Why are TVRs SO different to other cars?!!
Discussion
OK... SO.... I'll keep it brief...
My Tuscan 2S Conv. has sat outside all over the winter :-(... all through the snow, rain etc.. It's completely criminal I know.. I feel UNBELIEVABLY neglectful and know that I am a bad, bad person!
OF COURSE it wouldn't start (it hasn't even been turned over in 6 months), but more worrying was it taking on it's own life after having a new battery fitted... doors, windows, boot locks, alarm.. all doing WHAT they wanted, WHEN they wanted..... but never when I wanted!!!!!!! As many of you are now screaming, YES, it WAS water/damp in the electrics and with some loving and tender care from the guys at Racing Green, it COULD be brought back to life.
So.... Why am I telling you this? Well.... If you thought that I was a bad person before.... wait 'till you read this!
This is my third TVR.. all bought from new.. all loved (if a little neglected!). But NOW... maybe it was time to say goodbye. My other cars (Farbio GTS400, VW Scirroco) basically meant that the TVR had simply become a "summer afternoon" plaything, and I hate that idea. I used to use my T350's as everyday cars, and loved driving them whenever... and wherever. There isn't really enough room on the drive, I've a kid on the way,... maybe this is the time to let my baby go... (the car.. not the pregnant other half!!!)
So I pick up the keys down at RG (they had it for a week or so), start it up...... get that familiar "I'm really a poorly tractor" kind of Cold Straight Six sound... try to get familiar with this now forgotten seating position and pull away slowly and kangaroo stylee........ Yes.... I SHOULD say goodbye to my TVR days...
Skip forward half an hour...... Sailing down the M3..... Nobody and I mean NOBODY.... is taking this gorgeous, beautiful car away from me!!!! I forgot how wonderfully, amazingly infectious it is!....... I don't need the money, I just need the time to drive it..... properly!! How could I have let this happen? HOW could I EVER have thought of selling it?!! (In the hour it took to drive home, I'd already formed a list of the little things that I'm going to get done, from a new bit here to a bit of paint there.... I WANT to SPEND money making this car even MORE perfect!!!!
So..... Back to the original question..... WHAT causes this?..... WHY do they feel SO different to every other car?? (and I've driven some VERY nice cars!
I love my TVR... I don't care WHO knows.... and if anyone reads this who HASN'T driven one (or like me, as forgotten what they feel like!!)... go forth
and buy one!!!
... But it won't be mine!!!!!!!!!
My Tuscan 2S Conv. has sat outside all over the winter :-(... all through the snow, rain etc.. It's completely criminal I know.. I feel UNBELIEVABLY neglectful and know that I am a bad, bad person!
OF COURSE it wouldn't start (it hasn't even been turned over in 6 months), but more worrying was it taking on it's own life after having a new battery fitted... doors, windows, boot locks, alarm.. all doing WHAT they wanted, WHEN they wanted..... but never when I wanted!!!!!!! As many of you are now screaming, YES, it WAS water/damp in the electrics and with some loving and tender care from the guys at Racing Green, it COULD be brought back to life.
So.... Why am I telling you this? Well.... If you thought that I was a bad person before.... wait 'till you read this!
This is my third TVR.. all bought from new.. all loved (if a little neglected!). But NOW... maybe it was time to say goodbye. My other cars (Farbio GTS400, VW Scirroco) basically meant that the TVR had simply become a "summer afternoon" plaything, and I hate that idea. I used to use my T350's as everyday cars, and loved driving them whenever... and wherever. There isn't really enough room on the drive, I've a kid on the way,... maybe this is the time to let my baby go... (the car.. not the pregnant other half!!!)
So I pick up the keys down at RG (they had it for a week or so), start it up...... get that familiar "I'm really a poorly tractor" kind of Cold Straight Six sound... try to get familiar with this now forgotten seating position and pull away slowly and kangaroo stylee........ Yes.... I SHOULD say goodbye to my TVR days...
Skip forward half an hour...... Sailing down the M3..... Nobody and I mean NOBODY.... is taking this gorgeous, beautiful car away from me!!!! I forgot how wonderfully, amazingly infectious it is!....... I don't need the money, I just need the time to drive it..... properly!! How could I have let this happen? HOW could I EVER have thought of selling it?!! (In the hour it took to drive home, I'd already formed a list of the little things that I'm going to get done, from a new bit here to a bit of paint there.... I WANT to SPEND money making this car even MORE perfect!!!!
So..... Back to the original question..... WHAT causes this?..... WHY do they feel SO different to every other car?? (and I've driven some VERY nice cars!
I love my TVR... I don't care WHO knows.... and if anyone reads this who HASN'T driven one (or like me, as forgotten what they feel like!!)... go forth
and buy one!!!
... But it won't be mine!!!!!!!!!
Mine is away getting a service and a few other bits and bobs done on it....
