Shakes rattles and rolls

[Trrbo]

I just got my first Viper 2 weeks ago. 04 Red SRT 10. Brand spanken new. Made in March. Paid $78000 + TTL here in Dallas. Had 7 miles on it. Has 400 miles on it now. Have already joined VCA. Live in Dallas so getting to the VOI won't be a problem. My question is this -

My Viper makes funny noises like vibrations, humms, grinds, etc, and I am not used to that. Maybe I am used to the virtual quiet of my BMW, but the little sounds are making me a little uneasy. With the top down, the noises aren't as bad, but with the top up the noise seems to echo and get worse. I tend to turn up the radio when I take someone for a ride for fear that they will hear the little noises and think somethings wrong. Is this normal ? I don't think there is anything wrong with the car, but it is a little noisy. Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions or is that just a Viper ?

 

[Kai SRT10]

Could easily be normal noises. My car is quite noisy, lots of rattles, bumps, etc. but I'm used to it. I have become accustomed to normal background noise on the car, and can recognize a new noise. Probably just the nature of the car. It's not got as much insulation as your other car, and all the parts are sort of "super-sized" and make a fair amount of racket.

 

[AllBlack]

I was uneasy just like you when I first picked up my viper, I was used to the silence of german cars like you as well lol… but yes, it is normal, and you become used to it, enjoy the viper

 

[Paul Hawker]

Ron. Welcome to the Viper Nation.
Best bet is to take advantage of your local club. Find out where the next event is, and get a ride in another members car. Then you can see if your noises are normal, or unique.
Vipers tend to be a little noisey, as you would expect from a race car for the street. Those wide tires also tend to hit more bumps.

 

[Skip White]

Waite till the car gets about 10-K on it. This seems to enhance those things, but you have to realize, if BMW's had a suspension and tire setup like the Viper, you'd be noticing some of these things as well. The car doe's have the American ellement in it's construction. To build the Viper exactly the way it is, but with BMW construction quality would make this car very expensive I think. And since it's a low production car, that would surly make it even more expensive.

You can elimimate some of the rattles and sqeuakes. I get a little frustrated with this myself, as I'm very perticular about these things, but I accept it and overlook. The pre 97 Vettes were a nightmare compared to the Viper, one year old and it felt like a pile of junk. The Viper will not get to much worse as time goes. This is a convertable also, so really the car is not bad, as I can't stand the cowl shake most convertables have, even the BMW in convertable form has a bit of a sloppy feel to it.

Skip White

 

[Trrbo]

Thanks guys. Paul - a friend of mine suggested the same thing. He said that a local Viper mechanic trainer would be at the next club meeting and to let him take a look at it.

Like I said, I don't think anythings wrong, and the looks that I get when driving make any funny noises or vibrations worth it. The Viper is definitely in a class of its own. Now for some cool mods .....

 

[Skip White]

Funny how we overlook the flaws in cars/people if they shine in other areas, and the Viper certainly does.

Skip White

 

[Viper X]

Trrbo,
I picked up my 04 about six weeks ago. Now have 3000 miles on it. As you can guess, I like driving this car. The car is "noisy" but not "clunky". The only real "noise" issue I had was when the passenger side header heat shield rubbed on the frame. This occurred on bumpy roads or during engine shut down. I pulled the shield, reformed it and the car is now about as quiet as you can get for a race car on the street. Also, you may also want to check the air pressure in your tires. LOL.

 

[Viperfreak2]

Normal for an open top American car. A Ferrari F355 Spyder or 360 will put you to sleep with the solid feel. Very German. Only the engine note saves these cars from total snooze-ville. M3 cabrio is about perfect. No noises, but firm and tight. Just like I like it.

Someone super insulated a Viper GTS a while back....maybe they can do an SRT?

 

[1TONY1]

No pics of the Mooney ???

 

[DR-V]

Trrbo I had the same feeling. When from M3 2002 to the viper. Fell like I could not even talk on cell my jaw was shaking form the vibration. Tranny making grinding noise.
Well still a different ride but, I checked the tires pressure and it was off, after 700 mile the grinding on the tranny is not as bad. 1700 miles the car getting to be sweet. Even the interior temp when down. My wife has not burned her legs again, but still the need for shoes not sandals

 

[Skip White]

I drove my cousins 96 F-355 convertable with 35-K miles on it and he ask me what I thought, I told him the car is put together like I wish the Viper was, but that car cost $195,000. It was amazing to see a 9 year old car that had such a solid feel to it.

Funny thing is, you can eliminate a few rattles and the car feels so much better.

Seat belt buckle on passenger side, pull it to the inside of the seat bolster, it rattles badly against the interior wall, I like to never figured where that noise was coming from.

 

[SNAKEPILOT]

Fell like I could not even talk on cell my jaw was shaking form the vibration
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOLUTION: shut up and drive!

 

[kverges]

My (former) 2003 SRT-10 was a big disappointment in build quality to my 15,000 mile '01 GTS. My GTS is still vault-like and has no squeaks or rattles after 3 years of vigorous driving (all the noises are good noises like gear rattle from tranny, exhaust, etc). My SRT rattled at the top latches and made several noises from in the dash and center console. My good friend's 2003 SRT does the same thing. My '93 RT/10 was almost as quiet with even the "toupee."

I don't think it's acceptable to have squeaks and rattles in a $80K car, but the performance is excellent. You have to step up quite a bit in price to get the same performance and build quality. I made the quantum leap to another car and I am afraid I am ruined and may not be able to buy another Viper, especially since I am a fan of the GTS over the SRT, which just never grew on me as it is too derivative and conservative in styling for my tastes).

FWIW - great car, nonetheless!

 

[Trrbo]

Mooney pics

Ok, here's the Mooney pics -

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Garmin 530, Garmin 296, WX 10, Gami's .........

 

[Trrbo]

Sounds like I need to check the tires, the heat shield, the seat buckle, the dash and then just shut up and drive !

I get more looks in the Viper than in the Mooney. I could have a Learjet and people would not get as excited as they do about the Viper. My wife doesn't like to fly anyway, and she said that I can't drive the Viper without her ! Maybe I should teach her how to drive a stick.....

 

[DEVILDOG]

Throw a good exhaust on it and drown out the other noises. Also, makes it more fun when you blow by those quiet German and Italian machines! Look forward to meeting you at our next club meeting on 7/10.

 

[Jim Hodel]

Out of curiosity, what BMW did you have? I traded a 98 M3 on my 99 GTS (new)and the Viper does have a few more interior squeaks then the BMW, although not too bad overall.

The noises mostly come from the windows when they are rolled down part way and the handbrake lever.

Jim

 

[1TONY1]

Re: Mooney pics

Ok, here's the Mooney pics -


Garmin 530, Garmin 296, WX 10, Gami's .........

Nice, Click on my avitar to see mine. I guess the 530 was not good enough so you had to get a 296 also

 

[gtsviper]

Re: Mooney pics

If you can hear those noises...you're not driving fast enough.

 

[Trrbo]

Re: Mooney pics

Tony, the Garmin 530 is fine, but the 296 has a nicad battery pack. It'll work when everything else fails. It's pretty cool with Terrain mapping and all. Color map. I've got an AnywhereMap Ipaq with the Gyro I am getting ready to sell. The 296 was too good to pass up.

Great looking J model. I like the early 90's paint scheme. Green looks good too. Especially with Gold Stripes. Lets see, we both have Mooneys, Vipers.... does your wife have blond hair too ?

 

[1TONY1]

Re: Mooney pics

does your wife have blond hair too ?

Sort of She is also a Viper owner. I have the Garmin 295, I have not seen the 296 in person.....I'm scared to, I don't want to upgrade every time like I did with the 195 to the 295.