Bondurant Vipers

[OneofOneViper]

The cars definitely got put on the market at the right time... This is the peak of the price curve, so unloading them now was a smart move. That said, unless the cars are in the kind of condition that you'd expect from a 10k mile car, I wouldn't risk it unless they gave me a no questions asked 8 year bumper to bumper warranty that covered the wear items for the first few years.

I wouldn't call this the peak being as it's winter and every other car (example would be the MP4 12C, Gen 3 and 4 vipers, etc...) have dropped in price over the last couple months. Vipers may just be raising in prices, I don't know. The ACR-E's selling in the 120-125k range for tracked 10k+ miles cars would be a good indication that prices are going up.

[catwood]

I wouldn't call this the peak being as it's winter and every other car (example would be the MP4 12C, Gen 3 and 4 vipers, etc...) have dropped in price over the last couple months. Vipers may just be raising in prices, I don't know. The ACR-E's selling in the 120-125k range for tracked 10k+ miles cars would be a good indication that prices are going up.

The Bondurant ACR-E's had about 4K miles each.

[Coloviper]

It is funny as these are probably the only ones where people are worried about everything else on the car but the motor. Ha! Ha! They are overpriced for what they are but then again some of the 16/17 ACRs for sale out there with under 5,000 miles are way over priced too. Now the good thing is Chrysler has to sell these with a warranty, etc. to an original owner now since they still owned them at Bondurant. FCA will have had to go through them with a fine tooth comb, replace things, fix things, etc. you don’t just send your bucket of bolts to auction and then warranty them. The fact they were maintained well and gone through from the manufacturer before this sale, I don’t think I would be too worried about them.

I mean which is more troubling, a used car with 4,000 miles running around with 3 quarts low on oil and being sold from a Hurricane hit region where it can be questionable, or a car used as Bondurant did where they watched EVERY single part.

[ViperJon]

The fact they were maintained well and gone through from the manufacturer before this sale, I don’t think I would be too worried about them.

Has that actually been proven and documented? These cars were all returned to Dodge and checked out by them for problems? And by whom at Dodge?

[7TH_SIGN]

This is why its so important to become part of a forum and community before purchasing a vehicle like this. Not one mention on the known vehicles prior use and history. No discourser what so ever and its being sold by a community member and Viper enthusiast. I'll keep my mouth shut as I have some bad history with the seller. "One owner car"..... what a joke.

[catwood]

It is funny as these are probably the only ones where people are worried about everything else on the car but the motor. Ha! Ha! They are overpriced for what they are but then again some of the 16/17 ACRs for sale out there with under 5,000 miles are way over priced too. Now the good thing is Chrysler has to sell these with a warranty, etc. to an original owner now since they still owned them at Bondurant. FCA will have had to go through them with a fine tooth comb, replace things, fix things, etc. you don’t just send your bucket of bolts to auction and then warranty them. The fact they were maintained well and gone through from the manufacturer before this sale, I don’t think I would be too worried about them.

I mean which is more troubling, a used car with 4,000 miles running around with 3 quarts low on oil and being sold from a Hurricane hit region where it can be questionable, or a car used as Bondurant did where they watched EVERY single part.

FCA does an inspection and walk around. The dealer that buys it is responsible for repairs and reconditioning if they chose to or are mandated to do by state law. For example dealers in CA must replace tires and brakes that are worn more than 50% and will do so with OEM parts. The auction cars are typically bought on line without inspection. I would guess, and this is totally a guess the cars were gone over by Bondurant's team before returning them to FCA. However, like all "lease" returns you do what you have to....right? I was on one of the early auctions listening and was dumbfounded that it got 100 bids in about 2 minutes and went to $125K where it stalled out. With all the unknown risks it wasn't worth that to me nor another member that was interested. As it passed $105, so did our interests.......

[ViperDC]

hysterical prices.

LOL feel sorry for the suckers that buy these. Poor cars have been raped from day 1 in desert heat. all day, every day

[ViperJon]

FCA does an inspection and walk around. The dealer that buys it is responsible for repairs and reconditioning if they chose to or are mandated to do by state law. ..

That says it all. Good luck with these nags. Walkaround lol.....

[RedTanRT/10]

all these school cars solded at auction for low $80K The carfax doesn't disclose the use but shows work at the dealer next to Bondurant so that's a clue. The ACR-E school cars sold for $120-125K which was higher than expected.

Carl, I had a dealer buddy look into them for me. I thought they'd sell at auction for mid-high $60's and retail for $80. Crazy high prices and he told me one dealer kept raising his hand, I thought it was Tomball but I now see Palmer (who has 6 on his site). As you later said, those couple ACR's have low mileage, 1 sat on display in the PHX airport for 6 months.

While mechanically they've been gone through, cosmetically they all look like 10k plus mi track cars. Take a close look at the Palmer photo's, especially the wheels. You can see fading and rock damage in many places. Here's a pic of one from the dealer in WI, wheels have curbing and the calipers are really heat faded. In about a month you'll see a post from a new to viper buyer from Palmer that will be asking a lot of questions. You can build a much cleaner used track car than what their asking.

Bondurant acr.jpg

[Martin]

Looks like a dog peed on that wheel, too.

[Space Truckin]

I would not touch either... too many track/ hard miles....JM2C..I could be wrong...

[ViperDC]

Carl, I had a dealer buddy look into them for me. I thought they'd sell at auction for mid-high $60's and retail for $80. Crazy high prices and he told me one dealer kept raising his hand, I thought it was Tomball but I now see Palmer (who has 6 on his site). As you later said, those couple ACR's have low mileage, 1 sat on display in the PHX airport for 6 months.

While mechanically they've been gone through, cosmetically they all look like 10k plus mi track cars. Take a close look at the Palmer photo's, especially the wheels. You can see fading and rock damage in many places. Here's a pic of one from the dealer in WI, wheels have curbing and the calipers are really heat faded. In about a month you'll see a post from a new to viper buyer from Palmer that will be asking a lot of questions. You can build a much cleaner used track car than what their asking.

Bondurant acr.jpg

its weird how the calipers on TAs look like ass so quickly. I even see it on low mile cars.

[serpent]

its weird how the calipers on TAs look like ass so quickly. I even see it on low mile cars.

I think it’s the paint they used, but I noticed that too because I was looking at TAs for sale for 2+ years.

[AZTVR]

What does the community think about posting the suspect VINs? Is that unfair to the dealers or future owners since we don't have positive evidence, only circumstantial? (e.g, no list from Bondurant showing what cars they used.)
On one hand, I as a buyer would want to know this information, and have been trying to identify these cars. On the other hand, there is no evidence either that the cars are in any worse mechanical condition than some other randomly selected Gen V being sold by a dealer or private party. For example, the SRT that I looked into that I discovered had been a rental car, and which I found videos of being hooned.

I would not buy these cars at the prices being asked; but dealers do find buyers for the less than virginal cars. We certainly are a more picky group of buyers.

[ssgsnake]

So are all the cars they have the used ones all from Bondurant even the ones that are not white?

Seems like they have a lot of used 16 and 17

[Arizona Vipers]

I wonder if they went through and fixed all of the stuff on them. When I was there, most had cracked front windshields, broken front bumpers, and practically half of the paint on the front missing. They are asking WAY too much money for these cars, especially considering the abuse they've gone through.

The tracks Bondurant uses are pretty nasty as far as rocks go. My ACR has 30+ stars in the windshield from running these tracks and my wheels will be full of pebbles after each session.

[Arizona Vipers]

These cars were maintained well, I would see them with Eddie Martin at Airpark Dodge all the time. My main concern would be is all the missed shifts these cars have seen. I bet they were going from 3rd to 2nd and 4th to 3rd all the time.

[Vipes]

Wow that GT looks really beat up, I'd really hate to see a close up pic of the bumper/hood. I think it would be hard for a buyer not see notice all that stuff and not put it all together about the history.

[AZTVR]

So are all the cars they have the used ones all from Bondurant even the ones that are not white?

Seems like they have a lot of used 16 and 17

If you are talking about Palmer Dodge, no, the couple I checked that were not white did not have the same indicators of being Bondurant school cars as the white ones appeared to have.

[AZTVR]

Wow that GT looks really beat up, I'd really hate to see a close up pic of the bumper/hood. I think it would be hard for a buyer not see notice all that stuff and not put it all together about the history.

How many people post on the forums that they buy Vipers sight unseen ?

[Vipes]

How many people post on the forums that they buy Vipers sight unseen ?

Good point.

[BlueAdder]

These cars were maintained well, I would see them with Eddie Martin at Airpark Dodge all the time. My main concern would be is all the missed shifts these cars have seen. I bet they were going from 3rd to 2nd and 4th to 3rd all the time.

Try 2nd to 1st... Don't ask how I know
Me <-

[Special Ed]

What does the community think about posting the suspect VINs? Is that unfair to the dealers or future owners since we don't have positive evidence, only circumstantial? (e.g, no list from Bondurant showing what cars they used.)
On one hand, I as a buyer would want to know this information, and have been trying to identify these cars. On the other hand, there is no evidence either that the cars are in any worse mechanical condition than some other randomly selected Gen V being sold by a dealer or private party. For example, the SRT that I looked into that I discovered had been a rental car, and which I found videos of being hooned.

I would not buy these cars at the prices being asked; but dealers do find buyers for the less than virginal cars. We certainly are a more picky group of buyers.

Really!

[Racingswh]

Try 2nd to 1st... Don't ask how I know

That's a good one. Typically always breaks something. My worst missed shift ever was in a Gen IV ACR. Flat in 2nd coming off a right hander at 6400 so the car was really loaded up left. With barely a hint of a breathe I perfectly executed a quick shift up to 3rd. I was absolutely flat back to the gas instantly. That's when the rear tires locked up and I heard an audible boom from under the car. It was firmly in 1st gear. Incredibly it just broke the transmission input shaft and the motor emerged unscathed.

Strong money they want for these school cars. For reasons already stated I wouldn't buy one for anywhere close to their asking prices.

[catwood]

Carl, I had a dealer buddy look into them for me. I thought they'd sell at auction for mid-high $60's and retail for $80. Crazy high prices and he told me one dealer kept raising his hand, I thought it was Tomball but I now see Palmer (who has 6 on his site). As you later said, those couple ACR's have low mileage, 1 sat on display in the PHX airport for 6 months.

While mechanically they've been gone through, cosmetically they all look like 10k plus mi track cars. Take a close look at the Palmer photo's, especially the wheels. You can see fading and rock damage in many places. Here's a pic of one from the dealer in WI, wheels have curbing and the calipers are really heat faded. In about a month you'll see a post from a new to viper buyer from Palmer that will be asking a lot of questions. You can build a much cleaner used track car than what their asking.

To think I missed a new loaded one for $130K due to a hiccup by a customer that took a week to resolve makes me ill. oh well. perhaps it's not meant to be. Palmer also bought the blue one I was going to bid on. He came of the blocks as not sold. He bought it for $135 which again was higher than original invoice cost we calculated. They must believe their own hype trying to sell $200K used vipers. Enjoy the inventory.