b/w 96 vs 97 differences?

[LethalBite]

I was thinking of trading in the RT for a blue/white striped gts, but it seems from the registry info on this site that there really isn't a difference. Both have the stronger Gen 2 motor and the lumpy cam right? Tried doing a search on it but came up zilch.

If anyone knows of any for sale besides the few in the classifieds, pass the word please!

 

[VIPR GTS]

The all important stripes through the license plate area for 96, not on 97

 

[Edward 96GTS]

97- slightly narrower stripes
-stronger wheels w/ a brighter polish
-door window rubber is better
-had intake manifold leak
-inner door sill protective rubber cap(resists wear)
-hopefully all recalls done

 

[kickinasp]

1997 has an improved Body Computer that has reduced current draw, so battery will not go dead as it does on 1996 versions. as stated above all weather striping is better quality and more durable. Wheels are brighter (more polished) and stronger for durability. There are other suddle changes and improvements.

 

[ViperJoe]

Buy the book "Buying a Used Viper"

EVERY owner should have it, good reading!

96 "through" the licence plate area strip
97 no strip through the licence plate area

 

[Ron]

kickinasp

Where did you hear that about the body computer? Sounds a bit like an urban legend especially since I do not have the issue in my '96.

Curious nontheless.....

 

[Steve-Indy]

Ron, I wonder if that's the TSB for the 97's EEM...replaced in cars having problems??...or, indeed something else.

 

[FLX109]

I do have this problem, I must hook up to a battery tender when sitting for two weeks or more or the battery drains, I have had the battery checked and it is fine.


FLX109

 

[Big Medicine]

I don't have this problem.

 

[InjectTheVenom]

97- slightly narrower stripes
-stronger wheels w/ a brighter polish
-door window rubber is better
-had intake manifold leak
-inner door sill protective rubber cap(resists wear)
-hopefully all recalls done

Door window rubber is better? Tell that to the Calgary, Canada owner of such a '97 GTS that I know, when I had a ride in his Viper the windows REALLY started to be dragged backwards by the wind with us doing 260 km/h

 

[Simms]

I think the window rubber is better because it is one piece rather than two.

 

[KenricGTS]

I do not have that problem with the battery. My car is late in the run maybe thay fixed that. My car is #911

 

[00prowler]

1996 has a better resale value...

 

[FLOORIN04]

one year

 

[radta7]

Actually, the the 97's do. It's bc of some of the improvements from 96 which has been mentioned. I spent a year looking at both.

 

[Ron]

All of the "improvements" from 1996 vs. 1997 were able to be updated under warrenty via TSB's. There should be no difference bewteen them beyond the above mentioned stripes and the cast wheels.

I know as I did them all, including upgrading to forged wheels.

IMO as far as value goes, an unmolested 1996 GTS will have a premium over the same condition 1997 B/W GTS because it was the first GTS and because of the one year only striping. How much? no idea.

 

[Joseph Dell]

Slap a hard top on that puppy and it is practically a GTS!

I think at least 50% of RT/10 owners go through what you are going through... but as the weather gets cooler here in GA, think about how nice it is to have the rear window and the top out... can't beat it.

Hell, I even thought about dumping my silver RT in favor of a black w/ stripes GTS... but right now, i like what i got... and i've had the car for 5 years this month.

JD

 

[SandViper]

I remeber talking to a guy that mentioned something abou tthe Glue used in the Car on the Major pieces was better in the 97's also

 

[PDCjonny]

1996 has a better resale value...

Absolutely untrue.
Having shopped extensively for both, given the same mileage and condition the 97's were more than '96's. Newer car, way better forged rims and all the minor improvements listed above make it the more valuable.

 

[xlrashn]

WOW....talk about reviving an old thread

 

[PDCjonny]

Oh jeez....didn't see the date....LOL...idiot...........

 

[Ron]

Absolutely untrue.
Having shopped extensively for both, given the same mileage and condition the 97's were more than '96's. Newer car, way better forged rims and all the minor improvements listed above make it the more valuable.

Respectfully disagree -

Clearly neither of us is unbiased but that statement defies all historic and parallel logic.

Sure, a 1998 Red GTS is probably worth more than a 1997 Red GTS for the reasons you state, but a launch year muscle car with a one year only unique indentifier (stripes), the Indy Pace car year, a car that most paid huge premiums to get, the stereotypical Viper in anyone's mind, and the one most Viper toy models are modeled after is worth less than a 1997 because half of the 1997's had forged wheels and didn't need an update to the car alarm?

Is a 1993 RT/10 worth more then a 1992 RT/10?

Not logical to me.

 

[Jack B]

The wheels did not change till mid year, many of the 97's had the cast wheels.

 

[Burt G]

Respectfully disagree -

Clearly neither of us is unbiased but that statement defies all historic and parallel logic.

Sure, a 1998 Red GTS is probably worth more than a 1997 Red GTS for the reasons you state, but a launch year muscle car with a one year only unique indentifier (stripes), the Indy Pace car year, a car that most paid huge premiums to get, the stereotypical Viper in anyone's mind, and the one most Viper toy models are modeled after is worth less than a 1997 because half of the 1997's had forged wheels and didn't need an update to the car alarm?

Is a 1993 RT/10 worth more then a 1992 RT/10?

Not logical to me.

Perfect sense to me

 

[PDCjonny]

Perfect sense to me

Depends on if you are basing your opnion on what "should" be, or what is.
Same condition, same mileage the '97 will go for more than the '96. Common sense being a year newer primarily and marginally improved.
99% of the public sees the same car '96 or '97. It's a Blue and White.

 

[Dom426h]

+1 Jon,
I was personally looking specifically for a 97+, I wasnt even considering a 96...

Also something people overlook with Any first year model car (especially one that is hand built) is that even if there is No TSB's or recalls, it is still likely that there is little things that plant changed along the process to make the car better each successive year.

These workers at the Conner plant were top notch hand picked for a reason and i thank them all for making such a great car
(here is a good read):
DETROIT'S CONNOR AVENUE AUTO PLANT IS LIKE HEAVEN TO ITS WORKERS

 

[Martin]

From what I've seen, the values of the '96 and '97 B/W GTSs are pretty much the same. I personally was afraid to buy a '96 way-back-when because of the first model-year issues that I've had with a lot of other cars, but I would have bought one if I could have gotten it. I ended up waiting almost a year for my '97 and it was definitely worth the wait.

The '96 cars have the advantage of being the first model year, but the '97 cars have a slight advantage by being a little bit more 'refined' than the first-year cars, and there were fewer '97 B/W cars built. As far as the stripes through the license plate frame, I don't think that matters much. Sure the '96 cars were the only year where you could get a B/W GTS with stripes through the license frame, but the '97 cars where the only year where you could get a B/W GTS without the stripes through the frame... I don't think that matters other than being a telltale sign that the car is a '96 or '97. Probably, in twenty years, a completely stock '96 in perfect shape might be worth more than a completely stock '97 in perfect shape because it was the first year - but for all intents and purposes, either year will be in the same price ballpark because the B/W GTS cars will always be very desirable. Anytime anyone thinks about a Viper GTS, the first picture in their mind is that original B/W color scheme - that's what put it on the map.

 

[Ron]

Sound arguments and I agree that in the end it'll be somwhat close, but to minimize the natural bias let's change to question to 1992 RT/10 versus 1993 RT/10. Arguably more refinements made between these 2 years than the GTS's and admittedly fewer 1992's produced providing a nice offset to the greater refinements.

Which in the same condition would be worth more 25 years later?

 

[Martin]

Sound arguments and I agree that in the end it'll be somwhat close, but to minimize the natural bias let's change to question to 1992 RT/10 versus 1993 RT/10. Arguably more refinements made between these 2 years than the GTS's and admittedly fewer 1992's produced providing a nice offset to the greater refinements.

Which in the same condition would be worth more 25 years later?

I'm not sure that's a completely fair comparison - the 1992 car was such a ground-breaking vehicle launch that I think it's always going to command a premium. That car made giant automotive history when it came out. When I remember back to those days, even though we were in the tail-end of a recession, people were paying way over MSRP for those cars and the world was crazy over them. The GTS launch was the next-biggest ground-breaking vehicle, and if they had only done the GTS in B/W for that one year, I think it would have been THE car to have. But, as it was, I personally feel that the two years are pretty close - with a slight long-term bias toward the '96 because it was the first year.

The reason I feel it's not a completely fair comparison is that as the model years go on, there is a lot less 'desirability' to first-year models. Look at the '03 Gen III cars, for example - I don't think those are any more desirable than later years. Same with the '08 cars. And, personally, I don't think I'll be lined up at the dealership to get a '12 model year car, either - I'd rather wait to see how things shake out with it and order a '13 car once the fever dies down a bit.

 

[xlrashn]

Well having just recently purchasing a 97 B&W, I can tell you after being in the market as I was, I really did not see any real difference between 96's and 97's of equal quality. In 20 years?.... anybody's guess.

Just my $.02 worth