Anyone know of a good shop to take my 96 Viper to in Bellevue, WA?

Sam Ng

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Just picked up a beautiful 96 Viper GTS, and I was wondering if anyone has recommendations for a mechanic to do some work on the car. I live in Bellevue, Washington. The dealer I bought it from suggested I take it to the Dodge dealership, but that seems like a bad idea...

Anyone on here have any good places they’d recommend? Just looking for things like maintenance and tuneups.

Thanks in advance!

Sam
 

TexasViper35

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The Dodge Dealer would be my first stop, that can go really great or it can be a huge disappointment. Meet the service manager, have a conversation about what you want done, and meet the Viper tech to have that same conversation. You will either have a sense of confidence in how they will treat you and that they won't rip you off, or you won't.

My local dealer is a complete rip off, recently they quoted me six (6) hours to do an alignment on my Gen III, that's over $800.00 before tax! Their Viper tech is a complete **** and I won't let him touch my car after my first and last experience with him long ago. On the flip side, I shipped my car to Florida last year for a month long visit there and decided to drive it back home. Wanted to change some fluids before the trip so I met the local dealer, what a great experience! I would absolutely trust them with my car any day of the week!

If you are wondering, back here at home I am lucky to have access to a Viper specialty shop to do basic repairs and services on my car, they only work of Vipers. They aren't cheap by any means, but they don't rip me off and I have confidence in them.

Going to shops that are not deeply familiar with a car just to avoid the dealership is something that people usually do to try to save money, thinking that all dealerships will rip you off. I have decades of 'expensive' experience with different exotic cars and I've learned that using those shops often costs more by virtue of their spending more time than necessary ($$$) on the car, fixing things that aren't broken, and doing really below par repairs. I avoid them now.
 
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Sam Ng

Sam Ng

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Ah interesting! Okay, I'll have to give my local dealer a shot and see. I'm not as much concerned about the price as I am about the quality of the work that they do. I don't mind paying more to make sure they do good work, but want to make sure they do :)

@BYAIC it sounds like you're not in Bellevue... Anyone in Bellevue have any experience with the Dodge dealer in Bellevue, or have any other recommendations?
 

MrLighty

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The Viper is very easy to work on. When I was looking for my GTS 11 years ago a senior member here told me if your going to own a Viper you should be able to work on it.
GREAT ADVISE!
I just did coil over shocks, polyurethane sway bar bushings, power steering pulley and bracket, high pressure power steering hose, clutch pressure plate and pilot bearing, changed old brake fluid, and oil change. It took me two weekends with only jack stands. Get a service manual and follow directions.
Great excuse to get new tools. Get to know your car.
 

yekta

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Doug at Chase Race out in Duvall, WA has been servicing / fixing / installing new stuff for me and my other racer friends for years. Cars he worked on for me and some close friends as follows. If you want stuff done right, he is your guy, very meticulous.

'17 Z06
'19 Z06
'13 Viper Gts
'02 Viper RT/10
Ariel Atom
Caterham
Spec Miata Race Car

etc. etc.
 
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