Noob with buying question

[financialman]

Hi all! I have made a decision to purchase a Viper. It has to be a GTS which is my favorite Viper of all time. I am not new to performance cars having owned a number of them over the years.

Opinions please.I have it narrowed down to two cars. Which one would you buy?

1. 1998 red on black GTS, 15K miles, drives and looks like new. All service records and original paper work, two owners. Mostly stock, a few bolt ons.
He will sell it for $33.5K

2.2002 Final edition which I guess are all red with white stripes.13K miles, drives and looks like new, all service records and original paper work. Also a two owner car. All stock.
He will sell for $37K.

I want a red car, so either of these will do. I am leaning toward the 2002 as I like the final edition model. I will keep car stock as 450hp and almost 500lb torque is enough for me.

Thanks in advance!

 

[LifeIsGood]

The 2002 has ABS brakes...if that matters to you .

 

[HSSSSSS]

Hi all! I have made a decision to purchase a Viper. It has to be a GTS which is my favorite Viper of all time. I am not new to performance cars having owned a number of them over the years.

Opinions please.I have it narrowed down to two cars. Which one would you buy?

1. 1998 red on black GTS, 15K miles, drives and looks like new. All service records and original paper work, two owners. Mostly stock, a few bolt ons.
He will sell it for $33.5K
Thanks in advance!

You say you want Red. Do you mean this car is Red with Black stripes?
If you are set on one of these 2 cars(not yellow?) then get all the checks done on both of them, take them both for a drive and choose the one YOU like the best since YOU are the one who will be driving it.

 

[plumcrazy]

both seem slightly high to me. but if i liked red, id rather have th FE

 

[JonB]

2002. Dicker just a bit.

 

[zracer196]

I like the FE...But LOVE the forged motor and big cam on the 98'!

Nothing like that MEAN idle!

Good luck!

 

[okloneranger]

The 02 Final Ed. should hold its value better than the 98, and performanc wise they are very close. ABS is a plus for most people, especially in bad weather. Your call, but if you've been around here for long, you know "fresh" tires are very, very important for traction, and going to Viper Days driving class should be at the top of your list of things to do ASAP after purchasing a Viper. They just arn't another muscle car. Many people who thought they were have learned the hard way. Have a Dodge Viper tech. say grace over the car before buying. So much can be learned when the car is up on a lift for inspection. Above all, go slow, take time to get to know your Viper, and "respect the torque". Good luck.

 

[venomous06]

If I was buying another it would be a FE. You can't go wrong with the red and white stripes.

 

[financialman]

Thanks for the response so far.

Have to admit that 98 really has a mean idle and sound over the 2002, but they feel the same as far as power goes, so much torque it is incredible.I could break the tires loose at will and both cars have new rubber!

The FE felt a bit more refined if that is possible in a Viper!

I do not think either will go lower on the price, around here in Silicon Valley they are all asking between $40K and $45K for any GTS and they all had more miles than these two cars!

 

[venomous06]

Start the search out of state then. You might be able to find a lower mile car for a better price. You might have to ship it, but there are some good people here that can take care of you.

 

[financialman]

Start the search out of state then. You might be able to find a lower mile car for a better price. You might have to ship it, but there are some good people here that can take care of you.

I thought about that, but by the time I added shipping and what not I think the price would be pretty close, plus both of these cars are California cars that have never even seen rain before, they are that clean, top and bottom.

The other problem is I am a bit impatient, I want to buy the car tomorrow!!

 

[SlateEd]

They both sound like nice rides, but the 2002 should retain some measure of "collectors item" status thanks to the FE, and the ABS is certainly a plus.

The prices on both of those sound nice to me, but what do I know with a 2006 that still had factory warranty when I bought it - at any rate, there's almost always some "room in the price" if you're going to help someone liquidate it right away. Let the person with the '02 know that you can get something similar for 4 grand less!

As for shopping elsewhere and shipping a car, I've done both - first Viper bought in Chicago, inspected by a race mechanic from Indy, shipped through a company from Illinois to me here in NY. The headache potential is endless! At the time I didn't know anything about the VCA, and I'm sure if I had some of this advice in advance it would have been a much better experience, so if you do look remotely for a car check in here to get some help on inspecting, shipping, etc.

There is something to be said for checking it out yourself too... my second Viper I found within 150 miles of home, drove there one Sunday to check it out and test-drive, negotiated the price over the phone Monday/Tuesday, and got a ride back out the next Sunday to drive it home. If I paid an extra 500 bucks or so over what the car would have cost elsewhere I saved at least the same in shipping. IMO if the car looks legit, especially underneath (no overspray, wrinkles or ripples, etc) and you love it, then take it home!

oh, and as everyone has said - be sure the tires are fresh!

 

[kenmo]

Agreed the FE seems to be the better choice if you're going to keep it stock. Both cars side by side in another 5 years....the FE will stand out.

I just went through the buying process a few weeks ago. Mine was taken to a local dealer to get the oil changed where I inspected it with a few techs on a lift. Certainly a plus to get it in the air to take a look around.

I've had a very close eye on Viper prices this past year. I don't think these prices are TOO high. There was a similar FE with lower mileage go for around $39K on a no reserve auction. Make the guy an offer....worst thing he can say is "no."

I drove myself crazy trying to find "the deal." Ultimately, I got a fair deal. Better yet, I got my dream car in the garage.

Life's too short....buy the car

 

[Gus Strakes]

With no disrespect to those who think the Blue/White is the best, I think the FE has one of the strongest pedigrees of all the GTS Vipers, second only to the 1998 GT2. I say that because it was made to commemorate the Viper GTSR winning outright the Daytona 24 hour in 1999, being the first ever GT2 class car to do that feat.

Go with the FE, you won't regret it.

 

[PatentLaw]

What Gus said.....

 

[PDCjonny]

Worrying about resale value down the road is ludicrious, you can't give them away now and it's not going to change anytime soon. Buy the one you like the most. I overpaid for a local Blue and White a few years back, but being able to see and inspect it in person was huge to me, and being able to drive it home was a bonus. I didn't want to save a few bucks and have it transported across the country. But back then, Vipers actually had some value.

 

[TAXIMAN1]

Final Edition

 

[SquadX]

Get the fe. Has the new water pump which I think was an issue in some of the earlier models.
Fe will likely hold it's value better.
Pay for what u want. I just purchased my third viper and over paid by a bit but it's what I wanted and it was modded with everything I would be doing to it.
Personally I'd get the fe or if you search you can find a srt for 37 but not likely in CA.
I'd still have a tech inspect it.

 

[terminator02]

Dude get the FE. 37 is a great price; even in this market despite what some are saying. If you get it for 35 or 37 it is relative. I paid 37k for a 2000 Red viper GTS ACR in May of this year. Good deal? Sure. Best deal now? No. But how much was it worth to have for this summer? Plus in a few years, whether you paid 35 or 37, it won't matter when they sell for 40-50k. If you are lucky enough to keep it for 20 years, then you will have definitely gotten more smiles than the initial 37k....imho

 

[Sweet Ride]

I say buy the red/black but I may be a little partial....

 

[JonB]

Buy the FE. No Regrets. Do you have it yet? How many miles do you have on it now?

PS: OLD RUBBER may look new.....check the date codes on sidewalls. Old, Used tires are HARD tires regardless of tread apperance and depth. Traction Loss can be hazardous to your new Viper's well-being and collectibility.... (and YOU could get hurt, too.)

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Buy the FE, but make sure it's an FE with the red stitching in the interior.
360 made, 326 non ACR, if it's an ACR even better. 450 total red cars so someone might have added white striopes to a non FE. Check the VIN against the FE Registry.

Go here. Dodge Viper Final Edition Registry

The 98 saw red production of 447 cars.

 

[PDCjonny]

Plus in a few years, whether you paid 35 or 37, it won't matter when they sell for 40-50k.

Keep dreaming.

 

[terminator02]

Keep dreaming.

Way to be pointless. He wanted an opinion and I have given it to him as it was relevant to this thread. Even today, in this economy, you can sell a nice 2002 FE for 40k. It may take a bit and you won't want to sell on Ebay, but you will sell it. The bottom may not quite have hit, but in a few years, as these cars get more and more rare (exporting to other countries, wrecks, etc) the value will go up. It took a forum member 1 month to sell a 15k 1998 silver/blue for 35. 40k for a 2002 FE with lower miles and all original for 40k is not "dreaming." When the economy rebounds I can't imagine a car that can sell for 40k would not sell for at LEAST that...if not more

 

[plumcrazy]

Keep dreaming.

what jon said !!!

 

[SRT Venom]

Get the 02 FE.

 

[C-Note]

The 02 has a few more goodies as well.
Like a remote rear window release, power mirrors a nicer shifter and what some would say are nicer door panels.
The 2002 also has a better frame, the older cars had a recall and they had to add a bunch of support to the frame.
They also had 18" wheels instead of the 17" older wheels.
I think that the newer "cream puff" engine may be a little better in the long run as long as you are not going with boost.

I say FE all the way if you don't want to boost.

All this coming from the owner of a 98 GTS.

Good luck and welcome to the dark side

 

[GTS1997]

One positive about the '98 is the rumble of the 708 cam. I have a cream puff cam in my '01 and it just seems like something is missing. Now, all of the afore mentinoned benefits of getting the '02 might outweigh the wicked sound of the 708 cam, but man I wish my car had the sound of a '98. Just my 2cents.

 

[white out]

If you have no plans for modding, the '02FE is the way to go. It will be worth more down the road.

Nick

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

No disrespect to the FE crowd but I'd go with the 98. Among other things there is a definite difference in ride feel and rumble. The 98 is less refined and I like that.

Regardless, you can't go wrong with either.