Old Men Seem to Own Vipers, Why???

Good post SSG. As you have observed, the majority of Viper owners tend to be older. This more due to the cost of the cars than anything else.

Now that used Viper are available at more reasonable prices the clubs are getting to include more and more younger members.

At some clubs these two age groups tend to blend pretty well, with everybody bonding about the cars, and nobody checking licenses for birthrates, however at some events the young ones want to form their own separate groups. Probably just individual differences. Some have been members for many years, and have their own group of friends the feel comfortable with.

Since Vipers have been produced for over 20 years now, and are available at a big range of prices, I would expect this age diversity to expand, and that is a good thing.

Another thing you may notice is that most of the drivers are male, however more and more of the ladies are taking the wheel. This is a good thing too.

Some are old, some are younger. Some track, others not so much, Some like Coupes, others Verts. Some like to party hard, others are more laid back, Some like to drink, others are solid and sober.

They are all brought together by the DNA that runs through all the Vipers. Great looking, Fun driving, V-10 Powered, and 6 Speed shifted.

Makes the old feel young, and the young feel that need for speed, and the Direct Connection between the driver and the machine is the common link.

I bought my first Viper in my 30's, 3 in my 40's and 2 in my 50's. So you noobies missed out. All brand new virgins for me and used up girlfriends for you. lol.

Good one Ray!!!

Paul Hawker said:

Good post SSG. As you have observed, the majority of Viper owners tend to be older. This more due to the cost of the cars than anything else.

Now that used Viper are available at more reasonable prices the clubs are getting to include more and more younger members.

At some clubs these two age groups tend to blend pretty well, with everybody bonding about the cars, and nobody checking licenses for birthrates, however at some events the young ones want to form their own separate groups. Probably just individual differences. Some have been members for many years, and have their own group of friends the feel comfortable with.

Since Vipers have been produced for over 20 years now, and are available at a big range of prices, I would expect this age diversity to expand, and that is a good thing.

Another thing you may notice is that most of the drivers are male, however more and more of the ladies are taking the wheel. This is a good thing too.

Some are old, some are younger. Some track, others not so much, Some like Coupes, others Verts. Some like to party hard, others are more laid back, Some like to drink, others are solid and sober.

They are all brought together by the DNA that runs through all the Vipers. Great looking, Fun driving, V-10 Powered, and 6 Speed shifted.

Makes the old feel young, and the young feel that need for speed, and the Direct Connection between the driver and the machine is the common link.

Click to expand...

Finally, the someone who understands...You bring up some great points!

It all boils down to finances. Older people have more disposable income etc. What I would like to know is this: what is the average age of the people who have wrecked Vipers? Is the younger crowd getting in all the wrecks?

Disposable income has to be a key factor, but as a young(er) person (I'm 37), a big part of the reason I don't have a Viper goes well beyond just the money. I have two smaller kids to enjoy right now, they could not ride with me in the Viper at this point, so basically I would only get to use it by myself = not often. Also, space is an issue I have to deal with. I have a company vehicle, my own A-B 4 door car (Caliber SRT4), my wifes car, and a camper to all find space for. I live in a normal house with a two car garage and all of those vehicles are necessary with or without a Viper, and we really do use the camper as a family, so can't part with it...

danfromohio, I'm sorry, but that sounds like a grand rationalization. For the rational mind....there will always be a reason to NOT buy a Viper. Some times you gotta say "what the f***, and take some chances".

Funny thread, you knew were going to fire up some ole farts, right? j/k

I think it's your area. I do mostly track days but when I go to a club event it's a good mix of ages, probably 1/3 younger, 1/3 mid and then the ole guys - which I hope to be someday. I think different local groups are going to vary on age distribution.

I got my 1st viper at 30 and have been thru the gens, like many others here, so I'm a mid-aged (40s) guy now myself. Of course there's more to age than a number, if you're talking about 60+ guys that seem like 60+ guys then I can see the challenge there, I see ole guys at the track that are awesome and as fun as a college kid, so it all really depends. I mean whatever the age - it seems you're not connecting with the local group in having things in common, which kind of *****, but not sure there's an answer to it.

If you want to keep the old guys away just schedule events at places that don't have bathrooms or a place to ***... I hate these school yard cars and coffee sites with no bathrooms. I'm afraid that if I go behind the school to *** I'll get caught on a surveillance camera and wind up as a registered sex offender

v10enomous said:

... I'm afraid that if I go behind the school to *** I'll get caught on a surveillance camera and wind up as a registered sex offender

Click to expand...

Haha... I doubt "that" will be the reason when it happens!

Ray W said:

I bought my first Viper in my 30's, 3 in my 40's and 2 in my 50's. So you noobies missed out. All brand new virgins for me and used up girlfriends for you. lol.

Click to expand...

This is the best thing I've ever read on VCA!!

I'm probably considered to be on the "younger" side, but the age thing doesn't matter. Besides, I think most of the MN guys I've met would spank me on any track.

p.s. thanks for the sloppy seconds. hahahahaha

Don't you guys know when you're being "troll'd"......

SSGViper said:

Ok whats is the dealio here? I have owned a viper for many years. Why is it that MOST viper owners seem to be in their 50s to late 60s? Now don't post up saying you are in your late 20s or early 30s or whatever, we know there are the exceptions. The fact of the matter is MOST viper owners are old men. I wanted to join my local viper club, but the majority of them are old men with whom I have absolutely nothing in common with! *** is up with that? Nothing against old men here but wth is the deal here? They seem to be really stuffy old guys with nothing interesting to talk about who drive around in their vipers like they are some fing God's gift on this planet. It's definitely quite the awkward moment around them.

Click to expand...

Dude

FYI - only the true facts:

The median age of Viper buyers is age 48, and yes, 93% are male.

Viper is 10-15 years younger than the last Corvette C6 buyer was, yes, they were over age 60+ (I'm being youthfully generous to the Corvette, here...). The last time we asked Corvette guys to come to research, they were ALL(every singloe one of them) over age 70. And great guys! I loved them all. But yes, they were a little older than everyone else.

Just sharing data, folks, not starting a war... Corvettes and Vipers are both great American statements about what is possible with American technology; and I love them both. But they are not the same, in any way, shape, or form.

Corvette builds 17 per hour; that is almost twice the current Viper WEEKLY build rate! Vipers are exotic, hand built cars. Corvettes are different.

The new C7 Corvette is a fun car, (and I've personally driven it on a race track), but it is not a great car, to me (maybe it is to C6 owners?); but the C7 disappointed me a great deal; it did not command my soul; rather, it disappoints me with an overwhelming "GM"ness to the whole car, which was my impression from driving the car. I sincerely wanted to love the C7, but it's execution is not what I expected! I had sincerely, as an American, hoped for more. Nor, were the C7 writeups what the magazine's have lead you to believe.... The Viper is much more pure, much more a true driver's car. Just from my heart. Seriously, I've driven them both at length; please do the same yourself.

Let me know if Tadge Jeuchter care's to differ... he is, after all, a swell and generous guy. But I'm guessing that the Corvette Chief Engineer will not choose to face this debate.

Just my opinion.

Please call me if I'm wrong!

and thanks for listening again!

I have had a Viper in my garage for 10 years now (first was a 98) and I am older also now at 41. I remember thinking 40 was old and here I am. The only reason I am responding to this thread is I have a lot of respect to the people in their 50's-and up. I remember getting a dishwashing job when I was 18 at a retirement home and wanting to pay off my Camaro and get out of there. I didn't want to be bothered with old people and I ended up being a manager there and meeting some of the nicest 80+ year old people that taught me so much about life. I cried many times when some of the old Military men died as they were so special to me and their stories. I was 19 and one of my best friends was 80 years old.

50 is the new 30. All too often 25 is the new 13.......

AMEN!!! DrumrBoy

I'm not an old dude! LOL

I am 55 and just bought my dream car. I have owned a couple of corvettes, several Camaros, trans ams, 1970 Challenger and a 2011 SRT Challenger.

why did it take so long for someone like me to get a Viper? its because we had to pay for houses to raise our families, pay for the kids school so they can grow up having a better life than I had.

so maybe you should show some respect for the old men who raised the young brats of today.

Old men buy Vipers because they like them

SSGViper said:

Ok whats is the dealio here? I have owned a viper for many years. Why is it that MOST viper owners seem to be in their 50s to late 60s? Now don't post up saying you are in your late 20s or early 30s or whatever, we know there are the exceptions. The fact of the matter is MOST viper owners are old men. I wanted to join my local viper club, but the majority of them are old men with whom I have absolutely nothing in common with! *** is up with that? Nothing against old men here but wth is the deal here? They seem to be really stuffy old guys with nothing interesting to talk about who drive around in their vipers like they are some fing God's gift on this planet. It's definitely quite the awkward moment around them.

Click to expand...

Someday you too will be old and will not be cool anymore. Just think of it... Today is the "youngest" and "coolest" you will ever be and soon you will have young pricks like yourself calling you old and you won't like it because in your mind you will still be the same person... And don't say "nothing against old men" when in the next sentence you call them names. Yes, my youngling, you have a lot against old men and it shows by your post. A lot of those "older" guys have help build the wealth in this country with successful businesses (employing people) and they are now reaping the rewards of many years of hard work. Try to talk with some of these guys as you may learn a thing or two.

I remember when buying my first viper in 98 and awful truth was the addition of the luxury tax on vehicles over 30k price point. That sucked!

I resent that statement - your never too old to own a snake - only too young! At 56 I just bought my second one today!