Should I get a TVR?
Discussion
I'm thinking of trading in my Alfa 156 and making the move to a proper sports car. I've thought of a number of options - Porsche 3.2 Carrera/944S2/951/968/Boxster, Lotus Elan, Alfa GTV, Honda S2000 - but a friend suggested I went for a TVR.
Well I've heard of their reputation for being unreliable and killing people - but a bit of research (the PH classifieds) suggests I could get a 4.0 Chimaera for significantly under £10,000.
So, some newbie questions - how wild are they really? How much will it cost to run? Is buying one at this sort of price stupid? How long will it spend off the road being fixed? Should I get something a bit tamer for my first foray into running a proper performance car? Is a Griff better?
Cheers,
Phil
get a good one for under £10k.
about £1200 ish ish ish a year for servicing and odd and sods..
probably a few electrical glitches but the mechanicals are prettty solid as a rule..
very easy to drive, a lot of fun and as long as you dont drive like a tool you wont end up upsidedown in a field or halfway up a tree....
so in a nutshelll yes.. buy one... now/.....
about £1200 ish ish ish a year for servicing and odd and sods..
probably a few electrical glitches but the mechanicals are prettty solid as a rule..
very easy to drive, a lot of fun and as long as you dont drive like a tool you wont end up upsidedown in a field or halfway up a tree....
so in a nutshelll yes.. buy one... now/.....
. 
for your next drive saxmund said:
So, some newbie questions - how wild are they really?
Depends how you drive, if you're careful and understand the nature of the car it won't be a problem.
saxmund said:
How much will it cost to run?
Depends on how much you use it. Servicing is annual / 6,000 miles and comes in at an average of £500. Budget the same of annual fixes and keep £1000 aside for surprises.
saxmund said:
Is buying one at this sort of price stupid?
saxmund said:
How long will it spend off the road being fixed?
Not as much as you'd think, in my experience and having monitored these boards for a while it seems that 95% of all problems could be classed as 'niggles' and are easily fixed. The fact is that the Chims are quite basic, the engines are tried and tested and the drivetrain is very solid.
saxmund said:
Should I get something a bit tamer for my first foray into running a proper performance car?
Maybe, it depends how confident you are. Do you have experience of rear-wheel drive cars?
saxmund said:
Is a Griff better?
No, just different. The Griff tends to be more of a driver's car, the Chim makes some minor compromises to comfort and practicality. As such it suits me much better and I expect you too.
Hope this helps.. check out my website for more. Oh and join the club.
If you are happy with the Alfa you should be fine with the reliability of the RV8 Tivs - you'll inevitably have some niggles, but serious (ie expensive) problems are rare.
In terms of performance a 4.0 Chim is the "entry model" of that era TVRs. Performance is easily good enough to put a smile on your face, and comparable with the others you list, but here in 2006 it isn't earth-shattering. The cars can be a pain in traffic (heavy clutch and heat soak) and rear-wheel-drive + BHP + wet roads might give you a fright if you are lead footed (or stupid!). But if you avoid jams and don't drive like a tool these need not be an issue !
These cars are fairly expensive to run, so don't forget the old phrase - "If you can't afford a good one, you really cannot afford a cheap one !". Buy carefully, or get a specialist to find a good one for you.
But yes, I loved mine for six years and have no regrets. Have a test drive.
In terms of performance a 4.0 Chim is the "entry model" of that era TVRs. Performance is easily good enough to put a smile on your face, and comparable with the others you list, but here in 2006 it isn't earth-shattering. The cars can be a pain in traffic (heavy clutch and heat soak) and rear-wheel-drive + BHP + wet roads might give you a fright if you are lead footed (or stupid!). But if you avoid jams and don't drive like a tool these need not be an issue !
These cars are fairly expensive to run, so don't forget the old phrase - "If you can't afford a good one, you really cannot afford a cheap one !". Buy carefully, or get a specialist to find a good one for you.
But yes, I loved mine for six years and have no regrets. Have a test drive.
Porsche 3.2 Carrera - good but old and slow compared to similar priced Chim/Griff
944S2 - good but same as above
951 - ?
968 - same as 944 but uglier (unless club sport version - v rare)
Boxster - good but slow unless boxster S + plenty of room for hair dressing equipment
Lotus Elan - v rare and front wheel drive
Alfa GTV - thought you wanted a sports car?
Honda S2000 - good, reliable, only runs above 6000rpm, zzzz
but a friend suggested I went for a TVR - pat your friend on the back and buy him / her a pint!
Chim prices are a bargain at the minute - £8K is too low however - you well get a much better car up around the £10 - 12K mark, anything above this will be mint/late reg/high spec or all three!
how wild are they really? - very but they only do what the drivers tells it! show some respect when the conditions are slippery
How much will it cost to run? bank on 20mpg average and about £500 to £1500 / year servicing at either a specialist or dealer.
Is buying one at this sort of price stupid? £10K plus - No
How long will it spend off the road being fixed? - Same as any other similar car - parts for the chim / griff are (mostly) readily available
Should I get something a bit tamer for my first foray into running a proper performance car? No, unless you are a hair dresser (see boxster)
Is a Griff better? No - griffs are the same car - same chassis (different set up) and same engines. Look at it this way...griffs are out and out sports cars where as the chim has the same performance but is slightly softer, more GT. It is also roomier with a much bigger boot, ideal driving breaks away. Griff is rarer though and costs a bit more. You pays your money and you takes your choice.
Cheers - You are welcome - others will be along soon no doubt
944S2 - good but same as above
951 - ?
968 - same as 944 but uglier (unless club sport version - v rare)
Boxster - good but slow unless boxster S + plenty of room for hair dressing equipment
Lotus Elan - v rare and front wheel drive
Alfa GTV - thought you wanted a sports car?
Honda S2000 - good, reliable, only runs above 6000rpm, zzzz
but a friend suggested I went for a TVR - pat your friend on the back and buy him / her a pint!
Chim prices are a bargain at the minute - £8K is too low however - you well get a much better car up around the £10 - 12K mark, anything above this will be mint/late reg/high spec or all three!
how wild are they really? - very but they only do what the drivers tells it! show some respect when the conditions are slippery
How much will it cost to run? bank on 20mpg average and about £500 to £1500 / year servicing at either a specialist or dealer.
Is buying one at this sort of price stupid? £10K plus - No
How long will it spend off the road being fixed? - Same as any other similar car - parts for the chim / griff are (mostly) readily available
Should I get something a bit tamer for my first foray into running a proper performance car? No, unless you are a hair dresser (see boxster)
Is a Griff better? No - griffs are the same car - same chassis (different set up) and same engines. Look at it this way...griffs are out and out sports cars where as the chim has the same performance but is slightly softer, more GT. It is also roomier with a much bigger boot, ideal driving breaks away. Griff is rarer though and costs a bit more. You pays your money and you takes your choice.
Cheers - You are welcome - others will be along soon no doubt
I would disagree with those that say a good one can be had for significantly under 10K. Most of those in this price bracket are going to need some significant maintenance. Most of the good Chims are about 11-13K I wouldn't want to pay much less than 11K. There are good ones to be had but they are exceptions not the norm. And to get one you need to know what to look for.
If looking at about 8K expect to have a new clutch (£800) and Cam Shaft (£1500), maybe outriggers, new bushes and possibly wishbones, get the rad re-cored, ect.... The list goes on.
If looking at about 8K expect to have a new clutch (£800) and Cam Shaft (£1500), maybe outriggers, new bushes and possibly wishbones, get the rad re-cored, ect.... The list goes on.
I got a '99 Chim 400 for a bit over your figure. I lokked at several, and kept the "CONDITION IS EVERYTHING" advice in mind. If the car is in good nick, it's likely to have been looked after, and thus should be a good buy.
Know what to look at regarding the chassis. One with a history of waxoyl is nice, but in my case I could still see the white factory paint, and know what needed attention.
I decided to go for one due for a service, and negotiate the purchase price. The idea was to very quickly get an idea as to things that needed attention.
Look at Steve Heaths' buying guide for pointers. (Service history etc).
Make sure you have a specialist nearby for servicing.
Mine had a couple of niggles to sort, Driveshaft Gaitors perished, rear drop links broken, wiper park motor dodgy, windscreen seals needed some TLC.
Also you'll probably be surprised at how quick you go through the back tyres. When you first get one you will be both unused to the power transmission, and will want to blow the cobwebs out. So allow £200 for rears (SP9000, assume 225/50/16). If fronts are needed, allow £160 for pair of same in 205.
I see bucket loads of porkers on the commute, plenty of Elises, the odd Ferrari, jags galore etc. But I've seen just one other Chimy in the last month, so scarcity is on it's side.
I smile everyday when I open the garage, and more when I fire her up. So buy one.
Good luck hunting.
Just bought a 1999 4.0 Chimeara myself (posted on the forum as "I've got a smile the size of Guatamala"
Go on, do it, but do what I did - buy one that has provenance i.e history, mot's, receipts etc, and from an owner who has cherished it.
Mine is fantastic, great fun and has turned more heads than the Boston Strangler.
I would suggest reading the 'bible' (available from Steve Heath Publications) if you have any doubts.
I've had Subarus, Cosworths etc, and though they might have been faster point-to-point, they never put a smile on my face like the TVR has.....!
Oh, and my wife likes it too - she's going out to terrorize the local boy-racers this evening apparently......
Go on, do it, but do what I did - buy one that has provenance i.e history, mot's, receipts etc, and from an owner who has cherished it.
Mine is fantastic, great fun and has turned more heads than the Boston Strangler.
I would suggest reading the 'bible' (available from Steve Heath Publications) if you have any doubts.
I've had Subarus, Cosworths etc, and though they might have been faster point-to-point, they never put a smile on my face like the TVR has.....!
Oh, and my wife likes it too - she's going out to terrorize the local boy-racers this evening apparently......
Join your regional tvrcc first,all like minded enthusiasts for the marque.Go along to the meet and who knows,some one might be interested in selling their current chim to finance their next tvr.
Many 1st time purchasers start their foray into these projectiles by starting with a chim-griff model,i have,and can only say, buy one,.......now!
PS dont be afraid to ask for a ride in one,all the people ive met are only to happy.
Good luck and hopefully welcome.
Many 1st time purchasers start their foray into these projectiles by starting with a chim-griff model,i have,and can only say, buy one,.......now!
PS dont be afraid to ask for a ride in one,all the people ive met are only to happy.
Good luck and hopefully welcome.
saxmund said:
Well I've heard of their reputation for being unreliable and killing people Cheers,
Phil
Their fine as long as you treat them with respect and remember that YOU are the traction control and ABS. You screw up, you pay the penalty, there's no electronic brain to cover your mistakes - but thats one of the reasons that their so special, after a TVR everything else seems a little watered down.
Oh and kill any bad engine braking habits you have! its the major cause of accidents in TVR's.
As for being unreliable my Chimaera cost me in unexpected repairs a grand total £48 over 2 years / 5000 miles (Replacement seat belt and a rocker cover gasket)
Puff
Edited by puffsorted2 on Friday 7th July 15:19
midas dude said:
Thats a nice looking car twirlie,what can you tell me about those bonnet vent grills,i fancy some myself.
Thanks mate! - I got the mesh from Halfords, then cut to size and fixed to underside of bonnet with P38 or P40.....can't remember which one i used now? I used Gaffa tape to hold in place while drying and then removed it!
If you need more help and detailed pictures, email me and i will do what i can.
Cheers
Get a 450 you know you want to ;-) Those extra cc's make all the difference.
Failing that just make sure its the right colour - dilithium crystals were added to the blue paint for that warp speed effect....
Had mine over a year now. I got a very nice one, had it thoroughly checked and as a result its cost me a less than average £900 this year - and that includes two rolling road sessions, one big service and a full set of HT leads and a new bosch coil. Everything apart from the service was just me checking and fiddling, I could have just had the service and saved a few pennies
Just do it !
Failing that just make sure its the right colour - dilithium crystals were added to the blue paint for that warp speed effect....
Had mine over a year now. I got a very nice one, had it thoroughly checked and as a result its cost me a less than average £900 this year - and that includes two rolling road sessions, one big service and a full set of HT leads and a new bosch coil. Everything apart from the service was just me checking and fiddling, I could have just had the service and saved a few pennies
Just do it !
bigdods said:
Get a 450...Those extra cc's make all the difference.
Yep - not least to the yearly Fuel Bill
bigdods said:
Failing that just make sure its the right colour - dilithium crystals were added to the blue paint for that warp speed effect....
Agreed - But those dilithium crystals were found to be flawed in all but the 'Pearlescent Blue' colour range
bigdods said:
Just do it!
Agreed!
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