I am really ,really missing it, I can't bring myself to open the garage door and see the empty space.. Thank goodness the weather is a bit dodgy at the moment because if it was sunny and dry I'd be going mad...
I am really ,really missing it, I can't bring myself to open the garage door and see the empty space.. Thank goodness the weather is a bit dodgy at the moment because if it was sunny and dry I'd be going mad...
G20RG B said:
Mine is away getting a service and a few other bits and bobs done on it....
I am really ,really missing it, I can't bring myself to open the garage door and see the empty space.. Thank goodness the weather is a bit dodgy at the moment because if it was sunny and dry I'd be going mad...
Mine has been away since last Saturday but was collected this evening. Wife accused me of grinning like a maniac from the moment it fired up to when I put in the garage and connected it's accumate, which just sums it up nicely I am really ,really missing it, I can't bring myself to open the garage door and see the empty space.. Thank goodness the weather is a bit dodgy at the moment because if it was sunny and dry I'd be going mad...
Very difficult to put your finger on what makes it so different. I think the following do it for me:
Rarity
British sports car
The noise
Effortless grunt
Simple basic mechanics
It's more a demanding mate than a servant! It has taken me 5 years to get my chim as good as it is now. It is such a part of me i could not bring myself to sell it now i have a Lotus. Will be getting it back on the road as soon as i can afford to insure both
Rarity
British sports car
The noise
Effortless grunt
Simple basic mechanics
It's more a demanding mate than a servant! It has taken me 5 years to get my chim as good as it is now. It is such a part of me i could not bring myself to sell it now i have a Lotus. Will be getting it back on the road as soon as i can afford to insure both
I was at a TVR dealer in the north west a few years back getting some bits for my Wedge (long gone). Outside was a guy with his girl friend and a salesman who was explaining how to take the roof off etc from the just purchased Chimaera 5.
The guy had a massive smile on his face and his girlfriend had one of those "he's just a little boy" looks on her face.
I just stood taking in the pleasure this guy was obviously having and realised I had a big smile on my own face.
THen it happened, the salesman started the engine.
After a brief pause to absorb the beautiful sound of the 5lt V8 the guy went running off down the car park
I heard myself laughing, saw the girl friend confirming to herself "yes, just a little boy", and even the salesman looked totally happy with the result of his turn of s simple key.
I am sure a Ferrari can and has done this but how many have done it the
When the sa
The guy had a massive smile on his face and his girlfriend had one of those "he's just a little boy" looks on her face.
I just stood taking in the pleasure this guy was obviously having and realised I had a big smile on my own face.
THen it happened, the salesman started the engine.
After a brief pause to absorb the beautiful sound of the 5lt V8 the guy went running off down the car park
I heard myself laughing, saw the girl friend confirming to herself "yes, just a little boy", and even the salesman looked totally happy with the result of his turn of s simple key.
I am sure a Ferrari can and has done this but how many have done it the
When the sa
My Cerb lives in a garage 5 miles from my house; on my way home from work i often sneak there to look at it / occasionaly start it. For the record i'm not a sad person, in fact i would consider myself quite cool, however i just can't stop myself from doing this, thats what owning a TVR does to you
I feel the same a bit with the chim, it has not been on the road for nearly 8 months now and a winter of non stop work and new shinny upgrades. So i have this feeling like the hassle of tinkering away on it myself has worn off and i just want a easy car to live with car that I can enjoy over the winter a bit more (thinking about a lotus s2 toyota engine 
) I hope this summer is really good and when i get back behind the wheel i can enjoy it again and get the feeling back that i had last summer which seems so long ago.
) I hope this summer is really good and when i get back behind the wheel i can enjoy it again and get the feeling back that i had last summer which seems so long ago.I have a part time job where I collect and deliver some quite prestigious loan cars for insurance reasons. I drive some very capable cars each week, the usual German ones and some other high end sports/saloons.
Whilst they are all to be admired for their effortless performance, comfort and ruthless efficiency, they don't have any personality or SOUL. I always look forward to getting back to base and the drive home in my Chim, especially after a long day in something much more expensive and refined.
Whilst they are all to be admired for their effortless performance, comfort and ruthless efficiency, they don't have any personality or SOUL. I always look forward to getting back to base and the drive home in my Chim, especially after a long day in something much more expensive and refined.
MuffDaddy said:
I got as far as putting mine on the market last year, very glad it didn't sell.
Yesterday I drove my Chimaera down to Dulfords for its annual love in. I drove my friends Tuscan back and I have to say I would struggle to fall in love with it.
Everyone's different!.. The Chim. didn't really do it for me. I will have to say though that the Tusc 2 is a LOT better than the Tusc 1..Yesterday I drove my Chimaera down to Dulfords for its annual love in. I drove my friends Tuscan back and I have to say I would struggle to fall in love with it.
.... IMO :-)
Compared to a lot who have contributed to this thread I have not owned a TVR for long at all, but it doesn't take long to get hooked does it?
My daily ride, the latest C5 is super efficient, frugal, quiet, and it's got all the gadgets and I constantly struggle to keep anywhere near the speed limits in built up areas because its just so effortless. But it's got absolutely no soul!
The Wedge is so different to drive, so involving, you can feel everything working underneath you, and that noise..........!! I have no trouble staying near the limit round town because I'm just listening to the car and enjoying the experience. Yes, it's great to drive it quickly, and I do, but I don't have to do that to enjoy it. And I think that's what makes it for me.
My daily ride, the latest C5 is super efficient, frugal, quiet, and it's got all the gadgets and I constantly struggle to keep anywhere near the speed limits in built up areas because its just so effortless. But it's got absolutely no soul!
The Wedge is so different to drive, so involving, you can feel everything working underneath you, and that noise..........!! I have no trouble staying near the limit round town because I'm just listening to the car and enjoying the experience. Yes, it's great to drive it quickly, and I do, but I don't have to do that to enjoy it. And I think that's what makes it for me.
Hi
Had a 2000 450 Chim for a while, sold it for the new BMW Z4 30i SDrive, had that for about three or four months then sold it back to the dealership, yes I lost money but it could not replace that feeling of sitting in a TVR starting it up and having that real sense of occassion!! The BMW, nice car don't get me wrong, was like having a second everyday car - boring!!!!
I now have a Tuscan 2 convertible, along with a small cosmetic job list, but I have that good feeling back and a real sense of owning something special.
Knowing I have a TVR in the garage gives me an inner smile and a massive grin when out in it with top down.
Learnt my lesson - Misses doesn't let me forget that's for sure!!!!
Cheers
IM
Had a 2000 450 Chim for a while, sold it for the new BMW Z4 30i SDrive, had that for about three or four months then sold it back to the dealership, yes I lost money but it could not replace that feeling of sitting in a TVR starting it up and having that real sense of occassion!! The BMW, nice car don't get me wrong, was like having a second everyday car - boring!!!!
I now have a Tuscan 2 convertible, along with a small cosmetic job list, but I have that good feeling back and a real sense of owning something special.
Knowing I have a TVR in the garage gives me an inner smile and a massive grin when out in it with top down.
Learnt my lesson - Misses doesn't let me forget that's for sure!!!!
Cheers
IM
In some ways, they don't make too much sense I suppose.
However, that doesn't matter and they don't have too
As posted above it's the soul, there's just 'something'. It's more of an experience than normal cars.
I think though you either get/feel it or you don't.
My wife has said sell one and buy a whatever, I undertsand the buying bit but selling - why!
However, that doesn't matter and they don't have too
As posted above it's the soul, there's just 'something'. It's more of an experience than normal cars.
I think though you either get/feel it or you don't.
My wife has said sell one and buy a whatever, I undertsand the buying bit but selling - why!
Pursyluv said:
My Cerb lives in a garage 5 miles from my house
Consider your self lucky. Mine live about 25 miles from mine (some very nice people are kind enough to look after it for me) and i get over there at every opportunity to go out for a drive. OP, nice write up sir. Am `starting` to feel that way about mine although i've only had it since Octber last year. Tamore form on here said to me that they do get under your skin and i'm starting to believe him !
Hi all.
I have just spent my first year with the FFF engine from RG in the Sag.
The car has been decatted and mapped and is now used as a daily driver.
The car is effortless to drive at normal road speeds,and even in traffic is now so tractable as to gently bumble along at low revs.
The car pops and bangs and even shoots out the odd flames.
I had a mk1 Tuscan beforewhich I enjoyed immensely,but which demanded a lot more respect.
I have done quite a few track days ,and European trips and many club runs to Southern Ireland and Scotland,both of which have excellent scenic roads forenjoying the performance of the cars.
I have been lucky to have been given drives in other performance machines but nothing gives more satisfaction than the presence and soul of a TVR on the road.
Many thanks to TVR and to RG for making my driving experiences so memorable.
Long may they continue!
Davy
I have just spent my first year with the FFF engine from RG in the Sag.
The car has been decatted and mapped and is now used as a daily driver.
The car is effortless to drive at normal road speeds,and even in traffic is now so tractable as to gently bumble along at low revs.
The car pops and bangs and even shoots out the odd flames.
I had a mk1 Tuscan beforewhich I enjoyed immensely,but which demanded a lot more respect.
I have done quite a few track days ,and European trips and many club runs to Southern Ireland and Scotland,both of which have excellent scenic roads forenjoying the performance of the cars.
I have been lucky to have been given drives in other performance machines but nothing gives more satisfaction than the presence and soul of a TVR on the road.
Many thanks to TVR and to RG for making my driving experiences so memorable.
Long may they continue!
Davy
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