How soft is a TR?

I would also like to hear comments on this topic. Always loved the looks of the TR and drove one a couple of months ago... not sure how the hold with regular use.

 

I put over 40k miles on my 1986 TR in 4 years with very little problems. That being said, I now have a 1982 BB512i and enjoy it much more than my ex-TR. Regardless, get a 12 cylinder Ferrari as you will never get the true Ferrari experience in an 8 cylinder car regardless of what the badge on the noise says!

 

I love my 86 TR and highly recommend them. The 12 cylinder engine has huge reserves of torque and the sounds are fantastic. The looks of the car aren't for everyone but I'm not everyone so I love it. They are quirky cars but what Ferrari isn't?

They just seem to have some issues that are unique to themselves. Single spline hubs on the wheels, metric tire sizes, mirrors in odd locations, A/C fan controls that only work on high speed, high costs for repairs, low hanging front spoilers, hard to acquire spare parts, soft alluminum body panels that dent if you look at them wrong, no rear speakers, and you have to pull the engine to do a major service every 5 years at a cost of about $8K.

The great things about the car are the low cost of entry. You can get a whole lot of car for about $50k. You can pay $10k less for one that needs some attention and you can pay $10K more for a car that is perfect and doesn't have some of the issues listed above. These were the top of the line cars at the time and they were the world's fastest exoctic cars for 11 years. They are still very fast even by today's standards. The look is unique and it grabs attention where ever you go. I love my Testarossa and it always puts a smile on my face when I drive it. The extra weight of the larger car along with the lack of power steering and brakes and the gated shifter make it somewhat of a tough car to get used to driving but after a 1,000 miles or so you'll be a pro.

 

I love my TR - have had it for nearl 1 1/2 months now.
I chose it because of the reasons you pointed out - easy entry cost.

I was initially in the 512TR / 355 market but chose the TR because:
1. I found the right car ( that's important ), not just any car
2. for the same price of the 512TR and 355, I was able to buy the TR. A tahoe and trailer to pull it around in.
3. Performance ability - no question that the 512TR and 355 kick my cars butt. However I drive like a wussy girl anyway, so unleashing that potential is not an issue for me.
4. Classic, screaming "I am a Ferrari" looks.
5. Big wide ass

What I don't like:
1. 2 speaker deal - easy remedy
2. Blocky dashboard - gets used to easily
3. Parts $$ - we all know about this going in anyway

Things I have been impressed with:
1. Easy driving - Even a wussy girl driver like me can drive the TR in the city.
My tahoe is harder to drive.
2. Fuel - better than I thought.
3. Chix dig it - Flashed twice in the first 3 days of ownership.
4. Looks cool

I have not owned a boxer, but recall that the Tr is supposed to be like a boxer but miles ahead in it's refinement. So a similar analogy would be like comparing a 355 to a 360. Both a phenomenal vehicles, but the 360 is just that much better.

So, if they are just the same price ( cheap now ) why not get the more refined car.

 

You're gonna get a mix of answers unless you know the particular TRs exhaust configuration. IMO, a completely stock US TR (intact pre-cats and cats with the stock silencer) is very "softish", and the mechanical ruckus is the more dominate beautiful noise rather than the exhaust note. The interior is also quite well-insulated from NVH, which might be a plus on a 500 mile trip, but I'd like a more raw/lighter set-up for around town (this is why we all want to find that infamous Matt L. Boxer -- build a stripped-out Boxer street rod on the cheap without having to ruin a perfectly good Boxer). I'm running no precats, but with cats and a Tubi, and with the windows fully up and the radio on I can hardly hear to shift -- but a TR with no pre-cats/cats and an aftermarket muffler will be a much louder beast.

 

Have had a TR for several years and have been working and servicing both for many years. Even though they are closely related the cars have very different characters. In my experience reliabilty is close but the Boxer has an edge. Parts are a bigger issue on a Boxer. Boxer is more exciting to drive but a TR is more civilized and advanced. TR is better for travelling, quieter interior noise, better luggage space, better A/C etc. Boxers have a slightly more fragile clutch and gearbox but both are weak in this area.

 

Have to chime in on this...Have an 86TR 3rd owner bought in 99 with 40k, have 51k on it now, drive it all the time on weekends. The 86TR is flawless in everyway, most of these cars by now with a good history have already been sorted out. Buy the best you can afford with records. The rest is history.
Buy what you want, not what others think.Enjoy the ride !!

 

Agreed. That is the setup I run in my early 85 euro. But it is a very sweet loud sound and not that bad in the cockpit. The flat12 sound is so sweet in fact that I haven't turned on the stereo since the exhaust was installed back in Dec.

Kenny K.

 

TRs are way too soft, only pansies drive TRs LOL

 

I am sure the 12 cylinder has plenty to offer but no one can write off the V8.

IMO, the 360CS would be that much more fun than the 575.

 

in performance any of the testarossas have enough to get you in and out of trouble, in some ways. From my point of view I had more fun driving a 328 than the testarossa if driven up to 60% of either car potential. Only when pushing the testarossa I liked it better and of course the image and sound of the testarossa was always a far step over the 328. I would never call a tr soft in performane.

 

BBs are nice, No question its a great car but the 512TR. Thats THE car. More power, better brakes, AC that really works, awesome looks (BB looks great too) & a good engine management system.

 

The air pump system on a US TR is a much less HP penalty than the earlier air pump systems (e.g., on a 2-valve 308) since on the TR the air pump is deactivated after warm-up by an electromagnetic clutch and there are no additional obstructions added to the exhaust system near the heads.

(Not that they can be trusted , but) I believe the US TR is rated at 380 HP while the non-cat TRs are rated at 390 HP ("euro" is not the best description since a later CH version TR is virtually identical to a US TR).

One other difference is that the non-cat TRs use a more aggresive ignition timing profile compared to the cat-equipped TRs so I can believe "no cats + more aggresive ignition" = 10 HP

 

Also a non-cat, non-air pump Tr with a lighter exhaust will be a good bit lighter improving the hp-to-weight ratio. And we all know what that means.

Kenny K.

 

Yes, all red Ferraris are faster than black ones. Or at least look faster.

K.

 

**** it...I'm moving to Canada!