Griffith 500 L500 TAG on eBay.

[Northernsaul]

Saw my old car on eBay today. The one I wrote off 7 years ago. Red griff. L500 TAG. Just sayin.

[pjac67]

Thanks for sharing this.

Bought a TVR from ebay this afternoon - turned up after 3 hr train/taxi journey and he then declared it had previous write off history (I'm too trusting as should have HPI'd it prior.....).

Didn't want to catch train back so serious negotiating ensued......better to be upfront in the first place IMHO.

Paul.

[Hoover.]

Did you buy it then Pual .....hope you got a bargin

[Northernsaul]

I sent the seller an email to tell him it's a previous write off (didn't say I'd done it) and he replied that it was shunted at 5 mph by an XR2. Not sure who made that up. Maybe the person he bought it off?

Anyway it was wet and there was diesel down the middle of carriageway, a van pulled in to my 'safe zone' so I started changing to outside lane and the van continued out leaving me no choice but to brake hard on a wet/diesely surface. Inevitably car went into a spin and off the nearside of motorway into barriers.

Since I told the seller this he hasn't replied. It was a bit 'Friday Afternoon' anyway that car. Had to take it back to Dream Machines (remember them?) every couple of weeks for something. It even broke down on the way for something else once.

[pjac67]

Bought a Chim today - not this one - this Griff is not worth 5 figures if on the database.....

[Northernsaul]

Insurance paid out and kept it so it should be registered. It's a very Early 500 too. From memory it doesn't say 500 on the V5 because TVR didn't get things sorted at the DVLA soon enough. You've got to love 'em

[Northernsaul]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

It is if the buyer knows it's a previous write off.

I always find that my cars are only worth what I can sell them for never what I pay which is a bugger!

[V8Bart]

It's a difficult subject this, on one hand it's great they get back on the road and enjoyed. Plus insurance companies seem quick to right them off.

On the other hand it's rather disconcerting to see a car for sale that's been written off, for sale with no mention of it's real history!

To add insult to injury, the motor trade have access to more info than hpi returns as a friend found to his cost.

Think we need a better system!

[neutral 3]

I would be very wary buying a Griff that has been damaged and repaired unless I had had a very good look at it pre accident to properly assess the damage, or if photos of it were available pre repair.

[Aussie John]

It's the same old story, a new Griff with a £15,000 repair, not on the register; an old Griff with £7000 damage, it's a "write off"; which one is the least damaged?

[T1pper]

I personally would not buy a write off, not because of the mechanical condition/qualitiy of repair but simply because of the resale value and difficulty in finding a customer if a sale was needed.

I have no plans to sell the griff but one day if I decided to sell I could get the best price for it and without the hastle of explaining what had been done and trying to convince people it was repaired properly,really just covering my backside.

However I do not think it would take any enjoyment away from ownership and could even save money on the intial outlay.

[Aussie John]

It is a difficult call whether to buy a damaged-repaired or a "good" one; they will be harder to sell but if the value is say 50% of a good one then if you look at any depreciation then it means that the % loss is only 1/2 that of a good one. I guess its a personal choice. I bought mine as a total loss and repaired it 9 years ago; it was the only way I could afford one, I don't plan on ever selling it but time will catch up sometime and I'll take any loss and smile with the memories of owning a Griff.