Tuscan-v-Chim

Tuscan-v-Chim

Author
Discussion

Fast Lady

Original Poster:

270 months

Sunday 11th November 2001
quotequote all
Thinking of ordering a 4 litre Tuscan, but worried about engine reliability problems. The dealer is hinting that the Chim maybe a safer bet until the problems are ironed out, but having already owned 3 Chims, I fancy a Tuscan.
Can anybody advise on the reliability of the latest 4 litre Tuscan's.

bebbesen

2,917 posts

282 months

Monday 12th November 2001
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Fast Lady,

My April 2001 model has just passed 11,000 miles. No major problems.
As reliable as my old Griff 500 but much more fun!

B

apeebles

267 posts

285 months

Monday 12th November 2001
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Go for the Tuscan. I too used to own a Chimaera (400) and even though I have only owned a Tuscan for 3 days I am amazed.... Not by performance (I am running in!!!) but the styling and the looks you get....

douglasr

1,092 posts

273 months

Thursday 15th November 2001
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Rumour has it that two dealers have recently given up tvr franchises due to the cost of dealing with angry Tuscan owners. There are also a lot of nearly new used Tuscans about - ask yourself why ?

pbrettle

3,280 posts

284 months

Thursday 15th November 2001
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My understanding was that the ex-TVR main dealers left due to the demands of the factory.

TVR switched to a system where the dealers have to purchase an agreed (imposed) number of cars per month. This is regardless of an customer order or not. Therefore you get a steady stream of business for TVR, and dealers with £45K cars they cant shift.....

Can see the problem with that - though it does "focus the mind" for the dealer.

Evidence?:

www.harrogatehorselesscarriages.co.uk/usedcars.html
www.tvrgear.com/details.asp?StockID=98

etc....

douglasr

1,092 posts

273 months

Thursday 15th November 2001
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The following was posted on the EVO website by a Chim owner:
"As some of you may know, my local TVR dealer has given up the franchise and a new firm has taken over as xxxxxxxx's only TVR dealership. I got a flyer and a ticket inviting me to their stand on the motorshow to say hello. Today I popped down to the "old" dealer as there are a couple of cosmetic things I need to get sored on the car which they didn't have time to do when I bought it. As a result I found out the one of the major reasons for giving the TVR franchise up was the TVR Tuscan. I've mentioned before just how many nearly new Tuscans they had for sale, and it turns out that they were losing a ridiculous amount of money by having to do warranty repairs on the Tuscan. Many customers just had enough and gave the cars back - hence the amount of low milage second hand ones about"

NOTE: Edited to remove the Dealers name.

Dont get me wrong - I would rather not criticise TVR, however I'm worried that they are destroying a loyal customer base with a potential recession just around the corner.

Greenv8s

30,227 posts

285 months

Thursday 15th November 2001
quotequote all
quote:
Thinking of ordering a 4 litre Tuscan, but worried about engine reliability problems. The dealer is hinting that the Chim maybe a safer bet until the problems are ironed out, but having already owned 3 Chims, I fancy a Tuscan.
Can anybody advise on the reliability of the latest 4 litre Tuscan's.


By any chance does your dealer happen to have a good choice of Chimaeras to offer you?

Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)

hector

75 posts

280 months

Thursday 15th November 2001
quotequote all
I can confirm that ONE of the reasons xxxxxxxx's only TVR dealer gave up the franchise was indeed due to a massive loss over the Tuscan problems,the other
I was told was they were just fed up with general customer complaints/frustration.Met the new bloke though who seems genuine enough,time will tell I suppose just hope my Tuscan
stays reliable,great car love it!

fastest

270 months

Tuesday 20th November 2001
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DONT DO IT!

There are obviously real problems with the Tuscan engine. Too risky!

Nick Elliott

2,396 posts

282 months

Tuesday 20th November 2001
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Fast Lady

Do not listen to all the gripes on here about the Tuscan & the Speed 6 engine, I owned a Chim for six years and it was great with no reliability issues , however 15 months ago I changed to a Tuscan standard 4 litre, and it’s in a different league to the Chim in almost all respects ( still like the V8 sound!).The Speed 6 engine is superb, and the only issues in 7500 miles have really only been cosmetic.

Nick

PetrolTed

34,429 posts

304 months

Tuesday 20th November 2001
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Fact: There were problems with early Tuscans: trim, fit and finish etc.
Fact: There were problems over the summer with the engines
Fact: Too many people are tarring Tuscans with the same old brush(es) without knowing what the current status us.

We've seen it before with the Cerbera and it was predicted and has come true with the Tuscan.

Talk to your dealer or a number of dealers and make up your own mind. You will have to see through the dealer-speak but see for yourself. Recent Tuscans are well built and to the best of my knowledge are not experiencing engine problems. They are fantastic cars - don't be put off by scaremongering people who are relying on out of date hearsay rather than fact.

kevinday

11,660 posts

281 months

Tuesday 20th November 2001
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Well said Ted, I am fed up of reading the same old gripes time and time again. Lets get up to date and complain about Ladas

pbrettle

3,280 posts

284 months

Tuesday 20th November 2001
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Ted,

Well said there Ted - It is getting dull with the dealer "X" and customer "Y" saying things. Without true, complete and verifiable evidence then it is simply hearsay.

Witholding names to protect the innocent doesnt really add to the argument. I could, if I wanted, say whatever I want. But I wont.

Please note that most people have a vested interest in something. A dealer has a vested interest in ensuring that they are perceived in a good light - it is therefore easy for them to say that the Tuscan is crap and this is why they are ditching the TVR dealership. I am sure that it has nothing to do with not selling enough cars, not offering decent customer service and not building a decent relationship with the customer or the manufacturer (TVR). All are important

Excuses are an easy thing to come up with - the truth is somewhat harder.

Cheers,

Paul