Cars in the 10-12k price range

[plewis66]

There are quite a few cropping up, now, and not just on PH, but in autotrader etc.

Does anyone have experience with a Chim bught in this price range? Some of them look quite tidy, but would I be buying a load of trouble?

[ohidunno]

I have a 1993 Chimaera that I have had for about 2 1/2 years and about 12,000 miles. In this time it has never left me stranded. The only problems of any note have been a failed speedo and a dead starter motor. I have been delighted with it.
It's in no way a guarantee but I took a lot of confidence from the previous owner having kept the car for seven years.

[simpo one]

You can get turkeys at any price. I suppose the cheaper the price the greater the chance of finding one - but at the end of the day it's the car that matters. You might indeed get a bargain - but do your research properly first. Suggest you get Steve Heath's 'bible' which has a section on buying Chim*s. Also pays to get to a TVRCC meeting and see some for real, talk to the owners etc.

Hope this helps.

[m142 yum]

Phil,

I bought a 95 recently for around the 13k mark. So far it's been reliable and no problems other than a blown headlight bulb. Now had it for 2 months.

It might be worth looking into what warrenties you can buy to try and take some of the risk/worry out of buying. Have a search on here to see whar companies are around.

[raceboy]

All TVR's are going cost you something to run every year something breaks/wears out sometimes it's just the things you expect to replace like tyres, then it's an ongoing saga of wishbones, shocks, clutch, starter motors, little electrical mishaps, etc
I've had my 94 Chimaera 4 years now, 2 years longer than I've kept any car previously, and every year it throws a new bill at me, and every year I say to myself 'well I may as well keep it a bit longer now' so I do and then next service something new has worn out
My car probably fits into your 10-12k price range, although I'd be aiming for near 12 than 10 if I was selling, especially in this weather I know it's a sound car, but I also know next service it'll require some sort of work doing, hopefully not as much as the last service as that was just scary, £1.8k but that was a 12k service, 2 new tyres, 2 new shocks, new pads and disks all round, new battery, Ht leads, dissy, de-catting , and I'm sure something else, the invoice was in volumes

[M@H]

plewis66 said:

Does anyone have experience with a Chim bught in this price range? Some of them look quite tidy, but would I be buying a load of trouble?

Mins is basically in this price range, and to be honest as long as you buy a well looked after early model it will be just as reliable as buying two year old model. the Rover engine will go for decades assuming its serviced regularly, and assuming someones kept the chassis waxoyled over the years you've got nothing to worry about. You can get a very nice, very driveable Chimaera for 11-12k these days.

See years of history of mine here, its cost me £183 to maintain for the last year and that includes 2 tyres, although it will be off for a standard service soon:

www.pistonheads.com/members/showcar.asp?carId=3768

Cheers,
Matt.


>> Edited by M@H on Friday 8th August 12:59

>> Edited by M@H on Friday 8th August 13:01

[pbrettle]

In reality mines probably worth around £10K - £12K. Its not because the car is a lemon or that it is in bad condition, its simply due to the fact that in two areas in which people seem to place "value" it fails - the front-end paintwork and the leather interior. Both of these need re-doing but are certainly servicable in their current state - in fact I am somewhat loathed to do the front-end stone chips at the moment cos I am going to get loads more anyway, and the leather seats are VERY comfortable at the moment and re-triming them doesnt really add anything....

Other than that mine is solid, has PAS, uprated brakes, uprated suspension and uprated clutch. I have had a couple of comments that the engine is one of the smoothest people have heard and that the idle is fantastically smooth (though I still think its rough). So it should be worth more, but unfortunately it isnt so its actually a bit of a bargain....

So just goes to show that there are bargains to be had if you are prepared to look around and not be swayed by appearance alone....

[plewis66]

Thanks guys.

I've been running a 350i as my daily driver for six months, now, covering 9000 miles (eek!). I had started to think that when i moved up, it would be straight to a 5Litre Grimaera (couldn't decide).

My first TVR experience was with a Chim, and I have this deep, deep need to own one, so now I'm thinking why wait the 12-18 months before I can afford a decent 500? Why not move up the ladder rung by rung, and get that Chim I've always desired sooner rather than later?

This really gives me food for thought, I recon I could be sat behind the whee of a 4ltr Chim within months...