PH Fleet Update: Chimaera 4.0 And Others
Garlick's fleet just keeps changing; here's the current stable
It’s been a while since I last discussed my garage on PH, and since that time a few things have changed. Some have left, some remain and one is soon to arrive, so here’s a brief overview of the current fleet with more details on some to follow later this year.
Sadly departed
As a result, the S2 was cleaned and advertised on PistonHeads for £4000 and, as I looked at the immaculate Porsche outside my house every day, I must admit that I felt a twinge of regret. It had been a great car to drive, utterly reliable and still fast enough to cope with current sports cars. As an added bonus it was even finished in ‘back in fashion’ white. I sold the car for the asking price (after fitting new front discs to cure a judder under braking for the buyer) and waved it off into sunset with a heavy heart.
Estates do come in handy
At MOT time I entrusted the car to a local Merc specialist and paced around the office waiting for news, with thoughts of big bills at the back of my mind. When the call came in about 1 hour after leaving it with them to say it has passed needing only a headlight adjustment, I was ecstatic to say the least. This good news meant that my total outlay for the 124 since owning was under £100 and that’s a new record for a car owned by me. This may change soon as I need to fit a new heater valve as the old one has become stuck in position. That aside, this car looks and almost drives like new, I'm finding it useful to have an estate car and the best news is that used values seem to be going up too.
Ah, British winters....
Bring the noise
In fact it's a sheer pleasure to own a TVR: the fact that you can burble along with the Mrs in the car, attack your favourite B-Road, commute in traffic or make ears bleed through tunnels only goes to show how universally capable these cars are. I would question whether any other car can offer this mix...
Saying that, I keep looking at Corvettes in the classifieds and consider changing the Chimaera for one later this year, the trouble is that as soon as I go anywhere in the Chim that thought seems truly ridiculous.
Lexus LS400: Finally I need to welcome a new arrival, so new in fact that I haven’t collected it yet. In a moment of Christmas break madness I enquired after a 1997 LS400 that was advertised in our classifieds and bought it. I have this rather foolish idea that using a 4.0 V8 as a daily drive is a good idea, despite the current fuel prices, but if I’m honest the only reason I bought it was to scratch an itch I’ve had for the Japanese Merc for a long time. Let’s hope the reality is as good as the dream……..
It was a trippy experience to ride in - easily quieter and smoother than a contemporary Rolls but driving it was a very strange experience - it wasn't designed for the driver - in fact it was also pretty much contemporary Rolls - MB had nothing on it at the time.
At the moment the LS is an addition, but I'll keep you posted. Once I've lived with it for a while I'll do a proper report too.
Never owned a 400. Had a GS300 because I thought it'd be more practical in the UK - easier to park - but it was a bit of a disappointment. It wasn't quite as refined and had really dead, handling, with a lot of understeer. Also, even back then in the mid nineties, I experienced the issue of the floor mat jamming the throttle - for which the marque has just been heftily fined in the US. (You'd think they'd have spotted and sorted that issue ages ago.)
Shame the brand can't shake off the Alan Partridge image though.
15mpg = shagged stat. Which is thankfully easy and cheap to change. If it takes ages (>5mins) to warm up that's the other symptom.
I read somewhere that Lexus has never ever supplied a replacement gearbox for a LS. And over it's 15yrs it was the most reliable car ever, always at the top of the JD Power listings.
MK4 gained the 5 speed box, VVTi & 20bhp, and satnav. The Mk3 is quieter and arguably less ugly. A good one of either bought at the right price is THE barge bargain - everything else at 10yrs old+ will have potentially ruinous problems waiting to pounce on your wallet.
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