What do you think?

Ok take this advice. Go rent one at one of those exotic car rentals.
Back in 97 when the Prowler came out, the dealers only got 1 per dealership (or so i was told).

Dealers where asking way over sticker. The dealership I got mine from thought a neat way around looking like absolute crooks, was to have a dummy (me), but a used 94 Viper they had for I think it was 45k (Prowler stickered at 36?) Then when the Prowler was delivered, swap even up.

The Prowler was for my wife. I had a bad *** Hemi Challenger, and a Max Wedge car, she wanted something to drive.

I got the Viper and proceeded to drive it all over. Was it fast? yes. Was it cool? maybe.
For some reason, I just could never sync with it. Maybe because it was something I couldn't work on, maybe because it was pretentious at the time. Maybe it was that the V10 sounds European, don't know.

Now mind you, I absolutely, loud, fast, obnoxious toys. I rode a rigid Harley chopper at the same time , and the Viper would beat me up every bit as much as the bike.

I was very happy to give that thing back when it came time, it was just one vehicle I couldn't really get into.

Viper owners, flame away.
 
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Ok take this advice. Go rent one at one of those exotic car rentals.
Back in 97 when the Prowler came out, the dealers only got 1 per dealership (or so i was told).

Dealers where asking way over sticker. The dealership I got mine from thought a neat way around looking like absolute crooks, was to have a dummy (me), but a used 94 Viper they had for I think it was 45k (Prowler stickered at 36?) Then when the Prowler was delivered, swap even up.

The Prowler was for my wife. I had a bad *** Hemi Challenger, and a Max Wedge car, she wanted something to drive.

I got the Viper and proceeded to drive it all over. Was it fast? yes. Was it cool? maybe.
For some reason, I just could never sync with it. Maybe because it was something I couldn't work on, maybe because it was pretentious at the time. Maybe it was that the V10 sounds European, don't know.

Now mind you, I absolutely, loud, fast, obnoxious toys. I rode a rigid Harley chopper at the same time , and the Viper would beat me up every but as much as the bike.

I was very happy to give that thing back when it came time, it was just one vehicle I couldn't really get into.

Viper owners, flame away.
And there it is all nicely summed up.
 
the dealers only got 1 per dealership (or so i was told).

Correct for the most part. Certain dealers received more than one based on sales volume. We sold ours in 1997 along with the matching trailer for $77000 CDN to a die hard Mopar guy from up North. When it arrived he drove down to pick it up with his wife as I had never met him. Now I'm not a little guy but this guy dwarfed me. He was 6'5" and 400lbs. His wife wasn't much smaller. I was worried about him being able to fit inside the car. As it turned out he couldn't get in the car with the top up. Took the top down his wife squeezed in beside him we PUSHED the doors closed and he was a happy man. You couldn't see the gear selector between them but he drove her outta there. A Viper would have been worse....
 
Just so no one is offended about the fat reference, I'm carrying a few extra pounds,
I'm jolly about it.
Here's a fat story-
I got a repo order for a 3/4 bike. These are foreign built bikes that are built to 75% original size, copied form Harleys mostly.

The problem with them is, it's a huge PIA to load it onto the bed. They are just heavy enough you can't lift it up onto the bed, and too short to use the lift.

The guys that buy these bikes are usually millennials, or really nerdy middle age guys.

I grabbed wife and threw her in the truck, drove to the address, bike was sitting out side. I knocked on the door, told the guy what's up, he gave me the keys.

It was about 4 miles back to my storage yard, the guy said it ran fine, so I hopped on it told wife I'd just ride it back. She snickered sarcastically.
I ask "Babe give me my sunglasses". She says "You didn't bring any".
She says "here use mine".

My wife's taste in glasses, well, is weird. The glasses looked like the guy's eyes in the "Fly" movie. Except they were pink, like pink fly eyes.

I put on the glasses and ride away. I come to a stop light, and up next to me pulls a Mustang with 3 -20 something hotties. I'm trying to keep the bike from stalling, so i'm revving it up.The girls, looked over at me and I glanced their way.They burst into laughter, not just laughter, but piss their pants, pointing their fingers at me laughter.

The light turns green, they're hanging out the windows hooting and hollering.

I start taking off, my wife is behind me in the wrecker laughing uncontrollably.
The next light she pulls up next to me , I asked indignantly "WHAT??"
She says, "It looks like you have a motorcycle tire coming out your butt".

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People can be hurtful.
 
"The grass is seldom any greener on the other side of the fence" Unless you are suffering from a bad case of "too many coins" walk away.
 
I've already told my "fat blind date girl in my corvette" story.
 
Well if it's your dream car, then I would go ahead and do it. I've been around a few Vipers, of various years. They are not Corvettes. They are built better, and for the most part bullet proof, unlike the Corvette. The early Gen 1 had an engine that Lamborghini was involved in building. Head gaskets are the failure on them. The rest is durable, unless you supercharge with waaaay too much boost. Head gaskets are relatively easy to replace, just overhead valves. The throw out bearing is attached to the slave unit. I replaced one (slave), and the only access was to remove the transmission. For the most part, nothing really out of the ordinary, other than the battery placement. Get a trickle charger if you get one. Once the voltage drops just a bit, the car will not start even though it sounds like it's cranking over fast enough. Fun cars that get a ton of attention, and probably a good investment. A modern day AC Cobra.
 
I've found it to be much cheaper to lease a mopar in the Detroit area. Employee pricing and keeping the lease under 30 months saves me from buying tires or brakes and i'm always under warranty. With multiple vehicles i can stay with a low mileage lease.
 
I've found it to be much cheaper to lease a mopar in the Detroit area. Employee pricing and keeping the lease under 30 months saves me from buying tires or brakes and i'm always under warranty. With multiple vehicles i can stay with a low mileage lease.

You "Buy" an Appreciating Asset you "Lease" a Depreciating Asset Financing 101 but of course only works for people that always will be driving new and will always have a car pmt. We bunch drive 40/50 year old cars that cost us nothing but gas right?
 
You "Buy" an Appreciating Asset you "Lease" a Depreciating Asset Financing 101 but of course only works for people that always will be driving new and will always have a car pmt. We bunch drive 40/50 year old cars that cost us nothing but gas right?


But that applies to new vehicle financing right? I've always let someone else take the first hit even if I've purchased current model year cars.
 
But that applies to new vehicle financing right? I've always let someone else take the first hit even if I've purchased current model year cars.

The downside of used vehicle financing is no factory support with subvented rates. For example 2016 New Challenger purchase price $32000 at 0% for 6 years versus used 2016 Challenger for $25000 at 4.99%. Will you save the $7000 differential at 0% by paying no interest? It would be close - now add the loss of warranty time & mileage (worth something) and any recon versus new and the depreciated car is not quite as good a deal.

Never ask a car salesman for his opinion on buying/leasing cars you get more verbal diarrhea then you need lol:)
 
I appreciate everybody's opinion. This is a very tough decision for me. I am trying my best to have my cake and eat it too. I firmly believe that the Gen 1 viper in stock form will increase in value many years from now. It kick started the muscle car era again. I am not in it to make money, I will be the first to let you know I paid too much for Annabell(880). I will never get back what I have in it. I knew that when I bought it, I just fell in love with her first time I put my eyes on her. The only other car that does it to me is the viper, I am torn, but I will figure out something. A new challenger just does not do it for me, I live Kenosha, where we use to have a Chrysler plant, so everybody has a challenger or charger r/t.
 
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