Lots of advise needed !!
Discussion
Have been looking at purchasing a Cerby over the past months but have been put off by the reliability / cost problems involved and have now turned my attentions to a Chimera can you tell me the difference between the 4, 4.5 and 5, is one more reliable than the others. What should I expect in maintenance costs per year. Do the values increase in the summer ? Also I have a Subaru Impreza and would like to keep it, how would this work with insurance are there any specialist company's that cover two cars.
Thank you in advance.
Thank you in advance.
Marky, I've driven a 4 litre Chimaera, and it honestly didn't "feel" much faster than my Nissan 200sx - I think you will feel the same having your Scooby. In my mind, it's got to be 5 litres all the way - eventually I got a Griff. From what I've read, there doesn't appear to be much difference in reliability as long as you get them serviced when you should.
Impreza and TVR - that's the combination I eventually want! Do it man!
Impreza and TVR - that's the combination I eventually want! Do it man!
I have had my 98 5L Chim for 7 months now and have never looked back. So far it has only cost me the Optimax petrol and a little oil. I have never driven a 4L Chim so cannot comment. When doing my shopping around the 5L did not feel that much quicker than the 4.5L, but I am glad I went for the 5L.
Well, when I had my 2wd Cossie I pi$$ed all over a 200sx and I found my 4ltr Chimaera much faster than the Cossie. Now of course I have a 4.6 which is faster still!
I find it's faster in a different way though. I think it feels faster because of the low down pull from the torquey V8 whereas with the Cossie you had to work it.
I find it's faster in a different way though. I think it feels faster because of the low down pull from the torquey V8 whereas with the Cossie you had to work it.
200sx dull? Try going round a roundabout fast in the wet. Not at all!
When I spoke of the speed difference I deliberately put "feel" in quotes. Of course the 4l Chimaera is faster, but I did not get the impression of force that you get with a turbo car. In the same way, I would say that a Supra twin-turbo "feels" faster than my Griff 500 even though I know it's not. It just seems to have that ooomph.
Don't shoot me, it's just my opinion!
Marc
PS Corin, if you torch your 200sx, can I have the turbo before you do it - mine seems to be rattling a bit...
PPS Just off to get my hair permed
>> Edited by prince_charming on Monday 13th January 16:48
When I spoke of the speed difference I deliberately put "feel" in quotes. Of course the 4l Chimaera is faster, but I did not get the impression of force that you get with a turbo car. In the same way, I would say that a Supra twin-turbo "feels" faster than my Griff 500 even though I know it's not. It just seems to have that ooomph.
Don't shoot me, it's just my opinion!
Marc
PS Corin, if you torch your 200sx, can I have the turbo before you do it - mine seems to be rattling a bit...
PPS Just off to get my hair permed
>> Edited by prince_charming on Monday 13th January 16:48
Get a Cerbie, you'll know you'll want eventually. Speaking from personal opinion and with reference to loads of people on here who own Chimaeras.
The Chimaera is a great car, but once you've driven a Cerbie, you won't look back. Horses for courses though, if you want a tin top or a convertable.
WRT 4,4.5 or 5, I'd say 4.5 or 5. I've got a 4.5 and it feels just right. I've driven 5lts are they seem abit edgey, but thats just IMHO, a great deal depends on how good your driving skills are (mine ain't great).
Nice combo tho - TVR / Scoobie, something 'relatively' sensible to carry people in!! I'm looking at trading in the Saab next year for a RS6 or E55. Nice to have 2 powerful cars, albiet, one thats a little bit more practical!
Good luck
Steve
The Chimaera is a great car, but once you've driven a Cerbie, you won't look back. Horses for courses though, if you want a tin top or a convertable.
WRT 4,4.5 or 5, I'd say 4.5 or 5. I've got a 4.5 and it feels just right. I've driven 5lts are they seem abit edgey, but thats just IMHO, a great deal depends on how good your driving skills are (mine ain't great).
Nice combo tho - TVR / Scoobie, something 'relatively' sensible to carry people in!! I'm looking at trading in the Saab next year for a RS6 or E55. Nice to have 2 powerful cars, albiet, one thats a little bit more practical!
Good luck
Steve
Hmmm, but yours is a particularly quick 4L, tantivy - I must admit that when I was testing, I thought that the 4Ls that I tested didn't feel much quicker than the Impreza I had at the time.
tantivy said:Did you have it in reverse? Sorry, but there are some damn quick standard 4 litre cars out there... simply no comparison IMHO.
If I'd driven yours, I might have thought differently
This is the combo I have, but this year I found that it was cheaper to insure each through a separate broker (last year I found it better to do them both together)
Also I have a Subaru Impreza and would like to keep it, how would this work with insurance are there any specialist company's that cover two cars.
TVR - Sunninghill, Subaru - Adrian Flux.
Interestingly enough both actually get insured through Royal & Sun Alliance, but if you try to go direct, the premium seemed to jump dramatically.
markys said: Fatsteve what would you call a good cerbie ?
One thats been well run in (ie driven - not sat in someones garage). Usual servicing (not fussy about main dealer).
Personally if I was in the market to change (as much as I'd like to) I would be after a post 98 4.5, ideally a RR but they're a bit rare and the price reflects this.
The recent 4.2s (since about 2000) are also very sorted. The appeared to be a huge build quality difference between 4.2s and 4.5s, this doesn't appear to be the case anymore. Other than performance and extras, they are very equal in quality and reliability (excluding the S6).
I was originally after a 4.2 when I bought mine, but my budget dictated an early 96-97 4.2 which are historically money pits (not saying that ALL are, just ones I looked at).
Your best bet on Cerbies is to puruse though the Cerbera thread on here, get some balanced opinions.
The only thing I would say is don't by a Chimaera as a second best, because (speaking from experience), you'll love it to bits until you go to a TVR do and experience Cerberas. Then you'll really lust after one!!
Steve
CraigAlsop said:Hmmm, but yours is a particularly quick 4L, tantivy - I must admit that when I was testing, I thought that the 4Ls that I tested didn't feel much quicker than the Impreza I had at the time.
tantivy said:
If I'd driven yours, I might have thought differently
Craig - yeah 
I threw all the tiddlers back in the stream! cheers, mate... just waiting for something to go horribly wrong... 
The sun always shines on the kwik ones: 
Now where's that pesky Nissan?
I feel that I have to defend my 4litre here as it was mine that was driven by Prince Charming. I know that it is faster than a 200sx, because I had before the tiv, it also feels far more torqy below 3000rpm, which is nearly as important. If mines a slow one then its a quick slow one.
Ocean1
Ocean1
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