Dispel the daily driver myths!
Discussion
Hi All,
I have been browsing the classifieds, as you do, to find my next daily driver and it seems that Cerberas, Tuscans & Tamoras are looking like good value at the moment.
Is it a valid proposition to use these every day? My commute is about 20mins b road, 10 mins town driving, maybe 9k per year. Are there any issues I should be looking out for that should have been fixed, as most cars I have seen for sale have quite low mileage for the years.
Any help greatly appreciated!
I have been browsing the classifieds, as you do, to find my next daily driver and it seems that Cerberas, Tuscans & Tamoras are looking like good value at the moment.
Is it a valid proposition to use these every day? My commute is about 20mins b road, 10 mins town driving, maybe 9k per year. Are there any issues I should be looking out for that should have been fixed, as most cars I have seen for sale have quite low mileage for the years.
Any help greatly appreciated!
I drove a 4.5 cerb as a daily driver for over a couple of years until an unfortunate accident. I drove it in snow, sleet, rain and it never let me down. The car lived outside as I had no garage.
Only time it was off the road was following an incident with a scaffold pole and my sump (bloody skip lorries on duel carriageways) and after my brake cylinder failed. Although even when the brakes failed I still managed to drive home as I was quite close and the engine braking is so strong.
I have a 500 grif now and that is far more pampered (tucked up in a warm garage). Not that I think it is any less reliable but it just feels like it needs more care. The cerb felt like it could cope with more weather than the grif does. But as I said, the grif has never let me down either and I have driven it in the wet without issues (the roof doesn't leak at all on the grif).
My vote for a daily runner would be a 4.5 cerb...you know you want too!
Only time it was off the road was following an incident with a scaffold pole and my sump (bloody skip lorries on duel carriageways) and after my brake cylinder failed. Although even when the brakes failed I still managed to drive home as I was quite close and the engine braking is so strong.
I have a 500 grif now and that is far more pampered (tucked up in a warm garage). Not that I think it is any less reliable but it just feels like it needs more care. The cerb felt like it could cope with more weather than the grif does. But as I said, the grif has never let me down either and I have driven it in the wet without issues (the roof doesn't leak at all on the grif).
My vote for a daily runner would be a 4.5 cerb...you know you want too!
My Tuscan is not used as a daily driver but I do use it for longer work trips.
Contrary to some cars, mine does not leak. It worked fine when the temperature was -6 and it was covered in frost.
A 20 min run should get it warmed through. They are ok in town as the long throttle travel means you can moderate the power easily.
Services every 6k miles with a big one every 12k so that may be the biggest issue.
They seem to thrive with being used and throw up many fewer problems in my experience.
Make sure the heater works properly and get one with aircon.
Use the buyers checklist on MyTuscan website and go get one
Contrary to some cars, mine does not leak. It worked fine when the temperature was -6 and it was covered in frost.
A 20 min run should get it warmed through. They are ok in town as the long throttle travel means you can moderate the power easily.
Services every 6k miles with a big one every 12k so that may be the biggest issue.
They seem to thrive with being used and throw up many fewer problems in my experience.
Make sure the heater works properly and get one with aircon.
Use the buyers checklist on MyTuscan website and go get one

Edited by blueg33 on Tuesday 24th January 17:37
ive run my chim now since 1999, the first 3 years of that it was a company car, living out side, being driven in rain snow and ice, and never missed a beat. i found it vey theraputic, as driving it requires a little mo thought so i didnt worry about anything else so it was quite relaxing...
My Chim's a daily driver - lives outside.
Always seems to have something wrong with it but also oddly never seems to fail to get me to where I want to go ...
Basically they're a lifestyle choice ... if you want something you don't have to think about then buy a Fiesta but I consider the Chim to be the motoring equivalent of my Naim HiFi - gives you sh*t that you wouldn't take normally but you love it just the same and can't bear to contemplate getting rid of it and getting a eurobox even though you know it makes sense.
Phil
Always seems to have something wrong with it but also oddly never seems to fail to get me to where I want to go ...
Basically they're a lifestyle choice ... if you want something you don't have to think about then buy a Fiesta but I consider the Chim to be the motoring equivalent of my Naim HiFi - gives you sh*t that you wouldn't take normally but you love it just the same and can't bear to contemplate getting rid of it and getting a eurobox even though you know it makes sense.

