Sag as a daily driver?
Sag as a daily driver?
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Discussion

Little Dave

Original Poster:

882 posts

238 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
As the title asks - Can the Sag be used as a daily driver?

I currently have a 996tt which with a couple of mods is producing 510bhp. This is my daily driver and I cover about 12,000 miles per year. I have had the car for over two years now and was thinking of changing it. Last weekend I was on the PH South coast/Goodwood drive and fell in love with a Sag (C3 ***) which was there. Didn't get a chance to speak to the driver hence the post here.

So a few questions if you don't mind.

Could a Sag be used daily?
What are the servicing intervals/costs?
What sort of things should I be aware off if looking for one?
What sort of price are they going for at the moment?

TIA

Dave

tvrtuscans

1,009 posts

240 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
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Talk to Gaffer....she uses her's every day.

Cheers

Don1

16,795 posts

237 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
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Little Dave said:
Could a Sag be used daily?
What are the servicing intervals/costs?
What sort of things should I be aware off if looking for one?
What sort of price are they going for at the moment?
Sags are going from £45k-25k.

Personally as long as you look after them, then why not use as a daily driver - except every insurance person I talked to had a limited mileage on it, and it was defined as a 'second' car.

The 996TT in the family here is used daily (and why not), but the TVR's aren't.... The reasons are that the service levels aren't even close, and the 911 would hold up a damn sight better in a smash. Plus the TVR's are so special... there are only ~150ish Sags - why not keep it special....

Services are every 6k (I think?), and it obviously depends on who does them as to the cost. An engine rebuild is around the 6k mark, and to take it to a 4.3 is around 9k.

As for looking at them - check the reg's etc in the Sag register (sticky on the forum), as some have been crashed. There are some people who sell them who are known on the forum - personally I'd go through them, unless you fall in love with one (like I did).

Finally, good luck, and keep in touch with us lot when you get one!

mr sagoo

1,735 posts

265 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
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Mine is used purely for fun at weekends, sunny evenings, driving holidays etc, However there are a few sags used daily, Bogie's wife use's her's for a longish daily commute, Gaffer as previously mentioned uses her's daily, think there are a few others as well. Haven't heard anything other than positive comments so far, Personally I feel it is too 'special'a car to use daily although I might get slaughtered for saying that, Iv'e got a lovely M5 which does just fine for the daily slog.

Englishman

2,253 posts

239 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Mine has been used in all weathers but not every day. It has also been wax-oiled and generally polished and pampered from new. I split my mileage with a Griff so the Sag tends to get used when the sun isn't out! I've tried M3's, M5's Porsche's etc. etc. but I get bored in anything other than a TVR biglaugh Oh, yes you can use them in snow too, the only thing that stops me is when the snow is too deep to go underneath.

Oh, it gets serviced once a year by the TVR Centre and after a few gremlins when new has been totally reliable. I have a 10000 mile pa limit on the insurance.

Cars for sale seem to be listed on here and Autotrader. Price depends entirely on condition IMHO. Chassis and engine condition are most important. Any good dealer can give a good opinion of both.


Edited by Englishman on Thursday 12th February 20:12

bogie

17,076 posts

301 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
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my other half Sarah used to use hers everyday, and ran up 20K in the first 18 months, but then the commute got longer (NE Notts to Kent)and fuel prices went through the roof so she bit the bullet and has had a diesel Volvo for the last 7 months. The £150-200 a week commuting fuel bill was a bit much really frown

But yes, it can be used as a daily driver no problem, in fact they seem to go better the more you use them (she had a Tuscan before that she did 30K in 2 years in)

its not just the fuel though - the service intervals are 6K miles and tappets every 12K so you are looking at £600-1000 each time at a specialist, before you add consumables (which are not too bad to be honest) ...but its still nearly 2x the running costs of my Vantage (which I use daily)

Other than that then get a good one and you should be fine - Id get one thats been used though and all the niggles sorted, rather than a 2K miles a year car. Ours had a one 'major' problem and has been on an AA truck LOL ...the clutch slave cylinder failed (replaced now with a better one apparently) and left it unable to change gear etc, had a new clutch at the same time, other than that its just been regular servicing

Sadly, the time has come to sell - she prefers the roof arrangement of the Tuscan, the Sag is a bit hardcore really for what she wants and so will be for sale in a couple of weeks, its just having the stone chips sorted, detailed and a service etc so it looks like these other garage queens you see for sale ...its done 31K miles I think, but is good mechanical order drop me a line if your interested wink

Im sure she will be back in a Tuscan S though - shes a TVR nut ...im more of a Lotus man myself, but dont mind swapping with her from time to time when we go touring wink

Little Dave

Original Poster:

882 posts

238 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Thanks for the input.

If there is anyone around the Gatwick area that wouldn't mind me having a close look at one I would be most grateful. To me it is one of the most stunning visual cars about especially with the flip flop paint. Am now thinking of getting something sensible Mon - Fri and maybe a Sag for the sunny weekends.

Gaffer

7,156 posts

306 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
quotequote all
Someone shout..?

Yes they can be used every day, in fact they are better for it. Only issue I have here in London are taxi's up my arse when I am trying to get over speed humps but they can bugger off.

As it happens I am doing a 600 mile trip in her tomorrow and cant wait. Also been over to Le Mans and she enjoyed that more than I did.

I get her serviced to the correct intervals and check the levels every week.
Petrol..? hell who cares. Before I got Candy and was using Daisy as my daily hack, it was when petrol first hit the £1/per litre and I was going from Manchester to Birmingham and back every day. I didn't care...

Dont forget they are hand built cars and not a mass production Porsche, so please dont expect everything to be plain sailing. Take the good with the bad and you will have a blast..!

Claire & Candy (oh and Daisy says Hi as well).

Don1

16,795 posts

237 months

Friday 13th February 2009
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Sags do look very good with loud paint schemes (the styling can take it), but I adore mine - it's far more stuble (if you can use that word with a Sag) - people call it the batmobile.

TVR_owner

3,349 posts

220 months

Friday 13th February 2009
quotequote all
Little Dave said:
As the title asks - Can the Sag be used as a daily driver?
If you can accept the fact that it will deteriorate faster than most mass produced stuff due to poor qualiy fastenings and coatings and your daily trips are a reasonable distance then its down to your general tolerance levels.

I don't subscribe to the school of thought that they are better if used everyday - but then I don't think sending a car to its grave prematurely or at least to intensive care is a good idea.

I've tried using a Sagaris every day and all it reminded me of where the cars short-comings and I got bored with it very quickly - there are lots of cars that excite and do the day to day thing much better.

996TT is a much better day to day drive IMHO. Running costs I think are about the same. Sag will use less fuel and get through fewer tyres.

edited to add - While the post above may sould like I dont lke the cars, my Sagaris is the most most competant (and fun) car I've ever owned.


Edited by TVR_owner on Friday 13th February 08:28

TGJR

750 posts

257 months

Friday 13th February 2009
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If you are used to a 996 as your daily drive then I think you'll find a Sagaris a bit of a culture shock, especially at this time of year on moderate road surfaces!

I think a Sagaris is a far more special car with individuality and character but if I was heading off down the A1 today there is no doubt that I'd be sat on some nice German leather while the Sag was tucked up in the garage!

Horses for courses.

paul1962

556 posts

243 months

Friday 13th February 2009
quotequote all
I've always used TVRs as everyday cars, the Sag is no different.

My work run is very short, approx 6 miles, which I know is far from ideal especially during the cold weather.

It's serviced at the required intervals and I've never had any problems.

Service costs vary wildly so it all depends on who you're happing using.

Buy one, drive it, enjoy it, would be my advice.

Nish

601 posts

241 months

Friday 13th February 2009
quotequote all
Had mine for a few months now.

Went from T350 -> SL55 AMG -> Sagaris

It is my only car but even then its aminly used on weekends.

The SL was brilliant for day to day use, my friend has a 996TT and I know they are very capable.

But theres just something about a TVR, the Sagaris especially is a real occassion to drive.

Not near Gatwick, but in HA1, if you want a poke around feel free

TVR_owner

3,349 posts

220 months

Friday 13th February 2009
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paul1962 said:
Buy one, drive it, enjoy it, would be my advice.
If you can I would agree. I got bored with my every day Sag and it subseqeuntly went to a very caring and contended new owner.

paul1962

556 posts

243 months

Friday 13th February 2009
quotequote all
TVR_owner said:
I got bored with my every day Sag and it subseqeuntly went to a very caring and contended new owner.
I know, and I love it smile

Wouldn't want you to think my low daily mileage means I don't care about it or look after it.
The guys at hexham commented it was a stunning car last time it was there.

justin220

5,743 posts

233 months

Saturday 14th February 2009
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I was always under teh impression that TVR's work better the more they are used, better than than to be sitting around un used all the time. I may be wrong though

TVR_owner

3,349 posts

220 months

Sunday 15th February 2009
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justin220 said:
I was always under teh impression that TVR's work better the more they are used, better than than to be sitting around un used all the time. I may be wrong though
Justin,
It very much depends what you do with the car when its not being used and what you do before you start to use it again.

Little Dave

Original Poster:

882 posts

238 months

Monday 16th February 2009
quotequote all
Thanks again for the input.

I am going to Fernhurst at the weeekend to have a look at the one they have there.

TheArb

446 posts

276 months

Tuesday 17th February 2009
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Using the Sag every day here in Sydney, 40degC one day, 20 the next, paint seems to holding up against the sunshine so far. Only problem is the ground clearance as the roads are so bad. Petrol at $1 a litre (about 40p) means fuel consumption is not an issue.

TSS

1,136 posts

297 months

Tuesday 17th February 2009
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I used mine as my only car for 18 months (19,500 miles). It was very practical. I rarely had any ground clearance issues, I drove it in snow a couple of times with no problems and the fuel consumption was about the same as my current R32, maybe even a little better. It was an absolutely fantastic car and I often wish I hadn’t sold it.

The only drawback was that it fell apart and broke down constantly. The build quality was non-existent. It went back to the dealer/TVR Power 14 times in the first 8 months of ownership and back to the factory 3 times! And that was just for the stuff I couldn’t repair myself. Other than that, a truly great car.