Hi Everybody..looking for an RT-10

[Quadcammer]

Hello Everyone. Im from Northern NJ, and Im looking for a 99-01 RT/10 as a weekend car.

I've found a few that I like, and Im wondering if I could get some feedback from you guys. First some info about me:

Name's Oliver, 24 years of age, work in lower manhattan but live in lyndhurst. Currently drive a supercharged 99 cobra, but looking for something with a bit more flash. Have an older E-Class MB daily driver. My friend in HS got a 99 sapphire blue/cognac RT-10 the day he got his license, and since then I've had a soft spot for them.

So, here is the prime candidate right now.

Cars For Sale: Car Details - AutoTrader.com

its a 2000 with 43k miles, list price of 39,900.

The good: The color combo is my favorite and it looks to be in great shape for the mileage. Clean autocheck and what look to be new tires.

The Bad: The mileage is a bit high (the car will be a driver though, so its not a huge problem), and the car was sold at auction.

So, would you guys avoid an auction car? How do you feel about the mileage?

Im not looking for a show/garage queen so it doesn't have to be spotless, but im worried about expensive maintenance and issues at that mileage (plug wires, cat insulation???, etc.).

So, what should I generally look out for? Is there a good way to check for frame damage, and the 998 recall?

Thanks a lot for your help, and If any PA owners wouldn't mind checking this guy out, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks!

Oliver

 

[Sweet Ride]

Great place to ask these questions. I think you will find the people here helpful.

First resource you can check out is the Viper Buyer's Guide. Some Barnes & Noble's carry it, but you should be able to order it through most book stores. It's a decent guide for a first time buyer. It documents year by year changes and offers some tips of what to look for when buying a Viper.

The best way to check for frame damage and the recall is to get the car on a lift and check it out. Try to find a Viper tech in the area and schedule a visit. Getting the car up in the air can reveal a lot about it's condition. You could also pull a Carfax report on the vehicle. The Carfax should provide any info on accidents and recalls.

As for maintenance, your biggest expense will likely be tires. Rear tires can push $500 each. Hoods, body panels, and complete engines are pretty expensive as well. Hopefully you won't need any of those things. You will also be exposed to the "Viper tax" any time you take your car in for service. Many people assume that since you can afford a Viper, you can afford to pay ridiculous prices for parts and labor. I can tell you that I came from the Mustang camp as well. Performance parts for Mustangs are significantly cheaper than Viper parts. All I can say is shop around for parts and do as much of your own service work if you can and your costs will stay fairly low.

The car you are looking at seems pretty nice. The price is a little high for the mileage and being an RT/10. I would expect the car to be closer to $35K or less. Coupes are generally a little more expensive. If you are in for an adventure, expand your Autotrader search to unlimited range. There are a lot of good low mileage cars out there for around the same price, you just have to find them. I bought my 97 GTS in Florida and got a great deal on it. Check out the Classifieds on this site as well.

Good luck in your search! I'm sure more people will chime in on this...

 

[Quadcammer]

Thanks for the response. I have the autocheck for the one above, and it doesn't show any faults except for the auction history, of which there is considerable.

I might run down to the borders to see if they have that book. I have expanded my search to anywhere, and there are good options, but they are usually a bit pricey. Id like to keep the cost below 45k, which im hoping is not unreasonable given the state of the economy, and my non insistance on perfection.

Im quite handy mechanically (did the motor, blower, fuel system, tranny, etc) so I don't think I'll have any problems doing basic maintenance.

I do not plan to modify this vehicle beyond smooth tubes, a catback, and maybe a shifter, so im hoping to avoid a lot of the "viper tax".

I hear you on the rear tires, thats been one of my questions to sellers. Id also consider not replacing the michelins with the same, as i believe the cheaper kumhos have received good reviews.

Thanks again for replying.

 

[Quadcammer]

I should probably also add that im looking for sapphire blue, seal grey, or black, with the cognac interior, which does limit my choices.

 

[Sweet Ride]

I wouldn't be overly concerned about the auction history. However, the more people that have had a chance to drive the car, the more likely it has been driven hard.

Under $45K shouldnt be that hard. It may be a little more challenging to find the exact color combos you are looking for. With the economy the way it is, prices should drop. I got my car for for well under $45K. It had 18,000 miles when I bought it and it has a Paxton blower and Corsa exhaust. It was a diamond in the rough.

I am currently running Kumho V700's. They are fantastic tires! They are pretty sticky and I absolutely love them! They are a great option.

BTW, on the maitenance side... If you stick with the recommended Mobil 1 oil, purchase it in a 5 quart jug from Wal-Mart. It will save you just shy of $2 a quart. At least that's how it is in AZ.

Oh yeah, and if you find a car at Palmer Dodge in Roswell, GA don't bother. In my experience, they are not a good dealership.

 

[Sweet Ride]

I forgot to mention this post:

http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-gts-discussions/610788-someones-going-get-good-deal-my-viper.html

PM CitySnake for more info and if the car is still for sale. Looks like a decent car.

 

[PAvenomRT/10]

Quadcammer,
Good luck in your search. I have a 2000 RT/10 as well and had a specific color combination that I wanted also. Given the relatively higher mileage and the prices for 2000-2002 RT/10's, mid to high 30's, the price asked for is not unreasonable, perhaps a little high. You can certainly negotiate assuming the car checks out. Have a Viper tech or other knowlegable person look at to be sure.
PAvenom RT/10

 

[Venomiss]

This is the website for the Viper Club in your area: You might want to call them to see if anyone is selling in your area. Plus you can see the car in person and meet the owner/get background on the car.


NJ Viper Club

The president is the coolest guy ever.

These two pages are full of information for you:
http://forums.viperclub.org/dealer-...-post-good-first-time-buyers.html#post2400410

 

[Quadcammer]

thanks for the responses guys. Palmer dodge has 2 decent options, and I've heard mixed reviews on them. Some say their sales is good but the servicing is unpleasant. Id have to find a really good option for me to consider it. The one I linked above is sold by a very shady dealership though, so that makes me very nervous.

As far as maintenance, is anyone using German Castrol Syntec 0w-30? I absolutely love this oil in my cobra and mercedes, and I think its the correct viscosity range for the viper, but I could be wrong.

I will definitely check out the NJ viper club to get a better look at the stuff in my area. Thanks.

Keep the responses coming, I appreciate them.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Let me re-state what has already been stated: GET THIS CAR NOW! IT'S A STEAL:

ViperClub Classifieds - Roe SC'd 2001 RT/10 Sapphire Blue w/ Cognac Interior - Powered by PhotoPost Classifieds

 

[Quadcammer]

id love to, but its no longer available.

 

[Sweet Ride]

I had terrible luck with the Palmer Dodge sales department. I put a deposit on a car and after about a week of 3 different sales people ignoring my calls, I got ahold of the GM. He informed me that they had sold the car about two days prior to our conversation. Then, trying to get my deposit back was next to impossible. I wouldn't recommend them.

I can't say much about their service department except that the car I was looking at had not had recall 998 done to it. Having worked at a dealership, recalls and TSB's were the first things we would check on used cars before we sold them. They had no idea that the recall had not been performed until I pointed it out in some pictures that they had sent me. Sounds shady to me...

Just my $.02

 

[Gus Strakes]

My friend in HS got a 99 sapphire blue/cognac RT-10 the day he got his license, and since then I've had a soft spot for them.

If your HS friend got a '99 Saphire RT/10, then it was repainted, because they only made them in '01. My '01 Saphire RT/10 with Cognac interior is for sale, 4,500 miles, 1 of 120, and it's like new in and out. Extras included. It's in the classifieds if interested.

 

[MarkRx]

I paid 42k for an 01 with 20k miles last august in perfect shape and we didnt have all the current doom and gloom surrounding us with the economy.

Look around, theirs some deals out there.

 

[Quadcammer]

If your HS friend got a '99 Saphire RT/10, then it was repainted, because they only made them in '01. My '01 Saphire RT/10 with Cognac interior is for sale, 4,500 miles, 1 of 120, and it's like new in and out. Extras included. It's in the classifieds if interested.

hmm, i guess he was a year younger than me, so maybe he got an early 01 in 2000. My mistake.

 

[pocketAA]

Quadcammer,
Glad to see you upgrading to the Viper. I had a 99 cobra coupe before I bought my viper in April of 06. I have a 99 Blk RT/10 with cognac and can testify the uniqueness of the car and color combination. My car has 7700 miles on it and I cannot wait until the darn salt and crap is off the roads so I can take her out of hibernation. I think if you are looking for a somewhat higher milage 99-01 viper you can easily find one in your price range. Just be careful, and do your homework. Make sure the car is in good condition and that the car fax comes back clean because there are alot of Vipers out there that have been in wrecks. Also, you might want to take the car to a dodge dealership before purchasing to have them go over it with a fine tooth comb. Here is an image of my car to get you in the mood!!!

 

[Quadcammer]

absolutely gorgeous!

Im pretty sold on the car, the only thing im worried about is that i'll be disappointed with the power/acceleration of the viper after a while.

The cobra is a total monster (700rwhp/560rwtq) with 4.30 gears, so I realize a stock viper will be a step down in speed, but im hoping the other aspects of the car will make up for it.

Heres a few pics of the cobra:

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again, beautiful car you have there.

 

[Quadcammer]

how about this guy?

eBay Motors: Dodge : Viper (item 150224914670 end time Apr-10-08 13:11:14 PDT)

carfax again indicates a lot of auction history.

 

[pocketAA]

Thanks for the compliments. I would stay away from any car that has a long auction history or many owners. Just sounds like trouble to me. When I bought mine 2 years ago, it was a garage queen with only 4500 miles on it. If you think about paying a little more like 40-45K for an RT/10 with lower miles, I am sure it will save you headaches in the long run. Also if it seems to good to be true, it usually is.

 

[Quadcammer]

strangely, the one on ebay has a price of $42,500.

 

[Quadcammer]

kind of out there, but this looks like a steal:

Cars For Sale: Car Details - AutoTrader.com

 

[jaxviper]

I am also in North Jersey, just a few miles from you. Last month, I located and bought a clean 99 RT/10 with 17,000 miles on it. This one was found in the classified section of this site as well as Viper Alley. It was purchased for low 30s. I had been looking for about 3 months. I figured with the arrival of the
08 cars, there would be a lot of used cars available but not so, according to the Ebay listings. Typically, there are about 100 Vipers listed there. So far, I love the car.

Jack

 

[Quadcammer]

WOW! low 30s for a 99 rt/10. Thats a steal. did it have a clear title?

 

[Dom426h]

Thanks for the compliments. I would stay away from any car that has a long auction history or many owners. Just sounds like trouble to me.

ignorance,

dealers trade cars to other dealership using auctions all-the-time. manytimes simply because the car was a trade-in and not the same make that the dealership sells.

A carfax report that shows multiple auction activity could very well be a one owner pristine car.

A carfax that shows a 4-owner car with 2 of the owners having the car for 4 years each and 2 of the other owners being dealerships that only had the car for a month each only counts as a 2-owner car car to me...

my advice: use the carfax as a general guide, then if your interested in the car, find out the whole story.

 

[venms96]

Quad,

RedEnuf93 lives the closest to this car - not giving out people's home locations, and actually not sure of his exact location, but he's a very knowledgeable Viper guy and lives probably 20 minutes from this car, which by the way - appears to be nice for the high mileage.

I live about 45 minutes away, and if need be, I could look at it for you too. I am not an expert on frame repair, paintwork, recalls, etc. but do know how to look for some things related to overspray, and frame welds, and overall condition of the car. I know I could pick out every little curb rash, scratch or nick in the paint, and could give an accurate description of the driver's seat and interior since you can't see it in the pictures, but with high miles and the fact that you don't care about it being a garage queen, I'm sure you aren't expecting someone to count every nick in the paint.

With that said, if you want me to go there and look at it, get the "story" from the Dealer, I could do that. This location is very close to Manheim, PA. which at this point in time, has one of the largest wholesale, dealer auction locations in the world. It used to be an east coast thing - it's nationwide now. The car may have run thru there, since it's so close.

PM me, or let me know here, or get in touch with RedEnuf93 - he's right next door to Ephrata, PA. I'm sure the car is right along Rt. 322, just guessing, without looking at exact address.

I think the color combo is great. if you could get him down to 37k, or so , I think it'd be a better buy - but to get in at almost 40k - there are so many cars with known history, and lower miles, that would be more worth it. But if you are stuck on this color combo, then that's a big decision maker and understandable too.

 

[Quadcammer]

Venms, thanks so much for your post. The grey/cognac combo is really my favorite, but im open to black or blue as well. I'll consider a black interior, but really only if the car itself is perfect and priced accordingly. I'll send Redenuf a pm to see if he can check it out. Good point about manheim as well. Fwiw, I agree. The price is quite high. I would expect to get it for no more than say 35.5, 36 max. Its certainly more of a buyers market right now.

OF INTEREST: The ebay car I linked above has all black door panels, as opposed to the typical two tone door panels on the cognac cars. I sent the dealer an email asking about that. very strange.

Thanks!

 

[venms96]

alright then, got your post - RedEnuf is a nuts/bolts/and a waxer, all in one. He knows his stuff. I can just pick out a Liar, or a BS artist, which in todays world - is just as important. My guess is the Dealer might not know much about the car, just trying to make a few dollars - I didn't read if you called him yet or not about the car. At least get that outta the way first. Tell him you might have some guys checking the car out for you. It's a nice area around there, you might get lucky and get a straight shooter, no nonsense type of owner/Dealer.

And although my Avatar says enthusiast (not that it might matter to you) - I do own a '96 garage queen - but enthusiast works for me......

If RedEnuf can't make it, let me know. It's close enough to me. I'd drive the Viper ( yea Ed, for once) if we had more than 50 degree temps here and NO rain for one damn day - this area has been a quagmire for weeks now, no shortage of rain and/or cold *** temps.

But I could always ask ACELLR8 to drive, he is always looking for a reason to go "profiling" in his yellow car, cold tires and all.....

 

[RedEnuf93]

Funny, I know the owner.....
Most likely even the previuos one. (or one of them, depending how many time this thing has swapped hands..?) If you dig my old posts from 1-2 years ago, I posted about this same car being for sale in PA. The sandwich shop owner was selling it (if I remember right) for 36K. With less miles...

The current owner used to own Twin Pines car dealership, had enough and now fiddles with some nice exotics only. He usually has 1-2 Vipers, high end MB's, Porsches etc. Nice guy, but he is a car dealer...

I'll call him tomorrow to get some info and check the car (preferrably on lift) on Saturday. Bad thing is that it rains on Saturday, so I may not be able to drive it. If thats the case, I'll try to drive on Monday.

My car is on lift without wheels, so I dont mind wasting Norm's gas and borrow his Viper!!

 

[Quadcammer]

wow, THANKS! This website is awesome. Good info on that price. I might just toss an offer of 34k up there if its in good condition.

 

[djacob372]

That's not a very good price. I wouldn't pay more then $33k for that car.

2000 is an undesirable year, and the mileage will make the car hard to resell in a pinch

I bought a very clean black/black 99 rt with 5k miles for 43k last year. Prices have dropped since then, I would imagine you could get a car like mine for $40k if you keep looking.