Looking for a viper

[Dragstrip840]

Hi I’m young but I have run into a bit of money and am looking into getting a viper. I’m not sure what viper I want and what color I want but I’m open to suggestions and advice on which viper I should choose. Thank you for the advice in advance.

[idinesen]

Good luck - you'll love Viper ownership. As a matter of coincidence, I just listed my Viper for sale today. I have a 2008 Snakeskin Green coupe. Check it out on the VOA Facebook page here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/BestViperClub/?ref=group_header. Let me know if you're interested.

[99RT10]

Hi I’m young but I have run into a bit of money and am looking into getting a viper. I’m not sure what viper I want and what color I want but I’m open to suggestions and advice on which viper I should choose. Thank you for the advice in advance.

Is this for real? Are the spammers coming to the website now? :p0257:

[AustinK]

I know this is a lame answer, but consider investing some of that money first (perhaps in something like a Vanguard ETF (https://investor.vanguard.com/etf/investment-options)). When you're young, the upside on even a modest investment is huge. I'm young too, and I also own a Viper. It's very possible to do both - ensuring that your financial future is set, and that you're having fun today.

If you still have enough cash to make a hefty downpayment (I usually try to shoot for 50%, but of course you can go lower), then I think your first step would be picking a model and price range. 5 generations of the Viper were made, and the price goes up with each generation (as the car becomes more recent). Every generation was excellent in its own right; these are bulletproof cars that are cheap and easy to maintain, for a sports car. I've had a Ferrari, Maserati and a Porsche, and running the Viper is like a dream compared to those cars.

Here's a quick overview of the generations:

34810

Roughly, prices will range from the mid $20Ks for a Gen I to over $100K for a Gen V, and they'll also be heavily influenced by whether you want an RT/10 (Convertible), GTS (Coupe), ACR (Track car), etc. Mileage and history plays a big role as well.

If you want one of the earlier generations (I and II) and you need a loan, you'll most likely have to go through a special lender that's willing to finance an older car. Usually, you need a higher credit score and longer credit history, and the rates and terms may be worse than those of a normal car loan. If you belong to a credit union, that can also be a good place to start.

Remember that you'll need insurance too. I've generally found it to be pretty affordable, considering how absurd these cars are, but it's worth getting a quote ahead of time so that you know what you're getting into. If you have a clean driving history (no accidents, speeding tickets, etc.) and you're over 25, then you'll be just fine. Younger than 25 might bump the rate a bit. Dirty driving record will wreck you.

That brings me to my final point: Do yourself a favor and drive one before you commit to anything. These are cars that demand respect, care, and attention. They've much more raw and analog than nearly every car on the road (especially the early generations), meaning that when you make a mistake, you're alone out there because the car doesn't have any systems to help you (literally, I'm talking no airbags, traction control, ABS in some cases). If you don't know what you're doing or you get overconfident, you could get yourself into some serious shit. I have friends that have died from that exact thing, and I have friends that have driven their Vipers without a single issue for 20 years. It all comes down to you and how you treat the car. Many people say that Vipers are scary and dangerous, but the reality is that it's the drivers who are dangerous. Don't be a dangerous driver, because the Viper isn't forgiving. Be safe and have fun.

[BlknBlu]

Good post above. No Vipers built in 2007, 2011-2012.

Bruce

[JimJoeBob]

Agree with the recommendation above to actually look at, get into, and put yourself in the driver's seat of a model you prefer. I own a 97GTS and it's an absolute blast but as stated above if you don't respect the machine it can hurt you. I'm also young as I purchased my Viper when I was 20 and I took a loan through USAA. Absolutely do yourself the favor and set a few grand aside to get the car tip top after your purchase as something is bound to rear its ugly head. Fortunately the Viper is insanely easy to work on for the caliber of car it is. As for insurance mine is dead cheap through Geico, granted it is also not my daily and I have had Geico for years as well as having many sport bikes through them both 600cc and 1000cc so I believe my large history with them helps. Good luck with your search! The Viper is an absolute dream and the community is incredible.