Advice on Purchasing a TVR & Insurance

[benadams]

Hi,

I am looking at getting a second car - one to use on nice days etc...

I quite like the look of the Cerbra and i was suprised to see that they werent that expensive. My only concern is the insurance.

As i drive an A3 as my main car for work my NCD is tied up with this policey and therefore if i start a new policey on the TVR i would imagine it will be sky high?

Any thoughts on this?? I'm only 25 by the way?!!

Ben

[DonnyMac]

A Plan - sticky thread on here

[benadams]

OK mate thanks.

I don't know much about TVR's other than the bad press they get for reliability. Is this generally right or is it just the media getting it wrong as usual?

[c1sps]

Hegartys are excellent - think of all the things you can do to get the premium down - garage the car if poss, limit annual mileage, fit tracker, and emphasise that it is you 2nd car

[DonnyMac]

As I recall from reading here, the SP6 engines had problems up to 2001 (someone will put me right if I've got this wrong) everyone who has a RoverV8 seems to be happy with it and the APJ engines in the Cerb are bullet-proof.

[benadams]

Thanks - so stear clear of the Speed Six and got for the rover v8 or the APJ (whats an APJ)?

Thanks

Ben

[benadams]

i've found this - any thoughts?? - http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/180102.htm

[Timja]

Thoughts - Get it inspected and check what the warranty covers! Seems quite cheap to me...

Cheaper than a lot of Chims of similar mileage/age and I always thought Cerbs were a bit more expensive?

[benadams]

to be honest i hadnt thought of a chimaera. Just had a look at them and they are nice looking cars + i like the idea of the soft top!!

Anything i should look out for on these? Would insurance be cheaper??

[big_treacle]

Get a test drive in a Chimaera & a Cerbera. They're both completely different animals.
Do a search on both forums re. buying the cars as it gets asked there loads & you'll get a good idea of potential running costs for both. I find my Cerb is probably more expensive than my Chim was to run. Reliability depends a lot on the cars treatment by the owner/previous owner - some are brilliant, some aren't - but that's the nature of cars I guess.

One other thing, whatever you go for you won't regret it - these are amazing machines to drive.

[Marty G]

Try hagertys insurance.

I am only 28 and they quoted me less than 400 quid for a T350. No no claims needed so you can keep it for your main car.

[Battlecat]

A couple of years ago i was purchasing my first TVR a few months before my 25th birthday. The insurance company i was with at the time (Elephant) were able to insure the Griff (1st TVR) for the remainder of my policy but i then went to A Manning (01491 578759) who i've been with since. However they don't appear to be the best for the T350, but when i bought it i was at the start of a new policy so too costly to change.

I wanted a Cerb but as a first step into TVR ownership was put off by the reputation of higher running costs than the Chim or Griff. So i went for a Griff 500 which performed great for the 2.5 years i owned it for. Something i would recommend with the Chim or the Griff (can't comment on the Cerb) would be fitting or getting one that has already got modifications such as 2 stage cooling kit and the hot start wiring fitted (cheep to buy, search the forum for more details).

Other tips would be buy based on condition and don't be frightened off by higher mileage cars. Its better to buy one thats done regular miles than one thats sat in a garage for months with only the occasional short run. I got the Griff checked out by Austec before i bought it but i'm sure other places will do a pre-purchase inspection.

[benadams]

Thanks - Have you got a number for them?

[George 500]

I bought mine a year and a bit ago (aged 24), insurance is all over the individual forums. This year (not being 25 previously excluded me from most specialist policies) its on a classic policy with Mannings at £650 with 7000 miles limitation.
In terms of what to buy a Cerb is apparently a whole heap load more expensive to maintain. When I was buying I chatted to the guys at Fernhurst and they told me that Cerbs have a tendency to lunch their (AP racing) clutches which can get pretty pricey. Having said that buying a TVR should be an intensely irrational move anyway so bugger it!
As regards getting one with cooling mods etc I think I'm right in saying that the later ones are slightly better at this as they were evolved during production

P.S. They are all seriously quick (particularly after a 318) so don't feel that you would be short changing yourself in a Chim. My (admittedly not standard) 500 still has the ability to scare me in a straight line

Edited by George 500 on Thursday 21st June 13:15

[benadams]

thanks for all your advice. i am quite intertested in this one - http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/169660.htm - any thoughts?

[George 500]

This one looks nice and the chassis is amazing (they do rust)

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/188812.htm

Or how about a 4.3?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/184447.htm

Or maybe this 500

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/185621.htm

Overall on the £9k-ish level this one looks the best though and has more power than most 500's

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/188676.htm

Edited by George 500 on Thursday 21st June 13:34

[benadams]

i quite like the first one you listed as well as the one i listed.

When i tell people that i am thinking of buying a TVR they all say - "dont whatever you do buy one" then they reel of tales of reliability costly repairs and overall them being an awful car (not refering to performace).

I have found a few that i like now but peoples views are really starting to put me off!! However i must say that these people arent owners they are just telling me what people have told them so i would be interested in hearing your views.

[Tildo430BV]

For the kind of budget you are looking at i'd go for a Griff or a Chim. Call A Manning for a classic car quote based on 5k miles per year. A standard Griff with Thatcham alarm was only £420 a year and even with non approved alarm and modified (Big Valve) it was £500.

On average you'll get a better Chim than Griff for your money but there's no such thing as average anyway. Early 4.0 Griffs are down around 9k and early Chims for about 7.5k. I wouldn't go for the Cerbera unless its an itch you need to scratch. At the sub 10k level your not going to get a good car.

Best of luck

[George 500]

benadams said:

i quite like the first one you listed as well as the one i listed.

When i tell people that i am thinking of buying a TVR they all say - "dont whatever you do buy one" then they reel of tales of reliability costly repairs and overall them being an awful car (not refering to performace).

I have found a few that i like now but peoples views are really starting to put me off!! However i must say that these people arent owners they are just telling me what people have told them so i would be interested in hearing your views.

A sorted Griff or Chim is a different kettle of fish to a Tuscan (which did have horrendous issues initially). From my personal experience 10,000 miles in 15 months have been trouble free (blimey better touch some wood now!!). That has included elements of commuting, France twice, 156mph at V-Max and a trip to Aberdeen. When I purchased it the dealer said that one needs to treat it rather like a classic car meaning that regular maintenance is ESSENTIAL and if one starts to hear peculiar noises the solution is not to put cotton wool in your ears and keep going. If you ensure you check the oil and water and look after it it will be no less reiable than any other similar car. Whatever those Porsche boys tell you! (Was particularly pleased to meet a 56 plated Boxter on its third gearbox last month )

[benadams]

Thanks for that George!

When you say regular maintenance - do you just mean checking fluids etc.. or do you mean regular trips to the garage to have them take a look over it??