4L Chimaera - what next?
Discussion
I've had my 98 Chimaera 4.0 for around 18 months and 7000miles and love it. Apart from dumping its coolant once due to a failed gasket the car has been reliable and has needed only routine servicing. I am now thinking of upgrading. I have thought about the Tamora and Tuscan, but despite their great reviews I don't fancy either enough to consider forking out the £20k+ necessary to get into one. £10k plus my car should get me into a later model Chim 500 or 4.5 if I can find one the right colour and spec, but would this be money well spent? For around £3-4k I could get some nice performance upgrades for my own car. Factory wheel and brake upgrade, Mark Adams chip and rolling road session, nitrons perhaps and a few cosmetic improvements.
I under no illusion that a 'breathed on' car will in any way come near the performance of the bigger engined variants, but I am not a track day enthusiast looking for ultimate performance. I'm just looking to improve on what I have to see if the grin gets any bigger
and I want to spend my hard earned wisely
>>> Edited by sparkythecat on Wednesday 29th October 22:59
I under no illusion that a 'breathed on' car will in any way come near the performance of the bigger engined variants, but I am not a track day enthusiast looking for ultimate performance. I'm just looking to improve on what I have to see if the grin gets any bigger
and I want to spend my hard earned wisely >>> Edited by sparkythecat on Wednesday 29th October 22:59
What frightens me is that you seem to think you are going to need to put 10k to your car to upgrade to a 5 litre 
I would have thought 10k and your car would have bought a very nice Cerb from a dealer (p/x) or a very very nice Cerb privately (assuming you have sold yours)
I thought about trading mine for a Cerb, but am not so sure now. It was the impending patter of tiny feet that sparked my search rather than bored with the Chim.
I guess the answer is to go and drive what you fancy, but tell yourself all the while whilst you are doing it ' This is not my car, it will cost XXXX and my car for it to be mine, do I want it that badly?'
Edited 'cos my spelling is having an off day.
>> Edited by yiw1393 on Thursday 30th October 09:44
I would have thought 10k and your car would have bought a very nice Cerb from a dealer (p/x) or a very very nice Cerb privately (assuming you have sold yours)
I thought about trading mine for a Cerb, but am not so sure now. It was the impending patter of tiny feet that sparked my search rather than bored with the Chim.
I guess the answer is to go and drive what you fancy, but tell yourself all the while whilst you are doing it ' This is not my car, it will cost XXXX and my car for it to be mine, do I want it that badly?'
Edited 'cos my spelling is having an off day.
>> Edited by yiw1393 on Thursday 30th October 09:44
squirrelz said:
Oh yes
Dear Santa.......
I was really really thinking like this, but having been around them more and more since getting the Chim, they seem to look like a pregnant Chimaera when you stand and look at the bonnet, and I think i'd miss not being able to take the roof off...
Don't know what to wish for now..
Have had the same thoughts myself, curently have a 98 4.0 Chim, and now thinking about what I could upgrade to for next summer.
The upgrade route has crossed my mind but I would prefer to leave the car as it is to make it easier to sell on. My first thought was a 5.0 Chim, haven't actually driven one yet but from what I've read here on PH and speaking to other owners the difference is very noticable, and upgrades will not give you access to that amount of torque. Then if you still weren't happy you could upgrade that!
But think that I will have to sacrifice that gorgeous V8 and migrate to a Tamora. Drove one the other week and was hugely impressed. I personally love everything about it and the performance should be plenty to keep me happy for a very long time.
The upgrade route has crossed my mind but I would prefer to leave the car as it is to make it easier to sell on. My first thought was a 5.0 Chim, haven't actually driven one yet but from what I've read here on PH and speaking to other owners the difference is very noticable, and upgrades will not give you access to that amount of torque. Then if you still weren't happy you could upgrade that!
But think that I will have to sacrifice that gorgeous V8 and migrate to a Tamora. Drove one the other week and was hugely impressed. I personally love everything about it and the performance should be plenty to keep me happy for a very long time.
I had a 4L Chimaera and as you do I wanted a new car.Having decided that I wanted a soft top this only left the Tamora in the new range.While trying very hard to like the Tamora I can't quite like one enough to buy one.I decided to stay with a Chimaera but to buy a 500.To give it a more modern appearance I have had the factory wheel upgrade and the car is booked in next week for speed twelve headlights.The difference between the 4 and the 5 is phenominal.I know alot of people will disagree but I much prefer the V8 to the six and I would class the Chimaera 500 as a proper sports car.
p7ulg said:
I had a 4L Chimaera and as you do I wanted a new car.Having decided that I wanted a soft top this only left the Tamora in the new range.While trying very hard to like the Tamora I can't quite like one enough to buy one.I decided to stay with a Chimaera but to buy a 500.To give it a more modern appearance I have had the factory wheel upgrade and the car is booked in next week for speed twelve headlights.The difference between the 4 and the 5 is phenominal.I know alot of people will disagree but I much prefer the V8 to the six and I would class the Chimaera 500 as a proper sports car.
So dont you class the 400 as a 'proper' sports cars???
..just don't get Flasher on the subject when he's feeling better.. The one thing thats concerning me about pending Cerbera ownership is I see my Chimaera as a small car which can be chucked about and played with, the Cerbera somehow seems much more intimidating to drive in a 'leaving black lines round roundabouts' type of way, I just think I would 'tame' a 5l Grif/Chim a lot quicker than a Cerbera and I want a car I'm going to be scared of for the 1st year, like I was when I got the Chimaera or like I still am if it's very very wet 
I have just spent loads of money upgrading/fixing my 450 and it now feels fantastic plus I now know the car is totaly sorted and a bit different than other cars of my type.
Point is if you buy another car, say 500, would be quicker but you would be starting from scratch with the knowing the car inside out bit.
Just a thought, I am now too deep into my upgrades to sell but still feel it makes the care a bit more special which makes me feel good
Point is if you buy another car, say 500, would be quicker but you would be starting from scratch with the knowing the car inside out bit.
Just a thought, I am now too deep into my upgrades to sell but still feel it makes the care a bit more special which makes me feel good
M@H said:
I seriously don't think you'd ever tame any of them..
Probably right, it's just I find myself being dafter in the Chimaera each time I go out just to get the same buzz, God these cars are like a drug
You start off on something soft like a 4.0 Chimaera and before you you know it you need a 4.5 Cerbera to get the same 'hit' this must be the reason car shops are called 'dealers'
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