Why is servicing so frequent?
Discussion
Andy_mr2sc said:
Reading that Mex it looks like you've rightly seen through the mist already!
Haha thanks! There's a lot of mist around in many communities. Hence my question and especially when my friend from GM is saying it's simply not necessary or it's overcautious. He's not low down either as he worked on the tuning of the C7 Corvette.Edited by Andy_mr2sc on Tuesday 7th March 11:46
TVRMs said:
The other thing it does(to me at least) is it makes you think about hard use of a cold engine and what the correlation is between hot water and hot oil when wondering if the engine is actually at abuse temperature yet..
I agree. I don't know why manufacturers don't have an oil temp gauge (or how the coloured arc on the rev counter like BMW do) fitted, especially in performance cars as it matters as much as water temperature.
mistermexican said:
This is my point, that's not real engineering testing. If it was real it would have been hooked up to a dyno and run for days on end at varying rev ranges to test it which is what other manufacturers do. So if this is the case, how accurate is the service schedule? Or is it simple over-cautiousness because of the lack of real testing?
Yup, daily driver. I hate it when cars just sit there not being used - it's a waste. That, and I feel that reliability increases when it's used frequently. Exactly the same thing with my STi. It was extremely low mileage when I bought it and lots of bits needed replacing (mainly brakes and refurbishing the suspension - Bilstein actually did it properly). I've used it as a daily driver ever since and it's so much better for it.
Im going to go out there on a limb and say you are setting yourself up or a world of pain as a daily driver... it isn't put together like a production car, the underside is particularly exposed in comparison to a modern car. Theres no thick layer of under seal and no tight fitting under tray. Running this daily is a completely different ball game to something like a subaru..Yup, daily driver. I hate it when cars just sit there not being used - it's a waste. That, and I feel that reliability increases when it's used frequently. Exactly the same thing with my STi. It was extremely low mileage when I bought it and lots of bits needed replacing (mainly brakes and refurbishing the suspension - Bilstein actually did it properly). I've used it as a daily driver ever since and it's so much better for it.
It will likely leak, or at best you will suffer from a load of condensation, so come winter you won't be enjoying yourself... the de-mister is feeble.
Add to that you need to be on your toes all the time, so at the end of a day when your tired and just want to come home from work and its p1ssing down you won't be able to afford to let your concentration drop.
Id have something else to run along side it at a minimum, and this is even before we examine the finer details of the parts employed.
As much as I enjoy the tuscan for a summer evening or sunday run down to good wood.. I breathe a sigh of relief getting back into the range rover.
Edited by m4tti on Tuesday 7th March 12:38
m4tti said:
Im going to go out there on a limb and say you are setting yourself up or a world of pain as a daily driver... it isn't put together like a production car, the underside is particularly exposed in comparison to a modern car. Theres no thick layer of under seal and no tight fitting under tray.
It will likely leak, or at best you will suffer from a load of condensation, so come winter you won't be enjoying yourself...
Add to that you need to be on your toes all the time, so at the end of a day when your tired and just want to come home from work and its p1ssing down you won't be able to afford to let your concentration drop.
Id have something else to run along side it at a minimum, and this is even before we examine the finer details of the parts employed.
This is also something for me to think about. I accept most people don't use them everyday but some people do, or at least claim to on this forum so it must be possible. The reason I thought I could is that my friend has an Elise and he used that everyday and didn't manage to crash (and he had no air conditioning). So my logic was that it was at least comparable to that. My daily drive is about 10 miles each way and the roads aren't too fast but I accept the point about if I'm on the motorway somewhere and it starts to tip it down. Surely leaks could be fixed and if it's serviced every 6k miles it could have waxoil added?It will likely leak, or at best you will suffer from a load of condensation, so come winter you won't be enjoying yourself...
Add to that you need to be on your toes all the time, so at the end of a day when your tired and just want to come home from work and its p1ssing down you won't be able to afford to let your concentration drop.
Id have something else to run along side it at a minimum, and this is even before we examine the finer details of the parts employed.
You can use a TVR all year round in the UK. You just need to compromise on how you drive it and what it'll do.
As for servicing, well going by manufacturers 'mileage' claims then the Reserve would have had 1 plug change in it's 26-year life, Tamy and Suni wouldn't have in their 14 and 12-years of existance.
