Rough costs for these fixes?

[Ropps]

Hi Guys,

can someone give me an idea what the following costs would be to do the following jobs on a chimera R reg, 40,000, 6 owners - just a rough idea will be great - .

Outriggers - rusting(require welding - will fail MOT in summer) -
2 top suspension arms -
slight leak from manifold gasket -
slight crack on dashboard - £300 been told about that price)
radiator gills? missing - but not losing water
power steering - leak - Hose maybe?
fog lamp switch broken?
wiper blade - few quid
rear window needs stitching -

is it worth £5500 as it is?

[M@H]

This is the white one with the blue lights I am assuming ?

[SILICONEKID340HP]

Ropps said:

Hi Guys,

can someone give me an idea what the following costs would be to do the following jobs on a chimera R reg, 40,000, 6 owners - just a rough idea will be great - .

Outriggers - rusting(require welding - will fail MOT in summer) -
2 top suspension arms -
slight leak from manifold gasket -
slight crack on dashboard - £300 been told about that price)
radiator gills? missing - but not losing water
power steering - leak - Hose maybe?
fog lamp switch broken?
wiper blade - few quid
rear window needs stitching -

is it worth £5500 as it is?

Are you related to George Roppa

[M@H]

Ropps said:

Hi Guys,

can someone give me an idea what the following costs would be to do the following jobs on a chimera R reg, 40,000, 6 owners - just a rough idea will be great - .

Outriggers - rusting(require welding - will fail MOT in summer) - £800 ish.

2 top suspension arms - front or rear - £200-£250 in parts (inc balljoints), half an hour to an hour each side depending on removal issues, then geometry on top £400-£500 all in.
slight leak from manifold gasket - DIY just the cost of a gasket, oh and potential issues all over the place with removal.
slight crack on dashboard - £300 been told about that price) £150 for the part then about 2-3 hours DIY.
radiator gills? missing - but not losing water -I'd probably ignore if not overheating - £2-300 for a remove and recore
power steering - leak - Hose maybe? - ?.
fog lamp switch broken? - £10?.
wiper blade - few quid - £30.
rear window needs stitching - £150-200 or up to £600 for a new hood.

is it worth £5500 as it is?

Depends how much you value your time and how happy you are buying a car that you've got to put off the road. You could buy a very tidy car for £8k with none of these problems and just get on with enjoying it.

Edited by M@H on Thursday 9th February 16:15

[phillpot]

Ropps said:

is it worth £5500 as it is?

probably no even if you're handy with the spanners and definately no if you're not ! (imho)

[finestjammy]

To give you a very rough idea I got a TVR specialist to do:

New TOAD Alarm and Immobiliser
Bonnet repair, it moved from left to right when it open, fibreglass work involved.
Complete set of brake discs and pads
New Outriggers, full body off job
Chassis tidy up (sanding down and painting I think)
Waxoil
New front wishbones top and bottom
Wishbone bushes
Replacement shocks all round
headlamp relector
Clutch hydraulics, slave cylinder I thnk
Engine mounts
Sort a few electrical gremlins
Service and an MOT

Came to about £5-5.5k from memory.

Also had the diff refurbished for about £450 plus the same(ish) again in labour to remove and refit last year.

[M@H]

phillpot said:

probably no even if you're handy with the spanners and definately no if you're not ! (imho)

Agreed. Sadly its in a difficult state as its a more of a "project" than a car in its condition. You've got to really really want to own this car rather than a chimaera to consider buying it at £5k. Also you've got to buy it in the mindset that you are not going to get all your money back and more importantly none of your time back should you sell it. Every hour restoring it is an hour not driving it.

[AJV8]

M@ - I've got the white one with blue lights now, and may i just say it's in a lot better condition than this one !! Chasis and engine have no probs at all....at the moment !

M@H said:

This is the white one with the blue lights I am assuming ?

[M@H]

AJV8 said:

M@ - I've got the white one with blue lights now, and may i just say it's in a lot better condition than this one !! Chasis and engine have no probs at all....at the moment !

M@H said:

This is the white one with the blue lights I am assuming ?

Okey dokey, thanks for clearing that up

[Ropps]

NO the white TVR went to a good home(not mine unfortunatley(check out other threads, the guys are putting that one back together, went to see the guy today to take a look at both his TVR's, he knows his stuff, he's is stripping the white one and methodically putting it back together. it will be a great car once complete.

The one im referring to is someone selling it in the trade and has had the machanics go through the car top to bottom, (they even think there maybe a dead mouse/bird in the car as it smells a little??)

thanks for the heads up on costs, it really helps.. any recommended mechanics in berkshire? that can do the work? should it go to a tvr garage? afterall surely they cant be as tuff as maseratis?

[Ropps]

SILICONEKID340HP said:

Are you related to George Roppa

??

[M@H]

Ropps said:

thanks for the heads up on costs, it really helps.. any recommended mechanics in berkshire? that can do the work? should it go to a tvr garage? afterall surely they cant be as tuff as maseratis?

Hang on, are you not going to DIY any of it !? If you're going to send it off to a specialist to do all the work then you might as well bung another grand or two on the bill straight away

specialist said:

Ah hello sir, whilst removing your upper wishbones we noted some play in the lower wishbone bushes, would you like us to replace them too?
..we couldn't separate the balljoints without damage so thats another £100, and would sir like the lower wishbones powdercoating as they are off the car before we fit the new bushes?
..oh and would that be powerflex all round you say, yes sir £250 in parts, plus the fitting of course.
..of course we will be using new bolts all round for the suspension sir, that will be £60
..droplinks, of course sir £70 plus fitting
..oh and we should really strip the steering rack to find that leak as its not actaually a pipe.. yes sir thats £200 refurb, plus the removal and fitting
..ah yes and the track rod ends sir, a bit past their best £40
..did we mention that one of your shock absorbers is leaking?

Edited by M@H on Thursday 9th February 18:00

[Ropps]

hahahha... very very very good point. I do know a mechanic(that i trust) but he has never worked on a chimera... unfortunately i am crap at mechanics! i honestly wish i could do it myself...

the reason i like this one thats up for sale in the trade is its the starmist merlot colour!!! im a sucker for that particular colour..

i might have to tell the other half, that her wedding ring might have to wait a little longer!! or the 60-80k extension might have to wait...

[M@H]

Well personally I think in trying to save yourself some money you could buy a whole heap of trouble that would cost you more in the long run than a good example. There is absolutely NO fun in owning a TVR thats sat in bits in a someone elses workshop whilst sucking your wallet dry.

Wrong colour but I'll wager this gets to about £6.5 to £7k max.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TVR-CHIMERA-4-0-/3006606...

[M@H]

Here's an alternative thought for you:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TVR-CHIMAERA-4LTR-HC-V8-...

Salvage car priced at £4k so you probably would get it for a bit less (lets say £3750 for the sake of it)

"THE CAR STARTS AND DRIVES AND HAS AS NEW CHASSIS AND OUTRIGGERS THAT HAS BEEN COATED WITH WAX OIL FROM DAY 1 WITHOUT OUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THE BEST KEPT CHASSIS I HAVE EVER SEEN ON A CAR OF THIS AGE."

Get the fiberglass work supplied and done for £1000 to paint stage - running cost £4750

Very nice spray job in colour of your choice - £2000 so we now are at £6750

New carpet set in burgundy / whatever - £350 (you can fit that yourself) - so we are at £7100.

Leven shiny bits etc to make it extra nice - £200 - £7300

The rest of the interior looks good in the photos and will go fine with a burgundy car so for just over £7 grand you have a Chimaera that will look like new and smell like new ! (granted cat D but is that such an issue?)

I'll wager that is a much cheaper option than sorting out the £5.5k one you have found with an iffy chassis.

Edited by M@H on Thursday 9th February 20:17

[AJV8]

Ropps, do NOT go near TVR Dean !!! James told me to steer well clear as he's got a bit of a bad rep ! Just a heads up !

AJ

[M@H]

AJV8 said:

Ropps, do NOT go near TVR Dean !!! James told me to steer well clear as he's got a bit of a bad rep ! Just a heads up !

AJ

Ok well I have no knowledge of the seller I was just using the example of a salvage car as an alternative.

Edited by M@H on Thursday 9th February 19:39

[Ropps]

he's looking in and around 7 for it! yep your right, i said i would part exchange my crossfire convertible for it. he was open to that plus £1500 cash! sounds an ok deal, and the colour green is growing on me! must be cause im creeping ever so close to my mid 30's..

i know what you mean about salvage cars, you can pick up a tasty one, but you will always lose on the risidual value.. but again thank you for your sound advice.

anyone live in suffolk? i might go and view this car that i like in the trade? would be good to have a TVR buff with us?

[phillpot]

AJV8 said:

Ropps, do NOT go near TVR Dean !!!

Why ? a damaged car is a damaged car. If, after a thorough inspection, it is the car for you at a price you're comfortable with it doesn't matter if it's your ex-wives little sh#t of a toyboy who is selling it?

Repairing a damaged or badly neglected car is usually only cost effective if you can do a fair bit yourself. Being "crap with spanners" is not a good start.

If you are determined to buy a "needs some work" car your mechanic, if generally well knowledged, shouldn't have a problem, many of the major components are from every day cars.

[SILICONEKID340HP]

Ropps said:

SILICONEKID340HP said:

Are you related to George Roppa

??

From George and Mildred