High mileage Cerbera

[Deendog]

Afternoon
Looking for some buying advice please
Have seen a nice speed 6 - lots of work (waiting for full details but significant recent engine and chassis work)
For sale with reputable tvr specialist at £25k BUT 90k miles
My thinking is that it may be more useable and reliable than something that has spent its life in a damp garage - but then again that may be wishful thinking

Am I better paying more for lower miles or does this sound reasonable?
I want a car I can actually use and enjoy without worrying about damaging value (but also don’t want value to go off a cliff when hits 6 figures)

Cheers

[TheRainMaker]

Pot luck really, my 2002 4.5 V8 did 70000 miles without any engine work at all (2x starters and a few throttle body sensors aside)

Others seem to explode every 5000 miles.

Same with the clutch my first one lasted 44000 miles and the second one was still in the car when I sold it at 70000 miles, others seem to last only a few thousand miles.

[DCerebrate]

If it is any help, I bought my Sp6 with low mileage c20000, it had been more or less unused for 3y and my reading is that it had hit a number of issues leading to the last two owners giving up on it. Even after the last owner had commissioned a Str6 engine rebuild. I had some disuse issues but over the past 3 y it has become progressively more reliable, now on 46000. These cars by virtue of their construction and a network of specialists (and a great TVR community) are more or less infinitely repairable. You could use the high mileage to negotiate but I don’t see values dropping any time soon. History is more important than mileage.

[Pursyluv]

I could be wrong, but I think this has been advertised on PH for well over a year, I’m guessing it’s the high mileage that’s putting people off, however it does look a nice car

[FarmyardPants]

My 4.5 has done 86k but doesn't use any oil, gives the same power it did 12 years ago and I think the shims are still ok.
But I don't use it for short journeys so those miles are mostly hot/cruising.

Probably jinxed it now.

[Deendog]

Thanks for the replies - very helpful
We live in the middle of nowhere so every journey is a long journey!
I can cope with a small risk of major engine work but constant issues will get painful
Sounds like there is an element of luck but can make your own luck with careful warm up and some preventative maintenance

[camel_landy]

Buy on condition, not mileage.

90k is only circa 4.5k pa and these cars respond much better to being driven than being parked up.

Buy it... Run it... If it goes 'pop', swap in an LS and make it a daily driver.

M

[Byker28i]

... or there's people rebuilding and giving long warranties on speed 6 engines now, plus upgrades.
The Surrey Rolling Road day 2 years ago threw up some surprises with the speed 6's. No need to go LS anymore, can keep it original but improved...

[camel_landy]

Byker28i said:

... or there's people rebuilding and giving long warranties on speed 6 engines now, plus upgrades.
The Surrey Rolling Road day 2 years ago threw up some surprises with the speed 6's. No need to go LS anymore, can keep it original but improved...

Good point, I missed the SP6 bit... Some of those rebuilds are proving to be very reliable and getting very high mileages.

M

[Deendog]

Funny you should mention ls3 conversion - there is a nice looking car for sale currently that seems pretty reasonable £18-19k I think
Was half tempted by that - don’t suppose anyone here knows it?

[porterpainter]

Have you looked at autotrader? Nice SP6 in Warrington for £26.5k and been for sale for a few months.

There’s a couple of lower mileage Cerberas that have been advertised for a while around £30k.

Might be worth seeing if you can haggle on those.

[Byker28i]

camel_landy said:

Byker28i said:

... or there's people rebuilding and giving long warranties on speed 6 engines now, plus upgrades.
The Surrey Rolling Road day 2 years ago threw up some surprises with the speed 6's. No need to go LS anymore, can keep it original but improved...

Good point, I missed the SP6 bit... Some of those rebuilds are proving to be very reliable and getting very high mileages.

M

There was one at SRR rebuilt 9 years ago by Str8six pushing brilliant figures...

[camel_landy]

Byker28i said:

There was one at SRR rebuilt 9 years ago by Str8six pushing brilliant figures...

There was one in the club rag a while back.. It was getting on for 200k.

M

[Pursyluv]

camel_landy said:

There was one in the club rag a while back.. It was getting on for 200k.

M

If that’s the Copper Cascade T350, I think that has had the engine rebuilt twice, but I don’t think it was because they went pop, I think he just wore them out

[Jhonno]

Deendog said:

Funny you should mention ls3 conversion - there is a nice looking car for sale currently that seems pretty reasonable £18-19k I think
Was half tempted by that - don’t suppose anyone here knows it?

Sold today..

[Mr Cerbera]

Everybody on here knows that I'm a Dullo
BUT
I do believe that there's a pecific SP6 page somewhere on here.
Plus
I was talking to someone the other day and they said that, as long as you ensure that there is adequate oil drainage from the head, and supply to the cam lobes (by drilling them) an SP6 motor will last as long as any other Cerbera Motor (My 4.5 has 102 K on her)

IMHO the ultimate rule of Cerbera ownership is the more frequently you use them the more reliable they are (given that you already know about letting them warm up before supplying the Full Slipper)

Edited by Mr Cerbera on Tuesday 20th July 11:10

[Ro55G]

Good morning, I have a 1999 straight 6 Cerb I am sadly parting with (wife not warmed to it) if you want any details feel free to message me.or check out Autotrader (Blue and Magnolia trim)
Regards Ross

[Gowka]

Hey

I don’t know if original poster will see this, but the description posted sounds like it is my Cerb I am desperately reluctantly selling.

90k miles, but engine rebuild 12k ago by Str8six. If it is mine, i had all servicing/work done by the dealer she is for sale with and they have all details you could possibly want.

I love that car and really whatever needed doing got done whenever needed, inc new carpets to make her look as good as she is, standard servicing/maintenance and basically anything else that needed done from predictive/preventative maintenance-perspective. She was my daily car so needed to be capable of being so and boy was/is she.

I genuinely hope i can find a buyer who will care for her properly. And completely enjoy it. No doubt like everyone’s Cerbs or other car-loves, she is spectacular.

If it is mine, feel free to drop me a note if still interested, or just curious to know more whether you want to buy her or not

[nawarne]

Byker28i said:

camel_landy said:

Byker28i said:

... or there's people rebuilding and giving long warranties on speed 6 engines now, plus upgrades.
The Surrey Rolling Road day 2 years ago threw up some surprises with the speed 6's. No need to go LS anymore, can keep it original but improved...

Good point, I missed the SP6 bit... Some of those rebuilds are proving to be very reliable and getting very high mileages.

M

There was one at SRR rebuilt 9 years ago by Str8six pushing brilliant figures...

That was my Tuscan. Rebuilt to 4.3 by Str8Six in 2012. At SRR December 2019, and it made 412.9 bhp and about 360 ft/lbs.

Now on 104,500 mls - just back from ~ 1300 miles around France.....Oh! put a new battery in 3 weeks ago.

Nick

[Byker28i]

Yup brilliant it was, even more so as it laid to rest the S6 longevity issues.