New "very proud" Cerbera Owner **plus advice needed please**
Discussion
Hello everyone..
My story starts back to when I was 12 years old (now 29) My dad took me down to Hawthorns of Farnham (A TVR dealership) located in Farnham Surrey. (long gone now) Anyway the moment I walked in the showroom I was hooked.. I wanted one. My passion for the brand started with the Griffith and I always wanted one. It quickly moved from the Griffith to the Cerbera. I remember the salesman giving me all three brochures for the Chimera, Griffith and Cerbera along with various TVR photos and racing photos (that I currently have framed on my garage wall in front of the amazing Cerbera I now own. The one thing that the salesman said to me that has stuck with me for all my life is: Set yourself a goal like me. I wanted a Porsche 911 before I was 30, he said and on his 30th Birthday he went out and got one.. And after just turning 29 here I am with my Cerbera. That is my story, I just wanted to say I love the brand, I love the passion for the cars and the smile it puts on my face everytime I drive it is priceless in my mind.
I just also wanted to say I am very happy now to be part of this forum and a member finally ! I have been watching the forum for a long time now and three weeks ago I purchased my first ever TVR, she is a 1998 AJP8 Cerbera 4.5. Words can't describe the feeling I get when I drive it and the de-catted exhaust - oh my word..
I have attached some pictures of her... I picked up the advert from this website from a guy called Jason the private plate (ROK3T) I didn't get as I could only afford the car !! so the original plates are back on..
Not only did I want to share my story with you all but I also require some advice ! After three weeks of ownership I was filling her up the other day and got back in started it up and put the handbrake down however the handbrake light still stays on when the handbrake is fully down. After looking at the TVR hand book, the book states the brake fluid is low if the handbrake light is on and it recommends some Mobil brake fluid (I can't remember the exact type as the book is in the garage) After checking the brake fluid area (or at least the area I thought) the tank was nearly empty. However I am not sure if I am checking the correct area and don't want to be putting brake fluid in the coolant area or other wrong area.. So I guess my question is do you think the brake fluid is low and this is the reason for the light staying on ? or is an electrical fault? also what is the recommended brake fluid to use now?
I was also wondering what products you guys use to clean the leather inside the car.. The inside is quite immaculate however bring cream it does show some dark dirt marks and I want to spend some time getting rid of them ! Also what is the best product or what you would recommend to clean the engine bay?
I would appreciate your comments/help please guys..
Also lastly are there any TVR meets coming soon in Hampshire / Surrey?
Thanks Rob![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/20MfAT5j.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/05oJ640T" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/05oJ640T.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/wZ7pZ9KQ" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/wZ7pZ9KQ.jpg)
My story starts back to when I was 12 years old (now 29) My dad took me down to Hawthorns of Farnham (A TVR dealership) located in Farnham Surrey. (long gone now) Anyway the moment I walked in the showroom I was hooked.. I wanted one. My passion for the brand started with the Griffith and I always wanted one. It quickly moved from the Griffith to the Cerbera. I remember the salesman giving me all three brochures for the Chimera, Griffith and Cerbera along with various TVR photos and racing photos (that I currently have framed on my garage wall in front of the amazing Cerbera I now own. The one thing that the salesman said to me that has stuck with me for all my life is: Set yourself a goal like me. I wanted a Porsche 911 before I was 30, he said and on his 30th Birthday he went out and got one.. And after just turning 29 here I am with my Cerbera. That is my story, I just wanted to say I love the brand, I love the passion for the cars and the smile it puts on my face everytime I drive it is priceless in my mind.
I just also wanted to say I am very happy now to be part of this forum and a member finally ! I have been watching the forum for a long time now and three weeks ago I purchased my first ever TVR, she is a 1998 AJP8 Cerbera 4.5. Words can't describe the feeling I get when I drive it and the de-catted exhaust - oh my word..
I have attached some pictures of her... I picked up the advert from this website from a guy called Jason the private plate (ROK3T) I didn't get as I could only afford the car !! so the original plates are back on..
Not only did I want to share my story with you all but I also require some advice ! After three weeks of ownership I was filling her up the other day and got back in started it up and put the handbrake down however the handbrake light still stays on when the handbrake is fully down. After looking at the TVR hand book, the book states the brake fluid is low if the handbrake light is on and it recommends some Mobil brake fluid (I can't remember the exact type as the book is in the garage) After checking the brake fluid area (or at least the area I thought) the tank was nearly empty. However I am not sure if I am checking the correct area and don't want to be putting brake fluid in the coolant area or other wrong area.. So I guess my question is do you think the brake fluid is low and this is the reason for the light staying on ? or is an electrical fault? also what is the recommended brake fluid to use now?
I was also wondering what products you guys use to clean the leather inside the car.. The inside is quite immaculate however bring cream it does show some dark dirt marks and I want to spend some time getting rid of them ! Also what is the best product or what you would recommend to clean the engine bay?
I would appreciate your comments/help please guys..
Also lastly are there any TVR meets coming soon in Hampshire / Surrey?
Thanks Rob
Lovely car.
After you top up the brake fluid keep an eye on the levels and if it goes down again get it to a garage. I had a brake fail completely on me in my Cerb and it is quite scary when you exit a duel carriage way and the pedal just drops to the floor.
For cleaning I find the Autoglym cleaner and balm work well on cream coloured leather. Even marks made from oil/grime have come out easily without any real effort.
This isn't a bad price either:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-AUTOGLYM-Leather-Cle...
Have fun and take it easy in the first few months of ownership.
After you top up the brake fluid keep an eye on the levels and if it goes down again get it to a garage. I had a brake fail completely on me in my Cerb and it is quite scary when you exit a duel carriage way and the pedal just drops to the floor.
For cleaning I find the Autoglym cleaner and balm work well on cream coloured leather. Even marks made from oil/grime have come out easily without any real effort.
This isn't a bad price either:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-AUTOGLYM-Leather-Cle...
Have fun and take it easy in the first few months of ownership.
I'm the opposite of you, I never wanted a TVR. Instead my mate had this on his wall, and many years later I bought one.
Subsequently he has owned several Rover engined TVRs, and I would accompany him on track days for PAX laps. One day he turned up in a newly acquired 4.5 LW Cerbera - and I was instantly hooked. Luckily for me prices had hit the floor, so I managed to buy a basket case for a less than you can buy the cheapest new car on the market today.
Like you I am now in awe of these absurdly crude yet insanely fast machines. I can't believe how easily manipulated I was!
Subsequently he has owned several Rover engined TVRs, and I would accompany him on track days for PAX laps. One day he turned up in a newly acquired 4.5 LW Cerbera - and I was instantly hooked. Luckily for me prices had hit the floor, so I managed to buy a basket case for a less than you can buy the cheapest new car on the market today.
Like you I am now in awe of these absurdly crude yet insanely fast machines. I can't believe how easily manipulated I was!
The brake fluid reservoir is a fairly small square shaped white plastic bottle burried in the driver's side inner wing. There is a hole in the removeable scuttle panel through which to access the lid which is black.
It's highly unlikely you accidently checked the clutch fluid reservoir as it's hidden under a fibreglass dome which is screwed on and needs the offside airbox removed on 4.5s to get at the screws and is also sealed on.
The coolant reservoir is a large white bottle on the passenger's side.
If the brake fluid reservoir is empty, top it up and get your brakes checked by someone who knows what they're looking at. If the fluid is low it's either leaking or you've got no meat left on your brake pads and the fluid is all in the calipers with the pistons a long way out, or you're leaking it. The first is worth knowing as brakes are quite expensive if you haven't budgetted and the second is very dangerous. If it's neither of those, it's the switch.
It's highly unlikely you accidently checked the clutch fluid reservoir as it's hidden under a fibreglass dome which is screwed on and needs the offside airbox removed on 4.5s to get at the screws and is also sealed on.
The coolant reservoir is a large white bottle on the passenger's side.
If the brake fluid reservoir is empty, top it up and get your brakes checked by someone who knows what they're looking at. If the fluid is low it's either leaking or you've got no meat left on your brake pads and the fluid is all in the calipers with the pistons a long way out, or you're leaking it. The first is worth knowing as brakes are quite expensive if you haven't budgetted and the second is very dangerous. If it's neither of those, it's the switch.
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