Running a TVR

[Fimbo]

Hi there! I am thinking of entering the world of TVR - a chimaera to be precise. I've read some of the comments on this forum about things to do/look for prior to purchase but can you give me an idea of the sort of year on year maintenance costs/reliability issues that I might typically face?

Thanks for your help.

[MajorClanger]

Have a look on the Members Cars link (also available by clicking on drop down menu on Member then Fleet).

Quite a few of us keep the our costs up to date and show realistic cost of motoring. Watch out for spelling and type. There are 31 choices to choose from and a sad proportion of those misspelled!

MC

[zippee]

Difficult to say really, some people get away with a service each year (£300 upwards depending on where done) and insurance, tyres etc.
On the other hand, others, myself included have to spend a lot more than this. I've had mine since Jan and have spent over 2.5k (though £1400 of this was damage from a pothole and reclaimed).
It really does depend on how good a car you get, luck, usage and how you look after it.

[Fimbo]

thanks for the comments - I'll have dig around on the link you suggest. I know it's a leap of faith when you buy any used car, particularly a beastie like TVR, but I want to go into this with my eyes open and my wallet less so!

cheers

[tacoma]

Both the previous posts are correct. It really does depend on what you want to do. You can spend as much as you want but there is still that need to maintain service history if you are thinking of selling later. I hope to keep my Chim for years to come, that means in terms of depreciation, running costs, buying extras and upgrades I am in for the long haul.

Drive some Chim's and I defy anyone not to blow their budget out their bum and just BUY.

If you can afford it, just do it. They make you smile and that is worth a fortune!!!

mike

[count duckula]

I believe it depends on what age/condition car, a well loved and maintained one should be cheaper to run, I also believe there are good ones and bad ones.

Malc

[MajorClanger]

When we looked in to running costs before we bought, we budgeted on the conservative side and then still added something like £1000 per year for unforseen costs. Save up the surplus and if not spent you can put it towards your second TVR... There's no going back!!!

MC

[Nuggs]

MajorClanger said:

There's no going back!!!

[colinrob]

I use mine for about 5000 miles a year and allow £1200 for servicing/repairs, I think over a few years this will work out about right.

[Gaffer]

Mine is an everyday car.
And to be honest, I dont want to know the running costs...!

Thank god for my connections as it is the only way I could run a TVR of any description.

Claire

[steve1c]

Do it.

You may spend a bit more than some other cars, but it is soooooo worth it. A full driving experience with heart, soul and an extra adrenal gland thrown in. The sort of thing you'd wish you had done when you look back on your life.

Do it.

[chimleic]

I bought my Chim in August last year - newly Serviced, MOT'd and RAC inspected (urgh! useless!)

I spent about £400 on cosmetic improvements since then (Leven, yummy!) until I got it serviced (£680 at Main Dealer). It's coming home with a comprehensive list of faults, that the main dealers can put right for a mere £2700 + VAT.

I'll do a lot of that work myself and save labour costs (at £70 an hour), but still quite an expense on an "RAC Inspected and Warrantied car".

[Don]

chimleic said:

I bought my Chim in August last year - newly Serviced, MOT'd and RAC inspected (urgh! useless!) I spent about £400 on cosmetic improvements since then (Leven, yummy!) until I got it serviced (£680 at Main Dealer). It's coming home with a comprehensive list of faults, that the main dealers can put right for a mere £2700 + VAT.

A word to the wise: This is not unusual. Get a warranty with the car you buy. If you then get the unpleasant surprise which is possible with these cars then the warranty will stump up.

We ran our car with a warranty for the first three years - and used it a LOT. Thereafter we've just paid - but nowhere near the same as most things that were going to break have broken already.

I reckon you should budget 2K a year for maintenance if you aren't handy with the spanners yourself. That's an average - some years it'll be £500 - others £££!!

They *are* great though. Nothing like that V8 rumble and sense of occasion. Ace.

[stevie.b]

Chimleic,

Can you list the problems that you had with the car and where the car was serviced (on thread or by e-mail)?

Were you sure the work needed doing? I know you can't neglect a car, but there has surely got to be a balance.

I think some garages list unnecessary advisories that don't have to be done from one year to the next. What do others think?

I appreciate however that if a garage did this too often it would get a bad reputation very quickly.

[chimleic]

name said:

If you then get the unpleasant surprise which is possible with these cars then the warranty will stump up.

My experience was a VERY bad one. Apparantly my RAC "Warranty" was in fact "component insurance".

Having paid £600 to extend from a 3-month "warranty" to a 3 year "warranty", they have managed to wriggle out of every claim I have submitted!!!

