The myth of the 1999 lives on – 50% voted for it, and 50% for the Stealth. Nobody wanted the 95. I’ll take it! Now, let’s turn to the Stealth’s stablemate: the Dodge Viper.
The 1995 Dodge Viper R/T 10 vs the 1998 Dodge Viper R/T 10
Story time!
About ten years ago, I lived in remote north western New Jersey (great back roads). One day, I heard a rumble pull up that I didn’t quite recognize. I peaked out to see a Viper Red Viper (cool name, Dodge).
Turns out my neighbor bought it, so I asked him for a ride. Instead, he proceeded to scare the living s-h-i-t out of me. Do you know why? Because the original Viper is a gigantic pig.
It rattles like a spray can. The exhaust exits on the side, and you’ll burn off your skin. I imagine a Model T has better build quality. The HVAC controls are out of a 1992 Dodge Caravan. An Asian Hornet would offer a more comfortable ride.
But…the engine. It’s so loud and raw, and fast. 0-60 somewhere around four seconds, which in the mid-90s was like black magic. And the looks – you pull up in this car anywhere, and you’ll get attention. If you ask me, it blew away a Corvette of the time. It should have, considering the cost.
Ah, but now, they are…cheap? Kind of, anyway. Let’s take a look.
The 1995 Dodge Viper R/T 10
First up is the 1995:
- 31,000 miles
- Emerald Green over Grey
- Clean CarFax
- Owned in California since new
- This is the roadster, and apparently the top goes missing a lot so it’s a big deal this one still has it.
- A Clarion head unit is the only modification
- Typical wear and tear, though the wheels are scratched and that needs to be fixed.
- I like these wheels better than the 1998 variant.
- I see haziness in the paint, so it might be worth a look to get a PPI done
- Bid to $24,567 so far
- A gigantic 8.0-liter V10, rated at 400 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. How did they get so little out of so much?
- The car was stolen in April of 2000. I can’t imagine that having a bearing on the sale of the car 24 years later.
Actually…can you believe this car is 30 years old? That’s incredible. The Viper could really be bare bones – optional A/C and power windows, a plastic rear window. Just do your homework on the one you want.
Emerald Green is cool and all, but if you want a classic color…
The 1998 Dodge Viper R/T 10
This is a cherry SR2 example, so the side pipes go away in favor of a rear center exit, with a bit more power. Aluminum suspension components were also fitted for a slight weight reduction.
- 9,200 miles
- Viper Red over Black
- Six-speed manual
- Clean CarFax
- Mostly southern-owned
- Bone stock, aside from PPF
- More power here: the same 8.0-liter V10, rated at 450 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque.
- Just some age-related issues like seat wear.
- Bid to $30,000 so far
This one seems pretty good, and the bidding is still early, so pricing may rise.
What’s a Dodge Viper worth?
Aside from the color and mileage, these two example are pretty close. But there were three unique generations, and some of them can climb up beyond $120,000.
The second generation might be the sweet spot, which at least attempted to make the interior a livable space. I do think it lost some of its charm in regards to styling (looks like a cartoon of the original), but all the fun bits are there. These are mostly running in the mid-$50s–$80k, depending on spec and condition.
The last generation looks sort of modern, with a screen in the middle and everything. These are mostly listed at over $100k, with the highest price over $120k. For that, I’m in a brand new Z06, sorry.
Lastly, the ACR turned the Viper into an honest to goodness track car. I can’t imagine a thing I’d rather drive less on a track than a Viper, but if you want one, you’ll pay, sometimes nearly $200,000.
Over 32,000 Vipers were produced, which I find to be an incredible number as I never see them anymore. Not even car shows.
So, would you stick your finger in an electrical socket?
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