to t350 or not to t350............
Discussion
Well i was nearly convinced into TVR ownership- the t350 to be precise - until i started reading this forum......
Wow these cars really are hard work, engine failures at 17k, numerous other gripes ive read about cast a big cloud of gloom over the possiblilty of owning one!
Now im no novice when it comes to cars and things with engines, infact im the owner/director of a well known Vw/Audi specialists/tuner in the midlands where we are renouned for our excellent mechanical and diagnostic capabilitys, all machining and engine building in house etc etc, and my father has 40 years of engine building experience under his belt, and not just just 4cyl 1.8 Golfs! But i gotta admit the prospect of owning one of these cars and maintaining it our selfs may mean we need to employ another technician at our place to keep it on the road! Are they that bad!
I appreciate that they have character and all true performance cars need love and attention (even the 2 993 911s ive had were hardley bomb proof) but the list of 'known faults' on here is a tad scary!
Whats your advise guys, and are there any of you out there who.ve had little or no trouble with your t350. is this the best model to go for?? I just love the sweet looks!
Is my TVR ownership over before i even buy one!
Jody
Wow these cars really are hard work, engine failures at 17k, numerous other gripes ive read about cast a big cloud of gloom over the possiblilty of owning one!
Now im no novice when it comes to cars and things with engines, infact im the owner/director of a well known Vw/Audi specialists/tuner in the midlands where we are renouned for our excellent mechanical and diagnostic capabilitys, all machining and engine building in house etc etc, and my father has 40 years of engine building experience under his belt, and not just just 4cyl 1.8 Golfs! But i gotta admit the prospect of owning one of these cars and maintaining it our selfs may mean we need to employ another technician at our place to keep it on the road! Are they that bad!
I appreciate that they have character and all true performance cars need love and attention (even the 2 993 911s ive had were hardley bomb proof) but the list of 'known faults' on here is a tad scary!
Whats your advise guys, and are there any of you out there who.ve had little or no trouble with your t350. is this the best model to go for?? I just love the sweet looks!
Is my TVR ownership over before i even buy one!
Jody
Problem with this forum is you only really hear the bad stuff... not many people post to say 'Hey its still working and I'm happy....' The last Speed 6 engines are much better and there shouldn't be too much of a worry and if you have an engine shop you could do the preventative upgrades before anything go bang, much cheaper route than waiting.
Find a good one and you'll be fine.
Find a good one and you'll be fine.
thed4ppa said:
What year are the 'last' speed six lumps from?
2006, May onward have proved the most reliable
The engine has been revised constantly, as have the car since it's launch.
Personally, I'd go for a 2004 car; they're cheap (because they don't have the 3yr warranty) and certainly have different spec components to the first t350's. Noone will tell you exactly what was changed and when though (though Autocraft/Austec are probably the most knowledgeable).
You could always get a 2005 3 yr warranty car (and pay the premium), assuming TVR is around in it's current guise to honour it.
D
You will find there are plenty of people who don't bother posting here much because of the negative attitude towrds the Speed Six. You will find a small but vocal hard core of V8 owners who don't like the format and criticise the engine,you will find a group who bought early cars because they were cheap and found it makes as much sense as buying a cheap early Fezza who criticise TVR,and you will find trolls who don't own a TVR but are quite happy to set themselves up as experts on cars they haven't even washed let alone owned.
There are passionate TVR fans who love the brand but for reasons many and various don't own a TVR-they are an OK bunch on the whole.
Then there are people who have owned a TVR and have had real trouble-they post for help and to share the problem and I have nothing but sympathy for them.
Finally you have the TVR owners who have had no real problems at all and will read your post and reply-I fall into that camp. I can only tell you about my experiece.
It is true that early engines had trouble,and that there have been changes to the engine over time so buy as late as you can.
I've had 2 TVR's with speed Six engines.Neither engines have let me down-I have had a fuse go and was a muppet and ignored a low charge condition once thinking a run would charge it up but that was me not the car.
I have a wonderful T350 which is going from strength to strength and never fails to be a really rewarding experience-whether thats embarresing a DB9last week on the M4 ( childish but he was tailgating me....and it was fun) through to cruises to the Loire.
Look at it this way-just before you die do you really want to be thinking what would it have been like if I'd bought that TVR
There are passionate TVR fans who love the brand but for reasons many and various don't own a TVR-they are an OK bunch on the whole.
