12000 mile service cost!

[pac1uk]

For a 12000 mile / annual service at a TVR specialist is over £500 with the VAT!

£500 is a lot of money to spend on mostly checks.

My car does no where near this mileage and I have done a lot of the fettling and checking myself. Page 339 of the TVR bible lists the service schedules.

I use a local independent garage for things which are beyond my skills and mucky Oil changes.

I would rather spend that money on upgrades and tweaks. I keep all receipts and have a spreadsheet tracker of all the things I have done along with date and mileage.

What's your views on servicing and service history?

[PuffsBack]

The 12k service should take more than a day to complete. There is a lot to it, for instance the brakes will need to be stripped down and cleaned etc. All fluids need changing

Just had my Cerbera in for its 12k and it took from 8am in the morning to midday the next day to complete without tappets being adjusted. However it was noticably improved on the drive home (S6 engine so smooooth after throttles rebalance, brakes were phenominal. idle much improved after adjustment) despite having only covered 3k since the last 12k service (and a 6k in between)

I was happy to spend the money despite being handy with spanners (changed the coilovers, alternator, exhaust myself on the car) just for peace of mind that it had been done properly.

Edited by PuffsBack on Thursday 25th July 12:21

[EggsBenedict]

Use your indie for the service then if it's cheaper than the specialist - on the chim there's nothing complex about the bits and bobs. The thing to be most careful of is the changing oil/filter on the RV8 and avoiding emptying the oil pump.

I mainly do my own servicing/maintenance (occasional trip to Dan Taylor), and like you, I just keep every single receipt and record what I do in a folder I keep. If I sell the car (big 'if' there), the folder will testify to the love and attention! I also take pics of what I'm doing too.

[Malcster]

Yep, I think it is worth the cost, to have the work completed by a pro that knows the cars well. Mine went town to X-Works for the 12k and it was superb.

I usually do a 6k myself - Oil and plugs, and look everything over. Then I'll take it once a year for it's 12k at a specialist.

The difference was noticible too, everything felt smoother etc.

[frenchie TVR]

Hi,

I agree with using a TVR specialist: my car has a full TVR Specialist service history and the way I see it is:
1) I want to keep the full TVR service history
2) There is more to the service that just changing the spark plugs, oil, air filter, etc….
if you do go to a competent TVR specialist, he will go through the car and check everything as per factory schedule and will give you a list of: what need to be done now as dangerous / will break and will cause more damage and will be more expensive to fix if you leave it / if you want, you can change this now, or leave it to the next service, etc…
3) I have been tracking the car once a year since I have it (3 track days in 3 years) and when I drive it on the road I often drive it “fast” and I believe that having the peace of mind that the car has been checked once a year by someone that knows the car is worth £500.
4) A 12K service should include a full geometry set-up… when I first go the car, 3 years ago, I had an expensive (almost £3,000) 12k service and changes pretty much everything that needed to be changes: new Classic Gold Pros, drop links all around, new bushed, full geometry set=up, etc… and the car was transformed… I believe that the car despite being 13 years old at the time and 30,000 miles, was probably as good or better that when it left Blackpool (the Gas Gold Pros being better than the original shocks)…
5) There are many Chimaeras (or other VRs or sports cars out there) and I am sure “day and light” between some of them… some drive and handle like pigs (I guess the ones that have not been looked after / have not have had the right money spent on) and the ones that drive really well, feel tight and powerful (like mine, which have been looked after / have had money spent on it…).

So if you can afford a once a year’s 12K service, or if you do low mileage, like I do (you could alternate, one 12k service one years, a 6 k service the year after, etc…) the car runs so much better once it has been properly worked on…

And be aware, there are different TVR specialist out there… the good ones and bad ones…. I had my previous Chimaera looked after by an average TVR specialist (not naming it) and my current one has been at Str8six for a full service each if the year I owned it… and I have to say that Jason and his team do a first class job, the car feels really good once you pick it up from there….

So if you can afford it and want your car to run well, to be safe, etc… treat yourself to a good service…. There are plenty of good guys out there, but plenty of bad ones too… My vote goes to Str8six, but depending on where you are based, I am sure some other people here would be able to advise who they get to work on the car and confirm that they are happy with the service they are getting…

There are £4k Chimaera out there and some are worth £20k, there are some amazing ones and some real pigs, some that have been looked after and some that have not…

My previous Chimaera (450, 1997) had over 100,000 miles (with and engine rebuilt a 80,000) had good service history…, my current one (500, 1996, dynoed a 252 bph back in Feb – rear wheels this is) has now 36,000 miles, full TVR service history and there is a massive, massive difference between the way the 2 cars feel…

Good luck & safe trucking, Frenchie