Tempted to change, 996 c2 to tvr t350c
Discussion
So, to be honest i wasnt really sure where to post this, but here we go, there seems to be some interesting auto-eclectic folk on here.
I have 2002 Seal Grey manual c2 with M030 suspension, sports exhaust, sports seats etc etc. I enjoy the car, had it just over a year. Its my only car however i am central London based so commute on the tube, by foot, or bicycle. Its a weekend away kind of car really. Last year i did 5k miles.
Am i mad to start looking at these? Anyone here made similar swaps?
I love Porsche, always have done, and love my car, but fancy something a bit more 'special' feeling and dont really fancy having £35k tied up in a 996 gt3 at the moment.
A sorted t350 with a rebuilt warrantied engine looks like cracking value to me, or have I lost grasp of my senses!
Thanks in advance guys and girls
I have 2002 Seal Grey manual c2 with M030 suspension, sports exhaust, sports seats etc etc. I enjoy the car, had it just over a year. Its my only car however i am central London based so commute on the tube, by foot, or bicycle. Its a weekend away kind of car really. Last year i did 5k miles.
Am i mad to start looking at these? Anyone here made similar swaps?
I love Porsche, always have done, and love my car, but fancy something a bit more 'special' feeling and dont really fancy having £35k tied up in a 996 gt3 at the moment.
A sorted t350 with a rebuilt warrantied engine looks like cracking value to me, or have I lost grasp of my senses!
Thanks in advance guys and girls
Me too, I have a 2002 996tt which is a great car but after two years I'm a little bored with it.
The t350 is also on my radar along with others which are all less practical but ultimately more interesting.
I'm thinking of getting something which would be more of a weekend car, with another run about.
The t350 is also on my radar along with others which are all less practical but ultimately more interesting.
I'm thinking of getting something which would be more of a weekend car, with another run about.
I wouldn't, we brought one in as a part exchange, I took it home once, the whole cabin smelt of hot glue and petrol, the previous owner had left a towel to wrap around the filler when filling it to stop fuel pissing back into your face, the heatsoak through the transmission tunnel was astounding and it didn't like it when I got stuck in traffic.
I really wanted to enjoy it but ultimately decided it was in fact s
te.
I really wanted to enjoy it but ultimately decided it was in fact s
te.markmullen said:
I wouldn't, we brought one in as a part exchange, I took it home once, the whole cabin smelt of hot glue and petrol, the previous owner had left a towel to wrap around the filler when filling it to stop fuel pissing back into your face, the heatsoak through the transmission tunnel was astounding and it didn't like it when I got stuck in traffic.
I really wanted to enjoy it but ultimately decided it was in fact ste.
Or you could own one for a couple of years, not have any of these issues, drive it for thousands of miles and actually enjoy it (and its soul)!!!I really wanted to enjoy it but ultimately decided it was in fact s
te.slimtater said:
Or you could own one for a couple of years, not have any of these issues, drive it for thousands of miles and actually enjoy it (and its soul)!!!
As with any car there will be people who love them and those who don't, good luck to you if you've got one and get on with it, I'm just relaying my experiences.Get onto the TVR forum and get some proper advice! Ignore the hot glue /overheating bullst.
Things have moved on a lot with as you will find out if you do your research.
I wouldn't ask on the TVR forum for advice on a GT3!! As I would get a load of crap, As you will get here.
T350's are a fantastic machine,(ask the TVR forum), you will hardly hear a bad word, Would still love a GT3 as well though
t.Things have moved on a lot with as you will find out if you do your research.
I wouldn't ask on the TVR forum for advice on a GT3!! As I would get a load of crap, As you will get here.
T350's are a fantastic machine,(ask the TVR forum), you will hardly hear a bad word, Would still love a GT3 as well though
I'm in two minds with these also. I've quietly fancied one for years, but each time i view or research one I come across, i come away unimpressed.
Reason for this is I actually enjoy driving my cars big mileage on trips abroad. All the 350s Ive seen have usually been very low mileage (on average around 2000 miles a year) and I'm sure this part because they are all go but just not that we'll built.
