Do you ever feel guilty...?

[FinalEd357]

...Owning a Viper? I sold mine in November for several reasons, including guilt. With the pain & suffering in the world, does it bother you to have such a luxury? I always felt that if I were donating funds and time to charity, not allowing the car to change me and if I was sharing it (letting others sit in it, go for rides, etc.) that it was alright. I worry about being a stumbling block to other that may strive for one when not able to afford it.

I have cash to buy any Viper (new or used, preferably low mile GTS), but am battling those inner demons again. I realize this is a personal topic, but I figure there must be other Viper brothers & sisters that go through this... Thanks, Happy Easter, drive safely!

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

You can't be serious?

 

[dave6666]

Um, treehuggers.com awaits your leadership.

 

[ViperTony]

Do you feel this way about most purchases or just towards the Viper? This may make a great Dr. Phil episode. You may want to call him.

 

[dave6666]

You may want to call him.

My guess is their sensors have already detected this chatter and a team has been dispatched.

 

[ViperTony]

My guess is their sensors have already detected this chatter and a team has been dispatched.

Ha! It wouldn't surprise me. Dr Phil will team up with that woman that runs the EPA. Together, they will uncover that the source of FinalEd's guilt is that he's polluting the environment with the Viper and that his only path to redemption is to buy a hybrid. Dr Phil
s fee? One Viper.

 

[plumcrazy]

you gotta be kidding me ?

if this was the other site, id have said it very differently

 

[FinalEd357]

You guys kill me. I'm no tree hugger and no Dr. Phil or Oprah fan - not even close. I just have a different perspective on things than when I bought my first Viper, now having a 4 year old and newborn. I love Vipers and want another - I think you've answered my question.

 

[dave6666]

I think you've answered my question.

We work quickly to resolve issues like this, as a deterrent to others.

 

[NukedGTS]

We work quickly to resolve issues like this, as a deterrent to others.

I guess this would be a bad time to solicit members to join my newly formed club . . . WHEBO "We Help Everyone But Ourselves" . . .

 

[agentf1]

Not even a little bit.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Yes, I feel guilty. I feel guilty when I take mine to FL, I always have to tell the passenger I only have the luggage space for them to bring a toothbrush, one shirt and no bras....it's a horrible guilt, but I cope with it well

p.s.--I have a very good feeling about this thread. This could get really good

 

[goldcup]

What you need is a little Sapphire in your life!!! I only feel guilty when trying to avoid a spot of water or a patch of sand or some such nuisance & I swerve and send a minivan full of children to their death over a very deep ravine...........but it doesnt last long and there is always more minivans and children, while there was only one hundred and something Sapphire Vipers made you can see my dilemma.

I do understand although I do not have the problem,you might try deciding to spend a certain amount of TIME and money to charitable causes in addition to your Viper.Call it punishment for success, that will probably alleviate your guilt.
The KC region has worked with big brothers and sisters giving kids Viper rides on the race track etc. great fun for them and us.You really ought to quit feeling guilty and do something about it.If you are doing charitable things and still feel guilty, get HELP as you are entitled to enjoy yourself and obligated to help the world be a better place. You can do both!!!!

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

I only feel guilty when trying to avoid a spot of water or a patch of sand or some such nuisance & I swerve and send a minivan full of children to their death over a very deep ravine...........but it doesnt last long and there is always more minivans and children, while there was only one hundred and something Sapphire Vipers made you can see my dilemma.

Congratulations! You just made the greatest post of 2008! As your prize, you get to replace my computer that I spit sprite all over and pay my hospital bill from the cut I got on my head when I fell out of my chair laughing and cracked my head on my computer table on the way down

 

[EllowViper]

FinalEd,
I find it funny that you are getting the pushback. I absolutely have struggled with some of the same demons. Maybe my conservative Protestant upbringing, Military career, and the "needs vs. wants" debate. If you were driving a "I see one on every corner" $60,000 SUV (of which there are many), would you have the same guilt? Or it it simply the audacity of an equivalently priced Viper being such an "IN YOUR FACE" sort of statement that makes you guilty? Think of it as fine jewlery for your body. There is nothing wrong with looking and feeling nice. I don't think you are taking anything away from those with less if you drive a Viper; especially if you have worked hard and sacrificed other choices in life to achieve your "goal." I have two young ones myself (7 and 5), wonderful spouse that homeschools the kids, and am always balancing the Viper wants against the desires (needs) of the family. I don't struggle with the social demons as much as the family priorities. But thus far, the Viper has been a very nuturing endeavor allowing some great family time and tinkering with Dad. This car is my only personal hobby/outlet so my wife is very supportive of my Viper and Dad's need to go cruising around. She knows I waited over 12 years to land one once the time was "right." If the Viper ever impacts the health and/or sustainability of the family...it goes. But that should be no big surprise to anyone.

 

[goldcup]

Thanks! It can be hard living with those decisions but you just have to call the street department complain about road conditions and move on unless of course the car has recieved a blemish or splash of mud and then its Litigation time!!!

I will gladly deliver that computer and sew up the cut if we can meet at one of your Hoochie I mean *******!!!!!!Of course it will take some sweet talking of the wife but I feel sure she will understand the good deed I will be trying to accomplish.

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

...Owning a Viper? I sold mine in November for several reasons, including guilt. With the pain & suffering in the world, does it bother you to have such a luxury? I always felt that if I were donating funds and time to charity, not allowing the car to change me and if I was sharing it (letting others sit in it, go for rides, etc.) that it was alright. I worry about being a stumbling block to other that may strive for one when not able to afford it.

I have cash to buy any Viper (new or used, preferably low mile GTS), but am battling those inner demons again. I realize this is a personal topic, but I figure there must be other Viper brothers & sisters that go through this... Thanks, Happy Easter, drive safely!

But seriously folks..................................

You should only feel guilty if you are undeserving of it. If you have not earned it but been given the money and therefore not had to labor for it.

My wife sometimes says stuff like that. I have to remind her of our own labors, struggles and hardships we’ve over come to get were we are today. How most of our friends have had new cars every few years while I we drove my 1988 cargo van for 17 years.

Personally, I’ve worked harder and pay more in taxes than many of those old friends now make in a year. I say if that Viper makes us get up in the morning with a bounce, to go off to work and earn more money to keep paying our taxes to the country that helps more people than any other, it’s a good thing.

If we couldn’t enjoy life more by working harder, why would we?

It’s what makes our constitution so wonderful. In it is written “ the pursuit of happiness” and, may we all never stop that pursuit.

 

[RTTTTed]

I'm also planning to use my Viper as a pace car for a Charity bike race in Aug. The bike event is to raise money for Parkinson's research. Mine, and other Vipers, adds some "splash" to the event that will hopefully attract more participants (read donations) to the event.

As far as the main "pain and suffering" we have cops and an army that works very hard to alleviate what they can, within limits set by the pop. It's too bad that so many people want the criminals to have all the rights and protections. I'd like to be able to teach all women gun skills and arm them, except for crazies, and what the **** and victim services become a miniscule problem - but that's not gonna happen. I'm against gun controls as they are causing the Home invasions and mean that innocent bystanders are being victimized by "drive-by" shootings and not allowed protection for themselves. Although propoganda says Crime is down in Canada - why do I feel unsafe in cities now? Why is it dangerous to walk at night now?

I don't drive my Polluting, pig of a pickup unless I have to. I prefer to drive my 25mpg 500hp Dodge Stealth R/T TT or my 10mpg 800hp(rated) Dodge Viper. My wife drives here stock 'pig' Escape that barely gets the milage of my Viper when it's driven slowly. If it was driven fast the mileage would be bad, and the Escape isn't very safe with it's little brakes and high center of gravity.

I realize that my Viper is very expensive when I could buy a polluting F`150 (best selling car in the world) for about 65% less money, but I feel guilty every time I drive the uncomfortable, realatively unsafe F 150.

My family is grown up and they need the 'bad' SUVs to carry their kids with them. They can't afford a Viper, or other practical coupe for when they drive alone so I don't belittle them for it. The newer SUVs have Satbility control which cuts down on lethal rollovers nowadays so the SUVs are getting safer at least. Stability control in a Viper - Is it possible to roll a Viper? The Viper is less polluting than ... say a vette because it doesn't contain all the toxic materials and plastic wires required to add those computers to run all the fancy stuff.

All Viper owners are already doing their part to make this a safer, less polluted world.

So, I do my part whenever I can and my guilt is eliminated.

Ted

 

[Bobpantax]

No Guilt. In fact I would have felt guilty, among other feelings, if I did not buy it. Why? Because the workers at CAAP depend on people like me to buy Vipers so they have a job they love. The workers at Michelin and the American workers in the U.S. distribution chain depend on me to use their tires. The local gas station depends on me to buy a certain amount of gas. The Viper is far less money than a high performance plane or a boat. The Viper is inexpensive therapy and puts a smile on my face every day even when it has been less than a perfect day. This results in me being a better, more loving person for all of those around me. Lastly, there is nothing sadder than an unowned Viper sitting at a dealer. As you drive by the dealer and see it in the window, you can feel it beckoning to be released into the wild. LQ.

 

[big-n-italian]

i work my butt off to have everything i own, including my viper.

let me see if i have this right - one of my neighbors who is a bum, whose idea of earning a paycheck is begging neighbors and friends for it, and whose lame work ethic provides him with nothing, and i am suppose to somehow feel guilty? PLEASE.

 

[goldcup]

Thats not what he is saying, what he is saying is if the dirty bum were to touch the car and you TASED him there should be some associated GUILT for a very short time (10-15 seconds).See, ya understand now?I truly feel guilty when I havent driven the Viper thus preventing the generel public from fawning over a true American Super Car.

 

[RTTTTed]

I'll try a Doctor Phil for ya;

Wouldn't you have a guilt feeling driving a car with minimium braking (only 250' stopping distance for 60 required by law)? Don't you think that a stopping distance of 100' is worth whatever it costs to protect the lives of all those children and parents out there?

Don't you feel guilty when you buy those import cars, making big bucks for those 3rd world corporations that don't provide welfare and free hosuing for their drug addicts?

Wouldn't you feel better if you bought a NEW 28mpg Viper instead of a 20mpg SUV or pickup?

Wouldn't you feel guilty owning a Viper and hiding it in your garage when you could be out driving it and putting smiles on faces of the people walking and driving down the road?

You could enter your Viper and hang a sign saying FREE PICTURES making hundreds of people happy, especially kids.

If you feel the Viper is too expensive, buy a used one that brought previous joy to someone else's life. Or donate an equal amount to a local charity to relieve your guilt.

So, how was my Dr. Phil?

Ted

 

[slaughterj]

You can bet your a$$ that anyone living off the gov't dole wouldn't feel an ounce of guilt if they had your Viper, so presuming you are a tax-paying individual supporting those people, you should be able to enjoy your Viper with at least the same lack of guilt.

 

[goldcup]

Nicely done slaughterj!!!!

 

[Kenneth Krieger]

You know the Bible says (in red letter ink!), that the poor will always be with us! Now, does that mean we should hoard all we have? Certainly not, if you keep things in perspective, by not treating your cars, or things that you have accumulated as idols, and give to those in need, you are on the right side of the issue. God doesn't tell people not to have nice things, but he does say, not to make them first in your life!

 

[Warfang]

You can do good by doing well. If it makes you feel better, bring up the people below you to your level... don't bring yourself down to theirs. That's just insanity and the foundation of communism.

 

[Hamrhead]

After hearing all of the financial problems American Car Makers are having, I almost feel guilty about buying mine for 70K, but I get over it. Fast!

 

[ViperTony]

God doesn't tell people not to have nice things, but he does say, not to make them first in your life!

That's because God didn't own a Viper at the time the Bible was written. Off to church now but not in my Viper today.

 

[FinalEd357]

Ellow, Ted, Krieger and others - great points. I really enjoyed the car, attending many local Motor City events, including a brunch 2 years ago where a local charity came and made a presentation (my wife and I now volunteer there weekly w/ blind children) which wouldn't have happened without our local VCA and Viper ownership. I look forward to VOI10 here in Detroit this year. Krieger, good point on it not 'being first'. It is awesome to let some kid sit behind the wheel while mom or dad took a cell photo pic of them.

So what are my dues for this therapy? I talked to a well known supporter of this site last night after reading some of these posts and am narrowing down Viper options. You guys rock - I look forward to being back in a Viper soon - and yes, I'm self employed, paying my fair share to Uncle Sam. You gotta love V-10 American muscle

 

[musicncars]

buy a viper.....or 200,000 pounds of rice.......ether way it will help the economy.