Wanted S3 (maybe S2)
Discussion
Hi,
I'm on the lookout for an S3, ideally dark blue.
It needs to be in good condition, i.e. no crazing, overworn leather, rotten frame, cat C or D history, dealer stamps that don't correspond with MOT's... I could go on !
Ideally a car that someone has had a few years and is trading up. One that you have looked after.
I have the right money for the right car !
I have visited owners that have given rather false descriptions of the condition, please don't waste my time and I wont waste yours.
I'm on the lookout for an S3, ideally dark blue.
It needs to be in good condition, i.e. no crazing, overworn leather, rotten frame, cat C or D history, dealer stamps that don't correspond with MOT's... I could go on !
Ideally a car that someone has had a few years and is trading up. One that you have looked after.
I have the right money for the right car !
I have visited owners that have given rather false descriptions of the condition, please don't waste my time and I wont waste yours.
Hello B3NGO,
You have asked in the best place really, it's a pretty busy forum - normally me asking about bits that have fallen off
Hope you find a good one, I always smile when I drive mine - which is every day, sometimes in the middle of the night(shift worker, not mad), rain or shine normally with the roof off. Mind you mine is mechanically excellent if slightly weather beaten around the edges
Lots of experience on here, and a good, if slightly mad bunch.
Best wishes,
Mike.
You have asked in the best place really, it's a pretty busy forum - normally me asking about bits that have fallen off
Hope you find a good one, I always smile when I drive mine - which is every day, sometimes in the middle of the night(shift worker, not mad), rain or shine normally with the roof off. Mind you mine is mechanically excellent if slightly weather beaten around the edges
Lots of experience on here, and a good, if slightly mad bunch.
Best wishes,
Mike.
Have you checked out the classifides ?????
David Geralds look like they have a particularly nice looking one but it is metallic grey.
All I can say is that you should take your time to find the right one and be prepared to travel - I flew to Belfast for mine and drove it home via the ferry but it was well worth it as it was the right one for me.
>> Edited by harry1972m on Tuesday 18th October 16:31
David Geralds look like they have a particularly nice looking one but it is metallic grey.
All I can say is that you should take your time to find the right one and be prepared to travel - I flew to Belfast for mine and drove it home via the ferry but it was well worth it as it was the right one for me.
>> Edited by harry1972m on Tuesday 18th October 16:31
I've checked the classifieds - and looked at one of them from here.... what a mess !!
Chrimera seats, cracked bonet.... apparently overheated...but no where near any hoses or the rad, but oddly the same shape as the bulge in the garage!
Sorry if you are on this forum and it's your's !
Chrimera seats, cracked bonet.... apparently overheated...but no where near any hoses or the rad, but oddly the same shape as the bulge in the garage!
Sorry if you are on this forum and it's your's !
you want "perfect" buy something new from any of many tin box manufacturers - you want a TVR don't be so fussy - You sound like one of the reasons I am dreading the day I want to sell my S3 what I think is my dream TVR, but not perfect never was never will be - but it's still bloody great.
just find a nice one buy it and enjoy it don't go into anorak mode its a TVR - a factory kit car - accept that or buy a boring Golf blah blah blah
just find a nice one buy it and enjoy it don't go into anorak mode its a TVR - a factory kit car - accept that or buy a boring Golf blah blah blah
Im with srdtvr. Is there any such thing as the perfect S? I think most people on here do their fettling on their cars themselves rather than pay through the nose at a dealer.I'm sure there are some cracking cars without dealer stamps.
Best of luck with your search, hope you find what your looking for.
Best of luck with your search, hope you find what your looking for.
You will find a lot of these cars ,giving there age, are starting to be looked after enthusiasts at home... carrying out servicing and and other minor tasks themeselves,,,, they are an enthusiats car after all..... and IMHO great fun and value for money (part of me regrets selling my S2)
There are very few cars out there with dealer history, .... you might find some with recognised indie servicing ....... but even these are becoming rare
I know what you mean though about descriptions... I had the same prob when looking for my Griff.... to be honest raise your budget... you pay for what you get
There are very few cars out there with dealer history, .... you might find some with recognised indie servicing ....... but even these are becoming rare
I know what you mean though about descriptions... I had the same prob when looking for my Griff.... to be honest raise your budget... you pay for what you get
Personally, I dont think you will ever find a `perfect` car.
Many of them are 12-17 years old after all.
When I aquired mine from Hoover most of the car was brilliant. But I think they are ongoing projects....just like decorating...just when you finish one room another beckons !
Lets face it, they are either running brilliantly or in the garage being made even more reliable !
Good luck hunting
Many of them are 12-17 years old after all.
When I aquired mine from Hoover most of the car was brilliant. But I think they are ongoing projects....just like decorating...just when you finish one room another beckons !
Lets face it, they are either running brilliantly or in the garage being made even more reliable !
Good luck hunting
i realise the age of these cars - and i am not expecting A1 condition, however what i have seen must be the bottom end - as you guys seem to want to keep the good ones !!
i have to walk away from ones that have been altered..i.e. different model seats.
i also have to walk away from ones that have been CAT C etc. written off, who knows what weaknesses they still have and i quite like living !
i think it's been the issue that i have looked at the ones mainly on ebay. these seem to be the very bottom end.
i have seen a few that aren't for sale and these always look better !!
i have to walk away from ones that have been altered..i.e. different model seats.
i also have to walk away from ones that have been CAT C etc. written off, who knows what weaknesses they still have and i quite like living !
i think it's been the issue that i have looked at the ones mainly on ebay. these seem to be the very bottom end.
i have seen a few that aren't for sale and these always look better !!
I have an S3 currently advertised (see link below) I have owned the car for two years, it was registered as damaged in 1993, however it has been been sold by Team Central TVR on two occasions without any reported problems. The car was also professionally inspected by Rob Ingleby who also found no problems or indeed evidence of the "accident", it would appear that the insurance company had been a little over zealous in thier assessment of the vehicle at the time. Please drop me an email if you need any more info. I have plenty more pictures that i can email if required.
simonrbrooks@aol.com
www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/51271.htm
It all depends what your budget is....... if I were looking for one again the one I would be tempted to look at the S3 from Twickenham/Ringwood for £6500 (I don't know the car or owner but I'm a fussey git a bit like yourself, and that advert ticks all my boxes with a sensible price as well) in the classifieds or any of the V8S's.....
Really though I would just go and try and knee cap Mr Clifford and get my old car back
....(not really he's a lot bigger then me and still enjoying the Griff )
Really though I would just go and try and knee cap Mr Clifford and get my old car back
....(not really he's a lot bigger then me and still enjoying the Griff ) Will depend on your budget.........
I bought mine last June from a main dealer..... has a full TVR service history etc..... But I have had £1800 of work done on warranty.... then needed a new exhaust...
I had my serviced at an Inde as I wasn't prepared to spend £600 plus for as servive at a main dealer for a 14 year old car.
Don't get me wrong it is in very good condition but I had to pay the extra for that.
Happy hunting.... BTW where are you based?
I bought mine last June from a main dealer..... has a full TVR service history etc..... But I have had £1800 of work done on warranty.... then needed a new exhaust...
I had my serviced at an Inde as I wasn't prepared to spend £600 plus for as servive at a main dealer for a 14 year old car.
Don't get me wrong it is in very good condition but I had to pay the extra for that.
Happy hunting.... BTW where are you based?
Sorry you can`t have it back Steve ! I`m loving it too much !!
(But I can understand why you miss it !!!!)
Hoover. said:
It all depends what your budget is....... if I were looking for one again the one I would be tempted to look at the S3 from Twickenham/Ringwood for £6500 (I don't know the car or owner but I'm a fussey git a bit like yourself, and that advert ticks all my boxes with a sensible price as well) in the classifieds or any of the V8S's.....
Really though I would just go and try and knee cap Mr Clifford and get my old car back
b3ngo said:
i have to walk away from ones that have been altered..i.e. different model seats.
WHY....??
These cars are getting on a bit now so things would naturally have started to wear out and need replacing.
Often better parts are now available than were originally fitted and if they're not badged TVR can be cheaper e.g. Chimaera seats are more comfortable than the earlier S ones, bigger front brake discs are better than the originals, adjustable suspension is better than original etc.....
Don't be put off by upgrades / changes - as long as they have been done well and the car has been looked after. I expect TOTALLY original cars are getting hard to find and after a couple of months of ownership you'll probably start thinking "mmmm, I wonder what a set of adjustable shocks would feel like?" or something will need replacing and then you'll have the choice of spending money on keeping it the way it was or improving it.
Just my opinion.....
Longers
Well......
Mine is an H reg S3C. It used to be psychoberts here on ph, it was written off as a cat d in June this year.
The damage consisted of..
1. Offisde mirror
2. Smashed windscreen
3. Smashed headlight
4. very minimal offside frontal damage which broke a headlight, and approx 2" of fibreglass damage around the light.
I fitted a new mirror, had a windscreen fitted by a tvr fitter, bought 2 new halogen headlights, had the bonnet filled, hinges fitted, and front end sprayed. There was absolutely no damage at all to any working parts, or chassis, purely very minimal cosmetics.
Is it standard? No, it has griffith 500 brakes, a blue flame stainless straight through exhaust complete with 2 cherry bombs, k and N filters, leven stainless accessories, halogen lights, adjustable dampers and a few more bits and bobs.
It has been serviced fully throughout its life, half by TVR, the remainder by specialist garages, and lately by me and another enthusiast. It goes like stink, handles excellently and makes a nicer noise that a mates griff.
I would go so far as to say it will be better than a stock S3. I view the changes as improvements rather than a hindrance.
You really really do need an open mind with these cars. Mine isn't a pampered princess, it is driven, and driven enthusiastically, it has only let me down once, which was a crumbled connector to fuel pump. It has been on the road all year, and will be so this year as well. In my opinion I would prefer to buy a tvr that has been driven daily rather than sat in a garage. Don't be put off by cat D's, these may be purely cosmetic like mine, but like mine, a prospective buyer would like to see any pictures of before and after. When or if I sell mine I have wads of pictures detailing every thing that has been done to it, from sanding the bonnet to completely renovating the chassis.
Hope you find a good one.
They are great fun.
Mine is an H reg S3C. It used to be psychoberts here on ph, it was written off as a cat d in June this year.
The damage consisted of..
1. Offisde mirror
2. Smashed windscreen
3. Smashed headlight
4. very minimal offside frontal damage which broke a headlight, and approx 2" of fibreglass damage around the light.
I fitted a new mirror, had a windscreen fitted by a tvr fitter, bought 2 new halogen headlights, had the bonnet filled, hinges fitted, and front end sprayed. There was absolutely no damage at all to any working parts, or chassis, purely very minimal cosmetics.
Is it standard? No, it has griffith 500 brakes, a blue flame stainless straight through exhaust complete with 2 cherry bombs, k and N filters, leven stainless accessories, halogen lights, adjustable dampers and a few more bits and bobs.
It has been serviced fully throughout its life, half by TVR, the remainder by specialist garages, and lately by me and another enthusiast. It goes like stink, handles excellently and makes a nicer noise that a mates griff.
I would go so far as to say it will be better than a stock S3. I view the changes as improvements rather than a hindrance.
You really really do need an open mind with these cars. Mine isn't a pampered princess, it is driven, and driven enthusiastically, it has only let me down once, which was a crumbled connector to fuel pump. It has been on the road all year, and will be so this year as well. In my opinion I would prefer to buy a tvr that has been driven daily rather than sat in a garage. Don't be put off by cat D's, these may be purely cosmetic like mine, but like mine, a prospective buyer would like to see any pictures of before and after. When or if I sell mine I have wads of pictures detailing every thing that has been done to it, from sanding the bonnet to completely renovating the chassis.
Hope you find a good one.
They are great fun.Gassing Station | S Series | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff