Should I shouldn't I - TVR v M3

Should I shouldn't I - TVR v M3

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Stu-nph26

Original Poster:

1,984 posts

104 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
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So browsing the classifieds at lunchtime I found this beauty https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

I was all set on buying an e92 M3 but my heart tells me I should get the TVR and my head says get the M3 with a year AUC warranty.

Does anyone know this particular car? Am I mad to be considering the TVR, I love the cars but I'm concerned it'll be ruinous.


m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Stu-nph26 said:
I love the cars but I'm concerned it'll be ruinous.
It’s all good fun till this sort of thing happens. Is this just a weekend car. If so it doesn’t really matter.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...


Stu-nph26

Original Poster:

1,984 posts

104 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
m4tti said:
It’s all good fun till this sort of thing happens. Is this just a weekend car. If so it doesn’t really matter.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Yes mainly we have another car in the household and I commute via train to work so the car would be at home but not garaged which is another worry.

Andy_mr2sc

1,223 posts

175 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
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What is your car ownership history and what type of use would you put the car too?

I went from a Tuscan (owned for five years, total eight years of tvr ownership) to an E92 M3 ESS Supercharged with 625hp and sold it, six weeks later. It hurt me to do so as on paper it ticked every box but when I'd got over the power rush it was a very boring car unless you were going well in to three figures. If I drove a lot of european miles it would be amazing but as a Sunday morning hoon car it just wasn't exciting enough. It also had the trait of the standard car where nothing happened until 6k rpm so unless you are using the higher revs you may as well have a 330d with the same toys, better mpg and more bottom end grunt.
On the plus side it won't break down like the tvr will, (and ignore what everyone tells you, it will break down) you will feel much more refreshed when you reach your destination and the M logo courtesy light in the bottom of the door is the coolest thing you will ever see.
I now have a 430hp VXR220 that is quicker than both, has amazing grip and handling and also doesn't break down.

Stu-nph26

Original Poster:

1,984 posts

104 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Andy_mr2sc said:
What is your car ownership history and what type of use would you put the car too?

I went from a Tuscan (owned for five years, total eight years of tvr ownership) to an E92 M3 ESS Supercharged with 625hp and sold it, six weeks later. It hurt me to do so as on paper it ticked every box but when I'd got over the power rush it was a very boring car unless you were going well in to three figures. If I drove a lot of european miles it would be amazing but as a Sunday morning hoon car it just wasn't exciting enough. It also had the trait of the standard car where nothing happened until 6k rpm so unless you are using the higher revs you may as well have a 330d with the same toys, better mpg and more bottom end grunt.
On the plus side it won't break down like the tvr will, (and ignore what everyone tells you, it will break down) you will feel much more refreshed when you reach your destination and the M logo courtesy light in the bottom of the door is the coolest thing you will ever see.
I now have a 430hp VXR220 that is quicker than both, has amazing grip and handling and also doesn't break down.
Car history is mainly hot hatches I currently have a leased Scirroco R. I had a company car - e92 M3 back in 2012 when they were new. My dad is retired motor trade so basic jobs should be fine as I'm handy(ish) with a spanner and he can help me out or has a lot of connections.

TBH the M3 would be a compromise I do want something raw loud and ridiculous but the associated TVR tax and breakdowns do worry me. I considered C63's and the M3 and both didn't tick all of the boxes, but I had decided to settle until reading the classifieds this afternoon. The car will be used mainly at weekends and be pottering about doing menial tasks with the regular blast for fun.


Andy_mr2sc

1,223 posts

175 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
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A TVR will be fun, no question. There is a reason I had three over eight years but they should be looked on as a hobby. Your weekends of pottering will mainly be on your car. You will spend as much time under it as in it and the electrics are frankly a joke. I'll repeat what is often said on here and buy the very best one you can with as much paperwork as possible to back it up. You will also find the handling interesting after the accomplished cars you have owned. This may all sound very pessimistic but many on here look at their cars through rose tinted glasses and forget to mention all the woes. It is a world away from an M, although quite an event to drive in comparison.

Stu-nph26

Original Poster:

1,984 posts

104 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Yea my thought entirely I might be better purchasing one from a dealer that offers a warranty so I have more piece of mind.

robsco

7,822 posts

175 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
If you have another mode of travel for the boring commute and this car is solely for fun then you’d be mad not to buy the TVR. If it all goes wrong then it really isn’t the end of the world... you’d lose no more fixing a TVR than you would losing through depreciation in a newish M3. I had R72EAN as it happens, so the car you’re looking at was supplied by Henley Heritage. One thing to note, that car doesn’t have air con - it wouldn’t bother me but most people swear not to buy a TVR without it.

Juddder

835 posts

183 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
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I have a Cerbera and a 911 C4S so I think a pretty good comparison of the type of cars you are looking at, and they're quite different in my head

The Cerbera is a great car to have, and blindingly fast, but there's always something to do with it

Not necessarily an expensive something mind you, but it could always do with the (*examples) window seals being redone, or to fit the new ECU debug from Ade etc.

Many of the guys on here go the whole hog and do a body off restoration, or an LS engine swap, or something like that. Myself I'm kind of happy as it is so it's just basic maintenance and driving.

The only big things I have done were shocks, which I had Str8Six fit and align for me, and the starter motor, which I did myself but in hindsight should have definitely had someone better fit as it's a pig of a job to do!

The Porsche on the other hand is much more how I would imagine the M3 to be.

There's no need to do anything with it and you can just drive whenever you fancy

It _is_ a little bit on the boring side I guess, but then I didn't buy the GT3 (*as they're crazy money and I think it a City!) but for a Sunday drive to Richmond it's perfect

The Cerbera on the other hand for a trip up to Silverstone or a blast to Goodwood is perfect and always an adventure - never boring that is to say the least!

Hope in some way that might help - a least for what you want to use it for smile


PuffsBack

2,428 posts

224 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
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Let me assist you - my Cerb vs my mates M3

Oh and just to add I sold my E92 BMW to buy the Cerb - as the E92 was the biggest most unreliable piece of c**p (did more miles back and forth getting stuff fixed under warranty, took great delight in telling my BMW dealer I has sold the car to buy something more reliable - a TVR)

My mates E46 M3 was as reliable as clockwork though







Edited by PuffsBack on Tuesday 16th January 17:56

m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
People will disagree but in my opinion these cars need to be garaged.

The garage will also be warmer than outside when you need to do some fettling

Stu-nph26

Original Poster:

1,984 posts

104 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
robsco said:
If you have another mode of travel for the boring commute and this car is solely for fun then you’d be mad not to buy the TVR. If it all goes wrong then it really isn’t the end of the world... you’d lose no more fixing a TVR than you would losing through depreciation in a newish M3. I had R72EAN as it happens, so the car you’re looking at was supplied by Henley Heritage. One thing to note, that car doesn’t have air con - it wouldn’t bother me but most people swear not to buy a TVR without it.
We do have another car and my commute is by train so the TVR would be used 2-3 times a week for shorts trips and the rest of the time would purely be for fun.

Stu-nph26

Original Poster:

1,984 posts

104 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Juddder said:
I have a Cerbera and a 911 C4S so I think a pretty good comparison of the type of cars you are looking at, and they're quite different in my head

The Cerbera is a great car to have, and blindingly fast, but there's always something to do with it

Not necessarily an expensive something mind you, but it could always do with the (*examples) window seals being redone, or to fit the new ECU debug from Ade etc.

Many of the guys on here go the whole hog and do a body off restoration, or an LS engine swap, or something like that. Myself I'm kind of happy as it is so it's just basic maintenance and driving.

The only big things I have done were shocks, which I had Str8Six fit and align for me, and the starter motor, which I did myself but in hindsight should have definitely had someone better fit as it's a pig of a job to do!

The Porsche on the other hand is much more how I would imagine the M3 to be.

There's no need to do anything with it and you can just drive whenever you fancy

It _is_ a little bit on the boring side I guess, but then I didn't buy the GT3 (*as they're crazy money and I think it a City!) but for a Sunday drive to Richmond it's perfect

The Cerbera on the other hand for a trip up to Silverstone or a blast to Goodwood is perfect and always an adventure - never boring that is to say the least!

Hope in some way that might help - a least for what you want to use it for smile
Thanks Judder that’s very interesting if you could only pick one which would it be?

Stu-nph26

Original Poster:

1,984 posts

104 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
PuffsBack said:
Let me assist you - my Cerb vs my mates M3

Oh and just to add I sold my E92 BMW to buy the Cerb - as the E92 was the biggest most unreliable piece of c**p (did more miles back and forth getting stuff fixed under warranty, took great delight in telling my BMW dealer I has sold the car to buy something more reliable - a TVR)

My mates E46 M3 was as reliable as clockwork though







Edited by PuffsBack on Tuesday 16th January 17:56
Brilliant I’d love to have seen the dealers face. And has the Cerb been reliable?

Stu-nph26

Original Poster:

1,984 posts

104 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
m4tti said:
People will disagree but in my opinion these cars need to be garaged.

The garage will also be warmer than outside when you need to do some fettling
I live in the north East close to the sea so I’m not scared of getting a little bit cold however that may effect the Cerb living outside in the cold sea air!

m4tti

5,426 posts

154 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Stu-nph26 said:
I live in the north East close to the sea so I’m not scared of getting a little bit cold however that may effect the Cerb living outside in the cold sea air!
Think salt... think mild steel tubular chassis hehe

robsco

7,822 posts

175 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
Stu-nph26 said:
robsco said:
If you have another mode of travel for the boring commute and this car is solely for fun then you’d be mad not to buy the TVR. If it all goes wrong then it really isn’t the end of the world... you’d lose no more fixing a TVR than you would losing through depreciation in a newish M3. I had R72EAN as it happens, so the car you’re looking at was supplied by Henley Heritage. One thing to note, that car doesn’t have air con - it wouldn’t bother me but most people swear not to buy a TVR without it.
We do have another car and my commute is by train so the TVR would be used 2-3 times a week for shorts trips and the rest of the time would purely be for fun.
Go for the Tiv. I’ve spent time driving M3s (not an E92 mind, E36 and 46) and for all they are lovely, they are a fast executive car, nothing more. Although obviously over on the BMW forum you’d expect a similar level of bias to their cars! TVRs are not particularly well screwed together and it will test your patience at times, but the positives hugely outweigh the negatives.

fullpull

260 posts

166 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
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m4tti said:
People will disagree but in my opinion these cars need to be garaged.

The garage will also be warmer than outside when you need to do some fettling
Agreed. Mine's garaged (dry, pretty constant temperature) and NO issues at all in my eight years of ownership.


Stu-nph26

Original Poster:

1,984 posts

104 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
quotequote all
m4tti said:
Think salt... think mild steel tubular chassis hehe
Exactly that is a worry

PuffsBack

2,428 posts

224 months

Tuesday 16th January 2018
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[quote=PuffsBack]

Cerb was a joy to own, in 3 and a half years the only thing that failed was the alternator plus I replaced the battery which was a little tired. Sold it for a lot more than I paid for it, i calculated that all in including fuel I was cash positive over period of ownership. So much for them being the money pit painted by others!

Oh and it was a Speed6, which didn't explode, didn't die, didn't drop valves...it just went about its business painlessly and kept getting passed with a clean bill of health every year (original 2002, no rebuild)

Fabulous car, gorgeous looking, fierce sounding its sorely missed. Currently have a Chameleon Orange Sagaris but for all its cartoon crazy attention grabbing looks I still miss the beautiful grace of the Cerbera

Its the only car I have ever driven where you could watch women's head swivel and whisper in their boyfriends/husband ear 'what car is that' In the Sagaris they just look at you with a look of distain - 'flash tw*t" smile