Thinking of Buying Tuscan
Discussion
I used Rob Ingleby - www.findasportscar.co.uk, has wheels and will travel. Very good, very thorough. Also make sure you call through the service records as most of these cars are very well known by the garages and you can generally get a good idea of how its been treated.
fillijas said:
As a new pistonhead 
Would I be stupid to expect better reliability from a 52 reg rather than the earlier Tuscans (Less chance of a rebuild)?
No. Not at all. If you look at JSGs graphs he did on this subject a while back, it appears that mid 2002 onwards something changed for the better as there looked like a marked decrease in engine failure rates from that time on. However, this is not definitive and you'll likely get several people (including myself who has a late 2002 car with no probs) saying go for it, and others saying don't touch one with a barge pole.
Also, every 6 months on this subject you hear 'cars from 6 months ago onwards are sorted'. People have been saying this for years now. The latest of course is cars from mid 2004 or 2005 spec engines are fine.
Who knows what to believe really?
You could go to Al Mellings talk he is doing on the engine in August I think. I would certainly like to know what he has to say on it, although I can't help but feeling he has a vested interest in his own business. But in the lack of TVR doing some similar PR then who knows?
If we had a pound for everytime this question is asked...
From what TVR told me (and if this can be believed), the design of the S6 engine has not changed anywhere along the line (would be great if someone got an answer from Al Melling on this, if indeed he is privy to that information). I think JSG's graph and stats would indicate that engines have hit problems after a certain amount of miles/use/wear. Naturally, a 2 year old engine is, on average, less likely to have got the same wear as a 3-4 year old one - so if there is a cohort of 'OK' engines in year X, it does not necessarily mean that they will all be OK a year or two later.
The 3.6 litre engine is going to be a little different to the 4.0 and Tuscan S units - who knows if they changed components for this as well as cubic capacity...
My advice to anyone would be either buy an engine that has had a rebuild, done plenty of miles, full book of service stamps and has been well looked after, OR go and get the newest you can afford hence it is covered under warranty still. Don't discount earlier cars that can be had for £20-24K - many of them have been well looked after and a quick visual inspection on the general condition will make you run away if it does not seem right. Rather than get a warranty, keep some cash in reserve if you ever need a rebuild, and they get one of the after market rebuilds complete with bhp upgrade that will see you with 400 bhp - and effectively a 'new' engine.
From what TVR told me (and if this can be believed), the design of the S6 engine has not changed anywhere along the line (would be great if someone got an answer from Al Melling on this, if indeed he is privy to that information). I think JSG's graph and stats would indicate that engines have hit problems after a certain amount of miles/use/wear. Naturally, a 2 year old engine is, on average, less likely to have got the same wear as a 3-4 year old one - so if there is a cohort of 'OK' engines in year X, it does not necessarily mean that they will all be OK a year or two later.
The 3.6 litre engine is going to be a little different to the 4.0 and Tuscan S units - who knows if they changed components for this as well as cubic capacity...
My advice to anyone would be either buy an engine that has had a rebuild, done plenty of miles, full book of service stamps and has been well looked after, OR go and get the newest you can afford hence it is covered under warranty still. Don't discount earlier cars that can be had for £20-24K - many of them have been well looked after and a quick visual inspection on the general condition will make you run away if it does not seem right. Rather than get a warranty, keep some cash in reserve if you ever need a rebuild, and they get one of the after market rebuilds complete with bhp upgrade that will see you with 400 bhp - and effectively a 'new' engine.
Wise words from tus 373 there. I upgraded from a Griff and bought 03' low mileage ex demo from the dealer with the 12 month warranty.
Everyone has an opinion, and most an experience! But the data collated by JSG seems the most comprehensive to date - general opinion is buy the newest you can and look for engine rebuild history if you go earlier than 02'.
Follow the warm up procedures for the engine without exception (in spite of the odd temptation to hoon when oil is under 60 degrees!) and keep your fingers crossed! So many people are hassling TVR for answers on the ol' Sp6 reliability question that I'm sure the answers will come out sooner or later!
Everyone has an opinion, and most an experience! But the data collated by JSG seems the most comprehensive to date - general opinion is buy the newest you can and look for engine rebuild history if you go earlier than 02'.
Follow the warm up procedures for the engine without exception (in spite of the odd temptation to hoon when oil is under 60 degrees!) and keep your fingers crossed! So many people are hassling TVR for answers on the ol' Sp6 reliability question that I'm sure the answers will come out sooner or later!
A history to 2nd hand Tusc ownership is as important as the Bible to a Christian. If you buy a car new from a dealer the general rule is that the dealer in question will have serviced it through the warranty period. After that, then you should at the very least be able to trace what has been done and therefore have a concise record. When I sold my 1st Tusc I handed over every bit of info on the car so the new owner knew exactly what had been serviced, replaced, fixed etc. He contacted me and I was able to let him know eveything that had been done to the car.
