Viper says goodbye.

racerdave600 wrote: The only complaint I had was the shifter was too truck-like.

I hear that a lot about the Viper. Isn't that an extra fix? I see aftermarket E36 M3ers all over the place for other cars. There's bound to be some for the Viper.

Other than the track versions, I don't much car for vipers. The street versions attract mostly douchebags and balding middle aged men that would be much more comfortable driving something a lot slower. I was at an autocross and one of the slowest cars there was a bright red viper covered in stickers with a huge wing and a balding man driving it rather badly. While i see nothing wrong with inexperienced drivers at an autocross, I think it would be much preferable to learn in a car that they aren't afraid of.

I am curious to see what happens with alfa and fiat coming back to the usa. It has been 2 years off for at least 3 or 4 years now, and now it sounds like alfas will be first, with no mention of fiats anymore. I actually think that may be a smart decision (although Id like to see the new 500 here too), because the rust, american maintenance habits, and the "fix it again tony" saying have IMO ruined the fiat brand for the american market. Other than the few people that like Italian cars, I cant see many people being interested.

I remember seeing in a Viper around 1999 that was brand new at Chrysler headquarters in Detroit and thinking, 'these bits looked cheap in their minivans, what are they doing in a car like this?' and I think things did get better over time but it was never that impressive.

Hopefully the work on cars like the 2011 Grand Cherokee's interior keeps up and they can impress customers again.

Her name is really pronounced Dann, BTW.

That's what I want. A woman named Dan. Yup.

I remember a few years ago I was eating at a Denny's at like 1am in Redding and I saw a Viper drive past. Vipers don't live in Redding so this naturally turned my head. As I was watching it, the guy pulls into a big parking lot and starts doing huge, ludicrous, smoky doughnuts. It was fantastic.

Once again ignorance abounds about a vehicle(and its owners) that the GRM mentality can't quite come to grips with. The Viper was never intended to be luxurious with an interior laden with gimmicks that lesser performing vehicles need or those at stratospheric price points include. Its mission statement was simply to bring to market a modern day Cobra that took names and kicked azz at performance venues whether they be dragstrips or roadcourses. It performed that task admirably. Additionally, my experience with Viper owners is the exact opposite of what many here incorrectly proclaim-that is, they are bald, old douchebags that have no clue. Hardly. Many owners(of all ages)enthusiastically mod their cars and run the hell out of them on tracks(just like what the GRM folks do-don't hold it against them that they made wiser career choices than some of you did). The Viper Club of America is a great group of enthusiasts and the car and club were supported by Chrysler in a fashion that most car companies can only dream about. The Viper competed at the world's toughest tracks and emerged victorious. Their antics at the 'Ring remain legendary-especially painful for fans and owners of more prestigious brands. Chrysler has made many mistakes over the years-the Viper wasn't one of them.

My GTS was bulletproof, ran endless track day laps without complaint, responded well to mods and simply obliterated the competition. It did so with an exuberance rarely seen in modern vehicles. Feel free to fawn over such overwrought cars like the GTR(that save their incompetent drivers at every turn). Me?, I'll proudly wave the flag in memory of the Viper-a car that didn't suffer fools lightly.

I think everyone here recognizes that the Viper was a hell of a car. It's just human nature to be persnickety.

The viper is basically a miata with everything scaled up to handle 450+ hp.

I've always loved the Viper. It's just brutally honest. No traction control, no driving nannies, and no flappy-paddles. The first generation didn't even have side windows! That and any production car with side exhaust is totally bad-ass.

I've had the opportunity to ride in quite a few of them at speed (a first gen RT-10 and a 3rd Gen SRT-10 'Vert) thanks to some Chrysler PR events, and loved them both. Funnily enough, my 1/18th scale die-cast exotic collection includes two Vipers... (White/Blue GTS-R 2G and a Silver/Red 3G 'Vert).

I've had experience with 4 Vipers.

1) GTS I rented in Vegas
2) RT10 my cousin rented in Vegas
3) Viper owned by a Client (Balding middle aged man btw )
4) ACR at a local track day

So Ive driven one, used that one to dice around with another one, ridden sedately in one, and had my ass handed to me by one. 2 wannabees, 1 poseur, and one racer. In that 120 mile or so total between the 4, 1 popped a head gasket and the others performed flawlessly. I would LOVE to own one, but they are too expensive for me to justify buying. I will be really sad if they truly stop making them.

Nice video Tim. That about sums up a Viper to me. It's hardcore and brutal making no apologies to anyone and it's meant to be driven hard. I have never even sat in one but I am sorry to see it go.

Travis_K wrote: ...attract mostly douchebags and balding middle aged men that would be much more comfortable driving something a lot slower.

You should see some of the guys driving Miatas!

Seriously, does it get any more vain to consider a cars likely driver? That's like calling your buddy to make sure he's wearing the same style pants that day. Just wear the friggin pants you want to wear.

If I can, I'll snap up a black or blue/white GTS on the used market before their value starts swinging back upward. I'm not bald, not middle-aged, and I at least don't think I'm a douchebag.

as already beaten like a dead horse, the interior is mediocre for the amount of money/engineering involved. if i was to lay down the money it would cost to buy a viper i would get a porsche. fast, powerful, sleek, and designed for its purpose

pedretti wrote: as already beaten like a dead horse, the interior is mediocre for the amount of money/engineering involved.

But would you say the same thing about the Ferrari F40?

JeepinMatt wrote:

pedretti wrote: as already beaten like a dead horse, the interior is mediocre for the amount of money/engineering involved.

But would you say the same thing about the Ferrari F40?

I would if they kept making them that way for ten years.

But it isn't that the interior of the viper is spartan - Porsche can charge a lot more if they replace the door handle with a piece of rope - it is that the interior materials are cheapo. They make enough of them at a high enough qty that they should have invested a little in that area.

(the above is a internet rant made by someone who never noticed the cheapness of the interior because he was too busy making vrooom noises the only time he got to sit a viper)

It's an incredible car at an incredible value. If the interior is THAT big a deal to you, drop the car off with a couple of grand at your local upholstery shop and give them the instructions to cover anything plastic with alcantara. Done.

^ Touche. I've been watching the prices of Vipers plummet for EXCELLENT examples that were purchased as "investments". That much (reliable) performance for $20-30k?
I saw one on Thursday: say what you want, but the body style has aged really well, and are still head turners to say the least.

If a sub 30k blue GTS with white strips lands in my lap, I'm not sure I'd be able to say no. The red GTS that was posted up here a few weeks back had me and a buddy thinking that we should just time share the car for $11K each.

DILYSI Dave wrote: If a sub 30k blue GTS with white strips lands in my lap, I'm not sure I'd be able to say no. The red GTS that was posted up here a few weeks back had me and a buddy thinking that we should just time share the car for $11K each.

I agree with this. That is probably the only Viper that I wouldn't mind owning.

JeepinMatt wrote:

pedretti wrote: as already beaten like a dead horse, the interior is mediocre for the amount of money/engineering involved.

But would you say the same thing about the Ferrari F40?

yes and no, ferrari did fix that "problem in some of their latter cars but F40 certainly was a bit of a flop in the interior department

Would any of us buy a car based on it's interior?

Seats? Check.

Wheel? Check.

Shifter? Check.

Gauges? Check.

Everything else is a luxury. Everything.

"The outside looks like a mustard yellow Cordoba, but I had to get it. Have you seen the interior?"

Corinthian Leather!

Appleseed wrote: Would any of us buy a car based on it's interior? Seats? Check. Wheel? Check. Shifter? Check. Gauges? Check. Everything else is a luxury. Everything. "The outside looks like a mustard yellow Cordoba, but I had to get it. Have you seen the interior?"

I like how you think.

I'll gladly snap up a '93 RX-7 if that means they're cheaper because everyone wants the '94-95's that have better-made interiors.