Chimaera motorway driving
Discussion
Mixed opinions as always
If i was asked a favor by someone asking me to drive them 200 miles each way up a motorway to say view a car I would take my Nissan Primera.
Reason being it's way better on fuel and a quiet place to be for this type of journey. However if it was a beautiful hot sunny day where I could have the roof off and a steady 70-75mph cruise then it would be hard not to pick the Chimaera's keys up,in fact I'm 99% sure I'd take the Chim.
I think this is where having two cars makes sense,if I was asked twice a week for that favor then I'm also 99% sure I would be grabbing the Nissan's keys on most of the occasions.
When I went sleeved(Cats still in situ) I was quite surprised that at that 70-80mph speed that there's hardly any difference in sound with revs held between 2500-2800. And I love it when I see the traffic starting to build up watching all the car windows lower to listen to the pops and bags and the beautiful sound of the Chimaera
(And my clutch is pretty light compared to many I've sat in)
OP.... If you have not been in a Chimaera then this would be my first plan before taking the plunge. Unless you get any nearer offers I would be happy to meet you at the M5 Strensham services (southbound) and head off down the motorway to see what you think. My diary is very flexible so just ask if this is something you might benefit from.
Regards Jas
If i was asked a favor by someone asking me to drive them 200 miles each way up a motorway to say view a car I would take my Nissan Primera.
Reason being it's way better on fuel and a quiet place to be for this type of journey. However if it was a beautiful hot sunny day where I could have the roof off and a steady 70-75mph cruise then it would be hard not to pick the Chimaera's keys up,in fact I'm 99% sure I'd take the Chim.
I think this is where having two cars makes sense,if I was asked twice a week for that favor then I'm also 99% sure I would be grabbing the Nissan's keys on most of the occasions.
When I went sleeved(Cats still in situ) I was quite surprised that at that 70-80mph speed that there's hardly any difference in sound with revs held between 2500-2800. And I love it when I see the traffic starting to build up watching all the car windows lower to listen to the pops and bags and the beautiful sound of the Chimaera
(And my clutch is pretty light compared to many I've sat in) OP.... If you have not been in a Chimaera then this would be my first plan before taking the plunge. Unless you get any nearer offers I would be happy to meet you at the M5 Strensham services (southbound) and head off down the motorway to see what you think. My diary is very flexible so just ask if this is something you might benefit from.
Regards Jas
As other people have suggested already get yourself a shed for the commute and keep the TVR as a fun car. You could easily use the TVR every day but it can become tiresome on the motorway when stuck in traffic, the worst are hot days when it is pissing down with rain, the cabin is steamed up and subtropical in temperature. You then have the choice of open the window and get soaked by the rain or keep the windows closed and drown in your own sweat..... and then just when you think things cannot get any worse the radiator fans kick in and chuck more heat into the cabin. I do live in the South East which is pretty much permanently gridlocked.
I have a £500 Mk4 Astra for a daily and the Griff for weekends which works out well for me. I often do take the TVR on long journeys but then it is on my terms. I think I would quickly fall out of love with the TVR if I had no other choice but to drive it on the M25 everyday.
I have a £500 Mk4 Astra for a daily and the Griff for weekends which works out well for me. I often do take the TVR on long journeys but then it is on my terms. I think I would quickly fall out of love with the TVR if I had no other choice but to drive it on the M25 everyday.
Problem: Not very economical
Solution: Get it on LPG - My Chim does the cost equivalent of 40 - 46mpg everywhere
Problem: Bad handling in the rain
Solution: Rainsport 2 tyres - My Chim is totally planted in all weathers
Problem: Wipers are rubbish
Solution: Make sure your wiper blades are in fine fettle and use Rainex on the screen
Problem: Headlights poor
Solution: Change your dull corroded reflectors for new ones and fit 3500 lumen LED bulbs - My Chim turns night to day
Problem: Too noisy
Solution: Get shot of the sleeved exhaust and go back the the TVR standard one
Problem: Still not happy
Solution: Buy a different car
Solution: Get it on LPG - My Chim does the cost equivalent of 40 - 46mpg everywhere
Problem: Bad handling in the rain
Solution: Rainsport 2 tyres - My Chim is totally planted in all weathers
Problem: Wipers are rubbish
Solution: Make sure your wiper blades are in fine fettle and use Rainex on the screen
Problem: Headlights poor
Solution: Change your dull corroded reflectors for new ones and fit 3500 lumen LED bulbs - My Chim turns night to day
Problem: Too noisy
Solution: Get shot of the sleeved exhaust and go back the the TVR standard one
Problem: Still not happy
Solution: Buy a different car
There's a total difference between driving because you want to and driving because you have too,,
I've driven my car all day,literally,,
It's fine but as others have said when conditions change it's a different story.
Being new to the car you could probably do it for a summer and enjoy every second,,
But when it's winter or in traffic etc,,
I wouldn't want to put you off but these are old school cars, my left foot goes numb when using the clutch in traffic, I do wear thin souled shoes though!
I've now got a shed that costs nothing and has about 10 hp but I love it,, it does it's job very well,
You then get in the Tvr and you remember how good it is too,
Other than snow and ice the car can handle it if you can.
Saying all that my seats are very comfy
I've driven my car all day,literally,,
It's fine but as others have said when conditions change it's a different story.
Being new to the car you could probably do it for a summer and enjoy every second,,
But when it's winter or in traffic etc,,
I wouldn't want to put you off but these are old school cars, my left foot goes numb when using the clutch in traffic, I do wear thin souled shoes though!
I've now got a shed that costs nothing and has about 10 hp but I love it,, it does it's job very well,
You then get in the Tvr and you remember how good it is too,
Other than snow and ice the car can handle it if you can.
Saying all that my seats are very comfy
My take on this - motorway / dual carriageway driving can be fun, I never get bored with the sound of the engine (standard 4.0 V8 and standard exhaust), but I do notice the wind noise. And always be prepared for some paper clip salesman in his latest EuroBox to sit right up your bumper until he can get up to 120mph and get past because he's late for an appointment.
However, having said that on a 400 mile round trip to Devon last year I loved every moment - the A303 got a bit tiresome (partly for the reasons above), but leaving the A303 and heading up over the moors with the semi deserted roads and twists and turns the car came into its own, especially with the roof off.
Agree that I'm not sure I could use it (or even want to use it) as an everyday car, but having the choice and using it on my terms is absolutely fine.
However, having said that on a 400 mile round trip to Devon last year I loved every moment - the A303 got a bit tiresome (partly for the reasons above), but leaving the A303 and heading up over the moors with the semi deserted roads and twists and turns the car came into its own, especially with the roof off.
Agree that I'm not sure I could use it (or even want to use it) as an everyday car, but having the choice and using it on my terms is absolutely fine.
Well the truth is a Chimaera isn't really the perfect everyday car, but nether is any sports car when compared with a run of the mill family hack.
There will always be those cold, dark, winter mornings where you just want to get to work without having to think too much about the process of driving.
But that's not what the OP wanted to know, he wanted to know if a Chimaera will cope with commuting 150-200 miles two days a week, which he currently completes in a little '14 plate 1.2 Polo.
The answer to that is obviously...YES!
A Chimaera can & will do it all quite well, but only the individual can say if it's the everyday commuter car for them.
There will always be those cold, dark, winter mornings where you just want to get to work without having to think too much about the process of driving.
But that's not what the OP wanted to know, he wanted to know if a Chimaera will cope with commuting 150-200 miles two days a week, which he currently completes in a little '14 plate 1.2 Polo.
The answer to that is obviously...YES!
A Chimaera can & will do it all quite well, but only the individual can say if it's the everyday commuter car for them.
Two days a week? I would do it but only in the decent weather.
Traffic jams would not be fun though, roof up or down you are going to get hot due to the sun and heat soak.
You are only live once though and how much fun would it be knowing you can get the roof down and go to work in the TVR?
Traffic jams would not be fun though, roof up or down you are going to get hot due to the sun and heat soak.
You are only live once though and how much fun would it be knowing you can get the roof down and go to work in the TVR?
pb450 said:
We were on the M3 at the weekend as part of a 120 mile journey and my wife (who likes the Tiv but doesn't like rough travel and loud noises) commented on how cosy it was in our little cocoon! Praise
Cosy in this weather, blast furnace when it warms up a little 
I use mine as an occasional car on nice days. I do use it to go into the office sometimes 15 miles down the M1 and its a blast. There is not a chance on this earth I'd use it as a daily driver for regular commuting. To me what makes it so special and different to my daily, Golf GTD, is everything that would drive me insane on a daily basis. The noise, no power steering, lack of safety/traction aids, convertible etc etc. I love all of that, but on a wet, cold (or hot) morning commute I'd rather be in my modern radar cruised, stability controlled, xenon lit, heated seated, climate controlled, air bagged up Golf.
Personally the best analogy I can give is like going on an all night booze up. Amazing fun, occasionally scary, provides great memories...but I wouldn't want to do it all the time.
another old fart comment - noise is an issue; you cannot listen to your tunes; reliability is good but I suspect we all keep a very beady eye on water and oil guages -whcih is not restful; in the wet you are low down with not the greatest visibility and really having to watch out for standing water; insurance-- i do a fair bit of motorway miles and see quite few shunts involving several cars - if you are in the middle of one of those the liklihood is that the car will easily be a constructive write off. I love my chimaera but when planning any long journey I look for the road less travelled and thoroughly enjoy myself.
Stevesc said:
Will I get home every night deaf and exhausted?
Steve
Age dependent question... When I was 18 I had a Lotus 7, everywhere I went I was deaf and exhausted, the face muscles in particular always ached Steve
As has been said, only you will know if the commute in the Chim will be your thing, for me, every journey is an event. If I'm not looking for an event I take the Golf
Now that I'm an old fart I'm naturally deaf and invariably exhausted.
