Triumph repairs

[Webb Sledge]

I'm just wondering, besides the obvious and standard maintanance (such as oil and fluid changes) how often does your Triumph break down or need a repair?

 

[Bob Buxbaum]

That's like asking a gardener how often he/she has to pull weeds!

 

[Steve]

It's like painting the Forth Bridge......finish one end and start again at the other. I'm kidding, but all LBCs need constant maintenance.

 

[mailbox]

I can't get 1 thing to work for 2 things breaking. And thats just my Minivan. We won't even discuss my "project".

 

[waltesefalcon]

honestly, my spitfire has only ever broken down on me three times, and none of those left me stranded, although when the electronic ignition caught on fire it nearly did. Everything else I have done has been routine maintance, new points, carb rebuilds, etc, or changes to make it more reliable, mechanical ignition, mechanical choke. I think the cars are very reliable the biggest problems being poor maintence and quirky technology, like the electronic ignition, and automatic shokes, which only work part of the time.

Cheers,

Walter

 

[Jon12]

My spitfire has been pretty dependable. It's never left me stranded but there is always something to fix or something that needs improvement. You will need a second car though or some friends you can rely on for rides to work/school. You'll have a unique and fun car though, Its been over a year and I havn't had any second thoughts about buying my spitfire.

 

[Geo Hahn]

At the risk of jinxing myself -- 31 years of driving TRs and they have always brought me home.

As noted, they do better when driven regularly plus you get to know your car so well that it talks to you and you can tell what needs attention.

That said, I still get a butterfly or two when I wake up in a motel room 500 miles from home on the last day of an event. Preparation, tools & spare parts in the boot and a bit of faith & luck are all you need.

 

[Webb Sledge]

Sounds encouraging. Mine will/would be driven at least twice a day, at the very minimum, throughout the whole year assuming it's in working condition. I have enough friends with cars that getting a ride should my car break down wouldn't be a problem. I would just hope that I find that it's not working the night before, rather than at 6:30 in the morning!

 

[urchin]

My '78 Spitfire 1500 took me through over 150,000 miles of daily driving from 1988 - 1998. I was stranded on two big occasions: a spun bearing took out the engine and a halfshaft yoke broke and required a new half-axle. And I got rid of the electonic ignition when it went and put in a used points distributor. All that happened over 9 years of daily use.

My '78 MGB ran me through 1998 - 2003. It required brake cylinder work, a new fuel pump, a throttle cable, an alternator, and was towed only twice - once when the fuel pump died and once when a deer attacked the car and smashed it up.

My '80 TR-7 (2003 - present) has needed clutch work [clutch fork bent], front wheel bearings, broken throttle cable, and a starter. After 14,000 miles, it still is a treat to drive.

The car is a treat to drive daily. I do have a coworker who can help with a ride, which is good. This one has stranded me twice.

Good luck,

Jeff

 

[Larry4A]

That is why the British did not invent computers, they could not get them to leak oil. My 4A always needs attention, small this and thats. The water pump shaft failed the other day on a nice drive, visually they look good but 37 years of use do take a toll, the end nut was gone, no threaded shaft to be seen and the pully stayed on fortunetly. Putting new pump on today so back on the road soon. But hey its a LBC. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/canpatriot.GIF

 

[Kurtis]

My TR4 needs fairly constant attention, but in the 3 years I've owned it, the only time it has been truly undrivable was during an engine rebuild. It has returned home twice at the end of a tow rope (both times shortly after I bought it). The first time I had a distributor cap fail (I now carry a complete set of spare ignition parts) and the second time my fuel pump disassembled itself. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Kurtis