Noble wanabe...!
Discussion
Hi,
I currently own a TVR Chimaera and have done for the past 3 years. I love the car but was thinking of possibly changing it for a Noble M12. The only 2 things that are stopping me is the practicality of my car, and the exhaust note!!!
I drove one round a track and love the performance/handling etc....! - Could i just ask, what is the car like to drive on a day to day basis? i don't have to commute everyday but it would be used quite often! How much room for the shopping etc...? Is there anything i need to look out for?
Thanks allot guys, and don't tell anyone in the TVR forum cause they might think i'm a traitor!!!
I currently own a TVR Chimaera and have done for the past 3 years. I love the car but was thinking of possibly changing it for a Noble M12. The only 2 things that are stopping me is the practicality of my car, and the exhaust note!!!
I drove one round a track and love the performance/handling etc....! - Could i just ask, what is the car like to drive on a day to day basis? i don't have to commute everyday but it would be used quite often! How much room for the shopping etc...? Is there anything i need to look out for?
Thanks allot guys, and don't tell anyone in the TVR forum cause they might think i'm a traitor!!!
I used to have a 4.0 Chimaera - all I can say is do it!
For everyday use speedbumps can be a pain, I can get a weeks shopping for the 2 of us in (not with her in the car as well), Justin has gone on a 10 day holiday in his with his other half and managed to get enough clothes in the Noble fitted luggage.
For everyday use speedbumps can be a pain, I can get a weeks shopping for the 2 of us in (not with her in the car as well), Justin has gone on a 10 day holiday in his with his other half and managed to get enough clothes in the Noble fitted luggage.
Twerlie,
My GTO3 is the only car I have, although I admittedly don't use it as a very regular daily drive. I have gone through spells of using it to drive from Croydon way into the City, through some pretty nasty roads and traffic Q's so have a few views on this.
The main issue I find is the profile of the car. Everyone, and I mean everyone is interested. You have eyes on you at all times. I find this a little disconcerting when commuting as I like to make swift anonymous progress to my destination (I love the attention the car gets when out for a blast though!! just a pity the driver doesn't get the same level of interest)
Parking is a bit of a trial but can be mastered. Turning circle is a right pain and can make you look like a real halfwit when you meet the wrong road. Car behaves well and is easy to drive in very heavy traffic mostly due I think to its fairly compact dimensions, and its excellent behaviour when crawling along at 0.0001 mph (never had any issues in either the pouring rain or blistering heat). Also need to be careful of ramps (such as car parks) which again need the 45 degree tickle. I have regularly used NCP style car parks without too much grief though.
I haven't yet met the speedbump that causes the Noble any issues - just use the 45 degree approach technique if in any doubt. (having said this I took a lump out of front splitter just the other day through not being cautious enough with my speed over a bump the size of the great pyramid of Egypt in Clerkenwell - but that was my fault and not really the car)
I personally find the car very comfortable for trips of any length, but this is obviously down to personal physiology (and psychology maybe?)
It can be disconcerting being so low, particularly in motorway driving alongside big wagons in the spray. The lights come undr scrutiny here as well, as in the 2.5 and GTO3 I find the lights barely adequate, and I know many on here have taken the fairly low cost route of upgrading to different lamps.
Never really had any problem with roadholding in the wet - really down to realistic and safe driving. I take extra care when leaving petrol station forecourts though in the wet due to potential loss of grip due to fuel spillage from Halfwit drivers overfilling (almost got badly caught on the first day of owning car with a real trouser changer - I have learnt my lesson)
Luggage space has never been a problem as I usually bung anything on the passenger footwell - usually commute on my own. But when 2 up you can still fit a surprising amount in behind the seats and around/under the passengers legs.
On the whole I don't mind driving it though traffic, particularly when in a gear lower than that which is correct with the revs around the 4k mark when making slow progress and you get the high pitched wail. (luverly).
I find the suspension fairly hard, but not overly so, when you can't avoid a pothole you do tend to feel it. And the car does become unstable on poor surfaces - but then so does every performance car, and the Noble is probably better than most. Width not an issue as it goes anywhere, it looks a lot wider than it actually is. You could also take the spoiler off as has been discussed in other threads to increase visibility, also probably reducing the CHAV inappropriate interest coefficient at the same time, allowing you to make slightly more anonymous progress through Burberry infested areas.
Hope this helps mate. I've copied bits of this in from earlier replies and it is worth doing a bit of searching to get the views of others. With the values of Nobles starting to find their level there are some good buys out there at the moment IMO.
Cheers
Mike
My GTO3 is the only car I have, although I admittedly don't use it as a very regular daily drive. I have gone through spells of using it to drive from Croydon way into the City, through some pretty nasty roads and traffic Q's so have a few views on this.
The main issue I find is the profile of the car. Everyone, and I mean everyone is interested. You have eyes on you at all times. I find this a little disconcerting when commuting as I like to make swift anonymous progress to my destination (I love the attention the car gets when out for a blast though!! just a pity the driver doesn't get the same level of interest)
Parking is a bit of a trial but can be mastered. Turning circle is a right pain and can make you look like a real halfwit when you meet the wrong road. Car behaves well and is easy to drive in very heavy traffic mostly due I think to its fairly compact dimensions, and its excellent behaviour when crawling along at 0.0001 mph (never had any issues in either the pouring rain or blistering heat). Also need to be careful of ramps (such as car parks) which again need the 45 degree tickle. I have regularly used NCP style car parks without too much grief though.
I haven't yet met the speedbump that causes the Noble any issues - just use the 45 degree approach technique if in any doubt. (having said this I took a lump out of front splitter just the other day through not being cautious enough with my speed over a bump the size of the great pyramid of Egypt in Clerkenwell - but that was my fault and not really the car)
I personally find the car very comfortable for trips of any length, but this is obviously down to personal physiology (and psychology maybe?)
It can be disconcerting being so low, particularly in motorway driving alongside big wagons in the spray. The lights come undr scrutiny here as well, as in the 2.5 and GTO3 I find the lights barely adequate, and I know many on here have taken the fairly low cost route of upgrading to different lamps.
Never really had any problem with roadholding in the wet - really down to realistic and safe driving. I take extra care when leaving petrol station forecourts though in the wet due to potential loss of grip due to fuel spillage from Halfwit drivers overfilling (almost got badly caught on the first day of owning car with a real trouser changer - I have learnt my lesson)
Luggage space has never been a problem as I usually bung anything on the passenger footwell - usually commute on my own. But when 2 up you can still fit a surprising amount in behind the seats and around/under the passengers legs.
On the whole I don't mind driving it though traffic, particularly when in a gear lower than that which is correct with the revs around the 4k mark when making slow progress and you get the high pitched wail. (luverly).
I find the suspension fairly hard, but not overly so, when you can't avoid a pothole you do tend to feel it. And the car does become unstable on poor surfaces - but then so does every performance car, and the Noble is probably better than most. Width not an issue as it goes anywhere, it looks a lot wider than it actually is. You could also take the spoiler off as has been discussed in other threads to increase visibility, also probably reducing the CHAV inappropriate interest coefficient at the same time, allowing you to make slightly more anonymous progress through Burberry infested areas.
Hope this helps mate. I've copied bits of this in from earlier replies and it is worth doing a bit of searching to get the views of others. With the values of Nobles starting to find their level there are some good buys out there at the moment IMO.
Cheers
Mike
I have to agree with Mike, I find the Noble very comfortable. I guess it's just down to the size and shape of the individual. Luckily enough it fits me like a glove!
On the lugggage front, it's obviously no Range Rover, but you can get a long weekends stuff in OK. As an example, I drove down to Le Mans in it last year. Me(5ft11), brother in law(6ft5), 2man tent, sleeping bags, clothes, beer, food. Tight, but no real problem !!
O.
On the lugggage front, it's obviously no Range Rover, but you can get a long weekends stuff in OK. As an example, I drove down to Le Mans in it last year. Me(5ft11), brother in law(6ft5), 2man tent, sleeping bags, clothes, beer, food. Tight, but no real problem !!
O.
miken said:
It can be disconcerting being so low, particularly in motorway driving alongside big wagons in the spray.
This is a bit off topic and I'm sure a lot of Noblers are aware of this, but having had personal experience of being hit by a LHD lorry at 70 mph in the XKR I recommend everyone to try not to cruise next to big wagons, especially if you can see that they're LHD.
www.ridedrive.co.uk/tipoffs13.htm is well worth a read!
Oh and the side protection on the XKR works very well.
Thank you so much guys for your help/advice! - I will defiantly be arranging a test drive/proper look at one. The comment on TVR's breaking down is very stereo typical as mine has never broken down in 3 years of ownership, and my brothers Cerbera was always reliable too. I agree that they have allot of niggling problems but it does give them character…and perfect/safe/reliable cars can be a bit boring!
Do you guys meet up and go for a blast? it would be cool to come along one time to get a closer look at some of your cars and speak to you all...?!!
Thanks again, and I hope in the not too distant future I will be joining you all in this forum!
Take care and drive safe!
Ross
Do you guys meet up and go for a blast? it would be cool to come along one time to get a closer look at some of your cars and speak to you all...?!!
Thanks again, and I hope in the not too distant future I will be joining you all in this forum!
Take care and drive safe!
Ross
I really can't be doing with this argument on the noble forum. He's more than entitled to call it as he sees it. I happen to agree with him, so lets agree to disagree and I won't comment everytime someone tries to claim TVRs are reliable calling it a gross & inaccurate generalisation.
LOL Dan.
A Friend test drove a Tuscan S, the dash pod fell off whilst going round a corner, another friend test drove a T350C, the door card fell off when he got in. The dealer of the Tuscan's actual words when he found the dash pod had come off were "Is that all, you were lucky".
Nothing any TVR fan boy says will convince me my own experiences with my unreliable TVR were not as I found them.
A Friend test drove a Tuscan S, the dash pod fell off whilst going round a corner, another friend test drove a T350C, the door card fell off when he got in. The dealer of the Tuscan's actual words when he found the dash pod had come off were "Is that all, you were lucky".
Nothing any TVR fan boy says will convince me my own experiences with my unreliable TVR were not as I found them.
Your obliviously an unlucky person. My brother had a brand new Vauxhall Tigra about 6 years ago, and it had so many electrical problems that it had to be returned for a complete new wiring loom!!! - Anyway, i didn't open this forum to have people insult my make of car, I was just asking advice on buying a Noble M12. I love my 'TVR' because it is a very practical, fast, loud, beautiful, RELIABLE TO ME sports car. So let just get over it...!
twerlie said:No, he was an unlucky person on THAT OCCASION, it does not mean to say that he is an unlucky person in general. Please refrain from making such sweeping remarks on this forum.
Your obliviously an unlucky person. My brother had a brand new Vauxhall Tigra about 6 years ago, and it had so many electrical problems that it had to be returned for a complete new wiring loom!!! - Anyway, i didn't open this forum to have people insult my make of car, I was just asking advice on buying a Noble M12. I love my 'TVR' because it is a very practical, fast, loud, beautiful, RELIABLE TO ME sports car. So let just get over it...!
FI tends to muck it up a bit, because the noble isn't actually that quiet if you are stood behind it, its just not that pretty either. I guess the nicest thing you can say is that its a little bit rumbly and quite purposeful 
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