What up with the Vipers

[jlindy]

Have you noticed that there are A LOT of salvaged Vipers out there for sale especially on ebay? Are these cars really that hard to drive? Also, I don't see many early year Vipers selling, but 2001-2004 instead. With all the past talk about the new style Vipers being on a waiting list, then why do I see 50% of the listings on ebay for brand new 2004 Vipers? Not important, just something that I noticed when looking at ebay today. It seems like they just can get rid of the Vipers.

 

[Jonathan]

I have known of a remarkable number of cases where people have lost control of a Viper and wrecked them accordingly.

I am not sure if it is because the Vipers are so difficult to drive or if the people who buy them are so unwilling to learn how.

js

 

[Eric5273]

I've heard they are very difficult to control, especially if it's wet out. They have a rediculous amount of torque, and even lightly tapping on the gas pedal in the middle of a turn will send them spinning out.

 

[Brian2by2]

I've heard they are very difficult to control, especially if it's wet out. They have a rediculous amount of torque, and even lightly tapping on the gas pedal in the middle of a turn will send them spinning out.

HELL YES, i live for that! lol

I drove my buddies GTS once and it was pretty intense from a dead stop! That thing just screams off the line...I could definetly imagine losing it fairly easy.

 

[hlweyl]

From what I remember when the Vipers first came out, they did not come with anti-lock brakes or traction control. I think they were trying to keep with the early Cobra mentality of "less is more." Front engine with that much hp on board, you better bet alot of guys lost control.

I'm guessing somewhere along the line, they got an injection of technology.

 

[satan_srv]

I wouldn't say ebay is a representative sample of a car's worth or the trend of a car's selling patterns. Probably good vipers don't need to go on eBay

 

[tochigidream]

I have known of a remarkable number of cases where people have lost control of a Viper and wrecked them accordingly.

I am not sure if it is because the Vipers are so difficult to drive or if the people who buy them are so unwilling to learn how.

js

I would be led to believe it's the latter. It seems similar to newbie sport-bikers who don't want to take the proper courses, but seem to think a liter bike is a good starter. Most prolly didn't do their homework before they drove the Viper. This may or may not be a fact, this is just IMO.

Dave

 

[jlindy]

I wouldn't say ebay is a representative sample of a car's worth or the trend of a car's selling patterns. Probably good vipers don't need to go on eBay

In general, you may be right, but not always the case. There are plenty of good cars on ebay and there is plenty of crap too. I was just surprised to see so many 2004 brand new vipers on there when I had heard they were all spoken for when they first came out. Why are there so many people selling them. There can't be that much wrong with a vehicle with a couple of hundred miles on it.

tochigidream...interesting avatar. Who is in the pics?

 

[Ponyboy]

Here's one that tried to follow me thru a series of turns. Went backwards first over a hill at about 70mph. Scariest thing I've ever seen on track. Had his wife in the passenger seat too.

Out of 10-13 Vipers I've been on the track with, there has only been one that was driven well. That said, I'd love to own a
Viper someday.

 

[huckster]

theres a lot of wrecked nsx's out there too. Regarding the viper, they are notoriously fast in the hands of a very good driver. BUT, it is not an easy car to drive fast on the track.

I think a lot of people got in over their head driving the viper and lost control. Early models lacked traction control etc as mentioned above. But much the same could be said about nsx's.

 

[NeoNSX]

Here's one that tried to follow me thru a series of turns. Went backwards first over a hill at about 70mph. Scariest thing I've ever seen on track. Had his wife in the passenger seat too.

Wife in the passenger seat? He can kiss goodbye to a replacement Viper. Their next car: a station wagon with no power.

 

[Kroger]

I believe time is the key here...

We(parents) own both a 96 GTS and 01 RT/10. I drive the GTS quite a bit atleast 10k miles or more logged in But do believe its all about the learning curve on these cars. The gas pedal is "how to put it...not stiff at all" and its very easy to get the back end swinging around.

In rain it sucks with 285's up front and 335's in the rear your welcoming all puddles for hydroplane action.

And I would never drive the GTS out on the track...Just the torque would be too much for this novice to handle. Hopefully adding another tail happy car to the family the Ford GT

Also to answer your question yes I have seen tons of 03/04 vipers for sale on ebay and other for sale sites