viper newb with a few questions

[carsonp]

Im tossing around the idea of getting a gen III vert. I have a few questions id like to clear up if i could.

Concern #1 - It will be daily drivin... sort of a commuter car in the spring to fall (Minnesota). Now, gas milage isnt a concern, but tires are. Assuming i put on 10k to 15k miles a year is there a tire with a long enough tread ware thats sticky enough for the power? What comes stock on them and were there options? Also, keep random weather in mind. I can run around in DRs incase i get caught in the rain.

Concern #2 - Going along with #1, reliability and maintenance. It will likly be an 04 or 05 due to $$$$ so the warrenty isnt something i can likly rely on too long if at all. Are they relitivly reliable? and what if any abnormal maintenace is required?

Concern #3 - Is the srt10 a car where 30k miles is concerdierd high? I havnt seen many for sale with over 30k (even 03s). So does anyone really know how they last with HIGHER miles?



So far thats all i got.

Thanks

 

[Fast Viper]

Search is your best friend!

The viper is great as a everyday car. Tires go based on the person driving the car. 20k miles on 1 set of tires is possible. Maintenance and repairs can cost alot if the vehicle is mistreated, and things do break, so if you are out of warranty, make sure to have money available. Also I believe there are quite a few vca members way over 20k miles. I believe there is one person with 75K plus? I am not sure.

 

[rcl4668]

I have owned a 2006 and 2008 vert and both were/are mechanically reliable but I have not crossed the 10,000 mile threshhold on either car.

2003-2006 Vipers came with Michelin Pilot Sport ZP (runflat tires) and the 2008-2009 cars came with the nonruflat Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, the latter being superior in terms of grip and overall performance. You can, however, mount the PS2s on a 2003-2006 Viper.

 

[Newport Viper]

I got 30,000 daliy driven miles on mine. One set of brakes, couple sets of tires, one clutch, oil changes good to go. I even cleaned the K&N filters once.

 

[DWR46]

A lady friend of mine just traded her 2003 with 74,000 miles in on a new 2009. Her car is well cared for and she does not race it, but it was just like a new car at that mileage. Vipers easily can be used as a daily driver. Just like all cars, it depaends on how they are maintained and treated.

 

[carsonp]

I got 30,000 daliy driven miles on mine. One set of brakes, couple sets of tires, one clutch, oil changes good to go. I even cleaned the K&N filters once.

what happend with the clutch? what milage was that at?

 

[09 Venom]

Im tossing around the idea of getting a gen III vert. I have a few questions id like to clear up if i could.

Concern #1 - It will be daily drivin... sort of a commuter car in the spring to fall (Minnesota). Now, gas milage isnt a concern, but tires are. Assuming i put on 10k to 15k miles a year is there a tire with a long enough tread ware thats sticky enough for the power? What comes stock on them and were there options? Also, keep random weather in mind. I can run around in DRs incase i get caught in the rain.

Concern #2 - Going along with #1, reliability and maintenance. It will likly be an 04 or 05 due to $$$$ so the warrenty isnt something i can likly rely on too long if at all. Are they relitivly reliable? and what if any abnormal maintenace is required?

Concern #3 - Is the srt10 a car where 30k miles is concerdierd high? I havnt seen many for sale with over 30k (even 03s). So does anyone really know how they last with HIGHER miles?



So far thats all i got.

Thanks

Concern #1- I love the Viper as much as anyone else on this forum but a daily driver...c'mon. Parking will always be an issue. Such as, where can I park it without drawing a load of attention and possible scratches or damage. It can't be driven in snow and
very carefully in the rain.

Concern #2- My car has been extremely reliable since day one, but I barely have 6,000 miles on her. (average 1,500/yr)

Concern #3- 30,000 miles considered high for a Gen III...yes!!

For a weekend/pleasure car there is no better, but for a daily driver, I would tend to say no. But hey, different strokes for different folks!!

 

[carsonp]

Concern #1- I love the Viper as much as anyone else on this forum but a daily driver...c'mon. Parking will always be an issue. Such as, where can I park it without drawing a load of attention and possible scratches or damage. It can't be driven in snow and
very carefully in the rain.

Concern #2- My car has been extremely reliable since day one, but I barely have 6,000 miles on her. (average 1,500/yr)

Concern #3- 30,000 miles considered high for a Gen III...yes!!

For a weekend/pleasure car there is no better, but for a daily driver, I would tend to say no. But hey, different strokes for different folks!!

I have 2 other cars i can use if needed. a suburban for snow, and a grand prix for whatever else.

 

[AZTVR]

Concern #3- 30,000 miles considered high for a Gen III...yes!!

IMHO, The only reason that 30,000 miles is considered high mileage on Vipers is that there are so many extremely low mileage cars available. A large percentage of owners have the car as a toy only, and do not use it as a daily driver like the Vette guys do. It depends on your size and disposition as to whether you would enjoy it on a daily basis. Some do use it that way.

This car is not known for being a maintenance problem. Other than the normal occasional issues that will happen with all cars, the only major issues that I see posted on these forums come from guys that have forced induction or NOS. Often their problems are from inadequate tuning of the system.

 

[09 Venom]

IMHO, The only reason that 30,000 miles is considered high mileage on Vipers is that there are so many extremely low mileage cars available. A large percentage of owners have the car as a toy only, and do not use it as a daily driver like the Vette guys do. It depends on your size and disposition as to whether you would enjoy it on a daily basis. Some do use it that way.

This car is not known for being a maintenance problem. Other than the normal occasional issues that will happen with all cars, the only major issues that I see posted on these forums come from guys that have forced induction or NOS. Often their problems are from inadequate tuning of the system.

Agree 100% with both statements!

 

[09 Venom]

I have 2 other cars i can use if needed. a suburban for snow, and a grand prix for whatever else.

Then I would say do it. You will not be disappointed.

 

[ulllose]

It all depends on you whether it can be daily driven or not.................I for one agree with vcamember NY, everytime i drive my car somewhere i'm very concerned on where to park it and even then once its parked i'm worried about it the whole time.
I run sale leads alot and i could never show up in my viper, they would not even let me in the door.
I would also have to agree that 30K is considered high but again thats because most vipers have less miles,

 

[viper k]

Vipers are not good everyday drivers.

 

[mike & juli]

Having had a 2005 and now the 2008, these cars ARE EXTREMELY WELL-made. If you could just LOOK underneath a Viper, you'd see the amazing 'work of art' I call it. We've had no mechanical issues at all with either car. We also had under 10K miles when we sold the '05 (bought it new Oct. '04 to June '08)...and our '08 has under 3K miles. A daily driver? Not in our area. We had verts both times, and our concerns are the vert can EASILY be damaged. Not to be paranoid, but these cars DRAW attention EVERYWHERE you go...that's the BEAUTY of them, and that's why we drive them! We have the PS2's and a world of difference between them and the runflats, tho to be honest, we had GREAT luck with the runflats as well...just NOT ON COLD ROADS...that's a BIGGIE.
These cars handle GREAT, but YOU, the DRIVER is in total control of the car...remember, there's NO traction control, only DRIVER CONTROL~! ALL our best in your decision, and keep the questions coming! Only way to figure it all out, right?!!! GOOD LUCK! ~juli

 

[bluesrt]

what happend with the clutch? what milage was that at?

a clutch is like brakes,its got to do with the driver,a clutch will last lot of miles if driven kindly,no speed racers and abuse.if u drive it normally,it will last almost as long as u want it to.