Looking for Mint 450 or 500 Chimaera
Discussion
£10k for a ~30k miles 450/500 is slightly optimistic IMO, especially in 'mint' condition, those types of cars are extremely desirable and at selling for a couple of grand over your budget. Its the mileage which is the biggest price raiser IMO
I have a nice 450, its had a new cam kit (£3k bill) and the chassis inspected and waxoyled professionally, and nice wheels, pearl yellow paint, tuscan seats etc, but it has some stone chips, 60k miles, and thats up at £10k which i feel is a good, average price for it.
Thanks
Matt
I have a nice 450, its had a new cam kit (£3k bill) and the chassis inspected and waxoyled professionally, and nice wheels, pearl yellow paint, tuscan seats etc, but it has some stone chips, 60k miles, and thats up at £10k which i feel is a good, average price for it.
Thanks
Matt
I have decided to add the 400's in my search! But with that it would have to be mint and have the modified exhaust and up-rated springs!
If it was a 400 I would like to increase the performance! only to about 280-300bhp Is this expensive? What the best way of doing this? or, is that too much bhp for a 400?
Am I asking for too much with the amount I have to spend!
HELP!!!!!!!!
Cheers
Dom
If it was a 400 I would like to increase the performance! only to about 280-300bhp Is this expensive? What the best way of doing this? or, is that too much bhp for a 400?
Am I asking for too much with the amount I have to spend!
HELP!!!!!!!!
Cheers
Dom
I imagine the cheapest, long term method of getting 300bhp from a 4 litre would be a super charger conversion. Really, if you are thinking that the 4 litre may not be enough for you, its worth paying the (comparitively small) increase in cost to buy a pukka 450 or 500 in the first place, rather than upgrading a 4 litre.
The 450/500's typically have better chassis/brakes/suspension (unless your shopping for a facelift car) as well as the engine, they have the inlet mainfold/trumpets, ecu etc etc
Plus insurance premiums on a (quite) modified 4 litre will be more than a standard 450/500, and selling it may be a problem too in the future.
I'd say, judging from what you have said about your budget, and historically from when i was looking. £10k would get you a nice 450 or 500, with 50K+ miles on it and FSH, or a lower mileage 400. All cars would probably be in very good condition, but not perfect.
Perfect cars for example, being avalible in the region of £13k-£14k for a 4 litre! You only have to look through the classifieds to see some of those examples (Like the £23k yellow one that came up a few days ago)
I'd have to say that my car may be up your street, being a slightly tuned 450, in your budget, with the exhaust mods etc, it just depends if you like yellow, can live with the mileage and are prepared to travel to Blackpool to look at it.
Hope that helps
Matt
The 450/500's typically have better chassis/brakes/suspension (unless your shopping for a facelift car) as well as the engine, they have the inlet mainfold/trumpets, ecu etc etc
Plus insurance premiums on a (quite) modified 4 litre will be more than a standard 450/500, and selling it may be a problem too in the future.
I'd say, judging from what you have said about your budget, and historically from when i was looking. £10k would get you a nice 450 or 500, with 50K+ miles on it and FSH, or a lower mileage 400. All cars would probably be in very good condition, but not perfect.
Perfect cars for example, being avalible in the region of £13k-£14k for a 4 litre! You only have to look through the classifieds to see some of those examples (Like the £23k yellow one that came up a few days ago)
I'd have to say that my car may be up your street, being a slightly tuned 450, in your budget, with the exhaust mods etc, it just depends if you like yellow, can live with the mileage and are prepared to travel to Blackpool to look at it.
Hope that helps
Matt
Edited by StreetDragster on Tuesday 1st July 13:47
Edited by StreetDragster on Tuesday 1st July 13:51
Dom111 said:
I have decided to add the 400's in my search! But with that it would have to be mint and have the modified exhaust and up-rated springs!
If it was a 400 I would like to increase the performance! only to about 280-300bhp Is this expensive? What the best way of doing this? or, is that too much bhp for a 400?
Am I asking for too much with the amount I have to spend!
HELP!!!!!!!!
Cheers
Dom
I hope you don't mind my honesty, but in a word, Yes.If it was a 400 I would like to increase the performance! only to about 280-300bhp Is this expensive? What the best way of doing this? or, is that too much bhp for a 400?
Am I asking for too much with the amount I have to spend!
HELP!!!!!!!!
Cheers
Dom
Buy any Chim that is in great condition - they all have far more power than is necessary :cough:
Invest in some professional driver training (Ride-Drive, Rob Gravett etc) which will give you a bigger "performance" increase than most mods.
Then when you have got used to what you have, you can give some thought to increased powermods. 2 years and 22k miles later, i decided to go the supercharger route, but if i had that much power to begin with, i may well have had "difficulties".
All IMHO of course, and good luck with your search.
I too am in Berkshire, feel free to PM me if you would like any local help.
I think the best thing for me now is to keep a very open mind about all sizes! and buy one that is perfect for me!
Anyway right now I am driving a 3.0 V6 24V Laguna Estate and any size Chim is going to be faster than that! Maybe a 400 might best to break me in! as I am a TVR Virgin!
Cheers
Dom
Anyway right now I am driving a 3.0 V6 24V Laguna Estate and any size Chim is going to be faster than that! Maybe a 400 might best to break me in! as I am a TVR Virgin!
Cheers
Dom
Dom111 said:
I think the best thing for me now is to keep a very open mind about all sizes! and buy one that is perfect for me!
Anyway right now I am driving a 3.0 V6 24V Laguna Estate and any size Chim is going to be faster than that! Maybe a 400 might best to break me in! as I am a TVR Virgin!
Cheers
Dom
Anyway right now I am driving a 3.0 V6 24V Laguna Estate and any size Chim is going to be faster than that! Maybe a 400 might best to break me in! as I am a TVR Virgin!
Cheers
Dom
BTW keep an eye open on the Thames Valley and Surrey forum, there is always lots going on. Quite a few Tivs as well as lots of other lovely cars, and an almost weekly beer and food agenda!
perhaps it might be best to buy a 4.0 chim, then trade it for a 5.0 in a few years?? blowing £0000s at it, trying to make it quicker would be a waste of money. it'll be plenty quick enough compared to a laguna im sure! also, great shout a few posts above about driver training, great advice. :-)
Buy on condition, not mileage would be my advice.
They are all slightly different and drive in slightly different ways, so make sure you drive a few.
Spotted my old Chimaera for sale in the classifieds too - http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/565539.htm - which was in excellent condition when I sold it, and sounds like the current keeper has done a good job too.
They are all slightly different and drive in slightly different ways, so make sure you drive a few.
Spotted my old Chimaera for sale in the classifieds too - http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/565539.htm - which was in excellent condition when I sold it, and sounds like the current keeper has done a good job too.
Hi Dom,
If you are going to take it out every day all year round you want to make sure you don't buy one that leaks - many of these cars only go out on fine days at weekends hence the low mileage of many of them. Do check in the footwells and beneath and behind seats for any damp, musty looking carpet and ask for the car to be hosed over and check for leaks particularly around door frames, the sides of the folding back window and the lid - the rubber seals can be perished, worn or simply missing.
Parts of the chassis can rust badly even on 7/8 year old cars and it's expensive to fix - several cars of this age have recently been parted out because of chassis rot.
Unfortunately some of these cars are owned for a year or two by people who know very little about them and don't know how to look after them properly - they aren't cars that you just run and get serviced every six months. Those that do suddenly find they have an accumulation of faults with reliability issues and get shot of it to some other unsuspecting soul... don't let that be you!
You would be pretty much assured of a good example if you use someone like James Agger which would give you a good first experience of these cars. Avoid cars on dealership forecourts other than those which specialise in TVR (some but not all have good reputations) Sense whether a private owner has a lot a knowledge about his car as he more likely to have been a keen and careful owner with some pride or whether he is just trying to move it on quick and avoid the latter. At the very least make sure you get a detailed inspection by someone who specialises in these cars. You MUST avoid a lemon at all costs.
I know summer is here but please take your time to get to know these and don't be tempted by the first one.
Take care and if something just isn't right walk away - there will be another along soon. GOOD LUCK and let us know how you get on.
PS I've had my Chim for 6 years and been very pleased with it. Also do get a copy of Griffith & Chimaera by Steve Heath and you can enjoy reading that whilst you are searching.
If you are going to take it out every day all year round you want to make sure you don't buy one that leaks - many of these cars only go out on fine days at weekends hence the low mileage of many of them. Do check in the footwells and beneath and behind seats for any damp, musty looking carpet and ask for the car to be hosed over and check for leaks particularly around door frames, the sides of the folding back window and the lid - the rubber seals can be perished, worn or simply missing.
Parts of the chassis can rust badly even on 7/8 year old cars and it's expensive to fix - several cars of this age have recently been parted out because of chassis rot.
Unfortunately some of these cars are owned for a year or two by people who know very little about them and don't know how to look after them properly - they aren't cars that you just run and get serviced every six months. Those that do suddenly find they have an accumulation of faults with reliability issues and get shot of it to some other unsuspecting soul... don't let that be you!
You would be pretty much assured of a good example if you use someone like James Agger which would give you a good first experience of these cars. Avoid cars on dealership forecourts other than those which specialise in TVR (some but not all have good reputations) Sense whether a private owner has a lot a knowledge about his car as he more likely to have been a keen and careful owner with some pride or whether he is just trying to move it on quick and avoid the latter. At the very least make sure you get a detailed inspection by someone who specialises in these cars. You MUST avoid a lemon at all costs.
I know summer is here but please take your time to get to know these and don't be tempted by the first one.
Take care and if something just isn't right walk away - there will be another along soon. GOOD LUCK and let us know how you get on.
PS I've had my Chim for 6 years and been very pleased with it. Also do get a copy of Griffith & Chimaera by Steve Heath and you can enjoy reading that whilst you are searching.
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