To buy a Cerbera or not to buy a Cerbera

[allyduncan]

In the next month i plan to buy a new car, I've narrowed it down to a cerbera or Porsche 993 (maybe a skyline R34, but this would mean the sale of a kidney!!). I would be looking at spending £30k on the 993 or roughly £25k on the cerbera (I plan to keep some money, just in case...)

I have read all the horror stories about the cerbera, but am still keen. Many people say to buy as late as possible - what age should I be looking at? Does it really make a difference, are the newer ones more reliable? Any advice greatly appreciated.

AllyDuncan

[batwick]

Buy the Cerbera! I ran a Nov '97 4.5 from new for three years as my everyday car, and even did three family holidays in it with two kids in the back. It was fantastic. Not as 100% reliable as a Ford Focus, sure, but much better than the 911s that my business partner was running at the same time. My starter motor went, and I had a split radiator hose whilst on holiday. That was about it. The 911s (two of which were brand new) had all sorts of problems, including clutch, brakes, starting problems, and a total engine rebuild.

Do it! Buy the Cerbera!

[RUF 3]

Having run both a 1996 993 and a 1996 4.2 Cerbera, I think batwick has been lucky and his partner unlucky. The only way to make your mind up is a long test of both. The Cerbera will feel great initially, but, I found, insufferable in the longer term. Whilst, on paper, the Cerbera is much quicker, I thought it was much less useable and not as quick in the real world, on real roads. It was also too much like hard work to drive quickly. Previously I owned a 928GT which is like a mixture of the two, and a whole lot better than either. Perhaps you should try a drive in one of the last 928 GTS's also.

>> Edited by RUF 3 on Tuesday 21st May 18:22

[Pinkney]

I'm with Batwick here.

I bought a '98 R Cerbera 4.5 a year ago, and (touch wood) no major problems yet. New boot catch, breathing hose and steering electrics needed sorting but that's all and these were all covered in warranty. I use the car on a daily basis and have clocked up 11k miles in that time. The car was also thrashed at the Crofts track day in March.

The only problem I can foresee is that once you have test driven the Cerbera, you WILL buy it!!

>> Edited by Pinkney on Sunday 19th May 12:07

[woolfie]

I find that once you start saying should i buy a cerbera, you are in the rationalisation stage, rapidly followed by the parting of the readies.
woolfie

[cammy]

I bought brand new cerbera in Sept 01, and I have had only one problem, fixed in half an hour,which was the same problem in my mate's Honda and Golf. My wife had a chipped Carrera 2, and she sold it because of the costly problems emerging (nothing to do with the chip). At the end of the day, it's personal choice - yes, require more patience to live with a TVR, but in my experience it is bloody worth it! Nothing like it or as fast on the road.

[Humsing]

I've got a similar problem to Allyduncan in that I too am contemplating a Cerbera but this is on the basis that it might be a bit more practical than my Griff when it comes to transporting two children.

I've kinda settled on the idea of a 4.5 (based on V8 and hydratrak) but would be keen to know from any current owners as to what I should look for in the way of potential problems. Obviously I'll be looking to make sure there are no signs of water leaks but beyond that are there any inherent problems that I should be aware of.

[torqemada]

I bought a brand new 4.5LW in Feb and have done 6thou miles in 3 months - Ok I've had some minor glitches; boot catch, temp gauge, window switch. in comparison to my previous two cars, this is hassle free (both from large multi-national manufacturers). There is so much more fun to be had with one of these that you just have to do it!!!!!

[Alastairm]

Chaps-what else could you buy for 25k that will match a Diablo to sixty and probably have a soundtrack to match???? 911's are a distant memory in the Cerbera power bikers get worried....do it!!! I was being followed by a 360 Modena in Bath the other day and the Cerbera stole the show for noise, looks etc!!!
You will not regret it if you get a good one!

[MikeyT]

Have you put a similar question on the Porsche part of PHeads? I would suspect not – RUF 3 is a Porsche man – don't know why he spends so much time in the TVR bit really unless he's in denial

Think: you have the chance to do what I would do if I had the money (lowly Chim owner straying into the Cerb section) – so do it!

You know you want to, otherwise you wouldn't have asked the question really, you just want confirmation. Well, you'll get it on here no mistake.

[allyduncan]

Thanks for all the replies. As Alastairm guessed, I hadn't posted in the porsche section, I have owned 2 porsches previously (both 944's one a convertible) and neither were 100% reliable - I spent £4500 in one year on the convertible and that was for nothing serious.

As i live in Aberdeen the nearest TVR dealer is over 100 miles away, so anything serious going wrong would involve a long trip back to the dealer.

As Woolfie said I think i'm already in the rationalisation period, (I saw and heard 2 cerberas in Aberdeen at the weekend and both looked gorgeous),but would just like to know if some of the problems found in earlier cars have been sorted out by the 1998/1999 cars. And if there are any TVR owners here from the North East of Scotland where do you get your car serviced?

Thanks again for all the replies.

[cammy]

I think that there was talk that Logik were going to open un in Aberdeen after Dunfermline was up and running.

[craigalsop]

quote:
As i live in Aberdeen the nearest TVR dealer is over 100 miles away, so anything serious going wrong would involve a long trip back to the dealer.
And if there are any TVR owners here from the North East of Scotland where do you get your car serviced?

Thanks again for all the replies.

Well, anything really serious will mean that things start going back to the factory anyway, so distance to dealer shouldn't make that much of a difference. I believe Logic TVR already have a servicing arm in Aberdeen (or so they said when I talked to them at Knockhill 9 days ago). Alternatively there is Noel Flannery at V8 Sports & Classics, who may be able to do servicing for you - 016208 44800. He's based south of Edinburgh, but may be able to travel, or at least do free pickup - worth a phone call anyway, he's very knowledgeable & factory trained.
You should come to one of the TVRCC meets before you buy & chat to owners...

cheers,
Craig

[RUF 3]

Mikey T
The reason I spend time here is because I own a 500 Griffith, so it seems more appropriate than a Porsche site. You got me thinking as to why I have a TVR and not a Porsche. I love performance cars and have had a fair number over the years, but no TVR's until recently. I quite like my Griffith, but not, as seems the case with many contributors, to the point of imagining that no other marque is even worth considering. There are a lot of damn fine sportscars out there that are not TVR's. If you have never tried one, could I suggest you try to drive a 928 with a manual gearbox at some point (Autos are totally different cars) and I think you would be surprised just how much like a sorted TVR it seems. Never a popular Porsche with the 911 boys, but it still looks pretty stunning for a shape introduced in 1978. I think you have convinced me - any 928 owners want a deal with a 98 500 Griffith - email me.

[JedSteel]

As Craigalsop says, distance to dealer shouldn't make much difference. For the past few years I've lived in Madrid. I drive 250 miles to Bilbao to catch the ferry and then on to TMS in Leicester when it's service time. If the car ever gives up on me while in Spain, I can always trailor it back. But so far so good.

[Botthom]

quote:(both 944's one a convertible) and neither were 100% reliable - I spent £4500 in one year on the convertible and that was for nothing serious

It's about time I switch to a TVR!

[Botthom]

quote:Never a popular Porsche with the 911 boys, but it still looks pretty stunning for a shape introduced in 1978. I think you have convinced me

Aha, let's throw some oil on the fire;
It has recently come to my mind that after all the only 100%, purest, fat free Sir, original Porsche is the 928!
The rear-engined cars (550,718,356,911) are more or less VW derivatives as well as the 924/944/968 series.
So what's left? The 928!
Even the "small" Boxster is from this point of view purer than the 911!

Awaiting being with a big

[MikeyT]

RUF, I love the 928, I'd much rather have one than a 911 anytime – big meaty V8 and all that. And 5.0 to boot.

No, don't go getting rid of the Griffith please!