I’d already decided I wanted a TVR Cerbera. I’d done my research, and knew the #1 priority was I had to buy on condition.
 
#2 priority was I wanted to be able to add value to it, as I wasn’t sure how long I was going to be keeping it.

Hidden Gem

For me this meant buying a hidden gem.
The hidden gem I found was a Cooper Green Speed Six.
 

 

• The paintwork looked dull even in good sunlight, but I knew it should probably look better with a proper polish.
• The exhaust tone was boring, not at all like a TVR should be, but it was on its original exhaust with the huge heavy restrictive back box, and I knew from my research it could sound very good, and better than a v8.
• The interior was in mint condition, that certainly ticked the condition box.
• It was on it’s original wheels – it could look better on Spiders.

 
 

Get it checked out by someone who knows TVRs

I had a guy from a company called Intermotion (part of Selby TVR) do a Pre-Purchase inspection.
He got it up on ramps, prodded it and took a bunch of photos, then wrote up a report.
 
Most important to me was the commentary on the chassis & outriggers.
 

All visible chassis and suspension looks solid but flaky. I would recommend a good clean up and waxoyl.

 

Consider the whole package

Aside from everything you can see & touch, and read (all receipts going back to 1999), I also considered the overall package. Here was a 17 year old car that was still on its original muted exhaust- to me, that says a lot about the previous owners. The paperwork told me it had wanted for nothing mechanically, but everything else told me it was an honest original car, not owned by a boy-racer.
 
Not that I am implying anyone who changes the exhaust is a boy racer- but you have to remember, that going back a few years, you could pick up a Cerbera for peanuts, and they were often pimped up and run into the ground, as they were cheap to buy but (in comparison) expensive to repair.
I didn’t get that vibe from this car.
 
So a deal was done. In a few days time, I’ll be a TVR Cerbera owner.
 
While I wait for pickup day, being an IT geek at heart, I also tracked down the owner of this website domain name, and persuaded him to part with it.
I figured it might be fun to document my ownership journey, give me something to do when I’m not driving it- and maybe even be interesting to other owners/prospective owners.