Help with T350 purchase

[egoold]

Having been looking at trying to get my self a T350 for the last month or so but am getting increasing confused and frustrated. Most of this is my own fault, all the cars currently for sale are in the south and being from Glasgow makes it difficult to view different cars.

I am also getting confused by the wildly different costs for apparently the same age, mileage and condition of cars. even from the same dealer! Some private cars are more expensive than equivalent cars from dealers, even taking in to account condition , service history etc.

I took a couple of days off at the start of the month and visited 3 dealers down south and looked at various cars. so have a good idea now what i am looking for.

As much as i love the two pristine privately owned ones for sale

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2515576.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2485970.htm

i feel for me they might be a bit too much to expensive for me and as I may track the car at some point it would seem unfair to do that to such lovely cars.

I viewed this car http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2473857.htm but even though i told them i was coming down from Glasgow to view the car on a certain day, when i arrived the car was stuck in the corner of the warehouse, when i then asked them if i could take it for a drive they then couldn't start the car, they new nothing about the car, history etc. and were quite frankly idiots. i am sure who ever bough the car got a good car, but i just didn't get a good feeling about it.

So 1 month on i have been chasing information about this car. http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2473857.htm . asked a bit on here http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=968... and posted a in general section if anyone local to the car would be able to help out and have a look round it for me. A chap called Jamie (ex TVR technician) was going to have a look round it on Thursday or Friday but haven't been able to get hold of Jamie or the seller since Thursday.

This morning a car within budget popped up in the classified section (does anyone have experience of dealing with williams motors?) http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2554607.htm nice looking car but why is it £6K less than another on they have for sale of similar age, mileage etc? http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2249958.htm


Or maybe i should be looking for a Tuscan instead http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2543650.htm surly this is a good purchase?

Don't know if i actually have a point just wanted to get some feedback from owners on what i should be considering purchase wise.

[Smooth Smith]

egoold said:

This morning a car within budget popped up in the classified section (does anyone have experience of dealing with williams motors?) http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2554607.htm nice looking car but why is it £6K less than another on they have for sale of similar age, mileage etc? http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2249958.htm

The first car is a T350c (coupe) whereas the second is a T350t with the targa panels. This will explain the difference in price although 6k seems too much of a difference IMO.

From your post, I take it you like the looks of both the T350 & Tuscan. Do you have a budget in mind & are roof off thrills a must or not? Tuscan & T350t have removable roof panels whereas the T350c does not. T350t's are more expensive than the coupes & they are few & far between so it may take longer for you to find the right one for you.

[egoold]

Thanks, roof off thrills are not important to me, so even if i went for a tuscan the roof would stay on most of the time. Budget wise i would say a maximum of £20k but preferably less if possible. however i realise it is worth spending up to my maximum to get a good car.

[Smooth Smith]

egoold said:

Thanks, roof off thrills are not important to me, so even if i went for a tuscan the roof would stay on most of the time. Budget wise i would say a maximum of £20k but preferably less if possible. however i realise it is worth spending up to my maximum to get a good car.

With that sort of budget, you should be able to find a good Tuscan or T350c. A 't' maybe a possibility if you wait however I think most would be just over this figure.

The issues regarding the S6 engine are well known & therefore it would be a good idea to read through the S6 forum posts (if you haven't already). I don't want to dwell on it too much as it would seem that cars needing rebuilds are becoming less common. Cars post 2003 are considered to be better but there are still no guarantees.

My advice would be to try each model to see which you prefer & then buy a Tuscan (I am biased). The mk1 Tuscan does have a more direct steering rack with only 1.7 turns lock to lock. It can become a little twitchy at high speeds but there are mods to sort this out if need be.

My preference would be a car that has had a TVR Power or Str8six rebuild. Alternatively, buy a car at the lower end of the market without a rebuild & then you still have a pot of money left over IF the worst does happen.

[ukcerb]

egoold said:

This morning a car within budget popped up in the classified section (does anyone have experience of dealing with williams motors?) http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2554607.htm nice looking car but why is it £6K less than another on they have for sale of similar age, mileage etc? http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2249958.htm

And it has anti-lock brakes and multiple airbags!

[RedSpike66]

You have PM

[samantha]

I know of a 05 T350c Black with 14500 miles thats not that far away from Glasgow,, Newcastle area, Down side that may put you off its a cat D,

The guy who has it is finishing it off TVR glen look on Ebay for his details,

I have seen the car & its worth a look, Price is great too

[cramorra]

ukcerb said:

egoold said:

This morning a car within budget popped up in the classified section (does anyone have experience of dealing with williams motors?) http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2554607.htm nice looking car but why is it £6K less than another on they have for sale of similar age, mileage etc? http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2249958.htm

And it has anti-lock brakes and multiple airbags!

want those, too

[egoold]

Thank you for the responses got a few nice PM's yesterday with people offering to help in my search. Have one other option to me a friend has a tuscan that i am going to take out for a drive on Friday, if he can be persuaded to sell it it would make a great buy and my first TVR.

[SAGTAFF]

egoold said:

Thank you for the responses got a few nice PM's yesterday with people offering to help in my search. Have one other option to me a friend has a tuscan that i am going to take out for a drive on Friday, if he can be persuaded to sell it it would make a great buy and my first TVR.

YHMM (you have more mail!!)

SAGTAFF