Thinking of Buying My First TVR!

Thinking of Buying My First TVR!

Author
Discussion

Nano2nd

3,426 posts

255 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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hi Gavstar, i've just bought my first TVR, in fact i'm picking it up tomorrow.

My advice is this:

1. get some insurance quotes i had a nightmare finding a decent quote.
2. trawl though as many as the threads on here as posible, particularly focusing on the buyers guide /info type ones.
3. go and see & drive as many as possible
4. do not buy the first one you see, use you head not heart

regarding the third one, i'd read that on here and i recall thinking to myself they can't be that different surely? well let me tell you, they bloody are! in fact one of the worst ones i looked at was at one of the main dealers! (and i mean main too ) it was even described as wonderful condition FFS! my analysis was "a shed"

don't let milage but you off either, i looked at a superb one that had done 38000 and you couldn't tell, i'll be honest i've gone for a 19000 one owner from new car, but just looking at condition of the two there wasn't much in it.

hope that helps some mate

>> Edited by Nano2nd on Friday 16th April 09:35

stackmonkey

5,077 posts

248 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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Certainly helps me, too. I had been thinking of an E34 M5, but may now have up to 15K, so a TVR it is....

Also not driven one though..

Are there any main dealers / specialists in Staffordshire / Derbyshire areas where I can test drive a Chimaera? I'm fairly useless on the machanical side so would prob. buy from a dealer and get it inspected.

shnozz

27,419 posts

270 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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raceboy said:


shnozz said:



Gavstar said:
Also, a mate of mine just told me "don't get a TVR, they're crap, get a Boxster"....weirdo!



if your mate can get boxsters for £12k, buy one of them.

flog it for £20k and buy a later spec chimaera



And don't forget that your going to need to look for a 5.0l car probably with NOS fitted so it doesn't feel too slow sorry small private running joke amoung green 4.0 Chimarea owners






>> Edited by shnozz on Friday 16th April 12:50

Swill

74 posts

239 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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Hi Gavstar
I bought my first ever tiv in sept 03, and absolutely love every minute i'm behind the wheel.
Previous car was a "common-old" Porsche 944S2 Cab, which was a very solid and excellent handling car. It was starting a feel a little "old-hat" in terms of performance though, and after debate of tuning it, turned to TVR for a test-drive, it was either a TVR or a 911. Of course any Porsche owner will tell you "TVR;s are rubbish", but i've yet to meet anyone who's said this that has actually driven a TVR, and more often than not they go by a "friend of a friend of a friends", which was always breaking down. I just took these people with a pinch of salt!! Porsche's (as do most makes) break down as well, and they cost a fortune to repair, as does a lot of Jap stuff (so i'm told....).
Before considering buying a TVR, go and meet a specialist or main dealer, to get information about service costs/intervals. If you do only 4k a year then your service costs didn't ought to be that bad. I visited Peninsula TVR nr Exeter, who gave loads of free advice (getting their money back now tho....LOL!!) and help, as well as "no pressure at all" test-drives. Suppose it depends on what car you're used to running, to whether you'll die of shock when receiving your service/petrol costs.
I'm (....so far ) over the moon with my car, although the previous owner did spend £3,800 in one go on it 8,000 miles before I bought it (for an engine rebuild). If you go and look at some cars then try to buy the one that drives the nicest (drive as many as you can before you buy), as well as looks the nicest condition. Also ask to look through the service history, (you can then make a note of the servicing costs involved ??), if it's had recent work done then check it was carried out by a suitable TVR specialist/main dealer. Get the best one you can find for the money, and you'll not regret a moment of it. And no, you wouldn't hear a TVR owner moaning about one, but most cars are boring by comparison, friend of mine bought one just before I did, and said he'd never driven anything quite like it. I don't think there is anything quite like a TVR, and I would never sell it for another Porsche (well maybe a 3.6Turbo2...... NAH - IT'S GOT A ROOF!!) - Good Luck

>> Edited by Swill on Friday 16th April 15:58

verysideways

10,237 posts

271 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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Hate to say it but i loved my 911 even more than i love my Chim (sorry!).

BUT!?!?!?

I sold my 911 (a very special 993 C4S) for a bargain 27k. The guy who bought it got such a good deal i'm still kicking myself, i could have sold it 5 times over for that money.

I bought my Chim and threw some money at her, and she owes me a little less than 10k. Worth EVERY penny.

Another friend has a mint black late Carrera 3.2 (an '89 G50 911 coupe) and it's worth all of the 15k it cost him. But i'd have my Chim over his car without a doubt, and that's ignoring the 5k difference.

Just my own experiences and thus IMHO.

VS

bobski

1,589 posts

263 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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Gavstar - where are you located? Then you can get a rating of dealers/owners who can give you good advice/viewings!
You'll get tons of help on-line but it's always best to see in the flesh. SHPUB's book is great, it's all in there!

Get the missus to drive it and do something like RideDrive (unless you already have a SuperLicence), and simply enjoy.

chim500nj

394 posts

240 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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I have had three TVR's started with an S2 then went to a 4ltr Chim and now have a 5ltr Chim so worked my way up nicely.

I have had no problems with any of these cars and all of them have proved to be reliable and apart from tightening things up at service time they never broke down. Buy the newest you can get and I would go for the serpentine model if you can. Get a 4ltr Chim and get it spanner checked at a good Indy afterwards if you buy privately. I would also put aside £1,000 if you buy privately to get the car completely up to scratch...

I use mine almost everyday and would not hesitate in recommending Chim ownership they are the most reliabel TVR you can buy..

jessica

6,321 posts

251 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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Had my Trev for a year now.Only had a few minor things replaced under warrenty.If you buying private make sure you get it checked by a pro....Who understand TVR,s
Put aside some money for petrol,insurance and servicing,and you should have many a happy day blatting about.

Treat it with respect in the ice,snow wet,diesel enviroment and you will be fine.

As for a Porsche( I test drove one ) It was fun,it's fast and you can chuck it about in the wet.

But my Gannie could drive it,and it didn,t sound nice and no-one will give you a second glance...

Get the TVR grin.

>> Edited by jessica on Friday 16th April 17:22

Swill

74 posts

239 months

Friday 16th April 2004
quotequote all
verysideways said:
Hate to say it but i loved my 911 even more than i love my Chim (sorry!).

BUT!?!?!?

I sold my 911 (a very special 993 C4S) for a bargain 27k. The guy who bought it got such a good deal i'm still kicking myself, i could have sold it 5 times over for that money.

I bought my Chim and threw some money at her, and she owes me a little less than 10k. Worth EVERY penny.

Another friend has a mint black late Carrera 3.2 (an '89 G50 911 coupe) and it's worth all of the 15k it cost him. But i'd have my Chim over his car without a doubt, and that's ignoring the 5k difference.

Just my own experiences and thus IMHO.

VS


Hi Verysideways, sadly I wasn't in the 993-buying club, would've been a 964. That said I ended up paying about £5k for more a tvr than i'd originally intended, doh !! Still I have driven a 964, and am more than happy with my decision to by a TVR.
Cheers - Swill

rumbletumble

199 posts

241 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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Buy One !

I've had 3 TVRs (V8S, 4.0 Chim, 4.5 Chim) and a Boxster S.
The TVRs were expensive to run as everyday cars, but then I was covering 12-15k miles a year - hence the move to the Boxster. The Boxster is a brilliant piece of kit, 100% reliable, not as expensive to maintain when doing that kind of mileage, and I love it. But every time I see another Tiv drive by, I WANT IT!!

No other car has ever put a smile on my face as much as the TVR.
I had the fortune of only 'having to drive' 4k miles a year I’d have one (but I know I would drive more than 4k just for the fun of it )

Buy one privately and you'll get one for your budget, try and get one from someone who has owned it for a few years themselves, with proof of past work undertaken etc. And I agree, get an independent inspection.

Enjoy.......

daftlad

3,324 posts

240 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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[redacted]

munky

5,328 posts

247 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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Gavstar said:
Nice one, thanks for all the tips! Rob Ingleby is the guy who runs www.findmeasprtscar.com or something isn't he? I guess the best thing for me to do is 1. Measure the length of my garage to check it will fit (!), and 2. Test drive some from a local dealer.
Can anyone recommend a sound specialist garage in the SE London/ North Kent area for repairs and servicing?

Also, a mate of mine just told me "don't get a TVR, they're crap, get a Boxster"....weirdo!


Try Austec Racing at Gatwick. Just had mine serviced there, service was £411 plus some extra stuff I had done. Can't say if it was good or not yet, since they're delivering it back to me as we speak.. and yes it is 9.45 on a friday night.

As to whether to buy one or not, YES OF COURSE YOU SHOULD. Never had a moment's bother with mine in a year and a half.. and I don't even use it that regularly. Only thing that went wrong was the battery died, and that isn't made by TVR. Mind you spent 25 on buying mine, not 12

daftlad

3,324 posts

240 months

Friday 16th April 2004
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The joys of risk assessment............

Gavstar

Original Poster:

1,305 posts

239 months

Saturday 17th April 2004
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Just been checking out pics of some Griffs...how do they compare to a Chim? Less practical??

simon brooks

1,517 posts

250 months

Saturday 17th April 2004
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Why not think about testing the water with a nice S3 for a lot less money, got mine last August and have loved every minute, nice easy lump to work on if you have half an idea about spanners. Have just come back from a spin around the lanes (heaven). You are not likely to take a bath on the cost if you want to move up a model later on. Go on buy a Tiv you will regret later if you dont. If you are not to hot on the oily bits its a must to get help from someone that is.

Remember summer is fast approaching and the nice ones will be gone or kept until the weather starts to change again.

drdarling

6 posts

240 months

Saturday 17th April 2004
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Yes - go for it. Later examples of a model are more reliable it seems, having had a chance to have bugs ironed out. I've got a '95 Griff 500, and bar a dead battery on occasion (the security system's fault), I've never had a reliability problem. I drive it in all weathers, snow rain wind & ice (and sun too!).

meo

9 posts

243 months

Tuesday 4th May 2004
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Dude,
Don't do it.
I agree they are beautiful cars to look at, listen to and drive but the reliability issues and subsequent costs that WILL follow are horrendous.
I have had two TVR's, first one was a 4.0 ltr chimaera and the second a Tuscan. Never again will I go down that road. just be prepared for a lot of heartache and hair pulling. Best of luck whatever you decide.

Gavstar

Original Poster:

1,305 posts

239 months

Sunday 9th May 2004
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What kinds of things cost you so much money?

ace-t

7,688 posts

254 months

Sunday 9th May 2004
quotequote all
meo said:
Dude,
Don't do it.
I agree they are beautiful cars to look at, listen to and drive but the reliability issues and subsequent costs that WILL follow are horrendous.
I have had two TVR's, first one was a 4.0 ltr chimaera and the second a Tuscan. Never again will I go down that road. just be prepared for a lot of heartache and hair pulling. Best of luck whatever you decide.

Really sorry to hear that Meo. The thing is with these motors is the highs are so high and correspondingly the lows are terrible.

We have a 4 litre chim and a Tuscan. A year and a half into ownership and no major probs. The Tuscan had to have the throttle bodies repaired/replaced but thats it. The Chim was in fantastic nick (got it checked out by Joospeed in Chesterfield the East mids independant specialist www.joospeed.net) so the lesson learnt is go by condition, not colour or extras.

If you have owned a classic, moving to TVR's ain't much of a hassle as the maintenance comes as second nature: check oil, water, tyres every week, service regularly and most importantly DO NOT thrash the nuts off it when it is cold, cos that is the best and quickest way to emptying your bank account on an engine rebuild.

Owning one of these cars is a commitment. If you do not want to make that commitment, get a Porche I hope you get a TVR though as the factor when you are is AWESOME!

Ace-T

Gavstar

Original Poster:

1,305 posts

239 months

Sunday 9th May 2004
quotequote all
Well, I've never owned a classic and nor have i owned a performance car before....TVR seemed the obvious choice for getting something a bit special and fun to drive, before having kids and all that stuff!