Griff as everyday car - who parks it where?
Discussion
Hi all
Looking at potentially replacing my current car (Mitsubishi FTO) with a Griff in the next few months. I've read all the threads about using one as your every-day car and am comfortable that the reliability is good for a regular runner.
What I haven't seen much mention of is where people are generally comfortable with leaving their TVRs. When I first bought the FTO I didn't like to park it anywhere, but I've slowly got more tolerant and am now happy to park at supermarkets, cinemas, etc (in big spaces to reduce door-knocks etc). I still avoid dark back-streets etc, obviously.
The intention is to use the GF's car as much as possible but at times it may be unavoidable that I have to park somewhere where I can't keep an eye on it.
So, how much scrote-attention do these cars get, basically?
Cheers,
Sy
Looking at potentially replacing my current car (Mitsubishi FTO) with a Griff in the next few months. I've read all the threads about using one as your every-day car and am comfortable that the reliability is good for a regular runner.
What I haven't seen much mention of is where people are generally comfortable with leaving their TVRs. When I first bought the FTO I didn't like to park it anywhere, but I've slowly got more tolerant and am now happy to park at supermarkets, cinemas, etc (in big spaces to reduce door-knocks etc). I still avoid dark back-streets etc, obviously.
The intention is to use the GF's car as much as possible but at times it may be unavoidable that I have to park somewhere where I can't keep an eye on it.
So, how much scrote-attention do these cars get, basically?
Cheers,
Sy
Dont even bother looking at Griffs. They are rubbish and breakdown all the time. What people say about the unreliability is all true and you are better off sticking to Jap cars for a true performance experience.
To noise of griffs soon tires on you. its something to do with the shape of them. I hear all other TVRs are great though and my experiences with Chimearas is fair better. They are cheaper too but are essentially the same car with a bigger boot.
I recommend you go for the Chimeara.
Same performance, bigger boot and cheaper.
Also sound a lot better.
I even heard that black Griffs are the worst and the best thing do do is get shot of them straight away. Apparently due to the shape of the car and the colour it asorbs even more heat which wrecks the engines so much quicker. (As you already know fibreglass is an insulator, not a conductor so it traps the heat in).
Definitly dont get a black one and if you know anyone that has one tell them to get rid of it quick.
(do I have to try harder yet or will this unstable the market enough?)
To noise of griffs soon tires on you. its something to do with the shape of them. I hear all other TVRs are great though and my experiences with Chimearas is fair better. They are cheaper too but are essentially the same car with a bigger boot.
I recommend you go for the Chimeara.
Same performance, bigger boot and cheaper.
Also sound a lot better.
I even heard that black Griffs are the worst and the best thing do do is get shot of them straight away. Apparently due to the shape of the car and the colour it asorbs even more heat which wrecks the engines so much quicker. (As you already know fibreglass is an insulator, not a conductor so it traps the heat in).
Definitly dont get a black one and if you know anyone that has one tell them to get rid of it quick.
(do I have to try harder yet or will this unstable the market enough?)
DustyC said:
Dont even bother looking at Griffs. They are rubbish and breakdown all the time.
Heh, so you're in the market for a Black Griff?
Don't worry, it'll be a couple of months at least before I actally start looking proper. Got to gets me redundancy money and settle into the new job first!
DustyC said:
Dont even bother looking at Griffs. They are rubbish and breakdown all the time. What people say about the unreliability is all true and you are better off sticking to Jap cars for a true performance experience.
To noise of griffs soon tires on you. its something to do with the shape of them. I hear all other TVRs are great though and my experiences with Chimearas is fair better. They are cheaper too but are essentially the same car with a bigger boot.
I recommend you go for the Chimeara.
Same performance, bigger boot and cheaper.
Also sound a lot better.
I even heard that black Griffs are the worst and the best thing do do is get shot of them straight away. Apparently due to the shape of the car and the colour it asorbs even more heat which wrecks the engines so much quicker. (As you already know fibreglass is an insulator, not a conductor so it traps the heat in).
Definitly dont get a black one and if you know anyone that has one tell them to get rid of it quick.
(do I have to try harder yet or will this unstable the market enough?)
Rigth ... you've comvinced me !
Give uc a tenner and we'll call it quits, as long as you can collect the 'thing' in the next hour, or the deal is off !
Dusty Alert - Dusty Alert!!! 
As a BLACK Griff owner with three years experience, and no intention of parting with it, I can safely say:
Don't park it at the top of a hill without leaving it in gear - you might come back to find it at the bottom
Don't leave it in Waitrose car park with the roof down in February - you might come back to find it full of hail stones
Argh - cold bum!!! Don't park it round here - I'm mid distance between a canal and a river and you don't want to know the mess that the gulls leave it in !!!!!!
Otherwise - no significant problems to report, only problems have been "nice car mister" or the chap you get chatting to while your frozen food is defrosting or you've forgotten the girlfriend - ooops!
johno said:
Rigth ... you've comvinced me !
Give uc a tenner and we'll call it quits, as long as you can collect the 'thing' in the next hour, or the deal is off !
calm down, calm down. No need to panic.
Selling a car is like making love to a beautiful woman, and as you know that requires payment...
So first of all I'll need you to send me a cheque for collection services.
Lets take this step by step and we'll get that "thing" off your hands in no time
(
my plan is working!)gingerprince said:
Dont even bother looking at Griffs. They are rubbish and breakdown all the time.
Heh, so you're in the market for a Black Griff?
Don't worry, it'll be a couple of months at least before I actally start looking proper. Got to gets me redundancy money and settle into the new job first!
Welcome to PH
Excuse my mad post. Just trying to persuade Johno to part with his horrible, gutless, car.
(Yes I am after a black griff and his is the best there is!)
Any questions you want answered about Griffs can be answered on PH.
In fact, any answers about anything ever can be naswered an usually are with in 5 minutes in General gassing during peak hours (ie the hours everyone is supposed to be working!).
When you start to ask questions about Griffs you will eventually get to a stage where people will say GO AND DRIVE ONE!
This is the best advice you'll get. Test drive a couple to see if you want a PAS/non PAS etc and it all becomes clear. You may even find you want the first one you see.
The other good thing to do is go to a TVRCC meet or a PH meet and ask questions and go for a ride in Griffs and other TVR to find out what you really want.
Im down south so dont cant recommend any dealers up your way. Im sure someone here can help you though.
Theres my advice for starters.
The next thing to consider doing is buying the Griffith bible as written by Steve Heath.
He has also written a buying guide.
A link to this na be found in the FAQs on his website
www.tvrbooks.co.uk/
There is one other rule.
You are not allowed to buy one until I have!
I park my Griff in the street in a leafy London suburb and it got keyed within weeks (rear light cluster to windscreen). Chim down the road got the same treatment a few weeks later, parked in a drive. 911, SLK and Subaru WRX in the same street have never been touched, although BMW 3 series has been done twice (once with words - they can spell if the words are 4 letters or less). I don't live in a dump! There just happens to be a little gang of drunken teenage scrotes who live nearby.
I've invested in a really good quality thick waterproof cover which would cut easily enough but is resistant to casual keying (I tried before I bought it). I'm keeping my fingers crossed and trying not to dwell on it.
I don't regret buying it for a second but don't think you will be immune because of any romantic notions about Griffs being classic British sportscars etc. To a drunken scrote on a Friday night your lovely car is just another symbol of their inadequacy.
I've invested in a really good quality thick waterproof cover which would cut easily enough but is resistant to casual keying (I tried before I bought it). I'm keeping my fingers crossed and trying not to dwell on it.
I don't regret buying it for a second but don't think you will be immune because of any romantic notions about Griffs being classic British sportscars etc. To a drunken scrote on a Friday night your lovely car is just another symbol of their inadequacy.
I park mine in a public car park close to my gaff. It's got cameras and shit but as we all know, that doesn't stop pikey kids off their faces from vandalising them.
However I've been pretty fortunate - I also parked my 993, and the Noble there. The Porker got no attention at all (it was midnight blue and hid in the shadows). The Noble got a couple of scratches on the roof - but on closer inspection they turned out to be cats wanting to sleep on the warm engine cover!!! (mucho funny threads in the Noble forum ensued, with advice to put tiger poo on the car )
Unfortunately I've got my first scratch on the wing of the Griff - but there's a reason why I chose a silver plastic car......
I'd say sod it and just enjoy the thing. I must have got a good one since mine doesn't leak, starts first time and hasn't had bad vandal attention. After all, it's a plastic car, if someone keys it then it may be upsetting but it ain't going to immediately make it a rust bucket, and whereas it may make the scum feel better for their inadequacy, remember it is you that owns the beautiful car. I haven't bothered spending a fortune on getting the front resprayed... I'd rather spend the cash on tuning the engine and keeping it mechanically in immaculate order.
I would probably baulk at owning a 'Rarri where I live. For me, the Griff is the perfect everyday car....
However I've been pretty fortunate - I also parked my 993, and the Noble there. The Porker got no attention at all (it was midnight blue and hid in the shadows). The Noble got a couple of scratches on the roof - but on closer inspection they turned out to be cats wanting to sleep on the warm engine cover!!! (mucho funny threads in the Noble forum ensued, with advice to put tiger poo on the car
) Unfortunately I've got my first scratch on the wing of the Griff - but there's a reason why I chose a silver plastic car......
I'd say sod it and just enjoy the thing. I must have got a good one since mine doesn't leak, starts first time and hasn't had bad vandal attention. After all, it's a plastic car, if someone keys it then it may be upsetting but it ain't going to immediately make it a rust bucket, and whereas it may make the scum feel better for their inadequacy, remember it is you that owns the beautiful car. I haven't bothered spending a fortune on getting the front resprayed... I'd rather spend the cash on tuning the engine and keeping it mechanically in immaculate order.
I would probably baulk at owning a 'Rarri where I live. For me, the Griff is the perfect everyday car....
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