
£5,902 • £6,000 - £8,000
1988 TVR 280S
United Kingdom • 10 Dec 2025
Vehicle Details
AI Listing Summary
This 1998 TVR 280S has been upgraded with a 4.5 V8 engine and uprated suspension. It has completed long-distance tours, but needs some work, including clutch bleeding and rev counter repair.

Condition
6
The car has some cosmetic issues such as the rev counter not working. There is also mechanical wear with the clutch needing to be bled and an anti-roll bar being broken. Some reconditioning is required.
/ 10
Manual
Transmission:
SA9DS28P9JB019384
Chassis No:
Odometer:
55,000 miles
F999BKL
Reg Number:
RHD/LHD:
RHD
Description Later 4.5 V8 engine fitted; uprated suspension; new chassis; recently completed a 1,800 mile tour of Spain; advisory-free MOT; forced sale due to illness Launched at the 1986 Earls Court Motor Show, the TVR S-Series came about because Peter Wheeler realised that the wedge shape so fashionable in the early Eighties was dating fast so he wanted to return to the marque’s more traditional curves as seen on the M-Series of the early Seventies.
Initially powered by Ford’s 2.8 Cologne V6, from 1991 it was also available with the 3.9 V8 Rover engine, these V8S models being easily distinguished by the central hump in the bonnet to allow clearance for the larger engine.
This engine was subsequently ditched in favour of TVR’s new AJP8 engine which was designed in-house and was fitted to the TVR Cerbera of the 1990s.
Basically a race engine, this had a formidable 360bhp in the 4.2 version and a bonkers 420bhp in the 4.5 version, sufficient to hurl the Cerbera to 60mph in 4.1 seconds...
Points of note
£3,200
Lowest Price (Since 2020)
£5,800
Median Price (Since 2020)
£8,000
Highest Price (Since 2020)
World Record
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Top 40%
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Lowest Price
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Average Price
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Rare Sale
This vehicle comes to market rarely. In auction records we've only seen 7 sold before
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Previous Sales
Gallery
MOT Information
Valid
Expires on Aug 14 2026
Latest MOT Mileage
53,869 miles
Registration Date
1988-08-01
MOT History
Passed
On Aug 15 2025 with 53,869 miles
Failed
On Aug 15 2025 with 53,869 miles
There was 1 defect noted.
Pass after Rectification at Station:
- Offside Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))
Passed
On Nov 14 2023 with 51,882 miles
Passed
On Jul 31 2021 with 51,812 miles
There were 4 defects noted.
Advisory:
- Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))
- Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))
- Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))
- Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))
Passed
On Nov 25 2016 with 51,650 miles
Failed
On Mar 06 2008 with 51,399 miles
There were 7 defects noted.
Fail:
- Steering column universal joint insecure (2.1.5)
- Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)
- Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)
- Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)
- Offside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)
- Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)
- Exhaust emits excessive dense blue smoke during acceleration (7.3.A.2c)
Passed
On Mar 09 2007 with 48,310 miles
Failed
On Mar 02 2007 with 48,308 miles
There were 10 defects noted, with 1 deemed dangerous.
Fail:
- Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)
- Steering system excessively rough (2.2.D.1)
- Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)
- Nearside Rear Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)
- Brake pedal has insufficient reserve movement (3.3.A.5)
- Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)
- (Dangerous) Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
- Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
- Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)
- rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