Get one and try it.... You only live once and it's only money
Good luck,
Chilli
When I was planning on getting a TVR, my subconscious assumption was that I'd get rid of my current car and use the TVR as a daily driver - simply because part of my brain thought that owning two cars would be an extravagance.
Then someone at work suggested I do the sums and work out what it would cost to do all my mileage in the TVR, versus splitting the mileage 50/50 with my current car. The saving of doing half my mileage at 45mpg of diesel and half at 18mpg of V-Power was more than enough to pay for the insurance and tax of keeping my current car. In fact, it was actually cheaper to keep both.
The fringe benefits are that I've always got a choice of cars - sometimes I'm simply not in a "TVR mood" - and I can always use my 'sensible' car whenever I need to transport big objects or buy manure from the garden centre.
In short, I am very glad I kept both cars. I would urge you to consider doing the same - you might be pleasantly surprised if you work out the cost.
That said, the Chimaera is, as others have said, an excellent long-distance car. The seats and driving position are very comfy, and the car is particularly effortless on the motorway. You can finish a long drive feeling much fresher than you would in a small hatchback like your Polo (or my SEAT Ibiza, which is also really a VW Polo). It isn't as quiet as a big luxobarge, but not much worse than a hatchback. The one place where it does start to feel a bit heavy and cumbersome is when you're stuck in a traffic jam, because the clutch and steering are a bit heavy. But even then the car really isn't too bad.
In terms of economy, a Chimaera will do about 18mpg if you 'drive it like you stole it', but on a long motorway cruise making (ahem) good progress my 450 will easily do 25mpg.
Then someone at work suggested I do the sums and work out what it would cost to do all my mileage in the TVR, versus splitting the mileage 50/50 with my current car. The saving of doing half my mileage at 45mpg of diesel and half at 18mpg of V-Power was more than enough to pay for the insurance and tax of keeping my current car. In fact, it was actually cheaper to keep both.
The fringe benefits are that I've always got a choice of cars - sometimes I'm simply not in a "TVR mood" - and I can always use my 'sensible' car whenever I need to transport big objects or buy manure from the garden centre.
In short, I am very glad I kept both cars. I would urge you to consider doing the same - you might be pleasantly surprised if you work out the cost.
That said, the Chimaera is, as others have said, an excellent long-distance car. The seats and driving position are very comfy, and the car is particularly effortless on the motorway. You can finish a long drive feeling much fresher than you would in a small hatchback like your Polo (or my SEAT Ibiza, which is also really a VW Polo). It isn't as quiet as a big luxobarge, but not much worse than a hatchback. The one place where it does start to feel a bit heavy and cumbersome is when you're stuck in a traffic jam, because the clutch and steering are a bit heavy. But even then the car really isn't too bad.
In terms of economy, a Chimaera will do about 18mpg if you 'drive it like you stole it', but on a long motorway cruise making (ahem) good progress my 450 will easily do 25mpg.
Edited by Dr Mike Oxgreen on Thursday 5th March 12:19
My exhaust is completely stock and I can hear my radio on the motorway.
Wind noise is the loudest thing, just make sure your taga roof is set correctly.
Having said that my radio is 600w and has 8 speakers, and I do about 1000 miles a year in a model T racing car. So the TVR is like falling asleep in the bath in comparison.
Wind noise is the loudest thing, just make sure your taga roof is set correctly.
Having said that my radio is 600w and has 8 speakers, and I do about 1000 miles a year in a model T racing car. So the TVR is like falling asleep in the bath in comparison.
I love my chim for the special occation feeling it gives me, but as an everyday car it gets tiresome. Sometimes i hate it, especially if im hung over, my back aches or its heavy rain. Now that I live 5 min walking distance from my work, I use the chim only when I want to and its much nicer!
And I allways use noise reducing plugs with music on the long trips. I have it fully decatted. Even with standard exhaust the drone, road and wind noise can get you down!
Its a personal thing, though... I have a long back and the std seats did me no favours!
And I allways use noise reducing plugs with music on the long trips. I have it fully decatted. Even with standard exhaust the drone, road and wind noise can get you down!
Its a personal thing, though... I have a long back and the std seats did me no favours!
Long journeys are fine, very comfy seats, your clutch leg can get a bit tired in traffic. Just make sure your cooling system is tip top and you'll be fine.
My only issue is with noise. I have a sleeved system and its very loud. Great for having fun drives but wearing if you are just driving on motorways long distance or in traffic. My ears used to end up ringing after a long drive so now I use wear ear defenders. Or if I have a passenger I have rally head sets so we can chat as roof off at motorway speed with a sleeved exhaust makes conversation impossible.
If you buy one for long distance drives just make sure it has a standard exhaust
My only issue is with noise. I have a sleeved system and its very loud. Great for having fun drives but wearing if you are just driving on motorways long distance or in traffic. My ears used to end up ringing after a long drive so now I use wear ear defenders. Or if I have a passenger I have rally head sets so we can chat as roof off at motorway speed with a sleeved exhaust makes conversation impossible.
If you buy one for long distance drives just make sure it has a standard exhaust
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