TVR Tuscan, take 2!
Discussion
With some terrible timing, I have just collected my new TVR Tuscan (2 days before lock-down!). This car replaces the Tuscan I had briefly last year, which was returned to the dealer (that is a long story).
This one is a 2002 3.6 Mk1. I looked at quite a few before deciding on this one, mainly due to a recent Powers rebuild, mapped by Joolz, lots of preventative maintenance, a great chassis, up-rated suspension, and aircon (which I really wanted as I'd like to take the car around Europe). I also really liked the colour scheme, which was a total contrast to my last Tuscan (see below)
[url]
Powers rebuilt engine.
|https://thumbsnap.com/LBIMN5Wn[/url]
This time it was a private purchase; the vendor is on pistonheads and was selling to buy an Aston. Due to the recent events I've barely driven the car. It obviously feels quite similar to my old Tuscan, but will say the 3.6 feels slightly less torquey at low revs but then goes ballistic at about 4k revs.It span the wheels in 3rd gear, which I can't say my old car did. The engine is definitely making the power and sounds good as the car is decatted. I may look for a noisier exhaust as my last car had carbon cans and they made the pops and bangs sound like fireworks happening inside your house.
Plans for the moment are just to look after the car and sort out some bits (and drive it at some point in the future...) The paint isn't in as good a condition as my last car; one of the owners added PPF which has left a mark where it was removed. So I will look to get the car painted (potentially a full respray to make it immaculate, but not decided yet. As soon as I can I want to take the car to Powers for a 12k service, but also to extend the warranty on the engine for piece of mind. Then, just enjoy the car and hope it doesn't cause me the same problems the last one did!
This one is a 2002 3.6 Mk1. I looked at quite a few before deciding on this one, mainly due to a recent Powers rebuild, mapped by Joolz, lots of preventative maintenance, a great chassis, up-rated suspension, and aircon (which I really wanted as I'd like to take the car around Europe). I also really liked the colour scheme, which was a total contrast to my last Tuscan (see below)
[url]Powers rebuilt engine.
|https://thumbsnap.com/LBIMN5Wn[/url]This time it was a private purchase; the vendor is on pistonheads and was selling to buy an Aston. Due to the recent events I've barely driven the car. It obviously feels quite similar to my old Tuscan, but will say the 3.6 feels slightly less torquey at low revs but then goes ballistic at about 4k revs.It span the wheels in 3rd gear, which I can't say my old car did. The engine is definitely making the power and sounds good as the car is decatted. I may look for a noisier exhaust as my last car had carbon cans and they made the pops and bangs sound like fireworks happening inside your house.
Plans for the moment are just to look after the car and sort out some bits (and drive it at some point in the future...) The paint isn't in as good a condition as my last car; one of the owners added PPF which has left a mark where it was removed. So I will look to get the car painted (potentially a full respray to make it immaculate, but not decided yet. As soon as I can I want to take the car to Powers for a 12k service, but also to extend the warranty on the engine for piece of mind. Then, just enjoy the car and hope it doesn't cause me the same problems the last one did!
Andy665 said:
Lovely.
I looked at your previous one when it was for sale and something yet did not feel right about it - seems like it had "issues"
Mines being delivered today, owned since last December and not driven it yet, it went straight to TrackvRoad for a rebuild (More precautionary than anything else)
You escaped a lot of hassle not buying that green one. Wasn’t right from day one and spent more time back trying to be fixed than it did with me. I looked at your previous one when it was for sale and something yet did not feel right about it - seems like it had "issues"
Mines being delivered today, owned since last December and not driven it yet, it went straight to TrackvRoad for a rebuild (More precautionary than anything else)
Good luck with yours today, I know you’ve been waiting ages for it. Terrible timing as well because we can’t use them as intended!
TR4man said:
You are obviously a glutton for punishment!
Seriously I am looking forward to reading your updates.
Owned mine for nearly two years.
Only update is the car is tucked away in the garage. Broke my extension cable so not currently on battery charge until I can find another extension lead.Seriously I am looking forward to reading your updates.
Owned mine for nearly two years.
I think TVRs can handle most colours. The only one I didn’t really fancy (but would have still had if the car was in excellent condition) was black, as I think it hides the mad lines of the car.
My favourite TVR colour is Halcyon Midas, which I had on my Chimaera. One day I’d love a Tuscan or Cerbera in this shade .
My favourite TVR colour is Halcyon Midas, which I had on my Chimaera. One day I’d love a Tuscan or Cerbera in this shade .
Tuscan update:
Not many miles covered since purchase; I've only used the car on the rare occasion to take into work when the weather has been so good. For the remainder of the time it lives in my garage on trickle charge. The car drives fantastically and feels so much more planted than my last Tuscan. I can actually drive this one without needing both hands on the wheel at all times, ready for the car to go off course the second it hits a bump. This one has been set-up really well and it is a much less 'edgy' drive. The 3.6 engine feels surprisingly different to the old 4.0 I had previously - it doesn't have quite the same torque low down but seems to rev much more freely and have a more manic top end, which I think suits the nature of this car.
It hasn't been all perfect 'though...
Driving down the road, all of a sudden the normal pops and bangs from the car sounded like artillery fire and explosions. I pulled into the lay-by thinking the engine must be destroying itself but thankfully found it was just the exhaust that had detached. It hadn't just come loose or been knocked by something on the road, but seems to have just failed and split apart. It was held on by a few mm of material and I had to remove it so I could get home (luckily not too far away, but with only one exhaust on everyone heard the car coming). No damage caused, apart from the loss of that exhaust. I've taken this chance to order a slightly different (louder) exhaust, so will see how that sounds on the car. I'm not sure my neighbours will be looking forward to it as much as I am.
Only other minor issue is the speedo needle sometimes not working. The private seller very kindly refunded me some money to fix this.
The car is booked into Powers for a service soon and to have their engine warranty extended (as long as it passes the checks).
I can forgive the car for these minor issues when it drives and looks this good!
Not many miles covered since purchase; I've only used the car on the rare occasion to take into work when the weather has been so good. For the remainder of the time it lives in my garage on trickle charge. The car drives fantastically and feels so much more planted than my last Tuscan. I can actually drive this one without needing both hands on the wheel at all times, ready for the car to go off course the second it hits a bump. This one has been set-up really well and it is a much less 'edgy' drive. The 3.6 engine feels surprisingly different to the old 4.0 I had previously - it doesn't have quite the same torque low down but seems to rev much more freely and have a more manic top end, which I think suits the nature of this car.
It hasn't been all perfect 'though...
Driving down the road, all of a sudden the normal pops and bangs from the car sounded like artillery fire and explosions. I pulled into the lay-by thinking the engine must be destroying itself but thankfully found it was just the exhaust that had detached. It hadn't just come loose or been knocked by something on the road, but seems to have just failed and split apart. It was held on by a few mm of material and I had to remove it so I could get home (luckily not too far away, but with only one exhaust on everyone heard the car coming). No damage caused, apart from the loss of that exhaust. I've taken this chance to order a slightly different (louder) exhaust, so will see how that sounds on the car. I'm not sure my neighbours will be looking forward to it as much as I am.
Only other minor issue is the speedo needle sometimes not working. The private seller very kindly refunded me some money to fix this.
The car is booked into Powers for a service soon and to have their engine warranty extended (as long as it passes the checks).
I can forgive the car for these minor issues when it drives and looks this good!
robsco said:
Lovely car. I remember a forum member on here having it some time ago. What were the problems with the old Tuscan? I do recall seeing it on James' website at the time and having a nosey at it.
Thanks. Yes was a forum member’s car, always good to be able to see old posts about these cars before buying.The green one let me down a number of times - a deeply frustrating buying and ownership experience from the day I drove that one away.
SFTWend said:
Re the green one, was it bought from a TVR specialist and, if so, I'm wondering why they couldn't get the car set up and running properly? I've read of another owner returning their Tuscan to the specialist as they couldn't get it to handle well. Is it something to do with early cars having a different front suspension or steering setup?
I guess I'm asking how do you know if you are buying a good car if you can't rely on a specialist to have sorted it before sale?
Hi there - it was nothing to do with the handling of the car but the engine which was causing problems. I guess I'm asking how do you know if you are buying a good car if you can't rely on a specialist to have sorted it before sale?
Early Tuscans can have some trickier handling and are affected by road surfaces and bumps. The steering is very quick so any minor correction in the input can have a bigger effect to how the car actually steers. Many owners upgrade to after-market suspension (which both of these cars have). I don’t see the ‘edgy’ handling as an issue, just part of the car’s character. They aren’t cars to jump in and drive quickly straight away. In my opinion, something like a Porsche Boxster would be far better down a tight and twisting road, but nowhere near as fun.
I haven’t driven a Mk2 Tuscan but believe these were quite different in terms of handling.
