Chimeara to Cerbera
Discussion
Hiya,
I have the chance to buy a 60,000 Cerbie 4.2 1997 that had a full £8K engine rebuild at 50,000. the price difference between what I sell my Chim for and buy the cerb is only likely to be a couple of thousand. I love the Chim but am planning to start a family next year knowing that it will probably have to go. Im put off by buying a 60K Cerbie due to the engine reliabilty problems and the general running costs. What do you all think, would you trade up?
I have the chance to buy a 60,000 Cerbie 4.2 1997 that had a full £8K engine rebuild at 50,000. the price difference between what I sell my Chim for and buy the cerb is only likely to be a couple of thousand. I love the Chim but am planning to start a family next year knowing that it will probably have to go. Im put off by buying a 60K Cerbie due to the engine reliabilty problems and the general running costs. What do you all think, would you trade up?
It all depends on a few things:
1). Roof, the Cerbie has a roof.
2). Do you have £3-4K spare just in case it goes wrong?
3). How much will you use it?
If i had the money I probably would trade up, but if it was because I was starting a family, possibly not. If money was no object yes!
1). Roof, the Cerbie has a roof.
2). Do you have £3-4K spare just in case it goes wrong?
3). How much will you use it?
If i had the money I probably would trade up, but if it was because I was starting a family, possibly not. If money was no object yes!
Even though the Cerb is a 2 plus 2 (well a 2 plus 1 really as there's not really enough room behind the driver for anything other than a small flattened road-killed animal) there's not enough room for a backwards facing baby cradle thing. And you'll need to sit your newborn in one of those for the first 9 months or so.
So you'll be restricted by having the kid in the front and your missis in the back.
I'd trade up anyway! But I'm not convinced that getting a Cerb for a growing family is a great reason on its own.
So you'll be restricted by having the kid in the front and your missis in the back.
I'd trade up anyway! But I'm not convinced that getting a Cerb for a growing family is a great reason on its own.
Hiya,
Just been to see it and now im too confused. It looked superb but on closer inspection there was fresh underseal under the rear tailpipes and overspray on the boxes, the trader had said he had sprayed the front to remove chips and the carbon trims on and around the roof were tatty looking with a black (sprayed on?) surround around the windscreen?
When the engine was started it was quite knocky for the first 30 secs (sounded like cams) and a little bit of blue smoke. After a gentle 2 mile run you could smell burning oil also. The "Full Engine rebuild" at 48000 turns out to be a 48K service and a couple of camshafts and followers being fitted at a cost of £8000. The car has also not been service since 48000 miles and has only done about 500 miles in the last 8 months. Someone has also sprayed the whole top half of the engine in satin black paint for some reason, maybee to mask oil leaks. It also bothered me that the trader seemed reluctant to give it some welly, he drove it really gently?
Retail price on this car on autotrader is £12990 and it looks like it may go for a bit less on ebay. It's a very cheap Cerbie and being a mechanic means I worry less about mechanical repairs but when all said and done the parts are still bloody expensive compared to an RV8!
Just been to see it and now im too confused. It looked superb but on closer inspection there was fresh underseal under the rear tailpipes and overspray on the boxes, the trader had said he had sprayed the front to remove chips and the carbon trims on and around the roof were tatty looking with a black (sprayed on?) surround around the windscreen?
When the engine was started it was quite knocky for the first 30 secs (sounded like cams) and a little bit of blue smoke. After a gentle 2 mile run you could smell burning oil also. The "Full Engine rebuild" at 48000 turns out to be a 48K service and a couple of camshafts and followers being fitted at a cost of £8000. The car has also not been service since 48000 miles and has only done about 500 miles in the last 8 months. Someone has also sprayed the whole top half of the engine in satin black paint for some reason, maybee to mask oil leaks. It also bothered me that the trader seemed reluctant to give it some welly, he drove it really gently?
Retail price on this car on autotrader is £12990 and it looks like it may go for a bit less on ebay. It's a very cheap Cerbie and being a mechanic means I worry less about mechanical repairs but when all said and done the parts are still bloody expensive compared to an RV8!
Whilst I did actually manage to fit a lightweight (had to be 
) rearward facing seat in the front of the cerb, I really wouldnt recommend putting a little un (under 9 months) in a cerb. I waitied until my son was a year and could fit in a forward facing seat with straps, which I put in the front (technically it should go in the back but until I can convince Mrs njw that I should buy a Recarro Start @ £160, thats how it shall be).
Dont kid yourself (as I did) that you should buy a cerb to put a newborn in, particularly if it is your 1st child. The first few months of driving my first newborn around (in the Audi with all the driver aids/airbags/releiability) I litterally pooped myself everytime I took her out in the car, terrified she would come to harm. I ofetn ended up going out solo with Mrs njw following (slowly I may add) in the 'chase car' with babies/prams/ etc.
Now mine are 1 and 3 yrs, we go out as a family in the cerb as often as poissible and both kids LOVE the cerb.
Re: the car, IMHO a £13k cerb (particularly one described as you did) could give you a whole world of pain.
If I was you, keep your chim until your baby is 9 months or above and save the pennies in the meantime so you can buy a decent cerb. (Isnt hindsight such a great thing?)
) rearward facing seat in the front of the cerb, I really wouldnt recommend putting a little un (under 9 months) in a cerb. I waitied until my son was a year and could fit in a forward facing seat with straps, which I put in the front (technically it should go in the back but until I can convince Mrs njw that I should buy a Recarro Start @ £160, thats how it shall be). Dont kid yourself (as I did) that you should buy a cerb to put a newborn in, particularly if it is your 1st child. The first few months of driving my first newborn around (in the Audi with all the driver aids/airbags/releiability) I litterally pooped myself everytime I took her out in the car, terrified she would come to harm. I ofetn ended up going out solo with Mrs njw following (slowly I may add) in the 'chase car' with babies/prams/ etc.
Now mine are 1 and 3 yrs, we go out as a family in the cerb as often as poissible and both kids LOVE the cerb.
Re: the car, IMHO a £13k cerb (particularly one described as you did) could give you a whole world of pain.
If I was you, keep your chim until your baby is 9 months or above and save the pennies in the meantime so you can buy a decent cerb. (Isnt hindsight such a great thing?)
.Mark said:
A fair bit of worrying stuff.
Sounds like one to walk away from to me!
Totally agree. It's a car you must test drive yourself. Front brakes can be notorious on Cerbs (less so on the 4.2s, more on the 4.5s) and they are remarkably easy to drive gently, masking brake judder etc. As soon as you stand on the pedal yourself you'll know instantly if there's an issue.
Me too...Check this one out,
www.pistonheads.com/sales/45758.htm
with child seat, sounds a far better car.
The other one scares me ,and I am only going by your testdrice thread.
Nick.
www.pistonheads.com/sales/45758.htm
with child seat, sounds a far better car.
The other one scares me ,and I am only going by your testdrice thread.
Nick.
NJW 77 said:
I really wouldnt recommend putting a little un (under 9 months) in a cerb.
Why? What are they going to do? Something different to what they do in your Eurobox?
Errr........No.
NJW 77 said:
until I can convince Mrs njw that I should buy a Recarro Start @ £160,
You can afford a Cerb and the associated running costs but not the extra for a Recaro? Come on......
My son was in a rear facing Maxi Cosi in the Chimaera from days old - roof on and off. He transferred to the Cerbera as soon as he would fit properly into the Recaro with the bolster bit at the front (about 7.5 months). The criteria from that being able to sit up without aid and head in correct postion on the seat.
Plus
Equals
It's not a difficult decsion to make.
Given the choice my son toddles over to the cerb in preference to any of our other 'fleet' and the Recaro is easy to transfer between all the cars.
Tyre Smoke said:
I really wouldnt recommend putting a little un (under 9 months) in a cerb.
Why? What are they going to do? Something different to what they do in your Eurobox?
Richard, its not what they would do, more what I could have done. I just never felt comfortable with the idea.
Tyre Smoke said:
You can afford a Cerb and the associated running costs but not the extra for a Recaro? Come on......
All things cerb is paid for out of my own account so Mrs njw doesnt actually see how much I spend on him (luckily)whereas I cant hide a baby seat. I cant convince my wife that I must have a Start when I can get something from Mothercare for £50 (my original comment was partially tongue in cheek)
Am I really the only hen-pecked, cerb owning husband out there?
NJW 77 said:
Am I really the only hen-pecked, cerb owning husband out there?
Yes mate!
It's a real man's car. No washing up or ironing for your cerb owner. You have full TVR rights to cut your toe nails in the living room whilst watching Sky Sports and farting.
I have my wife's permission to say this
Hiya Guys,
Thanks for the advise, I ran for the hills and hid behind a tree! It would have been a big gamble for me and if it went pop I would have been moving from my 3 Bed semi with garage back to a flat
Just off down to hug the chim in the garage and give it a polish to say sorry for considering joining the dark side. I think it's better to wait, save a few more quid and buy a decent one once one comes along.
Thanks
Keith
Thanks for the advise, I ran for the hills and hid behind a tree! It would have been a big gamble for me and if it went pop I would have been moving from my 3 Bed semi with garage back to a flat
Just off down to hug the chim in the garage and give it a polish to say sorry for considering joining the dark side. I think it's better to wait, save a few more quid and buy a decent one once one comes along. Thanks
Keith
Tyre Smoke said:
I really wouldnt recommend putting a little un (under 9 months) in a cerb.
Why? What are they going to do? Something different to what they do in your Eurobox?
Yep, Become asthmatic due to breathing in glassfibre resin fumes.
At least in a Chim you can take the roof down and let the little chap bask in the diesel particulates of other road users, just as nature intended.
No, the fruit of your loins and heir to your fortune should be safely ensconced, in the air conditioned, pollen filtered cabin of NCAP 5 star rated eurobox with a stain resistant easy clean interior.
Sorry If I am a bit late responding to this, but avoid that Cerb. It sounds shagged to me and anything too good to be true (the price) usually is. Yes there are some cheaper Cerbs around nowadays, but you do need to be careful, as they can involve significantly higher running and maintenance costs than a Rover V8 engined Tiv. Get a good one and you will be fine (worth paying a little more for peace of mind), get a bad one and it will cost you a shedload of cash and be very frustrating, (and you'll rarely use it which in my opinion defeats the object).
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