Consequently he, to my knowledge has had few probs.
Steer clear of a car where there are huge gaps in the history.
Consequently he, to my knowledge has had few probs.
Steer clear of a car where there are huge gaps in the history.
Absolutely. No history = walkaway, go find another one. In the premium league sports car ownership, there are two types of owners: those that cherish, those that don't. You would be well advised to go for the former!
If you are going for a car that has gone out of the warranty period, you should not have any worries if it has been looked after by a reputable independent. Afterall, once the warranty has expired, you are not going to get any kind of help from the factory now it would seem - so either a main dealer history, or main dealer + independent is fine. Many of the independents are after all former TVR factory or TVR franchised dealership employees and know their stuff. However, due to the specialised nature of these cars and their engines, I would stress that when I say independent, it is someone who is recognised for their TVR knowledge - not some chap who works under the local railway arches.
Service intervals are every 6 thousand miles, with the 12,000, 24,000 mile (and every other 12K) service being a major one that includes the tappet adjustments. You should make sure that this has been done and see a receipt for work done that includes this (will probably have shims as one of the parts itemised on the bill for this type of work).
>> Edited by TUS 373 on Thursday 21st July 22:38
If you are going for a car that has gone out of the warranty period, you should not have any worries if it has been looked after by a reputable independent. Afterall, once the warranty has expired, you are not going to get any kind of help from the factory now it would seem - so either a main dealer history, or main dealer + independent is fine. Many of the independents are after all former TVR factory or TVR franchised dealership employees and know their stuff. However, due to the specialised nature of these cars and their engines, I would stress that when I say independent, it is someone who is recognised for their TVR knowledge - not some chap who works under the local railway arches.
Service intervals are every 6 thousand miles, with the 12,000, 24,000 mile (and every other 12K) service being a major one that includes the tappet adjustments. You should make sure that this has been done and see a receipt for work done that includes this (will probably have shims as one of the parts itemised on the bill for this type of work).
>> Edited by TUS 373 on Thursday 21st July 22:38
I would like to echo Lady T's sentiments because I actually bought her car.
I looked at a few private cars and a couple from non TVR dealers. Quickly came to the conclusion that this is a specialist car and I should stick to a specialist supplier.
So 2500 miles and 6 months later, was my decision justified?
1. Virtually no oil used. Maybe 1/4 litre at most.
2. N/s window decided to go down on its own. Dealer knew what problem was and fixed it in 10 minutes. Now I know how to fix it myself if it happens again.
3. A/C not working. Dealer spotted a loose joint, regassed system and away I went in 1 hour.
4. NO OTHER PROBLEMS.
Conclusion? If you don't mind a dealer making a profit (we are in a capitalist society aren't we?) and like to sleep easier at night, then buy through a recommended TVR dealer and talk to the previous owner.
In my case, I can thoroughly recommend Dream Machines in Heathfield, East Sussex
I looked at a few private cars and a couple from non TVR dealers. Quickly came to the conclusion that this is a specialist car and I should stick to a specialist supplier.
So 2500 miles and 6 months later, was my decision justified?
1. Virtually no oil used. Maybe 1/4 litre at most.
2. N/s window decided to go down on its own. Dealer knew what problem was and fixed it in 10 minutes. Now I know how to fix it myself if it happens again.
3. A/C not working. Dealer spotted a loose joint, regassed system and away I went in 1 hour.
4. NO OTHER PROBLEMS.
Conclusion? If you don't mind a dealer making a profit (we are in a capitalist society aren't we?) and like to sleep easier at night, then buy through a recommended TVR dealer and talk to the previous owner.
In my case, I can thoroughly recommend Dream Machines in Heathfield, East Sussex
I use TopCats at Aylesbury who are a superb independant race team.
I bought a 2000 Tuscan that was out of warranty. It had full history (some work by indies) and a post 2002 rebuild by TVR Power. These were my only two main requirements when I was hunting for my Tusc.
There are some cracking deals out there at the moment particularly since the T2 came out. The only thing is that you must be prepared for the possibility of an engine rebuild and budget accordingly.
NOTHING turns heads like a Tuscan.
I bought a 2000 Tuscan that was out of warranty. It had full history (some work by indies) and a post 2002 rebuild by TVR Power. These were my only two main requirements when I was hunting for my Tusc.
There are some cracking deals out there at the moment particularly since the T2 came out. The only thing is that you must be prepared for the possibility of an engine rebuild and budget accordingly.
NOTHING turns heads like a Tuscan.
Er, ahem, sorry ?! 
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