Are you vain?What do you tell people when they ask what year your Gen I is?

[MannyC]

Not long ago my girl and I took the 94 Viper RT/10 to the BMW dealership to test drive a new 330i performance package (for the woman.) Was the first time I had ever been to a dealership where they threw us the keys to go test drive a car, without asking for our license or anything. Was interesting.

Anyway, this is going to sound quite vain, but the salesman later asks me if I just got the Viper and I told him yes, and he went on to mention how it was a beatiful car. Since I said it was new (to me) he asked me if it was a 2003 and I said no it wasn't, at which point he asked what year it was. I said it was a Gen I and he said he didn't know what that meant, so I told him it was a 1994 model, at which point you could see a change in his demeanor.

Being 'car' vain, I hate telling people I have a 1994 vehicle, as the car looks practically brand new, so what do you older car guys say to people that ask, or do you not care and just tell them it's a 94 (or whatever year yours is) ?

 

[V10 MOJO]

why would you care? if it looks that damnn good to be considered new then take it as a complement and if some lameasss gives you the brush cause he/she finds out its not "new" then monkeystomp their asss (figuratively speaking of course, LOL)

 

[MHQC]

Ya Superbar, you shouldn't even care what the he thinks. He didn't know what a Gen 1 was. Ergo, knows little to nothing about the Viper, so his answer should mean nothing to you. Just say "it's a 94 man! The second last year before they stopped makin' those wicked side pipes, you know because of all the exhaust this 488 pushes out". That would sound cool, and probably screw him up a bit. He would be thinking side pipes and not the year. Don't sweat it, you are a Viper owner...that in itself should be enough.

 

[ViperJoe]

Would you hesitate if you were driving a 69 426 hemi superbird? Hail no! So the same goes for the 94 Viper!

 

[Vic]

Tell him its the best pristine example of a Gen1, from the "golden age" of classic Vipers! Like a rare wine, the mystique of the early Vipers lives on!

We got a local named Ken Haney who turns 1:30s, (or less?) at WillowSprings Int'l Raceway, in his Gen1. In case you don't know, thats a great time, and is considered a really excellent time for a Gen2, as well.

By the way, don't ever switch out those radical tri-spoke Gen1 rims! Those are classic, and really scream Viper.








But in answer to your question, yes, I am vain!

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Who cares what anyone else thinks? You may have gotten your Viper for the wrong reasons.

 

[BADVENOM]

Who cares what anyone else thinks? You may have gotten your Viper for the wrong reasons.

Right on Chuck, who cares what some BMW salesman thinks?
BTW what piece of **** does he drive anyway?

Adam

 

[GR8_ASP]

Been asked many times. Usually they are surprised by the condition (like most it is in great shape). Never had a negative reaction due to it getting long in the teeth. I get lots of mileage questions as well. With 32K the responses there range from "oh you drive it a lot" to "guess you don't get to drive it much." So, I am in twith the chorus above. Who cares. If it makes a difference with someone you are dealing with, especially a car salesman, go on to the next guy/gal.

Oop Vi - I replaced the 3 spoke with 5 spokes back in 1996. Still have the 3 spokes and original tires on display though.

 

[MannyC]

Thanks, I was just curious is all.

 

[picflight]

{SNIP} I said it was a Gen I and he said he didn't know what that meant, so I told him it was a 1994 model, at which point you could see a change in his demeanor.

{SNIP}

Superbar, what do you mean by his demeanor changing, did it seem like he cared less of the car because it was older or did he doubt your wallet size?

SOME car sales people can be very stupid, they have no clue what is going on and how sales trends have changed.

Nevertheless, you know what that 94 is, so drive and enjoy.

 

[Motor City Mad Man]

Who cares what anyone else thinks? You may have gotten your Viper for the wrong reasons.

I'm with Chuck on this one. If I had a dollar for every person who asked if my Viper was brand new I'd be a millionaire. Mine is a 96 and if someone asks I'll tell them that. Even if I could pass it off as a brand new Viper I don't. And if someone asks how many miles are on it I'll tell them exactly how many are on it-since I think more highly of someone like me who actually drives this car than the garage queeners out there I'm pretty proud of all the miles on mine. The average person has no clue what year it is. But I could really give a ---- what the average person thinks anyways.

 

[sun diego]

Could you re-title this thread "Classic Viper stumps shallow salesman"?

 

[Magicboy2]

When the guy's demeanor changed when you told him what year your Viper was, you should have immediately asked him what year his Viper was.

