anyone swapped their chimaera for a cerbera and regretted it
Discussion
hi guys ive currently got a chimaera which I love /the best car ive ever owned but I`m really temped by a cerbera. Now ive not driven one yet but ive sat In one recently but couldn’t help but find myself a little disappointed by the driving position/ seats/ build quality ect compared to the chimaera, anyone else on here made the swap to a cerbera , is the the driving experience really that much better then the chim? Cerberas just look so dame good I`m really torn, just don`t want to end up regretting selling my current car .
Don't know if it helps but I went the other way. Had a 4.2 V8 Cerb that I regretted selling. Then got the Chim and spent a fortune fitting a turbo etc etc. I like the Rover V8 - had 5 Rover SD1s - so thought this would be a good move. Yes its bloody fast and fun but a convertible for me gets little roof off.
The Cerb is much meaner and the engine is so different. It looks like its travelling standing still.
If I was starting from scratch again, knowing what I know now, I'd have the Cerb. Sits back and waits for abuse on here.....
The Cerb is much meaner and the engine is so different. It looks like its travelling standing still.
If I was starting from scratch again, knowing what I know now, I'd have the Cerb. Sits back and waits for abuse on here.....
Driving position/seats/build quality...
Driving position is adjustable, the steeling wheel/pod moves up/down, in/out etc.
Many people covet the early Cerbera seats as being the most comfortable TVR seats, with a few being robbed to put into Chimaeras. The later Tuscan seats weren't as good
Build quality? Same factory, same process as a Chim.
Depends on the cerbera but both the SP6 and AJP deliver more power and in a different way. AJP's unless mapped tend to feel a little more racey if you're used to the lazy delivery of the Rover engine.
As with any of these cars, get a sorted one and it's brilliant. Get a neglected one and it'll misfire, not feel right, not look right, have niggles, same as for any model.
Apologies to Animal farm, but with TVR's - two seats good, four seats better
but then I might be biased...
Driving position is adjustable, the steeling wheel/pod moves up/down, in/out etc.
Many people covet the early Cerbera seats as being the most comfortable TVR seats, with a few being robbed to put into Chimaeras. The later Tuscan seats weren't as good
Build quality? Same factory, same process as a Chim.
Depends on the cerbera but both the SP6 and AJP deliver more power and in a different way. AJP's unless mapped tend to feel a little more racey if you're used to the lazy delivery of the Rover engine.
As with any of these cars, get a sorted one and it's brilliant. Get a neglected one and it'll misfire, not feel right, not look right, have niggles, same as for any model.
Apologies to Animal farm, but with TVR's - two seats good, four seats better
but then I might be biased...
The Cerbera is not a better car than the Chimaera.
The Chimaera is not a better car than the Cerbera.
HTHs
Running costs for mine are about the same, speed wise, yes the Cerbera is faster, but not by that much (ignore all the "different league" comments).
I have to be honest, I think if I had swapped by Chimaera for the Cerbera, I personally would have regretted it, there is just something special about driving around with the roof down.
The Chimaera is not a better car than the Cerbera.
HTHs
Running costs for mine are about the same, speed wise, yes the Cerbera is faster, but not by that much (ignore all the "different league" comments).
I have to be honest, I think if I had swapped by Chimaera for the Cerbera, I personally would have regretted it, there is just something special about driving around with the roof down.
As a few have said. There's a lot of difference between the two and it's not easy to do a straight comparison. I had a Cerbera for a good few years and I absolutely loved it. I didn't like the 4.5 or the speed 6 in all honesty, the 4.2 just seemed to have a much smoother power curve and delivery to the wheels.
My biggest regret was swapping it for a Merc CLK430 AMG.... but then, kids happens.
My biggest regret was swapping it for a Merc CLK430 AMG.... but then, kids happens.
It's largely the same car as the late Chims as in Dif/ gearbox so it's just the engines that become more funkie.
Irony is a decent rebuilt RV8 off Dom with Mbe will out strip a Cerb to 1/4 mile
12.60 on a standard 450 with no inlet mods to speak of suggests I'm right.
Below 120 mph the Chim is a better car allround to own
No Cerb has ever out dragged me on the road either. Proper fast if done right. 350 lb torque might have something to do with it. Remember the Chims lighter so pound for pound more torque with a good engine and management system fitted,,,, by Dom
Not bravado fact. A tuned Cerb engine might be a bit different though
So the Chims as fast below 120 mph but more usable and engines are totally adorable with a glorious iconic engine note.
All in my very humble opinion
I'd still like a Cerb though
Irony is a decent rebuilt RV8 off Dom with Mbe will out strip a Cerb to 1/4 mile
12.60 on a standard 450 with no inlet mods to speak of suggests I'm right.
Below 120 mph the Chim is a better car allround to own
No Cerb has ever out dragged me on the road either. Proper fast if done right. 350 lb torque might have something to do with it. Remember the Chims lighter so pound for pound more torque with a good engine and management system fitted,,,, by Dom
Not bravado fact. A tuned Cerb engine might be a bit different though
So the Chims as fast below 120 mph but more usable and engines are totally adorable with a glorious iconic engine note.
All in my very humble opinion
I'd still like a Cerb though
Interesting reading about the speed of a Chimaera a few posts higher up as genuinely I have never had one be anywhere near me in terms of speed on the road, but none have been turbocharged, so I can't comment on that front.
The AJP8 is the most expensive of the engines when they go wrong. You'll be looking at a five figure bill if you are unlucky enough to need new pistons for example.
Everything else is quite similar price wise, and if you're handy with the spanners I don't imagine any of it being too scary. On that front I advise putting a well sorted engine at the top of your list and in all honesty there are only a couple of engine builders whose AJP8 builds are worth anything.
The driving position is a very racing one and for me, perfect. Even with that long pedal travel, a mapped 4.5 accelerates very suddenly.
Spend a lot of time scouring the cerbera forum and don't be impatient in buying one.
The AJP8 is the most expensive of the engines when they go wrong. You'll be looking at a five figure bill if you are unlucky enough to need new pistons for example.
Everything else is quite similar price wise, and if you're handy with the spanners I don't imagine any of it being too scary. On that front I advise putting a well sorted engine at the top of your list and in all honesty there are only a couple of engine builders whose AJP8 builds are worth anything.
The driving position is a very racing one and for me, perfect. Even with that long pedal travel, a mapped 4.5 accelerates very suddenly.
Spend a lot of time scouring the cerbera forum and don't be impatient in buying one.
There are a lot of Chims out there pushing out 350 Bhp and a similar amount of torque. None are standard though.
Bhp is great flat out but we're rarely driving 5000 revs + so the low down grunt of the RV8 is so useable and fast on the road.
At anything under 4500 revs and sudden acceleration sees the Chim having a clear advantage, Power to weight. As soon as you get going you soon overcome the RV with more power and terminal speeds will be much faster on a good Cerb, the problem is the Chim has already gotten away.
A standard RV will not hold a candle to the Cerb, not by a long stroke but fettled and proper mapping/ign and decent heads the RV is still a beast.
Shorter wheel base of the Chim/ Griff is probably why my 1/4 time will be so hard to beat for most Cerbs as we can generate more grip. I'd say this is also true on the roads in many situations so using the extra power of the Cerb is not easy which again makes a good Chim a really fast fun car to drive.
If it's looks you want the Cerbera is the king. If it's fun on a daily basis the Chim is a fantastic car.
The best car TVR produced in my mind but I might be biased.
Best car I've ever owned too.
Bhp is great flat out but we're rarely driving 5000 revs + so the low down grunt of the RV8 is so useable and fast on the road.
At anything under 4500 revs and sudden acceleration sees the Chim having a clear advantage, Power to weight. As soon as you get going you soon overcome the RV with more power and terminal speeds will be much faster on a good Cerb, the problem is the Chim has already gotten away.
A standard RV will not hold a candle to the Cerb, not by a long stroke but fettled and proper mapping/ign and decent heads the RV is still a beast.
Shorter wheel base of the Chim/ Griff is probably why my 1/4 time will be so hard to beat for most Cerbs as we can generate more grip. I'd say this is also true on the roads in many situations so using the extra power of the Cerb is not easy which again makes a good Chim a really fast fun car to drive.
If it's looks you want the Cerbera is the king. If it's fun on a daily basis the Chim is a fantastic car.
The best car TVR produced in my mind but I might be biased.
Best car I've ever owned too.
Classic Chim said:
There are a lot of Chims out there pushing out 350 Bhp and a similar amount of torque. None are standard though.
Bhp is great flat out but we're rarely driving 5000 revs + so the low down grunt of the RV8 is so useable and fast on the road.
At anything under 4500 revs and sudden acceleration sees the Chim having a clear advantage, Power to weight. As soon as you get going you soon overcome the RV with more power and terminal speeds will be much faster on a good Cerb, the problem is the Chim has already gotten away.
A standard RV will not hold a candle to the Cerb, not by a long stroke but fettled and proper mapping/ign and decent heads the RV is still a beast.
Shorter wheel base of the Chim/ Griff is probably why my 1/4 time will be so hard to beat for most Cerbs as we can generate more grip. I'd say this is also true on the roads in many situations so using the extra power of the Cerb is not easy which again makes a good Chim a really fast fun car to drive.
If it's looks you want the Cerbera is the king. If it's fun on a daily basis the Chim is a fantastic car.
The best car TVR produced in my mind but I might be biased.
Best car I've ever owned too.
There's no point in saying "at under 4500 revs and sudden acceleration blah blah blah" as you wouldn't drive an ajp8 or speed six like that. When you want it to go quick you put it into the correct gear and rev range. That's like saying "my F1 cars so slow from 30mph in fifth"... pointless as when operated properly it'll pish on everything. Bhp is great flat out but we're rarely driving 5000 revs + so the low down grunt of the RV8 is so useable and fast on the road.
At anything under 4500 revs and sudden acceleration sees the Chim having a clear advantage, Power to weight. As soon as you get going you soon overcome the RV with more power and terminal speeds will be much faster on a good Cerb, the problem is the Chim has already gotten away.
A standard RV will not hold a candle to the Cerb, not by a long stroke but fettled and proper mapping/ign and decent heads the RV is still a beast.
Shorter wheel base of the Chim/ Griff is probably why my 1/4 time will be so hard to beat for most Cerbs as we can generate more grip. I'd say this is also true on the roads in many situations so using the extra power of the Cerb is not easy which again makes a good Chim a really fast fun car to drive.
If it's looks you want the Cerbera is the king. If it's fun on a daily basis the Chim is a fantastic car.
The best car TVR produced in my mind but I might be biased.
Best car I've ever owned too.
It'll upset all the Rover v8 Doris's on here but it's old and pretty boring and found in numerous things. Mainly landrovers. ... the Ajp 8 is a flat plane crank and sounds the ballax, the speed sIx with its firing and throttle bodies also sounds like a sixties f1 car. Rather than the warbling blob blob blob of the rover.
The ajp8 and 6 are pretty unique and you won't get any other engine comparable to the ajp8 unless you get yourself into something Italian as no one else makes one.
Sorry but I'm a stickler for accuracy and much of the above posts are misleading.
Edited by m4tti on Tuesday 1st August 09:13
I ve had my cerb for 10 years now and driven quite a few chimaeras, the cars are totally different. Im not sure why people are saying running costs are similar. the cerb is a much more expensive car to run, a few examples, clutch and slave, brake discs, starter motor, alternators, tappets every 12k all cost a lot more that the rv8 based cars, and those parts need replacing every 2-3 yrs so costs escalate. a chim can be serviced by any competent mechanic the cerb needs a more specialist touch
TheRainMaker said:
The Cerbera is not a better car than the Chimaera.
The Chimaera is not a better car than the Cerbera.
HTHs
Running costs for mine are about the same, speed wise, yes the Cerbera is faster, but not by that much (ignore all the "different league" comments).
I have to be honest, I think if I had swapped by Chimaera for the Cerbera, I personally would have regretted it, there is just something special about driving around with the roof down.
And that your honour concludes the case for the defence The Chimaera is not a better car than the Cerbera.
HTHs
Running costs for mine are about the same, speed wise, yes the Cerbera is faster, but not by that much (ignore all the "different league" comments).
I have to be honest, I think if I had swapped by Chimaera for the Cerbera, I personally would have regretted it, there is just something special about driving around with the roof down.
Classic Chim said:
Irony is a decent rebuilt RV8 off Dom with Mbe will out strip a Cerb to 1/4 mile
Below 120 mph the Chim is a better car allround to own
So the Chims as fast below 120 mph but more usable
Remember the Chims lighter so pound for pound more torque...
Below 120 mph the Chim is a better car allround to own
So the Chims as fast below 120 mph but more usable
Remember the Chims lighter so pound for pound more torque...
m4tti said:
Sorry but I'm a stickler for accuracy and much of the above posts are misleading.
Specifically - matching a tuned and Dom modified Chim against a standard Cerbera? Standard, Chim's 0-60 are 4.5 to 4.9 secs.
Cerbera is 4 secs, whether the 4.2 or 4.5, speed 6 is pretty close at around 4.2.
All relying on getting the launch perfect, gear changes right. Mess one of those up and the other car wins (or it's v ery close). Thats how good the standard TVR's are. But whilst you say the gearboxes and diff are the same, the 8k rev range of the Cerbera V8 means we pull 40mph+ per gear. Chims say 120mph, I'm still in third when trying.
Torque - the AJP bangs it all in at once, around 3k revs from the factory, but a certain person in Chesterfield makes the torque delivery come in low, giving it all available through the rev range making it a very driveable car at low speeds around town, easily as good as the rover v8 in that aspect, but when it's 'in progress' there's not a lot of exotica can touch it, it's deceptively surprisingly quick from 'oh s
t a copper' to 'where's everybody gone'. It just keeps going.Weight - you'll be surprised how little difference there is in weight, I've had mine 4 corner weighted and the difference is easy made up by putting a 14st+ person in a Chimeara
So, performance, driving, it's a different car, no matter what the Chim boys say and varies depending on if talking about a modified car or standard. Some of the mods done to all models are astounding and that has to be taken into account when comparing. (plus costs). Comparing modified cars to standard on a drag strip run s ridiculous, because so few owners do that. We do compare pub figures and looks/features whilst standing around in a car park.
As I see it, the mods by people only tells you what can be done, then it's down to your budget, needs etc.
Speed 6 and AJP's are a little more specialised in servicing than Rover V8's, but there's plenty around with experience. Parts for all have roughly the same availability.
Do you want roof off driving, but less boot space
Windows down (or quickly up if you come to a shower), the cerbera can be hot with windows up in hot weather. 4 seats or 2 seats, speed 6, AJP or Rover V8 and then the all important, how the looks make you feel...Different is the key word here and what you like depends on what floats your boat. There's no bad TVR, all are deceptively quick, the clubs great as are the owners.
So we can tell you pro's and cons, what to look for, but at the end of the day, these are bought with the heart and not the head. Only you can make the decision whats right for you
QuiteQuietCerb said:
I ve had my cerb for 10 years now and driven quite a few chimaeras, the cars are totally different. Im not sure why people are saying running costs are similar. the cerb is a much more expensive car to run, a few examples, clutch and slave, brake discs, starter motor, alternators, tappets every 12k all cost a lot more that the rv8 based cars, and those parts need replacing every 2-3 yrs so costs escalate. a chim can be serviced by any competent mechanic the cerb needs a more specialist touch
All need replacing after 3 years... Really? On my 20 year old car...Clutch and slave - replaced two years ago from the original at 18 years old and 50K+ miles (fingers broke but was very worn). Only time somethings truely broke but I still drove the car home approx 50-60 miles.
Brake disks - I've done 30K miles, replaced the front disks once, early on in my ownership to sort a warping issue caused by wrong pads at Castle Coombe. I've a set of rear disks still waiting in case I need them.
Starter motor, I swapped my original when the chassis work was done because it was tired, thought it best then. New one lasted until a month ago (not happy with that) and has been swapped for the new uprated one.
Alternator - still on the original
Tappets every 12k - I provide my own oil, car has a minor service one year, major the next, just before the MOT. Minor service is around £400, major around £600.
Alarm/imobiliser - will need doing at some point but thats a one off when it gets tired.
Now I'll admit it's not cheap, but I was told it cost £3k a year to run a cerbera so put £250 a month away to pay for it. Never needed anything like that but it did mean that after the first few years I could spend it on improvements.
I've had my car 11 years, spent around £16k on it in that time, but it's now in a much, much better condition than when I got it.
m4tti said:
Rather than the warbling blob blob blob of the rover.
This is one of the things I prefer the most about my Chim over a Cerb! 
Absolutely love the warbling blob blob blob of a wonky-idling RV8 through a sleeved exhaust. Flat-plane crank V8s are all very nice an all, but is it just me or are they are just a little bit, well, too precise?? It's just me isn't it...
I still (just about) prefer the Cerb on looks though.
In an ideal world I'd have both. Alongside a Speed-6-engined Sagaris please.
QuiteQuietCerb said:
Im not sure why people are saying running costs are similar. the cerb is a much more expensive car to run, a few examples, clutch and slave, brake discs, starter motor, alternators, tappets every 12k all cost a lot more that the rv8 based cars, and those parts need replacing every 2-3 yrs so costs escalate. a chim can be serviced by any competent mechanic the cerb needs a more specialist touch
Because for me running both at the same time they are....Either you have been very unlucky or I have been very lucky.
If the Cerbera clutch needed replacing every two years I would have got rid of it long ago
The first clutch replaced at 44k, the second clutch is still going at 66k, mine is a 2002 BTW
Alternator, Original
Starter motor, replaced at 14k (the day after I bought it)
12k service which includes the tappets on the Cerbera is around £700.00 every two years (which is about £200 more than the Chimaera)
Brake Discs, it's on its second set both front and back.
Both my Chimaera and Cerbera are serviced at the same place.
robsco said:
It always makes me chuckle when the Chimaera boys step forward to proclaim their turbocharged/nitroused/supercharged cars to be as fast as an unmapped, standard factory Cerbera. Well, yes!!
I was thinking the same, am sure some post this just to mentiontheir modified car's power..
I came from a standard Chim 450 to a 3.6 Tamora. As much as I loved the Chim, I found that it was great at the lower rev range, but when pushing on, it ran out of puff after 5k revs. Whereas the S6 (and I assume the AJP V8) just keep going, and howling, getting faster as the revs rise beyond 7k revs. There's also the question of handling, they were chalk and cheese.
If you want a car that you can pull off in 5th and not bother to change gears, why the hell would you want a sports car anyway? Just buy an automatic barge.
Gassing Station | General TVR Stuff & Gossip | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff