TVR's- as unreliable as they are said to be?
Discussion
I've often heard that TVR's are unreliable. So; my question is - are they or is it all a myth?
(I've never driven one, nevermind owned one so can't comment but I do know that if I just happened to find 25k ish stuck down the back of the sofa of a Sunday morning I'd definitely have one. Ummmmm, V8.....!)
Opinions/experiences please?!
(I've never driven one, nevermind owned one so can't comment but I do know that if I just happened to find 25k ish stuck down the back of the sofa of a Sunday morning I'd definitely have one. Ummmmm, V8.....!)
Opinions/experiences please?!
quote:
:sigh:
there's about 2 years worth of this in the Gassing Archives, the basic answer is: No, Yes, Sometimes, and "depends on the model"
Cheers
Matt.
Matt you forgot the most important part of the equation - the DRIVER, any driver who thrashes the nuts off a car when cold is going to have an 'unreliable' car, mechanically empathetic drivers will have more reliable cars.
Oi Oi,
Rather than leave you shuffling through the archived parchment in the bowels of the drafty damp cybervaults on your own, let me rave my delerium.
Mine starts almost on the first crank. Every time. It runs really well once warmed up a bit. And I've had absolutely no trouble with it. It's dragged me round 6000 miles of english roads without a parp.
Unless you count the bearings in the gearbox
Oh, and the radiator leak.
Love it to bits (especially the recent gynaecological excursions)
>> Edited by scruff400 on Wednesday 4th September 12:06
Rather than leave you shuffling through the archived parchment in the bowels of the drafty damp cybervaults on your own, let me rave my delerium.
Mine starts almost on the first crank. Every time. It runs really well once warmed up a bit. And I've had absolutely no trouble with it. It's dragged me round 6000 miles of english roads without a parp.
Unless you count the bearings in the gearbox
Oh, and the radiator leak.
Love it to bits (especially the recent gynaecological excursions)
>> Edited by scruff400 on Wednesday 4th September 12:06
Scruff - as much as I thought!
I heard (before I saw it) a Griff 500 yesterday and it got me thinking. If I had the opportunity to buy one, would I go for it?
I think it had a different exhaust to standard as it sounded alot crisper, sharper than usual and the car popped and banged on the overrun. I was very impressed. THere is very little to compare to a TVR soundtrack!
I heard (before I saw it) a Griff 500 yesterday and it got me thinking. If I had the opportunity to buy one, would I go for it?
I think it had a different exhaust to standard as it sounded alot crisper, sharper than usual and the car popped and banged on the overrun. I was very impressed. THere is very little to compare to a TVR soundtrack!
quote:
Scruff - as much as I thought!
I heard (before I saw it) a Griff 500 yesterday and it got me thinking. If I had the opportunity to buy one, would I go for it?
I think it had a different exhaust to standard as it sounded alot crisper, sharper than usual and the car popped and banged on the overrun. I was very impressed. THere is very little to compare to a TVR soundtrack!
Well said Mr Sav'.
And the girl driving it was an absolute cracker too.
It has to be said that there is very little in life more sexy than seeing a girl (any girl in fact) driving a fast car competently! Sorry I mean a good looking girl driving a fast car quickly!!!
It's a bit like girls that go sailing - they always seem to have that little something extra (and it's not just a deep wallet!) - sometimes they might not be the best looking but it's that air about them, that confidence that lends them a certain something that you can't quite put your finger on but would bloody well like too!
It has to be said that there is very little in life more sexy than seeing a girl (any girl in fact) driving a fast car competently! Sorry I mean a good looking girl driving a fast car quickly!!!
It's a bit like girls that go sailing - they always seem to have that little something extra (and it's not just a deep wallet!) - sometimes they might not be the best looking but it's that air about them, that confidence that lends them a certain something that you can't quite put your finger on but would bloody well like too!
quote:
And the girl driving it was an absolute cracker too.
It has to be said that there is very little in life more sexy than seeing a girl (any girl in fact) driving a fast car competently! Sorry I mean a good looking girl driving a fast car quickly!!!
It's a bit like girls that go sailing - they always seem to have that little something extra (and it's not just a deep wallet!) - sometimes they might not be the best looking but it's that air about them, that confidence that lends them a certain something that you can't quite put your finger on but would bloody well like too!
or girls that go riding ..!?
quote:
Scruff - as much as I thought!
I heard (before I saw it) a Griff 500 yesterday and it got me thinking. If I had the opportunity to buy one, would I go for it?
I think it had a different exhaust to standard as it sounded alot crisper, sharper than usual and the car popped and banged on the overrun. I was very impressed. THere is very little to compare to a TVR soundtrack!
I think you should buy one, bear in mind that one with a few miles on it will be much better for it
Oh look here's one that looks ideal
www.pistonheads.com/ads/displayAd.asp?advertId=5726
interesting question.
unfortunately the answer is always in the statistics.
i.e. number of faults per vehicle, type of faults, major / minor.
this site could probably offer the best source of these figures, apart from TVR themselves - if they measure such things. (All other manufacturers measure this stuff in great detail.)
Another factor is that TVR/Lotus owners seem to be far more tolerant of faults than the typical Ford owner, for example.
IMHO this is insane, as they have shelled out far more for their vehicle, but there you are.
It also gives the factory less incentive to sort out reliability issues.
As an aside, I saw some research a couple of years ago (I was a management consultant working on a car industry merger) that showed that OEMs always vastly underestimated the true cost of reliability problems.
OEMs are pretty sharp at measuring the cost of recalls, warranties etc, but didn't focus on the value of profit on future sales which were lost due to reliability issues. IIRC this was around the same value as the actual warranty costs.
sorry, long reply!
Nick
unfortunately the answer is always in the statistics.
i.e. number of faults per vehicle, type of faults, major / minor.
this site could probably offer the best source of these figures, apart from TVR themselves - if they measure such things. (All other manufacturers measure this stuff in great detail.)
Another factor is that TVR/Lotus owners seem to be far more tolerant of faults than the typical Ford owner, for example.
IMHO this is insane, as they have shelled out far more for their vehicle, but there you are.
It also gives the factory less incentive to sort out reliability issues.
As an aside, I saw some research a couple of years ago (I was a management consultant working on a car industry merger) that showed that OEMs always vastly underestimated the true cost of reliability problems.
OEMs are pretty sharp at measuring the cost of recalls, warranties etc, but didn't focus on the value of profit on future sales which were lost due to reliability issues. IIRC this was around the same value as the actual warranty costs.
sorry, long reply!
Nick
Nick,
My analysis of why specialist cars get away with being less reliable than mass production cars (talking broadly here) is that a Eurobox has no redeeming features other than its ability to move you around whereas a sports car does that plus makes driving fun; looks good; and gives you something to talk to your mates about endlessly. Thus. if the sports car sometimes doesn't go, you can forgive it (and still look at it and talk about it!). If a Eurobox doesn't go, it is a useless and expensive clutter on your drive.
Or something like that!
My analysis of why specialist cars get away with being less reliable than mass production cars (talking broadly here) is that a Eurobox has no redeeming features other than its ability to move you around whereas a sports car does that plus makes driving fun; looks good; and gives you something to talk to your mates about endlessly. Thus. if the sports car sometimes doesn't go, you can forgive it (and still look at it and talk about it!). If a Eurobox doesn't go, it is a useless and expensive clutter on your drive.
Or something like that!
quote:
TVR/Lotus owners seem to be far more tolerant of faults than the typical Ford owner, for example.
IMHO this is insane, as they have shelled out far more for their vehicle, but there you are.
Very true. I knew full well I was buying a go-cart.
If I wanted a Ford... and I did own a cougar for three months before it blew a head gasket, it spent FFFAAARRR too long at the menders so I gave it back (note interesting personality change to back up quote
). There's a difference between ownership and infatuation
Davidd - very, very, nice car sir. And congratulations on your forthcoming addition to the family. I hope your wife/girlfriend/general acquaintance you once met but are standing by her is OK and that the little one is too (once he or she arrives). Good luck! I'd get all the sleep you can get in between now and the birth just in case you don't get any afterwards.
I'm tying the knot in 3 weeks so everything I have is being thrown at said do. All £3!
>> Edited by Oi_Oi_Savaloy on Wednesday 4th September 13:24
I'm tying the knot in 3 weeks so everything I have is being thrown at said do. All £3!
>> Edited by Oi_Oi_Savaloy on Wednesday 4th September 13:24
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