Discussion
Hi all, I'm new to this forum. I have been looking at buying a Griff or a Chim, but as it's going to be a weekend toy, did not want to spend more than £14k or so. Have seen a few, and not been overly impressed with the condition of those cars at such prices.
What I had not realised is that the V8S (and the S in general - although I'm after something with a V8) is such a good looking, amazing sounding car! And the V8 version is, I reckon, plenty quick enough for me, and probably more manageable than my current car.
I experienced one for the first time this weekend. Its owner took me out for a spin, and I could not believe that I had not considered the V8S before... The sound of that engine running without catalysts made the Chimaera 500 that I had actually gone round to see sound almost tame!
So, who owns one of these? What are the running costs like, and what sort of prices are they? There's a mica blue one in the Classifieds for £8500 (it looks lovely in the pics too); next to an early Chimaera, this looks like a bargain - but I know little about The S Series; should a pre-cat V8S for £8500 be pretty much in mint condition? One of the attractions of buying one is that I can (hopefully) buy an outstanding V8S for the price (or even less) than an average early Chimaera (and certainly cheaper than any Griff).
Sorry for the ramble - but if anyone has any thoughts, please stick them down here and educate a novice!
Thanks,
Resh.
What I had not realised is that the V8S (and the S in general - although I'm after something with a V8) is such a good looking, amazing sounding car! And the V8 version is, I reckon, plenty quick enough for me, and probably more manageable than my current car.
I experienced one for the first time this weekend. Its owner took me out for a spin, and I could not believe that I had not considered the V8S before... The sound of that engine running without catalysts made the Chimaera 500 that I had actually gone round to see sound almost tame!
So, who owns one of these? What are the running costs like, and what sort of prices are they? There's a mica blue one in the Classifieds for £8500 (it looks lovely in the pics too); next to an early Chimaera, this looks like a bargain - but I know little about The S Series; should a pre-cat V8S for £8500 be pretty much in mint condition? One of the attractions of buying one is that I can (hopefully) buy an outstanding V8S for the price (or even less) than an average early Chimaera (and certainly cheaper than any Griff).
Sorry for the ramble - but if anyone has any thoughts, please stick them down here and educate a novice!
Thanks,
Resh.
Don't think £8.5K is a valid figure for a mint car IMHO. However you ceratinly can gt one at that price int he current market and season. Someone just picked up a sprint prepared one for £7.5K 
that is apparently in good condition.
My main advice would be to get it looked at by someone in the know, as you just had a lift in one is then owner a friend
, if so does he now what he is looking at mechanically . Most dealers and independants will put a car up on the ramps and do an inspection for you for a fee, if you can get the car to one.
I think the overall body/interior and chassis conditons are the most important things to look at. The rest (running gear) are consumables
and are no likely to go wrong in a V8S if you buy one than they would in a chim or griff IMHO.
Re the sound yes they do sound like a proper car don't they
.
Harry
that is apparently in good condition. My main advice would be to get it looked at by someone in the know, as you just had a lift in one is then owner a friend
, if so does he now what he is looking at mechanically . Most dealers and independants will put a car up on the ramps and do an inspection for you for a fee, if you can get the car to one. I think the overall body/interior and chassis conditons are the most important things to look at. The rest (running gear) are consumables
and are no likely to go wrong in a V8S if you buy one than they would in a chim or griff IMHO. Re the sound yes they do sound like a proper car don't they
. Harry
Thanks Harry - useful stuff. I will get someone who knows the model to inspect if I find one I'm serious about buying. I'm fairly mechanically handy, so not too afraid of having to do bits to it while owning it; just need to make sure there's nothing seriously awry when I actually buy. I know little about the V8S' weak points and 'normal' faults, for example.
The guy whose I had a ride in was the chap selling the Chim - the V8S wasn't for sale, but was his or his wife's car. And you're right - the noise was fabulous.
The guy whose I had a ride in was the chap selling the Chim - the V8S wasn't for sale, but was his or his wife's car. And you're right - the noise was fabulous.
Hi Resh
On the subject of Chim or Griff, if you are looking at either with the 500 on the end then you will be very lucky to find one in good condition for that money. You should be able to pick up a good 4.3 or so engined model for that sort of money though. You must always bear in mind that cars in this bracket are all around 10 years old and as such they do often show signs of wear and tear. Very few are fortunate enough to have undergone a nut and bolt restoration in that time.
A good V8S will still be around 10K plus, but always keep a bit of cash in reserve, as they don't get any younger. If you fancy the noise, then go for an S3 or 4, you'll get a beauty for that money.
Andy
PS. Pretty much anything with TVR on it is not a "toy"
On the subject of Chim or Griff, if you are looking at either with the 500 on the end then you will be very lucky to find one in good condition for that money. You should be able to pick up a good 4.3 or so engined model for that sort of money though. You must always bear in mind that cars in this bracket are all around 10 years old and as such they do often show signs of wear and tear. Very few are fortunate enough to have undergone a nut and bolt restoration in that time.
A good V8S will still be around 10K plus, but always keep a bit of cash in reserve, as they don't get any younger. If you fancy the noise, then go for an S3 or 4, you'll get a beauty for that money.
Andy
PS. Pretty much anything with TVR on it is not a "toy"
Thanks Andy - I was looking at early Chims & Griffs, not the 500 - was particularly interested in the Griff 4.3. I have a thing for the pre-cat cars; hence the sudden interest in a V8S. I'm also after something that won't depreciate very much more - hence ruling out spending £20k on a more recent Griff or Chim; thousands of that purchase price would disappear over the next few years...
The 4.3 Griff will hold it's price better than the others IMO, but that is all relative to the condition of the car at the time of purchase and how well you maintain that condition. Always remember that the condition can be improved, deterioration is not inevitable.
As with all TVRs, check the chassis first. I would suggest getting the bible for whatever model you look at, and read up on the areas to watch.
Mechanically the daily drivers tend to be the more reliable, but as with all things that move, failures are unpredictable whatever the mileage, so budget accordingly.
Personally, with 14K, I would be looking at spending 10-11K on a 4.3 Griff with a good chassis and spend the other 3-4K on improving it. 1K on interior trim, 1K on suspension and braking, 2K on a respray, etc. In the end you would have a car that would be worth 14K, and that you felt confident in owning.
Andy
As with all TVRs, check the chassis first. I would suggest getting the bible for whatever model you look at, and read up on the areas to watch.
Mechanically the daily drivers tend to be the more reliable, but as with all things that move, failures are unpredictable whatever the mileage, so budget accordingly.
Personally, with 14K, I would be looking at spending 10-11K on a 4.3 Griff with a good chassis and spend the other 3-4K on improving it. 1K on interior trim, 1K on suspension and braking, 2K on a respray, etc. In the end you would have a car that would be worth 14K, and that you felt confident in owning.
Andy
andyf007 said:
Personally, with 14K, I would be looking at spending 10-11K on a 4.3 Griff with a good chassis and spend the other 3-4K on improving it. 1K on interior trim, 1K on suspension and braking, 2K on a respray, etc. In the end you would have a car that would be worth 14K, and that you felt confident in owning.
Andy
or just buy this already sorted one www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=16542&s=3
stunningshnozz said:
Personally, with 14K, I would be looking at spending 10-11K on a 4.3 Griff with a good chassis and spend the other 3-4K on improving it. 1K on interior trim, 1K on suspension and braking, 2K on a respray, etc. In the end you would have a car that would be worth 14K, and that you felt confident in owning.
Andy
or just buy this already sorted one www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=16542&s=3
Yup! That's the idea Shnozz, except he's only got 14K and your just trying to lead him into temptation
I have just bought a V8S and because of the time of year I got an absolute bargain! It does need some work, the carpets all need replacing, the rear screen has seen better days and exhaust needs replacing soon. Everything else though is in very good nick especially the chassis which is sealed and painted, it also has cross drilled discs all round (stops very well, ask MrSheen!!!) and uprated shocks. It has just went through its MOT only needing a new UJ joint on the steering column so a lot better than I was expecting!!!
I wanted a grif, but the big thing for me was running costs, the V8S insurance is much lower than the Chim or Grif I pay £225 a year for the V8S, only £20 more than my old V6 S2, limited to 5K miles. Dont discount the V6 though, they are great cars and a good start into TVR motoring, but like Harry says take someone with you that knows the cars and you should be OK!
I still think a V8S in very good condition will sell for around £10K although if they are mint they might go for more. MrSheen would need more than £15K just to get the money back he has spent on polish over the years!!
If you buy a car for £8,500 expect to spend some money on improving it, but you will get it back when you sell! I have heard that 10% of TVR's are lost each year, so when you consider only around 400 V8S's were made, that should give you some idea why the demand is high.
I wanted a grif, but the big thing for me was running costs, the V8S insurance is much lower than the Chim or Grif I pay £225 a year for the V8S, only £20 more than my old V6 S2, limited to 5K miles. Dont discount the V6 though, they are great cars and a good start into TVR motoring, but like Harry says take someone with you that knows the cars and you should be OK!
I still think a V8S in very good condition will sell for around £10K although if they are mint they might go for more. MrSheen would need more than £15K just to get the money back he has spent on polish over the years!!
If you buy a car for £8,500 expect to spend some money on improving it, but you will get it back when you sell! I have heard that 10% of TVR's are lost each year, so when you consider only around 400 V8S's were made, that should give you some idea why the demand is high.
More interesting stuff from you lot, as ever! What kind of costs have you had with the V8S, and what sort of work have you had to do, what did you pay for the car etc etc (hope I'm not being too nosy - am trying to do some research!).
That Griff looks tasty, actually; I could afford it, but as have set myself budget will stick to it - otherwise I'll end up just going 'Ah sod it' and buying a mint Griff LE, and ending up doing just 2000 miles a year in it: what a waste. Also, £15K for a pre cat (and perhaps not even a 4.3 - the ad doesn't say) is top money, despite all the things that have been done to it.
The temptation with the V8S is that if I spend under £10K on one, I can spend at least £1K doing any work, insure it and run it all for well under the budget I had allocated just for a purchase! And the car will be utterly sorted.
Just need something for those weekend breaks into the country, and forays into Europe. Ms Resh (unsurprisingly) refuses to ride in the Caterham, the MG's too tiring to drive over extended periods, and I'd rather eat my own head than drive decent roads in the yawntastic A3.
Anyone want to buy an MGB droptop with a 4.3BV engine (awesome car), or an Audi A3 (don't - it's absolutely awful)?
Resh.
That Griff looks tasty, actually; I could afford it, but as have set myself budget will stick to it - otherwise I'll end up just going 'Ah sod it' and buying a mint Griff LE, and ending up doing just 2000 miles a year in it: what a waste. Also, £15K for a pre cat (and perhaps not even a 4.3 - the ad doesn't say) is top money, despite all the things that have been done to it.
The temptation with the V8S is that if I spend under £10K on one, I can spend at least £1K doing any work, insure it and run it all for well under the budget I had allocated just for a purchase! And the car will be utterly sorted.
Just need something for those weekend breaks into the country, and forays into Europe. Ms Resh (unsurprisingly) refuses to ride in the Caterham, the MG's too tiring to drive over extended periods, and I'd rather eat my own head than drive decent roads in the yawntastic A3.
Anyone want to buy an MGB droptop with a 4.3BV engine (awesome car), or an Audi A3 (don't - it's absolutely awful)?
Resh.
andyf007 said:
andyf007 said:
Personally, with 14K, I would be looking at spending 10-11K on a 4.3 Griff with a good chassis and spend the other 3-4K on improving it. 1K on interior trim, 1K on suspension and braking, 2K on a respray, etc. In the end you would have a car that would be worth 14K, and that you felt confident in owning.
Andy
or just buy this already sorted one <a href="http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=16542&s=3">www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=16542&s=3</a>
Yup! That's the idea Shnozz, except he's only got 14K and your just trying to lead him into temptation
ok then.. www.pistonheads.com/sales/detail.asp?i=13530&s=3
and that is v tasty too.
anyway, you know it is the duty of any pistonheader to convince a prospective owner to buy a car more expensive than they set out to....
Ren - thanks, have replied.
As for that red 4.3 Griff - it's been advertised for a while; the price has dropped quite a bit. Sadly, I can't stand them in red, and grey leather reminds me of dentists' couches. So not the car for me, then! (no offence to the owner - just a matter of my personal taste!)
As for convincing me to spend more money - I know, and it is probably easily done. So I am attempting to be disciplined here...
As for that red 4.3 Griff - it's been advertised for a while; the price has dropped quite a bit. Sadly, I can't stand them in red, and grey leather reminds me of dentists' couches. So not the car for me, then! (no offence to the owner - just a matter of my personal taste!)
As for convincing me to spend more money - I know, and it is probably easily done. So I am attempting to be disciplined here...
Well Resh, it sounds like you have exactly the same questions as I have.
I too am thinking of a V8S. The range of prices seems a bit confusing. Private, as ever, is a lot cheaper than dealer, but there are the obvious pros and cons to consider.
Drove a '91 J V8S the other day with 69k on the clock. Mechanically very sound, went a treat, but interior did need money spending on it. If it was less than the £13.5k dealer asking price then I could afford to spend some on it, but not at that price as its very near my total budget.
I'm fairly sure I'd rather do as has already been suggested and spend £10k and leave £2k or so to get it as I want it.
My thought right now is that I'll get Rob Ingleby to find a car for me. Shall be speaking to him soon.
I too am thinking of a V8S. The range of prices seems a bit confusing. Private, as ever, is a lot cheaper than dealer, but there are the obvious pros and cons to consider.
Drove a '91 J V8S the other day with 69k on the clock. Mechanically very sound, went a treat, but interior did need money spending on it. If it was less than the £13.5k dealer asking price then I could afford to spend some on it, but not at that price as its very near my total budget.
I'm fairly sure I'd rather do as has already been suggested and spend £10k and leave £2k or so to get it as I want it.
My thought right now is that I'll get Rob Ingleby to find a car for me. Shall be speaking to him soon.
pstruck - good to know someone else is in the same boat. Price range is bewildering - but I'm fairly sure that paying a dealer £13.5K is scandalous. The Rob Ingleby option is a good one.
If you're willing to spend about £12k on a minter, there's a green one on the PH Classifieds; my preference is to spend less and potentially have a reserve for improvements (or just buy a slightly rougher Chim or Griff and work on that), but this V8S apparently needs nothing doing to it al all.
Intrigued by the blue one on the clasiifieds, buyt at £8.5k could require some work, from the impressions I have been getting here. Still, £2.5k change out of £10k is a lot of 'sorting out money'...
If you're willing to spend about £12k on a minter, there's a green one on the PH Classifieds; my preference is to spend less and potentially have a reserve for improvements (or just buy a slightly rougher Chim or Griff and work on that), but this V8S apparently needs nothing doing to it al all.
Intrigued by the blue one on the clasiifieds, buyt at £8.5k could require some work, from the impressions I have been getting here. Still, £2.5k change out of £10k is a lot of 'sorting out money'...
Sorry bit late to this as some of us had to work today
There is a buyers guide on my website here this should help a bit i hope
Prices at the mo seem to be £7k and upwards to absolute mint (concours) £15k.Obviously the more you pay the better the car
RE R.Ingleby, I used him to find and inspect my V8 but in hindsight I would probably have been better finding it myself and calling him for the inspection only.This saves about £300 although you do more driving,you will probably find the car quicker
If you want more info just drop me a line
P.S which part of London are you in
The mechanics are pretty straightforward just get a sound car in the first place, tatty cars can cost more to put right than you think.Spares are generally easy to obtain (espescially if you ask here first)
Running costs excluding insurance are significantly dearer than a V6S
There is a buyers guide on my website here this should help a bit i hope
Prices at the mo seem to be £7k and upwards to absolute mint (concours) £15k.Obviously the more you pay the better the car
RE R.Ingleby, I used him to find and inspect my V8 but in hindsight I would probably have been better finding it myself and calling him for the inspection only.This saves about £300 although you do more driving,you will probably find the car quicker
If you want more info just drop me a line
P.S which part of London are you in
The mechanics are pretty straightforward just get a sound car in the first place, tatty cars can cost more to put right than you think.Spares are generally easy to obtain (espescially if you ask here first)
Running costs excluding insurance are significantly dearer than a V6S
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