Reliability Questions....

[AviSarfaraz]

I wanted to know as I am looking into buying a viper, the maintainence and reliabilty problems of owning a viper. I would greatly appreciate it if you guys could tell me about the reliability and maintainence to keep the viper I buy as reliable as possible.

 

[Warren S]

As a new owner, I'm currently following proper break-in procedures for the first 1K miles. Also, changing the oil and filter regularly is very important, you'll find a lot of discussion just under 'oil and filter'. When I'm not driving the snake for a length of time, I disconnect the battery (behind the left rear tire cover) and leave it on my trickle charger. I believe you can also use the terminals under the hood.

How hard you'll be driving it will determine reliability. If you're doing occassional 'spirited driving', I wouldn't worry. Your scheduled tune-up's should be fine. But if you're running it hard often or tracking it, then of course things will be stressed and will possibly break (i.e. halfshafts, tranny, head gaskets). Get the extended warranty, it may help out in the long run.

Ever heard of not driving the car for a long period of time and try to start it up and nothing happens? Well, a car's 'reliability' accounts for the number of times you drive it. The more you drive it without having any problems the more reliable it becomes, right?

 

[Daffy Duck Viper]

The more you drive it without having any problems the more reliable it becomes, right?

I don't know. That's confusing logic to me. Is that a quantum physics thing? Heh-heh.

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[SRT10]

C'mon Daffy,the more you rely on it to drive, the more reliable it is. Or the more you drive it the more reliable it becomes. So, I rely on it therefore I drive.

 

[Warren S]

Good analysis SRT. And for those who want the basic equation

Reliability = successful usage (or mileage)/time

Since, my car's relatively new, I'm probably not the person to ask. But I can truly say that I've had no problems whatsoever [fingers crossed, knock on wood]. Just remembered, today is my snake's 1st birthday according to its M/D/H ID on the door--yea!

I'm sure someone who has more usage and time will chime in on the reliability issues.

 

[Daffy Duck Viper]

Happy Birthday to your Viper, Warren. What do you do or buy a Viper for its birthday? Wash & wax? Change the fluids? New parts? Upgrades?

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[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I have a bad oil leak in the timing cover gasket at 65K miles. Will be fixing it over the next week or two.

Also had a leak at the oil cooler fitting.

 

[DodgeViper01]

The Viper is very reliable if you know what you are doing. It is a beast to drive but if you do not do anything "stupid" in the car you will be fine. It handles in the rain well as long as you are careful. The cost of ownership can be expensive if it is not a car with a warranty. GET A WARRANTY NO MATTER WHAT. In my opinion it is a great everyday driver once you get passed the fact that it is an exotic. I had the "cant drive it often cause it is an exotic" idea in my head for a few weeks but then I got over it and now I drive it pratically every day. It is a great car. What is the purpose of spending $80,000 on a car like this if you are not going to drive it?

 

[McGuireV10]

I dunno about F355's experience, but after 27K miles, I wouldn't say my Viper is a beast to drive, not by a long shot. My wife -- who never drove any sports car prior to the Viper -- drives it all the time and loves it. She babys it, but there was never a complaint about it being difficult to drive.

I have driven mine through THREE hurricanes, I've done 14-hour stints straight through, and it has several hours of track time on it, and I haven't had a single serious problem. (My problems were minor things like a leaky foglamp that filled with water, a trim piece that came off, and other normal new car warranty issues.)

In my opinion, other than the fact that you're buying MORE of everything (9 qts oil, 10 plugs & wires, bigger tires, etc), the maintenance costs are no worse than any other car, and I find the reliability to be top-notch.

All of which I'm very pleased to report, since you are voicing exactly the same concerns I had when I started thinking about buying one in early 2001. If your sig means you actually had a DeLorean, then based on what I've read, a Viper will be a piece of cake (and a whole **** of a lot faster).

 

[BYT U L8R]

46K miles and I still redline my 98 everyday. No majors other than A/C problems here and there.

 

[SapphireGTS]

If you are used to a delorean then a viper will be annoyingly reliable. Dont sweat it so much. Buying a viper shouldnt be a life altering decision. If it is, dont buy one. Its an american car, made of big beefy american parts. I think the only thing that makes a viper unreliable is not driving it. On the rare occasion that mine doesnt get driven for 1 week, when I start it i just "feels" like it is mad because It has not been driven.

 

[Walt McFarland]

Put 8K miles on mine this first year. Drove it through the winter--which was a bad one by Northern Va standards. Nothing has broken. Note I also have over 100 extra HP thanks to Jason Heffner--again no reliability issues. If anything the car is running better as it approaches 9K than it ever has.

Watch the oil and keep it clean.