Question for those of you who bought used

[Dads Toy]

HOW did you decide on which gen and color to go with?

I have it narrowed down to a few choices but not any further than that.

I like the 2006 for the 3rd gen because I want to pass it to my grand daughter who was born in 2006. Any issues with the 2003's since its the first model of that body style?

I like the 1st gens, but not a huge fan of the grey interior on the early ones.

How could you not love the GTS.

So how did you pick?

If there where several vipers for sale all in the same price range how would you pick assuming that they are all in the same excellent condition.

I have narrowed colors down to:

Blue with white stripes
Red with white stripes
Black with Red stripes
Yellow with Black stripes
White with blue stripes

Interior I like black first
Love the Brown interior also depending on exterior color

Glad I still have 12 months to decide.

 

[dave6666]

Simple.

Color had to be red.

Car had to be GTS.



Red GTS!

 

[Dads Toy]

not that easy. too many beautiful color combinations but red and blue are my top two favorite colors.

 

[Stretch]

Pick color or colors you want.
Pick the generation you want.
Pick a specific year within a generation if you like those specific features or colors.
Pick what extras / modifications (if any) you are searching for or would be willing to purchase already installed on the car.

I wanted a gen 2, but the more I watched prices I realized I would have to keep waiting to get one. Then I started looking at gen 1's because they were a little less expensive. For me it had to be bright and narrowed to the 94/95 model years. From there I set my sights on yellow with the black / tan interior (I too do not like the grey on the gen 1's). I shopped and found one that included a 3 piece top, matching windows, high flow cats, and a Borla exhaust... all I viewed as definite positives.

I bought it and couldn't be happier. I've actually found the side exhaust to be pretty sweet, especially with the Borla.

Good luck with the shopping!

 

[Red Snake]

I had to have a Gen II GTS with forged internals. Color was a secondary factor. My first color choice was B/W second choice was Red.

What I really wanted was a car with lots of mods. A car with a supercharger would be a bonus. I mod everything I have. I spend almost as much on mods as I do to buy the vehicle.

So I found my Red with flat black stripes at BJMotors. It already had almost every mod possible on it including the Roe S/C.It was perfect.

 

[TMan]

I wanted one that I liked and was a"little" special. After some research I either wanted a Blue GenII or a GTS Final Edition. I went for the final edition, because I hope it retain some it's value longer. Blue Gen II's also seem to hold their value a little better than other colors of the same years.

Just my .02.

 

[AZTVR]

My main criteria was 1. It had to be GTS. Nowadays, I would also consider SRT-10 Coupe. 2. I really wanted Steel or Graphite Gray with stripes. I would have "settled" for Blue and white; but, I also wanted something just a bit newer and more unusal, and a bit understated. I just wanted it to say "Viper" and shout: "VIPER !!!!" . You wouldn't believe how many people comment specifically about liking the color. I didn't want red because I thought it was too common. After coming in contact with lots of Vipers since joining the club, I find that they all are great looking. It's just a matter of personal choice. Blue and White tends to be the "collector's" choice.

 

[Dads Toy]

thanks for the replies. I have no intention of selling what ever viper I get and a modded one would be nice to save me the timeadditional cost. I have a good friend who does safety inspections so modded is not a problem. I must change my mind 50 times a day.

 

[RoadiJeff]

HOW did you decide on which gen and color to go with?

My first requirement was Gen II. Gen I was too raw and Gen III was too "Chevy bowtie car look-a-like" in styling.

Next, it had to have a removable top for the wind rushing through my hair in the summer. We rented a convertible Viper in Vegas and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Next, low miles. People joke about garage queens but when it's time to buy a Viper those meticulously cared for garage queens are the ones everyone wants.

Beyond those basic requirements I was not too picky, other than it had to be stock or at least have all of the original stock parts for future resale value. I did not want a heavily modded car because I know someone would have driven the snot out of it.

Also, no stripes. I'm not a fan of them. I feel stripes and wings take away from the natural beauty of the car.

In 2006 I found an absolutely mint condition '99 RT/10 that was as close to having being driven by a little old lady to church on Sunday as you could get. The rest is history and in my avator.

 

[sniper1]

I choose mine by several factors, 1st it had to be Gen II GTS, 2nd it had to be blue with white stripes, 3rd it had to be low milage, 4th it had to be in great condition, 5th it had to be in a certain price range. Anything else it had in the way as reversable add ons was a plus as long as I got the stock parts with it. The 96' was the 1st year production GTS with probably the most collector car value as well as the most crowd drawing attraction of em all ... Good luck in your search

My 2nd choice was the 06' SRT Coupe blue with white stripes...

sniper

 

[Leslie]

buy as much Viper as you can afford

 

[Kala]

Driving out of my valley, I saw a bunch of Vipers driving into the valley. The sight was incredible. I was on my way out to the desert to look at some properties... AND hear my property manager talk trash about how fast her new basic vert, crappy Vette was...
My poor little Prowler couldn't keep up.

I remembered the Vipers and thought "That'll beat a Vette"

That night, I started looking for a Viper. I ended up dealing on a 93 Gen I, mostly because of cost... it was in Delaware. It was November, shipping turned out to be a nightmare... I picked up the Viper in LA... It was the loudest freaking car I had ever heard... Windows rattled as it went by... Car Alarms went off everywhere
I loved that car.

I drove it for 6 moths or so, and decided I loved Vipers. I had to have a car with real windows that could be locked. I wanted A/C... AND I wanted it to be more quiet, I couldn't hear the radio even at full blast...

So I started looking at Gen III.
Picked a color I liked at the time a copperhead, then I saw the Viper Blue and that was it... Had to have one...

Awesome cars, pick the color you like!

 

[RTTTTed]

My decision was pretty easy ... wife requires 2 suitcases

RT/10 cargo was 6cf while GTS was 12cubic feet.

GTS was built, designed and won more GT races than any Dodge in History.

GTS 4mph faster top speed, locking doors, alarm, windows etc.

I wanted perfect condition, huge horsepower (more than the 750hp of my Duster). Aftermarket exhaust mandatory, mag wheels mandatory, slotted/drilled/lightweight brake upgrade madatory, supercharger mandatory.

Wanted Blue/white paint.

1st purchase was 98 Red/silver 10 spoke Roe sc'd 600rwhp better than new 20K Viper with 19,000mi. Run-craps and rain caused head-on with Semi and wrote that car off.

2nd purchase was over 720rwhp (with never used Nitrous Oxide kit installed). Sapphire Blue/silver won 5 of 6 trophies at V10 Nats. 10.5@139mph on PS1s (record at time I bought car). brakes, axles, pistons, headers, Corsa, etc. Awesome car! Mindboggling power and traction.

I added Bluetooth stereo, SRX, TPMS, speakers, 14" lighweight brakes, HID, etc.

This car is faster than all new Vipers, has the ACR brakes, better wheels (billet VR1s), PS2s, Eibachs, and is amazing. As stated earlier, there is twice as much money spent on upgrades than the car cost. I have almost spent as much on upgrades as I paid for the car 2 years ago. With the mods the car drives vastly superior to all stock Vipers. It has about 150rwhp more than an 08, over 800rwtq at 2,000rpm!!!

Looks are classic and the Deep Sapphire Blue is pearle paint that makes it a one of 39 built. I think it was the perfect choice.

Ted

 

[LifeIsGood]

I saw my first viper ever in 1999...downtown Denver, Colorado. It was love/lust at first sight. It was a yellow '95 RT/10....badass and ****...curvy, clamshell hood, beautiful engine, exposed sidepipes...ALL GOOD! I've wanted that same car ever since. I started shopping a few years ago and couldn't find what I wanted...started looking again last year and decided that the GEN I's were too raw for me...soooooooo I decided on the GEN II since it was the closest thing to my dream car. Yellow GEN IIs narrowed my search to either a 2001 or 2002 Viper Race Yellow RT/10. I found two 2001 VRY RT/10s with less than 9K miles each and I purchased one.

My preferences were...
RT/10
GEN I or GEN II (I love that clamshell hood and the curves)
Viper Race Yellow

The following information comes with the admission that I am definitely in the minority...please don't hijack this thread with all the hater remarks...I wouldn't have a viper with stripes, a GTS or any GEN III or IV...they just don't have the look that I prefer. I purchased what I have because it had everything that I wanted.

Good Luck!

 

[bluesrt]

HOW did you decide on which gen and color to go with?

