Dilemma on Chimaera purchase
Discussion
Afternoon all,
I’ve been contemplating for a few months on buying a Chimaera as a fun car, I’m fortunate to have a decent garage and I’m reasonably capable to tinker with a spanner when it comes to maintenance but anything that involves major disassembly I would leave to the professionals.
I’m not massively hung up on what model to go for, I just want a really clean and reliable example, I have a healthy budget but I can’t decide whether it would be better to purchase a extremely low mileage original example say sub 30k miles of which there are a couple on the market currently or to go for an example which has had a lot of restoration.
Last thing I want is to jump into a money pit. Or squander my budget on something that doesn’t hold its value for the majority of what I invest.
Any advice welcome.
Thanks.
I’ve been contemplating for a few months on buying a Chimaera as a fun car, I’m fortunate to have a decent garage and I’m reasonably capable to tinker with a spanner when it comes to maintenance but anything that involves major disassembly I would leave to the professionals.
I’m not massively hung up on what model to go for, I just want a really clean and reliable example, I have a healthy budget but I can’t decide whether it would be better to purchase a extremely low mileage original example say sub 30k miles of which there are a couple on the market currently or to go for an example which has had a lot of restoration.
Last thing I want is to jump into a money pit. Or squander my budget on something that doesn’t hold its value for the majority of what I invest.
Any advice welcome.
Thanks.
Thanks very much for the feedback, there are some lovely looking examples advertised, I really fancied something pretty stock, I know my way around the rover V8 ignition system. I’m drawn to a restored Chim at JAA, it’s a 1995 looks like it’s had a massive amount done to it, I enquired via email, didn’t get a reply but perhaps my questions were too detailed but need to call to discuss the car, I’ve just been consumed with work commitments all week and over the weekend which wasn’t the plan.
There are also a couple of low mileage later cars, a yellow one at Selby and a blue one at Shmoo Automotive, I share the same suspicions regarding the low mileage cars but I’m just not sure, I spoke with a specialist not far from me and he said key with the low mileage cars is how they’ve been stored and maintained.
The other complication I have is that I’m located a massive distance from any Chimaeras to view them in person, I was considering a purchase unseen hence I was targeting either low mileage or restorations, you probably think I’m crazy contemplating doing that?
I’d welcome any feedback on any of these candidates.
Thanks
There are also a couple of low mileage later cars, a yellow one at Selby and a blue one at Shmoo Automotive, I share the same suspicions regarding the low mileage cars but I’m just not sure, I spoke with a specialist not far from me and he said key with the low mileage cars is how they’ve been stored and maintained.
The other complication I have is that I’m located a massive distance from any Chimaeras to view them in person, I was considering a purchase unseen hence I was targeting either low mileage or restorations, you probably think I’m crazy contemplating doing that?
I’d welcome any feedback on any of these candidates.
Thanks
BritishTvr450 said:
If your prepared to wait a few months while I finish off a few jobs on my own Chimaera I might have just the kind of car you might be looking for.
Look for Classic Chim profile and you’ll see my car and a comprehensive list of repairs, accepted modifications and a tonne of other things I have done to make my car as good as it can be.
I locked myself out of my own profile and so far still unable to access it!
PISTONHEADS are you listening!
I might add most of the work I’ve had done was by a very respected TVR garage and or simply because I enjoy spannering and making it better than new standard.
I’d also like to point out the car never ever failed or let me down in neatly 40,000 miles of my personal use of the car.
It’s called preventative maintenance.
Many TVR could do with a similar level of care as they are not young cars anymore.
My car will be priced considerably less than through a dealer unless I indeed use a dealer to sell it for me.
It’s also very fast
Had a search, couldn’t find it sorry.Look for Classic Chim profile and you’ll see my car and a comprehensive list of repairs, accepted modifications and a tonne of other things I have done to make my car as good as it can be.
I locked myself out of my own profile and so far still unable to access it!
PISTONHEADS are you listening!
I might add most of the work I’ve had done was by a very respected TVR garage and or simply because I enjoy spannering and making it better than new standard.
I’d also like to point out the car never ever failed or let me down in neatly 40,000 miles of my personal use of the car.
It’s called preventative maintenance.
Many TVR could do with a similar level of care as they are not young cars anymore.
My car will be priced considerably less than through a dealer unless I indeed use a dealer to sell it for me.
It’s also very fast
Edited by BritishTvr450 on Sunday 30th June 08:29
TJC46 said:
They all need work low mileage or otherwise. Some of these cars are now 30 years old so will need some fettling.
As a previous TVR owner there are lots of little jobs that need doing to rectify what TVR got wrong in the first place.
A well sorted car would have had most of these little items sorted by now. For me The chassis is the main consideration and i would only consider a car
that had a full body off job with new outriggers, new bushes and suspension, new brake lines, new fuel lines, etc. etc.
The chassis, again just my personal opinion, would need to be painted, not powder coated.
Any engine, gearbox, diff issues can be sorted quite easily. It is the chassis which is everything on these cars.
I am sure by now, some of the later speed six variants are having chassis issues. They all will at some point.
They all look good when you are stood next to them, so the choice between a low mileage car or a higher mileage car, would seem obvious.
Thing is they will both need chassis work unless it has already been done.
Just my personal opinion [ but with some detailed knowledge as i did a full body lift on my Chimaera in 2010 ] A well sorted car, having had a full body
lift, is where i would spend my money. Good luck in your search and keep us posted.
I’m beginning to think the same, mechanicals can easily be fixed but body, chassis, brakes and suspension are all very involving. Thanks for recalibrating my thought process.As a previous TVR owner there are lots of little jobs that need doing to rectify what TVR got wrong in the first place.
A well sorted car would have had most of these little items sorted by now. For me The chassis is the main consideration and i would only consider a car
that had a full body off job with new outriggers, new bushes and suspension, new brake lines, new fuel lines, etc. etc.
The chassis, again just my personal opinion, would need to be painted, not powder coated.
Any engine, gearbox, diff issues can be sorted quite easily. It is the chassis which is everything on these cars.
I am sure by now, some of the later speed six variants are having chassis issues. They all will at some point.
They all look good when you are stood next to them, so the choice between a low mileage car or a higher mileage car, would seem obvious.
Thing is they will both need chassis work unless it has already been done.
Just my personal opinion [ but with some detailed knowledge as i did a full body lift on my Chimaera in 2010 ] A well sorted car, having had a full body
lift, is where i would spend my money. Good luck in your search and keep us posted.
BritishTvr450 said:
Thank you.
Yep it’s all his fault why the cars so good.
He rebuilt the engine too. That wasn’t necessary either, I just fancied it being refreshed
It took years to dial out the dreaded shunt which can plague the V8 models and the MBE with bespoke mapping and new dif removed all trace of it.
It’s a great car I never thought I’d sell but times change.
I will do a few more jobs like re coat the seats and odds and sods before actually selling it.
In the hands of a dealer it might well fetch a very high price but I think I’ll be realistic as prices have fallen during the cost of living crisis.
Mostly I hope someone will care for it the way I have.
Hi please let me know what’s been done to it and what you are looking for it.
Thanks
Yep it’s all his fault why the cars so good.
He rebuilt the engine too. That wasn’t necessary either, I just fancied it being refreshed
It took years to dial out the dreaded shunt which can plague the V8 models and the MBE with bespoke mapping and new dif removed all trace of it.
It’s a great car I never thought I’d sell but times change.
I will do a few more jobs like re coat the seats and odds and sods before actually selling it.
In the hands of a dealer it might well fetch a very high price but I think I’ll be realistic as prices have fallen during the cost of living crisis.
Mostly I hope someone will care for it the way I have.
Hi please let me know what’s been done to it and what you are looking for it.
Thanks
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