Hello - new to TVR (soon)
Discussion
Hi All
I've been lurking around here for a little while getting a bit of info about the S Series. Had an MX 5 until last year which I had to sell in a bit of a hurry to help fund a yacht (into sailing as well!). Needless to say with the summer looming I'm missing the open top motoring, so was thinking of getting another car. But this time a real car - and thought an S Series would be good!
It seems to me an S3 is the best of the bunch, so having had a look at S1 and S2's I went to see an S3c today. 1992 72,000 mls, full history but has been used as an everday car for the last 6 years by a lady owner and it's looking a neglected.
Outriggers and trailing arms have been replaced but pushes in the front and back bodywork have left the GRP slightly cracked, when pulling away there is a clunk which seems to be engine or gearbox mounting knackered, steering wheel pulls out from dash about 2" (bulkhead bearing/bush had it?), all wood veneer crinkling, passenger door dropped, needs MoT next month, needs annual service, exhaust manifold blowing (dodgy welding where 4 goes into 1), interior filthy dirty (lovely cream interior is ingrained with dirt from years of use), oil pressure gauge only showing about 40psi at 4000 rpm and wheels starting to show signs of surface powdering. How much is it worth?
I've been lurking around here for a little while getting a bit of info about the S Series. Had an MX 5 until last year which I had to sell in a bit of a hurry to help fund a yacht (into sailing as well!). Needless to say with the summer looming I'm missing the open top motoring, so was thinking of getting another car. But this time a real car - and thought an S Series would be good!
It seems to me an S3 is the best of the bunch, so having had a look at S1 and S2's I went to see an S3c today. 1992 72,000 mls, full history but has been used as an everday car for the last 6 years by a lady owner and it's looking a neglected.
Outriggers and trailing arms have been replaced but pushes in the front and back bodywork have left the GRP slightly cracked, when pulling away there is a clunk which seems to be engine or gearbox mounting knackered, steering wheel pulls out from dash about 2" (bulkhead bearing/bush had it?), all wood veneer crinkling, passenger door dropped, needs MoT next month, needs annual service, exhaust manifold blowing (dodgy welding where 4 goes into 1), interior filthy dirty (lovely cream interior is ingrained with dirt from years of use), oil pressure gauge only showing about 40psi at 4000 rpm and wheels starting to show signs of surface powdering. How much is it worth?
Most of that lot could be cured with a really thorough service and a good clean - but I'd say drive a few more S's and compare. They are all so different.
Its amazing how quickly all the 'little' things build up though, so unless you intend to do a lot of work yourself I'd trying and find one with less to do - especially as we're going to have such an amazingly wonderfully great long hot summer
Its amazing how quickly all the 'little' things build up though, so unless you intend to do a lot of work yourself I'd trying and find one with less to do - especially as we're going to have such an amazingly wonderfully great long hot summer
mycroft said:
I agree with Podie. The price difference between good average and poor seems very small to me .Best look at a few more , an average car would still have many things you can work on to improve it. IMHO.
You are right Dale but there is also the big picture here
The people who drive S's for 6 years doing minimal work to get it through the MOT should realise that they are killing the series and should be made to pay by lower prices but they still expect to get 6k for a poor example. What needs to happen IMHO is that people who have the talent to restore these cars should be encouraged to do so and steered towards best value trades for the things they can't do themselves.
Getting an S3 below 5k is very difficult and that shouldn't be the case for the doggy ones, if they only get 4k, perhaps they would realise their mistake.
As an example, I'm actually restoring an S3 at the moment but I will have a pretty much A1 car with perfect paint,interior and mechanics for 7k at the end of the day, I should therefore get most of my money back.
Hoover33 said:
I try to keep my car in good nick..... even when you think the car is sorted there is always something else....
I've spent best part of £2.5k in a year... and that was on a good car....
Reckon I could spend another £1k easy, and thats not even on engine mods.....
Thats true Steve but the old run down cars need people who can do a lot of the work themselves, if you took a 5k S3 to one of the inde dealers and said "sort it" you would end up paying 3 or 4k easy but if you are careful and do heaps of the work yourself, you could end up with similar for 2k.
If we are serious about preserving numbers of cars, the DIY guys are essential IMHO
Derek
I totally agree with you.
There comes apoint when it does not make financial sense to get certain jobs done on the car at a garage.
As for doing there bear minimum do get a car just to scrape past an MOT...... that is just killing the car. These cars need TLC to keep them in tip top condition, otherwise they will end up tatty wrecks destined for the scrap heap like your avearge Escort.
I totally agree with you.
There comes apoint when it does not make financial sense to get certain jobs done on the car at a garage.
As for doing there bear minimum do get a car just to scrape past an MOT...... that is just killing the car. These cars need TLC to keep them in tip top condition, otherwise they will end up tatty wrecks destined for the scrap heap like your avearge Escort.
Hoover33 said:
Derek
I totally agree with you.
There comes apoint when it does not make financial sense to get certain jobs done on the car at a garage.
As for doing there bear minimum do get a car just to scrape past an MOT...... that is just killing the car. These cars need TLC to keep them in tip top condition, otherwise they will end up tatty wrecks destined for the scrap heap like your avearge Escort.
Yes but we are helping these p**s poor owners by letting them get away with inflated prices, if we didn't buy them they would be forced into either doing some of the work, or being more realistic on price.
F908 Tim said:
Just a thought, and, as mine gets lots of TLC I agree with what you have all said,
BUT.... if the cruddy ones can still demand £4k-£5k then that is all the better for keeping the prices firm on our looked after 'S'es isnt it?
Good point Tim but the more good quality S's that are around the more demand you create because you will stimulate more interest than if they see lots of tatty cars.
Also think about it, how many tatty V8S's are around?
Not many, I think this improves their image.
>> Edited by Bugsy on Wednesday 23 March 19:17
hi les, I gave up my mx5 for an s2 and have never regretted it,as for the value of the s3 that you`ve seen, take Podies advice and stick to you guns for 4k,even doing all the jobs that are required will take a fair bit of cash, and a LOT of your time.
If you can`t dedicate all of your spare time to be able to use the car this summer I`d spend another 2 grand and get a fairly good one that I could use straight away, you`ll still find little jobs that need doing, but won`t keep you from enjoying the car for to long!!
good luck with it.
If you can`t dedicate all of your spare time to be able to use the car this summer I`d spend another 2 grand and get a fairly good one that I could use straight away, you`ll still find little jobs that need doing, but won`t keep you from enjoying the car for to long!!
good luck with it.
Hi Les
I paid £1500 for my 89 S2 with a new MOT and a full service, the guy wanted £4k but I slowly knocked him down by pointing out the costs of some of the repairs, especially if you use main dealer estimates as the lever. I've now started on the work myself and in between times having some great fun with the car.
Steve
I paid £1500 for my 89 S2 with a new MOT and a full service, the guy wanted £4k but I slowly knocked him down by pointing out the costs of some of the repairs, especially if you use main dealer estimates as the lever. I've now started on the work myself and in between times having some great fun with the car.
Steve
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