Thinking of getting a Gen III

[MichaelP]

I had a Gen II and sold it a while ago. Decided it was time to buy another Gen II.

Then I just saw the prices on the Gen IIIs namely '03 are not much more.

What to look out for on an '03?

EDIT: I meant to say '03

 

[GTS1997]

You do know that a 2002 Viper is still Gen 2 right? Gen 3 started in 2003 until 2006

 

[MichaelP]

You do know that a 2002 Viper is still Gen 2 right? Gen 3 started in 2003 until 2006

oops meant to say '03

Thanks for the help!

 

[Y2K10 SRT#39]

See the ad for a red 03 in the classified by "theamigo"
PBR

 

[MichaelP]

See the ad for a red 03 in the classified by "theamigo"
PBR

Thank you for the heads up!

It 2600 miles away and a good deal higher than a few other '03s I have seen.

Anyone had a Gen II and gotten a Gen III and never looked back?

 

[Twister]

coincidently I just got off the phone with my credit union> I just bought a gen 3...Though the title wont be sighned over till 10am tomorrow....

Without ruffling to many feathers..Ill throw my 2cents...

I had a red 1999 rt10 and a red 2003 srt10..A close friend had a red 97 GTS and another good friend had a 2002 red ACR GTS..

Yea I know thats a lot of red..LOL..

These are just my opinions so take them for wwhat ever they are worth....

-the srt10 is a bit faster stock for stock.....In my srt10 I was able to trapp 120-122 mph with just KN filters and roller rockers....RAN 11.9

In my RT10 I was able to trapp 120-122 with smooth tubes and kn filter and roller rockers and no cats and a AEM tune...Ran 12.0


-As well besides being just as fast with less mods the SRT10 also dynoed 459 rwhp with just the kn filters and roller rockers...

The RT10 dynoed 445 rwhp with the KN filters and smooth tubes and roller rockers and no cats and aem tune


-Then as far as handling ..Well the SRT10 felt like it handled MUCH better on the same curves where I would have a little fun with them.


-Brakes....No contest..My 99 rt10 had HORRIBLE breaks..I took her up to 150 mph the first night I had her aND COULDNT BELEAVE HOW HARD IT WAS TO SCRUB OFF SPEED....The SRT10 on the other hand was by far the best brakes I had ever encountered


-Interior..Again hands down the SRT10..From the seats to leather to the pushbutton start it is just much better


-Engine lay out...The SRT10 looks much nicer...Looks like tat engine actually belongs in a 80K vehicle....My rt10 engine while big and nearly as powerful..Just didnt look as elagant when I popped the hood...

Hood- My 99 rt10 looked kool as hell with the hood open..Looked like a race car in the middle of any random parking lot....The SRT10 opens just like any other hood

Exterior- Very subjective...Now no doubt my srt10 was a nicer looking car than my rt10...But tbhose gts's are gorgeous cars...We often had my red srt10 parked next to one of my friends red GTS's.....And it just depends on the individual.....The SRT10 is a 7 year newer desighn...A much more modern desighn..They really havent changed it any from 2003-2010.....It was so good...

The GTS is an amazing desighn..But sitting next to an srt10 you can defiently see how the head lights and body gaps ect. are dated.....But then with a srt10 sitting next to a gts you can see how they took a lil of the edge off...


Ive owned both and could never go back to a gen2 after experiancing a gen3...Thats why I just bought another gen3......


You'll here a lot of ex gen2 owners say the same thing about never going back afer a gen3.....It really is just that much better of a car..maybe not a better exterior..But defiently a better car

 

[Y2K10 SRT#39]

I had a gen II 96 GTS, got the 2003. Sold the GTS a year later due to not driving it.
PBR

 

[MichaelP]

GREAT info!

I had an '00 RT and thought I would NEVER get a Gen III But now . . .

BTW I really like the Gen II look much more but really leaning toward a Gen III for many reasons.

Keep the input coming!

 

[01sapphirebob]

While not a GEN III, I bought a GEN IV this past summer and absolutely love the car. It is leaps and bounds over my GEN II. I barely drove my GEN II RT/10 this summer because I had bought a GEN II ACR and long story short I got rid of the ACR for the GEN IV. The night I took my RT10 out to put gas in it for the winter was an interesting night. I practically had to relearn how to drive the GEN II because it's so different from the GEN IV. However I can't wait to get my new tires on my GEN II so I can drive the thing this summer. I love the hell out of that car.

GREAT info!

I had an '00 RT and thought I would NEVER get a Gen III But now . . .

BTW I really like the Gen II look much more but really leaning toward a Gen III for many reasons.

Keep the input coming!

 

[PDCjonny]

This thread should go south fast.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

This thread should go south fast.

You mean MichaelP will get his Gen III and travel from Seneca Lake to Orlando rapidly?

 

[Venomiss]

This was posted by wormdoggy and he got it from someone else in a search.

Here are some differences :

03 and 04 came with factory 7/70 powertrain warranty
04's possible cam bolt torque problem is built prior to 01/31/04
04's had a different oil pressure and temp gauge
05's had a different factory head unit
05's and up have a slightly diff. valve cover. vent tubes at the front
04's and up came with trunk mat
03's and 04's factory oil fill is 10w-30 while 05's and up 0w-40
no special editions made in 03
2003 have different connecting rod then 04's. they are forged in the 03's and PM in 04. Crank balance is also different
05's have different PCM
crank trigger location moved from the flywheel in 03/04 to side of block in 95.
05's up changed the damper bolt to 3/4" vs the smaller 13mm in 03's and up.
Main bearings changed in 05 to 180 degree mains from 120 in order to address oil starvation issues at rods. this is the reason for the lower oil pressure at idle for the 05 cars
04's up have red calipers
timing cover changed in 05 to incorporate a wire holder for the cam sensor. old covers used a bolt on clip.

Hope this helps. I printed this off from some other post and have had it ever since. Thanks to the writer for some great information.

Patrick

 

[CHAOS]

My Gen III is the most rediculous thing (received the title today) I have ever done but I absolutely love it. Taking the round-a-boughts in the neighborhood at 65MPH is just dumb!!!

 

[MichaelP]

Hey Another FL viper person.

CONGRATS on the new purchase.

Well I went with a Gen II. If I win the lottery or my wife stops looking at the bank account I would love a Gen III.

Why the Gen II? Well it fits my personality a little better. Strange looking, unrefined, thinks he has more power than the younger guys when in reality he doesn't

Thanks to all who gave their input!

 

[ViperGeorge]

Have had a Gen 2, two Gen 3s, and a Gen 4. Gen 3/4s are simply better cars than the Gen 1/2s in virtually every way. Styling is subjective. I like the RT/10 styling better than a Gen 3/4 Vert but I love the Gen 3/4 Coupe styling as well or better than any other Viper. The hood on the Gen 4 is better looking than the hood on a Gen 3 but this is an easy swap. Put one on my 06 Coupe. Looks great.

 

[slysnake]

Well I went with a Gen II. If I win the lottery or my wife stops looking at the bank account I would love a Gen III.

I just read another thread here about car prices. Looks like people are almost giving them away. There's Gen IIIs out there at crazy low prices right now.

 

[RTTTTed]

Gen 2s are "Classics" and still share bodylines with the old Shelby Daytona coupes. Although the factory replacement calmshell hoods cost is equal to the entire value of the GTS, after market hoods can be pruchased for about $5K.

I heard that the brakes were better so I bought lightweight rotors, Ceramic pads and 14" rotors for the front of my 01 ABS car. I heard that the engines were about an inch lower in the Gen 3s - my car is an inch lower because of Eibachs! I crashed a 98 GTS into a Semi because my GEN 3 RUNCRAPs hydroplaned. I have VR1s and PS2s now. I got a flat on my low profile Stealth TT so I bought a Hella Tire Pressure and Tempoerature Monitor System with color changing faceplate. BC, Ontario and many states passed a law that it's illegal to talk while holding a phone - so I added a Bluetooth Stereo with Sirius Sat. Radio.

To increase downforce on my GTS (GTS is 4mph faster than RT10) I installed a Roe Racing front fascia scoop. To balance the rear of the car with a little more downforce I bought a Venom rear spoiler. Some newer cars come with Nav systems, so I bought a Nuvi GPS.

My car wasn't faster than every car made ... so I bought one with Roe Supercharger, headers, exhuast, rockers, 9-1 pistons, Titanium rear axle shafts, Vec2/3, Fidenza flywheel, CF clutch and Hurst short shifter. Newer cars came with HID headlights and you can never have enough light at 200+mph so I bought 2 sets of HIDs. The windshield seemed low for seeing the stupid traffic lights so I lowered the seat track an inch.

Gen 2 RULE!

Ted

 

[MichaelP]

I decided and got a Gen II.

Thank you all for the feedback

I have the best wife in the world.

She just told me it would be ok to get a Gen III also

I wont be doing that but now she has me wondering what horrible thing she did to give me the go ahead lol

 

[Austin]

Gongrats on the Viper purchase. No matter the Gen, its still a Viper. Welcome to the Viper family and dont let it bite!

 

[Venomiss]

What no pictures? Do tell.

 

[Twister]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Well......I tried...

Congrats never the less

 

[Venomiss]

Did you get the Viper already? If no pictures then at least a description.....

 

[Twister]

you talking to me or the op?

I bought a.....


-2003
-31K miles
-warranty till jan 2011

-custom yellow/pearl paint
-rear difusser painted flat black
-stock rims painted flat black
-2008 hood


-autoform roll bar
-no cats
-titanium exhaust
-roller rockers
-KN air filters

 

[slysnake]

I don't believe you.

1. No pix
2. Still says enthusiast

 

[georgethedog]

Even though it's a Gen 3 at least it is YELLOW...

you talking to me or the op?

I bought a.....


-2003
-31K miles
-warranty till jan 2011

-custom yellow/pearl paint
-rear difusser painted flat black
-stock rims painted flat black
-2008 hood


-autoform roll bar
-no cats
-titanium exhaust
-roller rockers
-KN air filters

 

[Twister]

I don't believe you.

1. No pix
2. Still says enthusiast

It's my third Viper....You can belieave what ever you wish...And I already posted pics on another thread...

I bought a brand new C5 in 2004.In 2006 I traded it for a 1999 rt10..I mildly wrecked the 99 rt10 and sold it and bought a 2003 srt10 in 2007...In mid 2008 I wrecked the srt10 pretty good and sold it and bought a 1991 nsx..Still have the nsx and just got the above srt10...

I also have....2008 ram....2005 jeep....2004 quest ( just sold my 2001 Navigator a few days ago to make room for the Viper)

 

[Twister]

pics of my yellow srt10

http://forums.viperclub.org/srt10-srt10-coupe-discussions/632053-bought-2003-a.html