Cerb alternatives - there are none!
Discussion
With Cerbera's either being too thin on the ground or now out of my price range, I've been looking at an alternative (unless a complete non-runner turns up for less than £8k that I can slowly build up).
Looked at XKRs (new shape), but they are auto only (and no LSD for the 4.2)
Looking at M3s (yawn) and apart from the mass produced saloon based looks, it ticks every other box.. Race inspired V8, 4 seats, rwd, manual box, LSD, but again.. yawn...
M6 - See XKR..
Maserati 4200 - hmmm.. Ferrari V8, seats for the kids.. manual gearbox (albeit rare).. but maybe a bit too dumpy/ugly looking? Probably more wallowy than the XKR too.
OK, so selling my old Rosso Pearl 4.2 was a massive mistake in hindsight, but I just didn't have the space to keep it..
If you had to choose a replacement car for <£20k, what would it be and why? At the moment its looking like it may be the e92 M3 , especially as its guaranteed to increase in value on a long enough timeline being pretty unique as its the only V8 M3. I'm not sure it'll ever feel 'special' though.
Looked at XKRs (new shape), but they are auto only (and no LSD for the 4.2)
Looking at M3s (yawn) and apart from the mass produced saloon based looks, it ticks every other box.. Race inspired V8, 4 seats, rwd, manual box, LSD, but again.. yawn...
M6 - See XKR..
Maserati 4200 - hmmm.. Ferrari V8, seats for the kids.. manual gearbox (albeit rare).. but maybe a bit too dumpy/ugly looking? Probably more wallowy than the XKR too.
OK, so selling my old Rosso Pearl 4.2 was a massive mistake in hindsight, but I just didn't have the space to keep it..
If you had to choose a replacement car for <£20k, what would it be and why? At the moment its looking like it may be the e92 M3 , especially as its guaranteed to increase in value on a long enough timeline being pretty unique as its the only V8 M3. I'm not sure it'll ever feel 'special' though.
One of the main issues is that it needs to be a 2+2.. Having 2 boys (albeit very young at the moment) I need my "forever car" to be something I can enjoy with them as they get older.
I could have waited for a V8 vantage to drop in value if 2 seats were enough .. although they seem a little slow, on paper at least. An R8 might be better (looks pretty special inside and out despite being German!), but is 4wd.
911 Carrera S would be a sensible (and again, BORING) choice, but I would want the wider Carerra 4S arches, which only the 4wd cars got.
The other problem is that the harder I look, the more criteria I seem to add on LOL Like a decent 1/4 mile (under 12.5s) & 0-100 time (under 10s).
All roads lead back to a Cerbera. Yet I'm not sure I want another? Or maybe I just don't want to spend £20k+ on one knowing i sold my "baby" for a lot less not so long ago.
I've been tracking Cameros on ebay.. They are cool, but I suspect they might be a bit ropey in the handling department LOL The 4 speed manual and left hook steering are also an off put.
Ferrari 360 is a good shout. I'm vaguely considering financing a car simply because the values are sure to go north. The flaw with that is that I am hoping never to sell, so the appreciating value becomes pointless. If anything, it'll be a liability having something valuable and rare locked up in my garage.
I could have waited for a V8 vantage to drop in value if 2 seats were enough .. although they seem a little slow, on paper at least. An R8 might be better (looks pretty special inside and out despite being German!), but is 4wd.
911 Carrera S would be a sensible (and again, BORING) choice, but I would want the wider Carerra 4S arches, which only the 4wd cars got.
The other problem is that the harder I look, the more criteria I seem to add on LOL Like a decent 1/4 mile (under 12.5s) & 0-100 time (under 10s).
All roads lead back to a Cerbera. Yet I'm not sure I want another? Or maybe I just don't want to spend £20k+ on one knowing i sold my "baby" for a lot less not so long ago.
I've been tracking Cameros on ebay.. They are cool, but I suspect they might be a bit ropey in the handling department LOL The 4 speed manual and left hook steering are also an off put.
Ferrari 360 is a good shout. I'm vaguely considering financing a car simply because the values are sure to go north. The flaw with that is that I am hoping never to sell, so the appreciating value becomes pointless. If anything, it'll be a liability having something valuable and rare locked up in my garage.
300bhp/ton said:
What age Camaro's? They haven't had 4 speed manuals since the 1970's.
.............
Yep, those are the ones I am looking at. I don't really care for any other era of American car. Same with the Corvette, I only like the C3 shape. .............
LHD is a major put off, but as you say, for something special/with a sense of occasion it may be a worthwhile compromise.
aide said:
I think you have probably already made up your mind!
If you're going to keep the next one you get.. and given the choice of paying out for good one or buying a project and spending the difference to get it right, I'd more than likely get a project.
It would be like getting a new car. With the benefit of already owning one, you know exactly what you want and rescuing a Cerb means you get a blank canvas.
(You could even move the rear seats back a little to make extra legroom)
How much do dead Cerb's go for these days? I can only really see it being worthwhile if I can grab one at sub £5-6k. That way the overall cost of rebuild (4.7? If you're going to keep the next one you get.. and given the choice of paying out for good one or buying a project and spending the difference to get it right, I'd more than likely get a project.
It would be like getting a new car. With the benefit of already owning one, you know exactly what you want and rescuing a Cerb means you get a blank canvas.
(You could even move the rear seats back a little to make extra legroom)
) and refurb can be spread over a long period. I think we are on the same lines though. Unless I can buy my old one back (which I missed out on just a few weeks ago!!!) The problem with spending £20k+ on a Cerb these days is that they are now the lower end of the market type cars. I'm sure there are some gems, but many are usually in undesirable colours too.
Another thing on current Cerbera values is that many seem to be sat in the classifieds for months without moving - are some really worth 30k+?! Or at they just waiting for the market to catch up.
stuthe
said:
said: They don't seem to move fast above 20k IME.
There is a working 4.2 in silver on eBay for 13k, a respray from boring silver and you'd have change from 20k easily and fresh paint! Slippery slope thoufh, cos retrim, headlamp conversion almost certainly chassis painting etc... And you're north of 20k for a very nicely refurbished cerb assuming no engine work.
But a fully sorted (paint/chassis/engine) cerb is worth the 25k it would stand you in IMO.
If I buy a cheap one I kinda want one with an effed engine so I have the option of either selling it and going LS (sorry!) or rebuilding it eventually to a 4.7 (which I've always wanted). Obviously the total cost will spiral way beyond £20k, but done over time it will be worth it in the long run. I'm not sure I can stomach spending 25k on 'someone elses' Cerb - if that makes sense? I always found that the Cerbera had an almost animal like quality to ownership. Almost like owning a horse. I'd love to build it (or atleast pay someone to build it for me!) from the ground up and really make it mine. There is a working 4.2 in silver on eBay for 13k, a respray from boring silver and you'd have change from 20k easily and fresh paint! Slippery slope thoufh, cos retrim, headlamp conversion almost certainly chassis painting etc... And you're north of 20k for a very nicely refurbished cerb assuming no engine work.
But a fully sorted (paint/chassis/engine) cerb is worth the 25k it would stand you in IMO.
burpface said:
Out of your requirements I would look again at the Maserati 4200 you mentioned. They are really quite under-rated and therefore very good value. As you mentioned OP- Ferrari derived V8, manual gear box is available (but ultra rare) and have that exotic/special feeling that you get from a cerb. Albeit not quite as quick, but then you can enjoy revving out the V8 much more on public roads.
Tread carefully though- they are relatively simple, but you need to find a well cared for example (much like tvr's) they are sensitive to not being looked after properly.
My fathers just bought one, and I've been seriously impressed and surprised. I also wasn't quite sure of the looks but I think it's a car that doesn't photograph well, in the flesh in the right colour (my fathers is a metallic grey) it's lovely, got a styling mix of a bit of Aston, a bit of Ferrari. I have lusted after cerbs for as long as I can remember too. !!
What is the maintenance like? I just see big bills for cambelt services and other things.. I'm sure on a previous google I saw someone say they spent £7k on their first service LOL (although they did exagerate it a bit because I think that included some repair work/respraying). Tread carefully though- they are relatively simple, but you need to find a well cared for example (much like tvr's) they are sensitive to not being looked after properly.
My fathers just bought one, and I've been seriously impressed and surprised. I also wasn't quite sure of the looks but I think it's a car that doesn't photograph well, in the flesh in the right colour (my fathers is a metallic grey) it's lovely, got a styling mix of a bit of Aston, a bit of Ferrari. I have lusted after cerbs for as long as I can remember too. !!
Edited by burpface on Wednesday 10th May 08:54
The only 2 cars that scare me more than a Cerbera when it comes to maintenance are the Maserati and the V10 M5 (although the latter is not too dissimilar to the M3, minus the bulls
t SMG gearbox).mike_e said:
C63 AMG? Loads around sub 20k.
Auto only.. And just as boring to look at as an M3 tbh... I know that I will miss looking out of the side view mirror with no 'hips' to look at. I love how proper coupe's have hunched over wide rear arches. Its something you don't get on saloon based coups. Gassing Station | Cerbera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff