When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
It's funny you brought this up. I was in the market 2 months ago for the same budget, same car. Went and looked at a few and settled on the Corvette.
The GTS's had the offset pedals=not comfortable
The 03+ cars most had cracked dash's. Very cheap interiors. Seats were good but overall the car was poorly built.
Spoke about it last night to my neighbor who works on exotics, he told me I made the right choice. He asked if if I planned on daily driving the viper and laughed. Told me I'd better pack and ice pack because of how hot they get and the suspension is absolutely horrible. He said to be careful in the rain as well. I stayed and bought another Vette instead.
From all of the one's I saw, I would say up your budget and pick up an 06+ coupe for $45-50k.
If I could do my Viper experience again, I would've bought a '96 GTS, blue with white stripes, and I'd probably still have it today. My first Viper was a '95 RT/10. I wish I could go back because I should've waited until I found the car I wanted, instead of settling for a convertible.
Even though the Viper has greatly improved over the years in all aspects, the '96 GTS will be the one to have down the road.
Had a '99 ACR for a daily and loved it, put 20k miles on it in a year. My '97 B/W drew MUCH more attention than the silver ACR, so if you're trying to stay under the radar a bit, go with a more subtle color.
Almost C5 cheap to own. Wire loom in doors can get severed over time and need to be repaired/replaced.
'98+ - power mirrors & alarm reset key in glovebox
'99+ - upgraded interior, recessed fog lights, updated radiator fans, 18" wheels, ACR available
'00+ - cast motor, less aggressive cam & plastic impeller for water pump
'01+ - abs
Had a '99 ACR for a daily and loved it, put 20k miles on it in a year. My '97 B/W drew MUCH more attention than the silver ACR, so if you're trying to stay under the radar a bit, go with a more subtle color.
Almost C5 cheap to own. Wire loom in doors can get severed over time and need to be repaired/replaced.
'98+ - power mirrors & alarm reset key in glovebox
'99+ - upgraded interior, recessed fog lights, updated radiator fans, 18" wheels, ACR available
'00+ - cast motor, less aggressive cam & plastic impeller for water pump
'01+ - abs
This sums it up! I've got a red RT/10 and it probably gets a little too much attention for a daily driver (people taking photos at lights, and posing in front of it at the grocery store when you come out). If you don't plan on doing a supercharger/turbo in the future, I'd go with the 2001-2002 and get ABS for daily driving.
I have only owned Gen V so no help here. I will say, Id recommend listening to owners only and not those who state what their friends/neighbors say. Good luck, Vipers are a blast.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C1 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2017 Corvette of the Year Finalist
2016 C2 of Year
2015 C3 of Year Finalist
I just bought a Gen 2 GTS. It's a 2001 in Sapphire Blue. Love the car. I also have a C6 Z06 which I won't part with. The Viper is a blast to drive but it's not as comfortable or quite as fast as the Z06. I actually love the hard ride and the go kart like handling. Makes alot of low end torque. Did the muffler delete to make it sound better. The car gets a crazy amount of attention on the road.
My best advice is buy the lowest mileage, well maintained, unmolested example you can find. I bought from a private party and the car only had 16,000 miles on it. If you're a big guy, make sure you drive one and fit in it. I'm 6'1 220 and I just about fit OK. Good luck. Here is a pic of mine.
Last edited by capevettes; 11-03-2015 at 08:39 AM.
You can do the seat lowering kit if you don't fit too well. I know the 1in you can still use the slider and the 2in is pretty much bolted in one position for headroom.
Okay, so I lied about not using hyperbole, but that's really what the Viper is. It is an exaggeration of a normal car. If you take yourself seriously while driving it, you will look ridiculous. Driving it is kind of like wearing a clown wig. A clown wig that is on fire.
it sounds like they are quirky but easy to keep going, as long as you don't hit anything. the body parts are serious $$$$.
Personal experience based upon helping customer with their brakes. the car is set up as a racing car. the brakes make the car twitchy. Dodge decided to use the exact same calipers front and rear. (during a spirited drive) if you get nervous and tap the brakes mid turn the rears will lock. that is why people say the cars are twitchy and like to spin. like i said it's set up like a proper racing car, you can't drive it normal. that being said if we throw some hp+ in the front and some napa ceramic bs pads in the rear, that should solve that issue.
it sounds like they are quirky but easy to keep going, as long as you don't hit anything. the body parts are serious $$$$.
Personal experience based upon helping customer with their brakes. the car is set up as a racing car. the brakes make the car twitchy. Dodge decided to use the exact same calipers front and rear. (during a spirited drive) if you get nervous and tap the brakes mid turn the rears will lock. that is why people say the cars are twitchy and like to spin. like i said it's set up like a proper racing car, you can't drive it normal. that being said if we throw some hp+ in the front and some napa ceramic bs pads in the rear, that should solve that issue.
The brake information is just plain wrong. The front and rear calipers are different. I've owned a 96, 98 and still have my 01, all bought new. The 01-02 have ABS, and a bit more rear brake bias as a result. Earlier cars will lock front brakes first unless you drive like a moron and apply brakes with steering input.
The car will not countenance fools, do foolish things like abrupt brake, power and steering inputs and it will bite - like the Snake that it is. Learn to drive and drive it competently, and the car is very fast road course and drag strip.
Correct on the body part cost - very expensive cars to repair, especially if you need a front hood.
The cars are incredibly robust, mechanically and dead simple to maintain and repair. The 96 was the first of the Gen II cars and has some detail issues, the '02 has ABS and electrically adjustable side view mirrors, among a few "refinements" (a bit of an oxymoron for a Viper).
The Viper is a car for the lunatic fringe enthusiast, and is extremely rewarding and one of the few cars that is still affordable and cool. All the air cooled Porsches, and so many other enthusiast cars are astronomically priced.
Follow the advice above and get a well cared for and unmolested car and pay a bit more for it; you won't regret it and I predict you will not lose money on a good car.
I know I can't help answer any of your questions but If I was in the market for a RWD two-seater I'd get a Viper without even hesitating.
Maybe it's the area I live in, but I have only ever seen a handful of vipers in the last decade. Newer corvettes are a semi common and in a given day I see more 911s and Porsche boxters than anything else. The Viper would be a definite head turner.
The brake information is just plain wrong. The front and rear calipers are different. I've owned a 96, 98 and still have my 01, all bought new. The 01-02 have ABS, and a bit more rear brake bias as a result. Earlier cars will lock front brakes first unless you drive like a moron and apply brakes with steering input.
The car will not countenance fools, do foolish things like abrupt brake, power and steering inputs and it will bite - like the Snake that it is. Learn to drive and drive it competently, and the car is very fast road course and drag strip.
Correct on the body part cost - very expensive cars to repair, especially if you need a front hood.
The cars are incredibly robust, mechanically and dead simple to maintain and repair. The 96 was the first of the Gen II cars and has some detail issues, the '02 has ABS and electrically adjustable side view mirrors, among a few "refinements" (a bit of an oxymoron for a Viper).
The Viper is a car for the lunatic fringe enthusiast, and is extremely rewarding and one of the few cars that is still affordable and cool. All the air cooled Porsches, and so many other enthusiast cars are astronomically priced.
Follow the advice above and get a well cared for and unmolested car and pay a bit more for it; you won't regret it and I predict you will not lose money on a good car.
The Gen II Viper is an icon and has aged well.
interesting. i was working with a customer that was having all sorts of trail braking issues. we found out the front and rear calipers had the same part number. i also noticed after a quick google search that the viper calipers have different part#'s. i wonder what year car this was. Or if someone had messed with it. i remember it exactly becasue to solve the issue i recommended a lower tq pad. the owner wanted MORE and refused to use a lower Tq rear pad because he thought it would slow him down. he asked if we had a higher TQ front pad (he was already on the highest tq pad we offered). after not finding it he continued to use the same rear pads that gave him too much trail braking.
Are you keeping the Z ? If not and since you track the Z, may want to rethink that....
While the Viper can be tracked, and can be fun to, no comparison to the Z.
Sorry, stock brakes on the GTS are not up to fast track work, even with
better pads, fluid. Just having fun taking it easy, they are ok.........
Oil starvation when pushed on the track is very common, deeper pans,
wind age kits help, but they are weak there.
Blue and white GTS will hold the value, ya other colors are cool, and buy
What you want, but long term Blue/White. If you don't mind attention,
and some of it not very nice....Blue/White GTS will do it.
I guarantee you as much if not more attention than a Red Ferrari,
so if you are cool with that, you will get it.
If you have size 13 sneakers like I do, no footwell room,
pedals way too close, actually quite comfortable seats, no dead pedal
And a sideways twisted seating position. I am 6'3" so
I basically duck down to drive the car.
Exhaust sounds like a broken UPS truck, making it louder helps
some, but they still sound like crap. If you can live with some drone,
go for just cats and no mufflers, loud but helps avoid the ups truck sound.
A/C line connection gaskets fail regularly, and compressors often also,
window motors are crap and fail all the time, parts are getting harder
to find new, power steering pump fail, like any car some areas to monitor.
They are almost 20 years old now, so things go wrong.
The stock suspension is not bad, but now 18 years old and worn....
Best improvement is fresh tires and fresh coil overs, the main reason
Vipers get crashed, other than being a moron, is old tires......car needs fresh
rubber.
Probably the least expensive "exotic" to get into and to maintain. $40k should
Get you a pretty good one, and will probably will always be worth that.
96-99 have the forged internals, but no ABS.
They are just about bulletproof, but very tail happy.
They are what I'd call a 15 minute car.
Hot, uncomfortable, & noisy, but a blast to drive, for a short time.
Wrenching is fairly strait forward, as it's just a Dodge.
It's the typical Mopar parts that will break/irritate you.
Fun toy, but I wouldn't want to drive it daily, especially in rain.
Agree with the above, to clarify the piston is forged
in the 96-99, the later ones cast. All else except the cam, the same.
Unless you are going to turbo or supercharge, no big deal.
96-97 has a hot cam, lumpy .....nice. Later years, not sure when,
not as lumpy....
interesting. i was working with a customer that was having all sorts of trail braking issues. we found out the front and rear calipers had the same part number. i also noticed after a quick google search that the viper calipers have different part#'s. i wonder what year car this was. Or if someone had messed with it. i remember it exactly becasue to solve the issue i recommended a lower tq pad. the owner wanted MORE and refused to use a lower Tq rear pad because he thought it would slow him down. he asked if we had a higher TQ front pad (he was already on the highest tq pad we offered). after not finding it he continued to use the same rear pads that gave him too much trail braking.
If the calipers are the same front to rear then my best guess is that a previous owner has change them. It is a common gen2 modification to upgrade the brakes to gen3 brakes which will then have 4 piston brembo's front and rear (unsure if they are the same part # though). But without a doubt gen2's did not have the same brake calipers front and rear from the factory, neither did gen1's. The stock rear's are actually tiny single piston calipers that were notorious for being weak, hence the desire to upgrade if you're tracking it.
11-02-2015, 02:57 PM
looking to buy a VIPER
I wish I could go back because I should've waited until I found the car I wanted, instead of settling for a convertible. 
for updates. Also the B/W Gen II's are so damn sexy.
