Has Anyone Ever Bought a Lemon?
Discussion
Think the best example of a lemon I know of is Smifffy's Griff. Check it out here:
www.pistonheads.com/members/showCar.asp?carId=1182
I think everything went wrong with it!
I’ve had quite a lot of stuff go wrong with mine 
, I bought it privately but have spent more than the difference between dealer price and private in the last year. A lot of the expense was when to neighbour backed into it and turned out to be uninsured which was not the cars fault, then I had a big service bill with things like lambda sensors and injectors. After that it went well for a month or so then the calliper seized which meant replacing that along with discs and pads, not long after that the front wishbone bushes went, I had the wishbone replaced as the hole had gone oval where the bush goes in. After that the cam bearings in the engine shifted dropping the oil pressure to the crank that in turn knocked out the big end bearing so had to have a full engine rebuild.
At the moment it’s going ok but using rather large amounts of oil so the engine has to go back again to be looked at.
Once to the oil problem is done I will be getting the car how I want it though, as most of the other bits I want to do are cosmetic.
, I bought it privately but have spent more than the difference between dealer price and private in the last year. A lot of the expense was when to neighbour backed into it and turned out to be uninsured which was not the cars fault, then I had a big service bill with things like lambda sensors and injectors. After that it went well for a month or so then the calliper seized which meant replacing that along with discs and pads, not long after that the front wishbone bushes went, I had the wishbone replaced as the hole had gone oval where the bush goes in. After that the cam bearings in the engine shifted dropping the oil pressure to the crank that in turn knocked out the big end bearing so had to have a full engine rebuild. At the moment it’s going ok but using rather large amounts of oil so the engine has to go back again to be looked at.
Once to the oil problem is done I will be getting the car how I want it though, as most of the other bits I want to do are cosmetic.
Had mine since February and last month popped it down to the Costa del Sol just for a jolly like you do! 4000 miles, 3500 there and back plus local razzing about in some pretty extreme temps... didn't miss a beat 
:looksforproudsmileybutcantfindone:
One gorgeous car - c£17 grand... unlimited beautiful scenery - more than money can describe ... one ugly driver - priceless! 
edited to say: yeah ok, dodgy gear, but you try driving for 13 hours in 120 degrees and see how smart you look!
>> Edited by burriana500 on Monday 15th September 13:57
:looksforproudsmileybutcantfindone: One gorgeous car - c£17 grand... unlimited beautiful scenery - more than money can describe ... one ugly driver - priceless!
edited to say: yeah ok, dodgy gear, but you try driving for 13 hours in 120 degrees and see how smart you look!
>> Edited by burriana500 on Monday 15th September 13:57
Dipstick said:
No - Work on London Bridge but commute in on the
Kings Ferry coaches - route goes thru Canary Wharf
mornings and evenings - see a few tivs in the Wharf but
yr the only one I recognised so far
see you both soon
Lyn
Aha!
I am in a starmist blue Chim going v slowly throught the Limehouse Link... and turns right after the tunnel wedged between the Kings Ferry coaches!
a lemon?
well sadly you only have to read the messages on this board , the vast majority of Griffs are lemons, to be fair they are the most exciting cars on the road but generally they fall to bits around you. They are fast and furious and will cost you thousands a year to keep the car up to scratch but that is part of owning a TVR so Im told , I bought a 97 500 Griff two years ago and I won't go into the list of things that have gone wrong with it , look at my thread I could add many more tales of woe, be careful when buying one the only safe way to buy a Griff is --- to sit under a tree and dont move until the urge has passed.
by the way want a sorted one ?? going cheap thats one of the noises it makes not the price. good luck
Simon
well sadly you only have to read the messages on this board , the vast majority of Griffs are lemons, to be fair they are the most exciting cars on the road but generally they fall to bits around you. They are fast and furious and will cost you thousands a year to keep the car up to scratch but that is part of owning a TVR so Im told , I bought a 97 500 Griff two years ago and I won't go into the list of things that have gone wrong with it , look at my thread I could add many more tales of woe, be careful when buying one the only safe way to buy a Griff is --- to sit under a tree and dont move until the urge has passed.
by the way want a sorted one ?? going cheap thats one of the noises it makes not the price. good luck
Simon
Yeah Yeah Siwes ... they're all shit, we're all stupid for buying them and we should have all sat under a tree ....
I've now been driving TVR's for 3 yrs solid, have racked up nealy 80,000 miles and can't get enough.
Bit's have broken, but bits on friends Elise's, Porsches and Ferrari's have broken as well. It's not only TVR's.
Just check out the Elise forum for Bonce's story of woe with an S1 Elise !
Fair enough you had a bad time, I just object to you generalising about all of our cars.
22,000 miles in my Griffith in the last 10 months. I have had things go wrong, but certainly no more than I'd expect from the average BMW since talking with friends .... or Porsche's or a number of other Marques.
There are also plenty of owners on this site who will agree with me.
So in future please do not generalise, you had a bad one, as did Smiffy and as does someone else I know, so that's 3 then !!! Not exactly the lot of us is it ?
I've now been driving TVR's for 3 yrs solid, have racked up nealy 80,000 miles and can't get enough.
Bit's have broken, but bits on friends Elise's, Porsches and Ferrari's have broken as well. It's not only TVR's.
Just check out the Elise forum for Bonce's story of woe with an S1 Elise !
Fair enough you had a bad time, I just object to you generalising about all of our cars.
22,000 miles in my Griffith in the last 10 months. I have had things go wrong, but certainly no more than I'd expect from the average BMW since talking with friends .... or Porsche's or a number of other Marques.
There are also plenty of owners on this site who will agree with me.
So in future please do not generalise, you had a bad one, as did Smiffy and as does someone else I know, so that's 3 then !!! Not exactly the lot of us is it ?
Johno,
believe it or not I love the car , wish I didn't , but be truthful this whole message forum is about problems with TVR's they are unreliable simple as that the service costs are high espically if you go to an "approved" dealer.
You should not have to change cam shafts, rocker arms, followers, radiators, clutches, oil pumps, diff seals , discs, alternators, bottom pullys, oh the list is endless I will not go on , you will have to do most of these repairs before 40,000 miles comes around, that is the sad truth.
No other car collects stone chips like a Griff, have you tried changing a head light bulb yet? the list is endless , these cars are not cheap at 35000 pounds they should be better, a lot better, you like most of the people here and that includes me are completly capitavted by the looks, performance, and noise. Well some of us can be objective about these cars , it is obvious you can not, that is your problem , sometimes the truth hurts a little.
Fortunatly being the age I am and earning vast amounts of money I can indulge mysely with this very expensive toy because thats exactly what they are, and I pity the average guy that tries to run one of these cars, its easy to buy but the running costs, really stupid,
So be objective seems like all your friends that have Griffs agree with me or do you know more than three people with them.
regards
Si
believe it or not I love the car , wish I didn't , but be truthful this whole message forum is about problems with TVR's they are unreliable simple as that the service costs are high espically if you go to an "approved" dealer.
You should not have to change cam shafts, rocker arms, followers, radiators, clutches, oil pumps, diff seals , discs, alternators, bottom pullys, oh the list is endless I will not go on , you will have to do most of these repairs before 40,000 miles comes around, that is the sad truth.
No other car collects stone chips like a Griff, have you tried changing a head light bulb yet? the list is endless , these cars are not cheap at 35000 pounds they should be better, a lot better, you like most of the people here and that includes me are completly capitavted by the looks, performance, and noise. Well some of us can be objective about these cars , it is obvious you can not, that is your problem , sometimes the truth hurts a little.
Fortunatly being the age I am and earning vast amounts of money I can indulge mysely with this very expensive toy because thats exactly what they are, and I pity the average guy that tries to run one of these cars, its easy to buy but the running costs, really stupid,
So be objective seems like all your friends that have Griffs agree with me or do you know more than three people with them.
regards
Si
siwes said:
Johno,
believe it or not I love the car , wish I didn't , but be truthful this whole message forum is about problems with TVR's
Yeah i know you do, but have to disagree these forums are not full of problems with TVR's. Yes there are a fair few but you will never get the "my clutch was ok today should i be worried type threads" are you. There is plenty of stuff on Upgrades, experiences etc
siwes said:
they are unreliable simple as that the service costs are high espically if you go to an "approved" dealer.
Are they, maybe IYO seen plenty out there that run well with minor probs that any other marque would get.
Yes the Service costs are high but i think they probably match the prices of other sports car dealers.
Also there are plenty of Independents out there with TVR trained Staff.
siwes said:
You should not have to change cam shafts, rocker arms, followers, radiators, clutches, oil pumps, diff seals , discs, alternators, bottom pullys, oh the list is endless I will not go on , you will have to do most of these repairs before 40,000 miles comes around, that is the sad truth.
No your right you shouldnt but IMOE of 25k i have had two Rads, 1 starter and a new clucth which was due to a oil seal splitting.(not a bad clutch)
siwes said:
No other car collects stone chips like a Griff,
most low nosed car suffer from stone chips, go check some in a car park if you dont belive me, 
you'll be surprised. My dad has had 3 Nissan 200's the older pointy ones suffered
siwes said:
these cars are not cheap at 35000 pounds they should be better, a lot better, you like most of the people here and that includes me are completly capitavted by the looks, performance, and noise.
Yep there not cheap but cost at least half of the price of the cars they out perform and probably cost half to maintain.
siwes said:
Well some of us can be objective about these cars , it is obvious you can not, that is your problem , sometimes the truth hurts a little.
A little harsh, but as normal with TVR owners we seem to have quite sensible debates,(excluding Tamora/T350 owners
) siwes said:
Fortunatly being the age I am and earning vast amounts of money I can indulge mysely with this very expensive toy because thats exactly what they are, and I pity the average guy that tries to run one of these cars, its easy to buy but the running costs, really stupid,
Please dont pity me
siwes said:
So be objective seems like all your friends that have Griffs agree with me or do you know more than three people with them.
regards
Si
I dont see too may people posting on this thread that they have brought a lemmon, and i think plenty of Griff owners have probable read this thread.
BB
BB, well said me ol' china and top points made. At the end of the day, you don't expect them to be cheap to maintain. If you bought a Ferrari, you'd be disappointed if somein didn't fall off as they all do that and you'd have bought a rogue one if somthing didn't. My brother has a Boxster S, not a bad motor and all that but nothing like the performance you get from the Griff, his bills to date have far out weighed mine, plus you can't get to the engine at all on his. If I had his kindda money I'd have 3 Griffs!
After 5 1/2 years of owning TVRs, I've not had any bad experiences or seriously bad bills, maybe I've just been lucky!
And finally... I've posted loadsa threads on here in me 2 months as a member(no rude comments), none of them have been mechanical! Having said that, the cars history does show some quite costly bills
After 5 1/2 years of owning TVRs, I've not had any bad experiences or seriously bad bills, maybe I've just been lucky!
And finally... I've posted loadsa threads on here in me 2 months as a member(no rude comments), none of them have been mechanical! Having said that, the cars history does show some quite costly bills
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