Reliability Survey: Tamora.
Discussion
This is in preparation for the actual stateside sale of the Tamora. Would Tamora owners please post:
1) How many months and miles you've had the car.
2) How many actual in-service failures you've had.
3) What it was that failed/wore out.
4) Whether this left the car disabled. If so, for how long?
5) How much the repairs cost.
Thank you for your participation. I am not actually a TVR employee, nor one of Consumers Union; however, I am doing a statistical analysis of a survey that is done the same way as Consumer Reports's.
For those who don't know, a significant percentage of car purchases revolve around CR's reliability ratings as CR is the USA's leading consumer magazine.
1) How many months and miles you've had the car.
2) How many actual in-service failures you've had.
3) What it was that failed/wore out.
4) Whether this left the car disabled. If so, for how long?
5) How much the repairs cost.
Thank you for your participation. I am not actually a TVR employee, nor one of Consumers Union; however, I am doing a statistical analysis of a survey that is done the same way as Consumer Reports's.
For those who don't know, a significant percentage of car purchases revolve around CR's reliability ratings as CR is the USA's leading consumer magazine.
This is in preparation for the actual stateside sale of the Tamora.
Anyone else detect a rodent?
>Edited to say that "For those who don't know, the vast majority of people who purchase TVRs do not do so on the basis of its reliability"
>Edited again to add a smiley in case the nice colonial gentleman thought I was being nasty
>> Edited by griff2be on Tuesday 15th October 15:51
>> Edited by griff2be on Tuesday 15th October 15:52
This is in preparation for the actual stateside sale of the Tamora. Would Tamora owners please post:
1) How many months and miles you've had the car.
2) How many actual in-service failures you've had.
3) What it was that failed/wore out.
4) Whether this left the car disabled. If so, for how long?
5) How much the repairs cost.
1.Built last October done 10700 miles
2.Had two dashboard niggles.
3.The ECU needed re-programming with latest software.
4.The car was fine and still ran perfectly.
5.No costs at all, done on the warranty.
In short the most reliable TVR I have owned to date.
Thanks for the response so far... any more owners out there? As for griff2be, if you smell a rat you've found one. I am not actually connected to TVR, but any results posted here will end up being analyzed and sent to TVR. Perhaps this will cause better quality control or redesign of unreliable components and will allow you to save time and money. Besides, US sales will help TVR if the Americans like it; remember the Miata was a success because it was fun to drive and reliable which are the qualities that attract stateside Pistonhead-equivalents.
Chapparal,
I'm confused
You are doing a survey of UK Tamora owners the results of which will be sent to TVR and yet you are in the US. Did TVR commission this from you ? If so, why wouldn't they commission a UK based company or better still just post on PH themselves. Not exactly as though there will be mountains of data to crunch through.
Frostie
I'm confused
You are doing a survey of UK Tamora owners the results of which will be sent to TVR and yet you are in the US. Did TVR commission this from you ? If so, why wouldn't they commission a UK based company or better still just post on PH themselves. Not exactly as though there will be mountains of data to crunch through.
Frostie
remember the Miata was a success because it was fun to drive and reliable which are the qualities that attract stateside Pistonhead-equivalents.
It also cost very little to run, wasn't too powerful,
& was relatively forgiving, making it a mainstream car.
On the other hand, TVRs cost substantially more
to buy and run, and could never be classed
as a mainstream car. Their lack of safety features
alone see to that.
TVR target market is the USA or Europe isn't
the mainstream.
I wouldn't call a Miata (aka MX5) driver a piston head, either.
A substantial fraction (but not all) are hairdressers.
flasher said:
This is in preparation for the actual stateside sale of the Tamora. Would Tamora owners please post:
1) How many months and miles you've had the car.
2) How many actual in-service failures you've had.
3) What it was that failed/wore out.
4) Whether this left the car disabled. If so, for how long?
5) How much the repairs cost.
1.Built last October done 10700 miles
2.Had two dashboard niggles.
3.The ECU needed re-programming with latest software.
4.The car was fine and still ran perfectly.
5.No costs at all, done on the warranty.
In short the most reliable TVR I have owned to date.
what about when the dash went on the blink and brands and we could not open the doors, turn the fans off or read the display and get the car going?
or the leaking oil pressure sender / engine bit?
or the door opener at le mans which jammed?
or the window rubber that blew off?
Surely your Griff never had these problems and therefore was more relaible Flash?
Bennno
bennno said: what about when the dash went on the blink and brands and we could not open the doors, turn the fans off or read the display and get the car going?
or the leaking oil pressure sender / engine bit?
or the door opener at le mans which jammed?
or the window rubber that blew off?
Surely your Griff never had these problems and therefore was more relaible Flash?
Bennno
What do you mean "doors wouldn't open at Brands" that just didn't happen....the dash played up but once we replaced the fuse the car was fine and got me home (and you) without a problem. All this was fixed when they re-programmed the ECU.
Oil pressure sender had a small leak but wasn't serious and was replaced at the first service.
The door switch jammed at Le Mans when some heavy handed bloke rammed it in so hard it stuck in the housing. That isn't a fault. Once the switch was freed it was fine. TVR replaced it under warrranty. I didn't feel that was worth mentioning.
THe window rubber didn't blow off either, it came unstuck at one end and I re-glued it back on. It's been fine since.
So, in short.... bollocks Ben.
My Griff was 8 years old when I bought it and comparisons are therefore unfair. However, it did need a new exhaust,clutch,steering rack, brake calipers and alarm system in the two years I had it.Most of it Team Central did on the warranty.
So. I stand by what I said. The Tamora has never left me stranded. It's never broken down and has cost me (apart from the 6,000 mile service which was £600) a grand total of f**k all in eight months and 10,000 miles. I don't understand why you always have to be negative about TVR's Ben. Is it to justify buying your bland, german, mass produced yuppie mobile? Or are you just jealous that now you are a family man you have to be sensible?
Having owned four TVR's you are becoming a hypocrite.
Not being negative mate, just felt you had a few probs you didnt mention. I guess overall its not bad for a new design of TVR, you should expect a few niggles.
I am not trying to be negative about TVR but when you hear of stuff like 4yr old cerbs needing to be completely striped and for safetys sake fitted with a new chassis it is a scary subject.
We both had Cerbs with dodgy front hubs which subsequnetly got replaced FOC (which could have resulted in the loss of a wheel, mine were cracked) and my first Cerb sheared a shock absorber but fortunately the wishbone rested on the front spring - all of these are a bit more than build quality issues.
Judging from your experience though at least the s6 engine now appears to be sorted, Flash!
Bennno
That was my point Ben. Considering it's a new model I have been very pleased by it's reliability. Some of the trim niggles are just silly and TVR can still improve their game a bit. Like you say the Speed 6 engine seems to be good in it's 3.6 format which tempts me to go for a Tuscan with this engine at some point.
I too find the Cerb thing quite scary. IMO they are way too expensive to run. TVR shoot themselves in the foot by charging such ridiculous figures for parts and servicing. I lost two centrecaps on the trackday at Donnington and they charged £30 for two replacements which is nothing short of a disgrace. Having to have a new chassis fitted to a Cerb because it was falling to bits is not on. The only good point is that TVR paid for it. Lets hope it's a one off....
I too find the Cerb thing quite scary. IMO they are way too expensive to run. TVR shoot themselves in the foot by charging such ridiculous figures for parts and servicing. I lost two centrecaps on the trackday at Donnington and they charged £30 for two replacements which is nothing short of a disgrace. Having to have a new chassis fitted to a Cerb because it was falling to bits is not on. The only good point is that TVR paid for it. Lets hope it's a one off....
I said I wouldn't get involved in threads like this again but some of the comments have made my blood boil and I wish I had the ability to lock this thread before it started.
I very much doubt that TVR would commision a survey like this - they get most of the info from me.
One of the main reasons I left helping was people doing what Lance has done on this thread. Most people haven't had anything like the number of problems he had.
Thats all I am going to say - no doubt I will get flamed but I am past the point of caring.
Claire
>> Edited by Gaffer on Wednesday 16th October 10:28
I very much doubt that TVR would commision a survey like this - they get most of the info from me.
One of the main reasons I left helping was people doing what Lance has done on this thread. Most people haven't had anything like the number of problems he had.
Thats all I am going to say - no doubt I will get flamed but I am past the point of caring.
Claire
>> Edited by Gaffer on Wednesday 16th October 10:28
Claire
You have been a great source of help to most of us Tamora owners. Don't take it to heart too much. For some reason on this site people seem to only talk about negative things with TVR's. There are far more positive things about owning a car like this than negative things.
Don't become too disheartened Claire. I still think they are great, so does Nubbin, Alt and many more.
Flash.
You have been a great source of help to most of us Tamora owners. Don't take it to heart too much. For some reason on this site people seem to only talk about negative things with TVR's. There are far more positive things about owning a car like this than negative things.
Don't become too disheartened Claire. I still think they are great, so does Nubbin, Alt and many more.
Flash.
chaparral said: Thanks for the response so far... any more owners out there? As for griff2be, if you smell a rat you've found one. I am not actually connected to TVR, but any results posted here will end up being analyzed and sent to TVR.
I can't belive you lot are still posting away...
what does analysed mean?
what kind of represenatation will this information get..?
is it only going to TVR..?
or the press too..?
or another manufacturer as well..?
Jeez..
Matt.
Gaffer said:
I very much doubt that TVR would commision a survey like this - they get most of the info from me.
My point precisely Claire.
Chapparal - by all means do your own private survey, but don't dress it up with comments like 'This is in preparation for the actual stateside sale of the Tamora'.
You go on to say 'a significant percentage of car purchases revolve around CR's reliability ratings as CR is the USA's leading consumer magazine'. Well if you lurk around this website you will be aware that TVRs are sold on the basis of their performance and looks, not their reliability. That is not to say TVRs are unreliable, more that they require a standard of care way higher than the driver of a mainstream car (e.g MX5/Miata) would consider.
Your last post says:
any results posted here will end up being analyzed and sent to TVR. Perhaps this will cause better quality control or redesign of unreliable components and will allow you to save time and money. Besides, US sales will help TVR if the Americans like it; remember the Miata was a success because it was fun to drive and reliable which are the qualities that attract stateside Pistonhead-equivalents.
1) If you think that some ad hoc comments gathered off one website which has a population of approx 10-15 Tamora owners (don't know the number, but my point is that it is a number too small to be statistically relevant) will impress TVR as a manufacturer, then good luck. If TVR were motivated to gather data on reliability then they have a dealer network and warranty claim records they can analyse.
2) Does TVR have any plans to export Tamoras to the US market? The investment required to support sales in the US (i.e. a dealer network) would be immense
3) I can't be bothered with number 3....
Do your survey if you want, it won't be meaningful and it won't change anything at TVR and it won't get you Tamoras being sold in the US any quicker, if at all....
Frankly its also a topic that has pretty much been done to death on here already.
Sorry, but that's the way I see it.
Perhaps I need another coffee....
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