Trying to buy..

[bank loan]

hi all.
I have been looking for a decent chim for on and off for about 6months and struggling to find one i like close enough too me. As winter is coming (and before the other half buys a new kitchen )! i am willing too travel for the right one.

I do want a silver/red or blue one and have up to 10k budget, i do like this but not sure about the engine stutter ??:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/275751.htm

any ideas, ?? should i give into the kitchen or save some more cash !??

thanks in advance
bank loan

[Nano2nd]

mines never stuttered! thats no common problem i've ever heard off...

to be honest at those prices your trying to find a decent car at the bottom of the market, it simply isn't gonna happen! the good cars are expensive because they are just that - good

[Don1]

Ha!
I've driven this one, and it's a beauty! The stutter is only slightly noticible if you drive really down the rev range, and the rest of it is lovely. I drove it back to back with my one - and I loved it.

Very different from mine - a lot faster, and made me realise that I need to sort out my interior. And get a lot more power!

[ray_von]

It's certainly cheap enough and looks like it's got a decent history. Two thing would put me off 1)engine stutter 2) only had it a month or so.
May be a nice car go and have alook

[thegman]

10k should get you a decent 450 in the middle of winter. keep shopping around

[Codshead]

Don1 said:

Ha!
I've driven this one, and it's a beauty! The stutter is only slightly noticible if you drive really down the rev range, and the rest of it is lovely. I drove it back to back with my one - and I loved it.

Very different from mine - a lot faster, and made me realise that I need to sort out my interior. And get a lot more power!

So why didn't you buy it?

[blujay10]

As Nano2nd said, at that price you are at the very bottom of the market. Its cheap for a reason as there is no such thing as a cheap TVR. You pay your money.........

[spend]

Stick to the alternative buyers guide tenets

Don't buy a car that has had a fat owner.
Check receipts for copper slip (Service will be OK then)
If you rag it, lift off it should keep going straight.
Same under braking
Make sure it goes all the way to the rev limiter (6250 pref) frequently..
If you come back from the test drive in one piece, buy it

Everything else can be fun to fix
...

And before all the queens start bleating - there are quite a few of us who treat our own cars like this and would not raise an eyebrow if selling, but we are likely to be the ones who would not sell I suppose. Just warm them up properly first

Dave

[Nano2nd]

thegman said:

10k should get you a decent 450 in the middle of winter. keep shopping around

where? there aren't any 450's forsale for anywhere near that.. well i can't find um

[Don1]

Codshead said:

So why didn't you buy it?

Eh? I've got mine already - I met up with Alex as he lives in the same town as me, and he wanted to know what a Nitron'd Chim drives like.

No way I'm selling mine!

[thegman]

Nano2nd said:

thegman said:

10k should get you a decent 450 in the middle of winter. keep shopping around

where? there aren't any 450's forsale for anywhere near that.. well i can't find um

Depends what you want. For 10k you could get a highish mileage (>50k) facelift Chim in very good condition. Not SHOW but certainly not crappy. As long as the chassis is good, this car would have many many more exhilarating miles in it. It may take time to find but there are always bargains to be had.

If you are looking for a mint car with low milage you need to spend more cash.

[Paulo.dicanio]

Didn't the 4.3 BIGVALVE have a "Bigvalve" badge underneath the 430 badge on the engine? Or am I speaking utter poo?

[Chauch]

I woulp keep looking. I sold my 1998 450 on here only a few weeks ago - very good shape indeed with 22,000 miles on it and just under 10k - nothing needed doing at all.

[JonRB]

Nano2nd said:

thegman said:

10k should get you a decent 450 in the middle of winter. keep shopping around

where? there aren't any 450's forsale for anywhere near that.. well i can't find um

That's interesting. So what would a 1997 Chimaera 500 with 31.5k on the clock be worth then? I was assuming around the £10k mark but clearly it would be more than that.