Quick update: the car is back from Powers with the biggest service bill I've ever had! To be fair, there was a lot of other work done, but it has still surprised me how much I've spent on running the car.
As mentioned, the car was booked in for the 12k service, which includes valve clearances. I'd queried the clutch when I took it in as I'd felt it slip a couple of times in the warmer weather. I'd hoped this was just my poor clutch control, but a photo was emailed over to me and the clutch was properly worn out. So a new clutch and solenoid were fitted. The front discs were also worn (not something I'd noticed as it felt similar to my last Tuscan), so they were replaced and new pads fitted. The speedo needle had been acting up, so a dash repair was carried out. The other major expense was throttle bodies. There were other smaller bits and bobs done - in all it was 3 pages of A4 detailing all the work! Expensive, yes, but well worth it in order to keep the car in top condition - and importantly meant Powers could extend the engine warranty which is well worth it to me for the piece of mind.
It was an amazing trip home from Powers. My wife followed in her car and couldn't believe how loud the car is when following it. With the roof on and windows up it really is a great place for a long journey. With the car running so well I've been trying to find every excuse possible to use it (in the dry!). Even on grey days I take the rear screen out - it changes the character of the car so much. The decat and exhaust set-up it has now makes it the best sounding TVR I have ever heard (I know everyone thinks they have the best sounding one!).
With lockdown hopefully continuing to ease the plan is to use the car as much as I can. My wife is 7 months pregnant so I'm not sure how much longer she will be able to get in and out of the car... Knew I should have bought a Cerbera!
As mentioned, the car was booked in for the 12k service, which includes valve clearances. I'd queried the clutch when I took it in as I'd felt it slip a couple of times in the warmer weather. I'd hoped this was just my poor clutch control, but a photo was emailed over to me and the clutch was properly worn out. So a new clutch and solenoid were fitted. The front discs were also worn (not something I'd noticed as it felt similar to my last Tuscan), so they were replaced and new pads fitted. The speedo needle had been acting up, so a dash repair was carried out. The other major expense was throttle bodies. There were other smaller bits and bobs done - in all it was 3 pages of A4 detailing all the work! Expensive, yes, but well worth it in order to keep the car in top condition - and importantly meant Powers could extend the engine warranty which is well worth it to me for the piece of mind.
It was an amazing trip home from Powers. My wife followed in her car and couldn't believe how loud the car is when following it. With the roof on and windows up it really is a great place for a long journey. With the car running so well I've been trying to find every excuse possible to use it (in the dry!). Even on grey days I take the rear screen out - it changes the character of the car so much. The decat and exhaust set-up it has now makes it the best sounding TVR I have ever heard (I know everyone thinks they have the best sounding one!).
With lockdown hopefully continuing to ease the plan is to use the car as much as I can. My wife is 7 months pregnant so I'm not sure how much longer she will be able to get in and out of the car... Knew I should have bought a Cerbera!
This was a Powers rebuild previously so was keen to keep it being looked after by Dom. Never nice to get a bigger than expected bill, but if these cars aren’t maintained properly that soon leads to even scarier bills! Better weather from tomorrow so will be trying to put some more miles on.
I don’t think there are any colours that don’t suit the Tuscan!
I don’t think there are any colours that don’t suit the Tuscan!
Great to be Readers' Car of the Week - thanks Pistonehads. Had a lot of what I'd call 'interesting' cars, but the Tuscan probably fits the Pistonheads mindset the best!
It has been a brilliant weekend with the car.
This saw the first car meet of 2020 - something I'd planned to do lots of with this car. Held at a local site (Alderford Lake, Whitchurch), it was a really good local meet; no social distancing worries but probably the worst sausage sandwich some of us have ever had!
Really nice to put a face to some of the names in the Tuscan world, in particular Andrew, who brought his Tuscan to the same event. He had test-driven the green Tuscan I bought originally, but was much smarter than me when he never pursued that purchase, thinking there wasn't something quite right with the car. By avoiding that dealer he has ended up with a stunning Tuscan - great mechanicals and that paint and interior combination. It puts my paintwork to shame! A few people attending wanted to hear the decat and unsilenced exhaust set-up; as we left I did warn the family having a picnic next to the car that is was going to be quite/very/extremely loud on start up. A friend of mine said that after we left. the young girl said to her mum 'I can still feel it in my head mummy!' - hopefully no lasting damage..
