Most Reliable TVR

[Hunter T]

I know that some will see this as an oxymoron, but in your opinion what is / has been the most reliable model of TVR?

[scotty_d]

Can of worms here

It will have to be one of the older cars rover v8 engine not a ajp or sp6

but here we go

[Hunter T]

My V8 Cerb never let me down...Hope my Tamora is the same

[bobfather]

There are three things that influence this IMO

Firstly - the robustness of the engine, In general the V8's are more long lived than the S6's and less costly to put right

Secondly - no TVR will live long if it's not looked after. Good servicing, quality chassis care, not being thrashed when cold, etc.

Thirdly - they need to have been used, low mileage garage ornaments tend to suffer from dry seal leaks, corroded electrics, hardened bushes, perished tubes and hoses, etc.

[JonRB]

The RV8 cars are generally considered to be more reliable. I had very few problems with my Chimaera 500 in 6½ years of ownership.

There is a lot of rubbish talked about alleged TVR unreliability though.

[JonRB]

bobfather said:

There are three things that influence this IMO

Firstly - the robustness of the engine, In general the V8's are more long lived than the S6's and less costly to put right

Secondly - no TVR will live long if it's not looked after. Good servicing, quality chassis care, not being thrashed when cold, etc.

Thirdly - they need to have been used, low mileage garage ornaments tend to suffer from dry seal leaks, corroded electrics, hardened bushes, perished tubes and hoses, etc.

All fair comment.

[bridgdav]

Any

All

Some

None

Older

Newer

FSH cars

Care for cars

Hardly ever serviced cars

V6

V8

AJP

Sp6

Shall I go on...?

They are hand built cars, with every car having some sort of difference to the next.
The production of TVR was low volume, taking parts from donor manufacturers.
The Product Testing, Goods in Quality and build standards differed between cars.
Owners have long since changed the specification of their cars to suit themselves - Suspension, engine trim etc.
To try and answer your question is like trying to predict the end of the recession... Almost Impossible.
You will hear horror stories about particular cars or models, as well as dream cars following the same.

You would think that the cars which had the biggest production runs through the factory would be the most reliable - Chimaera / Griffith. But remember some of these are now over 10 years old...!

The latest cars - DO have issues with the engines, which is well documented & discussed. But that doesn't mean all of them are prone to failures.

You pay your money and take your choice. Every TVR and Every Model - has its own niggles.
It could be trim / squeaks / Chassis / Electrics / Engine / Paintwork etc..

Can of worms.. Like the first replied post..!

[Hunter T]

Ha Ha but its a good can!!!!!

[dbv8]

Some days my car is the most reliable.
Other days its a different story.

[Chris71]

The Cologne V6 and the various other oily bits in the S seemed to be reliable.

Apart from general bias I think there's a vaguely serious argument there, in that it was (perhaps?) the least modified engine they've used in the past 20 years or so? I think I'm right in saying most of the Rover-based TVR engines had some degree of modification from the engine that chuggs away across the Saharra in Land Rovers, whereas the V6 was lifted pretty much straight from a standard Granada as I recall?

But at the end of the day either has the capability to be as reliable as a Range Rover or Granada respectively.

[Hunter T]

Chris71 said:

But at the end of the day either has the capability to be as reliable as a Range Rover or Granada respectively.

Really? in the state of tune in a TVR?

[JonRB]

Chris71 said:

I think I'm right in saying most of the Rover-based TVR engines had some degree of modification from the engine that chuggs away across the Saharra in Land Rovers

In the case of of the 5L RV8 I think the term you are looking for is "extensively modified to the point of being a different engine"

[Chris71]

JonRB said:

Chris71 said:

I think I'm right in saying most of the Rover-based TVR engines had some degree of modification from the engine that chuggs away across the Saharra in Land Rovers

In the case of of the 5L RV8 I think the term you are looking for is "extensively modified to the point of being a different engine"

Well, in which case my original logic was pretty sound then.

Wasn't sure how much work had been done to the RV8s, but the Cologne engines were pretty close to standard, and hence more or less as reliable as the mass produced saloon they came from.

[scotty_d]

bobfather said:

There are three things that influence this IMO

Firstly - the robustness of the engine, In general the V8's are more long lived than the S6's and less costly to put right

Secondly - no TVR will live long if it's not looked after. Good servicing, quality chassis care, not being thrashed when cold, etc.

Thirdly - they need to have been used, low mileage garage ornaments tend to suffer from dry seal leaks, corroded electrics, hardened bushes, perished tubes and hoses, etc.

Agree like anything if you dont look after it it will sit down on you when you least want it to

[Hunter T]

Edited by Hunter T on Tuesday 28th July 13:25

[Hunter T]

scotty_d said:

bobfather said:

There are three things that influence this IMO

Firstly - the robustness of the engine, In general the V8's are more long lived than the S6's and less costly to put right

Secondly - no TVR will live long if it's not looked after. Good servicing, quality chassis care, not being thrashed when cold, etc.

Thirdly - they need to have been used, low mileage garage ornaments tend to suffer from dry seal leaks, corroded electrics, hardened bushes, perished tubes and hoses, etc.

Agree like anything if you dont look after it it will sit down on you when you least want it to

I work away for 2 or three weeks at a time. Is it advisable for me to have my other half start her up and just let her get up to temp in the garage a couple of times a week?

[JonRB]

Hunter T said:

I work away for 2 or three weeks at a time. Is it advisable for me to have my other half start her up and just let her get up to temp in the garage a couple of times a week?

No. But it should really be driven weekly though. And not just idling on the driveway unfortunately.

Trouble is, if your other half gets into the habit of driving it you may find it hard to get the keys back when you want to drive it.

[thainy77]

Hunter T said:

I work away for 2 or three weeks at a time. Is it advisable for me to have my other half start her up and just let her get up to temp in the garage a couple of times a week?

I'm in the same boat, i leave mine plugged in to an accumate and get a mate to take it out once a week.

[Hunter T]

thainy77 said:

Hunter T said:

I work away for 2 or three weeks at a time. Is it advisable for me to have my other half start her up and just let her get up to temp in the garage a couple of times a week?

I'm in the same boat, i leave mine plugged in to an accumate and get a mate to take it out once a week.

Plugged into a what?

[thainy77]

Hunter T said:

thainy77 said:

Hunter T said:

I work away for 2 or three weeks at a time. Is it advisable for me to have my other half start her up and just let her get up to temp in the garage a couple of times a week?

I'm in the same boat, i leave mine plugged in to an accumate and get a mate to take it out once a week.

Plugged into a what?

An accumate, a battery conditioner, very worth while peice of kit, plug one end into the mains and the other end in to the lighter socket and job done.