Each of the 6 or so I've viewed over the years had issues.
Beautiful car though, but aircon is a must by all accounts.
Maybe one day I'll own one. To be honest I think now is the time to buy, I have a feeling prices are only going up over the next few years.
If you can put up with niggly faults, buy with your heart and enjoy.
Reason for this is I actually enjoy driving my cars big mileage on trips abroad. All the 350s Ive seen have usually been very low mileage (on average around 2000 miles a year) and I'm sure this part because they are all go but just not that we'll built.
Each of the 6 or so I've viewed over the years had issues.
Beautiful car though, but aircon is a must by all accounts.
Maybe one day I'll own one. To be honest I think now is the time to buy, I have a feeling prices are only going up over the next few years.
If you can put up with niggly faults, buy with your heart and enjoy.
Edited by Wozy68 on Thursday 3rd May 22:27
markmullen said:
As with any car there will be people who love them and those who don't, good luck to you if you've got one and get on with it, I'm just relaying my experiences.
Accepted, but it does sound like you took in a duffer as a part ex - perhaps that's why they were selling?Like most cars, good and bad examples but as mentioned in previous post, these are getting rarer, more desirable and the quality of them is probably going up (as owners tend to keep longer and invest in them).
I would give it a go, if I were you.
May not be as reliable as a Porsche, in fact that is probably a given. But I guess you would need to approach existing owners to get a feel for what the weaknesses are, and suss out whether you can live with these issues if they do occur.
I owned a 996 turbo for a short while as a weekend car and to be honest I got bored with it very quickly. Yes it was a fantastic all round machine, but just not special enough for that weekend kick. So I kind of know how you feel about your C2.
I looked at different options and finally decided on a Caterham. Within a few hundred yards of the test drive I knew that this was what was needed to put a smile on my face. Not everyone's cup of tea and certainly compromised in a lot of areas, however it ticks all the boxes for me and I get more of a buzz doing 60 mph along the twisty bits than I did reaching crazy figures in the turbo. Maybe TVR will do the same for you.
May not be as reliable as a Porsche, in fact that is probably a given. But I guess you would need to approach existing owners to get a feel for what the weaknesses are, and suss out whether you can live with these issues if they do occur.
I owned a 996 turbo for a short while as a weekend car and to be honest I got bored with it very quickly. Yes it was a fantastic all round machine, but just not special enough for that weekend kick. So I kind of know how you feel about your C2.
I looked at different options and finally decided on a Caterham. Within a few hundred yards of the test drive I knew that this was what was needed to put a smile on my face. Not everyone's cup of tea and certainly compromised in a lot of areas, however it ticks all the boxes for me and I get more of a buzz doing 60 mph along the twisty bits than I did reaching crazy figures in the turbo. Maybe TVR will do the same for you.
I owned a 996 Carrera series 2 a few years ago. I recently bought a T350T. To be honest I haven't owned the TVR long enough or driven it far enough to comment on its reliability.
What I can say though is that it is a very enjoyable car to drive. It handles well, doesn't ride too hard, and has a really good driving position. The long throttle pedal travel makes it docile in traffic, although the lack of flywheel effect takes a little getting used to. It also gets a far more positive response from most people than the Porsche did (at least here in Oz).
I agree about the fuel filling problem (my biggest complaint), and they do smell like a boat inside. I am getting a/c fitted to mine next week. Obviously it is a very different car to a 996 or 997. They are a lot of fun and there are plently of improvements and upgrades available from specialists. I used to own a 1967 Maserati Mistral. In a way, the TVR reminds me of a more refined, more modern version of that car (in a compact GT coupe kind of way...)
What I can say though is that it is a very enjoyable car to drive. It handles well, doesn't ride too hard, and has a really good driving position. The long throttle pedal travel makes it docile in traffic, although the lack of flywheel effect takes a little getting used to. It also gets a far more positive response from most people than the Porsche did (at least here in Oz).
I agree about the fuel filling problem (my biggest complaint), and they do smell like a boat inside. I am getting a/c fitted to mine next week. Obviously it is a very different car to a 996 or 997. They are a lot of fun and there are plently of improvements and upgrades available from specialists. I used to own a 1967 Maserati Mistral. In a way, the TVR reminds me of a more refined, more modern version of that car (in a compact GT coupe kind of way...)
I had a T350C for 4 1/2 years. It was fantastic.
Only changed, as I fancied a change. Went from the Tiv > Boxster S (lovely but too timid for me) > 993 with 450bhp (fast but a bit one dimensional) > 997 GT3 (which is epic).
The Tiv broke down 3 times due to silly electrical failures (all very minor but annoying none the less), but over the time it was very good. Did 4 Le Mans trips, 2 to Germany and overall 20k miles. It drew attention like nothing else when travelling in Europe to the point people would stop us and ask for photos! All quite amusing
Get one with a re-build + warranty, in a bright colour, with Nitrons or similar, sports exhaust etc and you will have a great car.
Servicing is ok pricewise at a good specialist, £4-500 for a minor, £ 700 for a major incl valves etc.
They are truly superb cars, excellent engines when extended through the range, have proper 'soul' and you will love it.
Still miss mine.
Go for it, life's too short to waste it wondering, just find a good one and get it bought.
Good luck!
Only changed, as I fancied a change. Went from the Tiv > Boxster S (lovely but too timid for me) > 993 with 450bhp (fast but a bit one dimensional) > 997 GT3 (which is epic).
The Tiv broke down 3 times due to silly electrical failures (all very minor but annoying none the less), but over the time it was very good. Did 4 Le Mans trips, 2 to Germany and overall 20k miles. It drew attention like nothing else when travelling in Europe to the point people would stop us and ask for photos! All quite amusing
Get one with a re-build + warranty, in a bright colour, with Nitrons or similar, sports exhaust etc and you will have a great car.
Servicing is ok pricewise at a good specialist, £4-500 for a minor, £ 700 for a major incl valves etc.
They are truly superb cars, excellent engines when extended through the range, have proper 'soul' and you will love it.
Still miss mine.
Go for it, life's too short to waste it wondering, just find a good one and get it bought.
Good luck!
Well I have gone the other way, had a TVR and now a Porsche. I had the T350T for a couple of years and it only let me down once when the clutch failed. I bought it after having a Chimeara which I really liked but I wanted something more up to date. The cost of ownership is different in comparison to the Z4 and Porsche, they loose on depreciation the TVR costs on servicing, mine had a few upgrades and fixes which cost £4.8K in the 2 years I had it but I didn't loose much when I sold it and probably would have to pay more to buy it back now.Not the cars fault but I never really got on with it,I did fit Nitrons which improved the ride, but I became preoccupied with making sure it was warmed up correctly, not putting too many miles on the clock, listening for any changes in the engine sound etc that the fun of owning it wasn't there. The TVR club and community are really friendly and I still go to some of the monthly meets, although I do now park in the corner.
I like cars and as long as I can afford to, I will have a fun weekend car and change it every couple of years to try something different. Go and drive one, if you get a good one it would be difficult to loose money if you couldn't get on with it.
I like cars and as long as I can afford to, I will have a fun weekend car and change it every couple of years to try something different. Go and drive one, if you get a good one it would be difficult to loose money if you couldn't get on with it.
I've run a TVR T350 for two years and love it. Had a Cayman for 4 months. Great drive , but boring !!!
Use the TVR every day and never let me down. Had a Griffith for 10 years and that never broke down either.
Get one from a decent dealer that's been loved and enjoy the experience. Porsche make great cars, but too clinical for me. Next stop is an Aston Vantage. Buy something British !!
Use the TVR every day and never let me down. Had a Griffith for 10 years and that never broke down either.
Get one from a decent dealer that's been loved and enjoy the experience. Porsche make great cars, but too clinical for me. Next stop is an Aston Vantage. Buy something British !!
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