Anyone with an s2000 thinking of a Chim?
Discussion
I've been looking at these with a friend (for him not me) and I'm very impressed. I was surprised at how much fun it is, probably the 400 Chim is faster, well it feels more brutal than the little Honda lets say but still it was great great fun. The speed didnt really come into what impressed me about it, it was just fun. Same as the Chim is really.
Only got to drive in town and on motorway so if anyone out there knows anybody with an s2000 who fancies trying a Chim, I'd quite like to try the Honda a bit more. Who knows I might even be tempted to swap!
Only got to drive in town and on motorway so if anyone out there knows anybody with an s2000 who fancies trying a Chim, I'd quite like to try the Honda a bit more. Who knows I might even be tempted to swap!
I've got a chim, and took a S2000 for a couple of test drives last year but didnt really see the appeal. Admittedly it was fun once you get to 6000rpm but it felt quite sluggish at anything under that when driving around town for example. Also there's nowhere near as much luggage space as in the chim, it doesn't sound as good and no one looks at you!
Yeah I agree about the looks. Much less boot space agreed also although it's roof doesn't have to go in there so at least its the same top up or down. I did go very fast in it using the redline in every gear except 5th and 6th and I drove it in town and never noticed a lack of torque in either situation. I mean it wasn't strong don't get me wrong but it didn't lack anything IMO it was just 2.0 4cyl feeling to me with added mentalness at the top
This is what my mate Speedtwelve wrote about his, I'm sure he'll be along soon to add his tuppence worth.
"Had my shortlist down to an RX8, Impreza WRX and the S2K. Decided on the Honda through looks, noise, on-cam performance and that 9000rpm redline.
Snickety short-throw gearbox, sufficient torque when off-VTEC to make progress, bonkers performance and chainsaw soundtrack when VTECing to 9000rpm. Steering direct and high-geared (although not as direct as my Eunos Roadster was) with excellent turn-in, but particularly lacking in feel. Well-built, looks great, particularly from the front.
Traded it after 4 months for the TVR. Although the S2000 was a great car, I decided that it was just too sensible and clinical for a sports car, and went for the hairy-arsed V8 that I secretly wanted in the first place along with an Alfa for more sensible daily duties."
Just don't ask him about the Alfa :-)
Mark
"Had my shortlist down to an RX8, Impreza WRX and the S2K. Decided on the Honda through looks, noise, on-cam performance and that 9000rpm redline.
Snickety short-throw gearbox, sufficient torque when off-VTEC to make progress, bonkers performance and chainsaw soundtrack when VTECing to 9000rpm. Steering direct and high-geared (although not as direct as my Eunos Roadster was) with excellent turn-in, but particularly lacking in feel. Well-built, looks great, particularly from the front.
Traded it after 4 months for the TVR. Although the S2000 was a great car, I decided that it was just too sensible and clinical for a sports car, and went for the hairy-arsed V8 that I secretly wanted in the first place along with an Alfa for more sensible daily duties."
Just don't ask him about the Alfa :-)
Mark
Mark_S_24 said:
This is what my mate Speedtwelve wrote about his, I'm sure he'll be along soon to add his tuppence worth.
"Had my shortlist down to an RX8, Impreza WRX and the S2K. Decided on the Honda through looks, noise, on-cam performance and that 9000rpm redline.
Snickety short-throw gearbox, sufficient torque when off-VTEC to make progress, bonkers performance and chainsaw soundtrack when VTECing to 9000rpm. Steering direct and high-geared (although not as direct as my Eunos Roadster was) with excellent turn-in, but particularly lacking in feel. Well-built, looks great, particularly from the front.
Traded it after 4 months for the TVR. Although the S2000 was a great car, I decided that it was just too sensible and clinical for a sports car, and went for the hairy-arsed V8 that I secretly wanted in the first place along with an Alfa for more sensible daily duties."
Just don't ask him about the Alfa :-)
Mark
I agree with this "Had my shortlist down to an RX8, Impreza WRX and the S2K. Decided on the Honda through looks, noise, on-cam performance and that 9000rpm redline.
Snickety short-throw gearbox, sufficient torque when off-VTEC to make progress, bonkers performance and chainsaw soundtrack when VTECing to 9000rpm. Steering direct and high-geared (although not as direct as my Eunos Roadster was) with excellent turn-in, but particularly lacking in feel. Well-built, looks great, particularly from the front.
Traded it after 4 months for the TVR. Although the S2000 was a great car, I decided that it was just too sensible and clinical for a sports car, and went for the hairy-arsed V8 that I secretly wanted in the first place along with an Alfa for more sensible daily duties."
Just don't ask him about the Alfa :-)
Mark
that's good opinion of the S2000 
so long as no one pipes up and says that the TVR is just as reliable 
as for Alfa Romeo 
what a pile of poor quality nuts & bolts and the less said about the electrics 
Edited by Simon says on Monday 28th February 19:45
Hi I am looking at buying a chim in the next 3-4 months depending on what comes up, I currently have an s2000 I have had it for over 18 months and it has been a fantastic car but I really have a TVR itch that I must scratch and the chim fits the bill perfectly, great looks and that v8 sound! I cannot wait!
I see Mark S 24 has got in there already with some quotes of mine!
As a 'fun' car the Chimaera has the S2000 licked. There's nothing to beat the 21-gun fusilade on the overrun as you drive through Marlborough on a Sunday afternoon. It's a rarer, more 'special' place to sit. The TVR community is great, been to quite a few meets and runs. Although the performance of an S2k and Chim 400 are similar when on-cam, the area under the torque-curve on the TVR means that there is far more exploitable performance available. I drove both back-back when I test drove my Chim, and for the first time my S2000 felt curiously gutless on the way home.
A few other considerations: everybody is positive about the TVR. Chavs, old blokes in petrol stations, hot blondes in Boxsters at the traffic lights... I had a few negative experiences in the S2000, both in traffic and when making progress on the open road; I reckoned the public thought I was being a 'flash b
d'. By comparison, make as much noise and as many safe overtakes as you like in the Tiv, people just lower their windows to listen to the racket as you go past. On the other hand, the S2000 was very well engineered and completely reliable. The Chimaera has cost my £5k so far in maint, although the complete engine rebuild was a tad unlucky...
Buy a TVR, S2000 people, you know it makes sense.
As a 'fun' car the Chimaera has the S2000 licked. There's nothing to beat the 21-gun fusilade on the overrun as you drive through Marlborough on a Sunday afternoon. It's a rarer, more 'special' place to sit. The TVR community is great, been to quite a few meets and runs. Although the performance of an S2k and Chim 400 are similar when on-cam, the area under the torque-curve on the TVR means that there is far more exploitable performance available. I drove both back-back when I test drove my Chim, and for the first time my S2000 felt curiously gutless on the way home.
A few other considerations: everybody is positive about the TVR. Chavs, old blokes in petrol stations, hot blondes in Boxsters at the traffic lights... I had a few negative experiences in the S2000, both in traffic and when making progress on the open road; I reckoned the public thought I was being a 'flash b
d'. By comparison, make as much noise and as many safe overtakes as you like in the Tiv, people just lower their windows to listen to the racket as you go past. On the other hand, the S2000 was very well engineered and completely reliable. The Chimaera has cost my £5k so far in maint, although the complete engine rebuild was a tad unlucky...Buy a TVR, S2000 people, you know it makes sense.
You do get used to the speed of the chim, but you soon appreciate how quick it is when you jump into other cars and feel the difference. I quite like the S2000 especially as I had the Type-R some years back. If mileage isn't the issue I would go for the Chim anyday, but if it were my everyday car I would have to take the S2000.
I've not owned an S2000, but I did drive one of the last of the line examples. It was a very different experience to the Chim. Predictably very good on the sensible Japanese stuff, but a little light on charisma in comparison to the TVR - I wasn't a huge fan of the screaming 4-pot even.
But it's nimbler than the Chimaera, closer in performance than you might expect - our example did a surprisingly good job of keeping pace with the Elise SC we brought along - and significantly better built. I'd be quite tempted by one as an all round sports car, but I think it's a bit too clinical for a 'high days and holidays' toy as most TVRs are.
But it's nimbler than the Chimaera, closer in performance than you might expect - our example did a surprisingly good job of keeping pace with the Elise SC we brought along - and significantly better built. I'd be quite tempted by one as an all round sports car, but I think it's a bit too clinical for a 'high days and holidays' toy as most TVRs are.
cat@10 said:
I was between a Chim and S2000 when I bought my S, the main reason I went for the Honda was I don't have a garage so I opted for the car with a water tight roof. I'd love to try a TVR, it would have to be a daily drive and live on the driveway. So, how leaky are Chim roofs?
In general I don't know, but mine has lived on the drive since buying it in October. I have a breathable cover which goes on sometimes, but never a single leak with it on or without it. My mate has a S2K he bought new in 2002. I bought the Chim in 2005 and it was about 12 months after that when we first were out in our respective cars one following the other.
He was in the lead and as we exited a roundabout onto a straight stretch of road he was beginning to pull away alebit barely. I couldn't believe it and then I saw the front end of the S2 dip a couple of times and realised he's been stirring the box and I hadn't bothered changing down.
Completely different animals.
I love the torque of the Tiv along with the soundtrack and the driver involvement. The S2000 needs the box stirring and revving the bks off to give the performance needed for excitement.
I accept that most weekend I will be gluing/bolting/screwing or clippping something back on and that there are lots of improvements I can make but I'd sooner be doing that than polishing the damn car again.
TVR's are about involvement in a motoring related experience.
S2000's are just fast cars.
I'll keep the chim thanks! I may change for an S2K whne I'm too old/bored to keep fixing the chim bits back on.
He was in the lead and as we exited a roundabout onto a straight stretch of road he was beginning to pull away alebit barely. I couldn't believe it and then I saw the front end of the S2 dip a couple of times and realised he's been stirring the box and I hadn't bothered changing down.
Completely different animals.
I love the torque of the Tiv along with the soundtrack and the driver involvement. The S2000 needs the box stirring and revving the b
ks off to give the performance needed for excitement.I accept that most weekend I will be gluing/bolting/screwing or clippping something back on and that there are lots of improvements I can make but I'd sooner be doing that than polishing the damn car again.
TVR's are about involvement in a motoring related experience.
S2000's are just fast cars.
I'll keep the chim thanks! I may change for an S2K whne I'm too old/bored to keep fixing the chim bits back on.
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