Griff Pre Cat - Pricing
Discussion
Hi all, my first post so be gentle with me 
I was looking late last year into trading my Mazda MX5 for an S3. the '5 is a nice car an all but only now gets used occasionally on a weekend and so isn't fast enough for a weekend play thing 
I went alsong to SSCC at Boroughbridge and had a look at an S3 but after going out in the car it still didn't seem quick enough. However he had a Griff 4.0 on a K plate which I immediately fell in love with.
At the time my budget was £8,000 so I decided to save more money and go for a pre cat Griffith (preferably in Ocean Haze). At the time I was looking they were around £11,000 - £12,500 for a good FSH private low mileage car.
Six months of hard saving later I'm back and the cars have gone up loads. Anyone know whats happened and if I'm likely to stung by rapidly falling residuals if I buy one at the current inflated prices. At present £13,500 - £14,995 seems more the going rate for a 40,000 mile 92 J or K plate and I dread to think what heady heights they'll reach come summer when I've got the cash saved.
I'm concerned over residual values too as my Mazda has lost around £2,000 in the price guides over the last year and I don't want to repeat this again.
Can anyone recomend a good source for quality reasonably priced cars?
Meanwhile more saving is called for
Dave
I was looking late last year into trading my Mazda MX5 for an S3. the '5 is a nice car an all but only now gets used occasionally on a weekend and so isn't fast enough for a weekend play thing I went alsong to SSCC at Boroughbridge and had a look at an S3 but after going out in the car it still didn't seem quick enough. However he had a Griff 4.0 on a K plate which I immediately fell in love with.
At the time my budget was £8,000 so I decided to save more money and go for a pre cat Griffith (preferably in Ocean Haze). At the time I was looking they were around £11,000 - £12,500 for a good FSH private low mileage car.
Six months of hard saving later I'm back and the cars have gone up loads. Anyone know whats happened and if I'm likely to stung by rapidly falling residuals if I buy one at the current inflated prices. At present £13,500 - £14,995 seems more the going rate for a 40,000 mile 92 J or K plate and I dread to think what heady heights they'll reach come summer when I've got the cash saved.
I'm concerned over residual values too as my Mazda has lost around £2,000 in the price guides over the last year and I don't want to repeat this again.
Can anyone recomend a good source for quality reasonably priced cars?
Meanwhile more saving is called for
Dave
Dave,
Prices will tend to rise this time of year and drop in the Autumn / Winter. However TVRs seem lees affected than some other convertibles.
The only other point with early Griffs is that I was advised to buy later in the model run, rather than earlier due to the 'guinea pig' factor - I'm sure many will post saying this is not so, but you don't want to blow all your budget and not be able to afford to sort any 'teething probs' out if you get any.
If the V6 didn't seem fast enough why not consider a V8 Wedge or a V8S which are fast and should fit within your budget.
Cheers,
JSG.
Prices will tend to rise this time of year and drop in the Autumn / Winter. However TVRs seem lees affected than some other convertibles.
The only other point with early Griffs is that I was advised to buy later in the model run, rather than earlier due to the 'guinea pig' factor - I'm sure many will post saying this is not so, but you don't want to blow all your budget and not be able to afford to sort any 'teething probs' out if you get any.
If the V6 didn't seem fast enough why not consider a V8 Wedge or a V8S which are fast and should fit within your budget.
Cheers,
JSG.
For a bit more (depends on your haggling skills) my old Ocean Haze 500 Griff is up for sale at Adrian Blyth. It's acutally build No.1 of the 500's (according to the log book). As far as reliability goes, I never had a squeak of bother in it in 2 years of ownership.
Btw. I've recently gone back to TVR ownership with a 4.6l Wedge!
Btw. I've recently gone back to TVR ownership with a 4.6l Wedge!
quote:
...£11,000 - £12,500 for a good FSH private low mileage car.
11 grand for a Griffith is criminal
. Even the 4 litre ones are worth 3 times that. If I had the money, I'd buy a spare in case mine is not feeling well. I am tempted to go round the Polo/106/Fiesta showrooms and stick "for this price you could have one of these
Buy one, now before the general public
come to their senses and buy them all up. Thanks for all help.
I'm still saving at the moment and won't be ready to purchase until July/August. No real rush as I'm happy with the 5 for handling etc. (just not speed).
I'd noticed the Griff at £11,995 on pistonheads and I'd seen the Ocean Haze 500 too at Adrian Blyth.
As for the wedge there not really for me. Fast and all but not keen on the styling. I'd take a chimp at a push if I can't stretch to a griff. But I fancy the exclusivity of the early Griff.
Nearly specialist to me is Sports and Specialist Car Company at boroughbridge (www.sscc.co.uk). Has any here used them and can offer and comments. The cars there seemed a little over the odds but were very very good. He told me that he does "whatever is needed" to make the cars tip top.
Dave
I'm still saving at the moment and won't be ready to purchase until July/August. No real rush as I'm happy with the 5 for handling etc. (just not speed).
I'd noticed the Griff at £11,995 on pistonheads and I'd seen the Ocean Haze 500 too at Adrian Blyth.
As for the wedge there not really for me. Fast and all but not keen on the styling. I'd take a chimp at a push if I can't stretch to a griff. But I fancy the exclusivity of the early Griff.
Nearly specialist to me is Sports and Specialist Car Company at boroughbridge (www.sscc.co.uk). Has any here used them and can offer and comments. The cars there seemed a little over the odds but were very very good. He told me that he does "whatever is needed" to make the cars tip top.
Dave
I'm sure you'll sell it by then.
However if not I'll be round for a look (and a coffee). Its a lovely colour and a fair price too.
I noticed theres a 20,000 mile K plate in Aylebury too for £11,995 on Autotrader and there's been a 73,000 miler for £11,500 for ages.
I'm lucky I can advetise my Mazda now and wait out for a good buyer while I'm saving
What are you buying once the Griff goes?
I'm lusting for a Tuscan eventually (or at least thats the ultimate goal at the moment) hence wanting an early Griff. Excellent car and I only do 3,000 miles a year and so residual value should still be high in 3 years or so.
Dave
However if not I'll be round for a look (and a coffee). Its a lovely colour and a fair price too.
I noticed theres a 20,000 mile K plate in Aylebury too for £11,995 on Autotrader and there's been a 73,000 miler for £11,500 for ages.
I'm lucky I can advetise my Mazda now and wait out for a good buyer while I'm saving
What are you buying once the Griff goes?
I'm lusting for a Tuscan eventually (or at least thats the ultimate goal at the moment) hence wanting an early Griff. Excellent car and I only do 3,000 miles a year and so residual value should still be high in 3 years or so.
Dave
One of the last MX5 OC runs I was on I spent behind a Cerbera all afternoon in the Yorkshire Dales.
The couple who owned it had blown up the 5 after adding a Skyline Turbo to it (hmmmm!) and had just sold there Chimaera as they needed extra seats too.
Very fast car. It was spitting flames from the exhaust on upchanges. That said I couldn't here the engine over my de-catted 5
Dave
The couple who owned it had blown up the 5 after adding a Skyline Turbo to it (hmmmm!) and had just sold there Chimaera as they needed extra seats too.
Very fast car. It was spitting flames from the exhaust on upchanges. That said I couldn't here the engine over my de-catted 5
Dave
quote:
Nearly specialist to me is Sports and Specialist Car Company at boroughbridge (www.sscc.co.uk).
erm . . . I think you mean www.sscarco.co.uk/ unless you actually wanted the Stourbridge Cricket Club!
Cheers
Marco
Just to stick my oar in, I would say don't limit your research to looking in just the speciatist mags/dealers. i bought a '92 Griff 4.3 with FSH and 50K on the clock for £11,500 in November 2001. It is an absolute beauty. I found it on the Autotrader website! Search everywhere would be my advice.
PS - I am not sure where you are located but if you wnat to come round for a spin and get a look at the type of car you can get for your cash, I am in Watford, send me an e-mail and i would be happy to help.
>> Edited by gjm on Friday 1st March 16:55
PS - I am not sure where you are located but if you wnat to come round for a spin and get a look at the type of car you can get for your cash, I am in Watford, send me an e-mail and i would be happy to help.
>> Edited by gjm on Friday 1st March 16:55
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