Thought about gettign a T350C when I sold the VX, but with all the goings on in TVR, factory rumored to close (when I was looking), horror stories etc, I was put off. Quote happy with the M3, it's a top daily driver.
I think I might go for a Sagaris next year tho, or maybe a late T350?
I agree when you say they are one of the best looking cars imo ever made.
Tvr T350 - Can It Be An Everyday Car?
Started by
NOBLE
, Jul 11 2007 10:01 AM
51 replies to this topic
#22
Guest_Mikey (Guest)
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Posted 12 July 2007 - 07:55 AM
Mikey thats is stunning mate and thank you for sharing your experience of the car. Im drawing the conclusion that these cars are a good upgrade to the VX and with a good warrenty you could happily have a year of 'coverd' good motoring.
Can you purchase warrenty with 3rd party people or can you buy them with TVR? The cars I have been looking at are all about 4 year old.
- Noble
The official TVR warranty sold by dealers is supplied by a company called Auto Protect (MBI) Ltd. If you purchase the car privately you will have to pay for and pass a 101 point check at an offical dealer before Auto Protect will sell you a warranty. This only costs around £100 and even if you don't purchase a warranty I would recommend having this check completed before you buy any TVR as it is very thorough and gives you peace of mind. (I guarantee that if any 4 year old TVR has the original spiders on, one or more will be buckled)
I'm not sure about the cost of the warranty but if you call TVR power or Henley Heritage they should give you a price. One thing to bear in mind is if you want the full Wear and Tear package (which I have) then the mileage of your car must be under 50k.
#23
NOBLE
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Posted 12 July 2007 - 08:45 AM
How much did you pay for your warrenty if you dont mine me asking Mikey?
#24
Guest_Mikey (Guest)
Guest_Mikey (Guest)
Posted 12 July 2007 - 09:27 AM
The previous owner of my car purchased a 2 year warranty, there was 12 months remaining when he sold it to me.
Looking back over his paperwork it shows that Henley Heritage provide a years warranty as standard on cars they sell. Optional Wear and Tear for the first year is an extra £495. To purchase an extra year on top of this is £1495 for the Gold warranty option + W & T (£1250 for Standard).
so, £1495 a year for the most comprehensive package.
#25
cheeky_chops
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Posted 12 July 2007 - 08:34 PM
TTs cost him 13k in 9 months with full TVR warranty cover so that doesn't include the rebuild.
Unbelievable! In 3 years, my VXR has cost me 3x £140 services - and I am now rather unhappy having to pay £500 for all new discs, pagids and fitting!!
#26
l14mha
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Posted 12 July 2007 - 09:10 PM
sam, an engineer that i work with has a T350 as his daily drive....
he tracks it regually with me, we go out for spirited drives every weekend.
if you buy one you have to accept that things can go wrong.
sam checks his oil twice a week, he only uses shell helex oil.
he bleeds his water system weekly.
if you have any particular questions i can ask him for you.
he drives his car hard and will do approx 12,000 miles a year.
liam
#27
Rosso Rebel
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Posted 12 July 2007 - 09:16 PM
Mikey, your car is gorgeous 
We've had a 5L V8 Chimaera for 6 yeas now, and have recently been pondering an upgrade, but to be honest the speed 6 reliability issue has put us off - we can afford the running costs of the V8, and could afford day to day costs of the speed 6, but it's the engine re-build costs that have put us off so far....
Cant' image being without a TVR - they kind of get under your skin, the power, the roar of the enging, the hairs standing up on the back of your neck......
Noble, if you have the means I would thoroughly recommend owning one, however it's always advisable to get as new as possible and be prepared to add roughly 25% to the budget you set when you find the one you fall in love with!! 
We've had a 5L V8 Chimaera for 6 yeas now, and have recently been pondering an upgrade, but to be honest the speed 6 reliability issue has put us off - we can afford the running costs of the V8, and could afford day to day costs of the speed 6, but it's the engine re-build costs that have put us off so far....
Cant' image being without a TVR - they kind of get under your skin, the power, the roar of the enging, the hairs standing up on the back of your neck......
Noble, if you have the means I would thoroughly recommend owning one, however it's always advisable to get as new as possible and be prepared to add roughly 25% to the budget you set when you find the one you fall in love with!!
#28
Guest_Mikey (Guest)
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Posted 12 July 2007 - 09:43 PM
Mikey, your car is gorgeous
We've had a 5L V8 Chimaera for 6 yeas now, and have recently been pondering an upgrade, but to be honest the speed 6 reliability issue has put us off - we can afford the running costs of the V8, and could afford day to day costs of the speed 6, but it's the engine re-build costs that have put us off so far....
Cant' image being without a TVR - they kind of get under your skin, the power, the roar of the enging, the hairs standing up on the back of your neck......
Noble, if you have the means I would thoroughly recommend owning one, however it's always advisable to get as new as possible and be prepared to add roughly 25% to the budget you set when you find the one you fall in love with!!
Cheers!
I have to disagree a little with this. You don't necessarily have to buy as new as you can. If you find a 2003 model which has been looked after and had a recent engine rebuild to 2005/2006 spec then you have a car with the reliability of more modern TVRs but at a fraction of the cost.
#29
rik
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Posted 12 July 2007 - 09:48 PM
why do the engines need rebuilding so often? and what does a rebuild actually consist of?
#30
Guest_Mikey (Guest)
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Posted 13 July 2007 - 08:23 AM
why do the engines need rebuilding so often? and what does a rebuild actually consist of?
click for TVR power rebuild details
The Speed Six is a high power, low prodution volume, hand made engine. I admit, having to pay for a rebuild at at 20k miles is a bit daft but that's why we have warranties.
Edited by Mikey, 13 July 2007 - 08:25 AM.
#31
Lumpy Gravy
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Posted 13 July 2007 - 09:32 AM
why do the engines need rebuilding so often? and what does a rebuild actually consist of?
click for TVR power rebuild details
The Speed Six is a high power, low prodution volume, hand made engine. I admit, having to pay for a rebuild at at 20k miles is a bit daft but that's why we have warranties.
One story is that the speed six was designed by Al Melling in conjunction with TVR. TVR then made a very few changes to his designs so as to get round paying him his percentage, unfortunately one change concerned the oil lubrication systems. TVR got out of paying him but consequently reliability suffered.
Al Melling, designer of the HellCat, is viewed by some as one of the finest engine designers in the world. Many state TVR would be a different brand today had they not made this noose for themselves.
http://mellingsportscars.com/home.html
#32
da_murphster
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Posted 15 July 2007 - 04:12 PM
Hmmm.....I am having exactly the same dilemas but looking at a Tuscan or Tamora.
After lots of reading up it seems that they are very hit and miss but dont expect to get more than 25k of of an engine.
The big quality question for me (about to put up on pistonheads) is "would you happily drive your Tuscan/T350/Tamora to Austria by yourself?"
If I felt I could not actually drive or rely on my car to get me where I'm going I reckon the fun would dramatically drop!!
#33
NOBLE
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Posted 16 July 2007 - 08:50 AM
So the T350C I was looking at has 48K on the clock. Are we saying that it wil have defo had a rebuild and would have had newer speced engine parts? I know these are questions for the garage but having trouble getting through this past weekend.
#34
TurboTomato
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Posted 16 July 2007 - 09:37 AM
Sorry I'm a bit late to the party - been on hols
Mikey has covered pretty much everything you need to know. Get a warranty or save the money and have a pool of £5k ready in case of the worst - you might be lucky and get away with it!
I would add that you can easily use one every day but you need to have pretty deep pockets - insurance is pretty reasonable and servicing cheaper at indys (though that would make a TVR approved warranty null and void) but they drink a fair bit of petrol, especially if you use your right foot a bit! However, given the supercar performance, they really aren't that bad. IME as well, they run better when used on a regaular basis (PH will confirm this) - they don't like being sat around for weeks at a time, unused. So I would say you'd probably have less problems if you were using it every day than every other weekend or so. In the summer of last year I had to stop myself from using mine for absolutely everything
Cheeky - it's not quite as bad as it looks - the vast majority of that was depreciation (I bought at absolutely the worst time in TVRs history
) and being screwed for paying off the finance early. In 7500 miles it cost me £750 for insurance, £680 for a service and £80 for a bent spider.
Edited to add: Personally I wouldn't go for a 48k car unless it had definitely had a rebuild in the last 10k or so, and it was very cheap. Used prices seem to be very sensitive to mileage.
Mikey has covered pretty much everything you need to know. Get a warranty or save the money and have a pool of £5k ready in case of the worst - you might be lucky and get away with it!
I would add that you can easily use one every day but you need to have pretty deep pockets - insurance is pretty reasonable and servicing cheaper at indys (though that would make a TVR approved warranty null and void) but they drink a fair bit of petrol, especially if you use your right foot a bit! However, given the supercar performance, they really aren't that bad. IME as well, they run better when used on a regaular basis (PH will confirm this) - they don't like being sat around for weeks at a time, unused. So I would say you'd probably have less problems if you were using it every day than every other weekend or so. In the summer of last year I had to stop myself from using mine for absolutely everything
Cheeky - it's not quite as bad as it looks - the vast majority of that was depreciation (I bought at absolutely the worst time in TVRs history
) and being screwed for paying off the finance early. In 7500 miles it cost me £750 for insurance, £680 for a service and £80 for a bent spider.Edited to add: Personally I wouldn't go for a 48k car unless it had definitely had a rebuild in the last 10k or so, and it was very cheap. Used prices seem to be very sensitive to mileage.
#35
NOBLE
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Posted 16 July 2007 - 10:27 AM
TVR T350 that im interested in
I have been offered 15k for my turbo against this. So 3k and its mine. It has been a lease car hence the miles and has been serviced to suit. Its had head work last year (runners the guy said??!) and the oil pressure switch is being done as soon as the part comes in (leaking at the moment).
I have the 3k sitting in my back pocket...... Im worried Im buying into something I might not be able to afford. I can afford to run it but can not afford to rebuild it.....
Im not looking for one of you to tell me to buy it but now that you know more can you lads comment. All your thoughts are great taken in. Thanks in advance.
- Noble
I have been offered 15k for my turbo against this. So 3k and its mine. It has been a lease car hence the miles and has been serviced to suit. Its had head work last year (runners the guy said??!) and the oil pressure switch is being done as soon as the part comes in (leaking at the moment).
I have the 3k sitting in my back pocket...... Im worried Im buying into something I might not be able to afford. I can afford to run it but can not afford to rebuild it.....
Im not looking for one of you to tell me to buy it but now that you know more can you lads comment. All your thoughts are great taken in. Thanks in advance.
- Noble
#36
Cleancutyoungman
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Posted 16 July 2007 - 11:02 AM
I think you have just answered your own question there, Noble - were I in your position (can afford to run but not rebuild the engine) I'd advise giving it a miss until you have saved up the slush fund as recommended by the others. I personally know nothing about TVR's but have heard about the engine issues - and it would upset me if I had a car like that parked up unable to go anywhere cause I didn't have the money for a rebuild!
#37
NOBLE
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Posted 16 July 2007 - 11:20 AM
Insurance quote there of £1500 has also raised the bar. TBH looking like I dont have the spendable cash to clear it.
Nice thought though eh?
#38
TurboTomato
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Posted 16 July 2007 - 11:38 AM
Who was that with? Most of your average insurers on the net were giving me quotes of about that until I tried A Plan (who are TVR specialists) who gave me the quote of about £750, and who I went with.
I'd agree with cleancut though - if you're not 100% sure about this car then I'd give it a miss. Save your money and go and get something with lower miles and a full warranty. Definitely don't test drive it, that was the final straw for me - I knew I had to have one! They are very beguiling machines...
#39
Rosso Rebel
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Posted 16 July 2007 - 11:39 AM
Can't answer from a guy's perspective, but from a girl's 
As said before, in the same arena as you - can afford the car but not the extra running costs. You need to start listening to your head, and not your heart! BUT when you've got the extra £5k in your back pocket as a slush fund look into your options again.
Insurance - have you tried Tesco? We found them reasonable, and a good deal for a 2nd car at the same address......
As said before, in the same arena as you - can afford the car but not the extra running costs. You need to start listening to your head, and not your heart! BUT when you've got the extra £5k in your back pocket as a slush fund look into your options again.
Insurance - have you tried Tesco? We found them reasonable, and a good deal for a 2nd car at the same address......
#40
andyroo
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Posted 16 July 2007 - 11:45 AM
Insurance quote there of £1500 has also raised the bar. TBH looking like I dont have the spendable cash to clear it.
Nice thought though eh?
You gotta take some credit in the fact that you were seriously thinking of buying one...
If you really, really want one, you'll manage it. Save up for it, treat yourself for your next birthday or something. Live on bread and water for a year.
I'm in a similar situation with the VXT at the mo. Want to upgrade from my NA for a bit more pace; can just about afford to buy the thing, but the extra on insurance is pushing it where SWMBO is concerned. But, as I'm sure it is for both of us, theres always next year.
I think with a car like a TVR you need to sit on your hands for a bit and see if you still want one after a reasonable period of time and some honest calculations.
Good luck, I hope you make a decision that doesn't bankrupt you!
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