Phil
Have used my 1979 Taimar as a daily driver for past 11 years. Sure you occasionally have the odd problem.....but much less than others who only use their cars once or twice a month. Runs much better since I changed jobs 4 years ago & now have a 22 mile round trip so get properly warmed up.
A Tiv drive a day keeps the workday blues at bay.
A Tiv drive a day keeps the workday blues at bay.

Used TVRs as daily drivers since 1989. Wedge - fantastic - Griff and Griff 500 - fantastic - Cerbs - great but money pits Sag - fantastic
Trailers - Griff - Written off on spilt diesel, Griff 500 alternator diode, Griff 500 cooling fan fuse ( Wot mate 40 amp? F Orff I ain't got none of them)
Cerb Clutch, Cerb starter motor, Cerb clutch (in Spain), Cerb throttle bodies, Sag Clutch (67K) Sag power steering (broken lead)
Now lets see - Yes - thats 423000 miles!
Trailers - Griff - Written off on spilt diesel, Griff 500 alternator diode, Griff 500 cooling fan fuse ( Wot mate 40 amp? F Orff I ain't got none of them)
Cerb Clutch, Cerb starter motor, Cerb clutch (in Spain), Cerb throttle bodies, Sag Clutch (67K) Sag power steering (broken lead)
Now lets see - Yes - thats 423000 miles!
Chris71 said:
black11s said:
Take her off to view a few Caterhams, then offer to "compromise" on something more sensible after all.
Worked a treat for me.
Worked a treat for me.

A very cunning plan.
Mine flatly refused to get in the Caterham when I had it and yet she will (begrudgingly) ride in the Chim.

Tom74 said:
Don't think that will work, she won't even get in my Corvette as "its too low and bouncy". I think I'll just sell the current daily and then try to show her pictures of Caterhams with a serious look on my face 
Tom, having just purchased my 4th TVR ,I have a cunning plan. Make sure you show her every car on piston heads,make sure its when a good program is on.I found that in the end despite having just spent a small fortune on my Tam i was able to buy my Tusc S because she was bored silly!
Also scare her with first drive and its plain sailing to go to fetch papers and tske an hour doing it.
My vote for a daily driver would be a Tamora,does everything without huge drama.Look at the red Tam at track V road its a lovely car.
have fun
geoffphead said:
Tom, having just purchased my 4th TVR ,I have a cunning plan. Make sure you show her every car on piston heads,make sure its when a good program is on.I found that in the end despite having just spent a small fortune on my Tam i was able to buy my Tusc S because she was bored silly!
Also scare her with first drive and its plain sailing to go to fetch papers and tske an hour doing it.
My vote for a daily driver would be a Tamora,does everything without huge drama.Look at the red Tam at track V road its a lovely car.
have fun
Good plan, and a Tamora looks like it could be ideal. Just get moving house over with next week and start looking properly.......Also scare her with first drive and its plain sailing to go to fetch papers and tske an hour doing it.
My vote for a daily driver would be a Tamora,does everything without huge drama.Look at the red Tam at track V road its a lovely car.
have fun
Oh, it may be a silly question but ave mpg on a 50-60 mph B-road commute? Just to work out costs for the fait accompli!
Tom74 said:
geoffphead said:
Tom, having just purchased my 4th TVR ,I have a cunning plan. Make sure you show her every car on piston heads,make sure its when a good program is on.I found that in the end despite having just spent a small fortune on my Tam i was able to buy my Tusc S because she was bored silly!
Also scare her with first drive and its plain sailing to go to fetch papers and tske an hour doing it.
My vote for a daily driver would be a Tamora,does everything without huge drama.Look at the red Tam at track V road its a lovely car.
have fun
Good plan, and a Tamora looks like it could be ideal. Just get moving house over with next week and start looking properly.......Also scare her with first drive and its plain sailing to go to fetch papers and tske an hour doing it.
My vote for a daily driver would be a Tamora,does everything without huge drama.Look at the red Tam at track V road its a lovely car.
have fun
Oh, it may be a silly question but ave mpg on a 50-60 mph B-road commute? Just to work out costs for the fait accompli!
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