New Chim 500 - 261 miles on
Discussion
Picked up technoviolet monster at 17:10 last night, 261 miles later, thought I'd share initial reactions (closest other cars I've had/got T5 and Discovery (same engine!!)
1. Stinks of resin and copydex - where's the leather smell??
2. Awesome overall impression - noise, reactive steering, purple and magnolia leather, dials and buttons all over the place, comfy seats, great driving position even tho I'm 6'2" and view down the channel in the bonnet - altho hadn't realised passenger foot space is much less than drivers - battery etc I suppose
3. Frustrating keeping it below 3000rpm - crept to 4000 once or twice and can see what it is going to be like
4. Should have got aircon - its going to be a hot 8u99er on a long trip, hot/ cold settings seem largely irrelevant
5. exhaust - great sound but not quite the racket i remember from the test drive - will it get louder??
6.Build quality - as I expected. ie:
1. some rubber soln glue on seats and carpets (assume will roll off when clean)
2. only driver side wiper squirts water
3. water coming in thru passenger air vent above gearbox tunnel and little square of carpet soaked (even weirder the 2 vents work differently - 1 closes when vent wheel rolled up, other one vice versa - obviously 1 is upside down)
4. driver side door window seal at base of window doesn't - just generally clogs window up and down - is set much lower in door frame than passenger side and should soon wear off so can be stuck back on. Have also discovered that hood seals are much better if shut door with windows slightly down then roll up - doesn't catch the squidgy rubber at top this way, BUT only works when get in - what about when getting out - can only do one side???
5. Are the dials different colours - ok in daylight (all magnolia) but at night the right 2 small ones (clock and something else) and right big dial (rev counter) look much brighter and white (lihgting pattern looks the same so don't think it's no. of bulbs etc)
Do you reckon this is it or will more crawl out of the woodwork??
Would appreciate some tips on following:
1. How the h311 do you get the roof in the boot... wide end at bottom or top, mohair facing back or front???
2. How do you get the inertia reel seat belts to inertia reel the belt back in... esp passenger side
3. where do your put left foot when cruising on motorway, under clutch pedal ok but ankle gets bit sore, resting on clutch pedal and foot angle too high - I know you can mess around with the box - can you adjust each pedal seperately, is it ok to rest foot on clutch if I can get it far enough down the footwell - seems stiff enough
Overall, good decision so far, can't wait to be run in and get some sunshine, although pi55ed off at people cutting me up - is this the norm in a car like this??
1. Stinks of resin and copydex - where's the leather smell??
2. Awesome overall impression - noise, reactive steering, purple and magnolia leather, dials and buttons all over the place, comfy seats, great driving position even tho I'm 6'2" and view down the channel in the bonnet - altho hadn't realised passenger foot space is much less than drivers - battery etc I suppose
3. Frustrating keeping it below 3000rpm - crept to 4000 once or twice and can see what it is going to be like
4. Should have got aircon - its going to be a hot 8u99er on a long trip, hot/ cold settings seem largely irrelevant
5. exhaust - great sound but not quite the racket i remember from the test drive - will it get louder??
6.Build quality - as I expected. ie:
1. some rubber soln glue on seats and carpets (assume will roll off when clean)
2. only driver side wiper squirts water
3. water coming in thru passenger air vent above gearbox tunnel and little square of carpet soaked (even weirder the 2 vents work differently - 1 closes when vent wheel rolled up, other one vice versa - obviously 1 is upside down)
4. driver side door window seal at base of window doesn't - just generally clogs window up and down - is set much lower in door frame than passenger side and should soon wear off so can be stuck back on. Have also discovered that hood seals are much better if shut door with windows slightly down then roll up - doesn't catch the squidgy rubber at top this way, BUT only works when get in - what about when getting out - can only do one side???
5. Are the dials different colours - ok in daylight (all magnolia) but at night the right 2 small ones (clock and something else) and right big dial (rev counter) look much brighter and white (lihgting pattern looks the same so don't think it's no. of bulbs etc)
Do you reckon this is it or will more crawl out of the woodwork??
