should i get a chim
Discussion
First time I've heard a 4 litre is more reliable than any other... 
That aside, perdormance wise you'll notice the torque and at motorway speeds it pulls better. It feels like a bigger car, even though there isn't much in it, and it does feel better built and more solid. That said, it's not as raw as the S... and I do actually miss that sometimes.
In terms of space, the boot is huge and the cabin feels roomy.
Running costs..? Well a service will cost more (I don't do my own bits - I pay an Indie) and you'll chew a bit more petrol. If you want to scare yourself stupid take a look at my profile and the costs for a car that does 1000 miles a month (plus a 4000 mile holiday!).
The best advice I can give, is get to a club meet and get someone to take you out. Shnozz went from S to 4.0 Chim... and M@H has had two S's and two Chimaera's... oh, and don't discount a 4.0 Griff.
That aside, perdormance wise you'll notice the torque and at motorway speeds it pulls better. It feels like a bigger car, even though there isn't much in it, and it does feel better built and more solid. That said, it's not as raw as the S... and I do actually miss that sometimes.
In terms of space, the boot is huge and the cabin feels roomy.
Running costs..? Well a service will cost more (I don't do my own bits - I pay an Indie) and you'll chew a bit more petrol. If you want to scare yourself stupid take a look at my profile and the costs for a car that does 1000 miles a month (plus a 4000 mile holiday!).
The best advice I can give, is get to a club meet and get someone to take you out. Shnozz went from S to 4.0 Chim... and M@H has had two S's and two Chimaera's... oh, and don't discount a 4.0 Griff.
I have to say that I miss the S3 quite a bit. I found it a much more reliable and un complicated car than the Griff. As Podie says it is not as raw and drive by the seat of your pants. You have to coax more speed out of the Griff/Chims to get the same buzz that you do in the S. Then you're doing a lot more illegal speeds. My S3 was rock solid and the Griff is much less so.
So far the heater control has packed up, the boot and door solinoids need to be used often or they make alarming groaning noises, the manifold gaskets have blown and insurance is much more. The car leaks pretty badly down the doors and the passenger door whistles above 75 mph. Also the lights on the Griff are abysmal. The Griff's insurance is around £150 per year more for me, although it is off the road for the next 8 months owing to crap job secuerity, impending winter, a leaky manifold which I don't have time to fix (won't get to it until mid October) and that by the time the weather is good I'll be 25 and eligble for more realistic insurance if I still have the car.
But the car does look more modern and has a lot more power than the S3. As mine is tuned I get a very good mpg when being sensible. The RV8 engined cars do have the option to be tuned a lot more than the V6s. But there is a lot less banging and crashing than the S3, and the power delivery is smooth and progressive. The handling is also very good even though I need new shocks. Although I have yet to find the envelope edge on the Griff, it seems maybe not so predictable as the S3. The boot is bigger and on the Chim (where the roof sits in sensibly) you will have loads more space.
For me aside from the looks and power I preferred the drive of the S3. Mainly because it is more go cart like than the Griff. But for the longer journeys, the Griff wins hands down aside from the whistling and it's faster.
>> Edited by Wildfire on Thursday 8th September 11:43
So far the heater control has packed up, the boot and door solinoids need to be used often or they make alarming groaning noises, the manifold gaskets have blown and insurance is much more. The car leaks pretty badly down the doors and the passenger door whistles above 75 mph. Also the lights on the Griff are abysmal. The Griff's insurance is around £150 per year more for me, although it is off the road for the next 8 months owing to crap job secuerity, impending winter, a leaky manifold which I don't have time to fix (won't get to it until mid October) and that by the time the weather is good I'll be 25 and eligble for more realistic insurance if I still have the car.
But the car does look more modern and has a lot more power than the S3. As mine is tuned I get a very good mpg when being sensible. The RV8 engined cars do have the option to be tuned a lot more than the V6s. But there is a lot less banging and crashing than the S3, and the power delivery is smooth and progressive. The handling is also very good even though I need new shocks. Although I have yet to find the envelope edge on the Griff, it seems maybe not so predictable as the S3. The boot is bigger and on the Chim (where the roof sits in sensibly) you will have loads more space.
For me aside from the looks and power I preferred the drive of the S3. Mainly because it is more go cart like than the Griff. But for the longer journeys, the Griff wins hands down aside from the whistling and it's faster.
>> Edited by Wildfire on Thursday 8th September 11:43
I have driven a Chim and found it a completely different experiance to the S but Its down to V8 torque and a better suspension set-up.
That said,I'm looking to up the power on mine and tighten up the suspension by replacing bushes and tweeking the dampers for a better ride.
I hope I'm happy with the results but if not a Griff beckons
That said,I'm looking to up the power on mine and tighten up the suspension by replacing bushes and tweeking the dampers for a better ride.
I hope I'm happy with the results but if not a Griff beckons
Took the words right out of my mouth Colin...............?
My take on things is thus:
You would like more power The V8S and Chim 4 ltr are comparable and as its lighter the V8S is normally slightly qicker.
Will you miss the S3? If you buy the Chim as its been said you will, if you buy a V8S you wont as its basically the same only quicker.......
Will running costs be higher Whichever V8 you buy the running costs are going to be higher, but not by that much really. Cant comment on the Chim but as someone that went from the S2 to the V8S, I can honestly say apart from fuel, the running costs are the same (and my insurance went up £20)
if it was going to be an everyday car i would say buy the Chim, If mine was an everyday car I would probably go for a Griff. But as a second car the Chim is more civilised, therefore a little less thrilling to drive, where as the V8S gives all the smiles/grins of the S3 only more so? Another point is exclusivity, there are lots of Chims compared to the V8S so a well looked after V8S, in theory anyway, should hold its value better because of the rarity factor.
Get a V8S and you wont be disappointed.
All IMHO
Mike
PS whichever you buy you wont be disappointed get out and try a few?
My take on things is thus:
You would like more power The V8S and Chim 4 ltr are comparable and as its lighter the V8S is normally slightly qicker.
Will you miss the S3? If you buy the Chim as its been said you will, if you buy a V8S you wont as its basically the same only quicker.......
Will running costs be higher Whichever V8 you buy the running costs are going to be higher, but not by that much really. Cant comment on the Chim but as someone that went from the S2 to the V8S, I can honestly say apart from fuel, the running costs are the same (and my insurance went up £20)
if it was going to be an everyday car i would say buy the Chim, If mine was an everyday car I would probably go for a Griff. But as a second car the Chim is more civilised, therefore a little less thrilling to drive, where as the V8S gives all the smiles/grins of the S3 only more so? Another point is exclusivity, there are lots of Chims compared to the V8S so a well looked after V8S, in theory anyway, should hold its value better because of the rarity factor.
Get a V8S and you wont be disappointed.
All IMHO
Mike
PS whichever you buy you wont be disappointed get out and try a few?
Pies said:
Will you miss the S3? If you buy the Chim as its been said you will, if you buy a V8S you wont as its basically the same only quicker.......
?
P.S no cats on V8S and its legal
Ohh yeah forgot about the Precat noise...........
What are you waiting for ????????
V8Smith said:
V8Smith said:
Will you miss the S3? If you buy the Chim as its been said you will, if you buy a V8S you wont as its basically the same only quicker.......
?
P.S no cats on V8S and its legal
Well said that man. If you get a V8S you won't regret it, especially in Metallic grey
Ohh yeah forgot about the Precat noise...........
What are you waiting for ????????
garfys s3 said:
monkeylegend would you by any chance be selling a mettalic grey v8s
No. Only had mine 3months and love the sound of that V8. Still getting used to it, and hope to keep it for a long time.
The only car I would consider changing it for would be a Griff, but reading some of the threads on here I don't know if that would be a good idea.
The Chim I had was my first TVR and after listening to everyone's "don't they break down" 
I have to say that the 4.0 I had was utterly reliable, and has been the most enjoyable car I've owned.It had uprated shocks so the ride was much better than before and the sound from the sports exhaust left me changing up and down the gear box all the time.
I found it to be an easy car to live with day to day and the boot space is huge, which is probably why my company car got left at home quite a lot. A 4.0 would be alot smoother and easier to live with than a 5.0 imho, the difference in torque at motorway speeds is where the Chim would be impressive, accelerating at *** mph upwards I'm sure it would leave an S behind
I miss my Chim and will get another probably in the next year.
Best of luck
Evo
I have to say that the 4.0 I had was utterly reliable, and has been the most enjoyable car I've owned.It had uprated shocks so the ride was much better than before and the sound from the sports exhaust left me changing up and down the gear box all the time. I found it to be an easy car to live with day to day and the boot space is huge, which is probably why my company car got left at home quite a lot. A 4.0 would be alot smoother and easier to live with than a 5.0 imho, the difference in torque at motorway speeds is where the Chim would be impressive, accelerating at *** mph upwards I'm sure it would leave an S behind
I miss my Chim and will get another probably in the next year.
Best of luck
Evo
The Chim is a lot more sorted all round car. Its a complete car and is faster, far superior interior, sounds better, has headlights and brakes that work, big boot and you can see why the list price was approximately double that of the S.
As an everyday car, Chimaera without a doubt.
As a weekend toy, the S every time.
The Chimaera is almost too complete at times. It doesnt have the go kart on the edge rawness of the S and even though its quicker on paper, I have always maintained I could have got my old S around a track quicker than my Chimaera. The handling on the S is a lot more communicative than the Chimaera for one thing. I could put the arse end of the S out whenever I wanted because I knew where I was in terms of feedback from the wheels. I never felt that in the Chimaera.
And then I bought a girls car.
As an everyday car, Chimaera without a doubt.
As a weekend toy, the S every time.
The Chimaera is almost too complete at times. It doesnt have the go kart on the edge rawness of the S and even though its quicker on paper, I have always maintained I could have got my old S around a track quicker than my Chimaera. The handling on the S is a lot more communicative than the Chimaera for one thing. I could put the arse end of the S out whenever I wanted because I knew where I was in terms of feedback from the wheels. I never felt that in the Chimaera.
And then I bought a girls car.
shnozz said:
As an everyday car, Chimaera without a doubt.
As a weekend toy, the S every time.
Couldn't agree more with the above comment - I started with an S then a Chimaera as everyday cars and now the TVR has become a 2nd car I'm on my 2nd S. No regrets - financial or smiles - since change.
Longers
shnozz said:
sounds better
It is possible to make an S sound beter than a Chim.. Just replace the exhaust with a stainless striaght through system with no silencers.. shnozz said:Fair point.. Improved both of them on mine so can see where I'm going, and even stop best out of three..
has headlights and brakes that work
Make that could see where I was going.
And lets not talk about snow ok?
Have to agree though, unless you are as mad as a bag of badgers, you might find a Chimera easier to live with as a daily driver.
That said, an S3C was my daily driver for 3 years, putting 30K on the clock and had a whale of a time. Its not as fast, but not quite as thirsty and was worth every penny..
shnozz said:
And then I bought a girls car.
Surely not? Afterall, you'd never fit a handbag in it with you in it as well..
Maybe some hair straighteners though..
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