• Hi Guest!
    If you appreciate British Car Forum and our 25 years of supporting British car enthusiasts with technical and anicdotal information, collected from our thousands of great members, please support us with a low-cost subscription. You can become a supporting member for less than the dues of most car clubs.
    There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this gawd-aweful banner
Tips
Tips

Which Car?

Share this page

S

spiritofdriving

Freshman Member
Offline
Which would you choose? Use: daily driver (which means to work times a week) Keep in mind it would be an early Miata, preferably without power steering, abs, or air coditioning. Therefore don't chose the Miata on account of creature comforts... or reliability. A TVR has always been my goal... but the price of gas has me seeking elsewhere. Also, my dad plans to convert his M to Zetec power this summer, which is a project that I would want to do to mine, when I get one, but wouldn't be able to afford. So what'll it be?
 
I have a '91 Miata, and it can very easiy be used as a wonderful daily driver. Mine doesn't have power steering, but I'd actually suggest going for PS, because the car is extremely heavy at low speeds.

You might be concerned with reliability, but TVRs are not painfully reliable, and parts availability can be problematic. The thing to think about is if you're in a minor fender bender, how long will it take to fix a TVR vs. Miata? Or for that matter, if you blow a headgasket, or your gas cap fails. It's the stupid stuff that often makes your head spin when you have a low production car.
 
If you're looking for regular transport the Miata would be the better choice... and I am thinking not just about reliability (though I suspect an old Miata would be as or more reliable than a simialrly aged TVR) but the ease of maintenence and availability of parts and outsourcing work if necessary....

... and is it possible that the TVR might just get pushed a little harder than the Miata, with consequences, perhaps? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
 
There are a lot of different types of TVRs.

My favourites are the 1600 Kent-powered cars. The 2500M is a good-looking car, but I'm not a big fan of the TR engine.

But all these TVRs are *old*. Even a '90 Miata is much newer than most TVRs. The older a car is, the more problems your are likely to see (unless it's a *perfect* restored car).

I love my '00 Miata...it's a perfect compliment to the Spridget I also own.
And for the record, my stock Miata (with a/c, electic windows, CD player, street tires and power steering) will turn faster laps at Lime Rock than my race car with race tires.
 
You didn't provide the distance of the drive to work, or the kind of traffic, or other things but I would have to say if you want a TVR then get a TVR. For the 2500M the mechanicals are largely TR6 (as in engine, transmission, differential, suspension uprights, hubs) as well as things listed above like the gas cap, but if the car is not restored then it is a 30 year old car. Not that this should stop you if you want to (talk to Barry Rowe, TVRCCNA webmaster, who only drives TVRs daily between his 2 280i's and his 2500M). Damage is a concern if you're in an accident, so I wouldn't drive my 2500M to work daily in DC, but if I were still in Avondale, PA (my parents home) and driving the 3 miles into Kennett Square I'd do it. If you're not heart-set on the 2500M you could also go with a newer wedge (either from the US or the later ones from Canada) or even find the $ somehow to get an S1,S2,S3, or Griffith from Canada (which would put you in the same age range as a Miata). Parts availability for the TVR is not bad for a British car with the presence of TVR-specific companies in addition to the usual Triumph parts sources (I have an easier time finding parts for my 2500M than for my father's Sunbeam Alpine). You might also talk to Marshall Moore (TVRCCNA President) as he just purchased Classic Motor Works and would have a good idea of the availablility of TVR-specific parts like A-arms, radiators, and body panels either through CMW, or the others like TVR NA, Exactly-TVR, and David Gerald Sportscars. Oh, and the TVR was tested at 26MPG by Road and Track in April 1974 ("25MPG & Over: 17 cars if all types, shapes, & sizes that will give you that kind of economy this year"), versus 29 for the 1990 Miata (https://www.web-cars.com/math/miata_mileage.html)

As was said earlier, though, risk is a factor and depending on where and how far you drive a Miata may be a better choice. I'm graduating in 3 weeks and looking for a new daily now because I'll be working in either Richmond or DC and don't want to put the 2500M on the interstate every day.
 
Get a 2500. You can pretty much fix the engine with duct tape and sealing wax. All the parts are available, and plenty of places can rebuild them.

It wont go down in value and you want one anyway.

An old Miata is just that - an *old* Miata. Not that there is inherently anything wrong with Miatas, but they aren't what you want.

If it gets hit, you can get it fixed. Just make sure you have good, agreed value, coverage. Once it is properly sorted, I see it as no less reliable than a 15 year old Mazda. It for sure is a LOT prettier.

mnsho - ymmv of course.
 
I forgot to mention that my dad has countless spares (i.e. Three TR6 diffs, a Tr6 Motor-which was taken from his M, plus other harder to find items) so I'm convinced i can - and will - run a TVR. I agree with you, aeronca65t, the kent powered cars are my favorite also. I rarely see vixens for sale though. My dad is friends with a mechanic who owns a Vixen that he hasn't driven for about a year, but last time i asked him, he wasn't willing to part with it yet. SO, my search for a TVR continues. Hopefully I'll be able to make a purchase sooner than i originally expected, maybe even in June. Thanks for the input everyone.
 
I definitely prefer the Kent-Vixen over the 2500M-TR

I would wait until one becomes available

As far as the TVR-vs-Miata thing goes.........
My bro has an early Vixen that he can't seem to make water resistant.
The 4 speed requires about four thousand RPMs at 65 mph.
The suspension is so tight that it occasionally goes airborne & he has 3" clearance.
Also, the well known rear axle breakage problem is down right scary.

All things considered.......I'd go for the Vixen......D**n the torpedoes (Miatas) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Back
Top