bonkers level of buying a TVR?
Discussion
- ok - I need to get a handle on roughly how bonkers it is to buy a TVR ;-)
..my options at this point are:
1) spend ~15K on a Cerbera + xK / year on insurance (6 points!) + maintenance
2) buy an RX8 from a friends wife- should be reliable, look nice, but a bit thirsty
3) stick with my dying vw polo for a little longer...- approx cost = zero
hmm-
I would need to commute about 20 mins each way to work, but generally not do that many miles
1) would be ggrrreat, and would fit my current mid-life-crisis well ;-) ....have almost decided on 2) as even that though it isn't really very sensible it looks very sane compared with option 1).
so how bonkers *is* 1) ?? opinions appreciated!
Oli.
..my options at this point are:
1) spend ~15K on a Cerbera + xK / year on insurance (6 points!) + maintenance
2) buy an RX8 from a friends wife- should be reliable, look nice, but a bit thirsty
3) stick with my dying vw polo for a little longer...- approx cost = zero
hmm-
I would need to commute about 20 mins each way to work, but generally not do that many miles
1) would be ggrrreat, and would fit my current mid-life-crisis well ;-) ....have almost decided on 2) as even that though it isn't really very sensible it looks very sane compared with option 1).
so how bonkers *is* 1) ?? opinions appreciated!
Oli.
Hello Oli!
I would get yourself a Cerb! You won't even look back!
1) If you look around and buy the right one then Cerb's are pretty reliable (ask in cerb forum for pitfalls or do a search)
2) Maintain it well and get it serviced as it should and it should be fine!
3) ENJOY!!!
TVR's are amazing head turners and amazing car's and also you join a very active group of TVR Fans.
Only problem is that it can be quite expensive on insurance depending age, point's, bans etc...
But if you search on here there are a few good insurance firms for TVR's.
other problem is that you only drive it a short distance to work! Your going to have to find a way to drag yourself out of it and stop grinning before you enter work
Good Luck!
Dan
I would get yourself a Cerb! You won't even look back!
1) If you look around and buy the right one then Cerb's are pretty reliable (ask in cerb forum for pitfalls or do a search)
2) Maintain it well and get it serviced as it should and it should be fine!
3) ENJOY!!!
TVR's are amazing head turners and amazing car's and also you join a very active group of TVR Fans.
Only problem is that it can be quite expensive on insurance depending age, point's, bans etc...
But if you search on here there are a few good insurance firms for TVR's.
other problem is that you only drive it a short distance to work! Your going to have to find a way to drag yourself out of it and stop grinning before you enter work
Good Luck!
Dan
Hi Oli
As far as I can see there's no decision to make. It has to be option 1.
A few pointers then
Don't expect to run a Cerbera on a shoestring, they do have a list of unusual consumables which include:
Clutch
Clutch Master & Slave Cylinders
Alternator
Starter Motor
Brake discs
To name but a few.
Some owners believe that it's best to have an annual emergency fund for a Cerb amounting to aroud £3K+ in order to keep a Cerbera at it's best. This is excluding servicing, insurance, tax, petrol, etc. Service history is important too as Cerbs don't take kindly to neglect.
Get any potential purchase checked over first by someone who knows what to look for. Chassis rot on Cerbera outriggers can be a big problem.
Get yourself to a TVR meet and have a chat with current owners, they can be a wealth of information.
Many of the Cerbs in existance are "Known" cars over on the Cerbera forum, you can ask about any potential purchase over on there.
Do your homework and as long as you can come to terms with the sums of money which can be involved in keeping a Cerb on the road and 100% healthy I guarantee you'll not be disappointed, bonkers or not.
Regards
Simon
As far as I can see there's no decision to make. It has to be option 1.
A few pointers then
Don't expect to run a Cerbera on a shoestring, they do have a list of unusual consumables which include:
Clutch
Clutch Master & Slave Cylinders
Alternator
Starter Motor
Brake discs
To name but a few.
Some owners believe that it's best to have an annual emergency fund for a Cerb amounting to aroud £3K+ in order to keep a Cerbera at it's best. This is excluding servicing, insurance, tax, petrol, etc. Service history is important too as Cerbs don't take kindly to neglect.
Get any potential purchase checked over first by someone who knows what to look for. Chassis rot on Cerbera outriggers can be a big problem.
Get yourself to a TVR meet and have a chat with current owners, they can be a wealth of information.
Many of the Cerbs in existance are "Known" cars over on the Cerbera forum, you can ask about any potential purchase over on there.
Do your homework and as long as you can come to terms with the sums of money which can be involved in keeping a Cerb on the road and 100% healthy I guarantee you'll not be disappointed, bonkers or not.
Regards
Simon
del_monte said:
...I would need to commute about 20 mins each way to work
I'd allow a bit longer if you get a Cerbera. Sometimes it takes me an hour to pick up some milk. "I'll just go the long way around love to warm the car up properly..." That's some good advice above. I've been really lucky with mine having found a good, well maintained car.
Other points to note:
Cerbera forum are really helpful.
TVR owners are the best of any owners club/owners I've ever been part of. Really helpful and friendly and brilliant events.
Plenty of spares and independents available so looking after the car is no problem.
The commute would be a problem to my mind,although you will prob find that the journey time may take longer because your enjoying it.... id say it WILL have to be longer in order for the engine to warm up properly,id consider keeping the snotter for the commute,and the cerb for decent evening and weekend jaunts,all the other above advice i agree with....
Hey, i think you have already made the choice deep down.
They are awesome cars and you'll not regret buying one until something bad happens. Once fixed all will be forgiven. Repeat.
As others have said, get any cars you are looking at checked by someone who knows what they are talking about. Make sure you can afford to spend the money on it and make sure that you can get to work another way when it decides not to start
From my personal experience the £3k budget per year is no where near enough. It's had me on the verge of tears twice in the last fortnight however, i will not sell it.
Get one, whats the worst that can happen?
They are awesome cars and you'll not regret buying one until something bad happens. Once fixed all will be forgiven. Repeat.
As others have said, get any cars you are looking at checked by someone who knows what they are talking about. Make sure you can afford to spend the money on it and make sure that you can get to work another way when it decides not to start
From my personal experience the £3k budget per year is no where near enough. It's had me on the verge of tears twice in the last fortnight however, i will not sell it.
Get one, whats the worst that can happen?
rigga said:
The commute would be a problem to my mind,although you will prob find that the journey time may take longer because your enjoying it.... id say it WILL have to be longer in order for the engine to warm up properly,id consider keeping the snotter for the commute,and the cerb for decent evening and weekend jaunts,all the other above advice i agree with....
+1TVR Moneypit said:
Buy a Cerb but keep the old Polo for winter. I should imagine that having a two car policy would only cost you about £100 extra a year.
Plus you'll never transport a flatpack wardrobe in a Cerb.
...possibly not in a Polo either, but subsitute for £1k's worth of secondhand Mondeo and you're well away.
Not a Cerb owner admittedly, but I long since gave up trying to run one car for everything. In my case - being young-ish and needing to make full use of specialist/classic insurance policies - it actually works out significantly cheaper to run two cars than one credible all-rounder.
...pig ugly hairdresser's car.Hi Oli,
That's interesting cos I am currently faced with EXACTLY the same dilema! The only slight twist is mine is Cerb v RX8 v current Audi A4 shed.
When you look at the complete cost of ownership I reckon the Cerb is a good choice. There's no doubt it will depreciate a lot less than an RX8, it's no more thirsty (probably better than an RX8), plus road tax is £200 a year cheaper! OK maintenance will be more but on balance I don't reckon there is much in it.
The RX8 is a good looking car but it has nothing like the appeal and exclusivity of a Cerb.
That's interesting cos I am currently faced with EXACTLY the same dilema! The only slight twist is mine is Cerb v RX8 v current Audi A4 shed.
When you look at the complete cost of ownership I reckon the Cerb is a good choice. There's no doubt it will depreciate a lot less than an RX8, it's no more thirsty (probably better than an RX8), plus road tax is £200 a year cheaper! OK maintenance will be more but on balance I don't reckon there is much in it.
The RX8 is a good looking car but it has nothing like the appeal and exclusivity of a Cerb.
CerbitonFlyer said:
Hi Oli,
When you look at the complete cost of ownership I reckon the Cerb is a good choice. There's no doubt it will depreciate a lot less than an RX8, it's no more thirsty (probably better than an RX8), plus road tax is £200 a year cheaper! OK maintenance will be more but on balance I don't reckon there is much in it.
..this *can't* be any where near right! When you look at the complete cost of ownership I reckon the Cerb is a good choice. There's no doubt it will depreciate a lot less than an RX8, it's no more thirsty (probably better than an RX8), plus road tax is £200 a year cheaper! OK maintenance will be more but on balance I don't reckon there is much in it.
- I'd be looking at spending ~7K on a reasonable RX8, 15K on a (hopefully!) reasonable TVR-
to be honest though I never really thought about resale value- I kind of like running on the assumption that money spent is money spent....then again have never spent more than 3K on a car....
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