Hi, im new on here. Am i too young to own a TVR?
Discussion
hi there. last week i got a quote of a insurance company for both a chimaera and a cerbere but seen as i have around 13k to spend i best of buying a chimaera. anyway, im only 18 but im 19 this summer and am on my dads insurance. the quote is still high but i may aswell use my money wisely 
whats the performance for the 4.0 chim then, is it 4.8-60 or something similar? how much would you say ayear you spend on servercing and maintainin the car.
and lastly, where can i buy a hard top for it?
cheers, Lee
whats the performance for the 4.0 chim then, is it 4.8-60 or something similar? how much would you say ayear you spend on servercing and maintainin the car.
and lastly, where can i buy a hard top for it?
cheers, Lee
On dad's insurance 
. You won't be able to use it for anything other than pleasure. If you have a bump on your way to work they will investigate and you'll find you have no insurance.
Most people wait till they're 25. Buy something else for a few years, an Elise or similar.
I'd be surprised if any insurance company will take this risk and if they do it'll be £5k+ TPO.
. You won't be able to use it for anything other than pleasure. If you have a bump on your way to work they will investigate and you'll find you have no insurance. Most people wait till they're 25. Buy something else for a few years, an Elise or similar.
I'd be surprised if any insurance company will take this risk and if they do it'll be £5k+ TPO.
its less than 5k for the insurance. insurance companies will know that its obviously my car (especially when the LEE reg goes on lol), but they cant do anything about it. it asks who is the main driver, they can never proove this!
but away from the insurance side, ive searched through autotrader and there seems quite a few for sale below 14k, will these be in good condition or do you reckon theyl need some work doing to them?
but away from the insurance side, ive searched through autotrader and there seems quite a few for sale below 14k, will these be in good condition or do you reckon theyl need some work doing to them?
Before I start - I'm no old fuddy duddy - I'm single, have no kids and enjoy fast cars.
Have you had any experience with high performance cars? Maybe you've competed in karting or junior racing series? If not, and don't take this personally, but I really suggest you get something a little less powerful to gain experience with for a while.
If we did a poll on here I expect 100% of the members to agree with me when I say that when I passed my test at 18 I would have killed myself with a powerful TVR such as this. I thought I was an OK driver, but I was overconfident, and I learned what I didn't know quite quickly in a Mk1 Escort (RWD). I would estimate that it took be 2-3 years of driving before I would have been ready for more than 200hp. (Thing is, I was a poor student by then ...)
If you do go ahead then please please please get some expert tuition both on and off the road (i.e. a track/airfield). Otherwise you WILL become another Safety Scamera Partnership statistic. Not a nice thing to say, but people don't realise that flooring the throttle in the TVR for a few seconds means you're travelling at 120mph instead of 70 as you would be in a Mondeo or similar. Then you come to a bend. Stopping from 120mph takes about 3 weeks longer than stopping from 70mph.
As for insurance, it's never going to be cheap is it! Would you, if you were a broker, insure you?
Hardtop - there is no such thing. Why do you want one?The closest thing I have seen was made by TVR Malaysia a few years ago for their racing cars. I don't think anything is commercially available. Also Zertec (aftermarket TVR parts supplier) showed a few mock up drawings of a Griff hardtop a few years ago ... I do not think anything came of it. The roof is good enough anyway - you don't need a hardtop. Have you ever been in a Chimaera?
If you get one, then good luck. However, IMO, if your Dad has any common sense then he'll make you get a Civic Type R or an MX5 (good RWD car and not slow compared to what your mates will have).
Have you had any experience with high performance cars? Maybe you've competed in karting or junior racing series? If not, and don't take this personally, but I really suggest you get something a little less powerful to gain experience with for a while.
If we did a poll on here I expect 100% of the members to agree with me when I say that when I passed my test at 18 I would have killed myself with a powerful TVR such as this. I thought I was an OK driver, but I was overconfident, and I learned what I didn't know quite quickly in a Mk1 Escort (RWD). I would estimate that it took be 2-3 years of driving before I would have been ready for more than 200hp. (Thing is, I was a poor student by then ...)
If you do go ahead then please please please get some expert tuition both on and off the road (i.e. a track/airfield). Otherwise you WILL become another Safety Scamera Partnership statistic. Not a nice thing to say, but people don't realise that flooring the throttle in the TVR for a few seconds means you're travelling at 120mph instead of 70 as you would be in a Mondeo or similar. Then you come to a bend. Stopping from 120mph takes about 3 weeks longer than stopping from 70mph.
As for insurance, it's never going to be cheap is it! Would you, if you were a broker, insure you?
Hardtop - there is no such thing. Why do you want one?The closest thing I have seen was made by TVR Malaysia a few years ago for their racing cars. I don't think anything is commercially available. Also Zertec (aftermarket TVR parts supplier) showed a few mock up drawings of a Griff hardtop a few years ago ... I do not think anything came of it. The roof is good enough anyway - you don't need a hardtop. Have you ever been in a Chimaera?
If you get one, then good luck. However, IMO, if your Dad has any common sense then he'll make you get a Civic Type R or an MX5 (good RWD car and not slow compared to what your mates will have).
Mel! L33 LEG said:
its less than 5k for the insurance. insurance companies will know that its obviously my car (especially when the LEE reg goes on lol), but they cant do anything about it. it asks who is the main driver, they can never proove this!
but away from the insurance side, ive searched through autotrader and there seems quite a few for sale below 14k, will these be in good condition or do you reckon theyl need some work doing to them?
"they'll never take me alive"
They can prove this and will go to lengths to prove it to avoid paying out a big claim. Be very very careful. Sticking a personalised plate with your name on it isnt going to help you IMO as it will only give the insurers more ammunition to refuse payment. I have seen it happen - and yes they can and do prove it when they want to - ie in the event you need your indemnity - they are quite happy taking the premium off you in the first place There are some for sale below £14k but you really need to know what you are looking for rather than just set a price. There are some gems for sale around £12k and some pigs for sale around that price too - I was looking in that bracket about 9 months ago. Standard parts to look for as per any car but then more specialist things. Pay important attention to the chassis condition if you want to avoid considerable expense in the near future and keep it rubbed down and waxoyled regularly thereafter to avoid huge expense.
It depends what mileage you plan on doing. I do around 5k a year in mine and budget around £1500 a year in servicing and any other bits and bobs. This year thats likely to prove near enough spot on - around £500 for a service, £700 for a new alarm and a few other repairs (new gearbox linkeage) and a few extra "improvements" to the car. I would say its been a fairly cheap year in my experience owning TVRs.
I don't think its a case of being too young. But at 18 it may be too expensive to run & a deathtrap if you're anything like most 18 year old drivers. I got my Chimaera 400 last year at 26 & thinking back its a good job I waited until I had the money & the driving experience not to kill myself. I guess you just have to work out if it really is a good idea. Running costs - they love petrol, servicing is relatively expensive compare to 'normal' cars & if bits break it can cost a lot so you have to bear that in mind.
Also, they are seriously fast: 0-60 is low - it'll beat pretty much everything - but they keep pulling after that in any gear so overtaking is excellent. They can be a real handful in the wet (and the dry if you boot it). You can't get a hardtop as such (although the actual bit over your head is hard, not canvas).
Also, they are seriously fast: 0-60 is low - it'll beat pretty much everything - but they keep pulling after that in any gear so overtaking is excellent. They can be a real handful in the wet (and the dry if you boot it). You can't get a hardtop as such (although the actual bit over your head is hard, not canvas).
Why not go the whole hog and get a Cerbera - thats the hard top and its fast.
NOT.
Sorry but at 19 to own a TVR is suicidal - I have seen the aftermath of crashes (one guy ended up at the top of a tree) and the majority cars belonged to experienced drivers, some on their 3rd/4th/5th TVR.
Leave it for a few years then think about it - they are expensive to run and manintain without any nasty surprises happening.
Just my pounds worth.
Claire
NOT.
Sorry but at 19 to own a TVR is suicidal - I have seen the aftermath of crashes (one guy ended up at the top of a tree) and the majority cars belonged to experienced drivers, some on their 3rd/4th/5th TVR.
Leave it for a few years then think about it - they are expensive to run and manintain without any nasty surprises happening.
Just my pounds worth.
Claire
I agree with Trefor. If I'd had my Griff at 19, I would have killed myself. Maybe you are not the average 19 year old and will treat the car with the respect it deserves, but why don't you work your way up to it?
MX5 was a good suggestion; RWD, good handling (better than a TVR!) and just enough power to have fun. And when you crash, you won't be going at such a stupid speed.
Have you taken into account running costs? My Griff cost around £7k a year to run, NOT including depreciation.
>> Edited by Alex on Thursday 6th May 09:58
MX5 was a good suggestion; RWD, good handling (better than a TVR!) and just enough power to have fun. And when you crash, you won't be going at such a stupid speed.
Have you taken into account running costs? My Griff cost around £7k a year to run, NOT including depreciation.
>> Edited by Alex on Thursday 6th May 09:58
L33 LEG said:
whats the performance for the 4.0 chim then, is it 4.8-60 or something similar?
Hi Lee...
Your first question scares me... It conjours visions of when I was young and daft in cars, and had to "find out" how fast they would go... ..please get some proper experience of driving under your belt or sadly I fear you will quickly become an accident statistic with a chimaera..
Even with 10 years driving a range of cars before I bought my V8 Chim I was still very "respectful" of it. When they bite, they rip your arm off. Perhaps you could work up to a powerful RWD car rather than start so high.. I had a Porsche 914, then a TVR S Series before taking on the Chimaera, and am very pleased that I took the time to learn the characteristics of RWD cars over some years before having one with around 200 BHP per tonne.
Cheers,
Matt.
Lee, assuming you are not just having a troll (but I'm not convinced) When did you pass your test? What do you currently drive? You clearly have a father who thinks he can buy your affection, perhaps he will put lovely white lillies on your coffin when you kill yourself 48 hours after getting a Chimaera with his money.
It would be such a waste of a truly beautiful car. Please make sure you don't take anyone else with you when you go, the emergency services have enough to deal with as it is.
It would be such a waste of a truly beautiful car. Please make sure you don't take anyone else with you when you go, the emergency services have enough to deal with as it is.
Paul V said:
Just because they are a powerful car doesn’t mean every 18 year old would kill themselves the moment they get behind the wheel...
True. At 18 I had a Truimph Dolomite Sprint, not the classiest of motors for sure but for it's day was bloody quick!
My Dad owned a garage so I had been driving stuff regularly since I was 17 including Capri 2.8i (one with a Tickford Turbo) and even an Aston, but still to this day I can't work out how I am alive with all my limbs still attached.
We don't know this guys background, if it's like mine he may be OK, if it's a first car however - it makes me a bit worried.
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