 

[GTSnake]

Would you hesitate if you were driving a 69 426 hemi superbird? Hail no! So the same goes for the 94 Viper!

Exactly! Viper is a living classic and the year doesn't matter. Since it's fiberglass it will look the same today as in another 10 years. So get used to the questions.

 

[Russ Oasis]

He only acted that way to make you feel that if you weren't driving a "new" car, you weren't hip. That would be the reason to buy his "new" BMW. Don't even give this guy a second thought. HE'S A CAR SALESMAN. He'll say ANYTHING to sell a car. I own 5 Vipers, and my very favorite is my 95 RT-10.

 

[Birvini]

He only acted that way to make you feel that if you weren't driving a "new" car, you weren't hip. That would be the reason to buy his "new" BMW. Don't even give this guy a second thought. HE'S A CAR SALESMAN. He'll say ANYTHING to sell a car. I own 5 Vipers, and my very favorite is my 95 RT-10.

Well said. The guy is a salesman. Period.

The Illinois Viper club was out in force today for a parade lap at the Tropicana 400. It was a pleasure answering questions from people who know nothing about Vipers, but were VERY curious. Many said that they really like the side pipe cars. They were suprised to hear how "old" they are. Before you jump all over me, they had only gone by Gen I cars, and had about 40 cars to go before they reached an SRT!

 

[Gerald]

92 to 2002, they almost all look identical except for the side pipes ..

 

[Vic]

HA-HA! Excellent!

Could you re-title this thread "Classic Viper stumps shallow salesman"?

 

[Ulysses]

BMW salespeople, what a bunch of dweebs. I once walked into a BMW dealership, during the high of the tech bubble, ready to buy one outright. They wouldn't even give me the time of day. Not one person would help me. Had someone page for a sales person and still no one would help me. Geeeez, who could resist this pretty face? Went right out and gave Bill P a call and have never regretted it since.

Manny, must have been the same dealership I went to.

 

[joe117]

The salesman thought he was dealing with someone who just paid $80k or so for a new toy to drive.
Then he found out it was a 94R/T. He's got nothing against 9 year old cars, he just figured he had overestimated your potential as a car buyer.

IMHO, If you pulled up in a superbird,
"Would you hesitate if you were driving a 69 426 hemi superbird?"
The BMW sales guy would ask you to park it out back.
You really need to be a MOPAR guy to think that one of those things isn't a little over the top.
I know, a real classic and all, but to BMW types.... too much.

 

[JGK95]

SuperB,

Until I pull down a GTS for myself and family, I'd gladly take your car to EVERY dealership. Who cares that a car salesman even has an opinion? I'd gladly drive your (old?) 94 Viper and somehow feign concern when someone calls the car old.

 

[Snake Bitten]

Would you hesitate if you were driving a 69 426 hemi superbird? Hail no!

I'd trade my Viper, and most likely my left nut, for a Hemi Superbird or a Hemi Daytona...

 

[MannyC]

Actually, my post wasn't supposed to be about the dealer -- I could care less to be honest. My girl actually ended up getting the car she wanted anyway. My point was to show whether a persons perception of you or your car change when they think you are driving an $80K new car to finding out you drive a 9 year old car -- and more than that, if any of you say something other than blurting out the actual year, when somebody asks you what year it is. If I didn't love the car, I wouldn't have bought a 2nd one, same year (1994) I actually go pick that one up today. Yay!

 

[joe117]

I don't mean to say that the superbird isn't a valuable, classic car.
I just mean that to anyone other than a car guy, it looks like a freak. Doesn't look like a freak to me, but it sure look's strange to the general public.
Regular people can look at an old Vette or an old 450SL or a Triumph TR4, and think it's nice. The superbird is just too big and too NASA looking for average people.

 

[slaughterj]

he asked me if it was a 2003 and I said no it wasn't, at which point he asked what year it was. I said it was a Gen I and he said he didn't know what that meant, so I told him it was a 1994 model, at which point you could see a change in his demeanor.

You shoulda told him it was a 2004

 

[SHADOW]

HAHAHA Slaughter's reply was the best!!!

 

[Makara]

When I had a 94 RT, I'd tell people what year it was then they asked. The reply usually was "Wow, it looks brand new."

 

[ubnbit]

I usually tell people mine is a prototype from Dodge.

 

[MannyC]

Prototype! Ha, I love it. I can say mine is a two year old Super Viper Systems car. That is technically true. Ubnbit, I think you gave me the right idea.