Discussion
As some of you may know, I've been after a Chimaera for quite a while now.
As you may not now, there is actually a bet on this.
Last year just before Christmas, I was talking to my friend in the pub about how I could finally be looking at owning a TVR after wanting one for many, many years. My friend said there was no way I could do it, citing I would never afford one. I disagreed, and a bet was laid.
I have until December the 2nd 2012 to self-finance a TVR, of vintage Chimaera/Griffith or above. I don't like wheelbarrows, so a Chimp it is.
The downside of the bet, is that if I lost, I would be shaving my head. Back to skin. For a month. However, if I was to win, my bald friend has to grow his patches, for a month.
It's a case of who looks more like a complete pillock.
Other stipulations apply, of course. If one was to buy a legal TVR, then the other has 30 days to buy one as well to nullify the bet. It has to be road legal and insured. Can not be a Wedge type or older.
I plan to buy a Chimp for £6,000 or less. I currently have £2,000 saved. I am also about to move into my first mortgage, so time is not on my side. Nor is money. I have been doing as much overtime as I can to try and keep the extra money come in, I am well aware how stupid I shall look with a bald head.
I don't have long, but will keep you posted. We all make stupid bets, but this one is important. My stunning good looks are at stake here.
As you may not now, there is actually a bet on this.
Last year just before Christmas, I was talking to my friend in the pub about how I could finally be looking at owning a TVR after wanting one for many, many years. My friend said there was no way I could do it, citing I would never afford one. I disagreed, and a bet was laid.
I have until December the 2nd 2012 to self-finance a TVR, of vintage Chimaera/Griffith or above. I don't like wheelbarrows, so a Chimp it is.
The downside of the bet, is that if I lost, I would be shaving my head. Back to skin. For a month. However, if I was to win, my bald friend has to grow his patches, for a month.
It's a case of who looks more like a complete pillock.
Other stipulations apply, of course. If one was to buy a legal TVR, then the other has 30 days to buy one as well to nullify the bet. It has to be road legal and insured. Can not be a Wedge type or older.
I plan to buy a Chimp for £6,000 or less. I currently have £2,000 saved. I am also about to move into my first mortgage, so time is not on my side. Nor is money. I have been doing as much overtime as I can to try and keep the extra money come in, I am well aware how stupid I shall look with a bald head.
I don't have long, but will keep you posted. We all make stupid bets, but this one is important. My stunning good looks are at stake here.
Edited by YesItsAVW on Sunday 2nd December 17:25
drop the p and call it a Chim :-)
Another month of looking at the classifieds every day and trying to find ways of financing the car.
Finance options appear limited to me, I could take out a loan at 47% APR but it's not something I really want to contemplate....
I spoke to a well known TVR dealership near Goodwood yesterday after inquiring about a Chim(p) they have recently advertised. Unfortunately, finance options are not available on that particular one due to it being hard to get classic car finance!
Does anyone have experience of using a classic car finance company? Is it possible to do so? I would hope it would be a better rate than a personal loan!
Finance options appear limited to me, I could take out a loan at 47% APR but it's not something I really want to contemplate....
I spoke to a well known TVR dealership near Goodwood yesterday after inquiring about a Chim(p) they have recently advertised. Unfortunately, finance options are not available on that particular one due to it being hard to get classic car finance!
Does anyone have experience of using a classic car finance company? Is it possible to do so? I would hope it would be a better rate than a personal loan!
YesItsAVW said:
Another month of looking at the classifieds every day and trying to find ways of financing the car.
Finance options appear limited to me, I could take out a loan at 47% APR but it's not something I really want to contemplate....
I spoke to a well known TVR dealership near Goodwood yesterday after inquiring about a Chim(p) they have recently advertised. Unfortunately, finance options are not available on that particular one due to it being hard to get classic car finance!
Does anyone have experience of using a classic car finance company? Is it possible to do so? I would hope it would be a better rate than a personal loan!
Is this really serious? You are going to go into debt (considerable debt) over a bet with a mate? Don't get me wrong, I love my car more than almost anything I own but if I couldn't afford to buy it then I wouldnt have it, especially if I were about to get my first mortgage. I love the idea of you needing the car but my advice would be to wait until you have the dosh to buy a cheapie one outright. Shave the head next December; shaved heads are two a penny and you can always laugh about it with your mate sometime in the future when you bag your first Tiv. It might seem boring but it makes sense IMO).Finance options appear limited to me, I could take out a loan at 47% APR but it's not something I really want to contemplate....
I spoke to a well known TVR dealership near Goodwood yesterday after inquiring about a Chim(p) they have recently advertised. Unfortunately, finance options are not available on that particular one due to it being hard to get classic car finance!
Does anyone have experience of using a classic car finance company? Is it possible to do so? I would hope it would be a better rate than a personal loan!
Johnniem said:
YesItsAVW said:
Another month of looking at the classifieds every day and trying to find ways of financing the car.
Finance options appear limited to me, I could take out a loan at 47% APR but it's not something I really want to contemplate....
I spoke to a well known TVR dealership near Goodwood yesterday after inquiring about a Chim(p) they have recently advertised. Unfortunately, finance options are not available on that particular one due to it being hard to get classic car finance!
Does anyone have experience of using a classic car finance company? Is it possible to do so? I would hope it would be a better rate than a personal loan!
Is this really serious? You are going to go into debt (considerable debt) over a bet with a mate? Don't get me wrong, I love my car more than almost anything I own but if I couldn't afford to buy it then I wouldnt have it, especially if I were about to get my first mortgage. I love the idea of you needing the car but my advice would be to wait until you have the dosh to buy a cheapie one outright. Shave the head next December; shaved heads are two a penny and you can always laugh about it with your mate sometime in the future when you bag your first Tiv. It might seem boring but it makes sense IMO).Finance options appear limited to me, I could take out a loan at 47% APR but it's not something I really want to contemplate....
I spoke to a well known TVR dealership near Goodwood yesterday after inquiring about a Chim(p) they have recently advertised. Unfortunately, finance options are not available on that particular one due to it being hard to get classic car finance!
Does anyone have experience of using a classic car finance company? Is it possible to do so? I would hope it would be a better rate than a personal loan!
alex_gray255 said:
Steve - the rate you are going, mate, I'd best start getting some head polish 
If any of our, erm, "challenged" friends could recommend a good polish I shall start stocking up 
Life's too short - go for it! A Chim for sub £6k is a smart move.....but make sure it doesn't need chassis work. Many do, it's lovely once it's finished but it's not cheap! Find one that's solid to begin with and work on maintaining that condition.
My next Chim (yes working on them isn't enough....I HAVE to buy another one) will likely be a rotten basket case. Buy cheap, get it repaired yourself (or repair it yourself), because then you KNOW it's sound.
My next Chim (yes working on them isn't enough....I HAVE to buy another one) will likely be a rotten basket case. Buy cheap, get it repaired yourself (or repair it yourself), because then you KNOW it's sound.
Ropps said:
I know one going on ebay soon for around 4/5k. car is in buckinghamshire at the mo. Had lots of good work on it. 4 litre in white
Thank you, ill keep an eye to eBay. I have at least one car in mind at the moment.H+B can see me turn up to a meet in something that drinks petrol for a change!
Most lenders are frightened to lend at the moment - especially for luxury/non-essential items.
TBH if you have indeed wanted one for years, I'm sure you know that if you'd put something away every month for all those years you'd have one now...
Also, if the day comes when I can't lay my hands on £5-6k in a day or two I'll be selling my TVRs and my bikes as they're just toys and I'd have bigger things to worry about than a silly bet.
TBH if you have indeed wanted one for years, I'm sure you know that if you'd put something away every month for all those years you'd have one now...
Also, if the day comes when I can't lay my hands on £5-6k in a day or two I'll be selling my TVRs and my bikes as they're just toys and I'd have bigger things to worry about than a silly bet.
Julesprivate said:
Most lenders are frightened to lend at the moment - especially for luxury/non-essential items.
Yes, that certainly seems to be part of what I am coming up against. Julesprivate said:
TBH if you have indeed wanted one for years, I'm sure you know that if you'd put something away every month for all those years you'd have one now...
In all fairness, if my house purchase had not gone ahead this year then I would not have had fees to pay and a house to furnish - I would have been on track to buy one outright by now.Julesprivate said:
Also, if the day comes when I can't lay my hands on £5-6k in a day or two I'll be selling my TVRs and my bikes as they're just toys and I'd have bigger things to worry about than a silly bet.
I have around a thousand pounds in my TVR fund. Ideally that would more than pay off the first year's insurance and sort any niggles that may need immediate attention, but if a nice car came up then I have flexibility in the (Theoretical) budget.Of course, I could easily wind up a couple of directorships if I really needed cash instantly.....
Does anything in the bet say it has to be running or not smashed up???
also, this one is only 5k, but no mention of mileage...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
also, this one is only 5k, but no mention of mileage...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
Nice cars do come up in the £5k to £6k range. There was a very nice grey one the tuscan light conversion on eBay a couple of weeks back for £4995. And a beautiful Green one in Portsmouth (or Plymouth - I forget which) for £5750...
I just picked up an immaculate bright red 96 with a genuine 20k miles for a figure just outside of the top of that budget.
You could pick up a really tidy "S" for around £3k, possibly a bit less for one that's a little tatty.. I bought an nice one in May for around £4k and it's in really good nick..
I just picked up an immaculate bright red 96 with a genuine 20k miles for a figure just outside of the top of that budget.
You could pick up a really tidy "S" for around £3k, possibly a bit less for one that's a little tatty.. I bought an nice one in May for around £4k and it's in really good nick..
edo said:
Does anything in the bet say it has to be running or not smashed up???
also, this one is only 5k, but no mention of mileage...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
That one is very local to me and I viewed it back at the start of the year at that garage (!). It's had an engine swap (Apparently), needs a new gearbox and was not running when I viewed it. Started off around £7,000, if it comes down to £4,000 I would be tempted - History would most likely be stopping with me anyway as I want to do my own servicing!also, this one is only 5k, but no mention of mileage...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
Julesprivate said:
Nice cars do come up in the £5k to £6k range. There was a very nice grey one the tuscan light conversion on eBay a couple of weeks back for £4995. And a beautiful Green one in Portsmouth (or Plymouth - I forget which) for £5750...
I just picked up an immaculate bright red 96 with a genuine 20k miles for a figure just outside of the top of that budget.
You could pick up a really tidy "S" for around £3k, possibly a bit less for one that's a little tatty.. I bought an nice one in May for around £4k and it's in really good nick..
There have been some lovely examples at that range, I browse the classifieds very often. An S does it for me in the looks department, but I want a V8. A Wedge does it in the V8 department but the looks....I just picked up an immaculate bright red 96 with a genuine 20k miles for a figure just outside of the top of that budget.
You could pick up a really tidy "S" for around £3k, possibly a bit less for one that's a little tatty.. I bought an nice one in May for around £4k and it's in really good nick..
YesItsAVW said:
An S does it for me in the looks department, but I want a V8. A Wedge does it in the V8 department but the looks....
I know what you mean, but then again some of the wedges look pretty good, but it seems to depend on the colour and the later SE models look the best (IMHO). A V8S would be great but they are so rare they hold their value!My S is an S1 (the old 2.8) but the PO had spent a lot on it over the last 2 years (£6.5k in total) including a full V8S exhaust and to be honest it sounds better than the Chimaera I just picked up (that'll change soon though as it's in for a new exhaust on Saturday). But I was pleasantly surprised by just how good the S can sound.
Wedges to represent some good value - but they're holding their prices so for the same money you can get a good Chimaera (as you already know LOL).
Have you made it along to a local TVRCC meet and tried some out yet?
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