I'm always looking out for desirable cars that are undervalued - my 240Z (sold) and my S1 E-Type coupe are good examples. Never realized how attainable a Dodge Viper is, and while a little less refined than classic Euro sports cars, they offer a V10 engine, great looks, and super performance at a reasonable price. I know little about them since I've always been more of a Corvette fan. I'm particularly fond of the GTS coupes - 450hp I believe. So if someone were in the market to purchase, what should they look for? Known issues, etc. Would love to get one and add to my (now) growing stable...
Mine was a 2009 Viper. It was 600 hp. While I love the looks of the car it is not a nice car to drive. The chasis always feels unsure of itself. They are very unpredictable when driven in anger. My freind who is a very good driver crashed it and hit a phone pole. If you drive them normal like a sports car they just feel nervous. The car was reliable but to be honest I got rid of it within 6 months. Get as new as you can afford. the 2003 is a very primitive car. When they got to 2009 they were better. The 2008 or newer vettes are much better cars but they look stale because they have been around alot. The new vette looks stunning. I just sold my 2010 ZR1 in preparation to buy the new Vette. Each new vette C6 to C7 in this case are better driving cars then what came before. Good luck whatever you buy. It is hard to beat the looks of a Viper Lee.
Very interesting feedback - and it makes some sense to me in so much as I'm aware of a few similar Viper accidents in my neck of the woods. One resulted in the death of an off duty police officer (he was a passenger in the car). I chalked it up to the horsepower, but then there are other cars in that range - you don't hear about them. It could be sensationalized, but something tells me there's more to it. The nervous handling would scare me off. Now I'm not one to stand on the car, but don't get me wrong - 450HP V10 would entice a heavy throttle. I'm not in the immediate market, but always good to get the opinions way in advance. Still would like to grab one given the low entry point and high future potential. Did you replace yours with something similar (eg., Corvette)? I know you have a nice grouping of cars - curious what took its place (if anything)!
What LeeAD1 said rings true. I have a 2003, which is "only" 510 horsepower, and you MUST respect the car. Remember, these cars are torque montsters (mine is 535 lb ft, Gen 4s are 565). THat being said, these cars are VERY rewarding to drive, if you are a good driver. Overall reliable, and yes, the interiors are VERY Spartan (which is not an issue with me). But, the Gen3s (2003-6) are very affordable right now. One of the best bangs for the buck there is. Gen 4s (2008-10) are 600 hp, and offer improvements in gearing and other areas. Go over to the VCA forums, and all your questions will be answered. PM me here, and I'll give you my phone and/or email, and I can help answer your questions. Scott
Thanks Scott! The car would be a weekend warrior, so spartan interior and harsh ride not a problem. I really like the 2001+ GTS cars, since they have ABS and more power. I'm quite short - about 5'7" - any issues for a little guy?
No, I'm 5 10, and I just fit. "Smaller" guys actually fit better. (That's what SHE said...ba DUM BUM!) Here's the power breakdown: Gen 1 (1992-95) 400 hp, 450 lb ft, 8.0 V10 Gen 2 (1996-2002) 450 hp (RTs had 415, then got 450 in 97), 490 lb ft Gen 3 (2003-6) 510 hp, 535 lb ft , 8.3 V10 Gen 4 (2008-10) 600 hp, 565 lb ft, 8.4 V10 Gen 5 (2013-?) 640 hp, 600 lb ft If you're looking at Gen 2s, correct, 2001 has ABS and all around better braking. NONE of these cars have any traction control until now, the new Gen 5s will. There are pros and cons for all the Gens, and ALL will provide a rewarding driving experience. As I said, go over the the VCA forums, and all your questions will be answered. There are quite a few decent cars to be founs. Happy Hunting!
best looking one is the 96 gts, blue with white stripes. that was the first yr of the coupe. iconic design. these cars drive great. many have been tracked without any issue. it only really bites the inexperienced driver or showoffs. some people come from low torque cars and think they can just mash the throttle. not with this car. one of the magazines proclaimed in 1996-7 that "2nd gear full throttle will change the rotation of the earth". just respect the power. ive had mine since 2000. no problems. also, they are bullett proof. skip barber driving school had them for many yrs. they abused these cars and they never broke. repair bills are reasonable. good luck ed
I've had my 2003 for almost 3 years now. Had 23,000 miles when I bought it, now has almost 30. Only a couple minor issues, nothing do to with reliability ((knock wood!) As Ed said, respect the power. While there are other high HP cars (and higher) out there, it's the low end torque that fools the inexperienced or showoff. Learn to use it, and these cars will not disappoint!
Lee is a kindred car guy, and maybe he is right about average drivers and Vipers. I think of myself as an above average driver and think the Viper is a hoot to drive, but remember that the GTS (1996-2002) has abundant power and absolutely no driver aids other than ABS and that was only in 2001-2 cars. I personally have owned 1992, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2003 versions; I raced the ACR-X in the 2010 Viper Cup. I think the 2008-10 ACR is probably the most competent street car to use on the track with very, very few conceivable exceptions. The Viper ACR holds the street car record on the Nurburgring Nordschleife at about 7:12. If you do not know how to drive a high-power, high torque sports car please get instruction before taking a Viper past about 6/10s. If you don't have a feel for what 6/10s is then keep it under 3/10s. The problem that I think happens is that when you exceed the big performance envelope of the Viper, you are guranteed to be going fast and have really bad things happen. Mashing the throttle in a Viper is not a mindless exercise like it has become in essentially every other car. Personally, I don't blame the Viper for being difficult to drive, I blame the dumbing down of all other cars to match the general lack of skill and respect Americans have for driving. Vipers are pretty basic (some would say primitive) but that also tends to give them anvil-like reliability. It is almost impossible to break the driveline and routine maintenance is easy and inexpensive. Most everything mechanical about the Viper is reliabel and/or inexpensive for such an "exotic" car. Body repair is another matter. A Viper hood for the 1992-2002 cars will probably run $15K or more if you can get one, the side sills are likewise in the thousands. I personally have a first year car (1992) and late GTS (2001) and simply love them both. Very classic good looks, and some appreciation potential I hpe, as there are only about 200 1992 models and even the "big" production years were usually on the order of 1000 cars. I honestly doubt you woudl lose money on any first or second generation cars (1992-92, 1996-2002). I heartily recommend the Viper as a decent "investment" and driving experience that demands respect and attention.
Great post Kverges! The Viper is an experience that people need to have. Its raw, uncivilized and an in your face experience. I love them for what they are and even more for what there not.
They are fiberglass, correct? I'm a decent driver - I've driven F2000 cars, and my daily driver pushes out 310 lb-ft of torque...but that ain't 500 lb-ft of torque! I would definitely approach with caution - even 6/10 might be too much too quick should I get one. I'm amazed that this car is so reasonable because personally, I believe these will be highly collectible and are fantastic performers. Plus they look outrageously cool...better now than then - I wasn't a fan of them when they came out, but I am now. I especially like this: Image Unavailable, Please Login
I disagree with the assertion that newer is better - if you are a collector. Let's not forget what the Viper homologation did in 97 at LeMans, first American car since the Shelby's. These cars will someday be collectible. Will the later ACR's turn a faster "Ring" time? Absolutely. The second gen were built to go racing - and that they did - VERY well.
I'm not necessarily a collector - I'm (seriously) of small means, but if I do invest money into a car, I'd like it to have potential to appreciate. Obviously, later means improvements, but for a weekend warrior, I don't really care.
I personally think the styling of the Gen II cars, 1996-2002 is about as classic as it gets in a relatively modern car (Ford GT is the same, but a much higher price range). Look how very close the 2013 Viper is to these cars in shape and style. I'd personally recommend the 2001-2 cars as they have ABS (and better brake bias) and lots of little detail improvements like electrically adjustable side view mirrors. My 2001 is a better car overall than my 1996 or 1998 were. Your decision may be driven by color choice, as not all colors were available all years. The blue with white stripes is a classic, and I am fond of the final edition 2002 cars that are red with white stripes. They did a steel grey with silver stripes that is "conservative" by Viper standards and looks great. I do think stripes make the car, but they did come in solid colors as well. The nice thing is that a 25,000 mile + car is nothing to fear and many of the cars have been well cared for. Cosmetically, look out for side sill damage (the side sills are unavailable I am pretty sure and VERY expensive to replace), and any hood repair. The underside of the front fascia will be scraped - get over it as you will do it too. Look for an un-wrecked version and have a very skilled Viper tech do a PPI and enjoy.
I had a 2000 for almost 5 years.. 20k miles.. ABS is for babies... Pros: Great car.. solid, Started every time. Only changed the oil. Cons: You can die real fast. If you like the sporty feel of a boxster/mini/s2000/elise/ferrari type of car you will hate the viper. Do not even consider buying one. Happy to report, it only tried to kill me once. I lived.
What happened there?!! I prefer smaller, nimble cars like my 308, but that wouldn't scare me off from a Viper...
Color wouldn't matter as much, although I really like the blue / white. I'm cool with minor scuffs, etc. - I like to drive my cars so that's perfectly fine. I do like originality though - no add-ons unless really discreet.
When I sold my 2009 viper I bought a ZR1 corvette. This is the vette that has 638 hp and 602 ft=;bs of torque. The car is just awesome. It has a stability mode in the car that makes the car go straight under heavy power. The cars performance is just stunnning. People can change the programming mode to make it handle in several different ways. What is intersting is the Z06 only has 505 hp yet is a handful driven in anger. Alot of my freinds like it better because of the excitement and the action the car exhibits while driven under power. While the car moves around under heavy throttle it was more or less predictiable. The Viper never gave me that confidence feel. This may be a common thread for owners of the car and why they can be bought at a reasonable price. Lee
I loved my 2001 RT/10. im 6'1 230 lbs and had no problems fitting/being comfortable. I think the '96 blue/white GTS is the one to get (unless you can afford the GT-SR)
This thread has tempted me. Just started looking online passively. I like the SRT-10s from 03 and on. I'd like to see if I can arrange a ride/test drive locally and if I like it I might just have to seriously consider it. Only problem is I also happen to like the 06-07 Z06s. Similar price and power figures for close to the same money.
First I would like to complement the Viper owners that have been so polite on this thread. I can tell thery are proud of their cars as they should be. They are beautiful! I will be interested to see how the Gen 5 viper drives. they will be 640hp from the factory if my memory is correct. I just bought the 2013 Shelby Mustang and it has 665 hp. The car drives and sounds very good. I had a 2012 Shelby that a traded in and it had 550 hp. It is not a shophisticated car as evidenced bt the rear straight axle. But is is still fun. I also just bought an Audi R8 V10. Ths car has a Lambo motor and is a blast to drive with good manners and power. Lee
I had an 04 White mamba with 650HP at the wheels with SC.....I subsequently had an 09 ACR. With the Pilot sport tires the car holds down a hell of alot of torque..with tune,headers and exhaust I was pulling circa 640hp. Comparing the FGT and SCUD which I own now,probably the most beastly and visceral driving experience. The FGT almost got away from me once, the ACR with the sticky tires and 1000 pounds of down force has kept the faith. Easy to maintain,part bin Dodge parts, and easy to work on....if you are on 80thousand and below budget, you can't wrong with the Viper ACR. The MY 10 was the best of the IV gen. Gets more looks and thumbs up than my Scud.
