And now--- the rest of the story,
ok so my wife and I had decided years ago that on 2009 anniversary i would buy a new viper and she would get a really big rock, i had always wanted a viper since i first saw them in the early '90's. it was 'the' car with the most attitude i had ever seen.
then last year i started hearing posts on various websites and from other places that since Chrysler had new owners the viper was going to be eliminated . this prompted us to celebrate one year earlir. so in october of 2007 i ordered my viper, when a build date was announced i new my new baby would be coming home soon.
in march i got the news that it was on a truck and would be delivered the day before my birthday. My wife and I drove over on my birthday and picked up the car. We drove it home in a blinding snow storm on March 7. The car looked so cool sitting in the parking lot surrounded by snow. we were awed by the looks the car attracted as we drove home.
then on March 9 the first flashing engine light appeared, then the next day another, and the next day another. Then the car would't start without a flashing engine light staying on. I called my dealer and they came and picked up the car and took it back to the dealership to find out what was wrong. Time went by and still no answer as to what was wrong, frustration built up, so i got online searching for answers, then i looked on ViperClub forum for answers then George Farris emailed me and told me to be patient, that SRT was working on the problem with the PCM and they would have it resolved soon. George stayed on top of things with SRT and called my dealer to clue them in on what was happening.. but my confidence in the car and the company was going down each day that my car sat in that service bay at the dealership.
finally after almost a month without my car the re-flash was ready. my dealer downloaded it, it said 100% loaded and then the car went dead and wouldnt even start. The overnighted the PCM to SRT and then re-flashed it and worked their magic on the PCM. i got the car back and it has been awesome ever since. I thinkg it even has more power than before the engine lights appeared.
so understand my frustration at the beginning of this journey and my need to vent, and understand that i havent posted much since i got the car back, i have been sort of holding my breath and putting the car to the test.
the Viper creates emotions in people unlike any car i have ever seen, you get looks of awe, greed, respect, admiration and wonder all rolled into one. It also creates reactions in people , for instance like the little hoodlum that threw a rock through my passenger window the other night at a youth ball park. left the car alone for 10 minutes to drop something off at the concession stand for the workers and when i got back i find a car full of shattered glass and scratches on my trunk.
after spending most of saturday getting all of the glass fragments out of the carpet, seat, inside the door, and from every conceivalbe nook and cranny in the car i was able to spend sunday afternoon driving around enjoying the comments at every stop light from other motorists. We saw 20 to 25 corvettes that day and not one other viper and that puts the car in a class by itself.
SO; coolest car i have ever owned, amazing power 'stock!!!', brakes that could stop a freight train on a dime, handles better than the Honda S2000 i had , the sound of the exhaust, all the things that make a Viper a Viper are truly awe inspiring. I have an old high school class mate who owns a Toyota, Cadillac dealership, saw him in the drugstore today, he asked if that was my Viper parked outside, when i told him yes, he just smiled and said he thought it was the coolest car built today.
so am i happy, hell yes,, my dealer Brennan Dodge in Ruston Louisiana went the extra mile to make me happy, next Viper i buy will be from Steve Brennan and i do plan on having more of these fabulous cars. Steve restored my faith in the car , in his dealership and in the Dodge name and he deserves credit for how he handled a fustrated new Viper owner.
