Check list for buying a Cerbera New Member.

[ArdZTVR]

Hi folks-will be joining the ranks as a cerbera owner very soon-Moving from my very reliable SUPRA TT UK to a well looked after cerbera- I hope!

sorry if this has been done before- But I need some advice on how to check if the CerBs are running as they should. I am not after a massive detailed mechanics list. Just things like what PSI the oil pressure should be? How to check when the fans kick in, anything that you owners know that would help me in anyway would be great.

Please help. Once I find one that I like- will get rob ingleby to check it over

Thanks

[mars]

As another soon-to-be owner, I would say forget checking things that are most likely to be OK, like oil pressure and fans, and concentrate on weeding out Cerberas that may have known problems. If you'replanning to get someone else to check over your narrowed choice-list then let them concentrate on the minutia like that.

You should concentrate on looking for items that you can see have been replaced by presentation of suitable receipts.

I have read through this forum just about from end to end in an exercise at discovering what problems have befallen owners. Clutches are a known point of failure, so a recent replacement is useful, particularly if it has been replaced with one from Clever Trevor (claimed to resolve one of the issues with the standard one breaking tangs off the pressure plate). Starter motors get cooked by the exhaust manifold, so another recent replacement is desireable.

Then there are known "useful" upgrades to look out for. Remapped engines seem to produce more power. For me the replacement of the ECU with an Emerald is desireable because I have previous history with them (I understand them). Whirlwind induction makes more power. Sports exhausts make more noise, and sometimes more power too.

Upgraded brakes (front), Red Rose engine conversion, headlights and tail lights, wheels... all these are potential upgrades.

Whether you choose a speed 6, a 4.2 or 4.5 V8 is something of a matter of preference. Everyone has a reason to buy what engine they buy.

[ArdZTVR]

Thanks for the advice - I am after a 4.2 -as 4.5 are slightly over my budget.

What sort of mileage can the Cerbera cope with if well services and not raced?

Reading around there seems to be a number of engine rebuilds after ridiculously low mileages.

Anymore input?

[big_treacle]

ArdZTVR said:

Thanks for the advice - I am after a 4.2 -as 4.5 are slightly over my budget.

What sort of mileage can the Cerbera cope with if well services and not raced?

Reading around there seems to be a number of engine rebuilds after ridiculously low mileages.

Anymore input?

Low mileage rebuilds are likely from speed 6 engines. V8's are pretty solid - there's a few guys with 100k engines I believe - mine's on near 50k & fine. Early 4.2's can have weak cranks that can snap & lunch your engine but this was fixed in... not sure what year... Several people use their cars everyday which the cars benefit from - so long as they're well maintained (and servicing is every 6k) they should be fine. So, if you're planning on doing 20k per year, you probably can, but it'll cost you (remember clutches I think you are looking at around 20k miles & they are around a grand to replace).

edited to say: personally I run a shed to do my boring miles as well as my Cerb (I'm aiming at around 10k miles per year in that).

Edited by big_treacle on Thursday 23 November 10:32

[350matt]

The snapping crank issue was supposed to have been resolved by '98 but that's not to say a car earlier than this will definitly suffer a snapped crank,
Simon sparrows one is a '96 I believe and approaching 90K

Bear in mind they are more 1990's race engine than 2000 road engine and the rebuild costs aren't too horrific for this level of power as they will outdrag pretty much anything your're likely to encounter on the road.


Matt

[byker28i]

I add check the chassis for rust/rot, especially in the corners by the wheels. They are reaching the age where the paint/coating is flaking off.

See how the current owner treats it. Check all the electrics out.

[ardztvr]

THanks for the rust tip. Anymore?

[Steve_T]

It's also worth checking the chassis around the bellhousing. Al Melling mentioned this one at the Middle Wallop talk.

