2001 GTS w/ 100k miles

[KepRght]

are you kidding? 40k for an 01 with 100k.mi? i am looking at a few 8-28k.mi flawless 01's for 47-49k. I guess if it was a clean 100k.mi car with full records...

in order to rack 100k miles that car has to have seen a ton of dings, *** holes, key-ing, egg-ing etc.

on top of that, you don't know if he changed the oil every 3k, or skipped oil changes all together. you don't know if he red lined the car every shift with dirty oil for the last 99,000 miles. way too much left for imagination because he has not responded.

the owner has not replied to anyone about the service. It would be another thing altogether if he provides a stack of paper work with the car for all of the oil changes & a log book of miles & upgrades & maintenance.

I am still willing to look at the car if anyone is interested. if you go further, it should see a viper tech & compression test.

 

[joe117]

What do you expect to see with a compression test?
If the car really has 100,000 miles it probably is a highway driver.
I doubt that a one owner 100,000 mile Viper is going to be a ******. It's probably just been driven like any other car.

Do you think it's going to have a worn out engine?

What is it about the Viper engine that you think is going to wear out in 100,000 miles.

If it was a 2001 Vette with those miles would you think it would be leaving a trail of smoke behind it?

It's just an ordinary car. If it won't bring $40k it will be close to it.
There are plenty of folks out there who will do a little bottom fishing.

 

[EllowViper]

BTW, You do a compression test at WOT. A leakdown test is by many measures is a better indicator of engine wear.

 

[KepRght]

so guess what??

i bought this car - no, really. i did!

contacted the owner just to shoot the [******] & ended up taking the car down to ted @ valaya in san jose, he looked it over for a couple hours with me, leak down & compression was perfect. 160+ on all 10.

frame is perfect, no big accidents.

couple wheel blems & right front wheel is out of balance big time at 80mph+ (((vibrate))) possible new wheel needed, we'll see.,

steering rack & radiator needed, will also do all the other bushings & wear items.

as part of my inspection I took it to a local dyno. with k&n & cat back it dynoed 377 rwhp & blew the top radiator hose mid pull. the owner [******] his pants & coolant was everywhere. it just so happened it was the hottest possible days of the year for all of this. too much sweating, almost got heat stroke. after the hose blew, we had to have her towed back to valaya from the dyno about 3 miles away.

the crew over @ valaya is awesome, treated me like family after just meeting me for the first time that day. got her buttoned up in an hour or so & did some little odds and ends.

the owner is known as "the slow one" in the nor cal viper group he hangs out with, he really shifts at 2500 every single gear. he has never had any type of ticket in his life. i think we found the impossible to find 100k mile car & owner

she is sitting in my driveway right now, its midnight & i cant sleep.

I got a new digi-camera today so i'll post pics soon.
((THREAD IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT PICS)) sorry

i put 400+ miles on her already!! I'm going to drive this car every chance I get. lets see if i can do another 75,000 in the next 2 years. im soo happy I didn't buy the low mileage, no scratch gts i was looking at. saved 20k$ will be spending that on mods.

at first i was looking for 99 solid black. ended up with sapphire which is black in some lights & amazing blue in other lights.

I'm in love. deep blue love. more to come

can someone change my status to proud viper owner?

anyone near walnut creek CA want to cruise?

 

[KepRght]

joe117, you were right on this one except the price

 

[joe117]

So you got it for $34,700?

I would have thought it would go for at least a few k$ more.

I'll bet your auto bid limit was $35k

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

Happy to hear that all went well with the Viper. You were smart to have it checked out since that hose may have gone on the highway. As I stated before, condition is more important with a Viper than just mileage alone. I read somewhere that there are extremely high mileage Shelby Cobras still running strong and are still worth big $ since they were taken cars of.

Can't wait to see pics. Congrats!

 

[big-n-italian]

congrats KR!

when i bought my viper, it wasnt up to my standards and i knew that going in that it needed some work. but i love a good project, and have enjoyed doing all the work i have done to it so far.

if your car needs a little work, who cares. you are going to have a BLAST!

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Congrats on buying the car! When I was searching for my car, I wouldnt look at a car with over 60k miles, but I'm glad to see someone REALLY enjoyed their car and you plan on driving/enjoying it just as much

 

[Gerald Levin]

Another good buy on ebay. Just another example that ebay does offer some killer deals as long as you are patient. Congrats!

 

[ViperJames]

congrats KR!

when i bought my viper, it wasnt up to my standards and i knew that going in that it needed some work. but i love a good project, and have enjoyed doing all the work i have done to it so far.

if your car needs a little work, who cares. you are going to have a BLAST!

Agreed with this point! I bought my 95 excited that it needed work, so i could customize and upgrade everything to my liking, thats how you make it your own! I don't think it is half as fun to buy a perfect car that you can't "mess" with. Best of luck with the new ride!

 

[Vic]

BTW, You do a compression test at WOT. A leakdown test is by many measures is a better indicator of engine wear.

You are only checking the ability of the valves and rings to seal, and develop compression. Why would the throttle need to be open for that? Is it because if the throttle is closed, there might be a vacuum in the intake plenum, skewing the reading? Most throttles don't close completely, so I find that kind of a moot point. Whats your experience, open throttle vs closed throttle? I never do it open throttle, and have normal results.

Anyways, congrats, Kepright! You found a diamond in the rough!

 

[BradH]

Haha - well I'm glad I posted about this car. Of course, now in hindsight I think your offer to "go check out the car for me" was a bit suspicious j/k - congrats KepRght, looks like you got a nice deal.

 

[2MANYTOYS]

I think it's a good buy. Even if the motor were to let go you could always put another one in. Congrats!

 

[KepRght]

thank you so much for the nice remarks.

I'm trying to plan out an upgrade path right now

33,500 is the deal we worked out

i never bid on e-bay, i don't think it was him who listed it. someone helped him list it. i think that's why he never responded to the e-bay questions.

ted @ valaya laughed at me & got big eyes when I said the price. i got scared thinking what was wrong with the car? then he pointed to a wrecked ACR that he sold for 37.

question: is there an upgraded steering rack that people are running? I remember reading someone did a rack that had a really small turn to lock & cant find it on the search function. also, what steering rack bushings are the track stars running? delrun, or solid aluminum? I'm sure i could ask ted on Monday but i like to have multiple opinions. thanks in advance.

is it too late to reg & get a room for VOI? I didnt want to go without a car & be a poser. hope im not too late!



time to drive!

 

[AZTVR]

BTW, You do a compression test at WOT.

Why would the throttle need to be open for that? Is it because if the throttle is closed, there might be a vacuum in the intake plenum, skewing the reading?

I was also taught to do compression test at WOT. Here's one input as to why: http://oldholden.com/possible/index.php/Compression_Testing#The_Throttle_Must_Be_Wide_Open:

BTW, Congrats to KepRght on snagging a good Viper and getting it checked out like an informed buyer should.

 

[EllowViper]

Congrats on the purchase!!! Now rub your hands together and have some fun. Regarding the comp test question...Moot given the completed purchase and sucessfull leakdown & comp test. Why WOT you ask...Engines are just big air pumps. To check if your engine is working as an air pump, needs air...all of it that it can theoretically get. Anything less that WOT introduces variables into the equation that will fundamentally skew the results. Also, anyone care to guess when an engine is operating at peak "efficiency?" Answer: At WOT.

 

[Vic]

Hmm, ok. I'll try it both ways to find out what the delta is between the "right way" and "my" way! Interesting set of factors at play.

 

[PatentLaw]

Great purchase. Heck, you can part out the car and make more than that if it goes totally awry. To the "low mileage" guys, this should be a lesson....

Do you think that anyone is going to be looking at your car while driving down the highway and say...."That Viper would be alot better if it had 90k less miles on it?" No. Of course not. Most of them will be looking saying...."Look at that new Ferrari!"

PS, it is Bridgewater Blue I believe. Some day we will (including me) start calling it the right color name. Great color. Have fun.

 

[KepRght]

Bridgewater Blue aye? thanks for the heads up!

 

[ROGUE]

Hmm, ok. I'll try it both ways to find out what the delta is between the "right way" and "my" way! Interesting set of factors at play.

Yup Vic, always do compression checks with it at wide open throttle.

Oh and don't forget to pull the fuel pump relay.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

If you do a compression test not at WOT, would the #'s be higher or lower than their true readings?

 

[BradH]

KepRght, did you take pictures of this thing yet?

 

[ROGUE]

If you do a compression test not at WOT, would the #'s be higher or lower than their true readings?

much lower. A compression check is basically making sure the cylinders are filling and holding pressure as they should. If you put an artificial restriction in there (aka closed throttlebody) it can't breathe. A stock viper should be in the 160psi range (don't know the exact fsm figures) and hopefully with in 5% range on all cylinders. With the throttle blades closed I would be surprised if it got over 100psi.


BTW nice score on the car, i'm glad someone here picked it up. Cause I was *THIS* close to flying up there and turning it into a TT track warrior. Damn you for finding such a great deal on a solid sapphire car.

I don't know what this "bridgewater blue" mess is, but it's called Sapphire Blue. Thats whats stated on the window sticker, registry, etc. There was a truck color called Deep Amethyst that is very similar as well.

 

[Vic]

Here is a pic of my #1 cylinder compression test, engine cold, fuel pump relay removed, 2 or 3 revs, throttle closed. (Rogue, if you are near Irvine, you can come over and witness this!) Car has 37,000 smiles.

I'm having cell phone camera troubles, it seems. I'll try to post the WOT test tomorrow. Its probably higher, what with all that intake vacuum preventing the cylinder from filling with air efficiently.

Rogue, that GTS would have made an ideal track car, eh? Not too much money to lose, plus, you get to practice laps in a Viper!

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

I had my compression test done a few months ago with the throttle closed (the mechanic didnt mention the need to do it at WOT) and I had 140-150 on all 10 cylinders

 

[slaughterj]

Be sure to change the radiator hoses to the Roe silicon hoses, change the fuel filter (unless he did it in the last 40k), and get a new serpentine belt just because (again, unless he changed it along the way). Just a few suggestions from a recent seller of an 85k mile viper

 

[KepRght]

these pics are way over due!
car is filthy from DRIVING it whoooo! ear to ear grin for weeks!

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Here is the plate i ordered! Ill have to add the "." in 8.0 with some vinyl

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[KepRght]

time to mod her

stuff done before I bought her:
cat back
short shifter

list of stuff ive done already:
cleaned & oiled the K&N's
1" seat lowering
buffed out headlights
tried black vinyl stripes (didn't like it) & pulled them
trap door oil pan
MB Quart mids & highs
bazooka 10" tube woofer (only 20lbs including built in amp)
clifford alarm with 2 way radio
black widow gps unit
navigation unit

list of parts ordered & im waiting for:
GenIII Brakes
Belanger Headers
Catalytic Converter sims
steering rack
steering rack bushings in aluminum
steering shaft
tripple pass radiator
roe Bumper Fascia Cooling Duct
5 Piece Silicone Radiator hoses
180 Degree Thermostat
black tow hooks
power steering vent
clutch pedal lowering kit
clutch kit
aluminum flywheel
Urethane Sway Bar Mounts

once all that work is done:
heads + cam + ported intake
3.33 gears (if i can find them)
autoform roll bar
6 point harnesses
new computer flashed for the goodies
accusump oil system
track time & driving school!

 

[99 R/T 10]

Don't forget a Set of Mopar(T&D) roller rockers. For sale over at the alley! Would be a nice complement to such a nice looking car