As for oil I would be on 9 for the Reserve and 3 each for Tamy and Suni.
So that would equate to three garage visits for the T cars which would likely mean the bushes and threaded adjusters would be gone and rusted solid.
Cars in the UK really need an annual service as a minimum irregardless of mileage. The problem most TVRs have is that they do maybe 2,000 miles a year so people don't bother. Then small problems develop because items haven't been checked.
You should search out the TVR check lists on line for the services.
Its usually the case that those cars that have been checked and serviced in line with these lists are the reliable ones.
Yes they can and do leak but these can be found and remidied. It isn't a mass production cars so you need to be on top of things. If this is too much bother, then a TVR isn't for you.
As for servicing, well going by manufacturers 'mileage' claims then the Reserve would have had 1 plug change in it's 26-year life, Tamy and Suni wouldn't have in their 14 and 12-years of existance.
As for oil I would be on 9 for the Reserve and 3 each for Tamy and Suni.
So that would equate to three garage visits for the T cars which would likely mean the bushes and threaded adjusters would be gone and rusted solid.
Cars in the UK really need an annual service as a minimum irregardless of mileage. The problem most TVRs have is that they do maybe 2,000 miles a year so people don't bother. Then small problems develop because items haven't been checked.
You should search out the TVR check lists on line for the services.
Its usually the case that those cars that have been checked and serviced in line with these lists are the reliable ones.
Yes they can and do leak but these can be found and remidied. It isn't a mass production cars so you need to be on top of things. If this is too much bother, then a TVR isn't for you.
mistermexican said:
This is also something for me to think about. I accept most people don't use them everyday but some people do, or at least claim to on this forum so it must be possible. The reason I thought I could is that my friend has an Elise and he used that everyday and didn't manage to crash (and he had no air conditioning). So my logic was that it was at least comparable to that. My daily drive is about 10 miles each way and the roads aren't too fast but I accept the point about if I'm on the motorway somewhere and it starts to tip it down. Surely leaks could be fixed and if it's serviced every 6k miles it could have waxoil added?
I've had an Elise - it is much easier to drive as a daily compared to a TVR. The lotus is fundamentally a simple car with limited space, little torque and perhaps a leaky hood.TVR has the space to be practical but none of the chassis protection, too much torque to be fun in winter and is too light for the power for you to switch off and have fun most of the time. There is no point having a TVR as a daily - if you can afford one you can afford a hack to put the boring miles on
just in my opinion
olliete said:
I've had an Elise - it is much easier to drive as a daily compared to a TVR. The lotus is fundamentally a simple car with limited space, little torque and perhaps a leaky hood.
TVR has the space to be practical but none of the chassis protection, too much torque to be fun in winter and is too light for the power for you to switch off and have fun most of the time. There is no point having a TVR as a daily - if you can afford one you can afford a hack to put the boring miles on
just in my opinion
I understand what you're getting at. I understand about the the high torque and lack of traction control but I don't have to press the throttle hard, just drive accordingly for the conditions as I would in any other car. And it never snows in Blackpool. TVR has the space to be practical but none of the chassis protection, too much torque to be fun in winter and is too light for the power for you to switch off and have fun most of the time. There is no point having a TVR as a daily - if you can afford one you can afford a hack to put the boring miles on
just in my opinion
mistermexican said:
I understand what you're getting at. I understand about the the high torque and lack of traction control but I don't have to press the throttle hard, just drive accordingly for the conditions as I would in any other car. And it never snows in Blackpool.
Hallelujah good for you. That's the whole fun of driving. As you say driving to your mood and conditions without needing driver aids. When I was learning to drive the extent of driver aids was a very crude abs system that frankly was a waste of time and I'm still alive.... I used to use my Tuscan for longer work trips and to be honest most of the time it was bloody annoying. It needs much concentration to drive especially in the wet, heater and aircon too unreliable, it takes too long to get to operating temps in the winter so you have to short shift much of the time, it suferred from condensation and hit you with random problems on a regular basis, eg no lights at the rear. Oh and the seats are more form over function. I loved the car but not as a daily.
I now use an Evora S as my daily. Very reliable as fast and as much of a head turner as the Tuscan, plus you can get the parts, its very comfortable and it handles beautifully making it much faster A to B on uk cross country roads
I now use an Evora S as my daily. Very reliable as fast and as much of a head turner as the Tuscan, plus you can get the parts, its very comfortable and it handles beautifully making it much faster A to B on uk cross country roads
blueg33 said:
I used to use my Tuscan for longer work trips and to be honest most of the time it was bloody annoying. It needs much concentration to drive especially in the wet, heater and aircon too unreliable, it takes too long to get to operating temps in the winter so you have to short shift much of the time, it suferred from condensation and hit you with random problems on a regular basis, eg no lights at the rear. Oh and the seats are more form over function. I loved the car but not as a daily.
Whats not to like 
The problem here is people that don't actually own one or live with one, probably look at this with a practical head and think "other people do it, it'll be fine".. the normal people that have tried it end up with the above experience as mentioned by BlueG, then theres those eccentrics who dress like Willy Wonka on a daily basis, endure anything and say "rubbish its all good" with a damp seat of their trousers.
Edited by m4tti on Wednesday 8th March 10:35
m4tti said:
Whats not to like :Rofl:
The problem here is people that don't actually own one or live with one, probably look at this with a practical head and think "other people do it, it'll be fine".. the normal people that have tried it end up with the above experience as mentioned by BlueG, then theres those eccentrics who dress like Willy Wonka on a daily basis, endure anything and say "rubbish its all good" with a damp seat of their trousers.
I was lucky, I had other cars more suitable for daily use, so the Tusc was mostly a toy, a job for which it is ideally suitedThe problem here is people that don't actually own one or live with one, probably look at this with a practical head and think "other people do it, it'll be fine".. the normal people that have tried it end up with the above experience as mentioned by BlueG, then theres those eccentrics who dress like Willy Wonka on a daily basis, endure anything and say "rubbish its all good" with a damp seat of their trousers.
John at Sussex TVR does a health check for low mileage cars that are regularly serviced. Probably going for one this year.
We also offer a health check from £199.99 for low mileage vehicles with a known service history which includes oil/filter change, electrical systems/levels and a visual inspection.
We also offer a health check from £199.99 for low mileage vehicles with a known service history which includes oil/filter change, electrical systems/levels and a visual inspection.
Every TVR I've owned with the exception of my latest has been a daily driver.
Tasmin boot used to fill with water. Highly amusing when filling at a service station on the Autobahn after clearing the drain holes and watching bemused German faces as the fuel went in and some clear liquid used to dribble out at the same time. Flat battery.
Chimaera, January, Germany, -15 Reg and trying to unfreeze the door release button. Flat battery.. Love this car. 
Tuscan mk1. Flat battery. Oh poo didn't notice all that mud on the road. Is that a tree . Loved and lost this car.
Tuscan convertible. Flat battery. Love this car.
I've moved to them only being summer months cars now.
Tasmin boot used to fill with water. Highly amusing when filling at a service station on the Autobahn after clearing the drain holes and watching bemused German faces as the fuel went in and some clear liquid used to dribble out at the same time. Flat battery.
Chimaera, January, Germany, -15 Reg and trying to unfreeze the door release button. Flat battery.
. Love this car. Tuscan mk1. Flat battery.
Oh poo didn't notice all that mud on the road. Is that a tree . Loved and lost this car.Tuscan convertible. Flat battery.
Love this car. I've moved to them only being summer months cars now.
When I was doing a daily commute of about 60 miles each way, the only way I could stay sane was by driving something interesting, most of the time a TVR. Maybe I'm different to most, but a 'daily hack' vehicle just doesn't work for me.
Yes, you have to be prepared to compromise a little with misting up in bad weather compared with a mainstream car, but it is worth it in my opinion.
Yes, you have to be prepared to compromise a little with misting up in bad weather compared with a mainstream car, but it is worth it in my opinion.
mistermexican said:
........ My daily drive is about 10 miles each way ......
is the only thing only thing I would comment on. Within 10 miles the car is unlikely to be fully warmed through, so you'll be driving it on the temp gauge and rev limiting which isn't much fun. I also live within 10 miles of my office, which is why I use my tintop. Of course, if you turn round as soon as you arrive because you "forgot" your wallet, the journey home will be blast. Gassing Station | Tuscan | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff