Got to test drive an SRT-10 today!!!

[Mike H]

Well, my crew chief and Viper tech at Gary Barberra Dodgeland called me today to say a new red SRT-10 was in. Needless to say where I was today. Geno Barberra let me have the car for however long I wanted it....an hour later I was saying oh no...cant afford Viper # 3 right now, time to take it back. Boy was that a fun drive.
I never quite liked the photos but the new SRT 10 in person is a very refined machine! It is a much better every day road car for a convertible. The interior and top are very well finished. I checked out the car suspension and love the new design and especially the better frame cross over bracing. The new CV rear definitely gets the power down. Much like Bob Woodhouse says, even more than ever you need to have patience with the car and keep your eyes glued to the road. Only moderately accelerating the car comes to life...QUICKLY!! My wife who has not been a Viper freak, said forget the new Audi TT she wanted when she saw the SRT 10. Now she said BUY ME A VIPER! Ouch, what have I created?? Next she will want to race me...Oh No!!
The new Body while very reminiscent of the Corvette lines is distinctive. The only thing I wasn't crazy about was the side exhaust. While it sounds great, it drones out the cabin interior. For a convertible car rear exhaust would be better.....just my opinion. ....so now where do I find the money for a Comp Coupe and an SRT-10?? Thank god the car was red and I love black cars cause if the Viper had been Black I might have went further in debt today!
Dodge Viper just keeps getting better!!!

 

[Steve-Indy]

You NEED to get it for Her !!!

 

[VOI9 ASP]

Who's Viper was it? I hope it didn't belong to someone else

 

[Craig 201 MPH]

A dealer is letting people test drive Vipers in NEW JERSEY in January?

IDIOTS.

 

[Mike H]

Well Mental...I have had exceptional treatment from them...Sorry to hear your problems....maybe it has something to do with that screen name...LOL...Just joking. I do agree that $ 115K is way too much....not the figure I was told but then I guess I have preferred status. I do know people that have no certificate and want the car will pay thru the nose...thats them, not me. I also agree Conshocken roads are a disaster!!!

 

[Craig 201 MPH]

Do they salt the roads down in NJ?

I bet they do.

Even if it was a sunny, clear day with no snow, salt residue gets sucked off teh road by low, wide cars and is distributed all over the underside of the car metal pieces in particular are screwed when this happens.

To me this is idiotic because the salt residue will stay tucked away and will start eating away at everything. Do you think the future buyer of this car would appreciate this? NO!

And with 300 miles on it who has driven the thing? Are they letting any potential buyer come drive the car? For high end cars, it's bad business IMHO.

 

[snowmann]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Craig 201 MPH:
Do they salt the roads down in NJ?

I bet they do.

Even if it was a sunny, clear day with no snow, salt residue gets sucked off teh road by low, wide cars and is distributed all over the underside of the car metal pieces in particular are screwed when this happens.

To me this is idiotic because the salt residue will stay tucked away and will start eating away at everything. Do you think the future buyer of this car would appreciate this? NO!

And with 300 miles on it who has driven the thing? Are they letting any potential buyer come drive the car? For high end cars, it's bad business IMHO.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I agree, like my women, I don't want a bunch of guys getting in there and banging it all around town. I would rather deal with a dealership that says you can drive the car to the bank and bring us the money. You are lying to yourself if you don't think anybody got in that car and wanted to see what the new Viper can do. If you say otherwise, that's BS.

 

[FrankBarba]

Barbera Dodge Land....I remember when i first decided that i wanted a VIPER. It was back in 1994. I contacted Dodge Dealerships within a 3 State area, MD, PA, VA. The Dealers in MD & VA would allow me to come take a look at the Viper but that was it. NO special treatment for an out of stater. I then found several Vipers in my hometown of Harrisburg, PA. One dealer Brenner Dodge had a Black 94 in the show room. I go look at it its just what i wanted. I ran home got my wife, we went back to the dealership. I was so excited i'm bouncing off the walls. The sales person i met with earlier greated us. "Can we have a test drive to get a feel for the car?" reply "sure for $ 5k non refundable deposit and it doesn't go towards the purchase price"? "OK, can we start it up?" "sure for $ 5k non refundable deposit" "can we sit in it?" "NO"...weeks went by, i'm dreaming about Vipers. on my way home from working in New Jersey one day i stop at a Pay PHone booth(remember those?), asked information for a Dodge Dealer in PHilly...I Was referred to Barbera Dodge Land. Talked with Geno Barbera, told him of my situation, he asked me to bring my family up the following weekend. We met with Geno he then actually gave us the keys to one of the vipers he had on the lot, "WHat no deposit?" Nothing...Go take it for a spin, I'll be here when you get back.
Upon returning to the dealership with a **** eating grin, Geno met us. We then were introduced to his brother Gary (the owner), John Kerwin & Joe Kallas- Top Notch Viper Techs, these guys acutally cared about us and their work. Even though Barbera Dodge had several Vipers on their lot they accomodated me when i requested a NEW 1995 Dodge Viper RT/10. No depost required, and got a great deal also. Fast forward to tne following year 1996. The new Coupe making its debut. I had to have one. Who do you think i called? That's right Barbera Dodge in Philly. When i inquired about what i would be charged Geno replied "Don't worry i'll take care of you" That was all i needed to hear. So i purchased my '96 GTS for Barbera Dodge.
Barbera Dodge is a Sponsor of our Local Viper Club, We have functions at their facility. They have Supported me in every aspect. Never once have they told me that i had to wait to have my viper serviced, unlike other dealers, never once have the refused a warranty claim.

I'd have no problem ordering my next viper from Barbera Dodge in Philadelphia.

 

[genXgts]

Have to agree with the tsk tsk side on this one.

Regardless of who you are, what your worth, and how easy you drive, unless you bought it, it's not yours to drive.

That probably dozens of people drove the car, on crucial break in miles, and does not even accompany test drives at the least, is icing on the cake.

Trying to squeeze 35K over sticker what is becoming more and more a used car is even more horrific.

ouch, baby, ouch......

that come on down, give her a runnin', hers the keys close like family feeling, is coming at the eventual owners expense, in my book.

In no disrespect to Mike who drove it, I would have done the same, and probably observed rpm limits, guessing non Vipernuts would not be so inclined if a fat bank book was the only prerequisite!

 

[George Murray]

Just look at that car as a production "test mule." Track that VIN and see how it holds up for a few years. The many test drives during the break-in period could make for an interesting study of that one unit.

Look at the bright side: there is always a need to create at least a few dirt burnout ****** cars out of every production run! In this case, at least one SRT-10 will have the distinction of being the first Jersey winter pothole test ****** car...

 

[MiamiJeff]

Obviously anyone buying this car with good common sense should be getting it at a major DISCOUNT from MSRP.

From personal experience, I can tell you that *some* dealership owners have absolutely no idea of the break-in procedure for our snakes.

On the other hand, as a shopper, you've got to love the idea of a Dodge dealer with an available SRT demo to drive! I'd just view it as a used car.

 

[Mike Brunton]

When I started drag racing regularly, I got to know all the guys at the track. I told the story about how I test drove a red 98 GTS at Herb Chambers Dodge... it had about 400 miles on it at the time and I elected not to buy it mostly because of the mileage, but also their crappy salesmanship and high-pressure sales techniques, but also because it was red and I wanted silver.

They were SOOO intent on telling me the car was driven ONLY by the owner and it had been pampered.

At the track, everyone knew this red GTS. Most of the guys had driven it (the dealer was the only one around that let folks drive their cars and who WOULDN'T want to drive a new Viper?). EVERYONE had beat the living #hit out of the car and one guy told me how nice a Viper can powershift based on his drive.

You can think what you want about the guys that drove it, but buttom line is people ain't gonna go easy on a test car.

I would NEVER buy a car that had been abused like that. Doesn't matter if it is "only" 300 miles... I would pay LESS for that than for a 2nd hand car that had 1,000 miles on it, because that 300 mile car has had 300 HARD miles.

 

[Mike H]

Actually beleive the Viper belongs to Gary Barberra as they purchase it from someone else. They paid a very high price to get the car. They were gracious enough to let me out in it as I am a very careful driver and really as it only had 300 miles on it, to not go over 3000 or so RPM's They are only letting a select few drive the car, mostly good customers.
Sorry to hear you have had probelms at Barberra Dodge as they have treated me like GOLD!!! I never wait for service, just show up and my cars or trucks are brought right in, and don't know about the finance end as I have 5 vehicles all bought new and I paid cash for them all, all at better prices than I found anywhere. One Vehicle my wife wanted, that I had another dealer give me a run around with trying to find, Geno Barberra himself personally found for me in 20 minutes, and had it the next day, cleaned, ready and delivered to my Wifes work...If thats bad service I don't know what good service is, plus I never got a check or did the paperwork until 3 days later!

 

[Mike H]

Ps....It was a sunny day, clean roads, no snow and all I put on the car was 20 miles....could have taken the car for hours, as he handed me the keys and told me to bring it back whenever. And you think he is a bad dealership? Tell me anyone letting you test drive the new SRT-10??
Barberra Dodge has more than earned my business!

 

[DEVILDOG]

Have to agree with genXgts and Mike B. on this. If I wanted a SRT I would NEVER buy one that had been test driven by others especially during the break in period or should I say " break it " period?. I don't care how much a $ discount I could get. It would not be worth worrying about the future condition and probably sub par performance one would experience. A true enthusiast would NEVER buy that car, however, I'm sure there are many posers out there that probably will.

 

[Mike H]

I guess all you guys that have bought used Vipers tracked who drove it, broke it in, how it was done....etc. DOUBT IT!

Let me say that first if I was buying a brand new car I would agree..NO ONE would put any miles on it but me. With that said. I will tell you that only one person drove the car before me. How he drove it versus how I drove it...being conscious of break in....who knows. I do know that any yahoo off the street is not getting in the car.
I do wonder that at this point is it considered a used Viper? I do know this....NO WAY I would pay 30 K over sticker.

 

[DEVILDOG]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Mike H:
I guess all you guys that have bought used Vipers tracked who drove it, broke it in, how it was done....etc. DOUBT IT!

Let me say that first if I was buying a brand new car I would agree..NO ONE would put any miles on it but me. With that said. I will tell you that only one person drove the car before me. How he drove it versus how I drove it...being conscious of break in....who knows. I do know that any yahoo off the street is not getting in the car.
I do wonder that at this point is it considered a used Viper? I do know this....NO WAY I would pay 30 K over sticker.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Never bought a used car and would not buy the SRT you used either. To answer your question I would consider that SRT used. If someone buys it and pays for it as new that is their problem. If they pay $30K over sticker then they have more $s than cents and deserve a used piece of crap SRT.