Doug DeMuro takes his 1997 Dodge Viper GTS to CarMax to see what appraisal value they’ll give it.
The Dodge Viper is a fun car. It’s an experience to just look at one up close. Sinking into the driver’s seat of one, hearing its odd exhaust note, and putting the V10-powered automotive oddity into gear is one way to put a smile on your face. It turns out the Viper is so fun that people even enjoy watching videos of it getting appraised at CarMax.
Being a 1997 Dodge Viper GTS owner and a loyal servant to his Youtube fans, Doug DeMuro does just that with his car in the video above. Before he does that, though, he lets us know all of the other things his Viper’s been through before he puts it through CarMax’s appraisal process. Ironically, for a car that looks so cool, DeMuro’s Viper has had a hard time staying that way. It’s broken down twice. (Because 20-year-old car.) The first time, the radiator went out. The second time, the coolant hoses gave up the ghost.
Those issues fixed, it’s time for CarMax’s evaluation and offer. Over the years, DeMuro has dealt with CarMax several times. He bought his Range Rover from a CarMax with a bumper to bumper warranty…which has more than paid itself off. Let’s just say DeMuro knows a thing or two about the company.
For instance, he knows the kinds of vehicles they go for. They have to be 10 years old or newer and in good shape with decent mileage. DeMuro’s Viper is way too old and too exotic for CarMax to want to mess with selling on one of its lots. If CarMax were to buy it, they’d probably unload it as quickly as possible as a wholesale vehicle, according to DeMuro.
That means they won’t offer much for it. DeMuro’s guess is $25,000. Is he right or way off? You’ll see…
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
