Tuscan S - What'sgonewrongonyours

[Jonny5]

Just wanting to get a view on how reliable they are before i consider getting one....

[J_S_G]

* Engine rebuild @ 8000 miles
* Engine rebuild again @ 23000 miles
* Clutch slave cylinder @ 25000 miles
* Heater control unit @ 12000 miles
* Heater blower shorting out @ 20000 miles
* Electric windows only 1/2 working @ 15000 miles
* Front end needing respray @ all the time
* Crack around joint on front of service bonnet @ 25000 miles
* Leaks round window seals @ [early?] miles
* Squeaking from T-Top @ 0 miles
* Squeaking from rear screen @ 0 miles
* Speedo display knackered @ 12000 miles
* Speedo display knackeded again at 18000 miles
* Speedo readout erratic @ regularly
* Worn throttle bodies @ 18000 miles
* Windows slow to operate near bottom (i.e. not siting properly in door) @ ? miles

That's all of it I know about.

[Jonny5]

$hittin6 hell !

[hector]

Don't worry.My dealer assures me Tuscans are well sorted now and that the MK11 is in a different class!!I hope he's right cos I'm getting shot of my Mk1 for a new un!
By the way my drivers window is slow as well.

[J_S_G]

Jonny5 said:

$hittin6 hell!

Erm, if that list (other than the engine rebuilds - those problems should all be sorted now) scares you, don't get one. Only major mechanical fault besides the engine has been the clutch; the slave cylinder seals *will* go on them at some point or other (high performance car, generally left sitting around by one or more previous owners for a week/more at a time, fluid that corrodes, etc.)

No matter what TVR/owners say about build quality, you will NOT get an Audi/BMW robot-built tank. There's bound to be trim niggles, electrical niggles, etc. over the course of a long-term ownership. In my mind (and I guess many other owners minds), any fault that can be fixed on a Saturday morning with superglue/a screwdriver/sealant or that can wait for it to be done at the garage next time it's in for a service doesn't actually count as an issue - that's just part of ownership.

hector said:

Don't worry.My dealer assures me Tuscans are well sorted now and that the MK11 is in a different class!!I hope he's right cos I'm getting shot of my Mk1 for a new un! By the way my drivers window is slow as well.

Your dealer would say that, wouldn't he. "Yes sir, you can order a new car, but it won't be any different..."

I'm sure the latest ones are far better with less niggles than earlier ones. But there'll always be problems wherever people are involved in the build process and where the design budget doesn't stretch to 10s/100s of millions.

Great example from G7TVR; one of the last (and therefore most well developed/refined) Cerbs ever built, under the new "Tivski" era, and here's his first two months of ownership (from the Cerb forum):

G7TVR said:

My new cerbera was the last 4.2 and it left the factory at the end of September. I owned a '97 4.2 for four and a bit years and had more than my fair share of problems so I new what I was letting myself in for. So far I have covered 2400 miles with only a few minor problems - Washer mechanism became disconnected after 800m (easy fix with a couple of nylon ties) Brake pad 'fell out' could only move 1.5cm - landed on hub and wore a nice groove until I realised something wasn't quite right - this was caused by the securing pins not being located right. Rear demister not working (only spotted that this weekend) Exhaust is rattling about (only spotted last week as a took a corner quickly for the first time then someone told me they could actually see the exhaust wobbling about underneath the car as I pulled away from a junction!) Passenger door opens of it's own accord every now and then - usually when it's raining. Drivers door doesn't always close - as if the lock mechanism gets itself out of sync. Bonnet was snagging badly at the front when lifted - cured by lifting it slightly but now it isn't lined up properly when shut. And finally a door seal fell off on Sunday! Apart from this it is great - first impressions were that it was extremely well put together - no other rattles or squeaks, and the trim is good inside.

(My highlighting on the last paragraph... you're either willing to accept those foibles when you go into ownership or not)

[nsparey]

I was at the factory yesterday, I have to say MKII or not, still seemed to be the same "cottage industry" it always has been, how those cars end up looking as good as they do always amazes me. However my 06/04 "S" has been fantastic, driven every day and never let me down, it was delivered with some problems but once the factory had put them right it has been great and a thousand times better than my previous Griff SE.

[Bitter'n'twisted]

Oct '02 Tuscan S

Obligatory low reading oil pressure sensor.
Got new sensor.
This then leaked, of course.
Got it refitted / new one (not sure).
Now still reads a bit low, but no leak. So fine.

Occassional Diagnostic code L. But only very occassionally.

Other than that it's just had the obligatory throttle bodies causing slight stuttering. But fixed now.

Uses no oil. At all.

Not too bad really. And far, far, far better than my 2000 Griff 500.

[TUS 373]

nsparey said:

I was at the factory yesterday, I have to say MKII or not, still seemed to be the same "cottage industry" it always has been, how those cars end up looking as good as they do always amazes me. However my 06/04 "S" has been fantastic, driven every day and never let me down, it was delivered with some problems but once the factory had put them right it has been great and a thousand times better than my previous Griff SE.

You know, the Mark III Tuscan will be better still. It will have revised suspension, better braking, smoother engine, better all round build quality, greater reliability.

As JSG says, dealers will always give potential the "er" spiel - i.e. bett(er), fast(er), light(er), easi(er)..oh, and dear(er) talk.

As I have said before - everytime Microsoft launches a new version of Windows, they give the "er" sales pitch, almost insinuating that the version before was crap and be default, the new version will now do what the last version should have done.

Fact is, I agree with JSG, the build quality is never going to be that great on a TVR. I don't believe it can be done when offering a hand made car at relatively 'cheap' prices. That alone would make my (IMHO) stop and think twice about parting with £50K for a brand new one. They would have to come on in leaps and bounds before I do that. But everything is relative. We still get Ferrari thrashing performance at one third of the price - and that's what keeps us all happy.