New member, Hello and questions
Discussion
Hello,
I am finally actually, realistically looking to buy a cerbera at long last. (well in the next couple of years, when the right one appears)
I have a rough idea of my buying parameters at the moment. (mk2 for reliability, 4.5l, spider alloys, not really fussed about colour, must have chassis done (or fully inspected with photo's) but i hear service history isnt really worth the paper it's printed on?? so looking to buy from a well known owner.
I have really fancied one for a long time and now starting to make it a reality. So my first port of call is meeting, talking to owners and learning as much as I can, as I am in no rush to buy one I might as well do plenty of research and learning to ensure I dont buy a money pit (well, no more than it will be anyway
I have read lots of articles on here but not many other forums to check out that I could find. (tvr club is paid for only? bit crap for non owning members)
So, Greetings to you Cerbera owners and I am insanely jealous of you all.
and my first question to you is, where can I see a/some cerberas in the flesh! maybe even get a passenger ride to quench my thirst before ownership. Are there any meets etc coming up? even if it is just a couple of people.
I live in aldershot/farnham boarder. (farnham hampshire)
Kind regards, Jack.
I am finally actually, realistically looking to buy a cerbera at long last. (well in the next couple of years, when the right one appears)
I have a rough idea of my buying parameters at the moment. (mk2 for reliability, 4.5l, spider alloys, not really fussed about colour, must have chassis done (or fully inspected with photo's) but i hear service history isnt really worth the paper it's printed on?? so looking to buy from a well known owner.
I have really fancied one for a long time and now starting to make it a reality. So my first port of call is meeting, talking to owners and learning as much as I can, as I am in no rush to buy one I might as well do plenty of research and learning to ensure I dont buy a money pit (well, no more than it will be anyway
I have read lots of articles on here but not many other forums to check out that I could find. (tvr club is paid for only? bit crap for non owning members)
So, Greetings to you Cerbera owners and I am insanely jealous of you all.
and my first question to you is, where can I see a/some cerberas in the flesh! maybe even get a passenger ride to quench my thirst before ownership. Are there any meets etc coming up? even if it is just a couple of people. I live in aldershot/farnham boarder. (farnham hampshire)
Kind regards, Jack.
Hello Jabba,
ripskin said:
but i hear service history isnt really worth the paper it's printed on??
I have read some posts where the buyer has got a service history but the car was still a pup, forged service history and the like. Although surely it would be down the the reputation of the dealer/seller?
Burghley is too far for me but I may well pop along to the Virginia water meet what colour is your cerb? so I know who you are
Thanks.
R8Black, That is a beautiful cerbera you have there, congrats!
The cream leather really sets it off too. does it have the later front end or early? I like the early style headlights personally. First one Iv'e seen in black, Gorgeous!
Hi Gazzab,
Why a mk2 for reliability? A well cared for one is key regardless of age.
Spider alloys..virtually all 4.5 'mk2' came with spiders
Specialist SH - it's deinitely worth the paper it's written on ASSUMING the current owner has dug deep during ownership and not saved all the bills for the next owner.
Chassis - not many mk2 cerbs have required chassis work. The 98 - 99 era Tvr's tend to prematurely rot.
Good advice there, I have read that the early cerbs suffered from crank failure, and some were powder coated "in house" by tvr but not very well (i do not know if this is true) It is just what I have read. I am here to learn from real owners
I have also read that the later ones are more reliable as tvr gradually ironed out the faults in build quality. (but again, it is just what I have read, heard, I'm sure you guys will correct me ifit is wrong )
Thanks bud.
Hi Jimm218,
and thanks, couldn't make it yesterday due to work commitments. how was it? and thanks for the offer I may well pop over for a natter.
Hello, jamieduff1981
quote; All performance cars are money pits and Cerberas are no exception. As Gary says the car demands money. You can spend a fair wedge as you go, or you can make do and mend for a while. The car WILL burn the money at some point however so if an owner thinks the car has been cheap to run, then there's a big bill somewhere in the distance.
Fundamentally a Cerbera is a very high performance and fairly light weight car built using either off-the-shelf parts or specially made parts with limited R&D. Things do wear out.
As for reliability - if you prefer the looks of the later cars then that's fine, but they'll bork themselves as readily as an older car. The difference is more likely that the later car hasn't finished knackering all its original components yet and therefore look more reliable at face value because the total spend on the car hasn't yet caught up with that of the older cars. Having now owned a 1999 4.5 into my 3rd year now, and so far avoided any absolute catastrophes yet still managed to sink a few thousand last year and the year before, I'd be far more interested in age of the clutch pack that is fitted, when the slave and master cylinder were last replaced (with new, not just seals replaced), when the brakes were changed (a set of brakes will cost you the thick end of a grand for a Cerb) and what dampers, springs and suspension bushes were fitted than simply how young the car is and how polished the paintwork is.
A slightly dull and stone chipped car can be touched in and machine polished easily. A gleaming garage queen still on original everything will have your eyes out just in parts.
A 1996 4.2 with a good chassis, good valve shim thicknesses remaining, around 50k on the clock with recent clutch, Raceproved slave cylinder, Brummie's Carbon Lorraine brakes all round, recent new bushes, a set of Nitron dampers or similar, an ACT exhaust and has had fresh coils, HT leads, good throttle pots etc is more likely to reward you with good reliability.
If an engine grenades itself, then that's very unlucky and also very rare. Everything else wearing out and needing replaced is pretty much inevitable however.
I'd also suggest you try cars on 16" Saturn wheels, 17" RL7 wheels and 18" Spider wheels before deciding you want the latter. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
That's before getting in to the effect they have on the drive.
Excellent info there, Thank you, just what i'm after no punches pulled I thought I was dead set on the 4.5 as I have heard they are a bit more of an animal and a little more power, although I completely agree with you that a well sorted 4.2 would be a better choice than a "boarder line" 4.5. Is the difference very noticable from 4.2 to 4.5 models?
I currently have a skyine, which is probably the most reliable car I have ever owned, so it might be a shock to the system. lol.
Sorry for the long reply guys, and thanks for the help, BUT THIS THREAD NEEDS PICTURES please post up pics of your cerberas for me, its like crack for the eyes
Jack.
ripskin said:
but i hear service history isnt really worth the paper it's printed on??
I have read some posts where the buyer has got a service history but the car was still a pup, forged service history and the like. Although surely it would be down the the reputation of the dealer/seller?
Burghley is too far for me but I may well pop along to the Virginia water meet
what colour is your cerb? so I know who you are Thanks.
R8Black, That is a beautiful cerbera you have there, congrats!
The cream leather really sets it off too. does it have the later front end or early? I like the early style headlights personally. First one Iv'e seen in black, Gorgeous!
Hi Gazzab,
Why a mk2 for reliability? A well cared for one is key regardless of age.
Spider alloys..virtually all 4.5 'mk2' came with spiders
Specialist SH - it's deinitely worth the paper it's written on ASSUMING the current owner has dug deep during ownership and not saved all the bills for the next owner.
Chassis - not many mk2 cerbs have required chassis work. The 98 - 99 era Tvr's tend to prematurely rot.
Good advice there, I have read that the early cerbs suffered from crank failure, and some were powder coated "in house" by tvr but not very well (i do not know if this is true) It is just what I have read. I am here to learn from real owners
I have also read that the later ones are more reliable as tvr gradually ironed out the faults in build quality. (but again, it is just what I have read, heard, I'm sure you guys will correct me ifit is wrong
)Thanks bud.
Hi Jimm218,
and thanks, couldn't make it yesterday due to work commitments. how was it? and thanks for the offer I may well pop over for a natter.
Hello, jamieduff1981
quote; All performance cars are money pits and Cerberas are no exception. As Gary says the car demands money. You can spend a fair wedge as you go, or you can make do and mend for a while. The car WILL burn the money at some point however so if an owner thinks the car has been cheap to run, then there's a big bill somewhere in the distance.
Fundamentally a Cerbera is a very high performance and fairly light weight car built using either off-the-shelf parts or specially made parts with limited R&D. Things do wear out.
As for reliability - if you prefer the looks of the later cars then that's fine, but they'll bork themselves as readily as an older car. The difference is more likely that the later car hasn't finished knackering all its original components yet and therefore look more reliable at face value because the total spend on the car hasn't yet caught up with that of the older cars. Having now owned a 1999 4.5 into my 3rd year now, and so far avoided any absolute catastrophes yet still managed to sink a few thousand last year and the year before, I'd be far more interested in age of the clutch pack that is fitted, when the slave and master cylinder were last replaced (with new, not just seals replaced), when the brakes were changed (a set of brakes will cost you the thick end of a grand for a Cerb) and what dampers, springs and suspension bushes were fitted than simply how young the car is and how polished the paintwork is.
A slightly dull and stone chipped car can be touched in and machine polished easily. A gleaming garage queen still on original everything will have your eyes out just in parts.
A 1996 4.2 with a good chassis, good valve shim thicknesses remaining, around 50k on the clock with recent clutch, Raceproved slave cylinder, Brummie's Carbon Lorraine brakes all round, recent new bushes, a set of Nitron dampers or similar, an ACT exhaust and has had fresh coils, HT leads, good throttle pots etc is more likely to reward you with good reliability.
If an engine grenades itself, then that's very unlucky and also very rare. Everything else wearing out and needing replaced is pretty much inevitable however.
I'd also suggest you try cars on 16" Saturn wheels, 17" RL7 wheels and 18" Spider wheels before deciding you want the latter. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
That's before getting in to the effect they have on the drive.
Excellent info there, Thank you, just what i'm after no punches pulled
I thought I was dead set on the 4.5 as I have heard they are a bit more of an animal and a little more power, although I completely agree with you that a well sorted 4.2 would be a better choice than a "boarder line" 4.5. Is the difference very noticable from 4.2 to 4.5 models?I currently have a skyine, which is probably the most reliable car I have ever owned, so it might be a shock to the system. lol.
Sorry for the long reply guys, and thanks for the help, BUT THIS THREAD NEEDS PICTURES
please post up pics of your cerberas for me, its like crack for the eyes Jack.
Edited by ripskin on Thursday 2nd April 07:47
Wow, Some amazing pictures there. Well I went to the Virginia Water meet with my ol' dad and it was great!
Some really nice guys there, well all of them infact. We ended up staying till 11:30 chatting to a nice guy called Graham who owns a beautiful Tuscan.
There were two Cerberas and loads of Chimeras A Lambo, infinity, wedges, Caterham R500 to name a few, plenty of eye candy.
I spoke to a guy with a Maroon Cerebra who was looking to sell it. But he didn't really know enough about the car at the moment but was friendly and chatty, he started her up for me too
It was the first time I have seen most of the models in the flesh and I have to say they all look amazing!! Although if I am honest I wasn't awe struck when I saw the cerebra as I thought I would be. I thought it would light my eyes up when I saw it, but for some reason it didn't
But I was awe struck when I saw the Tuscan..... Now I am torn between the two, I love the cerbera and the engine is the icing on the cake, But my heart fell for the tuscan, the looks were amazing and really stood out for me.
What do I do! lol Nice problem to have i guess....;)
Who else was there from this forum?
Some really nice guys there, well all of them infact. We ended up staying till 11:30 chatting to a nice guy called Graham who owns a beautiful Tuscan.
There were two Cerberas and loads of Chimeras A Lambo, infinity, wedges, Caterham R500 to name a few, plenty of eye candy.
I spoke to a guy with a Maroon Cerebra who was looking to sell it. But he didn't really know enough about the car at the moment but was friendly and chatty, he started her up for me too
It was the first time I have seen most of the models in the flesh and I have to say they all look amazing!! Although if I am honest I wasn't awe struck when I saw the cerebra as I thought I would be. I thought it would light my eyes up when I saw it, but for some reason it didn't
But I was awe struck when I saw the Tuscan..... Now I am torn between the two, I love the cerbera and the engine is the icing on the cake, But my heart fell for the tuscan, the looks were amazing and really stood out for me. What do I do! lol Nice problem to have i guess....;)
Who else was there from this forum?
Edited by ripskin on Sunday 5th April 20:50
Edited by ripskin on Sunday 5th April 20:51
Thank you guys, some excellent honest opinions there, exactly what I was after, real testimonies.
Love that colour Jamieduff and looks nicely lowered too, how much is she lowered by?
See these reasons are exactaly why I am torn, I fell in love with the cerbera about 15 years ago (I was still a teenager) but mainly due to the AJP V8, I love the sound, power and uniqueness of the british made flat plane design. Hence why I was so set on one, but now I have seen the tuscan......ARRRGHHHH!
So, Would it be best to drive both? Will that help with the decision?
PS: I love my straight six (nissan skyline) engine, but my friend has a C5 corvette which I have borrowed a couple of times and even though its conventinal V8, the torque is amazing in a different way.
Love that colour Jamieduff and looks nicely lowered too, how much is she lowered by?
See these reasons are exactaly why I am torn, I fell in love with the cerbera about 15 years ago (I was still a teenager) but mainly due to the AJP V8, I love the sound, power and uniqueness of the british made flat plane design. Hence why I was so set on one, but now I have seen the tuscan......ARRRGHHHH!
So, Would it be best to drive both? Will that help with the decision?
PS: I love my straight six (nissan skyline) engine, but my friend has a C5 corvette which I have borrowed a couple of times and even though its conventinal V8, the torque is amazing in a different way.
JIM218 ---- Thats a nice looking 4.2. and cheap at 8.5k!! why so cheap? and considering all you had to do was clutch and shocks. PS I almost bought a tomcat before my 4th golf gti :O
It's a tough call for me and I think its gonna take some time. I'm gonna attend some meets, familiarise myself with both models and i guess my heart will decide in the end. but either way I AM getting a TVR
I was told there is a monthly meet in bracknell at a pub, anyone know when the next one is?
It's a tough call for me and I think its gonna take some time. I'm gonna attend some meets, familiarise myself with both models and i guess my heart will decide in the end. but either way I AM getting a TVR
I was told there is a monthly meet in bracknell at a pub, anyone know when the next one is?
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