Griffiths for newbies?
Discussion
Evening all! What a great site!
I have a feeling you might have been asked this before, but I hope you can help. I have noticed a few earlier Griffiths appearing now for under £13,000. Mileages seem to vary, but are usually 50,000 +. Would I be buying into a whole heap of trouble at that price, or are they generally sound?
I have a Westfield at the minute, so I am happy tinkering, but I want something more practical and I have lusted after a Griffith since they came out. Rightly or wrongly, I have a perverse desire for the 4.0 or 4.3, but if all the advice says keep saving for a more expensive one, so be it!
Am I on the road to divorce, bankruptcy and homelessness?
Cheers
Rick
I have a feeling you might have been asked this before, but I hope you can help. I have noticed a few earlier Griffiths appearing now for under £13,000. Mileages seem to vary, but are usually 50,000 +. Would I be buying into a whole heap of trouble at that price, or are they generally sound?
I have a Westfield at the minute, so I am happy tinkering, but I want something more practical and I have lusted after a Griffith since they came out. Rightly or wrongly, I have a perverse desire for the 4.0 or 4.3, but if all the advice says keep saving for a more expensive one, so be it!
Am I on the road to divorce, bankruptcy and homelessness?
Cheers
Rick
Wombat Rick said:
I have noticed a few earlier Griffiths appearing now for under £13,000. Mileages seem to vary, but are usually 50,000 +. Would I be buying into a whole heap of trouble at that price, or are they generally sound?
Like the name Wombat Rick!
My second TVR was a Griff 4.0 with 50K miles and it was fantastic. The only reason I later got a 500 was not for the extra torque but because it was in exactly the colour scheme I always wanted.
Many people will say 'get a 500', but IMHO and in normal driving situations the 4.0 is more pliable and sounds better due to its lack of furry animals in the exhaust and manifold. Plus they're less money.
If your wife is a petrolhead, no problem. However, there are good and bad TVRs out there - if not loved they will go off quickly. I suggest you get the 'Bible' from Steve at www.tvrbooks.co.uk (he still hasn't sent me a commission cheque) and it will tell you *everything* you need to know about choosing, buying, running and maintaining one. Just do your homework, keep your eyes open, learn the Achilles heels and you should get a good one. And it won't lose money either.
Happy hunting WR!
Hi Wombat and Welcome to PH.
In the Classified section you will find you are able to subscribe to any New adverts put in the Griffith section which will give you some idea about prices at the moment.
Like others have said getting someone to look for you is a good idea and Rob Ingleby of www.findasportscar.co.uk(offline at the moment though!! )
I am sure any questions you have though we will all try and help in any ways we can.
Simon
In the Classified section you will find you are able to subscribe to any New adverts put in the Griffith section which will give you some idea about prices at the moment.
Like others have said getting someone to look for you is a good idea and Rob Ingleby of www.findasportscar.co.uk(offline at the moment though!! )
I am sure any questions you have though we will all try and help in any ways we can.
Simon
I was in your position 6 months ago - you now have the advantage of it being winter (although you have a Westie to shift) - buy before spring when prices will firm, although there may be more cars on the market in spring. If a car's OK on the day you look at it then any subsequent unreliability will probably be due to something minor (unless it's been bodged). Most issues seem to stem from corroding earths/electrics, or build up of dirt etc. With regular thorough servicing you should be OK, but of course if/when something big does go it'll probably be expensive. Oh and expensive car doesn't necessarily mean a good car. There seem to be plenty of people (more common with Chimaeras 
) who think their car's great when quite frankly it isn't - but they never look underneath to find out.
) who think their car's great when quite frankly it isn't - but they never look underneath to find out.
Thanks for all the replies gents!! (And ladies 
).
It was the lack of smelly critters in the exhaust that attracted me to the earlier ones, plus somehow I always think the first editions of a car are "how it's maker intended". Also, many 500's seem to be in slightly lairy colour schemes and I want the more traditional dark blue/dark green look.
The missis is not really a petrol head, but she is sympathetic to my problems. Although heating pistons up in the best casserole pan is apparently not good Nigella practice... How was I to know??
I had best get THAT book then - that's another tuppence commission to put on your abacus Simpo.
Thanks again - much appreciated!
). It was the lack of smelly critters in the exhaust that attracted me to the earlier ones, plus somehow I always think the first editions of a car are "how it's maker intended". Also, many 500's seem to be in slightly lairy colour schemes and I want the more traditional dark blue/dark green look.
The missis is not really a petrol head, but she is sympathetic to my problems. Although heating pistons up in the best casserole pan is apparently not good Nigella practice... How was I to know??
I had best get THAT book then - that's another tuppence commission to put on your abacus Simpo.
Thanks again - much appreciated!
Ballistic Banana said:
Hi Wombat and Welcome to PH.
In the Classified section you will find you are able to subscribe to any New adverts put in the Griffith section which will give you some idea about prices at the moment.
Like others have said getting someone to look for you is a good idea and Rob Ingleby of www.findasportscar.co.uk(offline at the moment though!! )
I am sure any questions you have though we will all try and help in any ways we can.
Simon
Rob and I may be doing something together in the New Year so if I can be of some assistance do let me know.. cheers Matt.
I too was in the same position about a year ago. All I can say is find the best car for your budget. I bought my 55,000 4.0 precat from Fernhursts and hav'nt looked back since.
It's been totally reliable, infact better than my wife's Audi. Only problem was the stitching giving up to the rear screen.
Find the right car and it will change your life!
It's been totally reliable, infact better than my wife's Audi. Only problem was the stitching giving up to the rear screen.
Find the right car and it will change your life!
I echo everything green griff said - except I bought 52k mile 4.0 from Arfur Daly. Got it checked out by local TVR agents - cost me £60 & money well spent. They fixed a few minor leccy things [mirrors, heater controls].
In 2 years & 8k miles the only problem has been a broken fan belt. If you want to have huge fun, go get your green bullet. If you want huger fun,
through France & Spain is 
. They have loads of good, empty roads, much more sunshine and the locals all 
!
In 2 years & 8k miles the only problem has been a broken fan belt. If you want to have huge fun, go get your green bullet. If you want huger fun,
through France & Spain is . They have loads of good, empty roads, much more sunshine and the locals all !Can't believe I missed your original post on spain Skip... I took mine down through France, over Pyrenees and down to the Costa del Sol in August... absolute motoring heaven and... barring wedding and birth of daughter THE best experience of my life so far 
and again!
Rick, whereabouts in West Yorkshire? We're having a Boxing Day Blast starting near Otley and heading out to Skipton/Bolton abbey. I might have a spare seat as Vicki is no petrolhead and puts my enthusiasm down to simple madness
and again! Rick, whereabouts in West Yorkshire? We're having a Boxing Day Blast starting near Otley and heading out to Skipton/Bolton abbey. I might have a spare seat as Vicki is no petrolhead and puts my enthusiasm down to simple madness
I bought a 4 ltr in May because I wanted the noise of the pre-cat but couldnt find a decent 4.3. Private sale but had FTVSH. Test drove a few 500's too - and although damn quick - they just didnt have that growl.
It needed a front end respray (which I still havent had done!) and a few other things (see profile) but I haggled this off the price. To be honest I looked at and test drove about 8 4ltr cars and I dont think any of them were dodgy. Be more wary of low mileage cars. Also if its done 50k + it's more likely to have any initial problems ironed out. On the down side -build quality is not as good as on the 500's IMHO.
Remember a 4 ltr is rarer than a 500 too
It needed a front end respray (which I still havent had done!) and a few other things (see profile) but I haggled this off the price. To be honest I looked at and test drove about 8 4ltr cars and I dont think any of them were dodgy. Be more wary of low mileage cars. Also if its done 50k + it's more likely to have any initial problems ironed out. On the down side -build quality is not as good as on the 500's IMHO.
Remember a 4 ltr is rarer than a 500 too
burriana500 said:
Rick, whereabouts in West Yorkshire? We're having a Boxing Day Blast starting near Otley and heading out to Skipton/Bolton abbey. I might have a spare seat as Vicki is no petrolhead and puts my enthusiasm down to simple madness
Hello! I'm from sunny Queensbury, in the bandit country between Bradford and Halifax...
. Thanks for the offer, but I don't really think I could replace your missis. I'm terrible in the kitchen and come with so much emotional baggage. Or have I got the wrong end of the stick??
Seriously, it's very kind of you, but I am up to the usual Christmas hostilities with family etc. etc...
Have a great time!
And thanks again for all the replies!
Gassing Station | Griffith | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff