This mad thing...
Discussion
...called a TVR!
I want one!
Just spent the last two days lurking on this site, what a pleasure! Informative and patently friendly.
I have had various cars over time, and the V8 powered ones have always done it for me. My company is phasing out its car scheme in favour of an allowance and I need to change from the standard fare 3-series to something of my own choosing.
Here's the rub...
I feel the need for another V8.
The Chimaera does it for me.
Low annual mileage.
No Garage.
I would appreciate feedback from those of you who are everyday users of the TVR fix...
- How weatherproof are the Chimaera's?
- Any adverse effects due to long term outside exposure?
- What sort of mileage is average for a set of tyres?
- Done any long road trips? Comfort? (apart from space)
- How often are they stolen?
- How often are they vandalised by jealous non-owners?
- Best place to buy? (Looks like this forum...)
Any other comments would be gratefully received!
Thanks,
Aitch
(Life is too short for instant coffee)
I want one!
Just spent the last two days lurking on this site, what a pleasure! Informative and patently friendly.
I have had various cars over time, and the V8 powered ones have always done it for me. My company is phasing out its car scheme in favour of an allowance and I need to change from the standard fare 3-series to something of my own choosing.
Here's the rub...
I feel the need for another V8.
The Chimaera does it for me.
Low annual mileage.
No Garage.
I would appreciate feedback from those of you who are everyday users of the TVR fix...
- How weatherproof are the Chimaera's?
- Any adverse effects due to long term outside exposure?
- What sort of mileage is average for a set of tyres?
- Done any long road trips? Comfort? (apart from space)
- How often are they stolen?
- How often are they vandalised by jealous non-owners?
- Best place to buy? (Looks like this forum...)
Any other comments would be gratefully received!
Thanks,
Aitch
(Life is too short for instant coffee)
Mine has been left outside for years. It doesn't seem to suffer any worse than Audi/BMW although the soft top is looking a bit past it's best now (10 years old) but I suspect all rag tops would start to feel tired by then.
Rear tyres seem to last about 6-8K, fronts quite a bit more.
Long trips are ok in a Chimeara. Probably best try a late model as they are smoother/quieter (a bit) than the early ones (I can't hear the radio in mine at anything over 40mph).
Difficult to say how often they are stolen. They are pretty specialist and probably less likely than a BMW/VW etc. The only reason they are group 20 insurance is because the Insurance companies are frightened to death of GRP cars (although they are usually cheaper and easier to fix than Porsche etc .. you don't get the secondary body damage).
Vandalism can be a problem. I have had mine sprayed with graffiti and scratched (twice) all in 4 months although the previous 20 months I had none.
Best place to buy is wherever you can get the best quality, preferrably with a cast iron warranty. That way you can sort out every minor niggle at someone elses expense.
Non power steering models feel massively heavy in town but you get used to it pretty quickly and they have great feel.
The cars get hot in the summer, ok with the top down but can get uncomfortable when it's raining. My mate reckons air con was worth the extra ... although it's an expensive thing to go wrong.
Whatever you choose you owe it to yourself to give it a go. Enjoy
Rear tyres seem to last about 6-8K, fronts quite a bit more.
Long trips are ok in a Chimeara. Probably best try a late model as they are smoother/quieter (a bit) than the early ones (I can't hear the radio in mine at anything over 40mph).
Difficult to say how often they are stolen. They are pretty specialist and probably less likely than a BMW/VW etc. The only reason they are group 20 insurance is because the Insurance companies are frightened to death of GRP cars (although they are usually cheaper and easier to fix than Porsche etc .. you don't get the secondary body damage).
Vandalism can be a problem. I have had mine sprayed with graffiti and scratched (twice) all in 4 months although the previous 20 months I had none.
Best place to buy is wherever you can get the best quality, preferrably with a cast iron warranty. That way you can sort out every minor niggle at someone elses expense.
Non power steering models feel massively heavy in town but you get used to it pretty quickly and they have great feel.
The cars get hot in the summer, ok with the top down but can get uncomfortable when it's raining. My mate reckons air con was worth the extra ... although it's an expensive thing to go wrong.
Whatever you choose you owe it to yourself to give it a go. Enjoy
Chimaera was my first. And in order as asked I found teh following;
-Mine was perfectly weatherproof from day one and never leaked. Some are worse than others and you will hear of the odd leak.Check the car you are buying out well and you should be alright.
-If they are not looked after outside they will deteriarate like any car. The fabric hood being in need of most car. Autoglym do a great fabric hood car kit that makes the water beed off and protects them from UV. You would probebly keep it like new if this was done every couple of months. Asuming it's not parked under a sappy tree, which would wreck any car.
-With pretty hard driving and a track day I got nearly 16,000miles on SO2s, it was my only everyday car.
-They are very good longdistance cruisers, I took mine from the midlands to Switzerland via Belgium,Luzumbourg,Germany and the Austrian alps. The whole trip was done in 4-5days. It will though be noiser than your BMW.
-As long as you take care about were you park and never leave anything visible in the car you should be fine, I've parked mine in some very grotty areas and been okay. Most peoples attitudes to TVRs are very possitive.
-If you buy private make sure you get your car checked by someone who knows TVRs
Anyhow hope it helps. I ran a Chimaera as my only car and they are very practical with a huge boot. If you want to talk about them give your number on e-mail and I'll ring you later today.
-Mine was perfectly weatherproof from day one and never leaked. Some are worse than others and you will hear of the odd leak.Check the car you are buying out well and you should be alright.
-If they are not looked after outside they will deteriarate like any car. The fabric hood being in need of most car. Autoglym do a great fabric hood car kit that makes the water beed off and protects them from UV. You would probebly keep it like new if this was done every couple of months. Asuming it's not parked under a sappy tree, which would wreck any car.
-With pretty hard driving and a track day I got nearly 16,000miles on SO2s, it was my only everyday car.
-They are very good longdistance cruisers, I took mine from the midlands to Switzerland via Belgium,Luzumbourg,Germany and the Austrian alps. The whole trip was done in 4-5days. It will though be noiser than your BMW.
-As long as you take care about were you park and never leave anything visible in the car you should be fine, I've parked mine in some very grotty areas and been okay. Most peoples attitudes to TVRs are very possitive.
-If you buy private make sure you get your car checked by someone who knows TVRs
Anyhow hope it helps. I ran a Chimaera as my only car and they are very practical with a huge boot. If you want to talk about them give your number on e-mail and I'll ring you later today.
Aitch,
All good questions these. That's what I think:
- How weatherproof are the Chimaera's?
If kept outside all the time, the hood needs to be waterproofed once or twice a year - plenty of advice on this site. My car is always but I am using a hood cover from Leven, which does a great job.
- Any adverse effects due to long term outside exposure?
Nothing so far but I guess I haven't had the car long enough to comment (4 months). From what I have read on this site, no-one seems to report problems linked to long term outside exposure. I suppose that's probably because most us spend far to much time cleaning and polishing our cars
- What sort of mileage is average for a set of tyres?
That's completely down to your driving, but I guess you can expect anything between 5k and 10k - far less if you do track days.
- Done any long road trips? Comfort? (apart from space)
My Chimaera is veryconfortable in terms of positions, etc. Only 'downside' is that it is quite loud over 100 mph - very enjoyable when going for a short blast, but could be tiring after 5-6 hours of driving. Me? well I have just given up the CD player to listen to the engine
- How often are they stolen?
Never heard/read about a stolen Chimaera or TVR for that matter.
- How often are they vandalised by jealous non-owners?
There have been some cases of vandalism reported on this site. Strangely enough they seem to happen in the less likely places (posh Windsor rather than dodgy areas). I think most of us would agree that TVR are less prone to vandalism than more common German engineered vehicle (you know the 'P' wod!
- Best place to buy? (Looks like this forum...)
Yup, this forum would be a good place to start. Also you may want to check Adrian Blyth web site (usulally there is link from PH's Home Page.
Come on, you know it makes sense !
Cheers
Roms
All good questions these. That's what I think:
- How weatherproof are the Chimaera's?
If kept outside all the time, the hood needs to be waterproofed once or twice a year - plenty of advice on this site. My car is always but I am using a hood cover from Leven, which does a great job.
- Any adverse effects due to long term outside exposure?
Nothing so far but I guess I haven't had the car long enough to comment (4 months). From what I have read on this site, no-one seems to report problems linked to long term outside exposure. I suppose that's probably because most us spend far to much time cleaning and polishing our cars
- What sort of mileage is average for a set of tyres?
That's completely down to your driving, but I guess you can expect anything between 5k and 10k - far less if you do track days.
- Done any long road trips? Comfort? (apart from space)
My Chimaera is veryconfortable in terms of positions, etc. Only 'downside' is that it is quite loud over 100 mph - very enjoyable when going for a short blast, but could be tiring after 5-6 hours of driving. Me? well I have just given up the CD player to listen to the engine
- How often are they stolen?
Never heard/read about a stolen Chimaera or TVR for that matter.
- How often are they vandalised by jealous non-owners?
There have been some cases of vandalism reported on this site. Strangely enough they seem to happen in the less likely places (posh Windsor rather than dodgy areas). I think most of us would agree that TVR are less prone to vandalism than more common German engineered vehicle (you know the 'P' wod!
- Best place to buy? (Looks like this forum...)
Yup, this forum would be a good place to start. Also you may want to check Adrian Blyth web site (usulally there is link from PH's Home Page.
Come on, you know it makes sense !
Cheers
Roms
Agree with all of that -- especially the vandalism. I've had my Chimaera for 3.5 years, and the only vandalism it suffered was in, yes, Windsor. It was a quiet country lane and some b*gger broke a window to nick the radar detector -- which wasn't even on view.
But it spent two years on the street in Tufnell Park (inner London) without hassle. And all the car ever got was admiration from locals and kids (at least when I was around!).
Go figure.
>> Edited by manek on Tuesday 26th March 11:30
But it spent two years on the street in Tufnell Park (inner London) without hassle. And all the car ever got was admiration from locals and kids (at least when I was around!).
Go figure.
>> Edited by manek on Tuesday 26th March 11:30
I agree with all that. The hood can leak, but if it is regularly waterproofed (with Fabsil, or the AutoGlym product) then is fine.
A good investment is the Leven hood cover (see www.leventechnology.co.uk/tvr_misc.htm) as it covers the fabric roof and totally waterproffs it (and keeps the car contents safe from prying eyes) without the worry of the "wet 'n' dry sandpaper effect on the paintwork" that you get with all-over covers. Its a bit pricey at £150 but well worth it. If you're haggling over price with the dealer then try to get them to throw one in to clinch the sale (worth a go!).
Best of luck. Oh, and DON'T BUY THE FIRST ONE YOU DRIVE. I did. The temptation is enormous.
Regards
Jon
97R Chimaera 500
A good investment is the Leven hood cover (see www.leventechnology.co.uk/tvr_misc.htm) as it covers the fabric roof and totally waterproffs it (and keeps the car contents safe from prying eyes) without the worry of the "wet 'n' dry sandpaper effect on the paintwork" that you get with all-over covers. Its a bit pricey at £150 but well worth it. If you're haggling over price with the dealer then try to get them to throw one in to clinch the sale (worth a go!).
Best of luck. Oh, and DON'T BUY THE FIRST ONE YOU DRIVE. I did. The temptation is enormous.
Regards
Jon
97R Chimaera 500
On the tyre front (although a Griff, not a Chimaera), I have had about 15k from rear S02s (expecting another month or two before replacing) and at least 19k from the front.
I don't consider I am particularly soft on them, and they have worn very evenly.
5 to 10k must take some doing???
I don't consider I am particularly soft on them
, and they have worn very evenly. 5 to 10k must take some doing???
quote:
A good investment is the Leven hood cover (see www.leventechnology.co.uk/tvr_misc.htm) as it covers the fabric roof and totally waterproffs it (and keeps the car contents safe from prying eyes) without the worry of the "wet 'n' dry sandpaper effect on the paintwork" that you get with all-over covers. Its a bit pricey at £150 but well worth it.
The hood cover I got from Tower View was nearer £30 ish. Full cover would have been nearer £150. Haven't seen the Leven one close up and it might be quite different, but I haven't had any probs with the Tower View one.
Weatherproofing ... If the car is set up right it will be completely waterproof. I bought my Chim off a mate who wasn't too sharp when it came to cars. He was always scooping water out of the car as he had been told "they all do that, sir". Net result was the carpets have faded (due to UV exposure too no doubt) and the car used to smell like dog piss. Couple cans of Fabsil later, and the problem was sorted. This is just one example of a general point: these cars are as reliable and practical as the owner is. If you don't mind using your brain occaisionally to anticipate a problem and get it sorted, then these cars won't let you down.
Also, I too have never heard of one being nicked.
As for long journeys, I've never had a problem with practicality and comfort. They certainly get pretty noisey at speed, and this can be a pain on the motorway, but then again, it does tend to keep me from straying too far above 80mph for any length of time and thus protects my license. Every now and then of course... :>. Also, you will find it very difficult to go to sleep in one of these.
Also, I too have never heard of one being nicked.
As for long journeys, I've never had a problem with practicality and comfort. They certainly get pretty noisey at speed, and this can be a pain on the motorway, but then again, it does tend to keep me from straying too far above 80mph for any length of time and thus protects my license. Every now and then of course... :>. Also, you will find it very difficult to go to sleep in one of these.
quote:Its very heavy-huty PVC and double stitched. Fits the cockpit area exactly and has flags at the front and back that you pass under the bonnet and boot respectively and straps that loop under the wingmirrors so that it is secured all the way round - won't lift in wind or driving rain.
Haven't seen the Leven one close up
I don't know what the Tower View one looks like, so maybe we can show each other our respective hood covers when we next meet - Castle Combe on the 1st perhaps?
Regards
Jon
quote:Yep, been there. Had a succession of 'specialists' advocating seals, membranes, rubbers, god knows what else. Had the carpets replaced (under warranty). Finally took the car to Dave Batty who asked when the car had last been Fabsil'd. I've had the car since August last year and I haven't done it. Dave says "well, you can fit all the seals and membranes you want, but if the hood isn't waterproof then its going to leak". Net result - car booked in with Dave for hood to be waterproofed plus some other stuff I need doing.
... Chim ...carpets have faded ... used to smell like dog piss ... couple cans of Fabsil
Been there, done that. Chimaera was leaky when I got it, and I went through some rigmarole with the dealer trying to get it sorted. Was even accused by dealer owner of not being able to assemble the roof properly.
Then I read about fabsil on here, and it's been almost bone dry ever since. I say almost... the exceptions tend to be when I get a bit enthusiastic with the hosepipe when washing it.
Then I read about fabsil on here, and it's been almost bone dry ever since. I say almost... the exceptions tend to be when I get a bit enthusiastic with the hosepipe when washing it.
All,
Thanks for all the responses to my queries and particular thanks to those of you who mailed me directly and made time on the 'phone to talk TVR's!
I have my first test drive this weekend...
I must say, I think its a done deal, I will own a TVR fairly soon, just a question of finding the right one.
Thanks again!
Aitch
Thanks for all the responses to my queries and particular thanks to those of you who mailed me directly and made time on the 'phone to talk TVR's!
I have my first test drive this weekend...
I must say, I think its a done deal, I will own a TVR fairly soon, just a question of finding the right one.
Thanks again!
Aitch
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