Thinking of Buying a Tuscan/Cerbera - Please help!
Discussion
First off let me say Hello, I am a new member of the PisonHeads forum but have been using the site for many years.
I currently own a SEAT Leon Cupra R which I have very happily owned for 2 years from new, but I have dreamed about owning a TVR for many years but it hasn’t been a viable option for me until now.
I work my LCR pretty hard with yearly trips to Le Mans and the Nurburgring (2 weekends planned there for this summer with a journey through the Stelvio Pass in between them) and numerous track days in the UK throughout the year and in between that it gets me to and from work everyday.
I am now looking for a less sensible “fun” car to replace the Leon (with a possibility of the Leon being passed to the missus so to keep a reliable "sensible" but fun car in the household). I am looking for a car which will let me enjoy everything I enjoy in Leon at present but even more so! I currently do 12k a year in the Leon but will aim to do a lot less in a TVR possibly getting my old Mk2 Golf GTI 16v running again for my 30mile round trip daily commute.
I have worked out I have a rough budget of about £25k - £28k for the car itself.
My shortlist is down to:
Cerbera 4.5 / 4.2 / Speed Six
Tuscan Speed Six and Tuscan S
I like the T350 but I think it is out of my budget at the moment. I like the idea of having the Tuscan's removable roof having the best of both worlds really with a hard top and no top
But I have always liked the look of the Cerbera as well, the extra seats although small may come in useful but this isn’t important to me really.
I have read about the problems that people have with the Speed Six engine. This is quite worrying as a potential Speed Six owner! My initial thought is to go with a V8 Cerbera instead of any of the Speed Sixes and avoid these problems, but is that being too paranoid? Are there certain years of Tuscan to try and avoid with some being more prone to engine problems than others? Can anyone outline what the potential pitfalls are of owning a Speed Six?
Do people recommend buying from a dealer rather than privately? Some dealers offer a 12 month warranty. Is this worth the premium over buying privately? Will it cover needing to get the engine rebuilt?
Would these cars feel at home on the Nurburgring Nordschleife? Performance is one thing but I want a car which handles well. I know that no TVR is quite as nimble as an Elise but how do they compare? Will I be able to throw them around Donington Park and still have a smile on my face at the end of the day (I can't imagine I wouldn't!!).
If anyone can point out any potential pitfalls and things to look out for it would be very much appreciated. Based on what I am aiming to use the car for is there one which would suite me more than the others?
I expect the general ‘if nothing goes wrong’ running costs to be fairly high and this isn’t a problem. I go through no end of 18” Goodyear F1’s in my Leon and know the expense of these, plus the cost of decent pads and disks not to mention fuel costs which I am sure are even worse than the 22mpg average I get from my Leon.
I hear of people putting aside £3k a year aside when buying a TVR for any problems, is this just for engine problems or are there more than that to worry about? One reason for buying the Leon new was for the warranty as I was fed up throwing what seemed like hundreds of pounds every few months on my Golf to keep it running (new engines, gearboxes etc.) but then again it had 120k miles on the clock and is 17 years old! I’m thinking that a dealer bought TVR with a 12 month warranty would be my best option, but I expect you pay the cost of an engine rebuild on top of the cost of buying privately anyway!?
Sorry for so many questions… I tried to answer my questions by reading the forums but I ended up with more questions!! ;-)
Cheers!
Nick
I currently own a SEAT Leon Cupra R which I have very happily owned for 2 years from new, but I have dreamed about owning a TVR for many years but it hasn’t been a viable option for me until now.
I work my LCR pretty hard with yearly trips to Le Mans and the Nurburgring (2 weekends planned there for this summer with a journey through the Stelvio Pass in between them) and numerous track days in the UK throughout the year and in between that it gets me to and from work everyday.
I am now looking for a less sensible “fun” car to replace the Leon (with a possibility of the Leon being passed to the missus so to keep a reliable "sensible" but fun car in the household). I am looking for a car which will let me enjoy everything I enjoy in Leon at present but even more so! I currently do 12k a year in the Leon but will aim to do a lot less in a TVR possibly getting my old Mk2 Golf GTI 16v running again for my 30mile round trip daily commute.
I have worked out I have a rough budget of about £25k - £28k for the car itself.
My shortlist is down to:
Cerbera 4.5 / 4.2 / Speed Six
Tuscan Speed Six and Tuscan S
I like the T350 but I think it is out of my budget at the moment. I like the idea of having the Tuscan's removable roof having the best of both worlds really with a hard top and no top
But I have always liked the look of the Cerbera as well, the extra seats although small may come in useful but this isn’t important to me really. I have read about the problems that people have with the Speed Six engine. This is quite worrying as a potential Speed Six owner! My initial thought is to go with a V8 Cerbera instead of any of the Speed Sixes and avoid these problems, but is that being too paranoid? Are there certain years of Tuscan to try and avoid with some being more prone to engine problems than others? Can anyone outline what the potential pitfalls are of owning a Speed Six?
Do people recommend buying from a dealer rather than privately? Some dealers offer a 12 month warranty. Is this worth the premium over buying privately? Will it cover needing to get the engine rebuilt?
Would these cars feel at home on the Nurburgring Nordschleife? Performance is one thing but I want a car which handles well. I know that no TVR is quite as nimble as an Elise but how do they compare? Will I be able to throw them around Donington Park and still have a smile on my face at the end of the day (I can't imagine I wouldn't!!).
If anyone can point out any potential pitfalls and things to look out for it would be very much appreciated. Based on what I am aiming to use the car for is there one which would suite me more than the others?
I expect the general ‘if nothing goes wrong’ running costs to be fairly high and this isn’t a problem. I go through no end of 18” Goodyear F1’s in my Leon and know the expense of these, plus the cost of decent pads and disks not to mention fuel costs which I am sure are even worse than the 22mpg average I get from my Leon.
I hear of people putting aside £3k a year aside when buying a TVR for any problems, is this just for engine problems or are there more than that to worry about? One reason for buying the Leon new was for the warranty as I was fed up throwing what seemed like hundreds of pounds every few months on my Golf to keep it running (new engines, gearboxes etc.) but then again it had 120k miles on the clock and is 17 years old! I’m thinking that a dealer bought TVR with a 12 month warranty would be my best option, but I expect you pay the cost of an engine rebuild on top of the cost of buying privately anyway!?
Sorry for so many questions… I tried to answer my questions by reading the forums but I ended up with more questions!! ;-)
Cheers!
Nick
Harry 
I do tend to go on sometimes... I hope someone wise in the way of TVR can point me in the right direction! cerbone said:
Go for the 4.2 or 4.5 engine, they are rated as far mor reliable and easier to obtain parts for as they are basically a rover unit and bits
Duh? And what planet have you been living on since the Cerb was launched. Apart from the fact that they are V8s (so have 8 pistons and rods) there is nothing in common.
Griffs, Chimaeras, V8 Wedges, V8S etc all use Rover derived unit, but the Cerb (and race Tuscans) use TVR's own AJP V8. I had presumed this was as common knowledge as the car's having been built in Blackpool.
The AJP is an Al Melling design based (apart from the heads) on the contemporary race technology of the time. There is nothing, absolutely nothing, in common with the Rover and AJP (Cerb) engines. Flat plant crank versus planar. Different V angle. OHC versis pushrod. Oilpump off jackshaft rather than driven from cam. Jeez where do you end with this. The AJP engine is far closer in spec to a flat plane Ferrari engine than a Rover!
But yes, evidence suggests that the AJP V8 (the ONLY V8 in a 'standard' factory produced V8 Cerb) is more reliable than the S6...on average. But it is no where as cheap to run/repair/maintain as a Rover unit. For a start, the service intervals are 6K versis 12K (IIRC).
WB
Thanks guys, maybe I am worrying a little too much about the reliability of the engines.
Very nice Tuscan CerbyT! I would love one in that colour but douby my budget could stretch to one as new and in that colour!
CerbyT, how do the Tuscan S and the Cerbera 4.5 compare handling wise? Is the Tuscan more nimble? How about running costs, I take it that they are very similar?
I think I may go to my nearest TVR garage on Monday (being a day off) and have a look around and hopefully a drive of a few models to see how they compare.
Does anyone know of any sites with good reviews / comparisons of the different models? (other than the ones on PistonHeads obviously).
Very nice Tuscan CerbyT! I would love one in that colour but douby my budget could stretch to one as new and in that colour!
CerbyT, how do the Tuscan S and the Cerbera 4.5 compare handling wise? Is the Tuscan more nimble? How about running costs, I take it that they are very similar?
I think I may go to my nearest TVR garage on Monday (being a day off) and have a look around and hopefully a drive of a few models to see how they compare.
Does anyone know of any sites with good reviews / comparisons of the different models? (other than the ones on PistonHeads obviously).
Actually someone has now thrown another TVR into the mix... a Tamora! I hadn't thought about this TVR before but it seems like this is one of the best handling TVRs out there? I'm not sure about the looks though, I think I will have to have a good look at one in person.
I have to admit from what I have seen I think I would prefer a Targa model with the removable hard top rather than a full soft top.
I have to admit from what I have seen I think I would prefer a Targa model with the removable hard top rather than a full soft top.
NickT said:
Actually someone has now thrown another TVR into the mix... a Tamora! I hadn't thought about this TVR before but it seems like this is one of the best handling TVRs out there? I'm not sure about the looks though, I think I will have to have a good look at one in person.
I have to admit from what I have seen I think I would prefer a Targa model with the removable hard top rather than a full soft top.
I always liked the looks of tha Tam, but loved the Tuscan, in the end, the freer revving (sp!) 3.6 and the better handling (according to everyone I spoke to plus all reviews) swung it for me, not looked back since! Chan didn't like the look at all initially, now she loves it!
; and there seem to be a couple of bargain Tams in the P/H classifides NickT said:
Actually someone has now thrown another TVR into the mix... a Tamora! I hadn't thought about this TVR before but it seems like this is one of the best handling TVRs out there? I'm not sure about the looks though, I think I will have to have a good look at one in person.
I have to admit from what I have seen I think I would prefer a Targa model with the removable hard top rather than a full soft top.
You should definitely try the Tamora - as said above, most people say it handles better than the Mk1 Tuscans, and older TVR designs generally.
The roof does give you the option of effectively driving as a targa, as you can remove roof panel, and leave rear window up, although I actually find this gives you worse wind turbulence than just having the roof fully down, which is when the car is at it's best.
Personally I'd prefer a normal convertible roof, but plenty of people like this system. Have a go at putting the panel in the boot before you decide. And maybe you should come along to the Tamora/T350 meet at Siverstone TVR on 15 May, then you should be able to see a wide variety of colours, and speak to a lot of owners. It should be more in your budget than a Targa T350.
I think you're also sensible to revive your Golf as a daily runner.
Happy hunting!
Another Tamora recommendation from me too. I think it drives fantastically, and is a brilliant all rounder due to it's large boot and surprising comfort over long distances.
Mine was brought back to me from the dealer yesterday, and the guy who dropped it off thanked me for a great drive. He said he'd driven tons of TVRs over the years but he loved the way the Tamora went.
Highly recommended and well worth a look/test drive.
Mine was brought back to me from the dealer yesterday, and the guy who dropped it off thanked me for a great drive. He said he'd driven tons of TVRs over the years but he loved the way the Tamora went.
Highly recommended and well worth a look/test drive.
I Think that the tamora is the best looking TVR on the front side, but i'm not so sure about the rear... Depends mainly on the colour how the back looks, which makes it either to bussy or more together. Would make a good buy i think as they are rarer then tuscans and therefor maybe better to sell in a couple of years. Take the prices on chims and griffs as an example.
Some very interesting things said there. The better handling does appeal to me as I will be throwing it around tracks in the UK and in the rest of Europe 
I was originally thinking about geting an Elise / Exige but as much as I admire them I think I am more of a TVR man myself so the Tamora seems like a viable alternative Although the Lotus hasn't been ruled out completely yet.
I love the look of the T350 (both of them). Is this basically a revised Tamora with the same handling characteristics? Realistically do you think my budget would stretch to a T350? I think I will have to have a look at a Tamora in person but don't wish to waste private sellers time by going to look without an intention to buy I'll see if any dealers close to me have any in stock. If my budget allows and the T350 is as good as the Tamora I think I would prefer one of them, althoguh the full roof down of the Tamora is appealing more and more.
It is obvious that people have their favourites and I am suprised by the number of people recommending the Tamora to me, a car I hadn't thought about before.
Thanks again for all of your input... keep it coming
I was originally thinking about geting an Elise / Exige but as much as I admire them I think I am more of a TVR man myself so the Tamora seems like a viable alternative
Although the Lotus hasn't been ruled out completely yet. I love the look of the T350 (both of them). Is this basically a revised Tamora with the same handling characteristics? Realistically do you think my budget would stretch to a T350? I think I will have to have a look at a Tamora in person but don't wish to waste private sellers time by going to look without an intention to buy I'll see if any dealers close to me have any in stock. If my budget allows and the T350 is as good as the Tamora I think I would prefer one of them, althoguh the full roof down of the Tamora is appealing more and more.
It is obvious that people have their favourites and I am suprised by the number of people recommending the Tamora to me, a car I hadn't thought about before.
Thanks again for all of your input... keep it coming
NickT said:
Thanks guys, maybe I am worrying a little too much about the reliability of the engines.
Very nice Tuscan CerbyT! I would love one in that colour but douby my budget could stretch to one as new and in that colour!
CerbyT, how do the Tuscan S and the Cerbera 4.5 compare handling wise? Is the Tuscan more nimble? How about running costs, I take it that they are very similar?
I think I may go to my nearest TVR garage on Monday (being a day off) and have a look around and hopefully a drive of a few models to see how they compare.
Does anyone know of any sites with good reviews / comparisons of the different models? (other than the ones on PistonHeads obviously).
Tuscan feels more pointy than the Cerb and , in my opinion, soaks up the bumps a bit better with less gorunding. The Cerb felt more torquey at low revs but thats the difference between a big V8 and a hig revving V6. Running costs? I'll tell you at the first Tuscan service!! My 48000 mie service on the Cerb including labour, VAT, two new tyres, air con pullry, and new driveshafts was £1350 (APM automotive) but the 48000 mile service is "the biggy". Hope this helps a little!
I have been reading up a bit more about the Tamora and it is appealing to me more and more. I dug out an old copy of EVO (issue 70) which compared it against the old Boxter S, S2000, 350z convertable, SLK350 and the Z4. And it came second only to the Boxter S.
One interesting thing they say is that the 16" wheels make all the difference to the handling. Is this true? I think the 18" wheels make the car look nicer but I wouldn't want to spoil TVR's hard work on perfecting the handling just to make it look better!? Maybe a set of 18" for posing in and a set og 16" wheels for good old track day action (which would save on the cost of the tyres...)
I have to admit I thought about the Boxter but I want something which has a bit more grunt and is more unique (and I want a TVR...)
I am planning on a trip to Castle TVR and Offord Motor Company tomorrow as they are fairly local to me. I will see how I get on there. Hopefully I will be able to have a few test drives. Lets hope I don't fall in love with one and make a spur of the moment purchase
I think I may have ruled out the Cerbera now after dreaming of one for the last few years, my missus even says the look "boring" LOL (which I don't agree with). The Tuscan is more in your face than the Tamora which is something I think I like and I think the T350 looks great (shame about the name).. My missus loves the Segaris, as do I but unfortunately I would have to get a fairly hefty pay rise to afford one of them
I'll let you know how I get on!
One interesting thing they say is that the 16" wheels make all the difference to the handling. Is this true? I think the 18" wheels make the car look nicer but I wouldn't want to spoil TVR's hard work on perfecting the handling just to make it look better!? Maybe a set of 18" for posing in and a set og 16" wheels for good old track day action (which would save on the cost of the tyres...)
I have to admit I thought about the Boxter but I want something which has a bit more grunt and is more unique (and I want a TVR...)
I am planning on a trip to Castle TVR and Offord Motor Company tomorrow as they are fairly local to me. I will see how I get on there. Hopefully I will be able to have a few test drives. Lets hope I don't fall in love with one and make a spur of the moment purchase
I think I may have ruled out the Cerbera now after dreaming of one for the last few years, my missus even says the look "boring" LOL (which I don't agree with). The Tuscan is more in your face than the Tamora which is something I think I like and I think the T350 looks great (shame about the name).. My missus loves the Segaris, as do I but unfortunately I would have to get a fairly hefty pay rise to afford one of them
I'll let you know how I get on!
I went to Castle TVR on Saturday and had a nice chat with one of their test drivers who only works on Saturday his job was "to scare people" on test drives
I couldn't get a test drive in any of their TVR's as they said they were too busy I had a good look at them though and I have decided on.... a Tamora
Thanks for all your suggestions, this car falls just about in my budget and gives me everything I am looking for in a TVR. Now I just need to find one, but hardest of all find one in a nice colour! So many combinations out there.
I'm planning on driving down to turbocentre.co.uk tomorrow to look at their Tamora, looks nice and still has a TVR warranty on it!
What can people recommend as far as buying a second hand TVR is concerned? This TVR is at a garage, is it still worth insisting on taking it to a specialist to be checked out mechanically?
I couldn't get a test drive in any of their TVR's as they said they were too busy
I had a good look at them though and I have decided on.... a Tamora Thanks for all your suggestions, this car falls just about in my budget and gives me everything I am looking for in a TVR. Now I just need to find one, but hardest of all find one in a nice colour! So many combinations out there.
I'm planning on driving down to turbocentre.co.uk tomorrow to look at their Tamora, looks nice and still has a TVR warranty on it!
What can people recommend as far as buying a second hand TVR is concerned? This TVR is at a garage, is it still worth insisting on taking it to a specialist to be checked out mechanically?
NickT said:
I couldn't get a test drive in any of their TVR's as they said they were too busy
Good decision! I recently visited a friend with a new Boxter S, and we went for a long drive from near Chester to Llandudno, I think he was quite disappointed about how much faster and better sounding my car was
If buying 2nd hand from a dealer, just make sure both sides are v clear about what they will repair if it goes wrong, eg niggling faults, and you then want a mechanical warranty to cover any big issues, ie engine, probably with about £4,000 cover.
And you need to buy it in time for the Tamora / T350 / Sagaris meet at Silverstone TVR on 15 May
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