To buy or not to buy?

[wighty]

I have owned several decent motors in the past(Elise,Evo 4) Now I have to put up with my lady friend driving me around in an MGF VVC I own(Don't ask!!). This is about to change! I was thinking of keeping the MG and buying a high mileage M3 EVO aswell or getting rid of the MGF and forgeting about the M3 and go for a Cerbera. For the Cerbera I will have about £25,000 to spend. I'm going to be using this as a daily car I've heard all about the quality, both good and bad! But I'm totally stuck on them(After seeing an Orange one in York with Mat Black Spider Wheels) What do you think lads and lasses? As a daily runner is it fine or should it be kept for weekend blasts? By the way if I get the Cerbera I've got to get the boss(My Lady) a new car! So I'm really thinking this through! Thanks for your help!!

[gazzab]

think you'll find lots of old threads on this subject. But it is fair to say that if you get a cerbera then you will need to have a spare car (something cheap?) and it is no good as an every day car for short journeys eg less than 5 miles at a go.
If you can live with this then go for it. Use your heart not your head. Buy the best 4.2 or 4.5 you can find. Air con and full leather are important. Buy a post 98 car.

[RUF 3]

There are also threads and other info on this site which will give you an idea of the likely running costs. To avoid later disappointment you would do well to heed them, as they are all real members experiences.
Above all, get the best warranty possible and make sure the claim limit is to the value of the car and not £500 or £1000, as that sum is buttons if you are unfortunate enough to run into engine problems.

[gazzab]

But even then the wtty companies more often than not claim it is wear and tear not a breakage.

[Shamus1972]

How about a Tuscan?

I drive mine 5 miles to work every day, then 5 miles home. Quite a lot of driving at weekends too.

So far the car hasn't let me down at all. I've covered about 5500 miles in the last 5 months and no mechanical problems at all......a couple of things have fallen off but I've kept them and will be having them put back on at the 12000 mile service (gulp!).

As for the MG - sell it! I drove one once - didn't feel like a sports car!

[WilliamBall]

For a budget of £25K, spend £23K on Cerbera, £1K on unlimited warranty and £1K on banger. I ran Cerbera as daily transport for 2 years and is was perfectly reliable, it was just the costs - petrol & more frequent services - that made me give up. Now run tatty Cinquecento daily and keep Cerbera for non-commuter jouneys.

Although I think the Cerbera's been pretty reliable overall [no more unreliable than anything else I've ever owned], each year I've had more than my money's worth from the warranty. Had to argue the case/haggle some times, but always better of for having an unlimited warranty.

WB

[pinkney]

I run the Cerb as my only means of transport and do approx 11-12k miles a year, true I've only had it 13 months but in that time (touch wood!) it's never let me down.

Running costs can be fairly expensive, but a warranty can help sort most of the niggling problems. A dealer with a good relationship with warranty holdings also helps as they can get away with more. The 2 services I've had so far have come to £3,500 (inc VAT), so budget 2k a service to be safe.

I thought about having a small runaround as well, but am glad I didn't. The Cerb is so addictive that you look for the tiniest excuse to take it for a drive (well, I do!). So a runaround for me would have been a waste of money, better to spend keeping the Cerb in top nick.

Hope this helps,

Dan

[wighty]

Thankyou all for your help! The more I think about this the more I want to go for the Cerbera. Shamus1972 your right about the MG but for some reason SHE really likes it! I'm still going to get rid of it though and try and do what WilliamBall suggests, and get a banger for her to use!

[ap_smith]

How much is the full warranty on a yearly basis? (presuming the car is out of its original warranty period)?

[tofast]

Hi Wighty, I've also been running a cerb daily, and it was brilliant, over the last year I only changed the battery once.
I was over at Hawthorns TVR last weekend, and they had a very nice one for sale.

[clarky5150]

Apart from minor niggles mines been fine for 8 months and used most days. As far as servicing is concerned, speak to Joolz at www.Joospeed.net (chesterfield).
6K service is 260pounds, 12K 350pounds. (add 30-50quid for the top up mobil 1 between services).
You wont rest till youve had one. Get one bought. If you cant live with it, sell it and always be safe in the knowledge that unless you know anyone with a diablo your friends will forever be just that bit green eyed!

[Beej]

Just curious but why is driving a Cerbera everyday on a journey of less than 5 miles a problem? I do it. And I grin all the way there and all the way back.

[dannylt]

Oil never gets a chance to warm up, so you're hardly able to use any of it's performance etc., also you should change the oil far more frequently since it will get polluted with petrol.