Is it morally correct to run..........
Discussion
a Chimaera into the ground?
Let me explain.......
Chims can be had for about £8.5/9k now, maybe a bit less with a hard haggle. This is communter car money. Now having had a Chim before, I'm aware of niggles and running costs/servicing, that's not an issue.
Thing is, there's the fact that it'll be used every day in all weathers, will suffer neglect (but only to the extent that it'll feel unloved and abused). It will get serviced on time, things that need fixing will be fixed, it won't get any upgrades, and will have 'whatever' tyres fitted that are suitable. It'll do about 15k miles a year, which is nothing to a RV8.
The question is this, should I? There's loads of people on here that drool over the chance of a Tiv, and I'd be metorphorically giving them a kicking.
Let me explain.......
Chims can be had for about £8.5/9k now, maybe a bit less with a hard haggle. This is communter car money. Now having had a Chim before, I'm aware of niggles and running costs/servicing, that's not an issue.
Thing is, there's the fact that it'll be used every day in all weathers, will suffer neglect (but only to the extent that it'll feel unloved and abused). It will get serviced on time, things that need fixing will be fixed, it won't get any upgrades, and will have 'whatever' tyres fitted that are suitable. It'll do about 15k miles a year, which is nothing to a RV8.
The question is this, should I? There's loads of people on here that drool over the chance of a Tiv, and I'd be metorphorically giving them a kicking.
Morally, I don't think it comes in to it, if you don't keep on top of the 'niggles' it'll turn into a pumpkin before your eyes, you just can't avoid paying attention to em otherwise what metal there is will revert to it's natural state quicker'n you can say waxoyl. It won't be much fun driving a car that is slowly disintegrating around you
Hi Richard!
I thought about a wedge as a run about car but decided against it in the end. TVRs are pretty expensive when things go wrong as you know and having two of them could turn into a bit of a 'mare even if one was "cheap" to buy.
Trouble is things will go wrong - and then you'll be spending good money on really annoying things like electrics when you could be lavishing your money on your Cerb
I thought about a wedge as a run about car but decided against it in the end. TVRs are pretty expensive when things go wrong as you know and having two of them could turn into a bit of a 'mare even if one was "cheap" to buy.
Trouble is things will go wrong - and then you'll be spending good money on really annoying things like electrics when you could be lavishing your money on your Cerb
My Chim was my everyday commute for 14 months and lived outside in all weathers, so I know they can do it.
It will get run into the ground because it will suffer wear and tear that my Cerb won't. It'll pick up knocks and scuffs like any other commuter nail. It won't get the love and attention that the previous owner will have given it - it will get washed once a year if it's lucky!
It will get run into the ground because it will suffer wear and tear that my Cerb won't. It'll pick up knocks and scuffs like any other commuter nail. It won't get the love and attention that the previous owner will have given it - it will get washed once a year if it's lucky!
Tyre Smoke said:
It won't get the love and attention that the previous owner will have given it
For that sort of money I doubt the previous owner would have given it much love and attention! For 8.5/9K it will be in pretty poor condition anyway, and could well prove costly to put right.
Agree with TS on this one. Err... Two dont have pics so their condition is unknown, and the one that does have a piccy it doesnt show much. Plus all three are at least £500 more than your upper price.
I would say for a good condition high mileage (>75K) Chim about 10.5 would be about right. It all depends on condition, and for 8.5/9K I would not be too supprised to spend more time under it than out in it! There was a Chim for 3K a while back, but I wouldnt call it a bargin by a long shot.
Remember that a new cluch and cam (not unreasonable for cars of this age) could cost in the region of 1K with labour, plus anything else that needs doing. I have to say having seen a few in this price bracket most are not bargins, but the odd one is! its just finding it.
I would say for a good condition high mileage (>75K) Chim about 10.5 would be about right. It all depends on condition, and for 8.5/9K I would not be too supprised to spend more time under it than out in it! There was a Chim for 3K a while back, but I wouldnt call it a bargin by a long shot.
Remember that a new cluch and cam (not unreasonable for cars of this age) could cost in the region of 1K with labour, plus anything else that needs doing. I have to say having seen a few in this price bracket most are not bargins, but the odd one is! its just finding it.
You don't have to run it into the ground, just because you're driving it every day. I drove my S3 every day for 2 years, through every concievable weather, but when I sold it it was still in very good condition. As long as you spend a little time taking care of it, waxoyling the Chassis, and regular services, there is no reason why it won't keep going for a long time, never mind how you use it.
Plenty of people used to berate me for keeping the car outside, driving it in the snow etc, but when they saw the car, they couldn't believe the condition.
At the end of the day why shouldn't you? It would be morally wrong if you bought the car, then didn't take care of it.
If I had to sell up, I would probably go for a cheap Chim.
Plenty of people used to berate me for keeping the car outside, driving it in the snow etc, but when they saw the car, they couldn't believe the condition.
At the end of the day why shouldn't you? It would be morally wrong if you bought the car, then didn't take care of it.
If I had to sell up, I would probably go for a cheap Chim.
jonnyb said:
Err... Two dont have pics so their condition is unknown, and the one that does have a piccy it doesnt show much. Plus all three are at least £500 more than your upper price.
I would say for a good condition high mileage (>75K) Chim about 10.5 would be about right. It all depends on condition, and for 8.5/9K I would not be too supprised to spend more time under it than out in it! There was a Chim for 3K a while back, but I wouldnt call it a bargin by a long shot.
Remember that a new cluch and cam (not unreasonable for cars of this age) could cost in the region of 1K with labour, plus anything else that needs doing. I have to say having seen a few in this price bracket most are not bargins, but the odd one is! its just finding it.
There's at least another 3 or 4 on PH sales for under 10k. I know that they are a little over what I was suggesting, but I did say a hard haggle. At least one of those cars I know is in very decent nick and would possibly go for less than 9k.
And there is no way I would pay a grand for a new clutch - not here in Devon anyway. And yes, it would be fitted by a proper indy, and would be the correct clutch for a Chim and not a Range Rover one.
If you want a decent Chim for about £8.5/9k and will wait a bit and prepared to haggle hard. I could probably find you a choice.
My car gets used in all weathers (thick snow at one point). It lives outside, on the street, along with the common folk 
I take the view that so long as its run regularly, serviced correctly, and taken care of in the interim, it should be no less of a headache than any other car (besides the higher costs that is).
I take the view that so long as its run regularly, serviced correctly, and taken care of in the interim, it should be no less of a headache than any other car (besides the higher costs that is).
Guys please, prove me wrong! But I have to say that for 8.5/9K I would expect to get a 93/94 4.0 >75K mileage and some work needing doing to it like out riggers, cam and clutch, and thats just to keep it going. And no I wouldnt pay 1K for just a clutch, but for a cluch and cam change its not unreasonable.
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