New Guy Needs Some Advice

[transamer79]

+2

does this buisness apartment of yours have a garage?
if yes, sweet deal!!!

The appartment is basically half of a house that is on the Golf course that i run. I am the superintendent and i run the maintenance aspect of the course so i have a giant shop that i can keep it in. I wish i had a garage at the house.

I just paid for a car fax on the car but i am having trouble interpreting it. I know im not a COMPLETE ***** but can someone lend a hand?

 

[DrumrBoy]

You are buying the car cheep so you can sell it cheep down the road. I have had many salvage and never damaged Vipers and you can't tell the difference if done right. Take the car to chuck and have it checked out. If all checks out buy and enjoy. If not then there will be another. You will have twice the fun as the Vette.

I agree. If it checks out, offer him a discounted price. He doesn't have to take it, but if the history is an impediment to a sale at the $30K price, then you (as the market) can discount accordingly. If you have the $37K for a clean one, go that way; if you have $20-$25 and this one checks out, then you can enjoy a Viper for the price of a new Camry!

 

[Bandit3]

Whenever you buy a vehicle---think of how easy it might be to sell one day. If you have these doubts---the next buyer will also. Still, my advise would be to pass on this one. They made vipers you may like. Take your time and find one with no problems

 

[Warfang]

Is the seller a VCA member? Not that membership automatically makes you an honest person, but there's bound to be some people who would know of the car and how trustworthy the guy is.

 

[transamer79]

Hes not a vca member. I have been going though this whole thing with chuck at Tators dodge. I faxed him the carfax and im probably going to bring the car to him for an inspection if i really think im getting serious about pulling the trigger. im going to look at the car this sunday. I hope to have it at tators by the following weekend. Chuck is supposed to call me tomorrow after he looks at the carfax and gives me his honest opinion.

 

[Ratical2]

What year did they start putting roll down windows instead of those clip in ones? I dont have my heart set on a 99, im open to any year as long as it has the roll down windows.

Gen 1 RT/10's thru 1996 had the Vinyl Windows (clip in).
Gen2 RT/10's (1997-2002) have glass side windows
GTS's all have roll up windows.

So after 1997, all Vipers have roll up glass side windows.

 

[transamer79]

I just read an article about Chuck Tator................. Holy crap , i had no idea that he was being treated so poorly by DC. I have been in contact with him all day and he has been nothing but patient and nice. He is a selfless person and throughout our conversations he showed genuine interest in helping me. He very well could have said "im busy, goo look it up online." He didnt, he made every effort to help a prospective viper owner and i am extremely grateful.

SAVE TATORS DODGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Warfang]

I just read an article about Chuck Tator................. Holy crap , i had no idea that he was being treated so poorly by DC. I have been in contact with him all day and he has been nothing but patient and nice. He is a selfless person and throughout our conversations he showed genuine interest in helping me. He very well could have said "im busy, goo look it up online." He didnt, he made every effort to help a prospective viper owner and i am extremely grateful.

SAVE TATORS DODGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chuck is the greatest, and I'm so jealous you're close to him. I'd buy any car he looks over and clears.

I wouldn't be too worried about him though. If Cerberus (who owns Chrysler now... no longer DC) screws him, I think he'll still do fine in the long run. No one here is going to let him swirl down the drain.

 

[transamer79]

im supposed to go and look at the car tomorrow. Its about an hour and a half away from me. If everything checks out and i am still interested i have aranged for chuck to inspect it at his shop. Im having trouble walking away right now because i cant find anyhting else in my price range or area. I have gone through all the classified ads and i have been stalking ebay non stop. I really want to get a car with roll up windows because im going to be driving it more than most.

 

[costanZo]

Chuck is the greatest, and I'm so jealous you're close to him. I'd buy any car he looks over and clears.

I wouldn't be too worried about him though. If Cerberus (who owns Chrysler now... no longer DC) screws him, I think he'll still do fine in the long run. No one here is going to let him swirl down the drain.

Chuck is a great guy! I will be meeting him for the first time this summer when I take my car down to him for an overall check up

 

[maxdaddy]

Get it looked at, if its ok thats a great price, you can always get a gen 1 viper for less then 30k.I see alot around 25-27 on ebay. Rt10s are great!

 

[transamer79]

my budget is in the gen 1 range but my taste and first choices are all gen 2. I guess i shouldnt get my hopes too hi. The only way im going to get into a gen 2 is by finding the deal of a lifetime or buying one that has a history.

 

[Bobpantax]

I just got off the phone with him and i got more information about the accident. The reason the price was so high on the repair was because they replaced the hard top too because it was damaged before the accident from him dropping it. He said he got lucky that they were able to pretend that it was part of they accident.
He said they had to replace the hood at a cost of 18,000 and the roof at a cost of 5,000 plus paint and any other body work.

I would be very careful if I were you. He had no problem committing a fraud on the insurance company. Assuming that you are a stranger to him, why would he be any more honest with you? Even the best inspection can miss something. It may not seem apparent at first but the way the new hard top of the car was acquired is akin to theft. However, if the insurance that he had on the car at the time he dropped the hard top covered the dropping damage and he was just too embarrassed to submit a claim at the time, what he did was still fraudulent but with some mitigating circumstances.

 

[dave6666]

I would be very careful if I were you. He had no problem committing a fraud on the insurance company. Assuming that you are a stranger to him, why would he be any more honest with you? Even the best inspection can miss something. It may not seem apparent at first but the way the new hard top of the car was acquired is akin to theft. However, if the insurance that he had on the car at the time he dropped the hard top covered the dropping damage and he was just too embarrassed to submit a claim at the time, what he did was still fraudulent but with some mitigating circumstances.

I agree to a point. But it's one thing to try to squeeze something by on your insurance provider (fraud as you say), and another thing to screw a potential customer purchasing your car by misrepresenting the stories behind it.

I think the average person would have different standards in each case, but you do have a very good point.

 

[transamer79]

I was supposed to go and see the car down in Jersey Yesterday but it was raining so we put it off for next week.

I went over the carfax and the chrysler history reprot with chuck at tators and its not reassuring. I think im going to take some good advice and walk. I might have to go back down into the Z06 range or gen 1 viper area. I dont have any problems with the gen one vipers except for the fact that it has those clip in windows. I am planning on driving the car alot and i would like to have roll down windows as a convenience factor.

I know if i wait ill be able to find a deal on a gen two. I just missed out on a local guy by me selling a 2000 rt 10 red with 12,000 miles. He let the car go for 32,000. I wish i was a day earlier. There is also a Twin Turbo z06 that im looking at that is a comparable price. If i can get a gen 2 for around 30 i would be a verry happy boy.

 

[[email protected]]

Well. I Totaled My 95 -actually Someone Hit Me, But My 1995 Rt 10 Hood Was Costed Out At 10800.- So Yea They Cost A Lot, But You Can Find Em For Around 4-5 K.

 

[AFL in NJ]

Tranamer79,

Keep on this, you're blessed to have Chuck Tator so close to you! I chased my Viper for about 6-7 weeks until I got it for the price I wanted.....that was over 3 years ago and it has been a ride worth waiting for. I was a vette guy too, but when I went to buy one, they said I was "out of touch" with my prices.

If you end up with this car, you'll be a Viper guy from then on.....its very tough to go back to a Vette.

Regards,
Aaron

 

[Venomiss]

ViperClub Classifieds - 2000 Steel Gray GTS w/ Maxcare till 9/2011 - Powered by PhotoPost Classifieds

I know this is out of your price range...but not by much.
Good luck with whatever you decide on.

 

[transamer79]

ViperClub Classifieds - 2000 Steel Gray GTS w/ Maxcare till 9/2011 - Powered by PhotoPost Classifieds

I know this is out of your price range...but not by much.
Good luck with whatever you decide on.

Thanks Venomiss but that is more than just a little bit out of my range. When i first started looking for a vette i was at the 20,000 to 22,000 range. Then i fell in love with the z06 that i ended up buying so my range suddenly jumped up to 27,000. After that ass crashed my vette im looking to atleast 30,000 to replace the exact car i had. I noticed that i could get into a viper for not much more so now my max is pretty much 32,000. I went from a budget of 20,000 to about 32,000 and i dont think i can go much higher than that. Keep your eyes open guys, im not giving up on the viper just yet. Plus, it would be a shame to have Tators only about 20 miles froom me and not have to use him. LOL

 

[transamer79]

Im going to go look at the car this weekend. if it all checks out i am going to bring it to tators and if chuck gives it his stamp of approval i dont see why not to buy it. I can buy a low mile cream puff on my budget, its either this or a gen 1 or a z06.

 

[CitySnake]

Im going to go look at the car this weekend. if it all checks out i am going to bring it to tators and if chuck gives it his stamp of approval i dont see why not to buy it. I can buy a low mile cream puff on my budget, its either this or a gen 1 or a z06.

Since you're able to have Chuck check the car (before you invest), I'm sure that Chuck's inspection, findings and opinion will either make or brake the deal for you.

You're in extraordinary hands.

 

[transamer79]

I cant wait to go and see the car tomorrow. we arranged to have the car up on a lift so i can check it out thoroughly. Is there anything in particular that i should look for with a viper that i wouldnt with a Vette? I can use all the help i can get, Thanks.

P.S. if anybody is located around exit 120 on the Garden state Parkway in New Jersey you are more than welcome to come and help look it over. Im a ****** to the viper world and i dont want to miss anything that a viper owner wouldnt. Thanks, Kevin

 

[transamer79]

I just got back from looking at the car and all i can say is HOLY CRAP!!!!! What an amazing machine. I think i am going to be a viper owner come the end of next week. I put the car up on a lift and checked it out from head to toe. The car was flawless. I also squared away all of the uncertainties with the accident, he didn't have any pictures but i received a five page print out describing all of the damage and repairs from the shop that did the work. There was no frame or suspension damage from the accident, only the hood, bumper cover, two passenger side wheels, headlights and paint. It included a full description of all repairs preformed and there was nothing involving the frame, strictly cosmetic. The only issues with the car are the soft top is damaged and it looks to need rotors. There is also a little curb rash on the wheels but nothing extreme. I think im going to buy it, tell me what you think.

 

[LiquoRT/10]

Did you take any pictures ?

 

[transamer79]

yes, but i took them with my girlfriends camera so i can load them on this computer. i will load them on her comp tonight and post them asap. i forgot to snap a few while i was under it so they are all exterior shots.

 

[transamer79]

hey liquorrt10, where in NY are you, im from ny too.

 

[LiquoRT/10]

I am in Orange county. It's about an hour and a half north of N.Y.C.

 

[transamer79]

im in Pomona which is rockland county right below you. Im at exit 12 on the palisades. What town in orange?

 

[LiquoRT/10]

I am in Highland Mills, right by woodbury commons. You said there is soft top damage, what kind of damage? And what did you see on the rotors to believe you need new ones? A little road rash on the rims isn't that bad if you don't care. I have it on mine too. I bought it that way with intentions of new rims.

 

[Warfang]

I was supposed to go and see the car down in Jersey Yesterday but it was raining so we put it off for next week.

I went over the carfax and the chrysler history reprot with chuck at tators and its not reassuring. I think im going to take some good advice and walk. I might have to go back down into the Z06 range or gen 1 viper area. I dont have any problems with the gen one vipers except for the fact that it has those clip in windows. I am planning on driving the car alot and i would like to have roll down windows as a convenience factor.

I know if i wait ill be able to find a deal on a gen two. I just missed out on a local guy by me selling a 2000 rt 10 red with 12,000 miles. He let the car go for 32,000. I wish i was a day earlier. There is also a Twin Turbo z06 that im looking at that is a comparable price. If i can get a gen 2 for around 30 i would be a verry happy boy.

For a often used daily driver, I'd stay away from something so heavily modded like a TT vette. Good luck with your search!