4.0 v 4.5 v 5.0 ???
Discussion
Hi All,
Still on the lookout for a Chim (just need to sell the Beemer) and having had identical insurance quotes for all three engine sizes, I am curious as to the difference in running costs for servicing/fuel/parts etc and just how much difference is there in performance, bearing in mind I am moving from a 140bhp heavy BMW!!
This is my first TVR but I don't want to get a 4.0, and then want more shortly afterwards....
What sort of MPGs can be realistically expected on an average run (50/50 urban and A roads)
Thanks in advance..
For sale, 1995 BMW 318is M Tech. www.pistonheads.com/ads/adverts.asp?s=132
TVR needed!
Still on the lookout for a Chim (just need to sell the Beemer) and having had identical insurance quotes for all three engine sizes, I am curious as to the difference in running costs for servicing/fuel/parts etc and just how much difference is there in performance, bearing in mind I am moving from a 140bhp heavy BMW!!
This is my first TVR but I don't want to get a 4.0, and then want more shortly afterwards....
What sort of MPGs can be realistically expected on an average run (50/50 urban and A roads)
Thanks in advance..
For sale, 1995 BMW 318is M Tech. www.pistonheads.com/ads/adverts.asp?s=132
TVR needed!
I was told that if you want a 4.0 just don`t drive a 5.0 and you will be happy.....
As a starter car I think the 4.0 is fine with a 0-60 of 4.8 or so, the 5.0 is a beast with 0-60 in 4.2 if you can hang on !! It still has a lot of grunt whichever one you go for, but I started on the 4.0 cause it was faster than my 350i by a hell of a lot !!
MPG I don`t know about. I think about 180miles to about £28 worth around the towns, but I get about 260-280 miles on the same amount of petrol motorway driving (which I don`t do much)
As a starter car I think the 4.0 is fine with a 0-60 of 4.8 or so, the 5.0 is a beast with 0-60 in 4.2 if you can hang on !! It still has a lot of grunt whichever one you go for, but I started on the 4.0 cause it was faster than my 350i by a hell of a lot !!
MPG I don`t know about. I think about 180miles to about £28 worth around the towns, but I get about 260-280 miles on the same amount of petrol motorway driving (which I don`t do much)
When I was in your position I did a lot of reserach similar to yourself. My conclusions were that I was gonna drive it hard on the road and track from time to time so didn't want to regret anything by choosing the 4, I also wanted it to be suitable for the odd commute/town driving and I had heard the 5 could be a little harsh, so the 4.5 seemed ideal. However the differences are all fairly small and vey opinionated! For me the thing that swung it was seeing a Chim for sale in the colour I wanted, in great condition bodily/mechanicaly, it was a bonus that it was a 450.
There has been the odd time I could do with more power, but most of the time it is fun enough taming whats already there! Hope this helps, and feel free to ask if I can help an more.
Chris (+ Paradise Purple Chim 450)
There has been the odd time I could do with more power, but most of the time it is fun enough taming whats already there! Hope this helps, and feel free to ask if I can help an more.
Chris (+ Paradise Purple Chim 450)
All have different opinions. A 4L like mine is alleged to be easier to drive than the 5L, but the fact that the factory has dropped the 4 may be telling. the 4.5 is supposed to be excellent.
also bear in min that there were some early variations in HC (high compression) engines which gave more power for the same litres. It's a minefield, but any will put a smile on your face.
Remember that any idiot can go fast in a stright line, the challenge is to go round the corners fast. When you are half way round, the difference in litres is worth nothing. An instructor driving my 4l car with me in the passenger seat was overtaking Griffs and Cerberas (!) at Mallory simply because he knew what he was doing. Anyway, that's my excuse for having a 4l.
Expect 15-25 depending on how you drive it (and considerably less on a track day). I know that's a big range, but it is more dependent on your style, mood and the traffic than the mpg on your BMW.
Good luck
richard
also bear in min that there were some early variations in HC (high compression) engines which gave more power for the same litres. It's a minefield, but any will put a smile on your face.
Remember that any idiot can go fast in a stright line, the challenge is to go round the corners fast. When you are half way round, the difference in litres is worth nothing. An instructor driving my 4l car with me in the passenger seat was overtaking Griffs and Cerberas (!) at Mallory simply because he knew what he was doing. Anyway, that's my excuse for having a 4l.
Expect 15-25 depending on how you drive it (and considerably less on a track day). I know that's a big range, but it is more dependent on your style, mood and the traffic than the mpg on your BMW.
Good luck
richard
If in doubt get a 5L, whilst looking for my car I drove loads of 4 & 4.5 then I drove a 5L and knew that if I got a 4l I would have wished i got bigger. The 5L is a beast but only when you wont it to be, at low revs it is perfectly driveable and is only when you bash the pedal does it come alive, but alive it does become. Go with what you feel and can afford I agree that car history and condition should be top priority but I wanted power steering and the one I bought doesn't have it but NO regrets. Enjoy whatever you buy!! im sure you will!!
I have a 5l, mainly because I fell into the afore mentioned trap of trying one out having previously tried a 4.0 and a 4.5. For pure grunt and all round power it was a no contest - for me once I'd driven one, it had to be a 5l.
MPG is not as good as a 4.0. I tend to get about 15 - 20 for normal usage but did manage to get 23 on a long run one time. A friend who has had a 4.0 reckoned that he used to be able to get 28 out of his.
MPG is not as good as a 4.0. I tend to get about 15 - 20 for normal usage but did manage to get 23 on a long run one time. A friend who has had a 4.0 reckoned that he used to be able to get 28 out of his.
Mine's a 4.0 HC which is supposed to put out 275 bhp and 305 lb/ft torque (similar to the 4.5).
Have not driven a 5.0 ... but am thinking about upgrading at some stage in the future. That said, at the back of my mind is the thought that my Westfield was / is fast, the current Chimaera is faster still, a 5.0 will be even quicker ... and where will it stop? Like any addiction, once you become used to the thill/rush/pure grunt of each successive car will I be forever chasing MORE
!!!
My car average about 25 m/g on long runs and about 20 on the commute into and out of London.
Have not driven a 5.0 ... but am thinking about upgrading at some stage in the future. That said, at the back of my mind is the thought that my Westfield was / is fast, the current Chimaera is faster still, a 5.0 will be even quicker ... and where will it stop? Like any addiction, once you become used to the thill/rush/pure grunt of each successive car will I be forever chasing MORE
!!! My car average about 25 m/g on long runs and about 20 on the commute into and out of London.
Had my 5l for last 2 months - haven't found it a monster or difficult around town at all. Initially was a bit concerned at power (my first TVR) so went on track and handling day to really get to know - was amazed at how fast I had to go on the concentric circles handling track (on a very icey day) before i finally lost the back - I was literally hanging on to the wheel pressed against the door with g force at nearly full lock before it went - way beyond how I would drive it on the road - it even needed quite a boot (1/4 throttle) before it swapped ends
Around town I find that the massive torque keeps it really smooth - nearly always start in 2nd in damp and rarely go below 3rd for roundabouts
When its dry tho it really is a monster - I still haven't really got the pedal to floor in all the gears yet - even on the track 90-140 came very so quickly and the straight was running out so had to slow down
I'd go with the 5 - you'll always wish otherwise
Around town I find that the massive torque keeps it really smooth - nearly always start in 2nd in damp and rarely go below 3rd for roundabouts
When its dry tho it really is a monster - I still haven't really got the pedal to floor in all the gears yet - even on the track 90-140 came very so quickly and the straight was running out so had to slow down
I'd go with the 5 - you'll always wish otherwise
hughjayteens
I wimped when buying my Chim. I tried a 4.3l and 5l, however the most together car I found (and was willing to wait for) was a 4l. As my first real performance car, I found it has quite enough performance for my driving capabilities
and I can always trade up later (rather than wrapping it round a lamp post 
). Tony Connor's piece in this months Sprint may be worth a read if you can get hold of a copy 
.
My view is drive a few - find one you like - feel and colour - and go for it !
Bob the Planner
I wimped when buying my Chim. I tried a 4.3l and 5l, however the most together car I found (and was willing to wait for) was a 4l. As my first real performance car, I found it has quite enough performance for my driving capabilities
and I can always trade up later (rather than wrapping it round a lamp post ). Tony Connor's piece in this months Sprint may be worth a read if you can get hold of a copy . My view is drive a few - find one you like - feel and colour - and go for it !
Bob the Planner
Never considered anything other than a 5ltr Griff or Chim, the right car came up at the right price with all the toys. I hate changing cars so went straight for the big one. Just have to ease yourself into these things. I'm sure it's going to be great in the Spring / Summer. Seems good and quick in the lower gears (no way has it got the power TVR claim). Absolute
Zero grip at present and brake are Very wooden.
I'd say get the 5 and Ease your way in slowly........
Zero grip at present and brake are Very wooden.
I'd say get the 5 and Ease your way in slowly........
So is everyone saying that all Chims have less power than TVR claim???
For sale, 1995 BMW 318is M Tech. www.pistonheads.com/ads/adverts.asp?s=132
TVR needed!
For sale, 1995 BMW 318is M Tech. www.pistonheads.com/ads/adverts.asp?s=132
TVR needed!
Fair enough - I am new to thisd TVR game so was unaware of that... I am not really interested in BHP - I think grin factor is what these cars are all about!!
For sale, 1995 BMW 318is M Tech. www.pistonheads.com/ads/adverts.asp?s=132
TVR needed!
For sale, 1995 BMW 318is M Tech. www.pistonheads.com/ads/adverts.asp?s=132
TVR needed!
Boring - everyone knows that the Italians measure horse power without the head, Japanese measure using very small horses (to suite their stature) and TVR measure using ponies that used to walk up and down Blackpool prom....
On a more interesting note - the TVR Cerbera (4.2) was and is one of the few cars to actually declare it's true HP 'contains what it say's on the can' !
Griff's & Chimps HP is not accurate but the torque figures are pretty close - so the 0 to times are pretty good.
On a more interesting note - the TVR Cerbera (4.2) was and is one of the few cars to actually declare it's true HP 'contains what it say's on the can' !
Griff's & Chimps HP is not accurate but the torque figures are pretty close - so the 0 to times are pretty good.
I moved to a 4.0 Chimaera (220-ish bhp) from a 2.9 S2 (165 bhp). I mainly changed for the updated looks and V8 rumble so I didn't care too much about power (I was already having fun on track days in the S2).
Now that I've had it for 2 years I would definitely go for a 4.5 or 5.0, mainly for the midrange acceleration - there are times in my 4.0 where I want to get a 'normal car' off my back bumper without changing down and the extra torque would make the point more emphatically. The recent improvements in turbodiesels are very annoying!
Having said that, a 4.0 will do 24mpg - not so important in itself, but it also very frugal on oil. A 5.0 might do 18mpg and drink Mobil's finest at a fair rate too (1 litre per 1000 miles?). That's about £15 difference on a 250 mile trip. If you do lots of miles a 4.0 will be a lot kinder on the wallet.
Residuals on 4.5 and 5.0 seem to be a bit better than 4.0 as they are rarer so this could outweigh running cost differences in the long run.
Regards, Dan M
Now that I've had it for 2 years I would definitely go for a 4.5 or 5.0, mainly for the midrange acceleration - there are times in my 4.0 where I want to get a 'normal car' off my back bumper without changing down and the extra torque would make the point more emphatically. The recent improvements in turbodiesels are very annoying!
Having said that, a 4.0 will do 24mpg - not so important in itself, but it also very frugal on oil. A 5.0 might do 18mpg and drink Mobil's finest at a fair rate too (1 litre per 1000 miles?). That's about £15 difference on a 250 mile trip. If you do lots of miles a 4.0 will be a lot kinder on the wallet.
Residuals on 4.5 and 5.0 seem to be a bit better than 4.0 as they are rarer so this could outweigh running cost differences in the long run.
Regards, Dan M
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