May as well just leave the message blank...ok, just kidding. I'm trying to be objective here since the things I would pick out as a negative are far fewer than the positives.
Stock Floormats
I don't know why SRT decided to include a set of Dart mats with the Viper. They're not even embroidered so you're stuck with LOL-tastic mats in your $120K ride or you pony up another $200-$300 for a nice aftermarket set.
Real Viper owners throw them in the garbage as soon as they get home from the dealer and never replace them, your carpet is your floor mat !.... most REAL Viper owners drive without any floor mats so they do not get in the way....
Under-Seat Snake Pit
I highly recommend not keeping anything loose in your pockets because they seem to find a way to fall out and under the seat. The Viper's seats do not fold foward and the fit inside is so tight that it's easy to loose a cell phone, keys or change to space under the seats. I think that letting the seats fold foward would have been nice, and they could have added some kind of storage nook back there too. Luckily my lady friend has skinny arms and was able to retrieve my key fob and cell phone after the Viper tried to eat them.
[SILLY COMPLAINT.... the area under the seat in a Viper is specifically engineered/designed to store old fries and spare coins in case of emergency.
Lack of Wheel Well Protection
"Let's give a car an awesome paint job and then put super-sticky tires on it that flick every piece of debris on the road up at this paint." Is probably what you'd find in the minutes of SRT's design meeting. I don't think it would have been too gaudy to make optional carbon fiber wheel guards or something removable that can be applied to that area. Even driving a low speeds will cause the tires to flick gravel, pebbles and whatever other crud you roll across, chipping away the paint and making it look dull.
Are you for real ? Rock chips in the paint make the Viper look Tough, most owners want them !! and I even stabbed my paint by the wheel wells with an knife to make it look like rock chips to "UN" baby my Viper. Only two people put paint protection on cars ... Girls and metrosexuals who wax their eyebrows.
Unclean Entrance and Exits
You don't get into a Viper so much as you "fall" into it, because there is nothing to hold onto that isn't a painted surface. You can hold on but then you'll leave smudges all over the place. Getting out requires a sort of sideways spin followed by a somersault like motion. You can touch the sills, although they do get quite hot and can burn you. I try to wear clean shoes when I drive my car because it's really hard not to scuff them on the inside of the door or under the dash as I enter and exit.
You "wear clean shoes when you drive" ? dude you bought a Viper , not a Million dollar Bugatti. Dude you need to break in your Viper... so spill a soda on the seat or drop some chocolate near the floor and when you see it melting from the heat quickly rub it into the carpet ASAP so no one will ever know you are anal retentive. Hurry up and go do it NOW !!
B]Dead Pedal[/B]
The dead pedal is weak. It's too small and it's curved, so you really can't rest your foot on it properly. Luckily it's bolted on and adjustable, so maybe they'll make an aftermarket version that is flatter and has a bit more surface area. I'd buy that.
Valid complaint
Non-Lockable Exterior Hood Latch
I really don't like the fact that anyone can pop the hood on my Viper since the exterior hood latch does not lock when the car is locked. Even if popping the hood on a locked viper causes the car's horn to start honking, someone with malicious intent could simply snip the wires to the horn and then proceed to mess with the engine.
Valid complaint
MODERATOR EDIT: PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ETHNIC SLURS OR GENERALIZATIONS! COMMENT REMOVED.
Fully Electronic Door Locks
No problems with the way they work, except that in a situation where the car is disabled and has no power, you will not be able to open the door or window. You'll be trapped inside...so if you survive long enough for rescuers to come, they'll have to pry the car apart with the jaws of life or something even if the situation is relatively minor.
Read the owners manual[/B]
Extra Hard Trunk Slam Required to Close
The rear hatch does not close if you push it down gently. You really need to slam it to get it to close completely. I don't like having to slam the hatch as hard as I do to close it.
Its supposed to "slam" !! everything on a Viper is "Slammin'..."
Gawkers
Look, it comes with the territory, but when you have a stryker red viper stopped or parked in a single spot for any length of time people just materialize out of nowhere. I don't have a problem with the lookers so much as I do the touchers. The people that feel the need to press their greasy hands and face onto the window to look inside, or the people who want those extra-close pictures and all but stand on the front spoiler. Maybe it's just me but I'm not at the point where I'd feel comfortable parking my Viper and leaving it unattended while I go do something else like eat at a restaurant or visit someone/someplace.
Agreeded.... this is a huge issue with the Viper and SRT recently just released a Technical service Bulletin (TSB) to deal with owners having problems with this issue....SRT states that customers with this issue require an adjustment by the dealer requiring the Viper be rolled off a small cliff to correct this appearance issue. NOTE, the dealer should NOT charge your for this service.
Seems like a lot of stuff but nothing I listed here is significant enough for me to rate this car as anything less than a 9.5 out of 10. The point I'm making is that after having a chance to evaluate it and drive it longer these nitpicks are the worst gripes I can come up with. The Viper is a great car all-around, and it's surprisingly good for cruising comfortably long distances. Don't know if I'm going to run into any issues later down the line but as of today I am loving every second I get to drive my Viper.
