Was a Viper as a first exotic a HUGE MISTAKE?

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#VINwiki #DodgeViper #CarStories

[@VINwiki]

Who loves a Viper?

[@CanadiansInCarsGettingCocky]

🙋‍♂️ I've had mine for 15 years

[@MattCange]

The last 2 generations

[@richardatchley-uy2jd]

Always!!!

[@Turshin]

All of them

[@EyesOfByes]

I want the ACR

[@MrRockitt3]

“ it’s a tight cockpit but it’s wide “. Everything reminds me of her 😢

[@James-Johnson313]

LOL, LMAO even.

[@Usmc913]

I learned a trick with loading my C6 Corvette onto uhaul trailers. Jack up the back of the truck or put the back wheels on ramps so it angles the loading ramps up more. Makes it a shit ton easier to get a low car on that type of trailer.

[@twillison8824]

I did a full repaint on a Hyundai for a dealership. When a guy from our shop drove it back, it died and wouldn't start, so I got a u-haul dolly. I hauled it to the dealership, and they decided it'd be a great idea to push it off the dolly where it was, not considering it was sitting with the ramps much steeper than they should be. They caught the brand new front bumper cover on the ramps and ripped it off. Couple weeks later I ran into the service manager and asked about it, he said the engine was blown 😂

[@ZondaF355]

Had many of these cars. ZERO head gaskets. Definitely a few radiators needing replacing but to be expected with a car of age. Ive found them to be very reliable when driven like they were meant to be. Easy to work on and simple. They are quite exotic in their construction and look. Nothing this side of a Diablo or Murci has the street presence

[@JK-js2td]

Yes to the street respect. Driving one is kinda like driving in a parade. Everyone seemed to stop and stare and waved. If you dont want that kind of attention...dont buy one!

[@JoeMaxFpv]

I’ve been there. Did a head gasket on a vw westfalia right on a side road in Denver back in early 2000’s. Local cops were actually cool. I wasn’t in the way and they saw how quickly I tore it down so they left me be. Took three days by myself and off I went to ocean beach San Diego. Wouldn’t do it again. But I was young and motivated then. 😂

[@austind4098]

“ when you put on a baseball glove and it’s a real good fit” spoken like a true baseball player 😂

[@brianr754]

The early Vipers are the best first high end cars! They teach you how to drive and how to respect power. They are so analog that if something goes wrong, it can be fixed with real tools! No ridiculous electronic stuff to go wrong.

[@thomass5525]

Loving the comment on hazardous waste and wildlife, it's nice to see someone who cares! Hope he will be back with more stories, seems like a good one.

[@Hard_Right]

🙄 i leave buckets of anti freeze all around my property for those damn squirrels! i also dump my waste oil near a river that's local to me .... i also burn my old tires in my fire pit! i'm not paying $6 to the gubmint to dispose of an old tire no no no

[@UberLummox]

@@Hard_Right

[@HashiriyaSquadron]

A jet black RT/10.....one of my all time favourites. Right next to an SE30 Diablo. 🖤

[@wondermaid6452]

The u-haul car trailer has a 55mph speed limit sticker on the driver side fender to remind you everytime you look into the side mirror

[@jaked5651]

Good thing I couldn’t see that in the mirror 😂

[@RustyZipper]

Merely a suggestion

[@h33ls_up]

And?

[@stevemoneypenny6746]

Glad you made it home ok! I'll say the Viper community is the coolest car group I have ever been a part of. Viper Owners Association has a ton of awesome dudes. and most of know a trusted shop or way to get it home. Nothing like being at an event with all of YOUR car there.

[@lawrencebmarshall]

I am currently apart of 3 communities. Viper, Morgan, and Ferrari. Viper is probably the most toxic. Lot of machismo, lot of idiots thinking their cars are worth a fortune and trying to flex. Morgan is the most friendly probably we are all commiserating about how awful our vehicles are built (3 Wheeler). Ferrari is for my Mondial and is probably the most varied. You have the cheapest car in the brand so you end up talking to people with multi million dollar collections all while looking for a means to buy any parts not made by Ferrari. There is a lot less ego in the Ferrari community which blows my mind. Viper community gen v owners think they own gold. Own an RT/10? Prepare to get shit talked. Owners cannot fathom that some people would prefer an RT/10 to a Gen V regardless of values. All in all 0/10 do not recommend the viper community.

