Up to £45K for a weekend car, the answer...

[Ari]

Well the "What weekend car upto £45K?" question wasn't entirely hypothetical, this was a discussion I'd been having with a friend of mine very recently, and this weekend, for her at least, the question was answered, and I thought for all of those interested or kind enough to comment I'd post it up.

And here it is, a new TVR Tuscan MKII Convertible.

Now I know what you're all thinking, I thought the same. You could have a Porsche Boxster for that! Or a used 911 Carrera. But bear with me a minute because I spent a little time with the lucky owner and the car this weekend, and do you know, I'm starting to see the point...

Ok, lets do the "What Car" bit first. No, it's not as good as a Boxster. It doesn't have the build quality, it doesn't have the equipment, you have to take the roof off by hand and stuff it in the boot, and the stalks are out of a Ford Orion. It's noisy, it's quite cramped, and safety? Well, no air bags, no ABS, no traction control, no ESP, just you and (hopefully) a dose of common sense.

Would you buy this car over a Boxster and expect to use it every day? No, you'd hate it.

BUT. But but but...

This car was never bought to be used every day. This car was bought to keep in the gararge, and to provide the biggest thrill, and the biggest smile for the buck, and keep costs under control with no expensive surprises that a used F355 for example could give you.

And suddenly, it starts to come into focus.

Firstly, it looks like nothing else on the road. It looks like the sort car people in the eighties thought we'd be driving in the 21st century. You would not believe the kind of reaction this car gets from, well, everybody. And not only that, but it sounds like nothing else on the road either. What this car is, is an event. Something really very special. Something that, far from majoring on sound deadening, NHV suppression and cosseting, actually goes entirely the other way. It's actually designed to hardwire the experience straight to your brain through every sense in your body. Just getting in it sets the pulse racing. The interior is frankly awesome, unlike any other car interior I've ever seen. It's special, it's an experience, and it sets you up for what the car does.

<u>What the car does.</u>

Now this is where it gets really interesting. Lets forget that Boxster for a minute. Lets even forget that used 911 that was within budget. In fact lets forget budget altogether for a second and take a look at the very latest purest fastest 911, the new GT3. It's in Evo this month. They describe its performance thus:

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Performance claims are outrageous. Hook up the flat six perfectly off the line and you'll be past 100kph (62mph) in 4.3 seconds, 100 in 8.7 seconds. These are proper supercar numbers. At £79,540 the GT3 almost looks a bargain.

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The Tuscan does 60mph in 4.2 secs, and 100mph in 9 secs!

It's virtually GT3 quick, but at almost half the price!

And this really is the thing with this car. I'm not going to pretend it's better than a Boxster, it's not. But as an experience , as something to cherish and enjoy, something to deliver serious thrills, a proper challenge, and above all a real serious hardcore blast, well there really is nothing to touch it at the price.

I'm not saying I'd buy one, but I am saying I see the point now. It really is something else.

Oh, and the icing on the cake? It even comes with a three year warranty these days!

PS. Interested in peoples thoughts, but please bear in mind that Trevors proud new owner might be reading this at some point...

[bazza_g]

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Oh, and the icing on the cake? It even comes with a three year warranty these days!

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but still no airbags / ABS or traction control ?

seriously, cracking car, dropdead looks, stunningly fast and a perfect weekend motor

[CabGirl]

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Oh, and the icing on the cake? It even comes with a three year warranty these days!

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Isn't TVR on the verge of going bust?

[Ari]

Under consumer law, warranty obligations fall to the dealer, not the manufacturer.

[Chris_B]

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And here it is, a new TVR Tuscan MKII Convertible.

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That is just awesome!

[5to1]

As purely a weekend car it makes some sense.

But you still want some reliability. Turning the key on a nice Sunny Saturday only to discover the car fancies a day off, isn't going to put much of a smile on your face.

Hope your friends got a Good One. I've heard some horror stories from people who've had TVR's as weekend cars. Although there was also one guy that used to drive one into work everyday without a problem.

[cruiser647]

And it sounds like no other. (better than the Porsche flat six IMHO)

That sound will wake the dead from 100 yds - it's a great sound too hear.

[cruiser647]

Also, I hope she knows how to drive it.........they can be a bit leary to the unweary!

Reliability? I know a bod who used to drive one to work too. No probs there.

[sayerbloke]

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But you still want some reliability. Turning the key on a nice Sunny Saturday only to discover the car fancies a day off, isn't going to put much of a smile on your face.

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And for that reason alone, I'd never own a TVR

Otherwise, yep, agree 100%, stupendous cars. If a TVR is your sort of thing, virtually nothing else will satisfy you

Oh, and Ari, another good write up. Demonstrating again how you got so far in that journalist competition!

[lottiefox]

I'm sorry Ari (and Trevor's new owner) but I could not spend 45K on something (weekend or otherwise) that has no safety features and a warranty that is worth less than something written on the back of a fag packet given TVR's current woes! Yes, I am sure it is fast, I am sure it turns heads, and I am sure it has an appeal. To be fair I have not driven a TVR so I may be eating my words if I ever do drive one. I may love it and immediately go and buy one! They have their place and could be great cars - the fact they are in such awful straits at the moment is testimony to what they could have achieved and what they haven't unfortunately managed to do....

But, maybe if its a weekend toy, then the speed, smile factor and the fun per bhp will outweigh the downsides. Its sure faster than my MX-5 I am sure!!

[djcool]

I think TVR's are awesome, a couple of good friends have got a TVR as a weekend car and they are stunning.

But for the money, I'd get a tip top Ferrari 328 GTS and have £15-20k left over to earn interest tucked away

[CarMad]

Cracking car Ari. Something to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end ever time you bury the throttle into the carpet. Thats what its all about. I hope that it runs well and has few hiccups.

Oh and you can't do this with a Boxster.

[Ari]

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Oh and you can't do this with a Boxster.

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That is fantastic

[JamesB]

Cracking car but I'd have a lot of concerns about buying a new TVR at the moment, what with warranty concerns now up there with reliability concerns.

I probably wouldn't go for new full stop but it's not my car and I certainly wouldn't be sad to own one. I hope they're very happy with it.

[Ian_C]

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A new TVR Tuscan MKII Convertible. This car was never bought to be used every day. This car was bought to keep in the gararge, and to provide the biggest thrill, and the biggest smile for the buck, and keep costs under control with no expensive surprises that a used F355 for example could give you. And suddenly, it starts to come into focus.

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Depreciation on a 355 Spider is now glacial, so despite costing 2k a year to service, it would be far cheaper overall to run the Ferrari as a weekend car when you factor in the fact that a 2000 Tuscans go for well under 20k. Spending 2k on a 355 clutch is pence compared to TVR depreciation! You won't find even an early 348 for less than 20k - a 15 year old car - and pristine late model Spiders still command 35k.

The depreciation game....

Ian

[NewNiceMrMe]

Hmm, I'm not sure where you get those figures from Ian (355 servicing) but even the likes of Verdi and other independents will charge you a lot more than that. Looking at the 'menu' price is very misleading.

I'd also say a pristine late model 355 Spyder goes for a hell of a lot more than £35k (my apologies if it was the 348 you were referring to). From my research I could see nothing worth buying for less than £45k - and you really needed to spend £55k to get a truly mint example.

[Ian_C]

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<font color="#666666">Ian_C</font>

You won't find even an early 348 for less than 20k - a 15 year old car - and pristine late model Spiders still command 35k.

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<font color="#666666">MrMe</font>

I'd also say a pristine late model 355 Spyder goes for a hell of a lot more than £35k (my apologies if it was the 348 you were referring to).

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Indeed.

Ian

[mccombie_5]

I love that TVR, its s stunning motor, and the coolest weekend toy by far. Always drop dead gorgeous, and they make the ebst noise ever.

Wish your mate the best of luck with it

[P_G]

I have driven a TVR, a 4.5 Cerbera to be precise. And I do get the point, but on a wet day it scared the out of me.

Plus is it me or is the mark II Tuscan looking a bit bland next to a Sagaris, which lets be honest, is a far better handling and faster car. MMMmmmm Sagaris...

[Booster]

Having been in Lagoo's (where has he fecked off to?) Tuscan I can say it is a truely frightening experience

Bloody fast car!

I wish your friend good luck. Please tell him to be very careful.

[chazzy]

sadly, TVR's and lambo's are the only cars i will wind the window down for. says it all really, buying must be a real heart and head job, oh and you KNOW the driver runs on 99 octane testosterone. Medallion optional!

chas

[Chris_B]

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oh and you KNOW the driver runs on 99 octane testosterone. Medallion optional!

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I'm sure she won't be wearing the medallion...

[Ari]

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But you still want some reliability. Turning the key on a nice Sunny Saturday only to discover the car fancies a day off, isn't going to put much of a smile on your face.

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And for that reason alone, I'd never own a TVR

Otherwise, yep, agree 100%, stupendous cars. If a TVR is your sort of thing, virtually nothing else will satisfy you

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I think thats the key, you either "get" TVR's in which case nothing else comes close,especially for the money, and you're prepared to live with the cars basic and potentially tempremental nature, or you don't in which case you maybe appreciate what they're about, but wouldn't actually ever buy one.

If I'm honest I probably fall into the later catagory, but in a way that meant experiencing this one and beginning to appreciate what it's about more interesting.

The owner of this one had a Griffith previously so I guess knows TVR's foibles, appreciates what they're all about, and ultimately just loves them so fair enough really.

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Oh, and Ari, another good write up. Demonstrating again how you got so far in that journalist competition!

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Why thank you.

[NewNiceMrMe]

I think it's a good choice.

Personally, not the choice I'd have made, but the TVR Tuscan II would have been a close second to a Noble GTO-3R - but we're talking new with a 3 year warranty here so the TVR is bang on the value for money target.

I looked at Tuscan when I was investigating the Noble plan, because the dealership was a shared one.

Ari is right about the interior although I think the cream and piped blue ones look the best. There was a dark blue Tuscan II in the dealership I went to with Prussian Blue piped cream leather - and it was drop dead gorgeous.

In my opinion you have to drive a TVR to appreciate what it's all about, or at least go out in one. You're truly entombed in a cacophony of noise and exhilleration and there is very little out there to touch them.

Speed wise, well they're devastatingly fast in a straight line - but you really do need to know how to drive very well indeed to get the best out of them on twisty roads.

Bringing this forward to present day I'd be concerned about depreciation because Tuscan's can be had for well under £30k with less than 10,000 miles on the clock (4.0 Speed Six's) - but if we always worried about depreciation then let's face it we shouldn't be buying a car. Besides, who am I to talk, I own a 6 series...

That said....well it's a weekend car, it's a fun car and it's going to give it's new owner unbelieveable pleasure over the coming years I'm sure.

As has been said, they look like nothing else on the roads, they certainly sound like nothing else on the roads - and they'll pretty much annihilate anything else on the roads...in a straight line at least!

[5to1]

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Also, I hope she knows how to drive it.........they can be a bit leary to the unweary!

Reliability? I know a bod who used to drive one to work too. No probs there.

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Maybe thats the key. Drive them regularly and get the hiccups out of the way early. Whereas experiencing them 1 weekend at a time probably gets frustrating.

Ever since I saw and heard the one at my old work place, I've been tempted. But I bottled it and got the E46 coupe instead. Which wasn't all that reliable after all

I actually wrote to BMW (and told the dealer) saying: The cars a great drive, looks great, and is comfortable. However, if i'd been prepared to put up with this kind of reliability and service, I would have got a TVR. As that would have driven circles around this.