What's it really like to live with a TVR Chimaera? 

"I find the general cabin noise to be a bit too loud". Since most of that is a glorious, thunderous, meaty V8, it can't be loud enough for me. The noise is utterly addictive and unlike any other car.

I had a TVR Griffith 500. It wouldn't start when the engine was hot. But apart from that it was very reliable car. Absolutely loved it apart from not being able to start it. Once I was pushed off the Severn bridge by 6 policemen. Happy days. :)

I'm going to be importing a Griff over to the states, never got to own one back in Blighty so over here it'll be a blast, the video is extremely helpful. Thanks.

I still want one. Mainly a Cerbera, but a nice video none the less. Proper.

Had my Chim. for 5 yrs now without fault. Only car I would replace it with would be a sagaris but they are way out of my budget now. After 5 yrs still addicted to that sound.👍🏼🎼

Great video! Brilliant to see such articulate, thoughtful and genuinely useful content.

Great vid. Thanks. I’ve had 2 chims and am currently “between TVRs”. Can’t wait to get back into one!

Had mine 8 years I love it, will never sell it but I wish I had more money to keep her maintained. I was 24 years old when I made the purchase though and she's now getting the love she needed

I have a Vixen with a Ford 302 in it , it is, by far , the easiest car I have ever worked on. Chassis/frame repairs are easy , steel tubing is cheap. Lifting the body off is straightforward , a few big bolts to undo and a couple of mates to help with the lifting. Owning a TVR is one way to improve your mig skills , fabricating the exhaust manifolds , engine and gearbox mountings , re -making the differential mountings after the increased torque ripped the original ones off the frame , etc. I have chucked my old Aston in the corner and the TVR is my daily driver , 100 smiles per gallon.

"What's it really like to live with a TVR Chimaera?" Brilliant? Will that answer your question? Good points: Noise. Speed. Handling (get it corner weighted and it handles like it's on rails). Reliability (yes - really. It's cost a lot in maintenance and chassis rebuilding, but doesn't break down). Looks. Interior. Cheap to buy. Cheap to insure. Bad points: Fuel consumption |(OK on long runs). No warning buzzer if you've left your lights on. Can leak in heavy rain. Awful turning circle at low speed. No air con on mine, so it gets HOT inside.

Great vid - helped make my mind up - currently have a 450 undergoing total restoration with Central TVR - can’t wait for the summer!

Great video. I had one of these back in the day, and you're right, that acceleration never gets old. I've driven faster modern vehicles, but still miss the feel of these things.

Brilliant vid, well done my man!

OMG This is a legend. Thanks for reviewing it

Great video on buying & owning a TVR.

Another great video, thanks. I have had a few issues in 2 years of ownership (the door mirror, fuel pump relay and hot start) but love the car! I could drive it all day. I certainly would not change it for a more expensive modern sports car.. .

Nice vids bro. Loving the quality content

Fantastic video.

Finally some proper chimaera videos! Thank you

I'll answer that question in just one word: wonderful.

Tnx for posting! Great explanation and I assume your tribute is more or less for all the TVR's produced from the mid '90s until 2005. I have a Cerbera, living in Sweden where you can make grand tours. If you maintain the car properly it's a lot of fun to drive. Since 2010 I have had only 2x an electric failure caused by the battery cable....! Before buying; check the chassis...... and the rest by "test driving" , history service, etc.

great video from a fellow tvr fan up in aberdeen, sold my cerbera after 10yr of ownership last year, toying with idea of a tuscan from down south, we shall see :)

Great vid. Mine is a daily driver, also a 400, had it 3 yrs, never let me down!

My word, what an honest review. I bought a Chimaera, same colour as yours, about 16 years ago and a few years later I took it in for a service. It didnt take them long to come back with the bad news; my chassis was as bad as yours. However, unlike you, I was so shocked (as it was my 40th birthday present to myself) that I sold it back to them for a fraction of the price and bought a Cayman. What I should have done is what you did as you cannot beat the exhaust note from the car, not even the new Griffith and the dials and knobs were just wonderful (unlike the Griffith again, save for the fact that it has sat nav). I have just found one in paradise purple for just under £20,000; purple is my favourite colour and it is even more stunning than my TVR looked 31,000 miles 5 ltr 1999

Nice vid. I’m currently doing the “research” bit of which you speak haha, working out all the ins and outs of the Chimera as it’s a car I’ve really got my eye on! Any video on RU-vid, I’m watching, so it’s nice to find this one. I’ve joined a few of the owners groups on Facebook too and I’d advise anyone interested in buying one, to do the same as they’re full of actual owners with actual experience of owning them! As you say, they get a bit of a bad rep for no good reason, other than maybe one bloke had a bad one and told his mates down the pub n then everyone thinks they’re a nightmare to own! Tbh, that doesn’t bother me anyway as I’m very hands on with my cars and do everything to them! One thing I do have to mention though, is about shared parts: those stalks maybe the aluminium ones in yours, but they’re pure Vauxhall beyond, including the steering column which is from a mk3 Cavalier, including the ignition barrel and keys. The earlier models use the Vauxhall stalks. In fact, I know a few people who’ve fitted the nice aluminium stalks in their Vauxhalls 😁 In fact, the keys are also shared with the older mk2 Cavalier from the 80’s! I know as I own three of them haha! The electric window switches are mk3 Cavalier too. The rear view mirror is Peugeot, the door mirrors Citroen CX controlled by Vauxhall switches, and the ash-trays are from the Austin Allegro/Maxi of all things!!! I Love the things! So does my Mrs and she wants me to get one 😮 I know, I’m a very lucky chap! ❤

Great video well done love it.

Very objective and informative. Interesting review, thank you

Great video

Jeez, those mpg figures are amazing!!

Give me a brand new 911 and I'd sell it any buy 3 or more TVRs. They are the ultimate in raw fun.

Thanks for the video. Looking to put a deposit on a griff tomorrow, also have an abarth as a daily driver :) Hoping TVR ownership is good to me.

Good video, thanks for posting :-)

I would love one

There aren't many cars like these left now, so values are starting to rise. I've been tempted to sell mine, but it's better than money in the bank and has doubled in value during my ownership of seven years or so. Theres nothing to match the sound of V8 TVR and everyone seems to love it everywhere I go.

I have just bought one took 2 years to get it but get it i did !!!!!! Now i am so nervous don't know why well i do really will it get me home will it cost me a fortune to run etc etc etc All I can say is those that bad mouth the car have normally never had one Well let me put it this way all those that own one don't bad mouth them say no more This vid helped me a lot sensible comments and a good overview.. So thanks my friend for that if nothing else !!!!!!! For those that are scared as i was don't be they are not like modern cars most good mechanics can sort anything on a T.V.R. Not like my Range Rover where you get all the ifs buts and might be answers.. The R/Rover as good as it is will always lose you money unless its a 2 door version which i have got and that car is now silly money thanks god i never sold it for 350 quid a few years ago.. The long winded point i try to make is this if you get a half decent model you will have loads of fun and you should not lose a lot of money so what is the reason not to get one and when you get to an old age you can always say well I had one !!!!!!!!!! The worst scenario is a new chassis at 6k fitted who gives a shit it will be worth a hell of a lot more if you decide to do it how many other cars can you say the same T.V.R. A WINNER EVERY WAY YOU LOOK AT IT YOU JUST CAN NOT LOSE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOPE THAT MAKES A LITTLE SENSE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By far the best video on the Chim I have seen. Finally buying one this year with an inheritance as marriage, kids divorce and second marriage have always prevented it even though it’s been my holy grail fir about 10 years. Beautiful car and a great and real world review on ownership. I can’t wait to get one. What engine is yours? Now subscribed 👍

I'm looking to buy a Griffith right now. It's a dream car to me. I'll have an answer at the end of the week but if i can't buy it...i'll be sad because it was the most desirable model i ever saw. I'll have to wait again...then it'll be Brexit, that means more taxes and papers to get the car in Belgium. Pffff maan. Love the sound of your Chimaera. I do love the design of the Griffith more though. Still...you make me want to drive it, badly. Thanks for your videos!

my fave TVR model powered by 5 litre v8!!

I swapped my Porsche Boxster S for a Tuscan. Similar age, similar milage but the Tuscan has cost less to keep on the road in the same time frame.

i drive my car daily in the summer .. it's fantastic .

Is there like a best production year for Chimaera or they are uniform? There is a 1999 and another 2003 on the market in my region.

If you was going to purchase this car and you used it as a daily. Would you have to recommend keeping it in a garage or under shelter away from the weather, rather than having out on your drive way?

That is why you don't waxoil ... it hides the chassis ... better to keep it clean and keep an eye on the thing ...

Can you screw bits of zinc to the chassis to stop the rust, like they do with boats, or does it not work that way?

Good run through 👍 corrosion aside I wish I hadn't watched as I feel I am in that slice of people who would love everything else about it 🤣👊🏼

US Gallon is smaller so 30mpg UK would be around 24mpg US

I found a tvr chimaera with 90k km mileage that's going for about £17k. Not sure if it's a good buy like whether it's a reliable car. I'm from Malaysia, a tropical country with hot weather all year round.

My father owns a series s And the thing is amazing of course there are some problems but that should be expected because of the questionable reputation nobody really fixes them.

I learned to drive in an era that cars didn't have any safety features at all so I'm in no way put off by buying a TVR !! I hate it when people say it's a dangerous road,there's no such thing, it's just the people driving on them that aren't reading the road properly !!

Aaaand I think you just talked me out of it again. 😂

It's Scotland. It's dull and raining. Sunglasses.??? 😃😃

I sawe v b h at the factory why don't they galvanize them..??

All TVRs are worth saving at any cost, they aren't making anymore.

Didn't you say it was raining ? Why are you wearing sunglasses ?