Discussion
Hi everyone,
Looks like i'm going to have an unexpected bit of extra cash available at the end of Jan for a weekend toy.
I keep finding myself hovering around the chimaera section in the classifieds.
This one in particular:http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/706705.htm as its had some major work done already.
Am i mad to consider trying to run one of these for sensible money?. The other option would be an Elise but i really fancy a V8.
What do you reckon?
Looks like i'm going to have an unexpected bit of extra cash available at the end of Jan for a weekend toy.
I keep finding myself hovering around the chimaera section in the classifieds.
This one in particular:http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/706705.htm as its had some major work done already.
Am i mad to consider trying to run one of these for sensible money?. The other option would be an Elise but i really fancy a V8.
What do you reckon?
Seems ok.
There may be better out there, and IIRC silver isn't one of the most desireable colours. Full engine rebuild is good but engines are one of the most robust parts of these cars so it's everything else you need to look at closely.
There is a good buyers guide on www.chimaerapages.com
Look at a few for this sort of money and see how much difference there is between cars, I think you'll be surprised.
There may be better out there, and IIRC silver isn't one of the most desireable colours. Full engine rebuild is good but engines are one of the most robust parts of these cars so it's everything else you need to look at closely.
There is a good buyers guide on www.chimaerapages.com
Look at a few for this sort of money and see how much difference there is between cars, I think you'll be surprised.
Check the chassis!!!!!!
Check the chassis!!!!!!
Check the chassis!!!!!!
I checked the chassis when i bought mine and thought it was ok. It wasn't and its just cost me £3500 to get the chassis repaired and treated. It is like new now though, so more worries for a few years, but still painful on the wallet.
My advice is to pay a specialist to check it over. It'll be worth every penny.
Good Luck
Check the chassis!!!!!!
Check the chassis!!!!!!
I checked the chassis when i bought mine and thought it was ok. It wasn't and its just cost me £3500 to get the chassis repaired and treated. It is like new now though, so more worries for a few years, but still painful on the wallet.
My advice is to pay a specialist to check it over. It'll be worth every penny.
Good Luck
V8 Animal said:
Engine & Gearbox rebuild £9500
Car looks a good buy to me would'nt let my car go for that but that's another story.
Is it def £9.5k for just the engine and gearbox????Car looks a good buy to me would'nt let my car go for that but that's another story.
TBH, for £9.5k (personal pref), i would have dropped in a stage 3 4.6 with all the trimmings, and bagged a proper 300bhp!!
I just can't imagine any owner, who's car needs a rebuild, paying £9.5k for a 4ltr.
they did not even refurb the rocker covers 
buccal said:
The other option would be an Elise but i really fancy a V8.
What do you reckon?
Drive both. Especially the TVR. The differenc in TVR to TVR is massive, where in my (somewhat limited, I'll admit) the difference between Elise's is less. What do you reckon?
See what you like. The feedback on an Elise is second to now and the TVR will feel like an big armchair, compared to even a standard Elise. But when you look at the speedo, there will be signifigant difference in how fast you think you are going and how fast you are actually going.
The Chim, you'll think you are crusing along, when you're actually approaching some illegal speeds, where as the Elise you will feel like you're on a race track, but only doing 40.
The Chim is more comfortable, but the drive much more detatched. The Elise is solid, crashy, but feels much more intuitive.
But then I may just be talking rubbish...
Edited by Wildfire on Monday 22 December 16:43
Are you dead set on a Chimaera?
This was a very well sorted car last year, I see no reason for that to have changed significantly. It was a UK car, so I can't imagine transferring the plates back to UK plates is going to be that difficult.
Personally I don't like the wheels but it wouldn't cost much to change that.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/736296.htm
This was a very well sorted car last year, I see no reason for that to have changed significantly. It was a UK car, so I can't imagine transferring the plates back to UK plates is going to be that difficult.
Personally I don't like the wheels but it wouldn't cost much to change that.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/736296.htm
Like Barkychoc, I'd look at a V8S. Very little difference between them and a Chimaera besides the Chimaera is more refined and maybe slightly easier to live with. I'm not sure what your surrounding roads are like but S's are great fun, feels like a go-kart! In between of a Chimaera and Elise? Yeah, I'd say so.
Orophin said:
Like Barkychoc, I'd look at a V8S. Very little difference between them and a Chimaera besides the Chimaera is more refined and maybe slightly easier to live with. I'm not sure what your surrounding roads are like but S's are great fun, feels like a go-kart! In between of a Chimaera and Elise? Yeah, I'd say so.
Yep I would agree with this. Having come from a V6 S, then I can imagine that the V8 S is even more fun. Many owners for S's who switch to the Griff/Chim models often say that they do not feel as fast or lively as the S series, cars. If you get a good one then it is very easy to live with. Mine covered 90,000 and was still brilliant fun, water tight and ran very well. The interior was like new and overall the car was much better put together than many later cars I have seen.Thanks for the replies. I'd never thought of a V8S for some reason, might be a good compromise.
Always fancied a chimaera at some point so thinking now was the time to scratch that itch.
I'm based in SE London so looking for something to take out for a blast when i fancy it.
hmm back to the classifieds, V8S you say..............
Always fancied a chimaera at some point so thinking now was the time to scratch that itch.
I'm based in SE London so looking for something to take out for a blast when i fancy it.
hmm back to the classifieds, V8S you say..............
I bought my V8S and then that one came up in 2007 when Ducker bought it, I'd have bought that one if I'd seen it first.
They are quite a rare machine now - only 400 odd made originally, so you don't see them for sale in any quantity - parts all easy to get though.
£7k ish as in the link above will buy you a well sorted S, I think you'd have to compromise slightly with a Chimaera.
They are quite a rare machine now - only 400 odd made originally, so you don't see them for sale in any quantity - parts all easy to get though.
£7k ish as in the link above will buy you a well sorted S, I think you'd have to compromise slightly with a Chimaera.
Edited by Barkychoc on Monday 22 December 18:41
you could get one for 10k and spend 3k easy . this is the one !,a late car ,nice interior and looks like new .look at that guy with the red and white candy stripe interior ,he spent 3k just on that !i bet you could get at least 1k knocked off the car with a fist full of cash .
Edited by daz the plumber on Monday 22 December 19:27
Edited by daz the plumber on Monday 22 December 19:27
Edited by daz the plumber on Monday 22 December 19:28
daz the plumber said:
you want this one ,http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/426773.htm
Agreed Edited by daz the plumber on Monday 22 December 19:11
Out of my price range but i love this one too: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/752740.htm
Edited by buccal on Monday 22 December 19:46
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