[@h33ls_up]

I was an apprentice when the 2nd gen came out and even though this isn’t the car the story is about, i got to work on many 1st gens , they’re actually very good solid cars. Not necessarily my car but I’m really happy with story

[@carpartsduckfarts2089]

Oh man the captain Ron quote 😂

[@jaked5651]

I was hoping someone would appreciate that

[@galeng73]

My first Viper was the first brand new Viper I owned. I'd owned clapped out Jags and stuff like that, which was stupid because I was exceptionally poor back then. The Viper showed me that I needed to improve my driving skills. That led to me taking lessons at the track. It was my midlife crisis car. Eventually, my kids would come live with me and I'd have to trade in my Viper for a Volvo. Today, I do a bit of racing and have a collection of cars (all properly stored and maintained). While my MOS was 3531, the lessons learned at various racing schools (especially rally school) really taught me how to get the most out of my driving. All of that came out of buying a first gen Viper.

[@evanogburn]

With the right exhaust, those 5 cylinder volvos sound fairly close to the exhaust note of the viper

[@galeng73]

@@evanogburn I did splurge on the Volvo and picked an 850 R wagon. So, it wasn't quite just a grocery getter. I kept the exhaust stock. I like to keep most things stock. I have older cars that have newer sound systems in them and I invariably wish that too was stock. I like to experience the car as it came from the dealership, even if that means nothing but an AM radio or no radio at all. I don't comment much but I have a pretty interesting collection. I've had a couple of my cars show up on KZbin with a couple of different presenters. I got lucky and sold my company back in the mid-2000s.

[@evanogburn]

@@galeng73you should really consider an alternative exhaust for the Volvo, they have an exquisite exhaust note. Or at least listen to some comparison videos online. A lot of people really like a straight pipe, but I find that to be too harsh. I personally prefer the full exhaust from IPD, which is what I have on my S60.

[@galeng73]

@@evanogburn The only Volvo I have now is a 240 from '82. It's lightly modified, including a skid plate. It's pretty much only driven in the winter and when there's a bunch of snow on the road. It's a riot. It's very predictable, so you can chuck it sideways in the corners and have all sorts of fun that you can't have on dry roads. It's also one of the cars that I'll let anyone drive. I picked up a new cam from IPD and advanced the timing a touch. So, I might be getting an extra 15 HP out of it. It's an absolute barrel of laughs when there's snow on the road. I've driven it through about a foot of fresh snow - up and down mountain roads. The skid plate was a requirement because it otherwise sucked snow up under the hood and would make belts slip. The skid plate fixed that. Hell, I didn't even know you. You can show up at my house and I'll let you drive it in a snow storm. If you wreck it, we'll just pound out the dents and go again.

[@Boatfisherz1]

Love the first 2 gen Vipers (92-2002) the most. The mid 2000s lost it for me because of the style, but they're all pretty special. Considering the price, they're a bargin!

[@dwhite224]

Nice to see a fellow Viper guy. Havik Performance sells an updated water pump that has an aluminum impeller instead of plastic.

[@mingli1241]

As a resident of NJ our roads are still dog sh*t.

[@DaleDoesIt]

Y’all ever been to Louisiana or Bee Orleans? It’s pretty bad there.

[@tonybrown6775]

Saw Cris Farleys viper last year at a car show. Badass cars

[@gambj]

I would really love a viper one day... got to drive one a few years ago, no where special. But did i ever feel like Batman driving an all black viper

[@EdBolian]

Great attitude and some awesome experiences to show for it!

[@Four_Eyes]

Great story, dude has resolve for sure.

[@richl172]

When's the next viper video coming out? Love your content, and can't wait to see that 9.0L build.

[@Four_Eyes]

@@richl172 thanks man, couple weeks or so!

[@coyster530]

Dodge Viper was the first exotic car I ever drove when I was 15

[@johnrhoades6214]

I'd love to have a Viper and heads up. That's a kick ass captain ron quote

[@gonzoprius3589]

Jake is the real deal! Car guy to the core.

[@FullyLooted]

Everyone is gangsta until the Viper pulls up. Pure driver skill car

[@mwyatt222]

my boss was on the wait list for the 1st year. When his was still brand new he went to a car show and when it started to drizzle he left. With less than 100 miles on it he totaled it when he lost control of it attempting to change lanes in light rain. lt scared him so much he just bought another new vette.

