Discussion
Ok, so the NSX will be winging its way to its new owner very soon and I'm on the lookout for a new baby.
I originally intented to spend about £16k on a Griff 500, but a 4.2 Cerb isn't that much more expensive...
It'll be my main car and i've got a few pennies squirreled away for running costs, but is the Cerb that much more expensive to run? Are the two cars comparable? Anybody who has both or has owned both?
Which would you choose?
I originally intented to spend about £16k on a Griff 500, but a 4.2 Cerb isn't that much more expensive...
It'll be my main car and i've got a few pennies squirreled away for running costs, but is the Cerb that much more expensive to run? Are the two cars comparable? Anybody who has both or has owned both?
Which would you choose?

Depends on what you want considering your changing from a NSX. I've never owned a Griff but been out in a few recently, own a 4.5 Cerb. If you want to go reaaaalllly fast there is only one choice IMHO and it has a roof. Only problem I can see is 16K is a bit low for a good sorted Cerb, maybe need to increase that slightly cos you'll need a good car to start and a suspension upgrade (I wasn't too impressed with the stock set-up, fit Nitrons though and wow, different car). Running costs are gonna be higher than a Griff, absolutely guaranteed. Reliability much like most other performace cars of this calibre, but it's definitely not a Honda.
Nice dilemma though, choose wisely and happy motoring.
Ceejay
Nice dilemma though, choose wisely and happy motoring.
Ceejay
trooper1212 said:
but is the Cerb that much more expensive to run? Are the two cars comparable? Anybody who has both or has owned both?
Received wisdom says the Cerb is about twice as much to run. Main reason that the Rover V8 is old tech, tried and tested, and plenty of people know all about it.
No, the two cars are different in most ways apart from construction techniques and badge.
Grif owners will say Griff, Cerb owners will say Cerb. But you're the one paying for it and you're the one who's got to be happy with it - so go and see both, eg at TVRCC meets, test drive both and eventually your own mind will decide.
And you can't the roof off a Griff

I think the Cerbera is more 'dramatic' and I'd not really considered them until i saw the prices of the 96/97 cars, but a 5 litre V8 is quite special.
I'd be lying if I said that outright speed wasn't important to me, so the Cerb wins that battle. My worry is that I will have to live with the car for 12,000 miles every year and then sell it on in a few years time. I think the Griff would suit that lifestyle better and be cheaper to buy and run.
My original reasoning for selling the NSX was to free up a bit of cash and go for an early Griff, but that has pretty much gone out the window
It sounds stupid when talking about TVRs, but running costs and reliabilty are key for me. That doesn't mean I'll be running out and buying Toyota Corolla though! A looked after TVR should be no more unreliable than any other similar type of car in theory, and the Griffs and earlier Cerbs
have no inherent flaws in their design, but if the small chance of problems is even smaller in a Griff than a Cerb, then that is something to take into consideration.
I'd be lying if I said that outright speed wasn't important to me, so the Cerb wins that battle. My worry is that I will have to live with the car for 12,000 miles every year and then sell it on in a few years time. I think the Griff would suit that lifestyle better and be cheaper to buy and run.
My original reasoning for selling the NSX was to free up a bit of cash and go for an early Griff, but that has pretty much gone out the window
It sounds stupid when talking about TVRs, but running costs and reliabilty are key for me. That doesn't mean I'll be running out and buying Toyota Corolla though! A looked after TVR should be no more unreliable than any other similar type of car in theory, and the Griffs and earlier Cerbs
have no inherent flaws in their design, but if the small chance of problems is even smaller in a Griff than a Cerb, then that is something to take into consideration. trooper1212 said:
I think the Cerbera is more 'dramatic' and I'd not really considered them until i saw the prices of the 96/97 cars, but a 5 litre V8 is quite special.
I'd be lying if I said that outright speed wasn't important to me, so the Cerb wins that battle. My worry is that I will have to live with the car for 12,000 miles every year and then sell it on in a few years time. I think the Griff would suit that lifestyle better and be cheaper to buy and run.
My original reasoning for selling the NSX was to free up a bit of cash and go for an early Griff, but that has pretty much gone out the window![]()
It sounds stupid when talking about TVRs, but running costs and reliabilty are key for me. That doesn't mean I'll be running out and buying Toyota Corolla though! A looked after TVR should be no more unreliable than any other similar type of car in theory, and the Griffs and earlier Cerbshave no inherent flaws in their design, but if the small chance of problems is even smaller in a Griff than a Cerb, then that is something to take into consideration.
I don't think Cerbs are unreliable so much as servicing the buggers costs a bit more
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