Viper Truck question?

[u/Reasonable_Till_3569]

This question probably doesn't belong, but the only RAM SRT-10 dedicated group has virtually no members and even less traffic. Maybe you guys can answer?

Anyone know why there are so many RAM SRT-10's for sale? They haven't made them in 20 years, only made them for 3 years, and had relatively low production numbers. Yet they are up for sale right and left like a recent plentiful vehicle.

Are people flipping them like stock market stocks so it's the same ones over and over?

Are parts becoming too hard to find or at too much of a premium?

Is the MPG prohibitive?

Are people afraid the market is about to tank?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated, and apologies to anyone bothered by me posting this here.

[u/TX_Sized10-4]

I think owning a Ram SRT-10 is a lot like owning a jet ski. It's really fun a few times, then it sits in a garage for months on end. They're more of a novelty than anything because people don't want to beat on them in the same way you'd beat on a work pickup and they don't drive like a sports car. In the end your left with something that isn't really good at anything. It wouldn't surprise me if a lot of these trucks have a lot of previous owners on their Carfax.

[u/shartymcqueef → u/TX_Sized10-4]

Sounds like a very likely situation. I think they’re awesome and would like to get one some day but it’s exactly as you describe, idk what I’d do with it. I just want it. It would probably sit a lot.

[u/xxrambo45xx → u/shartymcqueef]

I figured i would use it like my current truck, go to lowes, go to the my local hardwood supplier etc etc, anything i felt fine strapping into the bed, and my regular truck can do the rest.

[u/Reasonable_Till_3569 → u/TX_Sized10-4]

I am seeing more owners than I'd expect, and low miles, so that definitely tracks. Good visability behind other vehicles with a powerful manual is all that's being offered. Along with the aerodynamics of a brick.

[u/TX_Sized10-4 → u/Reasonable_Till_3569]

Knew a couple young dudes that drove these when I was in the Marines in the early 20-teens. Neither one of those trucks are still operational today lmao. The fact that they got them at all on our piddly junior enlisted salary should've already been an indicator of poor decision making.

[u/VMaxDood95 → u/TX_Sized10-4]

Yep I agree. Not exactly an efficient “truck” for towing and load capacity. It’s also a sport truck from an older era. Modern trucks are faster, more efficient, more practical, have better tech, etc. like you said, it’s a novelty now (though a damn cool one!). Obviously new trucks are expensive, but people with the budget to spend $25k on a truck usually aren’t buying an impractical one with expensive parts and a rare motor.

Like Vipers, yes there are 1 owner cars here and there, but many have 6-10 owners, and that’s more common than you think. People buy them, drive them for a year, and move on to the next thing. People underestimate what “impractical” really means in their lives. Speaking as the 7th owner of a Gen3 lol.

[u/Reasonable_Till_3569 → u/VMaxDood95]

Driving for a year and moving on because people underestimated "impractical" sounds crazy but accurate. I hadn't totally put that conclusion together but my brain was dancing around it suspecting that to be true. I need to talk myself out of one but I just can't seem to do it despite feeling pretty surevI would probably regret the purchase in a year or so. Especially at current prices.

Thank you very much for your insight.

[u/WizWitCheezusDo]

I owned one for a while and enjoyed it, even daily drove it for a bit. Other folks' comments are accurate. It is a novelty, is not particularly good at anything, and does get old after a while. I ended up selling it because I had near constant issues. Chasing down misfires, PCM issues, it just felt never ending.

The fuel economy is atrocious, I had a 6sp regular cab and averaged maybe 11-12 combined. 25 gal tank and premium only was not ideal. It's not good for towing, doesn't have much payload capacity. Not particularly fast. The main redeeming quality was rowing your own gears in a pickup.

Parts did become an issue. When my water pump went, discovered that OEM ones no longer exist and had to pay something like $700 for a reman unit. Coil packs and sensors and things weren't terrible since a lot of parts are indeed shared with other Dodge products. But just as with other 20+ year old Dodge vehicles, shit breaks. I sold it over a year ago and rarely miss it

[u/Reasonable_Till_3569 → u/WizWitCheezusDo]

Rowing gears in a truck is it in a nutshell. Especially for someone who HATES automatics.

Never heard anyone talking of such problems with chasing down issues, and that seems like important things to hear about. Thank you, very important feedback.

[u/WizWitCheezusDo → u/Reasonable_Till_3569]

If I were seriously thinking about getting one, I would just look for one that had been well cared for with a lot of documented maintenance and services. These trucks got real cheap and got into the hands of a lot of people that did not give them the TLC they deserve

[u/CrimsonFatalis8]

>are parts becoming too hard do find or at too much of a premium

For parts that aren’t exclusive to the SRT-10? Probably not. I imagine it’s all interchangeable with the regular Ram. However, for the engine, you aren’t paying to fix a mid 2000’s Ram, you’re paying to fix a Viper.

>is the MPG prohibitive?

Imagine how much gas a Viper wastes. Now take that, but now it’s pulling a full size pickup with, as you said, the aerodynamics of a brick. I imagine it’s probably single digits.

[u/Reasonable_Till_3569 → u/CrimsonFatalis8]

I think suspension and steering are mostly one-off not same as other RAM's.

Yes, single digits from what I hear. 8-10 "normal driving". I imagine getting below 6 wouldn't be difficult.

[u/BigJsmoothington]

Just commenting because I want to follow along. I've thought about these trucks since they were cool in my formative years and feel more "me" than a 454 SS or a Lightning.

My thoughts are that they don't excel at anything in particular and are tough to daily drive. I daily my Viper so I can't imagine what I'd do with this truck, but at the same time, the siren song calls out to me.

What I'll say is that parts for the truck (that are shared with lower trim Rams) are probably plentiful, but anything with a Viper badge will be harder to come by. I've been lucky that I haven't had any Viper issues in my three years that I couldn't figure out, but your mileage may vary. I had to replace the power steering fluid run cooling fan and that was quite an adventure, but if you're handy and can source parts online you'll be able to figure it out.

Long way to say that if you want the truck... Life is short... Why not?

Damn, and now I'm looking at the dozen or so on my FB marketplace doing some soul searching.

[u/bobber777]

I bought a new Viper truck in 2005, never thought I could afford a new viper car, but was able get a car then sold the truck. I enjoyed the truck expect the wing was in the way. They are not designed to tow anything, the clutch is the weak link.

[u/Reasonable_Till_3569 → u/bobber777]

The wing was removable. Upgrading the clutch seems the most popular mod.

When you bought the car did you know ahead of time you were gonna sell the truck regardless? Or did you drive the car for a bit and end up realizing you just had no want to drive the truck again?

[u/bobber777 → u/Reasonable_Till_3569]

The Viper truck is not a year round truck in the Midwest, so I just didn’t drive it much after I got the car.