I'm now in the market for a chim......
Discussion
Ok guys I've decided to go for it, credit crunch or not 
. Having decided on the various merits of the engine sizes I think I'll have to settle for a 4.0 car. Having seen a few on pistonheads classifieds I am a little confused as to the price range of very similar cars.
Does anyone know what sort of car I could REALISTICALLY get for 5-6k. I have the cash here ready and waiting. Anyone here thinking of selling a good car for that sort of money?
saw this one, anybody know it?
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/805280.htm
Cheers Kevin
. Having decided on the various merits of the engine sizes I think I'll have to settle for a 4.0 car. Having seen a few on pistonheads classifieds I am a little confused as to the price range of very similar cars. Does anyone know what sort of car I could REALISTICALLY get for 5-6k. I have the cash here ready and waiting. Anyone here thinking of selling a good car for that sort of money?
saw this one, anybody know it?
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/805280.htm
Cheers Kevin
Edited by chancha on Sunday 30th November 17:02
You'll have no trouble finding a good car for that money, aslong as you don't expect perfection. If a few chips and scratches don't bother you, you'll find something that is mechanically spot on, after all they're made for driving!
There are alot of over-priced hyped up cars around. For that money, I would purely suggest:
95 onwards...T5 gearbox, Serp engine, uprated cooling system, power steering.
Make sure the outriggers and chassis are solid. With that out the way, check the usual suspects like engine, box, clutch etc.
Service history is pretty important, although the biggest impact is how the car drives. If it's straight, solid, quick and hauls up well, buy it. The next one won't be so hot!
And try to avoid looking around millions of cars. It's a buyers market right now, and I'm of the opinion that if the car is the right price, looks good, you like it and you can see nothing that really puts you off (like blue smoke when hot, not a torn carpet!) then buy it. Because if you dawdle, the next viewer won't and you'll miss it.
Ours was only the second we looked at. Both were under-described, but the first was over priced, slightly soft on the chassis and the seller wouldn't co-operate. The second was much the same, only solid underneath and the seller knew his time was up and he had to drop the price. He did, we bought it and have never looked back! Love it to bits! Most would have walked away from it cos there was a stamp missing in the book, or because it had a scrape on the OSR corner, (a few on here actually did!) and truthfully, they don't know what they missed. So I would just say look past the things you can put right, and concentrate on serious issues like rust. At the end of the day, there is no perfect TVR. They've all got their niggles.
There are alot of over-priced hyped up cars around. For that money, I would purely suggest:
95 onwards...T5 gearbox, Serp engine, uprated cooling system, power steering.
Make sure the outriggers and chassis are solid. With that out the way, check the usual suspects like engine, box, clutch etc.
Service history is pretty important, although the biggest impact is how the car drives. If it's straight, solid, quick and hauls up well, buy it. The next one won't be so hot!
And try to avoid looking around millions of cars. It's a buyers market right now, and I'm of the opinion that if the car is the right price, looks good, you like it and you can see nothing that really puts you off (like blue smoke when hot, not a torn carpet!) then buy it. Because if you dawdle, the next viewer won't and you'll miss it.
Ours was only the second we looked at. Both were under-described, but the first was over priced, slightly soft on the chassis and the seller wouldn't co-operate. The second was much the same, only solid underneath and the seller knew his time was up and he had to drop the price. He did, we bought it and have never looked back! Love it to bits! Most would have walked away from it cos there was a stamp missing in the book, or because it had a scrape on the OSR corner, (a few on here actually did!) and truthfully, they don't know what they missed. So I would just say look past the things you can put right, and concentrate on serious issues like rust. At the end of the day, there is no perfect TVR. They've all got their niggles.
STEV8E said:
It may be a tough time to sell and there are some
Overpriced cars in the classifieds, but you will still
Get what you pay for. If you are happy with a patchy history
And scuffs and scrapes then fine, but be aware you are
In moneypit territory at 5-6k.
Have to agree - there are bargains to be had but IMHO this is the lowest end of the market so be careful.Overpriced cars in the classifieds, but you will still
Get what you pay for. If you are happy with a patchy history
And scuffs and scrapes then fine, but be aware you are
In moneypit territory at 5-6k.
I agree with all that's been said about cars in this price bracket BUT cars in the 6-10k bracket could also be in that category too. A seller who knows his car is not up to scratch and knows his car would be under scrutiny if he put it up at 5k just needs to pitch it at 8k hence lulling the buyer into thinking it is a better car that the 5k equivalent.
TVR Moneypit said:
STEV8E said:
In moneypit territory at 5-6k.
I sold my very tidy '93 in 2003 for £10.5k and recon it will have depreciated about 3-4k in the last 5 years regardless. I cant see any reason why a really good solid 93 will be worth much more than 6-7k in the current climate equally I wouldn't expect any more than 8-9k for my Facelift 97'.
Cheers,
Matt
Edited by M@H on Thursday 4th December 11:51
Its interesting really.
As we all know cars have a depreciation curve and it is generally accepted that after ten years a car has bottomed out, so therefore even my 99 facelift should have reached its nadir.
What do people generally think the Chim market will look like when the dust settles on the model, like say wedges, and the year does not matter only the condition and I suppose wether it's a facelift or not (will these always be worth a grand or two more?) World recessions excluded of course when it goes out of the window a bit.
They will not depreciate for ever and I cannot believe they will all end up worth a couple of grand, it just does not happen to this sort of car.
So
£4000 bit of work - £8000 clean car - £10,000 mint (and I mean proper cars, not some of the tat about)
What do you think and when, If you think it matters at all.
As we all know cars have a depreciation curve and it is generally accepted that after ten years a car has bottomed out, so therefore even my 99 facelift should have reached its nadir.
What do people generally think the Chim market will look like when the dust settles on the model, like say wedges, and the year does not matter only the condition and I suppose wether it's a facelift or not (will these always be worth a grand or two more?) World recessions excluded of course when it goes out of the window a bit.
They will not depreciate for ever and I cannot believe they will all end up worth a couple of grand, it just does not happen to this sort of car.
So
£4000 bit of work - £8000 clean car - £10,000 mint (and I mean proper cars, not some of the tat about)
What do you think and when, If you think it matters at all.
STEV8E said:
They will not depreciate for ever and I cannot believe they will all end up worth a couple of grand, it just does not happen to this sort of car.
You may not think so but I wouldn't be so sure.Dave_M recently picked up a very tidy 350i wedge which while not to everyone's taste for well under £1500 (not sure he wants me to reveal what he paid) he just couldn't say no.
It absolutely isn't a shed.
The man needs help as he now has 3 TVR's again.
Steve, I still say that no matter how much money you spend on a tvr, potentially they are all moneypits. What differentiates a good clean car at 6k and one at 8k where the seller knows how to sell cars and lull the gullible (I'm including me in the gullible class here btw)?
[quote=STEV8E]It may be a tough time to sell and there are some
Overpriced cars in the classifieds, but you will still
Get what you pay for. If you are happy with a patchy history
And scuffs and scrapes then fine, but be aware you are
In moneypit territory at 5-6k.[/quote
[quote=STEV8E]It may be a tough time to sell and there are some
Overpriced cars in the classifieds, but you will still
Get what you pay for. If you are happy with a patchy history
And scuffs and scrapes then fine, but be aware you are
In moneypit territory at 5-6k.[/quote
Edited by chancha on Friday 5th December 02:25
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