Want To Buy A Cerbera?
Discussion
Posts appear almost daily on "Do I or don't I buy a
Cerbera".
Here are some of my thoughts, for what they are worth,
for those looking to enter the Cerbera world.
Let me first make one thing clear. I am not into cars.
I hate working on cars, I'd have more of an
understanding of open heart surgery to be honest,
so I rely on those in the know and seek advice where
it should be sought.
With my brother and father both having done a lot of
motor sport and having been a part of European karting
team, I had always been around the 'exotic' cars, but
nothing had ever grabbed me as the Cerbera had when
I first saw one in the mid 90's.
So when the window of opportunity came my way,
I bought 'an entry level' 1996 4.2 having been through
a mountain of options.
I'd narrowed it down to 4 cars with prices that had a
£6000 span ( all private sales ) and all 96/97.
I knew the detailed history of 2 while the other
two had, shall we say, a quiet spell where
nothing much seemed to have happened ( limited
mileage, work etc ) but a previous clean history.
All had original parts, disproving that you have to get
a car with new cams, gearbox, clutch or even engine.
Once I had run my own checks on the car I was leaning
towards ( Calls to past service dealers, the factory
etc ) I took one of the specialists mentioned on this
site with me to check the car out.
It got a A++ report from him and the deal was
done on a car with 40k on the clock.
Now here is the word of warning, despite all these
measures, I still got a sting and have stumped up
£3900 in 7 months.
So did I buy a bad car?
No, I just got caught by a rogue dealer who's crap
pre sale work, cost me £2500 of that total, leaving
£1400 so far in 7 months on 'normal costs' with heavy use.
That £1400 includes a full 42k service, tune up,
tappet check, pre winter check ( tyre changes, water
leak work, electrical problems ) etc, so had the
problems not been thrust on me by a ( non TVR ) dealer
that had no idea what they were doing, in reality, I
have spent about £200 a month on maintenance so far.
Some would say that's still crazy, but then any TVR
is not the car for you. Hand built road legal race
cars will have quirks and you will have to cover
these, but to avoid more serious costs, as Joospeed
mentioned in another thread, complete pre purchase
research is the main key.
Check the past history, but the most important thing
( and this is where I got let down ) check the current
seller / previous owner in detail - grey area's often
bite!
The specialists that have looked at my car since,
know what I have spent, but still say I have a hell
of a car and was just unlucky ( stupid things like
bolts being left undone, cross wiring etc were to
blame for a lot of the problems ) and the offers to
buy my car have come in from these specialists and
also from potential private purchasers, so I know
I can sell the car with a clean bill of health
and not having been through the money pit syndrome.
When looking, high mileage is also not an issue
in my books, quite the opposite, a sign of a easy
to run car and if the service work is all there,
I'd always go for this option.
I use the car almost ever day come rain or shine,
it's currently living outside, although it will
have a garage when we finally get the builders out
of our new house and it's still the best car I've
ever had in my view.
I do plan to move up to a newer Cerbera, maybe in 2004
if I have a good year and that car, I hope to keep
until it ....or I, drops!
You will find almost every poster on this site has more
technical knowledge than I, but put the above in to
practice and you will be one happy Cerbera owner!
We'll put up a check list of do and don'ts on TCR
when the new site is up, but for now, I hope this
helps some of you!
Go create some weather...
It's a road legal Concorde!
Graham
TCR The Cerbera Register
www.TVR-Cerbera.com
>>> Edited by GCerbera on Friday 12th December 12:10
Cerbera".
Here are some of my thoughts, for what they are worth,
for those looking to enter the Cerbera world.
Let me first make one thing clear. I am not into cars.
I hate working on cars, I'd have more of an
understanding of open heart surgery to be honest,
so I rely on those in the know and seek advice where
it should be sought.
With my brother and father both having done a lot of
motor sport and having been a part of European karting
team, I had always been around the 'exotic' cars, but
nothing had ever grabbed me as the Cerbera had when
I first saw one in the mid 90's.
So when the window of opportunity came my way,
I bought 'an entry level' 1996 4.2 having been through
a mountain of options.
I'd narrowed it down to 4 cars with prices that had a
£6000 span ( all private sales ) and all 96/97.
I knew the detailed history of 2 while the other
two had, shall we say, a quiet spell where
nothing much seemed to have happened ( limited
mileage, work etc ) but a previous clean history.
All had original parts, disproving that you have to get
a car with new cams, gearbox, clutch or even engine.
Once I had run my own checks on the car I was leaning
towards ( Calls to past service dealers, the factory
etc ) I took one of the specialists mentioned on this
site with me to check the car out.
It got a A++ report from him and the deal was
done on a car with 40k on the clock.
Now here is the word of warning, despite all these
measures, I still got a sting and have stumped up
£3900 in 7 months.
So did I buy a bad car?
No, I just got caught by a rogue dealer who's crap
pre sale work, cost me £2500 of that total, leaving
£1400 so far in 7 months on 'normal costs' with heavy use.
That £1400 includes a full 42k service, tune up,
tappet check, pre winter check ( tyre changes, water
leak work, electrical problems ) etc, so had the
problems not been thrust on me by a ( non TVR ) dealer
that had no idea what they were doing, in reality, I
have spent about £200 a month on maintenance so far.
Some would say that's still crazy, but then any TVR
is not the car for you. Hand built road legal race
cars will have quirks and you will have to cover
these, but to avoid more serious costs, as Joospeed
mentioned in another thread, complete pre purchase
research is the main key.
Check the past history, but the most important thing
( and this is where I got let down ) check the current
seller / previous owner in detail - grey area's often
bite!
The specialists that have looked at my car since,
know what I have spent, but still say I have a hell
of a car and was just unlucky ( stupid things like
bolts being left undone, cross wiring etc were to
blame for a lot of the problems ) and the offers to
buy my car have come in from these specialists and
also from potential private purchasers, so I know
I can sell the car with a clean bill of health
and not having been through the money pit syndrome.
When looking, high mileage is also not an issue
in my books, quite the opposite, a sign of a easy
to run car and if the service work is all there,
I'd always go for this option.
I use the car almost ever day come rain or shine,
it's currently living outside, although it will
have a garage when we finally get the builders out
of our new house and it's still the best car I've
ever had in my view.
I do plan to move up to a newer Cerbera, maybe in 2004
if I have a good year and that car, I hope to keep
until it ....or I, drops!
You will find almost every poster on this site has more
technical knowledge than I, but put the above in to
practice and you will be one happy Cerbera owner!
We'll put up a check list of do and don'ts on TCR
when the new site is up, but for now, I hope this
helps some of you!
Go create some weather...
It's a road legal Concorde!
Graham
TCR The Cerbera Register
www.TVR-Cerbera.com
>>> Edited by GCerbera on Friday 12th December 12:10
Great post, Graham! 
Here's another take on the Cerb ownership thing. We went into Cerb ownership not long before you did, and after considering a couple of cars we settled on an 'R' registered 4.2. Lots of paperwork, much of it verified by ringing round garages after we bought the car.
Total cost so far: a couple of hundred pounds for SBaby's seat to be fitted, plus about £600 for a 42k service and some aircon fixing from Joolz. Problems to be rectified in the immediate future - none, apart from a rather odd mix of shockers front and rear. Not really a problem, but an irritation that can only be rectified by the purchase of some Nitrons. So Tam Lin tells me.
That said, when we originally went to see the car it was clutchless - so the garage that sold us the car picked up the bill for that one. They also did a bit of presale work on it - can't remember what exactly, but nothing major IIRC.
Do we regret switching from the Griff? Not at all. The Cerb is faster, smoother and a lot more purple. We're prepared for bits to fall off and cost lots of money, but - touch wood! - so far no problems. Sure, you can't take the roof off when it's sunny, but that's a very small price to pay for everything else you get into the bargain.
Here's another take on the Cerb ownership thing. We went into Cerb ownership not long before you did, and after considering a couple of cars we settled on an 'R' registered 4.2. Lots of paperwork, much of it verified by ringing round garages after we bought the car.
Total cost so far: a couple of hundred pounds for SBaby's seat to be fitted, plus about £600 for a 42k service and some aircon fixing from Joolz. Problems to be rectified in the immediate future - none, apart from a rather odd mix of shockers front and rear. Not really a problem, but an irritation that can only be rectified by the purchase of some Nitrons. So Tam Lin tells me.
That said, when we originally went to see the car it was clutchless - so the garage that sold us the car picked up the bill for that one. They also did a bit of presale work on it - can't remember what exactly, but nothing major IIRC.
Do we regret switching from the Griff? Not at all. The Cerb is faster, smoother and a lot more purple.
We're prepared for bits to fall off and cost lots of money, but - touch wood! - so far no problems. Sure, you can't take the roof off when it's sunny, but that's a very small price to pay for everything else you get into the bargain.carl_w said:
I just want the car to go as soon as I jump in. Spending the weekend tweaking throttle pots etc. isn't my cup of tea.
Indeed, mine has only let me down once ( ran the
battery a bit low and went out on a short run with
everything on! ) - That's a no no, but other than
that, I jump in, warm her up and go for a fly.
I also totally recomend a membership with a recovery
service ( used it only once, but it's handy to know
it's there ) and it's helpful to have a good TVR
servicer within an hours drive.
I don't have a warranty and to be honest, none of what
has been done could have been covered by one ( never
seen 'human error' on the list! ) but I guess that's
aimed more at the newer cars.
Go create some weather...
It's a road legal Concorde!
Graham
TCR The Cerbera Register
www.TVR-Cerbera.com
>> Edited by GCerbera on Friday 12th December 17:57
I bought mine at a similar time (April this year), a 1997 4.2.
I've had similar experiences to both Graham and SGirl in that I bought mine without a clutch, well it had one but was severely slipping!. This was replaced with the upgraded clutch by the 'trader' I bought it from (who was allegedly a TVR expert).
After buying I was very happy, I did not use the services of one of the specialists mentioned on this site – which in hindsight may have saved me a bit of money! I did spend a lot of time talking to previous owners, dealers and independents that had serviced the car and was satisfied with what I was hearing.
After all the work was performed on the car by the seller, I bought the car and took it to the last independent that had serviced it – there were quite a few silly and some dangerous faults/modifications to the car which required immediate attention, these had been created while it was with the ‘trader’. Two weeks in - a £1000 bill to rectify the problems, which did include a sports exhaust (had to be done!!)
Since then I’ve had a few electrical niggles with the windscreen wipers and headlights and have had leather tidied up inside and a few Leven goodies – probably about another grand. More recently I’ve had an engine rebuild
at the cost of around £3K – this was required due to 8 very worn pistons which resulted in some blue smoke when making progress.
So my first 8 months has cost about £5K, probably a tad unlucky with some of it, some of the cost has been at my choice (sports Exhaust, leather etc) and the rest I see as part of the pleasure of owning such a fantastic car. The car is now as good as new and it’s the perfect time of year to run it in!!
Never looked back, not sure the management are as happy as me at home though.
>> Edited by jonnie5 on Friday 12th December 11:48
I've had similar experiences to both Graham and SGirl in that I bought mine without a clutch, well it had one but was severely slipping!. This was replaced with the upgraded clutch by the 'trader' I bought it from (who was allegedly a TVR expert).
After buying I was very happy, I did not use the services of one of the specialists mentioned on this site – which in hindsight may have saved me a bit of money! I did spend a lot of time talking to previous owners, dealers and independents that had serviced the car and was satisfied with what I was hearing.
