The first few t350c niggles

The first few t350c niggles

Author
Discussion

snazza

Original Poster:

115 posts

260 months

Tuesday 6th May 2003
quotequote all
Mng all,

managed to put another 300 odd miles on the clock this w/e (472 in total now) and have noticed the first few niggles ....just wondered if anyone else has noticed these probs:-

1. when doing tight manouvers at low speed, I get an audable clunk and a jerk on the steering wheel when I put full left lock on.
2. I often get a 'fuel sensor error' meassage appearing
3. The Chrome Petrol filler suround has come off (I know this is pretty comon from previous threads). but after only one contact with petrol, I was a bit surprised.
4. The 'gator' surrounding the gear stick is comming unglued.
5. my passenger side window wiper appears to have bowed quite dramatically...is ths a heat issue??

Other than that It really is a wonderful, wonderful car

Cheers everyone

Snazza



>>> Edited by snazza on Tuesday 6th May 07:02

dicky

928 posts

291 months

Tuesday 6th May 2003
quotequote all

Mng all,

managed to put another 300 odd miles on the clock this w/e (472 in total now) and have noticed the first few niggles ....just wondered if anyone else has noticed these probs:-

1. when doing tight manouvers at low speed, I get an audable clunk and a jerk on the steering wheel when I put full left lock on.
2. I often get a 'fuel sensor error' meassage appearing
3. The Chrome Petrol filler suround has come off (I know this is pretty comon from previous threads). but after only one contact with petrol, I was a bit surprised.
4. The 'gator' surrounding the gear stick is comming unglued.
5. my passenger side window wiper appears to have bowed quite dramatically...is ths a heat issue??

Other than that It really is a wonderful, wonderful car

Cheers everyone

Snazza

well may get the "clunk" every so often but nevr had any of the other ones.

>>> Edited by snazza on Tuesday 6th May 07:02

RICCI

4,799 posts

259 months

Tuesday 6th May 2003
quotequote all
I get the clunk when I'm reversing and turning up hill- I'll just wait until something falls off. The gear gaiter has come unstuck on mine too. The dealer reckons there was a fix used on the Tuscan. Anybody know about this.

I haven't any of your other problems... just a few different ones of my own: n/s door doesn't fit, bonnet vents aren't painted, no reversing light, handbrake warning light on all the time. About par for the course for a TVR, and I don't really care.

Get them all done at the first service then go and eat a Porsche. Always cheers me up!

cerbera8

205 posts

291 months

Tuesday 6th May 2003
quotequote all
Since 1000 mile service in t350c everything feels really tight and virtually no rattles, lovely drive.

Gater glue has however melted on mine too! After a long drive (not during however) heat seems to generate in centre console area, making the handbrake surround too hot to touch, and the gear lever area like a radiator.

mike

neilfraser

5 posts

259 months

Tuesday 6th May 2003
quotequote all
The T350c demonstrator i drove last week also had the gearbox gaitor problem and a loud clunk from the steering on full lock. Other than that it was pretty impressive.

frostie

428 posts

282 months

Thursday 8th May 2003
quotequote all
Snazza,

I have a Tamora and have seen some of them :-

1) Doing it since day 1 on full lock but nothing has broken
2) Get this every now and again but just cancel and carry on. Its never occured repeatedly so not too worried. I think in general with the warning messages unless they keep repeating just cancel and move on.
5) It does bow quite a lot with the shape of the screen. There is quite a lot of adjustment that can be made to the rest position. My whole wiper mechanism fell apart and when I got it back I had to adjust it considerably.

Frostie

>> Edited by frostie on Thursday 8th May 21:54

mrs fish

30,018 posts

265 months

Thursday 8th May 2003
quotequote all
Number 1 - The clunk on full lock - Fish says it has done this on all three of his TVR's the Chimera, Tuscan and T350 - nothing to worry about.

Even his dads Porsche does it

CONNER

131 posts

258 months

Saturday 10th May 2003
quotequote all
Hi,
My first niggles on the T350C are:

Bolt cover on rear window missing.

Passenger door chrome panel loose.

Passenger wiper arm has been catching the bonnet, which damaged the paintwork, and at one point it worked loose.

Under the bonnet on the passenger side there is blistering on the paintwork on a panel.

Partial arming the car results in deactivating the internal sensor but not locking the doors.

Squeaking noise when going over uneven roads coming from the clock area?

Gear stick gator has come unstuck.

When starting engine from hot I get a knocking sound as the engine first fire’s up.

Going for it,s first service soon so I hope these problem's will be fixed.

But apart from these point's I think this is TVR's best car yet.

bennno

12,751 posts

276 months

Saturday 10th May 2003
quotequote all
1) Rear window bolt covers do come unstuck regularly

2) My wiper arm is also catching the bonnet as is Flashers, guess its the design of the car, but with a bit of modification it should stop.

3) not on mine so cant comment.

4) again my alarm works fine so cant comment.

5) squeaking noise from instrument area on mine was actually one of the bonnet vents rubbing on the airbox. Flashers does this as well, but mie has now been modified.

6) gear stick gaitor fine on mine but heard of this from others.

7) Knocking noise, mine does it a touch as do all s6 engines, best advice i was given was to let it warm up for 10 mins or so before going anywhere.

Bennno

clunk click

22 posts

260 months

Monday 12th May 2003
quotequote all
Sorry to hear of these problems. My car has now done 1600+ miles. All my problems, apart for a gluee gatter were put right at the 1000 service, they were a) heater rear screen not working, b) n/s head light pointing into the fields and not on the road and thats about it.

Don't know what do about gatter glue - ideas welcome.

Perhaps someone should send these threads to who ever the quality controller at Blackpool is - I assume there is such a person!

RichB

52,771 posts

291 months

Tuesday 13th May 2003
quotequote all

clunk click said: Don't know what do about gatter glue - ideas welcome.
Personally never heard of "Gaitor Glue"... but I know Horse Glue used to be popular a few years ago! Rich...

Snakes

614 posts

260 months

Tuesday 13th May 2003
quotequote all

clunk click said: Perhaps someone should send these threads to who ever the quality controller at Blackpool is - I assume there is such a person!

Does anyone have a definitive list of "contacts" at the factory - Who and What they can be contacted for? It could be a big help to us all?!

Snakes

RICCI

4,799 posts

259 months

Wednesday 14th May 2003
quotequote all
WE are the quality control, silly! The factory makes them, we put them right, the next owner gets the benefit.

My first TVR was a 6 month old Chimaera- zero faults!
The following 3, Griff, Tuscan, T350 were new and had all the usual little problems.

I don't care. Latest one is attracting all the wrong sort of women!

Snakes

614 posts

260 months

Thursday 15th May 2003
quotequote all
I can't believe there is no official way of feeding back the problems you all seem to experience (I don't become an owner until next Wednesday!).

Is there a dealer forum where these are discussed?

Like I say, in the absence of such a body surely there must be someone at the factory responsible for Quality Control who has responsibility to improve matters.

Isn't it time something was set up to improve the product and enhance the reputation of TVR Engineering?

Would those in the know enlighten us?

Snakes

mrs fish

30,018 posts

265 months

Thursday 15th May 2003
quotequote all
For customer relations the man to speak to is Jason Oxley at the factory

**999**

286 posts

265 months

Friday 16th May 2003
quotequote all

Snakes said: I can't believe there is no official way of feeding back the problems you all seem to experience (I don't become an owner until next Wednesday!).

Is there a dealer forum where these are discussed?

Like I say, in the absence of such a body surely there must be someone at the factory responsible for Quality Control who has responsibility to improve matters.

Isn't it time something was set up to improve the product and enhance the reputation of TVR Engineering?

Would those in the know enlighten us?

Snakes


If you'd have have purchased a BMW of similar value, would you expect a direct line to the factory to comment on build quality? I know TVR are not at all like BMW, but to expect them to deal directly with the customer and not through the dealer is a little unrealistic.
On the subject of quality control, well I'm sure there is some degree applied, but TVR seem to leave the common niggles to the dealers to sort out. Not ideal but a little ideosyncratic.
Also bear in mind that forums are full of people expressing problems, but not exactly overflowing with glowing reports... so the view tends to be somewhat skewed.
What worries me though, is that as a a new TVR owner, you appear to have the view that the product is flawed and this will not exactly enhance your experience....

RichB

52,771 posts

291 months

Friday 16th May 2003
quotequote all

**999** said: If you'd have purchased a BMW of similar value, would you expect a direct line to the factory to comment on build quality?
Well in fact "999" yes one would, BMW along with most major car manufactures will have a Customer Service Dept where you can telephone, write and even e-mail your complaints and concerns. The manufacturer will either deal with the complaint directly or refer you back to a dealer, whilst having become involved, keeping a watch on progress.

Resolutions could be a known fix, a contribution to repairs, or - very occasionally a replacement car, anything is possible!

Rich...

p.s. My wife works on the correspondence side for a major car manufacturer, and through corporate events Xmas do's etc. know all the guys & girls in the Cust. Serv's team.

Snakes

614 posts

260 months

Friday 16th May 2003
quotequote all
You're right, I wouldn't expect a direct line to the factory. What most manufacturers, such as BMW, do have, however, are dealer councils that do this on behalf of customers.

The sort of common niggles are "difficulty filling up without blowing back". This type would normally receive analysis and a "fix" be issued so that dealers could resolve the problem at the vehicle's next visit. Maybe this has happened but these threads don't suggest that they have yet.

As far as my preconceptions go, I think I'm approaching things with a fairly open mind. From the test drives I have had and from the owners' views I have seen the car is incredible and presses all the right buttons with virtually nothing else (and certainly not at the price) coming close. I hope you are right and that it is just the fact that this type of forum encourages owners to air problems (because they may get sound advice) rather than rave about how trouble-free their TVR has been. Do other Gassing Station forums for other marques suffer from this?

Snakes

RICCI

4,799 posts

259 months

Friday 16th May 2003
quotequote all
Don't use BMW as an example of a customer service dept! I had so many problems with an M3evo I asked them for help. They basically told me to bu66er off! Ended up selling the car back to the dealer then suing them (the dealer) for the difference between purchase and sale price. I won and don't buy BMW's any more.

**999**

286 posts

265 months

Friday 16th May 2003
quotequote all

RICCI said: Don't use BMW as an example of a customer service dept! I had so many problems with an M3evo I asked them for help. They basically told me to bu66er off! Ended up selling the car back to the dealer then suing them (the dealer) for the difference between purchase and sale price. I won and don't buy BMW's any more.



Nuff said!