I just picked just my used 08 Red/Black Viper and am very happy. But I want to share my whole experience. This will be my 4th viper. I have purchased one of every generation so far. The first two I purchased sight unseen but sent either family or a friend to fly out and drive it back. They were able to look over it before coming back. On my Gen III, I flew out to Utah and drove it back.
So my new story begins. It starts with the sale of my 06 Paxton back in May. At first I wanted a new ACR but with a new son that just arrived, that really didn’t make sense. So I began looking for a used 08. Found a couple in the high fifties and low sixties but I really wanted an ACR. I located a few and a couple in Dallas stood out. They were Red/Black with drivers stripe. I watched on eBay for a couple months and they were asking middle eighties and didn’t sell. I made a couple lowball offers and followed the cars over the last few months.
After a few months I made another offer on one of the cars at just ended on eBay, the owner agreed by Ebay email, and then I contacted him by phone. This car is also listed on the viper classifieds listed by David Mcniel aka dwmcniel. Now everything I am about to post is from my point of view and I welcome Mr. Mcniel to share his side because it does not put him in the best of light.
So I received the acceptance through the eBay messaging system, accepting my offer. Mcniel stated he didn’t want to sell it that low but needed too. So I then called Mcniel by phone and asked him a few questions. I asked if the car was tracked, ever damaged, any issues with the car, rock chips, curb rash on wheels and tire tread. He assured me that there were no rock chips no crub rash and everything was perfect. With my experience with vipers, about 10 years now, I know that if you have a viper with 100 miles and no clear bra, you have rock chips. But I am very picky and know when I say something is perfect, that is different than someone else’s view. So I knew there would be a few chips. Mcniel also stated he tracked the car for about 6 months but just for local stuff, not real racing. I had a couple phone conversations with him, during the first conversation he said the car was never on the track but on follow up conversations he said yes. He stayed he has a second car that he tracks.
So I again over the phone told him I would purchase the car at the agreed price and would fly up take a look at it and purchase it for 75000. I have this in writing also. I asked if he had a lift because I like to look under them also. He stated he did but it’s a pain to put it on. I stated yes I know but it was a must and he agreed. So I then bought a ticket, flew to Dallas. He picked me up, talked about his car and he is a racer in the viper days or that class.
He talked about knowing Giles, Jon-B, all those guys. Actually, according to Mcniel, Ralph Giles and the SRT guys have come to his house and looked at his race car. He said the ACR-X was greatly modally after his car. We get to his house, and he pulls the car out. It looks good, but all VIPERs look good. There were more rock chips than I expected, but it was not a deal breaker. They were all over the car, and you could tell it was tracked. You only get chips like this from being tracked. Lots all over the hood, roof, truck glass and trunk along with the wing.
So he said lets go for a ride. I asked to drive and he stated he prefer I didn’t, I agree at the time but I personally would not buy a used car without and figured I would worry about that after I knew I wanted the car. After a 10 mile drive or so we got back and he asked if I still needed the car put on the lift. I said yes and it took him about 30 seconds, it was very easy. So first thing I noticed was the bottom was wet with oil I thought. Turns out there was a major transmission leak. About a drop every 5 to 10 seconds. It was coming from the area of where the transmission meets the motor. I figured main seal. He acted like no be deal and said it was under warranty. At first he was hinting to he didn’t want to deal with it and I finally said I’m not buying the car without knowing what’s wrong. He then called a dealer who could look at the car that afternoon. Some other things I saw were there were 2 punctures in the bottom splitter that looked like the car bottomed out very hard and punctured it. Also the shocks looked in bad shape, there was black rubber melted to the springs, and just look it they have been driving very hard. This comes to play later also.
