Me again... 19 Year old going for a Chim...
Discussion
I have to say I am not your normal 19 year old, or even a normal teenager, never been drunk, all my friends and family describe me as very old fashioned.. I have no need to speed or race around on public roads, actually when I see a young guy in say, a corsa, driving it like its a racing car, it really annoys me and kind of makes me laugh.
I mean heck the first car I test drove, which was going to be my first car was a Rover 75 in lime green.. I do not get on with many people my age as it is, most of the people I am friendly with now are 25 +, probably because I work in a garden centre! (Full time which is also strange for someone my age, but I absolutely love working)
I mean heck the first car I test drove, which was going to be my first car was a Rover 75 in lime green.. I do not get on with many people my age as it is, most of the people I am friendly with now are 25 +, probably because I work in a garden centre! (Full time which is also strange for someone my age, but I absolutely love working)
What is the world coming to, a bloke comes on here talking about buying a TVR and you're all telling him to spunk it on a holiday 
If I had taken £5k abroad with me when I was 20 my syphilis riddled corpse would have been flown back home within a month, you only need a couple hundred quid a month to holiday when you're a teenager, drugs are cheap and last for hours
If I had taken £5k abroad with me when I was 20 my syphilis riddled corpse would have been flown back home within a month, you only need a couple hundred quid a month to holiday when you're a teenager, drugs are cheap and last for hours
t list and they will hike up your premiums!900T-R said:
But the statistics are overwhelmingly in favour of the survival chances of the latter. 
Younger people take chances ,they like the buzz ,probably think its a computer game .At that age I would of been very happy with an immaculate road tax exempt triumph spitfire with overdrive .
They are still cheap and have not gone up in price like other marques ,in fact I`m after one my self to sit next to the TVR .
A 19 year old would look cool in something like that . .
I was 19 when I bought mine last year. If you're really into it, go for it. It's been more of a steep mechanical learning curve for me. I don't drive the car myself because the insurance is too high but I paid for my dad to be insured so it get's a life before it's possible for me.
It's a bit like owning a husky or other breed of dog that needs a lot of exercise in a way. In that, I wouldn't recommend it if your commute is 2 miles.
I'll get insured when I turn 21 because it's cheap enough and I want to look the s**t, wanted to be the youngest TVR owner in the UK etc.
Thing is, it will bite you at some point. You just have to try and avoid those situations and have the experience and ability to cope when it does. (i.e. "I've just driven over wet leaves coming out of the garage, I won't floor it when turning left at the end of the road)
It has to be fully comp too. Have a big budget for fixing and fettling too. Buy a Steve Heath Bible first (please do this if anything).
Alex
It's a bit like owning a husky or other breed of dog that needs a lot of exercise in a way. In that, I wouldn't recommend it if your commute is 2 miles.
I'll get insured when I turn 21 because it's cheap enough and I want to look the s**t, wanted to be the youngest TVR owner in the UK etc.
Thing is, it will bite you at some point. You just have to try and avoid those situations and have the experience and ability to cope when it does. (i.e. "I've just driven over wet leaves coming out of the garage, I won't floor it when turning left at the end of the road)
It has to be fully comp too. Have a big budget for fixing and fettling too. Buy a Steve Heath Bible first (please do this if anything).
Alex
Well, it sound like you've got a passion for Trevs and the force is strong with this one!
I just think that it is such a waste funding the insurance companies when at your age you could much better spend your money. At £600, £700 or £800, then I'd say go for it, but at over £2k you are just having your pants pulled down. If you wait a few years, the premiums will come down drastically, but the cars will still be there.
I guess it depends on your view of money, and how much you really want it. I guess I'm northern and hate giving my money away to undeserving corporations I.e insurance companies, so might explain my attitude a bit!
I just think that it is such a waste funding the insurance companies when at your age you could much better spend your money. At £600, £700 or £800, then I'd say go for it, but at over £2k you are just having your pants pulled down. If you wait a few years, the premiums will come down drastically, but the cars will still be there.
I guess it depends on your view of money, and how much you really want it. I guess I'm northern and hate giving my money away to undeserving corporations I.e insurance companies, so might explain my attitude a bit!
Rightio, I'm about your age (albeit 22) and got my chimaera at 21. It's doable at a young age but...
Lets not kid ourselves, it can only be a second car. The car I had was garaged for 10 years, inside was bone dry, but the first time I drove it in the wet I was peering down the 1 inch gap of mist created by the heaters. You will hate driving it in the wet.
Don't do a 2 mile commute in a TVR
Insurance wise, go to compare the market, add both parents as named drivers, parked on street, and set date as one month in advance (gives you cheaper quote but you can take it straight away, makes sense!). Don't declare mods online but phone them up once you get the quote and declare them there. Admiral will be cheapest and will give you a multicar discount on top if you call them.
I know you've got the rose tinted glasses, everything will be fine n' all that. But these cars require maintenance; you need to be able to change the oil and do other basic tasks to keep running costs reasonable.
I'll be honest here, my finances are a bit tighter this year. I sold my chimaera for a house deposit but now have a TVR Tasmin; they're cheaper to buy and 50-75% cheaper to insure. They qualify for classic insurance with admiral. (I pay just under £400 full comp, 7k agreed value for the wedge )
Insurance went down massively for me when i turned 21. Maybe you should get a mx-5 'till then?
And we arrive back to reality with a thump
Edit: A black box in a TVR? Really? Think about it. In a TVR? Is that what you want?
Lets not kid ourselves, it can only be a second car. The car I had was garaged for 10 years, inside was bone dry, but the first time I drove it in the wet I was peering down the 1 inch gap of mist created by the heaters. You will hate driving it in the wet.
Don't do a 2 mile commute in a TVR
Insurance wise, go to compare the market, add both parents as named drivers, parked on street, and set date as one month in advance (gives you cheaper quote but you can take it straight away, makes sense!). Don't declare mods online but phone them up once you get the quote and declare them there. Admiral will be cheapest and will give you a multicar discount on top if you call them.
I know you've got the rose tinted glasses, everything will be fine n' all that. But these cars require maintenance; you need to be able to change the oil and do other basic tasks to keep running costs reasonable.
I'll be honest here, my finances are a bit tighter this year. I sold my chimaera for a house deposit but now have a TVR Tasmin; they're cheaper to buy and 50-75% cheaper to insure. They qualify for classic insurance with admiral. (I pay just under £400 full comp, 7k agreed value for the wedge
)Insurance went down massively for me when i turned 21. Maybe you should get a mx-5 'till then?
And we arrive back to reality with a thump
Edit: A black box in a TVR? Really? Think about it. In a TVR? Is that what you want?
Edited by MethylatedSpirit on Thursday 17th April 23:56
There are so many 19-20 year old's spending 100's and 100's a week/month on drink,drugs and clothes amounting to many 1,000 of pounds over the year.
If I had a 19yr old son i would rather him spend his hard earned on an appreciating classic car than throwing up down the toilet every weekend.
OP has already said that wild parties etc are not his thing and as most of us know the TVR circle opens you up to fantastic car events and social gatherings that are not often seen among other car marques.
So my opinion is if a TVR is where you wish to spend YOUR money then go for it
There is always a But.... Just take a look at my blog in profile and you will see a very up to date breakdown of what mine has cost in only 9 1/2 months.
Mine was't one of the cheap ones out there either and bought a very clean example Chimaera but I have still had bills that I never expected. Point I'm trying to make is make sure you have some extra in reserve.
If I had a 19yr old son i would rather him spend his hard earned on an appreciating classic car than throwing up down the toilet every weekend.
OP has already said that wild parties etc are not his thing and as most of us know the TVR circle opens you up to fantastic car events and social gatherings that are not often seen among other car marques.
So my opinion is if a TVR is where you wish to spend YOUR money then go for it
There is always a But.... Just take a look at my blog in profile and you will see a very up to date breakdown of what mine has cost in only 9 1/2 months.
Mine was't one of the cheap ones out there either and bought a very clean example Chimaera but I have still had bills that I never expected. Point I'm trying to make is make sure you have some extra in reserve.
Guys remember it's not only the things you do that you regret, it's what you don't do when you could have done. Hell I say do it and take care, build into your experience in driving it gradually as you get to know it. Trying to find your limits on it before you build experience will only get you in trouble.