Would appreciate some tips on following:
1. How the h311 do you get the roof in the boot... wide end at bottom or top, mohair facing back or front???
2. How do you get the inertia reel seat belts to inertia reel the belt back in... esp passenger side
3. where do your put left foot when cruising on motorway, under clutch pedal ok but ankle gets bit sore, resting on clutch pedal and foot angle too high - I know you can mess around with the box - can you adjust each pedal seperately, is it ok to rest foot on clutch if I can get it far enough down the footwell - seems stiff enough
Overall, good decision so far, can't wait to be run in and get some sunshine, although pi55ed off at people cutting me up - is this the norm in a car like this??
Oh, I'm sure a few more things will go wrong ...
Some answers to your questions...
1. general idea is curved side down , and mohair facing back. So ... when the panel is fitted, the curved side is to the front of the car. Take panel out and shove it in the bag (I generally do this as it makes it slightly less likely that any paint will get chipped off). You need to make sure the boot is clear all along the base of the fuel tank. Holding the panel curved side down, mohair towards you ... insert bottom left corner, into bottom left corner of boot, sliding it as far as you can to the left and to the back. Now carefully try to get the right hand bottom corner into the boot. If you can start to get the RHS in, then you are home and dry. Just work it back and forth a little and you'll soon have it up against the fuel tank. I find the trick is to get the bottom left corner pretty much in place before you worry about top left or any other corner. Left goes in first coz my spare wheel is on the right...
2. Belts tend to get sandwiched between the seat backs and the bulkhead behind them. If you have to have the seats fully back, as I do at 6ft4, sad though it is, you'll find if you lurch backwards and forwards in your seat like someone having a seizure, you'll temporarily unstick the strap and it'll get wound in. Better is not to have the seat fully back!
3. Not sure where my foot ends up. I tend to drive with my knees braced against either side. Two of the three pedals are easily adjustable. The pedals are mounted on a long bolt that runs back through the lever arm and is held in place with locking bolts. Free the locking nuts, and the pedal can be wound backwards and forwards. The clutch can definitely be adjusted this way. Whichever other pedal isn't on a bolt can nonetheless be adjusted, but the process is slightly more involved.
By the way, congratulations on your purchase. Hope it gives you as much fun as I've had since getting mine.
Some answers to your questions...
1. general idea is curved side down , and mohair facing back. So ... when the panel is fitted, the curved side is to the front of the car. Take panel out and shove it in the bag (I generally do this as it makes it slightly less likely that any paint will get chipped off). You need to make sure the boot is clear all along the base of the fuel tank. Holding the panel curved side down, mohair towards you ... insert bottom left corner, into bottom left corner of boot, sliding it as far as you can to the left and to the back. Now carefully try to get the right hand bottom corner into the boot. If you can start to get the RHS in, then you are home and dry. Just work it back and forth a little and you'll soon have it up against the fuel tank. I find the trick is to get the bottom left corner pretty much in place before you worry about top left or any other corner. Left goes in first coz my spare wheel is on the right...
2. Belts tend to get sandwiched between the seat backs and the bulkhead behind them. If you have to have the seats fully back, as I do at 6ft4, sad though it is, you'll find if you lurch backwards and forwards in your seat like someone having a seizure, you'll temporarily unstick the strap and it'll get wound in. Better is not to have the seat fully back!
3. Not sure where my foot ends up. I tend to drive with my knees braced against either side. Two of the three pedals are easily adjustable. The pedals are mounted on a long bolt that runs back through the lever arm and is held in place with locking bolts. Free the locking nuts, and the pedal can be wound backwards and forwards. The clutch can definitely be adjusted this way. Whichever other pedal isn't on a bolt can nonetheless be adjusted, but the process is slightly more involved.
By the way, congratulations on your purchase. Hope it gives you as much fun as I've had since getting mine.
Hello!
Congrats on your purchase, more smiles per mile than you ever thought possible are ahead of you!
In the last fortnight living with my Chim 450 (561 miles).
The smell does go
The heat aspect is handy if its cold and dry, get that roof off, adds many points to eccentricity rating whilst being nice and warm inside
When shutting doors from outside, hold top of door and top of window (not very handy when holding shopping/car keys/jacket etc) and the window will squeeze under the seal on the roof hard section.
The speedo is darker because of the amount of light, the mileometer shades the bulb. Apparently there is some sort of rheostat that can be adjusted/replaced but I am not that technical so cant tell you much more. Its normal though, they all seem to do it.
As for the roof when its off, it goes in mohair facing back or so I was told. Apparently its very easy to splinter the carbon fibre on the corner so its a fit in slightly flat then twist affair to avoid this.
The seatbelts do that on mine too, cant seem to find any explanation other than those over 6ft have to suffer it.
I bend my knee and bend it under the other leg when the road is clear on the motorway, obviously this is not ideal if they is any chance you will need the clutch!
As for other peoples reaction, some like it, smile and admire the car. Some people are small minded fools who feel like they are getting some kind of moral victory by cutting it up, gauding me into putting my foot down and general tailgating in everything for Nova 1.2 SR's to Mundano diesel estates. I recommend changing down into second, slowing down and taking in the engine note, that usually makes me smile and p!sses them off!
Welcome, and enjoy, they are wonderful cars!
Matt.
Edited by plotloss on Sunday 18th November 20:32
Congrats on your purchase, more smiles per mile than you ever thought possible are ahead of you!
In the last fortnight living with my Chim 450 (561 miles).
The smell does go
The heat aspect is handy if its cold and dry, get that roof off, adds many points to eccentricity rating whilst being nice and warm inside
When shutting doors from outside, hold top of door and top of window (not very handy when holding shopping/car keys/jacket etc) and the window will squeeze under the seal on the roof hard section.
The speedo is darker because of the amount of light, the mileometer shades the bulb. Apparently there is some sort of rheostat that can be adjusted/replaced but I am not that technical so cant tell you much more. Its normal though, they all seem to do it.
As for the roof when its off, it goes in mohair facing back or so I was told. Apparently its very easy to splinter the carbon fibre on the corner so its a fit in slightly flat then twist affair to avoid this.
The seatbelts do that on mine too, cant seem to find any explanation other than those over 6ft have to suffer it.
I bend my knee and bend it under the other leg when the road is clear on the motorway, obviously this is not ideal if they is any chance you will need the clutch!
As for other peoples reaction, some like it, smile and admire the car. Some people are small minded fools who feel like they are getting some kind of moral victory by cutting it up, gauding me into putting my foot down and general tailgating in everything for Nova 1.2 SR's to Mundano diesel estates. I recommend changing down into second, slowing down and taking in the engine note, that usually makes me smile and p!sses them off!
Welcome, and enjoy, they are wonderful cars!
Matt.
Edited by plotloss on Sunday 18th November 20:32
Hi there!
Well done, I'm sure you'll love your new beast!
About the exhaust sound... did you test drive it with the roof down? You'll hear much more noise when the roof is off... trust me, it may not sound as loud as it should do inside, but everyone outside will hear it loud and clear!
One you get used to driving it, you'll know how to make it sound its best! Around 2800 - 3000 revs you get the best note!
Enjoy!
Edited by ChimeraWolf on Monday 19th November 00:49
Well done, I'm sure you'll love your new beast!
About the exhaust sound... did you test drive it with the roof down? You'll hear much more noise when the roof is off... trust me, it may not sound as loud as it should do inside, but everyone outside will hear it loud and clear!
One you get used to driving it, you'll know how to make it sound its best! Around 2800 - 3000 revs you get the best note!
Enjoy!
Edited by ChimeraWolf on Monday 19th November 00:49
"3. water coming in thru passenger air vent above gearbox tunnel and little square of carpet soaked (even weirder the 2 vents work differently - 1 closes when vent wheel rolled up, other one vice versa - obviously 1 is upside down) "
Not sure about the water - I guess you mean dribbles rather than floods. But one vent is 'upside down' like this on all Chimaeras I think - mine is an it's an old cronky '95 model.
T/.
Not sure about the water - I guess you mean dribbles rather than floods. But one vent is 'upside down' like this on all Chimaeras I think - mine is an it's an old cronky '95 model.
T/.
Thanks for all your ideas - really helpful to maintain "its quirky" attitude and not get cross because its not built like a porsche - door closing etc now understood. Good idea on the keeping notebook
Another 60 miles tonight.
Water coming in to heater vent may be from windscreen squirters, now noticed that not much coming from drivers wiper either now although can hear it pumping and its obviously going somewhere and ingress gets worse - could the washer bottle be attached to the heater???
Irritating squeak developed just behind seats - sounds like two bits of wet polystyrene rubbing together - any ideas
Have also discovered windows down and double de-clutch/accelerate is compulsory in tunnels
Another 60 miles tonight.
Water coming in to heater vent may be from windscreen squirters, now noticed that not much coming from drivers wiper either now although can hear it pumping and its obviously going somewhere and ingress gets worse - could the washer bottle be attached to the heater???
Irritating squeak developed just behind seats - sounds like two bits of wet polystyrene rubbing together - any ideas
Have also discovered windows down and double de-clutch/accelerate is compulsory in tunnels
1. How the hell do you get the roof in the boot... wide end at bottom or top, mohair facing back or front???
standing at the back of the boot place it leading edge (the edge that fits the windsceeen) down and fabric to the front so the curvature of the roof faces backwards. It help to slide the bottom back at an angle so it kind of leans forwards. In fact I only had a Chimeara for a few weeks and I seem to remember it is quite easy so try this method and see how you get on.
The reel is quite sensitive to being level i.e. horizontal. One of mine was fitted slightly off level and it worked much better when I straigtened it.
Contratulations, and welcome to the fold!
The air vents are the same unit flipped over, so yes one is upside down. No idea which though!
Seat belts will always be a niggle. Not convinced its a height thing, my titchy wife is regularly held captive by them. On some regular journeys I got used to leaning forward slightly before braking for a junction, otherwise when I came to a stop the belt would not let me move to see if the coast was clear.
The speedo has one less bulb than the rev counter, because the mileometer is where the second bulb should be. Some people have fitted a brighter buld to compensate apparently, I've yet to get round to it.
You get used to the TVR whiff, it will never go completely. Unless it is replaced by the other TVR whiff, musty carpets!
Cheers!
The air vents are the same unit flipped over, so yes one is upside down. No idea which though!
Seat belts will always be a niggle. Not convinced its a height thing, my titchy wife is regularly held captive by them. On some regular journeys I got used to leaning forward slightly before braking for a junction, otherwise when I came to a stop the belt would not let me move to see if the coast was clear.
The speedo has one less bulb than the rev counter, because the mileometer is where the second bulb should be. Some people have fitted a brighter buld to compensate apparently, I've yet to get round to it.
You get used to the TVR whiff, it will never go completely. Unless it is replaced by the other TVR whiff, musty carpets!
Cheers!
JonRB and Cockers are exactly right, you'll even find pictures in the owners manual that comes with the car.
Do all Chimaeras have the fold out flap glued under the drivers side boot lip, that folds out over the bodywork to stop you damaging the paint when putting the roof in?
Simon at Fernies told me they called it the 'Fernies Flap' when i got mine from there, didn't know if he was being his usual jovial self or TVR fit them to all cars!
Do all Chimaeras have the fold out flap glued under the drivers side boot lip, that folds out over the bodywork to stop you damaging the paint when putting the roof in?
Simon at Fernies told me they called it the 'Fernies Flap' when i got mine from there, didn't know if he was being his usual jovial self or TVR fit them to all cars!
I wasn't aware of any such flap! (Doesn't mean its not there, mind)
I have the "musty carpet smell". And so does the car (boom boom). Seriously, my colleagues always know what car I've driven to work in as I smell of damp carpets if its the TVR. Hopefully this will soon be sorted as the car is going back to Hawthorns (again!) on Monday to be re-upholstered as the carpets are water damaged. I'm hoping that the smell will go when much of the carpet is replaced.
I have the "musty carpet smell". And so does the car (boom boom). Seriously, my colleagues always know what car I've driven to work in as I smell of damp carpets if its the TVR. Hopefully this will soon be sorted as the car is going back to Hawthorns (again!) on Monday to be re-upholstered as the carpets are water damaged. I'm hoping that the smell will go when much of the carpet is replaced.
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