Dodge Viper

[corvetteulose]

Stray Cat - Love the Viper pictures - They are great cars and scary fast. I agree when you get into the category of a car you need to take a driving course to understand the handling of the vehicle. I will email you some questions I have about my Prowlers.

[Stray Cat]

Gary/Joe,

Thanks for the nice replys. I sincerely appreciate it. I will own another SSR someday. I want one bad - all these folks having troubles I am reading.... I had 2100 miles and mine was flawless, quiet, etc. I posted in another thread that Shelley and I were out in the Viper and saw a Red with the top down this week and it was absolutely gorgeous going down the road. We were both like " wow, that's beautiful" . I've owned some fast cars. I do not claim to be a great driver etc. I just have always loved cars. And I sold a 1966 Tri-power 4 Speed GTO to get the Viper. My GTO was a fast car. 400 HP, it pulled strong. But when I drove a 2001 Viper, well, lets just say that the Viper was amazing. My new Viper has only has 295 miles on it so far so when it's broke in (about 200 miles to go) I'll hit it and see how it compares with the 2005. And my Prowler, I love it. Not for everyone. Six cylinder, automatic. But what a great design and a fairly comfortable car to drive. Great personality. Corvettulose, Feel free to PM me or email me on Prowlers. You live in Houston which has a Prowler Museum in it ! Its a great car and a fantastic bunch of people on the Prowler Online Association (POA).I pray I can get another SSR soon. But that would mean that I get rid of my 1967 Firebird 400 that I have owned since 1979. It has won the Dallas Autorama (best Paint in 1990) and Trans Am nationals (best of show, 1998). I dated my wife in this car. That would be tough...... but I am thinking about it !

Sincerely,

John

PS. Gary - that is such a classic post. What issue of playboy was that in ? I found a 1962 issue of Playboy totally by accident (sold some cars for a widow and her husband had a stash in the garage - three issues to be exact, and one of them had an add for the original Cobra. It was too cool ! (I promise, I did not look at the girls ) They say 20% of all Viper have been wrecked. I believe it.

[Flassh]

I don't know much about Vipers, except they are a gorgeous car - just never saw myself in a position to get one.

Curious about value?? A friend of mine from Calgary called last night and said...."guess what I'm looking at in my garage?"

He bought a 1999 silver Viper with 1700 miles on it - says there isn't a rock chip anywhere. He says it came with a removable hardtop????

Purchase price was $40K Canadian, approx $35600 US. Is that a fair value for the car? It was a very spontaneous purchase, and he is very happy with the car, just not sure if he did OK.

I read him the Enzo Ferrari quote, and the one reporter's comment about the Viper exposing mediocre drivers - hope he stays alive.

[Double-L]

Hope this isn't took the Wong way but, The Viper is a great looking car and it looks even better with that color, I have to say it, The viper is not scary fast, You don't need to go to drivers school to drive one, Should handle a lot better than a modded SSR as far speed it is going to be a eye blink faster than some of the SSR in here through the 1/4 Mile, But still a car if you are scared of it you will get hurt or worse, I know I sold a cobra to a guy that didn't respect it, Also as far as the just a Six cylinder, automatic, I have a Six cylinder, automatic car that will beat the V10 Viper on a bad day and trust me it isn't scary fast, I say again I am not putting down the Viper as it is a great car and I love cars, I have had everything from a dragster to a, Well now the dragster can get scary fast

[Stray Cat]

$36,500 is a steal on the silver Viper. Silver is a rare color. Just a steal, especially if he has both tops. I have an RT/10 Hard top stand for sale if he is interested. It is the safest way to store the top. Let me know - I paid $300 for it and I'll take $275. They are $350 new if you can find one. I don't think they make these any more.

If you have a GN or a Turbo TA , they are fast. Scary fast is a term a putzy driver like me uses. And it's really not the speed etc. that is the issue, or the HP. It's the torque. At any speed or and gear. The huge Tires can be spun at any speed and that's what I am finding hard to get under control. It's why many people wreck these things. It is so different from anything I have ever owned. It is just hard to explain if you have never owned one or driven one for any length of time. I have only put 1700 miles on a Viper so I am still learning.

That is one draw back to the Viper. Everyone EXPECTS them to be fast. No one expected my 71 Grand Prix to be fast. Or my 66 Tri-Power 2+2 with a 421 HO and four speed. (should have kept that one). But it was. Heck, even my 67 Firebird with a 400 in it and red line tires is far more predictable than my 2001 viper was.

For me, I have not driven anything like a Viper. They are just different, especially the Gen I's and Gen II's like the 1999 Silver. That was a GREAT deal. Let me know how he likes it.

Sincerely,

John