Discussion
It depends how much more 
Better to judge on condition,mileage,maintenance and service history and personally I'd go for a 4.5 (4.6) or possibly 5 litre.
Obviously 2000/2001 cars are newer , mines 2001 and a Malaysian built chassis and body (which I've heard it said are better than Blackpool built )
Differences between MK2 and MK3 other than the covered lights are :-
High lift boot
Cerbera seats in later models
16" wheels all around on very late models
Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs
Better to judge on condition,mileage,maintenance and service history and personally I'd go for a 4.5 (4.6) or possibly 5 litre.
Obviously 2000/2001 cars are newer , mines 2001 and a Malaysian built chassis and body (which I've heard it said are better than Blackpool built
) Differences between MK2 and MK3 other than the covered lights are :-
High lift boot
Cerbera seats in later models
16" wheels all around on very late models
Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs
glow worm said:
It depends how much more
Better to judge on condition,mileage,maintenance and service history and personally I'd go for a 4.5 (4.6) or possibly 5 litre.
Obviously 2000/2001 cars are newer , mines 2001 and a Malaysian built chassis and body (which I've heard it said are better than Blackpool built )
Differences between MK2 and MK3 other than the covered lights are :-
High lift boot
Cerbera seats in later models
16" wheels all around on very late models
Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs
All cars from 1999 had the high lift boot,Go for the better car doesn't matter if its a 2 or a 3.Better to judge on condition,mileage,maintenance and service history and personally I'd go for a 4.5 (4.6) or possibly 5 litre.
Obviously 2000/2001 cars are newer , mines 2001 and a Malaysian built chassis and body (which I've heard it said are better than Blackpool built
) Differences between MK2 and MK3 other than the covered lights are :-
High lift boot
Cerbera seats in later models
16" wheels all around on very late models
Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs
Mine is a mark 2 and there isn't a single mark 3 that i would swap it for!
Although mine does have Cerbera seats !
glow worm said:
It depends how much more
Better to judge on condition,mileage,maintenance and service history and personally I'd go for a 4.5 (4.6) or possibly 5 litre.
Obviously 2000/2001 cars are newer , mines 2001 and a Malaysian built chassis and body (which I've heard it said are better than Blackpool built )
Differences between MK2 and MK3 other than the covered lights are :-
High lift boot
Cerbera seats in later models
16" wheels all around on very late models
Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs
All cars from 1999 had the high lift boot,Go for the better car doesn't matter if its a 2 or a 3.Better to judge on condition,mileage,maintenance and service history and personally I'd go for a 4.5 (4.6) or possibly 5 litre.
Obviously 2000/2001 cars are newer , mines 2001 and a Malaysian built chassis and body (which I've heard it said are better than Blackpool built
) Differences between MK2 and MK3 other than the covered lights are :-
High lift boot
Cerbera seats in later models
16" wheels all around on very late models
Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs
Mine is a mark 2 and there isn't a single mark 3 that i would swap it for!
Although mine does have Cerbera seats !
glow worm said:
Differences between MK2 and MK3 other than the covered lights are:-
And...- High lift boot
- Cerbera seats in later models
- 16" wheels all around on very late models
- Bilstein shocks and Eibach springs
- A T5 gearbox with the gear stick coming out of the box in the right place for the car, this allowed TVR to delete their rather convoluted linkage used on all Chimaeras before
- Reinforced ARB plates on the rear wishbones
- A Bosch wiper motor
It's quite clear TVR continued to improve and develop their best selling model right up to the end of production... boot hinges, gearbox linkage, seats, headlights, suspension, wheels, wiring and lots of other details all benefited from everything TVR learnt during the Chimaera's long production run. I guess if you make the same thing for 10 years you can hone it, in a way it's a shame the car didn't continue in production for a further 10 years as continual development surely would have given us the perfect TVR.
Unconsciously and somewhat ironically what I've ended up doing to my late 1996 Chimaera is following all these same TVR points of improvement and development, while adding a few of my own too.
My advise is to buy the very youngest Chimaera you can afford but do check the the chassis on 1997-8 cars very carefully, the Mk3 definitely top of the list but they do make £3-£4k more than a late Mk2 that in truth enjoys 90% of the improvements already, so it's worth adding up the cost of applying the additional Mk3 elements to a 1999 car to see if the figures stack up. For example you could add Cerbera seats (if you can find a set), 16" front wheels and a faired headlight conversion to a 1999 car for roughly £2.5k which might end up being a slightly better deal than buying a Mk3, it is hassle though.
What you save could buy you a Brembo brake upgrade which really improves the car, but if you've still got a few grand left in the kitty the best thing you can do by far is convert your new Chimaera to a more modern fuel & ignition engine management system from the likes of MBE, Canems ect.
One of the great pleasures of Chimaera ownership is continuing the development work TVR stopped in 2002, the satisfaction gained in trying to create the very best of the breed is all part of the experience, well it is for me
butch890 said:
All cars from 1999 had the high lift boot,Go for the better car doesn't matter if its a 2 or a 3.
Mine is a mark 2 and there isn't a single mark 3 that i would swap it for!
Although mine does have Cerbera seats !
^^^^^^^ this Mine is a mark 2 and there isn't a single mark 3 that i would swap it for!
Although mine does have Cerbera seats !
Although mine doesn't have Cerbera seats 2000 car.
The Malaysian operation wound down in the late nineties and so many if not all the later Chims used the Malaysian bodies which are reputed to be stronger and do appear to have less Imperfection and smoother jel coat so that would suggest both Mk 2-3 from 99 onwards probably had these bodies and possibly chassis too.
Most of these that were fitted with the later 4.6 engine also benefit from these engines being about the best base engines available after much research and work by Tvr Power and V8 D I believe and Rover took these changes on board when constructing these later engines.
Other than Cam changes these engines are almost standard Rover so very robust and powerful and do allow plenty of tuning scope.
5.0 litre are more powerful but possibly more fragile especially at higher revs.
I have a 2000 4.6 which is possibly no surprise now i've said all that
as far as I'm aware the only changes from Mk 2 to 3 are cosmetic.
An optional extra fitted to my car is an additional box fitted to the Meta alarm and a switch in the car that allows me to prevent the windows automatically closing when I arm the car. I don't like leaving the side windows up and exposed when the roof is off and the targa down.
Had a new style Meta alarm fitted so the boot opens on the fob and the "window" box still works OK.
Had a new style Meta alarm fitted so the boot opens on the fob and the "window" box still works OK.
And with Dave's words ringing in my ears I'm off in the rain to do a 300 mile round trip to go see some family in Wales,, looks like I'll be using my uprated Bosch wiper system to
There is no question the later cars that have the wiper motor hidden and not sat in the engine bay look tidier in my view.
As usual Dave has a fine books of facts at home, he knows more about my car than I do
Cheers bloke
There is no question the later cars that have the wiper motor hidden and not sat in the engine bay look tidier in my view.
As usual Dave has a fine books of facts at home, he knows more about my car than I do
Cheers bloke
ChimpOnGas said:
And...
It's quite clear TVR continued to improve and develop their best selling model right up to the end of production... boot hinges, gearbox linkage, seats, headlights, suspension, wheels, wiring and lots of other details all benefited from everything TVR learnt during the Chimaera's long production run. I guess if you make the same thing for 10 years you can hone it, in a way it's a shame the car didn't continue in production for a further 10 years as continual development surely would have given us the perfect TVR.
Unconsciously and somewhat ironically what I've ended up doing to my late 1996 Chimaera is following all these same TVR points of improvement and development, while adding a few of my own too.
My advise is to buy the very youngest Chimaera you can afford but do check the the chassis on 1997-8 cars very carefully, the Mk3 definitely top of the list but they do make £3-£4k more than a late Mk2 that in truth enjoys 90% of the improvements already, so it's worth adding up the cost of applying the additional Mk3 elements to a 1999 car to see if the figures stack up. For example you could add Cerbera seats (if you can find a set), 16" front wheels and a faired headlight conversion to a 1999 car for roughly £2.5k which might end up being a slightly better deal than buying a Mk3, it is hassle though.
What you save could buy you a Brembo brake upgrade which really improves the car, but if you've still got a few grand left in the kitty the best thing you can do by far is convert your new Chimaera to a more modern fuel & ignition engine management system from the likes of MBE, Canems ect.
One of the great pleasures of Chimaera ownership is continuing the development work TVR stopped in 2002, the satisfaction gained in trying to create the very best of the breed is all part of the experience, well it is for me
Actually the ARB plates, Bosh wiper motor and vertical opening boot all arrived in 1999 so what you're really paying for with the Mk3 is the faired headlights, Cerbera seats and gear linkage delete. Rumour has it Mk3 Chimaeras had better powder coating on the chassis but this may well have started in 1999 too.
Unfortunately Bristol Avenue as us locals new it, the powdercoat which was done in house after 98 was poor and was not zinc primed either :;(, so all those mk3's that are 20k plus price tag, are still susceptible to chassis rot. So buy on chassis and ancillary condition, not on faired in head lights or cerbera seats, as you could be looking at a hefty bill if you pick up a basket case.- A T5 gearbox with the gear stick coming out of the box in the right place for the car, this allowed TVR to delete their rather convoluted linkage used on all Chimaeras before
- Reinforced ARB plates on the rear wishbones
- A Bosch wiper motor
It's quite clear TVR continued to improve and develop their best selling model right up to the end of production... boot hinges, gearbox linkage, seats, headlights, suspension, wheels, wiring and lots of other details all benefited from everything TVR learnt during the Chimaera's long production run. I guess if you make the same thing for 10 years you can hone it, in a way it's a shame the car didn't continue in production for a further 10 years as continual development surely would have given us the perfect TVR.
Unconsciously and somewhat ironically what I've ended up doing to my late 1996 Chimaera is following all these same TVR points of improvement and development, while adding a few of my own too.
My advise is to buy the very youngest Chimaera you can afford but do check the the chassis on 1997-8 cars very carefully, the Mk3 definitely top of the list but they do make £3-£4k more than a late Mk2 that in truth enjoys 90% of the improvements already, so it's worth adding up the cost of applying the additional Mk3 elements to a 1999 car to see if the figures stack up. For example you could add Cerbera seats (if you can find a set), 16" front wheels and a faired headlight conversion to a 1999 car for roughly £2.5k which might end up being a slightly better deal than buying a Mk3, it is hassle though.
What you save could buy you a Brembo brake upgrade which really improves the car, but if you've still got a few grand left in the kitty the best thing you can do by far is convert your new Chimaera to a more modern fuel & ignition engine management system from the likes of MBE, Canems ect.
One of the great pleasures of Chimaera ownership is continuing the development work TVR stopped in 2002, the satisfaction gained in trying to create the very best of the breed is all part of the experience, well it is for me
Actually the ARB plates, Bosh wiper motor and vertical opening boot all arrived in 1999 so what you're really paying for with the Mk3 is the faired headlights, Cerbera seats and gear linkage delete. Rumour has it Mk3 Chimaeras had better powder coating on the chassis but this may well have started in 1999 too.
Another difference between my old '98 Facelift Chim and my 2001 MK3 are the TVR Ally column stalks and rake adjuster , completely different from the after market Leven ones. Also the fuel lines are Nomex heat shield covered, but no two TVRs used to come out the factory the same, depends what bits were available and if any one had a bright idea.
Mk1 or 1.5
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
That one would have the rover box but the MK1.5, without the keys in the push buttons, has the T5 gearbox if you want lots of power in the future. Better Chassis and if you buy privately, £10k to make it personal and perfect!
The have gone up a few £s in the last 3 years but the person who bought my old car has had the seats re-trimmed, Mk3 headlights and the front of the car and wing mirrors painted, new hood and has spent around £10-11k including buying the car.
The earlier cars look better with the larger grill and rubber bumper strips. The very early cars have more comfy seats as well!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
That one would have the rover box but the MK1.5, without the keys in the push buttons, has the T5 gearbox if you want lots of power in the future. Better Chassis and if you buy privately, £10k to make it personal and perfect!
The have gone up a few £s in the last 3 years but the person who bought my old car has had the seats re-trimmed, Mk3 headlights and the front of the car and wing mirrors painted, new hood and has spent around £10-11k including buying the car.
The earlier cars look better with the larger grill and rubber bumper strips. The very early cars have more comfy seats as well!
TV8 said:
Mk1 or 1.5
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
That one would have the rover box but the MK1.5, without the keys in the push buttons, has the T5 gearbox if you want lots of power in the future. Better Chassis and if you buy privately, £10k to make it personal and perfect!
The have gone up a few £s in the last 3 years but the person who bought my old car has had the seats re-trimmed, Mk3 headlights and the front of the car and wing mirrors painted, new hood and has spent around £10-11k including buying the car.
The earlier cars look better with the larger grill and rubber bumper strips. The very early cars have more comfy seats as well!
Think its a matter for personal opinion concerning larger grill and bumper strips, i specifically went for a later model because i didn't like the larger grill and bumper strips, all this based on its lookshttp://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
That one would have the rover box but the MK1.5, without the keys in the push buttons, has the T5 gearbox if you want lots of power in the future. Better Chassis and if you buy privately, £10k to make it personal and perfect!
The have gone up a few £s in the last 3 years but the person who bought my old car has had the seats re-trimmed, Mk3 headlights and the front of the car and wing mirrors painted, new hood and has spent around £10-11k including buying the car.
The earlier cars look better with the larger grill and rubber bumper strips. The very early cars have more comfy seats as well!
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