Newbie in need of advice
Discussion
Hiya guys,
I'm looking to get my first TVR and i love the look of the Chimaera.
I don't have a huge budget and have decided that a 4 litre will be all i need to begin with.
What i need to know is what to look out for whan i veiw/test drive a potential car?
Is it worth getting Rob Ingleby to do the search/inspection for me?
Is it adviseable to do an advanced driving course and will this make a difference to the insurance, i have already been quote £660?
What are the servicing costs like?
>>> Edited by minimike on Tuesday 5th October 15:09
I'm looking to get my first TVR and i love the look of the Chimaera.
I don't have a huge budget and have decided that a 4 litre will be all i need to begin with.
What i need to know is what to look out for whan i veiw/test drive a potential car?
Is it worth getting Rob Ingleby to do the search/inspection for me?
Is it adviseable to do an advanced driving course and will this make a difference to the insurance, i have already been quote £660?
What are the servicing costs like?
>>> Edited by minimike on Tuesday 5th October 15:09
If you like the look of the Chimaera, wait untill you hear it!
There are dozens of post topics on here about advice on what to look for. If you are going to buy one, get a copy of the "Bible" - TVR Griff & Chim by Steve Heath (www.tvrbooks.co.uk). Also talk to Rob who will also be able to give you good advice on what to expect for your money. His sourcing expertise is excellent, but maybe expensive for you?
Good luck and keep us posted!
There are dozens of post topics on here about advice on what to look for. If you are going to buy one, get a copy of the "Bible" - TVR Griff & Chim by Steve Heath (www.tvrbooks.co.uk). Also talk to Rob who will also be able to give you good advice on what to expect for your money. His sourcing expertise is excellent, but maybe expensive for you?
Good luck and keep us posted!
Cheers Guys
I have been through most of the site and have found it very useful indeed.
I'm of the opinion that getting Rob's input on my purchase could save me money in the long term as he would hopefully steer me clear of a problem car for my budget so i'm willing to pay his fee's.
I know that Chim's sound cool as well as look sexy already thanks, i just want to be on the inside looking out with this big TVR smile i keep reading about on my face.
Plus i have to keep up with the Boss with her Morgans and Marcos.
Thanks again for the advice guys and keep it coming, please
I have been through most of the site and have found it very useful indeed.
I'm of the opinion that getting Rob's input on my purchase could save me money in the long term as he would hopefully steer me clear of a problem car for my budget so i'm willing to pay his fee's.
I know that Chim's sound cool as well as look sexy already thanks, i just want to be on the inside looking out with this big TVR smile i keep reading about on my face.
Plus i have to keep up with the Boss with her Morgans and Marcos.
Thanks again for the advice guys and keep it coming, please
To give a couple of specific answers:
Servicing £250 every 6000 then £400 every 12000
Insurance - I have been asked what I'd driven before, they wanted to know the tvr wasnt my first powerful rwd car, I guess. Big variations, ring round a few companies. I ended up with Liverpool Victoria, FWIW.
And been said before but - go to some meets, pester ppl for rides, we all like showing off our p+j so dont be shy, and you may get a better idea of what you are looking for before you actually start waving your wallet at one!
Or you could just do what I did, and buy the first one you drive!
Good luck, Dean
Servicing £250 every 6000 then £400 every 12000
Insurance - I have been asked what I'd driven before, they wanted to know the tvr wasnt my first powerful rwd car, I guess. Big variations, ring round a few companies. I ended up with Liverpool Victoria, FWIW.
And been said before but - go to some meets, pester ppl for rides, we all like showing off our p+j so dont be shy, and you may get a better idea of what you are looking for before you actually start waving your wallet at one!
Or you could just do what I did, and buy the first one you drive!
Good luck, Dean
Sorry Corin, but quoting independent fixed prices for servicing is just misleading. How often does a Chimaera go in for service and only need a service? Maybe we're answering different questions. If a potential owner wants to know how much to budget for when the car goes in for a service, then I maintain that you need to double those numbers.
minimike - if it helps, then I put away just short of £150 per month. This covers servicing (assumed £800 for an annual service, I do about 6k miles a year), MOT, insurance (though I guess as a newbie yours will be a bit more than the £450 I pay for the griff), Road Tax and 2 tyres per year. There's enough slack in there to cover extra service items like say ball joints or bushes or wishbones or leaks or electrical glitches, and waxoyling (if you don't do it yourself), or a bit extra if you were in a 'small-service' year.
Of course, it doesn't cover other stuff, like lovely polishing goodies, or uprated suspension, or Leven toys, or top-up oil, or Renovo or any of the other things that inevitably become more important than eating or wearing clothes...
I am financially anally retentive('tis true!
) and keep spreadsheets on my car budgets etc, so if you want to have a look at them to help with your decision, then mail me through my profile.
minimike - if it helps, then I put away just short of £150 per month. This covers servicing (assumed £800 for an annual service, I do about 6k miles a year), MOT, insurance (though I guess as a newbie yours will be a bit more than the £450 I pay for the griff), Road Tax and 2 tyres per year. There's enough slack in there to cover extra service items like say ball joints or bushes or wishbones or leaks or electrical glitches, and waxoyling (if you don't do it yourself), or a bit extra if you were in a 'small-service' year.
Of course, it doesn't cover other stuff, like lovely polishing goodies, or uprated suspension, or Leven toys, or top-up oil, or Renovo or any of the other things that inevitably become more important than eating or wearing clothes...
I am financially anally retentive('tis true!
) and keep spreadsheets on my car budgets etc, so if you want to have a look at them to help with your decision, then mail me through my profile. spread sheets! jesus Corinne, I'd allow a bit more for the social life
I'd agree though, in the 3 years of having my 2 TVRs I haven't had "just a service" in that time. Yes, strictly speaking the service is between £300 - £600, but I have had bills for £1200 from a service, some for £900 and the majority around £650. If my bill is less than £600 from a service I feel flush.
I'd agree though, in the 3 years of having my 2 TVRs I haven't had "just a service" in that time. Yes, strictly speaking the service is between £300 - £600, but I have had bills for £1200 from a service, some for £900 and the majority around £650. If my bill is less than £600 from a service I feel flush.
Hi rude girl, yes I was just giving the std Austec prices. They have done 4 services for me, and 3 have come in bang on the quoted price, as did the one at Peninsula. Both garages are pretty good about doing little things they come accross and including them in the std price in my experience, bent exhaust brackets etc. It helps if you are prepared to do a few bits and pieces yourself, and you are the kind of owner who opens the bonnet once a week - I reckon if I used a main dealer and never even opened the bonnet myself I could have doubled my maintenance bills.
Yes the total maintenance bill has been at least twice the basic service, then there's the AA membership, upgrades, driver training, track days, where do you stop? Sorry I know you know all this, just thinking aloud for the benefit of Minimike, mainly.
Hi again, minimike, I think looking at rude girl's spreadsheets is the best offer I've heard for ages!
Like Corin said, finding a car yourself and getting it to an expert for them to check it is cheaper than paying Rob Ingleby to find one for you, David Batty nr. Guildford will also inspect anything you bring him for a fee. Having said that, everyone I know who has used Rob has been very happy with the results.
Join the TVR car club, read the mag, Sprint, list of areas and meets on the back page. There was a good overview of the Chimera earlier this year.
see you at a meet soon?
good luck, Dean.
Yes the total maintenance bill has been at least twice the basic service, then there's the AA membership, upgrades, driver training, track days, where do you stop? Sorry I know you know all this, just thinking aloud for the benefit of Minimike, mainly.
Hi again, minimike, I think looking at rude girl's spreadsheets is the best offer I've heard for ages!
Like Corin said, finding a car yourself and getting it to an expert for them to check it is cheaper than paying Rob Ingleby to find one for you, David Batty nr. Guildford will also inspect anything you bring him for a fee. Having said that, everyone I know who has used Rob has been very happy with the results.
