How do u do it
Discussion
Hi Cerby owners,
I have mean wanting to own a TVR since i saw one but could not afford any.
I am now in a position of thinking to buy a Cerby, but after reading all the threads regarding running costs, unreliabilty and ££££££££££££££££££££ spent on them - I may not be able to afford it.
Are all tvr owners rich? how much money must you have put aside on a monthly basis to keep this beast going.
How do u finance this addiction :-)
Any responce would be greatly appreciated.
I have mean wanting to own a TVR since i saw one but could not afford any.
I am now in a position of thinking to buy a Cerby, but after reading all the threads regarding running costs, unreliabilty and ££££££££££££££££££££ spent on them - I may not be able to afford it.
Are all tvr owners rich? how much money must you have put aside on a monthly basis to keep this beast going.
How do u finance this addiction :-)
Any responce would be greatly appreciated.
Cerbies are cheap to buy but not to run. Don't underestimate the running costs. Mine has been kind to me but even using it on weekends only still requires leaving a couple of hundred quid aside each month on petrol alone.
Then there are tyres and other consumables.
You don't need to be rich, just make some sacrifices
Then there are tyres and other consumables.
You don't need to be rich, just make some sacrifices
TVRs are just like any other performance cars while they can appear to be reasonable to purchase the running costs are still high.I was watching an old "Deals on Wheels" on sky last night where they were talking about buying a ferrari for secondhand mondeo money.Sounded good but then they suggested you put away £5000 a year to run it!
My advice would be to look beyond the purchase price as this is only half the story. If you blow all your money buying the car and don't factor in at least a couple of grand a year to keep it on the road you'll be in trouble.
Even so, I still think a used Cerbera is an absolute bargain (if you get a good'un). After 3 years they've done most of their depreciating and the previous owner should have sorted out any major gremlins.
My advice would be to buy privately but get a TVR expert to check the car out for you. If you do this, you'll save yourself a good 5K (versus dealers) which you can put towards running costs.
Even so, I still think a used Cerbera is an absolute bargain (if you get a good'un). After 3 years they've done most of their depreciating and the previous owner should have sorted out any major gremlins.
My advice would be to buy privately but get a TVR expert to check the car out for you. If you do this, you'll save yourself a good 5K (versus dealers) which you can put towards running costs.
Thank you so much for the speedy responce.
I forgot to mention that I have a wife and 5 mth daughter who will be
sharin the mega experiance with me, Also it will be used as a weekend
car.
I would not be able to afford a new cerby, instead i have a budget of
around £22k of which it will be on finance, so i cant buy privately.
After finace of £200 - £300 per month (this is assumed figure ) i have
about £150 left for running costs. I may do upto 200 miles a month which
i am assuming will cost me around £45 on petrol. So that leaves me with
around £100 for any nigly bits per month.Servicing is enevitable and
will cough up for it when needed.
I have a feeling im being to optimistic!
My other choice is a Jaguar XK8
Thnx again for any replies.
I forgot to mention that I have a wife and 5 mth daughter who will be
sharin the mega experiance with me, Also it will be used as a weekend
car.
I would not be able to afford a new cerby, instead i have a budget of
around £22k of which it will be on finance, so i cant buy privately.
After finace of £200 - £300 per month (this is assumed figure ) i have
about £150 left for running costs. I may do upto 200 miles a month which
i am assuming will cost me around £45 on petrol. So that leaves me with
around £100 for any nigly bits per month.Servicing is enevitable and
will cough up for it when needed.
I have a feeling im being to optimistic!
My other choice is a Jaguar XK8
Thnx again for any replies.
The XK8 will be a helluva a lot cheaper to run. I am not saying that you wont be able to run a Cerbera on your budget but its effectively a racing car with number plates and as such doesnt respond well to scrimping on servicing etc. Also remember that at 12,000 intervals it'll need its tappets sorting and that adds a pretty significant amount onto servicing costs, if you go to a main dealer for your servicing a 12K at certain places is way over £1200, and thats if they find nothing wrong...
Independants on the other hand are a lot cheaper...
Matt.
Independants on the other hand are a lot cheaper...
Matt.
Hi marc,
Unfortunately im one of those with bad credit due to the address i was living at before. I have previousley applied for loans only to be turned down, im hoping with the help of my financial advisor who got me my mortgage i can get through the Hp credit cheks.If not then my dreams are shatered.I am a IT contranctor so i kinda fall in a different catagory to permy staff, hence banks give me a hard time when borrowing etc.
Thnx
Unfortunately im one of those with bad credit due to the address i was living at before. I have previousley applied for loans only to be turned down, im hoping with the help of my financial advisor who got me my mortgage i can get through the Hp credit cheks.If not then my dreams are shatered.I am a IT contranctor so i kinda fall in a different catagory to permy staff, hence banks give me a hard time when borrowing etc.
Thnx
I'm afraid I agree with Gazzab. Whilst you have worked out your monthly budget and it seems to just work, what about if (god forbid) something big happens that you can't afford to have fixed? Are you going to sell it whilst knackered (the car, not you 
)?
Also if you are going to drive it properly, you are going to go through tyres and other consumables faster than you think. The only plus point is that your targetted age and spec implies that you are going to stay out of the dealer network with its stranglehold on FTVRSH. Remember it's a 6k interval, with every other one needing tappets. Even with a non-franchised specialist, this isn't going to be cheap.
Sorry to be a spectre at the feast, but it's the unforseens that could knock you. You will also want to do a lot more mileage than you are planning.....trust me on that
)? Also if you are going to drive it properly, you are going to go through tyres and other consumables faster than you think. The only plus point is that your targetted age and spec implies that you are going to stay out of the dealer network with its stranglehold on FTVRSH. Remember it's a 6k interval, with every other one needing tappets. Even with a non-franchised specialist, this isn't going to be cheap.
Sorry to be a spectre at the feast, but it's the unforseens that could knock you. You will also want to do a lot more mileage than you are planning.....trust me on that
I was planning something similar, but I’m taking £18k for the car and going to put aside £4k for running costs, then once I’ve sold my others mini that should give me money for the following years running. If it doesn’t need the money spending then its a bonus, if it does I’m expecting it anyway. The money won’t be for servicing etc just breakages, if your prepared it won’t hurt as much.
I've often wondeerd how some people can afford the running costs of a Cerbera 
I'd swop my Chim tomorrow if I could afford to run a Cerb, but I can't. The Chim was a big chunk of money for me and so far (touching dash), it has cost me nothing.
I'd speak to mycerbera on here who I remember was as pleased as punch went he gto his, then it went bang and he ended up having to have it repaired at the factory, since when its all gone a bit quiet. Now I see it for sale in the classifieds on here. I'd be intersted to know why he's selling it so oon after getting it back raring to go.
Are you out there mycerbera?
£100 a month is a drop in the oil tank for Cerb servicing and fettling I'm afraid. Get another TVR instead.
>> Edited by MikeyT on Friday 30th August 21:53
I'd swop my Chim tomorrow if I could afford to run a Cerb, but I can't. The Chim was a big chunk of money for me and so far (touching dash), it has cost me nothing.
I'd speak to mycerbera on here who I remember was as pleased as punch went he gto his, then it went bang and he ended up having to have it repaired at the factory, since when its all gone a bit quiet. Now I see it for sale in the classifieds on here. I'd be intersted to know why he's selling it so oon after getting it back raring to go.
Are you out there mycerbera?
£100 a month is a drop in the oil tank for Cerb servicing and fettling I'm afraid. Get another TVR instead.
>> Edited by MikeyT on Friday 30th August 21:53
I budgeted 24000 for a Cerbera.
Bought for 19000, and have spent 8500 in the past year.
For a Cerbera I think that 3500 in the past year is about right. The cheaper you go to buy the car, the older you have to go, and the more that needs doing.
These are race engines in a road car, and require the same treatment as race engines.
However, if you buy cheap and get the work done, then you know the car is sorted to your own satisfaction.
Oliver
Bought for 19000, and have spent 8500 in the past year.
For a Cerbera I think that 3500 in the past year is about right. The cheaper you go to buy the car, the older you have to go, and the more that needs doing.
These are race engines in a road car, and require the same treatment as race engines.
However, if you buy cheap and get the work done, then you know the car is sorted to your own satisfaction.
Oliver
Yes if you have the car as a company car, but given the new laws on CO2 emissions which dictate how much tax you pay, then it rules out having a cerby as a company car. I had a Griff 500 as a "company" car a couple of years ago on the basis of mileage dictating the tax.
Now you're better to buy the car privately and claim 45p per mile for using it for "business" trips. However, that's only the for first x000's of miles, not quite sure what the limit is, and then it drops back.
Now you're better to buy the car privately and claim 45p per mile for using it for "business" trips. However, that's only the for first x000's of miles, not quite sure what the limit is, and then it drops back.
Go for it you will not regret it at all. I paid 24K for an early Cerbera from a dealer two years ago. It has cost me apart from normal servicing which I now use a well respected specilist which helps keep costs down.
One set of suspension bushes and unforutantly a set of rings and valve guides which cost 1.5K.
I have a very similar budjet to yourself, however I have cut down on the drink stopped smoking. (which nearly pays for the car on its own)
I have not skimped at all on the maintainence of the car. And I love every minute of the TVR experience.
Good luck
Paul
One set of suspension bushes and unforutantly a set of rings and valve guides which cost 1.5K.
I have a very similar budjet to yourself, however I have cut down on the drink stopped smoking. (which nearly pays for the car on its own)
I have not skimped at all on the maintainence of the car. And I love every minute of the TVR experience.
Good luck
Paul
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