Is a TVR for driving or polishing

[AutoAndy]

Omg...looks like the club track day at Caldwell is going to be cancelled due to lack of interest!

Do I need to sell my TVR and find a club for people who actually want to drive their cars?

Is there any spirit left in the club? Or are we changing into a social club who drive to the pub and talk about how things used to be when we used to drive our cars.....

Frustrated of Norfolk

[Monkeylegend]

I found the club to be very clicky, only went to one meet at Hunstanton many years ago and got the feeling that newcomers were treated as inferior beings.

Could have been me of course, but the Westfield club meets proved it wasn't.

Edited by Monkeylegend on Friday 2nd March 21:00

[glow worm]

The fact that you are posting this on Pistonheads says it all

[KKson]

Well I'm a club member and also involved in the PH wedge scene. Surprised that there's not sufficient interest in the event. Personally I use my two wedges all year round and they are never SORNED. Issue for me is that I'd rather do several local events rather than heading off to Lincolnshire. Family and finances do impact on my TVR time, especially as wife and kids don't actually like my TVR's.. They would rather I sell them and buy an Audi R8!

[m4tti]

AutoAndy said:

Omg...looks like the club track day at Caldwell is going to be cancelled due to lack of interest!

Do I need to sell my TVR and find a club for people who actually want to drive their cars?

Is there any spirit left in the club? Or are we changing into a social club who drive to the pub and talk about how things used to be when we used to drive our cars.....

Frustrated of Norfolk

Why do you need to be in a club anyway?

I went to one TVR meet. I felt facially hair challenged amongst so many older beard owners.

Travelling from a super market car park, to a cafe, to a pub. I mean how much do you wanna eat in one day

Being more of a solo-ist I find coming up with my own routes just as much fun.

The best runs out I’ve had are with people I’ve actually met locally via PH!!

Edited by m4tti on Friday 2nd March 22:23

[CanoeSniffer]

I feel pretty much as m4tti's post above.

If I take my car to a 'multi-cultural' meet, or even just random encounters when out and about, there's scope for a good chinwag and most are pretty pleased to see one of Blackpool's plastic contraptions

As far as the TVRCC is concerned I'm a twenty-something lager lout with that 'orrible thing in the corner what's never seen any polish for years

As values rise and the cars enter classic territory the bias will inevitably shift from being drivers cars towards being cherished artefacts, which I actually have a lot of empathy for- TVR as we knew and loved it died a long time ago so seeing one that could've left the showroom yesterday is pretty cool in a time warp way- it's just not for me

Ref the Cadwell track day, that's a shame and I feel guilty not to have put my name down- if I had use of a trailer I'd be straight there, but I'm a wimp and I'm not keen on the idea of thrashing the car hard only to do some damage a long way away from home. If it was being held at Castle Combe I'd be there in a flash.

[bobfather]

I went through this dilemma many years ago and bought the Chimaera to solve it. I spent years restoring classic sports cars and showing them. Problem was the better the restoration the less I was able to use the car. I sold everything and bought the Chimaera with a promise that I wouldn't respray it, that way I could enjoy driving and using it without worrying about what it looked like

[wuckfitracing]

Why is the TVR club so expensive to join. For basically a monthly magazine ? When I can meet, talk to and get advice for free here.

[bobfather]

wuckfitracing said:

Why is the TVR club so expensive to join. For basically a monthly magazine ? When I can meet, talk to and get advice for free here.

Yes it's expensive but for me it's internal politics that drove me away. I was a dedicated member, I became a National Events Coordinator launching and running Chimfest. I set up and was RO for the Tees Valley TVRCC region and created many successful events, CobWeb Run for example. The Club didn't like me taking the initiative, they tried and eventually succeeded in killing Chimfest out of spite. My TVR ownership experience was certainly not enhanced by the Club.

[TVR_Steve]

wuckfitracing said:

Why is the TVR club so expensive to join. For basically a monthly magazine ? When I can meet, talk to and get advice for free here.

If cost is your main driver, maybe I can offer some advice.
My TVRCC membership cost is paid for, almost twice, in the insurance cost reduction through Footman James. Even if I don't do anything with the club, I'm significantly financially better off.


Cadwell Park is too far away for me to risk my TVR on my first track day - I've already killed one!

[Jhonno]

KKson said:

Well I'm a club member and also involved in the PH wedge scene. Surprised that there's not sufficient interest in the event. Personally I use my two wedges all year round and they are never SORNED. Issue for me is that I'd rather do several local events rather than heading off to Lincolnshire. Family and finances do impact on my TVR time, especially as wife and kids don't actually like my TVR's.. They would rather I sell them and buy an Audi R8!

