i want a chimaera please

[birdistheword]

Hi chaps - first post so hope you can assist. Looking for the above, i've got about 7k ish to spend and want a good one. Can i get this or am i expecting too much ? HELP Cheers

[walt762]

7k won't get you a "show car" but will if you are careful get you a reasonable Chim.

The most important thing to check is the chassis particularly behind the front wheels, these can be repaired but it is approx. £1200.

The engines are pretty strong & electrical niggles are common but fixable.

You should make use of the search facility here as all the topics have been discussed at length before.
Also check here for a guide http://www.chimaerapages.com/resources_buyers.php

[Speedracer329]

Depends how strict you are with your "wish list" of things, i.e, colour, spec, engine size.

There is a green one (400) in the classified just now for £6.5k. The colour is fab in the flesh, & it is a good solid car. I viewed it & the only reason I didn't buy it was I thought I needed a 500. If I had known then how different cars drive I would have bought it.

[lestershaw]

HI Speedracer, how do you mean ( how different cars drive?) i bought a 4 litre in january and loved it so much i sold it and bought a 5 litre. i think the 5 5 litre is noticably quicker and i am super pleased i bought the 500, although it was probably a better car overall :-)
Birdistheword, there was a 5.0 litre for sale in the pistonheads ads for £7500 seemed ok, and maybe one to look at, use Rob Ingleby or James Agger. if the car is good you have saved money, if a few problems then a bartering point, which is no problem as you will have to spend money some time in the next year or two of ownership :-)
Lester

[birdistheword]

thanks guys, the search has started !! Where are those cars advertised ?

[ph1l5]

birdistheword said:

thanks guys, the search has started !! Where are those cars advertised ?

Classifieds



http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/list.asp?s=1

[Chris71]

Try and find an early 430. A bit of haggling should get you a mechanically sound one for £7k. As fast as the 450, one of the rarest models and arguably nicer (revvier, more responsive) engine characteristics than any of the others ... the real bargain of the Chimaera range IMHO.

Do make sure you have a contingency fund. They're fundamentally pretty reliable cars, but big failures can cost quite a bit to put right.

Oh, and don't rule out ex-Cat D cars at that price. If they've been properly repaired, and looked after subsequently, they can be as good as a restored 'original' and the stigma keeps the prices down.

[TVR keith]

Nice one here, it's mine!
Sorry a bit above your budget though!

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2715615.htm

[Chris71]

TVR keith said:

Nice one here, it's mine!
Sorry a bit above your budget though!

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2715615.htm

I love that colour. But if your post aludes to an intention to sell it for the £7,000 he's talking about then forget the OP, I'll buy it off you...

[JonyTVR]

Another vote for the 430, I recently git a very quick solid one for a lot less than your budget and is spot on, needs abit of love here and there if your fussy (which I am) and saw a nice looking one go on eBay for 6500 at the weekend.

I've also had a couple of total stale mates with 450's aswell.

Go and see a few even if they are not exactly what you want just to gauge what is good and bad about each car.

[boobles]

birdistheword said:

thanks guys, the search has started !! Where are those cars advertised ?

Under the TVR section I would have thought!

[Speedracer329]

lestershaw said:

HI Speedracer, how do you mean ( how different cars drive?)

Hi Lester, I mean that I test drove a few when I was looking, & a good well sorted 400 will feel quicker than a not so well looked after 450, or even possibly a 500, although I didn't actually drive a 500. But I noticed that some cars had various clunks & rattles & sloppy drivetrains. The specific car I mentioned in my post felt very tight, sure footed, revved very smoothly, & generally felt loved & solid. I can only think it has not sold because it is a bit out of the way geographically. I have no vested interest in that car, I don't know the owner at all.
If I hadn't had a huge stroke of luck with the car I did buy, then I would have bought this one.

[cs174]

My old Chim is up for sale here: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2640438.htm

PM me if you want more info.

Colin

[birdistheword]

cheers for the helpful info boobles, are TVR's advertised in the classifieds and nowhere else then, no other websites, like auto trader, ebay etc. I appreciate all postings but not sarcasm.

[JonyTVR]

its probably not so much sarcasm but maybe that you seem to show no interest in doing any of the research work and hunting yourself? I know I spent ages reading up on them to try and understand the cars before I started looking.

anyway

basic 2 are Ebay and Here, there is also the TVRCC classifieds and sites like classic cars for sale.

[boobles]

birdistheword said:

cheers for the helpful info boobles, are TVR's advertised in the classifieds and nowhere else then, no other websites, like auto trader, ebay etc. I appreciate all postings but not sarcasm.

Where on earth would you expect to see cars advertised? Come on, isn't it common sense?


You managed to find PistonHeads & the TVR forum so you must be able to work out where a car would be advertised ffs.


With all due respect & take this as advice not sarcasm, but I feel you may struggle to find a decent one if you can't work out where such a specialist car/cars would be advertised. Stay clear of ebay for such cars & good luck in finding a decent one for 7k.

Edited by boobles on Wednesday 13th April 07:12

[Golflion]

birdistheword said:

Hi chaps - first post so hope you can assist. Looking for the above, i've got about 7k ish to spend and want a good one. Can i get this or am i expecting too much ? HELP Cheers

Here you go a friend owns this

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2711029.htm

[tvrlee]

Hi, this is my Chimaera thats up for sale as mentioned in one of the earlier posts, let me know if you are interested.

http://pistonheads.com/sales/2464313.htm

[birdistheword]

cheers boobles, i will stay away from ebay and such sites but am happy to report that i have found one. Just getting the once over from a local garage (brother in law) and then poss ready to buy ? Thanks for the postings

[boobles]

Excellent news & good luck with it all. Massive amounts of grin factor for you every single time you drive it. Don't forget one massive rule on here....