Faults:

Nothing has went wrong.

General Comments:

This car is faster than anything I've owned, and I've owned many fast cars. I have a 1994 Dodge Viper also, and it is a super car, but the GTS has more creature comforts. Either of my Vipers will smoke any Z06 Vette out there, unless it is highly modified.

I saw where someone here said a Z06 was a little faster, but apparently they have never really owned one, since that is so wrong. The new ZR1 Vettes are the fastest and most powerful Vettes ever built, yet still cannot best the new Viper ACRX in the quarter mile. They do however hold a top speed advantage over the base ACR Viper. And Corvette had to install a turbo charger on their new Vette to do that!

The Vipers that have turbos installed on the Vipers aftermarket would leave any Vette (turbo'ed or not) in the dust. Vipers are indeed the fastest muscle car ever built. Only million dollar Lambos etc can best them.

Faults:

A few small leaks here and there, nothing serious.

General Comments:

Let me start off by saying, holy cow.

I had no idea that a car could have such massive power, and at such a low RPM. You don't even have to take it passed 3,000 RPM to rape 99% of every car on the road. Sport bike?? No problem! just drop a gear and floor the throttle and enjoy the sweet, sweet tone of the massive V10 engine as you sail passed the peeved off biker. Not only is this car oh so brutally fast that it can rip your head off with just a blip of the throttle, but it can also turn like a dream. 90 degree turns at 60+ mph are hardly a task for the Viper.

While you are having more fun than a 5 year old at the arcade, you are accomponied by an amazing cockpit. Not nearly as elaborate as the one in my M3, but it has everything you need. I just love the drivers seat; it is nowhere as cozy as one you might find in a BMW, but it is more supportive, which is essential since this car needs your full, undivided attention, and respect. The sound system is also a plus. Blair your favorite music as you are on your Sunday morning drive. The cabin, however, will get very hot if you drive for more than 30 minutes, as you will find yourself turning the AC dial counter clockwise, even in the peak of winter.

Costs, as you might expect, are brutal on just about anyones wallet (unless of corse, you are a multi-millionaire). Unless you truly are 100 percent positive you want this car, and can afford it, don't buy it. Between my car payment, insurance, and gas, it costs me over $2,500 a month.

Faults:

Coolant Crossover gasket had melted before I got it. Leaked lots of coolant and overheated. This was difficult to repair, had to remove many parts just to get access to the back of the engine. I'm sure the dealer would have just pulled the engine (and charged me accordingly). In general, it is very easy to work on, though. The basic design of the engine is not too complicated so there's not much to mess up as long as you know a little about cars.

Screws have fallen out of the interior. Many were simply tapped into foam, and over the years have loosened. For this reason, the clip-in windows are difficult to install, but are still watertight.

Since the car is built by hand from the inside-out, a lot of parts don't fit together well and had to be lined up with shims. Over time, some body parts have gotten out of line with each other and have rubbed. There are bolts you can loosen to adjust positioning of the hood and headlights to correct this.

The alarm never worked from the time I bought the car, but I had an after-market one installed. I hear the factory alarm is a joke.

General Comments:

Overall, this is a great car. It's really the best deal you can get on a supercar. The biggest difference between this one and other supercars is the level of refinement. If you want lots of power, but also need fine leather, a Lamborghini is your vehicle of choice.

This should go without saying, but it's insanely fast. Many cars are very fast if you wind them up, but this car gives you power whenever you want it. It feels like you're using a cheat-code on the road. If you feel the need to beat anything on the road, supercharger kits can be found for around $9000USD, giving you 560HP. The stock 420HP for this year is enough for me, though.

People get the wrong idea about handling because they hear of all the people who spin out and crash in these. The crashes happen because these people underestimate how much torque this machine can generate at any given moment. The only time you can realy floor it is when you are pointed straight ahead, otherwise you will get in trouble.

Fuel economy is better than most people think. Around town I get 15mpg, and on the highway I've gotten as high as 23mpg. For an 8.0L engine that gets that much power, I think it's pretty good.

Economically, this car is not as out-of-reach as people perceive it to be. Used ones can be had for as little as $30,000USD. With a clean driving record, insurance can be as cheap as $100USD a month if you shop around and have a beater as your primary vehicle.

The trunk is adequate, but gets hot due to the fact that the muffler is directly underneath it.

The interior was definitely an afterthought. It is mostly made of plastic. On the upside, this keeps the car cost down. The foot-well is not very well shielded from the heat of the engine, so your feet will get hot when you drive it. Although the speakers in the middle give a nice look, they are not sealed so you don't feel much bass unless you install a tube/box/etc. The air conditioning is barely functional. All you have are three vents lined up in the middle of the dash, and then a leg-vent in each foot-well. The leather seats are not vented and so your legs and lower back get sweaty.

The aerodynamics of this car are not very good for the passengers. The windshield is very short, so if you don't put the top on, you will get absolutely blasted at any speed above 50mph. If your hat isn't on tight, it will get pulled off. Also, if you don't have the top on, any AC/heat will get instantly sucked out. If you will be taking anybody with you in the winter, keep a small blanket in the car. The clip-in windows, combined with the top, seal well and are watertight, but impair visibility and fill the trunk if you bring them with you.

Security is an issue for all Vipers made before 1997. 1996 and earlier models had no external door handles and no windows. You have to reach inside and pull the door-handle to open it. The clip-in windows can be opened from the outside, and do not lock. This is necessary so that you can access the door-handle to open the car up, but it means that anyone can do this as well. The only solution to this conundrum is an after-market alarm system with radar.