4.0 / 4.3 or 5.0 ?? Cat / Pre Cat....
Discussion
I had decided I wanted a Griff pre cat because of the noise and because 5.0 might be too powerful for a first TVR. Thing is, there are some good 5.0’s for sale so now I’m thinking perhaps I should just get a 5.0 and a sports exhaust. Can I make a catted 5.0 sound like a pre cat 4.0 or 4.3 ? And if I can, will I be able to drive the 5.0 – how much more difficult is that extra litre and 60bhp ?
No problems to drive as long as you're sensible (goes for all TVR's really). I had a 5 litre Griff as my first TVR and lived to tell the tale, but it'll never pop and bang like a pre-cat (unless you take the cats out and there's plenty of threads giving the why's and why nots on that chestnut).
You can by-pass the cats and pre cats on a 5 litre car for around £300(Joospeed do it, but I can't remember the exact price) and just replace them at MOT time...
DC
You can by-pass the cats and pre cats on a 5 litre car for around £300(Joospeed do it, but I can't remember the exact price) and just replace them at MOT time...
DC
The 500s are relatively cheap compared to the pre-Cats , so you do get more for your money, i prefer the pre-Cats because IMHO they have more character, but the 500 is much quicker unless you're heavily into engine tweaking.
Common sense would suggest go for as newer car as pos post 97 500s are the best sorted.
This probably hasn't helped at all
Tim
Common sense would suggest go for as newer car as pos post 97 500s are the best sorted.
This probably hasn't helped at all
Tim
2 sheds said: The 500s are relatively cheap compared to the pre-Cats , so you do get more for your money, i prefer the pre-Cats because IMHO they have more character, but the 500 is much quicker unless you're heavily into engine tweaking.
Common sense would suggest go for as newer car as pos post 97 500s are the best sorted.
This probably hasn't helped at all
Tim
What happened post 97 to make them best sorted? Apart from detune from 340bhp to 320bhp.
Oh dear.....
I guy has asked for some advice and its turned into a my car is better then your car debate, again :-(
Basically, all Griff's are great, and they are all fast, loud and exclusive.
As I said above, get a test drive in each, and decide yourself, its your money.....
Cheers,
Martin
I guy has asked for some advice and its turned into a my car is better then your car debate, again :-(
Basically, all Griff's are great, and they are all fast, loud and exclusive.
As I said above, get a test drive in each, and decide yourself, its your money.....
Cheers,
Martin
I went for a 500 as my first TVR and have not regretted it at all - so far! I agree go for lots of test drives and try not to buy the first one you drive which will be sorely tempting.
I've heard a pre cat 4.3 and they do sound great which is one of the reasons why I'm taking my Griff to Fernhursts tomorrow to have the silencer opened up and made louder. Ok this won't be quite as nice as a 4.3/4.0 but will be almost as good and the rest of the benefits of the 500 more than make up for that.
Also if you haven't driven a car like the Griff with the high torque/weight ratio then I'd advise going on a driver training day with the likes of Don Palmer.
Of course it goes without saying though that everyone has their own opinion and what suits one person won't necessarily suit another but then again we've all heard that loads of times on here!!
Just remember that whatever one you get will draw attention like few other cars and probably some of the best money you'll ever spend.
Cheers - Chris
I've heard a pre cat 4.3 and they do sound great which is one of the reasons why I'm taking my Griff to Fernhursts tomorrow to have the silencer opened up and made louder. Ok this won't be quite as nice as a 4.3/4.0 but will be almost as good and the rest of the benefits of the 500 more than make up for that.
Also if you haven't driven a car like the Griff with the high torque/weight ratio then I'd advise going on a driver training day with the likes of Don Palmer.
Of course it goes without saying though that everyone has their own opinion and what suits one person won't necessarily suit another but then again we've all heard that loads of times on here!!
Just remember that whatever one you get will draw attention like few other cars and probably some of the best money you'll ever spend.
Cheers - Chris
Going back to the question: 'Can I make a catted 5.0 sound like a pre cat 4.0 or 4.3', the answer is no (unles you put a complete 4.x exhaust on, and I don't know if that's possible). This is because the manifold for the catted version (ie 500) is a different shape. You can take the cats out and it will get much louder, but it won't have the same resonance as a 4.x.
How do Joospeed manage to 'bypass' the cats?
>> Edited by simpo one on Friday 6th June 18:48
How do Joospeed manage to 'bypass' the cats?
>> Edited by simpo one on Friday 6th June 18:48
K67 KRB said: Oh dear.....
I guy has asked for some advice and its turned into a my car is better then your car debate, again :-(
Basically, all Griff's are great, and they are all fast, loud and exclusive.
As I said above, get a test drive in each, and decide yourself, its your money.....
Cheers,
Martin
I don't go alone with idea of not mentioning that TVRs have inproved with vintage, so not to upset the owners of the earlier cars,
without opinions there wouldn't be a thread.
Tim
Best advice IMO - test drive a fair selection of Griffiths of all types and buy the best one you can afford, whether it be a 4.0, 4.3, 4.5 or a 500. With the oldest now being over 11 years old the condition is all important. You could get a well maintained 10/11 year old one that's better than a thrashed 4/5 year old. And don't worry about a 500 being a handful - if you can handle a 4.0 you can handle a 500 IMO of course.
PS They all sound great.
>> Edited by jigs on Friday 6th June 19:29
PS They all sound great.
>> Edited by jigs on Friday 6th June 19:29
jigs said: Best advice IMO - test drive a fair selection of Griffiths of all types and buy the best one you can afford, whether it be a 4.0, 4.3, 4.5 or a 500. With the oldest now being over 11 years old the condition is all important. You could get a well maintained 10/11 year old one that's better than a thrashed 4/5 year old. And don't worry about a 500 being a handful - if you can handle a 4.0 you can handle a 500 IMO of course.
PS They all sound great.
>> Edited by jigs on Friday 6th June 19:29
2nd'ed, no truer word said
BB
simpo one said: Going back to the question: 'Can I make a catted 5.0 sound like a pre cat 4.0 or 4.3', the answer is no (unles you put a complete 4.x exhaust on, and I don't know if that's possible). This is because the manifold for the catted version (ie 500) is a different shape. You can take the cats out and it will get much louder, but it won't have the same resonance as a 4.x.
How do Joospeed manage to 'bypass' the cats?
>> Edited by simpo one on Friday 6th June 18:48
you can get a pre cat manifold from V8 Developments, so you can have your pipe and smoke it
you can get a pre cat manifold from V8 Developments, so you can have your pipe and smoke it
A 500 with no cats and a sports exhaust has a sound no 4,4.3 pre cat or 500 can match and thats just a fact like it or not. The only problem is insurance, a 500 without cats insurance is void and thats something you should take into account.
Also cars built after 97 do have better build quality this is also a fact.
All above is just fact not my car is better than yours.
Had the silencer modification done by Fernhursts now on my Griff 500 and it sounds completely different from before. It's also very different from a pre cat car but still sounds great.
Very loud and probably not to the neighbours liking but I'd recommend it to anyone who's thinking about having it done. No apparent difference on performance either which is the thing that pleases me most. Need a few more sunny days now!!!
Very loud and probably not to the neighbours liking but I'd recommend it to anyone who's thinking about having it done. No apparent difference on performance either which is the thing that pleases me most. Need a few more sunny days now!!!
K67 KRB said: Oh dear.....
I guy has asked for some advice and its turned into a my car is better then your car debate, again :-(
Basically, all Griff's are great, and they are all fast, loud and exclusive.
As I said above, get a test drive in each, and decide yourself, its your money.....
Cheers,
Martin
Absolutely right!
1 - The 500 is my first TVR and I have had no problems in wet or dry so far (touch wood). If I end up parked on top of a dry stone wall in my 500... I'd have probably done just the same in a 400!
2 - I had Joolz @ Joospeed take all the sound baffling out of the middle boxes and it pops and crackles like a dream on over run - also sounds like a tug boat on steroids at idle. Might however take the boxes off completely and put straight pipes in... well, be a shame not to wouldn't it?
3 - As for upsetting the neighbours... he says it's better than any alarm clock he's every heard!
Like a few people have said - get the youngest best condition one you can afford - you'll never stop smiling whichever one it is 
2 - I had Joolz @ Joospeed take all the sound baffling out of the middle boxes and it pops and crackles like a dream on over run - also sounds like a tug boat on steroids at idle. Might however take the boxes off completely and put straight pipes in... well, be a shame not to wouldn't it?
3 - As for upsetting the neighbours... he says it's better than any alarm clock he's every heard!
Like a few people have said - get the youngest best condition one you can afford - you'll never stop smiling whichever one it is
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