Hypothetically, let's say I can buy an 06 VCA or VOI9 car, great shape, verified history, 2k miles for choice 1. Choice 2 is for 08 coupe, nothing special, to order for another $10K. Curious as to what your choice would be and potential for value retention between the 2 choices when it comes time for resale. That 600 HP has really got me interested.
The $10K question
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wallbanger
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I'm a little confused... Lets say u're payin mid 80s for a 08 coupe ... that means u're paying mid 70s for a 06 with 2kmiles?
Also u say the 08 is nothing special which i suppose u mean it has few options i.e. no navigation or stripes which are the most costly options.....
imho u should be paying 20k less for an 06 compared to an 08 even with no miles
Also u say the 08 is nothing special which i suppose u mean it has few options i.e. no navigation or stripes which are the most costly options.....
imho u should be paying 20k less for an 06 compared to an 08 even with no miles
Hamrhead
Enthusiast
IMO, why buy an '06 if you're already worried about resale?
Sounds to me as if you've got your heart set on an '08.
Buy the '08. Drive the '08. Enjoy it!
Sounds to me as if you've got your heart set on an '08.
Buy the '08. Drive the '08. Enjoy it!
ledfoot
Viper Owner
I agree with wallbanger...it's a 20k question.
Frank 03SRT
Enthusiast
If you get the 06, you will probably always wonder about the 08, and nagging doubt could ruin your enjoyment of the 06. Been there and done that. I would get the 08.
Nine Ball
Enthusiast
I'm never concerned with factory HP ratings since I modify every car I ever buy anyways. 600HP from the factory is impressive to 99% of the population, but it will still feel slow to me after a week or so.
redtanrt10
Enthusiast
In my opinion on a percentage basis and a real dollar basis the 06 will depreciate less. In the same fashion a 06 coupe will also depreciate more than an 05 convertible. Depreciation curves are steepest at the top, look at an ALG guide book for leasing Also, a good deal on the vipers you referenced is probably more than 10K less than an 08.
Chuck 98 RT/10
Enthusiast
I don't know why any Viper enthusiasts wouldn't buy a 08 if they had the chance. I'm not crazy about the drive by wire and the other crap they keep adding to the Viper but the 600hp trumps all.
viper77
Viper Owner
It is hard for me to understand these questions about the depreciation of the Viper. If the Viper I bought today is worth nothing in 10 years, it was worth EVERY penny to enjoy the total Viper experience. The car, the people, the whole experience is PRICELESS! Forget the money, but the Viper you want, at all cost. You will never regret it. MHO.
Flyntgr
Viper Owner
Buy the '08 because the after market exhausts will cost you $5K, the PS2's will cost you $2K and not be tuned to your '06 suspension (but still be better than the runcraps), the shortthrow shifter will cost you about $500 with MGW shaft and knob, and after $10K in upgrades you'll still have an 'o6 with one year of warranty instead of 3. But you WON'T have the 600hp engine, the better oem smaller flywheel/clutch combo, new tranny, new speed sensitive rear end and a suspension tuned for PS2's. It's a $20K difference in initial price to buy the '08, but a car 2 years newer without needing the $10K in add-ons make it only $10K cheaper to get the '06. The '06s and '05s should depreciate more five years from now, with the newer, better Viper holding its value better by rendering the older Gen. IIIs obsolete, in MHO.
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Hamrhead
Enthusiast
Kai SRT10
Enthusiast
The 08 car is worth $20,000 more than the 06. More power, better differential, better clutch, better oiling system, better tires, better handling, better transmission.
Unless you plan on modifying the car, you should buy the 08.
Unless you plan on modifying the car, you should buy the 08.
CitySnake
Enthusiast
My thought exactly. If you want an investment, but LMT. Is it worth 80G's to LOOK at a car in your garage?It is hard for me to understand these questions about the depreciation of the Viper. If the Viper I bought today is worth nothing in 10 years, it was worth EVERY penny to enjoy the total Viper experience. The car, the people, the whole experience is PRICELESS! Forget the money, but the Viper you want, at all cost. You will never regret it. MHO.
Cop Magnet
Enthusiast
I have been toying with a similar notion, selling my '01 Sapphire/Silver GTS for an '06 coupe. There's no way I can afford the '08 anytime in the near future, but I could handle the $10K it would cost to make the transition to an '06. I just posted about this last night in the GenI/II forum. Prices for the '06 SRT-C seem very low right now. What I worry about is that the '06 coupe will be the bastard child between the two years, not the great looks and styling of the GenII, and not the performance of the '08. Then again, if the '08 is the last year of the Viper (and really who knows), there may not be a lot of aftermarket or factory support for the limited number of cars which will result. If that's the case, the '06 will be the car to have--looks of an '08 and the performance options (not factory, but aftermarket) of the GenIII.
Well, I've always believed in mod'ing and not relying on factory hp, etc. But, the 08 has me smitten. If I had the means, an 08 with a 3.55 gear swap would be the *******. Not just for the 600hp N/A, but the hood, the clutch, ...
Of course, no wrong answer here, an 06 with a Pax and 08 hood - yummy, love the taste of asphalt.
Of course, no wrong answer here, an 06 with a Pax and 08 hood - yummy, love the taste of asphalt.
I always thought the better choice was for less money you could get a Paxton 06 Coupe, with Motons and PS2's and have a serious buttkicker with 650 RWHP.
But the more posts I read of how great the 08 is with new trans, clutch,etc etc, its a tough call. Id probably change my vote now and say get the 08, you will have plenty of power, NA, so maybe better for tracking and alot of new goodies from SRT coming soon.
CitySnake
Enthusiast
No one's mentioning the inherent problems with a SC'd car. I realize you can dial in a SC after some time, but there's still a big benefit to NA.
Yea, this is a solid point that would weigh-in on me. The Paxton setup has shown to be quite reliable, but if you don't have a great tuner in your state, any burps can be a real inconvenience, and there's always the possibility of a catastrophe. I'm a big fan of the SC setup, but 600 NA hp with factory reliability pulls me over to the other side of things. If, if, you can have the dealer do the 3.55 gear change while maintaining the warranty - wow, talk about a setup.
Jerz Viper
Enthusiast
I found myself asking the same question about a month and a half ago.
I ordered a GTS Blue & Silver '08 with Blue & Black Interior(same as the VOI9 interior) the first day they started taking orders.
In JulyI had an oportunity to buy a new at the dealer VOI9 car with 22 miles for $75,000.
Well I lost a bunch of sleep for weeks, because I think that VOI car is awesome, a great and classic color combo, but then the motorhead side of my heart kept saying 600 hp, 600 hp.
I tossed and turned $15,000+ is a big difference, could put mods on the VOI and come close to the 600 hp, with money left over hhmmmmm
After several trips to the shrink and questions posed to fellow VCA members.........
............I passed on the VOI9 car, because the '08 is truly much better than the '06
But oh that color scheme on the VOI9
I have another appointment with the shrink in the morning, thanks for screwing me up again
I ordered a GTS Blue & Silver '08 with Blue & Black Interior(same as the VOI9 interior) the first day they started taking orders.
In JulyI had an oportunity to buy a new at the dealer VOI9 car with 22 miles for $75,000.
Well I lost a bunch of sleep for weeks, because I think that VOI car is awesome, a great and classic color combo, but then the motorhead side of my heart kept saying 600 hp, 600 hp.
I tossed and turned $15,000+ is a big difference, could put mods on the VOI and come close to the 600 hp, with money left over hhmmmmm
After several trips to the shrink and questions posed to fellow VCA members.........
............I passed on the VOI9 car, because the '08 is truly much better than the '06
But oh that color scheme on the VOI9
I have another appointment with the shrink in the morning, thanks for screwing me up again
Hmm... thats a good answer. I was just in this boat!! I was weighing getting an 08 blue coupe and painting stripes on it or picking up a voi9 for a LOT less! I ended up going with the 06 and have not looked back! For the price, even after tax and shipping, I still have a LOT of money to spend on the vehicle. We are talking 25 - 30k! Plus I have had the car for almost 2 months.... that is always something to think about. ya.. I don't have the new tranny, clutch, rear end, or 600 hp motor... but is all that stuff proven!?!?
Cop Magnet
Enthusiast
Can't imagine why you wouldn't still have the warranty. Worst case scenario is the diff would be uncovered.
The bottomline is that the price difference is more like $20,000 to $30,000 between the 06' Coupe w/low miles or a new 08' Viper Coupe. To me that is a lot of money.
If you can afford it, buy the 08' Viper coupe, as it is a much better vehicle and a lot of bang for the buck. If you watch you pennies, then buy the 06' Coupe and modify as you get bored with the factory power. There is nothing wrong with an 06' Coupe and it is proven mod ready which for some is great.
As long as you like it and are comfortable, that is all that matters. Other than tweaks they are still pretty similar, as everyone is treating them like they are a completely different cars. Com-on, it is really a new hood, new heads and some tweaked parts for reliability!
As an example, for me, I wanted a new Viper and I bought my 06' Coupe new back in 06' with a smoking deal. I can't afford a new 08' Coupe and why would I want to lose the initial money into mine just to keep up with the Jones' and lose on the initial investment in the 08' when it comes out. Lots of people can dip in $2,500 here or $5,000 there for little mods as time goes by. That is what bonuses are for, but initial investments are touchy, if you are financing this purchase, which there are a lot of people doing that. Just not enough differences for me between the 06' Coupe and the 08' Coupe to justify the costs. I mean a different clutch, difference diff, engine tweaks, heads, etc. for what will amount to $20,000 to $30,000 difference?
Buy the 06' (which has already taken the lion's share of the worse depreciation already), save your money and send you and your wife to driving school so you can get the most out of your Viper. I guarantee you will enjoy the 510 hp more in the 06' knowing how to really use it then 600 hp in an 08' without the aggressive driver training.
Just my two cents.
If you can afford it, buy the 08' Viper coupe, as it is a much better vehicle and a lot of bang for the buck. If you watch you pennies, then buy the 06' Coupe and modify as you get bored with the factory power. There is nothing wrong with an 06' Coupe and it is proven mod ready which for some is great.
As long as you like it and are comfortable, that is all that matters. Other than tweaks they are still pretty similar, as everyone is treating them like they are a completely different cars. Com-on, it is really a new hood, new heads and some tweaked parts for reliability!
As an example, for me, I wanted a new Viper and I bought my 06' Coupe new back in 06' with a smoking deal. I can't afford a new 08' Coupe and why would I want to lose the initial money into mine just to keep up with the Jones' and lose on the initial investment in the 08' when it comes out. Lots of people can dip in $2,500 here or $5,000 there for little mods as time goes by. That is what bonuses are for, but initial investments are touchy, if you are financing this purchase, which there are a lot of people doing that. Just not enough differences for me between the 06' Coupe and the 08' Coupe to justify the costs. I mean a different clutch, difference diff, engine tweaks, heads, etc. for what will amount to $20,000 to $30,000 difference?
Buy the 06' (which has already taken the lion's share of the worse depreciation already), save your money and send you and your wife to driving school so you can get the most out of your Viper. I guarantee you will enjoy the 510 hp more in the 06' knowing how to really use it then 600 hp in an 08' without the aggressive driver training.
Just my two cents.
VENOMAHOLIC
Enthusiast
If I was shopping today, I wouldn't think twice. I would get an '08 over an '06. The differences in the total driveline combined with the return to regular rubber(not run flats) and 600 hp with a warranty justify the cost. I consider myself to be pretty tight with money but I have learned to get what I want the first time because each time you trade in you lose horrible money. You will be happier longer with 600 hp.
If you want to mod your Viper, however, as mentioned earlier, an '06 is the way to go.
If you want to mod your Viper, however, as mentioned earlier, an '06 is the way to go.
black mamba1
Enthusiast
The 08 is a better f*cking car all the way around. The 06 can outrun the 08 in a straightline w/ $10,000 worth of mods and no warranty and iffy behavior. These same mods will be available in the 08 in a year or two and you will STILL have a better and faster car.
Get the 08.
Get the 08.
Ok guys, I have made a decision. I am a tight *** and that is why I was looking at an 06, but in reality, I would have liked a VOI9 or a VCA. I agonized over and over and kept trying to justify the extra cash, but I really could not justify it on a rational basis. All the replies have merit both pro and con, but in the end the 08 won me over. I am happy to report that I actually placed an order late this afternoon for an 08 coupe. I appreciate everybody's input.
viper77
Viper Owner
Ok guys, I have made a decision. I am a tight *** and that is why I was looking at an 06, but in reality, I would have liked a VOI9 or a VCA. I agonized over and over and kept trying to justify the extra cash, but I really could not justify it on a rational basis. All the replies have merit both pro and con, but in the end the 08 won me over. I am happy to report that I actually placed an order late this afternoon for an 08 coupe. I appreciate everybody's input.
What Color?
What Color?
That was another agonizing decision. I started out green/black only to be told it was not available over a week ago. I went to black/white, black/red, venom red/white and believe it or not, some how I was able to order green/black today.
Now the proof will be in the pudding if it actually gets built and I get my hands on it, but the order was actually placed and accepted according to the dealer. It's kinda weird how it went from unavailable to available all at once, but I am not complaining.Snakester
Enthusiast
Congratulations on your choice! I think that you are going really enjoy your new Viper, and the hardest part is going to be waiting for it to arrive.
Kenneth Krieger
Viper Owner
05 Commemorative Edition, PS 2's, Paxton S/C, Belanger headers and exhaust, 3:55 gears, 675+ hp, Sidewinder Wheels, short throw shifter,..........less than $73K total.......08 $84K + sales tax (8.2% in AZ), license fee $1,400, that's $20K difference.....and my extended warranty still good for 4 more years........difficult choice........
