runnning costs
Discussion
Maintenance £200-ish every 6000 miles
Leven bits and bobs - hundreds
Optimax - take out a new mortgage (and a Shell Card!). It's not 'cos the 24mpg is so bad - it's just that you're run to get a pint of milk will be ...... oo, a little longer than normal!
Upgrades - have you ever been bankrupt????
M@H said:
Maintenance £200-ish every 6000 miles
You can get a 12,000 mile service for £200-ish !!?? Where !?
Well when I was running my Griff......
Look at my service costs in 2001 I know that every service I had some major stuff on top (Graham's line (at the Garage) was usually "what have you broken now?"
)You can check my profile for running costs - everything is listed over the past couple of years. I choose to go to a main dealer for servicing but if budget is a critical factor you can save by going to a reputable indie.
Always buy on (1) full service history in sync with mileage; (2) thorough inspection by a specialist; (3) experience gained from viewing and driving as many candidates as possible before the must-have-now gene kicks in!
Depending on the age of vehicle you're looking at I think the most important item is corrosion of the chassis (outrigger tubes - especially passenger side - and front and rear wishbones).
Get yourself a copy of Steve Heath's definitive text on the Chimaera/Griffith.
Happy hunting!
Always buy on (1) full service history in sync with mileage; (2) thorough inspection by a specialist; (3) experience gained from viewing and driving as many candidates as possible before the must-have-now gene kicks in!
Depending on the age of vehicle you're looking at I think the most important item is corrosion of the chassis (outrigger tubes - especially passenger side - and front and rear wishbones).
Get yourself a copy of Steve Heath's definitive text on the Chimaera/Griffith.
Happy hunting!
Podie said:
M@H said:
beano500 said:
Maintenance £200-ish every 6000 miles
You can get a 12,000 mile service for £200-ish !!?? Where !?
Matt, on that logic a 12k service would be £400.
Go on.. explain that one in detail then..
My logic would suggest that "£200-ish every 6000 miles" meant £200ish... every 6000 miles.. 
>> Edited by M@H on Monday 28th February 10:51
M@H said:
M@H said:
beano500 said:
Maintenance £200-ish every 6000 miles
You can get a 12,000 mile service for £200-ish !!?? Where !?
Matt, on that logic a 12k service would be £400.
Go on.. explain that one in detail then..
OK I admit I used a bit of poetic licence to illustrate that a) it's not too much for an oil change and general fettle and b) once bitten by the bug you'll spend more dosh. However, I actually had two consecutive services, where you took off the extras (new light clusters and Leven bits) and arrived at under £200 each time! And yes, that was 2001 and the labour rates have gone up a bit since then (by about 10% IIRC)
beano, I appreciate your comments and well done for getting such a good deal. 
I would however caution any new potential owner to be budgeting more like £400-£500 per service to cover the service cost plus minor incidentals that will crop up. Lets face it, depending on how often the car is used, it'll be needing new upper wishbones every 3 services anyway
I have to get my Chim in for a 48k service next month.. I'm in the Midlands and TVR power want £618.04
for the job, jools wants £575.75 (but is quite a way away) and David Gerald want £545.00..
Cheers
Matt
>> Edited by M@H on Monday 28th February 11:18
I would however caution any new potential owner to be budgeting more like £400-£500 per service to cover the service cost plus minor incidentals that will crop up. Lets face it, depending on how often the car is used, it'll be needing new upper wishbones every 3 services anyway I have to get my Chim in for a 48k service next month.. I'm in the Midlands and TVR power want £618.04
for the job, jools wants £575.75 (but is quite a way away) and David Gerald want £545.00..
Cheers
Matt
>> Edited by M@H on Monday 28th February 11:18
M@H said:
M@H said:
beano500 said:
Maintenance £200-ish every 6000 miles
You can get a 12,000 mile service for £200-ish !!?? Where !?
Matt, on that logic a 12k service would be £400.
Go on.. explain that one in detail then..
>> Edited by M@H on Monday 28th February 10:51
Yeah, but 12000 is twice 6000….
Geddit..?
M@H said:
beano, I appreciate your comments and well done for getting such a good deal.
Agreed.....:sigh: 
1997 Chim 5.0, and I use David Batty for all servicing. For 6K and 12K service his charges are something in the region of £250 and £500. However, I usually ready myself for twice that amount, as I ALWAYS ask that ANY work they find along the way is done, whatever the cost.
With these specialist cars it's a false economy to be tight when it comes to maintenance/repairs so if you're buying one, locate a good secialist garage you can trust as soon as possible. David Batty fits the bill, if you're close to Guildford. I'm not close at all, which helps to make the service experience more pleasurable!
With these specialist cars it's a false economy to be tight when it comes to maintenance/repairs so if you're buying one, locate a good secialist garage you can trust as soon as possible. David Batty fits the bill, if you're close to Guildford. I'm not close at all, which helps to make the service experience more pleasurable!
Antone paying main dealer prices should be shot for not knowing any better - these things are not complicated and the stamp is worth bugger all once they are a few years old and have lost half they original value - a good independant or eben just a local garage should be able to do an Griff / Chim or earlier.
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