For those of you with HIGH end spare cars, IE 75-80 plus...

Yeah, 1000 miles straight in that car wouldn't be fun for me. LOL.

Trying to figure out a few different options.

 

Fly to Texas and drive it back or pay the ~$700 to ship it.

 

Before I can drive it for anything more than a test drive, I've got to get a seat lowering kit installed. At 6'6", my eye level is around the flip down sun visor.

A seat kit will drop the drivers seat about 2.5".

 

Ah. Makes sense.

 

I know some guys who specialize in high end car moving.....come highly regarded...

 

All I can say is, glad to see you're doing well Tyler!

 

You’re getting an ACR, right?

 

You can always sell it.

Single digit gas mileage on premium would keep me from driving it, but clearly you’re not in my position.

 

Thanks Clay!

 

I ain't doing that well!!

 

Basic bitch.

 

Maybe I missed it but have you driven a viper or just always wanted one? I was seriously not impressed with them and I've driven every generation. The 1st gen looks the best.

 

Realize what you're getting into. Plan on $5-10k annually misc. costs... Even sitting still things are aging and going bad--sensors, wiring, batteries, bushings, flat-spot tires, etc. etc. Best to think of these like a land-locked boat. The longer they sit, the deeper the hit. About to get the 993 taken in for touches in that range. Been so busy, can't recall last time I drove it.

A good friend was nuts about the Viper, until he took one for an extended test. It was an early gen, not the later which is supposed to be easier to be live with. He opted instead for the top o' the line Vette and threw six figures into sleeper mods. I've been debating getting something new, barely have time to drive. Just got the new F-150 Limited with the Raptor engine 6 months ago and barely crossed 1k miles..... Were I driving enough to shop it'd be either the 911 GT3, Turbo S--I was a huge fan of the Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio until seeing the quality issues folks were reporting. I posted a thread here and folks were like, "No... just no...."

The other thing about these is they draw A LOT of the wrong attention on the street. I've even gotten a ticket with the F-150 for boosting off of a stop sign stop, cop saw me and in the intersection and assumed I'd run the stop sign. So there's that.... and if you're going to TRACK one of these cars.... well, open up your wallet wide and start dumping money.

We have the PDE not to far away, and they have a 1-day GT3 vs. Turbo S on-track comparison course, think it's like $1,500 (https://www.porschedriving.com/). Might go take that regardless of getting a new car. If there's something similar available with the Viper, highly recommend considering the sample before pulling the trigger.

Good luck, sweet ride!

 

Been a long while since I've driven one. Just enjoy the styling and I feel like prices are right on them. Don't foresee a lot more depreciation in them over the next couple years. Figure I can buy one and own it for relatively little loss outside gas,maintenance,insurance for a few years.

 

Have you been happy with the ES? Looking at one of those for the wife.

 

Absolutely love my Lexus. It's the third one my wife and I have had....all of them have been fantastic.

 

Once I was in a good financial position I look at decisions like this on more of an in-and-out cost basis. Like, how much is it going to cost me to own. I’m not as concerned with the purchase price (within reason). I’ve done that with a couple of boats in recent years and have done really well. I also bought a C6 and owned it for a couple of years for almost nothing. I bet you’d spend almost no money on surprises owning a late model Viper. Just use the same judgement that has given you the financial success you already enjoy.

Enjoy the car. Post pictures. Now you have me looking at GTR’s for sale.

 

I know I'm late here, but I did finance the full amount on my 1997 viper (not 80k on a single car, but my next toy likely will be in that range) I could have paid cash, but I like having the availability of cash and the 1997 Viper is pretty much at the end of its depreciation curve so I've never been upside down on it (sans maybe the first 2-3 months). My thought process is to never be upside down on a vehicle, especially a toy. If shit happens, I can dump toys without having to come up difference in the loan and value of the vehicle. That's my "justification". My family doesn't really comment on it at all, so I can't really answer from that perspective.

 

Buy it, drive it as a daily driver until you get tired of it. I drive a C5 corvette (not in the same price range, of course) as a daily driver, including midwest winter. People buy high end sedans or SUVs that cost more than that viper and drive them in snow, rain, leave them outside year round. Same with pickup trucks. You can pay $75K for a pickup these days and no one thinks you're abusing it if you take it into the mud or woods or off-road, snow, salt, hail, whatever. Those vehicles will depreciate faster than a daily driver viper.

 

Y'all are living my lottery life.