neo

mmmmmm STI 4 type R has gone and i fancy a TVR Chimera now or a westie/caterham/elise but the Tvr looks favorite anyone had any dealings with them ?

bumcrack

Ya, but not much
A friend on mines got a Chimera,took me out for a spin.
The force on your body under acceleration is something I've never felt before and the noise from the engine is not like revs,it's a deep bass scream.
He's not had much trouble with his and he's had it 4 years.
Drinks juice though and specialist service required.
Oh and it not very good in the wet(too much power)
Real super car in the dry.

mmm super car



[This message has been edited by bumcrack (edited 30 September 2001).]

shunty

a guy I used to work with had a chimera, the 4 litre one (they do a 5.0 as well ). we raced in straight line before I had my UK modified, he made me look like I was in reverse
I think to be honest he would still beat me now running 280bhp only if he lived in australia where the corners & rain have been taken away forever

shunty

Steve Perriam

have a look at this thread neo.

Scumbag

Dont expect scooby build quality from a chimp (btw there is a 4l, old 4.0 High Compression, 4.5, and 5.0l).
The torque from the Rover V8 lump is awesome, but not lots of revs to play with.
They dont have creature comforts (like ABS !)but the sound....oh my God - NOTHING beats a big grumbly V8 (IMHO).

Be wary of very low mileage ones - they like to be driven, and too many people keep them in a garage for summer use only

Be careful of some of the dealers, (both for 2nd hand purchase + servicing) Fernhurst (Surrey) have the best rep.

If you buy (nearly) new, stick to the chimaera/Griffith rather than any of the Speed Six engines (awesome when they arent being rebuilt)

If you can live with a few niggles (door handles jamming, occasional *** dropping off !), and you arent doing a high mileage, you wont regret one

If you're interested check out:

GREEN SCOOBY

I thought u had already sold it for an evo 7 and i was sure u were on the last track day at croft, obviously not mate.

RobAnderson

A fellow paramedic had a tuned Cerbera . He said the funny thing was that the only cars that ever tried it on with him were imprezas - everything else used to leave well alone - I understand a few impreza egos were rapidly despatched in the exhaust-fumes of an AJP (at least on the straights!).
Unfortunately he committed the big no-no of taking it out in heavy rain - a drain had blocked on the A1/M1 causing a 'river' - he hit it at a fairly modest speed but because the back-ends are so light, combined with the mammoth tyres,the rear-end lifted and he just aquaplaned into a terminal spin and onward into oblivion and the Cerbera finished up with £22,000 worth of damage,(but thankfully none to himself), which equated to an insurance right-off.
A scenario that a scooby would be comparitively unlikely to encounter.
He's settled on a BMW 'MINI' for now but claims he hasn't been altogether put off and might consider another Cerbera.
Still, it's something to bear in mind if you're using it as an everyday motor in typical british weather.....

medders

I had a Griff 500HC. Loved it for 30% of the time, hated it for 70%. I won't buy another. Had a list of problems as long as my arm (and I've got long arms).
Lightning quick in a straight line, but the chassis really isn't up to the power. Don't know what the new ones are like.


If you get one drive it at the weekends and make sure you keep it garaged or it will rot.


If you want a full list of problems email me.

Medders.

Diesel

I have an STi V and had a Griff V8 before. I still miss the Griff, and would prefer it to the Scoob, were that practical.

The Scoob is incredibly capable and enjoyable and is a much better proposition as a car - err nothing gone wrong in 2 years...

I sold the TVR after a £2500 service, and yes there was nothing much wrong with it going in!!!!

The TVR had an open top, the torque, the growl, and was built so as your testosterone level increased as you drove it and wrestled with it (oops there goes a Scoob, arm out the window, past on the inside).

Essentially you need both, with the TVR mainly for July, Aug!

D

Feel free to mail me questions off-line. It was a very hard decision ditching the 'dream' TVR, and you may help ME in dealing with it!

Boostman

Neo,
I've owned a Chimaera for almost 3 years (4.0GF 250bhp) in which time I've done 22,000 miles (total 32,000) and it's never let me down!in fact the only problem I've had is a fault with the alarm,the low down torque is great as is the noise from the V8! especially in the summer with the roof off! I also have a modded WRX and enjoy the secure performance that provides I enjoy both but unfortunately the time has come to sell it and I shall be sad when it goes but £400 better off for each sevice that I don't have to have every 6000 miles!, I get about 28-30 mpg.

Len.

banshi

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Diesel:
<B>Essentially you need both [/quote]

Agreed, we were tempted to buy a 5ltr Griff (two or three times) regretably common sense prevailed.

My advice, think long and hard and DONT make the decision at the dealers after a test drive on a sunny day

There are the usual comments on quality, reliability and cost. But I would like to add another cautionary note. These things demand, and deserve, respect. My brother in law, who is considered an accomplished driver, by some, owns a 4ltr Chimera.

He previously had the 5 ltr version. accelerating along a straight he hit a slippery patch of tarmac......result one written off TVR plus a 7 day "will he make it" session in ITU, followed by a few more weeks in hospital and 9 months with his internal pipework diverted to a plastic bag hung from his hip.

But he did buy another, admittedly with a little less power, which says something about owning one

Has to drive the wheels off it to stay in sight of a P1 down his favoutite lanes though.

InsBro

I owned a 4.3 Chimaera for 2 years, I only had minor niggles nothing major.

I had it serviced by a specialist not a TVR main dealer, the dealer I bought it from then bought it back off me with no penalty for non main dealer service history!

Over all fuel economy (economy is not the right word) was 13.6 mpg on 19,000 miles.

InsBro