4.5 or 4.2 or even S6???

[yiw1393]

Done to death probably, but I need your opinions. I am sitting very firmly on the can marked worms so no fighting okay?

Assume I have about £20k to spend. Do I buy a 4.5 of about 1998 vintage or a 4.2 of similar and attach things like Nitrons and Spiders,etc. Or do I get a 1999/2000 S6 with a 'sorted'(rebuilt) motor?

What's the difference,apart from 300cc, between a 4.5 and a 4.2? Am I right in thinking the 4.2 has no LSD?

I am definitely not going to trackday it, and will cover between 5000 and 8000 miles a year in it using it all year round.

I've driven a 4.2 and 4.5(albeit briefly) and a S6 in a Tamora(near enough the same characteristics??) and am open to all suggestions.

Oh, and if anyone knows someone who will make a sensible offer for my Chim and stop wasting my time please tell me.Do people get a perverse pleasure from ringing and asking stupid questions for 10 minutes?

[GCerbera]

Quick answer from me.

For 20k, get a 4.2 and have the works done to it.

You will struggle to get a 98 4.5 in standard set up for 20k.

Speed Six, unless the engine is 2003 or later... my advise based on that from
others in the know... pass.

Good luck and hope to see you in a Cerbera soon.

[BCA]

I think a 4.2 with Nitrons/Spiders/ECU chip for well under 20k would be a decent buy. However, look at a few cheapish 4.5s too, just find the right car int he right colour leaving money aside for Nitrons/wheels. The 4.5 will hold its value slightly better despite the fact that there is very little between the two cars. At the end of the day its all about finding the car in the right colour combination/ with the right feel at the right price. As long as its a V8, the engine size doesnt matter.

Im not going into the whole S6 thing, it has issues but it is slowly getting better. Personally I still dont believe its quite there yet, but when it is - there will be a Sagaris/Typhon gracing the driveway.

Have fun. I must warn you though, if you do not take your car on track you are missing out big time. The car will feel much better for it too... (not sure why, but they always do after a decent work out)

[kojak69]

GCerbera and BCA are correct in what they say. However, please see the two threads below. One compares the 4.2 to the 4.5, and the other is about the S6. Although the latter thread initially started off about spending a bit more.., and gets sidetracked around colour, you'll get an idea.

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=85191&f=6&h=0

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?p=1&f=6&t=87670&h=0

[Byff]

Buy the one with the most appealing colour/interior to you.

Haven't drove a S6, but have had a 4.5 and a 4.2 and I can't tell the difference between them, so base your views on how well the car has been looked after.

[yiw1393]

Are there any that aren't blue/green/yellow/Rosso Pearl?

According to Mrs YIW, all the nice colours are on the new cars - Atlantic Halcyon Thingy and Ice Blue Thingy, etc.

She really wants a Lilac Mist colour, which I must admit looks good on a Cerb, I'd be happy with the right history, and amount of TLC!

[GCerbera]

yiw1393 said:

Are there any that aren't blue/green/yellow/Rosso Pearl? According to Mrs YIW, all the nice colours are on the new cars - Atlantic Halcyon Thingy and Ice Blue Thingy, etc. She really wants a Lilac Mist colour, which I must admit looks good on a Cerb, I'd be happy with the right history, and amount of TLC!

Might want to call James Agger Autosport

Looks like he has everything that meets your needs.
1997 P Cerbera 4200cc, Halcyon Atlantis Pearl
Right colour, right price...

Go for it!

[yiw1393]

Thanks for that GC, I E-mailed Mr Agger last week and am still waiting for a reply. Might give him a ring this afternoon. He might take my Chim as well.

[GCerbera]

yiw1393 said:

Thanks for that GC, I E-mailed Mr Agger last week and am still waiting for a reply. Might give him a ring this afternoon. He might take my Chim as well.

No problem.

I think he's just moved house and was waiting on broadband, so email access
might not be all it should.

Best give him a quick buzz and you could kill two birds with one stone.

Good luck.

[Byff]

yiw1393 said:

According to Mrs YIW, all the nice colours are on the new cars - Atlantic Halcyon Thingy and Ice Blue Thingy, etc

My first Cerb was Halcyon Atlantis - 98 R plate with butterscotch interior. Also saw quite a few more but they had grey interiors which in my opinion, didn't suit the car as nice. Also saw one with a brown interior

[_DJ_]

[quote=GCerbera]Quick answer from me.
You will struggle to get a 98 4.5 in standard set up for 20k.
quote]

There's a £19k 4.5 in the classifieds with low mileage. It doesn't say it's been damaged, though it does seem very 'reasonably' priced!

[GCerbera]

_DJ_ said:

GCerbera said: Quick answer from me. You will struggle to get a 98 4.5 in standard set up for 20k. There's a £19k 4.5 in the classifieds with low mileage. It doesn't say it's been damaged, though it does seem very 'reasonably' priced!

Granted, more the exception than the rule - there is also something a little odd about it..

However, that only leaves £1k for the mods should yiw1393 want to do some.

[yiw1393]

Just had another look at the one at James Agger's, like the cream/magnolia but the biscuit looks cack! Maybe it's the photo, but it looks like brown to me!

[_DJ_]

GCerbera said:

_DJ_ said: GCerbera said: Quick answer from me. You will struggle to get a 98 4.5 in standard set up for 20k. There's a £19k 4.5 in the classifieds with low mileage. It doesn't say it's been damaged, though it does seem very 'reasonably' priced! Granted, more the exception than the rule - there is also something a little odd about it.. However, that only leaves £1k for the mods should yiw1393 want to do some.

I seem to remember a similarly written advert (and area) for a CAT D Tuscan a while ago too, could be a coincidence though.

I'm not convinced you'll get a decent spec Cerb for 20k either, unless it's got a few miles on it. If you really want:

- new spec lights
- decent brakes
- Nitrons
- Spiders
- Chip?

Then that's a fair few k on top a std car, and you need 16-17k to get an old Cerb IMO. Then there's the worries of having an early clutch, cams etc.

I think I'd personally get a later, sorted car then upgrade slowly.

Darren.



>> Edited by _DJ_ on Monday 29th March 16:10

[yiw1393]

To move on slightly. Is there any reason why a Cat C or D car should present any problems? I'm not talking chassis damage here, just cosmetic repairs, etc. Okay it will always be worth less, but is going to cost less in the first place. I intend to keep my Cerb for a good few years, so can't see depreciation being any worse than a 'straight' car.

Any thoughts esteemed colleagues?

[BCA]

yiw1393 said:

To move on slightly. Is there any reason why a Cat C or D car should present any problems? I'm not talking chassis damage here, just cosmetic repairs, etc. Okay it will always be worth less, but is going to cost less in the first place. I intend to keep my Cerb for a good few years, so can't see depreciation being any worse than a 'straight' car. Any thoughts esteemed colleagues?

Should be fine, most repairs to fibreglass cars usually strengthen the damaged areas so they become the strongest parts of the body itself. Just make sure its the spec you want and feels right. If its been well repaired and cared for I see no reason why it would be any problem. (Cat D cars that is) Not sure about cat C - isnt that chassis damage???? - a little more iffy about that, but Cat D shouldnt be a problem if its been looked after properly.

>> Edited by BCA on Tuesday 30th March 13:27

[j_s_g]

Cat C/D just defines the difference between "could have been repaired economically, but wasn't" and "couldn't have been repaired economically", I believe. (I might well be wrong) Means that there's quite a bit of overlap as it's all a bit subjective.

Agree that there's no reason a well repaired car is any worse than a "straight" one. And in many cases could be better. HOWEVER, if you think you may ever want to sell the car quickly (moving house, etc), then you could run in to problems - most "average punters" wouldn't want to go near a repaired insurance-loss supercar!

[darreni]

Can't believe that you are willing to look at damaged repaired cars for 20k. i'd be looking to pay a lot less.
Mine (mendip blue 4.2 with fresh factory engine) is in the classifieds, with the correct upgrades (ex nitrons) at that sort of money, as are others. buy on condition not mileage.

[dannylt]

yiw1393 said:

What's the difference,apart from 300cc, between a 4.5 and a 4.2? Am I right in thinking the 4.2 has no LSD?

The 4.2 has a LSD - it's just the more usual clutch type, rather than the hydratrak, which was standard on the 4.5 but an option on the 4.2. Some people complain about hydratrak anyway (for gooning), so I wouldn't worry.

[yiw1393]

darreni said:

Can't believe that you are willing to look at damaged repaired cars for 20k. i'd be looking to pay a lot less. Mine (mendip blue 4.2 with fresh factory engine) is in the classifieds, with the correct upgrades (ex nitrons) at that sort of money, as are others. buy on condition not mileage.

I will! No, I was thinking considerably less than 20k on a cat c/d, leaving much more for upgrades if I so desire!