Discussion
I have a little confession. Over the last few months I was getting a bit sick of my wedge. I bought a bit of an odd one, converted to automatic (due to a one armed previous owner) and the outriggers were shot when I bought it.
After a few months of ownership it proved less than reliable, repair bills over took what I originally paid for it, with a 50/50 chance of breaking down when I drove it. But I got all the work done, fixed all the dodgy bits. Once it was all fixed I was still worried about reliability and didn't drive it.
Well last weekend I took it out a couple of times, and remembered the fun that could be had. I have a little windfall heading my way and I'm going to do the conversion back to manual gearbox. Perhaps I might even get a respray.
Anyway, from wanting to sell (at almost any price) a few months ago, I've fallen back in love with my wedge. I'm ready to get back on the road and tear it up.
I just had to share.
After a few months of ownership it proved less than reliable, repair bills over took what I originally paid for it, with a 50/50 chance of breaking down when I drove it. But I got all the work done, fixed all the dodgy bits. Once it was all fixed I was still worried about reliability and didn't drive it.
Well last weekend I took it out a couple of times, and remembered the fun that could be had. I have a little windfall heading my way and I'm going to do the conversion back to manual gearbox. Perhaps I might even get a respray.
Anyway, from wanting to sell (at almost any price) a few months ago, I've fallen back in love with my wedge. I'm ready to get back on the road and tear it up.
I just had to share.
I'm in a very similar position to you!
Bought a 390SE four years ago with the good old 'TVR rose tinted specs' on, and have now (including purchase cost) spent about £23,000 on it
This includes body off chassis restoration (yes, it was that bad!), and basically every suspension and brake componet either rebuilt or replaced. This also includes a top end engine rebuild, clutch, complete exhaust, braided brake / fuel hoses etc, etc.
It came to a point when the amount I have had to spend to make it good completely wiped out the enjoyment I got from it, and was going to sell it.
However, I used the car for a bit, as I had to present a list of niggles to Peninsula (who did the work) after 1000 miles. Of course, after 1000 miles, I'm completely hooked on the bloody thing again, and can't face selling it
At least there's not much left to go wrong now (he says hopefully...)
Richa.
Bought a 390SE four years ago with the good old 'TVR rose tinted specs' on, and have now (including purchase cost) spent about £23,000 on it
This includes body off chassis restoration (yes, it was that bad!), and basically every suspension and brake componet either rebuilt or replaced. This also includes a top end engine rebuild, clutch, complete exhaust, braided brake / fuel hoses etc, etc.
It came to a point when the amount I have had to spend to make it good completely wiped out the enjoyment I got from it, and was going to sell it.
However, I used the car for a bit, as I had to present a list of niggles to Peninsula (who did the work) after 1000 miles. Of course, after 1000 miles, I'm completely hooked on the bloody thing again, and can't face selling it
At least there's not much left to go wrong now (he says hopefully...)
Richa.
davidf - I remember you getting your car - I got mine at a similar time. I spent £4500 on the car (so granted it was a "cheap" one) and since then have spent about the same amount again sorting out suspension, engine and various other bits. One thing after another and 8 months into owning it (about Feb this year) I'd had enough and was going to part ex it for another (theoretically) better wedge....
but now, the sun is out, it seems that whether you spend £4k or £10k on a wedge the chances are you are going to need a few thousand to get it "sorted". Now I think that because I know what is wrong with my car and what is right with it (I will be gradually fixing the wrong things as I earn the money) it is better to keep it, drive it, enjoy it (bugger the cost) and turn it into "my" ultimate wedge
rather than get something else that's an "unknown"
So - do it.... spend the windfall... you won't regret it cos you will end up with what you wanted in the first place
but now, the sun is out, it seems that whether you spend £4k or £10k on a wedge the chances are you are going to need a few thousand to get it "sorted". Now I think that because I know what is wrong with my car and what is right with it (I will be gradually fixing the wrong things as I earn the money) it is better to keep it, drive it, enjoy it (bugger the cost) and turn it into "my" ultimate wedge
rather than get something else that's an "unknown" So - do it.... spend the windfall... you won't regret it cos you will end up with what you wanted in the first place
I am in the same position myself, after 18 months of ownership, and only having done less than 500 miles in that time. I felt I was just spending bucketloads of cash on it and not getting any enjoyment from it. Now though, it is road legal, and I intend to make up for lost time and use up my mileage allowance as quickly as I can. It still needs a lot of time and cash spent on it to iron out all the little niggles it still has, but I plan to keep it and get these sorted at my leisure, because I know what has been done so far to get it into the condition it is in just now. Even though the Mrs is expecting our first child in Oct this year, I will still be keeping the car. She can go shopping while I attend car club meetings with jnr petercam 
My advice is to hang on to it if you can afford it. You know what has been done and what needs to be done to get it in a condition you are happy with. There is no way you will recover what you have spent, but you do not own these cars with the state of your wallet in mind.
My advice is to hang on to it if you can afford it. You know what has been done and what needs to be done to get it in a condition you are happy with. There is no way you will recover what you have spent, but you do not own these cars with the state of your wallet in mind.
David,
Pleased your sticking with it. I know how you feel but I've long since passed the point of no return on mine. I decided to keep at it no matter how much it cost, its just taking a while to sort everything out, but like you I'll come out the other side with the car I want.
Good luck with it, and go for yellow! its the colour you want. I've had a quote for £1200 +vat for a 2 pack respray in red (excluding engine bay). I'm just waiting to sort every thing else out before I get it done so that I don't mess up the paint job whilst still doing things to it (and to save up the cash!!)
It really helps that my girlfriend suports what I'm doing, although she moans pretty much constantly about 'that pile of sh*t' and the fact that a large proportion of the car is scattered around the house and everything is covered in paint and oil, in the brief moments that she comes up for air I can sense that she is as exited about it as me.
Gareth.
Pleased your sticking with it. I know how you feel but I've long since passed the point of no return on mine. I decided to keep at it no matter how much it cost, its just taking a while to sort everything out, but like you I'll come out the other side with the car I want.
Good luck with it, and go for yellow! its the colour you want. I've had a quote for £1200 +vat for a 2 pack respray in red (excluding engine bay). I'm just waiting to sort every thing else out before I get it done so that I don't mess up the paint job whilst still doing things to it (and to save up the cash!!)
It really helps that my girlfriend suports what I'm doing, although she moans pretty much constantly about 'that pile of sh*t' and the fact that a large proportion of the car is scattered around the house and everything is covered in paint and oil, in the brief moments that she comes up for air I can sense that she is as exited about it as me.
Gareth.
Hi Gareth,
Yeah I'm glad I'm actually having some fun with it now. You must be pretty close to finishing your car by now, it's going to be a work of art.
Where do you have your quote from for the respray? That sounds like a good deal, I'm thinking of going yellow. But I'm not sure if my interior will clash. Otherwise I might just touch up the blue.
Oh yeah, do you still have those lights for the spoiler handy?
Anyway, thanks for your support, I might be wedgeless without it.
Yeah I'm glad I'm actually having some fun with it now. You must be pretty close to finishing your car by now, it's going to be a work of art.
Where do you have your quote from for the respray? That sounds like a good deal, I'm thinking of going yellow. But I'm not sure if my interior will clash. Otherwise I might just touch up the blue.
Oh yeah, do you still have those lights for the spoiler handy?
Anyway, thanks for your support, I might be wedgeless without it.
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