cerb vs T350

[toady1]

After owning a cerb for a little while, and now looking at getting back into tvr ownership, what are everyones opinions (preferebly if youve owned/driven both) on the two. I love the cerbs ajp8 engine, but i love the 350's looks. Some advice on comparissons would be great please!

[sidecar pilot]

Hi Toady,

I went from Cerb 4.5 RR to T350T, I have to say that I preferred the driving characteristics of the T350 over the Cerb, and that was the primary reason for the change. However!!!! I have sorely missed the Cerb ever since it went ( quite something for me to admit to as I don't get dewy eyed about cars!). I think on balance that you will still be impressed, especially as you have had a break from TVR.

[toady1]

thanks for the reply! Ive missed my cerb a hell of a lot since selling it!

How does the t350 handle compared to the cerb, and would you say it felt a brutal and quick in a straight line?

Do they respond well to tuning like the cerb 4.5's?

Also, do they have the same cerb quirks such as leaks in the rain, etc.

Are there any known engine failures on the t350's, or have tvr sorted the engines out by 2003?

Thanks!

[grumbledoak]

I've not driven a cerb, but reports and my experience in a Chim would suggest that TVR handling improved considerably with the T-cars. The T350 can feel a little 'darty' at first, mind.

The Speed 6 has a reputation for being a little fragile though it seems to have been mostly the early engines, and mostly the 4l ones at that. They got better after about 2003 with improved part quality, though no two are ever the same and the previous owners treatment of the engine may matter more than year and mileage. Nonetheless, rebuilds to improved spec are available for reliability, and some are even looking at supercharging for more performance.

Mine seems very well built generally, no leaks or squeaks or things that don't work, though again no two will be the same.

HTH

[sidecar pilot]

Mine was an 03 T350, in my opinion, no it was not as brutal in a straight line. I did have some "niggles" but nothing engine wise during my 13,500 miles with the car. I think the reason for it being more to my liking handling wise was its similarity to an F1 Sidecar, not as quick (obviously) but in its way of communicating what was happening in terms of grip and response to driver input. I feel that the Sagaris has moved things forward from the T350 in this respect, but I have yet to track it so not got any comparables (personal lap times) to see how much better in figures. The Cerb that I had felt that it somehow managed to delay the transmission of information just long enough for it to be perilously close to the point of no return. The T cars seem to send the info directly to the base of the spine, which for me is ideal.

Hope this is of some use.

[toady1]

cheers, handling wise they sound good. Ill have to look into tuning them more then next, as the brutalness of the cerb was one of the things i miss most about it! So much raw power that keeps going and going!

[toady1]

are the engines in the t350 more reliable than previous sp6's as fitted to the cerbs and tuscs?

[grumbledoak]

Yes. Parts sourcing was improved around 2003. Also, the early Tuscans would likely be 4l, while later T350s are more likely to be 3.6l.

No guarantees, but it improves your odds...

[Horse_Apple]

toady1 said:

thanks for the reply! Ive missed my cerb a hell of a lot since selling it!

How does the t350 handle compared to the cerb, and would you say it felt a brutal and quick in a straight line?

Do they respond well to tuning like the cerb 4.5's?

Also, do they have the same cerb quirks such as leaks in the rain, etc.

Are there any known engine failures on the t350's, or have tvr sorted the engines out by 2003?

Thanks!

Personally, I think the T350 handles much better than a Cerb. In normal driving they are the same but the Cerb always had something about it that would make it bite you hard when you least needed it.

Not sure about tuning.

I have a T and it doesn't appear to leak, but it doesn't sit outside.

Engines are still happily blowing but at a less frequent rate. As I've said before, it is a buyers market and the seller will have to pay for a full warranty for you if he is serious about offloading.

You should easily be able to negotiate a sufficient discount to cover you for a couple of years of warranties.

I also really like the 350 looks but must confess to never really liking the Cerb.

[J_S_G]

I prefer my T350 to the Cerb now I've got used to it. Missed the torque at first (both with the T350 and the Tuscan). The T350 makes up for it in the handling, though, in my mind. Would prefer the Cerb as an everyday car and the T350 as a weekend toy.