The good, the bad and the other half
Discussion
Last night I found a temporary cure to my starting issue... a trickle charger. The dodgy starter motor earth now looks like a red herring and it seems it just needed a few more volts.
So, the good news is I was able to go out for a night drive under the stars last night. It's been over a week since I last went out and I've covered a lot of miles in my new (and wholly unremarkable) daily driver since then. I seem to have become sensitised to it, which is a good thing, because the S now seems very fast indeed! Maybe it just prefers the cool evening air, but I could swear it was going better than before.
The headlights (particularly on dipped beam) still resemble two candles about to extinguish, so I stuck to some nicely lit A-roads on the whole. There's something particularly special about driving a convertible at night and I was lapping it up. What's more every solid object I passed reflected some of the noise back at me. With this is mind I took a mini tunnel run route back going through a couple on the A1 and M25.
The bad bit (as far as the car goes) is that I still have to locate the source of the battery problem. Is it a current drain somewhere? Is the alternator failing to charge? Or is it just a duff battery?
The other bad thing was my decision to carry on and pick up my girlfriend in it. She wasn't a fan of the car last time I took her out, but I didn't think she could complain too much about a 10 minute blat home. I was wrong.
She hadn't enjoyed the trip back at all. Bizzare as it sounds, there's something about the car that really scares her (beyond my driving). I pointed out it was only the second time she'd been in it, to which she replied it would also be the last!
Just goes to show, there's no accounting for taste.
So, the good news is I was able to go out for a night drive under the stars last night. It's been over a week since I last went out and I've covered a lot of miles in my new (and wholly unremarkable) daily driver since then. I seem to have become sensitised to it, which is a good thing, because the S now seems very fast indeed! Maybe it just prefers the cool evening air, but I could swear it was going better than before.
The headlights (particularly on dipped beam) still resemble two candles about to extinguish, so I stuck to some nicely lit A-roads on the whole. There's something particularly special about driving a convertible at night and I was lapping it up. What's more every solid object I passed reflected some of the noise back at me. With this is mind I took a mini tunnel run route back going through a couple on the A1 and M25.
The bad bit (as far as the car goes) is that I still have to locate the source of the battery problem. Is it a current drain somewhere? Is the alternator failing to charge? Or is it just a duff battery?
The other bad thing was my decision to carry on and pick up my girlfriend in it. She wasn't a fan of the car last time I took her out, but I didn't think she could complain too much about a 10 minute blat home. I was wrong.
She hadn't enjoyed the trip back at all. Bizzare as it sounds, there's something about the car that really scares her (beyond my driving). I pointed out it was only the second time she'd been in it, to which she replied it would also be the last!
Just goes to show, there's no accounting for taste.
Hi Chris
Are you aware the car has probably got a dim/dip system which means car cannot be drive on sidelight alone. Hovever switching on headlights overides the dim/dip.
My headlights were poor as well so I replaced with Wipac Quad Optics from Stafford Vehicle Components http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/
And my Misses loves it says its more comfortable than either of our daily drivers
Are you aware the car has probably got a dim/dip system which means car cannot be drive on sidelight alone. Hovever switching on headlights overides the dim/dip.
My headlights were poor as well so I replaced with Wipac Quad Optics from Stafford Vehicle Components http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/
And my Misses loves it says its more comfortable than either of our daily drivers
Edited by Gerald-TVR on Friday 29th August 10:53
Chris71 said:
she replied it would also be the last!
I had sililar when I first bought the S..But a weekend trip away staying in a nice cottage B&B, meals out in the evening, Beautiful scenery in mid-wales, a drive of nearly 1000 miles, soon had her on side.. Over that long weekend, I managed to indulge myself in the TVR, she got a nice break away. We both learned to live with the S, long and short trips. Rather than having a blatt around the local roads, scaring the living $hit out of her. She managed to appreciate the attraction of roof off motoring..
Good luck..!
As for the lights, I drive almost everywhere on full beam in the S. 1, its the only way I can see anything. 2, Nobody has ever flashed me, or mentioned it.. The driving lights aren't linked to full beam so I can switch them on if I need extra candles.
I must admit I'm surprised they can tell the difference. At our respective altitudes, their dipped beam is probably more blinding than my main, but nonetheless forgetting I was still on main got me flashed several times last night.
The coverage is actual quite good, it just desperately needs more intensity.
I must admit, however good the headlamps are, it's rarely fun driving towards oncoming traffic in a low slung sports car at night!
T'other half isn't really a car person. I only persuaded her to take her driving test a few months back (...she's 25). Not sure I can see her warming to it, but fortunately the tiv isn't our main source of transport. Ironically in our other car she's a model passenger - happy for me to drive like an absolute nutter, while she reads out directions over the sound of squealing tyres. I don't drive the TVR in anything like the same way (especially if I've got a passenger) and yet she's petrified. I think it's the noise.
Strange really, I love the noise.
The coverage is actual quite good, it just desperately needs more intensity.
I must admit, however good the headlamps are, it's rarely fun driving towards oncoming traffic in a low slung sports car at night!
T'other half isn't really a car person. I only persuaded her to take her driving test a few months back (...she's 25). Not sure I can see her warming to it, but fortunately the tiv isn't our main source of transport. Ironically in our other car she's a model passenger - happy for me to drive like an absolute nutter, while she reads out directions over the sound of squealing tyres. I don't drive the TVR in anything like the same way (especially if I've got a passenger) and yet she's petrified. I think it's the noise.
Strange really, I love the noise.
Chris71 said:
The coverage is actual quite good, it just desperately needs more intensity.
You need to consider doing two mods to the lights..1 - fit high intensity bulbs - the ones claiming 60% more light etc etc - cost about £30 for a good pair.
2 - rewire the lights to be powered direct from the battery via relays. so your existing switchgear operates the relays (one for main, one for dipped) which take the full 12v direct from the battery (normal circuit apparently loses quite a bit of voltage on its way around.)
Hope that helps
K
Mrs M&S has driven it a few times now, i now get this, its my car 
no its mine, her argument is you can't drive 2 TVR's at once ......oh and this one i liked - i let you buy it!!!
.......checkmate????? . She will drive it to the BNG next week when i take the 'M', does that make it her car???
It will probably return to being my car when it needs cleaning, oil changing etc etc
no its mine, her argument is you can't drive 2 TVR's at once ......oh and this one i liked - i let you buy it!!!.......checkmate????? . She will drive it to the BNG next week when i take the 'M', does that make it her car??? It will probably return to being my car when it needs cleaning, oil changing etc etc
Mrs R had no complaint first time in the car - She fell ASLEEP!!! - with the roof OFF! Musn't have been driving hard enough 
Been out with her since & no real emotion - now when my 6 year old (complete with booster seat) comes for a spin - she screams the whole time (with screams of glee, I should say)
Jaye
Been out with her since & no real emotion - now when my 6 year old (complete with booster seat) comes for a spin - she screams the whole time (with screams of glee, I should say)
Jaye
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