Discussion
So...I think I've worked out that I can afford a Tamora 
A few questions for you:
1. Does anyone else park a car like this on the street (reasonably nice part of West London...but other cars are mainly novas and fiestas
)
2. I'd be running it all round the year as my main car. Do I need aircon for summer? How mad do I need to be to use it as a main winter car?
3. Should I get a nearly-new one? Why would anyone sell a car like this after only a few months? How could I guarantee its been treated properly?
4. Thinking about colour combinations...maybe metallic green with dark-grey interior. Or should I go for something more jazzy?
I'm all
. Let me know your thoughts.
Stevie Chicken
A few questions for you:
1. Does anyone else park a car like this on the street (reasonably nice part of West London...but other cars are mainly novas and fiestas
) 2. I'd be running it all round the year as my main car. Do I need aircon for summer? How mad do I need to be to use it as a main winter car?
3. Should I get a nearly-new one? Why would anyone sell a car like this after only a few months? How could I guarantee its been treated properly?
4. Thinking about colour combinations...maybe metallic green with dark-grey interior. Or should I go for something more jazzy?
I'm all
. Let me know your thoughts. Stevie Chicken
quote:
Why would anyone sell a car like this after only a few months? How could I guarantee its been treated properly?
There's a couple for sale in the classifieds section at the moment
www.pistonheads.com/ads/
quote:
Thinking about colour combinations...maybe metallic green with dark-grey interior. Or should I go for something more jazzy?
I HATE green cars - let me make that quite clear......
HATE
HATE
HATE
HATE
.....but then Hawthorns have got a Tamora, which I think is the same colour as Luca Brazzi's Tuscan - Reflex Green. And I found myself just having to say how good that looked at the start of the Pie on the Beach run.
DOH!!!
Go for it. As far as I'm concerned it's the most usable TVR yet so using it every day shouldn't be a problem at all. The servicing costs are the deciding factor here. Remember it will need a service every 6k so budget for around £650 a service, unless you use a specialist like Offord.
Colour wise, it's a very colour sensitive car and I would say that you should go for something different rather than something boring. It's a wild car and needs a wild paint job...
As for leaving it on the street, only you know what your neighbourhood is like....
Good luck!!
Colour wise, it's a very colour sensitive car and I would say that you should go for something different rather than something boring. It's a wild car and needs a wild paint job...
As for leaving it on the street, only you know what your neighbourhood is like....
Good luck!!
quote:My Cerbera sits outside all the time on a (quiet) SW London street: no problems so far.
1. Does anyone else park a car like this on the street (reasonably nice part of West London...but other cars are mainly novas and fiestas
quote:Most TVRs can (and are) used as year-round transport. Mine is my only car. Aircon will probably help to counter some of the heat soak in the cabin.
2. I'd be running it all round the year as my main car. Do I need aircon for summer? How mad do I need to be to use it as a main winter car?
quote:Never any guarantees, but you can probably get a good feel for how the previous owner has treated it by asking a few pertinant questions (like do they understand about warming up before using high revs etc). You could save the initial depreciation on a new car going this route.
3. Should I get a nearly-new one? Why would anyone sell a car like this after only a few months? How could I guarantee its been treated properly?
quote:It's your call: whatever floats your doodah.
4. Thinking about colour combinations...maybe metallic green with dark-grey interior. Or should I go for something more jazzy?
Get along to TVRCC and PH meetings and have a look at a few. Oh, and Just Do It(tm)
Stevie, I run my Tamora daily and have had no regrets so far!
I got the car at the end of January so have nearly experienced a winter with it without any trouble.
The car's kept under a carport so I've never had to scrape the ice off it like you would?
The cabin did get quite warm during the few really hot summer days that we had. Air con might have been nice for those few odd occasions?
I'm surprised to see 2 for sale in the classifieds! The first looks a bargain!
Let me know if you want to know any other specifics?
Cheers..... Andrew (ex gb61390)
I got the car at the end of January so have nearly experienced a winter with it without any trouble.
The car's kept under a carport so I've never had to scrape the ice off it like you would?
The cabin did get quite warm during the few really hot summer days that we had. Air con might have been nice for those few odd occasions?
I'm surprised to see 2 for sale in the classifieds! The first looks a bargain!
Let me know if you want to know any other specifics?
Cheers..... Andrew (ex gb61390)
Hi Stevie
Its a unique driving experience and turns heads all over the place, fantastic! Despite the well-documented niggles the car is mechanically very robust and feels extremely solid on the move, much more so than a Chimaera. And as for the performance words are barely enough.... There doesnt seem to be a lot of saving going secondhand yet, better to order one to your exact desires and cherish it from new? The're also much easier to drive than past TVRs, lovely progressive/light hydraulic clutch, perfectly weighted steering, slick gearbox, etc etc. Go for it.
Its a unique driving experience and turns heads all over the place, fantastic! Despite the well-documented niggles the car is mechanically very robust and feels extremely solid on the move, much more so than a Chimaera. And as for the performance words are barely enough.... There doesnt seem to be a lot of saving going secondhand yet, better to order one to your exact desires and cherish it from new? The're also much easier to drive than past TVRs, lovely progressive/light hydraulic clutch, perfectly weighted steering, slick gearbox, etc etc. Go for it.
...oh forgot to say (got carried away there) definitely go for the leather if you can afford it. I didnt and wish I had, really raises the cabin ambience and far harder wearing than the suspect Bison. As for aircon would be nice too although I find the biggest problem in the summer is hot/sweaty seats which aircon hardly helps. Will stop winter misting though. At the end of the day it's all very personal, you choose!
Definitely get one. They are a brilliant car, not without flaws, as Lance knows too well, but the driving experience is fantastic - the pace and noise are quite unlike any other car ( well, any car that mortals can afford!). Mine has not put a foot wrong so far. As for recommendations, body colour for rear spoiler and bonnet vents, Armourfend, avoid chameleon/reflex colours (presonal opinion), forget green!! - go for a slightly more outrageous colour, but not too OTT, 'cos the car itself does that. Lance feels leather for the seats would be a good idea, and aircon sounds good, but mine doesn't have it, so I wouldn't know. That's about £40 grand to you, Sir!!
Enjoy, you're a long time dead, so enhance your life as much as you can while you're here!!
Enjoy, you're a long time dead, so enhance your life as much as you can while you're here!!
Thanks everybody for your helpful responses. 
Two more questions
1. Is anyone still running on 16" wheels? Seems like there would be some benefits in terms of cheaper tyres, less kerb damage and quieter ride (or am I just nuts?)
2. How do you work out what colours look good on a car. Do you just have to guess unless you've got a photo?
Steve
>> Edited by Stevie Chicken on Tuesday 10th September 16:08
Two more questions
1. Is anyone still running on 16" wheels? Seems like there would be some benefits in terms of cheaper tyres, less kerb damage and quieter ride (or am I just nuts?)
2. How do you work out what colours look good on a car. Do you just have to guess unless you've got a photo?
Steve
>> Edited by Stevie Chicken on Tuesday 10th September 16:08
1. you're probably right but hardly anyone's got them. the 18's transform the looks!
2. try and see as many as possible - quite a few pics on the web if you trawl classifieds, all the dealer pages (new and used sections), tvr home page, etc just run a search. I agree with Nubbin, the car needs to be a bit flash (or ALL black, inc the wheels...menacing) go for a good contrast between in and out. All very subjective....
2. try and see as many as possible - quite a few pics on the web if you trawl classifieds, all the dealer pages (new and used sections), tvr home page, etc just run a search. I agree with Nubbin, the car needs to be a bit flash (or ALL black, inc the wheels...menacing) go for a good contrast between in and out. All very subjective....
I have the 16" inch wheels, the car was designed with these in mind. Personally, I was never 'taken' by the 18" option (and I'd have probably kerbed them by now). Even with the 16" wheels the ride is rather firm, never been in a Tamora with 18" wheels on the road, so can't compare.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Stevie,
I agree with the points already made, but there is one further issue with regard to the Tamora, (or with mine anyway), that seems to be very rarely mentioned, and may be an issue if you are going to drive the car in town.
The turning circle, even on full lock is massive!
I believe this is to prevent the wheels/tyres touching the suspension.
It may be if I drove the car as my every day means of transport that I wouldn't notice it, but after driving the Tamora, even my Discovery feels as though it could turn on a sixpence!
Just thought I'd mention it, as it wasn't something I noticed when I took the car out for a test drive.
I agree with the points already made, but there is one further issue with regard to the Tamora, (or with mine anyway), that seems to be very rarely mentioned, and may be an issue if you are going to drive the car in town.
The turning circle, even on full lock is massive!
I believe this is to prevent the wheels/tyres touching the suspension.
It may be if I drove the car as my every day means of transport that I wouldn't notice it, but after driving the Tamora, even my Discovery feels as though it could turn on a sixpence!
Just thought I'd mention it, as it wasn't something I noticed when I took the car out for a test drive.
Did the car have 16" or 18" wheels on?
The 18" inch wheels are wider, can't turn in as much and thus the turning circle is wider than with the 16" wheels.
On my test drive (16" wheels) I made a point of doing some low speed maneuvering, didn't think it was too bad. Parallel parking does require a good sized space though.
Cheers.
The 18" inch wheels are wider, can't turn in as much and thus the turning circle is wider than with the 16" wheels.
On my test drive (16" wheels) I made a point of doing some low speed maneuvering, didn't think it was too bad. Parallel parking does require a good sized space though.
Cheers.
I did a track day on 16" wheels recently, and the car was a death trap! I ended up in a gravel trap, and it felt "wobbly", presumably because of the high profile. I went round with flasher on the 18" wheels, and the grip and turn in was incredibly different. on the road, the 16" are more comfortable, and the steering is smoother, but grip and cornering speeds are musch better on the 18's. Take your pick!!
Anyway, c'mon chaps, surely there's somone down stevie's way who will let him have a passenger seat in a run-in Tamora?!
>> Edited by nubbin on Tuesday 10th September 17:38
Anyway, c'mon chaps, surely there's somone down stevie's way who will let him have a passenger seat in a run-in Tamora?!
>> Edited by nubbin on Tuesday 10th September 17:38
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