Buying A Dodge Viper Will Never Be A Great Investment, But Do It Anyway

The Dodge Viper is the kind of sports car that could really only be slapped together by a small-but-enthusiastic group of midwesterners working on a shoestring budget. The Viper is equal parts awful and awe-inspiring, built to bully roads into submission more than navigate their mysterious curves with finesse. The Viper is type three fun on four wheels. Every minute behind the wheel of a Viper, sitting in its cramped and overheating cabin just inches from the ridiculous ten-cylinder engine, is both joyous and hateful. There isn’t really a better adjective for this machine than beastly. Side effects may include passenger nausea, jealous looks from passersby, depleting funds, a smile you can’t wipe off, sliding backwards into a tree on fire, and death. 

The Dodge Viper is the most American supercar that America has ever produced, and there won’t ever be anything like it again. It’s been some eight years since the last unit rolled off the assembly line, and 33 years since the first. A lot happened between 1992 and 2017, including what Dodge claims is five different generations (it’s really more like three) of the slippery snake. Let’s dive into the differences between them, what to look out for, and what you should pay for one. 

The Dodge Viper made its debut to the public at the 1991 running of the Indianapolis 500. Dodge had planned to pace the field with the Stealth, but the UAW complained that a Japanese-built car would be taking the all-American honor so Dodge called an audible and pulled a pre-production unit in for the job. The original Viper was a bare bones car that wasn’t quite ready for prime time, but by God it had a real all-American motor up front and sure enough there were seats and a steering wheel, but not much else. These first-generation cars are typified by their lack of roof, door handles, air conditioning, or air bags. 

Many early cars suffered from piston ring failures leading to excessive oil consumption. Most of these engines were replaced under warranty, but if you’re looking at a low-mile example, it may never have been replaced, so check for records of warranty repair. Early production cars have some leak issues related to thermostat gaskets, while later run Vipers saw timing covers and rear main seals weep. These are becoming quite old cars these days, so leaks are probably part of the program, but none of them are impossible to address. The control arms are apparently shared with Dodge’s Dakota pickup truck. 

Without any kind of electronic driver assists, this is a raw driving experience not for the casual enthusiast. You have to be committed to sweating your ass off on a summer day to drive this thing, and you have to be on high alert at all times, because these are tricky cars to drive, particularly for the uninitiated. These first-generation Vipers are known to strike when you least expect it, and have killed many. Despite its 3,280 pound weight, this is essentially a tube frame race car chassis with fiberglass panels on it. If you aren’t committed to this kind of experience, steer clear. 

Hagerty says a good driver-grade car will run you into the $50,000 range, but recent Bring A Trailer auction results indicate that there are plenty available in the mid-30s. 

Dodge saw the potential of the Viper, but the raw nature of the beast made it an extremely niche offering. In order to up the appeal to a larger number of potential customers, the company knew it needed to tone it down a little. The side-exit pipes disappeared in favor of a single muffler at the back. Glass windows and a fiberglass top were now standard instead of the vinyl and zipper effort on the previous cars. Dodge even introduced a coupe version, called GTS. Air conditioning, power locks, and power windows were standard on GTS coupes. Airbags were added in 1997. The RT/10 Roadster and GTS had the same 8-liter V10 under the hood, with both making 450 horsepower from 1997 on.  

1998 Vipers benefited from lighter exhaust manifolds to remove some weight off the front of the car, and a revised camshaft for a slightly different power delivery. From 2000 onward the engine was made lighter still with hypereutectic pistons replacing forged units for a quicker revving driving experience, more sports car than farm implement. Vipers didn’t get anti-lock braking until 2001. If you’re looking for one built between 1996 and 1999 make sure the riveted frame reinforcement technical service bulletin was completed. Apparently power steering pulleys can explode, as they’re crafted out of nylon. 

When it comes to second generation Vipers the GTS coupes carry a price premium. Look to pay around $40,000 for a respectable RT/10 Roadster, and $60,000 or more for a good GTS. If rarity matters to you pick up a 1998 Viper GTS GT2 Championship Edition (pictured above), as only 100 examples were made and they’re very cool. Be ready to pay into the low six-figures for one, however.  

Don’t adjust your screens, the Viper has a whole new look! It’s got a bigger, more aluminum-intensive 8.3-liter V10 under the hood with a full 500 horsepower now. Now called the Viper SRT-10, the Viper was lower, wider, and more comfortable than ever. Between 2003 and 2005 the Viper was once again only available as a roadster, before the Coupe returned for the 2006 model year. Dodge finally saw fit to equip the Viper with a real convertible top instead of a leaky, removable fiberglass hat, which necessitated a slightly longer wheelbase. The interior is still spartan, but it’s better trimmed and looks more of-a-piece, even if that piece is early 2000s molded plastic. 

When new Car and Driver described driving the car as feeling “just like a Trans-Am car on Michigan Avenue” so the refined reality of the revamped Viper is still extremely racecar-like. The seats are a little narrow, and you can cook an egg on the rocker panels where the exhausts route before crossing over directly under the seats, but there’s so much raw cool factor here that you can probably forget about those issues. 

These cars seem to be quite reliable, though some engine failures have been reported. There are a few Viper Club forum-goers who report happily racking over 100,000 miles on their Vipers without much issue. It’s a more modern car, and Dodge paid far more attention to the engineering of these cars, but they’re still extremely simple when the rubber meets the road. 

Once again you’ll find that 2006 coupes command a price premium over their convertible counterparts. A nice SRT-10 Coupe can be had in the high $50,000 range, while a good convertible is out there for the mid-40s. If you spring for the track-focused lightweight Viper GTS ACR will run you closer to $70,000. 

Dodge did not produce any 2007 model year vehicles as it wanted to go all-out for the 2008 model year with a fresh Viper. Power output jumped in all Vipers from 500 horsepower to 600 overnight, thanks to better flowing cylinder heads, variable exhaust valve timing, massive dual electronic throttle bodies, and a 300-rpm higher redline. The extra power meant a new transmission, as the Viper gained Tremec’s excellent TR-6060 manual. The exhaust was returned to a no-crossover dual exit to prevent more heat from getting into the cabin. 

There don’t seem to be many issues with this generation, or the people who own them aren’t driving them as often. One forum goer reports springing a timing cover gasket leak, but the stock clutch lasted well over 100,000 miles. These are certainly tough things built with overkill. That’s the best kind of kill. 

Speaking of overkill, the 2008 Dodge Viper ACR is a true track monster. With vents and wings everywhere, this is the Viper that I remember dreaming about 15 years ago. This car made over 1,000 pounds of downforce at 150 miles per hour, and made the Viper a real track weapon. Adjustable KW suspension and better brakes will certainly help as well. The ACR is said to have pulled over 1.5 lateral Gs on the skid pad, probably higher with a modern 2025 set of tires. 

When the Viper died in 2010, everyone thought the party was over as sales slowed to a trickle. There are fewer of these 600-horsepower variants available for sale on average. A nice Roadster fetches in the mid-$50,000 range, while an SRT-10 Coupe will see a price in the $67,000 area, while a nice ACR will be at least $90,000, if not into the low six-figures.  

When the fourth-generation was barely dead then-CEO Sergio Marchionne was already showing off a rolling prototype during a dealer conference in late 2010. It took until the 2013 model year for the SRT Viper to make production. This time the engine was pumped up to 640 horsepower and 8.4 liters. The exterior design was much more aggressive than before, while being more sleek and aero-focused than any Viper before it. This time the car was a real sports machine, with modern stability control, traction control, and a significant improvement in chassis stiffness. While previous Vipers had been roadster-based, this generation was only available as a Coupe. 

Sadly this era of Viper was short-lived and saw very few sales. It was announced in 2015 that the Viper would be phased out of production and likely never seen again. Poor sales were definitely part of the blame for its ignominious fate, but because the car didn’t have side curtain airbags, it wouldn’t pass highway safety regulations after 2017, so it was done. 

2015 and up models were re-badged Dodge Vipers again, dropping the short-lived SRT branding. At the same time the giant engine was given an additional 5 horsepower and a change in the electronics saw a bit better fuel economy (though still poor at 20 mpg highway). The 2016 and 2017 model years saw a new Viper ACR with even more advanced aero, giant carbon-ceramic brakes, and adjustable Bilstein dampers. The ACR Extreme Aero Package kit ran an unofficial 7:01.67 timed lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife, at the time, the fifth fastest street-legal car and by far the fastest American car. 

The newest and most advanced Vipers are also the most expensive. It’s rare you’ll ever find one for less than $100,000, and good Viper ACRs will often command more than a quarter million dollars, and have more than doubled in price since 2020. Good luck out there, prospective Viper owner!