convincing the missus to let me keep the chim
Discussion
I have had my dream car since November (boot solenoid went, £500 for misfiring, temperamental electric mirrors, steering a bit tight round roundabouts). She thinks I have bought a lemon and with a new baby due any day, she is pressing me hard to sell come summer.
What lines have worked for you lot in this past?
BTW got a funny air whirring noise (not the air heaters) when driving - is that a TADTS or more weight towards her agrument:?@.
Cheers All
What lines have worked for you lot in this past?
BTW got a funny air whirring noise (not the air heaters) when driving - is that a TADTS or more weight towards her agrument:?@.
Cheers All
Tell her that if you do sell the Chim, she will need to give you a piggy back around town once a week while she makes rumbly V8 noises.
And as for moaning, all together now.. .. ..TADTS !!!
Are you sure that the air whirring noise isnt the personal fan just in front of the boot release?
>> Edited by slikk on Wednesday 3rd March 14:48
for a cerb?
...the wife or the car??? 
virtualfern said:
What lines have worked for you lot in this past?
12 months ago I realised almost enough money was in the bank for a Chim.
All I had to do was to convert my missus to the idea that our car would now just have the two seats and a little ledge for the lurcher.
Rather than trying to win her round telling her how wonderful a TVR was; I went down the route of giving her the worst case scenario first.
I went through all the minus points and my idea was of course greeted with total derision.
For the next six months I carried on pushing the downside of things. I didn't need to mention a word about the plus side of owning a Chim, she would have only thought I was trying to win her round.
However, when my latest lunatic scheme was mentioned to our friends, everyone in response to "you just won't believe what he's thinking of now. He wants an old TVR!
" turned round and said " Wahey! Go for it! I'm dead jealous, I've always dreamed of a having a TVR" etc. etc. So I was allowed a 96 Chimaera.
Guess what?
A miracle that I wouldn't have thought possible.
My once very doubtful wife has now been caught reading TVR News and I do believe I saw just a glimmer of a smile as she overtook a BMW the other day.
She's even quite pleased how good the fuel consumption is (I told her 18-20 to the gallon)
OK, your Chim doesn't sound too bad in terms of running costs.
My first Chim cost me nothing but standard servicing and about £600 in bits and pieces over 15,000 miles in less than 12 months. Not bad for a 10 year old car, regardless of marque.
My girlfriend wasn't keen on that one, and after I had a miserable break from TVR the lure proved irresistable and I bought another.
Second time around I spent twice as much as the first time and in terms of reliability and running costs this one has been a disaster (take a look at my profile).
But will I sell it? Will I hell. The GF has come to terms with this and accepted it. She must do the same!
The only argument I can see for selling is if it your only car - frankly if I had to absolutely rely on a car (and I don't mean getting to work, but more getting a pregnant wife to the hospital etc) then I might want something German on the drive.
If it isn't your only car, and starting every time is not absolutely critical then keep it. You will regret it if you sell a good'un. Ask anyone on here.
My first Chim cost me nothing but standard servicing and about £600 in bits and pieces over 15,000 miles in less than 12 months. Not bad for a 10 year old car, regardless of marque.
My girlfriend wasn't keen on that one, and after I had a miserable break from TVR the lure proved irresistable and I bought another.
Second time around I spent twice as much as the first time and in terms of reliability and running costs this one has been a disaster (take a look at my profile).
But will I sell it? Will I hell. The GF has come to terms with this and accepted it. She must do the same!
The only argument I can see for selling is if it your only car - frankly if I had to absolutely rely on a car (and I don't mean getting to work, but more getting a pregnant wife to the hospital etc) then I might want something German on the drive.
If it isn't your only car, and starting every time is not absolutely critical then keep it. You will regret it if you sell a good'un. Ask anyone on here.
luckily she has a little reliable Polo which I can point to as an alternative motor. Her bug bear is the reliability and cost that comes with it.
I think at this stage letting her know how bad it can get is probably not the best direction. However if I could prime her friends to give the 'I wish we had one' line thats got to be a good thing.
I'll let you know how I get on
I think at this stage letting her know how bad it can get is probably not the best direction. However if I could prime her friends to give the 'I wish we had one' line thats got to be a good thing.
I'll let you know how I get on
If I can bring a little sanity into the debate - what the h**l were you thinking of buying a Chimeara in the first place?
All your thoughts should have been on the wife and the coming baby, anything else was just plain selfish. A Chimeara is ONLY a car, a great car I know, but in the scheme of things is of secondary importance.
Sell the car, make peace with your wife and move on to the happy days ahead.
ps. I had to wait until I was over 50 before I could even afford my first TVR, but it was well worth the wait.
All your thoughts should have been on the wife and the coming baby, anything else was just plain selfish. A Chimeara is ONLY a car, a great car I know, but in the scheme of things is of secondary importance.
Sell the car, make peace with your wife and move on to the happy days ahead.
ps. I had to wait until I was over 50 before I could even afford my first TVR, but it was well worth the wait.
PeterC said:
If I can bring a little sanity into the debate [snippity].... I had to wait until I was over 50 before I could even afford my first TVR,...[snip]
Whole heartily agree....but then I'm an ancient sadddo as well !!! Also brought up in the 60/70's with the adage "If you can't afford it, you can't have it......If my Dad knew I had anything on HP he'd have gone berserk...."
Come on Peter, you are too honest - let them have what they want.....goodness knows, its made so many things I could never have ordinarily afford, become affordable....!!!
;-))
Do or say nothing for now.
It's probably her hormones.
However if this intolerable situation persists, then the next time she raises it try ........
"Come on love, I couldn't possibly sell it. It reminds me of you everytime I drive or even look at it.
It's beautiful and has all the curves in just the right places.
Everyman who sees it, wants it.
It is truely ...........(leave long pause for best effect) ..... an object of desire."
If that does not work follow it up with this:
"It also reminds me of you because it needs a firm hand to keep it under control, is expensive to maintain and makes a lot of bloody noise all the sodding time."
This will probably be followed by a forced move into the garage for a few months while she cools down.
With the impending arrival, this should be considered a "result" ........... at least YOU'LL be getting a good nights sleep.
Can I suggest that you may also benefit from my course "Women, the diplomatic approach".
For more information please send an SAE to:
Simon Grimshaw
C/o The garage next door to number 71,
Acacia Avenue,
Taunton,
Somerset.
It's probably her hormones.
However if this intolerable situation persists, then the next time she raises it try ........
"Come on love, I couldn't possibly sell it. It reminds me of you everytime I drive or even look at it.
It's beautiful and has all the curves in just the right places.
Everyman who sees it, wants it.
It is truely ...........(leave long pause for best effect) ..... an object of desire."
If that does not work follow it up with this:
"It also reminds me of you because it needs a firm hand to keep it under control, is expensive to maintain and makes a lot of bloody noise all the sodding time."
This will probably be followed by a forced move into the garage for a few months while she cools down.
With the impending arrival, this should be considered a "result" ........... at least YOU'LL be getting a good nights sleep.
Can I suggest that you may also benefit from my course "Women, the diplomatic approach".
For more information please send an SAE to:
Simon Grimshaw
C/o The garage next door to number 71,
Acacia Avenue,
Taunton,
Somerset.
Adjust the seat/pedals so she can drive it, then give her the keys for a week and encourage her to use it at every oppertunity. She will then not want to sell it at all... Louise has been quietly sulking ever since ours was sold and I have already had to promise that we will get another one as soon as we can afford it. 
Cheers,
Matt
Cheers,
Matt
Agree with PeterC, sell the thing, and get on with your life (wife) and your forthcoming baby.
There are plently of unused TVRs out there because people hang on to unrealistic dreams, with a child your whole life changes (and so it should!), I know I've been there look at the following:-
Wife Pregnant - sell the Griff £500 on HP a month on a car thats hardly getting used. This was Griffs cost £30K++!!!
Daughter Born - Sell the TVR Vixen, it needs a rebuild and will never get done. Also sell TVR Grantura Mk1, this is in lego format and likely to remain so for 20+ years!!
Still got the Hillclimb TVR Taimar, do about 4 Sprints in in it and one track day, used perhaps 10 times in 22 months.
Son Born - really not going to do any motorsport now - sell Taimar
Am I mad?? No just grown up and realised that there's more to life than TVRs. Might get another one one day, might buy a Porsche instead, who knows.
Do I miss them, not really, the amount of time I spend driving on my own not on a motorway is minimal. Doesn't stop me being an enthusiast and reading this site!!
davidy
>> Edited by davidy on Friday 5th March 14:31
There are plently of unused TVRs out there because people hang on to unrealistic dreams, with a child your whole life changes (and so it should!), I know I've been there look at the following:-
Wife Pregnant - sell the Griff £500 on HP a month on a car thats hardly getting used. This was Griffs cost £30K++!!!
Daughter Born - Sell the TVR Vixen, it needs a rebuild and will never get done. Also sell TVR Grantura Mk1, this is in lego format and likely to remain so for 20+ years!!
Still got the Hillclimb TVR Taimar, do about 4 Sprints in in it and one track day, used perhaps 10 times in 22 months.
Son Born - really not going to do any motorsport now - sell Taimar
Am I mad?? No just grown up and realised that there's more to life than TVRs. Might get another one one day, might buy a Porsche instead, who knows.
Do I miss them, not really, the amount of time I spend driving on my own not on a motorway is minimal. Doesn't stop me being an enthusiast and reading this site!!
davidy
>> Edited by davidy on Friday 5th March 14:31
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff