Current value on very low mileage 1996 GTS Coupe

[Sharky]

Can anyone give me some insight on the current value of a1996 GTS Coupe with very low mileage?
Thanks.

[slitherv10]

Depending on how low is low mileage? One owner? Condition (I've seen low mileage cars in worse condition that high mileage well cared for ones). Also any repairs, carfax, etc...all put into consideration first of course.

You also have to ask yourself what you intend on doing with the car. Driving it or admiring it. Very low miles say under 10K I would be concerned about fluids, hoses, tires, weather striping, and seals for sure. The initial payment of buying the car is mere compared to the extra money to get it back on the road properly.

Sold my 96 GTS B/W last year for @50000 and it needed weatherstriping, tires, fuel pump got lazy and needed replacing, recall needed to be done(no charge, just the hassle), fluids all needed changing, and the stanchions needed changing. Car had only 6000miles when I bought it in 09. Last owner put 150 miles on it in 4 years. Was not even registered for the road (he had 12 other Vipers to do that).

Just be careful and do your due diligence. If you get a good one, you'll hate to drive it as it is such a special car...to me anyways.

[Sharky]

Thank you. I really appreciate the input. It would be more of a car to hold onto with a couple of others.

[slitherv10]

Thank you. I really appreciate the input. It would be more of a car to hold onto with a couple of others.

If it's a car to hold on to and just admire it, I would say only if it had less than 1000 miles on it and full documentation.

Depending on how old you are, if your looking at keeping it for collector purposes, I would say by the time the car is worth anything viable, you won't !:smilielol:

[Sharky]

Not looking to be an investment, I just like things. I think if I had to look to a Viper to be part of my or my children's investment future it would be a sad and delusional commentary.

[GhostStalker27]

If you get a good one, you'll hate to drive it as it is such a special car...to me anyways.

Totally agree



Not looking to be an investment, I just like things. I think if I had to look to a Viper to be part of my or my children's investment future it would be a sad and delusional commentary.

Does it have to be a 96? You'll pay more just because it's the first year of the GTS and if not for investment - why pay more?

[Brian GTS]

How many miles are on the car?

[Sharky]

How many miles are on the car?

Under 1000 miles. Extraordinarily clean car.

[Brian GTS]

I've seen them in the 60's with that low mileage.....mid-upper 50's I figure it's worth.

[JonB ~ PartsRack]

I like your realistic attitude as to the 'investment' scenario! If you found a <1000 mi 96 GTS I would not be concerned if $60k is an asking price.......that Year-Model has increased in demand and value since 2010 or so... the G5 LED helped that.

[I own the first-released retail GTS, 1st CAAP pick-up; signed by 86 Craftspersons; Fully documented in Viper Quarterly.]

[FlashFyre]

Under 1000 miles. Extraordinarily clean car.

Are you looking at the one in Ontario?

[slitherv10]

There is one in Ontario at Legendary Auto...here is the link....is it this one?

http://wwwa.autotrader.ca/a/Dodge/Viper/GEORGETOWN/Ontario/5_18095973_ON20090605143000786/?showcpo=ShowCPO

[Bill Pemberton]

If the car is in miles and not kilometres , it could be my old GTS, which was in a Collector's hands for alot of it's life till I got it. Still in plastic, and the window sticker was all there, but , I
was not a good collector and finally parted with it at 157 miles ( I only drove it 7 miles ). It went South , and then went North ( heard New York ), but disappeared to me from there. Don't know the
Vin to check, but there can't be very many 96 GTSs left with under 1000 miles anymore? Price for a low mileage car like this is really what a consumer will pay. I would say it was a little high, but then I
sold mine for about that -- 9-10 years ago, ha!

[Sharky]

That is indeed one of the cars I am looking at. The odometer is in miles.

[slitherv10]

Not looking to be an investment, I just like things. I think if I had to look to a Viper to be part of my or my children's investment future it would be a sad and delusional commentary.


You do realize a car with that low mileage will come with a higher price than just the sale price if your going to daily drive it as your assuming in your quote,

Fluids all changed
weather stripping checked and may need replacing if cracked
check stations
tires
fuel pumps may be lazy and may need replacing
and many more things that may need freshening up from sitting for so long

Unless you can do some of the above yourself or if some may not need changing, you could save some money but, you should tack those expenses on to a car like that and be prepared to lose value as you put miles on it.
If it was me and I was looking for a daily driver, I would be looking for a car with a few miles on it say 10-15K miles at least and know that the car has been used and thus less surprises along the way and value loss will be limited.
Most 96 GTS sell for between 42-50K with average miles on them and in good to excellent condition. Be prepared to be reach that value fast with the mileage you put on it.
That's a pretty deep drop.

[Sharky]

You do realize a car with that low mileage will come with a higher price than just the sale price if your going to daily drive it as your assuming in your quote,

Fluids all changed
weather stripping checked and may need replacing if cracked
check stations
tires
fuel pumps may be lazy and may need replacing
and many more things that may need freshening up from sitting for so long

Unless you can do some of the above yourself or if some may not need changing, you could save some money but, you should tack those expenses on to a car like that and be prepared to lose value as you put miles on it.
If it was me and I was looking for a daily driver, I would be looking for a car with a few miles on it say 10-15K miles at least and know that the car has been used and thus less surprises along the way and value loss will be limited.
Most 96 GTS sell for between 42-50K with average miles on them and in good to excellent condition. Be prepared to be reach that value fast with the mileage you put on it.
That's a pretty deep drop.

When I do find one it won't be driven very often. The 96 Coupe is the car that got me hooked on this Viper thing. I've had numerous cars over the years but only actually purchased a Viper over the last few years. I would tend to drive my other one. My biggest hesitation with this car is that after exchange, tax and delivery it will be close to $90,000 CDN.

[Troublemaker]

When I do find one it won't be driven very often. The 96 Coupe is the car that got me hooked on this Viper thing. I've had numerous cars over the years but only actually purchased a Viper over the last few years. I would tend to drive my other one. My biggest hesitation with this car is that after exchange, tax and delivery it will be close to $90,000 CDN.

The price seems high, but if you are looking at it from purely a collector stand point, it might be worth it. I own a 96 and it was the car that got me hooked as well, but mine gets driven, probably more often than it should.

[slitherv10]

The price seems high, but if you are looking at it from purely a collector stand point, it might be worth it. I own a 96 and it was the car that got me hooked as well, but mine gets driven, probably more often than it should.

I got hooked exactly the same way as you two guys and I am sure many others over the 96 B/W. I ended up buying 2 of them to cure my problem of driving one and collecting the other.

[agentf1]

I don't know why people are so afraid of low mile cars. My 01 had an 04 in service date which means it sat for a while early on in its life. I then bought it like 7 or 8 years ago with 985 miles on it. The car has been flawless and has not ever had an issue caused by lack of use. It now has almost 3000 miles on it. I make sure it is driven at least once a month so it really does not sit for any extended periods of time. It may sit 2 or 3 months during the winter if the roads are too bad since I am up north and will not take it out with salt on the roads. But it usually is out for a nice ride at least once a month. My weather stripping is perfect as is most of the car. I do change the fluids on a regular basis and make sure if I start it I drive it a good distance to make sure it is fully warmed up and any moisture burned out of the oil and exhaust.

Granted if you plan on driving it and putting a ton of miles on it it is financially better to buy one with more miles on it but if you don't mind taking a little hit it is no different than buy ing a new car. At least you know what you have. I would just make sure that you get one were the fluid have been changed regularly.

I looked at a Black and Silver ACR in Ohio before I bought my car. It was stored in a barn and had super low mileage on it and the guy never did ANYTHING to it, never changed the oil, antifreeze or anything. He was a difficult person to deal with and would not let me have a dealer check it out and insisted it was a new car (well over 10 years old) and had no miles on it so it did not need any service or need to be checked out by a dealer. I ended up passing on the car but somebody from the VCA bought it and as far as I know still has it and it has been a flawless car for them. I forget their userid but if they are reading this thread maybe they can chime in.

