First 5 hours of TVR ownership
Discussion
Big day today - managed to get away from work early and get a train up to the TVR dealer to collect my new car - a 1999 Griff 500 - dark blue with magnolia and blue full leather.
Very excited about this, although I was a bit concerned that the car had apparently failed its first MOT at lunchtime due to the horn not working. My concern was due to the fact that the car had just had an annual service.
Anyway, I parted with my cash and popped my bag in the very shiny Griff. Had a check round the car to make sure that the things I had asked to be done as part of the sale had indeed been done. All seemed to be in order until I opened the bonnet.
I noticed that the oil filter was dirty and covered in road film. Very odd, considering the car had been serviced the previous day. They had agreed to service the car as part of my purchase price.
I was very suspicious and asked the salesman 'has this car actually been serviced?'. Oh yes blah blah blah. So I asked to see the workshop schedule for the car.
15 minutes later they could still not find the paperwork. 5 minutes after that they admitted to a 'cock up'. The story was: when we're very busy, we subcontract some of our servicing work. Your car was sent off for the non-lubricant part of the service to our (TVR approved) subcontractor. The car came back to our workshop, but it seems that our guys repeated the same part of the service as the other guys.
I said that I really couldn't believe what they were telling me. If I had not been on the ball, I would have taken the car and not had the oil changed for another year. That would have been 24 months with the same oil and filter. I was outraged. This is a TVR franchised dealer, and they hadn't done a proper service. Not even close. In fact, I have no idea what they have and have not done.
The salesman was now apologetic and embarrased. He said that I should take the car (nice weather, long weekend) - they would then collect the car at their expense and service it and deliver it to me. I declined. Another suggestion was that I got back on the train and they would sort the car and deliver it - again declined (I had just parted with well over £20k remember). To be fair, he quickly offered the use of their demo Tamora, sort my car and deliver it - which is what has happened.
So I now have a burgundy Tamora with 'The new TVR Tamora' and 'www.******.co.uk' written all over it, instead of my intended lovely Griff.
On to the Tamora. Took 5 mins before the saleman could open the boot. The speedo doesn't work, so I have no idea how quickly I am going - nor do I know what speed I am doing at what revs. The lcd display was completely blank, so no idea of what fuel is in the car. No handbook, so no clues. Finally got a display I could read when I turned the lights on. The windscreen washer motors don't work. The bonnet rattles at idle - in fact it bangs against the bodywork. Actually, most of the panel gaps are rather dubious. The bonnet release doesn't work properly and when I finally did get under the bonnet, you could see 4 patches where the glassfibre is being rubbed away from friction where the bonnet is rubbing. The synthetic leather look alike stuff is ok, but nothing like the real thing, and various bits of trim look like they are about to fall off. (This is a demonstrator remember - one that is supposed to convince people to by one). And I had serious bum ache after an hour in the car - could not get comfortable in those seats.
Idle is really lumpy and it sounds awful when cold. Admittedly it does sound good with lots of revs (but I still prefer the V8 that I thought would be gracing my driveway this evening). What I will say is that it is seriously quick (based on the rate that the trees go past, as I have no speedo...).
So there you go. I have a Griffith sized hole in my bank account, no Griffith and a Tamora with faults is no consolation.
I'm very grumpy!!!
Very excited about this, although I was a bit concerned that the car had apparently failed its first MOT at lunchtime due to the horn not working. My concern was due to the fact that the car had just had an annual service.
Anyway, I parted with my cash and popped my bag in the very shiny Griff. Had a check round the car to make sure that the things I had asked to be done as part of the sale had indeed been done. All seemed to be in order until I opened the bonnet.
I noticed that the oil filter was dirty and covered in road film. Very odd, considering the car had been serviced the previous day. They had agreed to service the car as part of my purchase price.
I was very suspicious and asked the salesman 'has this car actually been serviced?'. Oh yes blah blah blah. So I asked to see the workshop schedule for the car.
15 minutes later they could still not find the paperwork. 5 minutes after that they admitted to a 'cock up'. The story was: when we're very busy, we subcontract some of our servicing work. Your car was sent off for the non-lubricant part of the service to our (TVR approved) subcontractor. The car came back to our workshop, but it seems that our guys repeated the same part of the service as the other guys.
I said that I really couldn't believe what they were telling me. If I had not been on the ball, I would have taken the car and not had the oil changed for another year. That would have been 24 months with the same oil and filter. I was outraged. This is a TVR franchised dealer, and they hadn't done a proper service. Not even close. In fact, I have no idea what they have and have not done.
The salesman was now apologetic and embarrased. He said that I should take the car (nice weather, long weekend) - they would then collect the car at their expense and service it and deliver it to me. I declined. Another suggestion was that I got back on the train and they would sort the car and deliver it - again declined (I had just parted with well over £20k remember). To be fair, he quickly offered the use of their demo Tamora, sort my car and deliver it - which is what has happened.
So I now have a burgundy Tamora with 'The new TVR Tamora' and 'www.******.co.uk' written all over it, instead of my intended lovely Griff.
On to the Tamora. Took 5 mins before the saleman could open the boot. The speedo doesn't work, so I have no idea how quickly I am going - nor do I know what speed I am doing at what revs. The lcd display was completely blank, so no idea of what fuel is in the car. No handbook, so no clues. Finally got a display I could read when I turned the lights on. The windscreen washer motors don't work. The bonnet rattles at idle - in fact it bangs against the bodywork. Actually, most of the panel gaps are rather dubious. The bonnet release doesn't work properly and when I finally did get under the bonnet, you could see 4 patches where the glassfibre is being rubbed away from friction where the bonnet is rubbing. The synthetic leather look alike stuff is ok, but nothing like the real thing, and various bits of trim look like they are about to fall off. (This is a demonstrator remember - one that is supposed to convince people to by one). And I had serious bum ache after an hour in the car - could not get comfortable in those seats.
Idle is really lumpy and it sounds awful when cold. Admittedly it does sound good with lots of revs (but I still prefer the V8 that I thought would be gracing my driveway this evening). What I will say is that it is seriously quick (based on the rate that the trees go past, as I have no speedo...).
So there you go. I have a Griffith sized hole in my bank account, no Griffith and a Tamora with faults is no consolation.
I'm very grumpy!!!
Andy,
Sorry to hear that your first experience has been so bad.
Hope you get your Griff soon - make sure you check the colour of the oil on the dipstick, and have a detailed service report.
TVR's are the poodles privates when it comes to driving and owning them, but alas there are certain firms out there who seem to want to make a killing out of most of us - dont let them!
Maybe you've already done this, so sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs etc, but join the TVR car club, and any problems with your car voice them on here, most TVR owners will be more than willing to help and share experiences if they can.
But most of all enjoy your car
All the best,
Dave.
Sorry to hear that your first experience has been so bad.
Hope you get your Griff soon - make sure you check the colour of the oil on the dipstick, and have a detailed service report.
TVR's are the poodles privates when it comes to driving and owning them, but alas there are certain firms out there who seem to want to make a killing out of most of us - dont let them!
Maybe you've already done this, so sorry if I'm teaching you to suck eggs etc, but join the TVR car club, and any problems with your car voice them on here, most TVR owners will be more than willing to help and share experiences if they can.
But most of all enjoy your car
All the best,
Dave.
Thanks.
Already joined the club, bought the Griff/Chim bible, consulted with Thames Valley Racetech, took a Griff owner to see the car (hi Ed!). It was all going so well.
Didn't count on the TVR main dealer not changing the bloody oil and filter though!!!!
I was so looking forward to having the Griff this weekend....
Already joined the club, bought the Griff/Chim bible, consulted with Thames Valley Racetech, took a Griff owner to see the car (hi Ed!). It was all going so well.
Didn't count on the TVR main dealer not changing the bloody oil and filter though!!!!
I was so looking forward to having the Griff this weekend....
Yes - same area, but no, not the stealer you mention. Having said that, they did their bit by refusing to divulge any of the previous service history of my Griff to me (they supplied the car new and serviced it through its life). I got comfortable on the car by phoning the previous owner.
The dealer who has cocked up is further up the M40. Following Ted's strict no naming policy I am unable to say more than the name may be the masculine version of 'Queens' in a location that might rhyme with 'Hemington Bar'. You must draw your own conclusions though...
The dealer who has cocked up is further up the M40. Following Ted's strict no naming policy I am unable to say more than the name may be the masculine version of 'Queens' in a location that might rhyme with 'Hemington Bar'. You must draw your own conclusions though...
Oh dear oh dear - still at least you've got a TVR for the weekend Andy - think of all the millions of people that havent! Fancy popping over Saturday or Sunday for a comiserative lunchtime pint? (before a sober & early Monday to C Combe weather permitting). JSG - if you're around please feel free to say hi too. The Grouse & Claret is OK & easy to find. Perhaps the begining of a TVR weekend pint club! A pal is popping over for the weekend - said he'd bring his silverstone grey V8S along. Could all get very noisy...
Regards
Ed
>> Edited by EdT on Friday 29th March 01:42
Regards
Ed
>> Edited by EdT on Friday 29th March 01:42
Andy
I know that Tamora, I test drove it between LS and the home of Shakespeare about 8 weeks ago. It wasn't without its problems then, but no where near as bad as it sounds now. In fact I was the last to drive it before its 1000 mile service so you'd expect the problems to have been ironed out. Put it this way, it was bad enough to make me want to see a fully sorted one before placing an order.
I have had my Griff for about 15 months now. I reckon you'll welcome the V8 over the 6, even if only for the noise!
When I picked up mine it blew a head gasket on the drive back home. So, for different reasons, I had a long weekend without it just as you are now. Very frustrating especially with the sun shining etc. But it all seems eons ago now and the car still makes me smile. I envy you still having that first look out of the front window of your house to see it sitting on your driveway begging you to take it out for a run!
Good luck and I hope you enjoy your car when you get it.
AF
I know that Tamora, I test drove it between LS and the home of Shakespeare about 8 weeks ago. It wasn't without its problems then, but no where near as bad as it sounds now. In fact I was the last to drive it before its 1000 mile service so you'd expect the problems to have been ironed out. Put it this way, it was bad enough to make me want to see a fully sorted one before placing an order.
I have had my Griff for about 15 months now. I reckon you'll welcome the V8 over the 6, even if only for the noise!
When I picked up mine it blew a head gasket on the drive back home. So, for different reasons, I had a long weekend without it just as you are now. Very frustrating especially with the sun shining etc. But it all seems eons ago now and the car still makes me smile. I envy you still having that first look out of the front window of your house to see it sitting on your driveway begging you to take it out for a run!
Good luck and I hope you enjoy your car when you get it.
AF
Ok so no TVR Griffith this weekend (shame as it is a long one), but just think of all of those weekends and sunny days coming up? Summer is getting close - though we do have to make it through the rainy season first...
It is worth the wait and you will love it. Still, enjoy the fact that you are tooling around in a Tamora when most people havent taken delivery of theirs yet.... one for the pub talk at the TVR CC meetings...
Shame you had a problem with a stealer - to be honest I am having more problems with franchised Vauxhall dealers at the moment.....
Cheers,
Paul
It is worth the wait and you will love it. Still, enjoy the fact that you are tooling around in a Tamora when most people havent taken delivery of theirs yet.... one for the pub talk at the TVR CC meetings...
Shame you had a problem with a stealer - to be honest I am having more problems with franchised Vauxhall dealers at the moment.....
Cheers,
Paul
mmm a certain Regal dealer took 6 weeks to fix my mates chim gearbox.( on a car he bought from them a few months earlier) I went with him in my chim to give him a lift back and had arranged to test drive a v8 cerb when i got there...
no record of the test drive when i arrive ( i had e-mail confirmation) and the chap i had spoke to wasnt there. Eventually went out in a 500 mile old speed six cerb which was fine apart from
a) wrong engine
b)
ed gearbox where you couldnt get 3rd or 5th..
hmmm
dont think i'll ever be going back there.....
Put it down to a crap dealer, and you'll be fine when they drop off your griff.
So far in almost 3 years of my chim and 25k all thats happened is a buggered wiper motor... and millions of smiles
Cheers
G
no record of the test drive when i arrive ( i had e-mail confirmation) and the chap i had spoke to wasnt there. Eventually went out in a 500 mile old speed six cerb which was fine apart from
a) wrong engine
b)
ed gearbox where you couldnt get 3rd or 5th.. hmmm
dont think i'll ever be going back there.....
Put it down to a crap dealer, and you'll be fine when they drop off your griff.
So far in almost 3 years of my chim and 25k all thats happened is a buggered wiper motor... and millions of smiles
Cheers
G
I know that dealership, they ****ed up a while 2 months ago when i was ment to have a Test drive in a 4.5 Cerb. My mate took me along in his 4.2 Cerb.
When we got there there was no TVR Salesman (Arrived Late) i had to contend with a chrysler salesman for about 40minutes saying how nice the car was and going on about otherr S***.
When i eventually got into the car (The one i was thinking of buying) Trim was falling off, it was not like this last time i saw it then i noticed that it had done 2000 miles since i last saw it (1 Week before) I questioned teh salesman about this his comment was a typo in the advertisment, me and my mate thought what a load of Bull. went for a short drive
When exiting the garage the exhaust grounded on all speed bumps. Then Turned left out of the garage for a drive in a low speed residential area to see how easy it is to drive slowly. Went ok but on the way past the garage to go on the Bypass and Dual carriageway Steam Smoke oil and water pouring out from under and below the bonnet. got out quickly walked away and went to my friengs car and drove away.
Before we left though the salesman was trying to drive it back into the garage 250 yards will all the water steam and stuff pouring out. (V.Bad for the Engine Me thinks) but i am only a novice.
I later got a call from the salesman 2 weeks later, saying if i wanted to go for a nother test drive.
He said that the car has now got a New engine etc i thought well maybe but from past experience that will be a NO. Went back and saw the car though lifted the bonnet (didnt look like a new engine) Questioned about this, Oh the engines just been rebuilt. There was also a new price in the window 3k higher than before. and quess again milage was up again by about 2500 miles...
in conclusion
DODGY DEALER
HOW CAN A RACING DRIVER PUT HIS NAME TO A GARAGE WHO OPERATES LIKE THAT...
Have a smile for me when you get your griff, there are some good roads in warwickshire esp through gaydon down to banbury. Good Driving
>> Edited by stc_bennett on Friday 29th March 10:58
When we got there there was no TVR Salesman (Arrived Late) i had to contend with a chrysler salesman for about 40minutes saying how nice the car was and going on about otherr S***.
When i eventually got into the car (The one i was thinking of buying) Trim was falling off, it was not like this last time i saw it then i noticed that it had done 2000 miles since i last saw it (1 Week before) I questioned teh salesman about this his comment was a typo in the advertisment, me and my mate thought what a load of Bull. went for a short drive
When exiting the garage the exhaust grounded on all speed bumps. Then Turned left out of the garage for a drive in a low speed residential area to see how easy it is to drive slowly. Went ok but on the way past the garage to go on the Bypass and Dual carriageway Steam Smoke oil and water pouring out from under and below the bonnet. got out quickly walked away and went to my friengs car and drove away.
Before we left though the salesman was trying to drive it back into the garage 250 yards will all the water steam and stuff pouring out. (V.Bad for the Engine Me thinks) but i am only a novice.
I later got a call from the salesman 2 weeks later, saying if i wanted to go for a nother test drive.
He said that the car has now got a New engine etc i thought well maybe but from past experience that will be a NO. Went back and saw the car though lifted the bonnet (didnt look like a new engine) Questioned about this, Oh the engines just been rebuilt. There was also a new price in the window 3k higher than before. and quess again milage was up again by about 2500 miles...
in conclusion
DODGY DEALER
HOW CAN A RACING DRIVER PUT HIS NAME TO A GARAGE WHO OPERATES LIKE THAT...
