question of viper value 1996

[Damion Green]

What does a 1996 with 97k miles go for these days? Paints great, runs and drives. has Stoptech breaks. Sits in a museum right now. Whats it go for? And where are some good places (aside from Ebay) to post it up at?

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[steve e]

I know there is a 100k miles on it, but if its clean inside and out and drive train is good. 20-25k seems low, if you can get it for that grab it, the blue and white 96 GTS will some day be a real collector item.

 

[Dirk Pitt]

I know a lot of folks say these cars will be special from a colletor's perspective. I agree with you, if that day ever comes it will be in the distant future and there are a lot better investments if that is what you're after. I have a '97 that I'm selling and I've listed it cars.com, cargurus.com, one of the Viper sites and have put it on e-bay. It's been for sale for a few months and I'm not getting much interest. Hopefully it picks up after the new year. I never expected it to sell on e-bay and even though there were numerous bids (some over $30K) I never got a single question. Be prepared to be patient and expect you'll likely get less than what you think it is worth. These are really great cars but there is a relatively small market for them. The Gen II cars are works of art from an appearance perspective so nobody wants to drive them hard but they are also one of the best driving cars - so they scream to be "rode hard and put up wet." It's a conundrum that all owners (and buyers) face so they generally sell for less than one might expect. It's a great deal if you want a car to drive and a crappy deal if your trying to sell a car that is sitting in a garage/museum.

 

[DJ'sviper]

Looking a the photo it looks like was raced hard. Lot of rock chip marks on the paint. What are you looking to sell in for. These days really drop in value with a lot of miles when you can pick one up for under 30k lies on it. Its a gamble on how much it is going to cost touring the car up to value. breaks, suspension, transmission, engine are all questionable. That car is the car for a guy like you who wants to go have fun with it. I don't know what you paid for it but you can always get your money back if your patient. One photo doesn't tell me much

 

[Vreracing]

Haven't posted on this site for a long time. I would just make sure you have a reasonable mechanic that's willing to work on the car. It's a pretty simple car and not that hard to work on. I sold mine since it was getting hard to get service. Shortly after I sold mine one of the local dodge mechanics who was certified in Vipers set up his own shop. Had I known he was going to do that I would have kept it. My '98 GTS had 70K on it and still ran as good as it did when new.
Here's an old link to when it had 60k+ miles on it driving it home. As you can see it's a pretty easy car to manage in traffic. The file is a flash file so it may or not play.

http://racevideo.info/vipersale/Drivehome.f4v

 

[Damion Green]

no paint chips...that was light reflection

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[DJ'sviper]

Looks better if recent photo. Are you trying to buy it or sell it. With all cars the value of the car is what someone is willing to pay for it. Most viper don't have that much milage on them so you don't Preallyhave a reference on the durability of it. On the other hand people usually take good care of a car like this with maintenance and so it could probably run another 97k without any problems. Make a low offer and go from there. Buy the car because you want it and you will never be sorry. I'd love to get that car.

 

[FrankBarba]

I have a 96 GTS with 8K miles. Original everything, Stock, OEM, Some Spare Parts for just in case,
New treads with the old ones also. All Documentation...wouldn't let mine go for less than 68K.

 

[lane_viper]

I have a 96 with 91k I bought in 2018 for $29K. Had 87K when I bought it.

I thought it was a steal to find a B/W GTS under 30. I specifically was looking for a higher mile, "fixer-upper" deal. I wanted one I could drive and not worry about ruining the value of. If I were to try and sell mine, I would prob start at $35K and would take $33k-$34k. When I was looking, prices were all over the place. Even in the time since I got mine., prices have gone up slightly. You can find red 97 GTS's in the $30ks but B/W ones are starting in the low $40ks these days.

According to Hagerty's

CURRENT & HISTORICAL VALUES
View current vehicle values and see how they’ve changed over time in a 3-year, 5-year and to-date intervals. Compare these values to other vehicles and benchmark financial indices.
Current Values

• #1 Concours$68,300
  Condition #1 vehicles are the best in the world. The visual image is of the best vehicle, in the right colors, driving onto the lawn at the finest concours. Perfectly clean, the vehicle has been groomed down to the tire treads. Painted and chromed surfaces are mirror-like. Dust and dirt are banned, and materials used are correct and superbly fitted. The one word description for #1 vehicles is "concours."
• #2 Excellent $53,600
• #3 Good $42,600
• #4 Fair $36,000

 

[Damion Green]

@ DJ'sviper I was looking to sell. The car has been a weight (at best) considering I cannot drive it and considering the shipping cost new, tires etc etc its a bit of a costly paperweight. Cool car but If you don't have a house/garage to store it in, kind of pointless. Bought it as a favor for a friend who had entered some financial issues and the car ended up being a "poison pill" in several ways as I over extended myself. It sits in a museum in auburn Indiana about 1700 miles away from me now.

 

[Frank Parise]

https://rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/...2002-dodge-viper-gts-acr-final-edition/841847
On a positive note, this 02 Final edition ACR sold yesterday for $110K.

 

[Frank Parise]

Correction: $115K which included a 12% buyer premium.

 

[ACR Jim]

Frank,

That was an interesting car, thanks for posting. Kinda hard to imagine not enjoying the car more-I wouldn't trade any additional value for the fun that I have enjoyed with my '99 ACR.

(PS -Still have your old 3.33 rear end in it as well as the stock one stored)

Jim

 

[lane_viper]

@ DJ'sviper I was looking to sell. The car has been a weight (at best) considering I cannot drive it and considering the shipping cost new, tires etc etc its a bit of a costly paperweight. Cool car but If you don't have a house/garage to store it in, kind of pointless. Bought it as a favor for a friend who had entered some financial issues and the car ended up being a "poison pill" in several ways as I over extended myself. It sits in a museum in auburn Indiana about 1700 miles away from me now.

It really ***** this car has been such a burden for you. At this point it might be a relief to dump it for a lower price just to be done with it.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

 

[Ronald kuehnle]

I bought my 2001 RT10 last year with 131000 miles on it and it runs like new. I have had no problems with it and the paint and interior are in great shape. It has one rock chip in the front. I gave 20G for the car. I have had several corvettes and this is more enjoyable than they ever were. When I went to look at it I almost turned around and came home because of the mileage but I am glad I did not. I kept looking for something to be wrong but could not find anything. I am 63 and have had many sports cars over the years and this is the most enjoyable one. Do not let the mileage fool you. It just means someone really enjoyed it and it was probably really taken care of. I am sure that some were really trashed out and raced hard but not all of them.

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Tough situation , because no matter what condition the car is in there is a buyer perception that high mileage Vipers are worth quite a bit less. It does not really matter if the individual states it is very well taken care of , etc. ,it will demand a much lower price , though this should creep up slightly over the coming years as supply gets really thin.

Frank Barba has the perfect example of what most buyers and Collectors are looking for , a clean GTS with under 10,000 miles. I have no idea why the 10K number is so critical, but it has been a Gold Standard figure for well over a decade. Again, remember, perception is reality in the Automotive World and many things are determined by the buyers in the market. I know for years I made sure we figured a car differently if under 10K than over , simply because so many folks called wanting that criteria. It became gospel after awhile and it still holds true today. No argument that a Snake will go over 100K easily, this is just a statement on what Viper buyers have often demanded for Eons.

 

[Damion Green]

and a continuation of the "poisoned pill" and a warning to those that try todo something positive for someone else...there is the concept of the man who swims out to save the drowing man, but in his panic the drowning man ends up pulling his lifegaurd down with him. The car I bought for 30-33k, after an appraiser (who clearly didn't know anything about Vipers) gave it the exact value my former friend wanted. The Loan company required a professional appraiser to look at the car and render their opinion. Part of the appraising process includes getting a picture of the engine block number and I warned the Appraiser "the Viper was super low and a normal jack wouldn't work"...he assured me it would be fine....and strangely enough, the jack he brought didn't work and he couldn't get the engine block number....awesome....did I say the appraiser didn't know anything about Vipers... somehow the missing picture of the vin on the engine block slipped by the bank. So before I bought the car, I asked my former friend about the 6 speed, as I recalled he had complained about it even after he had it "rebuilt" and a new clutch/light flywheel. But when I asked about this complaint he said "Its fine, its fine" (I guess, fearing I might demand a lower price) and other than the high mileage he encouraged me to "track it"...umm yeah.... anyway I get the car and the gear whine from the trans is friggan LOUD and it gets louder on the deceleration and acceleration...meaning the bearings or the gaps between gears are bad on the main shaft...I also notice a ticking at idle and at low RPMs that sounds ALOT like a Lifter has gone bad. Turns out there was a Chrysler Bulletin for Vipers that have had aftermarket flywheels installed and it warns that the new/aftermarket bolts tend to stretch and cause what sounds like a lifter problem...sigh....but at this point I really only have time to take some pictures at a local park then drive it to the straight to the museum and put it away for the year (2018). the Next year (2019) I pull the car out of the museum and drive it over to a friend/former Chrysler Mechanic and let him drive it...well he tells me the trans is screwed (and gave the diagnosis I listed above). Also I notice the passengers side door pops open randomly and the window crawls down real slow....on this "Perfect car except the miles...you should track it".....disheartened I put the car back in the museum. There it sits until first pay it off and either sell it or deal with the mechanicals which as of now 1) replacing the "rebuilt" transmission, 2) possible engine rebuild due to lifter/cam issue, 3) fix door that won't close, 4) suspension rebuild (I don't Blame the former owner, it is an expected thing for a car with those miles), 5) the Alpine stereo skips all the time so that needs refurbished or replaced. It will at least cost me $45-50k total to get a $20k car on the road. YUMMM old cars....Note: I didn't have to buy it, so ultimately its my fault, lesson learned, "A fool and his money shall soon be parted", the former friend had really helped me out in the past, and I thought id repay him HOWEVER if trying to help someone takes ALOT of work (because it did with 1) shipping across the country, 2) New Tires were "Needed" according to the former friend (tho they weren't) 3) finding a bank to give me the loan, 4) moving money around to purchase it, 5) finding a place to put the car (Vipers aren't meant for parking-lots and street parking)...don't become the lifeguard who gets drown...

