TR myths an owner’s perspective

As a TR owner i have read a lot of great info on these forums which have tremendously helped me and i also read a lot of comments from at times non owners on what a TR is like to own or feels like to drive so, in my short ownership here is what i believe i have learnt

1-Myth number one: TR are slow.

No they are not even by modern standard . If you focus on 0-60, 5.2 seconds is not fast i give you that but it has to be put in perspective.
The TR runs the 1/4 mile in about 13.2 seconds, a huracan in 10.6.
A huracan does 0-60 in 2.6 secs which means that after 60mph a TR essentially pulls just as much as a huracan. Not bad for a 30 year old car i’d say

2-Fact number one the TR has terrible brakes

By all accounts i still wonder what went through ferrari’s mind to create a car that can go to 180mph and brakes so bad. In the city or highway they are good enough but track or spirited driving you will be truly scared.
I recommend keeping the original wheels and tyres and brakes but whilst u own it, if you plan such spirited driving, 512 TR upgraded brakes or brembo brakes are a good idea

3-Myth 2: The TR is hard to Drive

If you read this forum long enough you will clearly have read people complaining about the steering being heavy, the clutch, the 2nd gear not going if car is cold etc.
To me its a myth and it all depends of who you are and where you learnt to drive. Being European i never had an automatic car or power steering for a long time.
The TR at super low speed is hard but once you get her rolling it’s piece of cake.
The clutch, chances are that if its that hard the car has some kind of issue. Mine is really easy and it depends i guess on the car you test drive.
The TR is also comfortable; i am rather athletic at 6”1 -200 and i fit super easily. I had my brother in law at 6”5 drive it and though he didn’t fit like a glove it was easy for him too
Lastly the TR have great visibility which make them super easy to drive in traffic, little blind spot

4-Myth and Fact: the tr do not handle that well
The fact is the TR has a center of gravity which is a bit too high, later corrected in the 512, which makes it that the car has some body roll.
The truth thoughis that, although the TR is no 360/430/458 it is no slouch in the twisties.
Switching gears,downshifting with the flat12 roaring, feeling the precise steering is just super fun and will bring you a LOT of joy!

One thing is: you HAVE to push her. If you want to see and experience it’s soul; keep the revs high; that’s where it wants to be; otherwise the TR feels like a mondaine GT.(to me)

5- Myth and Fact: The TR is a budget killer.

If you are used to Say AMG cars the TR will surprise you in good and bad ways.
The good thing is that a lot of things on TR can be done yourself as evidenced by some of our awesome members. Some parts like the brakes are decently priced too.
The issue will be to find parts and that people will ask ridiculous prices for them. Believe it or not but new catalytic converters for instance (no core échange) go for about $4k each, a fuel gauge $900 so not cheap.
Of course the dreaded diff failure could set you back another 6-8k, same for clutch and major.
That being said, aside the major, none of those prices are much different in the 430/458 etc

6-Myth :You can get a cheap TR with no issues.

By all means before a purchase do your due diligence. Before purchasing mine i went to florida to see a few TR’s in the 80-90k range which were advertised as serviced and great. When i got there the car were not at all as advertised.
Another one for sale locally here in the bay claimed to be all good, major done. I almost bought it but when i got there: cars latches to open fromt and rear trunk were not working (thats $1k each), glove box did not open, 2nd gear would take ages to warm up before going in.
The car is still for sale and when you ask that much for a car, though it is 30 year old, might as well have a car that’s as good as possible .
I saw too many people trying to flip them and that’s sad

7) Myth and Fact: The TR sound incredible

Honestly with all the regulations we had here in the 80’s and the original muffler it is NOT good.
Put a sports exhaust and test pipes and the TR comes alive. It is a very different kind of sound than you get in newer cars. My friend has this awesome set up on his 458 and it’s incredible but for some reasons it seems or feels not as genuine and fake. The TR has a soul, hard to explain but it is how i feel.

8-Fact: People love the TR

Everywhere i go i get compliments about the car and get the best spots at the local cars and coffee. The TR has that presence. What i like about it is that people are not hating: they give you the thumbs up, remind you of outrun or miami vice etc.
Compared to the newer lambo or ferrari the TR makes you pass for a gentleman that has tastes not a show off. Matt Farah thought the same in his one take

9-Fact: The handbrake is not The most reassuring thing.

I swear although mine is fully functional i would not park uphill in neutral with just the handbrake on

10-Fact the Flat12 is a strong engine

The boxer engine is actually very torque and doesn’t rev that high. It is a beautiful engine which can last a looong time. I have seen some TR’s with over 85k miles running like a charm!

Voila!
I am sure there are more facts and myths to be discussed but i thought this could help


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Beautiful 512 melvok!
The brakes are scary.
Another thing i will add that is scary is how direct the steering is and unpredictable the car can be over a bump .
It is very raw, not a 2017 amg, so what i mean by that is : if u are going to test the limits in a TR u better be brave and a good pilot... or on a smooth surface. I can tell with this car that one mistake and ur out ( and so is the car too lol )


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