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[Snoring Rhino]

I have been trying to buy a TVR for some time now; finally I thought I had found the car, a way of selling the MG, and realising my dreams of cruising down to La Sarth in a TiV.
Found a Bute, Starmist green 4.5 Chimaera, 97 on an R, looks stunning, so although I have been tinkering with cars most of my life and am fairly confident at buying I though I had better get an expert in. Brill, turned up today to the dealer and did the business, said apart from a couple of bits that needed doing the car was sound, - the dealer agreed to pay the £350 cost for the Local independent to sort it - brill, I pick it up on Tuesday - I just grown a second dick and on cloud nine.
Not for long.
Just as I put the envelope to the finance co in the letter box, mobile rings, its the inspector, he had had a call from his mate the local independent, to say the he new the car and that it had Chassis corrosion in a concealed area and that it may need to have the body off to repair!!!!!!
Gutted F**king Gutted, got my deposit back, moral is it cost £200 to save £13 grand, but ruined my chances of a Tiv, so now need to look for a sensible car.

Any Ideas?

[Matt Harper]

Starmist green 4.5 Chimaera, 97 on an R,

sensible car.

Not wishing to piss on your bonfire IRW, but the two comments don't jive.
I get a load of stick on this forum because I don't rate TVR's very much and I'm sorry that you've had this disappointment - but there's more out there than a Blackpool Bomber......
Keep looking - for it was not meant to be.

[hgb]

<teacher mode> Matt, that's pretty sharp. IRW, have a look on the pistonheads adds and ask the experts in the TVR forum. Chassis corrosion is quite common on 7 year old cars, how bad is it on this one ? Did you ask yoospeed on PH ? It seems to me you haven't done your homework...</teacher mode>

[Snoring Rhino]

Not done my Homework?
Being in Berkshire and Joospeed in Chesterfield, it would have been difficult to involve them. I don’t think I could have done much better homework than getting Rob Ingleby to check it out, unfortunately the corroded area was down behind the Manifolds on the bulk head, so even he couldn’t see it - luckily he has many mates in the business and the network obviously kicked in, Top marks to the integrity of Steve at Thames Valley Race Tech (the independent who was going to do the work) for taking the trouble to tip him off! Yes I could have insisted the dealer had it repaired but who knows what was lurking elsewhere.

Matt: Who the Feck wants sensible all the time - Drag racing Vette = Sensible ??
I think remember your comments on the Vette v TVR - both epitomise the US and British culture. The Vette is the product of a huge development budget and resource, the TVR range is tea pot money compared and a lot of grit and commitment by a few. If you could rate the two (and I am a Vette fan) in achievement against resource the TVR would be in a different stratosphere.
I will have one, one day.

[SpriteII]

How about a 16V Saab 900 Turbo, the so called 'Classic', up to about '93 before GM messed it up.  Excellent performance & handling, build quality that Trevor could only dream about and you'll struggle to spend more than £3k on one.  Practical too, you can get heaps in that hatchback.

Or what about a Rover 220 Coupe, good looks and I believe the Turbo is a little rocket.  Again, very cheap.

If you fancy normally aspirated, for a bit more money you can get a very nice XJS,  and there is a huge network of jag parts suppliesrs and independent specialists.

[chrisbeatty]

Any Ideas?

I had a look through Evo (I think) over the weekend in the newsagents. They had a group test of £20k cars both old & new, I seem to remember being pleasently surprised with what you can get for your money.
See if you can dig out a copy of the magazine, it might give you some food for thought!! Especially now the forum is gonna get quiet

[Chris (Liverpool Boys)]

so out of this £20k cars what was the most exotic or starnge for the money?

[chrisbeatty]

I've had a bit to drink since then & the staff in the shop were giving me looks as if to say "are you gonna buy that then" so my memories are swift & hazy

I remember was an NSX, Exige, either an M3 or M5, Skyline, the usual Scooby & Evo's, new Golf GTI. There was 12 or so cars, just bear in mind the running costs!!

[Ron Jeremy]

subaru

£14000 or £16000 new via virgin cars or dc cook web site

i know i slagged them once but..............they always get a good write up dealers are very good, last for ever M, N, R plates a plenty

so i'm saving for a 3.0 spec b  

[Jem]

Assuming your budget is circa £15k look no further than a 964 Porsche. If that does not take your fancy for the same money you are lookng at mint 968 Porsche or pretty good 944 turbos.

If you look in 911 and Porsche World Classifieds there are loads to choose from.

Go for it, you wont regret it.

Jem

[Rusty]

I don't know about all of this.
Get yourself a real mans motor IRW.
You obviously can't run to a Bowler, but for that kind of budget a fine landie with chevrolet power is easily in your reach. You'll be suprised how these mothers handle, and if you can't run around the outside of the opposition then just run the f**k*rs over.
They'll just crap themselves when you try to hoon up the inside. Plastic......give me a 2 ton rig on a steel chassis and I'll show you crumple zones.
Failing that, a rusty white transit comes close.
 

[Dave H]

Matt: Who the Feck wants sensible all the time - Drag racing Vette = Sensible ??
I think remember your comments on the Vette v TVR - both epitomise the US and British culture. The Vette is the product of a huge development budget and resource, the TVR range is tea pot money compared and a lot of grit and commitment by a few. If you could rate the two (and I am a Vette fan) in achievement against resource the TVR would be in a different stratosphere.
I will have one, one day.

Caveat - I have had lots of beer and am sitting with Matt Harper here in Orlando:

I see the infamous TVR discussion rearing it's ugly head.
Why not get yourself something with class.  Something with exotic intrigue.  Something that will turn the heads of the 13 year girls you're clearly trying to impress.
Surely Mitsubishi Corporation have the car of your dreams?

[pretzel]

subaru

£14000 or £16000 new via virgin cars or dc cook web site

i know i slagged them once but..............they always get a good write up dealers are very good, last for ever M, N, R plates a plenty

so i'm saving for a 3.0 spec b  

I have to agree with Ron - get yourself a Subaru. From my experience utterly reliable, excellent dealers and independent specialists, and getting cheaper all the time for good secondhand ones.

I do have to express my bias at this point:-  I have an excellent example of an Impreza turbo for sale to fund the acquisition of a 2 seater.  I will be genuinely sorry to see it go but I can't have both. Anyone interested then PM me....

If you don't fancy a Subaru then an alternative individual choice to the Transit Van put forward by The Brethren may I suggest an old Renault Espace, preferably with a galactic mileage and fading plastics. Ideal for carting the usual stuff to LM, absolutely no street cred to worry about (ever seen a chav with Burberry baseball cap driving one?), and sometimes the ideal track day tool - just ask Wishywashyman.

[Dan Lowe]

This sensible car?... Is it a cheap temporary car till you find your TVR? I'm in Berkshire too, i'll keep my eyes peeled.

[Snoring Rhino]

Matt: Who the Feck wants sensible all the time - Drag racing Vette = Sensible ??
I think remember your comments on the Vette v TVR - both epitomise the US and British culture. The Vette is the product of a huge development budget and resource, the TVR range is tea pot money compared and a lot of grit and commitment by a few. If you could rate the two (and I am a Vette fan) in achievement against resource the TVR would be in a different stratosphere.
I will have one, one day.

Caveat - I have had lots of beer and am sitting with Matt Harper here in Orlando:

I see the infamous TVR discussion rearing it's ugly head.
Why not get yourself something with class.  Something with exotic intrigue.  Something that will turn the heads of the 13 year girls you're clearly trying to impress.
Surely Mitsubishi Corporation have the car of your dreams?

The infamous discussion will be forever on going, but the facts are facts, TVR are unique in what they achieve without any money.

As for 13 year old girls, may be you guys have been out of the UK for too long, I think I'll stick to trying to impress the 21 year old freinds of my daughter when the wife's not looking, as for a Mitubushi, well an Evo or a Scubie WRX could be nice, but ............

P.S. has it stopped raining yet?