Can a Griff be used sensibly?
Discussion
I know this may sound like a ridiculous question but I am buying a Griffith 500 in the next few days, but when it comes to driving slower around town and minor roads how does the griffith drive at 30-40mph? does it suffer from low torque at slower speeds in high gears? and also how do you rate the clutch? is it hard to get used to or no worse than most other performance cars, I am asking these questions because my wife will also be driving the car, thanks in advance...azzurri.
I found mine fine in town much easier to drive than some performance cars.
Not sure how she'll get on with the lack of PAS though.
Thing that I find hard is accelerating on unsmooth roads. It would be an easy car to spin in these conditions.
I drove it home in a thunder storm (mostly motorway) and it was fine though.
If you drive sensibly and treat it with respect you should be OK.
Great fun first time you get to properly open it up makes it all worthwhile.
Dave
Not sure how she'll get on with the lack of PAS though.
Thing that I find hard is accelerating on unsmooth roads. It would be an easy car to spin in these conditions.
I drove it home in a thunder storm (mostly motorway) and it was fine though.
If you drive sensibly and treat it with respect you should be OK.
Great fun first time you get to properly open it up makes it all worthwhile.
Dave
No problem using mine for everyday use apart from parking - no PAS either.... I tend to park at the other end of Sainsburys' car park!!
Heavy clutch as well so Friday afternoons always invoke a touch of cramp in the left leg....
In the rain, just drive sensibly and you'll be ok. In the dry
Heavy clutch as well so Friday afternoons always invoke a touch of cramp in the left leg....
In the rain, just drive sensibly and you'll be ok. In the dry
On a serious note, I found early on that, on the regular occasions that it doesn't want to go into first gear, it's happy to pull away in second........
........have inadvertantly pulled away in third on too many occasions to remember. Makes it wonderful for seeking out the rare bits of space in rush hour and controllable in the wet. The only real embarassment is the numerous times I have sat there in the wet, first gear, clutch out, wheels spinning merrily, watching the gap disappear while I go ...........nowhere.............whoops!!!!!!!!
Yes as an everyday drive it's a positive delight to just "pootle" (knowing what you've got up your sleeve if you feel inclined).
........have inadvertantly pulled away in third on too many occasions to remember. Makes it wonderful for seeking out the rare bits of space in rush hour and controllable in the wet. The only real embarassment is the numerous times I have sat there in the wet, first gear, clutch out, wheels spinning merrily, watching the gap disappear while I go ...........nowhere.............whoops!!!!!!!!
Yes as an everyday drive it's a positive delight to just "pootle" (knowing what you've got up your sleeve if you feel inclined).
PAS was an option. I've never had it on my Griffs, so I can't comment other than on a couple of short trips in PAS loan cars, but if pushed, I'd say it's worth going for if you're using the car every day.
Heating & ventilation aren't fantastic - it gets very hot in Summer, and in Winter, well, it's still gets pretty stuffy!
Heating & ventilation aren't fantastic - it gets very hot in Summer, and in Winter, well, it's still gets pretty stuffy!
quote:
does it suffer from low torque at slower speeds in high gears?
hahahaha, that's a good one. My Griff was an absolute joy to drive at 'pootling' speeds. Listening to the burble as you amble along is part and parcel of owning a TVR. The Griff was immensly usable on a day to day basis and had no trouble idling along at 30-40 mph. (except for when it kept breaking - but that's another story)
I let my step dad drive the griff last weekend; He let the clutch out v slowly and wound the revs up to a heady 1700RPM, then changed to 2nd - back up to 2K and changed again, all the way up to fifth where he sat (doing about 25 mph!!!), we even held up traffic 
and although we sounded like a tractor (or a loud VW Beetle!!), he didn't seem to stress her, ..that much.
Driving round town (roof off) should be reasonable for your good lady - though parking may develope her forearms somewhat.
It's nice to know also, that you also have a little poke in case you need to 'get yourself out of danger'..
and although we sounded like a tractor (or a loud VW Beetle!!), he didn't seem to stress her, ..that much. Driving round town (roof off) should be reasonable for your good lady - though parking may develope her forearms somewhat.
It's nice to know also, that you also have a little poke in case you need to 'get yourself out of danger'..
Mines got PAS and it means that parking is no problem at all.
I also found that most of the time I only want to pootle around at low revs thru towns anyway.
Stick it in 2nd (or even 3rd) and it will drive like an auto.
Much easier to live with everyday than I'd been led to believe......
I also found that most of the time I only want to pootle around at low revs thru towns anyway.
Stick it in 2nd (or even 3rd) and it will drive like an auto.
Much easier to live with everyday than I'd been led to believe......
Commute to work every day in mine. Pulls from 1100 revs uphill in 5th.
PAS is essential if you use it as a workhorse. Yep, clutch is heavy, but low-down seating position means that it doesn't strain my leg (I ruptured my calf muscle playing squash 10 weeks ago) as much as the our 'family' car (new STI).
PAS is essential if you use it as a workhorse. Yep, clutch is heavy, but low-down seating position means that it doesn't strain my leg (I ruptured my calf muscle playing squash 10 weeks ago) as much as the our 'family' car (new STI).
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