Which model do I want? (newbie)
Discussion
I have some friends in the fold already, but none with a Cerbera (they have a Griffith and a couple of Chimeras).
For me, the Cerbera looks to be the one I'm after. What I don't have, is enough info or background on the models to be able to work out which is the best option for me.
Whats it for?
- Driven every weekend, so reliability is a factor, but not at a 'commuting' level
- The odd trip requiring golf clubs or some luggage, so a degree of practicality - 2+2!
On the first point, I'm getting the impression from what read that the speed six is not as reliable (engine-wise) as the V8s.
Budget? Well, I'm chopping in a Golf GTi and financing the rest one way or another (either an incentive to the dealer, or just my friendly bank manager) to a total of 16 / 17k .
By all accounts, this should be able to get me:
1) A reasonable example
2) One of those ooooh so saucy headlight conversions
Any useful comparative experience or history around the Cerbera models would be most welcome.
Thanks in advance - and look forward to being more involved in the not too distant future!
Phil.
p.s. Not looking at a lot of miles/annum, so getting a discount for something high-miled, and bringing it back into line through few miles added during my ownership - good idea? Bad idea?
For me, the Cerbera looks to be the one I'm after. What I don't have, is enough info or background on the models to be able to work out which is the best option for me.
Whats it for?
- Driven every weekend, so reliability is a factor, but not at a 'commuting' level
- The odd trip requiring golf clubs or some luggage, so a degree of practicality - 2+2!
On the first point, I'm getting the impression from what read that the speed six is not as reliable (engine-wise) as the V8s.
Budget? Well, I'm chopping in a Golf GTi and financing the rest one way or another (either an incentive to the dealer, or just my friendly bank manager) to a total of 16 / 17k .
By all accounts, this should be able to get me:
1) A reasonable example
2) One of those ooooh so saucy headlight conversions
Any useful comparative experience or history around the Cerbera models would be most welcome.
Thanks in advance - and look forward to being more involved in the not too distant future!
Phil.
p.s. Not looking at a lot of miles/annum, so getting a discount for something high-miled, and bringing it back into line through few miles added during my ownership - good idea? Bad idea?
Should get a 99/00 pre light weight ie with the older fashioned lights for that.
PLEASE dont put later lights on an earlier car! (IMHO etc)
Go for a 4.5 as the 'safest' option albeit the 4.2s are about the same speed etc but slightly cheaper to buy.
Keep some money to one side to run it. £3K pa is a safe amount to bank on for servicing and repairs (ie excludes ins, tyres and fuel).
What Golf GTi do you have as you never know someone might want to do a trade.
Buy private from Pistonheads OR via a reputable dealer (and everyone has an opinion on who is).
PLEASE dont put later lights on an earlier car! (IMHO etc)
Go for a 4.5 as the 'safest' option albeit the 4.2s are about the same speed etc but slightly cheaper to buy.
Keep some money to one side to run it. £3K pa is a safe amount to bank on for servicing and repairs (ie excludes ins, tyres and fuel).
What Golf GTi do you have as you never know someone might want to do a trade.
Buy private from Pistonheads OR via a reputable dealer (and everyone has an opinion on who is).
All received and understood.
Apologies if its a common question, thought I did potter round the forums for a while before posting - so much as to know that blue was clearly the fastest Cerbera.
So anyway (before that all kicks off again), we're thinking 4.5 is the model of choice.
www.pistonheads.com/sales/122120.htm
This looks to be a fine example - miles in line with something expected, came through Fernhurst too.
For me though, thoughts around a sub-40k car would be that there are likely to be some expensive more 'major' replacements not too far around the corner.
I'll go dig through the archives to work out what the milestone significant ones are, and when you might expect them... but thanks in the mean time for all the info.
Great source of reassurance.
Phil.
p.s. Golf is a T-reg GTi (1.8 Turbo, 150bhp, 5 door) with 81k on the clock; Leather recaros (heated), sunroof, 6CD changer, Cruise control. Don't use a car for work any more though, so want something for the weekends, as opposed to a reliable motor - which it is! Bought from a friend of mine, so personally knew almost all of its history.
Not mine - but an example of the mark (mines Indogo blue and got some non standard alloys)
Got a couple of mates interested - and they run forever and are pretty desirable, so it wont be hard to sell either way; thought I'd drop some details in though, just for info
Apologies if its a common question, thought I did potter round the forums for a while before posting - so much as to know that blue was clearly the fastest Cerbera.
So anyway (before that all kicks off again), we're thinking 4.5 is the model of choice.
www.pistonheads.com/sales/122120.htm
This looks to be a fine example - miles in line with something expected, came through Fernhurst too.
For me though, thoughts around a sub-40k car would be that there are likely to be some expensive more 'major' replacements not too far around the corner.
I'll go dig through the archives to work out what the milestone significant ones are, and when you might expect them... but thanks in the mean time for all the info.
Great source of reassurance.
Phil.
p.s. Golf is a T-reg GTi (1.8 Turbo, 150bhp, 5 door) with 81k on the clock; Leather recaros (heated), sunroof, 6CD changer, Cruise control. Don't use a car for work any more though, so want something for the weekends, as opposed to a reliable motor - which it is! Bought from a friend of mine, so personally knew almost all of its history.
Not mine - but an example of the mark (mines Indogo blue and got some non standard alloys)
Got a couple of mates interested - and they run forever and are pretty desirable, so it wont be hard to sell either way; thought I'd drop some details in though, just for info
Phil_Edge said:
"purchased 3 months ago"????? Sounds suspicious to me.
I know what you mean about those headlight conversions. I felt the same why when I picked mine up a few weeks ago - but then something strange happened. I suddenly went off the idea. I viewed the purple one from my rear view mirror - obviously someone else was driving at the time - and I realised that it looked fantastic just the way it was.
I know this is all about personal taste but I think left alone the front end looks very very classy to me.
I know this is all about personal taste but I think left alone the front end looks very very classy to me.
Phil_Edge said:
Fair point - have enquired
Do you think given its time with Fernhurst, they might be able to shed some light on the car/history/situation... or would some kind of client confidentiality perhaps prevent that.
"purchased 3 months ago"????? Sounds suspicious to me.
Do you think given its time with Fernhurst, they might be able to shed some light on the car/history/situation... or would some kind of client confidentiality perhaps prevent that.
mark r skinner said:
"purchased 3 months ago"????? Sounds suspicious to me.
No idea. All you can do is ask.
If it doesn`t sound right, walk away.
mark r skinner said:
Phil_Edge said:
Fair point - have enquired
Do you think given its time with Fernhurst, they might be able to shed some light on the car/history/situation... or would some kind of client confidentiality perhaps prevent that.
"purchased 3 months ago"????? Sounds suspicious to me.
Do you think given its time with Fernhurst, they might be able to shed some light on the car/history/situation... or would some kind of client confidentiality perhaps prevent that.
mark r skinner said:
"purchased 3 months ago"????? Sounds suspicious to me.
No idea. All you can do is ask.
If it doesn`t sound right, walk away.
Maybe the owner *thought* they could afford to run a Cerb and then realised just what an expensive bit of kit they are????
V8Cerbera said:
mark r skinner said:
Phil_Edge said:
Fair point - have enquired
Do you think given its time with Fernhurst, they might be able to shed some light on the car/history/situation... or would some kind of client confidentiality perhaps prevent that.
"purchased 3 months ago"????? Sounds suspicious to me.
Do you think given its time with Fernhurst, they might be able to shed some light on the car/history/situation... or would some kind of client confidentiality perhaps prevent that.
mark r skinner said:
"purchased 3 months ago"????? Sounds suspicious to me.
No idea. All you can do is ask.
If it doesn`t sound right, walk away.
Maybe the owner *thought* they could afford to run a Cerb and then realised just what an expensive bit of kit they are????
mark r skinner said:
V8Cerbera said:
mark r skinner said:
Phil_Edge said:
Fair point - have enquired
Do you think given its time with Fernhurst, they might be able to shed some light on the car/history/situation... or would some kind of client confidentiality perhaps prevent that.
"purchased 3 months ago"????? Sounds suspicious to me.
Do you think given its time with Fernhurst, they might be able to shed some light on the car/history/situation... or would some kind of client confidentiality perhaps prevent that.
mark r skinner said:
"purchased 3 months ago"????? Sounds suspicious to me.
No idea. All you can do is ask.
If it doesn`t sound right, walk away.
Dude. I've had mine 4 months and spent £6k on it including fuel and insurance.
Where are you based anyway? I'm more than happy to show anyone who is willing to travel to me what a 4.2 AJP8 can do.
Maybe the owner *thought* they could afford to run a Cerb and then realised just what an expensive bit of kit they are????
Best bit of advice is to draw up a list of what your ideal Cerb is and then watch the PH adverts for any similar cars. Test drive and view as many as you can because it is very easy to fall in love with the first semi decent one you drive. History and mechanical condition are the two most important factors, colour, spec, wheels/lights etc are entirely secondary. If the owner is a PH'er then that's a bonus, if he is also very knowledgeable about Cerbs then it's an even bigger bonus, if the car's been serviced, maintain and upgraded by an Indie (the usual suspects) then even better.
Best of luck.......£16k should find you a good, solid, well looked after 4.5 (98-99ish).
Jules.
Best of luck.......£16k should find you a good, solid, well looked after 4.5 (98-99ish).
Jules.
1. Agree that 3 months is an unusually short period to be finding anything too dramatically wrong - and if you did end up spending 6k in that time, surely you wouldn't ditch the car immediately having made such an investment.
2. I think you are spot on with a 4.5 (98/99). I'll give them a call, but in light of such a decision, would Fernhurst (or similar) loan me an expert to take a look at the odd one? Obviously for a suitable amount of cash no doubt...
Whilst I'm keen and have done a good amount of reading, there's no substitute for first hand experience.
Phil.
2. I think you are spot on with a 4.5 (98/99). I'll give them a call, but in light of such a decision, would Fernhurst (or similar) loan me an expert to take a look at the odd one? Obviously for a suitable amount of cash no doubt...
Whilst I'm keen and have done a good amount of reading, there's no substitute for first hand experience.
Phil.
Cyclone1 said:
If you ask nicely then i am sure one of the more experienced and knowledgeable Cerb owners on here (in your region) will be more than happy to accompany you to a few viewings (all for the cost of a couple of pints!)
Jules.
Jules.
Or on the other hand, if its close(ish) to the Gatwick/West Surrey/Sussex area, and you want a complete mechanical numpty to have a poke around it, then I may be able to offer an hour or two of my time
Plenty of Cerb owners in the Surrey/SW London region 
Steve_T, you're needed. (Steve's OK, just a bit 'northern' 
) That would be most welcome... and of course there would be beer and some cash involved!
But there is no substitute for experience.
I'm still in the process of getting to see a couple in the flesh as it were. Just an aside - but what's the Cerbera like for head/leg room? They likely to accommodate someone at 6'5"?
I know the Chimera is a bit tight, but the Cerbera is generally a bigger car.
Anyone out there well over the 6' mark?
But there is no substitute for experience.
I'm still in the process of getting to see a couple in the flesh as it were. Just an aside - but what's the Cerbera like for head/leg room? They likely to accommodate someone at 6'5"?
I know the Chimera is a bit tight, but the Cerbera is generally a bigger car.
Anyone out there well over the 6' mark?
I dont think you'd want to pay me cash for car inspections, and I certainly wouldnt take it. A beer maybe 
As for your question re: height, seeing as Im 4'2" I cant answer that, but I do believe their are some 'leggy' Cerb owners well over 6 foot.
Remember, Peter Wheeler is 7'9" and the Cerb was designed to fit him (ok, so he might not actually be 7'9").
If anything, its us shortarses that have the problem (easily fixed by Leven's pedal extensions)
As for your question re: height, seeing as Im 4'2" I cant answer that, but I do believe their are some 'leggy' Cerb owners well over 6 foot.
Remember, Peter Wheeler is 7'9" and the Cerb was designed to fit him (ok, so he might not actually be 7'9"
). If anything, its us shortarses that have the problem (easily fixed by Leven's pedal extensions
)Phil_Edge said:
That would be most welcome... and of course there would be beer and some cash involved!
But there is no substitute for experience.
I'm still in the process of getting to see a couple in the flesh as it were. Just an aside - but what's the Cerbera like for head/leg room? They likely to accommodate someone at 6'5"?
I know the Chimera is a bit tight, but the Cerbera is generally a bigger car.
Anyone out there well over the 6' mark?
But there is no substitute for experience.
I'm still in the process of getting to see a couple in the flesh as it were. Just an aside - but what's the Cerbera like for head/leg room? They likely to accommodate someone at 6'5"?
I know the Chimera is a bit tight, but the Cerbera is generally a bigger car.
Anyone out there well over the 6' mark?
No need to any cash mate, where are you exactly do you live? Myself and Dean_ratpac are in the Surbiton/Kingston area. JohnSW20 (I suspect) lives in SW20, if that's any closer, don't know if he still has his Cerb though. If you just need to do a test fit of the drivers seat I'm sure we can work out a convenient time between us.
And Fubes, you know the drill by know,
FECK OFF! Steve.
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