Griffith as daily driver?
Discussion
I'm looking at trading in the boring bee-em and getting a Griffith as my one and only, daily driver. Am I going to regret this on a wet winter day on the side of the motorway... How many others here run a Griff as your only car?
I'm budgeting up to £20k which from what I've been able to tell should get me something less than 4 years old and low miles buying privately - sound reasonable? (and is anyone selling....?)
Don
PS: I started out looking at the Chimaera as it's supposed to be the more "practical" option but dammit, the Chim just doesn't speak to my soul like the Griffith!
I'm budgeting up to £20k which from what I've been able to tell should get me something less than 4 years old and low miles buying privately - sound reasonable? (and is anyone selling....?)
Don
PS: I started out looking at the Chimaera as it's supposed to be the more "practical" option but dammit, the Chim just doesn't speak to my soul like the Griffith!
The more you use it the better it will be. Griffs don't like not being used. Its not cheap to run every day, mind you Ive had mine for 2 years now and it has never let me down. By far the best car Ive had and Ill never sell it.
The biggest problem Ive had is finding a decent parking space without some T##T wanting to park on top of it. Ill find a nice quite parking space miles away from any other cars then when I come back to it I,ll have 5 4x4s parked so bloody close I can't get into it.
Go for it you only live once after all.
>> Edited by finston on Monday 5th May 19:55
>> Edited by finston on Monday 5th May 20:04
The biggest problem Ive had is finding a decent parking space without some T##T wanting to park on top of it. Ill find a nice quite parking space miles away from any other cars then when I come back to it I,ll have 5 4x4s parked so bloody close I can't get into it.
Go for it you only live once after all.
>> Edited by finston on Monday 5th May 19:55
>> Edited by finston on Monday 5th May 20:04
Just go and do it-you won't regret it!I've been using a Griff as my only car for 4 years now and,as finston said,they do seem to benefit from being used all the time.My last Griff didn't experience half the problems that a lot of the 'summer' cars seem to-it never let me down once.The only thing I would say is make sure that you've cured all the leaks though,as it can be frustrating driving in the winter months otherwise-the Griff heater doesn't demist quite as well as your beemer!!
Uh-Oh I'm going to sound like a stiff now!
I used my pre-cat griff every day for 18 months and 18,000 miles. My advice would be to spend £19k instead of £20k on the griff and blow the change on something that you don't mind doing the following thing in:
1. Dumping in Sainsburys carpark to act as a trolley buffer for myopic slackjaws
2. Driving in the pi$$ing rain for 3 weeks solid on roads so greasy you need to imagine you have one of your testicles between your foot and the throttle pedal
3. Acting as target practice for out of control school run mothers in 4x4s whilst 3 inches of snow forces you to navigate through the side window because you changed down a gear too early
I'm not saying become a dry weather only driver. I did 10,000 miles in my Griff 500 last year and commute probably the majority of the time in it but it is good to have a choice when one of the above 3 conditions apply.
Whatever - its all good fun!
Marco
I used my pre-cat griff every day for 18 months and 18,000 miles. My advice would be to spend £19k instead of £20k on the griff and blow the change on something that you don't mind doing the following thing in:
1. Dumping in Sainsburys carpark to act as a trolley buffer for myopic slackjaws
2. Driving in the pi$$ing rain for 3 weeks solid on roads so greasy you need to imagine you have one of your testicles between your foot and the throttle pedal
3. Acting as target practice for out of control school run mothers in 4x4s whilst 3 inches of snow forces you to navigate through the side window because you changed down a gear too early
I'm not saying become a dry weather only driver. I did 10,000 miles in my Griff 500 last year and commute probably the majority of the time in it but it is good to have a choice when one of the above 3 conditions apply.
Whatever - its all good fun!
Marco
6 months ownership ...
11,000 miles
2 x services. £1400 +
Replaced ...
1 x PAS rack and some other bits
1 x 5th Gear !
1 x Heater control unit
6 x tyres (but it was fun!) £600
God only knows how much on petrol. But that is never counted as you wouldn't own it otherwise.
Smile on face = still monstrous.
Even if some c*** scratched it and my dad's Chimaera at Oulton Park yesterday on top of all the stone chips !!
It is an expensive everyday car and I will be buying a run around. I will however be using the Griffith every week, come rain or shine as TVR's are best used and not sat around. It does not do them any good.
My old S was my everyday car and I did 60,000 miles in 2.5yrs in that. It has just sailed through its last MOT with new owner at 110,000 miles plus !!!
11,000 miles
2 x services. £1400 +
Replaced ...
1 x PAS rack and some other bits
1 x 5th Gear !
1 x Heater control unit
6 x tyres (but it was fun!) £600
God only knows how much on petrol. But that is never counted as you wouldn't own it otherwise.
Smile on face = still monstrous.
Even if some c*** scratched it and my dad's Chimaera at Oulton Park yesterday on top of all the stone chips !!
It is an expensive everyday car and I will be buying a run around. I will however be using the Griffith every week, come rain or shine as TVR's are best used and not sat around. It does not do them any good.
My old S was my everyday car and I did 60,000 miles in 2.5yrs in that. It has just sailed through its last MOT with new owner at 110,000 miles plus !!!
I agree with Marco. I used to use my Griff everyday but after being "carparked" and doing alot of sideways driving in the winter I decided that a cheap N crap shopping trolley was worth the money.
I can now park in super markets without worrying about it. The number of scrapes the trolley has on it's doors is silly. I can also go anywhere when icy or snowing without having to worry about lamppost and curb dodging.
Oh yes, it also gives me a car I can use for taking rubbish down to the tip.
I can now park in super markets without worrying about it. The number of scrapes the trolley has on it's doors is silly. I can also go anywhere when icy or snowing without having to worry about lamppost and curb dodging.
Oh yes, it also gives me a car I can use for taking rubbish down to the tip.
Thanks for all your comments. I'm going ahead with getting a Griff (when I find one) for 90% of my driving and will pop down to the local auctions to see if I can find something to chuck mountain bikes into, go shopping, and leave at dodgy train station car parks. Hmmm... a Volvo Estate maybe? Niiiiice 
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