If you don’t spanner it yourself – run. Run like the wind.

peterstarkiss – you’re not that far from me. I was wondering if you knew my neighbour? Silver blue griff, personal plate (GRF), goes by the name of Nigel (Driver, not the car).

Stoner, don’t recognise the name or car. Thought I knew most of the local owners, there are not too many ! Does he go to the month end meetings at Kemble AV8 ?

not sure he goes to kemble. Often ends up in stourbridge or somewhere like that I think. Maybe a Worcs meet?

He had to go to the “Rumble” in his honda while the griff was up on blocks with the sump rebuild.

Mate of mine used to have a Chimaera. Could wheel spin it up the road… In reverse !

He always had issues with it, and said he would get rid of it, but he ended up keeping it for years.

Of course the sensible option would be a 3.4 Porsche Boxter.

If you can afford it and want it do it. Your a long time dead 🙂

Do it.

A Tuscan is on my wishlist, since I was much younger. Plenty will try and talk you out of it, but you know what? If you can a: afford it and b: it will give you pleasure, then there’s no reason not to.

🙂

If you can a: afford it and b: it will give you pleasure, then there’s no reason not to.

So will a hooker; but the car will be more acceptable to the SO, I think. 😉

There are worse things in life….I am eyeing up a 3 litre Capri

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 !!

those figures sound good to me, my brothers old Volvo t5 did about that, his new impreza does less, and my old impreza did even less than that.

You will love it then hate it then sell it the realise you loved it then miss it then get something better, so go for it.

I used to have a TVR cerbera, the one with the TVR developed AJP8 engine.

It was great, not as reliable as a honda, but it never failed to get me to where I wanted to go.

I say do it….its an experience you wont forget.

I had a Chimera 500 from new in 98. I loved the car only problem I had was a hot starting issue. They replaced the starter cables with thicker ones under warranty and it never missed a beat after that.

I did about 20K fun miles in 2 years then wrote it off at Castle Combe Quarry corner. Would probably still have it now if I had not.

It was loud, fast (though a lot of that was probably perceived because of the noise) looked amazing and a lot of fun.

People say they handle crap but I disagree, they however do not suffer fools. They have a lot of grip but you have to remember they are a light car with a fair amount of power (and torque at low revs)

I have thought about getting another. Older cars do suffer from rusty out riggers on the chassis and a service did seem to really mean bolting the thing back together every 6K miles.

However the Rover V8 powered cars were pretty reliable and very simple to fix and maintain if you can wield a spanner.

The TVR powered engines the AJP V8 cars were pretty good and 4.5L engines make a lot of power. They were not built to a price and on the whole were good.

The initial six cylinder engines however were problematic they would eat cam followers and thus cam shafts. This was mainly due to the fact they tried to make the engine cheaper to manufactures. However by an engine that has be re-built by a specialist and you would be good to go and a lot of them offer engine warranties.

If I had cash left after a Aprilia RSV4 Factory and a 911 GT3 I would have a last of the line Sagaris in the garage 🙂

Bazzer

Plenty of useful info on Pistonheads about TVRs, although the key points have been highlighted above. If you are going to get one, you just need to be well informed about the potential risks/failings before taking the plunge.

How much are second hand Nobles now? That’s what I’d get if I had some spare cash lying around.

I know 3 or 4 TVR owners, they didn’t stay owners for long. There is a very long list of better sports cars.

As posted above you can get quite a decent Porsche Boxter or perhaps even an early Cayman for that money

If you go for a Chimaera you can also fit your bike in the boot…

I am afraid if you have a hankering for a TVR then a Porsche Boxster really isn’t going to be a suitable replacement. Laaaaaame….. 😉

if you knew exactly how long you had left before you die them yeah maybe plan it out, get the van now then say 10 yrs before you pop it get the tvr…..all sensible like.

but you dont

so do the stuff that makes you happy

buy a tvr and rag it around flat out in second gear 😀

(or buy a 3dr sierra cosworth in moonstone blue and give it to me)

although i did like kevin mccloud’s description of tvrs as a ‘kind of reverse kit car….you buy a whole car which slowly dismantles itself in the garage’

withersea – Member
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…

This is the most sensible choice. Buy the Ferrari and rip out the back seats.

Now you’re cool and have somewhere to carry your bike. 🙂

As usual … You’ve had a lot of replies from people who haven’t owned one and just repeat rumours and myths.

I’ve owned a Tasmin 350 and Griffith 500. I wouldn’t buy another one as old as the Tasmin but for your money you can probably get a decent chimp or griff. The growl and burble of a TVR is orgasmic!

Buying one is the same as buying any second hand car… Look for a decent one… And that’s the trick. If you find one you will love it and have tons of fun. If you get a dodgy one then be prepared to spend a little cash. If I was looking I’d be talking to the guys on piston heads rather than here and joining the TVR car club and visiting the ex dealers near you…most are still trading these cars and can help. Don’t rush. Take your time checking a car out and finding a decent one.

I have owned a TVR Vixen for 12 years, its never broke, let me down, Insurance is cheap, tax is free, and its more than doubled in value over the years.
Also have a Lotus Elise, totally different car to the TVR, its also never broke, its cheap to run, depreciation free motoring.

Whatever your dream toy is – car/boat/motorbike/plane etc – just make sure that you can use it when you get it.

No point owning a nice TVR if all your local roads are full of traffic and speed cameras. But if you live in Wales / Scotland that may be different.

Ive owned a couple of fast cars, the first was years ago before speed cameras were invented, the last fast car was about 10 years ago now and I seemed to spend far too long stuck in traffic or on busy roads with it.

So now I use my motorbike to scratch my speed itch and my van to transport my other toys about.

If you get one, use it for special reasons, my last fast car I took on a tour of France. That was great. Commuting to work and back in it was crap.

Buy it carefully, enjoy it recklesly, die quickly 🙂

Bump

Just found this photo of mine 😀

Do it!!

I did about 20K fun miles in 2 years then wrote it off at Castle Combe Quarry corner. Would probably still have it now if I had not.

Not the first, certainly not the last…
Quarry has eaten many, many cars over the years.

Hi not sure if your aware but if your near to stourbridge there is a tvr specialist there called central tvr probley could give you some good advice