Should I buy a cerbie?!

[adam g]

Hi, need a little advice please.

I have an Esprit and am in the process of deciding on a new or possibly another toy. I had a Griff a few years ago and TBH, I was not a big fan. It was unreliable, brakes stank and the handling was not good at all IMHO. Loved the power, noise etc but was just not for me.

Anyway, my Esprit is being sold, I am out looking for a new one to do a little modification to and was thinking about a toy to keep me busy in the mean time and Cerbies seem to be down to good money.

If I wanted to sepnd around £15k on one, what would you lot suggest? Year, milage, which engine, what do I need to look out for etc? I have driven the cars and for some reason I can't fully understand I do love them!

Any advice would be most gratefully received

Cheers

>> Edited by adam g on Wednesday 27th July 01:39

[-SXS-]

Switching from one flat v8 to another is not a bad idea. i'd say go for it mate.

[gbbird]

Yes go for it. Out of interest, i would be interested to hear how you would compare the Esprit against a Cerb, as these were the two cars i was considering, and i went for the Cerb in the end.

[s,one]

I recently had a v8 Esprit having owned 2 Cerbs now I suppose I should have a good idea about this. I personally thought the Esprit was a fantastic car only complaint was the electrics were as bad as any TVR and the MRs always said I looked like a 70's porn star driving it. Anyway in comparison performance is very similar and I guess running cost are comprable the real advantage for me was the back seats. Both tho are great cars in there own right

Steve

[greenie]

This one looks like a well loved after PHers car and under budget!

www.pistonheads.com/sales/44631.htm

[gary judd]

or this one

www.pistonheads.com/sales/46483.htm

[greenie]

gary judd said:

or this one www.pistonheads.com/sales/46483.htm

That's just crazy talk!

[Plotloss]

yes

[adam g]

Not had a chance to look at the ads you posted, but will do tonight.

Esprit V Cerbie -

Esprit handles better, has way more subtlety and is the classic mid engined shape

Cerbie is better in a stratight line, has an awesome interior. Looks wise, I marginally prefer and Esprit but I think both are lovely looking cars.

Anyone live anywhere near N London? I would love someone to show me round a car so I know what to look for when I go shopping? If anyone would be kind enough I would be very grateful.

Also, I am fairly convinced I want a 4.5, but whats the difference between that and the 4.2 in real terms?

Thanks again, look forward to checking out those ads tonight when I get home.

[Hughesie2]

adam g said:

Anyone live anywhere near N London? I would love someone to show me round a car so I know what to look for when I go shopping? If anyone would be kind enough I would be very grateful. Also, I am fairly convinced I want a 4.5, but whats the difference between that and the 4.2 in real terms? Thanks again, look forward to checking out those ads tonight when I get home.

Get yourself along to the Ace Cafe 1st Friday of the Month - Its the Middlesex monthly meet and we generally get a fair few cerbs along, admittedly later (busy working to pay for the servicing no doubt ) in the evening that us Chimaera drivers

[adam g]

So that would be next week then?

Also, I am on a bunch of Esprit forums. Other than this one, are there any TVR forums and websites I should check out?

Off to look at the ads now.

Thanks for the advice so far but keep it coming please.

[adam g]

mmm, looked at both of them both look very nice. I'll contact the southampton guy but Gary, I'll give you a call tomorrow. TBH, I prefer a darker colour but experiance has taught me that it is not easy to judge from one photo - especially when you are a wee bit colour blind like what I am!

If I wanted to upgrade the lights to the later ones, is that expensive?

[19560]

adam g said:

Also, I am fairly convinced I want a 4.5, but whats the difference between that and the 4.2 in real terms?

Depends exactly which 4.5 car and which 4.2. Look at the spread of power for 4.5s:-

trackcar said:

Look at these hp figures .. if you want 0-100 in under 10 seconds and 12 second quarter miles this is what you're aiming for : 4.5 CERBERA 1.Ceejay……… 392 bhp - 364 lbs torque (Joospeed engine mods/Emerald) 2.Satman……… 377bhp - 369 lbs torque (Joospeed Emerald) 3.Cyclone……… 375bhp - 365 lbs torque (Joospeed Emerald)…. see note below 4.Angusfaldo……365bhp – 352 lbs torque (Joospeed standard) 5.Katanarog…….365bhp – 345 lbs torque (TVR Factory's Red Rose upgrade) 6.PaulH…………353bhp – 325 lbs torque 7.MarkJ…………352bhp – 326 lbs torque 8.Blue4.5………...348bhp – 344 lbs torque 9.Richard………..346bhp – 348 lbs torque 10.PetrolTed……...345bhp – 342 lbs torque (Topcats) 11.GCerbera………342bhp – 318 lbs torque 12.Cooperturbo……338bhp – 320 lbs torque 13.Bennett24……...337bhp – 332 lbs torque 14.John.s………….336bhp – 335 lbs torque 15.Neilus………….332bhp – 338 lbs torque (Austec injector clean) Cyclone’s first run, in standard form, made 339 bhp – 338 lbs torque, which when changing the ECU to a Joospeed Emerald, with a map copied from Satman’s Emerald ECU, made +36bhp and +27 lbs torque gains.

[Greenie]

There isn't a great deal of difference between the performance of the 4.2 and 4.5. And I think you will struggle to find a 4.5 for your budget.

The lights cost about £1000 to £1500 to convert I believe. I considered doing it but I actually prefer the classic look now. Quite a lot have been converted and now that production has stopped I think the classic look is going to be more desirable as time passes. That is just my view and many others take the opposite view.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Adrian

[Captain Beaky]

adam g said:

Also, I am on a bunch of Esprit forums. Other than this one, are there any TVR forums and websites I should check out?

Try the Cerbera Register

[Rich25]

Adam, have you got a private email address? My car is currently for sale and would seem to fit most of your requirements - colour, engine, headlights (also power is akin to 4.5 RR having had Austec ECU - I have been told by them that it is the most powerful 4.2 they have ever seen).

[-SXS-]

joospeed said:

1.Ceejay……… 392 bhp - 364 lbs torque (Joospeed engine mods/Emerald) 2.Satman……… 377bhp - 369 lbs torque (Joospeed Emerald) 3.Cyclone……… 375bhp - 365 lbs torque (Joospeed Emerald)…. see note below 4.Angusfaldo……365bhp – 352 lbs torque (Joospeed standard) 5.Katanarog…….365bhp – 345 lbs torque (TVR Factory's Red Rose upgrade) 6.PaulH…………353bhp – 325 lbs torque 7.MarkJ…………352bhp – 326 lbs torque 8.Blue4.5………...348bhp – 344 lbs torque 9.Richard………..346bhp – 348 lbs torque 10.PetrolTed……...345bhp – 342 lbs torque (Topcats) 11.GCerbera………342bhp – 318 lbs torque 12.Cooperturbo……338bhp – 320 lbs torque 13.Bennett24……...337bhp – 332 lbs torque 14.John.s………….336bhp – 335 lbs torque 15.Neilus………….332bhp – 338 lbs torque (Austec injector clean)

Those were the days

>> Edited by -SXS- on Thursday 28th July 11:01

[adam g]

Rich,

Email me on [e-mail] or give me a call on 07771 523421.

Need to do a tad more research about this power thing and some of the mods. One thing I am looking at right now is to create a highly modded Esprit so doubt I would mod the cerbie too much until I have done that. Not into modding until I really know my stuff. Of course, if I can buy a cerbie that has had mods already that have been done well and wont cause me problems, then that works for me! Happy to buy an unmodded one as well, just depends what looks like the best deal.