Article on MSN
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Hunter T

Original Poster:

401 posts

206 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
This is on MSN....Not good imho.......

TVR Chimaera: when it comes to bangs per buck, there's little to touch anything from TVR. The Chimaera is a particularly enticing beast with its V8 power, rear-wheel drive and complete lack of electronic interference. Prices start at £6,495, but tread very carefully: many of these cars have joined the scenery at some point, and reliability was never a strong TVR suit.

hiltonig

3,153 posts

237 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
Hunter T said:
This is on MSN....Not good imho.......

TVR Chimaera: when it comes to bangs per buck, there's little to touch anything from TVR. The Chimaera is a particularly enticing beast with its V8 power, rear-wheel drive and complete lack of electronic interference. Prices start at £6,495, but tread very carefully: many of these cars have joined the scenery at some point, and reliability was never a strong TVR suit.
Cheek , never had a reliablity problem with mine, on what grounds do they base this information on ?

Hunter T

Original Poster:

401 posts

206 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
I know, and surely the price is quite low???

pwd95

8,457 posts

267 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
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Unfortunately prices do start at £6k for a ropey one. Unfortunately many have joined the scenery and I think the reliability issue is here to stay despite the RV8 cars being as reliable as anything else.

dvs_dave

9,040 posts

254 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
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I'd say that's a fair comment regarding TVR reliability. You have to remember that it's being compared to mass produced run off the mill stuff.

Byker28i

91,640 posts

246 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
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Did TVR have a poor reliability record with the earlier cars? I thought it only came about with the SP6 issues.

Cerberus90

1,553 posts

242 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
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Byker28i said:
Did TVR have a poor reliability record with the earlier cars? I thought it only came about with the SP6 issues.
Yes, just a bit. TVR always seem to have been well known for their 'reliability'. This goes right back, my dads M had some funny quirks, biggrin

Don

28,378 posts

313 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
hiltonig said:
Hunter T said:
This is on MSN....Not good imho.......

TVR Chimaera: when it comes to bangs per buck, there's little to touch anything from TVR. The Chimaera is a particularly enticing beast with its V8 power, rear-wheel drive and complete lack of electronic interference. Prices start at £6,495, but tread very carefully: many of these cars have joined the scenery at some point, and reliability was never a strong TVR suit.
Cheek , never had a reliablity problem with mine, on what grounds do they base this information on ?
Because, despite we owners defending the marque like rabid fanboys, the cars are simply not as reliable as a Toyota. They just aren't.

I've had a Chimaera for ten years. When we first got it there was an almost continual list of niggly little things that just wouldn't go wrong on a Toyota/BMW/Merc. Then we got it reliable and it WAS for a few years. By now things are wearing out and it can have problems again.

Then there was the Speed Six debacle. Other manufacturers don't ship engines made of dairy milk chocolate....and despite the fact that there are now owners with nicely rebuilt engines that are likely to work for thirty thousand miles with no trouble Toyota and Nissan et al make engines that go for two hundred thousand miles with no trouble at all.

Being realistic: TVRs can be made to be perfectly reliable enough to thoroughly enjoy, use as a daily driver or to have as a toy. But are they as bullet-proof as mass market cars by Honda, Nissan, and Lexus? Of course not.

Englishman

2,253 posts

239 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
Don said:
But are they as bullet-proof as mass market cars by Honda, Nissan, and Lexus? Of course not.
Correct. But if serviced correctly and kept in A1 condition they are as, if not more reliable than a Ferrari, Lotus, Lamborghini, Aston Martin etc. etc. etc.

willtvr

1,099 posts

226 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
Englishman said:
Don said:
But are they as bullet-proof as mass market cars by Honda, Nissan, and Lexus? Of course not.
Correct. But if serviced correctly and kept in A1 condition they are as, if not more reliable than a Ferrari, Lotus, Lamborghini, Aston Martin etc. etc. etc.
Absolutely right and thats what they should be compared to. What do Honda, Nissan or Lexus make thats comparable to TVR?

Hunter T

Original Poster:

401 posts

206 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
NSX? GTR?

willtvr

1,099 posts

226 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
Hunter T said:
NSX? GTR?
Don't see any similarity whatsoever with either of those cars.

Hunter T

Original Poster:

401 posts

206 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
Just the fact that they too are race bred performance machines. Albeit going down different routes, but performance none the less.

willtvr

1,099 posts

226 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
Hunter T said:
Just the fact that they too are race bred performance machines. Albeit going down different routes, but performance none the less.
There are other manufacturers who would also meet those criteria. Honda is a fine-handling car with insufficient performance compared to most TVRs and if I wanted a fun car that drives like the GTR I'd just play a video game.

grahamw48

9,944 posts

267 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
Hunter T said:
Just the fact that they too are race bred performance machines. Albeit going down different routes, but performance none the less.
TVRs are in essence a larger, heavier, Caterfield type of car with a few luxuries.

They have nothing whatsoever in common with any Toyota/Nissan/Mercedes,etc...all of which are monocoque-bodied mass-produced cars, mainly made of steel.

A go-kart is also a race-bred performance machine, as is a powerboat. smile

I for one do not buy my weekend toys for their reliability, though my lawn mower is reasonably reliable, I'll grant you.

itiejim

1,822 posts

234 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
Englishman said:
Don said:
But are they as bullet-proof as mass market cars by Honda, Nissan, and Lexus? Of course not.
Correct. But if serviced correctly and kept in A1 condition they are as, if not more reliable than a Ferrari, Lotus, Lamborghini, Aston Martin etc. etc. etc.
I love my Trevor, but that just isn't correct. I also have a 20 year older (32 yr old) Ferrari 308 with double the mileage and there is simply no comparison in terms of build quality and reliability - and I don't count myself as unlucky with the Cerb.

The Ferrari does similar mileage, is looked after in the same way and gets similar use - 1/4 miles all day yesterday in the hands of my sister eek However, both the tangible build quality, interior, materials and ultimate reliability are in another league to the TVR.

Of course the TVR is worth about 1/3 - 1/2 of the Fezza, will destroy it in terms of performance and isn't a Ferrari, so we love them for that no?

nelly1

5,665 posts

260 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
Yawn! This old chestnut again.

Look - you either 'get' TVRs or you don't.

End of.

itiejim

1,822 posts

234 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
I get it - I've got one, I love it.

But the Blackpool rockets were never going to win any JD Power surveys. Own them with eyes open and enjoy them for what they are I say.

nelly1 said:
Yawn! This old chestnut again.

Look - you either 'get' TVRs or you don't.

End of.

nelly1

5,665 posts

260 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
itiejim said:
...the Blackpool rockets were never going to win any JD Power surveys. Own them with eyes open and enjoy them for what they are I say...
Amen to that. beer

hoopyfrood

56 posts

209 months

Sunday 18th October 2009
quotequote all
nelly1 said:
itiejim said:
...the Blackpool rockets were never going to win any JD Power surveys. Own them with eyes open and enjoy them for what they are I say...
Amen to that. beer
+1

I think people get a little unnessasarily upset when talking reliability. The article was talking to the masses who most likely drive Nissans, Toyotas and alike, anything hand built will always be a little less durable than the mass produced tin cans, and thats part of the charm.