Selling my 4200 & Chimaera - 2 into 1 - Thoughts on replacement?

rockits

Member
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9,167
That is indeed a lovely AM. Also great VFM. I think if I went Aston though it would be a Vantage manual.

I could sell the XJL SS and have a Rapide but sure the Rapide is as good as the XJ for what the XJ does or as good as a Vantage for what it does. Perfect if you want one car that sits in between and does both jobs pretty well though.
 

allandwf

Member
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10,958
I like the look of the Tuscan and T350 but not sure about the Speed 6 or AJP engines. Certainly not a majority but I have heard so many tales of £10k+ engine rebuilds.

The old school RV8 has a great sounding old school agricultural but slightly endering feel to it.
Ha! Just like end float etc.Most will have been done, Speed6, dodgy batches of cam followers. TVR Power had 100k mile transferable warranties on their rebuilds. The early V8 had a reputation for snapping crank, again majority will have been done, but most are newer than those susceptible.
 

rockits

Member
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9,167
Just been offered a very nice late 2001 Chimaera 500 Mk3. At £28.5k! :eek:

It has just had major engine works @ V8D due to snapped crank funnily enough. I've heard the 500's suffer more and the 450 4.6 is the best engine to have for reliability. Most specialist engine builders using the RV8 seem to start with the cross bolted 4.6 as a base. For good reason I guess. Nearly £30k is too much money for me to warrant spending on a stock 48k mile Chimaera 500 though.

I'm going to look at these 2 on the 6th Sept:

 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
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9,033
Just been offered a very nice late 2001 Chimaera 500 Mk3. At £28.5k! :eek:

It has just had major engine works @ V8D due to snapped crank funnily enough. I've heard the 500's suffer more and the 450 4.6 is the best engine to have for reliability. Most specialist engine builders using the RV8 seem to start with the cross bolted 4.6 as a base. For good reason I guess. Nearly £30k is too much money for me to warrant spending on a stock 48k mile Chimaera 500 though.

I'm going to look at these 2 on the 6th Sept:


Don't get the attraction personally, especially at the asking prices.
They are so 'kitish' in build quality everytime I have looked at one.
The T350c is the only one that attracts me style wise.
Each to their own and all that.
 

Andy Marshall

Member
Messages
297
Funnily enough I went from TVR to Maserati. Although I love the TVRs I would say that stepping into a Chim would be a step down.
Now, what you want is an Aston Martin Vantage. Ideally the V12, but the 4.7V8 will also tickle your toes. It would also be a perfect foil for your 4200. I should know as I have a V12 Vantage S and a 4200 Spyder!
 

Needamaser

Member
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1,491
Funnily enough I went from TVR to Maserati. Although I love the TVRs I would say that stepping into a Chim would be a step down.
Now, what you want is an Aston Martin Vantage. Ideally the V12, but the 4.7V8 will also tickle your toes. It would also be a perfect foil for your 4200. I should know as I have a V12 Vantage S and a 4200 Spyder!
I found the 4.3 Vantage a bit lacking after coming from the 4200. There was power but you really needed to rev it to make progress. 4.7 would be my choice.
V12 engine (in any Aston) and lose the secondary cats and that is a different story.
 

rockits

Member
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9,167
I agree an Aston especially V12 would be awesome but then it sits me in at £60k+ for a V12 Vantage. A V8 Vantage can be snagged for £25k now but a 4.3. However I wonder if a 4.3 with a little Bamford Rose work would be better than a cheap stock 4.7? Ideally buying a nice 4.3 that someone has already spent Bamford Rose cash would make sense.

A DB9 is down to £25k now but not sure I see the point of a 2+2 with useless back seats which is bigger and heavier than a Vantage. It does get you in to an AM V12 at a much lower price point though.
 

Wack61

Member
Messages
8,764
If I were spending that kind of money my primary concern would be depreciation , I'd be looking for something sought after and likely to appreciate rather than something difficult to sell on when you're bored with it .
If I had that kind of cash available it'd go on one of these, probably not for that money though

If you want something that turns heads wherever you go I can confirm a transit with a squeaky fanbelt does the trick
59624
 

rivarama

Member
Messages
1,102
If you’re set on a £50-65k I would consider the following (whether at those prices today or in 6-12months, I’d get my search hat ready):
  • Ferrari 360 manual
  • Ferrari 355 manual (they are getting close)
  • Ferrari 550 maranello (upper side of the range)
  • Ferrari 575 (lower side of the range)
  • Merc pagoda 230 or 250SL or higher miles 280 (saw a couple going under the hammer around £65k)
  • Maserati GT MC strad
  • Porsche 911 GT3 (likely to be a 996 today, who knows tomorrow)
  • AM DBS
  • AM early 2000s vanquish (w a warranty :)
For £25-30k
  • AM Vantage manual
  • GT MC shift
  • Ferrari Mondial
  • 2016+ BMW M5
And the list goes on and on :)
 

Hawk13

Member
Messages
1,471
Good list and I think all of the £50-65k cars are likely to increase in value (if not in short term, definitely over 5 years)

For the cheaper options, I think the GT and the M5 haven't bottomed out yet and would urge caution on the Mondial ...... not because they are no good (I really like them) but because they are cheap and may not have been looked after.

I looked for a couple of years for a good one and at that price point they were all overpriced IMO. I nearly pulled the trigger on one for £25k (had been up for 33 but hadn't moved) that had thousands spent in the last few years and looked good to my eye. Luckily I paid for a specialist to take a look and the list of defects, bodges and money skimping was scary - I walked away!!!!
 

dickygrace

www.richardgracecars.co.uk
Messages
7,310
Great list that Rivarama. Not had a Pagoda or a Mondial but had all the rest and they’re great cars.
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,040
Budget was £25k-£30k. I could make it more but would mean selling some others. I could sell the XJL SS but like that. Pushes the budget to £45k-£50k then.

The sensible thing to do would be to sell my first 4200 keeper. That would get me to £50k-£55k. If I add the XJL SS & 4200 and sell 4 into 1 I'm then up to circa £70k-£75k I guess.

I think the 8C might be out of my budget somewhat! Unless you find someone who I can steal one from at £75k!!

You know what I'm going to say Dean....Vantage....So many good 4.7's in your range. Up to 45k gets an N420 and above that a Vantage S. A chap on PH just bought a rare manual Vantage S from an Aston dealer that was up for 48k for 44k.....Its a buyers market.
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,040
I like the look of the Tuscan and T350 but not sure about the Speed 6 or AJP engines. Certainly not a majority but I have heard so many tales of £10k+ engine rebuilds.

The old school RV8 has a great sounding old school agricultural but slightly endering feel to it.

I had a T350T and agree that the engine takes some up keep to keep it in tip top condition.....but such a good looking car and for me TVR's best....
 

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Andyk

Member
Messages
61,040
I have a friend with a new Lotus 410 and it looks and sounds fantastic.

It does sound brilliant...Really suprised me when a friend took me out in his. Sounded great and was bonkers fast.......You can't go wrong with an Evora for fun....Great cars.