Cerbera Buying Advice
Discussion
Afternoon chaps,
There's probably several thousand threads in a simialr vain but a quick search didn't help so I thought I'd start a new thread.
I'm looking at buying a 4.2 Cerbera in the next few months. I've not bought anything like this before, and I can't afford to buy a dog, so any help would be appreciated.
May be worth noting that I'm looking at the bottom end of market really (sub £10K). Is this advisable?
Thanks in advance,
Alex
There's probably several thousand threads in a simialr vain but a quick search didn't help so I thought I'd start a new thread.
I'm looking at buying a 4.2 Cerbera in the next few months. I've not bought anything like this before, and I can't afford to buy a dog, so any help would be appreciated.
May be worth noting that I'm looking at the bottom end of market really (sub £10K). Is this advisable?
Thanks in advance,
Alex
TBH, I am afraid not advisable no IMO. "I'm looking at the bottom end of market really (sub £10K)" and "and I can't afford to buy a dog" don't really sit well together and ring alarm bells..... would you consider a Chim or Griff as you can buy some seriously cheap Chims giving you a larger buffer, they are also more often than not far cheaper to run.
No, I don't have £17K unfortunately 
Insurance is going to be expensive but not inordinate, got a reasonable quote from a specialist broker.
Has anyone got an idea of running costs on a Cerb? How much is servicing, brake discs, et al? The car itself will only be used quite sparingly.
Although I like Chims, I've really got my heart set on a Cerb. Even if that means working harder, getting more money and then buying one!
Insurance is going to be expensive but not inordinate, got a reasonable quote from a specialist broker.
Has anyone got an idea of running costs on a Cerb? How much is servicing, brake discs, et al? The car itself will only be used quite sparingly.
Although I like Chims, I've really got my heart set on a Cerb. Even if that means working harder, getting more money and then buying one!
Mine has cost £300 for servicing since May 07 and is used as w\e and dry weather enjoyment ; not to say some bigger bills could be around the corner, but if it got too much for me I'd try driving some of the other models for sure. I read many an article on how much fun S3s are, having said that a V8 is rather lovely. or just try a Cerb for a year and see how you get on.
Bought a cheaper Cerb just over 2 years ago. I chose it because apart from being afordable without going into debt it had all the right bits renewed, clutch, starter, front end respray etc. I'm handy with spanners and have time to spare BUT have still spent 6K bringing the car up to scratch over the 12000 miles its been driven, (this includes a few mods too). As an example, I cleaned and painted the chassis, I overhauled the brakes and suspension. I paid a garage to replace the steering rack and clutch slave cylinder due to a house move, that cost me dearly. So be aware this is a labour of love and a drain on your wallet, four shocks and springs and a set of bushes are a grand without fitting.
The track days, the blasts across the moors and my trip to the "ring" make it worth every penny. If you dig through the threads theres many that say you need 3k a year for brake downs and maintenance, I think with a cheaper Cerb unless the history is perfect, paying for labour it could be much much more.
Looking back I believe I did the right thing for my circumstances. I could have paid more for a car and still had many things to do to it. I hope the money I am spending on what is now a sound car with a strong engine will last me many years to come. In all honesty, if theres any doubt as to whether you could recover from a major fault don't do it as it will always be a regret when you have to let it go for a song.
The track days, the blasts across the moors and my trip to the "ring" make it worth every penny. If you dig through the threads theres many that say you need 3k a year for brake downs and maintenance, I think with a cheaper Cerb unless the history is perfect, paying for labour it could be much much more.
Looking back I believe I did the right thing for my circumstances. I could have paid more for a car and still had many things to do to it. I hope the money I am spending on what is now a sound car with a strong engine will last me many years to come. In all honesty, if theres any doubt as to whether you could recover from a major fault don't do it as it will always be a regret when you have to let it go for a song.
Don't be put off BUT if you stretch your finances just to buy the car you could be heading for trouble. These cars do cost money to keep them running even if Donnie's 17k is a bit ott. Cerbs are a good choice as the poor mans' supercar but they do need looking after and although 3k is the generally accepted annual average, the first year could cost you just a service cost or 4-8 thousand. The cheaper end would probably mean they need money spent on them and even a car with a good history does not mean there is a big bill around the corner.
Do your homework, be patient and go into it with your eyes wide open. I'm not trying to put your off because they are great cars but just know that buying the car is only the first step to owning one.
Do your homework, be patient and go into it with your eyes wide open. I'm not trying to put your off because they are great cars but just know that buying the car is only the first step to owning one.
Basically, if you want to get in a car, drive it regularly and not do the maintenance work yourself, then you've got to have a decent contingency fund put to one side and also budget for a couple of £k a year to service it etc.
If on the other hand, it will be an occasional car that can stay in the garage if it it's having a hissy fit until you have the time to fix it then I can't see why you can't do it.
If on the other hand, it will be an occasional car that can stay in the garage if it it's having a hissy fit until you have the time to fix it then I can't see why you can't do it.
All good advise, but it can work, I paid around your budget for mine, cost a few hundred over the year mainly sorting niggles and doing the work myself. Had a coningency but didnt need to dip into it, could have if I wanted to change shocks fit sports exhaust etc. but thought I'd see how I got on over a year. I'M LOVING IT!
It can be a bit of a lottery , but best of luck.
It can be a bit of a lottery , but best of luck.
guydw said:
Ignore the 17k thing though.....
I'd say that if you are lucky, 2k a year. If you are very lucky, less. If you say 3k, that's safe. If it ends up being more - up to maybe 6k, don't be too surprised.
If you don't mind having it off the road while you fix it - go for it !
Don't ignore the £17k thing - it includes the purchase price, as everyone else here has alluded to -I'd say that if you are lucky, 2k a year. If you are very lucky, less. If you say 3k, that's safe. If it ends up being more - up to maybe 6k, don't be too surprised.
If you don't mind having it off the road while you fix it - go for it !
£15k Cerb + £2k in the first year
£9k Cerb + £8k in the first year
There is a reason the cheap ones are cheap.
Has it got a tick in the following boxes (new) -
Clutch
Clutch Slave
Clutch master
Radiator
Disks (warped?)
Rubbers (leak free?)
Upgraded steering, electric? (Woodruff key)
Suspension (requires nitrons?)
Proper wiring (hot start problems?)
Oil pressure (needs a rebuild)
Water temperature (needs a new ecu chip - fans)
BHP (needs induction and re-map)
I’m bored with the list now, but if you think that list above is less than £8k for a non-sorted Cerb then let me know which garage you're going to as the most well respected garage in the SE must be doing something wrong.
£17k is your target balance to keep any Cerb for the first year, including the purchase price - that's it, no question.
Please don't buy one of these few cars which are left and not be able to afford to look after it - I promise you that they'll be one available for you when you're ready, in the mean time get a Chim or Griff, these cars are not second cousins - they'll blow your socks off, just won't get you divorced in running costs.
I love living in a day-dream, most of the time, but don't let anyone on here convince you that you can run any Cerb in the first year without having £17k to either start with or have access to - otherwise your car will be one that sits standing for years or you sell at a massive loss to someone who is both an enthusiast or has cash or both.
Don’t take this wrongly, if you want one, you should have one, but when you can - PM me, pop over, we'll go for a spin and you can check the receipts.
Sorry for the honesty, but I don't want you to be ruined.
Best,
Donny
DonnyMac said:
guydw said:
Ignore the 17k thing though.....
I'd say that if you are lucky, 2k a year. If you are very lucky, less. If you say 3k, that's safe. If it ends up being more - up to maybe 6k, don't be too surprised.
If you don't mind having it off the road while you fix it - go for it !
Don't ignore the £17k thing - it includes the purchase price, as everyone else here has alluded to -I'd say that if you are lucky, 2k a year. If you are very lucky, less. If you say 3k, that's safe. If it ends up being more - up to maybe 6k, don't be too surprised.
If you don't mind having it off the road while you fix it - go for it !
£15k Cerb + £2k in the first year
£9k Cerb + £8k in the first year
There is a reason the cheap ones are cheap.
Has it got a tick in the following boxes (new) -
Clutch
Clutch Slave
Clutch master
Radiator
Disks (warped?)
Rubbers (leak free?)
Upgraded steering, electric? (Woodruff key)
Suspension (requires nitrons?)
Proper wiring (hot start problems?)
Oil pressure (needs a rebuild)
Water temperature (needs a new ecu chip - fans)
BHP (needs induction and re-map)
I’m bored with the list now, but if you think that list above is less than £8k for a non-sorted Cerb then let me know which garage you're going to as the most well respected garage in the SE must be doing something wrong.
£17k is your target balance to keep any Cerb for the first year, including the purchase price - that's it, no question.
Please don't buy one of these few cars which are left and not be able to afford to look after it - I promise you that they'll be one available for you when you're ready, in the mean time get a Chim or Griff, these cars are not second cousins - they'll blow your socks off, just won't get you divorced in running costs.
I love living in a day-dream, most of the time, but don't let anyone on here convince you that you can run any Cerb in the first year without having £17k to either start with or have access to - otherwise your car will be one that sits standing for years or you sell at a massive loss to someone who is both an enthusiast or has cash or both.
Don’t take this wrongly, if you want one, you should have one, but when you can - PM me, pop over, we'll go for a spin and you can check the receipts.
Sorry for the honesty, but I don't want you to be ruined.
Best,
Donny
I think £17K (total outlay) is towards the top end of 'worst case' but the risk is there. However the risk is there regardless of purchase price. Even the best cerbera will at some point need money spent on it. If you cant afford 2 or 3K pa to service and fix it then you may find you dont drive it very much !
OK - i didn't read 17k as total outlay.
In that case I agree, though that is worst case imho.
In the current market, it is possible to get as 12K car, and spend just 2k on running it - obviously it is just as capable of have a 8-9K bill....
However, the basic point is taken - a Cerb has the strong possibility of costing you proper money.
Actually I'd say that mine probably cost over 30k in the first year, but then I did 18K miles. I also lost 7k when I had to sell.
Awesome car though, worth every penny.
In that case I agree, though that is worst case imho.
In the current market, it is possible to get as 12K car, and spend just 2k on running it - obviously it is just as capable of have a 8-9K bill....
However, the basic point is taken - a Cerb has the strong possibility of costing you proper money.
Actually I'd say that mine probably cost over 30k in the first year, but then I did 18K miles. I also lost 7k when I had to sell.
Awesome car though, worth every penny.
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