To fix or Not to fix...Need help

[GTSREDDOG]

OK , I just bought a "Brand New" 01 ACR from my dealer a few months ago. On
the panel behind the drivers door, near the door handle ,coming down from the roof, that panel or portion of the roof looks a little wavy and the paint looks like it has runs in it due to the panel not being smooth. I know Dodge quality control department must sleep a lot on the job but my question is this... If I have it repainted under warranty and go to sell it sometime down the road will the car be worth less because it has had paint work? or should I just leave it alone as a tribute to the quality of DC and the viper? Thanks to any and all replies

Also what is the viper body actually made of?

 

[plumcrazy]

fix it right and nobody will know. i cant imagine that dropping the value though.

made of fiberglass.

got a pic of it?

 

[carguy07]

It would have to be really bad for me to want to repaint it. If I'm looking at 2 equal cars and one has a factory flaw and the other has a flaw that has been fixed, I'll take the unpainted factory flaw every time. Exception for me would be removable panels, like bumpers.

 

[PDCjonny]

Well if you have it repainted under warranty, it will show up when a Dodge dealer runs the VIN for your potential buyer, assuming he would know to do that. That may open up a can of worms about why it was done. People may just assume the worst.

 

[GTSREDDOG]

Thanks fellas I was thinking along the same lines as just letting it be the good ol dodge quality that it is. Seems to me we have better quality control in the minivans I build compared to the 2 new vipers I bought in the past.
What a shame...

 

[vipeuup]

Just leave your car alone. The Gen1 and 2 vipers paint jobs werent so good. LOOK IN MY GALLERY, I have alot of pics of our Vipers getting painted at the facility. The company that paints the Vipers panels. Is not affilated with Chrysler. Its another vendor that Chrysler contracts. Another thing , is that Front and rear bumpers are painted at another location. That is why sometimes our front and rear facias may not match up with the rest. Our vipers panels are painted like at a local body shop. Unlike other car paint jobs. Where the car is painted and then baked. With orange peel. Our viper panels are wet sanded. And its not the same "joe" that wet sands every part, they take turns. Look in my gallery you can see a pic, of a sign, showing wet sanding schedule/and numbers.

Panels that are not painted right the first time, get re-painted.And when I say re-painted some of the panels are just masked off on the defected area and then spot painted. Not spraying the whole thing. I have a picture of a GTS hood, Red one , that they messed up on the stripe. So, someone is unfortenutly getting that one. So if you see alot rubbing compund in the jams of your car, well that normal to.

I would like to thank one of the members on Viper Alley. For posting these pics. And now I am sharing it with others like you. Before, I wasnt use to seeing wetsanding marks on a new car. My GTS. I saw them on my hood. But then realized that its all normal.


Lee

 

[Jim Hodel]

The actual paint work on my 99 GTS is excellent. There is no orange peel and the car looks fantastic. However, the composite body panels do have more ripples in them then metal. I can see wavy sections on various parts of the car. I'm not going to mess with it.

Jim

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Look me up next time you are at a KC Region VCA get together we are both at. This does not , from your description, sound normal, and keep in mind many Vipers were repainted at the factory. Since the composite material is different with many of the portions/panels of the car, sometimes there were paint flaws, and they get repaired prior to leaving the plant. This will not show up running the Vin. If the area is bad enough, I do not believe it will hurt the car in the future if it is listed as a warranty repair, since this establishes a factory issue and not a wreck/paint situation. All you need is a very qualified painter to fix , if that is even necessary, and I know we can do that if it is deemed so. Keep in mind that if it is a flaw, it needs to be done while under warranty, and technically it should be done in the first year if possible.

Sincerely,
Bill Pemberton
Woodhouse Viper
1-800-889-1893

 

[vipeuup]

People,

Please take the time to look in my gallery/photos You will see pics of Actual Paint Facility

 

[GTSREDDOG]

Thanks to all for your comments. Now I am really confused.
Bill the in service date is june something 05( I forgot) so it is only in the first 2 months. I would like to hook up with ya and get your opinion, because it bothers me when I look at it but if it is somewhat common I will just leave it alone and chalk it up to " thats how it came from the factory"

 

[snakebitdave]

Just a word on what the body is made of:

"The Viper is the first to employ the resin transfer molding process (RTM) for most exterior body panels. With RTM, glass fibers are placed in a mold that is then closed and injected with resin. This process is unlike SMC, in which a resin-impregnated fiberglass mat is cured under intense pressure. The RTM process requires significantly less hand finishing than SMC."

I have heard said that the clam shell hood is the largest single piece manufactured by this process.

 

[Vic]

I think that description is essentially correct, except for the name. Based on my GTS, I'd have to say the body is actually made by the "Ripple Transfer molding process"

Just a word on what the body is made of:

"The Viper is the first to employ the resin transfer molding process (RTM) for most exterior body panels. With RTM, glass fibers are placed in a mold that is then closed and injected with resin. This process is unlike SMC, in which a resin-impregnated fiberglass mat is cured under intense pressure. The RTM process requires significantly less hand finishing than SMC."

I have heard said that the clam shell hood is the largest single piece manufactured by this process.

Unless you are really unhappy about the imperfection, I'd leave it alone. Vipers are flawed and wonderful! Adds character!