Every piece of documentation I got with it said "Warranty" in bold letters across the top and the dealers (Non-TVR) called it an extended warranty, BUT the RAC said that was the "name of the company" and that I had not actually purchased a warranty for the car.

FRANKLY, IT'S NOT WORTH THE PAPER IT'S PRINTED ON...

Here are some examples of problems I've encountered (all quotes from TVR Main Dealer):

Leaking Radiator: RAC says there is no way to check it isn't due to stone damage, therefore it counts as a 'wear and tear'. Total cost of work £319.96

Passenger Door Button U/S: Again, they 'may do the work, but only if a 'named' component has broken - but not due to 'wear and tear', so again...no claim. Cost £200 approx (work not yet carried out and accurate quote not possible until exact fault is diagnosed).

N/S Rack Gaitor Leaking: Another case of 'wear and tear' apparantly! Cost £80.90

PAS 'U' Bend Pipe Leaking: Guess what? 'Wear and Tear'. Cost £115.50

N/S Front Upper Ball Joint: Again, 'Wear and Tear'. Cost £ 101.50

Windscreen Wiper U/S (gearing behind dash): The policy only covers 'named' components, so whilst it covers Wiper Motor, it will not replace the rod/wheels. Cost £750 approx (mostly labour).

Cabin Heater U/S: Despite the fact that this hasn't worked since I got the car, it is 'probably' due to 'brittle' wiring. As such, it is 'wear and tear' and not covered! Cost £700 approx (although could be completed at the same time as windscreen wiper problem to share labour).

Corroded Wishbones: Again, this is 'Wear and Tear' despite the fact that the chassis could not have corroded to that degree since my "professional RAC Inspection". Fixed the problem myself temporarily with a complete strip and re-paint/waxoyl. Will still need replacing in the medium-term. Expected cost £700 - £1000.

So, my advice is DO NOT USE RAC WARRANTY and DO NOT TRUST AN RAC INSPECTION.

For all the expense, I may as well have bought the car from a private driveway!!!

Nonetheless, I still love the car! LOL Although the amount of work needed is likely to cost my my overseas holdiay this year!

If anyone can provide any advice about the repairs, offer cheaper alternatives, provide better quotes...I'd be very grateful!!!

Also, if there are any Legal Eagles on the forum, can anyone provide advice as to whether (or how) I should be chasing after 'RAC Warranty' or 'RAC Inspection' for poor service, mis-sold etc then any advice would be great!

Cheers!

[Podie]

Take a look at my profile for another daily driver… circa 1000 miles a month. I bought the car knowing it needed work and this was done immediately, but I'm now into the routine maintainance and consumables…

IIRC 2 smokinbarrel's does about double the mielage I do... www.pistonheads.com/gassing/profile.asp?h=0&memberId=38025

>> Edited by Podie on Friday 20th May 10:08

[MajorClanger]

chimleic said:

Also, if there are any Legal Eagles on the forum, can anyone provide advice as to whether (or how) I should be chasing after 'RAC Warranty' or 'RAC Inspection' for poor service, mis-sold etc then any advice would be great!

Presume you've written down a list of complaints and sent a letter to RAC. What does the wording on the inspection say about condition of car and validity of inspection? Sounds like you do have a case if faults arose within a short time of having an inspection. Anything more than about 6 months and it starts to get tricky. 12 months even more so.

If inspection said car was in sound condition and then within a few months you needed so much work done then I'd say worth persuing. Get supporting documentation from garage and their opinion. Keep the communications to the point and fact based. Bear in mind that these may be used as evidence if you took to small claims. If RAC refund the inspection fee, do not accept it thinking you can claim later for extra expense.

MC

[Podie]

I'd avoid using the AA or RAC for inspecting… stick to a TVR specialist - Joospeed, APM, David Batty, Leven for example...

[parrot of doom]

Crikey, its a good job I know a good mechanic who'll do little jobs for me for free!

I'm confident I can do the relatively common-sense stuff (like brakes etc), the bigger stuff (replacing wishbones etc) I'll leave to a specialist.

I have zero faith in dealerships of any description now, you're paying for the flash suits and the marble floors. Any car I own is either going to be self-maintained, or taken to an independant where the mechanic doesn't wear latex gloves!

[tacoma]

I had my P&Jn checked a couple of weeks ago by a guy at Owen Developments, they do a lot of high-end upgrades and race mods; but i had heard that they had a new mech who had come over from another oxfordshire TVR centre.

He was great gave the car a really thorough going over for me and even took me on a demonstration drive - nearly filled my pants!!! Anyway, during the drive he told me that the TVR place that he had worked in told customers as standard that things needed to be replaced even if they could be repaired. I was livid about this as i thin i am the typical TVR chim driver ie not loaded just in love!!

Thought you might like to know.

m