I have it narrowed down to a few choices but not any further than that.

I like the 2006 for the 3rd gen because I want to pass it to my grand daughter who was born in 2006. Any issues with the 2003's since its the first model of that body style?

I like the 1st gens, but not a huge fan of the grey interior on the early ones.

How could you not love the GTS.

So how did you pick?

If there where several vipers for sale all in the same price range how would you pick assuming that they are all in the same excellent condition.

I have narrowed colors down to:

Blue with white stripes
Red with white stripes
Black with Red stripes
Yellow with Black stripes
White with blue stripes

Interior I like black first
Love the Brown interior also depending on exterior color

Glad I still have 12 months to decide.

do ur homework and follow ur heart,that will be it

 

[plumcrazy]

2 choices on colors for me, silver or B/W, had to be low miles cause i knew i was gonna drive the heck out of it. and i knew i wanted forged internals

 

[01sapphirebob]

I knew I wanted ABS so it was 2001 or newer. Then I wanted an RT/10 because every viper I had seen on the road since '96 was a GTS. The sapphire blue (one year color ) I got was completely stock which was another bonus. Bottom line....Once you have a color and generation picked out, your search shold be easy. Good luck.

 

[black mamba1]

I had to have ABS. I had to have black (all my cars are black). I chose Gen 3 b/c it had the most power at the time. I chose Gen 3 also b/c I wanted a vert. The Gen I and II are a pain in the ass when it comes to removing the roof. To me, Gen I & II dont look as good in black as does the Gen III. In my opinion:

Gen II is most unique and has plenty of performance.
Gen III has slightly better performance and more modern look.

Boils down to personal opinion and taste. Buy new to support the brand, buy used to support your bank account. There are plenty of very good deals out there.

 

[viper k]

First It Had To Be A Gts Blue With White Stripes And A 1996

 

[Dads Toy]

how did you narrow it down to a particular year like 96? I know they started forged internals after a certain year on the gen2's. WHat made it better than the other year gts's?

thanks guys and ladies. I know I have asked a lot of questions but I am hoping that come next year I will know exactly what I want and will feel positive about my choice.

 

[RTTTTed]

96 GTS was the 'new' 450bhp engine. Late 96 R/T10 got the 450hp "lighweight Gen 2 engine" designed for the GTS. GTS was designed for racing GT and Europe - that's were the rear exit exhaust was designed for - and it sounded better, much better! The GTS engine block mold had a problem and all Gen 2s came with GTSR blocks. 96-99 got Forged pistons and 708 cam. Rumble and idle shake. 2000 got smoother idle, Hypertectic forged pistons. 2001 all Vipers got ABS. 2002 got 300(?) "Final Edition" GTSs built with plaques etc. 2003 was the Gen 3 which came with runcraps, 55bhp extra, 14" brakes and larger calipers while looking similar to a vette. This saved huge dollars as the clamshell hoods of the Gen 1&2s cost about $20,000 US and $over $28,000Cdn. The Gen 3 also only came in a vert/roadster version. 2006 and teh 'coupe' was brought back. Hardtop, 'doublebubble' roof and GTS rear with Ducktail spoiler.

During this time there was various race models built, GTR GTSR, Comp coupe, etc. The GTS was designed to kick GT racing and won so many races before '99 that the Viper was awarded 40% restrictor intake plates and 500 pounds more weight than any other car on the track. Dodge started building the American Club Racer (ACR) and they came with stiffer adjustable shocks, smooth tubes and different wheels.

There is tons of history, different models, different colors for different years. 'Special' Connelly leather interiors, etc. make all Vipers collectable and should help them retain their high resale value.

I looked for mods and condition with under 20,000miles with both cars. Tried, tested and proven was what I wanted.

My first Viper I found 3 Viper to look at. My choice (over the internet) was a highly modified Roe sc'd 2001 ACR at Ringgold. I flew to Ohare and rented a Kia (yuk) drove to Pekin, Ill. looked at a better than new 98 GTS Red/silver vinyl stripes. Roe sc'd, etc. It had 4 rock chips in perfect paint. Drove to Georgia (600mi?) and the ACR looked great except the one headlight had a larger gap. Fully built engine, clutch, LOUD exhaust, custom int. Went for a drive and the steering started shaking bad at 70mph then became hard to hold at 80mph. Exhaust was so loud that speaking was impossible. Interior dash screw fell in the wife's lap while driving. Ringgold wanted to fix - I said No, I don't want it - it felt bad. They said, "try the Boss's car." 96 Blue/white, Roe, built engine, awesome sounding exhuast. Pic on wall in dealership showed a 3' wheelstand at dragstrip. Many trophies all over the dealership. Car was fantastic. Faster than the more modified ACR, drove perfect. Unbelievable car, but it had 50,000 miles on it. All 3 Viper were same price. I offered $47,000 for the highmile 96, but they turned me down.

Phoned the young doctor in Pekin right then while eating dinner and told him to get the 98 GTS outside the garage because I'd be there the next afternoon to get it with the cash, based on a perfect test drive. Drove 14 more hours and went for a test drive. Bought the car. Happy and it was an excellent choice. No disappointment.

Ted

 

[RTTTTed]

Oops, I forgot to mention that when you buy used, you can just choose forged pistons, power adder and whatever else you want.

When I first started looking for my Viper I looked in San Fran because I was there. Went for ride in a 97 Bleu/white that was slightly modified and that's the fastest trip I ever had through traffic lights during the last 20 years. Even though it was "lightly modified" it went really good awesome - about the same as my 440 Duster. That's how I decided that I needed a Roe supercharger, ... and I was right.

Study YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. for exhaust, etc. I spoke to the Corsa rep at VOI X and learned why I love my Corsa track exhaust. He also infomed me that each Generation sounds different. Seems that 99% of people agree that the Gen 2s longer rear exit exhaust sound best.

YouTube - RTTTTed

Here's my 98 GTS with Roe Cats, Randomtech and stock headers.

[media]http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ioq41bZFxc[/media]

Searching other supercharged Viper vids was why I bought Roe instead of Paxton or TT.

Ted

 

[FATHERFORD]

Had to be GTS
Had to have forged internals.

 

[Newport Viper]

Love the gen 1 I had...really miss it.

I got the gen 3 because I do use the car as a daily driver. Much easier to live with.

 

[gen2lover]

but that wasn't good enough for Dave! He had to change almost everything on his car.

Simple.

Color had to be red.

Car had to be GTS.



Red GTS!

 

[gen2lover]

Jim...I know how you feel.Steel Gray is the sweetest color.My 2000 rt was steel gray. I have red now,kinda plain.

The only stock color too that changes so much in different lights was/is steel gray IMO.

My main criteria was 1. It had to be GTS. Nowadays, I would also consider SRT-10 Coupe. 2. I really wanted Steel or Graphite Gray with stripes. I would have "settled" for Blue and white; but, I also wanted something just a bit newer and more unusal, and a bit understated. I just wanted it to say "Viper" and shout: "VIPER !!!!" . You wouldn't believe how many people comment specifically about liking the color. I didn't want red because I thought it was too common. After coming in contact with lots of Vipers since joining the club, I find that they all are great looking. It's just a matter of personal choice. Blue and White tends to be the "collector's" choice.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

buy as much Viper as you can afford

.......................

 

[Badazzv8]

Had to be silver. Was looking at 98/99 GTS, but found a s/c '05 Mamba, and couldn't pass it up even though I've always loved the GTS body style. And after having the vert, I'm glad I got one b/c the top has been down basically every one of the 2800 miles that I've put on the car in the past 2 years.

 

[dave6666]

Jim...I know how you feel.Steel Gray is the sweetest color.My 2000 rt was steel gray. I have red now,kinda plain.

The only stock color too that changes so much in different lights was/is steel gray IMO.

Steel Gray? I can't even find a color chart that recognizes it.

And plain red ? What kind of oxymoron is that?

I think you call yours plain because it's riddled with scratches to the point that most respectable car owners would have driven their Viper off of a cliff by now for misery management.

 

[Mopar Boy]

Pretty much what everyone has said.

I knew I wanted a GTS. Had to be a yellow black, so....01-02 was my option!

The Viper Buyers Guide is really what did it for me. I studies pictures for about a week before I finally knew what I wanted. Odd part is I am not a yellow person but on a Viper, it just spoke to me.

Robert

Robert