Can't Select 5th Gear on Chimaera 500

[aldawson]

Help! I''ve now had my Chimaera 500 for a whole one day and 250 miles. No problems whatsoever, until all of a sudden, 5th gear is not selectable - feels like the gate no longer exists or is blocked. The problem started just after I had reversed the car. Engine off, 5th gear is selectable so long as you select reverse first, but as soon as the car has been driven in 1st through to 4th, 5th has gone! Please help if you can, I want to play with my new toy while the sun is still shining!

[xain]

I hope you haven't fallen fould of the dodgy 5th gear on the Borg Warner boxes... It this while you're moving? Mine grauches if the speed difference is too much. Double-declutching helps a lot. Give it a try, when you change up from 4th (you are going from 4th right?) let the clutch out in neutral, then clutch down and change to 5th.

[aldawson]

Unfortunately nothing so straight forward. 5th gear cannot be selected at all - Christopher Neil TVR say that it's a gearbox out job just to find out what's wrong, so the car's probably going back to Fernhurst TVR where I bought it 4 days ago. Talk about in at the deep end in terms of TVR ownership. If anyone has any better ideas, please shout out soon!!!

[caro]

The only consolation I can offer is that Fernhurst have a very good reputation among those who post on this website - this should mean that thay take your problem seriously and treat you well in sorting it out. Good luck.

[aldawson]

Many thanks to all of you who have replied, however, I feel I must clarify a couple of details. Firstly, the car is not brand new; it is a 2000W with 5200 miles on the clock but not that that makes the gearbox problem any more likely or acceptable! Secondly, Fernhurst's response to the problem has been excellent. They have ordered a brand new gearbox from TVR, arranged for me to have it changed whilst I wait (3 hrs with 2 guys on the job), they're lending me a Tuscan for the afternoon while they do the job and filling my car with 97RON for my trouble. Perhaps I'm going soft, but baring in mind the fact that the car did not show the problem for the first 250 miles of my ownership, I believe their response is genuine and commendable. Anyone disagree?

[Marshy]

Nope, that's excellent. Nice to hear some stories fof good customer service.

[.mark]

In my opinion Fernhurts = Fantastic customer service. I firmly believe in top notch customer service and anywhere only gets 1 chance to get it right with me. I applaud Fernies excellent customer service.

[philr]

Good result. Well done to Fernies for the way they responded to this problem. Very impressive and such a refreshing change from some other dealers.

[aldawson]

Just to confirm that Fernhurst met and in fact exceeded all of their promises. The brand new gearbox was fitted and tested within 1h30! Brian, the workshop manager then inspected the car for anything else he could find to do whilst it was there! They fixed a slow electric window, changed the fan belt, and changed an intermittent handbrake warning microswitch without my request. The car was 'filled up' as promised and, having returned the Tuscan that Fernhurst had leant me, I was on my way home just 3 hours after my arrival. I simply cannot recommend Fernhurst TVR highly enough. I am certainly going to continue to use them for all my servicing, major work and car purchases even though I live in Shropshire! If you live in the South East there really cannot be anyone better! (No I don't work there or have any private equity invested in the company ... but I would certainly buy in if they were ever floated ...)