contingency budget
Discussion
First apologies for any agro this post causes but...
I am considering buying an early Tuscan privatly with no guarantee which has not had the engine "mods" done. I am happy to take the risk but I need to know what the risk is first.. So if the engine goes (and it may not) how much will I have to pay to get TVR to sort it, assuming it goes big time!
Thanks for your help
Spunagaain
I am considering buying an early Tuscan privatly with no guarantee which has not had the engine "mods" done. I am happy to take the risk but I need to know what the risk is first.. So if the engine goes (and it may not) how much will I have to pay to get TVR to sort it, assuming it goes big time!
Thanks for your help
Spunagaain
I love Tuscans and I'm normally one of the first to defend them. Mine is an early Tuscan and has run perfectly since I got it with 17K on the clock now. But, I did check with the owner that it had the finger followers done as these were prone to premature wear.
Frankly, I would not touch an early one unless I could be sure that it has had this work done, or has enough miles on the clock (I'd say into the teens)to prove that is seasoned. Any job on any car that involves taking an engine out will break you wallet and your heart. If this work hasn't been done, then its a bit of a lottery.
I would also make friends with your local dealer who can sometimes make headway with the factory that individuals seldom can.
If you want to take the risk - I'd put aside between £2500-5000 to cover the work from what I have read on here.
Frankly, I would not touch an early one unless I could be sure that it has had this work done, or has enough miles on the clock (I'd say into the teens)to prove that is seasoned. Any job on any car that involves taking an engine out will break you wallet and your heart. If this work hasn't been done, then its a bit of a lottery.
I would also make friends with your local dealer who can sometimes make headway with the factory that individuals seldom can.
If you want to take the risk - I'd put aside between £2500-5000 to cover the work from what I have read on here.
I have seen a dealer one for sale which had the engine done at 18,500 miles so I guess the spread is quite large. 6k is a lot of money, but is pretty much the difference between a dealer 20k mile car and a low milage private sale, so you get a lower milage car (and less wear to all the other mechanicals) for the same cost even if you have to fix any engine problems.
Hi
I recently picked up a 2001 Tuscan (not from a main dealer) which has 14000 miles on the clock. I'm pretty sure that it hasn't had an engine mod(although I am waiting for a history report from the TVR factory to confirm that).
My question is : would a 2001 model have suffered from the 'followers' problem that various people have eluded to on this forum, or was it identified and fixed before then?
I recently picked up a 2001 Tuscan (not from a main dealer) which has 14000 miles on the clock. I'm pretty sure that it hasn't had an engine mod(although I am waiting for a history report from the TVR factory to confirm that).
My question is : would a 2001 model have suffered from the 'followers' problem that various people have eluded to on this forum, or was it identified and fixed before then?
I think that is a really hard question to answer!
The finger follower problem was detected quite early on in the cars life - but that was too late, cars were built and out there. They made a load of Tuscans (and S6 Cerberas) using faulty components mixed with good ones. The only difference was that some finger followers wore more than others. The chances are that they carried on using these components for some time. Other issue is that engines are built at a different rate to completed cars, so there is often a surplus of engines. Therefore, these engines may have still found their way into 2001 cars too.
You will probably promote a flurry of activity on here with people coming forward with their experiences. But there is already alot of history on this if you search the archives. It has been covered so many times that the majority of us are sick of hearing about it.
The good news is, the S6 is a sorted lump now with ever increasing output being pulled from it. Just look at the Le Mans cars and the new Sagris and Typhon. Supercharging and 500 bhp is not unrealistic.
Whatever you do, don't be put off buying a Tuscan, they are outrageous fun. Just look out for a well pampered one with owners who do not abuse them by flogging them from cold - and get a history check from the factory.
The finger follower problem was detected quite early on in the cars life - but that was too late, cars were built and out there. They made a load of Tuscans (and S6 Cerberas) using faulty components mixed with good ones. The only difference was that some finger followers wore more than others. The chances are that they carried on using these components for some time. Other issue is that engines are built at a different rate to completed cars, so there is often a surplus of engines. Therefore, these engines may have still found their way into 2001 cars too.
You will probably promote a flurry of activity on here with people coming forward with their experiences. But there is already alot of history on this if you search the archives. It has been covered so many times that the majority of us are sick of hearing about it.
The good news is, the S6 is a sorted lump now with ever increasing output being pulled from it. Just look at the Le Mans cars and the new Sagris and Typhon. Supercharging and 500 bhp is not unrealistic.
Whatever you do, don't be put off buying a Tuscan, they are outrageous fun. Just look out for a well pampered one with owners who do not abuse them by flogging them from cold - and get a history check from the factory.
spunagain said:
I have seen a dealer one for sale which had the engine done at 18,500 miles so I guess the spread is quite large. 6k is a lot of money, but is pretty much the difference between a dealer 20k mile car and a low milage private sale, so you get a lower milage car (and less wear to all the other mechanicals) for the same cost even if you have to fix any engine problems.
A lower mileage can also be leading you in for major expense - if it has not been stored properly then you could looking at any or all of the following:
Tyres with perished rubber, tyres mishapen if stored with low pressure, Bushes cracked and perished, suspension leaking due to dry seals, springs weakened due to not being used, flat battery, damp inside causing smelly carpets, etc etc
Not trying to put you off by any means, just do not expect a lower mileage car to mean less problems - not matter what the mileage get the condition checked by someone who knows what they are looking for - a dealer, independant, or someone like Rob Ingleby (no relation) at www.findasportscar.co.uk then you will have a better idea of what costs are coming up soon
Also, try and get the history from TVR themselves, each service should be logged with the factory and they can tell you if updates have been done and what the full original spec was as well
As to how much to put by, well the answer is 'as much as it requires' - it depends what goes wrong and how much TVR will pay for (if any) - for example, it could be shocks that need replacing which would be approx £800, or it could be a full engines rebuild which varies (depending on who you talk to and, i guess, what has been replaced) from around £3000 up to £15000 (although I dont believe that as I was told the engine is about £9000 worth - although that may be cost to TVR not retail to the customer)
Go on, you know you want one!
Graham
I got mine from a main dealer and made a point enquiring about engine work, which after getting past TVR's paranoid Official secrets act, satisfied myself.
From there on I personally reckon general reliability is in direct proportion to usage.
Use everyday and I reckon you will have no/few problems.
Leave it in the garage for weeks on end, and big problems will ensue. All imho and I aint a mechanic either.
From there on I personally reckon general reliability is in direct proportion to usage.
Use everyday and I reckon you will have no/few problems.
Leave it in the garage for weeks on end, and big problems will ensue. All imho and I aint a mechanic either.
Thanks for all your helpful comments.This will be my third TVR so I am going in with my eyes wide open, I had a S which as absoutely awful in terms of reliability and a Chimaera which was faultless and I still loved them both.
The Tuscan is fantastic and as far as I am concerned it sounds like a Messerschmitt 109 (in a good way!)
Just need to sort a loan to cover a small short fall in readys!
The Tuscan is fantastic and as far as I am concerned it sounds like a Messerschmitt 109 (in a good way!)
Just need to sort a loan to cover a small short fall in readys!
Good thread with sensible 'eyes open' advice - if I had said the same things I would have been pillored and probably thrown in the Sin Bin.
Don't buy an early (pre 2003) Speed Six engined TVR unless like spunagain you're prepared for £5000 or more engine rebuild expenses.
Glad to see some common sense being spoken on here at last - well done!
Don't buy an early (pre 2003) Speed Six engined TVR unless like spunagain you're prepared for £5000 or more engine rebuild expenses.
Glad to see some common sense being spoken on here at last - well done!
jigs said:
Good thread with sensible 'eyes open' advice - if I had said the same things I would have been pillored and probably thrown in the Sin Bin.
Don't buy an early (pre 2003) Speed Six engined TVR unless like spunagain you're prepared for £5000 or more engine rebuild expenses.
Glad to see some common sense being spoken on here at last - well done!
Get im, pillory him then throw im in the Sin Bin.
jigs said:
Don't buy an early (pre 2003) Speed Six engined TVR unless like spunagain you're prepared for £5000 or more engine rebuild expenses.
!
This is where our opinions differ though Jigs. What I am saying is....go for an early car, so long as it has the necessary i.e. finger follower job done.
When buying most cars, it sounds suspicious buying one that has engine work done. I think with the Tuscan of the vintage in question, it is a benefit to know it has been done - and should not be off putting.
I know your feeling Jigs, and you know mine, so probably best to leave it there. In the performance v budget statkes, they are a good buy. Go for a 2003 model will cost £££ in the early depreciation phase.
jigs said:
Good thread with sensible 'eyes open' advice - if I had said the same things I would have been pillored and probably thrown in the Sin Bin.
Don't buy an early (pre 2003) Speed Six engined TVR unless like spunagain you're prepared for £5000 or more engine rebuild expenses.
Glad to see some common sense being spoken on here at last - well done!
What changed in 2003 then? And when? How can you tell a pre 2003 car from a post 2003 car (bearing in mind that TVR do not do changes from a set date, so old style engines can still be around)
Interested to hear where this 2003 date comes from....
Graham
Sorry Graham I thought that was a rhetorical question - It's quite simple IMO - I base my observation on the number of complaints on here and elsewhere - thankfully 2003 Speed Six engines seem to be much more reliable - like everyone else on here I hope that continues to be the case.
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