37,000 miles on 4.5 Others high mile experience?
Discussion
Had my 4.5 from new in March 1998 and now have 37,000 miles on it. I seem to have been fortunate on the engine front, in that nothing has really gone amiss there at all. The only things I can recall are replacement stepper motors for the throttles (common problem), a set of replacement plug leads and stripped threads for the allen bolts holding the airboxes to the mounting brackets (I'm sure the purple pipe thingys are shrinking becuase I've had to dump the stupid one-use TVR fit clips and replace them with stainless jubilee clips to keep the pipes on. Now, instead of the pipes coming off the airbox, the airboxs are being pulled from their mounts!!!!!. Perhaps TVR know they shrink, hence the weedy standard clips).
The engine uses a litre of oily stuff every 1000/1200 miles - its always used about that amount from new, and the oil pressure is 40/54psi idle/2500rpm. No untoward knocks or rattles except for the usual cold start piston slap and cam noises - gone within a minute or so.
I've always treated the engine like a baby from cold so maybe that has helped.
Gearbox/diff also trouble free too.
Wont get on the subject of electrical aggros, brake judders, suspension knocks, wobbly wheels, replacement cats and a million other stupid (and expensive niggles) or we'll be here all night! Suffice to say around £5000 worth of, IMHO, unjustfied quality and design failures.
How are other 35,000 mile plus 4.5 Cerbera's holding up? Interested to know what doom I might expect - lol
Regards
John McKenzie
The engine uses a litre of oily stuff every 1000/1200 miles - its always used about that amount from new, and the oil pressure is 40/54psi idle/2500rpm. No untoward knocks or rattles except for the usual cold start piston slap and cam noises - gone within a minute or so.
I've always treated the engine like a baby from cold so maybe that has helped.
Gearbox/diff also trouble free too.
Wont get on the subject of electrical aggros, brake judders, suspension knocks, wobbly wheels, replacement cats and a million other stupid (and expensive niggles) or we'll be here all night! Suffice to say around £5000 worth of, IMHO, unjustfied quality and design failures.
How are other 35,000 mile plus 4.5 Cerbera's holding up? Interested to know what doom I might expect - lol
Regards
John McKenzie
Had my 4.5 from new in March 1998 and now have 37,000 miles on it.
...
How are other 35,000 mile plus 4.5 Cerbera's holding up? Interested to know what doom I might expect - lol
Regards
John McKenzie
Glad to see you're holding up the 'reliable' end of the scale, but I still find it rather sad for TVR that this is considered something to comment on. The reliability (or lack of), especially of the engines, is the one factor that would put me off buying a non Rover V8 powered TVR, even if I could afford any of the later models (which I can't, by a long way).
Glad to see you're holding up the 'reliable' end of the scale, but I still find it rather sad for TVR that this is considered something to comment on. the later models (which I can't, by a long way).
Well, I find it sad too Peter, but I'm a realist and the fact that is the build quality and reliabilty is, by and large, pretty c**p, even by the standards of most other low volume and specialist producers. Still, the factory must be doing something right as people still buy them and I've had 4 and I'm still an owner - although (wash my mouth out) I've come close on several occasions to defecting to something less irritating to maintain.
Lack of replies to this thread makes me wonder if either Cerbera owners are all off somewhere or the majority of Cerbera's have self-destructed before the 35,000 mile mark - lol
Regards
John
)I've had my 4.5, a 1998 model bought with 12000 miles on the clock, for 2 years now in which time I have covered an additional 24k miles - largely without incident. Suffered all the usual little niggles and got over (or around) them but my overall impression would have to be that many of them were because the design quality of the ancilliaries (such as electrics/electronics) is simply not upto industrial production standard.
It has only been in the last couple of months that my enjoyment of the car has been tempered by one or two recurring problems ( misfire, more noise when cold, water pump bearing noise, using coolant) for which I suspect the cylinder head gasket - given that the car now only travels about 15 miles per day, I am hardly surprised.
It is booked into the dealers for the remedial work but I am beginning to suspect every single noise as it's last!!.... and I'm positive that it's also stopped using oil (which, like yours was a steady 1litre/1000miles).
Maybe I'm just getting soft in my high mileage?
It has only been in the last couple of months that my enjoyment of the car has been tempered by one or two recurring problems ( misfire, more noise when cold, water pump bearing noise, using coolant) for which I suspect the cylinder head gasket - given that the car now only travels about 15 miles per day, I am hardly surprised.
It is booked into the dealers for the remedial work but I am beginning to suspect every single noise as it's last!!.... and I'm positive that it's also stopped using oil (which, like yours was a steady 1litre/1000miles).
Maybe I'm just getting soft in my high mileage?
johnmckenzie said:
......Lack of replies to this thread makes me wonder if either Cerbera owners are all off somewhere or the majority of Cerbera's have self-destructed before the 35,000 mile mark - lol
Cue the reply from Joolz to squash these thoughts with tales of Cerbies that he has serviced that have been to the moon and back with no major rebuilds
. Well i hope so, as owning a cerb is on my list of TVR things to do........subject to the right responses here that is
Harry
I'm getting close (33K) so I hope loads of people reply to this and say that the cars last forever.
I've had no real problems with mine at all (this a probably a cue for the thing to fall apart
), things like the bulb in the boot went. Noticed something rattling around behind the steering wheel so had the ribbon cable replaced, things like that.
It had a new clutch before I got it (btw it is a '98 4.2) and has had a new radiator (such a small leak I didn't notice).
All in all not too bad.....
...yet
I've had no real problems with mine at all (this a probably a cue for the thing to fall apart
), things like the bulb in the boot went. Noticed something rattling around behind the steering wheel so had the ribbon cable replaced, things like that. It had a new clutch before I got it (btw it is a '98 4.2) and has had a new radiator (such a small leak I didn't notice).
All in all not too bad.....
...yet
My '96 4.2 is on it's original engine, and most of the ancillaries have been fine. I think it has used a Lambda sensor in its time before me, and a starter motor. Besides that, and the usual Brake Disc replacement, I think it is about to need a radiator.
Certainly nothing that would stop the car from working though.
Total miles approaching 36,000.
Happy motoring all
Edited to say - it had a clutch upgrade as well before I owned it.
>> Edited by madasahatter on Wednesday 19th February 09:18
Certainly nothing that would stop the car from working though.
Total miles approaching 36,000.
Happy motoring all
Edited to say - it had a clutch upgrade as well before I owned it.
>> Edited by madasahatter on Wednesday 19th February 09:18
johnmckenzie said:Lack of replies to this thread makes me wonder if either Cerbera owners are all off somewhere or the majority of Cerbera's have self-destructed before the 35,000 mile mark - lol
Regards
John
OK, I'll reply too. My 4.2 [currently up for sale on PH] has done 41K, and has been extremely reliable IMHO. As the ad says, it's got a recent clutch, rad and starter motor...but it was the first clutch change [at around 36K] in my 33K miles of driving, which wasn't too bad, and the first and only starter motor in the 33K miles I've driven in it.
It's only failed to get me where I wanted once in the 3 1/2 years I've had it, the first 2 of which I used it as a daily driver [which is where the miles came from].
It's been far more reliable per year and per mile than the 3 porsches I had in the preceeding 12 years, each of which suffered from at least 1 catastrophic failure, and each of which on average failed to get me where I wanted to go once per year [usually for a pressing appointment or in the dead of night]. The 'bulletproof' 911 went through 2 starters, 1 alternator, 2 fuel pumps, clutch [not wear and tear - the release mechanism broke], exhaust fractured, battery x 2, central locking, electric seat adjustment packed in, the factory sunroof leaked, water came in through the windscreen seals...and that's all I can remember right now.
I've had no problems with Cerbera relaibility over the years. Sure there niggles, but everything I've driven has had niggles. Just means you've got to do bits and pieces at the weekend
WB
48K miles on a 98 4.5, 4.5K miles mine in a year. No real problems except a diff rebuild post a diff rebuild (just out of warranty - bugger), who says they're bullet proof. Oil usage minimal, no rattles, no squeaks( once Joolz had massaged the rear anti-roll bar), very satisfying car to own and drive. Previously had 944T and 3 911s, last one a 911T2, pick of the bunch would be(bearing in mind it's a 3rd car)the Cerbera - just!, the 911T2 was good, just a bit slow in a straight line, Cerbera would loose it above; well, silly speeds. If I had to run a car everyday, would have to be the 911T2 and I'd live with the odd coma whilst driving.
Thanks everyone - keep the replies coming as it would be nice for myself and others to have a reference point to look back on for higher mileage cars. All in all the AJP's dont seem to be fairing too badly. Martin Hunt's experience with the Sp6 sounds a bit horrendous though! Hope things go OK from now on Martin. BTW, forgot to mention, I'm still on the original clutch and it shows no signs at all of needing replacement - at 37,000, is that some kind of record I wonder?
Regards
John McKenzie
Regards
John McKenzie
So if someone buys a Cerb with 60, 70, or 80+ k miles on it and it needs a minor freshen up - (bottom end rebuild as many ends do when getting towards the 100k mark) this is not an issue for a Rover lump - just take it to any good specialist and they rebuild it as good as new (i.e.can get all bits).
So if the engine is tired - i.e. nothing broken, and just need the above rebuild can the basic bits ever be purchased by any of the specialists? Bearing, cams etc, not on about cranks or real mega bucks bits.
Just strikes me that if the above is not possible then
the can with these highish mileages would effectively be scrap (if the rebuild cost exceeded the purchase cost of a high milage but otherwise healther Cerbera)!
May as well just torch the thing if the above is the case - there will be early Cerbs that need the above freshen up - but as they have to go to TVR for this (once there you have no idea of what is really worn out and from seeing typical post it will have the full 8k+ rebuild - when a freshenup for a Rover lump is say 2k. A high mileage early 4.2 may be only a little of 10k to purchase.
I'm not trying to wind anyone up - just stikes me that with any other manufacturer you could at least get the bits.
If I get one it will be a fairly late 4.5 for the above reasons - but I would not want to pay a deal his cut when I could buy the same car private - and all he will have done is put an after market warranty on it - which is most likely a wast of time, as all the bits need would be excluded! - but just consider if you bought that 96 11k motor that could only be got back in tip top shape for 8+k when if you could get the bits a good specialist could just fix what is required for say a few grand - job done.
Not trying to wind you Cerb owners up - sorry if it come across that way, but I can cane the tits off my car and if it need a rebuild it will be comparatively cheap at competent specialist rebuild shop.
Waiting for the flack.....
So if the engine is tired - i.e. nothing broken, and just need the above rebuild can the basic bits ever be purchased by any of the specialists? Bearing, cams etc, not on about cranks or real mega bucks bits.
Just strikes me that if the above is not possible then
the can with these highish mileages would effectively be scrap (if the rebuild cost exceeded the purchase cost of a high milage but otherwise healther Cerbera)!
May as well just torch the thing if the above is the case - there will be early Cerbs that need the above freshen up - but as they have to go to TVR for this (once there you have no idea of what is really worn out and from seeing typical post it will have the full 8k+ rebuild - when a freshenup for a Rover lump is say 2k. A high mileage early 4.2 may be only a little of 10k to purchase.
I'm not trying to wind anyone up - just stikes me that with any other manufacturer you could at least get the bits.
If I get one it will be a fairly late 4.5 for the above reasons - but I would not want to pay a deal his cut when I could buy the same car private - and all he will have done is put an after market warranty on it - which is most likely a wast of time, as all the bits need would be excluded! - but just consider if you bought that 96 11k motor that could only be got back in tip top shape for 8+k when if you could get the bits a good specialist could just fix what is required for say a few grand - job done.
Not trying to wind you Cerb owners up - sorry if it come across that way, but I can cane the tits off my car and if it need a rebuild it will be comparatively cheap at competent specialist rebuild shop.
Waiting for the flack.....
1) as time goes by more and more specialists are able to service the car and get/make parts. I hear of AJPs being rebuilt outside the factory. It's just an engine after all; some things go round and round, others go up and down, and its held together with nuts and bolts. When the cars were new I guess most owners [me included] wouldn't stray away from main dealers so there wasn't a market for AJP parts and skills. Now, most folks with cars more than a few years old [me included] have left the main dealer fold and deal with independents. As this continues I'm sure more and more folks will be able to rebuild AJPs and acquire/make parts.
2) The AJP seems a relatively robust unit. Not immune from problems, but they seem to get a fair caning in the Tuscan Challenge cars.
3) As the cost of the cars comes down, I think you'll find more and more of them wrapped round trees. They are now well within the price range lots of drivers who have only ever driven a traction-contolled hatch, and want to give a Cerbera some stick. Whereas before the breakers may have had cars with shot mechanicals and good bodywork, I have to guess there will be an increasing number of cars with perfectly good mechanicals consigned to the great scrapyard in the sky with demolished chassis and bodywork.
4) It's the performance bargain of the century. Even if you have to shell out for some major engine work, where else - engine work included - can you get a car that'll nudge 190mph for under £20K.
PS...mines still for sale on PH
WB
2) The AJP seems a relatively robust unit. Not immune from problems, but they seem to get a fair caning in the Tuscan Challenge cars.
3) As the cost of the cars comes down, I think you'll find more and more of them wrapped round trees. They are now well within the price range lots of drivers who have only ever driven a traction-contolled hatch, and want to give a Cerbera some stick. Whereas before the breakers may have had cars with shot mechanicals and good bodywork, I have to guess there will be an increasing number of cars with perfectly good mechanicals consigned to the great scrapyard in the sky with demolished chassis and bodywork.
4) It's the performance bargain of the century. Even if you have to shell out for some major engine work, where else - engine work included - can you get a car that'll nudge 190mph for under £20K.
PS...mines still for sale on PH
WB
Ha Gazz - Blow me!
Willamball was the right kind of comment I / all older Cerb owners should be thinking about. I'm of the same opinions - Its only an Engine - But will they ever release BASIC parts to people that can pu them together. Not under warranty but, but that can do a good job at sensible prices. I know the post 97 4.2 and 4.5's a pretty reliable but not as much as a Rover or other similar bhp/lire engines. Rods pistons are easy to get remade - cranks (one offs) and cam ALOT more expensive.
I Never said I could beat anyone in a Tr - as if! Get REAL. Even my Chimera would get spanked in a straight line by a 4.5 Cerb hence I will more than liklely get one in the not two distant future - Chim still fun enough to be not that fussed about rushing into it though.....
Willamball was the right kind of comment I / all older Cerb owners should be thinking about. I'm of the same opinions - Its only an Engine - But will they ever release BASIC parts to people that can pu them together. Not under warranty but, but that can do a good job at sensible prices. I know the post 97 4.2 and 4.5's a pretty reliable but not as much as a Rover or other similar bhp/lire engines. Rods pistons are easy to get remade - cranks (one offs) and cam ALOT more expensive.
I Never said I could beat anyone in a Tr - as if! Get REAL. Even my Chimera would get spanked in a straight line by a 4.5 Cerb hence I will more than liklely get one in the not two distant future - Chim still fun enough to be not that fussed about rushing into it though.....
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