[jensena]

My advice would be - Dont go into Cerbera ownership expecting it to be like your daily reliable Toyota. The best way is to have the Cerb as your second car, your 'Toy', for weekend drives and special occasions. There are people here who have only 1 car, the Cerb, and use it daily, but if that is what your intending, go into it with your eyes wide open. Just because prices are dropping and they are coming into the range where you can either get a late model Honda Civic Type R, Golf GTi etc etc or a Cerbera, doesn't mean to say you can treat it the same as one of those cars. It is a relatively fragile race car toned down a bit for road use, it's not a Road car that has been tuned up to be fast.
Buy a Cerb, and spend a grand on a run around for daily use.

[budaholic]

ArdZTVR said:

Thanks for the advice - I am after a 4.2 -as 4.5 are slightly over my budget.

What sort of mileage can the Cerbera cope with if well services and not raced?

Reading around there seems to be a number of engine rebuilds after ridiculously low mileages.

Anymore input?

What's your budget..... My 4.5 is in the classifieds for a very affordable price. Please see my profile.
She's been extremely reliable in the 2 years i've had her. Only selling cos I can't take her to Cyprus with me.

I've heard of a Cerb reaching 100,000 miles without a rebuild. It really depends how well they've been treated especially regarding a proper warm up procedure.

Bud

[ardztvr]

I would be using it as my main car to travel to and from work 20 miles a day. I have a second car too. I have read that many people use their cerbs as a daily car. Are you not recomending a cerb as a daily car. What problems will I face if I use it as a daily car. Are they un reliable ?

[ardztvr]

budaholic said:

ArdZTVR said:

Thanks for the advice - I am after a 4.2 -as 4.5 are slightly over my budget.

What sort of mileage can the Cerbera cope with if well services and not raced?

Reading around there seems to be a number of engine rebuilds after ridiculously low mileages.

Anymore input?

What's your budget..... My 4.5 is in the classifieds for a very affordable price. Please see my profile.
She's been extremely reliable in the 2 years i've had her. Only selling cos I can't take her to Cyprus with me.

I've heard of a Cerb reaching 100,000 miles without a rebuild. It really depends how well they've been treated especially regarding a proper warm up procedure.

Bud

Hi- yes did see your advert and am intrested in it. Your in cheshant right. Would be intrested- I live in north london. I saw a 4.5 in the enfiled area that had little history-so scared me away. Any chance I could see the car on sunday? I will be in cheshant then.

[big_treacle]

ardztvr said:

I would be using it as my main car to travel to and from work 20 miles a day. I have a second car too. I have read that many people use their cerbs as a daily car. Are you not recomending a cerb as a daily car. What problems will I face if I use it as a daily car. Are they un reliable ?

I wouldn't say they're unreliable, so much as I wouldn't want to rely on it as the nearest garage I'd trust to work on it is 100 miles away & parts aren't necessarily on the shelf all the time! Whereas if my shed breaks, I'll get any monkey to fix it straight away without any hassle. All cars can break or be fine. But my Cerb of course is a highly strung almost racecar. If I had a Noble, Ferrari or Skyline GTR I think I'd be the same. I mean, I drive mine on the 100 mile journey to and from work occasionally. Normally half way there I regret it as its a bitch to drive in heavy traffic, nasty rain etc etc etc. So I use it for journeys, adventures, caning about but I try to leave it alone for the rush hour trip down the motorway (although on a nice sunny day, its pretty hard to walk past it!). Also, is 10 miles to work enough to really get that racecar engine properly warmed up?? Maybe if you take the long way round - that of course is a side-effect of TVR ownership: every 5 minute journey becomes an hour long super blast cos its such fun
As said before, don't kid yourself that these cars are 911's or nice looking saloon gti's - they're essentially racecars with nice interiors.
So given that, when's your testdrive & which one are you gonna get???!

[ireland]

big_treacle said:

............ they're essentially racecars with nice interiors.

That sums it up just about right, doesn't it?

[jensena]

ireland said:

big_treacle said:

............ they're essentially racecars with nice interiors.

That sums it up just about right, doesn't it?

Yeah it does - spot on

[BLUETHUNDER]

To take one on you really need to be an enthusiast and had a desire to want one for a long time.Other wise you will come away from Cerbera ownership frustrated at some aspects of the car.