Wanted Taimar or 3000M budget £5000 : anyone selling soon?

Wanted Taimar or 3000M budget £5000 : anyone selling soon?

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english2

Original Poster:

47 posts

216 months

Sunday 30th September 2012
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Hi all
I just wanted to know if anyone was intending to sell their Taimar or 3000M in the coming weeks/months. I'm looking for one in reasonably good condition, and have a budget of £5000. I'm keeping tabs on the classifieds both in the UK and here in France, but with the distance involved every example I see seems to get sold before I can get a look in, so I just thought I'd give this a go!

I live just outside Paris, so can get over to London or major airports fairly quickly, but would I be mad in considering driving back or should I look at getting a transporter?

The other thing I was considering was buying a basket case as cheaply as possible and then handing it over to someone like David Gerald to do as much to as possible within the budget : does this sound like a plan?

Thanks in advance for any offers, advice and opinions

Astacus

3,379 posts

234 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C323792

This is on car and classic, in London.

My advice would be to buy a runner if you can. You wont get too far forward in a resto with a specialist for a couple of grand, but I guess it depends on what you need doing to make the car drivable.

The car above needs a fuel tank. That seems well within the scope of an enthusiastic amateur.

Most people are thinking that The M cars will follow the Vixens upwards so dont hang around too long.

english2

Original Poster:

47 posts

216 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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Thanks for that. I had seen this car, and even managed to track down this hi res flickr picture http://www.flickr.com/photos/38389354@N07/43014725... - it was taken in January 2010. I've already sent an e-mail to the seller but no response as yet, and it's been on the market for a while. Given the state of the paint I just wonder what else might need doing apart from the fuel tank. There's no mention of an MOT on the ad...

I also looked at this silver one http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C322933 which would be fine as it is as I could gradually improve it, but it's way above my budget (and also needs a respray estimated at £3500 by the seller, plus some roof lining and new carpets).


GadgeS3C

4,516 posts

164 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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M prices do seem to have increased a bit in the last couple of years - at least the asking prices.

I think you're going to have to search to find one for £5,000 that doesn't need a fair bit of work. When we bought ours 2 years ago there was a big divide in quality between restoration needed and drivable or really nice. Trouble was the price difference was only £2-3,000 which doesn't reflect the restoration cost.

Best advice is keep looking but try the less obvious places. Ours came from an ad on the TVRCC website. In a week the seller only had two calls - we bought it the day after it was advertised. The dealers were selling cars abroad in hours. Your "wanted" ad here is a good plan.

Good luck!

GadgeS3C

4,516 posts

164 months

Monday 1st October 2012
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english2

Original Poster:

47 posts

216 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
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I've been mulling over the red 3200 for a while. It sounds great, shame there are so few pictures with one being fuzzy. I sent an e-mail to the seller a few days ago asking for more details and pics, but having got no reply I assumed it was sold.

I would be re-registering the car in France (advantages: no more tax disc, local MOT instead of going back to UK, no nagging doubts about being covered by insurance all year round while abroad). However, since the car is modified I think I would have trouble convincing the FFVE (equivalent of the FBHVC who vet registration applications) to accept the car. This would mean putting the original engine back in. Also, there is the problem of getting both the car and the spare engine/axle etc. back to France. Using Shiply perhaps?

(In the past I would have just hopped off back to the UK to sort it all out at the drop of a hat, but now I'm a Dad with too much enthusiasm for cars and too little time to indulge it, as well as having a wife who's reaction to a new arrival on the drive next to an old Land Rover and 2 Triumph bikes is going to require some diplomacy...)

Moto

1,235 posts

253 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
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Robin,

There are no details or pictures, but there is a 3000M for sale on the TVRCC site at £5k.


english2

Original Poster:

47 posts

216 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
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I spoke to the owner this evening too, he's just sent me some more photos. The car sounds good, he's had a lot of enquiries and at least one visit over the past few weeks, but no takers as yet. It's not shown on the ad, but the interior is black with cloth seats.

He's only done very short trips in it over the last few years, so is not sure about a 400 mile one which is fair enough. I'm going to check out some sort of European recovery service (I was thinking of Mondial Assistance).

Also had contact from the owner of the green Taimar in London, he'll send me pics at the weekend.

Thanks for the TVRCC tip, will follow that up this week as well.

english2

Original Poster:

47 posts

216 months

Tuesday 2nd October 2012
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Thanks!

Just got a 1st quote for transport via Shiply : £780 inc VAT on a single car trailer... that works out at about £2 a mile

GadgeS3C

4,516 posts

164 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
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If you're talking about the 3.2 car in Notts I'm in Notts too so can't be that far away. I don't claim to be any kind of expert but I'd be happy to take a look at the car if you wanted a second opinion.

Edited by GadgeS3C on Wednesday 3rd October 09:05

yosini

265 posts

149 months

Wednesday 3rd October 2012
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Hi,

Regarding the green one, I had a 3000M about 10 years ago that had exactly the same problem of a leaking fuel tank, can't remember now how I did it but I managed to get the tank out and fix it myself, on the streets of London. A Taimar should be easier as you can get the boot open too. And I'm no expert...

They are great cars, mine was remarkably reliable (only problem in 3 years ownership was that petrol tank, oh and a dumper truck that lost control and mounted it in a car park...)

Good luck

Joe

english2

Original Poster:

47 posts

216 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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Hi Andrew
I haven't found any new M series for sale in the last week on the various sites I keep a regular eye on, however I've made a bit of progress on the cars I had already identified.
I checked the TVRCC site, but can no longer find the Taimar for sale, but perhaps I'm not looking in the right place. I found an ad for a brown and white Taimar which was advertised for £5000 in Aberdeen, but it was sold a couple of weeks ago.
I received a potential offer of a Taimar which is going to require a new chassis in the near future but could possibly get through an MOT with a bit of work, however the car is rather far away and so far I don't know what the price would be (ie could I buy it and have the chassis renewed within budget?). It would have to be pretty cheap, and I have not so far enquired as to the availability of chassis : is each one made to order these days and how much do they cost to buy and have fitted?
I've just had a shipping quote today of £590 for transport from the Nottingham area to Paris if I were to go ahead with the red 3200M.
I should be getting further pics of the green Taimar in London this weekend, along with further details of its condition.
There's also a Taimar going for 7600€ on leboncoin.fr which is only 220km away from me, but it would need respraying and another which looks good but is priced at 12000€.
That's where I'm up to right now...
Regards
Robin

english2

Original Poster:

47 posts

216 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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I'm still keeping an eye out for cars for sale, but it seems that as we approach winter the market is going quiet for both buyers and sellers, however I did come across this blog page which has pics of the green Taimar on sale on various sites and couldn't resist sharing it : http://hooniverse.com/2011/03/15/streetwalker-boot...

dryden

361 posts

169 months

Wednesday 10th October 2012
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What price originality! and he wants 5 grand for it......................!

richard1970

1 posts

138 months

Tuesday 16th October 2012
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hi english2 i might have found a couple of cars you might like, one is a 2500m and the other is a 3000m, i hoping to see them tomorrow! both are in need of some work but wont know how much till i have seen them, all i know is they have been dry stored for 30 years but before that both chassis were powder coated and then rebuilt. will try post some pictures as soon as i can.

english2

Original Poster:

47 posts

216 months

Tuesday 16th October 2012
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Thanks Richard, that would be great. Keep me posted.

english2

Original Poster:

47 posts

216 months

Tuesday 30th October 2012
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Well, I'm in the UK (York) until Friday and had been hoping to go and look at some cars within reasonable distance, but it seems the only ones on the market right now are either needing restoration or are out of my price range. It really seems like it's the wrong time of year to be looking for a car ... shame, as I've got 5 grand burning a hole in my pocket, and I've finally got over the (not minor) obstacle of announcing to my better half that I intend to further crowd the driveway with a new acquisition at some point.

I know of several M series cars which are unfortunately too far away for me to be able to travel to see them this week. In the north of England as far as I'm aware there is a silver Taimar in Wigan at £7995, and a 3000M in white with a brown stripe in Huddersfield which is up for £7995 too. Concerning this last car, I think someone mentioned that the seller wants £7.3K but there are some bits needing doing such as one of the doors is dropping and the clutch being very stiff. I don't want to waste his time or potentially offend him by putting in a low offer. Does anyone know if the owner of this car is on these forums? And does anyone know of any other cars on the market which would be within my budget (and are roadworthy with an MOT)?

And DakotaStorm, if you are reading this, let me know if you get fed up with your new acquisition and want to sell!

Chinski

205 posts

153 months

Tuesday 30th October 2012
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I'm sure I've seen a m series for sale on the TVR club web site. It maybe worth checking.

phillpot

17,114 posts

183 months

Tuesday 30th October 2012
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Chinski said:
I'm sure I've seen a m series for sale on the TVR club web site. It maybe worth checking.
If you're not a member.... clicky

ads may be open to view by all?

english2

Original Poster:

47 posts

216 months

Tuesday 30th October 2012
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Thanks very much for the tip, I'll get in touch. I've been checking that web site religiously every day for weeks, and just when I stop checking an ad is posted!