'03 dodge viper reliability....

Talk to 6.0se (AJ), IIRC he has daily driven Vipers for a long time, including the SRT-10 ones.

 

After just a brief search for daily driver on the Viper forum I found the following threads that may be of interest to you. As you live in Dallas you may also want to search the Viper forum regarding the efficiency of the AC system and the advantages that a different exhaust system may have in keeping the cabin cooler. I owned a first generation Viper which is worlds different from the newer Vipers. (The first generation Vipers had side curtains and a removable top which apparently was designed by someone they took out of mothballs from his last work in designing British soft tops in the 60’s.)

http://www4.forum.viperclub.org/showflat.php?Number=545524
http://www4.forum.viperclub.org/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=57226&Main=57210
http://www4.forum.viperclub.org/showflat.php?Number=775491
http://www4.forum.viperclub.org/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=777643&Main=777166

 

They could make a very nice daily driver. As mentioned with the stock exhaust the cabin is hot but thats an easy fix. AJ no longer posts here.

 

I have owned two, both Gen 2's. My first one was fairly stock and I used it as a daily driver. My second was a Hennessey 650R, and was far too potent to use everyday. I believe Sacramento weather is similar to yours in Dallas and the AC worked pretty good here. My only complaint with it in both cars was the inability to vary the tempature. It blew plenty cold, but it seemed to be all or nothing. I never had an issue with my stock car (8K on it) my Hennesey lost a roller lifter on the track and flattened the cam, but it was extremeley reliable considering the power it made and how hard I drove it. If you don't mind a raw, noisy sports car, they are a lot of fun.

 

I have a "Generation 2" Viper GTS. The 2003 was the first year of the "Generation 3" model, and the Gen 3s have depreciated pretty quickly. Some don't like the looks of the Gen 3 as well (a little "toned down" as compared to the earlier versions), but the Gen 3 is still a great car.

All the generations have some "interior heat" issues, but I've never considered it a problem (even with hot Wichita summers) with my GTS. I've never driven a Gen 3, but it's possible the heat issue is worse in those (on the Viper boards, you'll hear some state that the problem is a serious issue for them). As one of the posters stated below, in at least the Gen 2s, the AC isn't adjustable (it's either full-on or completely off, i.e., you can't add any heat to the AC stream); I'm not sure if that's the case in the Gen 3s, but it's not much of an issue in any event (just a bit odd).

The service costs are higher than a "typical Dodge," but it is a Dodge, so you're not talking "Ferrari/Lambo costs." Tires are pricey, as you'd expect.

Bottom line, using a Viper as a daily driver certainly isn't for everyone, and you'd have to recognize that it would involve some tradeoffs. But, other than those relatively-few days that you're heading to Dallas when they're getting snow/ice, it would be workable IF you understand the tradeoffs (noisy, a little rough, etc.). Some magazine writers have said they can't stand driving the car for more than 30 minutes or so at a time, but that's incomprehensible to me. But, a decently-long test drive would likely be in order first.

 

Sorry, I also meant to comment on your question about how Vipers handle high mileage. Most have low miles (2 or 3 thousand miles a year, or less, seems pretty typical), given that most are not DDs. But, you'll see a few on the Boards that have high mileage (over 100K), and they do fine, if properly cared for. I think they'll basically handle high mileage at least as well as any other car.

 

There is nothing exotic about the Vipers V-10 in any of the years. The only thing that seperates it from the standard pushrod v-8 is it's all aluminium and it has two more cylinders. The new car on it's way has a version of varible valve timing, but it's still has one cam under the intake and pushrods. With that said, reliability should be the same as any modern high performance V-8. The transmissions are bulletproof, so no issue there. The only thing I would be cautious of buying a higher mileage example would be the higher chance of some collision damage sometime in it's past. They are a very easy car to spin into a curb, pole, tree, car, etc. Be sure to do a carfax and have it professionally inspected for any paintwork or previous damage.

 

If your young? Get the viper its a viceral thrill every time you drive it..

Leave the merc for when your old and want a luxury ride...

I'd go for the viper if it were me..

Its a blast!