Jalopnik... Why Is No One Buying The SRT Viper?

[v10enomous]

Why Is No One Buying The SRT Viper?


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1st Gear: Viper Production Slashed, 565 Unsold And Sitting At Dealers

Why Is No One Buying The SRT Viper?

Here's a curious case. Chrysler is now trimming Viper production and reassigning some of its employees who worked on Viper to other parts of the company.

Obviously, we're huge fans of the SRT Viper because it's wonderfully bonkers, obviously comely, and an exceedingly unlikely car to be built in 2013.

So what's going on? Are people just buying the cheaper Corvette? Are people scared of the Viper because of its reputation as a bat**** nut-crusher? The original goal was to limit production to 2,000 a year, but as of now they've only sold 426 in the United States and dealers are sitting on 565 unsold models.

Ralph Gilles and Chrysler told Automotive News a mix of things, including that it launched too late because of production delays, people seem overly intimidated by it, and not enough people are getting into the car as dealers are afraid to put it in the hands of random drivers.

All of that probably contributes, but I also think it's a little too expensive for most people. I'd love to see a super stripper version for closer to $80K, but people spending this kind of money are just as likely to want a super expensive version.

If there's a silver lining it's that Gilles is going on a tour next spring to "focus on putting butts in seats."

Let us know if we can help with that. We've got a lot of butts around here

 

[Solid Red 98]

Yeah, the dealers are a big problem. I've visited many in LA and they are WAY to afraid to let people test the car. Not to mention they don't know s*** about the car. The other obvious main reason is the delayed launch. I have a feeling sales will pick up after the 2013s are sold off.

 

[MoparMap]

I'd think they would be at least a little more comfortable letting people behind the wheels with the new traction control. Imagine handing a guy the keys to an ACR a few years ago...

 

[ViperSmith]

Traction control is a godsend, honestly. It has saved me (a new Viper owner) about twice now...

 

[Voice of Reason]

Traction control is a godsend, honestly. It has saved me (a new Viper owner) about twice now...

I took mine to an autocross this weekend and left traction control on. Being my first autocross in 10 years it was nice peace of mind knowing I could push beyond the limits of myself and the car knowing nothing could really go wrong.

 

[Boxer12]

IMO, SRT needs to build a 'halo' version of the Viper to put butts in the showroom. How many guys go looking for GT2's & 3's, and end up buying a C4? LOTS.

 

[kdaviper]

I think SRT needs to do the following (in the long run):
Build the "cuda", a 4-seat coupe smaller than the challenger, to compete with entry-level vettes. with the hellcat and a light-enough curb weight SRT could have an american Godzilla.
Start the Viper lineup where it is, but take it to the next level with additional models. I personally liked the idea of utilizing a KERS system a la F1 cars. It would be a light setup that could send power to the Viper's front wheels in order to help straight-line performance and handling characteristics while exiting a corner.

For the time being though, I believe SRT needs to concentrate on getting asses in seats. These new SRT dealerships are making it difficult to spend 100-150k on a car, even to people who are pretty much waving the deposit money in the dealers' faces!

 

[ViperSmith]

I took mine to an autocross this weekend and left traction control on. Being my first autocross in 10 years it was nice peace of mind knowing I could push beyond the limits of myself and the car knowing nothing could really go wrong.

Honeslty, it could be more of a selling point.

You can tell the car still wants to kill you, if you want it to.

 

[Paul Hawker]

If Viper sales are a little slow, maybe that frees up some engines to put in Challengers or perhaps the new Cuda : >)

I believe the Viper sales will pick up next spring, when some of the car magazines do some comparisons to the new Vette/Jag/Porsche. Those with the money will step up to the more powerful Viper.

 

[Viper Grenade]

Dealers ****. I have been to two and stopped looking. That is a huge part of it.

When I went in to look at a Gen5. One dealer the sales guy was offiaive and told me what a pile of **** Gen2 was. When I informed him that I would like to see what I could get in trade, they wouldn't even take it.

Another dealer I went into wouldnt even let me sit in the car. I then informed them that I own a Gen2 GTS and he laughed at me asking why would i be looking at a Viper they have some nice SRT8 Challangers.

Both times I was left with a *** feeling. So screw it, I'll be happy with my Gen 2 and turbocharging it.

 

[gtssnake]

Viper Grenade, call Roanoke Motors- John or Lee from Baxter Dodge or Bill P. from Woodhouse, they will all treat you very well.

 

[v10enomous]

The dealers I've spoken to have been fine. Some don't want you even touching the car but they were all at least ready to consider my 98 on a trade which surprised me. I guess the thinking is that it's easier to move a Viper at a third of the price of the one they have on the floor or they can just blow mine out at auction. I just can't part with the one I have or I'd already have a GenV..

 

[George Farris]

The "additional dealer makeups" certainly does not help.

Many interested buyers will look at the additional sticker and just walk out.

IMO, this is what killed the Prowler. Dealers never stopped asking $55K for them.

 

[Nine Ball]

Hard to blame dealerships as the primary issue, when Ford dealerships sold $150,000 Ford GT's back in 2004. The next closest performance vehicle was the Cobra Mustang, which was around $35K new. Ford GT's couldn't be test-driven, either.

~shrug~

Maybe the real issue is that Dodge/Chrysler have always been perceived as 3rd place, when it comes to the "Big 3". GM and Ford have a much stronger fan base. It could take decades to remove that stigma, even though Chrysler/Dodge vehicles have gotten a LOT better in the last few years.

 

[ViperSmith]

Yeah, the original ADM didn't help either. Several local dealers are on my "never buy from" list thanks to the markups (as I sat there waiting for my custom order and they had cars on lots).

I assume I am not the only one. I bet many would have bought, but weren't going to toss down $50k extra for the privilege of buying a dodge.

 

[Nine Ball]

Dealer Markup being a reason is a little silly, and *maybe* deters the casual browser that happens to stumble into a nearby dealership. In the age of the internet, it is a weak excuse for not buying a vehicle. If every single dealership had the ADM, then yes it would be a problem. The fact is that very few, and mostly low-volume, dealerships played that nonsense game. Houston has generally been notorious in the past for doing this with GM performance cars. So, I have purchased Corvettes from out of state, for much better deals. I would have done it no differently for a Viper, if I had to do so. A serious shopper that is ready to buy will look at other sources for the same item. It is too easy to do so, nowadays. I can't think anyone who is a serious shopper of a $100,000+ car would give up looking if their local 1-horse-town dealership had a mark-up on a car sitting in their showroom. You simply go elsewhere.

 

[ViperSmith]

Dealer Markup being a reason is a little silly, and *maybe* deters the casual browser that happens to stumble into a nearby dealership. In the age of the internet, it is a weak excuse for not buying a vehicle. If every single dealership had the ADM, then yes it would be a problem. The fact is that very few, and mostly low-volume, dealerships played that nonsense game. Houston has generally been notorious in the past for doing this with GM performance cars. So, I have purchased Corvettes from out of state, for much better deals. I would have done it no differently for a Viper, if I had to do so. A serious shopper that is ready to buy will look at other sources for the same item. It is too easy to do so, nowadays. I can't think anyone who is a serious shopper of a $100,000+ car would give up looking if their local 1-horse-town dealership had a mark-up on a car sitting in their showroom. You simply go elsewhere.

All around me there were $20,000 - $150,000 dealer markups. You couldn't find one within 100 miles at sticker. Honestly, I think it turned a lot of people off. I sure knew it did me when I canceled my order and was on the lookout locally.

I agree we are in the age of the internet, but not everyone is as savvy as us

 

[chorps]

You really have to *love* the car in order to do the extra leg work if there's too many dealers putting ADMs on. The turn off about the ADMs just doesn't hurt the dealership, it hurts the brand and the car.

The Viper isn't selling in a market without competitors. Given the fact that a lot of well qualified customers couldn't even test drive the new Vipers even if they knew they were being made again, makes it hard to want that car enough to go all over the country to get one without the markup.

There's a lot of competing brands out there that didn't have any markup and made it easy to test and buy.

So now the Viper has a really hard time fighting back from this hole that was dug for it. Not just the dealership experience, but the bad press (MT) and now the bad news of poor sales will just reinforce the negative perception that potential customers have.

 

[ohlarikd]

Now, I cannot afford a new Viper at any price, but in my opinion, once you start entering the 120K-136K price point, you are looking at a LOT of other competition from Europe. When the Viper was in the 90-100K range, there wasn't much out there other than the ZR-1. I thought that was a comfortable stepping stone between 'muscle cars' and 'traditional supercars'.

On the other hand - I haven't seen to many of the cheaper $105K Vipers in dealers. Seems to always be the top GTS $135K version. Maybe a better mix of the less expensive one?

Maybe we can list other cars in the price range that the Viper GTS is in? I have seen PLENTY new 2013 Porsches around my area that are in the same price ballpark. There is a Porsche dealer across the street from the Dodge dealer in my town. The 911s keep rolling of the lot, and the single GTS in the Dodge showroom just sits ($135K, no markup). I don't know, maybe people are seeing some hidden value in the new 911 over the Viper. Not sure what it is really.

 

[MoparMan]

Viper Grenade, call Roanoke Motors- John or Lee from Baxter Dodge or Bill P. from Woodhouse, they will all treat you very well.

The problem is that you eventually will have to deal with your local dealers and for a lot of us they ****. This was a factor in my decision to I cancel my order.

 

[ohlarikd]

And another of my useless opinions (no money) is that although it is a beautiful car, I have 'seen it before'. It is so close to the Gen2 car that it really doesn't provoke any reaction in me, even when I saw it in person the first time. You are really buying a very expensive interior, given so much of the chassis/engine is the same as Gen4 due to monetary/bankruptcy constraints. So basically you are looking at a Gen4 car with Gen2 bodywork, but a extremely nice and expensive interior.

I believe many people in the GenV forum would not value my opinion since I don't have the money to buy one, but so be it.

 

[ViperSmith]

Now, I cannot afford a new Viper at any price, but in my opinion, once you start entering the 120K-136K price point, you are looking at a LOT of other competition from Europe. When the Viper was in the 90-100K range, there wasn't much out there other than the ZR-1. I thought that was a comfortable stepping stone between 'muscle cars' and 'traditional supercars'.

On the other hand - I haven't seen to many of the cheaper $105K Vipers in dealers. Seems to always be the top GTS $135K version. Maybe a better mix of the less expensive one?

Maybe we can list other cars in the price range that the Viper GTS is in? I have seen PLENTY new 2013 Porsches around my area that are in the same price ballpark. There is a Porsche dealer across the street from the Dodge dealer in my town. The 911s keep rolling of the lot, and the single GTS in the Dodge showroom just sits ($135K, no markup). I don't know, maybe people are seeing some hidden value in the new 911 over the Viper. Not sure what it is really.

Of the 800 made, there were only 170 SRT models.

Porsche sells fine, because people buying a 911 sort of prequalify themselves before hitting the lot.

The guy buying a Dart isn't really going to be up sold a Viper. Heck, a GTS is 2x the price of an SRT Jeep. THat is half their problem, the other half is letting qualified people get in the car and drive it.

 

[Nine Ball]

All around me there were $20,000 - $150,000 dealer markups. You couldn't find one within 100 miles at sticker. Honestly, I think it turned a lot of people off. I sure knew it did me when I canceled my order and was on the lookout locally.

I agree we are in the age of the internet, but not everyone is as savvy as us

Tomball Dodge here in Houston has a room full of unsold Gen V cars. At MSRP. In Houston. We have a thriving economy here, and a HUGE car scene, yet even these Vipers aren't selling. So, Houston and Tomball Dodge have the best possible variables set up to sell the cars, yet they still aren't selling. Time to look deeper, SRT.

 

[PDCjonny]

The dealers I've spoken to have been fine. Some don't want you even touching the car but they were all at least ready to consider my 98 on a trade which surprised me. I guess the thinking is that it's easier to move a Viper at a third of the price of the one they have on the floor or they can just blow mine out at auction. I just can't part with the one I have or I'd already have a GenV..

