A Dream Realized! And now I need advice!

alduin

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Hey everyone! I've been a fan for years and this is my first post!

Back in October I finally realized a childhood dream and bought my first Viper! A red 2013 SRT with just under 4,000 miles on it! I call it Alduin after a dragon in a computer game (the heat shimmer coming from the vents after driving it completely seem like the smoke rising from the snout of a dragon).

I'm super excited and I absolutely love it. But, what I bought wasn't perfect. And now I'm looking for some advice on how/what I should improve.

1. I've got the sidewinder 2 hyper black rims which by default come with PZero Corsa tires. But the rear tires need to be replaced, and the previous owner replaced the front tires with new Kumo Ecsta SPT's. I found a deal to get new PZero Corsa's at a decent price. But all I really need to buy are the rear tires, but I'm itching to buy front tires as well just to have a complete set of stock PZero Corsas. Does anyone have any advice on if I should buy new front tires as well just to have a matching set of tires even though the front tires are like new?

2. The front driver side rim has a chip taken out of it and a small strip of curb rash. It kind of drives me nuts and I want to get it repaired. Since it's in hyper black I want to make sure if it's repaired, it perfectly matches the other rims. Does anyone have any advice on getting Viper Rims repaired? Are there risks I should be aware of? Does anyone know how much that would cost?

3. The previous owner really scraped up the underside of the front bumper. There are multiple bad scratch marks and some paint chips missing. I'm thinking about getting the bumper repainted. Are there any concerns with this? Does this hurt the value of the car by having a non-factory paint job on the bumper? How can I ensure I get the best possible paint job and how much will that cost?

4. I've also been thinking about getting a clear bra put on. What are peoples experience with these on their viper? Is it worth the investment? I intend on keeping this viper forever if that makes a difference.


5. I love my car so much that I curled up with a book and a blanket IN THE CAR :) While I was reading, I heard a strange noise. The ACC power was on, but the engine wasn't running, and I kept hearing a strange pumping noise every now and then. Does anyone know what that sound is?


Thanks for all the help and advice!
 

Free2go

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Welcome. You will probably get more advice if you repost this thread in the Gen V section.
 

2001-V10 Power Nut

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Welcome to the club. I can answer a couple questions. Depending on which state you are located in, most areas have companies that can fix rims. Ie: Rim Doctor. I'd check with a local Dodge dealer and see who they use to fix rims. With respect to the "clear bra" good idea. Vipers tend to get "chips" on the front fascia, I would recommend the clear bra. If your in Florida we have 2 great clubs !!
 
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alduin

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Excellent! Thanks for the welcoming and good advice.

That's a good point to check with the dealer and see who they use to fix rims. I'm looking for a quality job that ensures the rim looks straight from the factory.

I'll be sure to go ahead and get that clear bra then. It might be awhile because I think I want to try to get the paint on the underside of the front bumper fixed up before I get the bra attached, and I hear new paint has to cure for an extended period of time before vinyl can be attached.

Thanks again!
 

Nsane1

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I second the clear bra. I WISH i got one, now it's too late, and yes, you will get a lot more advice in the G5 session, people don't routinely come here..

Welcome!!!
 

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