My first TVR due next week....advice???
Discussion
Well I'm a newbie (x2 I suppose), new to this site/forum and new to the world of TVR.
I've just bought a 'new' unregistered T350C from Christopher Neils in Northwich. Being as impatient as I am I couldn't wait for the standard delivery time. I waited 12 months for my outgoing Audi and wasn't about to do that again. Hopefully I don't regret it.
I really like my Audi but as soon as I drove the T350C I couldn't wait to find a willing buyer to off load it to. After all this time since my teenage years in a Peugoet 205 1.9 GTi, at last I'll be back in a car that likes to be driven.
So any advice? Options to check it has? Running in tips, known issues to look out for?
Cheers
Tim
I've just bought a 'new' unregistered T350C from Christopher Neils in Northwich. Being as impatient as I am I couldn't wait for the standard delivery time. I waited 12 months for my outgoing Audi and wasn't about to do that again. Hopefully I don't regret it.
I really like my Audi but as soon as I drove the T350C I couldn't wait to find a willing buyer to off load it to. After all this time since my teenage years in a Peugoet 205 1.9 GTi, at last I'll be back in a car that likes to be driven.
So any advice? Options to check it has? Running in tips, known issues to look out for?
Cheers
Tim
TVR-critic said:
Join the AA, or RAC (Recovery), sound advice.
Inaccurate, tedious and unsound advice.
Judging from the hundreds of TVR reliability threads, it seems they are no more unreliable than everyday runners - I've never used the free AA membership, except when I ran out of petrol!
OK. Some serious advice.
Yes you will breakdown cover (AA or RAC). TVR-Critic may be a bit negative and nubbin over-sensitive on this issue. Personally I would not recommend having ANY car without the backup of such a service.
That aside - make sure you run it in properly. No revs about 2.5K until its thoroughly warmed through, follow instructions from your dealer about opening it up gently.
Finally: You could not have bought a car further removed from your Audi. No traction control, no ABS, and 360bhp (??).
Frankly its a recipe for disaster - as well as being a recipe for serious, serious fun. Make sure you make of it the latter. If you haven't already get some Advanced Driving instruction - the extra anticipation means you shouldn't need to use Cadence Braking and feather-throttle control but learn those too - you never know when you're going to need them.
Get yourself to a skidpan..to find out how it feels when it all goes wrong and finally...
Never, never floor the throttle with any lock on...and most especially in the wet. The rear end will come round in a hot second and you'll be enjoying a donut - a hoot in the right place but really terrifying in the wrong one.
All TVRs are capable of inducing heart in the mouth terror - your powerful new model especially so.
Master it - and you'll love it. Best of luck - enjoy your new car..
Yes you will breakdown cover (AA or RAC). TVR-Critic may be a bit negative and nubbin over-sensitive on this issue. Personally I would not recommend having ANY car without the backup of such a service.
That aside - make sure you run it in properly. No revs about 2.5K until its thoroughly warmed through, follow instructions from your dealer about opening it up gently.
Finally: You could not have bought a car further removed from your Audi. No traction control, no ABS, and 360bhp (??).
Frankly its a recipe for disaster - as well as being a recipe for serious, serious fun. Make sure you make of it the latter. If you haven't already get some Advanced Driving instruction - the extra anticipation means you shouldn't need to use Cadence Braking and feather-throttle control but learn those too - you never know when you're going to need them.
Get yourself to a skidpan..to find out how it feels when it all goes wrong and finally...
Never, never floor the throttle with any lock on...and most especially in the wet. The rear end will come round in a hot second and you'll be enjoying a donut - a hoot in the right place but really terrifying in the wrong one.
All TVRs are capable of inducing heart in the mouth terror - your powerful new model especially so.
Master it - and you'll love it. Best of luck - enjoy your new car..
Thanks Guys, comments both positive and negative appreciated.
I have done several track days in single seaters, Lotus Elises, Caterhams and the like. But I appreciate this is an entirely different beast altogether.
I am concerned about the less tolerant sides of no traction control, no ABS and coupled with 350bhp. The fact that it gives me some concern, I think is a good thing. Slowly, slowly catchy monkey!
Any recomendations of where to get any serious tuition?
I want to get the most out of this car, but I'd rather be prepared. The main reason for posting the question in the first place I suppose.
Oh and the Audi is for sale (A4 Cabriolet 3.0 Sport, fully loaded, 16,000miles) however I have a good offer from Audi to sell it back to them due to the demand and lack of supply. 95% certain to go to them tomorrow lunchtime.
