TVR Cerbera+Griffith
21 April 2004, 12:40 PM
#1
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TVR Cerbera+Griffith
Noticed that these are coming up s/hand well below the 20K mark
Wots the score??
which , if any, is the better.?
Hard on insurance?
And are they reliable, heard bits "dop off" all TVRs......??
Thanks in advance
Bryan
Wots the score??
which , if any, is the better.?
Hard on insurance?
And are they reliable, heard bits "dop off" all TVRs......??
Thanks in advance
Bryan
21 April 2004, 01:23 PM
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Yes Bryan seriously tempted for the Cerbera. Insurance for a 4.2 (which i was told was the one to go for) comes out at £917.00. Not bad to say minimal security fitted. Bearing in mind I pay £800 for the Subaru (27 years young 7yrs no claims ) I dont think its that bad.
I dont imagine that the costs of running would be too much of an issue. I'm used to spending sill money on the Subaru and am constantly throwing money at it trying to increase the bhp. Dont need to do that with a TVR!!
The horror stories concern me but I guess its like anything you need to be lucky. I've had a look at a couple at a specialist garage close to me and they confirm warranty is a must for piece of mind. They also say they're better as an "occasional car". Guess the 12 000 miles a year are out of the question. No wonder they all seem to be low mileage examples. So now I have to justify an £18k weekend toy AND buy a run about for work.
Mmmmmm..........still so tempted.
I dont imagine that the costs of running would be too much of an issue. I'm used to spending sill money on the Subaru and am constantly throwing money at it trying to increase the bhp. Dont need to do that with a TVR!!
The horror stories concern me but I guess its like anything you need to be lucky. I've had a look at a couple at a specialist garage close to me and they confirm warranty is a must for piece of mind. They also say they're better as an "occasional car". Guess the 12 000 miles a year are out of the question. No wonder they all seem to be low mileage examples. So now I have to justify an £18k weekend toy AND buy a run about for work.
Mmmmmm..........still so tempted.
21 April 2004, 01:37 PM
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"I dont imagine that the costs of running would be too much of an issue."
lollololololollolololllllloooloo!
they fall apart.
spend 18k on a weekend car then what? drive a sh1te car 90% of the time or by a decent 2nd car...in which case why not buy one decent car?
go on piston heads and dig out some pics of not very old TVRs that are up on ramps........they look like they have been raised from the titanic.
in your head you have an image of TVR ownership...let me paint a new picture.
you spend all week driving a car you dont like much, weekend comes so you go out in the TVR (but first check its not to hot- car will overheat and so will you, not to wet-no fund in wet, not when the rain gathers round your toes!, check roads are quite- dont want to get stuck in a jam- overheat)
so lets assume all critera are meet- off for a blast, pull in for petrol- everyone looks...how coooool are you!
pay for petrol, get back in - wont start...you push it out the way....how cooool are you!
you take it to garage to be checked- they wack it on a ramp....underneath looks as rusty as a 1979 metro...you pay monster bill.
imagine that and have a hard think!
lollololololollolololllllloooloo!
they fall apart.
spend 18k on a weekend car then what? drive a sh1te car 90% of the time or by a decent 2nd car...in which case why not buy one decent car?
go on piston heads and dig out some pics of not very old TVRs that are up on ramps........they look like they have been raised from the titanic.
in your head you have an image of TVR ownership...let me paint a new picture.
you spend all week driving a car you dont like much, weekend comes so you go out in the TVR (but first check its not to hot- car will overheat and so will you, not to wet-no fund in wet, not when the rain gathers round your toes!, check roads are quite- dont want to get stuck in a jam- overheat)
so lets assume all critera are meet- off for a blast, pull in for petrol- everyone looks...how coooool are you!
pay for petrol, get back in - wont start...you push it out the way....how cooool are you!
you take it to garage to be checked- they wack it on a ramp....underneath looks as rusty as a 1979 metro...you pay monster bill.
imagine that and have a hard think!
21 April 2004, 02:03 PM
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..the ***** fancy electronic locks on the cerbera don't work half the time - seen a mate doing a brilliant impression of basil fawlty with his remote keyfob trying to get into the damned thing LOL 
21 April 2004, 02:26 PM
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Ouch....who's had a bad experience?? Sour grapes?
Ok lets have some clarity. All I was saying is that it must be cheaper than the average £400.00 that I'm throwing at my Subaru on pretty much a monthly basis. Needless to say come to sell it and I doubt I will see a penny back.
I'd actually like to have a weekend car. The five days that I come to work I'm stuck in tail backs for an hour and a half. Any "enjoyable driving experience" is none existent irrespective of the car that I would be driving.
The joys of warranty....I know of two people who've had TVR's. One was a Cerbera 4.5 where the engine let go (replaced free and was the only thing that went wrong in five years of ownership) and this was hardly surprising given that it was a daily driver with over 60k on the clock and had done regular track days. The other was a Chimera-new battery needed in 18 months.
No offence mate but you hear of people looking to buy Subarus but are put off by the horror stories. 90% will quickly say they are isolated instances but for those who've had numerous rebuilds I'm sure this is not the case and I know some will never go back
Everyone has their own train of thought and your comments are appreciated. You've certainly put me off again. Assuming you've had one it was obviously a bad experience. Research and buying from reputable dealers is obviously the way forward.
Regards
Rob (damn where's that recovery truck)
Ok lets have some clarity. All I was saying is that it must be cheaper than the average £400.00 that I'm throwing at my Subaru on pretty much a monthly basis. Needless to say come to sell it and I doubt I will see a penny back.
I'd actually like to have a weekend car. The five days that I come to work I'm stuck in tail backs for an hour and a half. Any "enjoyable driving experience" is none existent irrespective of the car that I would be driving.
The joys of warranty....I know of two people who've had TVR's. One was a Cerbera 4.5 where the engine let go (replaced free and was the only thing that went wrong in five years of ownership) and this was hardly surprising given that it was a daily driver with over 60k on the clock and had done regular track days. The other was a Chimera-new battery needed in 18 months.
No offence mate but you hear of people looking to buy Subarus but are put off by the horror stories. 90% will quickly say they are isolated instances but for those who've had numerous rebuilds I'm sure this is not the case and I know some will never go back
Everyone has their own train of thought and your comments are appreciated. You've certainly put me off again. Assuming you've had one it was obviously a bad experience. Research and buying from reputable dealers is obviously the way forward.
Regards
Rob (damn where's that recovery truck)
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21 April 2004, 05:30 PM
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Friend had a Cerbera.
Had 2 engine rebuilds, exhaust fell off 4 times, door catches failed all the time, car wouldn't start half the time. It came with AA cover though which was good. The paint literally fell off the door and it needed a full respray. These are the problems that were outside the "normal" ownership experience, ie, windows failing, leaking like a sieve causing the carpet to rot and need replacing, general dodgy electrics etc. He had it for 18months, was on the road for 6 months and during that time he had at least 1 £2k service.
Why do you think they're so cheap 2nd hand?
I'd say if you HAVE to get a TVR, the Griffith and Chimaera are probably a little more reliable.
Can't comment on the Tuscan.
Had 2 engine rebuilds, exhaust fell off 4 times, door catches failed all the time, car wouldn't start half the time. It came with AA cover though which was good. The paint literally fell off the door and it needed a full respray. These are the problems that were outside the "normal" ownership experience, ie, windows failing, leaking like a sieve causing the carpet to rot and need replacing, general dodgy electrics etc. He had it for 18months, was on the road for 6 months and during that time he had at least 1 £2k service.
Why do you think they're so cheap 2nd hand?
I'd say if you HAVE to get a TVR, the Griffith and Chimaera are probably a little more reliable.
Can't comment on the Tuscan.
