[RCUK]

Been toying with a new car .. and as much as i want a 911, i cant justify putting £25k on my driveway and only using it twice a week.

So downgraded budget to about £10k ... and then thought of a cerbera.

Love the look and the sound of these... and was wondering if anyone here had any experience of them?

Prob keep my corrado for my around town trips etc and have the cerbera for fun.

Do have a garage (which id need to clear) so can keep it on a trickle charger to prevent battery going flat whilst not in use.

[mowflow]

Quite a few guys over on Z4forum used to own TVRs.

From what they say. They are scary fast, make a great noise and look great but that seems to be the limit of the pleasure in ownership. Most of them have moved to a Z4M because they were sick and tired of the car never working when they wanted it to or breaking down while out on a hoon.

I could start a TVR experiences thread over there if you want.

[RCUK]

the reliability bit is the part that scares me.. i knwo they have a bad rep, but hoping that as time as time has moved on previous owners have fixed all the bits that keep going wrong!

Would love to hear some stories though...

[xenon]

Friend of mine bought a Sagaris when they first came out and sold it soon afterwards.

1) he said, by his own admission, that he wasn't good enough to drive it even slightly towards its potential and it demanded 100% concentration 100% of the time.

2) The above wasn't as much of an issue as it might have been because it never fcuking worked.

[RCUK]

point 2 is a very strong reason not to get one

prob explains why everything on the market has so little mileage on it!

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by xenon

2) The above wasn't as much of an issue as it might have been because it never fcuking worked.

I absolutely love the Sagaris but don't think I've got the balls (or deep enough pockets) to own any TVR. It will have to remain an un-scratched itch .

[craneboy]

As already stated, the reliability and the upkeep is a pain.

They are very rewarding when you really start pushing and the interior (if you dont mind the smell of glue) is some of the nicest design around.

The chassis's are good, but if you ever get underneath one, it looks like someone went mad with some steel box section! LOL

Regular service history is a MUST, and not just on mileage, but regular as in calendar service history.
It's extremely worthwhile taking to a specialist before a purchase as they can often spot any upcoming issues. This can also work as a bargaining tool ;-)

HTH

Andy

[RCUK]

I am sorely tempted ... still think they are pretty special cars, and i know i always look round when i see one go past.

Tho 2 memories i have:

1) seeing one go off on my first track day when the brakes failed - lucky huge run off and no damage

2) seeing them mostly at eye level on the back of trailers

[Sir_Pigley]

Keep the £15 you save for repairs and engine rebuilds.

£25k spent on a 911 is a good idea, since you'll get a good proportion of it back when you sell - provided you buy sensibly.

[phil200tdi]

Rover V8 engined TVRs are a much more reliable proposition.

I'd go for a 5.0 Griffith personally as I love the way they look and sound!

Porsche 911s aint exactly cheap to run or repair either.

[Guvernator]

I've often contemplate a TVR Cerbera or Tuscan, however after doing lots of research I soon get put off the idea. The Rover V8 in the older Cerbera's are more reliable but the newer speed six engines WILL need a rebuild at some point and I am surprised at the number of cars which have had 2 or 3 rebuilds, most at less than 50k miles. Not to mention electric issues, water ingress or the myriad of other problems they seem to suffer from.

I know the internet can often be a magnet for bad luck stories and worst case scenarios but a look on the PH TVR page for instance will show at least half the posts talking about owners having one issue or another, the odds just aren't in your favour of having a trouble free ownership experience I'm afraid. Still if I had the time and a £10k emergency slush fund to fix it when it went wrong, I'd have one as they are stunning.

[RCUK]

Think im gonna bow to higher knowledge here... and similar to RogerXP ...
gonna leave that itch unscratched, and the credit card less hammered!!

Dont mind paying to keep a car running with repairs etc... but horror story type bills i could do without

At the moment having trouble selling the corrado as it just does everything asked of it, doesnt cost me a penny bar servicing and fuel!

[Jat]

I looked at TVRs a while back, and think looks and performance wise they are a superb package, and can really thrill if not kill you!

Somone told me that owning and running a TVR is like having a child with a rebellious nature. The analogy goes like this: your child will likely get bad school reports, and will often be sent home after a long detention, and will also end up getting suspended a few times. However, as it is your child, you will still love it. If you couldn't love a child like that, then a TVR is not for you.

[J44KPR]

What about VX220 turbo?
Bit more tame & tonnes of tuning potential

[RCUK]

id love a VX220 ... but im a little bit big i think for the car.

Would look like im wearing it

[Kerr]

Originally Posted by J44KPR

What about VX220 turbo?
Bit more tame & tonnes of tuning potential

The Z20LET is a good enough engine.

Weak turbos though and in the back of a vx220 it is a challenge to keep cool when modified.

[SteveC]

If you enjoy driving a TVR, you may also enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX7p3...eature=related

[dopper99]

Originally Posted by J44KPR

What about VX220 turbo?
Bit more tame & tonnes of tuning potential

VX220 is a great car, I know a couple of people that have had them. Bastard to get in and out of though. They have a massive sill to climb over to get in it.

Why not push a couple of K's more and get a Z4M?

[chrisbin]

Use a specialist to inspect cars and get the right one, look after it - garage and battery conditioner are essentials - and they are great cars.

A lot of the stories stem from people trying to use them as everyday cars and expecting Porsche reliability, and indeed driveability! Have one as a second car and a lot of these issues go away.

I loved my Chimera and the only thing that went wrong with it in 2 years was the boot release failed - fixed with some bicycle brake cable!! Absolutely awesome soundtrack and always made a journey an occassion. But.....my e90 handled better, so it had to go!! Sold it for what I paid for it.

My friend had 3 Cerberas from new which he used everyday....awesome performance, lovely cabin etc etc....in the end the depreciation got to him and he got a Boxster....which never ever gave him as much pleasure, but significantly less pain!!