Tuscan or Chimaera ??
Discussion
Hi Everyone
It's that time of life when my daughter has left and married, my son is off to Uni, and we're looking to downsize the house and buy a serious toy !!
The dilemma is do I go for a Tuscan or Chimaera, I love the sound of the V8 and the Chimaera's looks, but I'm thinking the Tuscan would be a bit more practical with its targa style roof, and my misses likes the Tuscan best out of the 2.
I'm just wondering if any of you on here have owned both and could offer any sort of comparison to help me choose :-)
Also, I notice Str8six are highly regarded but I'm also wondering if you've had any experience with James Agger as far as sourcing a car goes
Oh and 1 other thing, reading through the forums I see most of you seem to be happy to get out the spanners and get your hands dirty and seem to have a good knowledge of the car's workings. Although I've changed an engine on a Chevette and a gearbox on a Capri in past years I'm not massively big on car mechanics and what with health issues these days I don't want to be diving under the bonnet, is it practical to own a TVR and rely on service centres to get any work done or do you really need to be prepared to do some of the work yourself ?
Any advice would be very gratefully received
Cheers
Martin
It's that time of life when my daughter has left and married, my son is off to Uni, and we're looking to downsize the house and buy a serious toy !!
The dilemma is do I go for a Tuscan or Chimaera, I love the sound of the V8 and the Chimaera's looks, but I'm thinking the Tuscan would be a bit more practical with its targa style roof, and my misses likes the Tuscan best out of the 2.
I'm just wondering if any of you on here have owned both and could offer any sort of comparison to help me choose :-)
Also, I notice Str8six are highly regarded but I'm also wondering if you've had any experience with James Agger as far as sourcing a car goes
Oh and 1 other thing, reading through the forums I see most of you seem to be happy to get out the spanners and get your hands dirty and seem to have a good knowledge of the car's workings. Although I've changed an engine on a Chevette and a gearbox on a Capri in past years I'm not massively big on car mechanics and what with health issues these days I don't want to be diving under the bonnet, is it practical to own a TVR and rely on service centres to get any work done or do you really need to be prepared to do some of the work yourself ?
Any advice would be very gratefully received
Cheers
Martin
Bought 2 TVR's from Str8six and they are comfortably the best garage I have ever dealt with. Jason and Chas are superb.
Never bought but have spoke to James Agger a few times and he also strikes me as a very good guy.
Ultimately, both of these outfits live by their reputation so will look after you very well.
I would say get the Tuscan. Much more of an event I feel
Never bought but have spoke to James Agger a few times and he also strikes me as a very good guy.
Ultimately, both of these outfits live by their reputation so will look after you very well.
I would say get the Tuscan. Much more of an event I feel
I traded my Chim in for a Tuscan with James Agger about six weeks ago - great buying experience and would have no hesitation in recommending him. He even got hold of a copy of car magazine from 2001 to give to me with a Tuscan Red Rose vs Ferrari 360 piece as he thought the colour combination was probably the inspiration for the first owner of mine.
More importantly I have had a couple of teething troubles which he has sorted straight away, no questions asked.
My thoughts on Chimaera vs Tuscan - for me the Tuscan is more usable, I didn't particularly enjoy driving the Chim with the roof on as it felt a bit claustrophobic, the Tuscan is much more spacious inside and I prefer it on longer journeys.
Performance is night and day different. I still find the Tuscans performance brilliantly outrageous!
I do miss the v8 as many people will say - the noise from the speed six at full chat is awesome, but just cruising around its not got the v8's character.
Test drive both and see which you prefer!
More importantly I have had a couple of teething troubles which he has sorted straight away, no questions asked.
My thoughts on Chimaera vs Tuscan - for me the Tuscan is more usable, I didn't particularly enjoy driving the Chim with the roof on as it felt a bit claustrophobic, the Tuscan is much more spacious inside and I prefer it on longer journeys.
Performance is night and day different. I still find the Tuscans performance brilliantly outrageous!
I do miss the v8 as many people will say - the noise from the speed six at full chat is awesome, but just cruising around its not got the v8's character.
Test drive both and see which you prefer!
I have both a Chim 400 and Tuscan 4.0 and both purchased from James.
Good experience with James, always seems to have a good choice of cars. Also had a couple of niggles fixed on the Tuscan by James under warranty.
Agree with comments posted. Chim is cheaper to maintain, a lot of Ford bits and the lovely Rover V8. If you are handy with the spanners then you have even lower costs. Nice V8 rumble.
I find the Tuscan a more complex car, more bespoke TVR parts. Electrics more troublesome, parts more expensive and a bit more fragile.
The Tuscan feels more modern and is faster than my Chim 400.
Good experience with James, always seems to have a good choice of cars. Also had a couple of niggles fixed on the Tuscan by James under warranty.
Agree with comments posted. Chim is cheaper to maintain, a lot of Ford bits and the lovely Rover V8. If you are handy with the spanners then you have even lower costs. Nice V8 rumble.
I find the Tuscan a more complex car, more bespoke TVR parts. Electrics more troublesome, parts more expensive and a bit more fragile.
The Tuscan feels more modern and is faster than my Chim 400.
Both have targa roofs so the difference is only whether you want a "roll over" style hoop or not. The Chimaera rear soft roof doesn't fold flat anyway so in many respects the Tuscan is better with the window out. I had a Chimaera in the 90's and bought a Tuscan last year. I don't have benefit of owning both together or in quick succession so to me in partial hindsight they don't seem that different in terms of basic configuration/behaviour. The S6 is a more modern, free revving engine and I've always been a fan of sixes although the RV8 is also a great sound. I always thought the 400 a "lazy" engine despite the stats. 120 bhp more in the Tuscan does create a different experience though..... The handling on the post 2003 Tuscans is closer to the Chim/Griff in "forgivenance" than the early ones (very twitchy) depending on your budget. I love the purity of TVR design in the Tuscan, they finally rid themselves of a parts bin look and the styling is peerless.
I bought my current Tuscan from JA and had some issues at/after delivery but I think I was just a bit unlucky and his attitude to me not most people's experience. Price wise he's definitely the cheapest of the specialist independents and he doesn't buy dogs.
I bought my current Tuscan from JA and had some issues at/after delivery but I think I was just a bit unlucky and his attitude to me not most people's experience. Price wise he's definitely the cheapest of the specialist independents and he doesn't buy dogs.
Hi
I have had both and as much as I miss the V8 noise, the Tuscan in my eyes is streets aheads in every aspect. Don't get me wrong, loved my Chim to pieces and it broke my heart having to part with it for financial reasons, but wouldn't go back since owning the Tuscan.
The speed 6 is a truly amazing engine and well cared for can do many 10,000 miles without issue. As said, they can be more to maintain but worth every penny.
Good luck, and post on here asking for any details on specific cars. Most of us have seen most of them and can give you enough information on them.
I have had both and as much as I miss the V8 noise, the Tuscan in my eyes is streets aheads in every aspect. Don't get me wrong, loved my Chim to pieces and it broke my heart having to part with it for financial reasons, but wouldn't go back since owning the Tuscan.
The speed 6 is a truly amazing engine and well cared for can do many 10,000 miles without issue. As said, they can be more to maintain but worth every penny.
Good luck, and post on here asking for any details on specific cars. Most of us have seen most of them and can give you enough information on them.
You just have to drive them and see which you prefer. A good TVR independent will keep your car on the road fine. Mine does with my car, I do odd bits myself, but nothing complicated. I don't know the TVR experts in Devon - ask on here.
Running costs - its a performance car, services are every 6000 miles, so it's not a car you can run for the same cost as a Toyota Yaris. Having said that, they are virtually devoid of depreciation now, so that's a big saving. Fuel is 20-25 mpg, which is better than you would do in a Ferrari or a DB9.
Buy a good low mileage car, it will be easier to sell later, and getr the best one you can afford.
If you want a show car, buy a Tuscan - they have more presence. If you want a fun car to sling around country lanes, or a track day car, buy a Chimaera. It also has a huge boot, which makes it a practical shopping car. And take your time, go look at them, drive them, and buy a loud colour combination. Please avoid buying cars in boring colours with boring interiors. You will only regret it the first TVRCC car show you go to.
They are very different to drive. As said above, the Tuscan ultimately has more power, but its above 6000 rpm, so you do have to love revving the engine. The Chimaera has less power, but its available from 2000 rpm, which makes the Chimaera a more flexible car to drive fast.
The Tuscan has floor hinged pedals, the Chimaera normal pedals. Make sure that you like the pedals of the car you buy. They do adjust for position, by the way. The clutch on most TVRs is heavy, so you need to be able to push a heavy clutch pedal right down to the floor. I am on old git (61 today), and suffer with arthritis in my feet, and find the Tuscan pedals agony to floor, so cannot buy a Tuscan, which is a shame, because if I could afford a second TVR I would have a Tuscan to show off. I have a Chimaera for track days and fast road driving and love every time I drive it.
If you want to see a lot of TVRs together and don't mind getting wet, go to the show at Blenheim Palace tomorrow.
Running costs - its a performance car, services are every 6000 miles, so it's not a car you can run for the same cost as a Toyota Yaris. Having said that, they are virtually devoid of depreciation now, so that's a big saving. Fuel is 20-25 mpg, which is better than you would do in a Ferrari or a DB9.
Buy a good low mileage car, it will be easier to sell later, and getr the best one you can afford.
If you want a show car, buy a Tuscan - they have more presence. If you want a fun car to sling around country lanes, or a track day car, buy a Chimaera. It also has a huge boot, which makes it a practical shopping car. And take your time, go look at them, drive them, and buy a loud colour combination. Please avoid buying cars in boring colours with boring interiors. You will only regret it the first TVRCC car show you go to.
They are very different to drive. As said above, the Tuscan ultimately has more power, but its above 6000 rpm, so you do have to love revving the engine. The Chimaera has less power, but its available from 2000 rpm, which makes the Chimaera a more flexible car to drive fast.
The Tuscan has floor hinged pedals, the Chimaera normal pedals. Make sure that you like the pedals of the car you buy. They do adjust for position, by the way. The clutch on most TVRs is heavy, so you need to be able to push a heavy clutch pedal right down to the floor. I am on old git (61 today), and suffer with arthritis in my feet, and find the Tuscan pedals agony to floor, so cannot buy a Tuscan, which is a shame, because if I could afford a second TVR I would have a Tuscan to show off. I have a Chimaera for track days and fast road driving and love every time I drive it.
If you want to see a lot of TVRs together and don't mind getting wet, go to the show at Blenheim Palace tomorrow.
There'll be a good selection of cars to look at and owners to talk to at the TVRSSW Open Day on Sunday 14 September.
Just up the road from you at Wellington, details here http://www.tvrssw.com
Just up the road from you at Wellington, details here http://www.tvrssw.com
Many thanks for all the replies 
Happy Birthday QBee !
Must admit after reading through these and watching/reading many other articles and reviews I'm definitely leaning towards the Tuscan. I'm thinking now the opportunity is finally coming around I should go all-out and get what I consider is the most radical/eye catching.
Budget will be approx £20k-£25k which looks as if it should get a decent mk1 from what I've seen so far. Running costs shouldn't be a huge issue and I doubt I'll be doing more than 3k miles a year in it, it'll mainly be for dry weekend use, long weekends away to the lake district (we're due to be moving to Birmingham...), and no doubt the odd club meeting. I work from home so no daily commuting will be involved, purely pleasure use.
The floor-hinged pedals do concern me a little bit, will definitely have to test drive one first to be sure I'm ok with those, but the biggest problem I tend to have is keeping my right foot in 1 place for a long period on the motorway rather than contending with a stiff clutch pedal as my joints seize, I drove a formula ford a few months back on a track day which had an extremely stiff and vicious clutch and managed ok with that.
Sadly I can't get to oxford for tomorrow as my daughter is visiting and my wife's on night shift, but will put the 14th Sept in the diary, thanks for the info !
Happy Birthday QBee !
Must admit after reading through these and watching/reading many other articles and reviews I'm definitely leaning towards the Tuscan. I'm thinking now the opportunity is finally coming around I should go all-out and get what I consider is the most radical/eye catching.
Budget will be approx £20k-£25k which looks as if it should get a decent mk1 from what I've seen so far. Running costs shouldn't be a huge issue and I doubt I'll be doing more than 3k miles a year in it, it'll mainly be for dry weekend use, long weekends away to the lake district (we're due to be moving to Birmingham...), and no doubt the odd club meeting. I work from home so no daily commuting will be involved, purely pleasure use.
The floor-hinged pedals do concern me a little bit, will definitely have to test drive one first to be sure I'm ok with those, but the biggest problem I tend to have is keeping my right foot in 1 place for a long period on the motorway rather than contending with a stiff clutch pedal as my joints seize, I drove a formula ford a few months back on a track day which had an extremely stiff and vicious clutch and managed ok with that.
Sadly I can't get to oxford for tomorrow as my daughter is visiting and my wife's on night shift, but will put the 14th Sept in the diary, thanks for the info !
Try both cars. I'd echo what has been said above. Both cars are an event, both sound great, both are varying degrees of 'quick'. I have a Chim 400, but have driven a 4.3BV and a Tuscan 3.6. The V8 sounds meatier and more muscular, and feels like it has more grunt off-cam. The S6 really only has more poke if you screw it to the redline, although if you do it feels significantly quicker than a 4.0 Chim.
I prefer the steering on the Tuscan. It is very high-geared and very direct; the Chimaera is a tad lazy in comparison and is slightly dead around the 12 o' clock. The steering on my Mk3 MR2 is sharper. The Chim steering is still better than most road cars though. Some Chimaeras have non-PAS steering. Mine has, and it is massively heavy. A real forearm double-handed job at low speeds.
Regarding clutch pressures, I've driven a Van Diemen Formula Ford single-seater, and the clutch was much lighter than my TVR.
Enjoy.
I prefer the steering on the Tuscan. It is very high-geared and very direct; the Chimaera is a tad lazy in comparison and is slightly dead around the 12 o' clock. The steering on my Mk3 MR2 is sharper. The Chim steering is still better than most road cars though. Some Chimaeras have non-PAS steering. Mine has, and it is massively heavy. A real forearm double-handed job at low speeds.
Regarding clutch pressures, I've driven a Van Diemen Formula Ford single-seater, and the clutch was much lighter than my TVR.
Enjoy.
I have had both
I cant see what the fuss is about floor hinged pedals unless you have either tiny or massive feet
Never found it a problem.
I miss the Chim but the clutch was probably past its best and after about an hour was extremely heavy. The sound of the sleeved exhaust is something I miss as well. Roof off, I loved it but as said before a bit claustrophobic with it on for lengthy periods.
The Tuscan is much more modern to drive and I find mine easy in traffic as well as flooring it up country lanes.
Tuscans all seem to sound different depending on the exhaust/rear can combination.
Both have large boots but check on the condition of the paintwork around the boot lip as it is easy to catch the targa panel on it and give it a nasty scratch.
Both get toots thumbs up waves windows of passing cars opening and shouts from little kids "look at that car" every day of the week.
Have fun looking but if you need peace of mind buy from a dealer. It will cost more but try and negotiate a decent warranty. Some will give you two years all inclusive.
I cant see what the fuss is about floor hinged pedals unless you have either tiny or massive feet
Never found it a problem.
I miss the Chim but the clutch was probably past its best and after about an hour was extremely heavy. The sound of the sleeved exhaust is something I miss as well. Roof off, I loved it but as said before a bit claustrophobic with it on for lengthy periods.
The Tuscan is much more modern to drive and I find mine easy in traffic as well as flooring it up country lanes.
Tuscans all seem to sound different depending on the exhaust/rear can combination.
Both have large boots but check on the condition of the paintwork around the boot lip as it is easy to catch the targa panel on it and give it a nasty scratch.
Both get toots thumbs up waves windows of passing cars opening and shouts from little kids "look at that car" every day of the week.
Have fun looking but if you need peace of mind buy from a dealer. It will cost more but try and negotiate a decent warranty. Some will give you two years all inclusive.
Regarding clutch, I find my Tuscan's to be relatively light considering and infact almost as light as the mundano. The pedal travel is a little strange but by the end of the test drive, not a problem.
I don't think you'll be disappointed with either, and with a budget of 25k you should have plenty to choose from. If you go the Tuscan route, again personal opinion, but look for AC as the cabin can really heat up.
I don't think you'll be disappointed with either, and with a budget of 25k you should have plenty to choose from. If you go the Tuscan route, again personal opinion, but look for AC as the cabin can really heat up.
Speed 3 said:
QBee said:
I am on old git (61 today)
....time to buy a nice beige interiored Micra then and act your age 
Happy birthday !
I'm still 19 inside, so AM acting my age.
Had a great drive out yesterday - my Chim 500 is an absolute overtaking beast!!!
Milky's right about the AC, and make sure it's working properly. I often describe my Chim as a V8 heater on four wheels. The lack of AC is one of my better half's biggest complaints about the car - at the head of a long list.
One other thought has occurred to me overnight. With the pre-2004 cars, you need to look into what work has been done on the engine. The early Speed Six engines were a new design and were flawed - I believe some cheap Indian components were used to keep costs down, and the early engines tended to fail in a variety of ways, I believe mostly oil starvation at the top and back of the engine, though I know someone who had a 2003 engine blow its half time bearing only two years ago. So look for one that has had, ideally, a full TVR Power rebuild as recently as possible. Low mileage is not a guarantee of a lack of future problems
TVR Power give a 100,000 mile warranty these days for their full re-builds, and as these can cost £8-15,000 you need to know the history. They are the premier engine re-builders, are based near Coventry (if that influences your choice of new home!) and of course do regular service work too (though there are a number of TVR specialists within range of Brm). The standard engines are 3.6 and 4.0, and TVR Power also do a 4.3 and a 4.5 upgrade, which both have a lot more grunt.
One other thought has occurred to me overnight. With the pre-2004 cars, you need to look into what work has been done on the engine. The early Speed Six engines were a new design and were flawed - I believe some cheap Indian components were used to keep costs down, and the early engines tended to fail in a variety of ways, I believe mostly oil starvation at the top and back of the engine, though I know someone who had a 2003 engine blow its half time bearing only two years ago. So look for one that has had, ideally, a full TVR Power rebuild as recently as possible. Low mileage is not a guarantee of a lack of future problems
TVR Power give a 100,000 mile warranty these days for their full re-builds, and as these can cost £8-15,000 you need to know the history. They are the premier engine re-builders, are based near Coventry (if that influences your choice of new home!) and of course do regular service work too (though there are a number of TVR specialists within range of Brm). The standard engines are 3.6 and 4.0, and TVR Power also do a 4.3 and a 4.5 upgrade, which both have a lot more grunt.
Thanks again for all the replies, very useful
The engine side of things does pose a bit of a dilemma, that being is it better to pay more for the best car I can get, or go cheaper and budget in a full engine rebuild after buying, I guess it depends on the individual car so will have to consider that carefully. I'm intending it to be a long-term ownership so saving up for major overhauls if needed is feasible (even possibly a full respray if I can't get the ideal colour) but I obviously don't want something that'll be causing me problems in the interim !
On a different subject, do Tuscans tend to suffer from the same outrigger rot as the Chims do ?
Edit:-
In fact I think a full respray will probably be on the cards regardless, I can just see a Tuscan in pearlescent red/orange like this:-
The engine side of things does pose a bit of a dilemma, that being is it better to pay more for the best car I can get, or go cheaper and budget in a full engine rebuild after buying, I guess it depends on the individual car so will have to consider that carefully. I'm intending it to be a long-term ownership so saving up for major overhauls if needed is feasible (even possibly a full respray if I can't get the ideal colour) but I obviously don't want something that'll be causing me problems in the interim !
On a different subject, do Tuscans tend to suffer from the same outrigger rot as the Chims do ?
Edit:-
In fact I think a full respray will probably be on the cards regardless, I can just see a Tuscan in pearlescent red/orange like this:-
Edited by tinman696 on Monday 25th August 12:19
Tuscan not known for chassis rot, just check when looking, most of this problem is related to late 90's Chimaera/Cerbera when they insourced chassis work and left them untreated in the yard. Outriggers will always be vulnerable because of positioning relative to front wheels which kick up debris.
The engine debate is endless, see the dedicated Speed 6 Engine sub-forum for tons of facts and even more opinions. Its generally a truism they got it basically right in the last couple of years of manufacture - post 2003 Tuscans and T cars are rare to require forced rebuilds. You have the same thought as me, an engine rebuild over a 5+ year ownership profile is no big deal and if it doesn't need doing you've got very cheap motoring when you factor in value appreciation.
The engine debate is endless, see the dedicated Speed 6 Engine sub-forum for tons of facts and even more opinions. Its generally a truism they got it basically right in the last couple of years of manufacture - post 2003 Tuscans and T cars are rare to require forced rebuilds. You have the same thought as me, an engine rebuild over a 5+ year ownership profile is no big deal and if it doesn't need doing you've got very cheap motoring when you factor in value appreciation.
tinman696 said:
Thanks again for all the replies, very useful
The engine side of things does pose a bit of a dilemma, that being is it better to pay more for the best car I can get, or go cheaper and budget in a full engine rebuild after buying, I guess it depends on the individual car so will have to consider that carefully. I'm intending it to be a long-term ownership so saving up for major overhauls if needed is feasible (even possibly a full respray if I can't get the ideal colour) but I obviously don't want something that'll be causing me problems in the interim !
On a different subject, do Tuscans tend to suffer from the same outrigger rot as the Chims do ?
Edit:-
In fact I think a full respray will probably be on the cards regardless, I can just see a Tuscan in pearlescent red/orange like this:-
The Speed Six engine point is this:The engine side of things does pose a bit of a dilemma, that being is it better to pay more for the best car I can get, or go cheaper and budget in a full engine rebuild after buying, I guess it depends on the individual car so will have to consider that carefully. I'm intending it to be a long-term ownership so saving up for major overhauls if needed is feasible (even possibly a full respray if I can't get the ideal colour) but I obviously don't want something that'll be causing me problems in the interim !
On a different subject, do Tuscans tend to suffer from the same outrigger rot as the Chims do ?
Edit:-
In fact I think a full respray will probably be on the cards regardless, I can just see a Tuscan in pearlescent red/orange like this:-
Edited by tinman696 on Monday 25th August 12:19
They don't all fail, but many of the earlier ones (pre about 2004) do. I wouldn't even consider investing my £20-25k of hard-earned into a Tuscan unless is was £15k or less, or I was sure it had had an engine rebuild, and a proper one by TVR Power for that matter. However, the prices between rebuilt and non-rebuilt don't vary by that much. So 75% + of the rebuild is therefore a cost to the owner.
The fact of the matter is that whoever is selling the car will know for certain if it has had a rebuild. If they don't know, assume the worst.
And yes, you do get TVRs in that colour, that is the colour I was talking about above. With a gorgeous red and cream interior. Full re-spray a tad short of £5000, interior re-trim between £1,000 and £2000, carpets £600. So find one already done and in tip top condition. I have not heard of the outrigger issue affecting Tuscans, but assume that the chassis design is similar - any Tuscan owners out there know?
Take your time and find the right car - the prices will drop a bit over the autumn winter, then rise in the spring, so hanging on until Christmas is not a bad idea.
Well I was thinking that my chances of finding the perfect colour combo for me is slim, whereas if I went for something like this which has AC and an engine rebuild, but is quite boring to look at (well, as much as it is possible for a Tuscan to look boring, you know what I mean) :-
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
It would mean I'd have £9k of my budget left for full respray, re-trim & carpets to get it looking exactly how I want it
Actually, I wish I hadn't seen that ad now cos it looks like a really good option but I've got to sell the house first
I see what you mean about losing 75% of the engine rebuild cost, makes a lot of sense
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...
It would mean I'd have £9k of my budget left for full respray, re-trim & carpets to get it looking exactly how I want it
Actually, I wish I hadn't seen that ad now cos it looks like a really good option but I've got to sell the house first
I see what you mean about losing 75% of the engine rebuild cost, makes a lot of sense
Edited by tinman696 on Monday 25th August 12:52
Message Board | General TVR Stuff & Gossip | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff