"LISTS, LISTS, LISTS!!!" (What movie line was that??)
No one knows the allocation process for 2003 Vipers. No One.
Dodge is "thinking about" formulae, and yo can bet the Dealer's Assn will have a major say in it, as they should.
I have chatted with two "prospective, on-deposit buyers" who both THINK they have deposits in the 1st GEN-III Viper. They truly believe they are getting vin 000000000000000000001. (The salesman assured them!) One is not even a current Viper Owner!
(Current VCA member-owners could likley get SOME kind of ordering priority! Dunno how this will fit within dealer "lists")
In the past, dealers with earned Viper allocation will definitely get more cars ! I would rather be 38th on Woodhouse's list, than 3rd on Backwater Dodge's list. Just selling a LOT of Dodge's (ie trucks, etc) does NOT automatically generate Viper Allocation !
However: If your dealer is "certain" of at least 2-3 Vipers, you would likley be "safe" going on deposit there ! But many dealers sell ZERO Vipers, or very very few per year. If these Viper-come-lately dealers start compiling "lists," then being 5th on their list could mean NO CAR FOR YOU! You could easily get rolled over into 2004.
I could tell you some stories about the many 1996 GTS "orders" that did NOT get filled in 1996 !
In any case: "Get In Writing" which allocated or traded Viper you will be entitled to when you deposit.
Now you depositees know how the rest of us felt in 1991-92, and 1995-96 !!
JonB