OK Im hooked - In the market for a T350 ...but?
Discussion
Done a load of research but would welcome the view of you seasoned owners on:
- does the chassis on the t350 rot out like the earlier cars - is it an issue?
- advice is to buy on condition and history but are higher milers at 60k+ worth a look or am I just buying into an imminent engine rebuild.
- coming from an Exige as a daily driver and at 6ft2ins will I be able to use it comfortably as my only car doing approx 8k miles a year?
- is it sensible to avoid the spectra type paint finishes on basis of cost and quality of respray of damage to front end?
- heard a lot on here about seats...for a big lad are they wide enough and is the cabin/ pedal area big enough for someone over 6ft with a love of pies and size 11 feet? Is roll cage intrusive?
- who are the reputable tvr specialists in the South
- what is the road tax £ per year..confused on PLG issue.
- is there anyone in the M3 corridor/ hampshire/ dorset area who is willing to show me their car.
- any meets in the southern region?
- anyone here looking to sell up as looking for an enthusiast owned car with good history.
Poised to go look at cars but want to make sure I have done my homework to avoid buying a dud so any info comments or gems really appreciated.
Thanks
- does the chassis on the t350 rot out like the earlier cars - is it an issue?
- advice is to buy on condition and history but are higher milers at 60k+ worth a look or am I just buying into an imminent engine rebuild.
- coming from an Exige as a daily driver and at 6ft2ins will I be able to use it comfortably as my only car doing approx 8k miles a year?
- is it sensible to avoid the spectra type paint finishes on basis of cost and quality of respray of damage to front end?
- heard a lot on here about seats...for a big lad are they wide enough and is the cabin/ pedal area big enough for someone over 6ft with a love of pies and size 11 feet? Is roll cage intrusive?
- who are the reputable tvr specialists in the South
- what is the road tax £ per year..confused on PLG issue.
- is there anyone in the M3 corridor/ hampshire/ dorset area who is willing to show me their car.
- any meets in the southern region?
- anyone here looking to sell up as looking for an enthusiast owned car with good history.
Poised to go look at cars but want to make sure I have done my homework to avoid buying a dud so any info comments or gems really appreciated.
Thanks
I will do ta couple of easy ones.
PLG tax for vehicles over 1549cc with no Co2 figures recorded is £215/yr. check the V5 to confirm this is the case.
My vote for servicing/repairs goes to Str8six, just a short blat up the M40. You also have Racing Green that may be closer to you. There are others but they would be further away
Shep
PLG tax for vehicles over 1549cc with no Co2 figures recorded is £215/yr. check the V5 to confirm this is the case.
My vote for servicing/repairs goes to Str8six, just a short blat up the M40. You also have Racing Green that may be closer to you. There are others but they would be further away
Shep
Edited by shep1001 on Thursday 25th August 21:55
esey1 said:
- coming from an Exige as a daily driver and at 6ft2ins will I be able to use it comfortably as my only car doing approx 8k miles a year?
I'm about 6ft2 and I find it comfortable, don't even have the seat all the way back.esey1 said:
- heard a lot on here about seats...for a big lad are they wide enough and is the cabin/ pedal area big enough for someone over 6ft with a love of pies and size 11 feet? Is roll cage intrusive?
I'm also "rotund" and find the seats fine, if anything it's better as the skinny guys complain about them not being supportive enough but I find them ok. I find the seating position a little off at times and the pedals are pushed right which takes a little getting used to. I've size 11 feet and I sometimes have issues if wearing my work shoes but with normal shoes it's fine.
another vote for str8six. I bought my T350 from Jason. I emailed him with my budget and he replied within hours with 2 beautys that were not even advertised yet.I live in Croydon and have been to str8six when ever I've needed modifications & servicing done.
Very nice guy and trust him with my p&j which is worth a lot!
There are monthly tvr meets all over the place, I'm sure you'll get an invite to join an e-group.
May I ask what your budget is? This will determine what spec / age car you should look for.
If you are buying privatly make shure u have the car inspecred at a specialist such as Str8six if possible. If the owner refuses an inspection with a decent TVR specialist call him a tosser and then walk away. The insult is a must.
Failing buying a car privatly once again as mentioned earlier Jason at Str8six is THE MAN.
I have been with him for approx 5 years plus and would recomend him and the team.
Top bunch of lads and well prepared cars, very well prepared.
Good luck.
Failing buying a car privatly once again as mentioned earlier Jason at Str8six is THE MAN.
I have been with him for approx 5 years plus and would recomend him and the team.
Top bunch of lads and well prepared cars, very well prepared.
Good luck.
Coming from a Lotus your biggest risk would be developing agoraphobia in a Tiv.
6.2 isn't any kind of problem unless you are proportioned like a gibbon. If you are a conventional 6.2 pie connoisseur such as myself then there is plenty of room and no need to crawl on the pavement to extract yourself or amputate your left leg to select 5th.
There is one slight issue that might be worth paying attention to and that is that with some of the seats, TVR had to tilt them inwards to clear the rollcage. The problem there is that it can bugger your back up a bit if being used daily. You can see if they are tilted by just looking in from the front. It's quite obvious.
6.2 isn't any kind of problem unless you are proportioned like a gibbon. If you are a conventional 6.2 pie connoisseur such as myself then there is plenty of room and no need to crawl on the pavement to extract yourself or amputate your left leg to select 5th.
There is one slight issue that might be worth paying attention to and that is that with some of the seats, TVR had to tilt them inwards to clear the rollcage. The problem there is that it can bugger your back up a bit if being used daily. You can see if they are tilted by just looking in from the front. It's quite obvious.
Echo all above comments re Str8six. Have brought 2 cars from Jason in past 12 months. Both were prepared to the highest possible standard, and comes with their own 12 month warranty (which includes everything), not one of those dam autoprotect things.
Very easy to deal with, and have absolutely no hesitation in recommending them.
It would certainly be my first point of call if i was in the market for another car
Very easy to deal with, and have absolutely no hesitation in recommending them.
It would certainly be my first point of call if i was in the market for another car
Targarama said:
Shortar5e. I'm 6ft 4 and fit no problem. Reach and rake steering adjustment is great to get the position spot on. Peter Wheeler was 6ft 6. Say no more.
Doh! I completely forgot about the reach adjustment. I got so used to my previous cars only having rake. So being a proper shortar5e I have the seat well forward but forgot to move the steering wheel as well to get comfortable. I only just got the car a few weeks ago from fellow TVR Pistonhead.esey1, welcome to the feeling of getting hooked. I tried to resist since I just bought my last car earlier this year which is now up for sale. I was hoping to keep it until next year before buying into TVR ownership but after testing a couple I just had to have my own throttle to floor.
Like yourself, I did a lot of research of the forum first. To answer a few of your questions.
You also have David Batty, The Garage, based in Compton near Guildford. He has immense experience in TVR servicing (wasn't sure whether you were asking regards places to service). He doesn't sell cars though.
T350 tubular frame is shot-blasted so that it is weather-proof so you should not have rotting issues of previous decade cars. Winter salt corrosion does mean regular washing is still required as with any car (although my baby only goes out in the dry so not an issue for me).
Agreed with other, I'm quite slim so find the seats not supportive enough.
Lots of discussion on the forum about engine rebuild so won't go into too much detail. Suffice to say that from late 2003 onwards this should not be required if the car is kept properly and well looked after e.g. warmed up before full throttle, regular oil checks, timely tappet services etc. The challenge is getting enough history on the car you intend to purchase.
Happy hunting! That is all part of the fun!
Done a load of research but would welcome the view of you seasoned owners on:
- does the chassis on the t350 rot out like the earlier cars - is it an issue?
I believe the chassis was better made and I've not heard of any T350's requiring chassis work. That said regular maintenance and wax-oil is still something I do to mine
- advice is to buy on condition and history but are higher milers at 60k+ worth a look or am I just buying into an imminent engine rebuild.
Heed the advice to buy on condition. Post 2004 the engines are pretty strong, mines on 24.5k and has zero shim adjustment and good compression. Rebuils are nice to have but if you check the classifieds there aren't that many T-cars with rebuilds as they don't all need them. I've seen the 60k miler in the classifieds you're talking about and if it's got to there in good health theres no reason it won't go for another 60k. Just ensure you warm it through correctly - 2500 rpm max until 40deg oil temp then 3500 rpm (95mph) until 70 deg oil temp. A main cause of engines letting go is numpties who jump straight in and rag them IMHO
- coming from an Exige as a daily driver and at 6ft2ins will I be able to use it comfortably as my only car doing approx 8k miles a year?
Yes - a comfy car to be in, wheel has reach and rake adjustment and it's generally a nice place to be, though seats IMHO could be a little more supportive. My T350 is my weekend toy as I don't need a car during the week but I still average 8000 miles a year in mine.
- is it sensible to avoid the spectra type paint finishes on basis of cost and quality of respray of damage to front end?
These cars do chip easily, depends how concerned you are with finish vs driving. If you're going to run to the paintshop for every chip then yes, avoid the expensive paints. My car has a fair few stone chips on the front end but then again I use it properly, Highland tours, French hoons etc that will always run the risk of chips.
- heard a lot on here about seats...for a big lad are they wide enough and is the cabin/ pedal area big enough for someone over 6ft with a love of pies and size 11 feet? Is roll cage intrusive?
In a nutshell, yes. You can also take the base pad out the seat for a little more depth and support.
- who are the reputable tvr specialists in the South
David Batty (The garage) & Str8 Six are the 2 main ones I know of.
- what is the road tax £ per year..confused on PLG issue.
Can't remember the exact figure but IIRC £210
- does the chassis on the t350 rot out like the earlier cars - is it an issue?
I believe the chassis was better made and I've not heard of any T350's requiring chassis work. That said regular maintenance and wax-oil is still something I do to mine
- advice is to buy on condition and history but are higher milers at 60k+ worth a look or am I just buying into an imminent engine rebuild.
Heed the advice to buy on condition. Post 2004 the engines are pretty strong, mines on 24.5k and has zero shim adjustment and good compression. Rebuils are nice to have but if you check the classifieds there aren't that many T-cars with rebuilds as they don't all need them. I've seen the 60k miler in the classifieds you're talking about and if it's got to there in good health theres no reason it won't go for another 60k. Just ensure you warm it through correctly - 2500 rpm max until 40deg oil temp then 3500 rpm (95mph) until 70 deg oil temp. A main cause of engines letting go is numpties who jump straight in and rag them IMHO
- coming from an Exige as a daily driver and at 6ft2ins will I be able to use it comfortably as my only car doing approx 8k miles a year?
Yes - a comfy car to be in, wheel has reach and rake adjustment and it's generally a nice place to be, though seats IMHO could be a little more supportive. My T350 is my weekend toy as I don't need a car during the week but I still average 8000 miles a year in mine.
- is it sensible to avoid the spectra type paint finishes on basis of cost and quality of respray of damage to front end?
These cars do chip easily, depends how concerned you are with finish vs driving. If you're going to run to the paintshop for every chip then yes, avoid the expensive paints. My car has a fair few stone chips on the front end but then again I use it properly, Highland tours, French hoons etc that will always run the risk of chips.
- heard a lot on here about seats...for a big lad are they wide enough and is the cabin/ pedal area big enough for someone over 6ft with a love of pies and size 11 feet? Is roll cage intrusive?
In a nutshell, yes. You can also take the base pad out the seat for a little more depth and support.
- who are the reputable tvr specialists in the South
David Batty (The garage) & Str8 Six are the 2 main ones I know of.
- what is the road tax £ per year..confused on PLG issue.
Can't remember the exact figure but IIRC £210
DonkeyApple said:
There is one slight issue that might be worth paying attention to and that is that with some of the seats, TVR had to tilt them inwards to clear the rollcage. The problem there is that it can bugger your back up a bit if being used daily. You can see if they are tilted by just looking in from the front. It's quite obvious.
You can remove 80% of this tilt by taking the seats out and removing the washers underneath. Get you head in the footwell and look back under the seat with a torch and you'll see what I mean.Targarama said:
DonkeyApple said:
There is one slight issue that might be worth paying attention to and that is that with some of the seats, TVR had to tilt them inwards to clear the rollcage. The problem there is that it can bugger your back up a bit if being used daily. You can see if they are tilted by just looking in from the front. It's quite obvious.
You can remove 80% of this tilt by taking the seats out and removing the washers underneath. Get you head in the footwell and look back under the seat with a torch and you'll see what I mean.Bad back or bad leather?
Targarama said:
DonkeyApple said:
There is one slight issue that might be worth paying attention to and that is that with some of the seats, TVR had to tilt them inwards to clear the rollcage. The problem there is that it can bugger your back up a bit if being used daily. You can see if they are tilted by just looking in from the front. It's quite obvious.
You can remove 80% of this tilt by taking the seats out and removing the washers underneath. Get you head in the footwell and look back under the seat with a torch and you'll see what I mean.Gassing Station | Tamora, T350 & Sagaris | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff