MPG/performance - what is best for chimera?
Discussion
I am currently in the market of a TVR Chimera, after membership to the car club for one year i cant take it anymore i want one NOW!
Question is which one do i go for?
The first one i drove was a 4.0 - which blew me away performance wise but i was so pumped with adrenaline after actually turning the key...it could have been slower than my V6 vectra and i wouldn't of noticed.
Next one i drove was a 4.3 Big Valve - F@*k me thing roared and flew, the bonnet lifted everytime i put my foot down and in the workshop at mole valley it actually sounded better than the tuscan that was also rumbling away.
What are your experinces:
Comparing the 4.0,4.0 HC,4.3 BV and the 5.0?
performance wise is there a BIG diffrence in performance of top speed and ability to break your neck whilst applyling the right foot?
What about Fuel comsumption?
your comments are very welcome!
Question is which one do i go for?
The first one i drove was a 4.0 - which blew me away performance wise but i was so pumped with adrenaline after actually turning the key...it could have been slower than my V6 vectra and i wouldn't of noticed.
Next one i drove was a 4.3 Big Valve - F@*k me thing roared and flew, the bonnet lifted everytime i put my foot down and in the workshop at mole valley it actually sounded better than the tuscan that was also rumbling away.
What are your experinces:
Comparing the 4.0,4.0 HC,4.3 BV and the 5.0?
performance wise is there a BIG diffrence in performance of top speed and ability to break your neck whilst applyling the right foot?
What about Fuel comsumption?
your comments are very welcome!
Placing rational thought aside for a while.
[simplifyingforamoment]
If you buy a 4.0 you will want a 4.5, if you buy a 4.5 you will want a 5.0 and if you buy a 5.0 you will want a 4.5 Cerb.
For that is the way of TVR ownership
[/simplifyingforamoment]
The moral of the story...buy the biggest fastest best looking one you can afford, the smiles per mile are, quite simply, astonishing.
Matt.
[simplifyingforamoment]
If you buy a 4.0 you will want a 4.5, if you buy a 4.5 you will want a 5.0 and if you buy a 5.0 you will want a 4.5 Cerb.
For that is the way of TVR ownership
[/simplifyingforamoment]
The moral of the story...buy the biggest fastest best looking one you can afford, the smiles per mile are, quite simply, astonishing.
Matt.
Is budget an issue? If you've only got £12k to spend your only going to get a 4.0 anyway 
If it's your 1st 'real' performance rear drive sports car I'd say go for a 4.0 anyway, I've had mine 4 years now and I still think it's fast (as long as you don't drive a Cerbera or any new TVR then it feels slow again) I'd buy more on condition, price, and spec, before engine size, running costs are all going to be in the same ball park
If it's your 1st 'real' performance rear drive sports car I'd say go for a 4.0 anyway, I've had mine 4 years now and I still think it's fast (as long as you don't drive a Cerbera or any new TVR then it feels slow again) I'd buy more on condition, price, and spec, before engine size, running costs are all going to be in the same ball park
Same as us Raceboy - and good advice I think.
Look at loads, drive loads buy the one that feels right, it's what we did and ended up with a 4.0l.
Everyone will tell you that it's dog-slow and 'You'll soon be wanting a 4.5/5.0' but I would argue that.
In 2 years of ownership it only felt slow twice and that was last weekend, first time following The Lost Boys 4.5RR Cerbera
2nd time a bit later the same day following TVRGGAS 5.0 Griff, however I wasn't stirring the gearstick much and wasn't exactly blown in to the weeds! Anyway out on jaunts with the others nobody really goes mental anyway.
MPG? What's that then, or do you mean GPM? To be honest I never work it out.
Look at loads, drive loads buy the one that feels right, it's what we did and ended up with a 4.0l.
Everyone will tell you that it's dog-slow and 'You'll soon be wanting a 4.5/5.0' but I would argue that.
In 2 years of ownership it only felt slow twice and that was last weekend, first time following The Lost Boys 4.5RR Cerbera
2nd time a bit later the same day following TVRGGAS 5.0 Griff, however I wasn't stirring the gearstick much and wasn't exactly blown in to the weeds! Anyway out on jaunts with the others nobody really goes mental anyway. MPG? What's that then, or do you mean GPM? To be honest I never work it out.
Absolutely, not many 4.5s or 5.0s get past me on the road, but most people slow down a lot more for corners
.Mark said: Everyone will tell you that it's dog-slow and 'You'll soon be wanting a 4.5/5.0' but I would argue that.
The real difference is over 100mph, depends how you drive I guess
It also depends what you've had before. If it's a 200bhp hot hatch, then a 4.0 won't feel that much faster flat out, but a 5.0 will. If you've only had 100bhp cars, then a 4.0 will blow you away.
danny
Editted to say - Ah, you said you had a V6 Vectra. Hmmm, I would do a longer test drive to make sure - hire one for a day?
>> Edited by dannylt on Tuesday 13th May 14:37
danny
Editted to say - Ah, you said you had a V6 Vectra. Hmmm, I would do a longer test drive to make sure - hire one for a day?
>> Edited by dannylt on Tuesday 13th May 14:37
dannylt said: It also depends what you've had before. If it's a 200bhp hot hatch, then a 4.0 won't feel that much faster flat out, but a 5.0 will. If you've only had 100bhp cars, then a 4.0 will blow you away.
Are there many hot hatches around that hit 60 in 5 seconds?
I keep meaning to find the time to write up my 400-500 experience, having change cars recently... until then, I'd agree that a 400 is probably best if you've not driven anything similar.
Another reason for having a 400 first is that you get to trade up in a year or two! I had one for a year and couldn't of been happier. Scary fast, great noise, lots of fun and then got to experience it all over again (but faster, louder and even more fun) after buying a 500.
My TVR is a 4.0 Chim and my other car is a Peugeot 406 V6 3.0 estate.
The 406 has about 200BHP when running on Optimax (not that it gets much) and does 0 to 60 in a tad over 8 seconds. It's a great cost effective load lugger.
The TVR has an extra litre of capacity and about 20 to 30 more BHP; it's a lot lighter and the chassis is really quite different.
The TVR driving experience is far far better than the Peugeot experience.
The 406 rolls and understears into corners, the TVR does not. Corner entry speeds are higher in the TVR and the exit speeds are much higher.
If prior experience of a V6 Vectra makes a 4L Chim seem boring then something is very wrong!
The 406 has about 200BHP when running on Optimax (not that it gets much) and does 0 to 60 in a tad over 8 seconds. It's a great cost effective load lugger.
The TVR has an extra litre of capacity and about 20 to 30 more BHP; it's a lot lighter and the chassis is really quite different.
The TVR driving experience is far far better than the Peugeot experience.
The 406 rolls and understears into corners, the TVR does not. Corner entry speeds are higher in the TVR and the exit speeds are much higher.
If prior experience of a V6 Vectra makes a 4L Chim seem boring then something is very wrong!
well i decided on my five litre chim,Because of that lovley rummble.Sure all the TVR's rumble but nothing like a five. lovley!!!!
. especially when puttling.He just burbles away to himself.. wow!!
I did try a Porsche Boxter S(not in the same league Boy's sorry)
And i test drove the Tuscan S.It was cool but didn't quite have that wonderous sound.and i was scared of dropping that back window...Tut Tut Us girlies.
What are we like......
Thanks for all the info guys...
But what if i went for a 5.0 litre over a 4.0 litre.
Running costs? Does the 5 drink more than the 4 or not? also what about parts and servicing costs.
I didn't relise that the 5 sounded better than the lower capacity engines either.
this message board is extreamly helpful!
But what if i went for a 5.0 litre over a 4.0 litre.
Running costs? Does the 5 drink more than the 4 or not? also what about parts and servicing costs.
I didn't relise that the 5 sounded better than the lower capacity engines either.
this message board is extreamly helpful!
From my point of view I don't even know what size my engine is, I know I should have checked before I bought, originally she was a 5.0 but being one of TVR's own I don't know what it is now, (I may ask Blackpool for some history next week) so to summarize if it feels good it probably is
I've not noticed any major difference in fuel economy so far but I haven't monitored it as yet. My old 400 was modified to run on regular unleaded whereas this one still requires super so thats adding to the cost a little.
Exhaust note is noticeably deeper with the 500. My 400 had the 'cut open silencer and remove some packing' modification which made it pop and crackle more but I doubt I'll do that to the 500, doesn't need it (yet!).
You've not mentioned your budget as yet... its probably best to find a good 400 or 450 over a tatty/tired 500 if budget is a restriction.
Exhaust note is noticeably deeper with the 500. My 400 had the 'cut open silencer and remove some packing' modification which made it pop and crackle more but I doubt I'll do that to the 500, doesn't need it (yet!).
You've not mentioned your budget as yet... its probably best to find a good 400 or 450 over a tatty/tired 500 if budget is a restriction.
I can only speak for the 5, but MPG is VERY variable.
I could get 27 by taking it very easy - 30MPH is pretty much idle in 5th and I could stretch a tank out to 350 miles.
I could get into the low teens - especially in foreign parts - I drove from London to Barcelona and didn't manage more than 170 miles on a tank on the Autoroute which was a PIA.
Track days are single digits!
I could get 27 by taking it very easy - 30MPH is pretty much idle in 5th and I could stretch a tank out to 350 miles.
I could get into the low teens - especially in foreign parts - I drove from London to Barcelona and didn't manage more than 170 miles on a tank on the Autoroute which was a PIA.
Track days are single digits!
Like a lot of other people I'd say go for the 500 if you can afford it. I've only ever driven a couple of Griffith 500's (including my own) and the idea of less power is not an appealing one. Once you've taken a drive in a 500 you won't want anything less! And whilst you're at it make it a Griffith instead of a Chimp!!
And yes the fuel consumption really does vary a lot depending on driving style but if you're in the market for a car with at least a 4.0 litre engine, you shouldn't be worried about that kind of thing anyway. Besides, from what I've heard the difference between a 4.0 and a 5.0 isn't that much anyway.
Whatever you end up getting you'll absolutely love it, but then again I expect you already knew that!!
And yes the fuel consumption really does vary a lot depending on driving style but if you're in the market for a car with at least a 4.0 litre engine, you shouldn't be worried about that kind of thing anyway. Besides, from what I've heard the difference between a 4.0 and a 5.0 isn't that much anyway.
Whatever you end up getting you'll absolutely love it, but then again I expect you already knew that!!
well i agree with the boys...... 5 litres is the best..for perfomance and burble... diff in petrol minimal.but u do have to put in the super unleaded unless u like to listen to engine pinking..
on a good run 21mpg. bad 17.... but i agree if u up for 5 litre u need to not be worried about cost of petrol(i forgo everything to drive my chim!!)
on a good run 21mpg. bad 17.... but i agree if u up for 5 litre u need to not be worried about cost of petrol(i forgo everything to drive my chim!!)
i honestly don'tthink it really matters. All I can say is when you see the one you really want you'll know (call it instinct). I can garantee evenif you get a 4ltr it'll blow the skin off the Vectra!
I ended up with a 4.5, just because as soon as I saw it I loved it, and it still makes that awesmoe rumble which everybody likes and makes heads turn for miles.
Find a car and enjoy my friend!
I ended up with a 4.5, just because as soon as I saw it I loved it, and it still makes that awesmoe rumble which everybody likes and makes heads turn for miles.
Find a car and enjoy my friend!
Gassing Station | General TVR Stuff & Gossip | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff