'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

cyaford

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\'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

I've been looking for a GTS over the last month. I've contacted various dealers and a few private party sales. I inquired about a 97 GTS I saw on Ebay that a dealer was selling over a week ago. In an e-mail I was sent, they said they had a local offer of $42K and wanted to see how much they could get on Ebay. I wasn't going to bid without either seeing the car myself or having someone look it over for me. The winning bid was $44K, but the buyer backed out and I was contacted to see if I was still interested. Me and another forum member(93 CobraR) went up to Princeton, KY to look at it. I had planned on trading my Z06 in on it, but did not drive it up there in case the car was not how they described it. In the original ad, there was NO mention of any curb rash under the front fascia, which I hear is no uncommon. The curb rash was BAD, not light as they described them in the second listing. In both listings, they mention the left rear wheel as having curb rash. All wheels have rash on them, but the left rear wheel does have more rash than the other three wheels. Other than that, the Viper looked good.

Now for the funny part which doesn't have to do with the listing, but still a nice bait and switch. Upon agreeing to open the dealership back up later that night so I can drive back and get my car, they inform me the price of the Viper is now $49,000!!! There reason? "If you trade, we need more for our car." ***?! I had asked them the minimum amount they could give me for my Z06, so the least they could've done is offer me $5K less for my trade-in. To me, that's less shady than suddenly jacking the price up like that.

So, if anyone is planning on bidding on the car, just know that there is more than "light drag marks on the front bumper" and that all 4 rims have curb rash on them.

Here is the original listing: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4563858395&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

Second Listing: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Dodge-Viper-1997-Dodge-Viper-GTS-low-miles-one-owner_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6209QQitemZ4565261775QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

It's also not a one owner vehicle. I talked to the original owner and he said he sold it to a friend last year.


With all of that being said, if anyone knows of a Viper GTS(96-99) for sale at a dealership that is not listed on the Viper Forums or Ebay, please let me know. Thanks!

Ted
[email protected]
 

Casey

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

If it's only scrapes up front and curbed wheels. It's a STEAL at $44k.

To bad I don't have $44k laying around! :D
 

Gerald Levin

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

I agree, for such a low mi car, those rims sent to CalChrome would come back looking like new. If you could get this for $42k-44K, looks like a great car. Of course, I'd have an expert check this car out extensively.
 

99 R/T 10

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

Just looking at the outside is half the job, it needs to be put on a lift and check for the recall work and computer scanned. I agree though, with the low mileage, that a decent deal. Scraps are normal.
 

TAXIMAN1

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

If it's only scrapes up front and curbed wheels. It's a STEAL at $44k.

To bad I don't have $44k laying around! :D

Yes $44k is a darn good deal, even with the scrapes,etc....From the way this ad sounds. It sounds like you may have "threw" the trade in to the picture last minute. Unfortunealty the Z06 market is sooo soft right now, its sick. I sold my 02' Electron blue Z06 for $27k last year w/ low miles. Took me months just to get that. They should have just offered you wholesale for the Z, and kept the price at $44k though.(you get some tax savings) Changing it to $49k was pretty sleezy tactics...
 
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cyaford

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

I sold my 02' Electron blue Z06 for $27k last year w/ low miles. Took me months just to get that. They should have just offered you wholesale for the Z, and kept the price at $44k though.(you get some tax savings) Changing it to $49k was pretty sleezy tactics...

WOW! $27K?! 2 weeks ago I turned down Carmax's offer of $30,600 to buy my vehicle outright. If they would have had a Viper, I probably would've jumped. Of course I doubt Carmax will ever get a Viper in, but you never know.

You are right about the tactics they used. The right thing to do would have been to offer me $5K less on my trade-in, instead of adding a $5K mark-up due to me trading in. It would've been the same amount, but they would've looked better in doing so.

I've had several e-mails from supposedly serious buyers, so hopefully I will sell mine soon. I've found a blue/white '97 less than 100 miles from me that sounds like a great deal. I'll just be better off having cash in hand. :cool:
 

cobramadness

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

I've found a blue/white '97 less than 100 miles from me that sounds like a great deal. I'll just be better off having cash in hand. :cool:

No chance on sharing that info is there? :D :2tu:
 
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cyaford

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

No chance on sharing that info is there?

Sure, as soon as I know if I can pick it up or not. If you're serious, I can e-mail you within a week where it is. :2tu:
 

cobramadness

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

I am serious. What's the mileage/price on it?
 

adamgamz

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

Hey Cyaford,


I was the guy who won the auction, the car does look clean and curb rash is to be expected as is the scrapes under the fascia. I already bought a red GTS with 5,000 miles and forgot to shut down my snipe software which entered the bid at the last second. Anyway someone else bought the car for exactly the same price. Good luck finding a Viper, there is a 1997 Blue and White going through the auction on Thursday with 15,000 miles, it might go cheap.
 

X vetter

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

There is a B/W for sale here in SW FL that I have just noticed in the last 2-3 days at a very small exotic dealer if anyone is looking...
 

cobramadness

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

There is a B/W for sale here in SW FL that I have just noticed in the last 2-3 days at a very small exotic dealer if anyone is looking...

Can you get a phone number? Or even details on it?
 
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cyaford

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

Hey Cyaford,


I was the guy who won the auction, the car does look clean and curb rash is to be expected as is the scrapes under the fascia. I already bought a red GTS with 5,000 miles and forgot to shut down my snipe software which entered the bid at the last second. Anyway someone else bought the car for exactly the same price. Good luck finding a Viper, there is a 1997 Blue and White going through the auction on Thursday with 15,000 miles, it might go cheap.

I agree that it was clean. The only blemish other than the scrapes and rim rash were 2 small rock chips on the hood. Unfortunately, we did not get to put the car on a lift and inspect underneath. I guess I'm just a little more blunt about blemishes. For him to say "light drag marks" and rash on one rim is not an accurate description. The price is right for the overall condition, though. I just felt people should know what they were really getting at that price. :)
 

orlandov10

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

Anyluck CYAFord? hows the hunt coming, I took a browse last night looking for Vipers and this Ebay one should be selling for $52,000 or so based on other Vipers for sale out there, GTS's are really going up in value fast! Hope you get one thats affordable, I've seen this before with Supras, they were selling for 19K or so in 1999, then in 2000 they jumped to $26,000 for the same car with higher miles, I think these GTS's will be appriciating from here on out.
 

Gerald

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Re: \'97 GTS on Ebay. Buyer Beware!

I've NEVER seen what the big deal is with curb rash on wheels or rash on the fascia or even a couple scratches in the paint... such MINOR items.... I'm guess I'm just easy to please.. ..
G
 

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