A couple of questions
A couple of questions
Author
Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

70 months

Monday 18th March 2002
quotequote all
Did TVR change the door opening buttons on the Series 1 Chim, as I've seen an N reg one without the key slot, but with a push button.
And do all the VIN plates look as though they are hand scribed.
The chassis number matches with it anyway.

Cheers

Lee.

Corin Denton

8,762 posts

284 months

Monday 18th March 2002
quotequote all
I have an N reg Chimaera , it only has door buttons and the chassis number is hand scribed.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

70 months

Monday 18th March 2002
quotequote all
Cheers.

Just looked at one yesterday, but going to get it checked over before I buy it.

Lee.

MikeyT

17,449 posts

287 months

Tuesday 19th March 2002
quotequote all
quote:

I have an N reg Chimaera , it only has door buttons and the chassis number is hand scribed.



Ditto mine too

Jason F

1,183 posts

300 months

Tuesday 19th March 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Just looked at one yesterday, but going to get it checked over before I buy it.



Does this mean that you could soon be ChimaeraMan and seeing me at the next meet ??????

.mark

11,104 posts

292 months

Tuesday 19th March 2002
quotequote all
quote:

I have an N reg Chimaera , it only has door buttons and the chassis number is hand scribed.



Same here.

caro

1,018 posts

300 months

Tuesday 19th March 2002
quotequote all
My sister's L reg had the keyhole in the doorknob, her P reg has just the knob as you describe, so yes they changed it. My W reg has a hand scribed vin plate, and I bought it new, so don't worry about either of those things, but do get the car checked out generally! Hope you're driving one soon.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

70 months

Tuesday 19th March 2002
quotequote all
I am getting an AA check on it, but the guy selling it cannot get to have it done until about the 30th March.

The thing is they have to get it to a Halfords to get it on ramps to have a look underneath.


paul

343 posts

300 months

Tuesday 19th March 2002
quotequote all
door locks on early Chimaeras are Vauxhall boot locks (Cavalier/Calibra) and upto about '96 they had key-holes. sometime in '96 they were changed as the car was given remote central locking as standard. I think the locks are the same and an aluminium cap is placed over the key-hole to give the impression of a push button... Later in '97 the newer door-mirror nipples were added to open the doors.

MikeyT

17,449 posts

287 months

Tuesday 19th March 2002
quotequote all
quote:

door locks on early Chimaeras are Vauxhall boot locks (Cavalier/Calibra) and upto about '96 they had key-holes. sometime in '96 they were changed as the car was given remote central locking as standard. I think the locks are the same and an aluminium cap is placed over the key-hole to give the impression of a push button... Later in '97 the newer door-mirror nipples were added to open the doors.



They changed before 96 – I reckon it was 94. Mine is a 95 and has the remote locking and no keyhole.

Agree with the 97 nipples tho'

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

70 months

Tuesday 19th March 2002
quotequote all
This one I'm looking at is a '95 model with the push buttons.

I'm still waiting for the owner to get back to me on whether the 30th is o.k for an inspection.

MikeyT

17,449 posts

287 months

Tuesday 19th March 2002
quotequote all
quote:

This one I'm looking at is a '95 model with the push buttons.

I'm still waiting for the owner to get back to me on whether the 30th is o.k for an inspection.



SUPRAMAN, can you not get a TVR specialist to check out the car rather than the AA?

Respect to the AA and all that, but TVRs are a bit specialist and the AA aren't gonna notice any bits missing, changed etc whereas a specialist will noticvw with his eyes shut (or should) and shouldn't cost any more I don't think. Also, I think you may get an AA bloke who knows a bit about them but then again, you may not!! Why take the chance?

You've got a bit of time before it's gonna be seen.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

70 months

Tuesday 19th March 2002
quotequote all
I know what you mean, but I think the nearest one is Castle TVR.
AA do the check and do a Data search at the same time.

All I want to know is if all the main things are o.k
Like chassis, engine, suspension etc.
The AA said they would have to do an advanced check on it rather than the bog standard check.
If anything is wrong with the check I would imagine you would have more comeback with the AA.

Jarcy

1,559 posts

291 months

Wednesday 20th March 2002
quotequote all
quote:

SUPRAMAN, can you not get a TVR specialist to check out the car rather than the AA?


Agree with Mikey on this one. The AA missed loads on mine that my independant pointed out after purchase, and that was the advanced £200+ one.

I got the AA to reinspect it after purchase to verify these omissions, not really expecting them to own up to their errors. Their second inspector found that the diff was leaking oil and agreed that it should have been spotted. AA paid the £135 to have this seen to - new oil seals. However they said that all other faults were servicable or would not be apparent with a physical inspection (they don't even do an emissions test). Not sure what legal recourse I had and didn't really want to drag thru the courts.

I could list the things that were missed but that might get boring (& start to wind Ted up coz generally I wouldn't slag off the AA). Enough to say that of my £2,600 service, half that was down to things the AA missed that my independant spotted straight away (and really needed doing).

Points I learned:
- Most AA inspectors have no experience of TVRs.
- Most TVR faults are common and it's only with experience of the marque that you learn exactly where to look and what you're looking at.
- I'm sure you could buy a specialist's time for say £100, or even take the car to a dealer for a once over for less dosh that the AA.

cockers

633 posts

297 months

Wednesday 20th March 2002
quotequote all
quote:

I think the locks are the same and an aluminium cap is placed over the key-hole to give the impression of a push button...



Is it possible to buy those aluminium caps anywhere, because the keyholes look C-R-A-P!!!

philshort

8,293 posts

293 months

Wednesday 20th March 2002
quotequote all
They're not caps, they're just the same push buttons without the key holes. You could swap them, but you might not have any way of locking the car unless your alarm system already has remote central locking. Don't know enough about the ones with key holes to say (despite having had one for a while).