\'06 SRT Coupe w/ 2700 Miles is HOME!
Just pulled in from a 2736 mile SRT-Coupe tour in my new '06. WOW ! Lots of THUMBS UP from an admiring public. Did the gentle break in thing for 1200 miles or so. It used only .25 qt (one fourth of a qt) of oil in 2700 miles.
MPG when my co-pilot drove was 21.6. During my legs we saw a few bursts to mid-triple digits, and long stretches at triple. Valentine One is like diplomatic immunity.
The fit and finish is PERFECT. BEAUTIFUL. The stripes could use a sanding, or more clear...the edge is too prominent. I may have the car clear-coated to preserve this 'crystal' finish. NEW STYTLING QUES abound....distinct highlights in ROOFLINE and FENDERS that give the car a nice 'edgy' look. VERY NICE. The rear spoiler seems to have a higher reach and more curvature around the ends. The rear is LESS FLAT than the cconcept at VOI and car-shows. The rear bumper cover abounds with styling ques. The rear diffuser-extractor is very "competition like" and WILL be eating curbs of back-in parkers.
The COUPE is very, very stable at high speed....and even in VISCIOUS crosswinds. The tires are aligned for max tire wear, so rut-tracking is a problem in "studded tire ruts" out West. A mild track-alignment a guaranteed FIRST on my list. We had a lot of rain....some frost. Car handled wet like a dream. No water leaks.
The chassis is stiff yet compliant....no rattles or squeeks at all. Some annoying wind noises above 70mph around R side mirror area, esp when crosswinds at work. Cockpit was NOT uncomfortably hot.
The rear deck takes a LOT of manhandle to close. I almost NEVER got it closed the 1st time. I am NOT complaining.....just commenting. You WILL have to get used to this until age sets in. NICE AND TIGHT.
When you Raise the WET DECKLID, as after a carwash or rain, you will want to do this slowly. This allows the water to drain away as strategically designed. But Crosswinds will blow water into the trunk area. Trunk capacity seems smaller than the GTS, a bit larger than SRT-10.
Nice side-hinged glove box atop the console. The First Edition 200, all Blue-White, come with a striped car cover and nice floor mats, "long spoke" special wheels, blue leather highlights and interior badging, and blue stitching everywhere, and Viper seat Embroidery. The rear extractor, and diffuser strakes are "Blackout" instead of body color. This First Edition Package is +$4995.
Then, Blue/WHITE Stripes RETIRE for '06... add stripes to BLUE add they will be SILVER.
Lots of coupes were being lined up for Reliable Carriers shipment later this week. Some few lucky CAAP pickups were also scheduled for NEXT week.
THANKS TO LOTS OF FOLKS at Dodge and JRThompson who made it possible for "Lightning to Strike Twice" with the CAAP pickup of my '06. DETAILS:
-2nd customer unit built; 1st unit delivered. 007 / 200 is the "First Edition" dash plaque. The first 10 cars drew from 1-10....the remaining 190 drew from 11-200. Some few 'special requests' were also honored within 200.
- The CAAP pickup was arranged by Kim and Beth at JRThompson...(VCA HQ.) THANKS!
Lots of details, MI State taxes (!), info on hotels, maps, tours, etc. Each VIPER buyer pays $835 transportation charges on the MSRP-Moroni sticker. A buyer in Detroit or Alaska pays the same. So does a CAAP pickup. The $800+ pays Dodge's expenses for the CAAP program. WORTH EVERY CENT!
- Ralph Gilles, the Coupe designer, was simply OVERLY GENEROUS and gracios with his time. Months ago he asked me to let him know when my Coupe was comiing, and I let him know. He showed up at CAAP to sign my window sticker and the car, and HE drove it thru the ship room to the load-out door and handed me the keays. He says it was 'like being there for the birth of your own baby' and he was truly EXCITED to be a part. WHAT A GUY! WHAT A COMPANY !
-Special Thanks to Michael M of VCA Motor City who came and took photos, some for Viper Mag... THANKS MICHAEL for posting some !
-Back on June 8 1996 I was the 1st CAAP pickup ever, whebI got my 96 GTS, the 1st retail delivery ever. So, lightning has struck TWICE, THANKS DODGE!
-The pickup last week was on the 10th anniversary of CAAP Operations!
-Lots of great CAAP folks were very kind. Especially MC, KB, and SC! An auto-professionals 40-woman tour was being led by the the plant manager (Sandra), who introduced us to this group, and had me try to explain this PASSSION we all share. Hard to do when your new coupe is steps away!
-After our 1-on-1 plant tour, the CAAP store had just begun its year-end 40% off sale, so we filled a couple large boxes and tithed to UPS.
-We then headed to ROUSH RACING to tour the COMP COUPE plant. Out front was a Blue/White FORD GT. We parked alongside. My co-driver Doris had just had a few track laps that very weekend in a Blue-White GT. So she was especially excited. Now Im NOT saying the building opened as if for a fire drill, but LOTS of folks came out to take the visual tour, including all the VCC guys.
We saw the ARCHER / VIPER DAYS / PARTSRACK VCA RAFFLE COUPE.... PLEASE do NOT buy a ticket for this beast! (My odds will go in the toilet.)
Gotta sleep now...... back to work tomorrow. THANKS for all the questions and best wishes in Michael's thread.....
Just pulled in from a 2736 mile SRT-Coupe tour in my new '06. WOW ! Lots of THUMBS UP from an admiring public. Did the gentle break in thing for 1200 miles or so. It used only .25 qt (one fourth of a qt) of oil in 2700 miles.
MPG when my co-pilot drove was 21.6. During my legs we saw a few bursts to mid-triple digits, and long stretches at triple. Valentine One is like diplomatic immunity.
The fit and finish is PERFECT. BEAUTIFUL. The stripes could use a sanding, or more clear...the edge is too prominent. I may have the car clear-coated to preserve this 'crystal' finish. NEW STYTLING QUES abound....distinct highlights in ROOFLINE and FENDERS that give the car a nice 'edgy' look. VERY NICE. The rear spoiler seems to have a higher reach and more curvature around the ends. The rear is LESS FLAT than the cconcept at VOI and car-shows. The rear bumper cover abounds with styling ques. The rear diffuser-extractor is very "competition like" and WILL be eating curbs of back-in parkers.
The COUPE is very, very stable at high speed....and even in VISCIOUS crosswinds. The tires are aligned for max tire wear, so rut-tracking is a problem in "studded tire ruts" out West. A mild track-alignment a guaranteed FIRST on my list. We had a lot of rain....some frost. Car handled wet like a dream. No water leaks.
The chassis is stiff yet compliant....no rattles or squeeks at all. Some annoying wind noises above 70mph around R side mirror area, esp when crosswinds at work. Cockpit was NOT uncomfortably hot.
The rear deck takes a LOT of manhandle to close. I almost NEVER got it closed the 1st time. I am NOT complaining.....just commenting. You WILL have to get used to this until age sets in. NICE AND TIGHT.
When you Raise the WET DECKLID, as after a carwash or rain, you will want to do this slowly. This allows the water to drain away as strategically designed. But Crosswinds will blow water into the trunk area. Trunk capacity seems smaller than the GTS, a bit larger than SRT-10.
Nice side-hinged glove box atop the console. The First Edition 200, all Blue-White, come with a striped car cover and nice floor mats, "long spoke" special wheels, blue leather highlights and interior badging, and blue stitching everywhere, and Viper seat Embroidery. The rear extractor, and diffuser strakes are "Blackout" instead of body color. This First Edition Package is +$4995.
Then, Blue/WHITE Stripes RETIRE for '06... add stripes to BLUE add they will be SILVER.
Lots of coupes were being lined up for Reliable Carriers shipment later this week. Some few lucky CAAP pickups were also scheduled for NEXT week.
THANKS TO LOTS OF FOLKS at Dodge and JRThompson who made it possible for "Lightning to Strike Twice" with the CAAP pickup of my '06. DETAILS:
-2nd customer unit built; 1st unit delivered. 007 / 200 is the "First Edition" dash plaque. The first 10 cars drew from 1-10....the remaining 190 drew from 11-200. Some few 'special requests' were also honored within 200.
- The CAAP pickup was arranged by Kim and Beth at JRThompson...(VCA HQ.) THANKS!
Lots of details, MI State taxes (!), info on hotels, maps, tours, etc. Each VIPER buyer pays $835 transportation charges on the MSRP-Moroni sticker. A buyer in Detroit or Alaska pays the same. So does a CAAP pickup. The $800+ pays Dodge's expenses for the CAAP program. WORTH EVERY CENT!
- Ralph Gilles, the Coupe designer, was simply OVERLY GENEROUS and gracios with his time. Months ago he asked me to let him know when my Coupe was comiing, and I let him know. He showed up at CAAP to sign my window sticker and the car, and HE drove it thru the ship room to the load-out door and handed me the keays. He says it was 'like being there for the birth of your own baby' and he was truly EXCITED to be a part. WHAT A GUY! WHAT A COMPANY !
-Special Thanks to Michael M of VCA Motor City who came and took photos, some for Viper Mag... THANKS MICHAEL for posting some !
-Back on June 8 1996 I was the 1st CAAP pickup ever, whebI got my 96 GTS, the 1st retail delivery ever. So, lightning has struck TWICE, THANKS DODGE!
-The pickup last week was on the 10th anniversary of CAAP Operations!
-Lots of great CAAP folks were very kind. Especially MC, KB, and SC! An auto-professionals 40-woman tour was being led by the the plant manager (Sandra), who introduced us to this group, and had me try to explain this PASSSION we all share. Hard to do when your new coupe is steps away!
-After our 1-on-1 plant tour, the CAAP store had just begun its year-end 40% off sale, so we filled a couple large boxes and tithed to UPS.
-We then headed to ROUSH RACING to tour the COMP COUPE plant. Out front was a Blue/White FORD GT. We parked alongside. My co-driver Doris had just had a few track laps that very weekend in a Blue-White GT. So she was especially excited. Now Im NOT saying the building opened as if for a fire drill, but LOTS of folks came out to take the visual tour, including all the VCC guys.
We saw the ARCHER / VIPER DAYS / PARTSRACK VCA RAFFLE COUPE.... PLEASE do NOT buy a ticket for this beast! (My odds will go in the toilet.)
Gotta sleep now...... back to work tomorrow. THANKS for all the questions and best wishes in Michael's thread.....
