What a GT car, no wait, WHAT A CAR!
Discussion
Hi John, nice to see you back on a TVR thread. It's worth pointing out to the TVR massive that this fine gentleman, johnniem, is directly responsible for getting me into TVRs. The original plan had been to buy his 450 but things changed, John kept the Tiv and I bought my own. Although he's moved to the dark side these days I sense a fond nostalgia for the old V8 days. 
Don't worry matey, on a still Sunday morning you can probably just hear the V8 rumble of a unbaffled 450 over the gardens, as around 300 yards separates us as the crow flies! I'll give it an extra blip next time for old time's sake.
Go and see Mr T350 down the road.
I'm sure he'd appreciate your interest and affection for the marque. Plus, we're a pretty friendly bunch you know! 
PS. Looks like that hoon will need to wait 'til next year now. All the best matey.
Don't worry matey, on a still Sunday morning you can probably just hear the V8 rumble of a unbaffled 450 over the gardens, as around 300 yards separates us as the crow flies! I'll give it an extra blip next time for old time's sake.
Go and see Mr T350 down the road.
I'm sure he'd appreciate your interest and affection for the marque. Plus, we're a pretty friendly bunch you know! PS. Looks like that hoon will need to wait 'til next year now. All the best matey.
Edited by pb450 on Sunday 23 November 19:44
I've had plenty of people sitting just behind me at dual carriageway lights waiting to hear it pull away, just generally lots of pleasent comments, people wanting to ask about it. As some of you have touched on, it's probably the britishness that makes people appreciate it, BRG helps too I think, just looks right, BRG, cream leather and walnut.
I know Jeremy Clarkson quipped that saying a car as hand built in England, is just another way of saying bits will fall off it, but I love it.
Very luckily for me though I bought the car as a CAT D, hence the very low price, but the car is impeccable, needs nothing, which is what I was after ideally. I have to be honest, and I'm sure it will com back to bite me at some point, but this is nothing like I imagined TVR ownership to be like. It's been as plug and play as every other car I've had.
That said, I drove the 911 yesterday, first time in probably 3 weeks, and it is so much easier to drive fast. The TVR is pure theatre, it's an event to drive. Technically the 911 beats it on everything, toys, luxury, performance blah blah blah, but the TVR just has something so raw and brutal about it that I cant stay away from it.
Keen to get to some meets and experience other TVR's.
I know Jeremy Clarkson quipped that saying a car as hand built in England, is just another way of saying bits will fall off it, but I love it.
Very luckily for me though I bought the car as a CAT D, hence the very low price, but the car is impeccable, needs nothing, which is what I was after ideally. I have to be honest, and I'm sure it will com back to bite me at some point, but this is nothing like I imagined TVR ownership to be like. It's been as plug and play as every other car I've had.
That said, I drove the 911 yesterday, first time in probably 3 weeks, and it is so much easier to drive fast. The TVR is pure theatre, it's an event to drive. Technically the 911 beats it on everything, toys, luxury, performance blah blah blah, but the TVR just has something so raw and brutal about it that I cant stay away from it.
Keen to get to some meets and experience other TVR's.
Thought I'd jump on this thread as I've just re- introduced myself to a 450 Chimaera after 10 years in the wilderness. Picked it up on Saturday finally after wanting another for a few years now. Wondered whether the urge was down to a nostalgic feeling of visiting HHC so often in the past - and that evocative aroma of warm fibreglass - but how glad I am that I did it. The first Journey was 3 1/2 hours fantastic, effortless cruising on the motorway. Then onto normal roads and it's like ushering a racing car along in the traffic! Car behaved impeccably though and just makes you laugh with disbelief. If Ducati made a car, this is what it'd be like. After all, you're basically sat on top of a tubular steel frame with an engine bolted to it. It also makes me realise that more modern, faster, more expensive doesn't necessarily equal better. I always say that TVRs pass the 'pop to the shops' test in that you can't go on any journey in one, no matter how simple, without realising what you're in. It's those that aren't like this that you soon get bored with. Never again - this one's staying put. As for the nostalgia, I now have a slice of late 90's HHC sitting in my garage.
I've had mostly nice comments at petrol stations, kids correcting their mates on what sort of car it is, people tend to appreciate and respect the marque - not sure it's the same case with owning a 911, even though it's a great car.
Mot station guys all hovered around it, bored with doing subaru's - helps that it's got no silencer box whatsoever and is straight through exhaust.
Did have a complaint at a hotel - was reversing into a tight spot and the noise got to a hotel resident who said she wished to live longer and put a handkerchief over her mouth.
It's failed on me twice but the sheer noise of a v8 can't be beat, and this after driving the latest 911 4s which was great in the 5-7k range and it's engine speaker but I felt underwhelmed and bored by it frankly when comparing to my 450
Mot station guys all hovered around it, bored with doing subaru's - helps that it's got no silencer box whatsoever and is straight through exhaust.
Did have a complaint at a hotel - was reversing into a tight spot and the noise got to a hotel resident who said she wished to live longer and put a handkerchief over her mouth.
It's failed on me twice but the sheer noise of a v8 can't be beat, and this after driving the latest 911 4s which was great in the 5-7k range and it's engine speaker but I felt underwhelmed and bored by it frankly when comparing to my 450
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