'98 RT, Few Made - Rare or Just Not Wanted???

[Vipuronr]

So, I see few 1998 RT's for sale and this has been the trend for awhile now. I have been posting on threads looking for cars and, in doing so, notice the lack of '98's.

I love my car, its low mileage and in great condition. But, was wondering if the low production makes the car more "rare" and therefore worth more or....is it less desireable vs a '99 where more were produced?

Not looking to sell, just curious what everyone's opinion is.

And, no, this is not a red vs yellow question!

Thanks!

 

[JohnnyViper]

boy are you opening up a can of worms with the production amount adding value. I'm going to weigh in with my opinion not wanting to ruffle any feather. "Its my opinion only" Vipers are low production number to begin with. Say for example if only 80 RTs were made on 98 then yes I can see it adding some value to a collector on a unmolested one as a average buyer if I saw the prices much higher for that year I would just move along to another year.I dont really care if my car is 1 of 100 or whatever the amount when broken down into combos. To me I'm not willing to spend extra money because of this. If you take the total amount of viper for a particular year then divide them by color, then by stripes, then by color of strips, then by interior color then by acr, then by wheel options (for later gens)then they are all super low production numbers. Because one color is lower in numbers then other to me does not add value. Now with that being said the first one off the line or last is understandable to add value, if its one of one because of a factory experiment in color etc I understand it adding value ect to a collector, Most viper buyer just want a nice viper to drive, are you willing to spend more because for a low production number for you own vehicle?

 

[Vipuronr]

Thanks, and I get it. I was just curious why I see so few '98's for sale, but no biggie, as I intend to keep my car and just lightly mod as the years go by. Still a pretty low mileage, pretty stock car...bought completely stock.

Appreciate it.

Peter

 

[dave6666]

I'd much rather have a molested car than a garage queen. The testing phase is more thorough that way.

 

[redtanrt10]

I love my car, its low mileage and in great condition. But, was wondering if the low production makes the car more "rare" and therefore worth more or....is it less desireable vs a '99 where more were produced?

Both years are fairly low production but not to the very low levels of the '97's.

Mileage, color, condition, etc all being equal, I'd pay more for a '99 over a '98 due to the upgraded 18" wheels.

 

[JohnnyViper]

its a good question, as you know I'm looking for a yellow rt, in the past I have seen a bunch for sale at once and now that I want one there is few and far between that fit what I'm looking for. (I seem to be finding garage queens with rightfully higher prices or IMO overpriced mid to higher mileage ones) I think its part timing and your year did have the second lowest overall production numbers for RTs, check out the link

International Viper Registry

 

[JohnnyViper]

whops yours has the third lowest overall for RTs

 

[Vipuronr]

Thanks, nice to know. As far as garage queen, I was willing to buy one with more miles as long as condition was good...but then, this one came along and I couldn't resist a bone stock RT with 5,200 miles. I guess its more of a garage queen than many others in VCA, but I do drive it. One of the issues is that I have two young kids and one is really too young and she gets upset when I take the older one out. I've been to a few shows, but other than those, I stay pretty local. Couple that with the bad weather in CT, its almost like owning a boat.

Oh, and for me, I much preferred the '98 wheels to the '99 (other than size) and is one of the reasons I didn't purchase a '99.

 

[Two R/Ts]

I think they only made about 380 or so R/Ts in 98. 240 or so Red, The Rest Black I believe. Not sure exactly though. Never seem to see them much for sale.

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Silver in 98 ------ no black until 99. Silver was done only in 98 and 99 and they are few and far between.

Regardless of personal opinions , the facts are Vipers are very much like Ferraris -- low mileage brings bigger bucks. Not condoning so called garage queens, just stating a fact , and a low mileage 98 has the cache to intrigue alot of buyers. If you have both tops that is an add, and if you have all the stock parts that is becoming more and more important.

 

[JohnnyViper]

defiantly agree that low miles and being stock are the keys to much higher values (and no accidents minor or major)

 

[dave6666]

Recommend investing in mid-cap stocks and not cars

 

[v10enomous]

It sounds good in the Ad when you go to sell it if somebody is trying to justify buying the car to themselves. That's about it in this case IMO...

 

[Vipuronr]

Bill, et al, thanks for the comments. My car was bone stock when I purchased it and have only slightly modded - smooth tubes, S&B filters, some MGW interior upgrades and have all the original pieces. One thing I did do, is have Chuck put on (what appears to be) a Fitzgerald Perf (MA) muffler delete pipe. The original pipe I left at Chucks place because I just didn't have a place to put it. Next is a set of Roe hi-flow cats, but will keep the originals. This car has both soft and hard tops.

While my intent was to get as low mileage and clean as possible within my budget, I was not against a modded car...this was just the one I found that met my criteria. BUT, since it is low mileage and I have two other cars, I use it strickly for enjoyment which limits the amount of time I drive it.

All that said, my question was more curiousity than investment value...never my intent to buy this for investing purposes...and yes, Dave, I do have a pretty good stock portfolio which is doing pretty decent these days....

By the way, at the same time as I found mine, I did come across a mildly modded silver at a Chicago dealer, but the bumper didn't seem to match well (paint) so I passed.

Peter

 

[Vipuronr]

This discussion has changed my mind about keeping the original muffler/end pipe. It was sitting at Chuck's place and I checked and he still has it. I am going to pick it up and store it in the shed. That would mean that I now have all the original parts to the car. Again, didn't buy as an investment, but in life you never know and having the parts seems better at sale time than if you do not.

Thanks for all the comments!

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Good move. We have 30-40 at one time and I know Dan Cragin had at least that many. They exhaust systems and parts just kept stacking up and finally Dan offered to give his away and we finally put them in the metal scrap heap. Now, years later, it is not easy to find a full system or parts. What doesn't seem important at one time , often changes as the years progress.

 

[Vipuronr]

I get that...but if my wife was home (she's not right now), she'd say "oh he says keep it, suggest that you keep it at his place"!!! She loves me, but sometimes she has a limit to what she will put up with! And, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have the RT...bought it for me as a birthday present (age to be skipped over!)

Yay for me!

 

[JohnnyViper]

that's a fine birthday present and a heck of a lady

 

[Vipuronr]

Thanks, I agree wholeheartedly and so, when she gives me grief about storing pieces to the car (she just can't understand keeping "old" stuff), I tend to listen to her.

 

[JohnnyViper]

you're doing the right thing "a happy wife, is a happy life"

 

[Vipuronr]

Don't I know that!!!!

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I have a 98 and a 97. While I love them both I prefer the 98.

 

[Roy]

I think the 92's are the most valuable...(only because I ran across one and bought it)

Honestly, I don't think it adds very much which year, if the mileage isn't zero, it's just a car and not a collectible...yet. At this point in time I don't think there are people thinking "hey I'm gonna buy a Viper, I only look for a 98 or 92, because it's worth more" They do think "Hey I wanna buy a cool Viper, it needs to be like new, low mileage, well maintained and cared for properly"

 

[Vipuronr]

Well Roy, while I think that is true for many buyers, I went in looking to buy an RT within a few specific years. For me, no later than '99 because of the engine parts and cam. But, after looking, I preferred the look of the '98 wheels to that of the '99 and that was more important than the few upgrades in '99.

That said, I originally was looking for an early Gen I, found a yellow '94 Hennessey, but finally decided that I needed to have windows and a/c (many early Gen I's didn't have a/c)! (I did come across a '97 B&W that I liked, but missed it).

Then, once I decided on a red '98, I looked for the lowest mileage/best condition '98 I could find within my budget and on the east coast and this is what I came up with.

I did not, however, go in thinking it was an investment. Low mileage, for me, is about (hopefully) less abuse and less wear and tear. I understand low mileage in an older car can also mean deterioration of bushings and the like, but fortunately that wasn't the case with my car.

 

[dave6666]

I think time is more of an enemy of things like bushings than the mileage. Most elastomeric polymers like rubber bushings and hoses and belts are affected by the atmosphere we live in regardless of their use. Driving the car may actually help the life of the parts as moving is what they are designed to do.

 

[Roy]

Well Roy, while I think that is true for many buyers, I went in looking to buy an RT within a few specific years. For me, no later than '99 because of the engine parts and cam. But, after looking, I preferred the look of the '98 wheels to that of the '99 and that was more important than the few upgrades in '99.

That said, I originally was looking for an early Gen I, found a yellow '94 Hennessey, but finally decided that I needed to have windows and a/c (many early Gen I's didn't have a/c)! (I did come across a '97 B&W that I liked, but missed it).

Then, once I decided on a red '98, I looked for the lowest mileage/best condition '98 I could find within my budget and on the east coast and this is what I came up with.

I did not, however, go in thinking it was an investment. Low mileage, for me, is about (hopefully) less abuse and less wear and tear. I understand low mileage in an older car can also mean deterioration of bushings and the like, but fortunately that wasn't the case with my car.

So you're actually with me that you weren't looking for the specific year for rarity, but for all sorts of other reasons like wheels trustworthy, comfort etc.

I think our cars aren't sought after yet like that. Pitty, my 92 should be worth more than

 

[Vipuronr]

Yes, I do agree that people don't look for a particular year because of being rare, just doesn't seem to be that kind of car. Even with the first year, unless you have the first production car in '92 sold to the public, don't think it has impact of value...as yet.

I think right now, that value is dictated more by what car (RT vs GTS) and color is most desired. At this point, aside from ACR's, the Blue & White GTS looks to be the most desired car. There are times I regret not continuing to pursue a B&W, but I prefer the RT looks (a little) to the GTS and am very happy with my car.

I think down the road, when there are fewer Gen I/II Vipers around (due mostly to things like crashes), that prices might start to go back up. In terms of red RT's, from what I read, seems the 1999 is most desired because of the interior upgrades, change to 18" wheels and the fact that its the last year of the bigger cam and forged internals. Even if I would have accepted the wheels, I could not find any nice/low mileage '99's in red at the time I was looking...height of the market, early '08.

Anyway, thanks...fun discussion.

 

[Vipuronr]

I know this may be strange, but I recall reading that someone had figures on the remaining Vipers, those not taken out by crashes. Might be interesting to see, of those produced in the US by year, how many still exist on the street...an interesting or at least different perspective on the question of rare!

 

[InjectTheVenom]

...bought it for me as a birthday present (age to be skipped over!)

Yay for me!

Care to adopt a new son ??

 

[JohnnyViper]

yes I think it would be cool to see those statistic, when I look at production numbers from the international viper registry I subtract a 3rd as a guesstimate as to how many are really left