Advice from the knowledgeable required please....
Discussion
I'm about to realise a long held desire to own a TVR but need some advice please.
I'm thinking I want a Cerbera because of the performance/styling etc but I am a bit concerned on the reliability front. It will be a second car, so light use, and I am very proficient with the spanners (its my trade) but I'm wondering if spending £10 to £15k on a car, and then spending a lot of time fixing it would drive me nuts.
So question is:
I'm not expecting VW levels of relaibility but are problems really that common, or is it just as humans we tend to report only the bad news?
Heart says Cerbera, heads thinking stick to cheap/easy to repair Griffith...whats the conscensus?
Thanks for any advice, Jim
I'm thinking I want a Cerbera because of the performance/styling etc but I am a bit concerned on the reliability front. It will be a second car, so light use, and I am very proficient with the spanners (its my trade) but I'm wondering if spending £10 to £15k on a car, and then spending a lot of time fixing it would drive me nuts.
So question is:
I'm not expecting VW levels of relaibility but are problems really that common, or is it just as humans we tend to report only the bad news?
Heart says Cerbera, heads thinking stick to cheap/easy to repair Griffith...whats the conscensus?
Thanks for any advice, Jim
I bought a Cerb with a similar budget last summer and while it has required a reasonable list of work to bring it to the point that I consider it fairly well sorted, it hasn't been excessive by any means.
I have found my Cerbera a pleasure to work on - especially after the cramped confines of a V12 XJR-s engine bay!. Being hand built they come apart like a meccano kit and have to be amongst the easier cars to maintain. Obviously they have their foibles, but no more than many, and less than a lot. As an amateur, I wouldn't have thought there is too much to challenge a professional mechanic.
In terms of day-to-day reliability, it has been as good as any car I have owned. I firmly believe that a well maintained Cerb can be highly reliable.
Go for the Cerbera - you know you really want to! I gain immense pleasure from both driving and working on mine!
I have found my Cerbera a pleasure to work on - especially after the cramped confines of a V12 XJR-s engine bay!. Being hand built they come apart like a meccano kit and have to be amongst the easier cars to maintain. Obviously they have their foibles, but no more than many, and less than a lot. As an amateur, I wouldn't have thought there is too much to challenge a professional mechanic.
In terms of day-to-day reliability, it has been as good as any car I have owned. I firmly believe that a well maintained Cerb can be highly reliable.
Go for the Cerbera - you know you really want to! I gain immense pleasure from both driving and working on mine!
Edited by Tanguero on Friday 9th May 22:56
Reliability is an interesting point. People often post about their problems, not so often about thhings going well so it's hard to gauge. Cerbs are more expensive than Mondeos but they have supercar performance and are not as expensive as Ferraris et al.
Both are fantasic choices. You should try both at some time!
Both are fantasic choices. You should try both at some time!
I bought my 97 4.5 for £13,500 one year ago. Most of my costs have been upgrades and refurbishment. With the help of this forum I've done most of the jobs myself saving plenty of labour money and enjoying the process.
There will come a time that the chassis and engine will need refurbishing and the costs will rocket. I'll handle that at the time.
There will come a time that the chassis and engine will need refurbishing and the costs will rocket. I'll handle that at the time.
I'm a new owner and my car is getting a couple of things sorted by dealer (under warranty) as I post.
I think the Cerbera is a car that will always have something that you "want to sort". A lot of the time they will be minor with the occasional major expense/problem.
You will not get away with a repair budget of a few hundred pounds a year. These are quite highly stressed engines/gearboxes etc and are unlikely to do more than 60k miles without a rebuild (some a lot less).
These cars are "theatre on the road". A 911 driver may laugh at your choice of car but you will leave him for dead in a sprint. The Cerbera also turns heads. Park it and watch from a distance. People glance at it, look inside, take photos. You are unlikely to see another unless going to a club meeting.
Get it out of your system before they make cars like this illegal.
I think the Cerbera is a car that will always have something that you "want to sort". A lot of the time they will be minor with the occasional major expense/problem.
You will not get away with a repair budget of a few hundred pounds a year. These are quite highly stressed engines/gearboxes etc and are unlikely to do more than 60k miles without a rebuild (some a lot less).
These cars are "theatre on the road". A 911 driver may laugh at your choice of car but you will leave him for dead in a sprint. The Cerbera also turns heads. Park it and watch from a distance. People glance at it, look inside, take photos. You are unlikely to see another unless going to a club meeting.
Get it out of your system before they make cars like this illegal.
Could possibly depend on how hard and often you drive it. I've had mine since last may and the only thing I've spent is £100 getting the original induction pipes put back on - and next week a 6000 mile service for £299. The obvious things like tyres are going to be pricey to replace. Not looking forward to that.
I think you'd have just as much fun in a Griff too though or come to that a V8S or Wedge. I'd have them all if I could afford it.
I think you'd have just as much fun in a Griff too though or come to that a V8S or Wedge. I'd have them all if I could afford it.
Edited by Mr M on Saturday 10th May 11:18
Mr M said:
Could possibly depend on how hard and often you drive it. I've had mine since last may and the only thing I've spent is £100 getting the original induction pipes put back on - and next week a 6000 mile service for £299. The obvious things like tyres are going to be pricey to replace. Not looking forward to that.
I think you'd have just as much fun in a Griff too though or come to that a V8S or Wedge. I'd have them all if I could afford it.
A 6k service for £299?? I'll believe that when you show me the bill I think you'd have just as much fun in a Griff too though or come to that a V8S or Wedge. I'd have them all if I could afford it.
Edited by Mr M on Saturday 10th May 11:18
You worry too much Jimmy.
As long as you buy one with a sound, well documented history. Thats had all the major works done and one with a complete engine rebuild done by a reputable engineer, you should be fine.
oh wait a minute ! one like this perhaps
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/414805.htm
As long as you buy one with a sound, well documented history. Thats had all the major works done and one with a complete engine rebuild done by a reputable engineer, you should be fine.
oh wait a minute ! one like this perhaps
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/414805.htm
JensenA said:
Mr M said:
Could possibly depend on how hard and often you drive it. I've had mine since last may and the only thing I've spent is £100 getting the original induction pipes put back on - and next week a 6000 mile service for £299. The obvious things like tyres are going to be pricey to replace. Not looking forward to that.
I think you'd have just as much fun in a Griff too though or come to that a V8S or Wedge. I'd have them all if I could afford it.
A 6k service for £299?? I'll believe that when you show me the bill I think you'd have just as much fun in a Griff too though or come to that a V8S or Wedge. I'd have them all if I could afford it.
Edited by Mr M on Saturday 10th May 11:18
Edited by Mr M on Sunday 11th May 13:17
JensenA said:
Mr M said:
Could possibly depend on how hard and often you drive it. I've had mine since last may and the only thing I've spent is £100 getting the original induction pipes put back on - and next week a 6000 mile service for £299. The obvious things like tyres are going to be pricey to replace. Not looking forward to that.
I think you'd have just as much fun in a Griff too though or come to that a V8S or Wedge. I'd have them all if I could afford it.
A 6k service for £299?? I'll believe that when you show me the bill I think you'd have just as much fun in a Griff too though or come to that a V8S or Wedge. I'd have them all if I could afford it.
Edited by Mr M on Saturday 10th May 11:18
esso said:
JensenA said:
Mr M said:
Could possibly depend on how hard and often you drive it. I've had mine since last may and the only thing I've spent is £100 getting the original induction pipes put back on - and next week a 6000 mile service for £299. The obvious things like tyres are going to be pricey to replace. Not looking forward to that.
I think you'd have just as much fun in a Griff too though or come to that a V8S or Wedge. I'd have them all if I could afford it.
A 6k service for £299?? I'll believe that when you show me the bill I think you'd have just as much fun in a Griff too though or come to that a V8S or Wedge. I'd have them all if I could afford it.
Edited by Mr M on Saturday 10th May 11:18
It's £299 for a 6k service at Sebring.
Thanks very much, I'll take the plunge. As you say, the benefits will outweigh the problems...
MXI933 - thanks for the offer, just a little too purple for me though!!
Also
Looking at cars advertised, doesn't seem uncommon that the V8 can need a rebuild at fairly low miles? whats the weak point with them?
MXI933 - thanks for the offer, just a little too purple for me though!!
Also
Looking at cars advertised, doesn't seem uncommon that the V8 can need a rebuild at fairly low miles? whats the weak point with them?
Jimmy_p said:
Thanks very much, I'll take the plunge. As you say, the benefits will outweigh the problems...
MXI933 - thanks for the offer, just a little too purple for me though!!
Also
Looking at cars advertised, doesn't seem uncommon that the V8 can need a rebuild at fairly low miles? whats the weak point with them?
Which V8's? I was under the impression that the AJP8's were bullet proof.MXI933 - thanks for the offer, just a little too purple for me though!!
Also
Looking at cars advertised, doesn't seem uncommon that the V8 can need a rebuild at fairly low miles? whats the weak point with them?
Where's BCA when you need him?
Jimmy_p said:
Thanks very much, I'll take the plunge. As you say, the benefits will outweigh the problems...
MXI933 - thanks for the offer, just a little too purple for me though!!
Also
Looking at cars advertised, doesn't seem uncommon that the V8 can need a rebuild at fairly low miles? whats the weak point with them?
Take a look at the '£19322 on running a cerbera thead'. The costs anectdotes in that thread are fairly typical. The AJP V8 is a good strong engine, But don't buy a Cerb if an unexpected £5k bill would be impossible for you to pay. MXI933 - thanks for the offer, just a little too purple for me though!!
Also
Looking at cars advertised, doesn't seem uncommon that the V8 can need a rebuild at fairly low miles? whats the weak point with them?
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