Anyone had a Tuscan?
Discussion
Morning Chaps,
Considering buying a tuscan red rose with a fresh rebuild.
Just wondered if anyone has experience of them?
My M3 is a garage queen so tempting to swap it for something that's a bit more brutal/visceral as i dont require the reliability.
390bhp and 1000kg does sound like pretty good fun!
Considering buying a tuscan red rose with a fresh rebuild.
Just wondered if anyone has experience of them?
My M3 is a garage queen so tempting to swap it for something that's a bit more brutal/visceral as i dont require the reliability.
390bhp and 1000kg does sound like pretty good fun!
Have you driven one? If not that's where you need to start. I've driven a couple and they are awesome fun for the noise, acceleration and general event they make going places.
I would have one in a heartbeat if I had space and money to keep one as a second car. Engine rebuild / warranty and the condition of the chassis are the main things I'd be looking for.
I would have one in a heartbeat if I had space and money to keep one as a second car. Engine rebuild / warranty and the condition of the chassis are the main things I'd be looking for.
Yeah, great car to own, look at, clean and take photos. To drive, well I found it'd raw, brutal and intimidating!
You'll need to be a racing driver, a mechanic, have the classic car enthusiast mentality and have plenty of spare cash to really the enjoy the Tuscan. It's a highly strung machine. Beautiful, stunning, and a great noise. You will have issues, and they'll be expensive and inconvenient, but there's plenty of help available, check out the forums.
I now prefer the predictability and reliability of an M3, purely for an easy life (because I'm non of the above people!!)
If I won the lottery and money was no object, I'd have a TVR again, probably several.
You'll need to be a racing driver, a mechanic, have the classic car enthusiast mentality and have plenty of spare cash to really the enjoy the Tuscan. It's a highly strung machine. Beautiful, stunning, and a great noise. You will have issues, and they'll be expensive and inconvenient, but there's plenty of help available, check out the forums.
I now prefer the predictability and reliability of an M3, purely for an easy life (because I'm non of the above people!!)
If I won the lottery and money was no object, I'd have a TVR again, probably several.
I agree with wheelsmith,I owned a T350c for 2 years,after 3 years with an e46 M3,& although it looked & sounded awesome,the rest of the experience was rather poor,plus the speed six engine is fragile,& buying one with a rebuild is no guarantee,mine had one,but that didn't stop it needing another one 4 year's later,which was not a cheap exercise,anywhere between 7 & 10 grand....never again.
I'm going back to M ownership in the spring,a Z4M coupe to be exact,the car I should of bought instead of the T350c.
My advice to anyone thinking of buying a TVR would be to steer well clear,way more trouble than they are worth.
I'm going back to M ownership in the spring,a Z4M coupe to be exact,the car I should of bought instead of the T350c.
My advice to anyone thinking of buying a TVR would be to steer well clear,way more trouble than they are worth.
I used to have a Chimaera 400 as my every day car and pretty reliable, awesome sound a V8 burble with the roof down (much nicer sound than a straight 6 IMHO)and relatively cheap parts wise where as a Tuscan would be more expensive to maintain, have you thought about a Chimaera 500? a few mods clever mods on that and it wouldn't be much slower than a Tuscan and much cheaper to maintain, according to Dulford (TVR specialist) they need engine rebuilds after 25,000 I think and the dashboard electrics are fragile and can be costly
I went from E36 M3 to a Tuscan and I love it. Most of the problems occur from lack of use. People who put their cars away from October to May ( WHY!!!!!!) and expect all to be fine with the electrics and finger followers after 6 months. Weird.
I keep mine on the street and use it most weekends when I can. Yes it would be easier to have a nice E46 M3 but it would also be easier again to have a hot Clio for even less?
I would suggest that people who find them awful handling have a poorly set up one. But to be fair the idea of a new M3 or Nissan GTR leaves me cold as I like a visceral connection / experience at the moment of the Tuscan, that is why it is nice to have such a variety of cars to choose from (if you don't have to buy new).
I have Nitrons on mine which helps massively as mine was a MkI and it a good investment and have yet to have any engine troubles but I understand that could be heading my way and love it anyway.
I would agree with others that you either "get it" or you don't. If you do its hard as I have no idea what to replace it with. Perhaps an AJP Cerb for the rear seats!
I keep mine on the street and use it most weekends when I can. Yes it would be easier to have a nice E46 M3 but it would also be easier again to have a hot Clio for even less?
I would suggest that people who find them awful handling have a poorly set up one. But to be fair the idea of a new M3 or Nissan GTR leaves me cold as I like a visceral connection / experience at the moment of the Tuscan, that is why it is nice to have such a variety of cars to choose from (if you don't have to buy new).
I have Nitrons on mine which helps massively as mine was a MkI and it a good investment and have yet to have any engine troubles but I understand that could be heading my way and love it anyway.
I would agree with others that you either "get it" or you don't. If you do its hard as I have no idea what to replace it with. Perhaps an AJP Cerb for the rear seats!
obikaii said:
My advice to anyone thinking of buying a TVR would be to steer well clear,way more trouble than they are worth.
My advice would be the opposite - go in with your eyes open - I've been through a Chimaera, Cerbera and T350C Red Rose. Non are as refined as the Z4M I have now but thats not the point of them. The Cerbera was an absolute hoot and would have one again if I had the space to keep it. e46m3c said:
Interesting chaps. I tick most of the boxes. The things thats putting me off is the small niggles. I dont mind wrenching but dont want to be chasing minor faults every weekend.
Not when my m3 is an awesome drive and less money.
Decision made, i shall keep, and buy a bike
I see that option suggested quite often on PH, but for the OP to say it is a first in my time on here. Not when my m3 is an awesome drive and less money.
