Import a TVR to Cyprus?

[giannis]

Im buying my first sports car soon and as i love TVR's and they're relatively cheap to buy i was considering buying a Tamora or a T350 and taking it to Cyprus. I'm from Cyprus but i'm in the UK at the moment so i'd be buying it here and shipping it there or driving to Greece and taking a ferry.

My main concern is servicing and parts. I mean where would i service it? Are the cars easy to service or they need to be taken to specialist TVR garages? There none as far as i know in Cyprus. Parts i guess i would have to have them shipped to Cyprus.

I need advice please. Should i keep looking into this or just forget it and find something else? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[E1DJH]

I'm pretty sure a Chim has been spotted in Cyprus, so it must be possible

ETA, no mention of Chim, but here are the Cyprus spotteds :
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Edited by E1DJH on Tuesday 6th November 21:44

[arebrec]

theres a red tasmin over there

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

not that helps you much but at least you know it can be done

[E1DJH]

Snap!!

[caduceus]

Budaholic, a Brit who now lives in Cyprus (and loving it by all accounts) did look into shipping his Cerb over ther, and didn't in the end. But you could always look him up and ask him about the process.

[giannis]

Yea i heard of the Tuscan by a Turcish Cypriot friend but i didnt know about the Tasmin. Hmm well if others did... And i'll definitely ask Budaholic. Any other stuff i should know?

How do the cars cope with the heat? It can get scorching hot somedays. Well most days actualy...

[Sam Gamgee]

giannis said:

Yea i heard of the Tuscan by a Turcish Cypriot friend but i didnt know about the Tasmin. Hmm well if others did... And i'll definitely ask Budaholic. Any other stuff i should know?

How do the cars cope with the heat? It can get scorching hot somedays. Well most days actualy...

...Even in `winter`?

Dave. Thinking of moving away possibly, maybe at some point in distantish future....

[TVRinBFG]

There's a feature in Sprint (circa 2000/01) about one of our customers who bought a new Chimaera for use in Cyprus in 1999. Sue Stoker at TVR Eng sold a Griffith into Cyprus in 1997/98. Both cars were looked after by a local Rover V8 specialist.

[giannis]

Sam Gamgee said:

...Even in `winter`?

Dave. Thinking of moving away possibly, maybe at some point in distantish future....

Fair enough but temperature is high from around late March till October so that's a lot right?

Anyway seeing as a few people have taken TVRs there i feel a bit better about it but i'm still skeptical. Do you guys think it's worth it?

Oh and another thing. How is the air con on the beauties? Will it be capable of coping with say 37-40 degress celsius?

Edited by giannis on Wednesday 7th November 00:37

[briano]

Even today it is 22C at 9am. Having run a number of TVRs in the UK and experienced the heat of Cyprus' summer for the last six years, there is no way I would import one. Even with a convertable you would need to keep the hood up for much of the year to avoid the heat and TVR a/c is pretty poor at best.

Also, if you do import one, unless you have owned and run it in the UK for at least six months you will need to pay a substanial tax on it, even though Cyprus is in the EU.

Brian

[Le TVR]

briano said:

Even with a convertable you would need to keep the hood up for much of the year to avoid the heat and TVR a/c is pretty poor at best.

Having driven an S around Andalousia in summer, we had up to 50° and the problem was for us, not the car. Roof had to go back on after 11am or you fried.

[QuiteQuietCerb]

Gianni, i would think that you wont be able to find parts for the TVR engined tvrs in Cyprus. You also have to consider the possibility of needing a rebuilt for the speed 6 in the future. If the car is in cyprus with a rebuilt pending you will be stuffed, nevermind tappet adjustments, cam replacements etc. I would suggest to go for a rover v8 engined tvr (chimaera, or even better griffith)or a ford v6 (s series). As there will be loads of mechanics to service them, and also engine parts, clutch, brakes etc will be readily available in cyprus as they come of mainstream cars (land rover, opel, ford).

Edited by QuiteQuietCerb on Wednesday 7th November 09:46

[giannis]

Briano you're right the tax would be murder but i didnt know you need to have owned the car for 6 months in the UK first.. I was thinking of buying it and immediately take it to Cyprus to avoid paying insurance in the UK as for a young driver like me it's very expensive. I worked out that for a 2003 3.6 engined car tax in Cyprus would be around 8000 CYP which is around 9500 GBP! I would be prepared to pay that if i knew the car would be faultless (or as faultless as possible i guess) and easy to service.

QuiteQuietCerb, I dont have any experience with TVRs so i dont know when the straight 6 would need rebuilding or not. To be honest i really like the look of the newer models which are obviously S6s... Plus i'd be pusing it as it is with 3.6 liters regarding tax and gas and whatnot. I dont know if the V8's are more economical or not.

You all make excellent points though and i think i'll just wait a little while longer before deciding although i fear i won't be buying a TVR at all. Hell who knows maybe TVR will sort out their act and start selling cars to Cyprus by then! Hmmm i could be their official dealer..

Anyway you've all been very helpfull and i thank you. Even though i havent made a decision i'm glad i joined the forums here. I'f i do make a decision i'll post again for more advice.

Thank you!

Edited by giannis on Wednesday 7th November 11:21

[Road Hog]

easy option would be to get a Honda S2000 ,not a TVR but Honda reliable and quick .

[giannis]

Road Hog said:

easy option would be to get a Honda S2000 ,not a TVR but Honda reliable and quick .

I thought of the S2000 but they're very very common in Cyprus. I wanted something more individual i am not completely dismissing it though. I was think also of the BMW Z4 M roadster or coupe. But a big plus for the Honda is the fact that tax will only cost around 1500-2000 GBP because of its 2 liter engine.

Edited by giannis on Wednesday 7th November 11:52

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

giannis said:

Road Hog said:

easy option would be to get a Honda S2000 ,not a TVR but Honda reliable and quick .

I thought of the S2000 but they're very very common in Cyprus. I wanted something more individual i am not completely dismissing it though. I was think also of the BMW Z4 M roadster or coupe. But a big plus for the Honda is the fact that tax will only cost around 1500-2000 GBP because of its 2 liter engine.

Edited by giannis on Wednesday 7th November 11:52

What a about a older NSX, better looking and would be rarer.

[giannis]

TVRleigh_BBWR said:

What a about a older NSX, better looking and would be rarer.

Hmm an NSX is an interesting prospect. Two things though. It's big and it's getting on a bit isnt it? Other considerations where an Elise but that's way too impractical or if i dont find anything possible RWD a hot hatch...

hahaha from TVRs to hot hatches.

[willmcc]

I drive my Chim here in the summer and while it does get a bit warm in the Dubai traffic jams it never totally overheats, normal daytime temps are in the mid to high 40s.
Main issue is car heat and poor ac means it can get very warm in the drivers seat.

[Miss Pitstop]

Not sure how much help this is but a firend of mine bought a griff from someone who was moving to Cyprus. From memory they sold it because of the heat, dust, sea salt in the atmosphere (being right next to the coast) and lack of servicing/mechanical support. I seem to recall them saying they didn't want to put their P&J through that and would rather sell it.

Not sure of the research/reasoning behind their reasons for selling, but it was a good car and just thought it might be helpful to you.

Cheers

Sarah

[giannis]

Thanks Sarah and everyone else. I've decided i wont be buying a TVR at the moment. Servicing for the straight 6 engine will be near impossible and the tax will be immense. I'll buy something more sane for now and how knows maybe in a few years i'll get to enjoy the TVR experience...