carl

if it starts

[Edited by carl - 7/2/2002 6:29:09 PM]

LG John

Quite fancy a go in one of these bad boys one day and just wondered what the general feeling was on them. Anyone driven/raced one/own one/etc.

Oh..sipie.....don't start <mumble mode> Jammy git <mumble mode>

CrisPDuk

One of our suppliers has just bought one (methinks he charges too much), awesome bit of kit. Wouldn't like to use it every day through winter though.

LG John

Yeah, sipie said (and I quote), 'class car mate but I think I'd be reluctant to take her out on humid days much less in the wet'

Kinda says it all. Maybe trying to tame the beast is part of the fun though

Mike P

Was driven around Milton Keynes in one, and they are amazing cars. That was in the dry, however. Inclement weather seems to bring out the other side of them.

Bloke I used to work with had to park his up one evening when it started snowing, 'cos it kept trying to swap ends, and someone else I knew put theirs backwards through a hedge in the wet.

So, very quick, very loud, and very scary if you live somewhere where it rains.

I'd still buy one if I had the money, mind you.

[Edited by Mike P - 6/28/2002 8:57:41 AM]

Cheeky Jim

Saxo,

If you look on www.pistonheads.com they have plenty of Cerbie owners - it is very much a TVR leaning site - goto Gassing station, I am sure there would be someone who would take you out if you ask nicely!!

Jim

carl

The only affordable way to go 200mph, if you don't have a bike license

Seriously, if there were no other considerations (reliability, running costs, etc.) you wouldn't get anything better for the money (4.2s can be picked up for around 15-18k, 4.5s a bit more).

LG John

I think as soon as I get the scooby I'll go down to my local TVR dealer burble in to the car park and after a bit of friendly chat say 'Scooby is great but I think I fancy a change, I hear them Cerbera's are pretty quick' The way I see it he'll

A) Laugh
B) Give me a test drive

It's 50:50

saxovts2000

ya nutter!! lol

Orimental

My father had a 4.5 Cerbera a few years back and the only word to describe it is

WOW

Only car I have ever driven where the car drives you, I don't think that anyone could tame one of these beasts and if you think you can put your foot to the floor forget about it, wheelspin in 5th at 90mph anyone???

Only downside to it was the reliability out of the 8 months he owned it, it was in the dealers garage being sorted out for a whole llist of things for about 4 months of that. It had to go back on the first day he got it because it broke down and wouldn't start again dealer couldn't find the fault so ended up replacing the whole engine, thank god for warrenty's.

But his was an R reg and I have heard that the reliability is better these days.

Even after the bad experiences I would still buy one, the sound, the power and its the only car I know that birds (the winged kind ) fall outta trees when you start it up.

My dad wouldn't go near another one though because of the bad experiences he had with his.

If you do get one the only piece of advice I would give you is BE CAREFUL these are very serious pieces of kit.

Cheers,
Chris

Chris L

Fabby cars

There is one I see around the A10 sometimes - Jet black with black alloys and a number plate set out to read "EXOCET" Just about somes it up really.

Chris

GaryC

I drove a 4.5 at Donington - VERY fast. Straight line it was virtually untouchable. Handling was good, but needed more skill than I had to get the most out of it.

HOWEVER - was Willie Green got into the drivers seat (with me in passenger) it was an absolute stunner. Flat out through Craner, and only the slightest of lift-offs at the bottom. Scary as hell, but incredible!!

It was the best/scariest automotive moments of my life - until I tried my weekend car - that was so bad I had to buy it

LG John

Cheers for the responses peeps. Seems to a lot of repect for what I feel is an awsome car. Better yet, it's British

SDUKES

I was in a convoy to Le Mans with a yellow Cerbera Speed six (Andy). very nice sound and awesome acceleration, I have a standard 95 WRX and off the lights (on a very quiet dual carriageway, of course) this monster left me standing (and the audi TT and 911 we were with). V low and visibility is quiet poor - but what a car!!

Cheeky Jim

Did anyone see that Clarkson Video from a few years back?

