Buying a Tuscan vs Carrera
Discussion
I currently drive a 2002 Carrera and am tempted to trade (up/down/?) to a Tuscan. I have owned a TVR before (2000 Chimaera) which was great fun 
but not without faults 
. Having read through some of the AJP engine problems that other Tuscan owners have had, I am a little worried - particularly since I live in Johannesburg where there aren't exactly TVR dealers on every corner (in fact, only one!).
So, question is: Do I sell the Carrera and buy the Tuscan (should pocket at least £20k on the trade) or is it worth keeping the more expensive Porsche just for impeccable build quality and absolute reliability?
(Just to put engine problems in perspective - Also had a brand new 2001 M3 which blew the engine after 600km. Metal fatigue on the valve rockers. Difference with TVR is that BMW replaced the entire car at the old car's price.)
but not without faults . Having read through some of the AJP engine problems that other Tuscan owners have had, I am a little worried - particularly since I live in Johannesburg where there aren't exactly TVR dealers on every corner (in fact, only one!). So, question is: Do I sell the Carrera and buy the Tuscan (should pocket at least £20k on the trade) or is it worth keeping the more expensive Porsche just for impeccable build quality and absolute reliability?
(Just to put engine problems in perspective - Also had a brand new 2001 M3 which blew the engine after 600km. Metal fatigue on the valve rockers. Difference with TVR is that BMW replaced the entire car at the old car's price.)
Having just disposed of my Chimaera, which was a good car (No problems). and having owned TVR's for the past 15 years, I was faced with purchasing either a Tuscan or Cerbera, and decided due to the unreliability of TVR's own engines, not to bother.
My advice is stick with your Porche,
My advice is stick with your Porche,
I too owned a Chimaera 450 and have sold it and bought a Tuscan, and like you live in a country (Australia) where TVR doesn't. I think you have to approach the mechanical side of things in a pragmatic way, an engine is a piece of engineering and as such can be maintained by qualified, competent engineers anywhere in the world. The factory are very helpful with information and spare parts are only a phone call/visa card away. I don't necessarily think that a dealer's mechanic in the UK is any more qualified or better equipped than ones you may have in South Africa, you just have to find the right one and have your eyes open wide (I also own a porshe which is competent but doesn't leave me with an ear to ear grin), buy the TUSCAN you know you want to
TVR57S said: Having just disposed of my Chimaera, which was a good car (No problems). and having owned TVR's for the past 15 years, I was faced with purchasing either a Tuscan or Cerbera, and decided due to the unreliability of TVR's own engines, not to bother.
My advice is stick with your Porche,
Yeah, you're right. That is the responsible & rational thing to do. But the Chimaera was more of a drivers car than the 996 Carrera (sacrilege!) and I'm sure that the Tuscan will be even more so...
Comes down to why change - Porsche is a great car, easy to drive but it is more of a GT than a pure sports car. Even the M3 was a more aggressive drive (free revving etc) than the carrera.
Turbo100 said: I too owned a Chimaera 450 and have sold it and bought a Tuscan, and like you live in a country (Australia) where TVR doesn't. I think you have to approach the mechanical side of things in a pragmatic way, an engine is a piece of engineering and as such can be maintained by qualified, competent engineers anywhere in the world. The factory are very helpful with information and spare parts are only a phone call/visa card away. I don't necessarily think that a dealer's mechanic in the UK is any more qualified or better equipped than ones you may have in South Africa, you just have to find the right one and have your eyes open wide (I also own a porshe which is competent but doesn't leave me with an ear to ear grin), buy the TUSCAN you know you want to
Bang on the nail - Porsche just doesn't have the
factor of the TVR. Whilst I can live small problems (like window seals etc), the thought of a blown engine is somewhat different. Chimaera had faults but engine was pretty bulletproof. Have the problems with the AJP straight sixes been sorted?
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