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It is with great sadness that I am placing my much loved Chimaera for sale. I have owned the car for over 7 years and having replaced many components, I can say this car is in great condition. A recent addition to my family means I will no longer have the time to really use this car. I would therefore love for the car to have a new owner who can enjoy and maintain it the way it deserves. Note, I do not need to sell this car so no time wasters or silly offers
History
I bought the car in Nov 2003 and loved it from day one. The only time the car has ever let me down was in summer 2004 when the oil pump, camshaft and cooling system failed. All brand new components were fitted. The camshaft is a common failure at around 50k miles on the Rover V8 engine. A standard spec cam was fitted.
Since then I have also fitted the following, mainly due to parts wearing out rather than breaking:
Alloy radiator with silicon hoses - this has greatly improved cooling. The car never overheats, even in stationery traffic in summer. It also starts first time, every time, whether the engine is cold, warm, or hot - this is not something other owners can always claim.
Avo adjustable dampers with stiffened springs and full geometry setup in 2009. The springs are as recommended by TVR specialists and vastly improve the ride. Rebound damping is adjustable. I have the ride height set slightly higher than most due to the numerous speed bumps round my way.
18" alloy wheels with Toyo Proxes T1-R tyres. I planned very carefully to match the original wheels overall height, width and offset. The original wheels with some tread remaining will also be included. 5mm pacers are used on all wheels giving the correct offset at the rear, but 5mm too little at the front. 10mm spacers would be ideal, but I didn't want to fit these and risk losing too much of the stud for the wheel nuts. Since fitting the wheels I believe 10mm spaces would be ok, so this is something to consider. Also, the front tyres are a little too low profile. Though they match the overall size of the standard tyres, a 215/35 or 215/40 tyre would be better.
Various Leven Technology interior accessories which include alloy dash, indicator stalks, ash trays, hand brake lever. The interior is much more modern as a result. I particular the alloy dash is a much better match for the navy blue trim.
The carpets were replaced several years ago and are in fantastic condition. I never got round to replacing the carpet in the door cars, but I do have the roll of carpet which will be included in sale. This is a fairly straightforward job of removing the door cards, using the old carpet section as a template and refitting.
In Aril 2009 I had by far the most significant job carried out and one which you should consider above all when buying a TVR. I had the chassis outriggers replaced at a cost of £2k. The whole chassis was then treated with rust proof paint. It has not been used in the wet since. I had noticed the passenger side outrigger corroding a few years back. I bit the bullet and had Sportmotive carry out the work. Being up in xxxxx I was not present to see the work but I did ask for one of the outriggers back. I was shocked just how bad the corrosion was and by how much was not visible with the body in place. Bear this in mind when considering buying - you will never really know what condition the chassis is in until the body comes off. I can assure you however that my Chimaera with it's new outriggers will have many many more years of motoring left. I still have the old outrigger which you are welcome to view.
A service was also carried out at the same time. The engine really does feel smooth and strong for a 17 year old car. Part of the appeal of the Chimaera in my opinion is that it still looks fresh today, and even more so with the 18" wheels in my case. It really does not show its age.
The bad points
The paintwork is in pretty good condition overall. It is a Honda colour, Celestial Blue code xxxxxx. However, as with any car this age it does have some stone chips and has had a couple of scratches. In fact, when I bought the car 7 years ago, I had always intended to have a front end respray, but since this was only cosmetic and there were other areas that warranted my attention, I never got round to it.
There is a 2-3" deep scratch on the front bumper by the passenger headlight which has been touched up with the correct colour making it less visible. There are also several parallel scratches on the passenger rear wing which are not too deep and may polish out with T-Cut. There are a few large scrapes on the bonnet lip but not really too visible. Finally as expected there are quite a few stone chips. The paint on TVRs is easy scratched/chipped. I had a Chips Away quote of £100 each of the two major scratches, and the others touched up for free. I don't think this is great value as a respray would not be much more and would give a better result. As I mentioned, this car has always needed a respray, but this is just cosmetic so was never a priority for me.
Occasionally, maybe once in every 10 drives, when slowing down approaching a junction/traffic light etc, the engine revs will drop and without a quick blip of the throttle, it will stall. I have had this investigated but have always been told 'they all do that sir'. This is a minor inconvenience rather that a problem, but want you to be aware should you buy the car.
The battery in the odometer failed just below 60k miles. This has just been replaced along with the speedo being overhauled. I have calculated the mileage since and know it to be 60,015. The car has had very little use over the last three years for medical reasons. I have regularly started the car to keep all the fluids moving and also had family take the car for a drive when I was not able to. I have been driving the car again since xxx and everything seems fine.
In addition to the original wheels, the car will be supplied with the following: a fault code reader which I leave plugged into the diagnostic port of the ECU. This proved very useful when the lambda sensors failed a few years back. The sensors were replaced and emissions are spot on now. Renovo roof restorer kit, which comprises of navy blue roof stain, roof sealant/water proofer, plastic window polish to remove the milliners that builds over time. The plastic window was treated only a few months ago. Original wood veneer dash Various spares including wing mirror bracket, 100 amp fuse Full service history log book including all of my receipts and many from the previous owner A hard copy of all the information (blog entries, costs etc) from my website so you can be sure of what has been replaced and when.
On the road
The performance of TVRs vary greatly and often don't reach anywhere near the claimed performance figures. I believe this Chimaera 400 to be a strong healthy and have results to prove this. The car is developing 185bhp@wheels which is about 220bhp at the fly, not much less than TVR claimed. I have calculated torque to be 230lbs ft and the curve is very flat all through the rev range. Being a 4 litre, it is happier to rev than the larger engines. The power curve keeps increasing and only starts to drop off at above 6k. The bigger engines typically drop off significantly after 5,500rpm.
Using a datalogger, I have timed 0-60 in 5.2s and this is with an element of mechanical sympathy. I'm sure a better driver on a grippier surface could achieve high 4's. With it's high torque and low mass, the car seems happy to do this all day long and never gives the impression something will break.
The car pulls cleanly in every gear and doesn't shunt at low revs. As it is just the 4 litre engine, you do need to use the gears a little more than the bigger capacity engines, particularly at higher speeds, but make no mistake, this is still a quick car. It has out accelerated Imprezas, Evos, M3s, and matched a 911 C4S. It is quicker than say 95% of the cars on the road, takes overtaking in its stride, and with the abundance of torque, is quite happy to be driven in a single gear (3rd/4th) from low revs making for a very relaxing drive.
This is a stunning car with a lovely V8 soundtrack and has been maintained meticulously during my ownership. I also have a lot of history from the previous owner. With a great chassis and many upgraded components, this is a great car and will give you much happiness as it has myself.
If you should by this car, and at some point in the future decide to sell the car, please contact me for first refusal. I love this car so much I'm sure I would consider buying it back again!
The result is fantastic, restoring the plastic window to its original clarity. You can see this in the photo below - the left side of the screen is noticeably clearer than the right.
I have only had to use this twice in the 7 years i've owned my Chimaera, but it is good to know that a product exists to keep my rear window in perfect condition. My next job will be to use to rest of the Renovo range to re-color and waterproof the hood ready for winter.
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For sale £7,495 ovno
24/07/2011
SummaryIt is with great sadness that I am placing my much loved Chimaera for sale. I have owned the car for over 7 years and having replaced many components, I can say this car is in great condition. A recent addition to my family means I will no longer have the time to really use this car. I would therefore love for the car to have a new owner who can enjoy and maintain it the way it deserves. Note, I do not need to sell this car so no time wasters or silly offers
History
I bought the car in Nov 2003 and loved it from day one. The only time the car has ever let me down was in summer 2004 when the oil pump, camshaft and cooling system failed. All brand new components were fitted. The camshaft is a common failure at around 50k miles on the Rover V8 engine. A standard spec cam was fitted.
Since then I have also fitted the following, mainly due to parts wearing out rather than breaking:
Alloy radiator with silicon hoses - this has greatly improved cooling. The car never overheats, even in stationery traffic in summer. It also starts first time, every time, whether the engine is cold, warm, or hot - this is not something other owners can always claim.
Avo adjustable dampers with stiffened springs and full geometry setup in 2009. The springs are as recommended by TVR specialists and vastly improve the ride. Rebound damping is adjustable. I have the ride height set slightly higher than most due to the numerous speed bumps round my way.
18" alloy wheels with Toyo Proxes T1-R tyres. I planned very carefully to match the original wheels overall height, width and offset. The original wheels with some tread remaining will also be included. 5mm pacers are used on all wheels giving the correct offset at the rear, but 5mm too little at the front. 10mm spacers would be ideal, but I didn't want to fit these and risk losing too much of the stud for the wheel nuts. Since fitting the wheels I believe 10mm spaces would be ok, so this is something to consider. Also, the front tyres are a little too low profile. Though they match the overall size of the standard tyres, a 215/35 or 215/40 tyre would be better.
Various Leven Technology interior accessories which include alloy dash, indicator stalks, ash trays, hand brake lever. The interior is much more modern as a result. I particular the alloy dash is a much better match for the navy blue trim.
The carpets were replaced several years ago and are in fantastic condition. I never got round to replacing the carpet in the door cars, but I do have the roll of carpet which will be included in sale. This is a fairly straightforward job of removing the door cards, using the old carpet section as a template and refitting.
In Aril 2009 I had by far the most significant job carried out and one which you should consider above all when buying a TVR. I had the chassis outriggers replaced at a cost of £2k. The whole chassis was then treated with rust proof paint. It has not been used in the wet since. I had noticed the passenger side outrigger corroding a few years back. I bit the bullet and had Sportmotive carry out the work. Being up in xxxxx I was not present to see the work but I did ask for one of the outriggers back. I was shocked just how bad the corrosion was and by how much was not visible with the body in place. Bear this in mind when considering buying - you will never really know what condition the chassis is in until the body comes off. I can assure you however that my Chimaera with it's new outriggers will have many many more years of motoring left. I still have the old outrigger which you are welcome to view.
A service was also carried out at the same time. The engine really does feel smooth and strong for a 17 year old car. Part of the appeal of the Chimaera in my opinion is that it still looks fresh today, and even more so with the 18" wheels in my case. It really does not show its age.
The bad points
The paintwork is in pretty good condition overall. It is a Honda colour, Celestial Blue code xxxxxx. However, as with any car this age it does have some stone chips and has had a couple of scratches. In fact, when I bought the car 7 years ago, I had always intended to have a front end respray, but since this was only cosmetic and there were other areas that warranted my attention, I never got round to it.
There is a 2-3" deep scratch on the front bumper by the passenger headlight which has been touched up with the correct colour making it less visible. There are also several parallel scratches on the passenger rear wing which are not too deep and may polish out with T-Cut. There are a few large scrapes on the bonnet lip but not really too visible. Finally as expected there are quite a few stone chips. The paint on TVRs is easy scratched/chipped. I had a Chips Away quote of £100 each of the two major scratches, and the others touched up for free. I don't think this is great value as a respray would not be much more and would give a better result. As I mentioned, this car has always needed a respray, but this is just cosmetic so was never a priority for me.
Occasionally, maybe once in every 10 drives, when slowing down approaching a junction/traffic light etc, the engine revs will drop and without a quick blip of the throttle, it will stall. I have had this investigated but have always been told 'they all do that sir'. This is a minor inconvenience rather that a problem, but want you to be aware should you buy the car.
The battery in the odometer failed just below 60k miles. This has just been replaced along with the speedo being overhauled. I have calculated the mileage since and know it to be 60,015. The car has had very little use over the last three years for medical reasons. I have regularly started the car to keep all the fluids moving and also had family take the car for a drive when I was not able to. I have been driving the car again since xxx and everything seems fine.
In addition to the original wheels, the car will be supplied with the following: a fault code reader which I leave plugged into the diagnostic port of the ECU. This proved very useful when the lambda sensors failed a few years back. The sensors were replaced and emissions are spot on now. Renovo roof restorer kit, which comprises of navy blue roof stain, roof sealant/water proofer, plastic window polish to remove the milliners that builds over time. The plastic window was treated only a few months ago. Original wood veneer dash Various spares including wing mirror bracket, 100 amp fuse Full service history log book including all of my receipts and many from the previous owner A hard copy of all the information (blog entries, costs etc) from my website so you can be sure of what has been replaced and when.
On the road
The performance of TVRs vary greatly and often don't reach anywhere near the claimed performance figures. I believe this Chimaera 400 to be a strong healthy and have results to prove this. The car is developing 185bhp@wheels which is about 220bhp at the fly, not much less than TVR claimed. I have calculated torque to be 230lbs ft and the curve is very flat all through the rev range. Being a 4 litre, it is happier to rev than the larger engines. The power curve keeps increasing and only starts to drop off at above 6k. The bigger engines typically drop off significantly after 5,500rpm.
Using a datalogger, I have timed 0-60 in 5.2s and this is with an element of mechanical sympathy. I'm sure a better driver on a grippier surface could achieve high 4's. With it's high torque and low mass, the car seems happy to do this all day long and never gives the impression something will break.
The car pulls cleanly in every gear and doesn't shunt at low revs. As it is just the 4 litre engine, you do need to use the gears a little more than the bigger capacity engines, particularly at higher speeds, but make no mistake, this is still a quick car. It has out accelerated Imprezas, Evos, M3s, and matched a 911 C4S. It is quicker than say 95% of the cars on the road, takes overtaking in its stride, and with the abundance of torque, is quite happy to be driven in a single gear (3rd/4th) from low revs making for a very relaxing drive.
This is a stunning car with a lovely V8 soundtrack and has been maintained meticulously during my ownership. I also have a lot of history from the previous owner. With a great chassis and many upgraded components, this is a great car and will give you much happiness as it has myself.
If you should by this car, and at some point in the future decide to sell the car, please contact me for first refusal. I love this car so much I'm sure I would consider buying it back again!
Some photos and movies
04/04/2011
It's been quite a while since i last added some photos of the car. Below is a collection of images of my TVR looking its best and also a couple of movies. My days with the Chimaera are numbered - i have finally decided to part with the car. Becoming a Dad in October 2010 means i just dont have the time to use the TVR anymore and would prefer something fun that my wife, son and I can all enjoy together.Cheap insurance!
07/01/2011
In December i arranged my insurance through a different broker for a change. Mannings UK were very helpful and honest which led to me taking out a classic car TVR policy with them. This is not only much cheaper than i have paid before, but gives me much better cover also. For just £340 and only a £100 excess, i have a full year of social and domestic cover with occasional commuting use, a 5,000 mile limit, but also track day insurance (with £1,000 excess) and foreign travel insurance for up to 45 days per trip. I don't use the car to commute, nor have i done a track day or used it abroad, but it is nice to know i can and will be covered! Even better is the low price.Rear Screen Refreshed
29/10/2010
The plastic rear screen of my hood has been looking rather mirky despite regular cleaning. Over time, it starts to become opaque and visibility reduces. There is an excellent fix however by Renovo who specialise in soft top roof restoration products. Renovo Window Polish is applied in the same way as that of paint polish - simply rub on both sides of the screen, allow to dry and then buff off with a polishing cloth.The result is fantastic, restoring the plastic window to its original clarity. You can see this in the photo below - the left side of the screen is noticeably clearer than the right.
I have only had to use this twice in the 7 years i've owned my Chimaera, but it is good to know that a product exists to keep my rear window in perfect condition. My next job will be to use to rest of the Renovo range to re-color and waterproof the hood ready for winter.
The TVR may soon have to go
15/04/2010
With a baby on the way later this year, my Chimaera is rapidly becoming more and more impractical. I do have the option of keeping the car as a play thing as my wife gas a Honda Civic which will be the family car. However, I fear the Chimaera will get very little use this way. So once again I've been considering replacing it with something more family orientated yet still special. Top of my list so far is the BMW 135i. Whilst being a compact 4 seat coupe, it share the same engine as that found in its big brother, the 335i. The 3 litre, twin turbo, 300bhp power plant has won numerous awards and provides the 135i with performance greater than that of my Chimaera. The car has M Sport spec suspension as standard and has extremely powerful brakes with 6 pot calipers up front. This car ticks all the right boxes for me. With a free flow exhaust and a remap, a reliable 350-370bhp can be achieved and 400 is possible with improvements to the cooling. The car definately has a lot of potential and i feel it is a better package than the 335i. I have consodered the BMW M5 E39 with its 400bhp V8 but almost all of the cars for sale have covered at least 50,000 miles. Whilst the engine is reportedly good for well over 100k, it's all the other components, such as shocks, bushes, electrics etc that may not be as hard wearing. I would ideally prefer a newer car. The Mercedes E55 AMG also took my fancy - with 476bhp and 516lbs ft from its 5.4 litre supercharged V8, what is not to like! However, this was an £80k car only 5 or so years ago - there is a reason why they are now below £20k now. Having researched the reliability of the E55, I feel there could be some huge running costs when parts fail. Common problems seem to be brake pump, power steering and air suspension pump, and supercharger clutch. Fixing worn out parts doesn't necessarily concern me, but these are expensive items and I ideally don't want a car that costs too much to maintain.24/07/2011
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