Logbook Has Wrong Engine size?

[mrt1040]

Dear All
I could do with some help again, i'm looking at buying a late 94 5.0L Chimaera, however the V5 doc says the car is 4.3L. this is the second car i've looked at that has had the wrong engine size on the Doc. I've check the engine number and its definatly a 5.0L.
Should i walk away or is this a common mistake?

Thanks for your time

Mark

[Ballistic Banana]

Dont know if this is acommon mistake,but when i recently filled in some on line Insurance quote forms My Griffith 500 came out as a 4.7ltr on anumber of sites

BB

[Dazren]

Er speak to the factory with the chassis number.

I understand it is possible to get details changed at DVLA but I'm not sure how long the paper trail would need to be. If there isn't a problem bring it to the attention of the owner, get it dealt with before you buy.

DAZ

[shpub]

Not totally convinced it is a pukka 5 litre judging from the production date. Chcek the brakes as the 500s had the Griff 500 setup. Rear ventilated and 260 mm upfront.

Worth checking with the factory. I must say this sounds like a 4.3 with a 5 dropped in it. warning Warning as they say.

[simpo one]

Mistakes do happen. A friend had a silver BMW convertible with the same chassis number as another one, which was blue. Rather hairy as the service desk at the local BMW dealer grabbed the keys and wouldn't give them back, thinking the car was stolen/rung etc. When the reg plates had to be changed (it was on a private plate) the DOT loked into it and confirmed that two cars had been issued with the same chassis number...! Don't know if was a BMW or DVLA mistake though.

[M@H]

Getting engine details changed on a V5 is pretty straightforward normally, just give them the new number and CC on the old V5.. (did this with the Beetle). For every re-bore there must be a V5 cc change against the same engine number too, so again I see no problems..

Cheers
Matt.

[tantivy]

Ditto Steve - IMHO there WAS no nov/dec 94 5.0 Chimaera unless somebody ordered something very unusual - run fast, run very very fast...plenty of cars out there esp. now winter is coming on!
cheers & good luck , Tant (now I'll get bashed by 10 PHedders with them standing on driveways!!)

[rthierry]

The V5 for my chimaera says it can carry 4 people. Go figure

[shpub]

rthierry said: The V5 for my chimaera says it can carry 4 people. Go figure

It doesn't say they have to be alive. That means two can scrunch up in the boot. Job done.



>> Edited by shpub on Tuesday 15th October 16:54

[M@H]

oh come on.. that boots almost big enought to have a meaningful relationship in, you don't need to be dead

[shpub]

M@H said: oh come on.. that boots almost big enought to have a meaningful relationship in, you don't need to be dead

But if the golf clubs are in there already...

[trefor]

Also perhaps someone swapped the badges, you can buy a 500 badge to replace the 400 (or whatever) badge on the top of your inlet plenum.

[M@H]

shpub said:

M@H said: oh come on.. that boots almost big enought to have a meaningful relationship in, you don't need to be dead

But if the golf clubs are in there already...

are you siding with Scruff now?

[davidy]

There were some 'special' Chimaeras made for 'friends' of the factory (I have seen at least one of these), if it is one of these then the factory will be able to tell you given the chassis details. Otherwise it is likely that someone has either dropped a 500 in or changed all the badges. Do as Steve Heath says (shpub) check with the factory, if you like what they say you can still be interested, otherwise go find one with a good history.

PS they are as cheap as chips at present, I have a friend who has just bouught a 97R 4.0 Chimaera (54K miles) for £11,500!!

davidy

[M@H]

is it knackered ?

[mrt1040]

The car was first registered on 22/12/94, i checked with TVR power and the engine number confirms its definitely a 5.0l in the car. TVR are checking there records and should let me know how the car came out the factory by tomorrow lunch time.
Thanks for all the response
Mark

[davidy]

No M@H apparently not, I've not seen it yet, Dark red metallic with Magnolia Hide, some small body scratches which have mainly polished out (so I'm told). Previous owner had bought a Porker and just need to shift the Chimaera, obviously £11,500 was better than he was offered either as a trade-in or what a trader was preapred to pay.

Given the fact that there are over 100 Chimaeras on PH and there must be many more for sale, and given the fact that you cannot get round to see all of them (though I did look at 17 3000M/Taimars once in one day, 11 of them were at DG, and we started early and covered over 500 miles), there must be many bargains out there.

Anyway what you worried about, your car looks jolly nice and you didn't spend a lifetime looking for one, you just got on and did it. Well done.

davidy

[Dodger(rwalker1)]

Just for information my previous Wedge 350SE had 4.0L like all 25(+) of these limited edition models. My V5 stated engine size was 3500cc. I spoke to Chris Ridges and Rich Thorpe just after purchase (in 1997) who advised they were all like that! (apparently to avoid some additional type-approval or something). Other 350SE owners confirmed this.

Have you heard about this SteveH?

[whitechimp500]

davidy said: There were some 'special' Chimaeras made for 'friends' of the factory (I have seen at least one of these)

Special Chimaeras ??? tell us more.

[simpo one]

'(though I did look at 17 3000M/Taimars once in one day, 11 of them were at DG, and we started early and covered over 500 miles)'

Drove 500 miles AND looked at 17 cars? Bloody hell!