For Sale 96 GTS (only 885 miles) in NJ

[1996VIPERGTS]

I am thinking about putting my 96 GTS up for sale, and wanted to let VCA members have a chance before I advertise it nationally. I hate to sell it but getting married and buying a new house with the wife forces sale of my pride and joy.

1996 GTS Blue/White, only 885 miles (not a misprint). Car is immaculate in every way, and is basically still a new car, (still has the new car smell). Like taking a timecapsule back to '96. Car was meticulously cared for and stored indoors. Started and warmed up every few months and driven only a few miles every year to keep in optimal conditon. Had frame recall performed at Buhler Dodge, NJ. If you didn't buy one in '96 and wish you did, here is your second chance to buy one of the very desirable and future collectible first year Blue/White Vipers. $60K firm

Email me at [email protected] with any questions.

 

[1TONY1]

Fair price but mark my words......you will regret this sale the rest of your life !! Finance the house a little more. Your soon to be wife should INSIST that you keep the car.

 

[ACR Joe]

Just one of the many reasons why I'll remain single for life .....

 

[BADVENOM]

The cars is worth high 50's for sure..56-59 to the right seller...

 

[AndyR]

I agree with Tony. Would you want your fiancee / wife to sell HER pride and joy for a new house or would you work it out some other way? My wife finds ways for me to enjoy my hobbies, not get rid of them.

 

[GraphiteGTS]

With only 800 miles, the car probably won't be missed too much. Believe me, if my wife had a Viper, I wouldn't make her sell it, would you guys? Fact is, I'd encourage her, if she wanted one.
(Besides, you can't drive a house, silly.)

 

[Magicboy2]

Waiting for the flood of people saying to avoid a "stale" car... Chuck? Joe??

 

[1TONY1]

With only 800 miles, the car probably won't be missed too much.

Now that's an excellent point......if your not driving it, maybe a sell is the best thing. Maybe I need to sell, mine is stale with 62,000 miles

 

[NatRT10]

Man, if I had the money I'd be all over this one! That is my dream car! Best of luck on the sale.

 

[RX VIPER]

Hold firm on that price. You will get it. Sorry you have to let your pride and joy go. I had to sell my fun car back in '93 to build a house- but that car was no Viper. Two years later I got my first Viper so hopefully there will be another one in your future! Good luck.

 

[tim721]

i agree, stay at 60K firm.

you got a low mile classic.

 

[1996VIPERGTS]

Thanks for the support. She's not making me sell it, it's just the extra money would come in handy when we buy a new house soon. I won't go below $60k for it, i'd rather keep it than just give it away. I figure the car cost $70K new, so someone is saving $10K on an almost new '96. I know there will be people that say $60k is asking too much, but if a '01-02 GTS with a few thousand miles on it is worth $60k's, than an ultra low mileage 96 should be worth at least the same in my opinion. I know there are alot of people like myself who share the love for the blue/white viper's.

 

[joe117]

Ah, the B&W premium strikes again but this time coupled with the ultra low miles premium.
I won't go into the stale car theory. It may not even be true. Well, except for the 8 year old tires.

I will mention that you might still be able to get a brand new GTS off some showroom floor for about that much.

Let's see, the brand new, first owner premium vs. the 8 year old B&W premium. I guess they must be about equal.

But what if someone buys it and drives it 20k miles over the next two years as opposed to a brand new 2002 after 20k miles?

Then we have a 10 year old, two owner, B&W GTS vs. a 4 year old, one owner, non B&W, each with the same miles.

I'm not saying anything, just comparing.

 

[BlueGTS]

Here comes Joe… Ever the optimist.

Let’s think about what you have said. In 2 years a 96 will be 10 years old and an 02 will be 4 years old. Neither of which are that new. I will bet that in (late) 2006, the price of a silver 02 and a 96 will be much closer than you think. I would guess they will be within 5k of one another. Only time will tell. My point is, as time passes the year of the GTS will have less and less of an impact on price. The "gimmick" will be more important. In this case, the gimmick or differentiator it is the color.

 

[ntmatter]

I think that the 96 Coupe will probably one of the honestly collectible years, given the direction that the SRT has taken. In 10-30 years, an extreme low-mile example of the most collectible year will probably justify the 60K price, as long as you have the discpline to not start putting miles on it. For the car-show collector, I think this is a definite opportunity.

 

[joe117]

Aaron,
I'm just pointing out that the only reason anyone thinks this car is worth $60k is the B&W.

I agree that way down the road there will be little difference in the value of the various vintage GTSs.
So why pay the big premium for this one now?

If you put it in a museum I guess the 885 miles will make it special but if it gets driven it will soon be just another 96 B&W GTS.

And
In the shorter term, the 8 year newer car will be worth more. I'm sticking by that.

I know, I know, the 96 is B&W but I'm still not sure that all the Viper buyers know about that premium.
As I said the last time, there are a bunch of people out there that expect a Viper or a Ferrari to be red.

He could hold out and get the $60k. He's just selling to a much smaller group of people. The ones who know that a B&W is supposed to be worth much more.

 

[joe117]

As far as buying it as an investment because it is going to be a sure thing collector car.
What will be the date when that B&W 96, by then with some miles, will be worth $60k again?

 

[BlueGTS]

Joe, I know you do not believe the B/W is worth more, which is great. But riddle me this. As a comparison, which car is worth more money? Assuming equal condition of course.

97 GTS Red 5k miles
97 GTS B/W 5k miles

Are you trying to argue that they are worth the same amount of money? It is hard to talk about the 96 as it is also the first year, so I wanted to take that out of the equation.

 

[joe117]

I didn't say that the B&W premium wasn't real. I just said that everyone doesn't know about it.
Some folks have decided that B&W GTS is really cool and that they will pay lots more to get one.

I just think that market is very thin. I'm not at all sure that it would be quick and easy to sell into that market.

 

[BlueGTS]

The tap dance / soft shoe you did around my question was very entertaining but… Do you think the value of the two cars mentioned is the same? If not, what would be the market rate difference is?

I agree that not everyone knows about the B/W difference, but enough do that it garners more money. That is really the point. I am not saying every prospective GTS buyer knows the B/W holds a premium (even if only $500) but I believe enough do that a generalization can be made about their higher value.

Do not get me wrong, my car is not a collector’s car and will not be for many, many moons. All these cars depreciate; I just believe some will depreciate slower than others.

 

[C O D Y]

Almost any car as an investment is a poor one.

The blue and whites are ok looking, they just don't do anything for me. To many of them. And you know if you go to any viper event there will be another blue and white there.

More important than color is the condition. A perfect low miles viper in any color will always bring more money than any color combo. BUT... all these cars (any color) are POOR investments!

If this guy bought it new, did the oil changes, and kept it in "optimal conditon" he can now (almost 9 years later) sell it for what....? a $10,000, $12,000, or if he lives in a state where there is a sales tax he could be taking as much as a $15,000 hit. I wouldn't want to think how much it is if he had a loan and paid interest on it.

VIPERGTS96, you are doing the right thing. If you do not have the house of your dreams, sell it and build your house. You will be very happy and you can always buy another viper later AND they will be cheaper.

 

[agentf1]

I would rather buy one with more miles on it especially since I plan on driving it. Now if I was looking for one to stick in the garage it would probably be a deal. Good luck with your sale.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Waiting for the flood of people saying to avoid a "stale" car... Chuck? Joe??

When have I EVER advised against buying a Viper? And I've never said anything about "stale", however obviously tires need upgrading.

You have me confused with somebody else, or maybe I come across too much like a cynic.

 

[speedshftr]

i just paid 53 for a 5800 miler and its a darn near perfect car/96 blue and white.had i known yours was for sale when i begged last week for one,id have yours here now/always a day late for me

 

[Gerald Levin]

I also agree with the $60K (FIRM) sales price. I'd bet there are NONE cheaper with the same mi. in the U. S.

 

[GraphiteGTS]

What's my '02 GTS w/3K mis. worth?

 

[jimandela]

now is a badtime to sell a sportscar.
good luck with your sale.
Price will depend on if "the right" buyer comes along.
just hope for the best.


and good luck with your new home if want a check list of must have upgrades shoot me a email.. i could write a book about building a new home at this point.
good luck
Jim

 

[joe117]

GraphiteGTS, you ask, "What's my '02 GTS w/3K mis. worth?"

Well it's not B&W, right?
Neither is mine.

I don't know about you but I'm going to go through the phone book and see if I can find someone to haul mine away without charging me too much.
Of course that's probably going to be hard to find.
Most of the junkyards are probably already full of all those worthless non B&W Vipers.

 

[GraphiteGTS]

Joe117,
Maybe we can get a Maaco paint job that will raise our prices way up to the level of the beautiful blue units.
By the way, you got a nice color.

 

[RX VIPER]

Sounds like B&W envy. B&W's are more equipped from the factory? Who knew?

96- I'll pass the info along to some that may be interested. THere is usually someone in the club looking for one.