Another 'popped' engine - just another statistic?
Discussion
I now understand the frustration that many of you have suffered with engine problems.
My car developed a fault last week that necessitates engine removal and return to Blackpool for a rebuild. The car is only a year old and has only covered 8k mikes.
I've had it 3 months and put on a small number of miles myself (involving no engine abuse). To add insult to injury during the recovery the passenger window somehow ended up outside the A pillar taking the paint off.
I'll be expecting a full 2 year TVR engine warranty on the rebuilt engine when I get it back. Can anyone comment if this is the norm? The dealer seems to think it is not and that the engine warrantly will expire when the car is two years old regardless of rebuilds. He also thought that I as the customer, will have more clout than him, and should ask for this 'extended' warrenty personally from the factory. This is not something that in my opinion I should have to ask for and should come as 'business-as-usual'.
If I can't get it, then I'll seriously consider talking to the dealer about taking the car off my hands. I don't have more money than sense and can easily see that it would not be a viable proposition to run a car if such major mechanical failures are likely to happen and not be rectified FOC.
I'd also expect a replacement engine to be available by return - which I also gather is not the normal way of working. I'll likely be without the car for the best part of summer.
Rant over, Guinness required.
Gary.
My car developed a fault last week that necessitates engine removal and return to Blackpool for a rebuild. The car is only a year old and has only covered 8k mikes.
I've had it 3 months and put on a small number of miles myself (involving no engine abuse). To add insult to injury during the recovery the passenger window somehow ended up outside the A pillar taking the paint off.
I'll be expecting a full 2 year TVR engine warranty on the rebuilt engine when I get it back. Can anyone comment if this is the norm? The dealer seems to think it is not and that the engine warrantly will expire when the car is two years old regardless of rebuilds. He also thought that I as the customer, will have more clout than him, and should ask for this 'extended' warrenty personally from the factory. This is not something that in my opinion I should have to ask for and should come as 'business-as-usual'.
If I can't get it, then I'll seriously consider talking to the dealer about taking the car off my hands. I don't have more money than sense and can easily see that it would not be a viable proposition to run a car if such major mechanical failures are likely to happen and not be rectified FOC.
I'd also expect a replacement engine to be available by return - which I also gather is not the normal way of working. I'll likely be without the car for the best part of summer.
Rant over, Guinness required.
Gary.
Gary - are you keeping tabs with the Yahoo! Tuscan Owners group? Plenty of feedback regarding "dealing" with these issues!
Mate! Sorry to hear your problems. I'm keeping the faith as eventually I wish to get my own Tuscan - but not sure I could cope with those frustrations, especially as the Chimaera is the dogs regarding reliability!
Mate! Sorry to hear your problems. I'm keeping the faith as eventually I wish to get my own Tuscan - but not sure I could cope with those frustrations, especially as the Chimaera is the dogs regarding reliability!
Gary F
Expect to lose your car for 3 months if it goes back to the factory, and you will only get a 6 month warrenty with the rebuild.
Crap I know but this is what happens. All I hear is more trouble on the speed six, and I understand that they have just upped the power to 400bph. Me thinks they should look on the reliablity aspect first.
For the stats was yours a 3.6 or a 4.0 as the 4.0 seem to goes wrong more ofton...
Expect to lose your car for 3 months if it goes back to the factory, and you will only get a 6 month warrenty with the rebuild.
Crap I know but this is what happens. All I hear is more trouble on the speed six, and I understand that they have just upped the power to 400bph. Me thinks they should look on the reliablity aspect first.
For the stats was yours a 3.6 or a 4.0 as the 4.0 seem to goes wrong more ofton...
The group is called tuscan-owners on Yahoo Groups :
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/tuscan-owners/
It's a closed group so you don't get the "I'm not buying a Tuscan because" posts - which keeps things on track a bit better!
Cheers,
Andy.
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/tuscan-owners/
It's a closed group so you don't get the "I'm not buying a Tuscan because" posts - which keeps things on track a bit better!
Cheers,
Andy.
I've signed up for the Tuscan Owners group on Yahoo, so I'm going to read up on the experiences of others as regards rebuilds in there. To answer your questions:
Andy, the symptoms where a clattering noise followed by steering column/pod shake then a metallic tapping. The tapping increased in frequency with revs. I of course switched off and rang our local service agent. I let him have a listen and he reckoned it should be put straight on the transporter.
To answr your question Mr. Freefall it's a 4.0l engine.
The guys took the cam cover off but could not see any visible top end problem. They spoke to the factory who said to check for pitted valve somethings which meant some top end stripping to remove the valve springs. Still turned up nothing. The guys here therefore think it's a bottom end problem affecting 1 piston. Will have to wait for it to be completely stripped first to be certain.
6 months engine warrenty on a rebuild is not enough. I won't be settling for it. The engine is back at the factory now though and my local service guys have been great and have told the factory of my displeasure (esp. since I have not had the car for long). Factory say they will not get to the engine for 2 weeks, then a 4 day strip/rebuild period followed by despatch then refitting. Not as long as I'd been lead to believe, but still TOO LONG.
I will reiterate everyone else's views - TVR, please sort out engine reliability and treat those customers who do have problems better - i.e. get them a new engine by return of post and give them a proper warranty and an apology, and of course all this should be free!
I'll now be turning up at the Kirkistown track day on Sat with my girlfriend's Smart. See you NI folks there.
Gary.
Andy, the symptoms where a clattering noise followed by steering column/pod shake then a metallic tapping. The tapping increased in frequency with revs. I of course switched off and rang our local service agent. I let him have a listen and he reckoned it should be put straight on the transporter.
To answr your question Mr. Freefall it's a 4.0l engine.
The guys took the cam cover off but could not see any visible top end problem. They spoke to the factory who said to check for pitted valve somethings which meant some top end stripping to remove the valve springs. Still turned up nothing. The guys here therefore think it's a bottom end problem affecting 1 piston. Will have to wait for it to be completely stripped first to be certain.
6 months engine warrenty on a rebuild is not enough. I won't be settling for it. The engine is back at the factory now though and my local service guys have been great and have told the factory of my displeasure (esp. since I have not had the car for long). Factory say they will not get to the engine for 2 weeks, then a 4 day strip/rebuild period followed by despatch then refitting. Not as long as I'd been lead to believe, but still TOO LONG.
I will reiterate everyone else's views - TVR, please sort out engine reliability and treat those customers who do have problems better - i.e. get them a new engine by return of post and give them a proper warranty and an apology, and of course all this should be free!
I'll now be turning up at the Kirkistown track day on Sat with my girlfriend's Smart. See you NI folks there.
Gary.
Well, I've just read my posts over in this thread and it does wreak a bit of doom & gloom. I hope I haven't depressed anyone to the point of questioning their very being.
I love the car, and as someone who as yet does not own a Tuscan pointed out, there must be something seriously special about them for us to put up with such problems. There is. I don't fancy paying for all the associated rebuild costs out of my own pocket though if it were out of warranty.
Enjoy your cars - I look forward to my little phoenix rising up once more from its oily ashes. At least I'll know it will be driven with a view to engine longevity post-rebuild. It was a demonstrator before, so I'm sure it was caned. Still want another two year warranty mind.
Gary.
I love the car, and as someone who as yet does not own a Tuscan pointed out, there must be something seriously special about them for us to put up with such problems. There is. I don't fancy paying for all the associated rebuild costs out of my own pocket though if it were out of warranty.
Enjoy your cars - I look forward to my little phoenix rising up once more from its oily ashes. At least I'll know it will be driven with a view to engine longevity post-rebuild. It was a demonstrator before, so I'm sure it was caned. Still want another two year warranty mind.
Gary.
Hope you dont mind my say being a cerbera owner(but with sp6 engine) I heard somewhere that tvr had soughted the sp6 engine on new tivs can anybody thro any light on this. If thay have what have thay done?.
If the answer is yes they have modified the sp6 engine
is this an admission that the old sp6 is flawed
Any comments on this would be appreciated. Thanks bbt.
If the answer is yes they have modified the sp6 engine
is this an admission that the old sp6 is flawed
Any comments on this would be appreciated. Thanks bbt.
Interesting Gary - from your descrption I wonder if something in the bottom end has gone - like a bearing for example. I only know (and can remember) of one of person having that kind of problem (and I've got it on video when it went wrong!). So maybe you really have been unlucky - not that that helps of course.
Cheers,
Andy.
Cheers,
Andy.
Mr Freefall said:
Gary F
Expect to lose your car for 3 months if it goes back to the factory, and you will only get a 6 month warrenty with the rebuild.
Crap I know but this is what happens. All I hear is more trouble on the speed six, and I understand that they have just upped the power to 400bph. Me thinks they should look on the reliablity aspect first.
For the stats was yours a 3.6 or a 4.0 as the 4.0 seem to goes wrong more ofton...
Firstly, that time frame sounds rather long. When my engine went (cam/followers) it was back in 5 weeks.
Secondly, there's talk that the new 400bhp model is down to a head redesign, which as well as offering a slight increase in power, has addressed a design flaw that was causing the engine rebuilds?
-andy-
Andy,
Yes, it currently it looks to be a problem with my bottom end. I haven't been to the doctor yet, but I did have an indian on Tue night
Will brief you with the full prognosis once the factory have dismembered the sorry beast.
I think there may be enough room under the bonnet for 4 Smart engines in the meantime. You have to laugh don't you - especially when all your friends say "I told you so". I'm doing my smile therapy.
Gary.
Yes, it currently it looks to be a problem with my bottom end. I haven't been to the doctor yet, but I did have an indian on Tue night
Will brief you with the full prognosis once the factory have dismembered the sorry beast.
I think there may be enough room under the bonnet for 4 Smart engines in the meantime. You have to laugh don't you - especially when all your friends say "I told you so". I'm doing my smile therapy.
Gary.
sixspeed said:
Gary F
Expect to lose your car for 3 months if it goes back to the factory, and you will only get a 6 month warrenty with the rebuild.
Crap I know but this is what happens. All I hear is more trouble on the speed six, and I understand that they have just upped the power to 400bph. Me thinks they should look on the reliablity aspect first.
For the stats was yours a 3.6 or a 4.0 as the 4.0 seem to goes wrong more ofton...
Firstly, that time frame sounds rather long. When my engine went (cam/followers) it was back in 5 weeks.
Secondly, there's talk that the new 400bhp model is down to a head redesign, which as well as offering a slight increase in power, has addressed a design flaw that was causing the engine rebuilds?
-andy-
Andy, just quoting what my TVR main dealer told me, I waited 2 months from Power...
5 weeks is nothing, I had to wait 9 weeks for a fish finger rebuild - something to do with lots of others up there at the time!
As for swapping engines, TVR do not want to do this as it would mean the engine number on the V5 log book would not match the engine number on the block so you would know it had had a new engine - or some other such rubbish - do they not know you can get the V5 updated with the correct engine number?
Hope you get it back soon and that this is a one off
Graham
As for swapping engines, TVR do not want to do this as it would mean the engine number on the V5 log book would not match the engine number on the block so you would know it had had a new engine - or some other such rubbish - do they not know you can get the V5 updated with the correct engine number?
Hope you get it back soon and that this is a one off
Graham
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