The Curse of Yorks TVR.....?

The Curse of Yorks TVR.....?

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chumley

Original Poster:

201 posts

251 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
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Just got back from the TVR/Fezza run. A little later than expected....

Have we upset someone upstairs or summit? First Chim Girl's Tuscan clutch packs up, Andy gets his Cerbie keyed from ar5ehole to beak by some pond life. I see that adove has had his own mishap, and then 50% of the TVR contingent on the TVR/Fezza blast break down (myself and MOD). WTF???

I'll spare you the long story but I have (it appears) a collapsed off-side rear suspension damper. Whilst I was waiting for the tow truck Martyn stopped on his way home, having just had the AA out after his heater matrix packed in! Really showed those Fezza boys a thing or two about reliability eh?!!

Can anyone offer any advice on my woes? I had little choice but to just get the car towed to Harrogate Horseless, although I don't know them so will call them first thing to expain why they have a lop-sided Chim on their forecourt.

Assuming the damper has just collapsed, I guess(hope?) this should be covered by my 12 month warranty? However, if replacing one damper, is it maybe worth upgrading all-round? Any advice welcome re what to do and who to use.

That aside, a top day out (well, until about 2pm). Martyn, cheers for stopping, hope you got home okay. Great to catch up with the rest of you, hopefully see you all again soon for another blast once I'm mobile again.

Oh yeah, and the Enzo. Not bad for a mere £450k...

j_s_g

6,177 posts

250 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
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You forgot to mention mine getting battered by yoofs so I couldn't even make it to the run! And Chim450 getting his keyed. Not a good weekend for northern TVRs.

swindorski46

1,017 posts

283 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
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Sorry to hear that, wondered what had happened to you. Thought you'd caught you exhaust or something.

Sounds as though that should be a warranty job. Is it a WHA warranty? they have a funny system but it paid out for my claim.

They only pay £27.50 an hour labour though, and you have to make up the difference yourself.

If it makes you feel a bit less embaressed one of the 'Rarris didn't make it either!!

Good luck.

trooper1212

9,456 posts

252 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
quotequote all
j_s_g said:
You forgot to mention mine getting battered by yoofs so I couldn't even make it to the run! And Chim450 getting his keyed. Not a good weekend for northern TVRs.


Not a good week all in all for TVR owners in general. A couple of breakdowns on the Cerb forum too, and judging by the recent posts somebody seems to have left the "vandal attract" button on.

It's either coincidence or the start of the apocalypse, wasn't car problems one of the seven signs in the bible or something?

j_s_g

6,177 posts

250 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
quotequote all
trooper1212 said:

It's either coincidence or the start of the apocalypse, wasn't car problems one of the seven signs in the bible or something?

I know that the woman beating the crap out of my Cerb appeared to have plagues 3,4 and 6 from the Bible... Lice, flies, and boils. She was mere seconds away from number 10 (death), too!

chumley

Original Poster:

201 posts

251 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
quotequote all
Shit James, sorry to hear that, and you too Neil. Really feel for you, some people make you bloody sick.

Joseph, you're right, that news does make me feel a bit better! Who was it & what happened? Hope it was nothing serious.

I actually thought I'd just caught the exhaust & thought the noise must have meant that the mountings were broken but it's fine and hadn't touched the ground at all. I think the damper was simply dodgy & just broke. Rather worrying given that I was hooning round Brands on Friday. I was expecting some reliability niggles but that sort of a failure is a bit worrying. Thank god it happened at the speed it did on a straight stretch of road.

I have to say, it was a pleasure following your Cerbie. Fantastic noise, especially on the overrun. Didn't see any Andy-style flames though...?! Cheers for the advice on warranty, yes it is WHG & they have been good so far (albeit Christopher Neils just sorted things out for me last time).

Will keep you all posted & will hopefully be back on the road in the near future.

swindorski46

1,017 posts

283 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
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Nothing too serious for the 'Rarri.
The blue soft top (in fact the blue one will do!)NEARLY lost a back wheel due to all 5 nuts coming loose! Thankfully 3 held on with their dying grasps!

Glad you enjoyed the noise, I couldn't stop making pop all day!

Good luck with the warranty,

Swin.

magarnett

135 posts

266 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
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Chumley/Martin

Sorry to hear about your misshaps. It was good to see you and the TVR's out and having a joint F'car/TVR outing. If you take a look at the ferrarichat website there are a few photo's. The Enzo that wouldn't come out to play is the best one.

We ought to do this again in the near future. When you guys have a run out why not invite us along.

Mark

Chim_Girl

6,268 posts

259 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
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Mod/Chumley.....Bet you wish you had a Golf!












Seriously, sorry to hear about your woes, February hasn't been a great month for the Northern TVR owners. Perhaps we should have a night out on the beer as none of us have cars to play in at the moment.

JS - Comment from Adamski... "God it has taken you this long to realise that TVR's are a fanny magnet..."

>> Edited by Chim_Girl on Sunday 8th February 21:02

kojak69

4,535 posts

253 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
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Just been speaking to my mate Mark (328Gts), and he said a good day was had by all...apart from you guys with the probs.
Weather was good (apart fron a little snow.
I was hoping to go, but couldn't spare a full day away from DIY.
Maybe next time.

kojak69

4,535 posts

253 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
quotequote all
Jo.

Mark was saying you should have followed them in the golf.

Hope you get the Tuscan back soon.

Chim_Girl

6,268 posts

259 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
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err 1.4 Golf.... could've followed in the BMW but we were too ashamed to take it!

chumley

Original Poster:

201 posts

251 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
quotequote all
Cheers Mark, really enjoyed it. Judging by the looks we were getting I think we'll defo have to do it again if only for the purposes of public service! Your 328 looked fantastic by the way.

Sorry to hear about the lads in the blue spider. Maybe if they hadn't spent so long wearing their intercom headphones they may have heard the wheel problem sooner...?! I was seriously thinking they must be having a giraff when they put them on. But then I heard the noise when they nailed it through the tunnels. Enough to make your ears bleed!

Good luck to everyone. No more hassles in February please.

>> Edited by chumley on Sunday 8th February 21:34

chim450

1,452 posts

261 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
quotequote all
Hi Chumley, I am one of the aforementioned "cursed" Northern owners, having had my Tuscan keyed yesterday.

I had a rear damper let go on my Chim last year. AFAIK you have to replace these in pairs ie. both rears. I had mine replaced with adjustable dampers (actually worked out cheaper than the stock TVR bilsteins).

Parts and labour about £400.

Good luck.

andy4200

5,004 posts

273 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
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Steve/Martyn

Sorry to hear about your woes, it has definately been a bad month all round.

Steve definately showed them a thing or two about noise when he fired up the chim.

About your suspension. When I got the cerb the dampers were shot so I replaced the whole lot with AVO's for less than a couple of TVR ones. Talk to Joospeed for a package and if you need a hand fitting them I'll come round. It's a bit of a bitch but I got it done in a day.

Andy

j_s_g

6,177 posts

250 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
quotequote all
andy4200 said:
About your suspension. When I got the cerb the dampers were shot so I replaced the whole lot with AVO's for less than a couple of TVR ones. Talk to Joospeed for a package and if you need a hand fitting them I'll come round. It's a bit of a bitch but I got it done in a day.

Andy, what do you think to the AVOs? I'm considering an upgrade, but quite like the idea of saving the £500 extra for Nitrons (Eurohoon's gonna bankrupt me as it is). Cheers.

andy4200

5,004 posts

273 months

Sunday 8th February 2004
quotequote all
I haven't had a problem with them.
I know that once people have had Nitrons then nothing else really cuts it but as I don't do track days and I'm not driving the nuts off the car every day then they do fine.
As I had just bought the car I didn't fancy an extra 500 quid either, especially as I didn't know what else would need done.

I've got them set quite firm and occasionally they do hit the bump stop(?) on harsh speed bumps.
They also have a lifetime guarantee or so I'm told so they will be rebuilt if there are any problems.

At the end of the day I've heard they are miles better than the standard ones and for the price of the standard ones you could get Nitrons anyway. Each to his own!!!

Andy

j_s_g

6,177 posts

250 months

Monday 9th February 2004
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The curse worsens, and don't forget it's Friday the 13th this week...

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=80656&f=6&h=0

MOD500

2,686 posts

250 months

Monday 9th February 2004
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Morning

Nice to see all of you again, thanks especially to Mark (328GTS) for organising it - nice to meet you and your wife.

The heater matrix - was driving along noticed the temp gauge rising, so turned the heater up full on hot to try and get rid of some of the heat. Cue hissing sound and the smell of antifreeze, and steam in the cabin.

Got the AA man out, he was a top chap who builds and races caterham style cars with superbike engines in! He used a piece of spare hose to form a loop taking the matrix out of the water circuit. We got home fine, if alittle cold as the heater was disabled. Looks like it is going in the service a few days earlier than expected!

Very sorry to hear of other peoples woes, things can only get better

chumley

Original Poster:

201 posts

251 months

Monday 9th February 2004
quotequote all
Cheers Neil, nice to know I'm not not alone on this one!

Andy, you're a gent, thanks a bunch for the offer. Problem is, the car is now at HHC & can't be driven back. Having taken the last 7 months off work I could also do with keeping a lid on costs at the moment as I'm unlikely to be working again until after my hols in March. I'll see what HHC say about a warranty claim before making a decision.

I took your advice though and had a chat with Julian at Joospeed - really helpful fella. I'm really interested in the AVOs but I may just have to settle (if possible) for a replacement TVR damper under warranty for now & then upgrade when I'm earning again. Unless HHC can negotiate the cost of the damper on warranty but fit AVOs instead & I just pay the difference?

I'll keep you posted. Thanks all for the advice.


>> Edited by chumley on Monday 9th February 10:00