I would just echo the sentiments of not using it for a 2 mile commute. It's no good to the car, it'll be far better you keeping it for weekends/evenings when you can drive it properly and really enjoy it. Cycle or walk that commute. I did 6 mile cycle rides to school through country lanes and A roads, and much further to get to work later when times were lean. The leg muscle you'll build up will help no end with the clutch
You can also travel later....I started that at 30. Chims will get fewer as time goes by....
I would just echo the sentiments of not using it for a 2 mile commute. It's no good to the car, it'll be far better you keeping it for weekends/evenings when you can drive it properly and really enjoy it. Cycle or walk that commute. I did 6 mile cycle rides to school through country lanes and A roads, and much further to get to work later when times were lean. The leg muscle you'll build up will help no end with the clutch
You can also travel later....I started that at 30. Chims will get fewer as time goes by....
MethylatedSpirit said:
Rightio, I'm about your age (albeit 22) and got my chimaera at 21. It's doable at a young age but...
Lets not kid ourselves, it can only be a second car. The car I had was garaged for 10 years, inside was bone dry, but the first time I drove it in the wet I was peering down the 1 inch gap of mist created by the heaters. You will hate driving it in the wet.
Don't do a 2 mile commute in a TVR
Insurance wise, go to compare the market, add both parents as named drivers, parked on street, and set date as one month in advance (gives you cheaper quote but you can take it straight away, makes sense!). Don't declare mods online but phone them up once you get the quote and declare them there. Admiral will be cheapest and will give you a multicar discount on top if you call them.
I know you've got the rose tinted glasses, everything will be fine n' all that. But these cars require maintenance; you need to be able to change the oil and do other basic tasks to keep running costs reasonable.
I'll be honest here, my finances are a bit tighter this year. I sold my chimaera for a house deposit but now have a TVR Tasmin; they're cheaper to buy and 50-75% cheaper to insure. They qualify for classic insurance with admiral. (I pay just under £400 full comp, 7k agreed value for the wedge )
Insurance went down massively for me when i turned 21. Maybe you should get a mx-5 'till then?
And we arrive back to reality with a thump
Edit: A black box in a TVR? Really? Think about it. In a TVR? Is that what you want?
Of course not! I mentioned I have a black box on my current first car as without it I would not of been able to afford it.Lets not kid ourselves, it can only be a second car. The car I had was garaged for 10 years, inside was bone dry, but the first time I drove it in the wet I was peering down the 1 inch gap of mist created by the heaters. You will hate driving it in the wet.
Don't do a 2 mile commute in a TVR
Insurance wise, go to compare the market, add both parents as named drivers, parked on street, and set date as one month in advance (gives you cheaper quote but you can take it straight away, makes sense!). Don't declare mods online but phone them up once you get the quote and declare them there. Admiral will be cheapest and will give you a multicar discount on top if you call them.
I know you've got the rose tinted glasses, everything will be fine n' all that. But these cars require maintenance; you need to be able to change the oil and do other basic tasks to keep running costs reasonable.
I'll be honest here, my finances are a bit tighter this year. I sold my chimaera for a house deposit but now have a TVR Tasmin; they're cheaper to buy and 50-75% cheaper to insure. They qualify for classic insurance with admiral. (I pay just under £400 full comp, 7k agreed value for the wedge
)Insurance went down massively for me when i turned 21. Maybe you should get a mx-5 'till then?
And we arrive back to reality with a thump
Edit: A black box in a TVR? Really? Think about it. In a TVR? Is that what you want?
Edited by MethylatedSpirit on Thursday 17th April 23:56
I would never have a TVR with a black box! Bad enough having one on my Saab!
Look - if you are 100% sure you can afford the outlay on:
Buying the chim
Insuring it
Fueling it
Maintaining it (you may well get away with a few hundred quid a year or it could cost you £5k in the first week!)
And you understand what relying on very raw 15 year old+ sports car for a 2 mile commute really involves.
Then go for it! Don't let anyone put you off. But just be absolutely honest with yourself when answering the above questions.
When I was 28 I got a new 370z on finance, convinced myself the maths worked out as good value. 3 years later I was £17k down! I shudder when I think back to that car. Never really enjoyed the feeling of owning it as it was a financial black hole but before I bought it everything seemed to make sense.
Your being 19 is completely immaterial. If you were 40 I'd give you the same advice. The biggest stumbling block I think would be relying on the car for the commute. I guarantee those first few weeks in summer will be great, the v8 roar, the blasting down the country lanes. Then something will happen, the battery will go flat, it will develop a misfire or the immobiliser will play up and you'll be late for work. That will be the first niggle, there will be more. Then winter will come, it might leak, which you'll fix; then you'll start getting tired of the heavy clutch and handbrake in the traffic. Before you know it the rot has set it and the car you loved starts to become a burden.
In my early twenties I went from a Toyota MR2 to an S2000 then the 370z. Finally now the Chim. The chim is by far the best car I have ever driven for shear excitement but I have the backup of a daily driver as well. I did commute in the chim for three weeks in the summer (8 miles) but it just wasn't practical - heavy clutch, difficult hill starts and heat. It is now purely a weekend car and I love it all the more for it. Pull the cover off, sit in and start up, without the pressure of relying on it everyday I can relax more and enjoy it.
Well, I say that! Last month my engine blew and I'm looking at a 4.5k repair bill. It's a killer but I'm at a place in my life where I can just about afford it and being without the car for 2 months isn't an issue. A few years ago it would have bankrupted me and left me without transport.
Take people's advice but remember it is only that (and not all, even mine, is worth having!). Do what you think is right.
Good luck.
Buying the chim
Insuring it
Fueling it
Maintaining it (you may well get away with a few hundred quid a year or it could cost you £5k in the first week!)
And you understand what relying on very raw 15 year old+ sports car for a 2 mile commute really involves.
Then go for it! Don't let anyone put you off. But just be absolutely honest with yourself when answering the above questions.
When I was 28 I got a new 370z on finance, convinced myself the maths worked out as good value. 3 years later I was £17k down! I shudder when I think back to that car. Never really enjoyed the feeling of owning it as it was a financial black hole but before I bought it everything seemed to make sense.
Your being 19 is completely immaterial. If you were 40 I'd give you the same advice. The biggest stumbling block I think would be relying on the car for the commute. I guarantee those first few weeks in summer will be great, the v8 roar, the blasting down the country lanes. Then something will happen, the battery will go flat, it will develop a misfire or the immobiliser will play up and you'll be late for work. That will be the first niggle, there will be more. Then winter will come, it might leak, which you'll fix; then you'll start getting tired of the heavy clutch and handbrake in the traffic. Before you know it the rot has set it and the car you loved starts to become a burden.
In my early twenties I went from a Toyota MR2 to an S2000 then the 370z. Finally now the Chim. The chim is by far the best car I have ever driven for shear excitement but I have the backup of a daily driver as well. I did commute in the chim for three weeks in the summer (8 miles) but it just wasn't practical - heavy clutch, difficult hill starts and heat. It is now purely a weekend car and I love it all the more for it. Pull the cover off, sit in and start up, without the pressure of relying on it everyday I can relax more and enjoy it.
Well, I say that! Last month my engine blew and I'm looking at a 4.5k repair bill. It's a killer but I'm at a place in my life where I can just about afford it and being without the car for 2 months isn't an issue. A few years ago it would have bankrupted me and left me without transport.
Take people's advice but remember it is only that (and not all, even mine, is worth having!). Do what you think is right.
Good luck.
Edited by swallet on Sunday 20th April 22:09
swallet said:
Look - if you are 100% sure you can afford the outlay on:
Buying the chim
Insuring it
Fueling it
Maintaining it (you may well get away with a few hundred quid a year or it could cost you £5k in the first week!)
And you understand what relying on very raw 15 year old+ sports car for a 2 mile commute really involves.
Then go for it! Don't let anyone put you off. But just be absolutely honest with yourself when answering the above questions.
When I was 28 I got a new 370z on finance, convinced myself the maths worked out as good value. 3 years later I was £17k down! I shudder when I think back to that car. Never really enjoyed the feeling of owning it as it was a financial black hole but before I bought it everything seemed to make sense.
Your being 19 is completely immaterial. If you were 40 I'd give you the same advice. The biggest stumbling block I think would be relying on the car for the commute. I guarantee those first few weeks in summer will be great, the v8 roar, the blasting down the country lanes. Then something will happen, the battery will go flat, it will develop a misfire or the immobiliser will play up and you'll be late for work. That will be the first niggle, there will be more. Then winter will come, it might leak, which you'll fix; then you'll start getting tired of the heavy clutch and handbrake in the traffic. Before you know it the rot has set it and the car you loved starts to become a burden.
In my early twenties I went from a Toyota MR2 to an S2000 then the 370z. Finally now the Chim. The chim is by far the best car I have ever driven for shear excitement but I have the backup of a daily driver as well. I did commute in the chim for three weeks in the summer (8 miles) but it just wasn't practical - heavy clutch, difficult hill starts and heat. It is now purely a weekend car and I love it all the more for it. Pull the cover off, sit in and start up, without the pressure of relying on it everyday I can relax more and enjoy it.
Well, I say that! Last month my engine blew and I'm looking at a 4.5k repair bill. It's a killer but I'm at a place in my life where I can just about afford it and being without the car for 2 months isn't an issue. A few years ago it would have bankrupted me and left me without transport.
Take people's advice but remember it is only that (and not all, even mine, is worth having!). Do what you think is right.
Good luck.
Actually I'll change my position to go with this. If you genuinely can afford it without sacrificing progress in the other parts of your life then go for it. You (OP) do need to be realistic about these running costs though. I spent £4,500 running my Cerbera excluding fuel last year, and other than a 12k service I didn't have any AJP8 related costs other than a set of HT leads in there - the rest was just general car-stuff that a Chimaera is pretty much just as liable for (ok, except maybe Cerbera brake disc costs which wont hurt you in a Chimaera).Buying the chim
Insuring it
Fueling it
Maintaining it (you may well get away with a few hundred quid a year or it could cost you £5k in the first week!)
And you understand what relying on very raw 15 year old+ sports car for a 2 mile commute really involves.
Then go for it! Don't let anyone put you off. But just be absolutely honest with yourself when answering the above questions.
When I was 28 I got a new 370z on finance, convinced myself the maths worked out as good value. 3 years later I was £17k down! I shudder when I think back to that car. Never really enjoyed the feeling of owning it as it was a financial black hole but before I bought it everything seemed to make sense.
Your being 19 is completely immaterial. If you were 40 I'd give you the same advice. The biggest stumbling block I think would be relying on the car for the commute. I guarantee those first few weeks in summer will be great, the v8 roar, the blasting down the country lanes. Then something will happen, the battery will go flat, it will develop a misfire or the immobiliser will play up and you'll be late for work. That will be the first niggle, there will be more. Then winter will come, it might leak, which you'll fix; then you'll start getting tired of the heavy clutch and handbrake in the traffic. Before you know it the rot has set it and the car you loved starts to become a burden.
In my early twenties I went from a Toyota MR2 to an S2000 then the 370z. Finally now the Chim. The chim is by far the best car I have ever driven for shear excitement but I have the backup of a daily driver as well. I did commute in the chim for three weeks in the summer (8 miles) but it just wasn't practical - heavy clutch, difficult hill starts and heat. It is now purely a weekend car and I love it all the more for it. Pull the cover off, sit in and start up, without the pressure of relying on it everyday I can relax more and enjoy it.
Well, I say that! Last month my engine blew and I'm looking at a 4.5k repair bill. It's a killer but I'm at a place in my life where I can just about afford it and being without the car for 2 months isn't an issue. A few years ago it would have bankrupted me and left me without transport.
Take people's advice but remember it is only that (and not all, even mine, is worth having!). Do what you think is right.
Good luck.
Edited by swallet on Sunday 20th April 22:09
I have a GoPro Camera, I could shoot a video of the alternate route I can take to work, maybe see if you lot think it is sufficient distance? Most of the route is on 40mph roads and some bits are 50mph zones, my Saab is normally at a perfect temperature by the time I arrive at work. (if I have taken the longer route)
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