1. 1Work out which Final Edition you are looking at. 326 of the 360 are GTS coupes and 34 are ACRs. The ACR cars are the rarer, more desirable half and should be priced apart from the coupes.
2. 2The red-and-white livery is the whole premium, so authenticate it. Ask for documentation tying the VIN to the Final Edition build rather than trusting the paint.
3. 3As a 2002 car it has ABS and the improved frame, the best-developed SR II to drive. It also has the cast pistons, so cross it off if forced induction is the plan.
4. 42002 sits in the higher water-pump failure window. Budget for a rebuild or an aftermarket billet impeller.
5. 5Chrysler switched to a multi-layer steel gasket for 1996, which resolved the paper-gasket failures that plague 1992–1995 cars. This is a genuine reason to prefer an SR II.
6. 6Inspect the rear differential. Premature diff failure remains a documented risk across the first three Viper generations, especially on cars that have been launched hard. Listen for clunking, grinding, wheel hop and vibration; a rebuild is several thousand dollars. NHTSA recall 01V312000 covers a related failure on track-used cars, cracking of the rear differential mounting bracket welds, remedied by frame reinforcement; confirm it was done.
7. 7Check the water pump — this is the SR II's signature failure. The pump uses a plastic impeller that can separate from its shaft and stop coolant flow entirely. 2001–2002 cars reportedly fail at a higher rate. A rebuilt pump is around $1,000; many owners fit an aftermarket billet impeller preventively.
8. 8Watch for idle hang, another second-generation-specific complaint: revs stick at 1,200–1,500 rpm after you lift off, sometimes for several seconds. Usually throttle-body synchronization or an IAC/TPS/PCM issue.
9. 9Check that reverse engages cleanly. Hard-to-select reverse is a well-known first-through-third-generation quirk and can mean a worn clutch or a faulty reverse lockout solenoid.
10. 10Look at the power-steering pump mounting bracket. These break, which throws the serpentine belt — sudden loss of power steering assist and, if the driver does not notice, overheating. Parts are cheap (~$100+).
11. 11A car that needs several cranks to start cold usually has a failing fuel pressure regulator that will not hold rail pressure.
12. 12Listen for an exhaust-leak tick. The V10's cast manifolds and headers crack, commonly at the welded brace where it meets the tubes. Cheap to spot, more to fix if a manifold is replaced.
13. 13Expect some oil use from the big V10. Heavy consumption with no external leak on an early car points to worn piston rings.
14. 14If you plan to add boost, buy a 1996–1999 car. The lighter hypereutectic (cast) pistons fitted from 2000 tolerate forced induction less well than the earlier forged pistons — hence the "creampuff" nickname for 2000–2002 engines. It is irrelevant to stock ownership.
15. 15Two NHTSA recalls matter on a track-used car, both from frame-bracket cracking and both fixed by frame reinforcement: 01V312000 (rear differential mounting bracket) and 01V313000 (steering rack mounting bracket, which can cause sudden steering looseness). Confirm both were done. Recall coverage is otherwise VIN-specific, so run the VIN through nhtsa.gov rather than trusting a summary.
16. 16Check the bonded rear glass hatch. On the GTS coupe body it can delaminate and come unglued, and the factory adhesive is reportedly discontinued; some glass shops decline the repair over liability at speed. Look for movement, rattle or a lifting edge.
17. 17Look for water intrusion. GTS coupes can leak at gaps under the rear-hatch weatherstrip, leaving wet floorboards after hard rain. It varies car to car, so check the carpets and lift them.

• 01V3120001996-1999
  Rear differential mounting bracket welds can crack on track-abused cars, risking loss of control; remedied by frame reinforcement (DaimlerChrysler 998).
• 01V3130001996-2000
  Steering rack mounting bracket can crack and separate from the frame, causing sudden steering looseness; remedied by frame reinforcement (DaimlerChrysler 999).

US NHTSA campaigns for this model. A listed campaign may not apply to a particular car, and may already have been remedied — check a specific car by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.