New Car Mileage Question?

[markbrown]

I want to ask a question? I have been looking at Vipers, my wife's daily driver is a Z06. I sold my Z last year and have been driving our family car a SS Impala.

Now my question, how many miles should a new Viper have on it when you buy it?

Mark Brown

 

[J&R3xV10]

0 order one from the plant. My 08 had 13 miles on it but it was the first 08 in Las Vegas and the owner of the dealership and the manager couldn't resist. But who can blame them... could you sit in your office all day with a brand new 600HP beast as fantastic as the 08 Viper in front of you and not try it??

 

[markbrown]

This is exactly what I am up against! Every Viper I want has more than delivery miles on it. I consider delivery as 4 miles. When I bought my two Z's they had 5 miles on them. Some of these dealers are selling new Vipers with 10 and more miles on them.

I have friends on a personal level who are salesmen and I know what they do! Even the manager gets in on the act! So when I got my Z's I told them I would not take delivery if the cars had miles.

Also back when I was looking at the Ford GT's many dealers I could run my hand up under the fender well and rubber dust / chunks were present, remember that trick! One time a dealer lifted the rear engine lid and there was chunks of rubber all over, it was embarrising when I said well looks like this car was thourghly tested.

I just want a low to no mile Viper I want to be the one who breaks it in and put the miles on it. I am a car nut and I think it is criticle how you spend the first 500 miles. The Z has a dry sump and because of that it takes several minutes to get the oil temp up. Most managers and salemen get in the Z's and tromp them and the the customer wonders why the lifters are failing.

Mark Brown

 

[1BADGTS]

No way in the world to insure no matter the mileage any new car was not taken thru the gears besides does it really matter .

 

[markbrown]

I think it shows DISRESPECT to the buyer such as myself.

Some guys don't even care about their spouses being unfaithful so it should not surprise me that some people don't' care about how abused their new Viper is when they take delivery. This is a big purchase "for me" I want the freshest eggs and milk I can buy.

mb

 

[1BADGTS]

Happens in all cars absolutely no way to stop it or ensure your car was not taken thru the gears .Way too many people from transportation to dealership employees have access to any hi-perf car (not just Vipers )Years ago my roomate was a checker at Maher Terminal in NJ which was the port the Ferraris come in on .Checks were responsible for taking the cars off the ships.Let me tell you alot of them were at redline as they literally were raced off the ships and around the hundred acre holding lot.Vipers in particular are not fragile small disp high reving high maint cars that some of their European Counterparts are.

 

[1BADGTS]

0 order one from the plant. My 08 had 13 miles on it but it was the first 08 in Las Vegas and the owner of the dealership and the manager couldn't resist. But who can blame them... could you sit in your office all day with a brand new 600HP beast as fantastic as the 08 ctlyViper in front of you and not try it??

Exactly and in all reality it did not hurt your car one bit.

 

[Racer Robbie]

My 2003 had 4 miles on it when I looked at it on the dealers showroom floor.

 

[ViperTony]

I think it shows DISRESPECT to the buyer such as myself.

Some guys don't even care about their spouses being unfaithful so it should not surprise me that some people don't' care about how abused their new Viper is when they take delivery. This is a big purchase "for me" I want the freshest eggs and milk I can buy.

mb

IMO, you have five options:

(1.) Order a Viper and arrange pickup at CAAP. This may be the best bet to get a zero or near zero mileage Viper off the assembly line and directly into your hands. Not to mention the tour of CAAP itself is awesome.

(2.) Order a Viper from Tator's Dodge. I only trust Chuck with my Viper.

(3.) Order a Viper from Woodhouse. I'm sure Mark will take great care of it for you.

(4.) Don't buy a Viper.

(5.) Buy a new Viper with a few miles on it and get over it.

 

[01sapphirebob]

Vipers leave the factory with some miles on them. Anywhere between 5-13 miles i've seen. The cars are roll tested to 90 mph befor they leave the factory to make sure there are no major problems with the car befor body panels start going on the car. So if someone tells you they have a 0 mileage viper, stay away from it. They are not out there.

 

[Mopar Boy]

Vipers leave the factory with some miles on them. Anywhere between 5-13 miles i've seen. The cars are roll tested to 90 mph befor they leave the factory to make sure there are no major problems with the car befor body panels start going on the car. So if someone tells you they have a 0 mileage viper, stay away from it. They are not out there.

Exactly! Just because there are some miles on the car, sitting new at the dealer, does noty mean that CAAP did not do a little bit more tresting on it.

Also not to worry, Vipers get up to temp pretty fast!

Robert

 

[DFW GTS]

I don't know if this was, or still is, done with every Viper manufactured but when I purchased my '97, included along with the owner's manual was a card that stated something to the effect of, "Team Viper put __ miles on this car during assembly and testing." This card had a 6 hand written in the blank and the odometer on my car showed 6 miles.

 

[Paul Hawker]

Every Viper goes through a dyno test prior to delivery. The vehicle is run through a pre-delivery cycle to check out its systems.

This may ring up a few miles.

If no "dealer testing" mileage is your goal, most of the advertisers on this board will be more than happy to be sure that no one takes a joy ride before delivery to you. Just need to be a little proactive.

 

[1BADGTS]

If it truely mechanically effected EVERY Viper that was ever taken thru the gears BEFORE the customer bought the car in all reality there would not be very many on the road LOL .Remember its not only dealetrship people that have access to the cars before the customer what about transportation employees ,CAAP employees ect.

 

[Sellshomesdrivesviper]

Mine had 6-miles when new, and I would say thats very typical, but understand the dealership owner, GM, GSM, etc. might drive it on the lot or streets for the thrill of it.

 

[Peter Nielsen]

My 2006 had 4 miles. My 2008 had 3 miles.

I've heard some vipers may have 15 miles from the factory because they selected the car for some more extensive testing...

 

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Easy Fix................

Buy From Tators Dodge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[1BADGTS]

Mine had 6-miles when new, and I would say thats very typical, but understand the dealership owner, GM, GSM, etc. might drive it on the lot or streets for the thrill of it.

Exactly esp if its a new model with alot of changes (jump from 06 to 08 Viper.)Last winter how many Vipers were wrecked by dealership employees.

 

[markbrown]

thanks for all the post - i don't care about factory miles - i understand that is their job and its not a big thing for those employees - they do what they have to do and that's it.

what i do mind is when it gets to the dealer and he cant explain why all the vipers he sells have at least twice to three times the miles of most other new viper dealers. i would be happy with what i call delivery miles three to five miles.

here is a good trick for you guys run your hand up under the back fender and check for rubber chunks. i was at a dealer looking a ford gt when they first come out the new gt had 250 miles on it ha! ha! i had to wash my hand off before i came back and told the salesman no thanks.

thing about it is i could buy a exotic with 150 miles and be ok with it cause these dealers don't have excited children working in the back just waiting to take the car down and wash it he he. seems at domestic dealers you have to defend your car more against everyone from the sales manage down!

mb

ps my main worry is the valve train - i have myself busted a few engines in my time cause i was stupid and didnt get it to temp. staff at dealers with just a few minutes to them selves are going for it they dont care.

 

[markbrown]

Exactly esp if its a new model with alot of changes (jump from 06 to 08 Viper.)Last winter how many Vipers were wrecked by dealership employees.

I personally know of one here in Texas that never made it back from a simple tire change at the dealership!

 

[1BADGTS]

thanks for all the post - i don't care about factory miles - i understand that is their job and its not a big thing for those employees - they do what they have to do and that's it.

what i do mind is when it gets to the dealer and he cant explain why all the vipers he sells have at least twice to three times the miles of most other new viper dealers. i would be happy with what i call delivery miles three to five miles.

here is a good trick for you guys run your hand up under the back fender and check for rubber chunks. i was at a dealer looking a ford gt when they first come out the new gt had 250 miles on it ha! ha! i had to wash my hand off before i came back and told the salesman no thanks.

thing about it is i could buy a exotic with 150 miles and be ok with it cause these dealers don't have excited children working in the back just waiting to take the car down and wash it he he. seems at domestic dealers you have to defend your car more against everyone from the sales manage down!

mb

ps my main worry is the valve train - i have myself busted a few engines in my time cause i was stupid and didnt get it to temp. staff at dealers with just a few minutes to them selves are going for it they dont care.

Trust me exotics are no different.As i replied previously Ferraris are taken off the ships at Maher Terminal-Elizabeth NJ by workers (checkers )who routinely red line them in driving them around the hugh terminal before the dealership employees get them and do the same.On ANY EXOTIC 2,3 4 5 ect miles no way to tell it was not run threw the gears.

 

[1BADGTS]

PS i also know first hand of a MB Dealership in NJ who had a 500 grand SLR that they let a buddy of mine (WHO THEY KNEW HAD HUGH MONEY-had an AMEX Black Card used in there often on his other Benzes )test drive with the owner of the dealership in a EXTREMELY SPIRITED MANOR.Its amazing the power of the AMEX BLACK CARD.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

thanks for all the post - i don't care about factory miles - i understand that is their job and its not a big thing for those employees - they do what they have to do and that's it.

what i do mind is when it gets to the dealer and he cant explain why all the vipers he sells have at least twice to three times the miles of most other new viper dealers. i would be happy with what i call delivery miles three to five miles.

here is a good trick for you guys run your hand up under the back fender and check for rubber chunks. i was at a dealer looking a ford gt when they first come out the new gt had 250 miles on it ha! ha! i had to wash my hand off before i came back and told the salesman no thanks.

thing about it is i could buy a exotic with 150 miles and be ok with it cause these dealers don't have excited children working in the back just waiting to take the car down and wash it he he. seems at domestic dealers you have to defend your car more against everyone from the sales manage down!

mb

ps my main worry is the valve train - i have myself busted a few engines in my time cause i was stupid and didnt get it to temp. staff at dealers with just a few minutes to them selves are going for it they dont care.

I have no issue with claiming the dealer isn't treating you well if there are more miles than expected. However:

• The factory engine oil is a 0W-40 and will get to all moving parts of the engine before you get the T-56 in gear.
• If there is tire rubber inside the fenders, the engine was at high speed but not at high load.
• There is a built-in rev limit that Dodge has carefully chosen.
• Before/during break-in the mechanical parts are "rougher" and therefore actually hold a thicker cushion of oil.
• The oil is at it's newest, freshest, and best - far better than flogging an oil with 5,000 miles.
• I know for a fact that Cosworth F1 engines are essentially "flogged" from the first few minutes and then get better performance; actually peaking until combustion chamber deposits (because of the fuel they use) form and affect in-cylinder air flow. They don't wear out.

Again, if what the dealer says and does are different, that's bad. But technically it's hard to justify they could actually do something bad to the engine in 10 miles.

 

[1BADGTS]

I have no issue with claiming the dealer isn't treating you well if there are more miles than expected. However:

• The factory engine oil is a 0W-40 and will get to all moving parts of the engine before you get the T-56 in gear.
• If there is tire rubber inside the fenders, the engine was at high speed but not at high load.
• There is a built-in rev limit that Dodge has carefully chosen.
• Before/during break-in the mechanical parts are "rougher" and therefore actually hold a thicker cushion of oil.
• The oil is at it's newest, freshest, and best - far better than flogging an oil with 5,000 miles.
• I know for a fact that Cosworth F1 engines are essentially "flogged" from the first few minutes and then get better performance; actually peaking until combustion chamber deposits (because of the fuel they use) form and affect in-cylinder air flow. They don't wear out.

Again, if what the dealer says and does are different, that's bad. But technically it's hard to justify they could actually do something bad to the engine in 10 miles.

GREAT points.

 

[ViperCr8zy]

Miles add up fast, so I really don't see the issue with a Viper posting a few prior to delivery. I saw a Viper at Prefix during VOIX that had 65 miles on it - brand new - and had a sticker on the driver's window stating it had been pulled for quality control. I image MarkBrown would not be too happy going to pick up his car at CAAP only to find it already had 65 miles on the clock!

On a side note, there are a million different theories on break-in. One of my favorite sports cars of all time had less than 10 miles on the showroom floor and I immediately "enjoyed" the heck out of the car for every mile thereafter after purchase. It never gave a bit of trouble and always ran super strong.

 

[markbrown]

great now that i know most of you don't mind a few miles on your car by someone you don't know - i figure i would ask for some seat time behind the wheel of your vipers?

im in dallas area waiting for a little spin.

maybe i should get a job washing vipers at a local dealer and just have my fun at will who'd care after all.

mark b

 

[VAViper]

My 2003 had 4 miles on it when I looked at it on the dealers showroom floor.

My 08 had 4 miles on it when I received it as well.
Don't settle for anything less

 

[1BADGTS]

great now that i know most of you don't mind a few miles on your car by someone you don't know - i figure i would ask for some seat time behind the wheel of your vipers?

im in dallas area waiting for a little spin.

maybe i should get a job washing vipers at a local dealer and just have my fun at will who'd care after all.

mark b

Mark ,why get upset over something you can not verify or do anything about especially if its really not hurting the car.Guys paying alot more money for the upper end exotics are going thru the same thing (imagine paying 500 grand for an MB SLR that was test driven -HARD).In all my years of owning Vipers (owner of every Gen since 1993)i have never heard of anyone having an after purchase issue related to this thread .Just get a car and ENJOY IT as your truely worried about nothing.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

great now that i know most of you don't mind a few miles on your car by someone you don't know - i figure i would ask for some seat time behind the wheel of your vipers?

im in dallas area waiting for a little spin.

maybe i should get a job washing vipers at a local dealer and just have my fun at will who'd care after all.

mark b

I have 92,000 miles on mine, those who've seen it know it needs a wash, so when in NY, please stop by. I'm just being logical rather than emotional (fully understanding that the relationship with a car dealer has to make the buyer feel good).

I bought an '06 Charger and wanted the RT suspension package on a silver car. The dealer found that combination a few hundred miles away. It was quicker and cheaper to use their shuttle drivers to bring it to me, so I bought my new, unlicensed car with 258 miles. That was fine with me. As they say about our financial system today, as long as there is transparency and you can understand what happened, everything is good, right?

Secondarily, how much is mile number 10 through 20 worth? Would you buy the car for that much off the price? After 100 miles, does it matter?

I think we agree it's the dealer/seller more than the mechanical effects, but it means you'll have to announce your car wash business is accepting a 5 minute joy ride as payment.

 

[BlknBlu]

My 08 had 4 miles on it when I picked it up. The car went from the car hauler to the showroom floor and never moved till I drove it away. I did buy an 07 SRT8 charger that only had 1 mile on it though.

Bruce