At this point I’m getting ready to pass on the car and am getting pissed. The car was in no way close to the way Mcniel described it. So I follow him to the dealer in his truck. Once there, they are very helpful and get the information. There was an issue that was brought up, back in April the car was in for service, and another dealer reported the mileage as 53XX and it currently had 52XX. Now I think was a dealer mistake, but who knows. Mcniel stated it had to be a mistake and the dealer resolved it, but Mcniel told me it had never been in for service and again another lie. I didn’t say anything just listened. They said they would call in a few hours for the report. I was dropped off at a local hotel to wait. A couple hours later the dealer calls me asking if the car had been serviced, I said I didn’t know. They called Mcneil but could not ask him. They stated the transmission fill was extremely loose and thought it was the cause but needed to drive it to make sure and wanted the owner to call. I asked about the warranty work that was done in April. They stated a shock was replaced and something with the window wiper was replaced. I found this funny because one, Mcniel stated no warranty or issues of any kind on the car. I specially asked him about warranty issues and he said no problems earlier, and not to mentioned that none of the shocks on the car look new to me. I’m no expert but I did notice how crappy they looked.
I called Mcniel and explained what the dealer told me about the leak. I did not call him out on anything. Mcniel stated he did have the transmission fluid serviced in April. I then asked if anything else was done at that time. Mcniel stated absolutely not. I said okay and told him to call the dealer so they can drive it and determined if that was the issue.
Mcniel then TO MY SURPRISE then said we needed to talk about price. I said I thought we already came to the agreement of 75,000. Now remember I have the emails through eBay about my offer and him stating yes, along with our phone conversations. His comments were “I have spoken with a few people about the car but I don’t remember telling you that price.” So this tells me he told someone else that priceJ I wanted to laugh but asked where he was at on the car. I had to know. He said he felt bad that I flew in but needed a little time to figure that out. I said okay just call me that it was no big deal. Now at this point unless he came back at 65000 I was out and even then still out.
He calls me that night hours later and says he had it listed on eBay for 84000, but wanted 80000 and would sell it to me for 78,500. I told him I would talk to the wife. I never confronted him about the lies or about trying to F##k me on the price after we had already agreed, or that I wasted 450.00 bucks in flights, I just email him that I could not do that. Well over the last few days I have a friend that is friends with someone in Dallas that knows the car, and they said the car has had two motor replacements.
My warning to anyone looking for a car is to stay FAR FAR away from this 2008 Dodge Viper ACR VIN 1B3JZ69Z98V200910, sold by Dave Mcniel. Unless you get a hell of a deal. Everything I stated here is firsthand knowledge except the motor replacements, but I’m sure dodge has that information if someone wanted to check on it.
So my new story begins. It starts with the sale of my 06 Paxton back in May. At first I wanted a new ACR but with a new son that just arrived, that really didn’t make sense. So I began looking for a used 08. Found a couple in the high fifties and low sixties but I really wanted an ACR. I located a few and a couple in Dallas stood out. They were Red/Black with drivers stripe. I watched on eBay for a couple months and they were asking middle eighties and didn’t sell. I made a couple lowball offers and followed the cars over the last few months.
After a few months I made another offer on one of the cars at just ended on eBay, the owner agreed by Ebay email, and then I contacted him by phone. This car is also listed on the viper classifieds listed by David Mcniel aka dwmcniel. Now everything I am about to post is from my point of view and I welcome Mr. Mcniel to share his side because it does not put him in the best of light.
So I received the acceptance through the eBay messaging system, accepting my offer. Mcniel stated he didn’t want to sell it that low but needed too. So I then called Mcniel by phone and asked him a few questions. I asked if the car was tracked, ever damaged, any issues with the car, rock chips, curb rash on wheels and tire tread. He assured me that there were no rock chips no crub rash and everything was perfect. With my experience with vipers, about 10 years now, I know that if you have a viper with 100 miles and no clear bra, you have rock chips. But I am very picky and know when I say something is perfect, that is different than someone else’s view. So I knew there would be a few chips. Mcniel also stated he tracked the car for about 6 months but just for local stuff, not real racing. I had a couple phone conversations with him, during the first conversation he said the car was never on the track but on follow up conversations he said yes. He stayed he has a second car that he tracks.
So I again over the phone told him I would purchase the car at the agreed price and would fly up take a look at it and purchase it for 75000. I have this in writing also. I asked if he had a lift because I like to look under them also. He stated he did but it’s a pain to put it on. I stated yes I know but it was a must and he agreed. So I then bought a ticket, flew to Dallas. He picked me up, talked about his car and he is a racer in the viper days or that class.
He talked about knowing Giles, Jon-B, all those guys. Actually, according to Mcniel, Ralph Giles and the SRT guys have come to his house and looked at his race car. He said the ACR-X was greatly modally after his car. We get to his house, and he pulls the car out. It looks good, but all VIPERs look good. There were more rock chips than I expected, but it was not a deal breaker. They were all over the car, and you could tell it was tracked. You only get chips like this from being tracked. Lots all over the hood, roof, truck glass and trunk along with the wing.
So he said lets go for a ride. I asked to drive and he stated he prefer I didn’t, I agree at the time but I personally would not buy a used car without and figured I would worry about that after I knew I wanted the car. After a 10 mile drive or so we got back and he asked if I still needed the car put on the lift. I said yes and it took him about 30 seconds, it was very easy. So first thing I noticed was the bottom was wet with oil I thought. Turns out there was a major transmission leak. About a drop every 5 to 10 seconds. It was coming from the area of where the transmission meets the motor. I figured main seal. He acted like no be deal and said it was under warranty. At first he was hinting to he didn’t want to deal with it and I finally said I’m not buying the car without knowing what’s wrong. He then called a dealer who could look at the car that afternoon. Some other things I saw were there were 2 punctures in the bottom splitter that looked like the car bottomed out very hard and punctured it. Also the shocks looked in bad shape, there was black rubber melted to the springs, and just look it they have been driving very hard. This comes to play later also.
At this point I’m getting ready to pass on the car and am getting pissed. The car was in no way close to the way Mcniel described it. So I follow him to the dealer in his truck. Once there, they are very helpful and get the information. There was an issue that was brought up, back in April the car was in for service, and another dealer reported the mileage as 53XX and it currently had 52XX. Now I think was a dealer mistake, but who knows. Mcniel stated it had to be a mistake and the dealer resolved it, but Mcniel told me it had never been in for service and again another lie. I didn’t say anything just listened. They said they would call in a few hours for the report. I was dropped off at a local hotel to wait. A couple hours later the dealer calls me asking if the car had been serviced, I said I didn’t know. They called Mcneil but could not ask him. They stated the transmission fill was extremely loose and thought it was the cause but needed to drive it to make sure and wanted the owner to call. I asked about the warranty work that was done in April. They stated a shock was replaced and something with the window wiper was replaced. I found this funny because one, Mcniel stated no warranty or issues of any kind on the car. I specially asked him about warranty issues and he said no problems earlier, and not to mentioned that none of the shocks on the car look new to me. I’m no expert but I did notice how crappy they looked.
I called Mcniel and explained what the dealer told me about the leak. I did not call him out on anything. Mcniel stated he did have the transmission fluid serviced in April. I then asked if anything else was done at that time. Mcniel stated absolutely not. I said okay and told him to call the dealer so they can drive it and determined if that was the issue.
Mcniel then TO MY SURPRISE then said we needed to talk about price. I said I thought we already came to the agreement of 75,000. Now remember I have the emails through eBay about my offer and him stating yes, along with our phone conversations. His comments were “I have spoken with a few people about the car but I don’t remember telling you that price.” So this tells me he told someone else that priceJ I wanted to laugh but asked where he was at on the car. I had to know. He said he felt bad that I flew in but needed a little time to figure that out. I said okay just call me that it was no big deal. Now at this point unless he came back at 65000 I was out and even then still out.
He calls me that night hours later and says he had it listed on eBay for 84000, but wanted 80000 and would sell it to me for 78,500. I told him I would talk to the wife. I never confronted him about the lies or about trying to F##k me on the price after we had already agreed, or that I wasted 450.00 bucks in flights, I just email him that I could not do that. Well over the last few days I have a friend that is friends with someone in Dallas that knows the car, and they said the car has had two motor replacements.
My warning to anyone looking for a car is to stay FAR FAR away from this 2008 Dodge Viper ACR VIN 1B3JZ69Z98V200910, sold by Dave Mcniel. Unless you get a hell of a deal. Everything I stated here is firsthand knowledge except the motor replacements, but I’m sure dodge has that information if someone wanted to check on it.
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The ACR must feel quite a bit slower than the car you sold me huh? 
Post pics soon!
I came close to offering him 77k last month....hasn't this car been on ebay the last 3-4 months?
