Tuscan or Noble ?
Discussion
Hello. I have owned various TVRs in the last few years. I currently have a Griff 500 and do a bit if hill climbing as well as “Sunny Sunday” use I would like to get a Tuscan but frankly am still a bit frightened by doubts over engine reliability. Having looked at this Forum for a while there seems to be very little discussed in the way of major problems. I know you may all be a bit biased but have you any comments that may cause me to go or not go for a Noble instead of a Tuscan or T350 ?
Hi Steve,
I've had 2 Tuscans and 1 Cerbera. I moved to the Noble when my brand new Tuscan let me down so much. I got fed up with the reliability of that engine.
I have not missed it one bit - the Noble is simple superb in every department. The interior isn't finished like a TVR but then again nothing false off it or brakes.
I would stay well clear of the Tuscan and go with the Noble. You won't be disappointed.
Driving wise I much prefer the Noble. You don't have to do anything to it to enjoy B roads. The Tuscan needs some better springs and shocks to stop it bouncing all over the place.
Get the Noble :-0
I've had 2 Tuscans and 1 Cerbera. I moved to the Noble when my brand new Tuscan let me down so much. I got fed up with the reliability of that engine.
I have not missed it one bit - the Noble is simple superb in every department. The interior isn't finished like a TVR but then again nothing false off it or brakes.
I would stay well clear of the Tuscan and go with the Noble. You won't be disappointed.
Driving wise I much prefer the Noble. You don't have to do anything to it to enjoy B roads. The Tuscan needs some better springs and shocks to stop it bouncing all over the place.
Get the Noble :-0
I was having a similar dilemma, but the speed 6 engine put me off a T350 despite loving how it looked and sounded. So I plumped for an M12 I think its a much better car on everything but the visual appeal.
Still, I really wish Noble would hire a proper stylist, I'm sure they'd sell many more if they looked as good as T350s, but went as well as they currently do.
>> Edited by DanH on Thursday 28th October 15:41
steve-v8s said:
If we are being like that I would argue that the TVR have at least has the appropriate number of cylinders for a sports car, I understand that the Noble is two or so short of an engine.
Only joking.
Never been in a TVR, would love to have a go.
My thoughts are that the Nobel has that rare factor and boy, if you saw all the photos people take with there phones, you would be surprised.
Do like the sound of 8 cylinders though.
I have owned 4 TVRs, 2Griffs,Cerbera and a Tuscan that fell apart around me in 10 months. After owning an HSV for 3 years so I could do the "how to have driving pleasure with a family" thing I'm soon going to be in a position to go back to two seaters again... and it will be a Noble. In my limited amount of time driving the cars (3 test drives about 2 hours total) I'm frankly gobsmacked how right they seem to have got it first time (allright 2nd time if you include the M12!) in handling, performance and build quality. Styling I know is purely subjective but to my eyes there hasn't been a good looking TVR since the Cerbera and the Noble has real presence on the road. The clincher for me though is that Noble seem to be a company interested in their customers something sadly lacking in Blackpool.
Now if anyone is looking to swap their Noble for a bigger performance car.......
Now if anyone is looking to swap their Noble for a bigger performance car.......
Yes we are biased on this corner of the PH forums, but take a look at my personal experience stats:
Take VMAX as a good example (see the VMAX forum).
I've seen 4 TVR's suffer engine expiration at VMAX and only one Noble. The Noble at VMAX had an engine die due to a blocked fuel fitler causing fuel starvation and therefore piston meltdown. Fundamentally this was an 'ancilary' issue, whereas all the TVR's expired big time through flawed fundamental engineering design cauing major bits of engine go bang.
Also at VMAX (and through other owners) how would you like loosing your roof panel (3 Tuscans I know of) or perhaps having a window explode (1 Tuscan, 1 T350)?
VMAX aside, even running about doing normal driving I know FIVE owners that have had their dashboards fall apart and/or off. The build quality is just diabolical.
