TVR - The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

[jpchenet]

Help please people.

I am toying with getting myself a "toy" and have been a long time admirer of TVR's. I am therefore contemplating a Chimera, probably a 450 or 500, second hand and willing to spend up to about £18,000.

A couple of people (who have never had one themselves I hasten to add) have told me a lot of stories about unreliability, bodywork problems etc etc. However, the owners I have spoken to love their cars. Judging by the number of them that we se at Le Mans each year they are not an unpopular choice.

Has anyone here got/had one and if so, what are your honest opinions on them. I'd like to hear all points of view, good stories, bad stories, warranty claims if bought from a TVR dealer. All info will be greatly appreciated.

TIA

[Liszt]

probably best posting this on Pistonheads.com

One of our Le Mans group has a 5L Chimera, which I have been in many times.  Apart from a new starter motor and having a spliter fitted below the bonnet (it was raising above 140 mph) he hasn't had any problems.  He is not a mechanic and takes it to a local TVR independant specialist, but certainly not scared of thrashing it about. He paid around £14500 for a P reg model ('96) with about 35000 miles on it.

very good fun.  go on you know you want to

[Matt Harper]

Although I never owned one, I've driven a few, visited the factory several times and have a relative who has one now.
These are purely my own opinions and experiences.
1. Steer clear of anything without dealer maintained history.
2. AJP engined cars are more valuable and powerful and drivable than Rover engined ones.
3. Although most owners absolutely love them and are enthusiastically loyal, they're not as fast as most owners claim, interior finish is inconsistent and you can buy American and get the same (or more) grunt, better finish and cheaper bits. For another 2 K or so, you could buy a clean 98 C5 Vette - or get eccentric and go for early 70's Mopar muscle for 8 - 10 grand. They won't go round corners, but neither do 'Blackpool Bombers'.
I'm a bit of a Corvette nut, admittedly and ran a C5 in Britain and it did attract a lot of attention (not all of it good, sadly). If you're a bit of an exhibitionist a vette is a no-brainer, because they are a relatively rare sight in UK. The C5 will do anything a TVR (excepting Tuscan and Cerbera) can manage - is stiffer, faster, grippier and depreciates slower. In fact, only downsides are LHD and most of them are autos.
TVRs are OK, there's no denying. That said, if Iwas spooning out that kind of wedge, I'd want more than OK.
 

[Andy Zarse]

Last year a mate went in his Chaemera. The brake light switch failed and it go so hot by the centre tunnel his box of cassette tapes actually melted. But a good laugh none the less. Personally I'd go for a Griff 500, it's a bit more hard edged.