was going to spend 10/12k on a new to me van.. but the big kid in me says whoa.. keep the old van going and splash on a new toy..

so why not a TVR.. seem fair value for for that kind of money, lots of go, why not?

Wiring on a wet day. Or so they say as I’ve never owned one

TVR or van? TVR or van? TVR or van. Hmmm. TVR of Van?

Yep, that’s a difficult one.

In all seriousness though, the running costs of a TVR will be significantly more than that of a van.

why not?

12k on an unreliable car made by a company that no longer exists – hmmm, now let me think!

Yes, true, but you’re unlikely do do a little sex wee when you hear a Ford Transit fire up though 😉

Dont they fall apart ? A mate worked on one for a customer and their own v8 was poor .The head was made of cheese and nearly everything was helicoiled because the theads stripped .Yes it was torqued correctly

A Tuscan growled and popped down our drive on Sunday.That angry purple one. I was reaching for the post-coital B&H within seconds.

Angry purple one and post coital ?

What TVR though?

Rover engined ones (electrical gremlins not wihtstanding) are mechanically pretty sound. So Griffs, and Chimearas are pretty solid as TVR’s go.

The V8 Cerbera’s with the TVR made engine were a reliabililty bombscare so I would avoid. Later Speed Six’s were a lot better. Not sure what Speed Six Tuscan’s go for probably still too expensive

Would you dump your spanners or gas set just because there’s a newer model available, splashing loads of cash on the new set. A van is a tool to do a job. Get the TVR a reliable sportscar.

I’d say that life was too short not to.

You can still buy a van when you are too old to enjoy a TVR.

TVR`S are a man of a certain age car are they not?

My neighbour has a grrrrriff. Adores it. He goes to lots of TVR fan meets, in fact he’s taking his up to silverstone this weekend for some classic sports car thingy.

Does spend a fair bit of time under it, but then it’s his main hobby too (retired). Most of the spendy stuff is him upgrading things like the exhaust or injection system or getting the ECU mapped. Tyres can be a bit pricey too.

The other day he ran over a lump of concrete that was slap bang in the middle of the carriageway and he had no where to go (traffic all around). While the debris was low enough for everyone else to miss…it tore through his bell housing, ripped the sump off, shredded the exhaust and took chunks out of the flywheel. Ouch. £3.5k insurance job.

A few weeks back, a mate was returning it after doing the TVR’s MOT – when a tree branch fell on to the road smashing the windscreen (£800 or something to replace, very expensive special fit thing). Covered by mate’s workshop insurance fortunately.

I just think he’s really unlucky 😀 Great noise though.

From what I’ve read (granted its on the Internet) prices have bottomed on alot of tiv’s, so unless you’re using it as a daily, it should hold its value. The van won’t. Do it 😉

Yes, true, but you’re unlikely do do a little sex wee when you hear a Ford Transit fire up though

tore through his bell housing

I didn’t think they were that low!
😯

“My neighbour has a grrrrriff”
“Does spend a fair bit of time under it”
” it’s his main hobby too (retired )”

TVR the car that sounds good but does not work, for when you are too old for having real fun.

My unkle was going to buy one, his friend was a dealer…

his friend refused to sell him one, as he was his friend….

Id be looking at the much less cool vx220…

People always give reasons why NOT to buy stuff you really want when you ask for advice like this. The problem with this sort of “want” is that it will always be there. If you decide on the van every time you see a TVR you’ll wonder what it will be like to own one. You probably won’t get it the other way round.

Buying things like this isn’t based on any practical need. Reliability and image and all that doesn’t come into it with the “want”. Ok, go into it with eyes wide open – join a TVR club, get all the info you need, do research etc etc to get a good one.

Even if, after 6 months, you sell it again, you’ll still have the experience of owning what you always wanted. If you’ve got the disposable income to spare then there really isn’t any downsides….

Every time I see a TVR I want one. Someone on my daily commute has a Cerbera and I wind the windows down EVERY TIME to hear that glorious sound.

I’d say that life was too short not to.

You can still buy a van when you are too old to enjoy a TVR.

Surely a TVR (or indeed any sports car) is what you buy when you’re too old to enjoy proper pursuits like – oh I don’t know, mountain biking? – rather than the other way round 😉

Joking aside their reputation for reliability is terrible. Unless you enjoy lying on your back underneath cars you may want to look at an alternative provider..

Get a good 911 for 12k ?

A 911 engine rebuild is astronomical, a TVR v8 less so. Had a Griff and loved it, but they are getting older now. The sound is fantastic, handling less so. Buy it in the knowledge it will go wrong, that said I had mine for just under 2 years and if cost me £300 in servicing and lost £500 in depreciation.

I used to have a Griff 500, an awesome car. I paid a specialist to source me a good one and it was money well spent. Personally I love the way they look and with so much torque, in the real world they’re as quick as any other TVR. Mine was just as quick as a Sagaris I also drove.

Yeah it cost me a few quid to keep it going and they’re not cars you cut corners with mechanically, not unless you want headaches down the road!

As for reliability issues, I had a good one so for me it pretty much never missed a beat in 3 years I owned it. But as I said I spent money at the slightest sign of trouble. I had the chassis waxoyled for example to preserve the powder coating. When people don’t do this is can rust and then worst case scenario is new chassis time.

Can’t think of many cars that look like them, sound like them, go that fast and are as entertaining to drive. Entertaining by the way can also mean spinning the rear wheels up at 100mph on the motorway when it’s damp!!

Go on, go on, go on, go on!

And TVR are due to be coming back to life with a new car out in 2015…

I bought my dream car. It cost a bomb to run, broke down regularly and I was scared to leave it anywhere.

BUT, much like a TVR, it made an incredible noise, was extremely rapid, attracted loads of attention from enthusiasts and was generally a very pleasurable experience. I got to go to car shows and be a part of the show rather than just a spectator. Me and the girlfriend loved it and had some very memorable trips in it. When it was running it was soooo much fun.

Now, a year after I’ve sold it I’m totally over it. I scratched the itch and got it out of my system. Now I have no desire or curiosity and I can trundle around in my diesel van knowing that I ‘lived the dream’ for a while.

Just get it done.

so why not a TVR.. seem fair value for for that kind of money, lots of go, why not?

For God’s sake, do it man (or woman)!
We get one shot on this earth, and after that it’s a hell of a long time dead. Sod the naysayers and penny counters.

I bought an FD RX7 last year, renowned for their robust engine and fuel economy, and it was the best decision I ever made. Nothing, literally nothing, on the road could have provided me with as many smiles per mile. If a TVR will do that for you, then buy one and laugh in your rear view mirror at the drones in their VAG/BMW/Ford/GM eco boxes.

I have no way of affording one at present,but I keep looking at the bargain Ferrari 456. 30k gets a low mileage v12 GT. Main reason this car goes so cheap is that it hasfour seats and the rules say four in a Ferrari is just wrong. If I had the cash I’d say stuff the rules and buy one!

As for the TVR buy the best one you can find and enjoy!

I bought an FD RX7 last year,

Wow. Here is a man that puts his money where his mouth is.

The only problem I can see with a TVR is that people expect them to be fast. The most amusing thing about my last car is that it was from 1983 and had a ford badge on it. It also had 250bhp per tonne so it was perfect for showing a clean pair of heels to almost anything. Which is handy if you like winding up fat old blokes in brand new Audi’s and BMW’s.

If I was in the market for a car similar to the one your after I would go for a good Cobra kit car based on a small block chevy 5.7 engine.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gardner-Douglas-AC-Cobra-replica-/181181305798?clk_rvr_id=503257650055

It will hold its value far better than a TVR.

Former housemate has a Chimera and loves it. Only problems areas have been wheel bearings and a leaky fuel tank. It’s a 1994 and he’s had it since 2006, it was his only car for a while! Now has an old diesl Corsa too for fuel cost reasons

did over 40k miles in a chim 400 as my only car. it was ace.
did a few trackdays. sorted suspension. saw off a number of faster cars on track. taught me I’m not that great a driver. drove a lot of other tvrs as I had loaners, my boss at the time had a cerb, and later a t350. the rover based v8 needs service at 6k mile intervals. there were intervening visits too. check the chassis thoroughly. consider a boxster s.
what you thinking of getting?

Keep the old van.

But a Lotus Elise.

Bought a red wedge 350 TVR because MrsWCA was watching Dancing on Ice and I had a load of beer and eBay.

Loved it. Drove it for a year. Sold it for a profit to fund another car.

Don’t regret buying it.
Don’t regret selling it.
Do remember the experience and will carry that to my grave

And TVR are due to be coming back to life with a new car out in 2015.

I know. Prices of bath tubs in B&Q are soaring and MG V8 engines are scarce on the used market at the moment 🙁

My old man had a Chimera for a while, sold it for a Boxster because the TVR was a bit too lairy for him, when you were pushing on a bit you could feel the car move around and there was always that “is this the moment the back end swops places with the front” feeling…

I loved it though my reactions are better than his being 30 years younger, the driving experience was pretty full on and the engine was pretty much bombproof but made a great noise. Just an old Rover 4L V8 on fuel injection, probably about 285 bhp. If you can accept that things will go wrong with it, then go for it. If you cant and want something more reliable then an S2000 Honda or a Boxster might be better.

Don’t regret buying it.
Don’t regret selling it.
Do remember the experience and will carry that to my grave

That’s basically what I was saying but much more compact.

Have you bought one yet?

Mark,

I had the same though 8 years ago and made the right decision, I bought it and have never regretted it.

Mines a 98 Chimaera 400, they are excellent value for money and whilst they are getting on many of the bad ones are dead meat and the remaining ones have been sorted. Mine has never missed a beat, I drive it every week and last week it spent a day on the track in 30 degrees heat being driven by my two daughters. First time they had driven it and both surprised how easy it was.

I don’t concern myself with the speed, it’s faster and more capable than I am, sounds awesome and people love them. So many people have said to me I wish I had bought one, so do it but don’t rush in.

If you use Pistonheads to find local owners they will show you round their cars and what to look out for, if you’re near Gloucestershire I’ll be happy to do so.

Running costs. 12000 mile service about £550.

Last set of 4 Tyres £310 total.

Windscreens and sterring racks are rare and can be expensive.

Fuel consumption, you don’t buy a TVR if this is a high priority but going to work, 40 miles each way on the M5 steady 70ish I get over 25mpg, that’s on standard unleaded.
Put your foot down and that’s soon 20mpg.
On a track, don’t even ask !!

Right I’ve had one so here comes some advice from somebody who’s actually had one

Buy one, you’ll love it

(mine never missed a beat in 20,000 miles)