Anyone know this 4.5 for sale
Discussion
I have emailed the seller. This car is 280 miles or 5 hours away from me (in my diesel Astravan!) so I really would only want to make one journey.
Any tips if I can't organise an inspection in time? I have asked the owner if he has a service history (probably not many services in 12,00 miles though) and any bills for repair work.
I would have it HPi'd so they should be able to verify the miles too.
I'll need to get as much info from the owner to see if it's worth the journey as it wouldn't be the first time I've travelled up north (once to Leeds, once to Blackpool) to see utter tubs of sh*te (described by the owners as perfect cars....)
Any tips if I can't organise an inspection in time? I have asked the owner if he has a service history (probably not many services in 12,00 miles though) and any bills for repair work.
I would have it HPi'd so they should be able to verify the miles too.
I'll need to get as much info from the owner to see if it's worth the journey as it wouldn't be the first time I've travelled up north (once to Leeds, once to Blackpool) to see utter tubs of sh*te (described by the owners as perfect cars....)
Low mileage is NOT a problem - only the people with high mileage cars say that. As long as the car has been used regularly then it is fine. The proble is with cars that have been sat around for a long time and not used. Rubber seals (eg like the Slave cylinder) dry out because theye not being used, then when they start to get used they soon give up the ghost.
Just ask the user if he uses it regularly, if he takes it for a 100 mile trip every weekend thts only 1200 miles a year, x 10 years - sounds about right!
If he's a nice with a nice house then that ticks boxes too - Looks a good car to me - Go for it.
Just ask the user if he uses it regularly, if he takes it for a 100 mile trip every weekend thts only 1200 miles a year, x 10 years - sounds about right!
If he's a nice with a nice house then that ticks boxes too - Looks a good car to me - Go for it.
JensenA said:
if he takes it for a 100 mile trip every weekend thts only 1200 miles a year, x 10 years - sounds about right!
I may be wrong here..... but wouldn't 100 miles every weekend equal 5200 miles a year...ergo 52,000 miles over 10 years ? 
BOT.. Just ask the guy to describe it fairly, any scratches, stone chips (there will be), scratches on wheels. Drivers seat can get a bit messy where you get in & out of it. Does everything work including aircon getting cold. If it's garaged, it'll be hard to know about any leaks until you get it home, but check the carpets, door panels, roof lining, boot etc. Does it change gear ok (engine off & on). How old are the shocks. When was the intake hoses swapped. Oil use... I doubt he or you will boot it, but if either of you do, try & check the rear mirror for smoke.
History.... it's 6k or 12 months, whichever comes first. Grab a pen & paper, give him a call, and get him to reel off the history. Where the service was carried out, what date, what miles. He's had it that long, he's probably got the old mot's, so get the dates & mileages off them as well.
Chassis rot. Either A gamble or meet him at a local dealers & give them a bung to give it the once over for you.
I've withdrew mine from sale, but I've found the emailers to be time wasters. Give him a call
A plate check on AT, reveals he's the second owner for 8 years, good start.
Get up there
Edited by RUSSELLM on Wednesday 12th March 08:36
RUSSELLM said:
JensenA said:
if he takes it for a 100 mile trip every weekend thts only 1200 miles a year, x 10 years - sounds about right!
I may be wrong here..... but wouldn't 100 miles every weekend equal 5200 miles a year...ergo 52,000 miles over 10 years ? 
Your not wrong, I'll go and get me coat..........JensenA said:
Low mileage is NOT a problem
Not in itself - it all depends of the history of the car. You might have to start embarking on the last 10% of development that TVR always left to the buyer, though - a 'seasoned' car with a good service history by reputable dealers/indies tends to come with a lot of little fixes and updates as well as having things stuck back properly that fell off due to less than perfect factory installation. 
malc350 said:
I have emailed the seller. This car is 280 miles or 5 hours away from me (in my diesel Astravan!) so I really would only want to make one journey.
Any tips if I can't organise an inspection in time? I have asked the owner if he has a service history (probably not many services in 12,00 miles though) and any bills for repair work.
I would have it HPi'd so they should be able to verify the miles too.
I'll need to get as much info from the owner to see if it's worth the journey as it wouldn't be the first time I've travelled up north (once to Leeds, once to Blackpool) to see utter tubs of sh*te (described by the owners as perfect cars....)
Are you looking for a 4.5 only, I heard about a good 4.2 for sensible money in the Gatwick area recently.Any tips if I can't organise an inspection in time? I have asked the owner if he has a service history (probably not many services in 12,00 miles though) and any bills for repair work.
I would have it HPi'd so they should be able to verify the miles too.
I'll need to get as much info from the owner to see if it's worth the journey as it wouldn't be the first time I've travelled up north (once to Leeds, once to Blackpool) to see utter tubs of sh*te (described by the owners as perfect cars....)
Steve.
Not really Malc.
I use them as daily runners, and I haven't the time, space or knowledge to fix problems myself.
Using them on a daily basis with no garage, means I tend to find problems quicker than say, someone who uses it on the occasional dry weekend, which most owners do.
I bought that car cheap enough, and knew it needed some bits. 12k service, new hoses, diff bushes, shocks (could have had cheapies but went for Nitrons), various niggles, indicator wouldn't cancel etc
Then recently the rear screen leaked, in hindsight I'd seen some marks that indicated there had been a problem in the past. I foolishly left it a few days, water got in to the electrics behind the rear set & corroded every connection in there. I could have had the local auto electrician fix it, but I'm quite finicky about where I leave it
The general consensus....If you can maintain it yourself, £500 a year, if you pay someone else to fix it, the average is about £3k a year.
Depreciation is now negligible on them, so £4K a year for a car like that, doesn't bother me in the slightest
I use them as daily runners, and I haven't the time, space or knowledge to fix problems myself.
Using them on a daily basis with no garage, means I tend to find problems quicker than say, someone who uses it on the occasional dry weekend, which most owners do.
I bought that car cheap enough, and knew it needed some bits. 12k service, new hoses, diff bushes, shocks (could have had cheapies but went for Nitrons), various niggles, indicator wouldn't cancel etc
Then recently the rear screen leaked, in hindsight I'd seen some marks that indicated there had been a problem in the past. I foolishly left it a few days, water got in to the electrics behind the rear set & corroded every connection in there. I could have had the local auto electrician fix it, but I'm quite finicky about where I leave it
The general consensus....If you can maintain it yourself, £500 a year, if you pay someone else to fix it, the average is about £3k a year.
Depreciation is now negligible on them, so £4K a year for a car like that, doesn't bother me in the slightest
Hi Malc
I have just bought an EX TVR Dealer car.
Got it last Saturday a ONE previous owner from new for 10 years, with loads of history from said dealer!
If I had joined the TVR club and got to know a few owners first, perhaps a known private sale would have given me more peace of mind.
Its a long way back if you feel let down on this sale.
One of those £300 checks seems worth it at such a distance?
My dealer has lived up to the promise to sort the bits I noticed and some more I didn't!
But all this helps my peace of mind as I also got one of those (useless??) "Warrenty" things for a year.
So overall I'm happy, feel I got a bargine in the end and intend to let them service it in future!
But GOOD LUCK.
Steve
I have just bought an EX TVR Dealer car.
Got it last Saturday a ONE previous owner from new for 10 years, with loads of history from said dealer!
If I had joined the TVR club and got to know a few owners first, perhaps a known private sale would have given me more peace of mind.
Its a long way back if you feel let down on this sale.
One of those £300 checks seems worth it at such a distance?
My dealer has lived up to the promise to sort the bits I noticed and some more I didn't!
But all this helps my peace of mind as I also got one of those (useless??) "Warrenty" things for a year.
So overall I'm happy, feel I got a bargine in the end and intend to let them service it in future!
But GOOD LUCK.
Steve
RUSSELLM said:
Not really Malc.
I use them as daily runners, and I haven't the time, space or knowledge to fix problems myself.
The general consensus....If you can maintain it yourself, £500 a year, if you pay someone else to fix it, the average is about £3k a year.
Depreciation is now negligible on them, so £4K a year for a car like that, doesn't bother me in the slightest
Makes sense. I could quote a similar comparison based on my experience: years ago a dealer friend had a Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette and part of its history (it was only 2 years old at the time) included a mammoth £3,500 service bill including a clutch...Well when I owned one a few years later I did alll the work myself (except a clutch that I paid someone to fit) and my total ownership costs over 3 years and 24,000 miles including a set of tyres (only one set though!) didn't come near to 3.5k and I seemed to be always "under the hood"!I use them as daily runners, and I haven't the time, space or knowledge to fix problems myself.
The general consensus....If you can maintain it yourself, £500 a year, if you pay someone else to fix it, the average is about £3k a year.
Depreciation is now negligible on them, so £4K a year for a car like that, doesn't bother me in the slightest
Seems like a lot of Cerb owners are pretty mechanically minded though and I am impressed by this forum which seems to contain answers to anything an owner could ever encounter.
P.S. Just spoke to the owner of the 12,00 miler and he seems like a real genuine chap and enthusiast who has owned the car from 5,900 miles. Agreed to any inspection and would even put an MoT on the car on the day if I want. Originally his Cerb was £54k so he thought it's pretty well optioned up from a base price of £49k.
What I am trying to do now is get a mate to drive up with me or find out about the train services....
Will keep you posted!
Malc
I see this car is on Ebay, said it had engine out work done. That's really bad luck if it's only done that many miles.
I must say that i am starting to believe these cars cost less per mile if used regular. My car runs much better if used rather than left in the garage for several weeks.
Knowing what I know now after 4 years of cerbera ownership, I would most certainly be making a 450 mile round trip to veiw it as it could well be a very good example. Chassis should be excellent!
I must say that i am starting to believe these cars cost less per mile if used regular. My car runs much better if used rather than left in the garage for several weeks.
Knowing what I know now after 4 years of cerbera ownership, I would most certainly be making a 450 mile round trip to veiw it as it could well be a very good example. Chassis should be excellent!
malc350 said:
RUSSELLM said:
Not really Malc.
I use them as daily runners, and I haven't the time, space or knowledge to fix problems myself.
The general consensus....If you can maintain it yourself, £500 a year, if you pay someone else to fix it, the average is about £3k a year.
Depreciation is now negligible on them, so £4K a year for a car like that, doesn't bother me in the slightest
Makes sense. I could quote a similar comparison based on my experience: years ago a dealer friend had a Callaway Twin Turbo Corvette and part of its history (it was only 2 years old at the time) included a mammoth £3,500 service bill including a clutch...Well when I owned one a few years later I did alll the work myself (except a clutch that I paid someone to fit) and my total ownership costs over 3 years and 24,000 miles including a set of tyres (only one set though!) didn't come near to 3.5k and I seemed to be always "under the hood"!I use them as daily runners, and I haven't the time, space or knowledge to fix problems myself.
The general consensus....If you can maintain it yourself, £500 a year, if you pay someone else to fix it, the average is about £3k a year.
Depreciation is now negligible on them, so £4K a year for a car like that, doesn't bother me in the slightest
Seems like a lot of Cerb owners are pretty mechanically minded though and I am impressed by this forum which seems to contain answers to anything an owner could ever encounter.
P.S. Just spoke to the owner of the 12,00 miler and he seems like a real genuine chap and enthusiast who has owned the car from 5,900 miles. Agreed to any inspection and would even put an MoT on the car on the day if I want. Originally his Cerb was £54k so he thought it's pretty well optioned up from a base price of £49k.
What I am trying to do now is get a mate to drive up with me or find out about the train services....
Will keep you posted!
Malc
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