Hey Dodge, what about CUSTOMER relations

[Herman Buehrle]

OK Dodge, all rumors, so and so heard from someone, or whatever aside, WHAT'S THE STORY ON THE SRT-10? We all want a perfect car. Will we be waiting 2 month, 6 months, or until 2004 to receive our 2003's? Why can't you let us, the customer know what's going on? Sure, good press looks fine, but there are a couple thousand people who have money down on an $80,000 car, with no idea what's going on. LET US KNOW. You need to realize these are also future customers of other vehicles. Yet, you are chosing to ignore us. all we would like is a truthful and honest update, from someone who really knows something.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Don't know what your VIn is and don't know whether you were at VOI but John Fernandez said the first 250 built were NOT being shipped until they were PERFECT. He also said that no cars would be shipped until mid November, and that's before the latest news that they are being held for CARB certification. Personally, I don't care how long they wait as long as it's RIGHT when I get it. I have owned way too many Corvettes where GM shoved them out the door and let the first year buyers be the final fit and finish and test engineers. And I think the dealers shoud step in and provide any needed info. regarding what's going on. I'm happy with the feed back I get from my dealer, who I feel is large enough in Viper sales to get the straight scoop from DC..that would be Woodhouse.

 

[Herman Buehrle]

I don't want to sound like a whiner (though I probably do), but the CARB issue was the only issue at VOI (yes, I attended), and, at that point, cars were still being built. I don't know anything about the mid November release, as when I called to schedule a plant pick up, I was told the vehicles would be released mid October, and I had a first week of October build date, per D-C's computer system. I also don't understand why only the first 250 would be the perfect ones. I don't mean to dispute what you say, it's just that most of the posts I read here don't make sense, from a production standpoint, or from what I have found out from my dealer (Roanoke Motors) and from calling Viper Headquarters. That is why I would like to see something official on this board, addressing not just my questions, but the questions of all the curious people who are begging for information. I know I need patience, but with the weather closing in, I don't know when my new Viper is going to happen. If it doesn't happen in some reasonable time frame, it isn't going to happen until February or March next year. I don't want to wait that long. Grrrr......

 

[gtsviper]

There's no question that more information would be great. Maybe Dodge could set up an information hotline number for those with orders to call.
As far as the quality control... I would prefer to see the cars come out of CAAP in the best possible condition. With Jenkins, Horton and Cragin out of the warranty business, I wonder what Viper Tech in SoCal will be capable of doing the work anyway so let the factory do as much as they can.

 

[SRT10]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Lee00blacksilverGTS:
Personally, I don't care how long they wait as long as it's RIGHT when I get it.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

BINGO

You must be registered for see images

 

[MiamiJeff]

Good points here but I must "unfortunately" add,

"Dear Dodge,
If you don't ship SRTs until winter, please ship them all to sunny locations first so that they can be driven right away (******* too!) by their owners and seen by the eager public (not garaged until the spring). This will help you sell even more cars in 2004!
Thanks,
Just call me
Greedy in Miami"

Of course, the good news for those who have to wait until January is that they will save $$$$ on the luxury tax!

 

[Herman Buehrle]

Which brings about another reason I WANT MY CAR. December 1st, Indiana raises the sales tax 1%. Double Grrrrrr.....

 

[Russ Oasis]

Guys,
Relax, we save about $1200 in luxury tax (which is going away Jan. 1) by taking delivery of our new SRT's in January. Wouldn't you wait 45 days to save $1200?

 

[Steve Ferguson]

I guess a simple answer is that the questions being asked here are really for the DEALERS that are selling you the car. Any and all insider information we as Viper Owners gets is because of a special relationship that we have formed with Dodge. No one or no other manufacturer gets this close to the end user. But at the end of the day, the customer purchases the car from the dealer. The obligation to feed information is the duty of the dealer. Now if the dealers get no information they have traditionally gone to the VCA to see what the VCA can learn. But start with your dealer before you get down on anyone.

 

[jwwiii]

Steve;

Getting info from the DEALER would be great, but the DEALER only knows what the status is day by day according to their morning build sheets. That is all the farther it goes; they know nothing else. The DEALER will say "I'll check with the zone rep"; they know less than we do! This has been MY experience 3 times in a row.

Obviously, the dealers have no "Bat-Phone" hotline direct to the plant. Therefore, asking the DEALER (mine is great) really does not provide any real information. As we know, build status concerning Vipers is a longer process, and those estimated ship dates pertain more to a normal Dodge than to the hand made car that is the Viper.

"Area 51" Where are you? What is the status? We are getting excited around here and need input!

I pray that the Viper Gods will hear our plea and respond soon!

Jim

ps- I get credit for "Area 51". It is "top secret" and we must wait patiently (very, very patiently).

 

[slaughterj]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Herman Buehrle:
I also don't understand why only the first 250 would be the perfect ones.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Uh, you really don't get it? They built the first 250, but want to make sure they are perfect before going out. That does not mean they don't want the rest to be perfect as well?! By making the first 250 perfect, they figure out the problems, and can address them on the line rather than after the fact, so then ALL of them will be perfect. Geez.

 

[Herman Buehrle]

I would like to see all Vipers be perfect off the assembly line, but that isn't possible in the real world of assembly line production.

But, regardless of that, all I want to know is what's going on. There has never been any "Official Dodge response" as to what is going on. Only what individuals have "heard". Different people have heard different things, but there has been nothing at all, to the owners (waiters). I had more information back in 1989, waiting for 3 months for my Jeep Cherokee Ltd with anti-lock brakes. I was told why the delay was necessary, I was told what the problem was, and I was told what they were doing to correct the problem through Bendix, the supplier. I would expect nothing less with a "premier" Dodge product on order this time.

All I want is something official, not rumors and unsubstantiated gossip.

 

[ViperLSS]

Originally posted by Herman Buehrle:
I would like to see all Vipers be perfect off the assembly line, but that isn't possible in the real world of assembly line production.

Man are you wrong there. Do you even own a viper? Because if you did you'd already know we don't let any car out of our plant unless it is PERFECT! As for the "real world of assembly line production" you obviously have never taken a tour of the Viper assembly plant. The way we build the Viper is "unreal" to say the least.
And yes, you are whining...a lot. I know of viper owners that have waited over 9 months for their new Viper. And "what do I get for waiting" you ask? Well you get the fastest, baddest, most outrageous sports cars EVER built.
Oh yea, FYI, I am one of the proud people that is building your SRT-10.


Thomas

 

[RS27J9A]

I hope we don't see it till april or may. If it shipped anytime soon it'd be in the snow. Our dealer is 150 miles from our door and it won't fit in the trailer.

Thomas, Take all the time you need, I toured the plant back in 96, You guys are a great group of people, none better to build the viper than you guys.

 

[Herman Buehrle]

Thomas, please see the "private message" I sent you. Yes, it's an apology......

But, (there's always a but), I was willing to accept my 2003 with the hot side sills. I burned my legs on my '96 roadster (once), I burned by legs on my '99 coupe (once), and I came close to burning my legs on the '03 at VOI. Just because I'm clumsy, and not graceful, and wore shorts each time, please don't keep me from my Viper. I still know what to do once I get behind the wheel.

 

[SRTRICK]

RS27J9A - Why won't the car fit in your trailer? If the old Viper fit with more than an inch of clearance on each side the new one should fit as well. I have a featherlight trailer & it's not the widest thing out there but there is plenty of clearance for my current viper, without even folding the mirrors.

 

[Y2K10 SRT#39]

250 Built... Hmmmm
I did not order Red...(the first 100 built....)
I did not order Black..(the second 100 built...)

I'm in hopes mine is NOT built yet...(Silver ordered...wanted Yellow)

The later it is delivered (now that winter is close) the better.

I waited over 12 months for the 96 GTS....

I know how to wait!
PBR

 

[RS27J9A]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by SRTRICK:
RS27J9A - Why won't the car fit in your trailer? If the old Viper fit with more than an inch of clearance on each side the new one should fit as well. I have a featherlight trailer & it's not the widest thing out there but there is plenty of clearance for my current viper, without even folding the mirrors.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I thought the new car was wider a the sills isn't it? The GTS is a squeeze in the 102 incher we have. I just figured with it being wider that it wouldn't fit. Maybe the measurement I've seen is at the mirrors.

 

[SRTRICK]

There were a lot of wrong figures going around due to an error in the width released by DC at one point. I looked into this earlier & there should not be a problem w/ most trailers that fit the old car, unless you were to the point where you had to fold the mirrors & such.

 

[Matt M PA]

Boy am I gonna get in deep water for this one. With all due respect to Thomas, a CAAP employee, who no doubt takes his job seriously....there is no such thing as a perfect Viper. I have owned 3, 2 of which I bought new...and while they are awesome cars, with incredible performance...they are not perfect. In fact, fit and finish is better on a Hyundai. Due to their hand built nature they suffer the maladies that go with a hand built car. Again, I think my Viper is awesome and can't imagine parting with it, but to call it "perfect" is a stretch.