[@GAGEDADY]

I had a gen 2 viper that overheated until I changed the water pump because the impeller was spinning on the shaft.

[@jeffreyoldham55]

Welcome to VINwiki, Jake! 🤜💥🤛

[@jakethesnake4971]

This has to be what Doug Demuros kid will look and sound like

[@patrickm4566]

This kid is much more likable.

[@bulgingbattery2050]

The viper is a collector's car. They are increasingly hard to find, and usually very expensive.

[@MattCange]

Exactly. The last gen ACRs with low mileage are going for > 1/4 million $ often now.

[@ForTehNguyen]

Gen 5s expensive yes, but the older ones arent bad. But the G5 is the one to get

[@678rwhp]

40k for a low mileage Viper is not expensive. They are probably the cheapest way to get into a decent sports car. Other than maybe a C6.

[@jordancomeaux6888]

Na, gen 1 and 2 cars are like 25 to 40k. GTS and ACR go for alot more.

[@TheOriginalLugnuts]

Road trips and cool cars always equal a good time and a good story even if they are a rocky road

[@philipwilliams3427]

The Viper is the underrated supercar😎

[@JaredBrown_hkuspgtr]

Did an alternator swap in a Target parking lot. Would ask random ppl for help for when I needed that third had, and everyone was more then helpful. It was my cousin in-laws car and she was going to make a 4hr drive home with her three kids in the summer. I am thankful it failed in Flagstaff, but we went to meet them just for the day and of course I didn't bring my tools and I had to barrow the "loaner tools". Bought a good set of tools for each car. But, you never know. Good story...!

[@That_ViperDude]

You seem like a nice kid, I actually had a similar situation. I flew to Nashville and decided to drive my Viper back to California not knowing the fans weren't working. No problem on the highway but in traffic it was bad news. I ended up having it shipped back to California from Oklahoma City but I had a blast meeting the locals in the town of Yukon and 2 nights at an Americans Best Value hotel.

[@jeffgriffith7003]

I love these stories, they help relieve some of my my road trip anxiety. Lol

[@jessemeanlt1]

That cool blue Callaway corvette in the background.

[@jaked5651]

That guy and I still talk. Such a cool car. He has a few.

[@ChrisWalksFast]

Good story! This guy is a welcome addition

[@davewoodmancy5124]

Sounds like you might have bought the car from Roanoke Motors in Illinois

[@jaked5651]

That is exactly where I bought it from

[@RobsNeighbor]

Very Cool, great story! I hope to be in that seat someday!

[@FeloniousSavage]

First gen vipers were nothing but raw machines, if you don't know what you're doing you'd definitely crash. No traction control or any type of driver assist.

[@gageneisius8034]

The best times and stories are from when you just send it and do something fun and just figure it out from there

[@That_ViperDude]

My 93 Viper is actually an antenna car, it's 1 of 300.

[@84gssteve]

It's not that they are weird about the trailers, it's just that most people (Uhaul employees included) don't know much about towing cars. So, to make it easy to arrive at a yes or no answer they have a very comprehensive database of vehicle dimensions, weight and towing capabilities so their employees can just enter data about your tow and towed vehicle. If the database says it's OK (with a healthy margin for safety included) then they let you take it. It's the best way to keep the trailers from getting trashed and people wrecking out due to inexperience. Of course, you can lie about the vehicles, (and people do all the time) but then if there is an incident you won't have much defense on your side legally.

[@That_ViperDude]

Third set of head gaskets? That's a giant red flag it's been beaten on. I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. No wonder he wanted to sell it.

[@HAFBeast91]

As a Miata owner, hearing him call his Viper a Miata is so accurate. LOL!

[@Tomsgate101]

Well narrated!

[@elarr8733]

This was much better than the Porsche Boy debacle.

[@JCMusicwriter]

I wish I got a viper when they were dirt cheap. At one point you could get a 1997 GTS for the price the RT/10s are going for... I missed the boat. This is also why I trailer to shows like this. When I go to PA for shows from New England UHaul trailers are a few hundred bucks for the week and then you have peace of mind and save miles on the car too. Water pumps aren't usually too crazy of a job, now I'm going to have to look up Viper Water pump videos! I still want a Viper... Ultimate 90s car!

[@mcanderson0]

Drove to carshow. Car broke down. Got it back home. Cool story.

[@That_ViperDude]

I love my gen 1 Viper, it is the last badass American car ever made.

[@CWS1963]

I can speak from direct knowledge, Volvo and Freightliner injectors do the exact same thing. The seals in the injector solenoids fail and oil will go all the way back to the ECM. Full harness replacement and full injector replacement. Good times...

[@B5s4]

Attention Ed&TheFolk @VinWIKI, Day one Supporter here . I love this channel and appreciate all the hard work behind the scenes you all putting in give us great entertainment. That being said….. You guys gotta do something about the quality of these guests. respectfully saying all of this of course….. I’ll tell you the last six months it’s been very, VERY hit or miss, and a bunch of them being misses ……. Between the valet guy, and this guy with this pointless story, i really wish I could have that time back.

[@davidmopar8446]

Good story, if you want one get a 2nd gen rt/10 alot of the issues are gone .

[@jaked5651]

I looked at them, but I like the “bareness” of the Gen 1.

[@hellrocker1212]

I'd say even if parts were dime a dozen, most of these cars would still have been ridden harder than a 2 dollar whore. So $$$ adding up real fast.

[@stanleyanderson3550]

he talked faster than the vipers top speed

[@terrylessmann2274]

"Don't think, just do." - Maverick

[@magicbox9371]

At this moment I am trying to recall the most difficult water pump I have replaced. =p

[@jaked5651]

Was it a viper?

[@Runway_Models1987]

I’ve been obsessed with the viper since a kid but after looking on forums it looks like they are a beast to maintain.

[@jaked5651]

It’s really not too bad. They had no issue getting the water pump for it. I do the general maintenance myself in my barn

[@jamskatelake]

They stupid simple and cheap to maintain.

[@bwofficial1776]

They're pretty simple. It's a Chrysler V8 with two more cylinders. The whole thing is a parts-bin special.

[@vwjet2001]

Mechanically, it's a parts bin car, so you can find nearly anything you need at your local auto parts store. The few specialized parts are also available online. Also, with the gen 1/2 being over 20 years old now, you can find youtube videos or forum posts for any maintenance tasks. However, literally anything you can see on the exterior is going to be expensive to replace.

[@ba-ld3ti]

They are exceptionally easy to maintain. No electronics to maintain, best manual transmission ever put in an American car. Engine is a 1960s pushrod V8 with extra cylinders. Body panels and trim parts are the only expensive things.

[@pineappleslicezz]

1/2 step above a Honda guy here (rx8 ) 😂 we’re wayy to low on the totem pole to get any respect from the exotic car guys haha

[@That_ViperDude]

Like most parts in a gen 1 Viper, the water pump is probably out of a Ram, Dakota, Neon, or intrepid. A stupid cheap part.

[@uxb2001]

good story well told!

[@TurboV8boi]

Today I learned I have interesting enough stories to be on this channel

[@gwick358]

Hahaha. It's called "arrest me red" for a reason. 😂🤣✌❤

[@BatCaveOz]

Early Vipers didn't have proper windshields... but it didn't matter, because one was typically going sideways.

[@obi-wankenobi7160]

If I may say so myself, it is time for our esteemed car community leaders to fortify the bonds which have held strong until now. We must cast aside the feelings of despair and contempt and join our voices together to sing the song of our car people for eternity so that when the EV overlords come knocking, the bed will be rocking henceforth thus well there we have it

[@RandomVids519]

Fine youtube ill watch this geeze!

[@potcommitted5355]

How much did you over pay when buying a Viper in 2022-23?

[@jaked5651]

I got it in 2021, so I deff paid high book. But it was under $40k

[@zaxus211]

hand me the collander but dont strain yourself

[@channell11]

If you're mature enough to have some restraint, a Viper can be a great first supercar/exotic. I bought a Gen 3 Viper a couple months ago. It was a low-mileage example but an 18 year old car is always going to have some things that need addressing. It's easy to work on, everything goes together in a logical way. Some parts are expensive or unavailable, but not like the horror stories I've heard about foreign exotics. It doesn't have any major reliability weaknesses. The insurance isn't egregious (about $100 a month for full coverage) and it doesn't have any real bad habits. I had a Corvette before, and while it was more comfortable and a little easier to live with day to day, the Viper is just special. It doesn't have the same pioneer appeal as a Gen 1, but it's civilized enough to live with and most of the early issues have been addressed.

[@SoylentGamer]

Like how the Gremlin was the "First American built import" the Viper was the first American built exotic.

[@JustinGadue58]

Wonder Where In Vermont He Lives, I Live In Marshfield..

[@jaked5651]

The Islands

[@bobkrinsky2117]

Vipers are now being referred to as an "Exotic"???

[@savgre9400]

Great story

[@jaked5651]

Funny enough, hours after telling this story, I was again stranded in Philadelphia and had to rent a car to get home

[@twillison8824]

Dude, you really took it to a shop just to swap a water pump? I guess you truly are just a car salesman😂

[@ChasingDifferentAdventures]

Nice!

[@MichaelJames-lz7ni]

The guy who knows Vipers COLD is 'The Wizard'.....because he's had to repair them.

[@imuruncledaddy8753]

Nothing ever goes according to plan.

[@jasonbfrederick5239]

Thanks!

[@VINwiki]

Thanks so much! Have a great night.

[@Google_Is_Evil]

Here was me thinking this was about a snake and thinking who in their right mind would start that hobby with a venemous species..... Dodge Vipers are maybe esoteric, but they are domestic, not exotic.

[@keepingupwithJoaquinJones]

What kind of car guy can't do a water pump?😂😂😂😂

[@cpt_nordbart]

A Viper is basically a Miata... You have to squint hard and someone next to you is bashing cymbals to make that a reality.

[@jaked5651]

Haha tell that to all my buddies who rag on it 😂😂😂 all in good fun

[@bwofficial1776]

It's basically a Miata that wants to kill the driver at every opportunity. No luxuries, just an engine and a manual transmission.

[@davidsmith6001]

Good story all the way around... As for cannonball during covid none of them count to a true cannon ball. The point is the run during normal conditions that drivers have to go threw to complete it. Removing everything and its just a race track day.

[@Gelderzi]

Bought my Viper from the same Dealer. Roanoke Dodge

[@URBANAMERICANTAC]

Viper, Exotic? I wouldn't call a Viper an Exotic car lol.

[@michaelhaslett267]

I have a 2018 Porsche Panamera turbo, low mileage, dark grey with red leather interior…I would trade for a 2003-2005 Dodge viper roadster any day of the week. Anyone have one and wanna trade hit me up!

[@jdorffer]

Trust your car dealership, they have survived for a reason

[@That_ViperDude]

Your antenna isn't stock.

[@jaked5651]

Yes it is, its a gen 1 antenna car. Early 93 production.

[@That_ViperDude]

@@jaked5651 someone replaced the original antenna. Stock antennas aren't bent backwards, they stand straight up.

[@jaked5651]

@@That_ViperDude well it doesn’t help this one is cracked and broken….so that’s why it cocks back.

[@That_ViperDude]

@@jaked5651 ahhh, that's why. It's probably off an early 90s neon, Dakota, intrepid, or Ram. Easy to replace.

[@dontcyberbullyt]

I bought a viper cause I was tired of the hellcat fanboys

[@wrxd1247]

Calling a viper a supercar is worse than me calling my rs3 a supercar... Also, boycott wolfsgart that show SUX

[@MudGonzo]

My rental had a flat while taking my sister to the airport. Can I be on VinWiki?

[@dontcyberbullyt]

No you have to be a clown with big ego

[@akane742]

He said he had 40 k to play with. Then says about making payments over the winter... poser

[@natielou143]

Ed figured out a way to monetize Chrysler Product repair stories. Genius! Vin Wiki, you can do better.

[@arnoldnavarro21]

A drivers car 😂

[@h33ls_up]

I’m actually surprised at the amount of assholes in the comment section on this one lol 🤣😅

[@mattg9971]

This was so unnecessarily long

[@notyouraveragegoldenpotato]

Gotta be honest, out of all the supercars (and highly modified performance cars on par or better performance wise than some supercars) the Viper was the least exciting, most underwhelming ive drove. That was literally back to back, same day. Same road course. Just taking runs up and over and down an mountain pass all day long. It was the least exciting vehicle that i actually had high hopes for. Only worse was a pepped up corvette (the lamest/slowest car of the day that still was faster than 99% of cars on the road lmao) the viper is like driving a pancake. The hood goes on for ETERNITY. Vision is atrocious. My .02

[@214jef]

Life advice from a 20 something year old.

[@DJJ81]

Praising demurro and shitting on a 1st gen viper… glad I know who to avoid now

[@jaked5651]

Not shitting on a GEN one viper, best car I’ve ever owned still own it today

[@ajayuniversal1952]

2nd