Decision made, i shall keep, and buy a bike
You won't regret it. For pure thrills, bikes are where it's at. Enjoy
I've just had the throttle actuators replaced on the M5, thankfully under warranty, so I didn't have to incur the slightly ridiculous cost. In comparison I've found the Tuscan a cheap car to run as performance cars go. Go in with your eyes open though, as little things will go wrong that will annoy you until you get them sorted.
malman said:
obikaii said:
My advice to anyone thinking of buying a TVR would be to steer well clear,way more trouble than they are worth.
My advice would be the opposite - go in with your eyes open - I've been through a Chimaera, Cerbera and T350C Red Rose. Non are as refined as the Z4M I have now but thats not the point of them. The Cerbera was an absolute hoot and would have one again if I had the space to keep it. I had loads of problems with my Cerb & it cost me a fortune but its got under my skin & now nothing else comes even close to it...the noise/performance/power to weight & head turning ability just always made me smile.
Nothing like a Tuscan (or TVR) for sense of occasion, and a speed 6 is feral!
my Redrose on Nitrons would spin its wheels in 3rd in the dry in a straight line.
but in 3.5 year of ownership the engine came out 3 times, and general 'upkeep' cost as much as purchasing the car in the first place... at least it didn't depreciate!
Z4MC i had after has some of the pace, but not the sense of occasion.
Custard
my Redrose on Nitrons would spin its wheels in 3rd in the dry in a straight line.
but in 3.5 year of ownership the engine came out 3 times, and general 'upkeep' cost as much as purchasing the car in the first place... at least it didn't depreciate!
Z4MC i had after has some of the pace, but not the sense of occasion.
Custard
I had a Cerbera for a couple of years (and sold it in 2004). It was great to drive, but I always wished that I'd got a Tuscan instead - I went for the Cerb thinking that the 2+2 would be useful, which it wasn't. The Tuscan was so lairy (in a good way)and looked so much better, IMHO. I did however spec the Tuscan spider alloys with Toyo Proxes and they looked great on the Cerb.
I didn't have any major mechanical issues, just minor annoying issues, like very loud squealing brakes, duff internal door openers, static through the Pioneer speakers, crap glue around the steering column and a cracked windscreen which took weeks to replace because the factory had shut down over the summer.
The BMW-M is much more practical, but doesn't have the soul or thrill of the TVR. It was always an event taking the TVR out for a weekend blast.
Are there problems sourcing parts or Speed Six engines for TVRs? The servicing that mine had at Walldonway was excellent - I wonder if they're still there.
I didn't have any major mechanical issues, just minor annoying issues, like very loud squealing brakes, duff internal door openers, static through the Pioneer speakers, crap glue around the steering column and a cracked windscreen which took weeks to replace because the factory had shut down over the summer.
The BMW-M is much more practical, but doesn't have the soul or thrill of the TVR. It was always an event taking the TVR out for a weekend blast.
Are there problems sourcing parts or Speed Six engines for TVRs? The servicing that mine had at Walldonway was excellent - I wonder if they're still there.
Perhaps i should go test one. Racing green isnt far from me. Last time i went they didnt have anyone available (i was looking at a t350 back then).
I think perhaps ill do the bike scene for visceralness, if that doesnt work then perhaps a TVR.
We shall see.
Do they go as much id expect 390bhp and 1100kg to go?
I do like working on cars, my m is immaculate with the effort ive put in. id imagine that effort into a TVR and it would appreciate its value moreso than an M...?
I think perhaps ill do the bike scene for visceralness, if that doesnt work then perhaps a TVR.
We shall see.
Do they go as much id expect 390bhp and 1100kg to go?
I do like working on cars, my m is immaculate with the effort ive put in. id imagine that effort into a TVR and it would appreciate its value moreso than an M...?
e46m3c said:
Morning Chaps,
as i dont require the reliability.
I was considering a Cerb before my M3. As in your case the M is a second car, not used much, as such i feel it is a little wasted.But ho hum, I would prefer the long term reliability so when needed it can do a long blast without a worry. as i dont require the reliability.
e46m3c said:
Perhaps i should go test one. Racing green isnt far from me. Last time i went they didnt have anyone available (i was looking at a t350 back then).
I think perhaps ill do the bike scene for visceralness, if that doesnt work then perhaps a TVR.
We shall see.
Do they go as much id expect 390bhp and 1100kg to go?
I do like working on cars, my m is immaculate with the effort ive put in. id imagine that effort into a TVR and it would appreciate its value moreso than an M...?
If you get a nice one & look after it they can be a relatively good investment certainly, TVR don't always make their power or weight figures but they are still light cars for what they are & because the driving experience is so raw they possibly feel faster than they actually are.I think perhaps ill do the bike scene for visceralness, if that doesnt work then perhaps a TVR.
We shall see.
Do they go as much id expect 390bhp and 1100kg to go?
I do like working on cars, my m is immaculate with the effort ive put in. id imagine that effort into a TVR and it would appreciate its value moreso than an M...?
They do go very light at high speeds & can feel like they will bounce off the road but its good fun! The benefit with a M car is you can drive them flat out as they give you confidence & have a very resolved chassis but the edge of your seat feeling isn't there that you get with a TVR.
The power to weight is what impresses me very much my old cerb had around 100 Bhp per tonne more in comparision to my V8 M3...so it's no wonder the M3 never feels very quick to me.
You do need patience & a sense of humour with a TVR but you do get back what you put in regards thrills.
e46m3c said:
Do they go as much id expect 390bhp and 1100kg to go?
Yes - its called the "blackpool rocket" for a reason. This is a Cerbera showing its arse to pretty much everything else comparable of its age
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGATSb54YEQ
Gassing Station | M Power | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff