Great Car, Great Drive, Great Dealer!!

[NEILMAR]

Have recently bought a '97 Cerbera 4.2, despite all of the messages of doom and gloom from Cerbera owners that I found beforehand on the internet. What a car! What a drive! The whole experience of buying the Cerbera was excellent thanks to the help and interest shown by the Dealer - Bedlington Motor Company (just North of Newcastle on Tyne). They have gone out of their way to help me in every way possible and have even paid for me to have an instructed drive with a Police driving instructor, which they do for all buyers of this type of car. They supply new and used cars (and TVR's). Check out their website and their TVR's. www.bedlingtonmotorcompany.co.uk - Neil (North East)

[christof]

Neil,

congrats to your new car. You are owning one of the fastest and most thrilling cars of the universe...

It's so fast it creates his own weather..., as Jeremy Clarkson said in one of his videos

Enjoy the Cerbera driving experience and take care,

Christof*will take out his beastie for a drive this afternoon...

>> Edited by christof on Saturday 2nd March 13:44

[RUF 3]

Neil,
I also got my Griffith 500 from Bedlington Motor Co and would agree with all you have said - v. good bunch.
Hope you enjoy your Cerbera, which if it is the Mica Red, Magnolia Hide, 97P with 22k mls is my old car !

[NEILMAR]

Yes, I did buy your old Cerbie from Bedlington Motors. I have only owned it for 5 days so I am still getting the feel of it at the moment. Still can't believe there is not a hole in the exhaust! It certainly makes a racket! Neil.

[BMCTVRMAD]

THANKS GUYS,YOUR COMMENTS ON MY BUSINESS ARE VERY WARMLY RECEIVED,ENJOY YOUR LOVELY CARS REGARDS PAUL

[RUF 3]

Neil,
I am glad to hear it has found a good home - and yes it is not the quietest car about ! To put your mind at ease if you have read lots of horror stories about Cerbies, I did a lot of homework prior to buying that car and it was reckoned by Brandon that it was one of the best, least troublesome and most pampered examples of its age. The original owner traded it in for a new 4.5 LW, so I guess it made him happy. Hopefully Paul has put you in touch with NOELV8 who is the man in this area to look after it - as brandon's ex head technician he has known the car since new. If not look up NOELV8 on this site and you will get his number. He is very approachable knowledgeable and realistic and will look after you well. Good Luck.

[JSG]

Ruf,

If it was so good how come your profile states "Had 4.2 Cerbi but loathed hated and detested the hideous thing." Time to come clean I think.

[RUF 3]

I have already come clean on an email to the new owner. I will now reveal to all. The car itself is probably one of the best of its age around. The original owner was the ideal TVR owner - fastidious, careful and well enough off to have every little thing sorted as soon as it arose. I swapped it for the Griffith for several reasons, namely; my wife loves cars and bikes but could neither reach the pedals nor see out thus would never be able to drive it ; I am fairly tall and found that my head touched the roll bar, my back got sore after about 30 miles and I ended up with a sore ankle from trying to tuck my left foot behind the clutch pedal. I have a racing car to finish rebuilding, a Cooper S to finish restoring and two motorcycles in the household to look after - I do not really need another hobby car ! I felt the Griffith was a more practical proposition to use regularly - it does not have the same "special occasion" feel but my wife can drive it and I am comfortable in it. So, there is nothing sinister to reveal - I hated it because it was not for me - it does not make it or any other cerbera neccessarily a bad car, simply a bad car for me !!

[NEILMAR]

Hi David
Thank you for your message. It's nice to know that my Cerbie is one of the 'good guys'. I have been in touch with NoelV8 and he has given me the number of the previous owner and I do intend contacting him, just to have a chat. The only problem with the car seems to be some ingress in the windscreen. However, Bedlington Motors have arranged to pay for the next service (24,000) and also for the upgrade of the window seals and I certainly am relieved to know that! I did look at a couple of private sale Cerbies, but because of the back-up I am receiving from Paul (at Bedlington) I am now extremely glad I did not buy private. Regards.
Neil