|
How to Buy a Used
Viper:
When buyers
are looking for used Vipers, they should look closely at three things
including the mileage, condition, warranty status, and other. Many people
think that buying a Viper is simular to buying any other production car,
but it is not! A prospective buyer can save time and money by
understanding warning flags before buying the vehicle.vailable on the used
market vary dramatically; from the car collector who has had it stored
since new, to the every day commuter. I drive my Viper about 3000 miles a
year and store it in the garage during the wet seasons. The choice is
yours, it may be a better investment to buy the low mileage car if you
don't plan to drive it much, and you may get a better deal with a Viper
that has been driven a bit more. Keep in mind that the Viper gets about 12
miles to a gallon, so make those trips count!
Be familiar with the
condition of the prospective vehicle. I look at the rear tires, brake
fluid, seat condition, door panels, side pipes, and rims. I found that
squatting down at the rear of the car is the best way to check even wear
for the tire condition. If you see uneven wear, keep in mind that new
tires are about $1500 installed!
Dark brake fluid signals that the
car may have been driven hard or at the track. The driver's seat and the
carpet on the door (will turn fuzzy with age) with both show a lot of wear
if the car has been entered and exited often. The Viper's side pipes stick
out past the car and are prone to curb damage, and the rims are easy to
check too.
Ensure that the VIN stamped on the car matches the registration.
California residents, look under the hood on the drivers side to ensure
that it is a California destination car (it will state California
Emissions Standard if it is) if the car has less than 7500 miles, or else
you will not be able to register it. Request having a dealer inspect the
car, and review all service documents.
If you are buying a used Viper, buy a warranty. The Viper is a very
expensive car to repair. Purchasing a car that has an extended warranty is
very wise. Existing Chrysler warranties are only transferrable one time,
so make sure that it is transferrable to you. If the car doesn't have a
warranty, request that a Chrysler dealer provide you with a quote on one.
I shouldn't be telling you, but there is a 100% markup on the warranties
and you may have some room for getting a bargain. I got my $3000 warranty
for $1500, so shop around.
Viper pricing is inline with mileage, condition, warranty status, and
other elements like low production Vipers. The following Viper Registry
Build information is from viperclub's web page
| Year |
Total
Units |
U.S.
Units |
Canadian
Units |
Foreign
Units |
| '92 |
285 |
236 |
14 |
35 |
| '93 |
1043 |
938 |
39 |
66 |
| '94 |
3083 |
2394 |
246 |
443 |
| '95 |
1577 |
1422 |
114 |
41 |
| '96 |
721 |
686 |
30 |
5 |
| '96 GTS |
1166 |
|
|
|
| '97 RT/10 |
117 |
|
|
|
| '97 GTS |
1671 |
|
|
|
| '98 RT/10 |
379 |
341 |
38 |
0 |
| '98 GTS |
837 |
731 |
32 |
74 |
| '99 RT/10 |
549 |
498 |
51 |
0 |
| '99 GTS |
699 |
549 |
72 |
78 |
| '99 ACR |
215 |
|
|
|
| '00 RT/10 |
840 |
757 |
83 |
0 |
| '00 GTS/ACR |
949 |
804 |
92 |
53 |
| '00 ACR |
218 |
|
|
|
| '01 RT/10 |
874 |
825 |
49 |
0 |
| '01 GTS/ACR |
877 |
827 |
50 |
0 |
| '01 ACR |
227 |
|
|
|
| '02 RT/10 |
545 |
508 |
37 |
|
| '02 GTS/ACR |
918 |
873 |
45 |
|
| '02 ACR |
159 |
|
|
|
| '03 SRT-10 Convertible |
1875 |
1739 |
130 |
6 |
| '04 SRT-10 Convertible |
2433 |
|
|
|
| '05 SRT-10 Convertible |
2003 |
|
|
|
| '05 SRT-10 Coupe |
6 |
|
|
|
| '06 SRT-10 Convertible |
752 |
572 |
10 |
170 |
| '06 SRT-10 Coupe |
1117 |
1071 |
39 |
7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
|