After all the work was performed on the car by the seller, I bought the car and took it to the last independent that had serviced it – there were quite a few silly and some dangerous faults/modifications to the car which required immediate attention, these had been created while it was with the ‘trader’. Two weeks in - a £1000 bill to rectify the problems, which did include a sports exhaust
(had to be done!!) Since then I’ve had a few electrical niggles with the windscreen wipers and headlights and have had leather tidied up inside and a few Leven goodies – probably about another grand. More recently I’ve had an engine rebuild
at the cost of around £3K – this was required due to 8 very worn pistons which resulted in some blue smoke when making progress. So my first 8 months has cost about £5K, probably a tad unlucky with some of it, some of the cost has been at my choice (sports Exhaust, leather etc) and the rest I see as part of the pleasure of owning such a fantastic car. The car is now as good as new and it’s the perfect time of year to run it in!!
Never looked back, not sure the management are as happy as me at home though.
>> Edited by jonnie5 on Friday 12th December 11:48
Good post graham, should alay some of the cerbera fears out there
there are bad cars, they're owned by bad owners!
Now your car has been sorted by people who caere for it, and you're showing a sensible approach to cerbie ownership - you should have a car you can use and cherish for many years to come.
well done, continued enjoyment to you and your car
there are bad cars, they're owned by bad owners!
Now your car has been sorted by people who caere for it, and you're showing a sensible approach to cerbie ownership - you should have a car you can use and cherish for many years to come.
well done, continued enjoyment to you and your car
Well let me give you my two cents... I’ve been a proud owner for eight months and enjoyed every second of it. Nothing has gone wrong and everything has always worked. My choice was totally down to luck, I wanted a Tuscan but I found it was a bit tight across the shoulders, I sat in the Cerbera next to it and that was fine so I bought it (from a dealer) with zero research, despite the screams of madness from my modified Japanese driving friends
Tragically as of tomorrow I will have to say adios to my pride and joy. Much though I have enjoyed it my lifestyle does is not contusive to having it as my only car – whilst it is a joy to drive in the daylight I only ever get to drive it to Heathrow airport at 05:00am every day and then back in the evening. I think that the guy who is taking it from me will enjoy it more than I did parking it in the Short Term car park everyday. However, from the moment it goes I will be saving to buy another - but short term it’s not for me. Just for the sake of finishing this off... someone posted a reply to a message I sent and I’m doing a direct swap for a Merc CLK430. I sat in it last week and I have to say it’s a pretty unemotional experience – but it will do the job.
So to the question of should you buy one... yes you should. Porches may give people a feeling of power, BMWs may give people the feeling of success, Audis may make people think they have an element of individuality over the BM owners and Mercedes may make people feel old
. Whilst I have had my car I have had strangers ask for trips round the block, men clapping outside bars, children pulling at the parents coats to look and almost everyone smiling when I go past. You’re not going to get that in anything else for less that £100k. They may be the car of the eccentric but that just makes them all the better for it. If you need to think about it then you don’t really want one.....
I think TVR’s are probably one of the best experiences you can have on the road. The downside is that once you’ve had one everything else is a bit s**t
To everyone who enjoys their cars I bid you farewell.... but I will be back! (Older but no wiser)
Sixx
Tragically as of tomorrow I will have to say adios to my pride and joy. Much though I have enjoyed it my lifestyle does is not contusive to having it as my only car – whilst it is a joy to drive in the daylight I only ever get to drive it to Heathrow airport at 05:00am every day and then back in the evening. I think that the guy who is taking it from me will enjoy it more than I did parking it in the Short Term car park everyday. However, from the moment it goes I will be saving to buy another - but short term it’s not for me. Just for the sake of finishing this off... someone posted a reply to a message I sent and I’m doing a direct swap for a Merc CLK430. I sat in it last week and I have to say it’s a pretty unemotional experience – but it will do the job.
So to the question of should you buy one... yes you should. Porches may give people a feeling of power, BMWs may give people the feeling of success, Audis may make people think they have an element of individuality over the BM owners and Mercedes may make people feel old
. Whilst I have had my car I have had strangers ask for trips round the block, men clapping outside bars, children pulling at the parents coats to look and almost everyone smiling when I go past. You’re not going to get that in anything else for less that £100k. They may be the car of the eccentric but that just makes them all the better for it. If you need to think about it then you don’t really want one..... I think TVR’s are probably one of the best experiences you can have on the road. The downside is that once you’ve had one everything else is a bit s**t
To everyone who enjoys their cars I bid you farewell.... but I will be back! (Older but no wiser)
Sixx
sixx said:
Well let me give you my two cents... I’ve been a proud owner for eight months and enjoyed every second of it. Nothing has gone wrong and everything has always worked. My choice was totally down to luck, I wanted a Tuscan but I found it was a bit tight across the shoulders, I sat in the Cerbera next to it and that was fine so I bought it (from a dealer) with zero research, despite the screams of madness from my modified Japanese driving friends
Tragically as of tomorrow I will have to say adios to my pride and joy. Much though I have enjoyed it my lifestyle does is not contusive to having it as my only car – whilst it is a joy to drive in the daylight I only ever get to drive it to Heathrow airport at 05:00am every day and then back in the evening. I think that the guy who is taking it from me will enjoy it more than I did parking it in the Short Term car park everyday. However, from the moment it goes I will be saving to buy another - but short term it’s not for me. Just for the sake of finishing this off... someone posted a reply to a message I sent and I’m doing a direct swap for a Merc CLK430. I sat in it last week and I have to say it’s a pretty unemotional experience – but it will do the job.
So to the question of should you buy one... yes you should. Porches may give people a feeling of power, BMWs may give people the feeling of success, Audis may make people think they have an element of individuality over the BM owners and Mercedes may make people feel old
I think TVR’s are probably one of the best experiences you can have on the road. The downside is that once you’ve had one everything else is a bit s**t
To everyone who enjoys their cars I bid you farewell.... but I will be back! (Older but no wiser)
Sixx
everything else is a bit s**t
Top quote >> Edited by jamer on Saturday 13th December 16:17
And this from a humble S owner. 
Just add my tuppence worth here.
I bought my '96 4.2 around the same time as Graham. I looked at a few when buying but came back to a private sale. The car in question had a good history up till the last 3000 miles when it looked like it missed a service or had it part done by a non TVR mechanic. It had the new clutch, new radiator, alternator and new cams on the 24k service. Although the car wasn't the cleanest (cosmetically) that I had seen, the owner was very enthusiastic about TVR and was selling as she didn't use it so much anymore.
Since I bought it I have spent a few thousand on stuff but most of that has been consumables such as tyres, 36k service (big one) plus valve check. I've put on a set of AVO's plus springs and decat. Problems that needed fixed outside normal running costs have been a slave cylinder rebuild and my handbrake bracket above the diff needing welded back together.
Maybe I've been lucky so far, who knows but it hasn't bothered me one bit, I put it down to character.
I wouldn't say that my costs have been excessive but I do plan to spend a few more pounds tidying it up.
All in it's been a laugh, I sold my Audi to buy the Cerbera and I don't regret 1 minute of it.
I bought my '96 4.2 around the same time as Graham. I looked at a few when buying but came back to a private sale. The car in question had a good history up till the last 3000 miles when it looked like it missed a service or had it part done by a non TVR mechanic. It had the new clutch, new radiator, alternator and new cams on the 24k service. Although the car wasn't the cleanest (cosmetically) that I had seen, the owner was very enthusiastic about TVR and was selling as she didn't use it so much anymore.
Since I bought it I have spent a few thousand on stuff but most of that has been consumables such as tyres, 36k service (big one) plus valve check. I've put on a set of AVO's plus springs and decat. Problems that needed fixed outside normal running costs have been a slave cylinder rebuild and my handbrake bracket above the diff needing welded back together.
Maybe I've been lucky so far, who knows but it hasn't bothered me one bit, I put it down to character.
I wouldn't say that my costs have been excessive but I do plan to spend a few more pounds tidying it up.
All in it's been a laugh, I sold my Audi to buy the Cerbera and I don't regret 1 minute of it.
I have to say thank you to sixx, because I have been lucky enough to have spent the last 4 hours with a ridiculous grin on my face as I'm the new proud owner of his speed six!