Have a smile for me when you get your griff, there are some good roads in warwickshire esp through gaydon down to banbury. Good Driving
>> Edited by stc_bennett on Friday 29th March 10:58
The racing driver's name is only on the bmw dealership next door, not the tvr one. I had to wait 6 weeks for the gearbox fix. Thing is, the box is fine now they've got round to sorting it. I think they're sharing the workshop with the chrysler dealership & have lowest priority. Doesn't make it alright though. At least the sun is having a peep eh 
Andrew - I would strongly suggest that you refuse to take the car, get your money back, and look elsewhere. This type of shoddy service does no good to the reputation of decent TVR franchises, and projects a bad image for the company itself. The only way this can be sorted is by people voting with their feet. If you accept the car, after the bits have been fixed, who knows what else may have been badly repaired, left unserviced, or not done at all, and you will have no recourse to law if you accept goods once "sold as seen". There are plenty of really good Griffs out there.
I would also STRONGLY suggest you talk to Andrew Thomas (gb13690), (or whatever his number is
) but you'll have to wait for a few days until he's back from Aus - He will have some interesting things to tell you. I know it must be very frustrating, but that's what I'd do....
I would also STRONGLY suggest you talk to Andrew Thomas (gb13690), (or whatever his number is
) but you'll have to wait for a few days until he's back from Aus - He will have some interesting things to tell you. I know it must be very frustrating, but that's what I'd do....Nubbin
I believe the car is sound and I have spoken at length with the guy who owned it previously and who traded it in with this mob for an Exige. I know the history to within the last couple of hundred miles. The only bit I don't know about is what happened in these last hundred miles that have gone on the clock whilst the dealer has had the car since December.
My gripe is that they were supposed to service it but either hadn't done it at all, or hadn't done it properly (i.e. no oil or filter change).
I am going to have the car inspected by an independent I trust the moment I get the car. If it is not as described, it will be money back time under the sale of goods act.
I also have a retail price warranty too, so I think I am reasonably well covered.
I hope it turns out just to be a mistake on their part- albeit an unacceptable one....
I believe the car is sound and I have spoken at length with the guy who owned it previously and who traded it in with this mob for an Exige. I know the history to within the last couple of hundred miles. The only bit I don't know about is what happened in these last hundred miles that have gone on the clock whilst the dealer has had the car since December.
My gripe is that they were supposed to service it but either hadn't done it at all, or hadn't done it properly (i.e. no oil or filter change).
I am going to have the car inspected by an independent I trust the moment I get the car. If it is not as described, it will be money back time under the sale of goods act.
I also have a retail price warranty too, so I think I am reasonably well covered.
I hope it turns out just to be a mistake on their part- albeit an unacceptable one....
One last thing - sold as seen doesn't apply to dealers - they are covered by the sale of goods act which requires the goods to be of merchantable quality and fit for purpose.
They are also part of a larger (non TVR) group which values its reputation, so although I might face an uphill battle if the worst came to the worst, I reckon I'd recover my money.
They are also part of a larger (non TVR) group which values its reputation, so although I might face an uphill battle if the worst came to the worst, I reckon I'd recover my money.
quote:
Fancy popping over Saturday or Sunday for a comiserative lunchtime pint? (before a sober & early Monday to C Combe weather permitting). JSG - if you're around please feel free to say hi too. The Grouse & Claret is OK & easy to find. Perhaps the begining of a TVR weekend pint club! A pal is popping over for the weekend - said he'd bring his silverstone grey V8S along. Could all get very noisy...
Thanks Ed,
Nice idea, unfortunately I'm away on business the next ten days in NZ - flying out Sat am so I'm going to miss all the Easter fun (inc Castle Coombe). Love to do it another weekend though.
Ted, I'm taking a PistonHeads window sticker for the hire car
Cheers,
JSG
Interesting thread, I had almost exactly the same thing happen to me a year ago last March when I brought my 4.2 Cerbie. However, Since then I've had to have a new engine, clutch and gearbox all at my own expense. "KINGS!" are probably the worst dealer in the world. I would demand your money back before it's too late. Sounds like this shower have sold another LEMON!
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