Many Questions

[CFRA7]

Hi,

I’m considering buying a Viper GTS next year and I have a few questions:

1. I’m only interested in Blue or Red with white stripes. What years were these available?

2. Where can I find a list of the year over year changes to the Viper GTS?

3. I plan on tracking the viper 7 times a year. Were the ABS brakes (2001 & 2002) ever any good?

4. Why do all Vipers seem to be driven less than 3,000 miles a year? My NSX sold for around the same price as a Viper yet I have no problem driving it 12,000 miles a year. A new C6 Z06 goes for about the same as a Viper GTS but it isn’t hard to find Corvette Z06’s with 6,000 or more miles a year. Why is a Corvette or NSX viewed as being suitable as a daily driver and not a GTS? It can’t be price.

5. What changes need to be made to a GTS to make it a good street track car? What is the cost of those changes?

6. Is one year of GTS considered the best or was any significant changes made?

7. What options are the ones to look for?

8. How is the reliability?

I’m sorry for the many questions but I have no one I can ask….

 

[C O D Y]

I'll answer all the questions that are not opinions....

#1, Blue with white stripes 1996 and 1997 (About 2,128 made) or Red with White Stripes 2002 (360 made all Final Editions) Those are the 3 years for your color choices.

#2, Buy This book..... Viper Buyers Guide
http://www.amazon.com/Viper-Buyers-Guide/dp/0760318352

#3 through #8 will vary depending on who you ask.

 

[Warfang]

get ready to be bombarded with this one...

1. 96-97 in BW.... 02 for R/W

2. It's on this site somewhere

3. ABS on 01-02 is great if you're into nannygear

4. Vettes are a dime a dozen... they make about 2000 Vipers/yr. I put about 10k/yr on mine. You'll find the Viper has a higher percentage of owners that beat their cars on the track than most other exotics. The low mile cars are usually the garage queens that are kept for it's potential future value.

5. GTS is good as is. But there are always improvements you can make. Others here will chime in.

6. I'm partial to the 99 year. It had the forged pistons, but the body refinements of the newer models up to 2002. Still no ABS, but some don't care for it. the 2000 on the other hand, has no ABS, no forged pistons... stay away from those unless you like to colors it offered that year.

7. GTS only came in plain or ACR. ACR had better suspension, KN filters and bbs wheels.

8. Excellent. You don't win LeMans because the car falls apart after a drive to the supermarket.

 

[RX VIPER]

5. What changes need to be made to a GTS to make it a good street track car? What is the cost of those changes?
How fast do you want to go = how much do you want to spend. Most owners start with intake, headers, and exhaust. These will add about 50 rwhp from stock.

6. Is one year of GTS considered the best or was any significant changes made?
In 2000 DC changed to cast pistons from forged. This may only be significant if you plan to run a lot of boost. The early GTS's also don't have the key to shut off the passenger airbag. Also, in 2000 they went to 18" wheels.
7. What options are the ones to look for?
options? as in trading futures contracts?

 

[C O D Y]

Not that it matters much, but the earlier alarms (96 and 97) bug me. I've heard of people having issues with them and just the other day I had an issue with my 97 while we were out having lunch. There must have been a reason they switched alarms in 98.

 

[99 R/T 10]

one correction to RX VIPERs #6 response, 18" wheels came in 99.

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

The 98 GT2's came with 18" BBS wheels.

To get the best lap times on a road course take as many performance driving/racing schools as possible. Look at the Viper Days times and compare the various classes, you will find stock Vipers in the hands of a good driver turning faster lap times than some highly modified cars.

The most important mods are to add high temp. Motul brake fluid and Porsche air deflectors to cool the front calipers/rotors. Next add a bigger brake system. Once you master this set-up buy a Comp-Coupe.

 

[CFRA7]

I'll answer all the questions that are not opinions....

#1, Blue with white stripes 1996 and 1997 (About 2,128 made) or Red with White Stripes 2002 (360 made all Final Editions) Those are the 3 years for your color choices.

#2, Buy This book..... Viper Buyers Guide
http://www.amazon.com/Viper-Buyers-Guide/dp/0760318352

#3 through #8 will vary depending on who you ask.

I ordered the Book! Thanks. I'll also only look at 1996, 1997 and 2002 cars.

 

[CFRA7]

get ready to be bombarded with this one...

3. ABS on 01-02 is great if you're into nannygear

4. Vettes are a dime a dozen... they make about 2000 Vipers/yr. I put about 10k/yr on mine. You'll find the Viper has a higher percentage of owners that beat their cars on the track than most other exotics. The low mile cars are usually the garage queens that are kept for it's potential future value.

6. I'm partial to the 99 year. It had the forged pistons, but the body refinements of the newer models up to 2002. Still no ABS, but some don't care for it. the 2000 on the other hand, has no ABS, no forged pistons... stay away from those unless you like to colors it offered that year.

I like "nannygear" as oppoed to flat spotted ties.

I'm glad to meet someone who driver's their car. I was concerned that they wern't driver cars.

You speak of body refinements in 99 through 02. What are those? I'm only considering 96, 97 and 02 cars. Are the 02s worth the extra price?

 

[CFRA7]

5. What changes need to be made to a GTS to make it a good street track car? What is the cost of those changes?
How fast do you want to go = how much do you want to spend. Most owners start with intake, headers, and exhaust. These will add about 50 rwhp from stock.

6. Is one year of GTS considered the best or was any significant changes made?
In 2000 DC changed to cast pistons from forged. This may only be significant if you plan to run a lot of boost. The early GTS's also don't have the key to shut off the passenger airbag. Also, in 2000 they went to 18" wheels.
7. What options are the ones to look for?
options? as in trading futures contracts?

Are the headers legal in CA?

I don't plan on running any boost, so I'll assume that forged isn't required.

 

[CFRA7]

Not that it matters much, but the earlier alarms (96 and 97) bug me. I've heard of people having issues with them and just the other day I had an issue with my 97 while we were out having lunch. There must have been a reason they switched alarms in 98.

Can they be disabled? I disabled the one on my NSX.

 

[CFRA7]

The 98 GT2's came with 18" BBS wheels.

To get the best lap times on a road course take as many performance driving/racing schools as possible. Look at the Viper Days times and compare the various classes, you will find stock Vipers in the hands of a good driver turning faster lap times than some highly modified cars.

The most important mods are to add high temp. Motul brake fluid and Porsche air deflectors to cool the front calipers/rotors. Next add a bigger brake system. Once you master this set-up buy a Comp-Coupe.

I've held a race license for 8 years and currently race a Formula Mazda. I'll be slowing down when I drive the GTS on the track. Not that I won't have to learn some new tricks....

The Comp-coupe is too expensive. I can't aford to have that much $ in a car I only drive 7 days a year. If I had over $100K to spend, I would buy a Ford GT. I would be slower but I would be happier....

 

[DrDJ]

I'm looking for a FGT but they cost significantly more than 100K. I don't plan on working until I drop dead on the job, so saving for retirement is my 1st priority. I hope that they do eventually come down to the 100K mark.

DrDJ

 

[Warfang]

Can they be disabled? I disabled the one on my NSX.

I believe you cannot disable the alarm. But I recently swapped out my 97 alarm for a 2002 model... should keep from draining the battery prematurly.

As for 99-20 refinements, the door handles and shifter gets a more sophisticated brushed metal look, and the wheels are 18 in. instead of 17in. Other than that... pretty much the same.

 

[thebigsnake]

4. The Viper was conceived as a reincarnation of the AC Cobra. Updated, but just as uncompromising.
Chevrolet's iconic Corvette has to always be bounded by its own legacy. The market has certain expectations of it.
The Honda......well it's Japanese. An ameba is supposed to be able to drive one comfortably.

 

[97fatboy]

Check out the VCA Classifieds.

 

[mbccenter]

PM sent on car for sale

 

[Marv S]

http://www.theviperregistry.org/features.php