Opinions please Chim 500

[JMGS4]

Well, you guys may know me from general gassing and other places..................
WELL I drove my first Chimaera recently, a 500, and it was gorgeous and I WANT ONE!!!

BUT the only dealer is about an hour away, in a different country and over 20000 pounds for a 9 year old Chim seems a bit OTT!! the 98 +99 models are all around 30-45K!! comparing with other GB sites and here in the "For Sale" column....what are your feelings on this? where can I get a 500 with LHD for a "normal" price? want to spend around 20K£ for a goodish one, or more if it's really mint.
BTW I'm located in the southern Black Forest near the Swiss border so nortehrn germans are mostly too far 5-600km plus!!!
any PHer help greatly appreciated..... here or via my profile!

edited 'cos of dyslexic fnigers!

>>> Edited by JMGS4 on Monday 15th September 13:52

[aaandy]

There is a guy on here called Christof. Think that he has just opened a dealership in Germany so would be closer and may be able to help.

[JMGS4]

aaandy said:

There is a guy on here called Christof. Think that he has just opened a dealership in Germany so would be closer and may be able to help.

I'd like to contact them but have no details and TVR gave me a muxed ip address/tel no so they were no help... poor show not being able to say who sells their cars.......

[aaandy]

Yes, it is a bit sad that TVR do not know all the details of their dealers.

Here you go, there is a thread about the dealers and a link to their website. Hope you find what you are looking for.

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=55945&f=13&h=0&hw=Deutschland

[JMGS4]

aaandy said:

Yes, it is a bit sad that TVR do not know all the details of their dealers. Here you go, there is a thread about the dealers and a link to their website. Hope you find what you are looking for. www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=55945&f=13&h=0&hw=Deutschland

Thanks for that Aandy! They are about 500km away!!! Germany is a big country, when you're in the bottom left hand pocket!

>> Edited by JMGS4 on Monday 15th September 15:16

[tvrinbfg]

TVR made so few LHD cars in the 9Ts, that they do command a premium. A lowish km, 94/95, LHD Chimaera 400 for £20k sounds about right.

Try Christof on 0049-271-73651; or www.auto-sautter.de;; or Marc Minnie 0032-9282-3136.

Regards

[e-mail]


>> Edited by tvrinbfg on Monday 15th September 15:21

[moschops_72]

I've Recently purchased a 5.0 Chim from the U.K. and am going to register it in Germany... not too much hassle, paperwork here... paperwork there, i'm getting a dealer in the dortmund area to get it done for me, including the legal mods to the car, all in all, around Euros 1400.
Why the need for a LHD? i actually prefer driving on the pavement side. also, it also adds to the looks.. believe me, this weekend i was followed by quite a few bikers.. all gave it the thumbs up... how many cars do you get that in???
if you want to go RHD drop me a mail, and i'll help you as much as i can.
Jeff

[JMGS4]

Jeff,
never really thought about a RHD.... how about insurance problems? They require a factory fitted immobiliser here and IMHO Tiv don't do one which is accepted, at least thats what TiV Switzerland told me... thinking hard about RHD, what about re-sale value tho'? You're also nearer Hagen for service than me, although the swiss are only 1 hr away..... mmmmm?

[tvrbelgium]

hi mate,
living in Belgium, I'm facing the same problem...don't feel really confortable either by the thought of paying that much for a car of that age...even when I dream about it every night
I think I'm going to buy a RHD drive it for a while and if it's not my cup of tea, have a conversion done...risky business, but for appr. the same money, you'll drive an 97 or 98 with all their upgrades compared to an pre-96...good luck!!

[900T-R]

RHD all the way for me, too. I can report from experience (MG press launch, 2001) that it takes about a day's driving to adapt, and there's no way I am going to pay 60% or more of the price when new for a 10 year old Chim or Griff, just because they're rare. People say 'but you get your money back when it's time to trade in' - well 1) the money has got to be there in the first place and I respectfully submit there's a rather sizeable difference between 13K and 25K if you're trying to save up; 2) I won't likely be 'trading up' a few years on - I can only afford to do this once, then stick to it (in fact, that is one reason for me to go with something rather more specialized than say, a Beemer) and 3)what is the average lifespan of a TVR before it needs a full resto - 15 years? 20 years? Not much use to buy an older car when you're paying about as much for depreciation (second hand car -> 'project') as the original owner did (new car -> trade in).

[JMGS4]

Further probs....... the biggest german insurance (ALLIANZ)does not know TVR! "we have a list of all manufacturers in the world and tvr is no manufacturer"
Secondly even if the would insure it they're saying 500% add-on for a RHD and garage ALWAYS!!! so i can't even go away with it..... Is this german insurance stupidity or just ignoramii??

[snorky]

funny my Chim is insured thru Mannings with Cornhill-Allianz ! ! !

[JMGS4]

snorky said:

funny my Chim is insured thru Mannings with Cornhill-Allianz ! ! !

Aaaah but zey ar ze Briteesh Allianz not ze chermunn ones!!!

[madant69]

Could you not come over here, buy one, then resell it over here when you want to sell her (YEAH - Like THAT'S going to happen!!!!)

I got my 94 Chimaera for £10k with full service history, brand new MOT and 4 brand new so-2's!

You could fly over, stay at the Savoy, go out for the weekend, get some real classy female company, come down and see me for a beer, and STILL get change from 20k!

Try this link - it's where I found mine!

www.autotrader.co.uk/

In fact...save even more money and come stay over our place when you pick her up!!

[moschops_72]

JMGS4 said:

Jeff, never really thought about a RHD.... how about insurance problems? They require a factory fitted immobiliser here and IMHO Tiv don't do one which is accepted, at least thats what TiV Switzerland told me... thinking hard about RHD, what about re-sale value tho'? You're also nearer Hagen for service than me, although the swiss are only 1 hr away..... mmmmm?

Hi John,
sorry about the delay.. work work work... .

ref insurance, well, i'm getting mine from a company called Oldie car cover, one of the few that will insure such a car here, well, the thing is, wether its a LHD or RHD it makes no difference, none whatsoever, i'm 31, 6years NC, my quote is approx 2200 euros per year, max 10,000Km's.

ref Alarm/imm. well, with the money you'll save on a RHD you'll be able to get a 98YM, which to my understanding, comes with a factory fitted alarm/imm. (could be ya'd or nay'd by fellow PH's) BTW i have a 2000 5.0Ltr.

ref residuals... well, that's the nice part, OK, selling it may be a bit of hard work, as the marke isn't that well known on mainland euroupe, but, and i say but, i saw a 98 5.0Ltr approx 60,000Miles... RHD !!! for 38,000 Euros, that's 8K more than it's costing me to get the thing bought, travel costs, and converting it for use in Germany, but shhhhh, don't tell too many PPl

ref servicing, we are both in the same boat there, it is a way to get serviced, but hey, isn't it worth it???

[moschops_72]

forgot one thing, if ya need insurance details, drop me a mail, and i'll give you all their details..

[moschops_72]

umm, what i meant to say was

*Ahem*

John, you have mail