DB7 -v- Griff 500

[NICE EH]

I am thinking of changing my Griff 500 for a DB7, and was wondering if anybody else has done something similar.

There is obviously a big performance difference between the 2, but the DB7 has a touch of class and I can use it every day instead of running two cars, which I have to (realistically) with the Griff.

Has anybody else done this and if so, what was your experience?

[chrish]

You need to contact Ted Reddick who has both (Chim 500), plus a Cerbera 4.5. He is in the TVRCC, West Sussex region. If you have any problems contacting I have his email somewhere.

[sjc]

I have had 4 TVRs ( 2xGriff, Cerby and Tuscan) and was convinced that once I needed 2 extra seats I would buy a DB7 as it has to be one of the best looking cars ever made. However, it was the most disappointing drive of my life. I test drove 2 earlier models (pre-airbag) as these were meant to be more involving but had build quality no better than TVR and two later models 1998ish that were soft slow and barely better built. It nearly broke my heart when I realised it wasn't the car I hoped.

[marco]

I have a '98 Griff 500 and recently had a V12 DB7 Vantage for a while to play in. I found it a great disappointment! It seemed well built and I had upmost respect the craftsmanship and all but it just didn't excite me like I expcted it to.

It felt like a very old fashioned GT with a l o n g gearchange throw, no headroom, no electric goodies and all the same switches as my £2k Ford Scorpio. Performance was OK but felt nothing like the Griff and it handled fine although the steering felt quite light and vague.

For £90k it didn't seem to make much sense to me. There are better sports cars and better luxury cars around and the DB7 seemed to sit in the middle. For that money you'd have to be looking at buying a Tuscan AND a Merc S class I reckon.

BUT I placed very little importance on heritage and so on. I'm much more interested in the "buzz" you get from sitting in and driving a car - the Griff gives me more of that. However, if hand crafted, British pedigree stuff gives you that buzz then all power to you!

Wafting around and crossing continents I was sure that it would be the business and maybe I'll change my mind as comfort overtakes thrills in my hierarchy of needs.

Today? Nah.

All IMO etc. etc.



Marco

PS: Forgot to mention one good thing - it sounded absolutely fantastic!!

[NICE EH]

Unfortunately, I am not looking at a V12, just the 3.2 "normal" supercharged variety.

There is an element of wanting a performance car, and one that is a genuinely engaging experience to drive, but I know that the Griff is probably about as good as it gets on that front. I was hoping to be able to get rid of the two car scenario that I have at the moment and just use the DB7 all the time. From what has been said, there might be reliability issues that the DB7 has which may make a Cerbera just as beneficial.

There is just something about an Aston Martin. I have always wanted one, and feel sure that if I don't buy one, I'll regret it.

The fact that they are significantly less powerful than the Griff is actually a bonus. The griff is a little too fiesty to use in the ice/snow/torrential rain of Cheshire and so is really of little use for 4 months of the year.

I guess I'll have to test drive a few and see what I think.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[bennno]

you are right about the looks of the db7, the james bond connection helps too...

i had a look at a few DB7's and most of the earlier (50-60k) ones look a bit tired, unless they have been really cherished.

main things that stopped me buying one:

1) for the price of a 7yr old DB7 you can have a brand new XKR (with 2 additional cyllinders)

2) Running costs - Astons are at least Ferrari expensive

3) Not much else, they do look nice.

Not much more practical than a tvr in reality, if you need 4 seats and everyday (reasonable mileage) then you really need to look more at a 911, XKR or one of the bargain 3200GT's which are floating around.

Bennno

[Jezer]

I few years ago I had a Griff 500 for fun and a Jaguar XJ6 as a daily driver. Both were excellent at their respective jobs and I enjoyed one as much as he other. After a while I though it would be more practical to have just one car so I swopped them both for an XK8 on the basis that I could really enjoy the car all the time. It was one of my bigger motoring mistakes. You could not fault the XK8, it was efficient at everything - fast, comfortable, 4 seats (just), great climate control etc. Unfortunately it was too clinical and lacked any kind of excitement. You could probably drive across Europe in it without drama and if that's what you want then fine. For me I missed the Griff more than I can tell, and following a short break to move house I bought a Chim which I now use as my only car. This is my kind of car with every journey being an adventure and it has been totally reliable in 12 months of ownership. My advice - keep with tivs.

[fatbutt]

I had a Griff 500 which I recently swapped for a XJR for the same reasons (2 cars, lack of use of 1/2 the years, etc.). It does its job very well and I have no compaints. However, my boss has a DB7 Vantage Volante which I've had the occasional run in and my impressions were the same as everyone here: not as great as you would expect.

Build - fine but feels "heavy" rather than the "light feel" inherant in the Griff design (this goes for the cabin too). Nice kick plate that says "built by Aston Martin for Charles XX"! It should be noted that they weigh over 1.7Te, which is almost the same as my Jag!

Looks - fabulous, especially in dark blue

Sound - to be honest, crap. Charles' is automatic with tiptronic and it sounds like an over-revving max powered ford fiesta. Honest, not that good at all.

Performance - nothing startling. My XJR is just as fast and just as involving (which means "not very").

So all in all, nice face shame about the legs. Which is a big shame as I wanted one as well. Perhaps I'll keep looking out for one of the old 600BHP virage...

[Peter]

Fatbutt, I'm in the same position as you and about to get shot of the Cerbera and did consider an XJR. What's your opinion of them, obviously not as fast as the TVR but...?

[fatbutt]

quote:
Fatbutt, I'm in the same position as you and about to get shot of the Cerbera and did consider an XJR. What's your opinion of them, obviously not as fast as the TVR but...?

If you want something that is fast, luxurious, quiet, good looking and (seemingly) well build then it can't be bettered IMHO.

What you can't do is throw it around much as it is quite heavy and the automatic, even in sport mode, take a second or two to think about things.

Its not a sports car but a sports tourer which if that is what you are after, personnally I think it can't be beaten.

I drove over 500 miles in it on Wednesday and it was the most soothing and relaxing motorway crusing I've ever driven. Sat in the outside lane with the cruise control on and wafted by the traffic!

[granville]

quote:
There is just something about an Aston Martin. I have always wanted one, and feel sure that if I don't buy one, I'll regret it.

Hmmm - this has a strong resonance with me.
I remember being seduced by the Ferrari 456GT for a variety of reasons (looks, rave reviews, videos that I'd drooled over, just thinking about a Ferrari V12!) and thought the 2+2 arrangement might be practical whilst allowing access to legendary power and a heritage like no other (a bit like Astons, really).
I arranged a home-based test drive and remember being hugely deflated by the experience; the car was not as massively involving as Jeremy Clarkson had led me to believe but therein lies the problem: all my desires were based on quite a few years of lusting but by the time attainment was a reality, things had moved on somewhat in cardom...
Unless you can afford any marque's latest hyper creation, perhaps there's always this danger of letting rose-tinted spectaclism overcoming reality?
Everything's relative of course and there are exceptions (993 v 996 for example) but one thing's for sure: the combination of kudos and unquestionnable respect for their awesome power means that you shouldn't ever forget the magic of TVR.
Familiarity may breed complacency of appreciation but where else will you get such power for your dosh?

[domster]

quote:
Nice kick plate that says "built by Aston Martin for Charles XX"!

I like the fact the workers sign off with kisses. That's what I call customer care