Life after TVR, what next?

[Ex chim 500]

I sold my chimera 500 last August after having trouble in heavy traffic caused by major roadworks on my commute to work (it didn't like going slowly). I am now very sad and missing the charisma (if not the smell)and performance of the 500 and fear it is time to return to the way of life now that the road work have finished.

I have looked at many different cars to replace my current golf with including s-range audi's M-BMW's and boxsters but none (in my budget) apart from maybe the m-coupe bread van fill me with antisipation and make me want to part with my money like the TVR did. I want to move from the Chim to either a Cerbera or Tuscan but being realistic my 20k budget won't really stretch to a Tuscan.

I have two questions which I'm hoping to get some advise on;

1)For my budget am I better off spending it all on a newer car and hope it doen't need too much spending on it in the first few months or spend a few thousand less and be prepared to spend that on a major service?

2) The Cerbera would be my daily drive. How many of you guys use yours as your daily drive? is this good/bad for Cerbies? and do you a second car for the time it is in the garage?

Thanks for your views.

[kevin63]

I used my Cerby SP6 daily with no problems apart from the usual engine re-builds which would have happened any way. I have now got a second car for day to day use and to park anywhere that is iffy (Smart car)

[andy4200]

I used mine almost daily for a year. I now use the girlfriends car for the shopping trolley type stuff but that's just because I'm too lazy to go to the garage and get the cerb out. I also don't see the point of only taking it out for a couple of miles so the 90 mile round trip to the Co-Op was getting expensive.

I'm sure somebody will say it later but if your budget is 20k then spend about 17-18 on buying the car and a couple of grand to start a slush fund or do some little repairs/upgrades.

I find it really does help if you are happy to at least do the small jobs yourself as you get to know the car a lot better and figure out what is going wrong.

[redleicester]

Daily driver, and my second car is my wifes, so if I have to resort to that I need to put my flak jacket on first before asking!

As a general rule, virtually all TVRs prefer being driven to sitting still, so there's little problem there. In fact chances are you'll avoid some issues purely due to the fact it's stretching its legs on a regular basis.

The Cerbera is far more docile than most of the cars with the Rover V8 - the AJP V8 is more gentle lower down, and the SP6 much smoother in comparison to the old V8. Plus with more space to stretch out, and very responsive PAS, it's a cynch to drive. However, this is before it reveals its party trick - what happens when you press the loud pedal like you really mean it.....

Sadly like all TVRs, there's no such thing as a reliable Cerbera - you're either lucky or you aren't. Logic dictates a good inspection (Rob Ingleby or James Agger) but don't bet on it saving your wallet. Thus it would seem a cheaper car makes more sense, as it leaves you in pocket to deal with a big service and putting little things right. I spent about £3-4k below budget, and have thus far laid out an extra £2.5k. And now she's damn near perfect. So in all I came in under budget.

Unfortunately theres no guarantee that a newer car will be any more reliable that an older, or vice versa - it's very much the luck of the draw, and a good inspection to check out the major bits.

She's cost me more than my previous Chim400, both in terms of fuel and servicing / niggles - but if anything, I love her more (The car that is, not the wife!

[DuncanM]

I'd say go for it and buy a Cerb .

Mine is my daily driver (only car) and indeed I have done 12,000 miles in the last 6 or so months of ownership .

The Cerbera actually makes a lot of sense as a daily car I find as the cost of running is balanced against not having to have a runabout which would mean 2x MOT, Insurance, Servicing, Tyres, Exhaust ETC.

And the fact that no matter what journey you're on you WILL be enjoying it .

Duncan

[simonsparrow]

DuncanM said:

I'd say go for it and buy a Cerb . Mine is my daily driver (only car) and indeed I have done 12,000 miles in the last 6 or so months of ownership . The Cerbera actually makes a lot of sense as a daily car I find as the cost of running is balanced against not having to have a runabout which would mean 2x MOT, Insurance, Servicing, Tyres, Exhaust ETC. And the fact that no matter what journey you're on you WILL be enjoying it . Duncan

I'd second this opinion, its expensive as a daily driver (depending on milage), but having a second car also costs and is not as much fun.

The way I look at it is that with ever increasing fuel costs and the lowest common demoninator approach to road safety, the use of cars like this will not be viable for ever. So if you can, enoy it now!

[Tripps]

I'd say go for a lower priced car and even getting a few niggles sorted on a peach of a car can run into four figures without difficulty.

If you budget in £3k for niggle fixing and a major service you know you'll have a sorted car afterwards.

[ex chim 500]

Thanks for the info guys.

You all seem to have very positive things to say and it makes me think that I will be joining your ranks in a month or two.

[xsnowman]

I have to have a second car, only an old golf as my communte is up and down hills which with a handbrake that is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard makes the Cerb hard work.

The Cerb is fantastic at the weekends but just not convenient when you are late in the morning or have to shoot through traffic. Warming it up and being careful over speed hums make it the slower option even though it is the most enjoyable one.

Good luck with the buy and if you get a good one i'm sure you will happy.

[jasonben]

i have been using my cerbera every day for about a year and a half and recently had a long time up at joospeed.

now got a pug, but gonna get rid again now i got the beast back! But gonna buy my fave old 1980's style XR3 to do up from scratch!

BUt as far as reliability goes, the usual starter motor, wiper switch, clutch problems means trips to the garage but normally only for a day or two!

[leszekg]

My 4.5 Cerb has been my daily car for the last 3 years. I do have another car but its a 1961 Austin Healey so the Cerb takes it's role as my main car and is used to get me to work, rain or shine, all year round.

The family is starting to outgrow the car so I fear I may have to sell it by the end of this year. I honestly cannot think of a single car that will live up to the Cerbera as a replacement when I come to sell it.

Buy one that's used regularly but has been looked after, with money spent on sensible things like proper/regular servicing with a reputable TVR dealer or TVR specialist.