Edmunds Finishes Long-Term Dodge Viper Test
12-01-2010, 11:56 AM
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Edmunds Finishes Long-Term Dodge Viper Test Long-Term Test: 2009 Dodge Viper SRT-10 Wrap-Up
The Viper has never been a car for the meek.
By Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager | Published Apr 30, 2010
There was a lone story scribbled on the back page of our long-term 2009 Dodge Viper SRT-10 test notebook:
"The first time I sat in the driver seat of a 2009 Dodge Viper SRT-10, the hair stood up on the back of my neck. I turned the key and the engine exploded to life. I turned it off, picked up my phone and dialed my sister, a car junkie in her own right. She was laid off from work days earlier and due for some cheering up.
"Stacy picked up on the first ring. 'No, I don't want visitors.... I'm not in the mood to be cheered up right now.... Fine, you can stop by but not for long.' I pulled in front of her house and revved the Viper. A slew of holy expletives preceded her headfirst dive into the passenger seat. We drove straight to a favorite freeway on-ramp and brought the Viper to a stop at its base. Dump the clutch. First, 2nd, 3rd gear and then foot out to hear the V10 gurgle. Exit at the next ramp. We must've doubled back and repeated this 10 times. She mumbled, 'Dodge Viper SRT-10, I think I love you.'"
Why We Got It
V10: overhead valves, 8.4 liters, 600 horsepower, crackle paint and symmetry, could be a Ferrari.
This was the end of an era. The last Dodge Viper was scheduled to roll off the production line in early July 2010. Even with rumors of a Fiat-managed Chrysler building a new Viper in 2012 — later confirmed at a dealer meeting in September 2010 — there can never be another Viper like this one. America's favorite V10 supercar will never be as red, white and blue as we've known it. So when Dodge asked us last spring if we would like a long-term Viper to test, it may as well have been rhetorical.
Stability control systems are made to keep drivers away from situations that could compromise the integrity of the vehicle and its occupants. Such a system does not exist in the Viper. Before the PR manager at Dodge would release his grip on the key, we had to assure him the car would return in one piece. Thankfully we don't see a lot of rain here in Southern California. We charted our weather patterns for the past 100 years, drew up a schematic and convinced Dodge that winter doesn't show its face in these parts until late October. Our timeline was established.
We would test the 2009 Dodge Viper SRT-10 for six months. When the skies of winter dropped their first tears from heaven, so, too, would they fall from our own eyes. This meant the end of our test. But our time together would live on across the long-term blog pages.
Durability
Our first of many road trips in the Viper took us to the World Superbike race in Utah.
Inside Line Editor Ed Hellwig drove the long-term Viper on its first road trip to the World Superbike race in Salt Lake City. Hellwig blogged, "When I got into the Viper it didn't feel like a great road trip car. It was a bit cramped, hard to see out of and most definitely loud. But after a few hours behind the wheel, I got used to its tight cockpit and limited sight lines. It helps that the seat is comfortable and the satellite radio is hooked up. When you're on the open road, it's not exactly wide-open throttle the whole time."
Hellwig also drove the Viper on its final road trip to Las Vegas. "I'm reminded just how civilized this car can be. As refined as it can be, the Viper will still rip your face off with the best of them. After droning on the freeway for hours on end, I finally stopped for gas about an hour from home. As I pulled onto the freeway after filling up, I ripped through 2nd and hard into 3rd and completely scared the crap out of myself. Not that many cars are capable of this, and yet the Viper can do it in just about any gear. Gonna miss this thing."
We experienced no significant problems of note during our test of the 2009 Dodge Viper. There was a rear window strut that vibrated itself loose. And the dealer that wanted to cut it open to replace the strut. But this turned out to be a minor repair, requiring no more than a rivet gun to reattach the existing strut.
Otherwise we serviced the Viper at the prescribed intervals and received quite impressive service once we found a certified dealership. Our average service cost $230, which is the direct result of a 10-quart synthetic oil change each visit.
There was just enough space to fit luggage for two in the back of the Viper.
We did our best to put the 2009 Dodge Viper through as much as possible during its stay. From the burnout super test to the comparison against a 1994 Viper RT/10 to its preliminary track test as a member of the long-term fleet, the Viper saw plenty of track time.
From the Dodge's first test at 6,000 miles to its final track test almost 14,000 miles later, only the tires showed signs of six months served. Tire wear may have helped improve lateral-g generation on the skid pad. Here, the Viper improved from 0.96g to 1.02g between tests. All other instrumented-testing categories favored the new tires. And in all those categories, the Dodge ranks among the best of any long-term car to date. Acceleration from zero to 60 mph took just 3.4 seconds (with 1 foot of rollout) and the quarter-mile arrived in 11.6 seconds at 125.7 mph. The Viper needed just 107 feet to reach a stop from 60 mph and slithered through the slalom at 74.0 mph. Impressive stats all around.
Chief Road Test Editor Chris Walton commented following testing, "This is so cool: 11.6 at almost 126 mph with virtually no wheelspin. Wow! Don't rush 3rd gear, however, or you'll find that its synchro isn't happy. Otherwise it's 60 in 1st and the quarter in 3rd. On the skid pad, balance favors understeer. No real shift in balance from lift-throttle at this speed either. It doesn't want to powerslide."
Cops are bound to happen when you're driving the Dodge Viper on any extended road trip.
When the 2009 Dodge Viper entered our long-term fleet, it had an MSRP of $97,360, of which just over $8,000 accounted for options and gas-guzzler tax. We racked up nearly 14,000 miles during our six-month test.
When it came time to dispose of the Dodge, the Edmunds TMV® Calculator valued it at $68,507 based on a private-party sale. That equates to depreciation of 30 percent from its original MSRP. Nostalgia has a lot to do with selling a car like the Viper. Much like our long-term Ferrari 308 GTSi (), which appreciated during our year of ownership, the Vipers of the world should eventually see a value increase with time.
On a Dynojet 248 chassis dyno, the Viper measured 551 pound-feet of torque and 581 horsepower.
Dodge announced the end of the second-generation Viper and our collective hearts dropped. At the same time, our interest was piqued. We needed one in the long-term fleet to give it a proper farewell. When Dodge offered to make our wishes a reality, we seized the opportunity.
Our time with the 2009 Dodge Viper SRT-10 made one thing clear. This exotic sports car is hard to justify as a daily driver. In its latest iteration, the Viper brought an air of civility to the underlying brute within. But these comfort items don't pretend to hide the car's true nature. This is a track car that is quick to school its driver in the art of physics if not respected. Its side pipes will burn your calves. Sight lines are minimal and the cabin is claustrophobic.
Negatives aside, the Viper is intoxicating. Its V10 is an audible delight. Giddy motorists at the red light beside you unconsciously rev their engines with the hope that you will return the favor. This is a special car. The hydrocarbon-fueled elixir exuded by the Viper reduces our vocal capacity to single-word grunts: smoke, rubber, burn, fast, happy. Over the past six months, we filled the cabin with multiple drivers, countless belly butterflies and miles of smiles. We're going to miss the Viper.
The Viper has never been a car for the meek.
By Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager | Published Apr 30, 2010
There was a lone story scribbled on the back page of our long-term 2009 Dodge Viper SRT-10 test notebook:
"The first time I sat in the driver seat of a 2009 Dodge Viper SRT-10, the hair stood up on the back of my neck. I turned the key and the engine exploded to life. I turned it off, picked up my phone and dialed my sister, a car junkie in her own right. She was laid off from work days earlier and due for some cheering up.
"Stacy picked up on the first ring. 'No, I don't want visitors.... I'm not in the mood to be cheered up right now.... Fine, you can stop by but not for long.' I pulled in front of her house and revved the Viper. A slew of holy expletives preceded her headfirst dive into the passenger seat. We drove straight to a favorite freeway on-ramp and brought the Viper to a stop at its base. Dump the clutch. First, 2nd, 3rd gear and then foot out to hear the V10 gurgle. Exit at the next ramp. We must've doubled back and repeated this 10 times. She mumbled, 'Dodge Viper SRT-10, I think I love you.'"
Why We Got It
V10: overhead valves, 8.4 liters, 600 horsepower, crackle paint and symmetry, could be a Ferrari.
This was the end of an era. The last Dodge Viper was scheduled to roll off the production line in early July 2010. Even with rumors of a Fiat-managed Chrysler building a new Viper in 2012 — later confirmed at a dealer meeting in September 2010 — there can never be another Viper like this one. America's favorite V10 supercar will never be as red, white and blue as we've known it. So when Dodge asked us last spring if we would like a long-term Viper to test, it may as well have been rhetorical.
Stability control systems are made to keep drivers away from situations that could compromise the integrity of the vehicle and its occupants. Such a system does not exist in the Viper. Before the PR manager at Dodge would release his grip on the key, we had to assure him the car would return in one piece. Thankfully we don't see a lot of rain here in Southern California. We charted our weather patterns for the past 100 years, drew up a schematic and convinced Dodge that winter doesn't show its face in these parts until late October. Our timeline was established.
We would test the 2009 Dodge Viper SRT-10 for six months. When the skies of winter dropped their first tears from heaven, so, too, would they fall from our own eyes. This meant the end of our test. But our time together would live on across the long-term blog pages.
Durability
Our first of many road trips in the Viper took us to the World Superbike race in Utah.
Inside Line Editor Ed Hellwig drove the long-term Viper on its first road trip to the World Superbike race in Salt Lake City. Hellwig blogged, "When I got into the Viper it didn't feel like a great road trip car. It was a bit cramped, hard to see out of and most definitely loud. But after a few hours behind the wheel, I got used to its tight cockpit and limited sight lines. It helps that the seat is comfortable and the satellite radio is hooked up. When you're on the open road, it's not exactly wide-open throttle the whole time."
Hellwig also drove the Viper on its final road trip to Las Vegas. "I'm reminded just how civilized this car can be. As refined as it can be, the Viper will still rip your face off with the best of them. After droning on the freeway for hours on end, I finally stopped for gas about an hour from home. As I pulled onto the freeway after filling up, I ripped through 2nd and hard into 3rd and completely scared the crap out of myself. Not that many cars are capable of this, and yet the Viper can do it in just about any gear. Gonna miss this thing."
We experienced no significant problems of note during our test of the 2009 Dodge Viper. There was a rear window strut that vibrated itself loose. And the dealer that wanted to cut it open to replace the strut. But this turned out to be a minor repair, requiring no more than a rivet gun to reattach the existing strut.
Otherwise we serviced the Viper at the prescribed intervals and received quite impressive service once we found a certified dealership. Our average service cost $230, which is the direct result of a 10-quart synthetic oil change each visit.
- Total Body Repair Costs: None
- Total Routine Maintenance Costs (over 6 months): $459.30
- Additional Maintenance Costs: None
- Warranty Repairs: Rear hatch strut bracket repair
- Non-Warranty Repairs: None
- Scheduled Dealer Visits: 2
- Unscheduled Dealer Visits: 1 to address faulty rear hatch strut
- Days Out of Service: None
- Breakdowns Stranding Driver: None
There was just enough space to fit luggage for two in the back of the Viper.
We did our best to put the 2009 Dodge Viper through as much as possible during its stay. From the burnout super test to the comparison against a 1994 Viper RT/10 to its preliminary track test as a member of the long-term fleet, the Viper saw plenty of track time.
From the Dodge's first test at 6,000 miles to its final track test almost 14,000 miles later, only the tires showed signs of six months served. Tire wear may have helped improve lateral-g generation on the skid pad. Here, the Viper improved from 0.96g to 1.02g between tests. All other instrumented-testing categories favored the new tires. And in all those categories, the Dodge ranks among the best of any long-term car to date. Acceleration from zero to 60 mph took just 3.4 seconds (with 1 foot of rollout) and the quarter-mile arrived in 11.6 seconds at 125.7 mph. The Viper needed just 107 feet to reach a stop from 60 mph and slithered through the slalom at 74.0 mph. Impressive stats all around.
Chief Road Test Editor Chris Walton commented following testing, "This is so cool: 11.6 at almost 126 mph with virtually no wheelspin. Wow! Don't rush 3rd gear, however, or you'll find that its synchro isn't happy. Otherwise it's 60 in 1st and the quarter in 3rd. On the skid pad, balance favors understeer. No real shift in balance from lift-throttle at this speed either. It doesn't want to powerslide."
- Best Fuel Economy: 25.1 mpg
- Worst Fuel Economy: 8.3 mpg
- Average Fuel Economy: 15.7 mpg
Cops are bound to happen when you're driving the Dodge Viper on any extended road trip.
When the 2009 Dodge Viper entered our long-term fleet, it had an MSRP of $97,360, of which just over $8,000 accounted for options and gas-guzzler tax. We racked up nearly 14,000 miles during our six-month test.
When it came time to dispose of the Dodge, the Edmunds TMV® Calculator valued it at $68,507 based on a private-party sale. That equates to depreciation of 30 percent from its original MSRP. Nostalgia has a lot to do with selling a car like the Viper. Much like our long-term Ferrari 308 GTSi (), which appreciated during our year of ownership, the Vipers of the world should eventually see a value increase with time.
- True Market Value at service end: $68,507
- Depreciation: $29,123 or 30% of original MSRP
- Final Odometer Reading: 19,556
On a Dynojet 248 chassis dyno, the Viper measured 551 pound-feet of torque and 581 horsepower.
Dodge announced the end of the second-generation Viper and our collective hearts dropped. At the same time, our interest was piqued. We needed one in the long-term fleet to give it a proper farewell. When Dodge offered to make our wishes a reality, we seized the opportunity.
Our time with the 2009 Dodge Viper SRT-10 made one thing clear. This exotic sports car is hard to justify as a daily driver. In its latest iteration, the Viper brought an air of civility to the underlying brute within. But these comfort items don't pretend to hide the car's true nature. This is a track car that is quick to school its driver in the art of physics if not respected. Its side pipes will burn your calves. Sight lines are minimal and the cabin is claustrophobic.
Negatives aside, the Viper is intoxicating. Its V10 is an audible delight. Giddy motorists at the red light beside you unconsciously rev their engines with the hope that you will return the favor. This is a special car. The hydrocarbon-fueled elixir exuded by the Viper reduces our vocal capacity to single-word grunts: smoke, rubber, burn, fast, happy. Over the past six months, we filled the cabin with multiple drivers, countless belly butterflies and miles of smiles. We're going to miss the Viper.
12-01-2010, 04:57 PM
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Awesome car, no doubt, but the price of ownership is just ludicrous as cars go. As terribly expensive as it is, the Viper is a car any true enthusiast would almost certainly want in their garage. It is all but a total masterpiece, nothing short of a ZO6 even comes close to keeping pace with for the cost. Aside from that, anything else on this level of performance will cost bundles more and anything else on this price level gets smoked.
12-01-2010, 07:37 PM
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I'd think many people, nostalgia aside, would prefer the ZR1. It's got several advantages. Of course, it also costs more. The Viper is distinct though and not often mistaken for anything else. You see one, you know it. See a ZR1 and you'll be taking another look to verify which Corvette it is. Any version Corvette is "nicer" than a Viper in some if not several areas. That said, the Viper has its place.
12-01-2010, 08:22 PM
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I'd have a Viper coupe over the ZR1. The Viper will always be a Viper - unique, pure and exotic. It is a masterpiece in every respect and something special.
The ZR1 could have been executed far better but to comes off as any other Corvette with some stuff tacked on the outside, a weird plastic window over the blower and more horsepower.
The ZR1 could have been executed far better but to comes off as any other Corvette with some stuff tacked on the outside, a weird plastic window over the blower and more horsepower.
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12-02-2010, 07:44 AM
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Hmm he said it measured 581 hp and 551 tq. Im not sure if he means it made that at the crank or wheels. I know they run 11.6 at about 125-126 stock and from other tests it didnt put down nearly that much at the wheels. Either way if he means 581 at the wheels or crank its still impressive. But dang if it is indeed 581 at the wheels and its rated at 600 it would be super under rated lol
12-02-2010, 11:11 AM
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With no Viper almost means no reason for ZR1. I realize there are other "target" cars for the ZR1, but we all know the general wanted a car that stand above the Viper. Let's hope it comes back in 2012 much like the new 5.0 'Stang - giving its competition a push to get that much better!
Last edited by NW-99SS; 12-02-2010 at 11:17 AM.
12-02-2010, 11:13 AM
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I'd have a Viper coupe over the ZR1. The Viper will always be a Viper - unique, pure and exotic. It is a masterpiece in every respect and something special.
The ZR1 could have been executed far better but to comes off as any other Corvette with some stuff tacked on the outside, a weird plastic window over the blower and more horsepower.
The ZR1 could have been executed far better but to comes off as any other Corvette with some stuff tacked on the outside, a weird plastic window over the blower and more horsepower.
As I've always said, park a ZO6/ZR1 next to viper and 90% of the population won't even notice the corvette. I'll have a viper (used of course), hopefully sooner rather than later, awesome machines. Viper... you will be missed
Last edited by ChaseSS; 12-02-2010 at 11:19 AM.
12-02-2010, 12:52 PM
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12-02-2010, 01:02 PM
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I'm surprised about the economy as well, but they changed just about everything with the last Viper, making it lighter, more powerful, etc. I knew it was better, but it seems "mo betta" than I would've expected.
12-03-2010, 12:11 AM
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12-03-2010, 09:57 PM
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Agreed! ill take a zr1 over this also
Hmm he said it measured 581 hp and 551 tq. Im not sure if he means it made that at the crank or wheels. I know they run 11.6 at about 125-126 stock and from other tests it didnt put down nearly that much at the wheels. Either way if he means 581 at the wheels or crank its still impressive. But dang if it is indeed 581 at the wheels and its rated at 600 it would be super under rated lol
Hmm he said it measured 581 hp and 551 tq. Im not sure if he means it made that at the crank or wheels. I know they run 11.6 at about 125-126 stock and from other tests it didnt put down nearly that much at the wheels. Either way if he means 581 at the wheels or crank its still impressive. But dang if it is indeed 581 at the wheels and its rated at 600 it would be super under rated lol