You're seriously sitting there saying you can afford a Gen 5 (which you endlessly praise to high heavens) and yet can't bear to part with an old Gen 2?
Is it blackmailing you? Holding your family hostage? Are you insaneeeeeeeee?

 

[v10enomous]

You're seriously sitting there saying you can afford a Gen 5 (which you endlessly praise to high heavens) and yet can't bear to part with an old Gen 2?
Is it blackmailing you? Holding your family hostage? Are you insaneeeeeeeee?

Now if I only had 2 Vipers that I was willing to part with I could go out and buy a used high maintenance overpriced Italian status symbol that I see more of than I do Vipers... Insanity is all relative.

 

[PDCjonny]

Now if I only had 2 Vipers that I was willing to part with I could go out and buy a used high maintenance overpriced Italian status symbol that I see more of than I do Vipers... Insanity is all relative.

Ah but it's only overpriced if you can't afford it, and only a status symbol to jealous wannabe's with inferority complexes...
Time for a test drive somewhere?

 

[SRTviper]

Hard to blame dealerships as the primary issue, when Ford dealerships sold $150,000 Ford GT's back in 2004. The next closest performance vehicle was the Cobra Mustang, which was around $35K new. Ford GT's couldn't be test-driven, either.

~shrug~

Maybe the real issue is that Dodge/Chrysler have always been perceived as 3rd place, when it comes to the "Big 3". GM and Ford have a much stronger fan base. It could take decades to remove that stigma, even though Chrysler/Dodge vehicles have gotten a LOT better in the last few years.

This is true with muscle cars and other cars but I don't think so with sports cars. But yes Chrysler has been making leaps and bounds of improvements thanks to Sergio. When I talk to people about the viper, corvette, mustang they always lumped the viper as an exotic and not to be compared even to the corvette. People usually see the viper as the only other american exotic next to the FGT. I really don't think a viper should have been called exotic until now though.

All around me there were $20,000 - $150,000 dealer markups. You couldn't find one within 100 miles at sticker. Honestly, I think it turned a lot of people off. I sure knew it did me when I canceled my order and was on the lookout locally.

I agree we are in the age of the internet, but not everyone is as savvy as us

This is a huge deterrent. Even if we get one from across the country we still have to take it to these a$$hole dealerships for service.

The problem is that you eventually will have to deal with your local dealers and for a lot of us they ****. This was a factor in my decision to I cancel my order.

+1 as stated in my above post. The dealers in my area are terrible for american cars. Now the local big chevy dealer which also owns one of the biggest chrysler dealers, says they want to put the c7 corvette in their showroom and not let anyone sit in it nor drive it, so I was told during my last visit to the local C&C. I mean come on, it is a base vette and there will be 30,000 of them on the road by the end of the year. I understand this slightly with the viper but on this? Dealers are sometimes just ridiculous. I certainly wouldn't want to give any amount of money to these types.

 

[mikesax]

At the Vipers favorite "watering hole"! Classic look in my opinion-sharpest looking car on the road-again my opinion! That's what makes this world so much fun-different styles and opinions for all!!
So not a Gen 2-yet it is derived from its classic lines!! Great pedigree-but unique in todays world of cars-again only my opinion-but guess what-my opinion is really the only one that counts!!

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[v10enomous]

Ah but it's only overpriced if you can't afford it, and only a status symbol to jealous wannabe's with inferority complexes...
Time for a test drive somewhere?

What are you still doing here BTW Your G is gorgeous and I could pick up a cheaper one but it looks delicate and I'm the kid that somehow manages to break all his good toys. I still can't imagine how you just walked away from 2 of the best Vipers ever. Let me know where you want to meet so I can take that test drive

 

[v10enomous]

That color combo is Killer !

At the Vipers favorite "watering hole"! Classic look in my opinion-sharpest looking car on the road-again my opinion! That's what makes this world so much fun-different styles and opinions for all!!
So not a Gen 2-yet it is derived from its classic lines!! Great pedigree-but unique in todays world of cars-again only my opinion-but guess what-my opinion is really the only one that counts!!

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach