TVR, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

[jpchenet]

Help please people.

I am toying with getting myself a "toy" and have been a long time admirer of TVR's. I am therefore contemplating a Chimera, probably a 450 or 500, second hand and willing to spend up to about £18,000.

A couple of people (who have never had one themselves I hasten to add) have told me a lot of stories about unreliability, bodywork problems etc etc. However, the owners I have spoken to love their cars. Judging by the number of them that we se at Le Mans each year they are not an unpopular choice.

Has anyone here got/had one and if so, what are your honest opinions on them. I'd like to hear all points of view, good stories, bad stories, warranty claims if bought from a TVR dealer. All info will be greatly appreciated.

TIA

[Le TVR]

I can honestly say that I havent bought any other make of car for over 14 years now.

I only wish that my girlfriend's and other friends BMWs, Renaults, VWs, Landrovers, Nissans etc... were half as reliable as the TVR, I could sell half my tool kit then

[raceboy]

If you scroll down a few inches on the Gassing station page you'll see the 'TVR section' the same question on there will give you a much better responce

[mellow_yellow]

I've had TVR's for about ten years, 350i and now a '95 Griff 500. To be honest I think the stories of unreliability are exaggerated. The only major problems I've had have been porous heads on the Griff (which TVR repaired at cost) and leaky radiators which seem to need replacing far more frequently than the average car.

I've never done huge mileage's in the Tivs, probably about 3500 per year, average maintenance on the Griff has been about £750 per annum including a servicing.

I've heard just as bad things about Ferraris and Lotus's, including the Elise. Porsches aren't immune either and when they do break the bills are terrifying.

If you've heard all the horror stories and are still considering a TVR then you sound like the kind of person who won't regret buying one.

£18K should get you a very nice Chimp.

[charlescrawley]

I am toying with getting myself a "toy" and have been a long time admirer of TVR's. I am therefore contemplating a Chimera, probably a 450 or 500, second hand and willing to spend up to about £18,000.

I am thinking of doing the exact same thing soon, although I will be wanting to export mine to Luxembourg and re-register it here. Does anyone know of any sites that might help me with this? I know it's a long-shot, but thought I'd ask...

Cheers,

Charles

[Rappa]

TVRMADS will help with the registering etc. I bought mine from them when I lived in Germany and brought it back here.