I have done several track days in single seaters, Lotus Elises, Caterhams and the like. But I appreciate this is an entirely different beast altogether.
I am concerned about the less tolerant sides of no traction control, no ABS and coupled with 350bhp. The fact that it gives me some concern, I think is a good thing. Slowly, slowly catchy monkey!
Any recomendations of where to get any serious tuition?
I want to get the most out of this car, but I'd rather be prepared. The main reason for posting the question in the first place I suppose.
Oh and the Audi is for sale (A4 Cabriolet 3.0 Sport, fully loaded, 16,000miles) however I have a good offer from Audi to sell it back to them due to the demand and lack of supply. 95% certain to go to them tomorrow lunchtime.
As for tuition:
Cheap and effective is the IAM - although they may not have anyone in your local group who is a "performance car specialist".
"Ride Drive" - search the "links" section for them can probably find you a Class 1 instructor who can help. I'd recommend the road tuition heartily - better never to get into trouble in the first place than need to know how to get out of it...
And finally.
Sorry...you're in the North West, I'm in the South East so I don't have any recommendations for skid-pan and on-track tuition in your area. Judicious use of Google and the Pistonheads "Links" section (Oily Pages) ought to find you something.
Any northern PHers able to help out...????
Cheap and effective is the IAM - although they may not have anyone in your local group who is a "performance car specialist".
"Ride Drive" - search the "links" section for them can probably find you a Class 1 instructor who can help. I'd recommend the road tuition heartily - better never to get into trouble in the first place than need to know how to get out of it...
And finally.
Sorry...you're in the North West, I'm in the South East so I don't have any recommendations for skid-pan and on-track tuition in your area. Judicious use of Google and the Pistonheads "Links" section (Oily Pages) ought to find you something.
Any northern PHers able to help out...????
Don said:
As for tuition:
Sorry...you're in the North West, I'm in the South East so I don't have any recommendations for skid-pan and on-track tuition in your area. Judicious use of Google and the Pistonheads "Links" section (Oily Pages) ought to find you something.
Any northern PHers able to help out...????
Thanks, I have arranged a track day for novices with tutition through a day being organised by my dealer in early August. So I'll check out the 'on road' sources you have recommended and see how I go.
Just have to steadily run this car in enough by early August to ensure I don't stress the engine too much on the track. I think it's a case of not enough 'slow' miles no track day...
Any advice as to what mileage would be suitably run in for the track? (Assuming it has already had it's 1000 mile service).
Cheers
Tim
Rich...Welcome to the club!
I got my first Tiv (Tamora) 3 months ago - I've done about 2k so far, so still running in.
Don gave sound advice. Always keep to about 2.5k rpm until the oil is about 50C, run in or not - I set one of the LCD displays to show me the oil temp clearly. Keep to 3k rpm for first 1000 miles, don't put your right foot down (you won't need to anyway!). Never labour the engine - I kept above about 1750 rpm in higher gears. However, as the factory service manager told me, 'drive it'. Use your rev limit lights on the tachometer - very useful!
One of the key things to avoid trouble is driving smoothly - Bob Bondurant's book on high performance driving is very good as it describes clearly how to do this - I'm sure there are others.
In terms of learning more about driving a TVR properly, I've also heard great things about Ride Drive - I'll do a day with them when the Tamora is fully run in.
As you're in the North West, I can recommend the Blackpool TVRCC region events (John the RO works at the factory - very helpful guy). West Lancs is also good, but I don't get much of a chance to go to their monthly meets.
Happy driving!
Julian
I got my first Tiv (Tamora) 3 months ago - I've done about 2k so far, so still running in.
Don gave sound advice. Always keep to about 2.5k rpm until the oil is about 50C, run in or not - I set one of the LCD displays to show me the oil temp clearly. Keep to 3k rpm for first 1000 miles, don't put your right foot down (you won't need to anyway!). Never labour the engine - I kept above about 1750 rpm in higher gears. However, as the factory service manager told me, 'drive it'. Use your rev limit lights on the tachometer - very useful!
One of the key things to avoid trouble is driving smoothly - Bob Bondurant's book on high performance driving is very good as it describes clearly how to do this - I'm sure there are others.
In terms of learning more about driving a TVR properly, I've also heard great things about Ride Drive - I'll do a day with them when the Tamora is fully run in.
As you're in the North West, I can recommend the Blackpool TVRCC region events (John the RO works at the factory - very helpful guy). West Lancs is also good, but I don't get much of a chance to go to their monthly meets.
Happy driving!
Julian
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