Griffith 500 Wanted
Discussion
Hello Everyone
I've done the research, I've been on the hunt and I've yet to find my perfect griff.
If anyone knows of a late (1998+), low mileage (sub 30k), dark coloured (pref. blue) Griffith 500 in excellent condition, please could they let me know?
I've seen a couple of LE's, which are tempting, but they're a smidge over my budget.
Many thanks to everyone in advance... I NEED that sound in my life.
Sam
I've done the research, I've been on the hunt and I've yet to find my perfect griff.
If anyone knows of a late (1998+), low mileage (sub 30k), dark coloured (pref. blue) Griffith 500 in excellent condition, please could they let me know?
I've seen a couple of LE's, which are tempting, but they're a smidge over my budget.
Many thanks to everyone in advance... I NEED that sound in my life.
Sam
What you want is a blank canvas.... 
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
so you can create the perfect spec for you...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
so you can create the perfect spec for you...
HEHEHE
I've seen yours for sale and love the spec but the history is my only concern (sorry).
This one is perfect, but I don't think it's for sale anymore
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/749097.htm
I've seen yours for sale and love the spec but the history is my only concern (sorry).
This one is perfect, but I don't think it's for sale anymore
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/749097.htm
My concern with higher mileage cars is this...
I'm going to use the Griff everyday and will end up putting about 8-10k a year on it. I therefore want as low a mileage as possible so that if I were to ever sell it (which hopefully I won't have to) it'll still have a reasonable mileage.
Am I wrong?
I'm going to use the Griff everyday and will end up putting about 8-10k a year on it. I therefore want as low a mileage as possible so that if I were to ever sell it (which hopefully I won't have to) it'll still have a reasonable mileage.
Am I wrong?
ray_von said:
and that one's nearly as perfect as mine 
ETA Just read your other post stating £17k budget, maybe mines not the perfect one then
Is yours worth more than that?ETA Just read your other post stating £17k budget, maybe mines not the perfect one then
Edited by ray_von on Thursday 2nd July 13:32
There's a lovely, late 500LE on pistonheads in mid blue... but it's £25k!
If you pay in the region of £17k for a low miler & put 10k miles a year on it, you will have a whale of a time no doubt but you will suffer a large amount of depreciation. Maintenance is maintenance, you'll have to pay that out anyway whichever one you buy, but a low miler will loose a lot of value if you rack the miles up. 
pwd95 said:
If you pay in the region of £17k for a low miler & put 10k miles a year on it, you will have a whale of a time no doubt but you will suffer a large amount of depreciation. Maintenance is maintenance, you'll have to pay that out anyway whichever one you buy, but a low miler will loose a lot of value if you rack the miles up.
Maintenance is a given, I'm aware that big mileage = bigger bills, but I don't really want to be left with a high mileage Griff as I feel it'd be worth less in the long run (starting from a high starting mileage, versus a low starting mileage)SamPet said:
pwd95 said:
If you pay in the region of £17k for a low miler & put 10k miles a year on it, you will have a whale of a time no doubt but you will suffer a large amount of depreciation. Maintenance is maintenance, you'll have to pay that out anyway whichever one you buy, but a low miler will loose a lot of value if you rack the miles up.
Maintenance is a given, I'm aware that big mileage = bigger bills, but I don't really want to be left with a high mileage Griff as I feel it'd be worth less in the long run (starting from a high starting mileage, versus a low starting mileage)We would all like to have a car that never loses money over its life time,some lose lots,others very little,but its the wrong way to look at things...... these cars are no longer produced,and have not been for many years,prices are firming up as examples are bcoming scarce in the relative scheme of things,by all means try and get the best condition car you can,the miles you propose to do will certainly affect the resale value,but i dont think it will to the extent you think...... a well maintained loved Griff in very good condition will still be worth good money in several years time,regardless of the miles covered,there will after all through natuaral wastage be less around even then,a low miler now though could incurr some hefty bills as some faults just havnt come to light,where as in a car say of around 60-70k will have surfaced and been rectified so less bills and less time off the road.
Buy it,enjoy it.......thats what they are for...resale is for many years down the road.
Buy it,enjoy it.......thats what they are for...resale is for many years down the road.
I think depreciation is the most important cost factor to consider when buying any car.
We run 4 vehicles, one of which is my Griffith. For various reasons I am struggling to put 3k a year on it out of a total fleet mileage of over 40k. So I run an SE, now upto 34k miles, as IMHO it will depreciate by less than a regular LOWER MILEAGE 500. However it's true that many Griffiths will have reached pretty much as low as they are going to in price and I would say that for a planned mileage of 10k a year you should buy something a bit older/cheaper with more miles on it. It will take your planned mileage perfectly well and will depreciate less going from say 50k to 90k than a more expensive car going from say 30-70k.
L.F.
P.S. we use older cars for the miles and have put 23k on an early C1 and 11k on a 2003 Multipla since last September. Just serviced the C1 for £120. Tax is £25, insurance £140 and it does 57mpg in real world driving. Cheap motoring.
We run 4 vehicles, one of which is my Griffith. For various reasons I am struggling to put 3k a year on it out of a total fleet mileage of over 40k. So I run an SE, now upto 34k miles, as IMHO it will depreciate by less than a regular LOWER MILEAGE 500. However it's true that many Griffiths will have reached pretty much as low as they are going to in price and I would say that for a planned mileage of 10k a year you should buy something a bit older/cheaper with more miles on it. It will take your planned mileage perfectly well and will depreciate less going from say 50k to 90k than a more expensive car going from say 30-70k.
L.F.
P.S. we use older cars for the miles and have put 23k on an early C1 and 11k on a 2003 Multipla since last September. Just serviced the C1 for £120. Tax is £25, insurance £140 and it does 57mpg in real world driving. Cheap motoring.
A seasoned car salesman once remarked to me on trading in a high mileage MG that punters dont buy cars they buy speedometers! Couldnt be a truer statement.
I ran an S3 for over a 100,000 miles and always maintained it correctly, being a little concerned at the high mileage I considered changing for a 26,000 mile S3 of a similar year. It drove like a bag of bones, suspension all over the place, it rattled, banged and even the bonnet jammed shut before finishing my trial. It was a pleasant relief to get back in my 100,000 miler and drive the 120 miles back home. Only sold it eventually when offered a Griffith.
Yesterday the Griffith passed its MOT with flying colours, same each year since 2002. Find its performance scintillating, perhaps ought to sell as being the second oldest (recorded) owner, the cars capability now far exceeds mine! New rebushed wishbones and ball joints and Steve Heath drop links have made a big improvement to the handling.
So as many have said on here Buy a car not a speedo
I ran an S3 for over a 100,000 miles and always maintained it correctly, being a little concerned at the high mileage I considered changing for a 26,000 mile S3 of a similar year. It drove like a bag of bones, suspension all over the place, it rattled, banged and even the bonnet jammed shut before finishing my trial. It was a pleasant relief to get back in my 100,000 miler and drive the 120 miles back home. Only sold it eventually when offered a Griffith.
Yesterday the Griffith passed its MOT with flying colours, same each year since 2002. Find its performance scintillating, perhaps ought to sell as being the second oldest (recorded) owner, the cars capability now far exceeds mine! New rebushed wishbones and ball joints and Steve Heath drop links have made a big improvement to the handling.
So as many have said on here Buy a car not a speedo
SamPet said:
ray_von said:
and that one's nearly as perfect as mine
ETA Just read your other post stating £17k budget, maybe mines not the perfect one then
Is yours worth more than that?ETA Just read your other post stating £17k budget, maybe mines not the perfect one then
Edited by ray_von on Thursday 2nd July 13:32
There's a lovely, late 500LE on pistonheads in mid blue... but it's £25k!
As to the low v high mileage debate it gets trotted out every once in a while and it's always comes to the same conclusion, that you pays your money and take your chance.
P.S. If it's No56 you're looking at and if my car was stood next to it at £3k less and you were a buyer I know which one you'd be driving home in
RacerMDR said:
check out my profile..........23k miles on it........the right colour.......near perfect condition!!
IF only it was for sale!
what is your budget?
PS - whats this about CAM failure on lower mileage cars?!
It's not a certainly by any shot and not the end of the world if you need a newer uprated one IF only it was for sale!
what is your budget?
PS - whats this about CAM failure on lower mileage cars?!
but if a car is left a long time the oil drains down leaving the cam dry on first startup which kills them over the years.Mine was sounding noisy at 26k miles!
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