All I can say is if you're thinking about it, go in with your eyes wide open and you not regret it.
Thank you to everyone here for all their advice and to sixx for being an honest and open seller.
Now where did I put those keys ...
All I can say is if you're thinking about it, go in with your eyes wide open and you not regret it.
Thank you to everyone here for all their advice and to sixx for being an honest and open seller.
Now where did I put those keys ...
Seems like there are a few of us out there (Hi SGirl!!) who have owned our cars since early in 2003.
I bought mine in March 2003, having spent 6 months trawling PH for all the info I could get. Looked at three cars, all private sales, one was as rough as, two much nicer, and I went for the one I did because a) it was a 4.5 in a great colour, and b) the owner had had loads of previous TVRs (including a road going Tuscan racer) and appeared very knowledgeable and trustworthy.
Since picking the car up at the end of March, it has provided some amazing moments - crackling and burbling through London setting car alarms off at will, ridiculously high speed runs on the way to Le Mans, and (incredibly) pretty sensible family transport for me, t'other half and two small sprogs.
Reliability wise, its not been bad, but not great either. Big stuff I've needed includes new clutch (slave cylinder failure), new dampers/springs (Nitrons, naturally), new rear tyres (Le Mans mayhem to blame, no doubt), aircon/fans repair, which along with a 30K service tots up to about £3K or so.
Its the little things that start to grate after a while, mind. Like the fact that, even after repeated attempts, the indicators, lights and wipers still have a mind of their own. And that, when it rains, the car sometimes shuts the windows and locks the doors when you're driving along, and then repairs itself 20 minutes later - only on the M4 eastbound, though......wierd!! And that you can't see out of it when it rains either - demisting is cr*p and, of course the heated rear window doesn't work.
Don't get me wrong, I still love it every time I fire it up, its just that, as the mornings and evenings get darker, colder and wetter, sometimes I wimp out and take the beemer because I just can't be a*sed. Reckon I should be taken out and shot....
Still, one more trip to APM should cure any outstanding electrical niggles (plus the car came back lowered when Nitrons fitted, so now can't run over a fag packet without grounding), and that, along with some Waxoyl on the chassis and some Joolz-style air filters, should keep me happy for a while yet.
Merry Christmas all of you
cheers
Sean
I bought mine in March 2003, having spent 6 months trawling PH for all the info I could get. Looked at three cars, all private sales, one was as rough as, two much nicer, and I went for the one I did because a) it was a 4.5 in a great colour, and b) the owner had had loads of previous TVRs (including a road going Tuscan racer) and appeared very knowledgeable and trustworthy.
Since picking the car up at the end of March, it has provided some amazing moments - crackling and burbling through London setting car alarms off at will, ridiculously high speed runs on the way to Le Mans, and (incredibly) pretty sensible family transport for me, t'other half and two small sprogs.
Reliability wise, its not been bad, but not great either. Big stuff I've needed includes new clutch (slave cylinder failure), new dampers/springs (Nitrons, naturally), new rear tyres (Le Mans mayhem to blame, no doubt), aircon/fans repair, which along with a 30K service tots up to about £3K or so.
Its the little things that start to grate after a while, mind. Like the fact that, even after repeated attempts, the indicators, lights and wipers still have a mind of their own. And that, when it rains, the car sometimes shuts the windows and locks the doors when you're driving along, and then repairs itself 20 minutes later - only on the M4 eastbound, though......wierd!! And that you can't see out of it when it rains either - demisting is cr*p and, of course the heated rear window doesn't work.
Don't get me wrong, I still love it every time I fire it up, its just that, as the mornings and evenings get darker, colder and wetter, sometimes I wimp out and take the beemer because I just can't be a*sed. Reckon I should be taken out and shot....
Still, one more trip to APM should cure any outstanding electrical niggles (plus the car came back lowered when Nitrons fitted, so now can't run over a fag packet without grounding), and that, along with some Waxoyl on the chassis and some Joolz-style air filters, should keep me happy for a while yet.
Merry Christmas all of you
cheers
Sean
Well, I'm another Sean with a 4.5 t'hother half and two small sprogs, I've owned the car since the summer after a Chim. Seeing as this is the long reply, constant scrolling posts, here's my hapenny's worth: I drove 10 Cerbs in 1 week having had the go ahead from "Home Command", not wanting the momentum or sensible thoughts stop me from purchasing. I ended up with a dealer car that drove really well, but then it should as it had just had a £1900 24k service, they gave me a good trade in but did see me off for some untransfered tax and being "unable to Waxoyl it". All told though beemer is spot on, I get a massive grin whilst bending down to see through the bottom inch of the windscreen in the rain, and here's my hapennys worth: A heated screen is probably worth more than Aircon when buying a Cerb, see how it drives (not just speed, but behaviour when compared to others), get out and sample lots your heart will always rule your head but the more you see the more you'll love the right one.
Great post Graham ..... Having sold the Chimaera last year, as my wife and 2 boys were feeling a little left out of the experience, I set out to buy a 4 seater sports car. We looked at big Healeys, Stags, Ferrari 4 seater Mondial (horrible) and a Marcos (sshhhh I know it’s a 2 seater). Generally great cars but certainly in case of the Healey and may be the Stag, I felt they were cars I may come back to later! Then the Cerbera thing started or should I say re-started. I had been trying to suppress it but the more I did, the worse it got. I realised I had being try to fill my mind with alternatives but this Cerbera thing was just gnawing away inside. So we looked at a few, saw a Viper Blue one at Fernies, did the deal and great. What pure pleasure it is getting in and driving the Cerbera. It is truly the most amazing car I have ever owned and probably likely too. Visually, I think it is one of the most beautiful cars built, a modern day Cobra and its make driving a pleasure once again. When I think back to the day we finally decided to proceed with our 2nd most expensive purchase ever, the words of a good friend were ringing in my ears – life is too short not to. Best advice I ever had, not regretted one day, only wished I’d done it sooner. And you really do feel like you are creating weather.
beemer said:
Seems like there are a few of us out there (Hi SGirl!!) who have owned our cars since early in 2003.
I bought mine in March 2003, having spent 6 months trawling PH for all the info I could get. Looked at three cars, all private sales, one was as rough as, two much nicer, and I went for the one I did because a) it was a 4.5 in a great colour, and b) the owner had had loads of previous TVRs (including a road going Tuscan racer) and appeared very knowledgeable and trustworthy.
Since picking the car up at the end of March, it has provided some amazing moments - crackling and burbling through London setting car alarms off at will, ridiculously high speed runs on the way to Le Mans, and (incredibly) pretty sensible family transport for me, t'other half and two small sprogs.
Reliability wise, its not been bad, but not great either. Big stuff I've needed includes new clutch (slave cylinder failure), new dampers/springs (Nitrons, naturally), new rear tyres (Le Mans mayhem to blame, no doubt), aircon/fans repair, which along with a 30K service tots up to about £3K or so.
Its the little things that start to grate after a while, mind. Like the fact that, even after repeated attempts, the indicators, lights and wipers still have a mind of their own. And that, when it rains, the car sometimes shuts the windows and locks the doors when you're driving along, and then repairs itself 20 minutes later - only on the M4 eastbound, though......wierd!! And that you can't see out of it when it rains either - demisting is cr*p and, of course the heated rear window doesn't work.
Don't get me wrong, I still love it every time I fire it up, its just that, as the mornings and evenings get darker, colder and wetter, sometimes I wimp out and take the beemer because I just can't be a*sed. Reckon I should be taken out and shot....
Still, one more trip to APM should cure any outstanding electrical niggles (plus the car came back lowered when Nitrons fitted, so now can't run over a fag packet without grounding), and that, along with some Waxoyl on the chassis and some Joolz-style air filters, should keep me happy for a while yet.
Merry Christmas all of you
cheers
Sean
Isn't this richard thorpe's old car then? .. When Jason was selling his griff I was inspecting it and he was talking about buying a cerbera, sure it was richard's he was thinking of getting ...
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