Viper Purchase Without Physically seeing or test driving. Advice?

[Mace66]

Looking to purchase a 2005 viper with 13,500 miles without test driving, has anyone done this? The internet has come a long way and the pictures reviewed and the detail of the vehicle are great. Dealer has 160 pt inspection and states there are zero issues with this car. I don't want to lose the car however I don't have the time to travel up north. Dealership has a skeptical past but my first impressions are positive.

I have been shopping for a viper for awhile now and this looks like a solid car for the money.

Thoughts?

Thank you,

Mace

 

[CaptainDavid]

Ask one of us to check it out for you, better yet, depending on location, hire Tom, or Bob or a good Viper tech to look it over. Carfax, or Autocheck are a must ...GOOD LUCK...If you get it join the club !!!!

 

[tbsviper]

Since you mention dealer has skeptical past and even without that comment I would echo captain David's advice. Have an independent person inspect for you. Often VCA members are happy to do so if dealer is nearby.

 

[Steve M]

160 point inspection doesn't mean much to me if they don't know what they are looking for. I essentially bought mine sight unseen, but I was able to take it on a test drive and check it over myself (with very limited Viper knowledge at that point) before signing on the dotted line.

If it were me, I'd feel more comfortable if someone with some Viper experience took a look over it on a lift.

 

[ViperJohn]

Post up where the car is and let's see if someone can get out and look at it for you. Don't trust the dealer inspection process. That's marketing hype.

 

[ulllose]

Mace---how far north?

 

[Vipes]

I bought mine off ebay sight unseen but I didn't put a dime down until I did my own inspection. I wouldn't trust a dealership. If you really want it just put down a small deposit ($500) to hold the car until you can see it.

 

[Mace66]

Car is in Chicago. At the minimum I was going to have them send it to a mechanic at my cost.

 

[viper vince]

Where in Chicago?

 

[swexlin]

I bought my 03 without physically seeing or driving it first, but only because I bought it from Bernie Katz at BJ Motors. Otherwise, get it looked at, especially if buying from a dealer without much Viper experience.

 

[KNG SNKE]

Find someone on the forum to check out the car for you. I have done this for multiple people. If no one is around on here from that region hop on VOA website and post a message.

 

[St.Char]

I was looking at an '05 in Florida which had 3,500 miles on it. After looking at many Vipers over a period of about a month, I kept going back to this one, Somehow, the more I looked at it, the more I felt like it had to be the one. So...had it inspected by a viper tech just 10 min from the seller. Although the car looked PERFECT from everything I could see, the tech found a weak cooling fan problem and the cost to repair it was $2000.00. At that point the seller wanted to charge me more. Ended up finding an '03 w/5000 miles from a collector who was about 1/12/ away. Had it inspected by a Viper tech, not only did the car check out, but got all the service records from the dealer. Do your due diligence and proceed with caution.

 

[Fatboy 18]

I purchased my car Unseen from a Private seller (VCA Member)
I got some local members to check the car out (with a test drive) and the owner even put a Video of the car on youtube for me showing the car starting up and and his wife filmed him driving up and down the road in it.

As others have said, ask some local VCA, VOA guys to go and check the car out for you, unless you are getting the car from a well known Viper dealer, I would not trust one word a dealer says.

CarFax is a must, it may also offer the buy back grantee, get that too.

See if the dealer will offer a test drive for the VCA guys that are going to look at the car for you, They will definitely want to hear the engine running.
Good luck.

 

[ROCKET62]

...
Dealership has a skeptical past ...

Big Red Flag for me.

Spend the time to go see it yourself, or find someone knowledgeable to do it for you.

 

[The_Greg]

Sight unseen (besides pictures of course), no test drive, paid in full before it was shipped to my door. Wouldn't do it again just because it left a sour taste. I had an inspection done by a Viper Tech and he highlighted some stuff but not all.

For most of us, buying a viper is potentially a once in a lifetime experience. Don't sucuumb to the dealer's rush - they want you to feel pressured. Take your time, save money up if you have to, to take a trip out to get it. I wish I would have, if only to have that experience!

 

[Cobraken]

I've bought 3 Vipers sight unseen. 2 were low mileage (835 & 1800) from private parties and both were in perfect condition. The other had 8200 miles and was purchased from a dealer. It was less than represented but was still a good car for the price.

That being said, the safest would be to have a Viper tech look at her. The next best would be to have someone knowledgeable of Vipers look at her.

An aside: Back in the 70's I had someone from the Shelby club look at an AC Shelby Cobra (289 car) for me. He ended up buying it out from under me. And he was an officer in the national club. Think I still owe him a knuckle sammich.