How long will a Viper be dependable?

[Mike_W]

I originally purchased my Viper as a daily driver. After about two weeks, I changed my mind and quit driving it. For some odd reason, every mile I put on the car, makes me feel like I am ruining the car UNLESS I can justify it with it being a special occasion or something along those lines. I have had very few occasions where I felt justified in driving it. Usually, I like to get into it and for my own pleasure, peel out and stress it out. Dodge gave me a brand new transmission after 2500 miles. I honestly think I was the one who broke it, but maybe it was just a bad transmission. At least I smoked a Z06 when I started noticing transmission problems afterwards (I would grind in neutral when the clutch was pushed all the way in??? 3rd and 4th gear too)... anyhow... can these cars reliably make it to 100k miles without having to rebuild anything, or is that just dreaming?

Mike

 

[JimDavis MT 97GTS 650R]

There should be no problem clearing 100K if you treat your car reasonably.

 

[Randy]

I can't believe the number of weekend-only Viper owners we have out there. Please, if you're going to spend the money to have it, DRIVE it. Makes no sense to pay that kind of money to have it sit in the garage gathering dust.

I agree that you don't want to tempt fate too much by parking it for a week on the street in a bad area of town, and there will be times when you'd rather not sorry about a car, granted. But all of that can be worked around.

I've been driving mine to work on a pretty-much daily basis for more than five years and 65k miles (OK, I'll skip rainy days, just because I'd rather do something other than wash the car every two days, and I agree that driving a *dirty* viper is just, well, tacky). I'll drive it to the supermarket, the mall, etc (as long as I'm not expecting to buy something too big to put in the car, of course). Sure, I park away from everyone, and there are some places I'll skip driving it to, but its too much fun to leave sitting in the garage.

You paid money for (or you and the bank did, at least), so there's no point to not driving it. Even if something DOES happen to it, its still better than NOT driving it, in my opinion.

Randy

 

[Randy]

Take two:

Got off on a rant and neglected more useful info:

After 65k miles as a daily driver, the only real problem I ever had with my 1995 RT/10 was the known problem with 1st gen cars of the bad thermostat housing design failing spectacularly - blew a gasket and lost coolant all over the highway with a nice trail leading to my garage where it proceeded to dump another couple of gallons. This was the first time I've had to have a car flatbedded to a repair shop - normally I'll fix them myself, but I had AAA and it was still under warranty, so I'll let them fix it. I've had spark plug wires go bad every 10k miles (common with the 1st gens) and a number of other minor issues, but the coolant incident is the only one that would have left me stranded somewhere, if it hadn't happened near home.

So, it seems on-par dependability wise with "normal" (well, domestic and european cars, anyway) cars. Sure, the more miles, the less it'll be worth when/if you sell it. But who cares?

 

[Mike_W]

I was actually about to buy another car/SUV just so I won't have to drive this one as much. You are probably right... what does it matter? And by the time I have to replace parts on this one, then it won't have cost as much as a new SUV probably... But my main concern is that people will get used to seeing it around town and it won't be as impressive anymore. They will get used to it. Hmmm...

Mike

 

[PaViper]

But my main concern is that people will get used to seeing it around town and it won't be as impressive anymore. They will get used to it. Hmmm...

Mike

I don't know about that, I have one and I am still impressed whenever I see one...thats the difference between these and most other cars.

 

[Mike_W]

You know what is funny. I am no longer impressed by MY Viper, but when I see another one driving and I am in another car, I always want to catch up to it so I can check it out and it never fails to impress the heck out of me.

Mike

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

can these cars reliably make it to 100k miles without having to rebuild anything, or is that just dreaming?

I'll let you know in 13,000 miles.

 

[joe117]

You will take a large chunk out of the resale value of your car if you get a bunch of miles on it.
If you are concerned about maintaining the car in best possible condition, I wouldn't drive it. A Viper that has been a "driver" is going to be worth quite a bit less than a garage queen.

I figure some of the guys who worry about the miles they rack up, worry about stone chips in the front, scrapes under the front, wax all the time, never get dirty....
Those guys.
I think some of those guys can't really afford to use their Viper. They need to keep the value up and if they use the car too much they will take a big hit that they can't tolerate for one reason or another.

Other guys drive it all the time, fix what breaks, wash it when it's dirty. Then sell it or trade it in when they are done, like any other car.
It takes all the fun out of it if the car must be perfect, clean and low miles.

 

[KenH]

I think I know where you are coming from. I bought mine as a daily driver, but after a while, it stopped feeling special and it just became another car when I was inside it. I would forget I was in the Viper until I would get out and look back at it. It would almost be like "Wow, so that is what I was driving!". I also realized that I was racking up a lot of non-fun type miles which didn't really make sense and I was putting wear and tear on the car without anything to show for it.