They had an orginal 4.2 Cerbie, a Caterham Superlight, Porsche 911 Turbo (I think), an Aston Martin Vantage (the 550bhp twin turbo) and I think a Lotus Esprit and something else.

Anyway, prior to the race the money was on the caterham getting off from the start first, followed by the Aston kicking it's twin turbo's in and then the Porsche coming through to win.

What happened??

The Cerby just f**ked off from the very start and left everything standing - it did a standing mile in 29 seconds and was I think about 2 seconds quicker than the next nearest which was the porsche. I think it must have been close to it's top speed as well...

Ruddy awesome kit..

Jim

SiPie

Ok Saxo Boy.....

Very decent of you not to mention it... but I really must say my piece here! Yeh 100% success in blagging test drives last Saturday.

But... the bit you so decently left out,

SiPie, man and machine at one, cooly burbles out of the dealer, looks left, palms sweating!!!!!! then ................stalls the f4cker! DOH

Never mind

LG John

I've seen that video and was amazed at how much the Cerbera won by and accepted it as a fair race until I watched his most recent video with the hot-hatches and the results simply had to be fixed. There was, if I recall, a Saxo VTS, a V5 golf, Seat Leon 20v Turbo, MK1 Golf GTI, 2.0 Brava thing and a few more I can't remember. Anyway, having played with most of these at some point during my VTS ownership I expected the VTS and MK1 GTI to play second fiddle to the Leon who's huge power advantage would show in 2nd and 3rd gears with the rest trailing behind. Er, no! The saxo did crap and the MK1 GTI pulled more of a lead over about a 1/4 mile than any standard scooby I ever raced. I realised then that the Clarkson races were done not to reveal the truth (which is that they would all be bunched within a car length of each other) but to try to go for maximum viewer impact. I then started to wonder if a Cerbera would really have thumped those other cars by such a margin and I have to say that I doubt it as there was some pretty powerful machinary on display that day.

ak47mh

Saw a Cerbera 4.5 a while back that was brand new reg at the time being driven with 2 other passengers in the car. Anyway it stopped at the traffic lights beside a Lancia Integrale EVO, with a long straight-ahead.

The lights changed and he let the Lancia take a bit of a lead, before he just literally blew him away. The sound was amazing.

TopBanana

The Clarkson race was apparently done with a Cerbera with a development 4.5l engine

MattOz

I've been lucky enough to drive a Cerbera Speed Six, 4.2 and 4.5. The Speed Six is the "nicest", and would blow most cars away in a straight line. The 4.2 was about the same to be honest, but not as nice to drive around town, i.e normal driving. The 4.5 however was a beastie! Absolutely loved it, and found that it was far more direct than the others. The gearchange was fantastic and brake simply awesome. The minimal turns lock-to-lock help to catch the rear when it inevitably tries to snap sideways, but still manages to feel OK in 99% of driving conditions.

Quite simply, the 4.5 was thequickest car I've driven. At least it was, until I drove a 993 Turbo 4 . Now that was LOL

If you can afford one, buy it with a ******* good warranty! And remember that servicing is about £500 a pop, every 4,000 miles or so!

Matt

LG John

That servicing stat kinda puts the scooby in its place. And you guys think you have it tough!!

ChrisG

As I have had a good offer for my Tek3'd MY00 I am in the fortunate position of being in the market for a new car.

As Saxoboy knows, a Cerbera is on my shortlist of replacements.

I won't be using it for everyday transport but I am concerned about reliability issues. The servicing does worry me also. For a 4.2 or 4.5 AJP engined Cerbera the basic price of a service is £500 for a 6000 mile and £1000 for a 12000 mile service. A service costing £2500+ is not uncommon. Eeek!

Are there any past owners out there with positive experiences? All stories seem to be of breakdowns and extended periods with the dealership

Gonna fo for a test drive one next week though

LG John

I wonder who offered for that?

Those servicing costs are unbelievable! I never realised it before but the Cerbera really is a weekend car unless your bank balance is very healthy!!! Probably costs a fiver to start Here was me thinking one day (way in the future) I might get rid of the scooby for a Cerbera.......er.....not on my wages I won't!!