Thinking of coming back to TVR
Discussion
I sold my Tamora about a year ago and currently have a porsche 996.
I am a little bored and am finding I use the porker as a second car for little mileage - so why have something remotely sensible!
I also sold my Lotus 340R recently, so am looking to return to TVR to get the British Hardcore feel in something relatively useable but also stunning!
The Sag (given what I have read) strikes me as a new breed of TVR - still outrageous, but perhaps a little more practical and (dare I say it!) reliable.
I know the warranty is now 3 years - so is it pretty comprehensive and do you reckon it's a safe-ish choice after an early Tamora which caused me quite a lot of problems??
All views welcomed.
Thanks
>> Edited by 340ragtop on Thursday 2nd February 22:30
I am a little bored and am finding I use the porker as a second car for little mileage - so why have something remotely sensible!
I also sold my Lotus 340R recently, so am looking to return to TVR to get the British Hardcore feel in something relatively useable but also stunning!
The Sag (given what I have read) strikes me as a new breed of TVR - still outrageous, but perhaps a little more practical and (dare I say it!) reliable.
I know the warranty is now 3 years - so is it pretty comprehensive and do you reckon it's a safe-ish choice after an early Tamora which caused me quite a lot of problems??
All views welcomed.
Thanks
>> Edited by 340ragtop on Thursday 2nd February 22:30
Hi 
We had lots of problems with our Tuscan and while it was having an engine rebuild we seriously considered moving away from TVR.
Test drove lots of other cars but they didn't seem to have that WOW factor.
We ended up buying the Sag and it has proved to be very reliable and is a great car to drive.
We have had it since May 05 and driven it for almost 10,000 miles and it has been fantastic.( Did our first 1,000 miles in a week)
Go for it.You wont regret it.
We had lots of problems with our Tuscan and while it was having an engine rebuild we seriously considered moving away from TVR.
Test drove lots of other cars but they didn't seem to have that WOW factor.
We ended up buying the Sag and it has proved to be very reliable and is a great car to drive.
We have had it since May 05 and driven it for almost 10,000 miles and it has been fantastic.( Did our first 1,000 miles in a week)
Go for it.You wont regret it.
Absolutely no hesitation: get a Sagaris!
They are simply stunning in every way: the drive; the power; the handling; the sound; the looks, of course; the trademark TVR thrill...
And forget everything you've heard or experienced about build quality and reliability - as far as I've experienced so far, those days have gone (ish
)
They are simply stunning in every way: the drive; the power; the handling; the sound; the looks, of course; the trademark TVR thrill...
And forget everything you've heard or experienced about build quality and reliability - as far as I've experienced so far, those days have gone (ish
) Bar it's uncompromising ride height the Sagaris is far more practical than you'd imagine by looking at it. I'd say it was more practical than the Exige in terms of ease of entry, visibility and luggage space. But they do ground out if you go too fast down a bumpy B road. To be fair though the car's performance is a bit too much for small B roads anyway, given it exceeds 100 in second gear with the close ratio box. On Smooth faster B's and A roads the car is a real weapon, has massive grip with sublime balance, terrific feedback and a surprisingly decent ride considering it's stiffer than the t350 it's based on. It's not at all an uncomfortable car to go a long distance in. However coming from a Lotus you won't be so easily impressed when it comes to feedback and ride quality.
Think of the Sagaris as a 400bhp straight six Exige with more practicality (imagine what Lotus would charge for that given the 240R is 45k!) and you won't be far off the mark.
You will have niggles. They will be minor. You'll make sure you make a list of every one. They'll all be fixed at the first service if you're dealer's up to scratch and from then on it's just raw, uncut driving nirvana! Enjoy! I have every single mile since April last year.
Think of the Sagaris as a 400bhp straight six Exige with more practicality (imagine what Lotus would charge for that given the 240R is 45k!) and you won't be far off the mark.
You will have niggles. They will be minor. You'll make sure you make a list of every one. They'll all be fixed at the first service if you're dealer's up to scratch and from then on it's just raw, uncut driving nirvana! Enjoy! I have every single mile since April last year.
Yes, I go with the ease of driving and comfort - the 'Gris has been driven every day since last August, only exception being the 6K service, and just now getting some paint sorted out.
(Landcruiser-TVR interaction - don't ask).
Gut-wrenching if you want it to be, and pussycat if you don't.
I had thought about one for a while, and then sat in one. Didn't even drive it, and I just had to have. (Daftlad, it's still your fault!!!)
One with the spec I was after was available, and viola, there it was in the drive.
(Landcruiser-TVR interaction - don't ask).
Gut-wrenching if you want it to be, and pussycat if you don't.
I had thought about one for a while, and then sat in one. Didn't even drive it, and I just had to have. (Daftlad, it's still your fault!!!)
One with the spec I was after was available, and viola, there it was in the drive.
Lundinoir said:Agreed, time for TVR to revamp the line up by restyling the Tamora with the T350 nose. Then they would have the T350 in roadster, coupe and manic forms (Sagaris) and the Tuscan in roadster, targa and with the upcoming Cerbera replacement (nee Typhon) coupe forms. Sorted...
The only problem with the Sagaris - it's not a convertible. Other than that from what I've read on Pistonheads, TVRCC and in Sprint any new (2005 onwards) TVR will be solid.
..and one costs 2x as much as the other?
surely thats where TVR has always offered more - same performance for half the price.
Had a good check out of my other halfs new Sagaris thats waiting for her to pick up...I went around it with a fine toothcomb trying to find fault....and couldnt. The build quality is way ahead of her old 2001 Tuscan.
Personally I think TVR have come a long way for a hand built manufacturer that only make 500 cars a year
They are not for everyone though - I have a lot of colleagues who want a 'sportscar' thats 'reliable' i.e. they use it a like a normal car, dont even bother checking the oil between services etc and never think about giving it any mechanical sympathy. In this respect any TVR is never going to be anywhere near a Porsche
surely thats where TVR has always offered more - same performance for half the price.
Had a good check out of my other halfs new Sagaris thats waiting for her to pick up...I went around it with a fine toothcomb trying to find fault....and couldnt. The build quality is way ahead of her old 2001 Tuscan.
Personally I think TVR have come a long way for a hand built manufacturer that only make 500 cars a year
They are not for everyone though - I have a lot of colleagues who want a 'sportscar' thats 'reliable' i.e. they use it a like a normal car, dont even bother checking the oil between services etc and never think about giving it any mechanical sympathy. In this respect any TVR is never going to be anywhere near a Porsche
340ragtop said:
Thanks for all the views.
I went, I saw, I smiled, I sat, I smiled some more, I tried my very hardest to look past the little defects and niggles....
but I'm getting a GT3 instead.
Sorry TVR.
You'll be back.
It's just not as easy as 'I'll get a GT3' or we'd all have them.
One day you'll look at your GT3, just after it's been skinned alive by a poxy k-series caterham round a track and think, my goodness could it look any more like an egg with a piece of melted cheese folded over on the back (the 'spoiler')? You'll wonder why you ever thought it looked good with that portly rear overhang sticking out over the rear axle. But then you'll drive it home from the trackday as it starts first time despite the earlier thrashing and have your fillings removed by the overlystiff ride, bang your head on the roll cage and just when you think to yourself 'it's amazing what porsche have achieved with their psm to tame the inherently silly engine placement' you find yourself backwards in a ditch because you forgot to turn it back on again.
Me, I love to drive hard when conditions allow and could never trust a 911 at the limit. I've driven quite a few and they are impressive. The basic 911 Carrera is probably the best alrounders you can buy. They don't miss a beat despite years of abuse and even though my Caterham has lost count of the 911's it's overtaken round the outside on track days, I have to trailer mine home whereas the Porsches just drive all the way home and they do it all in the one car. But the same strength is a weakness. A friend of mine sold his 911 because it was good at everything but didn't excel in any one area. He now owns a Lotus Exige and is very happy with it. The performance is a bit less but the driving sensation and impression of speed is far greater.
For me the Sagaris offers a heady mix of drama, sense of occasion, intense driving pleasure, balance and competence that no 911 currently offers.
The other thing is people smile when they see you in a TVR and they do whatever the opposite is to 911 drivers. I guess because TVRs are all about having fun, the cars are a bit barking mad whereas Porsches and their owners seem sooooo bloody serious all the time!
340ragtop said:
I'm not up for a POrsche vs TVR slagging match, so won't be drawn into that...
but 996TT and Sagaris equally useable and similar...? I'm not so sure.
Yes. Simple as that.
Ive got a 997tt on order, so I have a foot in both camps and have long regarded the 996tt as the best car in the (real) world, yes that includes the CGT, Veyron and F1.
Ive done long distance in the Sagaris, bombed across to France, up to Scotland, down to Cornwall in her and I use her as my daily transport. As most on here will tell you I happily say the good and bad things about the cars, and Ive had my doubts on the Sagaris prior to buying. In my humble it stands up to the 996TT. Overall it isnt as good, but, its better in some (crucial) areas. Granted, I freely admit I dont think TVR *intended* the Sagaris to be that good, they just got lucky, but nevertheless, it is that good and it is that usable.
The GT3 debate is another thing entirely, but I lose all objectivity there as I passionately loathe everything single thing about that car and it would be a cold day in the bowls of hell before I even lowered myself to spit on one, let alone put my cash near it. So I tend to stay away from the topic, and just say buy the Turbo or GT2 instead
bogie said:
..and one costs 2x as much as the other?
surely thats where TVR has always offered more - same performance for half the price.
Had a good check out of my other halfs new Sagaris thats waiting for her to pick up...I went around it with a fine toothcomb trying to find fault....and couldnt. The build quality is way ahead of her old 2001 Tuscan.
Personally I think TVR have come a long way for a hand built manufacturer that only make 500 cars a year
They are not for everyone though - I have a lot of colleagues who want a 'sportscar' thats 'reliable' i.e. they use it a like a normal car, dont even bother checking the oil between services etc and never think about giving it any mechanical sympathy. In this respect any TVR is never going to be anywhere near a Porsche
Well best of luck - maybe I need to look ata few more.
Shame folks don't seem to rate the GT3 - though I don;t understand the PSM comments - I hardly think PSM is an issue in a track biased GT1 based NA porker.
I don't deny TVRs are fine machines - and I probably will be back. We all like cars, and that for me is the main thing, so no need to criticise each others taste. God knows if you all wanted GT3s there wouldn;t be enough to go around anyway
cheers
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