JODY T Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 The car came in due to poor performance, the customer wanted it on the RR.. Our Dave went through it and found leakeage past one of the Valves... So the cust asked us to remove the engine to find out what the problem was... 3 DAYS later the engine was out! To say it was a PITA would be an understatement.. Its almost like Noble got the engine and built the car around it... That wouldnt be a problme if the engine was strong... Jason (Engine Builder) says looking at it the engine except the rods are standard Ford items!!!!! and arnt up to the job! This car has 24K on it!!!.... Plus the parts are stupid expensive, Noble are usless. In the end ive had to send the pistons away to a company in the US who will make me some forged ones.. The engine build will cost near to £15k.... Good car to hammer on a track? I think not.. Have a look in the pictures at where the battery is.. the engine/turbos completly enclose it and if you want to change the batt you cant as it exits upwards... But it cant as the engines in the way! Engine out to change a batt WTF! I do agree though its a lovely looking car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Off topic again but I found a nice Zeus for you Chris (which you've probably already seen anyway). http://www.racecarsdirect.com/viewlisting.php?view=13388 It's the sister car to mine, and they have even used some pics of my actual car in the advert, not that I'm bothered. Nice bit of kit, the engine's unique though, so one thing I *would* be a bit bothered about is it's longevity, although they did spend a fortune on its development. The car originally had a Russell Savory 2.5 V8 in it, but it gave such hassle they binned it and developed something totally different, engine wise, for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 What a crock of ****! Talking of build quality the chassis of a low production race car (only a handful made) like my Zeus is infinitely better made. The Noble is simply a dreadfully conceived and executed heap. It looks like the very first development hack from a Chinese bicycle maker moving into horseless carriages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieP Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 I like them and have looked at buying one a couple of times but strangely the owners have put me off buy telling me of the various issues they have had with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazboy Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Chris, seek out a chap called Justin with a dark blue M400 at your next trackday, the chap can really hussle one of these things and they *really* move. For this money I'd be looking at supercharged CTR Elises or Esprit V8TT's. The other Brit builders do not seem capable of building cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADD Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 Ive got a feeling i wont be getting one now! Never mind, thank you all for your info etc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daston Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Ive got a feeling i wont be getting one now! Never mind, thank you all for your info etc! dont rule it out dude if you really want one then just accept some of the things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieP Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Jonty on here has one, I think. He had one a few years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesmark Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Ive got a feeling i wont be getting one now! Never mind, thank you all for your info etc! dont rule it out dude if you really want one then just accept some of the things. What car does not have issues. The Supra can be a real pain too (mind you it does not have all that scaffolding around it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soop Dogg Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Jason (Engine Builder) says looking at it the engine except the rods are standard Ford items!!!!! and arnt up to the job! This is what I've heard too - the power that this engine puts out is massively beyond what the original (Ford lump) was designed to do. Saying it's highly stressed is apparently an understatement! I toyed with the idea of getting one of these about 2 years back, but in the end went with the massively under-stressed 5.7 litre LS1 engine in the C5 Corvette. In 18 months of ownership, I've changed the oil once and replaced the tyres. (which were the originals anyway) It's due a service in the next couple of months and that will be under £200. Nice car (IMHO) got loads of luggage space for going to Le Mans and cheap as chips to run = stress-free motoring! (Still have the Supe too though!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJI Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I have not heard of any major problems with these engines if they have been treated well. I have been looking into Nobles for over a year and they are pretty damn reliable machines. There is a Noble section on Pistonheads.... have a look through and I am sure there will not be many scary stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daston Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I have not heard of any major problems with these engines if they have been treated well. I have been looking into Nobles for over a year and they are pretty damn reliable machines. There is a Noble section on Pistonheads.... have a look through and I am sure there will not be many scary stories. I think its the same with TVR as soon as someone mentions their name everyone jumps up and down saying "oh the V8's snap cams, the new ones melt or catch on fire" When really the early Griff had a bad batch of Cam's and all were recalled (only around 4 actualy died), and the Early Speed Six engine did have some pretty major problems if not looked after and most of them have had rebuilds with better enginered parts. However I have not heard one owner say "its a crap car I wouldnt buy another one" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soop Dogg Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 I think its the same with TVR as soon as someone mentions their name everyone jumps up and down saying "oh the V8's snap cams, the new ones melt or catch on fire" When really the early Griff had a bad batch of Cam's and all were recalled (only around 4 actualy died), and the Early Speed Six engine did have some pretty major problems if not looked after and most of them have had rebuilds with better enginered parts. However I have not heard one owner say "its a crap car I wouldnt buy another one" Really? Then read this: CLICK Check out the posts by BLUETHUNDER, SeeFive ad 427James Amongst the vehicles i have,i currently run a TVR Cerbera.It expected on these that normal running costs are around £3000 per annum.Last year cost me closer to £4000,and this is without insurance,tax,m.o.t, and fuel. Cerbera clutch £1500 fitted by specialist Starter motor £360.£600 if fitted by specialist. I am reasonably familiar with the overpriced South Eastern TVR dealer network from about 6 years ago. Given that they probably had 2 of my 3 Griffs longer than I did over the 6 years of ownership (service = every 6000 miles, or 6 weeks at the time, lowest bill was £1300), and on the last one, depreciation and servicing over 2 years cost me 32k including a blown engine at 32,000 miles (normal wear and tear my arse - my lawyer convinced them differently), and they never managed to stop the alarm kicking in and cutting the engine mid bend from day one to day last.... The Cerb cost me 6k in 6 months. Well the starter failed again on the Cerb this morning.Thats four now in a little over four years. Going on all of these owners experiences of poor reliability and high cost of replacement parts, I'll stick with the Supra and my Vette, thanks. I don't need those kind of bills! These owners have all now moved on from TVR ownership as the TVR's were financially bleeding them dry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daston Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 ahh most of them are cerb's they had most problems as both the engines they got were both built inhouse and so the early ones of both the AJP8 and S6 had problems. So far the only problems my old man has had is a sticking starter motor and that was because the exhausts had no heat sheilding. Ok so they are not perfect but I am trying to say that if we all purchased cars just for the reliability and not how much fun they are then we would all have BMW's and Audi's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soop Dogg Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 ahh most of them are cerb's they had most problems as both the engines they got were both built inhouse and so the early ones of both the AJP8 and S6 had problems. So far the only problems my old man has had is a sticking starter motor and that was because the exhausts had no heat sheilding. Ok so they are not perfect but I am trying to say that if we all purchased cars just for the reliability and not how much fun they are then we would all have BMW's and Audi's. I could actually go on and give examples of other models - particularly with regard to build quality, but I really don't have time today. Suffice to say there is one chap who found certain parts of the chassis had no corrosion protection at all and were rotting out on a 3 year old car. (Just unacceptable IMO) He made up the tools to fabricate replacement parts just for his own car. Before long, after speaking with other owners at meets etc. he had enough interest that it became viable for him to manufacture the parts as a business. Apparently it's quite successful too.... Anyway - sorry about the thread hijack - back to the Noble...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 TVR front top wishbones are notorious for rotting from the inside out, a friend lent on one when he was working on the car and it folded in two, corroded to paper thinness. The car was 6 years old and mainly used on dry weekends, very low mileage. The cars are a total joke, I know of not s single person who has bought a second one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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