Looking at my first Chim tomorrow

[swallet]

Hi all,

I've been lurking for a while absorbing has much info as I can about the chimaera. Having owned a succession of Japanese hi-tech rice burners (MR2, S2000 and currently a 370z) I have a real hankering for something a bit more old school. I owned a couple of minis and a midget when I was a student and miss getting my hands dirty and the smell of hot oil and warm brakes!

Ideally looking for a 450 but keeping an open mind as i'm new to the marque and am going to look at this tomorrow:

A '99 400.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2620107.htm


It's been a while since I bought such a relatively "old" car. From my reading particular things to look out for are:

1/ Chassis - Is this easy to inspect without ramps? (I can cope with replacing engine ancillaries that fail but I don't want to end up with a lemon thanks to a rotten chassis!)
2/ Hot start - Try and start it again after it's hot.
3/ Check for perishing fuel, brake lines etc (due to age)

Then all the usual - suspension bounce, does it pull up straight, electrics etc.


Any further advice experienced TVR owners could give me would be really welcome.

Thanks a lot


Simon
(From Halifax, West Yorkshire)

[Nosh]

Looks like it has had a full respray...seat / carpet colour scheme doesn't match up to the body colour.

Colour of the bodywork is a little strange as well - I have never seen before (and I was on the look out for a Chim for over a year)

Also the Chimaera badge is on the wrong side of the back.

Sorry, though - don't know it.

Make sure that everything electrical works - try everything to make sure.

Best of luck with your search!

Nosh

[swallet]

Thanks for the input.
Always think it’s hard to judge a car on the photos. I’ve driven for hours to see previous “minters” and have arrived to find split seats and peeling paint. Guys sounds like he knows his TVR’s so we’ll have to see.
This ones just down the road so if nothing else it will give me a benchmark.

[JonyTVR]

That is top money for a 4l and like nosh says has obv had a respray and looks so tacky for it. Not saying its a bad car but for the money its a bit of a joke?

[TVRinBFG]

Colour? - It's Porsche Arena Red, the colour it left the Factory. We've blended the nose for stonechips and the tops of the rear wings for "targa-going-in-the-boot" clunks.
Top money? - It's the cheapest 1999 Chimaera on sale at a dealer, when I've just looked this morning.

[Mossyboy1978]

Paddy - beware the forums. There are a lot of good sources of advice out there but there are an awful lot of people who think they know it all because they've either owned a few cars or run one in particular for a while. I bought a 4l recently and paid about the same as this car is on for, for a 1994 4l with full respray body off and ground up rebuild. I can honestly say 10k should buy you a good car both mechanically and cosmetically. You can pay two grand less and then spend three grand putting right the stuff you can't plan for that goes wrong. Buy only on condition. Nothing else matters. The numbers are irrelevant especially if you consider mileage has nothing to do with the state of the car as you have no clue what those miles have been like on the road/ track. And take pointless comments about resprays with a pinch of salt.

[JonyTVR]

Depend on what you look for I guess, I couldn't care less about age when I was looking, I saw quite a few older cars in much better nick thank later ones, nearly 10K for a 400 to me just seems pretty steep!

left the factory in that colour? well I hold my hands up on that one, do you know if the interior has been retrimmed or was that as it left the factory aswell? just seems like such a bizare colour combo which I certainly would have to change so thats another 400-1500 quid depending on how much you want to do.

[prettyboyben]

I've just bought a 98 4.0 for pretty much this money and don't feel like I've paid over the odds at all. I bought from a reputable dealer, who did a 12k mile service on it and have provided me with a three month warranty. I feel this kind of service and peace of mind is worth it's weight in gold when you're buying this kind of car and actually want to use it rather than having to fix a load of little niggly things as soon as you get it home. Just my opinion but it's definitely something I thought long and hard about after looking at a few cheaper cars.

Good luck with the car hunting anyway dude!!

[TVRinBFG]

When the cars were new, the customer could choose whatever colour combinations they wanted; and so yes, it left the Factory like that. Think I would have gone for black or red to contrast with the magnolia myself ;-)

[Nosh]

TVRinBFG said:

Colour? - It's Porsche Arena Red, the colour it left the Factory.

With blue / white interior trim?

My word.....it doesn't even match right, or is it my eyes..(?).

If the car is sound and he likes the colour scheme, then you may have a buyer.

[Nosh]

Mossyboy1978 said:

And take pointless comments about resprays with a pinch of salt.

A pinch of salt....?

A car having a FULL respray can hide a multitude of issues, including previous damage / accidents - not all people claim on their insurance when they have accidents.

On the otherhand, having a full respray can be done to make your car look bootiful again and entirely innocent....

The above points are raised to a potential 1st Chim owner for these reasons and neither of which are pointless - one is negative (especially if it is nor declared) and the other is entirley positive...

Edited by Nosh on Tuesday 8th May 16:46

[Nosh]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

TBH - I don's see a big prob with the Colour / Interior.

Also was surprised to hear / read above that is was suggested custom colour combos were not more prevalent at TVR factory

Its all a matter of taste really.

There was a Chim on here (STE something on the number plate) that looked lush - a light met green colour...

Very nice, but I bet not factory?

[TVRinBFG]

Maybe I should be pushing the "red, white and blue" patriotic angle?

[Nosh]

TVRinBFG said:

Maybe I should be pushing the "red, white and blue" patriotic angle?

Heh - that might be a worker...

Must say, though, the bodywork looks very nice indeed

[Mossyboy1978]

Nosh said:

A pinch of salt....?

A car having a FULL respray can hide a multitude of issues, including previous damage / accidents - not all people claim on their insurance when they have accidents.

On the otherhand, having a full respray can be done to make your car look bootiful again and entirely innocent....

The above points are raised to a potential 1st Chim owner for these reasons and neither of which are pointless - one is negative (especially if it is nor declared) and the other is entirley positive...

Edited by Nosh on Tuesday 8th May 16:46

Your comment about the respray was positioned as a warning - the car's bodywork doesn't match the interior so beware - when in actual fact it was as it came from the factory and offered no cause for alarm. Kind of highlights the fact that too many people warn potential buyers of issues with specific cars for sale that simply don't exist. Yes I understand the principle of the advice. But in this case a comment was made on the validty of someone else's sale car with real potential negative impact on their ability to make a sale without any knowledge of the vehicle in question. And whilst the broad principle of keeping keen potential ownsers informed about the pitfalls is sound, using someone else's sale to make the point without having seen the car yourself isn't really fair is it?

[Nosh]

Mossyboy1978 said:

Your comment about the respray was positioned as a warning - the car's bodywork doesn't match the interior so beware - when in actual fact it was as it came from the factory and offered no cause for alarm. Kind of highlights the fact that too many people warn potential buyers of issues with specific cars for sale that simply don't exist. Yes I understand the principle of the advice. But in this case a comment was made on the validty of someone else's sale car with real potential negative impact on their ability to make a sale without any knowledge of the vehicle in question. And whilst the broad principle of keeping keen potential ownsers informed about the pitfalls is sound, using someone else's sale to make the point without having seen the car yourself isn't really fair is it?

It wasn't positioned as a warning - it was an observation. (note how so much can be misconstrued from the typed word - no intonation etc)

When the buyer views the vehicle he / she can ask about the colour and can be given the information.

Nothing wrong with that - and I believe the buyer is better armed to ask these questions.

Mossyboy1978 said:

.....using someone else's sale to make the point without having seen the car yourself isn't really fair is it?

Fair? Errrrr - I am not a car seller.....

And unless you have seen the car in the flesh, never offer advice? Sorry mate - we will agree to disagree on that.

These forums are for people to voice opinion, give advice, friendly banter and the such like and that's what makes it a great place - sure I have witnessed some pretty poor advice given and I have recieved some really good advice - that's a forum life for you, I suppose.

Forums are like pubs - and you don't have to believe (or listen to) everything that is said to you in a pub....

[Druid]

swallet said:

sounds like he knows his TVR’s so we’ll have to see.

He does. I'm still driving the one he sold me

[Quietlybonkers]

First owner wasn't an Aston Villa fan was he? Saw a Cerbera in those colours advertised last week.
The car looks fine to me, but I know nothing. I have just bought a similar 99V with good history for the same amount from a reputable dealer, like yours. Hope you have as much fun as me......if it EVER stops raining!!!

[Quietlybonkers]

............and perhaps you are one of the 7% of males who are colour blind??

[Quietlybonkers]

............and perhaps you are one of the 7% of males who are colour blind??