Trouble With Tuscan Mk2 Engines??

[McDudek]

Iam new to this site but have been reading it for years, I used to own a Lotus Elise S2 but had to sell it due to new house, I am now back in a sound financial state and have the chance to buy a Tuscan or T350 (kinda swaying towards the Tuscan, cant explain why!!??) I am taking both for a test drive tomorrow to see which i prefer. Obviously i have been reading this Gassing section religiously looking for buyer tips and understand the old "if you buy a tvr chances are its gunna need a rebuild at some point" My question is this....have the MK2 Tuscan engine been vastly improved from the MK1?? I.e. will it need a rebuild as often??

[NTEL]

McDudek said:

Iam new to this site but have been reading it for years, I used to own a Lotus Elise S2 but had to sell it due to new house, I am now back in a sound financial state and have the chance to buy a Tuscan or T350 (kinda swaying towards the Tuscan, cant explain why!!??) I am taking both for a test drive tomorrow to see which i prefer. Obviously i have been reading this Gassing section religiously looking for buyer tips and understand the old "if you buy a tvr chances are its gunna need a rebuild at some point" My question is this....have the MK2 Tuscan engine been vastly improved from the MK1?? I.e. will it need a rebuild as often??

My late 2005 Tuscan has 21,000 miles on it now and is still sweet as a nut. It just seems to get better and better.

[kippax]

NTEL said:

McDudek said:

Iam new to this site but have been reading it for years, I used to own a Lotus Elise S2 but had to sell it due to new house, I am now back in a sound financial state and have the chance to buy a Tuscan or T350 (kinda swaying towards the Tuscan, cant explain why!!??) I am taking both for a test drive tomorrow to see which i prefer. Obviously i have been reading this Gassing section religiously looking for buyer tips and understand the old "if you buy a tvr chances are its gunna need a rebuild at some point" My question is this....have the MK2 Tuscan engine been vastly improved from the MK1?? I.e. will it need a rebuild as often??

My late 2005 Tuscan has 21,000 miles on it now and is still sweet as a nut. It just seems to get better and better.

My 2002 Tuscan has 23k miles & is also still sweet as a nut. The key is how well they are looked after & make sure they are not revved over 4k until at least 50 deg oil temp.

H

[Whitey]

Russian Rockets big end has gone at about 19K I think on his Mk2.

Of course the later your engine build is the lesser chance of problems you will have combined with looking after it properly.

[McDudek]

Thanks for the replys..... think am gunna go for a MK1.

[anonymous-user]

Buy the newest you can. And make sure it's been driven by someone who has cared for it, warmed it up properly etc..

[McDudek]

Would anyone recommend something like this.... or am i just asking for trouble??

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/142500.htm

[kippax]

McDudek said:

Would anyone recommend something like this.... or am i just asking for trouble??

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/142500.htm

Too late & yes i'd have bought it!

H

[McDudek]

kippax said:

McDudek said:

Would anyone recommend something like this.... or am i just asking for trouble??

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/142500.htm

Too late & yes i'd have bought it!

H

Its not too late, I know where its for sale now in England.

[Whitey]

on that car I would get a tappet service done immediately buy someone that is an expert, that engine runs a strong risk of having the chocolate finger followers fitted which could break at any second.

I should know! Maybe even worth an immediate top end rebuild. All IMHO.

Otherwise if chassis, paint and electrics all in good order then it will be a nice car. Watch for leaking dampers and ensure it's had the upright recall.

[GingerNinja]

kippax said:

McDudek said:

Would anyone recommend something like this.... or am i just asking for trouble??

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/142500.htm

Too late & yes i'd have bought it!

H

Not for £23K I hope. Thats 2003 model prices.

[anonymous-user]

kippax said:

McDudek said:

Would anyone recommend something like this.... or am i just asking for trouble??

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/142500.htm

Too late & yes i'd have bought it!

H

1300 miles in 6 years? For a car that doesn't like to be left unused for long periods I'd be a tad concerned. Also v expensive for a 2001 car even with low mileage.

[McDudek]

unrepentant said:

kippax said:

McDudek said:

Would anyone recommend something like this.... or am i just asking for trouble??

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/142500.htm

Too late & yes i'd have bought it!

H

1300 miles in 6 years? For a car that doesn't like to be left unused for long periods I'd be a tad concerned. Also v expensive for a 2001 car even with low mileage.

I was thinking the same thing, being looking at this car also seems good, gunna go have a look on Saturday

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/194016.htm

[satman]

Whitey said:

Otherwise if chassis, paint and electrics all in good order then it will be a nice car. Watch for leaking dampers and ensure it's had the upright recall.

Can you enlighten me?....I know the Cerberas had an issue regards to front hubs and were recalled, but this is the first ive heard of a recall for the Tuscan

[Whitey]

same issue for early Tuscans, from memory the recall was done sometime in early 2001, there will be a sticker on the chassis tag in the boot if it was done.

[MarkoTVR]

McDudek said:

Thanks for the replys..... think am gunna go for a MK1.

Good man for taking a look at a Tuscan! Not sure I follow the logic of going for a Mk1 though, if your primary concern is the engine......'out of the box' I'd have thought a Mk2 should in theory be less prone to problems (later the better as ever), although there's no guarantee.

Unless you're thinking getting a Mk1 which has been rebuilt or using the price difference to cater for a rebuild fund.....?

[Paul V]

Guessing it's a case of bottom end budget Mk2 Tuscan Vs top end budget Mk1 Tuscan.

I think it's just a case of finding one you like and be prepared that worst case you might need to spend out on a rebuild at some stage, the way prices are even with the price of a rebuild they are a awful lot of car for the money.

[McDudek]

Paul V said:

Guessing it's a case of bottom end budget Mk2 Tuscan Vs top end budget Mk1 Tuscan.

I think it's just a case of finding one you like and be prepared that worst case you might need to spend out on a rebuild at some stage, the way prices are even with the price of a rebuild they are a awful lot of car for the money.

That is exactly the conclusion I have come to, I will be going shopping on Saturday

For some strange reason I have even managed to get the wife exited about the prospect of owning one (yes even after explaining how much it could cost a year to run)

[James_Surridge]

Paul V said:

Guessing it's a case of bottom end budget Mk2 Tuscan Vs top end budget Mk1 Tuscan.

I think it's just a case of finding one you like and be prepared that worst case you might need to spend out on a rebuild at some stage, the way prices are even with the price of a rebuild they are a awful lot of car for the money.

So what years are Mk 1's and 2's??

[RayVonn]

Mk 1's up to about mid-2004, then Mk 2's from late 2004/early 2005 onwards.