Looking to buy a Griff

[Sooty]

Have always wanted a 500 Griff and have about £13k to £14k to spend and relaised that I can just about afford one.

Its been suggested the a pre-cat 4.3 is almost as quick. Is one more reliable than the other, as a rule or does it depend upon the particular car?

Other than a full TVR service history, is there anything I should look for or avoid?

Cheers,

SOOTY

[Johno]

You're not DustyC under a new name are you ?

Perhaps you could join forces and find a Griffith between you ?

Advice from me is to go a for as newer car as you can afford. A 4.3 is not miles off a 500 in performance terms but the chassis on a 500 is updated and a few other changes.

The noise of a 4.3 is preferable to a 500 generally ..

[DustyC]

Just dont get a black one, they are the worst.

(sorry mate, its a long running thing. Could be very long running)

[Sooty]

No, I'm not DustyC but I will read what hes been asking too.

So are even the early 500s a better chassis than the 4.3, or did that change during its life??

SOOTY

PS - I won't even ask about black

[DustyC]

Sooty, There is a quite handy guide to all you need to know written by Steve Heath (the writer of the TVR bibles , haynes type manuals).

I'll find the link and post it for you...

[DustyC]

Here is the link for the buying guide
www.t-v-r-services.co.uk/tvrbooks/GriffGuide.pdf

but please also see steves whole site
www.tvrbooks.co.uk/


If you need to know anymore than that feel free to ask. I have an anorak you can borrow if you like!

[Sooty]

Thanks for that Dusty. May I ask why its taken you so long to find one? Are you particularly choosy, do you not want to travel too far for one, or are they all rubbish out there??

SOOTY

[DustyC]

Willing to travel but the trouble being I can only get to them at weekends so have missed out on a few.

I have seen mostly good ones out there though but have only been to dealers so far.

Time is the biggest issue. Just settling into new job and looking to relocate so am also house hunting and I have had a lot of family health issues take up my time just lately. Suprised I've had time to look at any Griffs really!

(In the time I have been looking I have also managed to buy 2 other cars!)


>> Edited by DustyC on Sunday 14th March 23:17

[Sooty]

Well i have a job that allows me to travel the country wherever and whenever I like, so hopefully I should be able to see quite a few once i start looking properly.

SOOTY

[Johno]

I can't recommend enough trying a few before you buy. Many of us on PH (myself incl.) are more than prepared to impart knowledge and allow the odd drive of our own cars to make sure people buy the right one.

Go along to your local TVRCC meeting and get talking to people as there is no greater cource of knowledge than owners themselves or PH

Where abouts in the country are you ??

[Sooty]

I'm in Bolton, near Manchester, so missed my local meets. I mailed the contact at the W Yorks group as they have a meeting next Sunday, but it was returned !!

SOOTY

[DustyC]

First thing I wanted to try was the difference between the PAS and the non-PAS cars.

I found that it didnt really bother me which I get and if I had to make a choice I preferred the shorter rack on the PAS models. Also the PAS has wider tread up front.

[Johno]

Drove a friends 500 without PAS with 225 profile's and it was impossible. O wouldn't consider myself a small bloke, but how he manage's to aprk this thing is beyond me. The amount of effort I was having to force through the steering column etc etc felt like I was distorting the car !!

Once up to speed I do not think itmatters at all, and it varies with set up and tyre pressures, but I wouldn't have one without PAS in my experience.

[Sooty]

Was PAS an option on all cars, or did it bcome std on later models??

SOOTY

[DustyC]

It was an option.
Read the buying guide in the previous link and it states all teh options.

A/C, heated seats and full hide are rare.
PAS and non PAS seem to be split about 50/50 going on what I have seen.

[starmist]

I believe all 500s have cats, which takes the edge off the noise (however this can be rectified by fitting a sports exhaust, or removing the baffles from the rear silencer). Early 500s used the Rover gearbox (reverse top left) and had mismatched black faced instruments. In 1995 (I believe) they changed the instruments and the gearbox to the Borg Warner T5 (with reverse bottom right). This is the better box. PAS was an option until 1996(?) but some earlier cars have it.

I have only driven one without PAS, and nearly ran off the road at the first tight corner, because it's a much slower rack.

All 500s come with better brakes and seven spoke 'Estoril' wheels, which easily identifies 500 Griffs and Chimeras.


Full leather, IMO is worth seeking out, as IMO the fake leather they otherwise put on the tunnel and dash looks awful.

£14k should get you a high mileage 95 car with PAS, leather and FSH, if you are prepared to buy privately.

[Ding]

If you are in Bolton. Keep an eye on the North West thread we had a meet a week last Sunday and there were two Griffs there (both 500's). Mine and the other guy lived in Bolton.

I am sure that we will have another soon so tag along and take a good look at the cars.
As with most TVR owners we are always happy to let people look and of course admire our motors.

Go along to one of the TVRCC meets. We have one at Lymm, Blackpool and the other is Wigan (Wrightington)(I think!), check out the web site or ask around.

I had a similar budget and ended up buying mine privately, having an expert check it out before final sale. (peace of mind). It is fabulous.
As they say take your time and one will turn up you cannot live without.

Use this site as well as it is a mine of information.

Eli

famous Griffy Grin

[jam1et]

Sooty said:

Have always wanted a 500 Griff and have about £13k to £14k to spend and relaised that I can just about afford one.

I was in the same positon early last year. IMHO you may be better off going for a totally sorted 4.0 (or 4.3 if you can find one!). A 500 in that price bracket would either be high mileage and/or might well need some attention to get it 100% sorted. Also you'd be buying an early example which IIRC didnt have some of the chassis alterations that were introduced circa 1995/6 (check this first though).
I dont know how much research you have done but just buying the car is only part of the expense. A basic dealer service is going to be about £450 p/a but on an older car I seriously doubt you'll be driving away without it requiring some additional work on top of the basic service. A set of tyres will also cost aprox £500. Oh, and insurance! I'm not trying to put you off, just keep you informed, and anyway, thats really quite cheap for a performance car.

I ended up buying a 4.0 (but sound was more important to me than the extra performance of a 500) and it'll still trounce most things on the road. True, you can get a 500 de-catted (these will have to go back in for the MOT) and get a sports exhaust, but this will add to your budget! Plus it still wont sound quite the same as the manfifolds are different shapes.

Whatever model you decide to buy, it'll give you more smiles per mile than any other car you're ever likely to own and you'll be joining a really inclusive and friendly 'club'.

[red griff 500]

I was in a similar position last year, and after a near disastrous deal (I nearly bought a car which had been written off) I decided to employ Rob Ingleby to find me one. Anything which looked half decent was sold within hours, if not a couple of days. Rob found me a beautiful '94 red 500 with 22K miles, in near immaculate condition. It is pre-serpentine, has the SD1 box and no PAS, but I love it to bits. It's a bit tough to park it sometimes (no PAS), but it's nothing to be frightened of and you soon get used to it.

Good luck

[rude girl]

Don't get too hung up on PAS - they all feel different anyway. My non-PAS Griff 500 isn't massively heavier than my PAS Chimaera was. You soon get the hang of manoeuvring it.

Was thinking of retrofitting PAS to mine, but I prefer the road feedback you get without it, and I spend a lot more time driving than parking.