My dream car - Viper

[PackManDan]

Ever since I was a kid the Viper became my dream car as I'm sure it did with lots of people here.

I'm at a point in my life where I have a good job, already have a house and would like to jump on board and get a Viper.

I have decided on a 2013-2014 Base or GTS Viper. Seems like I can get one in excellent condition for anywhere from $70,000-$85,000 depending on mileage and location.

My only concern is this: I keep seeing threads on here about how many issues the Gen V Vipers have had with engine problems. It seems that this is a big problem with '13-'14's and no one really seems to be sure how to tell which ones are the bad ones.

Can anyone ease my mind on this concern? Is there anything I can watch out for when searching for my car to help me avoid one that has issues?

[Dman]

Main thing is only buy under warranty, which shouldn't be a problem. If looking at a car, check the oil level, ask when oil,changes were done, esp the first one. Ask how much oil the car has been using, seems some that have had issues tended to burn or lose a lot, whether the owner is honest or knows is something else but worth asking.

[zee]

I'm in the same boat you are. Was very serious about getting into a G5 but the engine issues always makes me think twice. Even if it's covered under warranty the fact that I could possibly go through all that is scary. I know it's probably blowing things out of proportion but it's naturally going to be on the back of your mind.

[TexasSnake]

Main thing as stated is warranty. 3 year factory warranty starts when car was sold so there's still 2013s with 2 years of warranty left if you research that aspect. Don't allow it to be a garage queen until warranty expires....drive it like a sports car....

Good luck!

[PackManDan]

Main thing as stated is warranty. 3 year factory warranty starts when car was sold so there's still 2013s with 2 years of warranty left if you research that aspect. Don't allow it to be a garage queen until warranty expires....drive it like a sports car....

Good luck!

Understood. I probably won't be getting one until mid next year at the earliest. So if it's a 2013 you're already talking only a year or so of warranty. I love the looks of the Gen V the most and the power. I want one very bad. I just keep thinking about the engine issues that I've seen on this forum. The last thing I want to have to deal with on an $80,000 purchase is that the product doesn't work properly and could require thousands and thousands of dollars of repairs if something were to happen.

[Vprbite]

PackmanDan, congratulations on chasing down your dream.

I don't have a Gen V right now but I honestly don't think they are having as many engine problems as you might think or as it seems. Remember, even one engine problem that requires a replacement will turn into a 10 page thread here, making it seem like more than the single incedent that it represents. Also, anyone who is dealing with that will be (rightfully so) very angry so they will of course be passionate about it. This means that when you see an issue, it seems like a more rampant problem than it is. Most people, and I mean the OVERHWHELMING majority are having nothing but a great time with their cars. There are tons of happy owners who are active members of their regional clubs but haven't posted on here to say that they haven't had a single issue with their cars.

I'm not saying there haven't been some issues and that those issues werent extremely crappy to deal with for all involved but the chances are the car you get will be completely fine. I mean the sheer mathematical odds are way in your favor. If it was Vegas you would be throwing your money down as fast as possible. That being said, there have been some big issues and yes those issues have been located and can be avoided. I recommed dealing with one of our highly respected dealers and techs here. Tomball dodge, Woodhouse Dodge have great reputations. Where are you located? Out here in Arizona our tech Eddie Martin can direct you away from exactly which Gen Vs have had issues (specific manufacture dates/vin numbers that are more likely but definitely not guaranteed to have problems.) Also, if you can get a deal on it I wouldn't have a problem with a car whose engine has been rebuilt by Arrow due to warranty issues. That engine is as good or better than factory. Especially with Dick Winkles with them now. A lot of people get worked up about a car with a replaced engine not being as collectible or having as good resale value but is that important to you and are you going to mod it? Because that could change your buying process a bit. If you are buying a car to drive/track/mod as opposed to collect. Aside from our respected dealers and techs here, I would also recommend you get one from a member here. Many people here take such amazing care of their vehicles and there will be other members who can attest to that, which will help put your mind at ease.

As far as exactly which "run" of Gen Vs is susceptible to problems, some of the people on here will know exactly which those are and can advise you to that. But again, I just don't think it's as bad as your your post indicates that it seems to you. Our club members here in Arizona with Gen Vs have all been fine as far as I know, FWIW. And add up the threads of people raving about their cars vs complaining about their engine issues and you will see those mathmatical odds I am talking about. It's not a coin flip that you will get one with an engine problem. Odds are much, much, much better than that in your favor. You will probably be fine. I know it's not something you want to risk though. I wouldn't either and it's good to be proactive. I just wouldn't let some of the threads you have seen scare you away from an amazing car.

