Seattle Area Gen 2 Question

[Deucefour]

I've had my eye on this car for a while now, only reason I haven't purchased it is because I'm in Hawaii until June. Does anybody know anything about it or seen it in person? Just curious if it's really as pristine as all my research so far has led me to believe. I'm assuming the black stripes are a custom addition and not factory. Any red flags going up for all you Viper veterans? Thanks for the feedback! Oh if you'd like to make a few dollars by storing it in your garage for a few weeks send me a PM!

1997 *Dodge* *Viper* GTS
http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/ctd/6029497586.html

[heath1225]

Stripes are definitely custom. Its a beautiful car though!

[Double0fox]

It's been for sale foe a while(like over a year). Not saying anything is wrong with it, but that dealer normally has a premium on all the cars they have.

[ssmith71]

I'm guessing that's a supercharger on the front of the engine? The ad didn't say anything about that.

[Deucefour]

Yeah it is supercharged. Paxton On there.

[Deucefour]

It's been for sale foe a while(like over a year). Not saying anything is wrong with it, but that dealer normally has a premium on all the cars they have.

Yeah I know they've had it for a long time, I'm willing to pay what they want too I just haven't been able to see it in person, etc... Hopefully getting to Seattle this weekend so I can get in and visit the car.

[Bill Pemberton]

Not worth the price imho , Paxton or no, as this is a highly sought after Blue/White and now it is just a custom paint job. 50K will buy a lot of exceptional Gen IIs of the correct color and better pricing.

[71firebird400]

Park Place is rather reputable; they definitely won't try to pull anything sketchy but are probably not Viper experts. As noted, their asking prices are usually a little higher than market. Overall the car seems to be in good shape but as we've seen time and time again, modifications tend to pull the price downward. If you like the modifications then it's a great value to buy one like this, if you want a stock car then it's a tough sell.

[Deucefour]

Yep understood on it being a custom/modified car. I've been looking for 4 months now and haven't found a 2nd gen blue/white car under 45k yet unless it's a rebuilt/salvage title. I can find plenty of red cars in the 30-39k range. What a difference the color makes. I am a blue guy so that is #1 on my must have list and I don't plan to leave the car in collector form. I plan to keep it forever and have fun with it. The Paxton setup alone is $10k off the shelf. I was hoping I could get out the door with the car for under $50k taxes and all. If not then I probably won't do the deal. Good to hear the dealer is a reputable place though. Would much rather work with a private seller of course but there are only so many options out there. Patience is key!

[Double0fox]

I totally understand the blue. Are you going to be living in the Seattle area again?

[Deucefour]

I totally understand the blue. Are you going to be living in the Seattle area again?

Yep I will be moving there first week of June.

[nrs1]

I think with that kind of power adder, you need to be a bit wary of who did the work and who tuned it. A so-so tune can kill the engine quickly. How has the fuel system been modified (booster or larger pump), what injectors, what fuel has it been tuned for. Need to look at Dyno charts and see what the A/F ratio looks like. Need to see how it drives at low speeds, parking lots etc. Does it surge under light constant throttle. Unless you can get the builder name/contact, dyno documentation and history, I'd be wary.

[Deucefour]

I think with that kind of power adder, you need to be a bit wary of who did the work and who tuned it. A so-so tune can kill the engine quickly. How has the fuel system been modified (booster or larger pump), what injectors, what fuel has it been tuned for. Need to look at Dyno charts and see what the A/F ratio looks like. Need to see how it drives at low speeds, parking lots etc. Does it surge under light constant throttle. Unless you can get the builder name/contact, dyno documentation and history, I'd be wary.

Yeah good advice! If the car is still available when I'm finally able to go look at it I will be sure to ask all those questions and do the research. I am not very familiar with Vipers let alone supercharged engines so I will take all the advice I can get. Thanks for the help!

[nrs1]

I have seen a lot of forced induction builds that were a complete mess and eventually killed the engine. If they have issues, they tend to be too lean, which is the worst possible outcome. People tend to go for max HP over a safe conservative tune. You can make the most HP when you are lean, just before you blow the engine. Also lots of timing produces more HP, but also increases the chances for detonation. Takes a skilled tuner to get the most out of the build without being dangerous to the engine. That's why there are only a few tuners around the country that people trust.

[99RT10]

Yep understood on it being a custom/modified car. I've been looking for 4 months now and haven't found a 2nd gen blue/white car under 45k yet unless it's a rebuilt/salvage title. I can find plenty of red cars in the 30-39k range. What a difference the color makes. I am a blue guy so that is #1 on my must have list and I don't plan to leave the car in collector form. I plan to keep it forever and have fun with it. The Paxton setup alone is $10k off the shelf. I was hoping I could get out the door with the car for under $50k taxes and all. If not then I probably won't do the deal. Good to hear the dealer is a reputable place though. Would much rather work with a private seller of course but there are only so many options out there. Patience is key!

You should be able to get the car for $46K out the door if you start to negotiate now. GLWP.