Thinking of changing my Evo for a Griff?!?!?

[big fra]

Hello to you all!
I am considering changing my Evo for a Griff and i am wondering if you kind gent's could answer me a few question's?
1.I used to have a cerbera 4.5 which was a bastard to start in the morning's(Used to stay at house with garage,now don't.)Is the Griff ok for morning/Cold start?
2.Can i use the Griff everyday?My work is only 5 miles from the house and i don't really drive during the day!
3.What is the cost of a full tank of petrol and how many miles would you get out of it(Average driving chaps!)
Any help would be much appreciated??

Thanks
Fraser

[Ballistic Banana]

big fra said:

Hello to you all! I am considering changing my Evo for a Griff and i am wondering if you kind gent's could answer me a few question's? 1.I used to have a cerbera 4.5 which was a bastard to start in the morning's(Used to stay at house with garage,now don't.)Is the Griff ok for morning/Cold start? 2.Can i use the Griff everyday?My work is only 5 miles from the house and i don't really drive during the day! 3.What is the cost of a full tank of petrol and how many miles would you get out of it(Average driving chaps!) Any help would be much appreciated?? Thanks Fraser

All IMHO

1.Prefers cold starts to Hot ones
2.Yep, but that 5 will turn into 20 which will be better for thew engine and you anyhow
3:Cant remember how much I just fill up and pay but around 220 miles and mpg ranges from 5mpg trackday to around 30 steady on a motorway.

BB

[big fra]

Thanks for your quick reply!
Could you let me know what to watch out for when buying 1 and what 1 to go for(Def the 500)!I have about £18k to spend!

Quite like the look of this:

www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/detail.asp?i=37778&s=3

[RAW-SEWedge]

Only advice I can offer is buy the best you can but keep some cash in reserve. Make sure you check all the usual point, lots of info on here but in general:

Chassis outriggers in front of rear wheel near seat belt mounts and behind front wheels.
Oil pressure anything around 20 warm idle and 25+ when over 2000 revs.
Electrics in the passenger foot well.

[Northern_Paul]

big fra said:

Hello to you all! I am considering changing my Evo for a Griff and i am wondering if you kind gent's could answer me a few question's? 1.I used to have a cerbera 4.5 which was a bastard to start in the morning's(Used to stay at house with garage,now don't.)Is the Griff ok for morning/Cold start? 2.Can i use the Griff everyday?My work is only 5 miles from the house and i don't really drive during the day! 3.What is the cost of a full tank of petrol and how many miles would you get out of it(Average driving chaps!) Any help would be much appreciated?? Thanks Fraser

If you really want a Griff none of the above matters

You need a Degree in Astro-Physics just to be able to work out every little nuance(?spelling?).

From the irritating but none the less, quirky 'self-opening-glovebox', I've now got mine to only open when I'm behaving badly or I hit a pothole, so that's fine with me.

To the finer points of 'ECU Mapping & Fuel Rails' versus 'Big-Sucky Carbs'.

Owning a Griff is a MUST.

[big fra]

If you really want a Griff none of the above matters

You need a Degree in Astro-Physics just to be able to work out every little nuance(?spelling?).

From the irritating but none the less, quirky 'self-opening-glovebox', I've now got mine to only open when I'm behaving badly or I hit a pothole, so that's fine with me.

To the finer points of 'ECU Mapping & Fuel Rails' versus 'Big-Sucky Carbs'.

Owning a Griff is a MUST.[/quote]

Oh lord,the idea of big carb's on a V8 turns me on.Need to sell the Evo to stop modding,must resist future temptation!!!!

[Ballistic Banana]

Steve Heaths TVR Griffith and Chimeara is a good buy befor buying got loads of useful info in and a must have for any owner or owner to be. www.tvrbooks.co.uk/

also have a shortlist on my site here www.thegriffithpages.com

BB

[mrmaggit]

Hi,

James Agger has a couple of nice Griffs in at the moment.

www.jamesagger.com

The Griff will not let you get away with as much as the Evo. Some training is a good idea. More Griffs get written off in the first year than any other time.

maggit

>> Edited by mrmaggit on Tuesday 22 March 07:39

[catretriever]

big fra said:

Quite like the look of this: www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/detail.asp?i=37778&s=3

That's funny....that's the first car I considered when I started looking, but James had just sent it off to TVR Power for some fettling so it wasn't to be. You will find that James has a good rep on here, along with several others.

Main advice would be to by a car that has been loved & driven. Don't worry about high miles as these cars don't like to be sat around in a garage. OH...and expect to spend a couple off grand fixing things early on, so adjust your spending budget accordingly. If you're lucky and nothing goes wrong then you can always use the cash you save for a few *ahem* enhancements

[starmist]

Have a look at my profile. I would want about £18k for mine (if I was selling). It has had a fortune spent on it in the last 12 months, and is now mechanically sound, inclusing chassis outriggers, bushes and suspension (just fitted polybushes and Nitrons).

Don't think you'll stop modding just because you've bought a Griff. I started last year with a Taraka upgrade (engine rebuild and blueprint, Taraka cam, etc.) followed that with a carbon fibre triple throttle body plenum, air flow meter, and ECU chip, and ended up fitting new injectors, ACT stainless manifolds and sports silencer and now the bushes and Nitrons, having fitted 300mm front discs and 4 pot racing calipers. It's now running 330bhp and 330 lbft with 265lbft available from 2500rpm.

Oh, and I've also fitted Sparco race seats (standard ones don't hold you in corners) and next would be a leather retrim, and a respray. And I do fancy a set of early OZ split rims, then I might go back to the engine and fit the OMEX ignition system, and maybe a V8 Developments 5.5 litre short engine........

[jodypress]

i went from a jap 4wd turbo (modified gti-r) to a griff and have to say never looked back.
i had a good one. performance fantastic, handling great (in dry) forget pushing on in wet, not worth it.

had it for a couple of years before i emmigrated.

if you only do 5 miles a day, don;t ues the griff. not worth it. it takes a good 5 mins to warm up from cold in winter.

i used it all year round no probs.

even took it to le mans ( no probs keeping up with my friends fezzas 360,355, but got left for dead at 150mph, by the 456)

would def reccomend a griff that has been driven, so at least 5-7k mile a year.

starmists one looks lovely, and you have luxury of mods and takara upgrade.

whatever you do, don't go for the summer only toy that was stored over winter and has REALLY low miles, you will have no end of trouble.

these cars were built to be driven.

i drove mine VERY hard, but took care of her and it was a fantastic experience.

[srebbe64]

big fra said:

Hello to you all! I am considering changing my Evo for a Griff and i am wondering if you kind gent's could answer me a few question's? 1.I used to have a cerbera 4.5 which was a bastard to start in the morning's(Used to stay at house with garage,now don't.)Is the Griff ok for morning/Cold start? 2.Can i use the Griff everyday?My work is only 5 miles from the house and i don't really drive during the day! 3.What is the cost of a full tank of petrol and how many miles would you get out of it(Average driving chaps!) Any help would be much appreciated?? Thanks Fraser

1. I never have trouble starting mine.
2. Yes you can use it every day - in fact it's recmoneded.
3. I'm getting 16 mpg (don't know the cost of a full tank because I always fill up wihen it's 1/3rd full (don't trust the dial)

Anyway, buy one because there will be one more of us and one less of them!

[lazyitus]

Big fra,

These Griffiths kick ass mate.

Respect to you that you've already owned a Cerb and currently own an Evo.

As mentioned above, cold starts are probably better than warm, using daily won't be a problem and consumption is'nt an issue!

I never thought it possible to love cars more than I did. However, since I bought the Griffith, my life has become richer and has enabled me to produce endless amounts of serotonin.

I'm actually excited for you.

[big fra]

Thanks for all the replies guy's and i think i am going to take the plunge!I am sure you lot might not bother about this but i love my Evo(Full autronic's ECU c/w launch control and anti lag)but i can't keep it because the Evo is now becoming like the Subaru,CHAV!!!!!!!!
I will keep everyone updated and i really appreciate all off your kind and helpful replies!

Many thanks
Fraser

[PatHeald]

jodypress said:

whatever you do, don't go for the summer only toy that was stored over winter and has REALLY low miles, you will have no end of trouble

Oh, I don't know...

I bought an eight year old Griff in December.

It had been stored in a heated garage for the last three years and had only done 4800 miles from new.

I gave the car a thorough overhaul and changed all the consumables.

I have started using the car regularly and it has not missed a beat in the last 600 miles.

I quite like buying really low mileage old cars.

The Griff is just like new inside, outside and underneath.

I fully expected clutch slave seal failures, leaky dampers, sticky calipers etc. In the case of the Griff, I've been lucky and these failures haven't happened.

If they did crop up, then they are generally pretty cheap and easy to fix.

A lot depends on the conditions in which a car is stored.

I once completely ruined an MGB V8 by leaving it in a damp garage for six months. The Griffith, conversely, was kept warm and dry and has been sympathetically recommissioned. It has been surprisingly trouble free since.

Cheers

Pat

[veg]

Griff ace but an EVO will kill it in the wet. Mind you the CHAV point is very true. At least you won't have to buy Burberry.
Mind you an M3 is so more CHAV. Next time you're behind one I bet the driver has a shaved head, earing and a neck as thick as you leg.

[big fra]

I have made the first step by burning my kappa track suit

[crankedup]

Nought wrong with a low mileage Griff', IMO they are a better bet than a high miler PROVIDED the car has had an annual service you should'nt have any problems in my experience.

[jodypress]

i am not dismissing low mileage cars.
but ones that aren't used regularly, at least one good run a week, are the ones i would avoid.

if it hasn't been out in the wet, how do you know if you have leaks to fix, etc

JUST GO AND BUY A GRIFF. the smile will never end.

[dnb]

LOL @ all the chav comments. (Still an Impreza owner, but have been for many years.)

Our Griff has 90k+ miles now and is still going strong. They take the miles very well if they're looked after.

Just buy one! You won't regret it - even if you can't out corner a mildly tuned WRC replica on B roads.