TVR virgin

[McTreacle]

Hi everyone,

First off, this is a fantastic website!! im on the verge of buying my first tvr (4.0 Chimaera). Over the last few months i've been using this website to gather info and to learn about the car. So a big thanks to everyone.

I just have a few little questions:

The car i'm hoping to get has a tiny crack in the rear screen. How much will it cost to get this fixed (im in birmingham so if anybody knows of a place)?

Ive also read that i should look for a car with a 'fresh' engine. What does this really mean? I know knocking noises, blue smoke out the exhausts and mayo iside the oil cap are very bad signs but what does 'fresh' mean?

I'm hoping to view the car this week so any advice will be greatly appreciated!
I've attached the link to the car below (i think...i hate computers). Does anybody have anybody know this car?


http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/TVR+...


thanks in advance

andy

[Bensonv8]

I see it comes with the standard moisture in the rear lights usually from a damp/wet boot !!!
It comes as standard on a lot of Chims
Ask for a discount

[That Daddy]

Dont worry about fresh engines,just check for the usual oil leaks,excess noise,smoking etc(its a strong old design V8)if your unsure take someone who knows about cars(hope you did not miss the posts on chassis inspection,most important),good luck with that purchase.

[dogbucket]

I am assuming you know to look at the chassis/outriggers for rot, that is the main thing to check these days

I have a bill with my car for £200 to replace the rear screen, although that was a place on London

Edited by dogbucket on Wednesday 5th December 07:39

[McTreacle]

Thanks for your input. I've got a checklist that i made up using the buying guides and other info that i'm going to take with me.
I feel excited but a wee bit nervous!!!
fingers crossed

[chim666]

You probably already know much of this, but just in case.... Buyer's guide

Good luck.

Paul

[McTreacle]

yeah i've got that thanks paul.

I feel a bit anxious and apprehensive about buying it. I want this to be my daily car, i only live 4 miles from work anyway and only do 4 on, 4 off shift pattern so i wont be racking up the miles.

Its been a toss up between the Chimaera, elise and a 330d. I'm really buying the car with my heart...not really my head (i fell in love with one when i was younger). I'm thinking i can have my bit of fun before the kids and marrige comes along (i'm 27 now). I know there will be niggles and expensive fuel bills.
I then think about the sensible 330d...4 seats, great mpg and can be a future car but everybody has got a boring 'euro box'.

sorry for going on, but my head is having a battle with my heart.

what do you lot think?

[ray_von]

Don't get hung up on the 'niggles'. In 5 1/2 years I only had 2 breakdowns (u/s battery, which was my fault, and fuel pump relay)I had none of these 'niggles' people mention.
Just buy one, well don't JUST buy one do your homework and you should be okay.
IMHO the big problem with these cars now is going to be chassis related. So check out as much as you can, maybe in vain, as the bits that go are the bits you can't see.

[WOO5IE]

Hi Andy

Welcome to the TVR arena

I am similar to yourself as a new owner (4 weeks) and I have been through similar thoughts as yourself. So far so good. I used this forum extensively as part of my research before leaping into the fold.
This is an excellent way to get info and help and everyone appears to be very knowlegdeable and helpful. Probably due to fixing many issues over mnay years!!. I think it is easy to get carried away with thinking that TVRs are nothing but trouble as most threads and posts are by their very nature of this forum going to be from owners/ members with issues.
All of the TVR owners without issues arent going to post that their pride and Joy are running well as that would get very boring.

I am sure that any similar marque would have the same number of posts etc.
As long as you have checked the most common problems before buying then it shouldn't be any different from buying any other 11 year old car. This forum and other points of interest I am sure you have visited, and the things to check are well documented It will probably cost more and of course there is everyone else's point of view of un reliability. Most of the owners on this forum love their cars but you have to expect that ownership will be different to owning a mass produced box.

I wish you well in your decision and I hope that in 6 months I will be
still be recommending TVR ownership. Time will tell

I am sure that there could be times when I will swear at it but I will just have to but a larger swear Box!!

Trevor

[_Neal_]

Hi

Similar position to me - I bought a Chimaera 400 as my first TVR (last year, aged 27) - I'd always wanted one and it was time for a pure fun car before buying a Volvo Estate for the kids

Both the wife (who regularly commuted in it) and I loved the car. Only let us down once (overheated due to knackered otter switch - simple fix) but was otherwise great - big boot so pretty practical (especially compared with an Elise!) and was such a feel-good car

As others have said, buy on condition, take your time to get a nice one, and you'll be a very happy boy! Go for it

Oh, and when you do get it, drive carefully-like - as I'm sure you know, they can bite, especially this time of year.

best of luck

Neal

[paulathome]

Andy,
This looks very much like a Chim I looked at nearly 3 years ago
It had a damaged rear window as you describe, I went to look at it and did not like it.
Then about a month later I went to look at another Chim in Mansfield and it turned out to be the same car but at a different dealers. (bu**ger, I had driven all the way from Manchester again)
The Reg does ring a bell but not 100% sure but check it very carefully.
The inside was very grubby (even though it was so called "mint" on the phone) and there were quite a few scratches in strange places.
Its difficult to explain but it did nothing for me, so I left it.
Just my tuppence.
Paul.

Edited by paulathome on Wednesday 5th December 17:19

[Bomber Denton]

What I would do is get the car inspected by a TVR specialist, in your case Mr Thorpe would be your best bet...

http://www.rtracing.co.uk/40000/info.php?p=4&p...

Get them to do a full inspection, it may cost you £100 but it if you are unfamiliar with the marque it will be the best hundred nicker you will ever spend and may save you thousands.

Anyone selling a car that it confident in their product won't bat an eyelid in having an inspection.

Corin

[McTreacle]

Thanks for all the input lads!

I went to view it yestaerday and its the first TVR i've ever been near. When i started it up...Bl**dy hell ! its an animal! sounds awesome!

I wasn't overly impressed with the interior. It smelt a bit musty and could do with a real good scrub (to be fair to the seller, it wasn't valeted and hadn't been prepared for the forecourt). Do a lot of these cars smell a bit funny due to leaks?

The carpets felt a bit 'crusty' and in palces it was stained by the sun. It had navy blue carpets with cream leather. some of the carpet had a dark green tinge to it. How easy is it to clean the carpets and will it take the smell away? should this put me off?

The outriggers looked in good condition and had a good poke about. I did test drive it but didn't really 'drive' it because it was absolutely hammering it down. was very scared of sticking it into a bush!!!!!

Mechanically the car looks good. The only thing to put me off was the interior. Is this something i should be overly concerned about?

thanks again for all your help

andy

[im]

Yeah the interiors can whiff a bit, it's finding out if thats the smell of the Fibre Glass going up your nostrils or something more yucky (ie mould in the carpet etc) that is the hard part.

If it's the former then theres F A you can do except put a regular supply of air fresheners in the cabin. If its the latter then this thread I started a while back might help with some suggestions:

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0...

[WOO5IE]

Hi Andy.

I was in a similar poistion as you recently.

Altough the carpets were dry they looked like they had previously been getting wet.
I didnt have any smell though

I bought the car as I thought that mechanics and body were more important. An older car especially a convertible often have tatty carpets.

The first rain the car was in and the carpets got soaked especially in the footwell behind the drivers door. I fixed this by using Auto Glyn Cabriolet cleaner and conditioner cost £19.

I will be changing carpets in the new year and I have looked around at cost and options etc. It looks like I will be opting for a complete carpet change and fitted will be £450-£600 depending on quality of carpet I choose. Other options are for floor carpets x 4 or floor and back shelf

these vary from £40-£100

Give me an email and I will let you have the links that I have foundIs the rest of the interior OK


Trevor

[McTreacle]

So now i know that interiors are salvagable.

Another little question. Should the amount of owners put you off a car? for example, a '96' with 6+ owners. Should this a concern to me, would it put you off?

[ray_von]

McTreacle said:

So now i know that interiors are salvagable.

Another little question. Should the amount of owners put you off a car? for example, a '96' with 6+ owners. Should this a concern to me, would it put you off?

May point to a problematic car. To be honest there are a few with a lot of owners some 00-02 I've enquired about have had 5 owners. So 6 in 11 yrs doesn't sound too bad now does it?

[McTreacle]

Problematic is exactly what i thought, but like you say there's newer cars with highish numbers of owners.

I think that as long as its mechanically sound and got a good service history it should be ok.

[MJW1977]

ray_von said:

McTreacle said:

So now i know that interiors are salvagable.

Another little question. Should the amount of owners put you off a car? for example, a '96' with 6+ owners. Should this a concern to me, would it put you off?

May point to a problematic car. To be honest there are a few with a lot of owners some 00-02 I've enquired about have had 5 owners. So 6 in 11 yrs doesn't sound too bad now does it?

Regarding number of owners, a lot of people have always dreamed of a TVR and once they realise the dream sell it a year or so later, or because they discover they are not as practical etc as the euro boxes they had before, so I wouldn't let it overly concern you. Look for condition and evidence of maintenance - receipt files etc

Also, people tend to pay more attention to their cars in the 1st couple of years of ownership so it could be viewed as a plus

[ray_von]

MJW1977 said:

Regarding number of owners, a lot of people have always dreamed of a TVR and once they realise the dream sell it a year or so later, or because they discover they are not as practical etc as the euro boxes they had before, so I wouldn't let it overly concern you. Look for condition and evidence of maintenance - receipt files etc

Also, people tend to pay more attention to their cars in the 1st couple of years of ownership so it could be viewed as a plus

Nothing to do with the fact you've had your Chim for a short time and are thinking about selling it though is it?