Discussion
I know this is a bit of a boring old question, but what do people who own these cars feel are the important differences?
I have been set on buying an 'S3' but now i feel as if i'm limiting my options too much.
taken from tvrsseries.com:
S3 - available from mid 89 onwards, the major difference for the S3 was the width of the doors, this was increased to improve access to the cabin. This change necessitated a modification to the chassis, the dashboard was also changed. Suspension was uprated significantly giving a much better ride, and minor trim details like the boot stay and door mirrors (electric) were improved.
the main bit in all that which concerns me is the part about the suspension being uprated? Is this a noticable difference? Also, I am 6' tall, how much harder is it to get in/out of the S2??
Anyone with an S2 wish they had bought an S3?? I'm all ears!
I have been set on buying an 'S3' but now i feel as if i'm limiting my options too much.taken from tvrsseries.com:
S3 - available from mid 89 onwards, the major difference for the S3 was the width of the doors, this was increased to improve access to the cabin. This change necessitated a modification to the chassis, the dashboard was also changed. Suspension was uprated significantly giving a much better ride, and minor trim details like the boot stay and door mirrors (electric) were improved.
the main bit in all that which concerns me is the part about the suspension being uprated? Is this a noticable difference? Also, I am 6' tall, how much harder is it to get in/out of the S2??
Anyone with an S2 wish they had bought an S3?? I'm all ears!
wanacoop said:
how much harder is it to get in/out of the S2??
No trouble for me and I'm well over 6' tall. Having said that, it's a lot easier with the roof off and once you are in you certainly feel well tucked in between the door and the transmission tunnel.Actually, I specifically wanted an S2 rather than an S3 because I prefer the interior.
Go and see a few to compare. I know this is the standard advice for anyone contemplating getting an S, but I really think you'll find it worthwhile. Happy hunting!
Hi,
I drove quite a few before I bought my car and some thoughts were...
I didn't notice any significant difference in the ride or handling right from a 2.8 S1 to an S3C - this was at 'someone else's car' speeds admittedly, but on a reasonably decent test drive over bumpy country lanes. I'm sure there are subtle differences, but the biggest factor by a long way will be the condition (and type) of the shocks, bushes and tyres.
The styling differences (principally the dash and IIRC the bonnet/fog lamps?) are obviously personal preference. I really wanted a curved dash car to start with and then found I preferred the later style! Don't know if there are any improvements to heating and ventilation with the later dash?
The S3s seem to command somewhat of a premium and I think unless you specifically want one (I did...) then the earlier cars represent better value.
Getting in and out on the later cars is noticeably easier, but even the early ones aren't exactly difficult - unless you're very big I wouldn't worry about it.
This may well relate to that particular car, but I drove an S1 (in certain respects the best of all the cars I looked at, mechanically) and that example had a very short travel on the throttle pedal, which I found a bit disconcerting. This might have been someone's DIY mod and even if it is a design feature on the earlier cars, I'm sure you could fit a different bellcrank.
Not strictly relevant to your exact question, but the 2.9 in the S2/3 is a useful improvement in 'go' over the 2.8.
The final thing is that some people reckon TVR got better at building these as they went along and hence the later cars tended to come out of the factory in a better state. How relevant this is 15 years down the line I don't know. I've certainly been pleasantly surprised by the build quality of my S3 - it's survived better than other cars I've had of the same age!
Anything in particular you want to know? I'm not an expert, but I have faced this dilema fairly recently.
I drove quite a few before I bought my car and some thoughts were...
I didn't notice any significant difference in the ride or handling right from a 2.8 S1 to an S3C - this was at 'someone else's car' speeds admittedly, but on a reasonably decent test drive over bumpy country lanes. I'm sure there are subtle differences, but the biggest factor by a long way will be the condition (and type) of the shocks, bushes and tyres.
The styling differences (principally the dash and IIRC the bonnet/fog lamps?) are obviously personal preference. I really wanted a curved dash car to start with and then found I preferred the later style! Don't know if there are any improvements to heating and ventilation with the later dash?
The S3s seem to command somewhat of a premium and I think unless you specifically want one (I did...) then the earlier cars represent better value.
Getting in and out on the later cars is noticeably easier, but even the early ones aren't exactly difficult - unless you're very big I wouldn't worry about it.
This may well relate to that particular car, but I drove an S1 (in certain respects the best of all the cars I looked at, mechanically) and that example had a very short travel on the throttle pedal, which I found a bit disconcerting. This might have been someone's DIY mod and even if it is a design feature on the earlier cars, I'm sure you could fit a different bellcrank.
Not strictly relevant to your exact question, but the 2.9 in the S2/3 is a useful improvement in 'go' over the 2.8.
The final thing is that some people reckon TVR got better at building these as they went along and hence the later cars tended to come out of the factory in a better state. How relevant this is 15 years down the line I don't know. I've certainly been pleasantly surprised by the build quality of my S3 - it's survived better than other cars I've had of the same age!
Anything in particular you want to know? I'm not an expert, but I have faced this dilema fairly recently.
i went out looking expressly for an dark metallic S3...............and came back with a red S1.5 ; make of that what what you will. But the main thing I would pass on is that condition is everything - especially regarding chassis. And the earlier interior does have a bit more charm (imo). Also, the smaller doors kind of add to the fun. You don't buy a TVR if you're into practicalities I guess. I'm 6'2" and don't have a problem.
The 2.8 lump has a known problem with the siamesed ports - this kind of thing makes me nervous so I completely excluded S1's.
In the end as someone much more knowledgeable than me (Barkychoc,I think) said : "If an S feels right, it is right". Small details will tell you a lot about the kind of life the car's had. For example, are the hood bags intact, is the original spare there, where is it kept, how long has it been owned for, number of owners, are the tyres matching brand front & rear. Any old car will give pleasure & pain in pretty equal measure so I guess it's all about minimising the pain, really. That, to my mind, meant forget electric windows, mirrors, etc. These are GRP bodied cars and electrics can be a nightmare. In the end, the standard advice holds true : look at as many as you like before you arrive at a car you keep going back to. Then go back to it before it sells!
The 2.8 lump has a known problem with the siamesed ports - this kind of thing makes me nervous so I completely excluded S1's.
In the end as someone much more knowledgeable than me (Barkychoc,I think) said : "If an S feels right, it is right". Small details will tell you a lot about the kind of life the car's had. For example, are the hood bags intact, is the original spare there, where is it kept, how long has it been owned for, number of owners, are the tyres matching brand front & rear. Any old car will give pleasure & pain in pretty equal measure so I guess it's all about minimising the pain, really. That, to my mind, meant forget electric windows, mirrors, etc. These are GRP bodied cars and electrics can be a nightmare. In the end, the standard advice holds true : look at as many as you like before you arrive at a car you keep going back to. Then go back to it before it sells!
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