Buying T350

[dadofbud]

I'm trying to buy at 350t or c

I have gone through all the usual routes, Ph's, AutoTrader, TVR webmart and as many specialist dealers as I can find and some non-specialist traders. (they worry me)

Many dealers leave live adds on web sites for cars that they no longer have, which is very annoying.

All told there appears to be less than twenty cars available, is this usual ? am I looking at months to find the right car ?

Edited by dadofbud on Sunday 18th October 22:58

[Andyt25]

Yep you could be a while if you are looking for a specific colour spec...Remember TVR only made around 300 T350'S or was it 350?...Either way there are not many out there and out of that total some will have been written of etc....

Edited by Andyt25 on Monday 19th October 06:08

[SP6 Animal]

Average more like 10 cars for sale.
Targas are rarer to find.
What are you looking for,price,colour etc.

[Skipe]

I did look around for about 4 months through last Winter and Spring...I compromised on as few things such as I wanted a 2005 car with low mileage (ended up with a 2003 with a re-build and lots of other mods!) so keep that in mind because as stated these are rare cars indeed...

TVR CC or PH classifieds should be your best bet as these cars should of been given the attention they deserve by owners who look after them properly.

Good luck in your search.

[dadofbud]

SP6 Animal said:

Average more like 10 cars for sale.
Targas are rarer to find.
What are you looking for,price,colour etc.

Yes I think that your right regarding the actual number of cars for sale.

[R9TUS]

Hi Bob

I think you looked at my 04 Red Rose T350 last week.

Hope your search is going OK to find the right car.

Once you've bought one you won't stop smiling!

Gav

[dadofbud]

Skipe said:

I did look around for about 4 months through last Winter and Spring...I compromised on as few things such as I wanted a 2005 car with low mileage (ended up with a 2003 with a re-build and lots of other mods!) so keep that in mind because as stated these are rare cars indeed...TVR CC or PH classifieds should be your best bet as these cars should of been given the attention they deserve by owners who look after them properly.Good luck in your search.

This sounds like me, for my limited knowledge I know I would like a 2005 manufactured car because I understand that all the desired modifications / upgrades would have been implimented by TVR.

However I can also see that If you can find an earlier car that's had an engine rebuild by a reputable company or TVR? then this should also be considered, yes ?

I have seen some really nice cars that are a unsuiatble because of some dubious colour schemes, I can commend the original buyes for buying a TVR, but do sometimes wonder what they were thinking on their choice of colour combinations !!!

It appears that my search criteria will be 1/ Condition, 2/ History and 3/ Colour.Any further suggestions, help etc would be appreciated.

Thanks to everyone.

Edited by dadofbud on Monday 19th October 10:59

[dadofbud]

Hello Gavin

Yes that was me, I thought that you had sold it as it was not on Ph's for a while.

Yes every time I go through the ads your car gets my attention, I'm just too old for spectraflair, but who knows.

[Zippee]

dadofbud said:

Skipe said:

I did look around for about 4 months through last Winter and Spring...I compromised on as few things such as I wanted a 2005 car with low mileage (ended up with a 2003 with a re-build and lots of other mods!) so keep that in mind because as stated these are rare cars indeed...TVR CC or PH classifieds should be your best bet as these cars should of been given the attention they deserve by owners who look after them properly.Good luck in your search.

This sounds like me, for my limited knowledge I know I would like a 2005 manufactured car because I understand that all the desired modifications / upgrades would have been implimented by TVR.

The changes were actually made in 2004. There are a tiny amount actually made in 2005 (registered is a different matter) so don't get too hung up on that!

[dadofbud]

In a perfect world I would like

1/ 2005 onwards

2/ Targa

3/ Under 20k-ish miles

4/ Colour will be pot-luck it now appears and I'm not apposed to mods as long as it's not 19 / 20" chrome wheels !!!!

[dadofbud]

Zippee said:

dadofbud said:

Skipe said:

I did look around for about 4 months through last Winter and Spring...I compromised on as few things such as I wanted a 2005 car with low mileage (ended up with a 2003 with a re-build and lots of other mods!) so keep that in mind because as stated these are rare cars indeed...TVR CC or PH classifieds should be your best bet as these cars should of been given the attention they deserve by owners who look after them properly.Good luck in your search.

This sounds like me, for my limited knowledge I know I would like a 2005 manufactured car because I understand that all the desired modifications / upgrades would have been implimented by TVR.

The changes were actually made in 2004. There are a tiny amount actually made in 2005 (registered is a different matter) so don't get too hung up on that!

Yes that's what I have read, but it does appear that although many cars are first registered in 2004 they can have been manuafactured before the modification and I don't have the knowledge that you guys have to be able to tell, hence the ideal novices benchmark for me would be 2005 ?

[darkmark07]

dadofbud said:

Yes that's what I have read, but it does appear that although many cars are first registered in 2004 they can have been manuafactured before the modification and I don't have the knowledge that you guys have to be able to tell, hence the ideal novices benchmark for me would be 2005 ?

The main visible mods are easy to spot / ask about: recess in rear to help open the hatch and sun visors.

