New Member - TVRless currently..
Discussion
Hi all, have been browsing for a while and thought it would be rude not to post.
I'm currently driving a 2004 Honda Accord Diesel with 230000 miles after selling my X5 3.0 yesterday. Reason being is so I can save some more money up for my Chimaera purchase in Jan 2019. It seems far away and I think about owning one daily as well as watching videos on YouTube regularly...
I live in Stoke on Trent around 5 minutes away from Sportmotive TVR specialists which will be very handy for servicing and (hopefully not) chassis repair.
I will have a nice amount saved to buy a decent example - I've been searching eBay and Autotrader often and there are some nice cars for sale around £11k so shouldn't have an issue finding one. I'm after a Chimaera 400.
Was wondering if there are any meets in the Stoke area or anyone nearby who shares an interest?
Anyway nice to meet you all!
I'm currently driving a 2004 Honda Accord Diesel with 230000 miles after selling my X5 3.0 yesterday. Reason being is so I can save some more money up for my Chimaera purchase in Jan 2019. It seems far away and I think about owning one daily as well as watching videos on YouTube regularly...
I live in Stoke on Trent around 5 minutes away from Sportmotive TVR specialists which will be very handy for servicing and (hopefully not) chassis repair.
I will have a nice amount saved to buy a decent example - I've been searching eBay and Autotrader often and there are some nice cars for sale around £11k so shouldn't have an issue finding one. I'm after a Chimaera 400.
Was wondering if there are any meets in the Stoke area or anyone nearby who shares an interest?
Anyway nice to meet you all!
Hi Matt, welcome to one of the most friendly and helpful sub forums on the internet 
I’m in Norfolk but had some work done by Sportmotive around five years ago... headlamp conversion, front end respray, and a service, great lads there
You can ask anything here and you’ll always get a good response, from proper knowledgable enthusiasts... keep us all updated when you start looking, cheers for now,
Richard
I’m in Norfolk but had some work done by Sportmotive around five years ago... headlamp conversion, front end respray, and a service, great lads there
You can ask anything here and you’ll always get a good response, from proper knowledgable enthusiasts... keep us all updated when you start looking, cheers for now,
Richard
Edited by baconsarney on Tuesday 31st July 16:35
Thanks for the reply Richard - it does seem a decent place to be where people are always happy to answer a question. Looking forward to getting more involved when I have found a car!
Motul - Thanks for the info, I'll send an email now, maybe I'll see you there sometime.
Might have a drive past Sportmotive one Sat, haven't seen a TVR of any kind for ages, especially in Stoke.
Motul - Thanks for the info, I'll send an email now, maybe I'll see you there sometime.
Might have a drive past Sportmotive one Sat, haven't seen a TVR of any kind for ages, especially in Stoke.
Hi Matt, there seems to be a few around as I'm in Biddulph, only slightly north of you. Plus, I've seen a couple in the Wilmslow area, but seeing as I've been rather quite myself on the ownership side, there's probably loads more about.
My cars in the middle of a rebuild, so hopefully ready for the bad weather! Lol
My cars in the middle of a rebuild, so hopefully ready for the bad weather! Lol
There will be quite a lot of TVRs attending this event in 3 weeks time. Get your name down smartish if you fancy it
https://www.pistonheads.com/calendar/event.asp?i=8...
https://www.pistonheads.com/calendar/event.asp?i=8...
Matt-hi3m1 said:
Excellent thanks for that! Will definitely head down, it's only 15 minutes from my house - I used to work in Uttoxeter so know it well.
How will it work, will it be in the car park at the side? Don't fancy showing the Accord ??
You need to add your name to the list on the thread I linked. Won’t get in otherwise. How will it work, will it be in the car park at the side? Don't fancy showing the Accord ??
On the contrary, yes, there will be all sorts of performance cars to ogle, but also all sorts of family sheds too. Nobody will look at your car, and you won’t be standing by it, you will be enjoying the performance cars.
I will be there in the TVR if only me plus a passenger (think my local farmer is up for it) But if the grandbrats are back from holiday I will be in the 14 year old XC90 shed. And parked in the corner. It’s no biggie.
When I was looking last year I went to a couple of events and meet ups with TVR owners. For instance the Burghley House meet in the Rover 75 CDT Auto and a meet up with a coulpe of owners down in Norfolk in my MGF. No adverse comments were made about my mode of transport!
After being in a similar situation of hunting for the right Chimaera my advice is make a list of things you must have in the specs of the Chimaera and one of things you would like it to have it will help narrow down the search. Be prepared to travel! If private purchase seduces you have it inspected by a good TVR specialist, I bought mine unseen only having seen photos in the listing so had X Works give a pre purchase inspection, and then after agreeing a price and buying it thye did the things they recommended it have for me plus some extras like swap out the headlights for LHD ones for me, be guided by them and their report.
Above all be prepared to be flexible in your choices and buy on condition! For example I was not really wanting a Green Chimaera and certainly not a Silver one! As silver is a downer for me but when the red 430 I was looking at was suddenly sold we started negotiating on a silver 4'0L due to it's history and condition then this Green 430 came up on the radar and when it looked good went with that. When making enquiries about three Chimaera's whilst I was asking questions and getting opinions three Chimaera were sold so had to look for another one to consider in my case it was made more complicated as I could not view them in person due to not being in the UK.
They may be a little distance away from you but I suggest you speak to Amore's as they are extremely helpful even though I ended up buying privately in the end. it was being out of the UK that complicated matters.
After being in a similar situation of hunting for the right Chimaera my advice is make a list of things you must have in the specs of the Chimaera and one of things you would like it to have it will help narrow down the search. Be prepared to travel! If private purchase seduces you have it inspected by a good TVR specialist, I bought mine unseen only having seen photos in the listing so had X Works give a pre purchase inspection, and then after agreeing a price and buying it thye did the things they recommended it have for me plus some extras like swap out the headlights for LHD ones for me, be guided by them and their report.
Above all be prepared to be flexible in your choices and buy on condition! For example I was not really wanting a Green Chimaera and certainly not a Silver one! As silver is a downer for me but when the red 430 I was looking at was suddenly sold we started negotiating on a silver 4'0L due to it's history and condition then this Green 430 came up on the radar and when it looked good went with that. When making enquiries about three Chimaera's whilst I was asking questions and getting opinions three Chimaera were sold so had to look for another one to consider in my case it was made more complicated as I could not view them in person due to not being in the UK.
They may be a little distance away from you but I suggest you speak to Amore's as they are extremely helpful even though I ended up buying privately in the end. it was being out of the UK that complicated matters.
Hi Matt, there is a North Staffs TVRCC Region, I'm the deputy regional organiser. We have a breakfast meet up this weekend if you are around? We are meeting at the Swan with two necks between 9 & 9:30 and having a run out to Sleap Airfield near Wem. The breakfasts are very good.
If you are interested, let me know - I am sure one of us will have a spare seat.
Jase.
If you are interested, let me know - I am sure one of us will have a spare seat.
Jase.
Brithunter- thanks for the detailed info! I have thought about making a list, I have a certain budget so will have to limit luxuries to buy on condition.
I am definitely prepared to travel as I know it's a specialist car- just hope I don't end up buying the first one I see as I have a habit of doing that and being stung !!
I take it you live outside of the UK then?
Rowley-Birkin- That sounds just what I have been hoping for! Which day were you thinking and where would you like me to meet you? Cheers!
I am definitely prepared to travel as I know it's a specialist car- just hope I don't end up buying the first one I see as I have a habit of doing that and being stung !!
I take it you live outside of the UK then?
Rowley-Birkin- That sounds just what I have been hoping for! Which day were you thinking and where would you like me to meet you? Cheers!
With any Chimaera, given the age that these cars are now, the problem isn't the condition of the things that you can see, but the condition of the things you can't.
I bought mine about three years ago now with what I thought was a solid chassis. It looked absolutely fine up on a ramp, outriggers with some surface spotting, but no major corrosion. All the rest looked fine.
I was going to have the car painted, and thought well to do the job properly I might as well have the body off and the chassis repaired and painted as well.
When the body came off, it was obvious that the outriggers would have to be replaced. They could have gone another couple of years, but they were a bit ropey on top, which is the bit you can't see. Why am I writing this? Just to say that when buying a car, if you can find one that's had the outriggers done, good. If you choose one that hasn't, then you need a couple of thousand quid as a reserve fund, because they will need doing. Like I said, the newest of these cars are now 15 years old. Mine's a '99 BTW.
Photo showing the chassis after the lift:
I bought mine about three years ago now with what I thought was a solid chassis. It looked absolutely fine up on a ramp, outriggers with some surface spotting, but no major corrosion. All the rest looked fine.
I was going to have the car painted, and thought well to do the job properly I might as well have the body off and the chassis repaired and painted as well.
When the body came off, it was obvious that the outriggers would have to be replaced. They could have gone another couple of years, but they were a bit ropey on top, which is the bit you can't see. Why am I writing this? Just to say that when buying a car, if you can find one that's had the outriggers done, good. If you choose one that hasn't, then you need a couple of thousand quid as a reserve fund, because they will need doing. Like I said, the newest of these cars are now 15 years old. Mine's a '99 BTW.
Photo showing the chassis after the lift:
This is what I'm worried about - I'll have a budget of around £11k by Jan which I hope will buy me a sorted car i.e outriggers replaced. I don't really want to start spending an additional £2k+ after the purchase..
This sounds like a decent example and something I'd be interested in although I'd prefer yellow..
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2018...
Outriggers replaced within last 5 years. How long do you think they last before having to worry again?
This sounds like a decent example and something I'd be interested in although I'd prefer yellow..
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2018...
Outriggers replaced within last 5 years. How long do you think they last before having to worry again?
Matt-hi3m1 said:
Outriggers replaced within last 5 years. How long do you think they last before having to worry again?
How long is a piece of string? depends on the quality of work, materials used, coating used, future use and care (annual inspection/coating repair)... could be 10 years.... Or more....Looks like a cracking example, I'd get someone familiar with driving a 400 to drive it for you before buying (the sound alone will blind you to anything else), and if poss a recent engine health check... compression/leak down that kind of stuff... Notwithstanding all that, it may be the owner is a PH'er....
Stand up and be counted..... 
Richard
Am I barking up the wrong tree here or should that car have a different rear end on it? IIRC for the age that should have a backlit non tilted numberplate and the rubber strip rear bumper? If so then that car may have had a new back end, which would be something to factor in to your inspection....
In any case you can do better than that car for the money and I think that car was unsold on eBay last week for £7500 ish....
Best of luck finding a good un!
In any case you can do better than that car for the money and I think that car was unsold on eBay last week for £7500 ish....
Best of luck finding a good un!
It says in the description about the Mk2 rear lights but you're right, the tilted number plate is from post 1998. It has the early narrower seats and braced lower profile bonnet so is definitely an early model.
Autotrader do a register check on the registration number of cars listed so if it has been repaired, it wasn't a 'write - off' anyway.
Autotrader do a register check on the registration number of cars listed so if it has been repaired, it wasn't a 'write - off' anyway.
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