Tvr Chimaera 450 V8 Purchase

[Fiona]

You won't do much hillclimbing in a Chim, straight off at first hairpin.....

[PeterField]

Think you've just been rumbled Bob

 

Tried a Chimaera last summer before buying the Exige, liked it a lot until I tried the Lotus (had never driven either before), which I enjoyed so much more.

 

Stick with Lotus and if you feel you've gotta change get that Esprit you keep talking about

[Zircon450]

Ok Ok I'll come clean officer !

 

I HAVE gone for a 450 Chimaera, I haven't yet told anyone except you guys and Kim (of course) it will be a wekends and fine days holidays car.

 

It goes dead against my Lotus dreams for sure, but reality check says my dream doesn't really exist with modern Lotus.

 

Mike Foster has made it very clear that the Esprit is a no go, and basically gives the Tivver his blessing, which says its a good un.

 

 

Major factor in ending the Elise ownership .... using it every day.

 

The Elise is a great car, but you all know that anyway, but as an everyday car (in my life) it is by no means practical, mpg excepted.

 

So, I'm calming down the driving, as for sure, owning and running the Elise would have ultimately resulted in my death, the death of my wife, or the death of an innocent party. Sorry, but I cannot live with that thought anymore.

 

So the big burbler (the car not me) will be heading my way soon, final test drive tommorow, subject to that, it's job done.

 

So there it is ... feel free to poke fun

 

Seriously though, will a Tivver owner be welcome here or on social gathering drive ?

 

Oh yes forgot to mention, 2 new front disks and pads, just had 4 new tyres, 4 new ball joints, 2 pairs ally balljoint mounts, new ARB bushes, engine service etc etc on the Elise this week .... bugger, but thats life.

 

Bob

 

<EDIT> For p poor spelling !

[Ladders]

Let us have a drive then!

 

Still doing the sprints this year?

 

You still going to come on the runs?

[Zircon450]

There by hangs a question Mr Ladders,

 

Don't know what to do with regard to competition, things have moved a bit quick.

 

Have Le Mans to think about as well. Will be the only gay in the village with the Tivver and the MLOC SELOC boys, what the hell will people think, tw@t I guess, hey ho !

 

Funnily enough the paperwork came through this morning for the Members Sprint on 20th March (SDCC Only) so may give it a go that day and see what it's like ..

 

TBC ?

[Ladders]

So you'll be changing your Sunstrip/Sticker order then Bob

[Zircon450]

So you'll be changing your Sunstrip/Sticker order then Bob 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh shit yes I will - sorry Dave forgot that.

 

Also, just paid for the Tango190 decals from Sign Of The Times too - bugger.

 

No real planning here as you can see = Sunstrip only Dave + charge me for artwork time if you started it - fairs fair.

[halfpenny]

Congrats Bob. Hope you enjoy the Chim.

 

Did you buy it privately or from a garage ??

 

Maybe see you at the next Notts Pub Meet in it......

[Zebedee79]

Congrats - enjoy.

 

There are so many great cars out there to drive and enjoy with differnt characteristics, and just not enough time, so change good even if you end up back in Lotus fold in the future

 

I was going to try and persuade you to purchse the Sport 350 at NW to remove the temptation from me....

 

John

[GCCK]

Your Elise experience hasn't been the best, has it? You were sold a pup by a disgraceful practitioner but ironically you've fixed it up for the next owner - who knows what this year might have held with it performing as it should?

 

Still, variety is the spice of life - hope it goes well for you - and can I have a ride in the Trevor when you get it? LeMans should be a blast -literally - in that thing!

[Martin_S]

Don't do it!

 

I went from an Elise to a Griffith 500 (which I still have), and I wish I hadn't.

 

Griff (Chimaera's are the same chassis and running gear, so virtually identical to drive) makes a lovely noise, very quick in a straight line, nice to look at and great interior, but bloody awful to drive compared to the Elise.

 

Handling is plain scary in anything but dry weather, steering has no feel, even the gearchange is slow and ponderous (didn't think I'd be saying that after the Elise - always thought that the gear linkage was the Lotus's worst feature!).

 

Relaibility is much worse and therefore running costs are higher.

 

Insurance is cheaper for me, mind you.

 

I'm seriously thinking about returning to Lotus ownership after only 6 months!

[malbon]

ooops...think your too late Martin

[Martin_S]

Nah, it's never too late!

 

He hasn't picked it up yet, has he?!

[malbon]

some reading for you bob

 

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_42471.html

[Stevef]

Although I'm no longer a Lotus owner I still frequent this site on regular basis so I hope you don't mind me sticking my nose in,as I'm probably better qualified than most.That is having owned both Lotus and TVR in the recent past.

 

I remember summarising my experience on another thread recently on pistonheads and perhaps cruelly describing my Griff 500 as a 340BHP tractor.While I know the Griff and Chim have an ardent following I've got to say the attraction never got a grip of me.

 

One thing in retrospec I did think having owned a Griff and a 4.2 Cerb was that in real terms the Elise /Exige were an absoloute performance bargain.While you may think running your 4 pot K series engine is expensive grab yourself an additional 4 cylinders and things really get exciting.

 

As mentioned earlier the Chim and Griff both run the old Buick /Rover engine which is fairly strong while the Cerb runs TVR's own 4.2 and 4.5 AJP V8 which is perhaps a little more stressed.The speed six engine is the stuff of nightmares regardless of what anyone says ask any ex TVR dealer and they will back me up.If it wasn't so poor I would have a Tuscan in the garage now.

 

Think one day soon I will own another Lotus probably an Exige and probably a s2 .The main reason being the chasis, and while I've had and have a car with twice as much power when it's in a lotus chasis at least you feel you can use it.

 

So in summary. Don,t do it