To trade or not to trade, that is the question.
Discussion
I have a dilemma. I’m thinking about upgrading from my Griff to a Tuscan. The question is should I try to get a trade in or should I try to sell it privately and go through all the hassle with waste of time tyre kickers?
I’m going to buy from a dealer (either TVR or not) instead of private sale to get the peace of mind. I have a 94 Pre-serpentine Griff 500 with 22000 miles and it needs a little bit of work done on it to get it into shape, just a really good clean in and out really. But when done, it should realistically be worth around £14000.
What would I get for it from the dealers as I’m looking to add £10 - £15K to my trade in price for a Tuscan? I’m extremely busy at work at the moment and don’t have much time to deal with a private sale if there is not much difference between a trade in and aprivate sale. I’m not in a hurry to sell the Griff but the Tuscan is very tempting.
I’m going to buy from a dealer (either TVR or not) instead of private sale to get the peace of mind. I have a 94 Pre-serpentine Griff 500 with 22000 miles and it needs a little bit of work done on it to get it into shape, just a really good clean in and out really. But when done, it should realistically be worth around £14000.
What would I get for it from the dealers as I’m looking to add £10 - £15K to my trade in price for a Tuscan? I’m extremely busy at work at the moment and don’t have much time to deal with a private sale if there is not much difference between a trade in and aprivate sale. I’m not in a hurry to sell the Griff but the Tuscan is very tempting.
onny said:
any help about trading in?
I'm beginning to have second thoughts. Should I get the Tuscan or should I spend a lot less money and get the engine upgraded instead. Know what the trade in value will help.
A mate of mine is a dealer. He has just put a 95 Griff on his forecourt having bought it in for under £8K. Does that help?
All i can say is : buy the autotrader / log on. take details of all similar cars in UK currently for sale privately. Wait a couple of weeks. Phone them. If the vast majority are unsold you have the answer.
Try seeing what deal you can get with no trade in.
Incidently my wife's cavalier came to us after the local Vauxhall dealer offered my father in law a deal to be refused.
Okay this is 4 1/2 years ago, but the J reg 1.8 L only had 31K on the Clock.
I thought it was worth about £2K.
so on a new Astra 1.8 16V CDi they offered him £2k.
or
£1500 off if he had no p/x.
I offered him £2K and my wife told him we could not afford that, so I offered £500 and I thought the deal was done, but the next day he said that It was free to us.
Try seeing what deal you can get with no trade in.
Incidently my wife's cavalier came to us after the local Vauxhall dealer offered my father in law a deal to be refused.
Okay this is 4 1/2 years ago, but the J reg 1.8 L only had 31K on the Clock.
I thought it was worth about £2K.
so on a new Astra 1.8 16V CDi they offered him £2k.
or
£1500 off if he had no p/x.
I offered him £2K and my wife told him we could not afford that, so I offered £500 and I thought the deal was done, but the next day he said that It was free to us.
You could just advertise on PH and not Auto Trader then at least you get a better class of tyre kicker 
Seriously, when I sold my Griff I advertised on both Autotrader and PH. I got nothing but annoying canvasser enquiries off Autotrader, several serious enquiries off the PH ad and eventually sold it to one of those.
Seriously, when I sold my Griff I advertised on both Autotrader and PH. I got nothing but annoying canvasser enquiries off Autotrader, several serious enquiries off the PH ad and eventually sold it to one of those.
Sounds familiar! 
I'm also looking at the swap from Griff to Tuscan. Got an idea what a dealer (independent) might do on the sale side. I thought of parting with the Griff and then decided to hold on a little longer because TVR sales have been a little slow over the last few months.
PH got the serious enquiries, Autotrader seemed to be the daft ones - except that I was contacted by a company that finds cars for TV productions and the Griff is now being groomed to be a TV star (Holy City or something - with the promise it won't be crashed!). Anyway I still haven't sold, but then I also know I've not seen the right Tuscan yet - to be honest I am going to take my time and be a bit of a DustyC for this purchase!
Providing you're not in a hurry I'd go gently for the private sale route, unless you see the right car at a good dealer (AB or Jamer or Fernies or the like...). If you're anything like me, with a private buyer you want to be sure it's going to a good home - sad though that sentiment may seem!!!
I'm also looking at the swap from Griff to Tuscan. Got an idea what a dealer (independent) might do on the sale side. I thought of parting with the Griff and then decided to hold on a little longer because TVR sales have been a little slow over the last few months.
PH got the serious enquiries, Autotrader seemed to be the daft ones - except that I was contacted by a company that finds cars for TV productions and the Griff is now being groomed to be a TV star (Holy City or something - with the promise it won't be crashed!). Anyway I still haven't sold, but then I also know I've not seen the right Tuscan yet - to be honest I am going to take my time and be a bit of a DustyC for this purchase!
Providing you're not in a hurry I'd go gently for the private sale route, unless you see the right car at a good dealer (AB or Jamer or Fernies or the like...). If you're anything like me, with a private buyer you want to be sure it's going to a good home - sad though that sentiment may seem!!!
onny said:
any help about trading in?
I'm beginning to have second thoughts. Should I get the Tuscan or should I spend a lot less money and get the engine upgraded instead. Know what the trade in value will help.
I keep thinking this. Have you listed out the things you'd want to do?
I have:
Move battery to boot (but still get roof in!)
retro fit a/c
respray
change headlights
add roll bars
tune engine
upgrade brakes
replace dashboard
think about new seats
Considering there's little of this I could tackle myself, I have just spent about the difference between an eight year old Griff and a three year old Tuscan!!!!!!
What's the answer?
Aswell as PH of course, I think the TVRCC mag, would be a good place to advertise. As hopefully it will have similar enthusiasts reading it.
A word of warning, my dentist's got a Tiv & leaves his old copies of sprint in the waiting room.
So if your in the Oldbury area, you might be getting some tyre kickers with rotten chompers, coming along.
If you get any time wasters from that bunch, you could always offer to save them some money, by kicking their remaining nashers in for them.
>> Edited by RUSSELLM on Monday 19th July 15:13
A word of warning, my dentist's got a Tiv & leaves his old copies of sprint in the waiting room.
So if your in the Oldbury area, you might be getting some tyre kickers with rotten chompers, coming along.
If you get any time wasters from that bunch, you could always offer to save them some money, by kicking their remaining nashers in for them.
>> Edited by RUSSELLM on Monday 19th July 15:13
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the anwsers. I've gone and done it today! A 02/2002 4L Tuscan in chianti Starmist with Aircon but only 16 inch wheels from Street TVR in Bromsgrove. I was looking for a dark color car and was hoping for black or dark blue but when I saw the chianti starmist next to a moonraker black today, I actually prefered the chianti!
I traded in the Griff and got £13k for it which is close enough to what I had hoped for with a private sale. No hassle and no time waster and best of all no stress and got the car I wanted when I wanted it. If you are looking to upgrade at the moment, I think it would be worth trying for a trade in first and see what they offer you.
Thanks for the anwsers. I've gone and done it today! A 02/2002 4L Tuscan in chianti Starmist with Aircon but only 16 inch wheels from Street TVR in Bromsgrove. I was looking for a dark color car and was hoping for black or dark blue but when I saw the chianti starmist next to a moonraker black today, I actually prefered the chianti!
I traded in the Griff and got £13k for it which is close enough to what I had hoped for with a private sale. No hassle and no time waster and best of all no stress and got the car I wanted when I wanted it. If you are looking to upgrade at the moment, I think it would be worth trying for a trade in first and see what they offer you.
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