Hello Guys,
That is my GTS. Good clean Vipers are hard to find. I know my Viper is worth more than the average market value. I had an offer on it last summer for way more than $55k and turned it down.
It all comes down to “You get what you pay for”. In the Ferrari world, a huge price factor is service and maintenance records. This is not really the case with the Vipers. Most buyers base their purchase amount on year and mileage. This is fine but you need to look at the entire car. When I walk around a Viper I notice things like the ripped door seals, all the paint chips on the nose, paint discoloration on the side sills, etc. I am like a cash register ringing up all the repairs. It’s always cheaper to pay more for a gem than to attempt to polish a ****.
Whenever I pop a hood on a Viper, my eyes go straight for the brake fluid. If it looks like black coffee, most likely other parts of the Viper have been neglected. Many Viper owners just change the oil. What about the transmission, rear end, brake fluid, clutch fluid and coolant? If the car is not driven and does not have many miles on it…it needs to be changed MORE often. Fluids absorb moisture. If the car never moves, gear sets start to oxidize.
PhoenixGTS, you are correct and have a good eye. Those are new drop links. My rear drop links had rips in the boots. They were not defective but they were not perfect. I replaced all four. They are about $140 each. My brake rotors are also new. I don’t turn rotors, I replace them. I drive fast and I want to be safe.
I found a hairline crack in one of my back wheels. The wheel shop said “We fix them all the time”. Not acceptable. I bought a new wheel, had it chromed and put the tire on it. Not cheap. No one would ever have found that crack in the wheel. Most guys would just sell the car with the defective wheel. Not me. Anyone want to buy a cheap chrome wheel for a coffee table?
I could go on and on about Viper prices. My Viper did not sell last week. It went up to $52,900 but did not meet reserve. I talked to the high bidder many times on the phone. We just did not close the deal. I know there are a lot of people watching my auction including dealers. If my car sells, it will set a high water mark for values.
I have driven Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bentleys, Masseratis, Porsche 911, Ford GT, Z06 etc. I have had my car for five years now. I still get excited over the ownership. If I sell it will I leave the Viper community? Nope. The Viper is a damn exciting car.
Jerry