Tuscan reliability ?
Discussion
Guys, don't intend to hurt anyones feelings but just trying to get an idea of how relaiable a tuscan is.
Its always struck me that TVRs sound awesome and at the motorshow look great with amazing paint jobs but they are basically a very impulsive purchase and when it comes to the actual nuts and bolts of ownership they are a bit of a joke not only with respect to how they are put together and the electrics and engine reliability... but also in terms of their handling and suspension/chassis technology. I've only driven a 4.0 griff, a 5.0 griff and an early chimeara ... im hoping things have moved on considerably because the ride/handling and body control and stability under braking on those cars left a lot to be desired.
Dont get me wrong this doesn't make them bad cars or anything cos its horse for courses and to be honest their spirit, charachter, staright line speed and looks is more than enough to make them viable to many owners and thats what is tempting me towards ownership. Ive read a little bit about the poor reliability of the 4.0 tuscan engine and many adverts you see mention that teh engine has been rebuilt etc.. or had work done on it etc..
i know that you only ever hear about the bad ones etc.. and im not expecting porsche build quality but i dont want to get a car thats always got issues esp. if it may mean hugely expensive engine rebuilds. Can anyone give a balnaced opinion of reliability, the tuscan engine and if the handling and ride is any good ?
Its always struck me that TVRs sound awesome and at the motorshow look great with amazing paint jobs but they are basically a very impulsive purchase and when it comes to the actual nuts and bolts of ownership they are a bit of a joke not only with respect to how they are put together and the electrics and engine reliability... but also in terms of their handling and suspension/chassis technology. I've only driven a 4.0 griff, a 5.0 griff and an early chimeara ... im hoping things have moved on considerably because the ride/handling and body control and stability under braking on those cars left a lot to be desired.
Dont get me wrong this doesn't make them bad cars or anything cos its horse for courses and to be honest their spirit, charachter, staright line speed and looks is more than enough to make them viable to many owners and thats what is tempting me towards ownership. Ive read a little bit about the poor reliability of the 4.0 tuscan engine and many adverts you see mention that teh engine has been rebuilt etc.. or had work done on it etc..
i know that you only ever hear about the bad ones etc.. and im not expecting porsche build quality but i dont want to get a car thats always got issues esp. if it may mean hugely expensive engine rebuilds. Can anyone give a balnaced opinion of reliability, the tuscan engine and if the handling and ride is any good ?
I read through pages of posts before buying my Tuscan S, it is true to say it can be off putting if not frightening to hear some of the stories but these fear were blown away once I had driven one. I admit they are probably not the best handling car in the world but the FUN factor is the ultimate. It is a car you can use daily, practical boot, great noise and probably the greatest head turner on the planet. As for reliability it seems that the later the model the better although this does not always ring true. Make sure you have a proper warranty and hope for the best. I had a new M3 a couple of years back and it went back to the dealer 6 times in a year!! so you never know.
Maybe you should rent one for a couple of days to see for yourself, I did and it convinced me. I also recommend a TVR handling course to understand and appreciate the car although having driven TVR's before you may have already done this. Good luck.
Maybe you should rent one for a couple of days to see for yourself, I did and it convinced me. I also recommend a TVR handling course to understand and appreciate the car although having driven TVR's before you may have already done this. Good luck.
Jackal
Judas is correct in saying that people with problems tend to be more vocal than those without (surely they have a right to be). However, when you consider that this is just one forum and that the Tuscan is a very low volume car (so maybe 100/ 200 Tuscan owners on this forum) and then you look at the number of horror stories, the % of dogs pumped out from Blackpool is probably quite high.
My eyes probably weren't quite as wide open as they should have been when I bought my Tuscan (I was blinded by its beauty and performance). But the £4500 of maintenance in one year (for 4500 miles). The two new radiators, two new dash pods, new suspension, engine rebuild, p*ssing in water through the roof, self opening doors at speed, plus around 30-40 other problems (big and small) certainly brought me down to reality.
My Tuscan brought me two of the best days of my life - the day I bought it and the day I finally sold it!
If you do buy a Tuscan make sure you find one with the factory fitted trailer option! You'll find it incredibly useful to store all of the bits in as they fall off.
Judas is correct in saying that people with problems tend to be more vocal than those without (surely they have a right to be). However, when you consider that this is just one forum and that the Tuscan is a very low volume car (so maybe 100/ 200 Tuscan owners on this forum) and then you look at the number of horror stories, the % of dogs pumped out from Blackpool is probably quite high.
My eyes probably weren't quite as wide open as they should have been when I bought my Tuscan (I was blinded by its beauty and performance). But the £4500 of maintenance in one year (for 4500 miles). The two new radiators, two new dash pods, new suspension, engine rebuild, p*ssing in water through the roof, self opening doors at speed, plus around 30-40 other problems (big and small) certainly brought me down to reality.
My Tuscan brought me two of the best days of my life - the day I bought it and the day I finally sold it!
If you do buy a Tuscan make sure you find one with the factory fitted trailer option! You'll find it incredibly useful to store all of the bits in as they fall off.
tuscan't said:
Jackal
Judas is correct in saying that people with problems tend to be more vocal than those without (surely they have a right to be). However, when you consider that this is just one forum and that the Tuscan is a very low volume car (so maybe 100/ 200 Tuscan owners on this forum) and then you look at the number of horror stories, the % of dogs pumped out from Blackpool is probably quite high.
My eyes probably weren't quite as wide open as they should have been when I bought my Tuscan (I was blinded by its beauty and performance). But the £4500 of maintenance in one year (for 4500 miles). The two new radiators, two new dash pods, new suspension, engine rebuild, p*ssing in water through the roof, self opening doors at speed, plus around 30-40 other problems (big and small) certainly brought me down to reality.
My Tuscan brought me two of the best days of my life - the day I bought it and the day I finally sold it!
If you do buy a Tuscan make sure you find one with the factory fitted trailer option! You'll find it incredibly useful to store all of the bits in as they fall off.
Bullsh1t. Did you forget the smilie at the end? Otherwise, perhaps try to be a little more objective - I'm not saying that you haven't had problems but its hardly wholly indicative is it?
Jackal - There are good and bad ones out there and, as demonstrated by the above post, those with the bad ones tend to be quite vocal.
Nick (18 months on, 9000 miles and running sweetly with no major probs)
Yep, agree with tuscan't on this one also - I dont have a Tuscan but have investigated the options of buying one sooner rather than later.... anyway moving house so that one is knocked on the head.... but what I can say is that there are plenty of owners who have had cracking cars....and plenty who have had dogs... tuscan't's ownership record is probably at the higher end of the scale, but it is certainly NOT unique!
I think it is a combination of a few things conspire again TVR and the Tuscan. Most owners know what they are getting themselves into and understand the little issues involved. These cars tend to be OK and ownership, although a pain at times, is a pleasure overall. However, some Tuscans are bought be people who dont understand them or what they need to do - this is rare I grant you, but it does happen. As a result they dont get the TLC they need and end up deteriorating quickly..... not nice and end up costing the next owner heavily. This occurs with the Rover V8 engined models more so, but fortunately they are cheaper to fix as things like the engine can be done by independents rather than main dealers.....
Things will improve as more and more independents get in on the act and look after the newer TVR models. This will force down prices on the maintenance of the car and hopefully force up the service levels offered by all (competitive market forces). Hence the likelyhood of getting a bad'un will be less. Well thats the theory anyway.
I think that the best advice that anyone can give you is to buy the best and newest one that you can. Then keep as much money as possible aside to keep it running well and assume the worst. Dont budget for £2K for servicing, but assume two or three times as much. If it works out less then great, but whatever you do, dont get caught. Oh, and have access to a spare car to replace the Tuscan if it is off the road for any extended period of time.... its a stonking motor when its running well, but a big lump of plastic and metal when it isnt....
I think it is a combination of a few things conspire again TVR and the Tuscan. Most owners know what they are getting themselves into and understand the little issues involved. These cars tend to be OK and ownership, although a pain at times, is a pleasure overall. However, some Tuscans are bought be people who dont understand them or what they need to do - this is rare I grant you, but it does happen. As a result they dont get the TLC they need and end up deteriorating quickly..... not nice and end up costing the next owner heavily. This occurs with the Rover V8 engined models more so, but fortunately they are cheaper to fix as things like the engine can be done by independents rather than main dealers.....
Things will improve as more and more independents get in on the act and look after the newer TVR models. This will force down prices on the maintenance of the car and hopefully force up the service levels offered by all (competitive market forces). Hence the likelyhood of getting a bad'un will be less. Well thats the theory anyway.
I think that the best advice that anyone can give you is to buy the best and newest one that you can. Then keep as much money as possible aside to keep it running well and assume the worst. Dont budget for £2K for servicing, but assume two or three times as much. If it works out less then great, but whatever you do, dont get caught. Oh, and have access to a spare car to replace the Tuscan if it is off the road for any extended period of time.... its a stonking motor when its running well, but a big lump of plastic and metal when it isnt....
thanks chaps... ive read teh forums a lot last night and i think i'll likely give it a miss. Ive always loved teh look and they appeal but ive had my time of popping engines (my slr went last year as did my 340r before that) and just want more hassle free motoring nowadays. I can appreciate people's views and teh idea of putting up with the hassle becuase overall teh ownership experinece is worth it but i been through that ethos now. Thanks for your help though.
marki said:
Nick (18 months on, 9000 miles and running sweetly with no major probs)
This is the problem you people are deluded into thinking 9000 miles with no problems is something to be proud of
Not proud or deluded, just stating a fact in an effort to bring some balance to this thread. If I get to 80k I'll post that at such time as it happens.
It's a lot to do with your attitude, and I don't think there is any other car that will give you that emotional roller coaster ride to quite the degree of a TVR. I am only a humble Griff owner at the moment, but I think I know some of the pain and pleasure that the Tuscaneers are "enjoying". Scarey stuff for a minority!
(I had a Taurean girlfriend once, now that was marginally more scarey......but rather o/t for now
)
Only last Sunday I talked to two owners. I am constantly pouncing on poor unsuspecting Tuskies to lap up more information. One day I would dearly like to own one. (I think I will need to get back into a job first!
as I am currently happily "between employers" and enjoying the Griff and the sunshine too much!)
The two owners on Sunday gave interesting accounts. One of them is currently waiting for his car to come back from a little trip to the Doctors and has, for now, lost confidence in the future for his car. I can totally understand that, although a bit of me says "it's a TVR, there's a fairly lengthy period of getting to know the car and iron out the problems, then it's a continuous maintenance and care programme".
People buying from new probably hope that they won't have to suffer too much of this. I will probably never be in a position to buy a new car, but I have learnt that a TVR has lots of quirks and definitely does not like to sit around not being used.
And I think a new car is no better or worse than a non-used secondhand one. My Griff covered <1,000 miles in the year before I had it. I have run it as my only vehicle and had the inconvenience of being without on just a few occassions - my attitude: "life goes on". The longer I have the car the more I learn and the more I enjoy it. The better it rewards me for my patience.
The second Tuscanite I met on Sunday had had his car for three years, as an only vehicle. Yes, he had had problems; yes, it had been off the road for a short while. He had a good insight into the attitudes of TVR and was knowledgable about the history of the Speed 6 and its creators. Interestingly, he said that, while he would normally look to move on to a new car after three years, he would probably keep this one. I can also understand that view, although I have to say that that 30,000 mile example with any niggles ironed out would have me reaching for my cheque book.
I know of an independent dealer who won't touch an S6 because of the potential, perceived hassle, he says he wants to sleep at night; and an independent mechanic who has bought one and loves it tremendously and has the "can do" attitude that there's nothing wrong with the technology that can't be sorted.
Unfortunately a lot of the main dealers appear to be "fitters" when something goes wrong. I guess they can get tired of dealing with problems and are often caught in the middle of an understandably unhappy customer and a seemingly unconcerned factory. I am sure they have some passion for what they do but the impression I get is that they do little to inform their customers of what they are doing or think laterally in trying to investigate aand remedy problems.
The result appears to be big bills (or warranty claims) and owners who remember the bad times. Not a good recipe.
I won't know whether I made the right choice when I get around to becoming a full paid up Tuscanbot. won't know anything until I have the hindsight of owning. But I know I was worried two and a half years (and 44,000 miles) ago about running my first TVR. The thrill of taking the risk added a little further to the dimension. And reliability is what you make of it. I cannot imagine anything else satisfying me like a TVR for driving involvement, I think I can safely rely on that!
Just remind me, if there are some bad times (with this or any future TVR), that one of the factors to consider in living with a TVR is "attitude".
(I had a Taurean girlfriend once, now that was marginally more scarey......but rather o/t for now
) Only last Sunday I talked to two owners. I am constantly pouncing on poor unsuspecting Tuskies to lap up more information. One day I would dearly like to own one. (I think I will need to get back into a job first!
as I am currently happily "between employers" and enjoying the Griff and the sunshine too much!) The two owners on Sunday gave interesting accounts. One of them is currently waiting for his car to come back from a little trip to the Doctors and has, for now, lost confidence in the future for his car. I can totally understand that, although a bit of me says "it's a TVR, there's a fairly lengthy period of getting to know the car and iron out the problems, then it's a continuous maintenance and care programme".
People buying from new probably hope that they won't have to suffer too much of this. I will probably never be in a position to buy a new car, but I have learnt that a TVR has lots of quirks and definitely does not like to sit around not being used.
And I think a new car is no better or worse than a non-used secondhand one. My Griff covered <1,000 miles in the year before I had it. I have run it as my only vehicle and had the inconvenience of being without on just a few occassions - my attitude: "life goes on". The longer I have the car the more I learn and the more I enjoy it. The better it rewards me for my patience.
The second Tuscanite I met on Sunday had had his car for three years, as an only vehicle. Yes, he had had problems; yes, it had been off the road for a short while. He had a good insight into the attitudes of TVR and was knowledgable about the history of the Speed 6 and its creators. Interestingly, he said that, while he would normally look to move on to a new car after three years, he would probably keep this one. I can also understand that view, although I have to say that that 30,000 mile example with any niggles ironed out would have me reaching for my cheque book.
I know of an independent dealer who won't touch an S6 because of the potential, perceived hassle, he says he wants to sleep at night; and an independent mechanic who has bought one and loves it tremendously and has the "can do" attitude that there's nothing wrong with the technology that can't be sorted.
Unfortunately a lot of the main dealers appear to be "fitters" when something goes wrong. I guess they can get tired of dealing with problems and are often caught in the middle of an understandably unhappy customer and a seemingly unconcerned factory. I am sure they have some passion for what they do but the impression I get is that they do little to inform their customers of what they are doing or think laterally in trying to investigate aand remedy problems.
The result appears to be big bills (or warranty claims) and owners who remember the bad times. Not a good recipe.
I won't know whether I made the right choice when I get around to becoming a full paid up Tuscanbot. won't know anything until I have the hindsight of owning. But I know I was worried two and a half years (and 44,000 miles) ago about running my first TVR. The thrill of taking the risk added a little further to the dimension. And reliability is what you make of it. I cannot imagine anything else satisfying me like a TVR for driving involvement, I think I can safely rely on that!
Just remind me, if there are some bad times (with this or any future TVR), that one of the factors to consider in living with a TVR is "attitude".
I recently bought a 2000 model Tuscan with 7500 miles on the clock. I have to say i heard about all the problems but decided i would give it a go anyway.
The bottom line is if you can only just afford to buy the car then don't bother. Yes they do cost a fair bit to run in fuel etc. but when you look at about £100 a month to cover your servicing for a year and this is with no other problems. £100 a month for insurance plus tyres, brakes etc. etc. they are not cheap. You need to have disposable money and not mind spending it. I would estimate with servicing, insurance, tax, tyres, additional problems you need to be able to afford £400 a month and that does not include fuel or buying the car.
I have to say it is the most amazing drive i have ever had and i have owned a 911 and lotus esprit in the past.
My only concern about owning one is wondering how i could get anything better, the only way you could possibly go up a level is by buying a bigger name Ferrari, Aston etc but to be honest non of them have the real seat of the pants driving experiance you get from a Tuscan. My next car will definatly be a new Tuscan even if it cost me £100K. Trust me if you can afford to spend a few quid get one, you will not be dissapointed.
The bottom line is if you can only just afford to buy the car then don't bother. Yes they do cost a fair bit to run in fuel etc. but when you look at about £100 a month to cover your servicing for a year and this is with no other problems. £100 a month for insurance plus tyres, brakes etc. etc. they are not cheap. You need to have disposable money and not mind spending it. I would estimate with servicing, insurance, tax, tyres, additional problems you need to be able to afford £400 a month and that does not include fuel or buying the car.
I have to say it is the most amazing drive i have ever had and i have owned a 911 and lotus esprit in the past.
My only concern about owning one is wondering how i could get anything better, the only way you could possibly go up a level is by buying a bigger name Ferrari, Aston etc but to be honest non of them have the real seat of the pants driving experiance you get from a Tuscan. My next car will definatly be a new Tuscan even if it cost me £100K. Trust me if you can afford to spend a few quid get one, you will not be dissapointed.
cdd said:
My only concern about owning one is wondering how i could get anything better, the only way you could possibly go up a level is by buying a bigger name Ferrari, Aston etc but to be honest non of them have the real seat of the pants driving experiance you get from a Tuscan.
hmm... i think theres plenty of cars out there for big thrills. Try something like an R400, it will corner twice as hard as a TVR yet match even a Tuscan R up to 120 mph. Cos you have no doors, no windscreen and drive it with a helmet it also feels stupidly faster than any normal "quick" car. No inertia, completely foolproof progressive handling .... it will lap almost everything given enough time on a given circuit.
The tuscan is indeed a gorgeous and tempting car. I spoke with a dealer today who advised me that post winter 2001 cars will not have the associated engine problems. I think for me though a regular 5.0 griffith could do the trick for my needs.
jackal said:
I spoke with a dealer today who advised me that post winter 2001 cars will not have the associated engine problems.
I'm not sure that everyone will agree with this jackal said:
I think for me though a regular 5.0 griffith could do the trick for my needs.
If you haven't TVRed before, it's a great starting point
Have to have my 2 pennyworth. I came out of a Boxster on my husbands recommendation. I honestly cried for a week and demanded my Porsche back, the Tusc was so unrefined and just horrible. Hubby said stick with it for 3 months and if you still feel the same we will cut our losses and run. Nearly a year down the line I love the Tusc more than any car we've owned. It is a unique experience. If you are just after a sports car there are plenty to choose from. If you want something special go for it. Yes you will have everything others have posted, but you will find that you can forgive a TVR almost anything. I know it sounds cliche'd but you have to be the sort of person that can tolerate the downside cos the other side of the coin is so rewarding, and believe me usually we are not particularly tolerant people where cars are concerned. Enough waffle, my advice would be to try it, if its not for you then go for something else. At least you can say your decision was based on experience and not heresay.
lady topaz said:
Have to have my 2 pennyworth. I came out of a Boxster on my husbands recommendation. I honestly cried for a week and demanded my Porsche back, the Tusc was so unrefined and just horrible. Hubby said stick with it for 3 months and if you still feel the same we will cut our losses and run. Nearly a year down the line I love the Tusc more than any car we've owned. It is a unique experience. If you are just after a sports car there are plenty to choose from. If you want something special go for it. Yes you will have everything others have posted, but you will find that you can forgive a TVR almost anything. I know it sounds cliche'd but you have to be the sort of person that can tolerate the downside cos the other side of the coin is so rewarding, and believe me usually we are not particularly tolerant people where cars are concerned. Enough waffle, my advice would be to try it, if its not for you then go for something else. At least you can say your decision was based on experience and not heresay.
I have lost loads of dosh on my Tuscan, but, I really don,t care, life is for living and after three years of ownership and three rebuilds, nothing on the road surpasses the Tuscan. I had a number of Lotus guys turn up tonight ( I made them very welcome), but, no comparison to the Tuscan or any other TIV
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