People that buy performance cars and then don’t drive them are a weird bunch. We continuously see low mileage cars get sold and resold for more and more money, so it’s refreshing when we come across a performance car that’s actually been used like it should be. Take this well-loved first generation Dodge Viper.
Twitter X user @Coda117 caught this first generation Dodge Viper in a parking lot. From the worn paint and scratches on the hood and front bumper to the convertible top that looks like it doesn’t stay on completely and the side exit exhaust is just there with no covering, you can obviously see the car has been well-loved.
The interior is equally worn. The dash has held up well for the most part but places like the steering wheel, center console and glove box have obviously seen better days. What’s most impressive about this Viper, and something that should fill your heart with joy, is the odometer reading. A picture of the dust and dirt covered gauges shows this Viper has 206,555 miles on it.
And all of that is on a first generation Viper—lovingly described as the Widowmaker. There are no safety systems, even ones that were around in the early 1990s like airbags, ABS and traction control. You have to be a special kind of seasoned driver to handle it for any amount of miles, let alone over 206,000.
It’s also impressive that the 8.0-liter 400 horsepower V10 has lasted this long. Considering the pickup truck roots of the Viper’s 8.0-liter 400 horsepower V10 engine, it can probably go for another 100,000 miles, maybe more. Unfortunately we don’t know who owns the car. It would be interesting to know what’s been replaced or what’s still original after all those miles.
Whoever you are Viper-owner, you are showing us all how it should be done. Why waste your money (not to mention millions of dollars in engineering on the part of the automaker) on something you’re going to treat like an asset or trophy? Life is short. You can’t take them with you, so get out there and drive your cars.
