Considering ownership
Discussion
Sell them to me or put me off completely, please!
I'm looking for a fun rwd 2-seater sports car with a proper sportscar driving position. Not too fussed about speed, more fussed about handling, interior styling and noise.
Looking to spend around £8K and I see Chimaera's fall into this category.
I'd be commuting in it most days though. About 10-25 miles a day. So I guess the question is, is TVR reliability and build quality really as bad as the rumours? A browse through this forum would seem to confirm it!
btw, the other car is a modded Fiat Coupe Turbo, so I'm not adverse to spending a bit of cash on cars at very short notice, but it does need to spend 95% of it's time actually working.
ta!
I'm looking for a fun rwd 2-seater sports car with a proper sportscar driving position. Not too fussed about speed, more fussed about handling, interior styling and noise.
Looking to spend around £8K and I see Chimaera's fall into this category.I'd be commuting in it most days though. About 10-25 miles a day. So I guess the question is, is TVR reliability and build quality really as bad as the rumours? A browse through this forum would seem to confirm it!
btw, the other car is a modded Fiat Coupe Turbo, so I'm not adverse to spending a bit of cash on cars at very short notice, but it does need to spend 95% of it's time actually working.
ta!
mattikake said:
Sell them to me or put me off completely, please!
I'm looking for a fun rwd 2-seater sports car with a proper sportscar driving position. Not too fussed about speed, more fussed about handling, interior styling and noise. Looking to spend around £8K and I see Chimaera's fall into this category.
I'd be commuting in it most days though. About 10-25 miles a day. So I guess the question is, is TVR reliability and build quality really as bad as the rumours? A browse through this forum would seem to confirm it!
btw, the other car is a modded Fiat Coupe Turbo, so I'm not adverse to spending a bit of cash on cars at very short notice, but it does need to spend 95% of it's time actually working.
ta!
You could get a car that nothing went wrong on or you could get a car that was constant trouble. Unless you do a lot of work yourself on the car servicing and maintenance will expensive - remember this was a £35K - £40K car new.I'm looking for a fun rwd 2-seater sports car with a proper sportscar driving position. Not too fussed about speed, more fussed about handling, interior styling and noise.
Looking to spend around £8K and I see Chimaera's fall into this category.I'd be commuting in it most days though. About 10-25 miles a day. So I guess the question is, is TVR reliability and build quality really as bad as the rumours? A browse through this forum would seem to confirm it!
btw, the other car is a modded Fiat Coupe Turbo, so I'm not adverse to spending a bit of cash on cars at very short notice, but it does need to spend 95% of it's time actually working.
ta!
The main problem is actually getting any time at a good independent. Lots of them book up months in advance and if the problem is serious the car can be off the road. This happened to us at one point and prompted the immediate purchase of a third car!
When its working though!
You will either percieve it as a leaky, noisy, uncomfortable, impractical pos. Or you will percieve it as full of character, surprisingly practical, loud and proud and fast.
You will also kill yourself in it.
Or you will learn not to. Its hard to say which - its more of an attitude issue than a skill one - although skills help.Depreciation on 'em is virtually "over" at £8K so you won't lose much money if you buy, try and then sell on...
Try one on for size. You might just love it.
mattikake said:
So I guess the question is, is TVR reliability and build quality really as bad as the rumours? A browse through this forum would seem to confirm it!
Eh? Since when? Had mine now amost 3 years and only had a battery and clutch fail on me. They cn suffer from build quality niggles but in terms of overall reliability theres bugger all to go wrong on them. Have a serious chat with some Audi/Porsche owners and then you'll see what genuine unreliablity really is.
Remember most of these 'rumours' come from people who have never even sat in a TVR let alone owned one.
The problem with checking out a forum for reliability issues, is a little fruitless, as every member will post when they do have a problem, but no one posts to say, my car has had no problems for X time. so in a forum, you normally see more problems, thats as is with every car forum i believe.
Have a look how many owners are here, and when you break the questions etc down, there are lots posted by new guys like myself, lots from people doing projects. so it actually lowers the average of problems per car by a hell of a lot.
I love mine, ive only had a few weeks now, but in that time its been a pleasure.
Like yourself, i was worried about the reputation TVR have, and i was even looking and waiting for problems the first few weeks while driving. Now, i get in her, enjoy the drive, lap up the attention and fall into oblivion from the V8 rumble.
Have a look how many owners are here, and when you break the questions etc down, there are lots posted by new guys like myself, lots from people doing projects. so it actually lowers the average of problems per car by a hell of a lot.
I love mine, ive only had a few weeks now, but in that time its been a pleasure.
Like yourself, i was worried about the reputation TVR have, and i was even looking and waiting for problems the first few weeks while driving. Now, i get in her, enjoy the drive, lap up the attention and fall into oblivion from the V8 rumble.
That's the problem with rumours - too easy to believe out of fear or sheer laziness!
I have no problem with bits getting old - I expect bushes to perish, shocks to wear out, interior rattles etc. just not too keen on sudden failures when you expected to get to work.
How's the rwd in the wet? Scarey, fun or unnoticeable if driven 'legally'?
I'm reading about the common failures bits, but there doesn't seem to be much of a pattern so far. Do you get funny random noises that disappear by themselves? I can only imagine the engine being solid, but not much else.
I have no problem with bits getting old - I expect bushes to perish, shocks to wear out, interior rattles etc. just not too keen on sudden failures when you expected to get to work.
How's the rwd in the wet? Scarey, fun or unnoticeable if driven 'legally'?
I'm reading about the common failures bits, but there doesn't seem to be much of a pattern so far. Do you get funny random noises that disappear by themselves? I can only imagine the engine being solid, but not much else.
My advice would be to find out where your local TVRCC group meet and go to a meeting and tell people you're interested in buying, daunting on your own I know but once you get talking people will be only too happy to talk to you and let you look at and possibly have a ride in their P&Js
Zippee said:
mattikake said:
How's the rwd in the wet? Scarey, fun or unnoticeable if driven 'legally'?
All 3 to be honest!The Chimaera is a proper RWD car. In the wet it can break traction in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quite easily if you've got a leaden right foot. Its usually in 3rd when you think it should be OK that one finds oneself having to gather it all back up.
OTOH if you drive like a granny it won't bite.
mattikake said:
I'm looking for a fun rwd 2-seater sports car with a proper sportscar driving position. Not too fussed about speed, more fussed about handling, interior styling and noise. Looking to spend around £8K and I see Chimaera's fall into this category.
Get one! Looking to spend around £8K and I see Chimaera's fall into this category.They have got to be the best car you can buy for that money.
The reliability problems are fairly few, but at the end of the day they're so simple nothing's a problem.
Just chose carefully, but you'll love it!!
"Best car I ever owned" (tm)
PS. Handling is bollox but who cares, the rest of it is ace!
With the criteria you are specifying, the Chimaera sounds like the only choice to me. I've always been rather impressed with the handling of my chim (although some NITRONS are on my want list), gorgeous interiour and I need not say anything about the noise!!! The fact that it is a beautiful looking car and has plenty of grunt has got to be a bonus aswell?
The prices are so low at the moment, it is a real buyers market. You can afford to be picky as there always a lot for sale at that sort of money. I can't think of anything else that ticks as many boxes for £8K.
I've had 10 months of hassle-free motoring so far and loving every minute!!
What else are you considering out of interest?
The prices are so low at the moment, it is a real buyers market. You can afford to be picky as there always a lot for sale at that sort of money. I can't think of anything else that ticks as many boxes for £8K.
I've had 10 months of hassle-free motoring so far and loving every minute!!
What else are you considering out of interest?
VX220, Elise, mk2 MX5, RX8, S2000, Supe or bottling out and returning to what I know - a 200sx
The thing that puts me of a Chim is the age - even older than my Fiat - or the fact that it's a TVR and it's reputation preceeds itself.
Favourite on the list at the moment is the MX5, but I was put off by the lack of grunt and noise of the engine on a test drive. ...then I had a go in the wet and loved it. Very easy and very progressive. MX5 represents the best of the touble-free motoring given the age and make.
The thing that puts me of a Chim is the age - even older than my Fiat - or the fact that it's a TVR and it's reputation preceeds itself.
Favourite on the list at the moment is the MX5, but I was put off by the lack of grunt and noise of the engine on a test drive. ...then I had a go in the wet and loved it. Very easy and very progressive. MX5 represents the best of the touble-free motoring given the age and make.
Edited by mattikake on Wednesday 12th December 13:53
mattikake said:
VX220, Elise, mk2 MX5, RX8, S2000, Supe or bottling out and returning to what I know - a 200sx
The thing that puts me of a Chim is the age - even older than my Fiat - or the fact that it's a TVR and it's reputation preceeds itself.
Favourite on the list at the moment is the MX5, but I was put off by the lack of grunt and noise of the engine on a test drive. ...then I had a go in the wet and loved it. Very easy and very progressive. MX5 represents the best of the touble-free motoring given the age and make.
Despite being a Chimaera owner - and loving it - if I was buying from that list?The thing that puts me of a Chim is the age - even older than my Fiat - or the fact that it's a TVR and it's reputation preceeds itself.
Favourite on the list at the moment is the MX5, but I was put off by the lack of grunt and noise of the engine on a test drive. ...then I had a go in the wet and loved it. Very easy and very progressive. MX5 represents the best of the touble-free motoring given the age and make.
S2K by a country mile. But you'll be paying more than 8K for the one you wanted.
Don't think TVR's reliability is any worse than Fiat's... (used to own a Fiat Cinquecento Sporting 
).
Thing about TVR ownership is that you will remember it in years to come. I drove mine every day for about 5 years. It has been about 4 years since I sold mine and I still remember how it felt to drive and how it sounded.
No other car that I've owned has given me this feeling (and I've owned quite a few powerful sports cars). For that feeling of passion, driving involvement and power, you won't get much this side of £10k.
).Thing about TVR ownership is that you will remember it in years to come. I drove mine every day for about 5 years. It has been about 4 years since I sold mine and I still remember how it felt to drive and how it sounded.
No other car that I've owned has given me this feeling (and I've owned quite a few powerful sports cars). For that feeling of passion, driving involvement and power, you won't get much this side of £10k.Hi mattikake
I was in the same position as you 6 weeks ago. I also posted on here after getting the wrong impression that everybody had issues. As has previously been said it is the nature of this forum as it is with all others.
One thing to remember and consider is how many negative comments and owners throwing their toys out of their prams are on this forum. I havent read one yet . Everybody seems to love their TVRs . I have had mine for 4-5 weeks and its true that I am just getting past the stage when I am waiting and looking for things to go wrong. None yet.
Their reputation preceeds them.
As one comment on here finally convinced me ' You are a long Time dead '
so go for it!!
Trevor
I was in the same position as you 6 weeks ago. I also posted on here after getting the wrong impression that everybody had issues. As has previously been said it is the nature of this forum as it is with all others.
One thing to remember and consider is how many negative comments and owners throwing their toys out of their prams are on this forum. I havent read one yet . Everybody seems to love their TVRs . I have had mine for 4-5 weeks and its true that I am just getting past the stage when I am waiting and looking for things to go wrong. None yet.
Their reputation preceeds them.
As one comment on here finally convinced me ' You are a long Time dead '
so go for it!!
Trevor
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