Discussion
Like the cars they look (and sound) fantastic but having run a relatively inexpensive Caterham for 5 years I need to know what I (might) be letting myself in for.
So service intervals? costs? spare parts? tyres? usual bits and pieces.
Read the thread on insurance, currently paying 300 for the Cat, "normal" policy no mileage limit, no necessity to garage, even though it is, so its going to be more. Anyone mid 30s full NCB not on a classic policy?
Many thanks in advance
David
So service intervals? costs? spare parts? tyres? usual bits and pieces.
Read the thread on insurance, currently paying 300 for the Cat, "normal" policy no mileage limit, no necessity to garage, even though it is, so its going to be more. Anyone mid 30s full NCB not on a classic policy?
Many thanks in advance
David
if you buy a good one then the running costs are reasonable in my experience. More spent on buying as late a car as you can afford pays off in the long run, as there are likely to be less big unexpected bills.
insurance should be around the £500 mark depending on location (similar age NCB to yourself)
services £300-350 each 6,000 miles, my last Bridgestones were just about £100 a corner
insurance should be around the £500 mark depending on location (similar age NCB to yourself)
services £300-350 each 6,000 miles, my last Bridgestones were just about £100 a corner
Service intervals? Annual intermediate one year major the next
Costs? £400/£600 minimum at a dealer. £200/£400 at an Indy
Spare parts? Mostly ford or Vauxhall
Tyres? Good sticky tyres are £80 - £110 per corner and last around 8k
Buy on gut feel, don't buy the first one you see, try 4l and 5l because they drive differently, check the chassis especially outriggers and suspension arms (surface rust is fine but some are well past that)
Dealers charge £75/hour, you need to conceder whether the cars value can support that rate. Most owners are seeking out good indys to keep their cars right
Costs? £400/£600 minimum at a dealer. £200/£400 at an Indy
Spare parts? Mostly ford or Vauxhall
Tyres? Good sticky tyres are £80 - £110 per corner and last around 8k
Buy on gut feel, don't buy the first one you see, try 4l and 5l because they drive differently, check the chassis especially outriggers and suspension arms (surface rust is fine but some are well past that)
Dealers charge £75/hour, you need to conceder whether the cars value can support that rate. Most owners are seeking out good indys to keep their cars right
who said that..!?!!?Echo teh above - but if you are a dab hand with a spanner u can do most of teh serviceable items yourself & keep costs down.
Classic policy garaged 3k mileage about £250 per annum
I had a Caterfiled a few years back - don't expect a similar driving experience by any means pro & cons of both
Classic policy garaged 3k mileage about £250 per annum
I had a Caterfiled a few years back - don't expect a similar driving experience by any means pro & cons of both
Some can be very cheap to run, basic services and consumables. Others can cost a fortune - something I unfortunately know only too well.
To get an idea take a look at a few owners profiles. Many owners have updated their profiles with costs etc - mine included, and so this should help to give you some idea.
To get an idea take a look at a few owners profiles. Many owners have updated their profiles with costs etc - mine included, and so this should help to give you some idea.
I reckon the car costs about £2K in maintenance per year...if you're using it as a car. If it's a toy that comes out on sunny Sundays it will cost half that. Insurance shouldn't be bad - the wife's is under £500 these days. MPG is 20-25 - again this doesn't matter if its not your commuter.
In between each and every service it *will* need something doing. If you're a dab hand with a spanner you *may* get away with doing that yourself. We aren't and so haven't.
The car will not handle like a Caterfield. Its not its forte. The Chimaera is a fine *road* car, offers a surprising level of comfort and practicality and is an "overtaking machine" - blistering acceleration in a straight(ish) line!
We've done the "Two Weeks Touring" thing in ours and it has been *superb* for that.
Enjoy!
In between each and every service it *will* need something doing. If you're a dab hand with a spanner you *may* get away with doing that yourself. We aren't and so haven't.
The car will not handle like a Caterfield. Its not its forte. The Chimaera is a fine *road* car, offers a surprising level of comfort and practicality and is an "overtaking machine" - blistering acceleration in a straight(ish) line!
We've done the "Two Weeks Touring" thing in ours and it has been *superb* for that.
Enjoy!
Don said:
I reckon the car costs about £2K in maintenance per year...if you're using it as a car.
I agree with that figure. I use mine as a daily driver, done 40000 miles in the last 4 years and the total bill at my local indy (if you ignore the fripperies like adjustable Gaz Golds and Rollcenter roll bar) is just over the 8K mark. + £400ish per 18 months for tyres.
FG
Quick rundown of my costs (excluding servicing due to Ian@Middlewich aka TorqueRVT being my other half).
Chim 450 '99
30 years old
Full NCB
Secure underground parking - Manchester City Centre
Fully comp with class 1 business use
unlimited milage (done over 30k in the last year - everyday car)
Just over £1k. She was parked on the street in Didsbury and it was £1300, if I move to Ians in Cheshire or to Blackpool then it drops to way under £1k
I do on average 180 miles a day and I am filling up with optimax every day near enough.
It all depends on where you live, how its stored, what varient you go for etc etc
Prices for servicing vary enormously again depending on where you live and who you go to.
Claire
Chim 450 '99
30 years old
Full NCB
Secure underground parking - Manchester City Centre
Fully comp with class 1 business use
unlimited milage (done over 30k in the last year - everyday car)
Just over £1k. She was parked on the street in Didsbury and it was £1300, if I move to Ians in Cheshire or to Blackpool then it drops to way under £1k
I do on average 180 miles a day and I am filling up with optimax every day near enough.
It all depends on where you live, how its stored, what varient you go for etc etc
Prices for servicing vary enormously again depending on where you live and who you go to.
Claire
Apart from fuel the same as my old Ford Sierra which is next to nothing .
The insurance is also about the same .
But i do all of the work myself as most thing are not that hard , especially if you buy the right car in the first place . Prevention is better than cure . Like buying a car with limited winter use , Should have less chance of corroded chassis . I looked S series cars some waxolyed from new and chassis like new still after 15 years but most where shot to s--- with salty roads. So buy right ,get Rob Ingleby / or the like to inspect it or that kind of check and save on big bills.
Car that does not sit outside all year tends not to have , waterstained interior,faded paintwork , tried looking hoods, rusty headlamp bottoms ,blistering alloys, delaminating front windscreens.e.t.c , e.t.c. If you get my drift, buy right and its the best bang for your £ on the market , even Octane mag quoted that in a recent article.
The insurance is also about the same .
But i do all of the work myself as most thing are not that hard , especially if you buy the right car in the first place . Prevention is better than cure . Like buying a car with limited winter use , Should have less chance of corroded chassis . I looked S series cars some waxolyed from new and chassis like new still after 15 years but most where shot to s--- with salty roads. So buy right ,get Rob Ingleby / or the like to inspect it or that kind of check and save on big bills.
Car that does not sit outside all year tends not to have , waterstained interior,faded paintwork , tried looking hoods, rusty headlamp bottoms ,blistering alloys, delaminating front windscreens.e.t.c , e.t.c. If you get my drift, buy right and its the best bang for your £ on the market , even Octane mag quoted that in a recent article.
Edited by Rum Runner on Tuesday 22 August 22:49
zippee said:
Rum Runner said:
So buy right ,get Rob Ingleby to inspect and save on big bills.
]
O.k Zippee shall i say somebody who knows TVR's well, funny though I had seen I report of Rob's on my car for the previous owner, which was quite accurate and i was brought up in the trade with at my fathers dealership as a paint man , then spanners , then Sales. Now i do boats design / engineer (GRP). So I do have some back ground Knowledge to agree with his findings.Maybe you have had a different experience .
Edited by Rum Runner on Tuesday 22 August 23:01
Running costs for me...
Servicing et al, £1,500
Insurance, £270
Fuel, I paid £1.04 per litre for Ultimate last night... and whilst I sort of support the arguments from the TVR faithfull that you shouldn't worry about the price of fuel etc... leaving aside the service and insurance costs for a minute... but pushing it hard at around 10MPG, that's 45p per mile (or 2.5p to travel 100 yards!) has to make you think twice about buying one of these for the first time.
Sorry for the doom and gloom... I wouldn't part with mine.
Servicing et al, £1,500
Insurance, £270
Fuel, I paid £1.04 per litre for Ultimate last night... and whilst I sort of support the arguments from the TVR faithfull that you shouldn't worry about the price of fuel etc... leaving aside the service and insurance costs for a minute... but pushing it hard at around 10MPG, that's 45p per mile (or 2.5p to travel 100 yards!) has to make you think twice about buying one of these for the first time.
Sorry for the doom and gloom... I wouldn't part with mine.
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