Space and seating in the Cerbera

[MegatronUK]

Had a good look around the 3 Cerbs in Hexham Horseless Carriages this morning - the one which fits my budget; the 1999 4.5, has the original seat design and the interior felt very cramped and the seat was way too narrow to be comfortable (both on my backside and at the sides of my lower back); I'm by no means a fat bloke, but not a skinny bloke either - 14st and 5' 10".

In contrast, the two 4.2's they had in were both post 2000 (2002 and 2004 I believe) and the difference in comfort and apparent spaciousness was dramatic. The Tuscan style seats were much wider and far more comfortable - to be honest I don't think I could sit in a car with the old seats for very long.

Of course, the problem is now that most of the post 2000 cars are outside of my comfortable budget zone

Good news was that even thought I didn't get to drive anything (Lotus open day was on) I didn't find the gearbox action any worse than my mk1 Escort, or the clutch any heavier than mk1 MR2 - the Supra is auto, so no comparison there

So, where to go from here? Much chance of picking up a post 2000 car for £20k, or just over?

[Plotloss]

Get an older car and a pair of Tuscan seats from a breaker?

[gazzab]

The newer seats are not very good - for instance they break easily.
Go private and buy a lightweight 4.5?
Surely Hexhams want 20K+ for a 99 4.5 ?

[MegatronUK]

gazzab said:

The newer seats are not very good - for instance they break easily.
Go private and buy a lightweight 4.5?
Surely Hexhams want 20K+ for a 99 4.5 ?

It is up for £19995, 1999 with 24000 miles. It's nice enough, but it didn't make me jump up and down and say "I want that one!".

Bodywork is tidy, odd light scratch here and there, original 17"s, drivers seat bolster is beginning to tear where it meets the seat pivot mechanism. Nothin major, but just didn't do it for me.

The two later 4.2's were nicer, but much more expensive (28k and 33k). IMO there are some much nicer cars by private sellers here on PH. I just need to get out to see some of them.

I seriously think that if I couldn't get the late seats then I couldn't go for the Cerbera - with the early seat it reminded me very much of sitting in the kitcar; not something I would blow £20k on.

[kevin63]

gazzab said:

The newer seats are not very good - for instance they break easily.
Go private and buy a lightweight 4.5?
Surely Hexhams want 20K+ for a 99 4.5 ?

Where do the new seats break? I have done 40k in mine and look mint!!!!

[carl_w]

You sure it's not just a colour thing? The interior feels more airy when it's light-coloured.

[MegatronUK]

No, definitely the seats, both had green interiors, but the Tuscan style seats were much more comfortable - It was uncomfortable sitting in the early 1999 seats. I pushed both seats all the way and then adjusted them until it was comfortale to reach the wheel and pedals.

[gazzab]

kevin63 said:

gazzab said:

The newer seats are not very good - for instance they break easily.
Go private and buy a lightweight 4.5?
Surely Hexhams want 20K+ for a 99 4.5 ?

Where do the new seats break? I have done 40k in mine and look mint!!!!

The sides snap.

[MegatronUK]

Contemplating at the moment whether £20k for a car I'm not 100% happy with is the right thing to do... the early seats are too uncomfortable for me and the original single headlamp and the fiesta style rear lights are not what I particulary like either.

I'm wondering whether an extra £4-5k to get me the 'exact' car I want - a lightweight 4.5 RR, is worth the extra financial 'chinese burn' when I'm already going to get a financial 'kick in the nuts' to get something that I'm only reasonably happy with....

[gazzab]

If you dont like them then wait until you can afford?
Stretching yourself is risky if you dont have the cash for running costs (at 3K pa).

[nsparey]

Its not just the seats, the windcreen roll hoop is thicker on the earlier cars giving a post box effect to the forward view, makes the car feel enclosed, the first tvr I tried was a 98 4.2 at peter smiths and dismissed it for the same reason (I am a fat bloke!) three tivs later I'm in a 03 4.5, loads of space, only car I've owned where I do not have to push the seat right back.

[MegatronUK]

nsparey said:

Its not just the seats, the windcreen roll hoop is thicker on the earlier cars giving a post box effect to the forward view, makes the car feel enclosed, the first tvr I tried was a 98 4.2 at peter smiths and dismissed it for the same reason (I am a fat bloke!) three tivs later I'm in a 03 4.5, loads of space, only car I've owned where I do not have to push the seat right back.

Thanks, I was beginning to think it was just me. I'm definitely going to start looking at the post 1999 cars instead now.

[headcase]

I'm after the same car, 4.5 LW but it will be a while before I have that sort of cash. I too prefair the later front end and think the tuscan seats look the biz but i do love the back end even with the £2.99 lights,i think the cerb (&chim) have the best looking back end even better than the tuscan

[MegatronUK]

gazzab said:

If you dont like them then wait until you can afford?
Stretching yourself is risky if you dont have the cash for running costs (at 3K pa).

Running costs are not such a problem for me. My father runs a garage, so all labour is free and virtually all parts at trade price or less. It would only be specialist parts such as the clutch that I would need to source elsewhere.

[gazzab]

I use APM - so my labour is virtually free as well !

[MegatronUK]

gazzab said:

I use APM - so my labour is virtually free as well !

Cheap is always good