On a scale reliability from 1 to 10, TVR is 2 whereas Noble is 6. My Noble never missed a beat. Some (earlier) cars suffered overheating, hoses splitting and wiring problems, but the beauty of Lee's philosphy is that he actually cares about these things and engineers them out in real time. If you buy one, the later the car (even 'same' models) the better the product.
Take VMAX as a good example (see the VMAX forum).
I've seen 4 TVR's suffer engine expiration at VMAX and only one Noble. The Noble at VMAX had an engine die due to a blocked fuel fitler causing fuel starvation and therefore piston meltdown. Fundamentally this was an 'ancilary' issue, whereas all the TVR's expired big time through flawed fundamental engineering design cauing major bits of engine go bang.
Also at VMAX (and through other owners) how would you like loosing your roof panel (3 Tuscans I know of) or perhaps having a window explode (1 Tuscan, 1 T350)?
VMAX aside, even running about doing normal driving I know FIVE owners that have had their dashboards fall apart and/or off. The build quality is just diabolical.
On a scale reliability from 1 to 10, TVR is 2 whereas Noble is 6. My Noble never missed a beat. Some (earlier) cars suffered overheating, hoses splitting and wiring problems, but the beauty of Lee's philosphy is that he actually cares about these things and engineers them out in real time. If you buy one, the later the car (even 'same' models) the better the product.
... ouch !!! I always find criticism of the Noble interior interesting. It is certainly less impressive than any TVR. No doubt about that. But more leather = more weight. More weight is exactly what the Noble is NOT about. I'm lucky to have a friend with a Ferrari 288. A gorgeous car with a very similar interior. But no criticism in EVO when they recently compared the 4 top Ferrari's. One could argue that the 288 was a mid 1980s car and its interior was good for the day. I think not. I believe the 288 was homologated for competition, therefore weight was a critical factor.
Exactly the same principal as the Noble.
I'd go further.. have an option to avoid the stereo. Its less weight (albeit marginal) but the car sounds better than any CD.
IMO
Cheers.
Chris.
Exactly the same principal as the Noble.
I'd go further.. have an option to avoid the stereo. Its less weight (albeit marginal) but the car sounds better than any CD.
IMO
Cheers.
Chris.
I agree Chris. Do you remember the F40 we saw parked up outside the restaurant up the road from the campsite in Le Mans - wasn't much in there either.
For the record I quite like the Noble interior. That isn't to say that improvements couldn't be made, but to me it doesn't really matter too much. I'd rather have the driving 'feel' of the car being superb than trade that for a better interior...
Mind you, full credit to TVR for producing the cars they do. They are all awesome machines in my opinion, some flaws maybe, but what small volume performance car doesn't (McLaren?). I've considered a Tuscan/T350 and in the future who knows - I certainly won't be driving a Noble for ever as I think if you really love your cars it is natural to chop and change occasionally, as you only really understand a car when you have owned it for a length of time..
For the record I quite like the Noble interior. That isn't to say that improvements couldn't be made, but to me it doesn't really matter too much. I'd rather have the driving 'feel' of the car being superb than trade that for a better interior...
Mind you, full credit to TVR for producing the cars they do. They are all awesome machines in my opinion, some flaws maybe, but what small volume performance car doesn't (McLaren?). I've considered a Tuscan/T350 and in the future who knows - I certainly won't be driving a Noble for ever as I think if you really love your cars it is natural to chop and change occasionally, as you only really understand a car when you have owned it for a length of time..
Never owned either a Speed 6 derivative TVR or Noble, but from talking to friends and people at meets, etc....it seems the Noble would be the way forward. Better built, better dynamics, and better back up. Plus with TVR just taken over and major changes in the pipe line, no one knows how the Wheeler era built cars residuals will be affected when the new (TVR'ski) generation of cars are released.
IFAIK, isn't the proper number of cylinders for a sports car six, preferably a straight six?
Hope you get fixed up.
Martyn.
IFAIK, isn't the proper number of cylinders for a sports car six, preferably a straight six?
Hope you get fixed up.
Martyn.
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