I have a cunning plan......
Discussion
Hi,
Unfortunatly I'm getting to the age where Its only a matter of time before fatherhood becomes a reality and the cerbera I always wanted will be out the window for another few years. I've allready booked a month of work this summer for a 4 week tour of France and Italy (about a 3-3.5k round trip on the current route) and I've started to get the idea that maybe I should bite the bullet and get my cerby now so I can use it for the trip (otherwise its the wifes Clio172 for 3500 miles :/).
My questions are (My budget for the car is about 20-22k btw):
Is this kind of trip just asking for touble in a cerby?
Has anyone done any distance driving in southern europe in August. was overheating a problem(Engine and/or passengers)?
I'd like a 4.5 but would it be worth getting a 4.2 with lower millage?
reading the forums it looks like James Agger is the place to start.
greatfull for any advice.
P.S.
sorry if there a posts that answer the questions, I have been looking but not found anthing regarding.
P.P.S
I'd quite like my wife to be able to drive it, but shes only 5'2. She found it impossible to drive my old S2 are the cerberas any better? been a few years since I was last in one and she's never been in one....
Unfortunatly I'm getting to the age where Its only a matter of time before fatherhood becomes a reality and the cerbera I always wanted will be out the window for another few years. I've allready booked a month of work this summer for a 4 week tour of France and Italy (about a 3-3.5k round trip on the current route) and I've started to get the idea that maybe I should bite the bullet and get my cerby now so I can use it for the trip (otherwise its the wifes Clio172 for 3500 miles :/).
My questions are (My budget for the car is about 20-22k btw):
Is this kind of trip just asking for touble in a cerby?
Has anyone done any distance driving in southern europe in August. was overheating a problem(Engine and/or passengers)?
I'd like a 4.5 but would it be worth getting a 4.2 with lower millage?
reading the forums it looks like James Agger is the place to start.
greatfull for any advice.
P.S.
sorry if there a posts that answer the questions, I have been looking but not found anthing regarding.
P.P.S
I'd quite like my wife to be able to drive it, but shes only 5'2. She found it impossible to drive my old S2 are the cerberas any better? been a few years since I was last in one and she's never been in one....
Buy a private 4.5. Will get a great one for 17 - 19K. Then spend money getting it perfect for you eg better rad (range rover foreign core) for hot weather, you should be able to get a car with Nitrons, GAz, AVOs, ProTech suspension.... Then you can keep some money for running costs. Dont buy on mileage. Get an indie to inspect it. Find a friend on here to help look at them? Buy a known car? Think your wife will struggle even with extensions on pedals.
GO FOR IT !!! Then keep the car when sprogs arrive.
GO FOR IT !!! Then keep the car when sprogs arrive.
You'll certainly get a good 4.5 for that kind of money and with around 20-30k on the clock.
James Agger is as you say, the best place to start your search.
He has just sold mine (again) and that was a regular on mainland Europe.
My trips ranged from 1500 - 2500 miles, so the distance you are looking at should be no problem.
Heat not an issue other than if you start and stop the car a number of times in a short
period of time as you'll then walk into fuel vaporisation territory.
Sadly at 5ft 2, I think your wife will struggle, but you can get pedal extensions from Leven.
Give James a call with the spec you want and I dare say, even if not listed, he'll source
it for you and tell him I sent you.
Do it now and don't look back!
James Agger is as you say, the best place to start your search.
He has just sold mine (again) and that was a regular on mainland Europe.
My trips ranged from 1500 - 2500 miles, so the distance you are looking at should be no problem.
Heat not an issue other than if you start and stop the car a number of times in a short
period of time as you'll then walk into fuel vaporisation territory.
Sadly at 5ft 2, I think your wife will struggle, but you can get pedal extensions from Leven.
Give James a call with the spec you want and I dare say, even if not listed, he'll source
it for you and tell him I sent you.
Do it now and don't look back!
Hmmm, be careful about the uprated rad and the fuel vapourisation. I use my cerb for very short trips when hot. I use it to visit patients as I'm a GP which is mainly town driving and a whole host of stop start drives. I assume if all Cerbs had fuel vapourisation problems I would get them a lot although never had them, and its not a common thread on this board.
Secondly the uprated rad is a strange one. I think a lot of people may have bought uprated rads because the dashboard capillary water guage is badly routed next to the exhaust manifold and on a lot of cars shows 10-15deg higher than the car is actually making. I would only suggest an uprated rad if when the fans come on they seem to have a problem, or take a long time cooling the car.
Rough rule of thumb. Listen for the fan to start. If your dash gauge is showing over 95 then its misreading. If your fans stay on more than about five minutes at idle before stopping then investigate.
There no problem with buying an uprated rad, but you def don't want to be running your car engine cold all the time or you will greatly accelerate wear on the engine. So make sure your thermistat is working.
A number of people who have fitted oil temp gauges will suggest to you that in cold weather in this country the cerb struggles to warm its oil up on normal journeys. You don't want to exaccerbate that problem.
Secondly the uprated rad is a strange one. I think a lot of people may have bought uprated rads because the dashboard capillary water guage is badly routed next to the exhaust manifold and on a lot of cars shows 10-15deg higher than the car is actually making. I would only suggest an uprated rad if when the fans come on they seem to have a problem, or take a long time cooling the car.
Rough rule of thumb. Listen for the fan to start. If your dash gauge is showing over 95 then its misreading. If your fans stay on more than about five minutes at idle before stopping then investigate.
There no problem with buying an uprated rad, but you def don't want to be running your car engine cold all the time or you will greatly accelerate wear on the engine. So make sure your thermistat is working.
A number of people who have fitted oil temp gauges will suggest to you that in cold weather in this country the cerb struggles to warm its oil up on normal journeys. You don't want to exaccerbate that problem.
gazzab said:
I dont mean an alloy uprated rad but just a recored one with extra core.
Are you sure they're the same core as a Rangey?
My Rangey rad is a lot taller than the one in the Cerb. A mate had a rad custom built because they were 'unique'.
Not considered an uprated rad myself, car was fine at Le Mans last year in the queues to and from Carrefour in 36 degree heat. as long as the cooling system is up to scratch and the fans are cutting in and out, I'd leave it alone. Except perhaps for a manual over ride switch for the fans?
Julian64 said:
I use it to visit patients as I'm a GP which is mainly town driving and a whole host of stop start drives. .
Id have a heart attack if my GP turned up in a Cerb.
In fact Id have one if my GP did a house call at all! I honestly didnt think they did those anymore. Then again, luckily, Im not too much of a 'sicky'.
Top doctoring Julian
Cuban said:
Sadly at 5ft 2, I think your wife will struggle, but you can get pedal extensions from Leven.
My Missus is 4 feet 12. I've fitted Leven's extended stainless steel pedal kit and she has no probs. Well worth the 130-odd squid !
Only prob with overheating will arrive if you travel on the "Bisons Futees" days. It's peak summer holiday travelling when the schools first break-up and later return. Traffic jams and road deaths are at their peak on those 4 to 5 days. I'm sure the AA or RAC will have the relevant dates.
Good Luck !
Sorry, had to edit this to add..... She uses cushions both below and behind so probably not a good example to use.
>> Edited by Mr.Cerbera on Thursday 18th May 02:59
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