250 miles in on my Viper - a few things I don't like...

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PeerBlock

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May as well just leave the message blank...ok, just kidding. I'm trying to be objective here since the things I would pick out as a negative are far fewer than the positives.

Stock Floormats
I don't know why SRT decided to include a set of Dart mats with the Viper. They're not even embroidered so you're stuck with LOL-tastic mats in your $120K ride or you pony up another $200-$300 for a nice aftermarket set.

Under-Seat Snake Pit
I highly recommend not keeping anything loose in your pockets because they seem to find a way to fall out and under the seat. The Viper's seats do not fold foward and the fit inside is so tight that it's easy to loose a cell phone, keys or change to space under the seats. I think that letting the seats fold foward would have been nice, and they could have added some kind of storage nook back there too. Luckily my lady friend has skinny arms and was able to retrieve my key fob and cell phone after the Viper tried to eat them.

Lack of Wheel Well Protection
"Let's give a car an awesome paint job and then put super-sticky tires on it that flick every piece of debris on the road up at this paint." Is probably what you'd find in the minutes of SRT's design meeting. I don't think it would have been too gaudy to make optional carbon fiber wheel guards or something removable that can be applied to that area. Even driving a low speeds will cause the tires to flick gravel, pebbles and whatever other crud you roll across, chipping away the paint and making it look dull.

Unclean Entrance and Exits
You don't get into a Viper so much as you "fall" into it, because there is nothing to hold onto that isn't a painted surface. You can hold on but then you'll leave smudges all over the place. Getting out requires a sort of sideways spin followed by a somersault like motion. You can touch the sills, although they do get quite hot and can burn you. I try to wear clean shoes when I drive my car because it's really hard not to scuff them on the inside of the door or under the dash as I enter and exit.

Dead Pedal
The dead pedal is weak. It's too small and it's curved, so you really can't rest your foot on it properly. Luckily it's bolted on and adjustable, so maybe they'll make an aftermarket version that is flatter and has a bit more surface area. I'd buy that.

Non-Lockable Exterior Hood Latch
I really don't like the fact that anyone can pop the hood on my Viper since the exterior hood latch does not lock when the car is locked. Even if popping the hood on a locked viper causes the car's horn to start honking, someone with malicious intent could simply snip the wires to the horn and then proceed to mess with the engine.

MODERATOR EDIT: PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ETHNIC SLURS OR GENERALIZATIONS! COMMENT REMOVED.

Fully Electronic Door Locks
No problems with the way they work, except that in a situation where the car is disabled and has no power, you will not be able to open the door or window. You'll be trapped inside...so if you survive long enough for rescuers to come, they'll have to pry the car apart with the jaws of life or something even if the situation is relatively minor.

Extra Hard Trunk Slam Required to Close
The rear hatch does not close if you push it down gently. You really need to slam it to get it to close completely. I don't like having to slam the hatch as hard as I do to close it.

Gawkers
Look, it comes with the territory, but when you have a stryker red viper stopped or parked in a single spot for any length of time people just materialize out of nowhere. I don't have a problem with the lookers so much as I do the touchers. The people that feel the need to press their greasy hands and face onto the window to look inside, or the people who want those extra-close pictures and all but stand on the front spoiler. Maybe it's just me but I'm not at the point where I'd feel comfortable parking my Viper and leaving it unattended while I go do something else like eat at a restaurant or visit someone/someplace.

Seems like a lot of stuff but nothing I listed here is significant enough for me to rate this car as anything less than a 9.5 out of 10. The point I'm making is that after having a chance to evaluate it and drive it longer these nitpicks are the worst gripes I can come up with. The Viper is a great car all-around, and it's surprisingly good for cruising comfortably long distances. Don't know if I'm going to run into any issues later down the line but as of today I am loving every second I get to drive my Viper.
 

7TH_SIGN

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Nice write up. Have you ever owned a Viper or GEN II GTS? I only ask because many of the "issues" you bring up are also on the GEN II GTS however I personally look at them as part of the beast. Oh and as for the leaving the car unattained, I don't even do that to my old 99 GTS so don't feel too bad about that. That's what daily drivers are for.

The Viper is not for everyone, either you love it or hate it. Its in a class of its own.

Enjoy your new GTS!
 

kdaviper

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Try leaving a window down or opening a door when you close the hatch:{), also there should be an emergancy latch for the doors in case of power failure, iirc the previous gens had them.
 

doctorbob

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The first priority when you get a viper is to have a hood (partial) and nose clear bra as well as the wheel wells and areas behind them.
 
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PeerBlock

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We can tell this is your first Viper. Enjoy your stay.

Yes, it's also the first Viper worth owning. How about that? I'm enjoying it very much.

Nice write up. Have you ever owned a Viper or GEN II GTS? I only ask because many of the "issues" you bring up are also on the GEN II GTS however I personally look at them as part of the beast. Oh and as for the leaving the car unattained, I don't even do that to my old 99 GTS so don't feel too bad about that. That's what daily drivers are for.

The Viper is not for everyone, either you love it or hate it. Its in a class of its own.

Enjoy your new GTS!

And the Gen III and the Gen IV.
It's a Viper.

The last paragraph addressed these points, and I think the Gen 5 has more leeway than being purely "love or hate".

Try leaving a window down or opening a door when you close the hatch:{), also there should be an emergancy latch for the doors in case of power failure, iirc the previous gens had them.

Fortunately I rarely have a need to access the trunk aside from stowing my gear. I didn't know about the emergency latch - thanks for the tip.

The first priority when you get a viper is to have a hood (partial) and nose clear bra as well as the wheel wells and areas behind them.

Right...but my point is that I shouldn't need to do something like that. They don't set the windows at the factory and then tell you that if you want to avoid leaks in the rain you have to pay someone to caulk and seal them. They don't sell the wheels/tires separately...so why design a car with wide, sticky tires and pay zero mind to protecting the finish of the vehicle around the wheel wells? Even if you did get the clear plastic covering it can still be damaged by the rocks and will need to be replaced. The best solution would be some type of shields.

Not as worried about the nose of the car since I'm rarely behind anyone when I'm driving this thing. :)
 

doctorbob

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Okay, rub it in!:). Just leave you keys in the car and I will take it on a permanent test drive:D. God I love the Stryker red.
 

PDCjonny

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Bought new Viper in Stryker red and complains about attention. Check.
 

Voice of Reason

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Your wrong about the hood. Lock the car and try to open it, mine won't open. There's a solenoid you can see on the latch mechanism when the hood is open that must be controlling that. If you can open yours then the solenoid isn't doing its job.
 

davidn

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Your wrong about the hood. Lock the car and try to open it, mine won't open. There's a solenoid you can see on the latch mechanism when the hood is open that must be controlling that. If you can open yours then the solenoid isn't doing its job.
I guess the solenoid is not working in my car either......... since I can open the hood with the car locked...when u pull the handle the alarm with go off but the hood will still open.....
 

Smog Dog

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Your wrong about the hood. Lock the car and try to open it, mine won't open. There's a solenoid you can see on the latch mechanism when the hood is open that must be controlling that. If you can open yours then the solenoid isn't doing its job.

Or he has the key fob in his pocket which is allowing the hood and doors to open. PeerBlock--lock the car and take your key fob away from the immediate proximity of the car. Return to the car without the fob and try to open it up.....don't ask how I know LOL

Bill
 

davidn

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Or he has the key fob in his pocket which is allowing the hood and doors to open. PeerBlock--lock the car and take your key fob away from the immediate proximity of the car. Return to the car without the fob and try to open it up.....don't ask how I know LOL

Bill
The hood opens with or without the fob On my car.....When I went to pick up my car it was parked outside locked and the fob was inside the showroom ...the salesman popped the hood no problem but the alarm going off....
 

davidn

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However you do get a email from UConn...Your vehicle's theft alarm has been triggered.

Dear DAVID ,

The theft alarm on your 2013 SRT VIPER, VIN DV400069 has been triggered. You are receiving this notice per your request. If you need emergency assistance, please call 9-1-1. If you need non-emergency assistance, please contact Uconnect® Customer Care at 1-855-792-4241.

Once your theft alarm is triggered, the horn will sound and the lights will flash for a period of three minutes. After three minutes, the lights will continue to flash for 15 additional minutes to help attract attention to your vehicle and discourage theft.

To manage your Remote Service Notification preferences, log in to
Mopar Owner Connect.

Thank you from Uconnect Access.
 

Smog Dog

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The hood opens with or without the fob On my car.....When I went to pick up my car it was parked outside locked and the fob was inside the showroom ...the salesman popped the hood no problem but the alarm going off....

Never tried the hood---just the doors! Should have said lock the car with the fob and you can open the door without hitting the unlock button on the fob, if you have the fob in your pocket. Hood alarm will not go off either, if the fob is near the car.

Bill
 

v10enomous

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Great way to welcome yourself, by ******* on all Viper owners of the previous generations. :rolleyes:

In all fairness the GenV is a different Viper with a broader appeal and the limited market of previous Vipers is a badge of honor for some. So no reason for anyone to piss on Viper owners new or old or both by either camp:dunno: Everyone's opinion is valuable.
 

swexlin

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In all fairness the GenV is a different Viper with a broader appeal and the limited market of previous Vipers is a badge of honor for some. So no reason for anyone to piss on Viper owners new or old or both by either camp:dunno: Everyone's opinion is valuable.

Agree, but he said this the wrong way.
 

swexlin

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Great way to welcome yourself, by ******* on all Viper owners of the previous generations. :rolleyes:

Agree, this statement irritated me. I don't think he meant it to come out like that though. It would be like saying: "no Ferrari prior to the 360 is worth owning (because they are mainainance nightmares, real or perceived)" .
 
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01sapphirebob

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May as well just leave the message blank...ok, just kidding. I'm trying to be objective here since the things I would pick out as a negative are far fewer than the positives.

Stock Floormats
I don't know why SRT decided to include a set of Dart mats with the Viper. They're not even embroidered so you're stuck with LOL-tastic mats in your $120K ride or you pony up another $200-$300 for a nice aftermarket set.

Under-Seat Snake Pit
I highly recommend not keeping anything loose in your pockets because they seem to find a way to fall out and under the seat. The Viper's seats do not fold foward and the fit inside is so tight that it's easy to loose a cell phone, keys or change to space under the seats. I think that letting the seats fold foward would have been nice, and they could have added some kind of storage nook back there too. Luckily my lady friend has skinny arms and was able to retrieve my key fob and cell phone after the Viper tried to eat them.

Lack of Wheel Well Protection
"Let's give a car an awesome paint job and then put super-sticky tires on it that flick every piece of debris on the road up at this paint." Is probably what you'd find in the minutes of SRT's design meeting. I don't think it would have been too gaudy to make optional carbon fiber wheel guards or something removable that can be applied to that area. Even driving a low speeds will cause the tires to flick gravel, pebbles and whatever other crud you roll across, chipping away the paint and making it look dull.

Unclean Entrance and Exits
You don't get into a Viper so much as you "fall" into it, because there is nothing to hold onto that isn't a painted surface. You can hold on but then you'll leave smudges all over the place. Getting out requires a sort of sideways spin followed by a somersault like motion. You can touch the sills, although they do get quite hot and can burn you. I try to wear clean shoes when I drive my car because it's really hard not to scuff them on the inside of the door or under the dash as I enter and exit.

Dead Pedal
The dead pedal is weak. It's too small and it's curved, so you really can't rest your foot on it properly. Luckily it's bolted on and adjustable, so maybe they'll make an aftermarket version that is flatter and has a bit more surface area. I'd buy that.

Non-Lockable Exterior Hood Latch
I really don't like the fact that anyone can pop the hood on my Viper since the exterior hood latch does not lock when the car is locked. Even if popping the hood on a locked viper causes the car's horn to start honking, someone with malicious intent could simply snip the wires to the horn and then proceed to mess with the engine.

Fully Electronic Door Locks
No problems with the way they work, except that in a situation where the car is disabled and has no power, you will not be able to open the door or window. You'll be trapped inside...so if you survive long enough for rescuers to come, they'll have to pry the car apart with the jaws of life or something even if the situation is relatively minor.

Extra Hard Trunk Slam Required to Close
The rear hatch does not close if you push it down gently. You really need to slam it to get it to close completely. I don't like having to slam the hatch as hard as I do to close it.

Gawkers
Look, it comes with the territory, but when you have a stryker red viper stopped or parked in a single spot for any length of time people just materialize out of nowhere. I don't have a problem with the lookers so much as I do the touchers. The people that feel the need to press their greasy hands and face onto the window to look inside, or the people who want those extra-close pictures and all but stand on the front spoiler. Maybe it's just me but I'm not at the point where I'd feel comfortable parking my Viper and leaving it unattended while I go do something else like eat at a restaurant or visit someone/someplace.

Seems like a lot of stuff but nothing I listed here is significant enough for me to rate this car as anything less than a 9.5 out of 10. The point I'm making is that after having a chance to evaluate it and drive it longer these nitpicks are the worst gripes I can come up with. The Viper is a great car all-around, and it's surprisingly good for cruising comfortably long distances. Don't know if I'm going to run into any issues later down the line but as of today I am loving every second I get to drive my Viper.

As other have pointed out...all of this is just the joys of Viper ownership.

Floor Mats....GO aftermarket. I had factory one for my GEN II and they were the worst. Got the NorCal VCA one and wished I had done it sooner.

Stuff under the seats...happens in any car. Vipers just may be a bit more prone to it because of the seating position.

Wheel well protection...The Viper was designed with perofrmance and asthetics in mind. Not paint protection. Thats something that the aftermarket can take care of.

Entering and exiting...All generation of VIper are a little trick to get in and out of. We all have exhaust pipes to step over to get into the car. Fact of life if you're a viper owner.

Dead pedal...My GEN II doesnt even have one and the one in MY GEN IV is about as useful as a tooth ache. Again...when the viper was concieved, designed, and built comfort wasn't really a priority.

Non locking hood latch...From what someone else has said it looks like there may be (for the first time in the cars 20 year history) a way the hood locks. Double check on this one.

Fully electronic doors...Dont think you'll be trapped inside as the inside handle (at least on my GEN IV) is a manual release if I'm not mistaken. In my GEN II there is a manual latch for the doors on the stancions in case of power failure.

Rear hatch...With it being as light as it is i'm not surprised at this comment.

Gawkers...They are just a fact of life with VIper ownership. Everyone wants to see this beautiful machine. I always take mine places where I know I can see it when i'm in a restraunt or if I can;t see it park it somehwere where its out of the way. Its all you can do.

Bottom line is that Viper ownership is an experience and these are all things that come with the territory. You're either all in our not. As I tell people all the time...The things I hate about my car are the things I love about it. It's not a Corvette...It's a VIper! :) Welcome to the Viper ownership experience. You're gonna LOVE it!. :D
 

ACRucrazy

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Agree, this statement irritated me. I don't think he meant it to come out like that though.

Naa, he did.

PeerBlock said:
The Gen 4 was a Honda S2000 with a V10 and weak sales proved it...I wouldn't go so far as to call it a legend so much as an exercise in what the Viper is not.

PeerBlock said:
You can post great lap times in a shifter cart - that doesn't make shifter carts legendary. The Gen 4 has its niche following, but the vast majority of people probably will write it off as a fast S2000. Sorry man, that's what you get when you design purely for function to the exclusion of aesthetics. The Gen 5 got it right 100% across the board.


PeerBlock said:
The Gen 4 LOOKS LIKE an S2000 plain and simple. It does not look like a Viper, it is not distinctive and it strayed far off course trying to make the Viper something it is not. All it has is performance, which isn't enough to be worthy of the Viper nameplate on its own...the Gen 5 improved upon the Gen 4s performance and gave the car its soul back. The Gen 5 is instantly recognizable as a Viper. The only vibe I'm getting is insecure gen 4 owners...no need for that. Just trade it in and get yourself a gen 5.
 

swexlin

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Wow! S2000? It may look like a couple other things, but an S2000 isn't one of them. By the way, pretty insulting to an s2000, and from what I understand, that's an outstanding performer.

Those are some pretty douchbag comments.
 

Voice of Reason

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Never tried the hood---just the doors! Should have said lock the car with the fob and you can open the door without hitting the unlock button on the fob, if you have the fob in your pocket. Hood alarm will not go off either, if the fob is near the car.

Bill

Back on the hood topic, I was wrong. I just locked the car, put the key inside the house, and was able to open the hood causing the alarm to go off. Those solenoids that I thought were stopping it from opening must be sensors just to tell you the hood is open. Hmm, this is a bit disappointing.
 

ViperSmith

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Well, most comments are pretty off base - but the Viper by in large is a niche vehicle.

The bare bones interior had limited appeal to many (including myself). Not to say the vehicle wasn't a performer, but it is hard to market a car like that to people who expect more amenities. Personally, the previous gens never appealed to me (gen II being the exception) - but I still have respect for them, which seems to be the difference here.

Hopefully the Gen V can reach broader market appeal with nicer creature comforts.
 

swexlin

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Well, most comments are pretty off base - but the Viper by in large is a niche vehicle.

The bare bones interior had limited appeal to many (including myself). Not to say the vehicle wasn't a performer, but it is hard to market a car like that to people who expect more amenities. Personally, the previous gens never appealed to me (gen II being the exception) - but I still have respect for them, which seems to be the difference here.

Hopefully the Gen V can reach broader market appeal with nicer creature comforts.

Agree, and thank you. I've never been an "interior" guy. My Gen 3 has the basic stuff to get the job done. Not that I don't like super luxury, it's just that it's never been a deal breaker for me. I just had an issue with his disrespectful comments towards both the Viper and the Honda. No call for that.
 
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