After I started driving another car as my daily driver and only taking the Viper out when I felt like it, I actually enjoy it much more. I still rack up quite a few miles, but they are all miles I enjoy. For me it was a simple mental shift from "I have to drive my Viper to work" to " I get to drive my Viper to work".

 

[Mike_W]

I also realized that I was racking up a lot of non-fun type miles which didn't really make sense and I was putting wear and tear on the car without anything to show for it.

After I started driving another car as my daily driver and only taking the Viper out when I felt like it, I actually enjoy it much more. I still rack up quite a few miles, but they are all miles I enjoy. For me it was a simple mental shift from "I have to drive my Viper to work" to " I get to drive my Viper to work".

That is exactly how it feels! That I am putting many non-fun miles on the car and it really doesn't make sense when I have two other cars I could be driving. I want this car to be FUN. I suppose if I were not married and I were single I would be driving it everywhere...

Mike

 

[Viperfreak2]

BUT, what about the times you're in the 'other' car and a Z06 guy pulls up at the light with his I'M SUPERIOR look? Using the Viper as a daily driver is just too much fun! I feel bad when the weather isn't good and I HAVE to drive one of the beaters. I understand about the 'my' Viper thing wearing off. I get annoyed at the attention, and that's the only reason I think the wear-off thing happened. A guy at a light was yelling 'I bet that thing really MOVES' out of his 18 wheeler yesterday. Big smile on his face. I thought, big f'in hairy deal, didn't your mama tell you to mind your own business? sad

 

[Mike_W]

BUT, what about the times you're in the 'other' car and a Z06 guy pulls up at the light with his I'M SUPERIOR look?

Thats too funny because I think that a lot. Doesn't even have to be a Z06, could be a Mustang with a guy who thinks he looks really cool in it and I get irritated for him looking so content while blowing me off.

Mike

 

[Randy]

Hmm - it quits being fun when you put so many non-fun miles on it????? You and I think about this totally differently, I guess. I drive mine in stop-and-go traffic so much that my left calf is definitely in better shape than my right calf, and I've already gone through a clutch (and NOT due to drag-racing, which I don't do). Yet, I still have fun all the time. I mean, if I'm not driving it, I can't have the same fun. Sure, I've got to drive in some traffic, but there's always an open spot afterwards. And I'm not talking about speeding (I've even got a mostly clean record after 5 years in the thing) - Perhaps the difference lies in that I'm an acceleration *****, and the feel of the acceleration is a large part of the fun, which I can feel most of the time, even on a normal commute.

Different strokes, I guess. If you aren't having fun in it, I would agree, though - don't put the miles on it. If it ain't being fun, it ain't worth the cost.

Time to buy a Metro?

 

[jcaspar1]

I am with Randy on this one. I drive mine every chance I get. Grocery store, work, hardware store, auto parts store. Loved driving it to the Chevy dealership today to pick up a part for my truck! In fact, sometimes I think I must be a bit crazy but on the way home from work I try to hit the red lights just to spend a few more minutes in it. In fact I got really pissed at our local weatherman when he said it was going to rain Thursday, so I didn't take the Viper, and it didn't rain! One less day of driving the Viper.

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Fun to drive on the street and on the track, on a trailer you get thumbs up from all the kids and some adults. Puts a smile on my face walking through the garage just looking at a snake. Driving in commute traffic, not my cup of tea.

 

[slaughterj]

BUT, what about the times you're in the 'other' car and a Z06 guy pulls up at the light with his I'M SUPERIOR look? Using the Viper as a daily driver is just too much fun!

Exactly!

I feel bad when the weather isn't good and I HAVE to drive one of the beaters.

I daily drive in good weather and bad, though *might* skip a rain day the day after I wash it or if I have the top off...

I understand about the 'my' Viper thing wearing off. I get annoyed at the attention, and that's the only reason I think the wear-off thing happened. A guy at a light was yelling 'I bet that thing really MOVES' out of his 18 wheeler yesterday. Big smile on his face. I thought, big f'in hairy deal, didn't your mama tell you to mind your own business? sad

Ah, he was having fun, doesn't seem like a big deal, I don't mind the comments like that or the "do you wanna race?" questions from people smiling sitting in their pickups with a trailer behind them at the light.

 

[Randy]

Perhaps it depends on what your alternate car is. For the longest time, I was choosing between an RT/10 and a RX-7 convertable (right, two two-seat converables; the RX was my "rain" car and pickup truck - you should have seen me getting that 20-gal air compressor home using it). Now, I'm choosing between a snake, a Durango, or a motorcycle. And, around here, I tend to choose the snake over the bike, although the bike is faster.

I know that, in Fred's case, he's choosing between a top-of-the-line euro sedan (which is likely more expensive than any of his Vipers), two snakes (or is it three or four? - I lose count) , and a number of others. So OK, I can see Fred choosing the luxury barge for him, but I feel that, even if I had the same stable, I'd prefer driving my Viper, at least most of the time, even for traffic. Its the acceleration-***** thing, I guess.

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

I am also enjoy acceleration. In the rain my SUV pulls most traffic. I plan to replace it with the 2005 Jeep GC on sale this OCT. Tomorrow is a SUV day, stop and go traffic, wind and rain with a Starbucks.

I do enjoy a Viper run to work on nice days during off traffic hours.

Randy does use his Viper more than the average owner. How many trips to OK from the Bay Area? They are very reliable as a daily driver in my opinion.

 

[Mopar]

But my main concern is that people will get used to seeing it around town and it won't be as impressive anymore. They will get used to it. Hmmm...

Mike

So your main intention in owning the car is showing off and rubbing it in other people's noses?? Nice........

 

[C O D Y]

can these cars reliably make it to 100k miles without having to rebuild anything, or is that just dreaming?

Mike

There is a GT-2 in our club with over 100,000 ,miles on it! Yes they can go the distance.

 

[joe117]

I bought my 94 with 100+k on it. The engine was replaced at 95k due to head gaskets under an extended warranty.
The car needed a steering rack, tie rod ends, clutch, seats, dash and associated interior parts, top and curtains, shifter assy, pedal assy, hand brake assy, steering wheel, total brake job and paint.

Other than the engine, I'd say that's about average for a car with that many miles.

If you drive any car it will wear out some components.

 

[Mike_W]

So your main intention in owning the car is showing off and rubbing it in other people's noses?? Nice........

It's not my fault. I was born with a very small penis, and have always felt inferior. I tried weightlifting, but still felt inferior. I bought a big dog, still didn't do the trick. But the Viper... I think it might work! On my license plate frame, I am getting, "I have a small penis... Do you like my car?"

Mike

 

[joe117]

People are never going to be ok with you rubbing it in their nose, even if it is small.

 

[SapphireGTS]

So your main intention in owning the car is showing off and rubbing it in other people's noses?? Nice........

It's not my fault. I was born with a very small penis, and have always felt inferior. I tried weightlifting, but still felt inferior. I bought a big dog, still didn't do the trick. But the Viper... I think it might work! On my license plate frame, I am getting, "I have a small penis... Do you like my car?"

Mike

good point.

 

[Mopar]

People are never going to be ok with you rubbing it in their nose, even if it is small.

I have no problem with people buying nice/expensive cars, check my SIG, I'm no different. It ws the comment that he is afraid to put miles on his car because he no longer can impress OTHER people. I bought all my cars for myself to enjoy not for other people's reaction when driven. But at the same time I don't need a car to build my self worth, some do I suppose.

To each their own...

 

[Frank Barefield]

So your main intention in owning the car is showing off and rubbing it in other people's noses?? Nice........

It's not my fault. I was born with a very small penis, and have always felt inferior. I tried weightlifting, but still felt inferior. I bought a big dog, still didn't do the trick. But the Viper... I think it might work! On my license plate frame, I am getting, "I have a small penis... Do you like my car?"

Mike

Mike, you and Joe117 are too much. It took me 5 minutes to quit laughing.

 

[Mike_W]

I was being serious. Not trying to make you laugh. I'll give a quick explanation.

Scientist say that eyeballs never grow from the time you are born. Had they studied me, they would have said your eyeballs and penis never grow from the time you are born.

I used to get really angry at my mom, and in moments of rage - pull down my pants and say, "LOOK mom, look what you did to me! How am I ever going to be a success?" and my mom would appologize.

So I began weightlifting and felt good about myself. But then, about 6 months later, I noticed that the bigger I became the smaller it looked. So I quit weightlifting and began dieting.

Then I bought a dog. I figured a big dog would make me feel more manly. But, when my dog turned 6 months old, one day he became excited and I was shocked and hurt to find out that his 6 month old pecker was much larger than mine. I got him neutered.

Next, I bought the Viper. It made me feel like I had a really big one when I was signing the papers, and people were clapping for me as I drove it off the lot. I envisioned them clapping because I had just pulled my pants down... and I felt great.

So far this has been the only solution.

Thanks for listening.

Mike

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

If that did it for you Mike, wait until you get TWO Vipers!

BTW I no longer have the plate SM PNIS. Contact the DMV.

 

[Jeff Torrey]

Mike W- Nice Car! Good luck with your penis.