tvr for a young beginner

[JonyPI]

hi guys
now please dont shoot me down for this as some may wish to. but im looking into maybe getting a tvr in the next few months. would be my 1st one and im only 21 (so no tuscans )

despite my age iv always had RWD cars learning how to drive *properly* ing a modified triumph gt6 and now driving a bmw 325. iv ALWAYS loved TVR's and a friend has a tasmin 350 which i just get all giggly when ever i hear it!

anyway was wondering if theres any other young guys or girls out there who may be able to advise which may be the best model to go for for value and insurance (i know it still isnt going to be cheap!)

will be used purely as a weekend/ occassional track car.

thanks
Jon

[GJR]

Hi Jon and welcome,

If you do a search there have been a few threads recently by people in their early 20's asking 'which' TVR.

I guess it comes down to your budget, but an S, Wedge or Chimaera ?? I can definately recommend a Griffith.

So what appeals to you in your budget range ?

ETA: Insurance for all will be group 20 I should imagine, but there are specialist insurance companies that might do better deals than the mainstream. In addition a classic car policy might be the way to go ?

Edited by GJR on Wednesday 1st July 20:45

[JonyPI]

yes iv been looking at the chim, also like the s. i do like the wedge but prefer the look of the later cars and as i understand it they are always abit limited engine wise as there isnt much room for a proper tubuler exhaust mani?

my budget will be abit lower end unless i maybe wait longer and save up more as i have a new job starting soon so could soon rake up the money. and i know they are expensive to run aswell before anyone tells me im mad so will be looking at early 90's cars so i cand hopefully get a classic policy as you say but im half expecting them to tell me to come back when im 25/30

will do a search in the meantime!

[madbadger]

The S is a good starting point.

Best bet is the get along to a meet and have a look.

[JonyPI]

madbadger said:

The S is a good starting point.

Best bet is the get along to a meet and have a look.

but then you have saying that thier model is the best

to be honest, i usualy do more research before i ask questions, just heard of this job so got my head wirring with ideas, especialy after seeing some beuties at a show up in the north east the other day and chattin to the owners there who were all great! (especialy the dude with the yellow cerb with the carbon fibre induction kit and the bumble bee interior mod

i mean looking on the bay youv got s' and chims selling for 5-6k, which is not much more than what id sell the gt6 for, but are these best avoided? how are they with milage? all i know is that it will HAVE to be a v8!

[JonyPI]

infact i think it would have to be a chim over an s' iv done the classic thing and want to move one personaly!

[350Matt]

as a 'starter ' TVR then I would strongly recommend the wedge, you can get a decent 350i for 3-4K and they're pretty quick and generally well sorted with a big heart.

Pretty cheap to run as well as most of the consumables are ford granada or rover SD1 I bought my 350 and kept it for 8 years tuning it up it all the while then moved onto a cerb then onto a griff and I still think of my wedge very fondly

[GJL]

If you are on a budget, it is wise to look for a later, top end of a particular model that has been well looked after rather than an early, abused but cheap later model (the later the car in a production run, the more problems are rectified). You can find an early Chim for the same money as a late S, but you could be buying an expensive headache. Try out a few different cars before committing, but perhaps due to your age a few sellers might be hesitant to let you drive , so as mentioned already, try a local meet or visit a local specialist to view a few in the flesh and spend some time asking questions. TVRs are a great car and a real pleasure to own, but as with any make, if you get a bad one it can really spoil the experience.

[KelWedge]

Hi

I Vote Wedge Wedge, Great fun lots of smiles, I cant comment on models like 350MATT as I have only driven Wedge's.
I had a test drive in one and wanted one and bought the second one I looked at. Thanks Matthew !!! its still great.

[King Fisher]

I would think very carefully before getting any TVR at your age, given that you probably won't have a very high income.

I earn a really decent salary (£37000) and I find it difficult to pay the costs of running my Chimaera 450; I have to make sacrifices elsewhere. It drinks petrol at the rate of a litre every 4/5 miles. Servicing is very expensive, insurance is pricey for anyone your age and this would be true for a wedge or an S too. These old cars will need regular repairs and replacement too as components simply wear out.

My 20 year old son wants a wedge but I don't think he really appreciates the costs involved.

Do a lot of research and convince yourself you can afford it before you take the plunge for a wedge or an S. Great cars, but great costs too.

Edited by King Fisher on Wednesday 1st July 22:15

[JonyPI]

thanks for the advice guys, to be honest i would really like a chim over a wedge, dont get me wrong, i like the wedges BUT if im spending that much money id rather save a bit more and get a nice chim.

as regards to costs and running it, i know its not going to be cheap, my friends 350 drinks it when you give it some welly, and for the amount of use ill get from it insurance will be high, but with the new job ill be on about 30k + company car and at the moment with very few outgoings so i should be able to cope with it.

is the production line improvement the same even on the chims etc? i know that the tasmins slowly got better and better buty thought they may have moved on from that (or not by the sounds of it! )

will get to some of the local meetings when im abit closer to being ready and hopefully be at a show with my own soon

[The Lukas]

I would either for for a Chimaera or an S. The S will be cheaper, simpler, slightly cheaper to run and possible more fun overall. The Chimaera are a bit more laid back, heavier, more practical, softer suspension and less like a race car but possibly easier to live with. I've driven both and like both but for different reasons. If it was my only car I'd definatly go for a Chimaera but as a 2nd weekend hooting car, a standard 400 just didn't have the same buzz and excitement as my old S.

Don't listen to any rubbish that 'it has to be a V8'. The V6 S sounds as good as a V8 TVR, maybe better (maybe because the V6 is precat) and have more than enough performance in real life situations and is cheaper to run.

[Barkychoc]

I have to agree with you Lukas (for a change!) coming form a V8S owner the V6S makes a great noise

[lewis_sharman]

I got my Chim for £6k which tbh is the lowest i would be looking for one. I looked at a few before finding mine, there are quite a few dogs out there

[grahamw48]

I think the OP would be better off with a Lotus 7 copy/kit car at his age...maybe a V6 'S'.

Chims are for old men.

[JonyPI]

grahamw48 said:

I think the OP would be better off with a Lotus 7 copy/kit car at his age...maybe a V6 'S'.

Chims are for old men.

iv already got a 160bhp 6pot spitfire, would never sell that for a badly made kit car (i know iv built them in the past!)

i know the 6pots sound nice aswell, i remember a guy at work had a 6pot S BUT like i said, iv done the classic thing, i want to move on, have something that looks more modern and day to day (imo) better. i am tempted by an m3 but iv been hankering for a TVR since i was kid!

thanks again though for the dvice, i think id best wait till i can afford a late model chim or even a cerb!

[WorAl]

At 21 don't even try to get insurance on an M3, it'll make you cry. I'm 25 with full no claims and it still makes me wince. Get a TVR, RV8 Chimp may be the best bet, but if you can afford one try a Cerb, best purchase i ever made, got that at 24, no no-claims as running 2 cars and insurance is £440 on 7k per year mileage

[5.0ltr]

OP. Do not let people put you off, you will have plenty of time to be 'sensible' I had to wait until I was 50 for my Griff, if you wait that long there will not be a great choice left. If you can afford it,do it. Do the research, ask questions here and at meets. You could be hit by a bus tomorrow.

[scotty_d]

grahamw48 said:

I think the OP would be better off with a Lotus 7 copy/kit car at his age...maybe a V6 'S'.

Chims are for old men.

^ Rubbish i am 24 with one just get one in a good colour like bright yellow make it loud then you can say "yo whats up aye aye bling bling" and so on

Get a chim if you can only reason older guys have them is mid life guys that instead of getting a tvr got a family when our age and trying to relive there youth.

[JonyPI]

scotty_d said:

grahamw48 said:

I think the OP would be better off with a Lotus 7 copy/kit car at his age...maybe a V6 'S'.

Chims are for old men.

^ Rubbish i am 24 with one just get one in a good colour like bright yellow make it loud then you can say "yo whats up aye aye bling bling" and so on

Get a chim if you can only reason older guys have them is mid life guys that instead of getting a tvr got a family when our age and trying to relive there youth.

you may be on to something there!

and yellow sounds good! my spitfire.gt6 is bright yellow too