Buyers Guide

If you've lowered your car window to hear the sound of a TVR pass then you'll no doubt have lusted after the various models produced during the early 90's, all of which provided amazing aural entertainment.

Whilst good Griffiths and Chimaeras are still commanding prices well north of £10K, you can still get your foot on the TVR ladder with the equally pretty little S Series. Great examples can be had for the correct side of the £10K barrier and running costs are cheaper too.

Many people look upon the S Series as the entry level car to the range. It is of course, but it's also a superb car in its own right. With simple mechanicals, Ford running gear and a TVR tuned exhaust note the S still represents great value when compared with more modern roadsters. It comes with 2.8/2.9 litre V6 or 4 litre V8, making 1.8 four pot Mazdas seem a little lacking in oomph. Whilst the V6 isn't as quick as it's more macho V8S big brother, the torquey nature of the Ford engine does make it very easy to drive and a very easy car to have fun in. Drop a cog, ease the throttle down and you'll wonder what TVR did to wring such a gorgeous engine note from the venerable Granada engine.

Ride and Handling

Riding in an S can be a culture shock for those more used to modern Euroboxes or cutesy modern roadsters. This is a sportscar from the old school. Aside from the obvious wind and engine noise, be prepared for (initially disconcerting) rattles and clunks particularly when driving on rough road surfaces.

You sit very low in the S Series which can also be a little intimidating when in traffic until you get used to it. The cars also ride very low (older cars will have soggy springs too) and bumpy roads and speed bumps are a constant source of unease. The exhaust is routed under the chassis and is the first point of contact with the tarmac. It's the front down pipes which take the brunt of it and it's not uncommon to see them bashed into half the bore they should be. Aside from checking your springs and driving carefully it's a fact of life that you will ground out. That said, the cars are tough as old nails and will take a real hammering.

Push hard on a rough surface and the ride is skittish. There's far more chassis feedback than in a Griffith or Chimaera but you don't always want that level of feedback! It's not as refined as those later models which have a more solidly built feel overall.

On track the S is simply huge fun and a great introduction to sports cars. Its handling is entertaining yet inherently safe. You'll feel like you're cornering on your door handles and it will sound as if you're at the limit thanks to some very squealy tyres! Push harder and you'll find the edge of the envelope is still a long way off. Build up a good turn of pace around a track and you'll find the S is more likely to suffer understeer than oversteer. Give it enough welly and you'll get the back end out eventually but you'll have to try a lot harder than you might expect.

Living with an S

Living with an S isn't too difficult. They are very tough cars and even when treated to plenty of hard driving they stand up to it remarkably well. Some parts are becoming more difficult to get hold of now but unless you pick up a particularly tired example then you won't be searching for parts often enough to cause you too much ongoing grief. The prevalence of Ford parts helps so even the likes of Kwik-Fit will be able to sort you out in a post-trackday-no-brakes-left scenario.

In terms of boring practicalities, the boot is small, especially with the roof in it so you'll need to invest in some soft bags for your luggage. If it's your only car then you need to work out how to move furniture in future too! The top roof panels stows in the boot so if you're planning a trip to Europe, you'll be travelling light.

Running Costs

Parts such as trailing arms and steering racks are becoming increasingly difficult to get hold of, but find a good specialist garage or ask other owners on the Gassing Station and you'll soon know what the score is.

Find a local specialist to look after your car if you don't plan on doing it yourself. Many TVR dealers aren't that keen on looking after the older cars now and you'll be paying higher labour rates than you need. Budget on running costs (servicing, maintenance, tyres etc.) of about around £1500 per year for 10,000 miles. Sadly insurers still classify the S in group 20.

Buying

Delaminating windscreens are a common problem on TVRs due to the flexing of the body. Don't worry about it.

The V6 is Not a thing of beauty. Check for leaks and damage to exhaust.

Crazed GRP around stressed points rarely gets worse.

Wheels can get scuzzy if the lacquer peels off. Repolishing possible but beware of damaged 8 spokes as replacements are are rare as hen's teeth.

Front spotlights on later models. These are prone to stone chipping. Indicators are easily damaged by parking too close to a wall. Replacements indicator lenses are about £12.

Whilst the cars are tough, finding one that is cosmetically perfect as well as mechanically sound is increasingly difficult. Less than 3,000 were built and a fair proportion will have been consigned to hedgerows by now. If you find a car in the right colours that's in good condition then you'll need to move quickly as they are increasingly in demand.

Have a look over the car yourself, but unless you're very familiar with them get an expert to give their assessment or you may end up worrying about some things unnecessarily. Ask the owner if they'll take it to a local dealer or specialist. The price of an hour's labour is considerably cheaper than the AA or RAC's inspection services (and specialists will know the weak points better).

Don't be put off by surface corrosion on the chassis (even TVR's newer cars are known to have the paint flaking off within a couple of years), but do have a prod for anything more serious. Springs and shocks are often neglected by owners so give them a good check. Replacing them isn't too expensive.

The engines are good old workhorses with the Ford unit well capable of  enduring 100,000+ miles without any drama. The V6 unit isn't very smooth in this environment and can sound quite tappety. Check for leaks but expect some minor seepages in older cars.

The bodywork is likely to suffer some minor crazing and stress cracks but GRP is incredibly strong generally. Panel alignment won't be to modern standards so don't assume the car has been bashed if panels aren't quite straight. The doors are likely to have sagged on their hinges in most S's. Tolerate some sagging but if it's bad then it can be an expensive job to sort properly.

The cooling system is particularly important in these cars as they do get very hot when worked hard. Check for leaks and check the state of the coolant. A recored radiator costs around £250 and most cars get through a few in their lifetime.

Don't worry about leaks from the roof. Either garage the car or get a hood cover. If the car does leak then don't spend months trying to track it down - it's not worth the effort!

Do it now!

With the cars now commanding prices of between £5K and £10K most dealers aren't bothering with them any more so you will probably have to buy privately. Be patient and you'll still find some superb cars out there, but be prepared to snap them up quick as TVR's high profile these days means that smart entry level cars are in great demand.

You might be surprised at what you let yourself in for when you get one though. I don't mean in terms of the car, but the unexpected benefits. The social scene that goes with owning a TVR is something I hadn't banked on when I bought mine. I'm not talking trunnion polishing and car shows either but track days, beer and trips abroad - be prepared, it will change your life!