Good luck in finding your car. And the people on here will help get you steered in the right direction.

[PackManDan]

PackmanDan, congratulations on chasing down your dream.

I don't have a Gen V right now but I honestly don't think they are having as many engine problems as you might think or as it seems. Remember, even one engine problem that requires a replacement will turn into a 10 page thread here, making it seem like more than the single incedent that it represents. Also, anyone who is dealing with that will be (rightfully so) very angry so they will of course be passionate about it. This means that when you see an issue, it seems like a more rampant problem than it is. Most people, and I mean the OVERHWHELMING majority are having nothing but a great time with their cars. There are tons of happy owners who are active members of their regional clubs but haven't posted on here to say that they haven't had a single issue with their cars.

I'm not saying there haven't been some issues and that those issues werent extremely crappy to deal with for all involved but the chances are the car you get will be completely fine. I mean the sheer mathematical odds are way in your favor. If it was Vegas you would be throwing your money down as fast as possible. That being said, there have been some big issues and yes those issues have been located and can be avoided. I recommed dealing with one of our highly respected dealers and techs here. Tomball dodge, Woodhouse Dodge have great reputations. Where are you located? Out here in Arizona our tech Eddie Martin can direct you away from exactly which Gen Vs have had issues (specific manufacture dates/vin numbers that are more likely but definitely not guaranteed to have problems.) Also, if you can get a deal on it I wouldn't have a problem with a car whose engine has been rebuilt by Arrow due to warranty issues. That engine is as good or better than factory. Especially with Dick Winkles with them now. A lot of people get worked up about a car with a replaced engine not being as collectible or having as good resale value but is that important to you and are you going to mod it? Because that could change your buying process a bit. If you are buying a car to drive/track/mod as opposed to collect. Aside from our respected dealers and techs here, I would also recommend you get one from a member here. Many people here take such amazing care of their vehicles and there will be other members who can attest to that, which will help put your mind at ease.

As far as exactly which "run" of Gen Vs is susceptible to problems, some of the people on here will know exactly which those are and can advise you to that. But again, I just don't think it's as bad as your your post indicates that it seems to you. Our club members here in Arizona with Gen Vs have all been fine as far as I know, FWIW. And add up the threads of people raving about their cars vs complaining about their engine issues and you will see those mathmatical odds I am talking about. It's not a coin flip that you will get one with an engine problem. Odds are much, much, much better than that in your favor. You will probably be fine. I know it's not something you want to risk though. I wouldn't either and it's good to be proactive. I just wouldn't let some of the threads you have seen scare you away from an amazing car.

Good luck in finding your car. And the people on here will help get you steered in the right direction.

I live in Las Vegas. Are there any reputable dealerships or forum vendors that are in or close to this area? What about Viper mechanics? As far as resale value I'm not too concerned as I'm planning on keeping this car for life.

I would be using this Viper for street driving only. I don't track cars, it would just be a car I take out every single weekend and have fun with.

Vprbite - thanks for all the information. I would definitely feel more comfortable buying a Gen V from a forum member here as opposed to just one I find online but it seems for every one for sale on here there are 10 for sale online so chances are I'll probably end up getting one that is not owned currently by a forumer here.

[7TH_SIGN]

Keeping it simple. Yes some GEN V Vipers have issues, call it quality control or bad parts, whatever works for you. The good thing is that you have this forum and its members who will/have helped you understand those issues and what to look for in a GEN V Viper. Also the fact that most still have their warranty. At the same time, I personally wouldn't want to spend $100k on a car and have to go through a warranty repair on a new motor or even a shattered rear glass. Then we have the quality of the repair done by the dealership which is another beast in itself.

[SRT BILL]

Dan, I have a 2013 GTS with NO problems (Knock Wood) I have changed the oil and filters and always watch oil level and have no abnormal oil usage. Back window is fine and passes the credit card test. Think about this.... approximately 1000 2013's were made, about 950 2014's, about 450 2015's and who knows how many 2016's will be made. With most of the production being in the first two years, percentages say you will have the most problems with those year's models. I believe the 13 & 14's will prove to be excellent value for the end user now and into the future. If you truly want a Viper and live the dream, do your homework as you would with any major purchase and go for it.

PS, don't forget the 5 year or 100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty when making your decision.

[ViperSmith]

Main thing as stated is warranty. 3 year factory warranty starts when car was sold so there's still 2013s with 2 years of warranty left if you research that aspect. Don't allow it to be a garage queen until warranty expires....drive it like a sports car....

Good luck!

Power train is FIVE years.

[WANTED]

Ever since I was a kid the Viper became my dream car as I'm sure it did with lots of people here.

I'm at a point in my life where I have a good job, already have a house and would like to jump on board and get a Viper.

I have decided on a 2013-2014 Base or GTS Viper. Seems like I can get one in excellent condition for anywhere from $70,000-$85,000 depending on mileage and location.

My only concern is this: I keep seeing threads on here about how many issues the Gen V Vipers have had with engine problems. It seems that this is a big problem with '13-'14's and no one really seems to be sure how to tell which ones are the bad ones.

Can anyone ease my mind on this concern? Is there anything I can watch out for when searching for my car to help me avoid one that has issues?

This is a great buy and knowing you have a new motor a plus the warranty starts when you purchase it ( 3 year factory warranty ). I think it has 40/50 miles on it and the previous owner has a post in this section talking about the car. You could call him directly. It had 6 miles on it when the motor blew. For the price and what your looking for this could be a nice deal. Price is right. Good luck on your search.

I see the car I owned went up for sale in Wisconsin. It does have a new motor in it and had 6 miles on it when it blew up on me. The dealership acquired it at auction. It also has a passenger airbag deactivation switch installed for little ones which was government approved. You can see where it is mounted on the picture of the passenger outside foot well area.

http://application.chryslerworld.com...ADEBZ8DV400578

Try for a great price on it.

[viperdriver5150]

This is a great buy and knowing you have a new motor a plus the warranty starts when you purchase it ( 3 year factory warranty ). I think it has 40/50 miles on it and the previous owner has a post in this section talking about the car. You could call him directly. It had 6 miles on it when the motor blew. For the price and what your looking for this could be a nice deal. Price is right. Good luck on your search.

I see the car I owned went up for sale in Wisconsin. It does have a new motor in it and had 6 miles on it when it blew up on me. The dealership acquired it at auction. It also has a passenger airbag deactivation switch installed for little ones which was government approved. You can see where it is mounted on the picture of the passenger outside foot well area.

http://application.chryslerworld.com...ADEBZ8DV400578

Try for a great price on it.

I was the owner of that car, feel free to PM me. Someone also stated on here the car sold at auction for 61k plus fees....

I can tell you when the car was sent back to Roanoke it was flawless, absolutely perfect. I only waxed it about 6 times LOL!

[TexasSnake]

Five years....even better! Not sure why I was thinking three?

[cplabaunza]

I bought my 2014 GTS in May 2015 for $83.5k...I'm sure you can find a new one out there if used prices are close to new.

[Dman]

I too think the interwebs blow things out of proportion so it's hard to get a feel for frequency. There have been issues, there always will be with cars, but.

I've had 7 BMWs, 3 had chronic issues, including over $10k in a seat issue alone, thank God for a warranty. Had a twin turbo BMW that I couldn't keep a functioning fuel pump in, & it was brand new. One puked oil all over street out at dinner 1 night, 2k mis on it, dead. Mustang cobra motor & trans swapped in 600 mis from new. Porsche motor drop in 9 months. I had 2 VWs (VR6s) that spent more time in the shop than my driveway, electrical gremlins, coil packs popping, trans lock outs. I'm currently shopping SUVs, went to look at 2 Range Rovers at 2 different dealers, both were on IN-Op status, they both had some failure on delivery that was taking 5+ weeks for parts to fix so not for sale.

I've had 4 vipers, and no issues with any since 1999. I did have my gen3 PCM have a stroke, found it when car wouldn't pass emissions with some reset error, no driving issue, Dodge replaced it under warranty, not to jinx myself, but vipers have been my most reliable car ownership experience ... hec, even my Jeeps (5 of them) haven't been as reliable, but damn good. Just FWIW.

[swexlin]

I too think the interwebs blow things out of proportion so it's hard to get a feel for frequency. There have been issues, there always will be with cars, but.