|https://thumbsnap.com/1wGmfjb1[/url]
My wife had a short drive of the car this weekend, but found the new clutch quite different to the worn-out one she had tried previously. Once she was used to it she could drive it like a normal car, but it did take her some time to get used to it. We have new neighbours, who hadn't seen the Tuscan in the garage, who I'm not sure appreciated it booming into life this weekend!! They came running out of their back garden to see what had happened outside!
|https://thumbsnap.com/oZ7uJQms[/url]
After the car event on Saturday morning we went for a drive to a local park, and ended up as part of a supercar convoy. We parked a couple of spaces away from them (as they had booked special parking in the park) but we couldn't go down the drive due to the low front splitter. The owners were really nice and said we should have been parked with them! We bumped into them on our walk and they were nice enough to invite us on future supercar runs out - the said the Tuscan definitely qualified as something 'interesting'!.
|https://thumbsnap.com/ABwiWR4b[/url]
My wife might take the car to school tomorrow as she goes on maternity leave at the end of the week - I'm sure the kids will like seeing their teacher arriving in a TVR whilst heavily pregnant![url]
It has been a brilliant weekend with the car.
This saw the first car meet of 2020 - something I'd planned to do lots of with this car. Held at a local site (Alderford Lake, Whitchurch), it was a really good local meet; no social distancing worries but probably the worst sausage sandwich some of us have ever had!
Really nice to put a face to some of the names in the Tuscan world, in particular Andrew, who brought his Tuscan to the same event. He had test-driven the green Tuscan I bought originally, but was much smarter than me when he never pursued that purchase, thinking there wasn't something quite right with the car. By avoiding that dealer he has ended up with a stunning Tuscan - great mechanicals and that paint and interior combination. It puts my paintwork to shame! A few people attending wanted to hear the decat and unsilenced exhaust set-up; as we left I did warn the family having a picnic next to the car that is was going to be quite/very/extremely loud on start up. A friend of mine said that after we left. the young girl said to her mum 'I can still feel it in my head mummy!' - hopefully no lasting damage..
|https://thumbsnap.com/1wGmfjb1[/url]My wife had a short drive of the car this weekend, but found the new clutch quite different to the worn-out one she had tried previously. Once she was used to it she could drive it like a normal car, but it did take her some time to get used to it. We have new neighbours, who hadn't seen the Tuscan in the garage, who I'm not sure appreciated it booming into life this weekend!! They came running out of their back garden to see what had happened outside!
|https://thumbsnap.com/oZ7uJQms[/url]After the car event on Saturday morning we went for a drive to a local park, and ended up as part of a supercar convoy. We parked a couple of spaces away from them (as they had booked special parking in the park) but we couldn't go down the drive due to the low front splitter. The owners were really nice and said we should have been parked with them! We bumped into them on our walk and they were nice enough to invite us on future supercar runs out - the said the Tuscan definitely qualified as something 'interesting'!.
|https://thumbsnap.com/ABwiWR4b[/url]My wife might take the car to school tomorrow as she goes on maternity leave at the end of the week - I'm sure the kids will like seeing their teacher arriving in a TVR whilst heavily pregnant![url]
essexstu said:
Had mine for over 12 years now. Never actually added up total spend but work includes engine rebuild, new clutch, nitron suspension, full respray, instrument display repair, starter motor, brake discs. Special cars. Crazy quick with zero driver aids make the TVRs of that era quite unique. Did 165 mph in her and she was still pulling.
1000 mile update and a Welsh roadtrip:
With the amazing weather of the last weekend, I booked the Friday off work and headed off to north Wales with my wife, and two other friends in their own car.
Since getting the car back from Powers, the mode select button on the dash pod (which you can use to scroll between data) wasn't working. The car had been looked at by them for a sticking speedo needle so I knew the pod had been apart and there was probably something loose. With some guidance from them on the end of the phone and a screwdriver in my other hand, I managed to take the dash apart and found the offending connection which was loose. This got the pod button working again. What wasn't quite as easy was putting everything back together again. Maybe you need tiny hands, or there is a trick to it, but it took me ages to line up the two screws to secure everything in place!
TVRs are great cars to do a road trip in because they have massive boots. That sounds boring but it is one of the main reasons we didn't buy an F-type. We managed to fit two cabin sized squashy bags, rucksacks and beach stuff and were still able to take the rear screen and roof panel out. The roof remained off for the whole trip.
The car was faultless over the trip, even when sat in stop-start traffic in the heat of the day. It's interesting to watch the water temperature rising as soon as the car is slowed down or comes to a stop, but reassuring to hear the fans kick in and then watch the temperature come back down again. I didn't drive at 10/10ths as my wife is pregnant, so it was a carefully driven trip. To be honest, I've found this car best at 7 or 8/10ths anyway - even 'though this one is much better set-up than my last one, bumpy roads can make it feel uncomfortable. Slowing
down makes things much more controlled and it still sounds amazing anyway, giving the idea you are going much faster.
On the subject of sound that was both a good and bad thing... this car is decatted and has unsilenced rear cans; this sounds incredible (it pops and bangs like gunfire and has a deep-throated growl then howl towards the top end) but on longer journeys it might be nice if it was a bit quieter at times (I don't know if I'm allowed to say that as a TVR owner??).
So how have I found it after 1000 miles? Written like that, 1000 miles doesn't seem like that much, but I have only used the car for enjoyable journeys, so it has never been a chore to get in it. I'm not sure I'd want to use it as a daily driver; it doesn't like stop-start driving or being driven slowly through town. It's not that it can't do it, but it is much happier on a smooth and flowing road, ideally with the roof off. Most of those 1000 miles have been with the roof off. With the roof on it really does feel like a different car - the noise is very different and it feels quite enclosed, like a race car. One of the nice surprises was how good it is with the targa panel on and the rear screen out - this was how I'd use it for journeys on cold days. The engine soon warms the cabin up and you get to hear that amazing sound from the exhaust. It is a surprisingly comfortable car; the seats haven't caused me any aches and there is so much room in there that even for a tall person like me I have no issues doing longer journeys in it. The car has a radio, but I haven't listened to it. There are a few things that I don't like as much: it is a hand-built car and doesn't feel as well nailed together as something like a Boxster, but I never expected it to. It is a loud car - I mainly love this but do feel bad for my neighbours if I take the car out early! Finally the clutch - even before the new clutch it feels quite different to other clutches, with a fairly non-descript biting point. This can make low speed manoeuvring and hill starts more tricky - but maybe that's me not being a very good driver!
This car is night and day different to my first Tuscan. I am very glad I didn't give up on the Tuscan dream based on the first poor example. It did feel like a gamble buying one privately (and maybe the huge service bill proves I could have been more careful/cautious!) but this is the right one for me. Unfortunately, a relocation with work means the car is going into temporary storage and I will have to work out when I can collect it again, but it may be some time.
With the amazing weather of the last weekend, I booked the Friday off work and headed off to north Wales with my wife, and two other friends in their own car.
Since getting the car back from Powers, the mode select button on the dash pod (which you can use to scroll between data) wasn't working. The car had been looked at by them for a sticking speedo needle so I knew the pod had been apart and there was probably something loose. With some guidance from them on the end of the phone and a screwdriver in my other hand, I managed to take the dash apart and found the offending connection which was loose. This got the pod button working again. What wasn't quite as easy was putting everything back together again. Maybe you need tiny hands, or there is a trick to it, but it took me ages to line up the two screws to secure everything in place!
TVRs are great cars to do a road trip in because they have massive boots. That sounds boring but it is one of the main reasons we didn't buy an F-type. We managed to fit two cabin sized squashy bags, rucksacks and beach stuff and were still able to take the rear screen and roof panel out. The roof remained off for the whole trip.
The car was faultless over the trip, even when sat in stop-start traffic in the heat of the day. It's interesting to watch the water temperature rising as soon as the car is slowed down or comes to a stop, but reassuring to hear the fans kick in and then watch the temperature come back down again. I didn't drive at 10/10ths as my wife is pregnant, so it was a carefully driven trip. To be honest, I've found this car best at 7 or 8/10ths anyway - even 'though this one is much better set-up than my last one, bumpy roads can make it feel uncomfortable. Slowing
down makes things much more controlled and it still sounds amazing anyway, giving the idea you are going much faster.
On the subject of sound that was both a good and bad thing... this car is decatted and has unsilenced rear cans; this sounds incredible (it pops and bangs like gunfire and has a deep-throated growl then howl towards the top end) but on longer journeys it might be nice if it was a bit quieter at times (I don't know if I'm allowed to say that as a TVR owner??).
So how have I found it after 1000 miles? Written like that, 1000 miles doesn't seem like that much, but I have only used the car for enjoyable journeys, so it has never been a chore to get in it. I'm not sure I'd want to use it as a daily driver; it doesn't like stop-start driving or being driven slowly through town. It's not that it can't do it, but it is much happier on a smooth and flowing road, ideally with the roof off. Most of those 1000 miles have been with the roof off. With the roof on it really does feel like a different car - the noise is very different and it feels quite enclosed, like a race car. One of the nice surprises was how good it is with the targa panel on and the rear screen out - this was how I'd use it for journeys on cold days. The engine soon warms the cabin up and you get to hear that amazing sound from the exhaust. It is a surprisingly comfortable car; the seats haven't caused me any aches and there is so much room in there that even for a tall person like me I have no issues doing longer journeys in it. The car has a radio, but I haven't listened to it. There are a few things that I don't like as much: it is a hand-built car and doesn't feel as well nailed together as something like a Boxster, but I never expected it to. It is a loud car - I mainly love this but do feel bad for my neighbours if I take the car out early! Finally the clutch - even before the new clutch it feels quite different to other clutches, with a fairly non-descript biting point. This can make low speed manoeuvring and hill starts more tricky - but maybe that's me not being a very good driver!
This car is night and day different to my first Tuscan. I am very glad I didn't give up on the Tuscan dream based on the first poor example. It did feel like a gamble buying one privately (and maybe the huge service bill proves I could have been more careful/cautious!) but this is the right one for me. Unfortunately, a relocation with work means the car is going into temporary storage and I will have to work out when I can collect it again, but it may be some time.
TR4man said:
Great update - enjoyed reading that!
That last photo looks like the Cafe on the Great Orme.
Funnily enough I prefer my Tuscan with the roof panel on, rear window out and side windows down on very hot days like those we are having at the moment.
Good spot - spectacular road, even at 30mph. That last photo looks like the Cafe on the Great Orme.
Funnily enough I prefer my Tuscan with the roof panel on, rear window out and side windows down on very hot days like those we are having at the moment.
Agree on your last tip - it feels better but somehow feels wrong not having the roof totally off on these brilliant days. I took an old Boxster to Monaco and drove most of that with the roof up and windows down as was too hot - and no aircon in that one!
Big update to this some 9 months on.
A work move to Cornwall meant leaving the Tuscan behind in temporary storage. However, lockdown rules, and the arrival of our baby, meant that short term storage turned into 9 months!
A few days ago we returned to the barn, took the car off trickle charge and she started first time and with no warning lights! After a quick check to make sure everything was working properly, it was a drive across to Powers for the MOT and a service. This was great timing as it gave me peace of mind that the car was ok following its time not moving. Pleased to say the car passed without advisories and was left running beautifully after the service.
The journey home was frustrating. There was torrential rain which meant I took it very slowly. Then, just as we approached Bristol, another driver let me know that the brake lights were stuck on. We made it to our overnight stop with my wife following closely behind to make sure no one confused the sticking lights. A quick check on the Tuscan Facebook group suggested a sticking microswitch, which should be simple to rectify. However, Sod’s law dictates this wasn’t simple. I had no tools with me and it being Saturday didn’t think there would be any garages to take it to. A quick call to Mark at Amore Autos, who was nearby, saw me heading over to his dealership and he quickly got about trying to get to the microswitch. Again, Sod’s law meant this was not easy at all. One of the bolts had been totally stripped in the past so it looked for a time that this wasn’t coming out. With some brute force, about 10 mins later the bolt was out and the switch lubricated (as it looked to be in good order). After a quick test we were back on our way. Huge thanks to Mark here - I hadn’t even bought this car from him, but he was more than happy to help! That’s why I really like the TVR community.
Then it was back on the road for the last 3 hours to Cornwall. The weather even cleared up, which meant I could remove the roof, and I had an amazing drive back home. I had forgotten how exciting these cars are to drive (once you get off the motorway) and how loud this one is! Embarrassingly, despite owning this car for a while now, it was the first time I’d seen one of the shift lights come on!
The plan now is to try to enjoy the car as much as possible down here and hope for a great summer. With our new baby, I don’t know how often I will get to use the car, but will hopefully find enough excuses to take it for a drive.
A work move to Cornwall meant leaving the Tuscan behind in temporary storage. However, lockdown rules, and the arrival of our baby, meant that short term storage turned into 9 months!
A few days ago we returned to the barn, took the car off trickle charge and she started first time and with no warning lights! After a quick check to make sure everything was working properly, it was a drive across to Powers for the MOT and a service. This was great timing as it gave me peace of mind that the car was ok following its time not moving. Pleased to say the car passed without advisories and was left running beautifully after the service.
The journey home was frustrating. There was torrential rain which meant I took it very slowly. Then, just as we approached Bristol, another driver let me know that the brake lights were stuck on. We made it to our overnight stop with my wife following closely behind to make sure no one confused the sticking lights. A quick check on the Tuscan Facebook group suggested a sticking microswitch, which should be simple to rectify. However, Sod’s law dictates this wasn’t simple. I had no tools with me and it being Saturday didn’t think there would be any garages to take it to. A quick call to Mark at Amore Autos, who was nearby, saw me heading over to his dealership and he quickly got about trying to get to the microswitch. Again, Sod’s law meant this was not easy at all. One of the bolts had been totally stripped in the past so it looked for a time that this wasn’t coming out. With some brute force, about 10 mins later the bolt was out and the switch lubricated (as it looked to be in good order). After a quick test we were back on our way. Huge thanks to Mark here - I hadn’t even bought this car from him, but he was more than happy to help! That’s why I really like the TVR community.
Then it was back on the road for the last 3 hours to Cornwall. The weather even cleared up, which meant I could remove the roof, and I had an amazing drive back home. I had forgotten how exciting these cars are to drive (once you get off the motorway) and how loud this one is! Embarrassingly, despite owning this car for a while now, it was the first time I’d seen one of the shift lights come on!
The plan now is to try to enjoy the car as much as possible down here and hope for a great summer. With our new baby, I don’t know how often I will get to use the car, but will hopefully find enough excuses to take it for a drive.
Bit of an update to this car:
I still have it and it has been brilliant. I am trying to use it, but now with a baby I don’t get as many chances (and I can’t even use it to commute to work as it is less than 1km away! But I do make an effort to take it out for car events or just a local run out of weather and child care allows!
I treated the car to a 2 stage correction and wheel refurb which has really brought the paint to life.
Mechanically, this car is running fantastically (hope that hasn’t jinxed things by saying that). The only fault has been a split windscreen washer hose and occasionally the speedo needle stops working, but the digital display still gives a speed read out.
It attracts plenty of attention down here in Cornwall, but unlike previous Boxsters it has all been positive!
I still have it and it has been brilliant. I am trying to use it, but now with a baby I don’t get as many chances (and I can’t even use it to commute to work as it is less than 1km away! But I do make an effort to take it out for car events or just a local run out of weather and child care allows!
I treated the car to a 2 stage correction and wheel refurb which has really brought the paint to life.
Mechanically, this car is running fantastically (hope that hasn’t jinxed things by saying that). The only fault has been a split windscreen washer hose and occasionally the speedo needle stops working, but the digital display still gives a speed read out.
It attracts plenty of attention down here in Cornwall, but unlike previous Boxsters it has all been positive!
Not much of an update, besides enjoying the car on the few remaining dry days we have of this year!
Cerbera adverts have started to get more and more appealing. Having a baby means chances to use the car are less and less, so wondering if I’d use a Cerbera more, or would I not want to put a child in there??
Cerbera adverts have started to get more and more appealing. Having a baby means chances to use the car are less and less, so wondering if I’d use a Cerbera more, or would I not want to put a child in there??
Time to close this thread, as nearly two years to the day that I bought the car, it is now sold!
This car was everything I wanted a TVR Tuscan to be - particularly after the problem Tuscan that I had (briefly) before this one. That first Tuscan could have been enough to put me off TVRs all together, but I am so glad I decided to consider that car a blip and find a Tuscan again.
Things I loved about the car:
- The looks - I still think this is one of the best looking cars ever designed, and I loved it in the Formula Red colour. The attention the car creates is all positive.
- The sound - with the decat and Powertech rear cans it sounded just how I wanted a TVR to sound.
- The performance - being the 3.6 I thought it would feel slower than my previous 4.0, but actually found the opposite to be true. The 3.6 loves to rev, which I think suits the manic nature of the car, whereas my old 4.0 never felt quite like this one. This could be more down to it being a particularly healthy 3.6 (thanks to Powers), more than any difference in displacement.
Things I didn't like as much:
- The window switches - I get that TVR liked to design unique interiors, but I could never understand how the window switches were a good idea! I never got the hang of them, which caused an embarrassing moment at a PCR test when I accidentally wound the passenger window all the way up, trapping a whole box of face masks in the window.
- The instrument binnacle - I would much prefer the Mk3 design, or the Tamora/T350, which had a more conventional rev counter. I found the one in the Mk1 Tuscan took a bit of getting used to.
- Time to warm up - unless you are doing a proper drive out, sometimes, particularly on a very cold day, the engine would take so long to get up to temperature that you wouldn't use all of the rev range. I suppose this doesn't matter if you don't stick to the warm up procedure on the engine, but I always did.
- Might have been a bit too loud - I know that is not something you should say about a TVR, but on longer road trips, with the roof off and screen out, it is a loud place to be!
- Running costs - as I've detailed previously, they can be expensive to look after properly. I went into this with my eyes open, and was happy to spend on the upkeep as think this prevents any surprise bills in the future. I think you can be luckier and as long as the car has been serviced and well maintained, you might not have to spend as much as I did.
So why did I decide to sell? A baby meant chances to go out and enjoy the car became few and far between. That wouldn't have been such an issue if I'd still taken the car to work on nice days, but a work relocation meant I went from having a wonderful 30 minute commute through the countryside, on some brilliant roads, to now being so close to work I cycle in. All too often the TVR was in my garage, or, just taken out for a lap of my normal road route and then put away again. I could have looked into a baby-seat for the car, which might have seen me use it a bit more, but honestly I didn't fancy the idea of taking a a baby out in a very loud TVR. I bought an R8 a couple of months ago, and once I have a child-seat, think this car will be used a lot more.
The actual sales process was probably the best I've ever had, and meant the car was never advertised publicly. I enquired towards the end of last year on a Chimaera that was for sale. It turned out that the owner of that car had seen posts about this Tuscan and had been out on a passenger ride in my old Tuscan as part of the Sporting Bears Dream Rides. After a few emails, I mentioned my car might be for sale next year, and it all went from there. I hope he enjoys the car as much as I did and it is everything he wanted a Tuscan to be.
This car was everything I wanted a TVR Tuscan to be - particularly after the problem Tuscan that I had (briefly) before this one. That first Tuscan could have been enough to put me off TVRs all together, but I am so glad I decided to consider that car a blip and find a Tuscan again.
Things I loved about the car:
- The looks - I still think this is one of the best looking cars ever designed, and I loved it in the Formula Red colour. The attention the car creates is all positive.
- The sound - with the decat and Powertech rear cans it sounded just how I wanted a TVR to sound.
- The performance - being the 3.6 I thought it would feel slower than my previous 4.0, but actually found the opposite to be true. The 3.6 loves to rev, which I think suits the manic nature of the car, whereas my old 4.0 never felt quite like this one. This could be more down to it being a particularly healthy 3.6 (thanks to Powers), more than any difference in displacement.
Things I didn't like as much:
- The window switches - I get that TVR liked to design unique interiors, but I could never understand how the window switches were a good idea! I never got the hang of them, which caused an embarrassing moment at a PCR test when I accidentally wound the passenger window all the way up, trapping a whole box of face masks in the window.
- The instrument binnacle - I would much prefer the Mk3 design, or the Tamora/T350, which had a more conventional rev counter. I found the one in the Mk1 Tuscan took a bit of getting used to.
- Time to warm up - unless you are doing a proper drive out, sometimes, particularly on a very cold day, the engine would take so long to get up to temperature that you wouldn't use all of the rev range. I suppose this doesn't matter if you don't stick to the warm up procedure on the engine, but I always did.
- Might have been a bit too loud - I know that is not something you should say about a TVR, but on longer road trips, with the roof off and screen out, it is a loud place to be!
- Running costs - as I've detailed previously, they can be expensive to look after properly. I went into this with my eyes open, and was happy to spend on the upkeep as think this prevents any surprise bills in the future. I think you can be luckier and as long as the car has been serviced and well maintained, you might not have to spend as much as I did.
So why did I decide to sell? A baby meant chances to go out and enjoy the car became few and far between. That wouldn't have been such an issue if I'd still taken the car to work on nice days, but a work relocation meant I went from having a wonderful 30 minute commute through the countryside, on some brilliant roads, to now being so close to work I cycle in. All too often the TVR was in my garage, or, just taken out for a lap of my normal road route and then put away again. I could have looked into a baby-seat for the car, which might have seen me use it a bit more, but honestly I didn't fancy the idea of taking a a baby out in a very loud TVR. I bought an R8 a couple of months ago, and once I have a child-seat, think this car will be used a lot more.
The actual sales process was probably the best I've ever had, and meant the car was never advertised publicly. I enquired towards the end of last year on a Chimaera that was for sale. It turned out that the owner of that car had seen posts about this Tuscan and had been out on a passenger ride in my old Tuscan as part of the Sporting Bears Dream Rides. After a few emails, I mentioned my car might be for sale next year, and it all went from there. I hope he enjoys the car as much as I did and it is everything he wanted a Tuscan to be.
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