Sell or keep? Sell or keep? Gaaaah!!!
Sell or keep? Sell or keep? Gaaaah!!!
Author
Discussion

bigandclever

Original Poster:

14,372 posts

268 months

Tuesday 28th October 2008
quotequote all
Can I just start with saying that this isn't an advert, so if the mods could relax their trigger fingers for a bit I'd be grateful smile

If it does end up to be an advert then I'll do it properly through the classifieds, promise.

Now, here's my problem..... I'm moving to sunnier climes (well, south London) and then probably spending 6 months abroad next year. This will make keeping the Griff difficult - in terms of storage and access to drive; and expensive, again in terms of storage plus all the associated usual running costs. Head says it's probably sensible to sell now, pocket the cash and return to the fold next summer. Heart says 'la la la la I can't hear you'. Oh dear, I'm rambling smile

It's pretty sorted mechanically (just had engine rebuild at 55k miles; also has AP brakes, Nitrons, sports exhaust and spiders conversion; just flown through MOT). Oh, it's a 500 and 98R.

Cosmetically it's not perfect; few stonechips, bit of (heat) cracked fibreglass on nose, tatty targa.

There's a picture in my profile. That's not DCR, it's Lambo red wink

What I'm stuck on is price. Or more accurately, what is it worth? Insurance is £16.5k agreed value. I haven't spoken to any of the usual suspects for a price yet, or to see if they're interested in flipping it, and I have no idea what the market is really like for Tivs at the moment.

Alternatively, if I were to keep it, knowing there would be limited (if any) opportunity to drive it, what would my costs be - storage, insurance, SORN, anything else? And more importantly, how much?

Any thoughts or ideas out there?

Edited by bigandclever on Tuesday 28th October 19:56

lazyitus

19,931 posts

296 months

Tuesday 28th October 2008
quotequote all
Don't sell it.

Seriously. Do everything in your power to keep it. I've heard of people selling Griffs in the past only to realise the error of their ways, cry for 40 days and forty nights, become divorced and ending up on the streets, homeless wandering round saying 'Giblets' to passers by.

It'll really bring you unhapiness. Chances are you'd never end up buying another one.

Ultimately, do what your heart says. wink

Englishman

2,253 posts

240 months

Tuesday 28th October 2008
quotequote all
Always regretted selling my first one - now bought another though and getting it to as good condition as the first one was - cost more overall than keeping the original one of course!

Johno

8,593 posts

312 months

Tuesday 28th October 2008
quotequote all
You'll loose a whole load on it currently if you can shift it, then you'll regret selling it and want one when you come back, then you may find financially it doesn't fit your new circumstances, time will pass and you'll end up without one or buying another and going through the mods like Englishman is doing and you've done with the current one.

I've always maintained I'm never selling mine, regardless if I go overseas, I know somewhere it can be stored without need for insurance etc and that's where it'll be until I get home again or send it to myself wink


Pasco

6,652 posts

258 months

Tuesday 28th October 2008
quotequote all
Johno said:
You'll loose a whole load on it currently if you can shift it, then you'll regret selling it and want one when you come back, then you may find financially it doesn't fit your new circumstances, time will pass and you'll end up without one or buying another and going through the mods like Englishman is doing and you've done with the current one.

I've always maintained I'm never selling mine, regardless if I go overseas, I know somewhere it can be stored without need for insurance etc and that's where it'll be until I get home again or send it to myself wink
Yep Ian is Spot on !! yes

hehe

HRG

72,863 posts

269 months

Tuesday 28th October 2008
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Just buy a Cerbie as well if you need something sensible biggrin

bigandclever

Original Poster:

14,372 posts

268 months

Wednesday 29th October 2008
quotequote all
None of you are helping smile

AntonyJ

5,254 posts

311 months

Wednesday 29th October 2008
quotequote all
Dont sell it, speak to members of the local TVR club, maybe one of them has space to store it.
Speak to the local indies, maybe one of them could help store it.

Zumbruk

7,848 posts

290 months

Wednesday 29th October 2008
quotequote all
Don't sell it. Prices are in the toilet, and I've regretted selling most of my "entertainment" cars.

Uncle Fester

3,114 posts

238 months

Wednesday 29th October 2008
quotequote all
Is the six months of the year you will spend abroad the summer or the winter?

If you are coming home for the south London winter then it won’t get much happy times anyway.

If you are home for the summer, then that’s different.

Some car companies will take a car in as a job that isn’t needed to be finished any time soon. Yours just gets stored and the company fills in any gaps in their work schedule by doing yours in what would otherwise have been idle time. You can sometimes get a cheaper price for the job and end up with free storage.

Where are you going abroad? Could you take your Griff too? After all, for six months you don’t have to import it and register it there.

Johno

8,593 posts

312 months

Wednesday 29th October 2008
quotequote all
bigandclever said:
None of you are helping smile
This is nothing . . .

A few years ago after avoiding buying a house for far too long and needing to sort finances out a bit being onto my secood TVR I suggested to my TVR owning folks that I may have to sell the Griffith.

My mum's response "don't, you'll regret it, what else can you do instead?"

My folks got together thanks to Dad having a Grantura, and the idea of me selling my TVR regardless of financial fluidity was repugnant to my mother. She'd much rather see me happy without a house and with the TVR than miserable cos I had to sell it and a mortgage. Times change and now I own a garage to keep it in (novel for many years on side of street) and a mortgage.

Parents . . . supposed to the purveyors of sensible advice and wisdom maintain to this day that I shouldn't sell it. Take it off the road, mothball it, but don't sell it. I reckon if I went overseas for a while Dad may sell his Chimarea and then use my Griffith instead to keep it in good order for me hehe . . . . I therefore am totally helpless with advice when it comes to TVR decisions regarding their sale.

Monkeylegend

29,266 posts

261 months

Wednesday 29th October 2008
quotequote all
Keep it. I sold mine in February and got a good price for it. Values have dropped over the last few months, so from a financial point of view my timing was good.

However I think about it every day and although the money is paying my mortgage off, I really regret it and am now thinking about buying again, but hopefully a lot cheaper. Once bitten by the TVR bug it never goes away and better the devil you know and all that.

GJR

827 posts

310 months

Wednesday 29th October 2008
quotequote all
Monkeylegend said:
Keep it.... Once bitten by the TVR bug it never goes away and better the devil you know and all that.
Agreed wholeheartedly.... If you need to sell for financial reasons then you have to do what you have to do. But if it's just a case of not being around much for the next year/six months then keep it. smile

By the sound of it you've done a fair amount to the car and it'd be a shame to go through the hassle of selling, and later start all over again with an 'unknown'. Unless you fancy the challenge. wink

Mine's been in storage now for more time than I ever originally intended. I just couldn't bring myself to sell it as I knew I'd regret it if I did. It's SORN'd and not costing me in storage as I have family who are willing to store it for me.

Do you have a trusted friend or family who would look after it for you for six months or so ? If so that might be a good option. If not there are other ways to store the car. When I looked into storage there was a big difference in cost depending on the level of service and access to the car. You can also get 'layed up' insurance for the car.

Six months will fly by. wink






bigandclever

Original Poster:

14,372 posts

268 months

Wednesday 29th October 2008
quotequote all
Bugger it, just been out for a 20quid pint of milk smile

So laying up over the winter it is. Insurance seems straightforward enough, and I think I've found some appropriate storage. Seems a shame to not be driving it over the winter but......

Flaming car smile

Pasco

6,652 posts

258 months

Wednesday 29th October 2008
quotequote all
bigandclever said:
Bugger it, just been out for a 20quid pint of milk smile

So laying up over the winter it is. Insurance seems straightforward enough, and I think I've found some appropriate storage. Seems a shame to not be driving it over the winter but......

Flaming car smile
Well Done Brother you will not regret this decision thumbup

ncs

3,974 posts

312 months

Wednesday 29th October 2008
quotequote all
Keep it & make sure you add some extra miles to your insurance premium 'cos if your going to be in South London you must join us on our little trips outbiggrin

lots of 'em

Nicknerd

BIG DUNC

1,925 posts

253 months

Friday 31st October 2008
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I know you may have found storage, but if this falls through and you need somewhere to lay it up in the south, then let send me a PM ( heated, de-humidified secure garage with a few other motors in it )