FWIW my 2003 model doesn't have either, nor does the lack bother me in the slightest - the thing to look out for is condition and the car's history. I'd rather buy an older car that had been well looked after and maintained than a newer one with a more chequered past...

[Skipe]

dadofbud said:

Skipe said:

I did look around for about 4 months through last Winter and Spring...I compromised on as few things such as I wanted a 2005 car with low mileage (ended up with a 2003 with a re-build and lots of other mods!) so keep that in mind because as stated these are rare cars indeed...TVR CC or PH classifieds should be your best bet as these cars should of been given the attention they deserve by owners who look after them properly.Good luck in your search.

This sounds like me, for my limited knowledge I know I would like a 2005 manufactured car because I understand that all the desired modifications / upgrades would have been implimented by TVR.

However I can also see that If you can find an earlier car that's had an engine rebuild by a reputable company or TVR? then this should also be considered, yes ?

I have seen some really nice cars that are a unsuiatble because of some dubious colour schemes, I can commend the original buyes for buying a TVR, but do sometimes wonder what they were thinking on their choice of colour combinations !!!

It appears that my search criteria will be 1/ Condition, 2/ History and 3/ Colour.Any further suggestions, help etc would be appreciated.

Thanks to everyone.

Edited by dadofbud on Monday 19th October 10:59

Absolutely the earlier cars should be considered, a 2005 with 3.5k may have issues due to being sat in a garage and not run I suppose?

I believe there were mechanical improvements which others can comment on but the other upgrade's didn't make a big difference to me - boot recess (which I have anyway), luggage covers (who really needs these in a TVR!) and sunvisors (ask any owner who has these how useful they are!) so no big issue that these are missing.

Mine had a rebuild by Jason at Str8six a BIG factor in choosing my car, it had also had previous owners who had obviously maintained the car to a high standard (Hoolio amongst others) and added high class mod's like Nitron's.

I think your criteria is spot on, you may want to consider using a knowledgable sort to inspect cars for you also? I did because I'm a numpty with anything mechanical.

Mad colours yes! Check the bright Lambo green Tuscan in this month's Sprint - WOW!

[Skipe]

dadofbud said:

In a perfect world I would like

1/ 2005 onwards

2/ Targa

3/ Under 20k-ish miles

4/ Colour will be pot-luck it now appears and I'm not apposed to mods as long as it's not 19 / 20" chrome wheels !!!!

What about this? Seems to meet your requirements and is nearly as nice as mine

http://www.tvr-car-club.co.uk/classifieds/classifi...

[dadofbud]

Skipe

Thanks for looking, received an email this very morning from the chap who has sold that car, shame.

I went to the TRV Centre in Arkley on Gav's advice, the have a very nice Tamora 2005 with very low mileage, but I'm set on a 350.

Mark there said that he would carryout car inspection if I required one.

They also have a lot of nice stock.

[Skipe]

A shame indeed a very nice example that and a lot of £ spent on it too!

Keep looking something will certainly come along especially as the some may be offloading after a summer of fun or find hard to justify running in Winter? I think toobee is selling his C soon and that's a beaut (very like mine!)

Mine's in the garage already as I can't drive it at the moment but it will be booked into the TVR centre for it's service and a few other things in Feb - I cannot wait! The guys up there are great.

[Targarama]

I think there are less than 10 2005+ Targas in existence. Plus, some of those will not be built in 2005. Why the 2005 thing? (again - another prospective buyer said the same).

[dadofbud]

Targarama said:

I think there are less than 10 2005+ Targas in existence. Plus, some of those will not be built in 2005. Why the 2005 thing? (again - another prospective buyer said the same).

Yes I take your point, I think that it's a case that on any forum, people usually recall the bad momments and not the good as they are boring reading, so for TVR novice like me you tend to pick up on the extreme because we don't know anything other than what we read, hence when you read "buy 2004 because the egines are more reliable" and allowing for stock that gets registered way after its been manuafactured it's a reasonable assumtion to go for 2005.

You know how bad journo's are they just steal one and others copy, so if I as a novice read it enough times, etc, etc !!

So what are the potential issues with this engine, for example take a 911 if it's managed too get past 40k miles RMS normally won't strike.

So does similar thought extend to speed six engine, I want to go into this with my eyes wide open, so any help please

Bob

[Targarama]

Most 2004 registered cars will have been built in 2004 - it was the 'heyday' for this model.

TVR constantly enhanced their cars - sometimes weekly! You should look through the buyers' guides and FAQs on this forum, lots of people have asked about the mods and when they happened.

Engine - well early Speed Six engines (they started life in 2000 in the Tuscan) were definitely more prone to needing top end work. However, over the years TVR constantly evolved things to a point where most of the late model engines are very good. There is much written about the Speed Six - it even has its own sub-forum on PH. The biggest thing to watch is how the current owner treats the car, especially running from cold - if its a dealer car see who the last owner is (registration document) and find out a bit about the car and what life it has lived.

[dadofbud]

Targarama, Just viewed your profile, your car is very impressive, big fan of red of any type or shade.

When you first purchased your car I purchased a new 350Z, just think another 10k and I could have had a T350 like yours, ignorance is not bliss !!!

Edited by dadofbud on Monday 19th October 21:50