Did you compromise when buying?
Discussion
When you were looking for your TVR did you know exactly what you wanted and wait until you found it or did you compromise in the rush to get one. I am looking but every one that comes up for sale at the right price just 'isn't quite right'. Am I being too fussy? It's things like interior colour, dash, carpet colour etc. Should I wait until the right one comes along? Perhaps that should be 'CAN I wait until the right one comes along?!!!
I'd recommend waiting that little bit until a good onecomes along.
Look at a couple in different price ranges as well. I ended up spending a little more than I initially intended for mine, but I think it was worth every bit extra.
Also, if you pay that little extra, it may save a lot on future running costs if you've bought a not so good one!
Good luck with the hunting..
Look at a couple in different price ranges as well. I ended up spending a little more than I initially intended for mine, but I think it was worth every bit extra.
Also, if you pay that little extra, it may save a lot on future running costs if you've bought a not so good one!
Good luck with the hunting..
You never want to be in a position that you get in your car and think, " I love this car but I wish I'd gone for the one with the lighter dash / different shade of blue / facelift model......." or similar sentiment.
I knew exactly what I wanted and then changed little things like the dashboard so that my car was "exactly right" when I drove it away.
Admittedly there was a longer wait and more money involved but when I get in the drivers seat I know I did the right thing.
For me it was going to be the only one I would ever buy so compromise was not an option.
I knew exactly what I wanted and then changed little things like the dashboard so that my car was "exactly right" when I drove it away.
Admittedly there was a longer wait and more money involved but when I get in the drivers seat I know I did the right thing.
For me it was going to be the only one I would ever buy so compromise was not an option.
I think there is always an element of compromise when buying any used car. If you say I won’t compromise, I defiantly want a certain combination, e.g. latest year, engine size, mileage, colour, interior colour combo etc.etc. one may never come along!
You need to prioritise the items that you don’t want to compromise and then buy on condition.
Happy Hunting
You need to prioritise the items that you don’t want to compromise and then buy on condition.
Happy Hunting
Five years ago I set out with 25k in search for a "must-be" 5 litre brilliant silver or starmist silver Chimaera. I saw several but I was amazed how rough round the edges they were, taking account that I thought they were mostly owned by enthusiasts and they were only 3-4 years old. I paid a distant TVR dealer to give me an appraisal on one of them and the list of need-to-do's for a 3 year old car was astonishing. Eventually I chased down a Starmist Blue 4.5 with 8000 miles on the clock and went home with a super car, a big smile and two and a half thousand quid. Despite wrong colour and wrong engine size I couldn't have been happier in my compromise.
I went to look at an Elise (dark purple with pale gold alloys) and Trev was parked up beside it in the showroom. Well, there was no contest. He stole my heart and luckily for me he was the most divine model - bodywork in perfect order, low mileage (not used and abused), plenty of grunt, slight attitude and wow factor which is a rare find in a male!
Cossie. said:
I went to look at an Elise (dark purple with pale gold alloys) and Trev was parked up beside it in the showroom. Well, there was no contest. He stole my heart and luckily for me he was the most divine model - bodywork in perfect order, low mileage (not used and abused), plenty of grunt, slight attitude and wow factor which is a rare find in a male!
Unlike my chim...SHE looks good is great to show to your mates who are sometimes jealous of her but having to constantly lavish money on her to keep her happy!!!!!!
Wanted a mid/dark Blue 2000 450(did not want a 500), drove loads of 400/450s there was not a lot to choose between them performance wise. A good 400 is easily as good as an average 450, all comments IMO.
I ended up buying a really nice X reg 400, Crimson Starmist which I really like now. I have had it 4 years it has not missed a beat or cost much to run.
Did I buy the right car for me - yes
Do I feel I have lost anything by not waiting for a Blue 450 - no.
I ended up buying a really nice X reg 400, Crimson Starmist which I really like now. I have had it 4 years it has not missed a beat or cost much to run.
Did I buy the right car for me - yes
Do I feel I have lost anything by not waiting for a Blue 450 - no.
I compromised with the interior colour (grey). The body colour starmist chianti is IMO great, but at £6k and very sound? Spent a total of £60 so far but the manifold is blowing so thats the next job. Whilst I think of it, one thing that bugs me is that the drivers seat is angled towards the centre consol. There is no evidence that this has been moved, is this normal or just someone pissed at the factory??
When I was looking for mine 3 years ago I did not stipulate any criteria (but to be honest I did not know any where near the information needed to buy a TVR)but I just made sure it was in good condition especially the chassis and in paticular the out riggers the history was good, regular use (although mine had not had regular use it had done 9500miles on an R plate (1997)) But I have been Lucky
The only real criteria that I stuck too was that I would not buy a bright yellow one!!!!!
No offense to the owners who do like that type of colour.
Anyway mine is a 5Lt British Racing Green with Black Carpets, Black Half Hide, Gold Bagdes, No Power steering which personally I think are nicer to drive.
I would suggest that you find one with Dark Carpets, everything else can be light, the reason I say this is that the Roof will leak no matter how much Fabsil you put on it and the dark carpets will not show the water marks. (Just A Little Tip)
The only real criteria that I stuck too was that I would not buy a bright yellow one!!!!!
No offense to the owners who do like that type of colour.
Anyway mine is a 5Lt British Racing Green with Black Carpets, Black Half Hide, Gold Bagdes, No Power steering which personally I think are nicer to drive.
I would suggest that you find one with Dark Carpets, everything else can be light, the reason I say this is that the Roof will leak no matter how much Fabsil you put on it and the dark carpets will not show the water marks. (Just A Little Tip)
Hi All
You have to be realistic when buying any used car!
i think if you go out looking for a certain car in a certain colour, engine size, interior etc. there is a danger that when 'that one' comes along you will be blinkered into thinking it has everything i want and maybe miss the important things ie: is the engine/gearbox good does it drive well etc.
i know many years ago i 'HAD' to buy a xr2 on a certain reg, in black, on a fixed budget so when the first one came up i bought it!! took me 24 hours to discover it had been in a fight! and it had lost!! lesson learnt!
so in answer to your question yes i think you do need to compromise when buying a used car, but you need to be able to live with those compromises. IMO!
Cheers
Andy
You have to be realistic when buying any used car!
i think if you go out looking for a certain car in a certain colour, engine size, interior etc. there is a danger that when 'that one' comes along you will be blinkered into thinking it has everything i want and maybe miss the important things ie: is the engine/gearbox good does it drive well etc.
i know many years ago i 'HAD' to buy a xr2 on a certain reg, in black, on a fixed budget so when the first one came up i bought it!! took me 24 hours to discover it had been in a fight! and it had lost!! lesson learnt!
so in answer to your question yes i think you do need to compromise when buying a used car, but you need to be able to live with those compromises. IMO!
Cheers
Andy
Mine turned out much better than i had dreamed. As a x motor trade man i was not bothered about colour , (though yellow means harder to sell.). I just wanted it to be right,on all accounts , I did have preference to none light interior colour ( magnolia ) ,as it wares bad and dirt gets in the cracks unless great care is taken and the leather regularly Fed. Especially if your budget was fairly limited. I also wanted something with very little fix it jobs needed , i did not want to have the "Oh i can fix that up it will only cost" I wanted it right from the start or my ears would be on fire from the wife .
I ended up with favorite colour , fantastic interior colour , amazing condition and to top it of a genuine 4.0hc rather than standard 4.0 with lots of factory options ,full leather door cards uprated stereo speakers , e.t.c ,and no PAS which is exactly what I wanted,. I did get the T5 box and serp motor which was main priority.I also like the look of the early cars , less fussy front and less sticky out at the back, more pure. I look at it a bit like a series 1 E type and a series 3.
I have to say its been brilliant, and cost very little to run as a do all the work myself. Buy right to start off with take your time looking round and save on initial big bills. It did take me over 6 months to find ,and a couple of 550-650 mile round trips in day though! . Time for some pic's me thinks.
P.s Bunglist , I'll have yours when your done with it, it sounds great I fancy as 500.
I ended up with favorite colour , fantastic interior colour , amazing condition and to top it of a genuine 4.0hc rather than standard 4.0 with lots of factory options ,full leather door cards uprated stereo speakers , e.t.c ,and no PAS which is exactly what I wanted,. I did get the T5 box and serp motor which was main priority.I also like the look of the early cars , less fussy front and less sticky out at the back, more pure. I look at it a bit like a series 1 E type and a series 3.
I have to say its been brilliant, and cost very little to run as a do all the work myself. Buy right to start off with take your time looking round and save on initial big bills. It did take me over 6 months to find ,and a couple of 550-650 mile round trips in day though! . Time for some pic's me thinks.
P.s Bunglist , I'll have yours when your done with it, it sounds great I fancy as 500.
Edited by Rum Runner on Tuesday 16th January 20:52
), then these two shades are indeed lovely.Took me ages to find mine. I wanted a specific colour inside and out. I wanted a 450 and I wanted Air Con. I wanted Griff wheels and post '96 facelift model!
Spent a couple of months searching autotrader every day and there was nothing that was right, apart from one beauty at a dealer 6 miles away that was exactly what I wanted. I spent two more months seeing this car staring back at me but it was £2000 more than I had budgeted for so I was trying desperately to resist. Then one weekend I was bored and rather foolishly went to see it.
Of course ten seconds down the road and there was no doubt about what was going to happen. Yes, a bigger loan!
Now I am extremely pleased with her, and although I paid over the odds I am glad I didn't compromise! There's nothing on another Chim I look at and wish I had fitted so she's perfect as a Chim can be. I also believe that should I sell she will be worth more as the colour, options etc. are popular.
Six miles away was just fate I guess...
Spent a couple of months searching autotrader every day and there was nothing that was right, apart from one beauty at a dealer 6 miles away that was exactly what I wanted. I spent two more months seeing this car staring back at me but it was £2000 more than I had budgeted for so I was trying desperately to resist. Then one weekend I was bored and rather foolishly went to see it.
Of course ten seconds down the road and there was no doubt about what was going to happen. Yes, a bigger loan!
Now I am extremely pleased with her, and although I paid over the odds I am glad I didn't compromise! There's nothing on another Chim I look at and wish I had fitted so she's perfect as a Chim can be. I also believe that should I sell she will be worth more as the colour, options etc. are popular.
Six miles away was just fate I guess...
I have been looking to buy a Chim for a few weeks now....trying to take advantage of the time of year. One thing I am learning is that it is easy to get seduced by your first choice colour and forget to remember the other important factors such as age, mileage and most of all condition. I found I was ruling other cars out because they weren't my first choice colour.
Ideally I would like a Blue one but am actually going to see a Brtish Racing Green one.....not my first choice colour but the car looks in great condition including the interior and the mileage is low, 22k for a 97'!! In addition he's letting it go for, IMHO, a good price compared to other less good looking, higher mileage cars that are for sale.
Hope it's a good one.
Ideally I would like a Blue one but am actually going to see a Brtish Racing Green one.....not my first choice colour but the car looks in great condition including the interior and the mileage is low, 22k for a 97'!! In addition he's letting it go for, IMHO, a good price compared to other less good looking, higher mileage cars that are for sale.
Hope it's a good one.
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