Thinking of getting a Chimaera
Discussion
Having thought for a while of getting a classic motor I think ive settled for a Chimaera. Having never owned a TVR before I would like to get some idea of what to look and pros and cons. Guess would prefer with PAS and seems these are post 94? Is there any models which are better 400 or 500? I appreciate there's a vast amount of knowledge out there with owners and any light you can shed would be great.
There's a load of info on PH, and you could do a lot worse than go to your local region's regular meets and have a ride in a few. In theory the local TVRCC meet at Shuttleworth, near Biggleswade, and next meeting should be Sunday 4th January, but if you email ro@tvrcc-herts-beds.co.ukthey will be able to tell you more.
Which you want - 400,430,450 or 500 (not to speak of a host of modified ones) - that depends on what you want to do with the car. Ditto whether you buy rough and ready model, or one polished to within an inch of its life. Far more TVR owners these days attend car shows than do track days. They all handle well when set up properly.
Things to look out for - numerous, including chassis condition (oddly, it dodgiest on the later cars), evidence of regular servicing, and general condition and mileage - low mileage cars (I mean seriously low mileage) attract the best prices, but those cars can often give problems due to lack of use. Buyers tend to want cars to be as they left the factory, not modified, except buyers who know what they are looking at and want the thousands of pounds worth of mods that are available on some cars.
I would offer to show you mine, but I must be about 150 miles from you. I feel sure some of the more local guys will offer, or tell you when the next local meet is.
Which you want - 400,430,450 or 500 (not to speak of a host of modified ones) - that depends on what you want to do with the car. Ditto whether you buy rough and ready model, or one polished to within an inch of its life. Far more TVR owners these days attend car shows than do track days. They all handle well when set up properly.
Things to look out for - numerous, including chassis condition (oddly, it dodgiest on the later cars), evidence of regular servicing, and general condition and mileage - low mileage cars (I mean seriously low mileage) attract the best prices, but those cars can often give problems due to lack of use. Buyers tend to want cars to be as they left the factory, not modified, except buyers who know what they are looking at and want the thousands of pounds worth of mods that are available on some cars.
I would offer to show you mine, but I must be about 150 miles from you. I feel sure some of the more local guys will offer, or tell you when the next local meet is.
Guys. Thanks for the updates. I will aim to get to one of the local meets. Was probably looking at getting one in the early spring, so hopefully time to have a good look around. I would prefer one that's had the work done, so I know will pay more for that. I see a lot of comments that they have to be used? It will be a 'summer car' and garaged, so is this problem?
If you do nothing else at all then just buy on condition and history. As others have said it's all about the correct regular maintenance with these and the same with the chassis, as long as it's been treated correctly then it will be fine.
To give you an example, my Girlfriend's Dad bought a 96 car with 50k on the clock from a well known TVR dealer exactly a year ago for top money. He just put it into TVR Power a week ago for a 12k service and now £3000 later the car is fine!
I bought a 98 car with 30k on the clock privately a couple of months later, that had extensive history, mainly with TVR Power and other than 1 fault with a broken wire it has been good as gold. There were receipts everywhere in the file for chassis treatments and it's obviously worked as if you scrape a bit back it is all still shiny white underneath - and this just proves that maintenance is better than cure as it's a later car with the white powder coating which are known for being worse than the earlier cars with the silver chassis.
I totally agree that going along to a regional meet will be the best couple of hours homework you'll ever do, good luck!
To give you an example, my Girlfriend's Dad bought a 96 car with 50k on the clock from a well known TVR dealer exactly a year ago for top money. He just put it into TVR Power a week ago for a 12k service and now £3000 later the car is fine!
I bought a 98 car with 30k on the clock privately a couple of months later, that had extensive history, mainly with TVR Power and other than 1 fault with a broken wire it has been good as gold. There were receipts everywhere in the file for chassis treatments and it's obviously worked as if you scrape a bit back it is all still shiny white underneath - and this just proves that maintenance is better than cure as it's a later car with the white powder coating which are known for being worse than the earlier cars with the silver chassis.
I totally agree that going along to a regional meet will be the best couple of hours homework you'll ever do, good luck!
icedup51 said:
Guys. Thanks for the updates. I will aim to get to one of the local meets. Was probably looking at getting one in the early spring, so hopefully time to have a good look around. I would prefer one that's had the work done, so I know will pay more for that. I see a lot of comments that they have to be used? It will be a 'summer car' and garaged, so is this problem?
I have read that quote about regular use a lot and worried about it too, as mine is garaged and just a toy.Make sure it's fitted with a battery conditioner and it should be fine.
Mine hadn't turned a wheel for around 6 weeks until Saturday and it fired straight up and was faultless all day.
Now now Kieran we all know Northants is the TVRCC region to beat, and with a great traditional English meeting venue ! Rick, where are you in bucks ?, I'm quite happy to adopt a new route for a drive out in the new year and take you out for a spin in mine.
Edited by Richard 858 on Wednesday 24th December 18:06
I only have two pieces of advice:
1: take your time. Buy in haste and repair at leisure!
2. Don't assume dealer cars are any better than private.
The chassis on mine (98) has powder coat falling off everywhere! No choice but a body off job.
£££££££
If the seller turns whiite when you pull out the screw driver and torch, walk away!
I wouldn't be too bothered about going for a particular engine. I'd rather be driving a 400 or a 450 than arsing about underneath a 500 trying to fix it.
Ok that was 4!
1: take your time. Buy in haste and repair at leisure!
2. Don't assume dealer cars are any better than private.
The chassis on mine (98) has powder coat falling off everywhere! No choice but a body off job.
£££££££If the seller turns whiite when you pull out the screw driver and torch, walk away!
I wouldn't be too bothered about going for a particular engine. I'd rather be driving a 400 or a 450 than arsing about underneath a 500 trying to fix it.
Ok that was 4!
For a summer fun car buy a nice tidy, well looked after 4 litre in a colour combo you like. It's almost as fast as a five litre and a darn sight cheaper, both to buy and on fuel. And as there are more of them there is more choice.
Classic insurance policy through ClassicLine 01455 639000.
Classic insurance policy through ClassicLine 01455 639000.
QBee said:
For a summer fun car buy a nice tidy, well looked after 4 litre in a colour combo you like. It's almost as fast as a five litre and a darn sight cheaper, both to buy and on fuel. And as there are more of them there is more choice.
Classic insurance policy through ClassicLine 01455 639000.
Surprisingly I've never had much difference in fuel consumption between 4.0, 4.5 or 5.0. At max leptons the 5.0 is actually the most frugal.Classic insurance policy through ClassicLine 01455 639000.
...not that it matters either way. No point in buying a big engine car then thinking about MPG
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
...not that it matters either way. No point in buying a big engine car then thinking about MPG
^+1 in any case my missus Cooper S Mini Countrymen All 4 only gets 27.5mpg on mixed driving (short urban journeys (her) & spirited country lanes & motorways (me) from a 1600cc turbo !!davelittlewood said:
I wouldn't be too bothered about going for a particular engine. I'd rather be driving a 400 or a 450 than arsing about underneath a 500 trying to fix it.
There is a lot of talk about 500's being fragile and I find it hard to see why. I have had mine for 5 years now and have had to replace a couple of things that you would have had to replace on any 18 year old car. The 500 pulls like a train and is superb in my opinion.Edited by garfys v8s on Wednesday 24th December 19:18
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Surprisingly I've never had much difference in fuel consumption between 4.0, 4.5 or 5.0. At max leptons the 5.0 is actually the most frugal.
...not that it matters either way. No point in buying a big engine car then thinking about MPG
In fact I've just checked my 2 recent Chimaeras...not that it matters either way. No point in buying a big engine car then thinking about MPG
450 averaged 22 mpg
500 averaged 23 mpg
Can obviously vary car by car
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Surprisingly I've never had much difference in fuel consumption between 4.0, 4.5 or 5.0. At max leptons the 5.0 is actually the most frugal.
...not that it matters either way. No point in buying a big engine car then thinking about MPG
In fact I've just checked my 2 recent Chimaeras...not that it matters either way. No point in buying a big engine car then thinking about MPG
450 averaged 22 mpg
500 averaged 23 mpg
Can obviously vary car by car
You won't get MX5 economy, so don't expect to, but I do find 20 mpg, whatever I do, to be disappointing after 27 mpg from my 4 litre.
Never mind, I have done 18,000 miles in it since May 2013.
Another point is know your other half. A marriage or whatever is a partnership.
My other half is a heated seats, air-conditioning and comfortable cruising type, so a Merc SL or 911 would be much more her choice. We take the Audi A8 when she is travelling with me.
She hates travelling in the TVR, won't drive it, won't tour in it, won't travel any distance in it, won't come on runs in it, and so it is my toy solo.
Which does make me sad, despite her reassurances that it doesn't matter and she can see how much fun it gives me.
I AM lucky in another sense - she thinks I have earned my fun car, and is happy for me to go to track days, race meetings, TVRCC meetings etc, and spend serious money on it, so long as I help her enjoy her pleasure, which is cooking.
Make sure you know how such a hard core car will fit in with your relationship, and count yourself lucky if your partner wants to enjoy it with you.
QBee said:
She hates travelling in the TVR, won't drive it, won't tour in it, won't travel any distance in it, won't come on runs in it, and so it is my toy solo.
.
)Edited by 2 sMoKiN bArReLs on Wednesday 24th December 19:47
And my 400 has an average of 22.5 after 46 full fill ups.
I drive down to Surrey(Redhill) 3-4 times a year from the Midlands but nearly always go the back route A-B roads Evesham, Newbury etc as I much prefer driving these roads than sitting on a motorway.
I have done the long boring motorway miles to Redhill once(I think) and is theoretically quicker by about one and half hours than going A/B roads and can average 27mpg.
But I'd rather average 23 and spent more time behind the wheel and enjoy some of our beautiful country towns and some changing of gears.
Just drove up and down the Motorway for the TiTT event,including the 3hrs of London stop start driving all on One tank 271 miles 23.48mpg (Shell V power used) London bit was great fun,motorway
http://www.fuelly.com/car/tvr/chimaera/1997/tvrjas...
I drive down to Surrey(Redhill) 3-4 times a year from the Midlands but nearly always go the back route A-B roads Evesham, Newbury etc as I much prefer driving these roads than sitting on a motorway.
I have done the long boring motorway miles to Redhill once(I think) and is theoretically quicker by about one and half hours than going A/B roads and can average 27mpg.
But I'd rather average 23 and spent more time behind the wheel and enjoy some of our beautiful country towns and some changing of gears.
Just drove up and down the Motorway for the TiTT event,including the 3hrs of London stop start driving all on One tank 271 miles 23.48mpg (Shell V power used) London bit was great fun,motorway
http://www.fuelly.com/car/tvr/chimaera/1997/tvrjas...
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