Hoping to buy, but need some help!

[ahetreed]

Hi

I'm looking to buy a Chim 450, with a limited budget of £15k, and would like to get PAS and AirCon. There's one around Chepstow which looks like it might fit the bill, and I'm going to go have a look at it, but I don't know a great deal about what to look for/at apart from what I've read on here. Was wondering if this was local for anyone who knows more than me and might be able to do me a massive favour and come look at it with me? It's a big ask, I know... Sorry!

I can, of course, always take it to a TVR dealer and have them give it a once over, but that'll eat into my budget a bit more!

Along similar lines, might I be better off looking at newer 400s? I'm going on a test-drive binge next week to try to make up my own mind, but any opinions would be gratefully received...

I had thought the torquier 4.5 would be easier to drive around in a relaxed fashion, but the impression I'm getting from here is that the performance of the 400/450s varies so much car to car that this may not be so important... Barking up the wrong tree?

Cheers

Andrew

[prussianblue450]

Havent got much specific buying advice so I'll defer that to other more experienced ph-ers on here.

Thing I would say is don't just put a 'tick in the box' if the car has a full service history with invoices have a really good scour of them. Dealers and independents usually include a report of what they not done but needs doing or will fail soon. This gives you a good idea what you're getting and can allow for some good haggling. Mine had a couple of things noted on the latest indie report which made for some good movement on price.

I have a 450 which is my first TVR. I would've been happy with a 400 and was too intimidated to get a 500 as a first TVR. I found it OK to drive & it's pretty predictable.

Nice thing is you know you have that little bit more on tap but you are still less likely to be picking bits of hedge from your teeth after a drive in the wet than with a 500.

I would say get the things you want like ext/interior colour, extras & of course a good example over the engine choice

[jamesuk28]

Jesus!!! Iam surprised that after reading the posts on here you still want a TVR!! Welcome to the club

[ahetreed]

jamesuk28 said:

Jesus!!! Iam surprised that after reading the posts on here you still want a TVR!! Welcome to the club

Yeah, sometimes so am I! I think it's a bug I must have caught that's just hard to shake!

Not sure my bank manager's gonna like it much though...

[jamesuk28]

Oh it's a bug alright, You'll go through the agony and the ecstacy, you'll swear, cry, shout start buying copies of autotrader. But once in a while you will smile, laugh and just for a brief moment drive the best car in the world.

Is it worth it? I think so!!

PS I love the Capri modifications, very individual

>> Edited by jamesuk28 on Monday 14th June 22:57

[ahetreed]

Yeah... They were kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing:

Was going for a more 'post-modern' look, with some wing and bonnet mods... Turns out it wouldn't pass the MOT as the headlight alignment was off...

[count duckula]

You might need more than £15k for a 450 with PAS and Air con, you may be lucky and get one, but check the conditon / service history carfully, good luck looking.

Try out a 400, 450 and a 500 if you are in doubt.

Malc

[jamesuk28]

Two bits of advice. Go for one of the later cars as they seem to give less problems than earlier models ie 1993 - 1996.

Ive got a 400, but wish to hell I had waited for a decent 500 or 450. Get the longest warranty you can you'll need it.

[onedsla]

I'm in a similar position (favouring the 500), although likely to wait until autumn when prices may dip - how would you recommend going about driving all 3 types...?

[nano2nd]

onedsla said:

I'm in a similar position (favouring the 500), although likely to wait until autumn when prices may dip - how would you recommend going about driving all 3 types...?

go to your local dealers and express and interest. if your lucky they will take you seriously and let you test drive!

agree with whats been said above, for £15k you'll be lucky to find a real nice 450, a couple of extra K should give you a better selection. You'd be even luckier to find one with aircon! i aint even seen a chim with aircon

you could go for an earlier 500 for that money of a later 400. personaly i hate the grill on the earlier cars so that wouldn't be an option for me and i certainly couldn't live with a 4.0 litre.

Get yourself round to looking at a few, if you go with the intenion of looking and making an assesment of the ones you've seen (write down there good and bad points) you'll come to the right conclusion.

i wouldn't go "viewing" private cars first though cos its abit anoying for the owners.

i keep saying it but look at and drive as many as you can. I wasn't that sure when i saw my first couple, but after that you get a feel for whats right and wrong with them.

hth

[Billybig]

Drive as many as possible, attend a local meeting most TVR owners will happily tell you all they know and maybe take you for a spin. Check the Events forum for this to find one near you. If you want to go private rather than dealer and save yourself some cash. I and others on here heartily recommend Rob Ingleby at findasportscar.co.uk

He will search the country and shortlist a number of cars in your budget for a few hundred quid or do a report on one you have found for the same price as an AA man and he only deals with TVR's and seriously knows his stuff.

All the best.