New used tvr seeker

[scottyr]

Hi guys, was originally thinking of buying a cayman s, but since I haven't passed my new job probation period, I'm keeping my older crappy celica and buying a cheap weekend car.

I've decided upon looking at a Tuscan/Tamora for 15/20k. I reckon I shall only be doing 3k a year in it and came across this on autotrader which seemed very cheap and is nearby me.

http://www.lmc-cars.co.uk/vehicle-details.asp?regi...

Anyone here know of it....also how much would yearly servicing cost roughly...im based in watford and sheffield.

Thanks for your help guys...

[Flintstone]

Think you've managed to find the one and only Tuscan with "Driver's Airbag...Anti-Lock Braking System...Twin airbags...". Clearly the dealer hasn't a clue so I'd take anything he says with a pinch of salt and have it inspected by a specialist.

[scottyr]

Ha ha, didn't read it in that much detail.

I presume all TVR's go through the engine rebuild stage at some time in their life.. How common are they? Is it a case of being lucky with them? Can you manage 30/40k without the need for a rebuild?!

[Flintstone]

<can of worms>

Not ALL TVRs, the V8s are generally considered safe with the RV8 more or less bombproof.

Most consider a S6 rebuild to be an absolute necessity. Then again there are those who say if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I concentrated on those with the rebuild in my search for a Tuscan and found many that came within just a few hundred pounds of some that were on the original engine. For peace of mind I was happy to pay the extra.

[scottyr]

Presumably RV8 = Rover engined.

By that statement then, are you suggesting that for a long term investment I should head for the V8's if I don't want the hassle of a rebuild?!

[pete]

scottyr said:

...for a long term investment...

If you're weighing up the potential costs, the realistic position is that Tuscans are likely to depreciate to a level similar to Griffiths and Chimaeras as they reach middle age, i.e. £10-12k or less. Rarity might affect this, but you have to weigh up the negative perception for Joe Public that they are no longer in production, and spares are hard to come by (rubbish of course, that's the popular perception).

Given that even rebuilt cars can need to be rebuilt again, anything outside a solid gold engine warranty period is a risk. Along with the depreciation, you should probably plan for a £6k rebuild once during your ownership (or every 30-40k), and accept that only a fraction of the cost of the rebuild will be recovered if/when you sell, especially once cars get down to the £10-12k level. That way you won't be crushed when you find you need a rebuild, and you won't feel forced to sell it within 2 years to keep the magic "warranty" flag flying.

I know that's a very pessimistic point of view, but the depreciation on a new MX-5 is probably going to be more over 3 years than depreciation and allowance for a rebuild on a 20k Tuscan. Go in with a healthy degree of pragmatism and you'll have a ball.

Pete

[pete]

p.s. Specifically check any warranty you are offered covers traditional Speed 6 engine failure points - worn cam followers and valve stem seals. A lot of 3rd party warranties class those as "wear and tear", even though they are down to shoddy design or substandard components. Get something signed in blood from the dealer that you're covered for those!

[v8_steve]

Flintstone said:

Think you've managed to find the one and only Tuscan with "Driver's Airbag...Anti-Lock Braking System...Twin airbags...". Clearly the dealer hasn't a clue so I'd take anything he says with a pinch of salt and have it inspected by a specialist.

Must be the special Tuscan R model!!!

[Flintstone]

I emailed the dealer when I posted up there^^^ asking them to confirm the airbags etc.

Held my breath, turned blue, fell over.

[FLAT 6]

That looks like a nice motor - but definitely get it looked over by a recognised specialist. Interesting front end - never seen that before. Would be good to find out who did this mod and why, e.g. was there front end damage?

FYI, I have a pal with a 2001 4.0 with an engine approaching 50k without a rebuild. Some have gone over 70k miles. That said, many others, particularly yr 2000 cars, didn't get beyond 5k!

Plenty of info in the sticky thread above about buying - forewarned is forearmed! Beyond engine history and general service record, look for suspension upgrades since the good ones (Nitrons, Gaz Gold, Ohlins) do make a big difference to handling and will definitely help you to keep it in a straight line and between the hedges!!!!!

I'm in my second year of ownership and have to say the car's been very reliable. I got the price reduced by the cost of a new clutch (£1000) which was a good move since it gave up after a few thousand miles. Otherwise running costs have been not any higher than running a 28 year old 911. I'm told that this may be because I use the car a lot - if you're not going to drive it plenty it seems you should expect more problems!