Potential S owner
Discussion
Hi there.
First post on Pistonheads, so first post on the S Series forum. Have visited the site many times over three years, but never posted for some reason.
I'm currently selling my Octavia vRS (on PH and eBay) and am looking to get a S1/S2/S3. I only purchased my vRS (great car), after selling my VX220 Turbo. Panic reaction to imminent new addition to the family was to sell the VX and Freelander and purchase a Discovery and Octavia! Thing is, we don't need TWO family cars, so it looks like the Octy has to be sacrificed!
I'm a huge fan of eighties cars and have a 280 Brooklands and BMW M535i at home. The S series TVR has always appealed to me, so now I have the opportunity to get one, I might grab the chance.
Is there a good resource online I should be looking for? What sort of prices to each model fetch?
I appreciate this is probably a tired question for you regulars, but I'd like some pointers in the right direction!
Many thanks.
Gavin
First post on Pistonheads, so first post on the S Series forum. Have visited the site many times over three years, but never posted for some reason.
I'm currently selling my Octavia vRS (on PH and eBay) and am looking to get a S1/S2/S3. I only purchased my vRS (great car), after selling my VX220 Turbo. Panic reaction to imminent new addition to the family was to sell the VX and Freelander and purchase a Discovery and Octavia! Thing is, we don't need TWO family cars, so it looks like the Octy has to be sacrificed!
I'm a huge fan of eighties cars and have a 280 Brooklands and BMW M535i at home. The S series TVR has always appealed to me, so now I have the opportunity to get one, I might grab the chance.
Is there a good resource online I should be looking for? What sort of prices to each model fetch?
I appreciate this is probably a tired question for you regulars, but I'd like some pointers in the right direction!
Many thanks.
Gavin
Good choice Gavin,
The S certainly wont disappoint its a real fun car and will ensure a smile every time you drive. I have a V8S, but had an S2 before and loved that too, I see you are on the south coast there are a few owners near you so I am sure they can give you a few pointers? As for pricing I think it all depends on condition rather than model really, chassis condition is everything really. If you are tall the S3 onwards had longer doors so getting in an out may be easier? Prices are really between £4500 - £7000 for the V6 models, there are some higher and lower but this will generally be the price of decent examples! Have a good look at www.tvrsseries.com which will tell you most of what you want to know, otherwise I am sure other guys will be along soon to offer their advice!
If you ever get over Gatwick way give me a shout and you can have a look over mine and I can show you what to look for.
Look forward to seeing your car at a meet soon, make sure you come to SCH4?
Later
Mike
The S certainly wont disappoint its a real fun car and will ensure a smile every time you drive. I have a V8S, but had an S2 before and loved that too, I see you are on the south coast there are a few owners near you so I am sure they can give you a few pointers? As for pricing I think it all depends on condition rather than model really, chassis condition is everything really. If you are tall the S3 onwards had longer doors so getting in an out may be easier? Prices are really between £4500 - £7000 for the V6 models, there are some higher and lower but this will generally be the price of decent examples! Have a good look at www.tvrsseries.com which will tell you most of what you want to know, otherwise I am sure other guys will be along soon to offer their advice!
If you ever get over Gatwick way give me a shout and you can have a look over mine and I can show you what to look for.
Look forward to seeing your car at a meet soon, make sure you come to SCH4?
Later
Mike
Hi Gavin,
The guide that Mike suggested is a useful resource - It covers all the main points and it was my guide when buying my S3. Also, it's worth getting your hands on a copy of Steve Heath's book "The TVR S Series", referred to on the forums as "the bible"! It's got a good section on buying an S.
Jon
The guide that Mike suggested is a useful resource - It covers all the main points and it was my guide when buying my S3. Also, it's worth getting your hands on a copy of Steve Heath's book "The TVR S Series", referred to on the forums as "the bible"! It's got a good section on buying an S.
Jon
Wow, thanks for the warm welcome - appreciate it.
Mike - I guess that's your V8 on tvrseries. Nice!
I'm hoping that the Octy will sell this weekend, therefore giving me plenty of time to view a few suitable cars. I see one has come up for sale in Southampton. Just happens to be 20 miles away from me!
Hope to see you at an event in the spring, but in the meantime, I hope you don't mind me bombarding you with questions!?
Cheers.
Mike - I guess that's your V8 on tvrseries. Nice!
I'm hoping that the Octy will sell this weekend, therefore giving me plenty of time to view a few suitable cars. I see one has come up for sale in Southampton. Just happens to be 20 miles away from me!
Hope to see you at an event in the spring, but in the meantime, I hope you don't mind me bombarding you with questions!?
Cheers.
Welcome CHF... The cooper green S is Wildfire's ex, IIRC...
I'm fairly close to Southampton as well.. If you're around the area and want another S to look over (for comparison or just to get a feel for what's what etc) then drop me a mail..
She's SORN at the moment but will road legal again at the start of March...
Happy hunting
Cheers SS2 
I might take you up on offer to take a look at your car, just be good to have a run through from someone who isn't trying to sell it to me!
Is Wildfire's ex-S a good purchase then? I'm guessing that a 90k fully serviced edition is going to be just as good as a 25k hardly used example?
Whereabouts are you then? I'm over in Barton-on-Sea.
I might take you up on offer to take a look at your car, just be good to have a run through from someone who isn't trying to sell it to me!
Is Wildfire's ex-S a good purchase then? I'm guessing that a 90k fully serviced edition is going to be just as good as a 25k hardly used example?
Whereabouts are you then? I'm over in Barton-on-Sea.
The S is mine chaps, although previously it was Wildfire's. Obviously I am biased, but it is a fantastic car! The mileage is fairly high, but the engines on these cars are rock solid provided they've been well looked after and (as I'm sure most will testify) condition is the main thing to go for - especially the chassis as this is the msot expensive fault to rectify!
Gavin, you're more than welcome to come and take a look at the car even if it's just to go for a blast in it!
Jon
Gavin, you're more than welcome to come and take a look at the car even if it's just to go for a blast in it!
Jon
cool hand fluke said:
Cheers SS2
I might take you up on offer to take a look at your car, just be good to have a run through from someone who isn't trying to sell it to me!
Who said I wouldn't try and sell it to you
cool hand fluke said:
Is Wildfire's ex-S a good purchase then? I'm guessing that a 90k fully serviced edition is going to be just as good as a 25k hardly used example?
Not really for me to do Jon's leg-work but as far as I know, it's a very well looked after car with the added benefit of all the extra bits and bobs
Opinions may vary on this, but I reckon the S is a car that needs to be driven regularly. I'd buy on condition, condition, condition then history. Mileage, so long as it was not intergalactic, would not really be an issue for me on a 12-15 year old car..
cool hand fluke said:
Whereabouts are you then? I'm over in Barton-on-Sea.
Just a handful of junctions down the M27
jons_s3 said:
Gavin, you're more than welcome to come and take a look at the car even if it's just to go for a blast in it!
Jon
Nice one Jon - I might just do that. I'd want to look at two or three before making a decision, but a nice local car would be a good start.
Looks like a nice example - credit to you.
cool hand fluke said:
Who said I wouldn't try and sell it to you
Cheers buddy!
Out of interest, where do you local 'M27' guys for your TVR servicng?
Almost all of the servicing / tinkering / repairing on mine is done by me... The S uses mostly bog standard Ford parts and apart from chassis and bodywork repairs, there is very little that your average home mechanic couldn't do themselves..
If you did not fancy doing the servicing yourself, any half-way reasonable local garage should be familiar enough with the 2.9V6 lump to take care of it..
cool hand fluke said:
Who said I wouldn't try and sell it to you
Cheers buddy!
Out of interest, where do you local 'M27' guys for your TVR servicng?
I would highly recommend Andy at APM Automotive. He is a little way up the A3 but around Southampton I couldn't find anything more local that was a TVR specialist.
Edited - SS2 has now posted...
As SS2 has said, the car is basic enough to do 99% of teh work yourself and the age/value of the cars means that a garage history is less important than the general condition of the car. If you would rather a mechanic dealt with the jobs, its such a straight forward and commonly used engine that any local garage should be ok with it. Andy at APM is if you want a TVR specialist to sort things out.
Or just get SS2 around to help out and pay in beer
>> Edited by shnozz on Tuesday 21st February 09:40
SS2. said:
Almost all of the servicing / tinkering / repairing on mine is done by me...
I do the same. As Neil says, servicing one of these cars yourself is pretty straightforward if you don't mind getting your hands dirty. Parts are cheap and easy to source and there's a wealth of knowledge on the forums and in Steve Heath's "bible". If you're not so mechanically enthused, there are plenty of good local garages who'll do the work for you.
Yep I can fully vouch for Jon's car, as it was mine previously. I ran it as an everyday car for 2 years or so and it was solid. The interior was in great condition when I sold it and I know Jon has taken good care of the car.
How come you're selling up Jon? Going to be seeing you in a Chim or Griff soon?
How come you're selling up Jon? Going to be seeing you in a Chim or Griff soon?
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