I've had 7 BMWs, 3 had chronic issues, including over $10k in a seat issue alone, thank God for a warranty. Had a twin turbo BMW that I couldn't keep a functioning fuel pump in, & it was brand new. One puked oil all over street out at dinner 1 night, 2k mis on it, dead. Mustang cobra motor & trans swapped in 600 mis from new. Porsche motor drop in 9 months. I had 2 VWs (VR6s) that spent more time in the shop than my driveway, electrical gremlins, coil packs popping, trans lock outs. I'm currently shopping SUVs, went to look at 2 Range Rovers at 2 different dealers, both were on IN-Op status, they both had some failure on delivery that was taking 5+ weeks for parts to fix so not for sale.

I've had 4 vipers, and no issues with any since 1999. I did have my gen3 PCM have a stroke, found it when car wouldn't pass emissions with some reset error, no driving issue, Dodge replaced it under warranty, not to jinx myself, but vipers have been my most reliable car ownership experience ... hec, even my Jeeps (5 of them) haven't been as reliable, but damn good. Just FWIW.

You have had some horrible luck with cars....damn!

[lochnessmonster]

I've had my '13 GTS for over 5 months now. I've done one 2500-3000 mile road trip, and another 500 mile road trip without any issues. The remainder of my driving has been in town for a total of over 5000 miles (9000km) in 5 months. The car hasn't missed a beat, and runs absolutely flawlessly. I worry about getting cancer, or diabetes, or something happening to one of my kids. Engine failure? Please, that's the least of my worries. It's an engine. You fix it. It's not even on my radar.

[swexlin]

I worry about getting cancer, or diabetes, or something happening to one of my kids. Engine failure? Please, that's the least of my worries. It's an engine. You fix it. It's not even on my radar.

My friend, that really does put everything in perspective. Thank you.

[lochnessmonster]

You're very welcome. I do get the concern about making a purchase you are going to regret, and by no means am I suggesting that rebuilding an engine isn't costly and time consuming, depending on whether or not the car was on warranty, not to mention the fact that it's awfully hard to look at the car the same way after something like that happens. But, at the end of the day, these are toys. Toys for grown up boys. Toys break. If it's worth it, you fix them and move on. That is part of the toy playing experience. The same goes for boats, motorcycles, planes, etc. I just turned 45 on October 3rd. I look around and see guys croaking who are both younger and older than I am. Some of them are in far better shape than I am: not hard to do. I absolutely love my car, and think its one of the best cars on the planet. I get transformed into a "cool guy" every time I drive it. Not because I'm cool, but because the car is so cool, and it kinda makes me "cool by association." Still, I'd drive it straight off a cliff in a heartbeat if doing so would save either one of my kids from any kind of serious harm. Because, when it comes right down to it, as glorious as the Viper is, it's just a bunch of metal, carbon fibre, paint and rubber.

Sometimes I think it's important for us to take a step back, reflect on what really matters in life, and prioritize.

[mikesax]

Spot on LOCHNESS!!!!
Dan,
I've had 3 Gen 5's!! Traded my 13 with 21,000 miles for a 15 which currently has about 5,000 miles!! My 14 has about 12,500 miles!! ALL new under warranty but NEVER a worry about the engine!! ALL got/ get there oil changed at 500 miles and every 3000 afterward-NO OIL CONSUMPTION either!! MY 2010's were traded with 34,000 and about 10,000 respectively- again never a problem!! This is about as PROBLEM FREE car as I've ever driven in my 35 years of licensed driving!! Where as there have been a few issues from what I've read on the forum-I would NOT worry!!! Drive the "PISS" out of it and ENJOY this AMAZING machine!!!

[lochnessmonster]

Spot on LOCHNESS!!!!
Dan,
I've had 3 Gen 5's!! Traded my 13 with 21,000 miles for a 15 which currently has about 5,000 miles!! My 14 has about 12,500 miles!! ALL new under warranty but NEVER a worry about the engine!! ALL got/ get there oil changed at 500 miles and every 3000 afterward-NO OIL CONSUMPTION either!! MY 2010's were traded with 34,000 and about 10,000 respectively- again never a problem!! This is about as PROBLEM FREE car as I've ever driven in my 35 years of licensed driving!! Where as there have been a few issues from what I've read on the forum-I would NOT worry!!! Drive the "PISS" out of it and ENJOY this AMAZING machine!!!

Yep, Vipers are meant to be driven. Let the other guys worry about depreciation.

[G37Sam]

Red Vipers are also more reliable and slightly faster

[lochnessmonster]

Hahahahahaha..............made me smile.