Discussion
How to solve the TVR problem?
First of all, it really would be interesting to try and work out why Brits stopped buying TVRs. My personal view is that they were mostly bought by three types of people and all three have become alienated in recent years, and it isn't just TVR'f fault:
1. Young guys, sub 30. Huge hikes in insurance etc have hammered this end of the market.
2. Show offs. The new wave 'bling bling' culture has forced them to buy TTs and Porsches as they are the bigger street image and won't kill them when leaving the hairdressers.
3. Middle aged chappies. The new aggressive stylings have put them off.
My view is that they do have to open up overseas markets and fast, just to increase volumes. They also have to introduce a cheap model but sadly, they will have to be very clever so as to build a car which will allow sub 25s to get fair insurance. This means that it must have ABS and airbags I suspect.
Ease off on the styling to attract back the over 40s.
High quality PR to entice back the coiffured ponces.
I do think that the time has come to add ABS and an airbag to all cars as this is industry standard and I suspect that a huge number of people are put off by this. Since the Griff and Chimp launched we've had over 10 years of the industry making safety a huge selling point and this will have impacted on all of our ways of thinking. They aren't expensive things to add.
First of all, it really would be interesting to try and work out why Brits stopped buying TVRs. My personal view is that they were mostly bought by three types of people and all three have become alienated in recent years, and it isn't just TVR'f fault:
1. Young guys, sub 30. Huge hikes in insurance etc have hammered this end of the market.
2. Show offs. The new wave 'bling bling' culture has forced them to buy TTs and Porsches as they are the bigger street image and won't kill them when leaving the hairdressers.
3. Middle aged chappies. The new aggressive stylings have put them off.
My view is that they do have to open up overseas markets and fast, just to increase volumes. They also have to introduce a cheap model but sadly, they will have to be very clever so as to build a car which will allow sub 25s to get fair insurance. This means that it must have ABS and airbags I suspect.
Ease off on the styling to attract back the over 40s.
High quality PR to entice back the coiffured ponces.
I do think that the time has come to add ABS and an airbag to all cars as this is industry standard and I suspect that a huge number of people are put off by this. Since the Griff and Chimp launched we've had over 10 years of the industry making safety a huge selling point and this will have impacted on all of our ways of thinking. They aren't expensive things to add.
I think the thing that puts most prosepective TVR owners off is the knowledge that they will have to pay quite a lot each year in sorting niggles, repairing broken parts and getting the thing serviced.
TVR's are a very tempting trap to fall into. They are great value for money 2nd hand if you ignore (read refuse to accept ;-) ) the fact that they cost a lot to keep on the road.
My Honda S2000 was a hoot to own, never went wrong and cost £200 to service, and that's where the buyers are going. Did it deliver like the TVR - no way! Did my Porsche deliver the same thrills - No way. Did they hurt my pocket as much - No Way! There's your problem.
If you pay for a supercar you usually have supercar-deep-pockets to go with it. If you pay £20K for a TVR then you may not have the deep pockets, but you will need them!!
I love my car but I can see why lots of customers can be put-off, when it is exactly what they are after, noisy, fast, different, british etc etc.
Until the independant market for speed 6 parts sorts itself out and becomes reasonably priced fo the quality of components, then I think the only decent TVR buys are the older V8's and 6's. Parts are more common (i think), cheaper and there are more people willing to work on them, keeping the costs down.
Nothing can deliver grin-factor like a TVR, but they can be a bugger keep on the road. Make them cheaper to maintain and people would jump at the chance to own such glorious motoring.
Beno
Happy to be driving a TVR!
TVR's are a very tempting trap to fall into. They are great value for money 2nd hand if you ignore (read refuse to accept ;-) ) the fact that they cost a lot to keep on the road.
My Honda S2000 was a hoot to own, never went wrong and cost £200 to service, and that's where the buyers are going. Did it deliver like the TVR - no way! Did my Porsche deliver the same thrills - No way. Did they hurt my pocket as much - No Way! There's your problem.
If you pay for a supercar you usually have supercar-deep-pockets to go with it. If you pay £20K for a TVR then you may not have the deep pockets, but you will need them!!
I love my car but I can see why lots of customers can be put-off, when it is exactly what they are after, noisy, fast, different, british etc etc.
Until the independant market for speed 6 parts sorts itself out and becomes reasonably priced fo the quality of components, then I think the only decent TVR buys are the older V8's and 6's. Parts are more common (i think), cheaper and there are more people willing to work on them, keeping the costs down.
Nothing can deliver grin-factor like a TVR, but they can be a bugger keep on the road. Make them cheaper to maintain and people would jump at the chance to own such glorious motoring.
Beno
Happy to be driving a TVR!
Horse_Apple said:
Since the Griff and Chimp launched we've had over 10 years of the industry making safety a huge selling point and this will have impacted on all of our ways of thinking. They aren't expensive things to add.
There is little cost in designing or sourcing a decent mechanism for making a door window go up and down for the life of the car, but TVR managed to source parts and design a system that goes wrong frequently - It baffles me.
I have just spoken with a leading (ex) TVR dealer and they said no problem getting parts for the older cars because they can phone up the supplier and order direct if necessary but apparently TVR made their suppliers sign exclusive supply agreements for parts on the later cars meaning that they can' just phone the supplier to get them.
Not a good strategy I feel.
Saxon
Not a good strategy I feel.
Saxon
Saxon said:
I have just spoken with a leading (ex) TVR dealer and they said no problem getting parts for the older cars because they can phone up the supplier and order direct if necessary but apparently TVR made their suppliers sign exclusive supply agreements for parts on the later cars meaning that they can' just phone the supplier to get them.
Not a good strategy I feel.
Saxon
Not a good strategy I feel.
Saxon
what do you call later cars? tuscan onwards?
Saxon said:
I have just spoken with a leading (ex) TVR dealer and they said no problem getting parts for the older cars because they can phone up the supplier and order direct if necessary but apparently TVR made their suppliers sign exclusive supply agreements for parts on the later cars meaning that they can' just phone the supplier to get them.
Not a good strategy I feel.
Saxon
Not a good strategy I feel.
Saxon
Surely that is a good strategy for TVR ? The issue is the execution of the parts supply chain management etc
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