Lotus, TVR, or Old M3/Z3 ??
Discussion
Depends what you look for in a car but coming from the 996, everything may seem slow. If you want purity, handling and feel like nothing else then the Lotus is the only choice. The TVR sounds great but is a little rough around the edges and so too is the BMW, albeit to a lesser extent.
Ok so i've done all three marques and its a case of snog [Lotus] marry [BMW ] avoid [TVR]
I have had two TVR's and they bled me dry and something new always went wrong - Do i still hanker after another one -you bet -but then i remember the bad times and i look away
Lotus -great for a bit of fun but a pain to live with on an everyday basis
Had a Z3M -fabulous retro looks and S54 engine but handling was bordering on scary and unpredictable at anywhere near the limit even in the dry -wont get one for <15K unless its done a stellar mileage
Z4M -not as aesthetically pleasing as the Z3M but a much better drive all round and the same great S54 engine -can get a nice one for 14-15k and wont depreciate
What about a X100 XKR [auto] -cheap to run -wont depreciate - can get real nice one for 15k -just a gorgeous car to look at but not as tight as the Z4M .Has a lot of road presence and always got admiring looks .
I have had two TVR's and they bled me dry and something new always went wrong - Do i still hanker after another one -you bet -but then i remember the bad times and i look away
Lotus -great for a bit of fun but a pain to live with on an everyday basis
Had a Z3M -fabulous retro looks and S54 engine but handling was bordering on scary and unpredictable at anywhere near the limit even in the dry -wont get one for <15K unless its done a stellar mileage
Z4M -not as aesthetically pleasing as the Z3M but a much better drive all round and the same great S54 engine -can get a nice one for 14-15k and wont depreciate
What about a X100 XKR [auto] -cheap to run -wont depreciate - can get real nice one for 15k -just a gorgeous car to look at but not as tight as the Z4M .Has a lot of road presence and always got admiring looks .
Edited by doclip on Sunday 21st June 22:08
I have a Cerbera and an E46 M3, both similar in their grumpyness when cold but like chalk and cheese otherwise.
If you want something thats gonna be going up in value then a 5.0 Chimera would be the way to go, very few made and cheapish to run and maintain nothing specialist about the drivetrain or the rover v8, just a fabulous noise and lots of grunt. A good friend of mine has a T plate 5.0 Chim with 126k on the clock and its still on the original cam !!
Good luck and happy hunting, at the end of the day go for whichever one puts the biggest grin on your face.
Matt
If you want something thats gonna be going up in value then a 5.0 Chimera would be the way to go, very few made and cheapish to run and maintain nothing specialist about the drivetrain or the rover v8, just a fabulous noise and lots of grunt. A good friend of mine has a T plate 5.0 Chim with 126k on the clock and its still on the original cam !!
Good luck and happy hunting, at the end of the day go for whichever one puts the biggest grin on your face.
Matt
im a diehard bmw and porsche fan and currently run an alpina b3s coupe.... up until recently i was hankering for an e30 325i sport but now im gunning for a a tvr chimaera 4.0. its gonna cost me no more than 8k off season and with a time tested rover powerplant and lots of great aftermarket support i dont think it needs to cost me a fortune to run and certainly less than my alpina
neutral 3 said:
Buy a Griff now whilst they are Still £ undervalued and affordable. I wouldn't buy a Chim unless your budget is tight, too many built, some very ropey ones out there and questionable looks. I have a Griff 500 and an E46M3, love them both.
yep my wife is with you on the looks front but for me its a budget thing... 8k will get a me a good starter car in chim world but that same car is north of 10k in griff world and id rather have that 2k as a slush fund..def some carp cars out there in chim world but i also think its a relatively cheap way to make your first move into tvr world
if however you know a griff up for chim money then do let me know!
Hello RC, yes you are very unlikely to find a Griff ( particularly a 500 ) for any less than £13,000. There was a good project Griff for sale a few weeks ago for £ much less. Look on the Griff forum on here and go back a few weeks.
PM me if you need any buying advice on both TVRs and M3s
PM me if you need any buying advice on both TVRs and M3s
Gassing Station | M Power | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff