Hey Guys,
Now that these GTS's are looking nice and affordable ~45-65k for a used one. What are problems that the 96-99's are known to have? Are there particular problems to watch out for? I search around some and have done a little lurking but haven't found much.
Not sure what your plans are with a Viper but here are a few things too look for...
Make sure the frame recalls have been done or done properly. You can run the VIN through any Dodge dealer and they can check the history, etc.
Finding a GTS with an extended warranty is nice but from what I remember DC doesn't offer then any longer if the car is older. So if a warranty is important to you...you might want to find one that has one already in place.
Check for abuse such as dark brake fluid, discolored white lettering on the brake calipers, scoring under the side sills (bottoming out) and early tire replacement. (tires last around 10 to 15K miles on stock GTS's under normal use)
GTS's with mods are usually fine and most owners do them and usually are not signs of abuse. Common modifications are smooth intake tubes, high flow air filters, and exhaust systems. Other things you might find are interior upgrades, stereo systems etc.
Other more expensive mods that many people do are upgraded brakes and the addition of superchargers, N02 and twin turbo systems. Just be sure the car was properly set up and taken care of.
Some GTS's run hot so a review of the cooling system and how it performs is important. Seeing GTS's with updated cooling systems is not uncommon.
Vipers are very tough, simple cars and usually do not have problems like other exotic cars.
Posting pics of the car you want here helps too. Its amazing what people will see.
And the best advice I can give is have someone who knows Vipers take a look at the car. This could be a trusted Viper Tech or a Viper owner who knows what to look for.
I am sure there are a lot more things but this is all I can think of right now.
This is where I started asking questions before I purchased and Toby was giving you great advice. Be careful of wrecks too, as that will really hurt the value of the car. I'm not talking about getting the front GTS facia repainted like a lot of people do as the GTS is low and gets scraped easily, but a real accident with body damage. As much as I sell on Ebay, I would NOT go there for a Viper as it easily could be wrecked and Florida Vipers are often rentals [img]/images/graemlins/freak[/img]. I checked reputations of dealers and found the best ones here are on Viper Alley if you search and I bought my car sight unseen over the phone and this was a major purchase for me and it worked out VERY WELL.
I drive my 2000 GTS daily and I LOVE it! I would get one with the extended warranty, but if the seller does not have it now, you can't buy it if it is a 2001 or less as there is a 3 year window to buy it. I have a 2000 GTS but I have forged pistons and a new motor (under warranty from DC) and my only gripe is my door gaskets seep air/water a hair despite adjusting the doors due to a poor design, but my GTS is kept inside my garage so no problem. If you get a 2001 or higher it has ABS, but 96-99 has forged pistons that will only matter if you are going to supercharge it, NOS or turbocharger. Anyhow, lots of opinions here but bottom line is go slow finding one in my opinion but you have a wonderful support group here on the Alley with good information when you need it and a little ball busting to if you need that too. [img]/images/graemlins/tyson[/img]
Gary AOL IM BAD68GTO if you want to chat or PM me :-)
Take your time. It took me almost 2 years to get my viper. You can find a great deal. It's just a matter of finding one.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself when buying a viper.
1.) What am I going to use this car for. Daily drive, weekend racer, weekend cruz car or babe magnet ect? Ok the last one is automatic. [img]/images/graemlins/wink[/img]
2.) Will I modify this car?
3.) Do I need cup holders?
4.) Do I need more then 2 seats?
The best thing I can tell you is to find a viper owner near you and get some rides. I'm like most viper owners and look for every exscuse to drive the car. Often times just to safeway. Is it compy....nope. But it is lots of fun.
PS: on one of the vipers I looked at it had deep scrapes under the car on the frame...stay away from that.
Thanks guys,
I already have a few other cars so,
1.) This would be a fun car and might occasionally make an HPDE.
2.) Maybe I have hard time not modding stuff
3.) Don't drink in my car [img]/images/graemlins/wink[/img]
4.) No.
What are the recalls that had to be done? I mean specifically what was the problem and what did it cause and what was done to resolve it?
Almost is a fairly thin stretch there, at least for me. Thats almost a 14% price difference. The splitter and description make it sound like it was an almost exclusive race car, but maybe not. I didn't really want a 6 point cage as it probably has door bars and eats up interior room. It is also about 2400 miles away from me in Northern Virginia. [img]/images/graemlins/smiles[/img]
goto www.autotrader.com then put in your zip. Then pick the years you want. I assume you want a GTS. Take your time and look something good will come up. This summer I picked up my 01 ACR for 53k. But it is stock. ABS is important to me.
At least now I have forged pistons thanks to my DC warranty rebuild! :thumb:
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