (my opinion from my experience with the mark so far),your probably best to buy a car from either a reputable dealer or if privately; from a PH or TVRCC member who is quite obviously an enthusiast. This way you will know that the car has most likely been well looked after. Such folk however generally want a higher price for their most cherished pride and joy...
Try and read between the lines regarding warranties.....most will not cover wear and tear and the majority of them seem to try to get out of an engine failure using the wear and tear clause (read up on Justin Bakers plight). I would hope the best available warranty is the new factory endorsed warranty, tho I have not read about anyone having to test it as yet. Personnally when I bought my Tusc, my way was to put aside 5K for the first years repair costs should anything go wrong. This sum has been way surpassed in engine rebuild costs alone. They are expensive to put right (properly) when they go wrong.
The roof,door,window leaks and electrical quirks are all just part of the ownership rituals, but if you are adept in maintenance matters such quirks can be a challenge and fun to try and resolve.....some of the time...!
One of the members on here (cant remember their handle off hand), has put together a very comprehensive buyers guide on items to look for. Do a search and you will find him, send him an email and he will mail you back. There's a lot of people with good helpful advice on here, but there are also a lot of to55ers who troll threads, you will see this as you search and read, just flick over the crap but dont drop out of a thread, get to the end coz you may miss a valuble comment/piece of info.
Finally , I hate to sound like an old fart, but I am keen on preserving the reasonable available current insurance fees for this car....its already starting to creep up because of an increase in crash claims. Good thing is they dont tend to get stolen.
If you have never driven a light weight high powered car before (I mean hard, not just ponced around the town) then please take it easy and learn to respect the TIV. All TVR's have a high power to weight ratio. Turning a bend in 2nd gear and booting the loud pedal to the floor will see you pirouetting towards the opposite lane or hedge and thats in the dry (some experienced drivers have lost traction and crashed whilst overtaking).....in the wet forget about ever getting loud with the loud pedal.
You at least have great taste in cars and appreciate the Tuscan goes like hell. For some time after any good blast out, you always wear a smile the size of a circus clown ....
I wish you luck in finding the right car for you.
Regards
G
>> Edited by yzf1070 on Tuesday 17th January 13:16
Lady Topaz and Unrepentant have given you some sound advice. I also urge you to read up on the ownership of a Tuscan before you buy one and gain numerous insurance quotes. In general terms, (my opinion from my experience with the mark so far),your probably best to buy a car from either a reputable dealer or if privately; from a PH or TVRCC member who is quite obviously an enthusiast. This way you will know that the car has most likely been well looked after. Such folk however generally want a higher price for their most cherished pride and joy...
Try and read between the lines regarding warranties.....most will not cover wear and tear and the majority of them seem to try to get out of an engine failure using the wear and tear clause (read up on Justin Bakers plight). I would hope the best available warranty is the new factory endorsed warranty, tho I have not read about anyone having to test it as yet. Personnally when I bought my Tusc, my way was to put aside 5K for the first years repair costs should anything go wrong. This sum has been way surpassed in engine rebuild costs alone. They are expensive to put right (properly) when they go wrong.
The roof,door,window leaks and electrical quirks are all just part of the ownership rituals, but if you are adept in maintenance matters such quirks can be a challenge and fun to try and resolve.....some of the time...!
One of the members on here (cant remember their handle off hand), has put together a very comprehensive buyers guide on items to look for. Do a search and you will find him, send him an email and he will mail you back. There's a lot of people with good helpful advice on here, but there are also a lot of to55ers who troll threads, you will see this as you search and read, just flick over the crap but dont drop out of a thread, get to the end coz you may miss a valuble comment/piece of info.
Finally , I hate to sound like an old fart, but I am keen on preserving the reasonable available current insurance fees for this car....its already starting to creep up because of an increase in crash claims. Good thing is they dont tend to get stolen.
If you have never driven a light weight high powered car before (I mean hard, not just ponced around the town) then please take it easy and learn to respect the TIV. All TVR's have a high power to weight ratio. Turning a bend in 2nd gear and booting the loud pedal to the floor will see you pirouetting towards the opposite lane or hedge and thats in the dry (some experienced drivers have lost traction and crashed whilst overtaking).....in the wet forget about ever getting loud with the loud pedal.
You at least have great taste in cars and appreciate the Tuscan goes like hell. For some time after any good blast out, you always wear a smile the size of a circus clown ....
I wish you luck in finding the right car for you.
Regards
G
>> Edited by yzf1070 on Tuesday 17th January 13:16
yzf1070 said:
One of the members on here (cant remember their handle off hand), has put together a very comprehensive buyers guide on items to look for. Do a search and you will find him, send him an email and he will mail you back. There's a lot of people with good helpful advice on here, but there are also a lot of to55ers who troll threads
The member is TSS and the guide is excellent. I'm sure if you email him he'll send you one.
Agree with your troll point too YZF.
Lewis - all the points on here so far are bang on and also from experienced owners so will really help. Some of the key things I would throw in to the pot;
- spend a lot of time if you can on here getting to understand some of the quirks of ownership. There are tonnes of really good threads for prospective new owners (and regrettably some crap ones as well) - and also some profiles contain very beneficial history as to expenditure/running issues etc.
- give some thought to taking an advanced driving course if possible, or blending this into your purchase considerations. I have personally experienced Ride Drive, but there are others; will develop your confidence and awareness.
- as regards budget, I really cannot stress highly enough to plan in advance for potential costs (forgive me - I am an accountant). The reason? Your grin factor will be seriously diminished if you cannot afford the potential repairs which could come about and the car is then off the road. As mentioned, the TVR warranty a good bet and very expansive, although it will cost up front (app £1,300+ if memory serves).
I have not regretted my decision, and I have had problems, but still cannot wait for decent weather days. As I have mentioned before, owning a TVR is owning something of character - an intangible which is impossible to quantify
- spend a lot of time if you can on here getting to understand some of the quirks of ownership. There are tonnes of really good threads for prospective new owners (and regrettably some crap ones as well) - and also some profiles contain very beneficial history as to expenditure/running issues etc.
- give some thought to taking an advanced driving course if possible, or blending this into your purchase considerations. I have personally experienced Ride Drive, but there are others; will develop your confidence and awareness.
- as regards budget, I really cannot stress highly enough to plan in advance for potential costs (forgive me - I am an accountant). The reason? Your grin factor will be seriously diminished if you cannot afford the potential repairs which could come about and the car is then off the road. As mentioned, the TVR warranty a good bet and very expansive, although it will cost up front (app £1,300+ if memory serves).
I have not regretted my decision, and I have had problems, but still cannot wait for decent weather days. As I have mentioned before, owning a TVR is owning something of character - an intangible which is impossible to quantify
yzf1070 said:
One of the members on here (cant remember their handle off hand), has put together a very comprehensive buyers guide on items to look for.
Can't remember his name either, but if you'd like a copy drop me a mail via my profile.
Can't really add anything to what has already been said, other that make sure you have a few pennies in the bank, when even small things go wrong they could turn out to be expensive.
Good luck.
All good, sound advice indeed. Everything you will need to know will be on here somewhere - definitely recommend attending a local meet and speaking to some current owners as they will be your best reference for first hand ownership information.
I've done some investigation into the warranty side of TVR's, and approved dealers should provide you with an all inclusive wear and tear (including engine/ clutch etc.) policy for around £1350 for 12 months. This does follow a three hour check though to ensure car is in current good working order first! This is only for cars up to 5 years old though - a separate warranty (non wear and tear) is available for cars up to 8 years old at around £1050 but this won't cover your engine or things like your clutch (circa £1200!)
Plenty of post 02' cars out there on original engines with 20/30k + so try to take a balanced view from genuine owners on Sp 6 issues. Good luck, you won't regret it!
I've done some investigation into the warranty side of TVR's, and approved dealers should provide you with an all inclusive wear and tear (including engine/ clutch etc.) policy for around £1350 for 12 months. This does follow a three hour check though to ensure car is in current good working order first! This is only for cars up to 5 years old though - a separate warranty (non wear and tear) is available for cars up to 8 years old at around £1050 but this won't cover your engine or things like your clutch (circa £1200!)
Plenty of post 02' cars out there on original engines with 20/30k + so try to take a balanced view from genuine owners on Sp 6 issues. Good luck, you won't regret it!
Lew, unless your willing pay about £4500 you aint going get insured. I have just waited 3 years for a tusc, picked mine up last sat, I turned 25 in november. If your under 25 then no one is interested. Try privilage I am with them, the specilists wouldnt touch me, even with performance car history, max NCB, ETC ETC. Its a massive struggle, but its been worth we wait for me.
CheeRS Gav
CheeRS Gav
Thanks to all you guys, its all greatly appreciated.
Will keep on reading through both the tuscan and speed six forums, try and gather as much info as possible before going for it ! Must also look into the warranty side of it.
Also must get to afew meets before summer to speak to current owners etc..
Does anynoe know of any big events coming up ?
Cheers, Lew
Will keep on reading through both the tuscan and speed six forums, try and gather as much info as possible before going for it ! Must also look into the warranty side of it.
Also must get to afew meets before summer to speak to current owners etc..
Does anynoe know of any big events coming up ?
Cheers, Lew
lew_boi said:
Also must get to afew meets before summer to speak to current owners etc..
Does anynoe know of any big events coming up ?
Pleasure to help Lew - we are all here to help
. Propose - you consider joining TVR Car Club; website/Sprint magazine list all regional organisations which then allow you to see meets (and also provide regional officer details who may help)
- review the General TVR section, T350/Sagaris/Tamora forums which are v helpful
- review Pistonheads Calendar function which has details of TVR/other related events
- get to know your local dealer and you can learn a lot!
Craig
I'm in Scunthorpe, often head over to Cleethopes in the summer for a quick drive out !
Tuscan looks stunning, are you a maxd car member !?! I have a few mates that joined a while back.
Think joining TVRCC would be a good plan baz, then i could check out dates for myself instead of asking you guys !
Tuscan looks stunning, are you a maxd car member !?! I have a few mates that joined a while back.
Think joining TVRCC would be a good plan baz, then i could check out dates for myself instead of asking you guys !
Hi Lew,
Some good advice on here. I bought my Tuscan when I was 25, and for a few years before that I had an M3. With Direct Line my insurance actually REDUCED when I bought the Tuscan. It is not always about power and how difficult it is to drive. For example, as the same time I found that the Cerbera SP6 was about the same price, I was surprised at the low prices (£1300) and asked about the 4.2. This was 20 a month cheaper. So I asked about the 4.5 and this was another £10 cheaper than that!
Of course ring around, but dont get put off and dont discount going with the big-guns.
With regard to the car and your budget, you have to seriously consider the running costs in the plan. If you max budget is £22k I would say that you need to be buying at £18k and keeping the £4k for repairs. As I found to my cost, the cost of ownership for a 2000 Tuscan started to get horrendous. I used the Tuscan as my only car, and during about 6000 miles and 9 months the cost got too much for me to consider worthwhile.
It completely depends on your situation, whether it is your only car, and what kind of milage you are going to be doing. For example if you could say that on average you may need expensive work every 10,000 miles, if you are using it as a weekend car every three years aint bad. It is a different scenario if you are going to be doing 12,000 a year!
My Tuscan had the usual Tuscan faults that we all put up with, but the other concern of a five year old car is that at that age it will start to get 'normal car' aging problems too.
For example, I would consider you very lucky to get away without each of the following taking a 2000 Tuscan from 20,000 to 30,000 miles, if these things have not been replaced already:
New Clutch (£900)
New suspension (£900) Although then is the time to upgrade for Nitrons!
Engine Rebuild (£5000)
New pod screen (£250)
New radiator (£500)
On top of that, if you add in the other things which I had to pay for when I took my Tuscan from 22,000 to 28,000 miles:
Alternator (£500)
Random Indicator problem (£600)
2 Lambda sensors, fan switches, other electrical gubbins (£600)
2 New front tyres as the alignment shredded the insides (£380)
And that is just the stuff I can remember off the top of my head.
Please dont think I am trying to put you off, because I really am not, I loved driving my Tuscan. My experience of owning a 2000 Tuscan was such that unfortunately the hassle and cost meant that I could never fully enjoy the car.
If you read posts by Unrepentant and others who have bought new a couple of times, you will get a completely different outlook - they can look past all the niggles as they either dont happen, and even if they do the warranty fixes it. They also get the benefit of driving round in a brand new and improved model. And they love it! I also worked out that it was costing Unrepentant less per year to drive his new car (including depreciation!!!) than I was shelling out for a car a was sadly becoming to hate.
Although this may be seen as 'thinking out of the box' and would be above your budget, but if you are serious about getting a Tuscan, I would certainly consider buying new.
My reasoning is, if you add up the cost of the car to start with, £22k plus the cost of getting another 10,000 on the clock, maybe another £8-£10,000, a year later you have invested £30-32,000 and you have a £19k car to show for it.
If your first year costs are going to be around £30k for a 5 year old car, another £6-8k will buy you a new one! There are some cracking deals at gatwick and others at the moment, and I have even considered it myself. With the 3 year warranty on board, as a betting man, I would guess if you are planning a Tuscan as a sole car, doing more than 8000 miles a year, you would end up with more money at the end if you bought new, than if you bought old. And you would enjoy it a whole lot more too!
For example, if we are factoring a 2000 Tuscan running costs, and accepting that the niggles will always happen, but the major ones like rebuilds and clutches etc may only happen once or twice over 30,000 miles this would bring a round about figure of £4000-£5000 a year for repairs. If you are setting off on a level playing field and put new tyres on the 5 year old one we would have a total cost of 3 years ownership (servicing, petrol, fuel, insurance excpeted as these are identical:
2000 Tuscan:
£22,000 car
£700 tyres
£12,000-£15,000 repairs
This totals £37,700 to £40,700 spent.
If the car is sold for £16k the total cost is £21,700 to £24,700
2006 Tuscan:
£38,000 spent
If the car is sold for £22k, which would be rediculously cheap for a 2003 Tuscan now, the total cost is £16,000.
I realise I might get flamed and the figures are apporximate, but even if I have overestimated the 2000 Tuscan running cost and underestimated the new car cost by £6k to £8k this still means that you have paid the same amount to have a new car for three years, than you have to have a five year old car for three year. This would more than cover the cost even if the remaining cash was needed on finance.
Some good advice on here. I bought my Tuscan when I was 25, and for a few years before that I had an M3. With Direct Line my insurance actually REDUCED when I bought the Tuscan. It is not always about power and how difficult it is to drive. For example, as the same time I found that the Cerbera SP6 was about the same price, I was surprised at the low prices (£1300) and asked about the 4.2. This was 20 a month cheaper. So I asked about the 4.5 and this was another £10 cheaper than that!
Of course ring around, but dont get put off and dont discount going with the big-guns.
With regard to the car and your budget, you have to seriously consider the running costs in the plan. If you max budget is £22k I would say that you need to be buying at £18k and keeping the £4k for repairs. As I found to my cost, the cost of ownership for a 2000 Tuscan started to get horrendous. I used the Tuscan as my only car, and during about 6000 miles and 9 months the cost got too much for me to consider worthwhile.
It completely depends on your situation, whether it is your only car, and what kind of milage you are going to be doing. For example if you could say that on average you may need expensive work every 10,000 miles, if you are using it as a weekend car every three years aint bad. It is a different scenario if you are going to be doing 12,000 a year!
My Tuscan had the usual Tuscan faults that we all put up with, but the other concern of a five year old car is that at that age it will start to get 'normal car' aging problems too.
For example, I would consider you very lucky to get away without each of the following taking a 2000 Tuscan from 20,000 to 30,000 miles, if these things have not been replaced already:
New Clutch (£900)
New suspension (£900) Although then is the time to upgrade for Nitrons!
Engine Rebuild (£5000)
New pod screen (£250)
New radiator (£500)
On top of that, if you add in the other things which I had to pay for when I took my Tuscan from 22,000 to 28,000 miles:
Alternator (£500)
Random Indicator problem (£600)
2 Lambda sensors, fan switches, other electrical gubbins (£600)
2 New front tyres as the alignment shredded the insides (£380)
And that is just the stuff I can remember off the top of my head.
Please dont think I am trying to put you off, because I really am not, I loved driving my Tuscan. My experience of owning a 2000 Tuscan was such that unfortunately the hassle and cost meant that I could never fully enjoy the car.
If you read posts by Unrepentant and others who have bought new a couple of times, you will get a completely different outlook - they can look past all the niggles as they either dont happen, and even if they do the warranty fixes it. They also get the benefit of driving round in a brand new and improved model. And they love it! I also worked out that it was costing Unrepentant less per year to drive his new car (including depreciation!!!) than I was shelling out for a car a was sadly becoming to hate.
Although this may be seen as 'thinking out of the box' and would be above your budget, but if you are serious about getting a Tuscan, I would certainly consider buying new.
My reasoning is, if you add up the cost of the car to start with, £22k plus the cost of getting another 10,000 on the clock, maybe another £8-£10,000, a year later you have invested £30-32,000 and you have a £19k car to show for it.
If your first year costs are going to be around £30k for a 5 year old car, another £6-8k will buy you a new one! There are some cracking deals at gatwick and others at the moment, and I have even considered it myself. With the 3 year warranty on board, as a betting man, I would guess if you are planning a Tuscan as a sole car, doing more than 8000 miles a year, you would end up with more money at the end if you bought new, than if you bought old. And you would enjoy it a whole lot more too!
For example, if we are factoring a 2000 Tuscan running costs, and accepting that the niggles will always happen, but the major ones like rebuilds and clutches etc may only happen once or twice over 30,000 miles this would bring a round about figure of £4000-£5000 a year for repairs. If you are setting off on a level playing field and put new tyres on the 5 year old one we would have a total cost of 3 years ownership (servicing, petrol, fuel, insurance excpeted as these are identical:
2000 Tuscan:
£22,000 car
£700 tyres
£12,000-£15,000 repairs
This totals £37,700 to £40,700 spent.
If the car is sold for £16k the total cost is £21,700 to £24,700
2006 Tuscan:
£38,000 spent
If the car is sold for £22k, which would be rediculously cheap for a 2003 Tuscan now, the total cost is £16,000.
I realise I might get flamed and the figures are apporximate, but even if I have overestimated the 2000 Tuscan running cost and underestimated the new car cost by £6k to £8k this still means that you have paid the same amount to have a new car for three years, than you have to have a five year old car for three year. This would more than cover the cost even if the remaining cash was needed on finance.
That is an excellent Post.
I am just about to make an offer on a 2001 Tuscan S and it really has got me thinking as to whether I really want that kind of TCO for the use I will get out of it over and above my Chimaera. The previous 2 owners have already spent thousands on the Tuscan, (it went back to the factory for 3 months) and so I was presuming the costs would drop off?
Surely a rebuilt engine, New Gaz suspension all round and a completely rebuilt braking system will last at least 30K miles?
I am just about to make an offer on a 2001 Tuscan S and it really has got me thinking as to whether I really want that kind of TCO for the use I will get out of it over and above my Chimaera. The previous 2 owners have already spent thousands on the Tuscan, (it went back to the factory for 3 months) and so I was presuming the costs would drop off?
Surely a rebuilt engine, New Gaz suspension all round and a completely rebuilt braking system will last at least 30K miles?
Yes a good post.
I know that its obvious but have a look at the "great" new site www.mytuscan.co.uk
most of the docuemnts information and guides are on there.
Ive just written an article for Sprint (if Mandy publishes it) detailing a years ownership of an early Tuscan which might prove interesting. I've now traded the old Tuscan for the newest Tuscan convertible I could find.
I know that its obvious but have a look at the "great" new site www.mytuscan.co.uk
most of the docuemnts information and guides are on there.
Ive just written an article for Sprint (if Mandy publishes it) detailing a years ownership of an early Tuscan which might prove interesting. I've now traded the old Tuscan for the newest Tuscan convertible I could find.
Sorry to give you some bad news...
From a private sale IMHO a 2000 Tuscan looks to be worth no more than 14K in the current market. A really nice 2002 is struggling to make 15K on Ebay. Another 2001 with 15K on the clock recently didn't reach 12K either. On Autotrader a 2001 looks to be worth less than 15K but that is the sticker price and most people will be making offers on that. A lot of them have been there for months.
Some dealers haven't realised that the market is in a terrible state this year or are hoping it is just a temporary depression.
IMHO that makes the figues:
2000 Tuscan
£14,000 car
£700 tyres
£12,000-£15,000 repairs
This totals £27K to £30K spent.
If the car is sold for £11k the total cost is £16K - 19K
2006 Tuscan:
£38,000 spent
Sold for 17K the total cost is 21K
From a private sale IMHO a 2000 Tuscan looks to be worth no more than 14K in the current market. A really nice 2002 is struggling to make 15K on Ebay. Another 2001 with 15K on the clock recently didn't reach 12K either. On Autotrader a 2001 looks to be worth less than 15K but that is the sticker price and most people will be making offers on that. A lot of them have been there for months.
Some dealers haven't realised that the market is in a terrible state this year or are hoping it is just a temporary depression.
IMHO that makes the figues:
2000 Tuscan
£14,000 car
£700 tyres
£12,000-£15,000 repairs
This totals £27K to £30K spent.
If the car is sold for £11k the total cost is £16K - 19K
2006 Tuscan:
£38,000 spent
Sold for 17K the total cost is 21K
Edited by Chequred Demon on Tuesday 22 April 09:41
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