Best advice you ever got as a new viper owner? Share your knowledge

Today I celebrate 1 year ownership of a fabulous 1997 B/W GTS. What a difference a year makes!!

I've noticed a lot of new members and nervous first time buyers this season getting greeted as nicely as I was greeted last year.

For fun, I looked at my very first posts when I knew nothing about these cars and was about to buy my car and then when the car was on route. Man.....was I a nervous dork!!

The tips I got from the veteran members was invaluable. I still remember the best tip I ever got. What was the best advice you ever got when you were buying? Let's share the knowledge:

This is one that stuck! It made me keep my friends and the car safe!

"....The time to be most careful is when you are giving people rides... you have a tendency to go faster and quicker to show them ALL the power. Keep her under control. Be true to yourself and your car... don't let her down!"

It went something like this..." If you drive a Viper as you have driven Porsches, Ferrari's, 'Vettes..you'll likely die...but if you think of it as a sprint car on dirt...you may live".

At this point, with several thousands of miles in our Vipers...I think that dude was correct !!!!

"Don't gas it unless the car is pointed perfectly straight"

"When the road is cold, drive as though there's snow on it"

Let the tires warm up before you get into it...words to live by!

Don't pick your nose when driving a Viper, someone is ALWAYS looking.

That's a great one...never thought of that!

Chad told me it's ok to let ****** Hotties with questionable morals pose with the car but dont let them drive!!!!!
In all seriousness,new tires was the best advice I ever got or have given.

The best advise I have ever heard was from a Skip Barber instructor.
He said Vipers handle great, they are race cars and they do exactly what you tell them to do, the problem is that alot of people are telling it the wrong things.

The best advice I ever got was: Fly down to Fresno and pick up your car....you'll never forget the trip back home. Too bad i didn't take that advice......I thought I was "too busy". Potential buyers if at all possible, drive it home. Regrets are a bit*h.

Dont Drive In The Rain!!!!!!!

GET RID OF THE DAMN RUN CRAPS. Sad to say I still have mine I know this is in GTS, but thats good advice for a SRT.

VIPER 2006 said:

Dont Drive In The Rain!!!!!!!

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Agreed. Even when it's drizzling out, the car practically turns into a sled and goes where it wants to.

V10SpeedLuvr said:

"Don't gas it unless the car is pointed perfectly straight"

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And even then, there are no guarantees

Never ever let anyone else drive the Viper....not the state inspector, or even the "Viper tech" . One man had his Viper totaled by the mechanic at the DODGE DEALER while the mechanic went on a 8 mile road test after changing the oil and the battery. He was road testing an oil change?!!!***

Viper ACR Lover 02 said:

And even then, there are no guarantees

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Almost learned that the hard way as I thought my wheels were straight but they apparently weren't. Suffice it to say I fishtailed a little

Some tips I received:
- Up my life insurance
- Don't drive on old tires
- Learn how to close the GenII hood properly
- It's ok to drive it in the rain...the paint doesn't melt and the wipers actually work.
- Up my life insurance

Take a high performance driving course... That way you can test your and the cars limits safely on a track with a professional sitting beside you.

I felt way more comfortable after that course

Take your extra key with you (and I don't mean in the console!). After seeing someone (not mentioning any names) lock their keys in their trunk (Gen1), we always carry our extra with us.

uvbnbit said:

Take your extra key with you (and I don't mean in the console!). After seeing someone (not mentioning any names) lock their keys in their trunk (Gen1), we always carry our extra with us.

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Been there, done that. Late on a Saturday in the middle of nowhere in Florida. The skies were getting dark and we pulled off the Interstate to put the softtop on. Luckily, I had a hot blonde nurse shotgun to keep me company . Just embarrassing to lock the keys in the trunk with a hot blonde nurse shotgun A policeman stopped to check on us and when I asked him if he had any special tools to get in the trunk (is there a such thing as a trunk slimjim?), he was like "thats a Dodge Viper, I'm not touching it with any type tool". We called the other people in our group and had them go to the hotel and get my spare key. When they got back my best friend looked at me and the girl and was like "you did this on purpose, I know you did this on purpose". I really didn't do it on purpose. But it may be a good plan for the future. Just not while I'm on vacation


Another tip:

Replace the power steering bracket and pulley with billet aluminum pieces and buy the power steering vent tube. Too many Vipers have been stranded or burnt down due to the OEM power steering system pieces shortcomings.

Whomever posted about blow drying the car with an electric leaf blower(not gas powered).

Ray W said:

Whomever posted about blow drying the car with an electric leaf blower(not gas powered).

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Drying the car without towels after a thorough washing to avoid swirls and scratches. A leaf blower works well for this. Another tip when using the leaf blower...do NOT remove the fan guard on the blower, I did this today (DON'T ASK) and got my hand caught in there. I skinned one finger. But the sacrifice was worth it.

How quickly they forget.....

http://forums.viperclub.org/rt-10-g...en-collection-viper-tricks-traps-lessons.html

Join VCA...and get ACTIVE!

Where's Kelly's "kcobean" checklist? Someone do a search... I'm too tired.

V10SpeedLuvr said:

"Don't gas it unless the car is pointed perfectly straight"

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+1 and a lot of pavement ahead

Not as a Viper owner but to anyone who drives, especially if you have a heavy foot.

read the book "A Speeders Guide to Avoiding Tickets", written by a retired New York State Trooper James Eagen. Very lite reading(paperback) you will fly through it(like a speed trap). I read it the first time before 1990 and pick it up every now and again to refresh my memory. Also a good(and cheap) gift to friends that get a lot of tickets or pulled over often! I think it is only $12 bucks

handyman_321 said:

Take a high performance driving course...

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+1

Go to Viper Days annually and learn how to drive.

if you DO drive in the rain, be one gear higher than you usually would be at that given speed

Here are some SOBERING clues for a new VIPER owner:
1) Back in The Day I had parked my beautiful NEW 1996 RT/10 on the main street of a little village on the Central California Coast. While I sat in the car, a woman walked up to the front of my car and stared - and just kept staring. (Since these cars were a real rarilty iat that time - only 330 in California then! - I expectantly waited for the predictable flattering remarks from her.) Hearing nothing, I asked if she knew what type of car this was. She replied, "Yes, I know. A friend of mine died in his Viper." Reality Check for Me #1.

2) Couple of years ago , I witnessed a beautiful Graphite Grey RT, out of the driver's control, smashing into a tree alongside the road. The guy had been grandstanding for his girlfirend. The Roadster was a total loss. The Last time I saw anything on this subject (circa 2006) already One in Seven VIPERS had been totalled out & taken off the road. IMHO, this statistic is a poor reflection on Owners/Drivers, and not because of any deficiency on the part of the car. Just like a motorcycle, a sports car WILL Kill You if you let it, notwithstanding situations that are beyond you control.

3) I have heard that the Most Common problem for a New VIPER owner/driver: Accelerating during the 2nd Gear-to-3rd Gear shift, and hitting FIRST GEAR instead of THIRD!! This disasterous event can cause the back end to lock, swing around, and pile you into anything with a tremendous force! Even after 12+ years of VIPER ownership, in my Gen II RT I still check myself before stomping on the gas in Third - until I am positive it is truly 3rd!

Lastly (4) Tire Condition, Tire Inflation, Tire Temperature, Road Temperature, and unfavorable Weather rank right up there as potentially High Risks to safe VIPER operation. Again, this is a rubber-leaving-the -road situation.These conditions are preventable or avoidable, for the most part.

Now that We have now been forewarned...Happy VIPERing! My $.02 Jim, (aka VIPER 8R & VIPER 8U)
PROUD VCA MEMBER