I think you need to sell the wife and kids, get some with better taste!

[KEVTVR]

" Is a TVR for driving or polishing" cant you do both. Everyone in the High Peak Nomads will know how well polished my Chimaera and Tuscan was. And I was averaging 7,000 miles a year in all weathers, so no garage queen....

[bobfather]

TVR_Steve said:

If cost is your main driver, maybe I can offer some advice.
My TVRCC membership cost is paid for, almost twice, in the insurance cost reduction through Footman James. Even if I don't do anything with the club, I'm significantly financially better off.


Cadwell Park is too far away for me to risk my TVR on my first track day - I've already killed one!

I'm betting you never tested that. Get a quote saying you're not a member then ask for the discount. If you declare membership up front then you have no proof that the discount is real

[nawarne]

^^Agree with Steve.

Cost of TVRCC membership is well offset by (a range) of discounts on services and goods. I've never felt any 'starchiness' from other club members....The last big national event at Biggleswade and the MIRA track was fantastic...lots of banter and bonhomie!!

Yep, Cadwell a bit of a slog for me....I'd have to get overnight accommodation as well. And, unfortunately, we're away for the event at Rockingham in August.

I've driven my Tuscan last week up to Wednesday evening.....I love it, but believe they are better for being used...It's just clicked over 92K miles now.

Nick

[bad company]

I was a club member for many years but got fed up paying a subscription when all I got in return was boring monthly magazine.

There was supposed to be discounts on tyres, RAC membership and some other stuff but when I asked to the club how to get the discounts nobody knew.

I’m now an ex-member.

[TVR_Steve]

bobfather said:

I'm betting you never tested that. Get a quote saying you're not a member then ask for the discount. If you declare membership up front then you have no proof that the discount is real

I have, thanks.

[Podie]

bobfather said:

... for me it's internal politics that drove me away.

Sadly, that sounds all to familiar.

As for people saying it’s expensive... really? Unless it’s changed significantly it barely cost more to fill the car with fuel.

Edit - £60 to join. £57 by DD. Seriously, if that’s expensive you’ve bought the wrong car.

Edited by Podie on Saturday 3rd March 09:41

[bobfather]

TVR_Steve said:

bobfather said:

I'm betting you never tested that. Get a quote saying you're not a member then ask for the discount. If you declare membership up front then you have no proof that the discount is real

I have, thanks.

So did I, that's my point. Discount only works where prices are declared up front, TVR Parts Ltd for example. There are many places where discounts are real but insurance isn't one of them. Additionally insurance is different for everyone and I've certainly been able to shop around successfully without TVRCC membership. Even during my years of membership of the club I never selected TVRCC membership insurance offers because there were many reputable brokers offering cheaper deals.

[TVR_Steve]

bobfather said:

So did I, that's my point. Discount only works where prices are declared up front, TVR Parts Ltd for example. There are many places where discounts are real but insurance isn't one of them. Additionally insurance is different for everyone and I've certainly been able to shop around successfully without TVRCC membership. Even during my years of membership of the club I never selected TVRCC membership insurance offers because there were many reputable brokers offering cheaper deals.

I did my due diligence. The cost I now pay for insurance is related to a relatively recent discount available through Footman James that may not have been available at the time you were conducting your own inquiries.

I could not match the offer elsewhere and the saving was considerable. This includes comparison to the previous year, when I had three less points on my license and one less write off.

Please do not dismiss my account so readily, I believe it is a valid point to a pure cost decision.

[Brithunter]

m4tti said:

Why do you need to be in a club anyway?

I went to one TVR meet. I felt facially hair challenged amongst so many older beard owners.

Travelling from a super market car park, to a cafe, to a pub. I mean how much do you wanna eat in one day

Being more of a solo-ist I find coming up with my own routes just as much fun.

The best runs out I’ve had are with people I’ve actually met locally via PH!!

Edited by m4tti on Friday 2nd March 22:23

Well I may be older now but the beard has been with me since it grew as a teen. Shaving is over-rated and a real waste of time after all it just grows back.

Have attended a couple of TVR things and am going to be at Burghley House next month my first in a TVR. The meets are what you make of them. I am a TVRCC member and it did save me a lot on the insurance.

As for the OP question sadly many are not driven of course that means the likes of mine I was able to purchase with a fairly low mileage nw normally that would mean that one has to expect problems from lack of use but as the one I bought had recently been renovated we sincerely hope that this will not be the case. With less than 36k on the clock it means she has covered less than 1500 mile per annum....................... which hardly use at all!

Edited by Brithunter on Saturday 3rd March 13:10