:: TVR S Series Buyers Guide ::

This is the Buyers Guide recovered from tvrsseries.com, and reprinted here in full

Some of the Photos are missing but will be replaced later, as others become available

As with all TVR's, there can be problems with S series cars, and as a general rule, the later the car is the better it will be. Obviously there are cars available without service history, if you are considering one of these ensure the price reflects this. Allow at least a 15% reduction if no history at all, a full book of TVR stamps probably increases the price by 10%.

General

It is definitely advisable to do some research before you buy - know which model you want, how much it should cost, and what problems you should face. An excellent source of information on the S Series is Steve Heath's book, available through the TVR Car Club. Steve has his own web site, which is worth a look.

Buying from a dealer can give added benefits, but expect to pay up to 20% more (especially TVR main dealers). Insurance can be found at very good prices, there are web sites covering TVR insurance, see the links page. Top Marques and Exchange and Mart are popular publications for the sale of all TVR's, and with the cars grouped together they also give a good idea of which prices are high or low.

The TVRCC is an excellent source of information, and the monthly magazine also contains a large For Sale section. Go to see more than one car - before I bought mine I saw eleven and eventually bought the car in Doncaster (I live in South London).

Colour can make a difference to value, reds and dark greens seem popular. I have seen one yellow S with a black roof and it looked great, but they are rare. Colours certainly weren't as diverse as the modern Griffiths/Chimaeras.

For the record, performance for all the models is recorded as 0-60mph in 6.8 secs, and a top speed of 140mph. Though nowhere near the power of a modern Griff 500, the S series is thoroughly entertaining, quick enough to impress your friends, and has aged quite well.

Chassis

The chassis on the S is a tubular space frame made of steel, and therefore can rust. On the early S1/S2 cars, there was no mud guard behind the front wheels, which allowed water and mud to get onto the chassis structure behind the wheel arch. On all models the chassis is covered with a sprayed on polymer finish, which cracks and falls off with time. This can then rust quite badly, and the underneath of the car should be checked thoroughly.

Engine

The Ford 2.8 and 2.9 injection engines are generally reliable and long lasting, so high mileage shouldn't be a problem. Perform the usual checks for burning oil, etc, and listen to any camshaft wear. The 2.9 engine is better, and the 2.9 cat engine develops slightly more torque.

Brakes

The V8S and S4C had disk brakes all round, otherwise you are stuck with drums at the back. Check the fluid has been changed (should have been if car has TVR history), and that the front disks are not warped. Suspension - much improved from the S3 onwards, bushes can wear and shock absorbers take a hammering. Check all wheel bearings as a matter of course, and check for play in the upper balljoints.

Steering

The earlier cars (S1 and S2) had nylon steering column UJ's, these can wear in the space of 2000 miles. Later cars had steel ones fitted and these are much better, though they still suffer a great deal of stress due to the size of the tyres. Check for play in the rack in general, remembering the steering is not that great in the S series generally - do not expect Alfa GTV response on a test drive.

Interior

Changed during the cars production run several times, and is one example of every car being slightly different (see model range). There were several options, including full leather (half leather was standard, i.e. seats only - dashboard and doors are covered in leatherette), wooden steering wheel and gearknob, and adjustable pedal boxes (at the factory). Switches are from TR7's and other wonderful British 1970's machinery - sometimes difficult to obtain. Electric windows often suffer from being slow (especially the drivers side) and most cars leak - not necessarily from the roof, but from the bulkhead where water runs down off the windscreen and seeps through holes for the wires/cables.

Bodywork

TVR bodywork doesn't rust - hurrah! (from a former Alfa owner) but the fibreglass can suffer from starring and glazing, and early cars certainly can start to look tatty. Doors can drop so check this carefully, and the boot stay on S1/S2's breaks easily. The front of the bonnet always gets a hammering from stone chips etc, and a respray can be expensive (£1000+).

Tyres

Standard fitment were Bridgestone 205/60 VR15 RE71's, which are no longer available. See Steve Heaths web site for more info on tyres in general.



So You Want to Buy One?

If you are definitely going to get one buy the Bible by Steve Heath

Its generally thought better to try /check a few "S" cars before buying one, the problem with that is after checking four or five you realise the first one was a good one and it's now sold. A better method is to join the TVRCC and attend some meets where you can talk to current owners, and they will point you in the right direction. They might even attend a viewing with you.

If your still unsure about buying one by yourself you can always get a specialist* to inspect it for you, cost a bit for the inspection but well worth it, or you can buy from a reputable dealer

*specialist does not mean AA or RAC but the likes of Rob Ingleby etc

Visit the "S" forum on Pistonheads for up to date contacts, and the PH classifieds usually has quite a few "S" cars for sale

Check all things below before driving the car as rose tinted glasses have an effect

Checklist

1. Check the chassis, this is probably the most important check to make ,if its rotten full body removal can be required to repair at a cost of up to approx £3k.

One of the main items to look at are the outriggers, trailing arms and rear seat belt mount, these can be easily overlooked as they are not very accessible. Get the car up in the air on axle stands or a post lift if possible, and have a very good look, the rust on the chassis usually shows up on the top rather than the bottom.

This picture (to be added soon!) shows whereabouts on the car to find two of the major weak spots for rust on the chassis, namely the "outriggers" and "seat belt mount"

Don't worry if your outriggers don't look like "near perfection" most wont, they probably have been repainted and coated in waxoyl or similar. So long as they're solid they're fine, preferably they will be covered in waxoyl or similar.

Also pay particular attention to the rear trailing arms, the seat belt mounts and the general area around where the radiator sits and the bonnet hinge.

2. Check all indicators, headlights, taillights interior lights, fog lights and switches etc work, and neither of the headlights are cracked or holed.

3. Check the alarm and/or the immobiliser works and all certificates are available or at least in invoice of work being done. Could prove quite dear as many insurance companies insist on seeing the certificate or other evidence. There are many different types of immobiliser and alarms fitted so I can't say how they should work.

4. Check the log book/history file for any major gaps and check the service reports as these tend to inform of work than needs to be done. So on older service reports check work was done, on newer reports find out how much it will cost to do. Also check front and rear number plates have same dealer name, it might point to it having had a shunt. Also check there are invoices, to back up the log book and any work claimed, these can get lost in house moves etc and the condition in which they are kept. I.E. are they stuffed into and envelope or a nice A4 ring binder, this can tell you a lot about the owner.

5. Check the general condition of the car, i.e. is the dash all peeling or cracking are the carpets ok, is the paintwork severely "crazed" and stone chipped, are the seats in good condition. Generally make sure you are happy with the general condition.

6. Check the wheels for damage, the "S" was generally built using four types of wheel

The Oz slotted which was meant to be fitted to the earlier cars but I have seen them on V8S car so they probably are fitted to all sorts

The Oz eight spoke which is a very popular choice (biased opinion here) for fitting to the "S" throughout its life. Becoming difficult to source replacements now

The Chimera five spoke which was fitted to S4 and V8S although it could also be found on S3 knowing TVR. Fairly easy to find replacements as there are many on the Chimera which tend to get up graded

The Oz racing was fitted to the latter cars as well, they look superb when fully clean but can be difficult to clean and keep clean

7. Check the seals around the door and window, they should all be in good condition

8. Check the steering for excessive play by

A) Try pushing/pulling the steering wheel towards you when sitting in the drivers seat any play in this direction will mean the bulkhead bearing is worn, not too dear to put right though. When refitting use a roller bearing they are much better.

B) Try turning the wheel from left to right, there should be very little play before you feel resistance. Any play could be due to worn universal joints or the steering rack is worn.

9. Check the windscreen for damage and delaminating. Delaminating can be seen by a white appearance around the edge. Not too much of a problem but does not look nice.

10. Check the running temp. The V6 engine should be at 90°C at all times whilst the V8 should be 90°C it can rise to 100°C at an alarming rate do not worry if it runs slightly cooler. Make sure the fan cuts in

11. Check the oil pressure the V6 should be 50-70psi and the V8 30-40psi. Also have a quick check of the condition of the oil by taking of the filler cap and making sure there is no emulsified oil around, could be a sign of a blown head gasket. Check the oil level and the condition of the oil on the dipstick, is it clear or black the latter suggests its been running hot.

12. Check the doors haven't dropped, this is a typical thing that happens. Not the end of the world as its not usually a costly repair, but can be a severe pain in the neck to fix.

13. Check the wipers work, they wont be brilliant but they should function of sorts. "S" series cars are known for having poor wipers so don't panic if yours aren't too good.

14. Check the roof for damage particularly around the rear plastic screen and the stitching for the rear screen is intact and not falling apart

15. Check the windows raise and lower and the electric wing mirrors work.

16. Check the footwells for ingress of water by lifting the carpets up, this only shows if there is a leak not where it is. This is particularly important in the passenger footwell as this is where the electrics are situated.

17. Check all tools and roof panel bags are there as well as the spare wheel and jack

18. Check the exhaust the vast majority of original ones are well over 12 years old by now, so probably have cracks in various places. The manifolds have a tendency to crack as well. A stainless steel system is far better for enduring the bumps and scrapes of modern day driving.

19. Check the tyres have the same type (brand) on each axle, and are in good condition and Legal

20. Check for overspray it could cover a repair although common for noses to get re-sprays its not to common for the rear, so if you see overspray have a good look at that area

21.Check the battery is the correct size minimum 580 CCA but preferable to have 630 CCA



The Test Drive

1. Check the steering is precise and "tight" when travelling at normal road speed very little movement in the steering is required to change direction.

2. Check the voltmeter has risen from about 12.5v with engine off, to approx 13.5 to 14v with engine running, check the fuel gauge gives a reading, and both oil pressure and engine oil pressure read correctly

3. Check each gear engages properly, reverse can be a bugger, I found engaging 5th first is easier also check where the clutch bites as TVR's eat clutches 50k is typical life especially on the V8.

4. Check the tools, spare tyre and roof bags are in the boot and does the boot open properly.

5. Check the brakes are ok not spongy or binding.

Things Not To Bother About

Seat belts that jam when putting them on, strange rattles etc, this is common to all "S" series cars

Note:- none of the above on its own should stop you buying your "S" its just a question of price and are you prepared to get /do the work. Numerous faults point to it being a dog and you're probably better off walking away.

Visit this page (coming soon) for identifying the differences between the models

Happy shopping!

Please note this guide is intended as a guide only the author can not accept responsibility if you buy a lemon



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