 

[newredrt10]

[/quote] 1) replacing the "rebuilt" transmission, 2) possible engine rebuild due to lifter/cam issue, 3) fix door that won't close, 4) suspension rebuild (I don't Blame the former owner, it is an expected thing for a car with those miles), 5) the Alpine stereo skips all the time so that needs refurbished or replaced. It will at least cost me $45-50k total to get a $20k car on the road. YUMMM old cars....Note: I didn't have to buy it, so ultimately its my fault, lesson learned, "A fool and his money shall soon be parted", the former friend had really helped me out in the past, and I thought id repay him HOWEVER if trying to help someone takes ALOT of work (because it did with 1) shipping across the country, 2) New Tires were "Needed" according to the former friend (tho they weren't) 3) finding a bank to give me the loan, 4) moving money around to purchase it, 5) finding a place to put the car (Vipers aren't meant for parking-lots and street parking)...don't become the lifeguard who gets drown...[/QUOTE]

do you know if any engine work was done. if there was it would explain i and 2--- 1) old 6 speeds with out fluid change and add horse power will have trouble, 2) if the cam was change and/or rockers changed, it may just need adjustment, 3) door fix, door opening eletrcial or worn mech. window lube if you don't do this before using the window again you could break a part that is very hard to get. 4) not in a Viper-most likely a tracked car. work is easier than most. 5) happens to most. don't try to change the amp. night mare.

I would check the for frount end damage the hood dose not look right. it maybe just alinement or people working on the car laid on the frount cover support bending them dowm

 

[Damion Green]

As far as the Engine Rebuild question...The engine was supposed to have been rebuilt by Arrow Racing in Wisconsin under warranty(the first Gen2 engines had a tendency to have metal in the oil due to manufacturing issues.) Tho the former owner never gave me that paperwork (which would have been super nice to have). Was it tracked?, a couple times at least, when putting on the new/expensive tires (that I didn't need considering it was going to sit in a museum), I saw the the rubber on the tie rod ends were all cracked...so it needs rebuilt. as far as the window that was insightful!!! count your blessings the good book says...at least I didnt pop the window, I will be careful on that. The front gap on the hood is big...I will look at it....whenever I get around to pulling it out of the museum in a couple years. Thanks!!! and this link has the viper and the sound it makes

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you cannot whisper over it thats for sure. If the engine needs re-rebuilt, i'm dumping it for 1) a newer 640hp engine and trans (15-25k cost) 2) Gen III Hemi conversion (20-30k) 3)Electric (??$) 4)sell it... as of now am saving money for a house (somewhere to put the car) and then I will want to change a bunch of stuff on the house before I bring the car home. So its a couple years away at best until I drive it again.

 

[Damion Green]

addendum....as far as the Hood gap question, apparently the WHOLE car was repainted, (and was taken apart todo so) at some point in the past 10 years.... also note: back when I got the car in 2018 it had its old California vanity plate....a month ago or so, the former owner actually had the balls to text me If I could send the old plate back to him, he assumed that I had sold it....I was taken aback by this, didn't know what to say...I did mention that I hadnt sold it as I wasnt willing to take the 16k loss and that I still had the car and it still sits in the museum and that I will have to think about his request... I later responded and gave 2 offers.... Id give him the plate IF 1) he had the documentation of the cars factory engine rebuild 2) or $7,000.00.....I should have said $16,000.00 because thats how much the car was over valued by the "appraiser"... know a guy for 20 years, and he flips on you and becomes a con artist, but of course the sociopath is going to claim I'm the ****...

 

[TexasViper35]

It’s a pretty car, and definitely desirable as it’s a first year GTS and its blue and white (add a 20% premium just for the colors). Sort of high miles, but there is someone out there that won’t mind that at all and will drive the car and add many more.

I personally don’t feel that you were ripped off by the price that you paid, I actually feel that you got it at the right price. ‘96 GTS’s are currently selling for above $80,000+ if near mint and low milage.

Complaining about buying new tires and a door latch is just silly. You’re fine, just repair what’s needed and sell it to someone that actually wants to own it and enjoy it.

Who buys a Viper (takes out a loan) to “help” a friend anyway? And then parks it in a museum? Got to be more to this story.

ETA As far as how to sell it, I recently sold a Porsche that I had owned for over 25 years. I just looked on CarGurus for similar cars for sale and found a specialty car dealership that would accept it on consignment. They charged 10% which I felt was very reasonable as they literally did all of the work from start to finish. You can actually sell yours with whatever issues it may have left unattended to by just discounting the cost of repair(s) from the sale price if you need to. Whoever buys that car will definitely have the mindset that it may need some restoration and they will be open to doing it.

 

[Damion Green]

as far as "get a loan to help a friend and storing it in a museum" it was an issue of doing something positive for someone and getting a cool car...so it was a "win win"; turns out it was "Stupid Stupid".... as far as well "there is more"...I initially just wanted to put it in the museum for a year (that is a contractual requirement of placing the car in the museum at NATMUS), then get somethings arranged, (an apartment with a garage or storage unit). Being at zero money after the immediate purchase, the museum was the easiest/cheapest solution. Well 2019 didn't go like planned for me, and 2020 didn't go as planned for anyone....within that first year of I moved 2x from Indiana to Ohio and then back to Indiana, and then in 2020 to California and now to Florida, where I have been for a year and just bought a house. In continuation as far as "Tires cost", so 2k isn't a big deal for you....good on you... But at the same time I also had to ship the car, which I didn't expect (like needing new tires). I had intended on flying out and driving the car back to Indiana....but that didn't work out due to the fact that Indiana won't grant a temp tag without their paperwork being filled out, and in the state the car was in, the local police wouldn't sign a different states paperwork (to verify the vin for the Temp tag)...so I couldn't get an Indiana temp tag to drive the car across country, and the Vanity plate on it was from 2009...So at the last minute I had to ship it and then I was told by the former owner that it desperately needed new tires. so "good by" to an additional 4k.... maybe 4k isn't a big deal for you....it is for me.

 

[TexasViper35]

Dang, it sort of sounds like you just bought the wrong car, it’s not for you. But believe me there are many people that would love to own that car!

Tires for my Gen III are about $1500 for the set and they last 15K miles. While I don’t enjoy paying that price it is just part of Viper ownership. The tires on my Porsche used to cost about the same but would only last 8-9K miles, so I actually feel like I’m getting a great value when I do buy a new set for my Viper!

Vipers are just cars, there is nothing wrong with parking it in a parking lot with other cars. The UV’s are a potential problem, but taking good care of the paint, using sun screens, or simply putting a car cover on it should be sufficient for a car that is driven 90K miles, at least for a few years if necessary.

I have shipped my car, pretty pricey I know. I ended up just driving her back home and actually enjoyed the experience. In your example I would have gone ahead and driven the car home; all that you needed to do was get it insured and drive, the worst that would have happened is a ticket for no registration but I can’t imagine a state trooper not understanding the circumstances.

Anyway, if it helps at all if it were me I would take the car to a genuine Viper Tech and have him work up what the car actually needs, and go from there with the goal of getting rid of that car. *****, it really is a beautiful car!!!! Good luck

 

[Damion Green]

ultimately it will probably work out... if 1) that tick is not a lifter tick but the bolt in the flywheel stretching. 2) If the Trans doesn't need completely replaced. When I bought it, I believe the car was undervalued at 20-24k for a car with that mileage. I feel Vipers are undervalued as a whole, its not like they made 50,000 a year like a Vette. Also the performance and beauty is off the chart for a car designed and built in the 1990s. The 90s Aston Martins are the only cars that compete in my book. In general I am super reluctant to let it go and take a massive loss, so I will probably hold on for a couple more years before letting it go.