Tuesday 31st May 2011

PH Carpool: TVR Tuscan S

Yet another happy TVR owner...

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Robert Montrose (montyvr6) wouldn't part with his piece of Blackpool rock...despite some faults.

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Robert's lost his TVR, but found a Ferrari

I had been devoid of a second car for nearly a year and, whilst I still had a couple of two-wheeled toys, there was a space on the drive and a place in my heart that needed filling. Having previously owned a decent spread of cars - Audi RS2, Skyline GTR V spec, Mk1 Escort & Civic Type R - I had covered a lot of bases.

I didn't know much about TVRs other than their fantastic looks, sound like thunder from the gods and ability to put a grin on my face every time I saw one. Despite an above-average skill with a spanner, I was dubious about considering TVR ownership based on their somewhat flaky reputation. But some further reading put my mind to rest.

They are quite simple at heart and, now that they are older cars, most have had plenty of opportunity to break and be repaired properly. Additional reading helped me decide that it had to be a Mk1 Tuscan - the detail changes to the Mk2 (headlights, grill, dash & rear lights) were all in my opinion styling downgrades, but I suppose that someone somewhere thought it looked nicer.

A trawl through the classifieds found me a 2003 Tuscan S which was close to home and within my budget. The only negative it had was red inserts to the seats, but that was only a small blemish on an otherwise impressive spec.

So I went to have a look at TU53 CNS and tried to go there with a view to thinking with my head not my heart. This lasted right up to the point I saw the car. It simply looked fantastic. The test drive, the rebuilt engine, the minor chassis upgrades and the titanium exhaust only dug the hole deeper. It was difficult to find fault with the car and, a handshake later, the deal was done - I had entered the world of TVR ownership.

The four months since have come with their highs and lows. The lows have come in the form of a small fire (when the engine backfired and burnt the air filter), a small leak from a coolant pipe and a failed immobiliser. The latter being the only failure which required any significant expenditure, in the form of a full new alarm system. The highs have come from every time I walk out of my house and see it, from every time I start it and hear the straight six fire into life, and from every time I drive it and talk about it to others.

The Tuscan is not for the faint hearted, but that is part of its charm and, whilst the drive is raw, the interior is not. Generously finished in leather and with solid machined aluminium controls and fittings the Tuscan is a very pleasant place to be; even long journeys are not a struggle.

The straight-six engine delivers plenty of smooth power and torque. When combined with the 1100kg weight it makes for an immensely fast car; 0-60 is sub-four seconds. The main advantage of this formula, however, is that for the most part driving a Tuscan requires part-throttle only, resulting in reasonable running costs and therefore meaning that a normal person like me can actually use it on a regular basis.

I do however have one criticism of the Tuscan, well more specifically TVR. Why have owners had to spend so much time and money fixing little niggles when TVR could and should have done all this at the factory? (Ah, the million-pound question... - Ed).

The Tuscan has a soul, however, unlike those I have found in other cars. If you haven't tried one you should, just be prepared to add another car to your collection if you do.

 

 

[Tom74TVR]

Beautiful example... The only car that can replace my T350, if I ever would.
great write-up.
TomTVR

[britsportscars]

That's a beauty. I love the looks of the MK1 Tuscan... It just looks how a TVR should be, exotic and curvy! One day I will get one!

[John Boy 616]

Great looking car!

[Dagnut]

sometimes its hard to imagine how this company failed

[Fartgalen]

Hah hah - it caught fire. Sorry. Such a stereotypical problem - it made me laugh. And four months for a coolant leak and immobiliser/electrical problems. Again, so bloody typical.
Lovely looking motor though. I'm tempted myself. Just on looks alone.

[George H]

Looks stunning*

The Tuscan is on my list of cars to own one day, but listing the lows and including a small fire puts me off slightly!

*Except for the black/silver numberplates imo.

[blueg33]

Dagnut said:

sometimes its hard to imagine how this company failed

Speed 6's made of cheese! But once sorted, what a great engine

[johnpeat]

Fartgalen said:

Hah hah - it caught fire. Sorry. Such a stereotypical problem - it made me laugh. And four months for a coolant leak and immobiliser/electrical problems. Again, so bloody typical.

I once had a brand-new Honda which immobilised itself frequently (often when on the move) from the day it was delivered (the delivery man even commented on it!!)

[johnpeat]

Dagnut said:

sometimes its hard to imagine how this company failed

Isn't it pretty-much accepted that it failed because it's new owner decided to do exactly what our carpooler asked and fix all the niggly problems at the factory - which resulted in the cost of the cars going up and the sales going down???

Changing from a 'niche' maker of mad but fragile chest wigs to a competitor for Porsche, in effect, killed em?

[TVRWannabee]

A good and useful review - the car is on my shopping list so it is useful to hear an existing owners experiences.

Thank you.

[louismchuge]

Lovely car, chav number plates!

[robsco]

I've just bought a Cerbera this morning! It still hasn't sunk in yet. That Tuscan is wonderful, just pure and utter aggression. There'll never be another company like TVR.

[montyvr6]

louismchuge said:

Lovely car, chav number plates!

Its interesting to hear opinions about the plates. the black and whites were on the car when I got it and my initial reaction was to put standard ones on, but not got round to it yet. I'd be a liar if I said I was fully sold on the black and whites but............

[Owlwood]

Great write up. Would love a TVR but I dont think im brave enough...

[montyvr6]

[redacted]

[robinessex]

When I've saved up enough money for a 'toy', it's going to be a Sagaris for, because it looks so darn eveil, and anti-social !!

[johnpeat]

montyvr6 said:

Its interesting to hear opinions about the plates. the black and whites were on the car when I got it and my initial reaction was to put standard ones on, but not got round to it yet. I'd be a liar if I said I was fully sold on the black and whites but............

I'm in 2 minds about the plates - they look good BUT they also have an air of trying too hard about them.

Try to get

DEA 7H

or something like that

As for being stopped - I find that st tends to come in waves. You drive for eons without any trouble and then get stopped several times in short order because the local fuzz have been given extra donuts for every dodgy plate they catch.

I had a slightly damaged plate on a car once - was perfectly legible but the crack got me stopped 3 times in 2 weeks (on each occasion I was told I 'should' replace it and 'should' doesn't mean 'must') and then nothing for months and months and months (then the plate fell off!!)

Edited by johnpeat on Tuesday 31st May 13:11

[Dagnut]

johnpeat said:

Dagnut said:

sometimes its hard to imagine how this company failed

Isn't it pretty-much accepted that it failed because it's new owner decided to do exactly what our carpooler asked and fix all the niggly problems at the factory - which resulted in the cost of the cars going up and the sales going down???

Changing from a 'niche' maker of mad but fragile chest wigs to a competitor for Porsche, in effect, killed em?

I understand the bad business, it was more of a rhetorical question..when you look at the cars and how awesome they are, how exciting they are..it seems like such a shame

[johnpeat]

Dagnut said:

I understand the bad business, it was more of a rhetorical question..when you look at the cars and how awesome they are, how exciting they are..it seems like such a shame

No argument there - the fact people are still using TVRs as daily drivers suggests they were doing something right!!

[Garlick]

Great car, that goes without saying.

My Chimaera still stops people in the street and starts conversation when I park it, a Tuscan must be that x 10!