TVR Reliability issues.....
Discussion
I've only had to call out the RAC twice in that past 3.5 years, and one of those, the car actually fixed itself just before the RAC man arrived!!!!
The one time i needed a flatbed to take the car back home (water pump failure), the guy said he gets a TVR every now and then, but not as many as you would expect. He said Porsche's are a far more common job for him and usually gets 3 or 4 a day!!!!!
The one time i needed a flatbed to take the car back home (water pump failure), the guy said he gets a TVR every now and then, but not as many as you would expect. He said Porsche's are a far more common job for him and usually gets 3 or 4 a day!!!!!
www.rac.co.uk/web/breakdowncover/uk/packageDetails;jsessionid=B6448169EC487CC32EBCFC0BC618DEE7?affinity=NA0001_3&promotion=WB0001&drc=WEB003&serviceLevelCode=81
Always been very impressed with their service.
Always been very impressed with their service.
Ahh. The usual chorus of owners roundly denying that TVRs go wrong. 
Ahh. The usual chorus that Porsches do go wrong.
Since I have both for many years now simultaeneously I can confirm that at least my TVR has its unreliable moments and nor are all Porsches bullet-proof - especially when new they can have teething problems - and both of my recent cars did indeed suffer from that kind of issue.
Of course the RAC pick up more Porsches than TVRs. There are many, many times the number of Porsches on the road. There are many, many, many times the number of Vauxhalls and Fords and I'll bet the staple of the RAC working day is spent with them.
My honest experience of the two marques is that TVRs don't go seriously wrong much but are well capable of having a lengthy list of almost constant niggles. In comparison my Porsches have also not gone seriously wrong (although they certainly have ridden a low-loader) but has had no "niggles" whatsoever. At all. Even slightly.
Don't get me wrong - I love our Chimaera which we've had for years - but some of the reliability criticisms people level at TVRs are quite justified IMO. Doesn't stop me from liking the damn thing.
Ahh. The usual chorus that Porsches do go wrong.
Since I have both for many years now simultaeneously I can confirm that at least my TVR has its unreliable moments and nor are all Porsches bullet-proof - especially when new they can have teething problems - and both of my recent cars did indeed suffer from that kind of issue.
Of course the RAC pick up more Porsches than TVRs. There are many, many times the number of Porsches on the road. There are many, many, many times the number of Vauxhalls and Fords and I'll bet the staple of the RAC working day is spent with them.
My honest experience of the two marques is that TVRs don't go seriously wrong much but are well capable of having a lengthy list of almost constant niggles. In comparison my Porsches have also not gone seriously wrong (although they certainly have ridden a low-loader) but has had no "niggles" whatsoever. At all. Even slightly.
Don't get me wrong - I love our Chimaera which we've had for years - but some of the reliability criticisms people level at TVRs are quite justified IMO. Doesn't stop me from liking the damn thing.
Don said:
Of course the RAC pick up more Porsches than TVRs. There are many, many times the number of Porsches on the road. There are many, many, many times the number of Vauxhalls and Fords and I'll bet the staple of the RAC working day is spent with them.
You forgot about the French cars...
whatever said:
Don said:
Of course the RAC pick up more Porsches than TVRs. There are many, many times the number of Porsches on the road. There are many, many, many times the number of Vauxhalls and Fords and I'll bet the staple of the RAC working day is spent with them.
You forgot about the French cars...
Yes, sir.I had a Mazda Mx5 for five years. The car has a fabled reliability reputation but I called the breakdown service out twice in my period of ownership. I have had the TVR for nearly two years and not called a breakdown service at all. Tell me which is more reliable. The unreliabality of TVRs is blown out of all proportion and based on a few people's bad experience of improperly warmed up Speed 6's. Yet I still get all manner of people who know better than I do telling me my car is unreliable. I get a little annoyed sometimes, don't listen to Clarkson, listen to countless owners who have similar experience of the marque to my own.
but I do admit they have niggles
but I do admit they have niggles
whatever said:
Don said:
Of course the RAC pick up more Porsches than TVRs. There are many, many times the number of Porsches on the road. There are many, many, many times the number of Vauxhalls and Fords and I'll bet the staple of the RAC working day is spent with them.
You forgot about the French cars...
One has to try.
I agree with Don. Little mileage in the old debate which he has easily summed up.
However, it is a wierdness of the human mind that if you get to the end of the year without having gotten any value from your breakdown cover or your warrantly you feel robbed. You just can't win
You've tried to read between the lines of my post. I just quoted what the RAC guy said. Nowhere have i stated Porsches and less reliable than TVRs. And im certainly not saying my TVR is reliable. I've had more than my fair share of problems.
So much so, that i'm even getting fed up of always having to replace bits.
Yes, there are more Porsches, but then they are supposed to be more reliable anyway.
Funnily enough, a 996 C2/C4 is one of the cars i'm considering as a replacement for my TVR. But it would be a high mileage early car and i'm not convinced i wouldn't be getting rid of one ageing car where parts are wearing out, only to replace with another one (with possibly even more expensive parts).
So much so, that i'm even getting fed up of always having to replace bits.
Yes, there are more Porsches, but then they are supposed to be more reliable anyway.
Funnily enough, a 996 C2/C4 is one of the cars i'm considering as a replacement for my TVR. But it would be a high mileage early car and i'm not convinced i wouldn't be getting rid of one ageing car where parts are wearing out, only to replace with another one (with possibly even more expensive parts).
jsr said:
Funnily enough, a 996 C2/C4 is one of the cars i'm considering as a replacement for my TVR. But it would be a high mileage early car and i'm not convinced i wouldn't be getting rid of one ageing car where parts are wearing out, only to replace with another one (with possibly even more expensive parts).
I'm not saying that a corker of a 996 can't be obtained for reasonable money - but when they go wrong they do so expensively. Parts are not cheap. Even Porsche independents charge a fair whack. Running costs for an early 996 in need of some TLC could make even a TVR owner wince...
Don said:
jsr said:
Funnily enough, a 996 C2/C4 is one of the cars i'm considering as a replacement for my TVR. But it would be a high mileage early car and i'm not convinced i wouldn't be getting rid of one ageing car where parts are wearing out, only to replace with another one (with possibly even more expensive parts).
I'm not saying that a corker of a 996 can't be obtained for reasonable money - but when they go wrong they do so expensively. Parts are not cheap. Even Porsche independents charge a fair whack. Running costs for an early 996 in need of some TLC could make even a TVR owner wince...
I'd agree with that. I have a mate with a 993 and we compared service costs on one occasion. My last small service cost £283 on the Cerb (nothing wrong), his on the 993 was closer to £4k (quite a bit to do, but only servicable items). I've never managed a 4k bill on the Cerb, even on sizeable upgrades. Another chap I know managed a seriously scary bill on a skyline when the transfer box gave up the ghost. The bottom line is that performance cars are not cheap to run, whatever the flavour.
Steve.
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