FINDING THE RIGHT CERB
Discussion
HI ALL
BEING NEW TO THIS I COULD DO WITH A BIT OF ADVICE!
HAVING LIVED IN THE WORLD OF QUICK BIKES AND OFF ROADERS FOR
A LONG TIME, I'VE DECIDED IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE.I'VE OFTEN
GRINNED AT THE SIGHT/SOUND OF A PASSING CERBERA AND THOUGHT
"MAYBE ONE DAY"
WELL ONE DAY HAS COME. I'VE JUST TURNED 40 SO I CAN PASS THE
CERB OFF TO THE MISSUS AS A MID LIFE CRISIS AND IT BEING
A +2 WE MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO SQUEEZE THE KIDS IN.
THATS THE HISTORY NOW HERE'S THE QUESTION -
WHAT ENGINE + WHAT AGE?? (UPTO 18/19K)
HAVING LISTENED TO A LOT OF PH THREADS I'VE COME TO THE
CONCLUSION IT'S A BL..DY MINEFIELD:WOBBLE:
ONE THING I'M WELL AWARE OF IS THE NEED TO GET YOUR HAND
IN YOUR POCKET ON A REGULAR BASIS
ANYWAY, ANY POINTERS WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
BEING NEW TO THIS I COULD DO WITH A BIT OF ADVICE!
HAVING LIVED IN THE WORLD OF QUICK BIKES AND OFF ROADERS FOR
A LONG TIME, I'VE DECIDED IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE.I'VE OFTEN
GRINNED AT THE SIGHT/SOUND OF A PASSING CERBERA AND THOUGHT
"MAYBE ONE DAY"
WELL ONE DAY HAS COME. I'VE JUST TURNED 40 SO I CAN PASS THE
CERB OFF TO THE MISSUS AS A MID LIFE CRISIS AND IT BEING
A +2 WE MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO SQUEEZE THE KIDS IN.
THATS THE HISTORY NOW HERE'S THE QUESTION -
WHAT ENGINE + WHAT AGE?? (UPTO 18/19K)
HAVING LISTENED TO A LOT OF PH THREADS I'VE COME TO THE
CONCLUSION IT'S A BL..DY MINEFIELD:WOBBLE:
ONE THING I'M WELL AWARE OF IS THE NEED TO GET YOUR HAND
IN YOUR POCKET ON A REGULAR BASIS
ANYWAY, ANY POINTERS WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED.
The choices are:-
Most expensive = 4.5 V8. Mostly because it has been seen as the 'top of the range' by most. Now seen as great tuning ability.
4.2 V8 is very good value. OFten faster than 4.5s but not tuneable.
The cheapest = S6s (for comparable age V8 cars).
They are all expensive to run ie £3k pa for repairs and service.
S6 have started to be a more hopeful buy now that there is more indie expertise with the engines.
Bet every day car = S6.
All cheap to insure.
£18/19K wont get you a great car from a dealer (IMHO).
Privately it gets you great 99/00 4.5 cars. Doesnt get you a lightweight model. Gets you a later 4.2 or S6. Personally I would recommend Nervys S6 (see the classifieds) - it is fab value, great spec etc etc
>> Edited by gazzab on Tuesday 7th March 22:36
Most expensive = 4.5 V8. Mostly because it has been seen as the 'top of the range' by most. Now seen as great tuning ability.
4.2 V8 is very good value. OFten faster than 4.5s but not tuneable.
The cheapest = S6s (for comparable age V8 cars).
They are all expensive to run ie £3k pa for repairs and service.
S6 have started to be a more hopeful buy now that there is more indie expertise with the engines.
Bet every day car = S6.
All cheap to insure.
£18/19K wont get you a great car from a dealer (IMHO).
Privately it gets you great 99/00 4.5 cars. Doesnt get you a lightweight model. Gets you a later 4.2 or S6. Personally I would recommend Nervys S6 (see the classifieds) - it is fab value, great spec etc etc
>> Edited by gazzab on Tuesday 7th March 22:36
So much advice to give but firstly condition is far more important than age. There are some newer rotten ones and some lovely early ones around. An inspection (by a specialist not the AA/RAC) is almost mandatory as they are a car that can hide serious problems quite well. As far as the engine, I wouldn't worry about performance as they are all comparative rocketships. The Speed Six engined cars have the issues that go with that engine, if you do not know about this then have a mosey around the speed six forum - however when they are good they are a cracking engine and supposed to be the most user friendly for day to day use. The V8's (4.2 and 4.5) as far as I understand it have little to seperate them in standard form in the real world, if you want to modify tweak and upgrade then he 4.5 is the one but if you want to just run it then the save some money and buy the 4.2.
Despite having touched on the Speedsix issue I feel that I would be remiss in not pointing you towards Nervy's example for sale here:
www.pistonheads.com/sales/58684.htm
It represents a lot of car for the money. I have not seen it in the flesh but I understand that it is immaculate.
Edited to add: Aarrgh beaten to it, and by six minutes... did it take me that long to write that!!
Good to see we are both trying to sell Nerv's car for him though, should be on commission.
>> Edited by touchingcloth on Tuesday 7th March 22:24
Despite having touched on the Speedsix issue I feel that I would be remiss in not pointing you towards Nervy's example for sale here:
www.pistonheads.com/sales/58684.htm
It represents a lot of car for the money. I have not seen it in the flesh but I understand that it is immaculate.
Edited to add: Aarrgh beaten to it, and by six minutes... did it take me that long to write that!!
Good to see we are both trying to sell Nerv's car for him though, should be on commission.
>> Edited by touchingcloth on Tuesday 7th March 22:24
......and would you mind taking caps lock off, when you type in caps it appears as though you are shouting Also try some of the specialists...I went to James Agger and i have to say so far his service has been great, he did things to suit my timescale and my pocket, he has a reputation for supplying good cars and, from experience, will try his best to make sure you are happy with the car.
I feel like he found me a great one for my budget, and has helped with a few teething problems too...
At least give him a bell, he has good experience with Cerbera's and will let you try what you need to to decide (if he has one in stock of course
)
I feel like he found me a great one for my budget, and has helped with a few teething problems too...
At least give him a bell, he has good experience with Cerbera's and will let you try what you need to to decide (if he has one in stock of course
)
with a speed 6 
arcbeer said:
4.2 V8 is very good value. OFten faster than 4.5s but not tuneable.
Surely 'tis not true? There are ECU re-maps for 4.2's, I've seen the graphs. Plus you can put Nitrons and everything else on them.
Yes it is true. The 4.2 isnt worth remapping according to Joospeed.
4.2 and 4.5 are both stunningly fast in standard form (as is the S6), 4.5 has more tuning potentional if you really do want to make it faster.
A remap on a 4.2 will make the car a lot lot smoother to drive, and may increase power slightly.
Bear in mind that if you buy a Cerb you soon get sucked in to spending money on it - I swore I wouldnt, but it didnt last !!
A remap can cost £1k, suspension upgrade at least £1k (by the time youve paid for fitting and wheel alignment) and a sports exhaust is about £350. And I can almost guarantee you will want all those, so if you see a car that has already had all that done, then it is worth paying a premium for (in my opinion).
A remap on a 4.2 will make the car a lot lot smoother to drive, and may increase power slightly.
Bear in mind that if you buy a Cerb you soon get sucked in to spending money on it - I swore I wouldnt, but it didnt last !!
A remap can cost £1k, suspension upgrade at least £1k (by the time youve paid for fitting and wheel alignment) and a sports exhaust is about £350. And I can almost guarantee you will want all those, so if you see a car that has already had all that done, then it is worth paying a premium for (in my opinion).
A remap can cost £1k, suspension upgrade at least £1k (by the time youve paid for fitting and wheel alignment) and a sports exhaust is about £350. And I can almost guarantee you will want all those, so if you see a car that has already had all that done, then it is worth paying a premium for (in my opinion).[/quote]
Good point.I,ve always steered away from cars that have been messed
with, but I suppose as long as I can satisfy myself that it's
been messed with properly I could save the bother of doing the
upgrades. Or is that part of the fun?
Good point.I,ve always steered away from cars that have been messed
with, but I suppose as long as I can satisfy myself that it's
been messed with properly I could save the bother of doing the
upgrades. Or is that part of the fun?
This entire topic is purely academic (to an extent ). Look at lots of Cerbs, you will suddenly fall in love with one regardless of what has been done to it (or not as the case may be) and you will just simply buy it. There is always a risk, but it's one we all have to take 
PS - personally though, i did (and always would) go for one which hasn't been messed with too much
). Look at lots of Cerbs, you will suddenly fall in love with one regardless of what has been done to it (or not as the case may be) and you will just simply buy it. There is always a risk, but it's one we all have to take PS - personally though, i did (and always would) go for one which hasn't been messed with too much
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