Cerb dilemma, don't use it enough
Cerb dilemma, don't use it enough
Author
Discussion

Erich Stahler

Original Poster:

2,878 posts

300 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
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Thing is my drive to work and back is 60 miles a day for which tend to use my automatic Subaru legacy Outback, which is a nice comfortable, climate controled drive for even the worst traffic snarl ups. By the time I get home the last thing I want to do is drive any more most of the time. Thought about using the cerb for work but dont fancy leaving it paked in the road all day.

Come the weekend if im luck and get up early enough I might do a good blast down to the coast or to some event like the Goodwood Breakfast Club.

Have done a few track days in the Cerb, which were fantastic fun, but im a bit put off by the pooability sustaining damage with basicaly no comenabck. So now I am looking to get something much cheaper to track, could even be something I could trailer with the Outback.

So we come to the point where the poor old cerb probably gets used even less if spare time gets taken up by more track days in something else.

Having said all that, I have ample space for the cerb, its paid for and I have done quite a few fairly large jobs on her myself so not an enormous strain on resources.

Whats your typical Cerb usage, am I fairly typical or should I be ashamed of myself?


SXS

3,065 posts

287 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
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Give the cerbera to someone else to store in their garage for say two weeks...

When you get it back, believe me, you will be taking that baby out for a ride every chance you get...

You need to let it go for a bit now and again, that way you really learn to appreciate the joy and thrill she gives ya everytime you push that button....

Its like a missis, you get used to that same old farty face and ever sagging booty every day and night... let her go on a holiday for a bit, when she gets back you know the scores - the neighbours will be prepared with their spycams or earplugs (Depends on where you live I guess) lol hehe

Enjoy it mate, you only live once, do a cross continent run or something... I cant wait to do something like that one day... cloud9

VPower

3,598 posts

224 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
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I too feel I don't get to use the Cerbera as much as I'd like.

My drive to work and back is anything from 72 to 90 miles round trip, depending on the route.

I have loads of off road space at work so unless one of the lads hits it with the 4X4 fork truck she should be OK! Not sure if the neighbours notice my 05:00 starts???

I tend to only use for work at weekends and then only on day shift.

Nice and "Freeing", not even pushing it!

One of the things is that even the chavs where I live seem to love the Cerb!
Not had any problems and its on show on the drive all the time.
Mostly get "nice car mate"! Are you sure you can't leave it in the road?

I just know I'd miss it straight away if I let mine go.

So as Ash has said keep it!
Don't THINK about it, just love it!



Greeny

1,423 posts

289 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
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Like you Eric, I dont get to use My Cerbera as much as I should. But it's paid for and I have the space for it and more importantly, I could just not bear to think it was not there whenever I do get the chance for a blast. Not even done the Route des Alpes this year due to work and stuff, but there is always next year. Maybe just do the work run every so often, to keep things in order, and as Ash says, plan a special trip at least once a year.

AL 123

201 posts

219 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
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I've had mine a year this weekend (happy birthday cerb) & sometimes use it 3 - 4 days a week, other times only once a month, we all have busy lives right!?

Thing is, i plan on having it for years, so if i don't to drive it for a while, it doesn't really matter.

Must admit, i wouldn't use it on a track day, i love it & if some pcensoredk drove into it, i'd ...... censoredcensoredcensored

Would like to start doing track days, would proably buy a kit car or some turbo'd up girls car to do it in, so i wasn't that bothered if someone bumped it.

Erich Stahler

Original Poster:

2,878 posts

300 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
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Thanks guys, sounds like im not that unusual after all.

I must say it always feels special whenever I get drive it, even after all this time.

I think I need to plan a few more of the longer continental trips.

ridds

8,372 posts

274 months

Tuesday 25th August 2009
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Same here, I use mine for a trip to Nurburgring/Spa/Lemans each year and a few weekends away and the odd run out, I always feel constrained as to where I'm going to park it, if I'm going to be having a drink or not (e.g. a BBQ& Beer then the Cerb's out) and what sort of areas I'm going to.

For me it's not the amount you use it. If you had any other car what would you do with that? Possibly the same, you'd still be afraid to track it hard and wouldn't want to use it on the commute.

I use an old 820 Rover Turbo daily and I'm tempted to track that as a bit of fun. If your going to track a car hard you have to be able to afford to either just let it go if you crash it or have insurance with an excess you can afford to pay.

With a Cerb it's the fun you have when you do drive it that make it. There are very few cars that offer the same bang for buck.

Erich Stahler

Original Poster:

2,878 posts

300 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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You guys have also confirmed another theory, if you are a car nut, petrol head, or whatever you want to call it, there is absolutely no such thing as a "one car fits all" solution. One needs a dedicated car for each car related activity.

Cerbera = Fast continent crossing GT
Subary legacy Outback = Comfortable daily driver and tow car
Track car = ?

I am toying with an old RWD Ford for the track, Escorts are very rare and worth a lot of money these days, Anglia might be fun, most likely a Capri, fancy a MK 1 3 litre but not many around under 5k so would most likely be a MK 3. Fibre glass wings and maybe even a small block Chevy engine swap, five bar link rear axle and hey presto.

Nefarious

989 posts

295 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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I've been fighting the urge to get another toy, and I keep flitting between getting a classic of some kind (looked at a Taimar and a 3000S), and a full-on trackcar.

IMO, if you're going for a track car as well, then you want it as different as possible from the other cars in your stable - something like this: http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1121716.htm and maybe wang a rotrex supercharger on it. You'll struggle to find anything this side of a single seater that'll lap faster for that money, and it means that all your cars keep a defined purpose.

Oh, and re: the original question - I've got three cars at the mo (Jag XJR, Clio 182 and Cerb), but work from home so do a tiny total annual mileage (without the occasional runs down south I'd easily be under 3k per year in total).

mr spectraflair

237 posts

231 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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Mine's a bit of a garage queen too.
Everytime i feel a little 'under the weather', i go and fire up the beast and everything suddenly makes sense.smile

RUSSELLM

6,002 posts

277 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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Used mine daily for Six years, apart from my Saturday 'all dayer' sessions & the Sunday recovery days smile

Went to Austria last month to watch some footy matches.

I'd booked a flight, then my pals let me down, by saying they were going to miss the first four nights, so I booked a car over there.

I'd covered about 60 miles, driving out of Munich in a Ford Focus heading for Austria. I pulled in to a service station and started doing the sums/times on getting a flight back to Brum to get the car smile

It would have meant an extra day off work in the end, so I bottled out.

But consequently hated every second of driving that Focus. Getting bullied by almost everything on the motorways, BM's, Porsche etc...

Determined to have a drive out for Christmas & new year now though, off the back of that trip. Probably do Southern Italy smile

AL 123

201 posts

219 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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mr spectraflair said:
Mine's a bit of a garage queen too.
Everytime i feel a little 'under the weather', i go and fire up the beast and everything suddenly makes sense.smile
Love the colour of your car (checked out your pic's when you said garage queen!!)

mr spectraflair

237 posts

231 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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AL 123 said:
mr spectraflair said:
Mine's a bit of a garage queen too.
Everytime i feel a little 'under the weather', i go and fire up the beast and everything suddenly makes sense.smile
Love the colour of your car (checked out your pic's when you said garage queen!!)
Thanks Alex, yours looks pretty awesome too. I see your London based, i really should pull my finger out and try to attend a few 'nearby' meets.. (don't wanna put too many miles on it!) wavey

V8 VERTIGO

6 posts

206 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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Any body seen Stefan Thomas's Cerb it is Bright YELLOW woohoo

markh1

2,846 posts

239 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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Apart from one fateful drive in early april I have not driven mine for the best part of a year! However it does not stop me loving it.

For me driving it is only one part of the ownership experience. I have loved rebuilding and pretty much specing it however I want almost as though you would if you were buying it from the factory.

To be honest, even if it were to only move once a year I would probably still keep it as I love just looking at it!

AL 123

201 posts

219 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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i really should pull my finger out and try to attend a few 'nearby' meets.. (don't wanna put too many miles on it!) wavey
[/quote]

Well if you find any, let us know, don't go to very many myself rolleyes

grahamn

1,777 posts

264 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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Easy answer to all you who would like to use it more, get you name down for the Cerb Euro Trip 09. A 4 day trip to Spa.

Mr M

1,276 posts

232 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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+1. have made comment re this already on other thread so won't repeat. Keep :-)

Mr M

1,276 posts

232 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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[quote=Everytime i feel a little 'under the weather', i go and fire up the beast and everything suddenly makes sense.smile
[/quote]

Blimey - you as well. Not everytime for me though otherwise I'd be out in it all the time at moment. smile

greenm

473 posts

230 months

Wednesday 26th August 2009
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Me too, I live and work abroad so lucky if its five times a year and even though coming back to my lads and the rest of the family who I really miss all I can think of on the plane back is my red beast lurking in the garage? What a buzz when you first press that starter after a bit of a break just love it.