What they like in the real world? I know the usual craic is that they break a lot, but are they really like that? I’ve lived with Alfas before, so really, how bad can they be?

Shotgun!

Fantastically quick, fantastically good looking, fantastic sounding and you can fit your bike in the boot.

What are you waiting for?

Terrifying. That’s my experience, anyway of my uncle’s Griff’ 500 on track. Properly mental bit of car. But you knew that anyway, and it doesn’t answer your question at all. Sorry. 🙂

LHS – Member
Fantastically quick, fantastically good looking, fantastic sounding and you can fit your bike in the boot.
What are you waiting for?
POSTED 2 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Been saving for a Caterham, starting to realise that it’s probably a stupid idea, even though a TVR is just as unhinged, but at least I’ll be able to crash a TVR in the wet safe in the knowledge that it’ll be dry in the car.

On second thoughts, you probably can’t even guarantee that, can you?

I’ve used two TVRs for the last 15 years as an everyday car (clocked up over 150K miles) and they have been very reliable. The issue with the later cars (post Griffith/Chimaera) is that they use a TVR built engine. This is essentially a race engine and need lots of attention (and probably frequent rebuilds). As a result the TVR engined cars are several times more expensive to run than the earlier ones. Great fun though!

The father of a friend picked his new TVR up from the dealers, got 20 miles before running out of petrol as the fuel gauge didn’t work. Pretty much set the tone for rest of his ownership ‘experience’

One of the lads in my year from school bought a cheap used one, thought he was the mutts nuts – quickly became a regular sight at the side of the road with the bonnet up. Think he managed to last 4 mnths before selling it on.

that said, I’d love to try owning one but need considerably deeper pockets than I have currently…

T350’s are nice, got to watch the SP6 engine heads (finger followers) don’t get enough oil and can mean engine rebuilds every 15-20k

Petrol is Super plus and it spits it out raw expext 10-15mpg

Sevicing is every 6k and ain’t cheap

More reliable than everybody says

Get the T350T if you can

chrischim, are they the speed 6’s?

If your looking for a T350 then get in touch with a TVR specialist as Im sure you are aware they do have a reputation. I used to work for an independant dealer but luckily I worked on the Lotus side and not the TVR.

One thing we used to do alot, to older TVR’s and not T350’s, was replace chassis out-riggers which meant a body off rebuild. They were a mud trap down just behind the front wheels where the diagonal brace meets the bottom of the “A” post.

So if you are looking at one get an expert to check it out first…

TVR’s first engines were V8s (in the Cerbera), these were pretty good (4.5 better than 4.2) but need more fettling than the relatively low stressed Rover V8s that came before. They then introduced the Speed 6 (straight 6) and as Tiger6791 says this had problems with the finger followers – there are various mods out there that claim to solve the problem. Suggest you ask on Pistonheads or go along to your local TVR car club meeting (non-members will be welcomed) to get a ride in a few and talk to owners.

I’ve got a Griff 500, which is brutal…..

Get yourself on here

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&f=7&mid=0

and here

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?h=0&f=152&mid=0

Cheers

Ian 🙂

Cheers all.

When you get it can you come over and take me for a spin – I would realy love to buy one.

Trimix – Member
When you get it can you come over and take me for a spin – I would realy love to buy one.
POSTED 1 HOUR AGO # REPORT-POST

IF I get it. Were getting an extension in the spring and have an awful nagging feeling that anything I have saved will be swallowed by that.

I know a guy who had an oldish tvr, bought it for about 15k, spent around 20k endlessly fixing it, finally flogged it for 12k….

But don’t expect anything like the quoted power…

lovely cars to live with and drive. much more civilised than the rover v8 to drive. keep the revs low and it won’t bite, and will be very docile, wind the revs on and be prepared for the top of your head to fall off, you’ll be grinning that wide.
I always think of them as grown-up elises. they handle really nicely but go like 5hit off a shovel when you want them too.
I did over 45k miles in a chimeara, and had various Tamora, griff, chim, elise and t350 to play with. probably the tamora would be my choice for a toy from tvr – that convertible thing, but I did a good few miles in the boss’ t350t, and it was ace.
these days, now the factory is defunct ( 🙁 ) I’d be much more inclined to go elise ( s1 111s ) or something from caterham.

oh! and steer clear of pistonheads unless you’re looking to be talked into it! 😀