posted 04-10-2002 08:43 AM         

Thanks,
Steve

posted 04-12-2002 11:55 PM         

Alex

posted 04-13-2002 11:32 AM         

Dew Drop is a performance car freak. She has two Corvettes and she had a hankering for a new and different kind of racing machine. Since she has been fairly nice about my acquisitions, I thought that I would give serious consideration to a Viper for her.

We went over to the local Chrysler Dealer because they had a graphite GTS in stock. I wanted to see if she would get Dodge Fever and get hotter than a pepper sprout!

Anyway, this race machine was on the show room floor and the battery was dead so we could not see too much. The sales manager was too stupid to know how to get into the car and he had little or no interest in finding out! The young wiper snapper sales rep did know how to get in, seemed to know everything about the machine and was quite helpful. He was two young to be a Five Star rep, I would guess about 13, but his sales manager was a Five Star Dud!

To make a long story short, she liked it, but I did not particular care for the GTS package as it deleted the fog lights and they put some cheep metal patches in their place! The explanation was that they were saving the weight of the lights! Looked really cheap to me!

The car had a window of about $87,000 and they told me they would part with this race machine for $79,500. At 115 years old, that seemed like a lot of scratch for a car that had similar specifications to the Z06 for a lot less. Now, I realize that it is limited production product, but this machine has very little creature comforts and innovations other than the 5 point seat belts.

Further investigation lead me to the conclusion that the 2003 models will have new creature comforts along with the side exhaust ports and other refinements. I have decided to wait.

Now, there are those that will tell you that they will not be available and that they will sell for 20 to 90 thousand over the list price but then again, they said the same thing about the Thunderbird and now they are begging you to buy one at full list. Also, you have to remember that they are selling less than 20 of these beauties per month! I do not believe that there are hundreds of people waiting in line to spend $80,000 on a stripped down car with a converted truck engine in it!

Gotta run as my wild blueberry "pandacakes" just finished growing and a baking and I am working up a powerful hunger after my last two sessions with my "personal trainer." How many 115 year old "yuppies" do you figure there are left in the world?

Scot

posted 04-14-2002 08:23 PM         

fixumm

posted 04-14-2002 09:08 PM         

quote:

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Originally posted by ed monahan:
fixxum, thanks for pointing out the positives for the hummers. For the life of me I couldn't figure out why anyone would want one. It is so you can go over curbs, and for only $100k. Now I get it.

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it makes up for being small in the pants ha ha

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www.centralautobody.com

posted 04-14-2002 09:51 PM         

You are correct. It was the ACR version. The dealership seemed to think that it was somewhat special so that must have been why. The package deleted the radio, fog lights, heater and air conditioning and replaced it with a better radio and ventilation system but no fog lights.

Sorry for the misinformation.

Scot

posted 04-15-2002 06:37 AM         

Steve, this apparently is not going to be your everyday driver, so I think the Viper is a much better choice than the Vette. It's more powerful (than a locomotive) - 450 hp stock. It is a relatively limited production - less than 2000 / year. There are so many Vettes made that you see them on the streets every day, ho-hum. But when you drive a Viper, people stop to look, wave, gawk, drool, and smile. (Much like the reactions with the Prowler).

Come on out of the Mopar closet and add that snake to your garage!!!

posted 04-15-2002 07:13 AM         

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posted 04-15-2002 10:30 PM         

Eventhough he just turned 2, he can tell the difference and can accurately name both Prowler and Viper! He is my son!!

posted 04-21-2002 08:31 AM         

Scotty did indeed look at an ACR, of this I am sure. I think in theory the fog light delete was supposed to be for brake cooling...but never appeared from the factory.

I'll try to get my friend to write about his first impressions yesterday. They came to visit from PA., and I decided to meet them on the other side of the Jamestown bridge...not far away, but enough so one of them could have a fun ride back in the Viper. They has seen it in pieces on their last visit...but this time she was all ready!

We met in a car-pool parking lot, and they did the standard walk around the car....I threw his wife a token and said "follow us"!!! First on-ramp was a nice long, swoopy crest....rolled on the gas heading into the turn, eased of a bit, we hit the sweet spot and I got on it a little. 2nd gear was pulling HARD! AS it straightened out my foot went down quite a bit more and we hit third. By then we're roaring past traffic and I had to get on the binders as there are a few speed traps as you head into Jamestown.

40MPH all the way to the toll booth, then we go through and wait for his wife. I Volvo creeps next to us on the left...I slow down so they can have a look...and, more importantly, get in front of me and PICK a lane (I'll want the other one!!) LOL

Leaving the toll booth area it bends slightly to the left..then up onto the Newport Bridge. As the Volvo had decided on the right lane, and was merging over...I said "hold on", 1st.....then 2nd.....about 75-80 around the slight bend....very bumpy (the wife, behind us, said later that she could see the back of the car hop out a bit), but it stuck like glue. Accelerating through the bend, I think I scared him! As it straightened out I rolled on it more, hit third....exceeding the posted speed limit by quite a bit. He was SCREAMING the whole way!! It was great!! Got on the brakes and cruised 45 all the way home, obeying ALL posted speed limits.

We discussed the car in general. I told him that on the road....things like on-ramps, off-ramps, exiting that toll booth....those we the things most of us love. MANY people can get in a car and go fast in a straight line. I told his wife when I took her for a ride....that I could easily take her out and run 150-160MPH (after finding a place...that wouldn't be the easy part around here)...but I took her for a ride down to the round-about instead. (evil grin)! I have always told people that it isn't that I speed around...I just don't need to slow down like others. So, not even speeding, we go around the roud-about...I didn't even take my foot off the gas. Traffic was clear, and around we went.

They headed back to PA. wanting one.

I cannot comment on any other sports/muscle car, so I am not comparing my Viper to ANY of them.....

The 02 ZO6 is an awesome car, so I have heard. Nice power, nice looks, MUCH better interior (meaning more features...."better" is in the eye of the beholder really). The Viper is more visceral I think....Where are you? Have you had a ride? Have you compared?

Just offering up some views....