Join the TVR car club, read the mag, Sprint, list of areas and meets on the back page. There was a good overview of the Chimera earlier this year.
see you at a meet soon?
good luck, Dean.
deeen said:
Yes the total maintenance bill has been at least twice the basic service, then there's the AA membership, upgrades, driver training, track days, where do you stop? Sorry I know you know all this, just thinking aloud for the benefit of Minimike, mainly.
Yep, that's what I was trying to do too. Can be a minefield. Just thinking - I might try and do a 'guide to budgeting'. I know some of the indies quite well so they might sanity-check it for me. You fancy having a look as well if I knock something up tonight?
I think to summarise these comments..
The Chimaera is one of the cheapest variants of TVRs to own and maintain with many parts being sourced from current mainstream production vehicles.
This said it is a hand-built British sports car, it will break down, bits will fall off, go in with your eyes open and you will find you have one of the biggest smiles per mile cars out there.
I'm on my second and love it!
The Chimaera is one of the cheapest variants of TVRs to own and maintain with many parts being sourced from current mainstream production vehicles.
This said it is a hand-built British sports car, it will break down, bits will fall off, go in with your eyes open and you will find you have one of the biggest smiles per mile cars out there.
I'm on my second and love it!
The advice just keeps getting better and better!
Thanks guys i have had a bad experience with car that looked a lot better than it really was but bought it with the heart and ignored the head.
I absolutly love TVR's and it would be awesome to own one but i will definately weight up the pro's and con's and delay the purchace if neccessary as would not want to spoil the experience and end up being disappointed.
I'm in no real hurry to be honest the right car is more important, i will have to just put up the jibes from the boss about my boring car for a bit longer.
She drives a V8 morgan and has just bought a pretty mint Marcos as a winter project!
Again cheers guys i will have to come to a meet to get to now you guys and the car a bit better, when the next one?
Thanks guys i have had a bad experience with car that looked a lot better than it really was but bought it with the heart and ignored the head.
I absolutly love TVR's and it would be awesome to own one but i will definately weight up the pro's and con's and delay the purchace if neccessary as would not want to spoil the experience and end up being disappointed.
I'm in no real hurry to be honest the right car is more important, i will have to just put up the jibes from the boss about my boring car for a bit longer.
She drives a V8 morgan and has just bought a pretty mint Marcos as a winter project!
Again cheers guys i will have to come to a meet to get to now you guys and the car a bit better, when the next one?
Each county / area of the TVRCC has its own meets. Listed in the back of Sprint, the TVRCC magazine. Or Google for TVRCC and the county of your choice!
The mid-essex meet is huge (70+ cars?) and this Sunday, I think.
SE London and Kent group is pretty active, they may have a few ppl going up to the essex meet, too.
The mid-essex meet is huge (70+ cars?) and this Sunday, I think.
SE London and Kent group is pretty active, they may have a few ppl going up to the essex meet, too.
Since I'm working from home and in a good mood...
East Sussex. Last Thurs of the month at the Piltdown Man, at Piltdown near Newick.
West Sussex. 3rd Sun lunch Bulls Head at Fishbourne.
Mid Essex highly recommended - this Sun, details here www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=13&t=128400 or mail Podie or Yellow Peril through their PH profiles.
If you're not a TVRCC member yet, and want contact numbers for east/west sussex, mail me. Not sure if the car club would want personal phone numbers on here, so I'll be cautious.
East Sussex. Last Thurs of the month at the Piltdown Man, at Piltdown near Newick.
West Sussex. 3rd Sun lunch Bulls Head at Fishbourne.
Mid Essex highly recommended - this Sun, details here www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=13&t=128400 or mail Podie or Yellow Peril through their PH profiles.
If you're not a TVRCC member yet, and want contact numbers for east/west sussex, mail me. Not sure if the car club would want personal phone numbers on here, so I'll be cautious.
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