[Sybil TF]

I got hooked exactly the same way as you two guys and I am sure many others over the 96 B/W. I ended up buying 2 of them to cure my problem of driving one and collecting the other.
Nice!!!

[agentf1]

I got hooked exactly the same way as you two guys and I am sure many others over the 96 B/W. I ended up buying 2 of them to cure my problem of driving one and collecting the other.

Smart man. What are the mileage on both of your B&W's?

[slitherv10]

Smart man. What are the mileage on both of your B&W's?

The stock collector had 6000 miles on it when I bought it. Original floor mats were still in the box and every piece or paper work that it came with from the factory went with it including the original blue and white car cover never put on the car. I unfortunately drove it for another 8000 before I realized what I was doing and then put it away and bought my second one 8 months later with 20K and drove that one for another 20K in 2 years. Problem was, every time I went into the garage and looked at the other one, I felt like it was feeling unwanted. Telling me" why don't you drive me anymore and leave me in this garage alone", so,
I decided it was time for someone to enjoy it and do with it what it was made and craved for, to be driven and enjoyed. I'm not a collector per say, and by the time the 96 B/W is worth something, I won't be.
Bought a 2008 vert to keep the other 96 company for now but looking for an 2008-2010 ACR or wait until the new (if any) New ACR comes out and sell both at that time +cash.

[Sybil TF]

I keeping mine forever!!!!:dancingman:

[ACRSNK]

I had a 97 B/W with 5000 miles on it and you don't even want to know how much I sold that car for? :furious: Let's just say it was under $40K and I probably sold it at the absolute wrong time back in 2010. It seems that the prices have gone up ever since. In any event, I say buy something that has been carefully driven and maintained so you can just jump in and drive it without the hassle of having to renew a pretty much new car. Good luck in your quest.

[VoodooRob]

I had a 97 B/W with 5000 miles on it and you don't even want to know how much I sold that car for? :furious: Let's just say it was under $40K and I probably sold it at the absolute wrong time back in 2010. It seems that the prices have gone up ever since. In any event, I say buy something that has been carefully driven and maintained so you can just jump in and drive it without the hassle of having to renew a pretty much new car. Good luck in your quest.

As long as you bought something else to replace it at the "right price" in the same time period it's all relative. If you sold it back then to get out completely than you lost a few $ compared to today.

[Viper #53]

My '96 GTS has 12,000 miles, but I still drive it. Still has the original tires on it. I really don't worry about devaluing the car.

To me, the original GTS is the best American car design from the 1990s and still looks good today. I really like my '92 RT/10, but the GTS is still King.

[daveg]

My '96 GTS has 12,000 miles, but I still drive it. Still has the original tires on it.
So how many people have told you about how bad it is running on old tires? Gotten that lecture yet?
Heard it many times. My 96 GTS still has the originals on it..

Don't drive like a moron / do stupid stuff and be conscientious of the fact you have old tires on the car and your fine.. Only problem is you cant drive the car to its full potential.

[ACRSNK]

My '96 GTS has 12,000 miles, but I still drive it. Still has the original tires on it. I really don't worry about devaluing the car.

To me, the original GTS is the best American car design from the 1990s and still looks good today. I really like my '92 RT/10, but the GTS is still King.

What a killer combo that is...a 92 RT/10 and a 96 GTS. That is awesome!

[Sybil TF]

So how many people have told you about how bad it is running on old tires? Gotten that lecture yet?
Heard it many times. My 96 GTS still has the originals on it..

To the disappointment of some, I recently bought new tires :smilielol:

[daveg]

To the disappointment of some, I recently bought new tires :smilielol:So I just purchased a set of original forged 97 wheels with good tires off of Krate (thanks again) and I will be taking my mint 96 rims and original tires and putting them up on a tire rack that I made in my garage...
killing 2 birds with one stone, new forged rims and originals preserved!

[Thawk97]

So I just purchased a set of original forged 97 wheels with good tires off of Krate (thanks again) and I will be taking my mint 96 rims and original tires and putting them up on a tire rack that I made in my garage...
killing 2 birds with one stone, new forged rims and originals preserved!

This is exactly what I want to do

[ACRSNK]

So I just purchased a set of original forged 97 wheels with good tires off of Krate (thanks again) and I will be taking my mint 96 rims and original tires and putting them up on a tire rack that I made in my garage...
killing 2 birds with one stone, new forged rims and originals preserved!

Good thinking right there!

[VoodooRob]

New tires do not de-value an original GTS in anyway, shape or form. Tires have a life span, saving them to say you have the originals is good talk around the water cooler, but at the end of the day does nothing to add to the value of the vehicle. It's like saving the original oil and oil filter, no point in it. If the car is a zero mile, never been driven or sat in time capsule then I buy the original tire argument. After that, it's a wearable item.

[daveg]

New tires do not de-value an original GTS in anyway, shape or form. Tires have a life span, saving them to say you have the originals is good talk around the water cooler, but at the end of the day does nothing to add to the value of the vehicle. It's like saving the original oil and oil filter, no point in it. If the car is a zero mile, never been driven or sat in time capsule then I buy the original tire argument. After that, it's a wearable item.We will see, time will tell. Worst case is I now have forged rims and not cast and maintaining the original look. Sounds like a win win to me!

[Viper #53]

DaveG: I purchased '97 forged wheels and drive it with new PilotSports. I swap the wheels/tires out for some shows and replace them afterwards.

So how many people have told you about how bad it is running on old tires? Gotten that lecture yet?
Heard it many times. My 96 GTS still has the originals on it..

Don't drive like a moron / do stupid stuff and be conscientious of the fact you have old tires on the car and your fine.. Only problem is you cant drive the car to its full potential.

[Viper #53]

Although changing tires will in no way decrease the value of the car, I've kept them since they are in pristine condition (aesthetically) and are original to the car. It's a personal opinion, that's all.

[VoodooRob]

Although changing tires will in no way decrease the value of the car, I've kept them since they are in pristine condition (aesthetically) and are original to the car. It's a personal opinion, that's all.
I have some original lug nuts I could send to you only used twice, yours might be scratched from changing rims back and forth. This wear and tear on your car will lose many points at concourse judging, your friends will not talk to you, wife packed and left with the poolboy, dog won't even lay by you....I kid, I kid. Its your car and money, enjoy it how you want! I just can't wrap my head around keeping original, hockey puck hard tires. For show or not, near 20 year old tires are an accident waiting to happen. Plus they ride like dogsheet.

[ACRSNK]

New tires do not de-value an original GTS in anyway, shape or form. Tires have a life span, saving them to say you have the originals is good talk around the water cooler, but at the end of the day does nothing to add to the value of the vehicle. It's like saving the original oil and oil filter, no point in it. If the car is a zero mile, never been driven or sat in time capsule then I buy the original tire argument. After that, it's a wearable item.

I disagree with your statement about tires. It has been my experience that having the original wheels/tires, especially when they discontinue the tires for that model does add value to the car. Without the original tires the car will never be 100% original.

P.S. I also stock up on original oil filters as well :)

[VoodooRob]

I disagree with your statement about tires. It has been my experience that having the original wheels/tires, especially when they discontinue the tires for that model does add value to the car. Without the original tires the car will never be 100% original.

P.S. I also stock up on original oil filters as well :)

Zero mile, as new as it get's 96 Viper GTS, I get it and buy the argument. Otherwise it's pure madness avoiding driving the car because the original tires have as much traction as a 3 legged cat on ice. It doesn't affect me either way, not my car nor my money, just talking about Vipers.

[VoodooRob]

I disagree with your statement about tires. It has been my experience that having the original wheels/tires, especially when they discontinue the tires for that model does add value to the car. Without the original tires the car will never be 100% original.

P.S. I also stock up on original oil filters as well :)

Remember were talking Viper GTS here not Ferrari 265 GTB, Bugatti Atlantic, Shelby Cobra, etc. You have an experience where someone paid more $ for a used GTS that had the original tires or deducted money off a sale that the original tires were not included to indicate devalue? Or basing this off a show car class? Again , just making conversation it's a long winter.

[daveg]

Remember were talking Viper GTS here not Ferrari 265 GTB, Bugatti Atlantic, Shelby Cobra, etc. You have an experience where someone paid more $ for a used GTS that had the original tires or deducted money off a sale that the original tires were not included to indicate devalue? Or basing this off a show car class? Again , just making conversation it's a long winter.Rob, I have a low mileage 66 mustang sitting in my garage with the original tires still on it, should I have them changed out and toss them in the trash?

[VoodooRob]

Rob, I have a low mileage 66 mustang sitting in my garage with the original tires still on it, should I have them changed out and toss them in the trash?
No not at all, if the car just rolls in and out of a trailer for shows. If you plan on driving it on the road anywhere near my family, me, or anyone for that matter, yes change them pieces of chit! How is driving around on 50 year old tires safe for you and your passengers and everyone around you? Those things could split and shread at any moment tearing up the very car your trying to save. Your choice, your car, your ass when you get in an accident.

[daveg]

No not at all, if the car just rolls in and out of a trailer for shows. If you plan on driving it on the road anywhere near my family, me, or anyone for that matter, yes change them pieces of chit! How is driving around on 50 year old tires safe for you and your passengers and everyone around you? Those things could split and shread at any moment tearing up the very car your trying to save. Your choice, your car, your ass when you get in an accident.Nope, drive it on occasion, even on the highway (no faster than 60) OK, you convinced me to change them... You didn't answer my question, should I throw the originals away?

[VoodooRob]

I wouldn't keep 'em but it's not my car. If you show it for some kind of judging I now can see keeping them, otherwise there's a playground that can use some ground up tires to keep the kiddies safe.

[daveg]

there's a playground that can use some ground up tires to keep the kiddies safe.LOL.. That's excellent, I love your sense of humor......

So I disagree. I have a big garage with a tire rack up toward the roof that I can put them on away from everyone / thing...
With you throwing original 66 tires away I am not sure if you are the majority or the minority.

I have a simple solution. Why don't I buy another set of 66 rims and put new tires on them and throw the originals on my tire rack next to my original 96 rims and tires, What's that costing me, a set of rims and I am getting a potential upside..

I never said the originals will make my car worth more.. I just got a set of 97 (forged mind you) with good tires cheep and why not!!!

Like you, just making conversation it's a long winter.

[Bill Pemberton]

daveg,

Just get in touch with Coker Tire, as they manufacture fresh rubber to look like the original ( for your Mustang), and it is actually a selling point to many collectors. They understand the value of having
safe rubber on a collectible, but they do like to have the look of the 60s. Check out their website, as it is a commonly used alternative, and I would frankly pitch the old tires as others suggested.

[daveg]

daveg,

Just get in touch with Coker Tire, as they manufacture fresh rubber to look like the original ( for your Mustang), and it is actually a selling point to many collectors. They understand the value of having
safe rubber on a collectible, but they do like to have the look of the 60s. Check out their website, as it is a commonly used alternative, and I would frankly pitch the old tires as others suggested.Thanks for the tip Bill, I am familiar with Coker and have browsed there site before. I was just making a point and using the 66 Stang tires as an example (although it is true I have a very low mileage Stang, 2 for that matter with original tires).
How may people have upgraded their tires on their Viper, lots... I am doing the same thing as many Viper owners have done (for me, its going forged) but the only difference between me and others is I am keeping my originals.. Simple as that
PS, learned a cool saying from a show called "What's my car worth" that I personally believe in and its called LEO (Leave everything original) A car will only be that way once..