High Mileage V8S or S3
Discussion
Chaps help,
I’ve been doing the 'research' for 6 months now; joined the club, got the bible, seen a few cars, spoken to other owners. The garage is being rebuilt at the end of the week to house the new 'baby', and I've instructed a third party to start the search for the ideal car (I don't trust myself not to buy impulsively!!).
However, I have one nagging question that needs answering: What's the 4.0L lump like with high mileage, around the 100K mark, as I have the money for either a well sorted S3 (40-60K miles) or a leggy (but still sorted) V8S.
Does the V8 have a history of taking the miles well? It will be a fun second car and I only expect to do in the region of 3K miles a year, so I'm not going to run the mileage up any great amount.
The reason I'm asking is that I have this gut feeling that if I go for the S3 I will crave more go go in a short time, so am considering this route as possibly the way to avoid selling a S3 and buying a V8S in a years time, assuming the answers I get hear are favourable! (Yes I will listen either way to your opinions; I actually do believe this site to be the best source of free info available anywhere).
I’ve been doing the 'research' for 6 months now; joined the club, got the bible, seen a few cars, spoken to other owners. The garage is being rebuilt at the end of the week to house the new 'baby', and I've instructed a third party to start the search for the ideal car (I don't trust myself not to buy impulsively!!).
However, I have one nagging question that needs answering: What's the 4.0L lump like with high mileage, around the 100K mark, as I have the money for either a well sorted S3 (40-60K miles) or a leggy (but still sorted) V8S.
Does the V8 have a history of taking the miles well? It will be a fun second car and I only expect to do in the region of 3K miles a year, so I'm not going to run the mileage up any great amount.
The reason I'm asking is that I have this gut feeling that if I go for the S3 I will crave more go go in a short time, so am considering this route as possibly the way to avoid selling a S3 and buying a V8S in a years time, assuming the answers I get hear are favourable! (Yes I will listen either way to your opinions; I actually do believe this site to be the best source of free info available anywhere).
I would say that the mileage of the car is not as relevant or important as the overall condition. Providing whichever choice you go for has a full service history then the engine (V6 or V8) should be fine.
If you go for the S3 option, drop me an email as mine is for sale !
Happy hunting.
Cheers
Paul
If you go for the S3 option, drop me an email as mine is for sale !
Happy hunting.
Cheers
Paul
A 100K V8S is probably one of the highest mileage cars around. I would suspect it is probably tired and may be in need of a camshaft if it is on the original engine. If the clutch and engine hasn't had money spent on it then it may depend on the price because I would look at considering a top end cam job as almost essential.
It would be worth looking at the history and getting the engine checked becaus you could be buying a sorted car whose engine is on its last legs. The V8 engine will keep on going and going but doesn't mean that it is not in need for some TLC. Service history is key with a high miler. If there is not a pile of paperwork walk away from it. There are also a lot of cars for sale out there so might be worth waiting.
As for the V6 vs the V8... V6 is a lot cheaper to run and less of a handful to drive. If you have no experience of this type of car, there is a lot to be said for going with a V6 and learning before going the V8 route.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
It would be worth looking at the history and getting the engine checked becaus you could be buying a sorted car whose engine is on its last legs. The V8 engine will keep on going and going but doesn't mean that it is not in need for some TLC. Service history is key with a high miler. If there is not a pile of paperwork walk away from it. There are also a lot of cars for sale out there so might be worth waiting.
As for the V6 vs the V8... V6 is a lot cheaper to run and less of a handful to drive. If you have no experience of this type of car, there is a lot to be said for going with a V6 and learning before going the V8 route.
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
Steve cheers for the reply, book's a good read by the way.
I have no experience in performance cars as you quite rightly surmised, however, reading the threads of people jumping straight into Griff 500's leaves me wondering if 20 years of car driving (including the odd HGV) makes a fair starting point, given a level head and a measured right foot I'm quite happy wind up slowly.
The main point of my request really is the V8 good for that kind of mileage, take it as given that it will have been maintained properly, hence the third party to check them out before I get anywhere near them with the cheque book (head over heart approach).
It was more of "OK it has full paper work and it may have in the region of 100K on the clock, but at what point are the V8 lumps not worth the effort i.e. needing...changing the cams, skimming the head, fitting new rings, changing the liners etc before an exchange engine is needed/fitted" (how much for one of them anyway as it may well be an option if all else fails!)
Are they likely to be money pits (the bottomless type!), due to the mileage taking them beyond their useful life? (running gear etc)
Does anyone know of a V8S doing starship mileage and is still going strong?
Look forward to any replies, as always thanks in advance..
I have no experience in performance cars as you quite rightly surmised, however, reading the threads of people jumping straight into Griff 500's leaves me wondering if 20 years of car driving (including the odd HGV) makes a fair starting point, given a level head and a measured right foot I'm quite happy wind up slowly.
The main point of my request really is the V8 good for that kind of mileage, take it as given that it will have been maintained properly, hence the third party to check them out before I get anywhere near them with the cheque book (head over heart approach).
It was more of "OK it has full paper work and it may have in the region of 100K on the clock, but at what point are the V8 lumps not worth the effort i.e. needing...changing the cams, skimming the head, fitting new rings, changing the liners etc before an exchange engine is needed/fitted" (how much for one of them anyway as it may well be an option if all else fails!)
Are they likely to be money pits (the bottomless type!), due to the mileage taking them beyond their useful life? (running gear etc)
Does anyone know of a V8S doing starship mileage and is still going strong?
Look forward to any replies, as always thanks in advance..
quote:
Are they likely to be money pits (the bottomless type!), due to the mileage taking them beyond their useful life? (running gear etc)
Does anyone know of a V8S doing starship mileage and is still going strong?
Look forward to any replies, as always thanks in advance..
If its previous owners have all treated it really gently then it could still be on the original engine and transmission, in which case it will be very tired by now. But more likely it has been through one or more clutches, cam shafts, bottom end rebuild, CV joints etc. With care it will last a long time, but the harder it has been driven the faster it will all wear out. You need to know what major parts have been replaced over the years to guess how much longer they will last. I would reckon between 25-50k for the clutch, same for the cam, bottom end rebuild somewhere around the second cam change, gearbox and diff are very strong and could last indefinitely. So try to get an idea how old the major components are and budget accordingly. As a very rough guide, the major components each cost around a thousand quid (diff, box, clutch, cam, bottom end). (No doubt people will now say their mate will replace a clutch for fifty quid and so on but there you go.) You also need to have a close look at the state of the wishbones, trailing arms and chassis (especially the outriggers). The chassis are all prone to rust and if the rust is structural the cost of a repair is probably more than the car is worth. This goes for the V6 models as much as the V8. Both cars are very under stressed and will take high mileages in their stride, in fact my S2 and V8S were both incredibly reliable covering 20k per year over several years - that is until I went mad on the power upgrades on the V8S. If you haven't owned a powerful rwd car before I would suggest starting with the V6, preferably an S4, it is fast enough to be a load of fun, and a lot more forgiving than the V8S especially if you only expect to drive it occasionally. It is also about half the cost to run compared to the V8. If you get bitten by the power bug you could always upgrade to a V8 later, and the longer you leave it the cheaper that option will be.
Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)
quote:
...I would reckon between 25-50k for the clutch, same for the cam, bottom end rebuild somewhere around the second cam change...
Excuse me, I must call an ambulance...just had a Heart Attack!
I assume you meant to say 2.5-5K!
It's amazing to read this site! There are around 20-30 regular poster's who know everything about their specific cars!
Fantastic!
I know where I'm coming once I eventually get hold of one of these awesome creations!
Cheers
Stuart
Harry,
I would agree with the comments prev posted (Steve and Peter are the experts with experience) and when I first bought a TVR the common advice was to go on condition rather than mileage.
As you are getting help with the search you are getting off to a good start - I would suggest that you buy the best you can get within your price range and go for a good sorted S3 / S4 rather than a dubious V8S.
I had driven some 'nippy' cars before, BMW 328, Supra, 900 Turbo etc but my S3 was my first real sports car. I loved it, it had plenty of power and was fairly cheap to run. I have just changed to a V8S which is fantastic, but I don't regret having the S3 for a couple of years first.
Good luck,
JSG
I would agree with the comments prev posted (Steve and Peter are the experts with experience) and when I first bought a TVR the common advice was to go on condition rather than mileage.
As you are getting help with the search you are getting off to a good start - I would suggest that you buy the best you can get within your price range and go for a good sorted S3 / S4 rather than a dubious V8S.
I had driven some 'nippy' cars before, BMW 328, Supra, 900 Turbo etc but my S3 was my first real sports car. I loved it, it had plenty of power and was fairly cheap to run. I have just changed to a V8S which is fantastic, but I don't regret having the S3 for a couple of years first.
Good luck,
JSG
I acquired my V8S about 6 months ago and all I would say to you is Go For It. The V8 is my first performance car and Ive had to learn to control the beast.My day to day work car is a 1.0 L Micra, so the V8 gives me a wee bit more power to play with! (thats an under statement if Ive ever made one!!)
Stick to dry roads and wait `til you clear the corners before giving it some heavy welly and you`ll be alright.
PS, bye the way, it does cost a fortune to run, but its a one off purchase so who gives a....? Keep up to date with the info and advice on these pages and that definately helps save you some cash. Oh, one other thing, I installed a full size pit in my garage when I bought the car and have free and easy access to the underside of the car. Well worth spending a few hundred quid more if you want to do as much as you can on your own to maintain the car without incurring hefty garage fees. Best Wishes , EB.
Stick to dry roads and wait `til you clear the corners before giving it some heavy welly and you`ll be alright.
PS, bye the way, it does cost a fortune to run, but its a one off purchase so who gives a....? Keep up to date with the info and advice on these pages and that definately helps save you some cash. Oh, one other thing, I installed a full size pit in my garage when I bought the car and have free and easy access to the underside of the car. Well worth spending a few hundred quid more if you want to do as much as you can on your own to maintain the car without incurring hefty garage fees. Best Wishes , EB.
VMT the replies so far, the thread is going pretty much the way my head was thinking before the heart 
thought of a V8S and this post!
I fully understand and agree with all angles put so far.
Just a bit surprised Lee didn't post he had a spare V8 in the back of the garage somewhere, just give 5 minutes and he'll find it 
I suppose the running costs of the V6 will not frighten me so much, particularly after being lulled into a force sense of security by running one v'halls finest
for 4 years at £110 pa service and besides tyres and pads has run up a similar mileage without a hitch (no touch wood smiley here ted, could be a good one for the site and rather appropriate!)
thought of a V8S and this post! I fully understand and agree with all angles put so far.
Just a bit surprised Lee didn't post he had a spare V8 in the back of the garage somewhere, just give 5 minutes and he'll find it
I suppose the running costs of the V6 will not frighten me so much, particularly after being lulled into a force sense of security by running one v'halls finest
for 4 years at £110 pa service and besides tyres and pads has run up a similar mileage without a hitch (no touch wood smiley here ted, could be a good one for the site and rather appropriate!) 
quote:
Just a bit surprised Lee didn't post he had a spare V8 in the back of the garage somewhere, just give 5 minutes and he'll find it
No sorry only have a spare V6!, finally got my new engine choice down to 2, here are the finalists,
1, 4.3l Chevy V6 turbo
2, 5.?l Ford V8 (Cobra R supercharged would be nice
) So what do you lot think of these?, maybe I should call it "LeeBee's Pop'n'Idle" contest?
Cheers
LeeBee
Owned a S3 for about 9 months, then moved onto the V8S after driving a mates, I would certainly go straight for a V8S considering what you get for your money. Only problem I have had is parting with the cars each time I buy another...now have 3 tiv's 
, will need to sell the V8S in the next few months to finance my current project. If you fancy a 4.3L BV, only 2000 miles since rebuild!, V8S, then contact me.
, will need to sell the V8S in the next few months to finance my current project. If you fancy a 4.3L BV, only 2000 miles since rebuild!, V8S, then contact me.
or 
? My "man's" currently looking for me (S3's and V8S's) as I don't trust myself not to buy the first half decent car I see.
Still haven't ruled out the V8S though, as much as I try convincing myself the sensible option would be to forget them and stick to the S3
the little devil on my left shoulder says 'go on get the V8'.
The garage should be finished by the middle of the month (shame I have to get it done really as it's taking up a serious amount of TVR tokens
).
So I hope to have a selection of vetted cars to view and test drive by the end of the month with my cheque book burning a hole in the back pocket.
Saying all of that about the V8 the insurance quote I got was for an S3 (£215 on 3K pa) better check that its not significantly more!! (and if it was I don't think the little devil would mind
)
Still haven't ruled out the V8S though, as much as I try convincing myself the sensible option would be to forget them and stick to the S3
the little devil on my left shoulder says 'go on get the V8'. The garage should be finished by the middle of the month (shame I have to get it done really as it's taking up a serious amount of TVR tokens
). So I hope to have a selection of vetted cars to view and test drive by the end of the month with my cheque book burning a hole in the back pocket.
Saying all of that about the V8 the insurance quote I got was for an S3 (£215 on 3K pa) better check that its not significantly more!! (and if it was I don't think the little devil would mind
)quote:
Chaps help,
"Does the V8 have a history of taking the miles well? It will be a fun second car and I only expect to do in the region of 3K miles a year, so I'm not going to run the mileage up any great amount."
Dont you believe it! Im in the same position as you, and to prevent me exceeding 5,000 miles a year I have padlocked and chained my V8S to an iron ring set into the concrete floor and given the key to the wife!
Edited by simba on Friday 4th January 21:53
Harry & guys,
I've had an S3 for about 2.5 years and loved it. To answer your question regarding a V8S with 100k miles on the clock is easy...Would I buy it? NO WAY.
The Rover V8S engine is not known for it's longevity, I would still shy away from such high mileage even if the car had been absolutely cherished. You have to think of selling it on again when you want to get rid of it.
The S3 has been a superb car for me. I bought it after hiring a 5 litre Griffith for a weekend and thought the S3 would be a poor relative. How wrong I was. Although a V6 engine is not as rumbly, it is loud in a different way, more gnarly and popping. I still get heads turning a few hundred yards further up the road so it must be doing something right.
There's always the temptation to buy big and get the V8 but I must admit, there are times when the S3 has swung it's back end out and I'm sure I'd have died by now in a V8S!
Another thought to consider is that to really enjoy driving a car you have to push it hard. A drive in a mini down country lanes at 70 mph can be great fun. In a TVR, it would be a cruise. To push a TVR to the same limits you have to drive like a nutter.
My advice is to only buy a V8S if you can afford to buy a good one, don't be tempted to get the cheapest V8's around just to own a V8, unless you're loaded as running costs will be high. If I was to buy one, I would expect to pay £13-£15k to buy the best. Anything less than £10k would scare me.
The Griffith I drove drank like Jack Duckworth. Perhaps it was because TVR driving was new to me but those two days of 5 ltr V8 joy totally knackered me out. You can't relax for a second or the beast will bite. To have a decent conversation you have shout at the top of your voice and any sensation of speed is lost on the fact that you are screaming for the brakes as you run out of road.
Hell! I'm getting one! Anyone want an S3?
I've had an S3 for about 2.5 years and loved it. To answer your question regarding a V8S with 100k miles on the clock is easy...Would I buy it? NO WAY.
The Rover V8S engine is not known for it's longevity, I would still shy away from such high mileage even if the car had been absolutely cherished. You have to think of selling it on again when you want to get rid of it.
The S3 has been a superb car for me. I bought it after hiring a 5 litre Griffith for a weekend and thought the S3 would be a poor relative. How wrong I was. Although a V6 engine is not as rumbly, it is loud in a different way, more gnarly and popping. I still get heads turning a few hundred yards further up the road so it must be doing something right.
There's always the temptation to buy big and get the V8 but I must admit, there are times when the S3 has swung it's back end out and I'm sure I'd have died by now in a V8S!
Another thought to consider is that to really enjoy driving a car you have to push it hard. A drive in a mini down country lanes at 70 mph can be great fun. In a TVR, it would be a cruise. To push a TVR to the same limits you have to drive like a nutter.
My advice is to only buy a V8S if you can afford to buy a good one, don't be tempted to get the cheapest V8's around just to own a V8, unless you're loaded as running costs will be high. If I was to buy one, I would expect to pay £13-£15k to buy the best. Anything less than £10k would scare me.
The Griffith I drove drank like Jack Duckworth. Perhaps it was because TVR driving was new to me but those two days of 5 ltr V8 joy totally knackered me out. You can't relax for a second or the beast will bite. To have a decent conversation you have shout at the top of your voice and any sensation of speed is lost on the fact that you are screaming for the brakes as you run out of road.
Hell! I'm getting one! Anyone want an S3?
I'm p**sed off, having spent a lot of time and effort, mine and 'my man', researching the background into a particular V8S. To the point where it was going to get a proper look over this afternoon and hopefully into my garage at the weekend, some tw*t has had a quick spin and put down a deposit on it....it's not fair 
The better half says it was obviously not to be, just need to keep looking I thinks, something will turn up, wont it? says he looking for moral support.
The better half says it was obviously not to be, just need to keep looking I thinks, something will turn up, wont it? says he looking for moral support.
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