SRT Viper production halted amid slow sales
Some say the new Viper sales are slow due to the weather, and that Vipers are afraid of the cold. All we know is the Vette has been the media darling and I would bet that has something to do with it.
Discuss
There's a new Viper?
... probably a marketing issue...
I'm not really a Viper fan, but my jaw dropped when I saw one at the auto show. Design perfection, IMO.
I'm still trying to warm up to the new Corvette rearend...
But that's just design. I think when you factor in cost and everything else, and the fact that the Corvette is really the only American of the two, the Vette wins.
The Viper is a tiny niche car compared to the Corvette, production numbers have always been very small.
Multiple viper owner here. Like 4x
It is plain and simple that current viper owners are not happy with the car and performance for the cost. We also do not like the traction control elements even though you can turn them off, and the dealership experience if TERRIBLE> Additionally they built a ton of cars for dealerships to sell in terrible configurations or loaded to the gills. Which flooded the market and made it so nobody was happy to pay full price for the exact car they want and not willing to buy a dealer sec car even at a 30K discount or take the immediate loss because of it.
Dodge is also not giving people what they want, which is the ability to order cars the way that we want them. Plus the color selection and stripes are terrible so prices are down. I was offer a white GTS leguna package car with every single option at a little over 100K in a 2013. I can get a SRT in a solid color with sidewinders for 94-95K all day long in a 2013.
But if I want a TA 2013 in Orange, which is what I would order, I cannot get it because they limited them to 11 cars. But you can now get a TA in White or black when they originally said that they would only do the 11 TA's in orange and then more one.
ALSO NO SNAKESKIN GREEN or ORANGE, or TRI COLOR STRIPES>
Plus you cannot get a helmet on in the car if you are above 5 10', at 6 foot I have to bolt the darn things to the floor.
aircooled wrote: There's a new Viper? ... probably a marketing issue...
How did you NOT know about it? It's been everywhere...
I do like the C7 a bit better, especially for the money.
I wish I was actually having to decide which to buy ...
wearymicrobe wrote: Multiple viper owner here. Like 4x It is plain and simple that current viper owners are not happy with the car and performance for the cost. We also do not like the traction control elements even though you can turn them off, and the dealership experience if TERRIBLE> Additionally they built a ton of cars for dealerships to sell in terrible configurations or loaded to the gills. Which flooded the market and made it so nobody was happy to pay full price for the exact car they want and not willing to buy a dealer sec car even at a 30K discount or take the immediate loss because of it. Dodge is also not giving people what they want, which is the ability to order cars the way that we want them. Plus the color selection and stripes are terrible so prices are down. I was offer a white GTS leguna package car with every single option at a little over 100K in a 2013. I can get a SRT in a solid color with sidewinders for 94-95K all day long in a 2013. But if I want a TA 2013 in Orange, which is what I would order, I cannot get it because they limited them to 11 cars. But you can now get a TA in White or black when they originally said that they would only do the 11 TA's in orange and then more one. ALSO NO SNAKESKIN GREEN or ORANGE, or TRI COLOR STRIPES> Plus you cannot get a helmet on in the car if you are above 5 10', at 6 foot I have to bolt the darn things to the floor.
cough Fiat group you listening cough
Former Viper and Vette owner here as well. Can't disagree with anything wearymircobe said, though I have no experience with the new Viper.
The Vette and Viper have always been viewed differently and had very different reputations. The Viper has always been known as an unrefined and at times uncivilized hairy chested beast, and that's the way owners like them. The Vette is much more refined and sophisticated, with a much less raw driving experience. I think that accounts for a huge gap in sales...there's a much bigger pool of people wanting the civilized sports car than the brute. I loved them both, so not taking sides, just that's how I always saw it.
Plus the Viper is more expensive, more fragile, poor dealer support, etc... doesn't make for high volume sales.
wearymicrobe wrote: We also do not like the traction control elements even though you can turn them off
Probably not within their ability to address... TCS is part of the stability management requirements that were phased into the federal safety standards in 9/2011.
Mclarens, Corvettes, Ferraris... they all have it, unless they use a kitcar loophole (how they sell Caterhams / Nobles and such), then the safety standards are in the states hands and not federal. (sidenote, this is why registering a kit car can be such a PITA depending on the state)
Is the problem that their system is just clunky, or just the existance of the system?
Apexcarver wrote:wearymicrobe wrote: We also do not like the traction control elements even though you can turn them offProbably not within their ability to address... TCS is part of the stability management requirements that were phased into the federal safety standards in 9/2011. Mclarens, Corvettes, Ferraris... they all have it, unless they use a kitcar loophole (how they sell Caterhams / Nobles and such), then the safety standards are in the states hands and not federal. (sidenote, this is why registering a kit car can be such a PITA depending on the state) Is the problem that their system is just clunky, or just the existance of the system?
No i understand the regulations and they have to follow them. But man do they shoot themselves in the foot sometimes. I will never utter this out loud but I like the new TC, its drop dead amazing.
As a buyer here. I wanted a 2013 TA in orange. They said that they would make 23 total and then no more TA's. So I called the dealership that I bought two of mine from and they could not get one they were all sold. OK I am cool with that. But then they release another 98 of the things in 2014, then 23 in white and 23 in black for a car that they said would be completely limited to 23. Trust me I can get a orange TA with a phone call but now its not special.
Snakeskin is back but at a huge price increase and no stripes available. No offset stripe packages as well. Just kill everything that everyone loved about the car ordering.
It pisses viper guys off when they do this. I wanted a TRI color special edition gen IV and they made like 3 and I was bumped off the list. But they never went and made 6 more for those of us that were on the list, they kept it limited. Same thing with the convertible ACR cars. They were really good about this. The viper club is a big part of why this has gone downhill, they used to be decent about voicing opinions but they because effectively someones personal fiefdom and ruined it.
Its not like Fiat is going to go to ViperAllay and get owner input. Though I would pay to be a fly on the wall if they ever tried.
Pretty much at this point if I want another viper, and I do. I am going to get a TRI color ACR hardcore if it pops up or a offset snakeskin car in a gen VI it will stay stock and more then likely go into storage after a few years of use instead of selling it.
The dealership I went to locally to look at the new ones did not even let me sit in the car with my helmet to see if I fit and I drove up in a bloody viper. Which is a whole different discussion.
I am surprised that our favorite corporate head isn't more in tune with the buying masses seeing as how he is a GRM type guy.
Ralph, if you are reading this, let's see if the path to ownership can be made easier.
Maroon92 wrote:aircooled wrote: There's a new Viper? ... probably a marketing issue...How did you NOT know about it? It's been everywhere... I do like the C7 a bit better, especially for the money.
I was playing a bit. I do remember hearing about it, if not here, on Top Gear.
Certainly the general populace has little idea. Not sure about the target audience. Maybe they have been advertising in "fancy" magazines?
wearymicrobe wrote:
The dealership I went to locally to look at the new ones did not even let me sit in the car with my helmet to see if I fit and I drove up in a bloody viper. Which is a whole different discussion.
Some Ford dealers were like that when the GT500 first came out in, what, 2005? "I'm sorry, sir, but nobody sees the engine bay or sits in it."
"Really? Do you want to sell these? It's a Mustang, not an F40."
wearymicrobe wrote: The dealership I went to locally to look at the new ones did not even let me sit in the car with my helmet to see if I fit and I drove up in a bloody viper. Which is a whole different discussion.
wow, at least the chevy dealer kisses my ass when i pull up in the vette.
patgizz wrote:wearymicrobe wrote: The dealership I went to locally to look at the new ones did not even let me sit in the car with my helmet to see if I fit and I drove up in a bloody viper. Which is a whole different discussion.wow, at least the chevy dealer kisses my ass when i pull up in the vette.
Its definitely something they need to work on. Just calling it a SRT and not a dodge and not teaching the sales guys how to act is just terrible.
Compared to any other group selling a car in the low to mid 100K range they are just so so far behind. The local Aston guys could show them exactly how to do it. I know that you have to put up with a ton of lookyloo's but they manage.
Also the worst of the freaking worst was they have this caravan of cars that SRT sends around the country to show people cars. Heaven forbid they actually contact current owners who have expressed interest to one of these things. They had one in San Diego and I found out about it ~2 weeks after it had left from the dealership I was looking at cars. Just pitiful.
I really wished Dodge would not screw this up. It appears they are. I'm a dodge fan from way back, and this pisses me off. They have been the red-headed step-child for years. They come up with this and drop the ball?
Ralph, if you are reading this, please fix this. BTW, this is the guy that bought your white 99 Caravan, you know the one.
The other shoe drops: http://sportscar365.com/lemans/lemans24/srt-vipers-set-for-withdrawl-from-le-mans/
So you have a racing car and the sales are soft so you stop using the racing car for racing?
Well isn't this special. Am I the only one thinking that this is why Chrysler was given away to Fiat?
Who knows, it seems to be a huge fustercluck. I actually like the new Viper's look and if I were in that market, would probably get one over a Corvette. Mostly because I like to be different and if I wanted to really go racing, I'd build something small and cheap.
Hopefully someone in management can put some of these idiot's butts in some briefcases before its too late.
wearymicrobe wrote: Plus you cannot get a helmet on in the car if you are above 5 10', at 6 foot I have to bolt the darn things to the floor.
I've always heard that Vipers had pretty dismal ergonomics, but having to bolt your helmet to the floor seems kind of ridiculous, IMHO...
I guess I will stick with my little Mazda's, which can fit a helmeted adult, and save a few bucks.
I cant contribute on nearly the same level as Wearymicrobe in this thread, but i will say that the new Viper gave me the impression of being half-baked and too incremental performance-wise. I know some of Viper's appeal is the rawness/brutality/blah de blah, but some of the press people who drove it didnt mince words about it being horribly uncomfortable and.. you know.. parts FALLING OFF.
I think as a halo car it relies too much on imagery and numbers but isnt backing it up with the right kind of driving/ownership experience to maintain the prestige it needs to maintain authenticity as a halo car. Which is sort of like what Wearymicrobe said, except without all the relevant personal experience.
All I know about the new viper is looking over one at the recent auto show... I wasn't all that impressed.. I LOVE vipers.. I am exactly the over the top kind of idiot that just loves that kind of car.. and the thing just didn't impress me.. the one at the show had all this carbon fiber bits which looked like a pep boys special part slapped on so they could show the car had carbon... and IMO is made it look cheap instead of high dollar...
And come to think of it.. It was Orange??? (KC auto show)
It looked cheap in comparison to the new vette... Which I can't not like.. but I ain't sure I like... Loved the prior generation of vette from the day it came out.. and while I don't find anything wrong the the new one.. it just seems less inspired.
If I was buying I would probably have viper.. just because.. but still... I would probably just buy an early one and spend the rest of the beans working it over.. the early cars just seem more true to what they are supposed to be to me..
It's a E36 M3ty winter and people aren't spending money.
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