21 April 2004, 08:44 PM
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when you are looking to buy you will chuckle when ppl give you the "ahhhh, all part of the experience" patter.
when the RAC man says it at the pub where you arrived looking cool and now look an idiot you will chuckle less!
when the RAC man says it at the pub where you arrived looking cool and now look an idiot you will chuckle less!
21 April 2004, 09:02 PM
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LOL, my worst experience was after getting it back from the factory 17 weeks after the engine went bang for the 2nd time, 15 miles down the road I stopped for a paper and the bleeding thing wouldnt start. Had to get the AA out again as the dealer couldn't give a ****...
Apparently there are some good ones out I obviously got a duff one, as did 3 other people I know
Apparently there are some good ones out I obviously got a duff one, as did 3 other people I know
21 April 2004, 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted by RLE
All I was saying is that it must be cheaper than the average £400.00 that I'm throwing at my Subaru on pretty much a monthly basis.
If you do intend to get one, avoid Speed 6s like the plague, unless it has a 2003-spec engine in. Even then, be wary.
21 April 2004, 09:30 PM
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Found this on Pistonheads:
NEW TVR WARRANTY Wednesday 25th February
Engine cover available for AJP's and Speed 6's
It's no secret that TVR have had problems with the Speed 6 engine. Whilst newer models seem to benefit from further development the legacy of doubt that surrounds older models has hit residuals in an odd manner.
Some warranty companies are not prepared to cover engine failures so dealers are having to build in several thousand pounds worth of contingency when pricing second hand cars in case remedial engine work is required after the sale.
Now there's a new option. Henley Heritage TVR have been working closely with a warranty company to come up with a new warranty package. Henley will inspect the engine during services looking for tell-tale signs of potential faults. Once they've given your engine a clean bill of health they'll provide a 12 month warranty with a claims limit of £5000. The warranty and 12,000 mile service come in at £1675 inc VAT. The warranty is transferable so if you're planning to sell your car privately then a service and warranty from Henley could be what you need to give potential buyers that extra confidence..
Henley will also be providing this warranty inclusively on all their used TVRs (Speed 6 and AJP8).
Further information is available from Richard Payne on 01491 411177 or service@henley-tvr.com
£1675 for £5000 cover !!!!!! That works out as an expectation of 1 in every 3 engines blowing up. Even if you get a good one you have to face savage depreciation and potentially massive bills just to keep it on the road.
My mate had a 4.5 Cerb and in the 2 years he owned it, he spent 17 weeks in a Fiesta loan car (it was his only loan car). We worked out that all the costs plus depreciation over the few weekends he used it meant it would have been cheaper to join a car club and hire a TVR/911/Rarri etc whenever he wanted. I know about 10 owners who would never ever touch one again - you have to establish if the thrills are worth the considerable hassle.
NEW TVR WARRANTY Wednesday 25th February
Engine cover available for AJP's and Speed 6's
It's no secret that TVR have had problems with the Speed 6 engine. Whilst newer models seem to benefit from further development the legacy of doubt that surrounds older models has hit residuals in an odd manner.
Some warranty companies are not prepared to cover engine failures so dealers are having to build in several thousand pounds worth of contingency when pricing second hand cars in case remedial engine work is required after the sale.
Now there's a new option. Henley Heritage TVR have been working closely with a warranty company to come up with a new warranty package. Henley will inspect the engine during services looking for tell-tale signs of potential faults. Once they've given your engine a clean bill of health they'll provide a 12 month warranty with a claims limit of £5000. The warranty and 12,000 mile service come in at £1675 inc VAT. The warranty is transferable so if you're planning to sell your car privately then a service and warranty from Henley could be what you need to give potential buyers that extra confidence..
Henley will also be providing this warranty inclusively on all their used TVRs (Speed 6 and AJP8).
Further information is available from Richard Payne on 01491 411177 or service@henley-tvr.com
£1675 for £5000 cover !!!!!! That works out as an expectation of 1 in every 3 engines blowing up. Even if you get a good one you have to face savage depreciation and potentially massive bills just to keep it on the road.
My mate had a 4.5 Cerb and in the 2 years he owned it, he spent 17 weeks in a Fiesta loan car (it was his only loan car). We worked out that all the costs plus depreciation over the few weekends he used it meant it would have been cheaper to join a car club and hire a TVR/911/Rarri etc whenever he wanted. I know about 10 owners who would never ever touch one again - you have to establish if the thrills are worth the considerable hassle.
22 April 2004, 10:19 AM
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nail/coffin....henley is my local- i went in there to buy one and they ignored me. NEVER been so ignored in my life in a car showroom- i was looking round for 30 mins and NO ONE spoke to me...think Audi and times by 10!
22 April 2004, 05:08 PM
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I'm with you Bryan. No to the TVR.
Just to justify my claims of the average £400.00 a month on the Subaru just been told clutch on its way out......AP here I come £400 plus fitting!!
Just to justify my claims of the average £400.00 a month on the Subaru just been told clutch on its way out......AP here I come £400 plus fitting!!
22 April 2004, 06:12 PM
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ive never actally been onto tvr forum, allthe stories ive read about tvrs has been on here- but just browsin on autotrader for tuscan as you do -there seems to be a lot o cars just 3/4 years old that have had new engines 
-are they really that fragile -cant believe their that high mileage/been raced
-are they really that fragile -cant believe their that high mileage/been raced
22 April 2004, 09:20 PM
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The "fragile" ones are the Speed 6s. They're reckoned to be sorted now, but there are still a worrying number of blowups. The story I heard was this:
Wanting a new engine to replace the old Rover V8, TVR approached Al Melling. Out of this was born the AJP8:
A for Al Melling, who designed the engine
P for Peter Wheeler, who paid for it
J for John Ravenscroft, who made the tea
This was then succeeded by the Speed 6, which was designed by John Ravenscroft. I think they may have had to pay a licence fee to Al Melling for each AJP8, which is why they were keen to move away from it.
There are some AJP8s with >90k miles on them. Not many clutches with more than 25k though, nor camshafts with more than 40k.
The biggest problem is parts supply. If you have the pre-98 clutch, you can't get them any more. So you have to get the new clutch, and the bellhousing to go with it. It's even the same with the dipstick! Then there's the "we'll make them when we get round to it" problem. For example, if you need a new camshaft you'll find that TVR don't have any. Nor do they have plans to make any in the next couple of months.
Still, as Tiggs said, they look and sound cool, and go damn fast when they're working.
Wanting a new engine to replace the old Rover V8, TVR approached Al Melling. Out of this was born the AJP8:
A for Al Melling, who designed the engine
P for Peter Wheeler, who paid for it
J for John Ravenscroft, who made the tea
This was then succeeded by the Speed 6, which was designed by John Ravenscroft. I think they may have had to pay a licence fee to Al Melling for each AJP8, which is why they were keen to move away from it.
There are some AJP8s with >90k miles on them. Not many clutches with more than 25k though, nor camshafts with more than 40k.
The biggest problem is parts supply. If you have the pre-98 clutch, you can't get them any more. So you have to get the new clutch, and the bellhousing to go with it. It's even the same with the dipstick! Then there's the "we'll make them when we get round to it" problem. For example, if you need a new camshaft you'll find that TVR don't have any. Nor do they have plans to make any in the next couple of months.
Still, as Tiggs said, they look and sound cool, and go damn fast when they're working.
22 April 2004, 10:21 PM
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The interior on my Cerbera was actually quite well built, shame the early AJP8's were poorly developed....
The mechanical items were poorly designed, things like anti roll bar brkts, bonnet retractable pins and air con pipes that fractured on mine were purely down to poor design and development. In my experience if it was reasonable reliable and the dealers were good I'd have another one tomorrow....
Fast as **** on the straights, but crude in the corners mind you
The mechanical items were poorly designed, things like anti roll bar brkts, bonnet retractable pins and air con pipes that fractured on mine were purely down to poor design and development. In my experience if it was reasonable reliable and the dealers were good I'd have another one tomorrow....
Fast as **** on the straights, but crude in the corners mind you
23 April 2004, 10:00 AM
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Most of the problems on TVR's are relatively minor eg:
Speedo's not working, Windows not working, roof leaking, dials/gauges not functioning.
Most people own them as a 2nd car for this very reason- you dont want to jump in it first thing Monday morning to go to work to find you've got a wet **** becasue the roofs been leaking all weekend.
They are quite expensive to run for this reason - most people say to expect a couple of grand a year on parts on top of the normal servicing costs.
Overall though most people who own the car say the benefits of the power, noise and overall fun of driving the car outweighs the bad points.
I looked at owning one myself a while ago and the best option seemed to be a cerbera for daily driving for both me and my missus with a small cheap car for my missus and as backup in case anything ever went wrong !
Speedo's not working, Windows not working, roof leaking, dials/gauges not functioning.
Most people own them as a 2nd car for this very reason- you dont want to jump in it first thing Monday morning to go to work to find you've got a wet **** becasue the roofs been leaking all weekend.
They are quite expensive to run for this reason - most people say to expect a couple of grand a year on parts on top of the normal servicing costs.
Overall though most people who own the car say the benefits of the power, noise and overall fun of driving the car outweighs the bad points.
I looked at owning one myself a while ago and the best option seemed to be a cerbera for daily driving for both me and my missus with a small cheap car for my missus and as backup in case anything ever went wrong !
24 April 2004, 01:26 PM
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Nor mine (Chim)
Ah well, if you have one bad one MUST make ALL the other bad! Stupid us! Must be sooooo lucky not to have anything happen!
Of out into the sunshine for a rumble! Keep smiling!
Ah well, if you have one bad one MUST make ALL the other bad! Stupid us! Must be sooooo lucky not to have anything happen!
Of out into the sunshine for a rumble! Keep smiling!
25 April 2004, 10:42 PM
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Had a Cerbera for 3 years, mainly as a second car, and that was mainly due to it being cheaper to run 2 cars when I was doing 70 miles a day to work and back than just the Cerb. Servicing at least £600 a pop. No major problems with it - few electrical glitches but mechanically sound. Great car!!
Paul
Paul
04 May 2004, 03:36 PM
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Hi everyone.
I have a 2003 Tuscan which I bought new last January. I have to say I love it to bits. It's an incredible driving experience and apart from a few very tiny niggles when it was new (and I mean tiny) it's been as good as gold. By contrast I have had new Range Rovers and Jags that have been dreadful and I had a colleague a few years back who had a 600 SEL Merc that was so bad he chopped it and ended a long association with Mercedes and switched to BMW.
Unfortunately it tends to be the people who have had a problem that make all the noise (understandably), whilst the silent majority are just that.
I am proud to drive a the product of a small volume BRITISH sports car company who make awesome enthusiasts cars of great individuality for about half the price of a comparable machine from their Italian or German rivals. The fact that they make their own engines is something to be applauded in my opinion.
Paul
I have a 2003 Tuscan which I bought new last January. I have to say I love it to bits. It's an incredible driving experience and apart from a few very tiny niggles when it was new (and I mean tiny) it's been as good as gold. By contrast I have had new Range Rovers and Jags that have been dreadful and I had a colleague a few years back who had a 600 SEL Merc that was so bad he chopped it and ended a long association with Mercedes and switched to BMW.
Unfortunately it tends to be the people who have had a problem that make all the noise (understandably), whilst the silent majority are just that.
I am proud to drive a the product of a small volume BRITISH sports car company who make awesome enthusiasts cars of great individuality for about half the price of a comparable machine from their Italian or German rivals. The fact that they make their own engines is something to be applauded in my opinion.
Paul
