High mileage anyone?

[MikeyT]

Reading through stuff on this site, there are so many stories of break downs, time off the road etc, that I just got to thinking: if people put 60/70,000 miles on their TVRs (as I know some do), then they can't be off the road as much as we all imagine. There was an L reg Chimaera on the autotrader site recently with 86,000 on the clock for £10,995. Is anyone out there running a Griff or Chimp with the dreaded 100,000 in close proximity? Can't believe there's a Cerbie out there with above 30,000 on the clock, the amount of time they're supposed to be laid up!

TVR owner one day

[SwanJack]

When I was talkin to the archive section at the factory when checking out the history of my car, from what I can remember the guy said that they had a Chimaera(or Griff ?) at the factory with over 200K on it.

[AdamB]

I was offered an S reg 4.5 Cerbie 14 months ago with 37K on the clock. Didn't get it as the price was stupid for a car with that many miles but shows it can be done.

[swilly]

I wonder how much of the unreliability of TVR's is related to the stereotypical TVR owner's habit leaving the car to stand for weeks/months on end, then taking it out for a weekend and thrashing it.
I bought a chimaera 3 months ago,specifically with 30000+ miles on a 97 R-plate (4 years old in October)because it shows its had some real activity in its life and any problems discovered are going to be have been sorted.
I see adverts for 4 year old cars with 5000 to 20000 miles and wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.

[JSG]

You also find that the ones who don't have problems don't post as often as those wanting to get a breakdown off their chest.

[flasher]

my old Griff had 57K on the clock when I sold her. Never had a problem 14,000 miles in two years. Use them or they will cost you is my motto. A Rover V8 should be good for 100,000- 150,000 miles if serviced properly. We are a nation who is obsessed with low mileage cars... why??

[macca]

Swilly, my sentiment too.

If a 3 year old car has done 10,000 miles then it's either clocked or speedo broken at some stage, left idle for months on end or been laid up with problems.

How can anybody own one of these cars and not drive it???


Cheers

[dan]

I'll go along with the general concensus I specifically looked for a car that had done a few miles (my griff had done 34,000 in 5 years), I definatley wouldn't touch a Tiv with less than 10,000.

[Finston]

Bought my 98 Griff with 36,000 miles on it 2 months ago with full TVR service history. Now has over 40,000 miles on it, I just can't stop driving it. I've found its always better to buy a car which has been used regularly, not just used as a weekend toy, but that goes for all makes not just TVR.

[Alistair H.]

My 99 4.5 Cerbie has 33,000 miles on. - agree with the sentiments below......

[bjwoods]

Sounds like a lot of people trying to talk up the prices of cars that have done a big mileage..

With any TVR buy it on condition, it's history, check out all its bills, an owner taht cares will keep them, if none, what jobs haven't been done?. if privately what you think of the owner is usually a very good indication.

My old griff 4.3 had 18,000 when I sold it, it was near perfect.

As is my 3 year old griff (9000 miles)from new. (but I'm keeping it, forever I think)

No the speedo hasn't broken, it is reliable, only costs so far are scheduled servicing.

I do agree that if a car is driven regularly it is in better shape(doesn't mean high miles are necessary). It's just long periods of not using it are the main problem.

I had a golf VR6 which was very reliable, but for some reason we didn't drive it for 3 months one winter. And we had all sorts of problems for a couple of months after with it.

I do use it at least once a week (all through winter as well), I just don't do a big mileage. Can't be bothered to use it driving an hourly commute (<20 miles each way) average speed ~25. so company car takes the strain most days.

So why buy a 60K mile grif/Chim, when their will be better ones at a lower mileage, with more life in them at probably very little difference in price.

T


Edited by bjwoods on Friday 26th October 11:45

[jpritchard]

quote:
Bought my 98 Griff with 36,000 miles on it 2 months ago with full TVR service history. Now has over 40,000 miles on it, I just can't stop driving it. I've found its always better to buy a car which has been used regularly, not just used as a weekend toy, but that goes for all makes not just TVR.

Finston - I thought my baby was going into retirement - 4k miles in 2 months!!! That's more than the cerby I replaced her with and that's my only car. (by the way got pics now so will send.)

JP

[JONLINE]

Just sold a 92 Griff with 82,000 miles. Owned for 5 years - 1 clutch, 2 breakdowns over 45,000 miles! Best Tiv I ever had. Used it everyday, rain, sun and even snow. Roll on Mr 5 litre!!

[Jasper Gilder]

Use 'em and they're OK. I had three Griffs and ran the 4 litre to 48,000 until a small indiscretion. Ran two 500's to 58,000 and only sold as the value falls off a cliff at 60,000. When I got out of a 58,000 miler and got into a 4,000 miler you realised how well the old car had taken the miles. Where are we now? - just done 10,000 miles in a Cerbera 4.5 since May - seems OK. If you think build quality has got better I have a original 1989 350SX which I've owned from new, it's done 77,000 miles and only given me any grief since I started doing 2,000 miles a year in it, ran to 72,000 with virtually no problems at all!

[Neil Hyde]

Late to this thread - always seem to be as I'm always out driving. Got Chim in Feb with 46k on clock. Just hit 62k having done 600 miles in the last 2 days .... and another 200 tomorrow! Once we had run the car in again after it only having done 5k per year, it ain't missed a beat.

At 130mph on M5 today it just wanted to keep going!!!!!! (and I didn't get caught)

[brucey]

All these posts appear to be from Griff drivers and not Speed Six people. Is this a coincidence? If this was the track record of the Tuscan I'd definitely be getting one....see my Tuscan post.

[Finston]

quote:
Sounds like a lot of people trying to talk up the prices of cars that have done a big mileage..

Not at all, Never gonna sell my Griff anyway and plan to use it as much as possible. Its just a car that has been used every day is a better buy than one that has been used as a weekend toy as long as it has been serviced well.
Now looking for a Cerb V8 to go with my Griff, thats if the ball and chain lets me.
But I'll be looking for one about 2 years old with at least 20,000 miles on it with FTVRSH, should be well sorted by then. Why buy a new tuscan or tamora for £40,000 when I'm not that keen on either of them, For £40,000 I can have the two best TVRs ever, a Griff 500 and a Cerbera.

You only live once.



Edited by Finston on Wednesday 31st October 18:18