Then there are people who have owned a TVR and have had real trouble-they post for help and to share the problem and I have nothing but sympathy for them.
Finally you have the TVR owners who have had no real problems at all and will read your post and reply-I fall into that camp. I can only tell you about my experiece.
It is true that early engines had trouble,and that there have been changes to the engine over time so buy as late as you can.
I've had 2 TVR's with speed Six engines.Neither engines have let me down-I have had a fuse go and was a muppet and ignored a low charge condition once thinking a run would charge it up but that was me not the car.
I have a wonderful T350 which is going from strength to strength and never fails to be a really rewarding experience-whether thats embarresing a DB9last week on the M4 ( childish but he was tailgating me....and it was fun) through to cruises to the Loire.
Look at it this way-just before you die do you really want to be thinking what would it have been like if I'd bought that TVR
sideways mostly said:
You will find there are plenty of people who don't bother posting here much because of the negative attitude towrds the Speed Six. You will find a small but vocal hard core of V8 owners who don't like the format and criticise the engine,you will find a group who bought early cars because they were cheap and found it makes as much sense as buying a cheap early Fezza who criticise TVR,and you will find trolls who don't own a TVR but are quite happy to set themselves up as experts on cars they haven't even washed let alone owned.
There are passionate TVR fans who love the brand but for reasons many and various don't own a TVR-they are an OK bunch on the whole.
Then there are people who have owned a TVR and have had real trouble-they post for help and to share the problem and I have nothing but sympathy for them.
Finally you have the TVR owners who have had no real problems at all and will read your post and reply-I fall into that camp. I can only tell you about my experiece.
It is true that early engines had trouble,and that there have been changes to the engine over time so buy as late as you can.
I've had 2 TVR's with speed Six engines.Neither engines have let me down-I have had a fuse go and was a muppet and ignored a low charge condition once thinking a run would charge it up but that was me not the car.
I have a wonderful T350 which is going from strength to strength and never fails to be a really rewarding experience-whether thats embarresing a DB9last week on the M4 ( childish but he was tailgating me....and it was fun) through to cruises to the Loire.
Look at it this way-just before you die do you really want to be thinking what would it have been like if I'd bought that TVR
Eloquence personified
Had several no-go's (alternator fuse & water in immobiliser ECU) and a slowly leaking steering rack in 15k since new.
BUT IMO more involving and exciting while comfortable & predictable to drive than all other cars I have driven .......993, E-type, original AMV8, XJR, other TVRs, Impreza, Exige (Caterham & GinettaV8 similarly exciting, but just TOO basic)
So..
BUT IMO more involving and exciting while comfortable & predictable to drive than all other cars I have driven .......993, E-type, original AMV8, XJR, other TVRs, Impreza, Exige (Caterham & GinettaV8 similarly exciting, but just TOO basic)
So..
getting tempted again guys... just ad a chat down our local with my 'wiser' old man, who gave the standard speech of 'wasting your money again, blah blah, you dont want one of them your better with a 911 and they are a waste of money too.....'
Thing is a 350hp naturaly aspirated 6cyl engine with a exhaust note to die for, 1150kg, and drop dead looks is hard too ignore.
Its just facing every one who said dont when i did , when its broke!
I cant understand why there are so many issues surrounding tvrs, surely in this day and age with the knownledge and technology thats available, making it reliable should be no bother!
Thing is a 350hp naturaly aspirated 6cyl engine with a exhaust note to die for, 1150kg, and drop dead looks is hard too ignore.
Its just facing every one who said dont when i did , when its broke!
I cant understand why there are so many issues surrounding tvrs, surely in this day and age with the knownledge and technology thats available, making it reliable should be no bother!
I haven't got a TVR yet but I know I will and it cant be worse than the vauxhall vivaro van (work) I have just got rid of after the gearbox went on 53'000 miles and 3 years of endless problems including drilling holes in the back lights due to filling with water and all the other electrics going wrong.
rolex said:
10,000 miles up now from new(2004 model)Apart from leaking radiator and a few trim probs still a total joy to drive.
Exactly what I thought (and would have also said on here like you have) until mine blew its head gasket at 13,000 miles. I still love the speed six and have no plans to sell mine. They seem pretty reliable overall, just make sure you get a proper warranty to cover the unexpected.
I have owned mine for 8 days and had it 2, the rest of the time its been in the Garage for repair, its sounds and looks great but I have to say I am seriously beginning to doubt my decision. Even when I get the car back am I really going to enjoy it, or will I be constantly worrying that it will blow up. The car I got has a remaining TVR dealer warranty but that is with TVR Scotland, I am now in Essex so if it does go pop what chance do I have of getting back there etc etc. This assumes of course there is no way of transferring the warranty locally which I doubt?
The problem as sideways mentioned is that no one posts here saying that their car is on 30, 40, 50k miles etc with no engine rebuilds, these kind of posts would definately help the confidence etc. The question is do they exists ?? maybe its to early to tell.
I think as a person who enjoys cars I like most am prepared to pay a bit extra for servicing, parts etc but to lay out a potential 5k for a new engine on a 2 year old car with no one being accountable does seem ludicrous. After all TVRs are quick and look good etc but they are not doing anything that other manufacturers aren't doing but far more reliably.
I know the logical comments like "make sure its as new as posssible or has a warranty" and "have 5k as back up just in case" all make sense and really do answer all our questions however it does kind of ruin the whole experience.
I think what makes things so bad is the uncertainty, if TVR stepped up to the plate and said these are the known issue's this is how we have addressed them and on earlier cars this is how you can address them before they blow. This would put everyone at ease because everyone would go get the upgrade and any subsequent problems we would all put down to normal car issues (as long as the engine didn't blow I guess
In the real world this is admitting liability hence probably costing the company to fold...I guess.
Enough of my rant and apologies for my negativity, from a personal side I have longed for a TVR and now I have one its such a shame it so marred by the issue's (and I mean the big ones) we see in this forum.
The problem as sideways mentioned is that no one posts here saying that their car is on 30, 40, 50k miles etc with no engine rebuilds, these kind of posts would definately help the confidence etc. The question is do they exists ?? maybe its to early to tell.
I think as a person who enjoys cars I like most am prepared to pay a bit extra for servicing, parts etc but to lay out a potential 5k for a new engine on a 2 year old car with no one being accountable does seem ludicrous. After all TVRs are quick and look good etc but they are not doing anything that other manufacturers aren't doing but far more reliably.
I know the logical comments like "make sure its as new as posssible or has a warranty" and "have 5k as back up just in case" all make sense and really do answer all our questions however it does kind of ruin the whole experience.
I think what makes things so bad is the uncertainty, if TVR stepped up to the plate and said these are the known issue's this is how we have addressed them and on earlier cars this is how you can address them before they blow. This would put everyone at ease because everyone would go get the upgrade and any subsequent problems we would all put down to normal car issues (as long as the engine didn't blow I guess
In the real world this is admitting liability hence probably costing the company to fold...I guess. Enough of my rant and apologies for my negativity, from a personal side I have longed for a TVR and now I have one its such a shame it so marred by the issue's (and I mean the big ones) we see in this forum.
If I sold my Tamora the only other car I would consider is a Sagaris covertable (if they ever make one) or another Tamora. It is the only car i have drived that is so exhilerating and fun to drive. Mine is a 2002 model and the only thing to go wrong mechanicaly was a badly machined valve seat, which involved head off and remachine. Got it done localy and it didn't cost a fortune.
Go on buy one, you will not have so much fun in anything else.
>> Edited by willyworm on Sunday 28th May 10:17
Go on buy one, you will not have so much fun in anything else.
>> Edited by willyworm on Sunday 28th May 10:17
thed4ppa said:
Scottwade its your unfortunate position that puts me off! Its a real shame as the cars have the desirability and image factor, its just they dont seem much good for more than occasional light use!
How wrong you are sir. Suggest you take fathers advice and buy a 911.
If one mans 8 day ownership tales (that seem poorly considered) can be so off putting I suspect you need a marque with a greater percieved reliability image - deserved or otherwise, and a huge security blanket.
Good luck with what you choose.
thed4ppa said:
Scottwade its your unfortunate position that puts me off! Its a real shame as the cars have the desirability and image factor, its just they dont seem much good for more than occasional light use!
Unfortunately Scott may have a 'lemon' which is what I think I had. You've got to ask yourself the question why so many appear on the resale market after so little use - I know the one I sold in March is now up for sale again after only a further 1 k miles!
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