A brand new Dodge SRT Viper carries a base price of $85,000. That ain't at all cheap. Fortunately there are many used Vipers on the market for much more reasonable prices. Still, spending around $45k-$50k isn't doable for many. So what alternatives are you left with? For one, just don't buy a Viper at all. Or, buy a fixer upper. There could be a downside to the latter, obviously, but a damaged Viper (before repairs) could turn out to be a smart buy. Here are five used Vipers that cost an average of $20k and, well, require a bit of work.

For a Buy It Now price of $20,500 on eBay, this 2004 Viper can be yours. Sure, it has a clean title and just 28,909 miles, but there's some serious body damage throughout. Body repairs are never cheap.

For $21,500, this 1998 Viper GTS has 38,697 miles and supposedly runs. Obviously there's front-end damage but everything else seems to look pretty solid. Seeing it in-person with a trusted mechanic friend on hand is definitely recommended, though.

There's a reason why this 2005 Viper has a $16,950 price tag, the entire front end is gone. The hood looks like it's been damaged, too. But our concern would be the engine condition after what was likely a front-end collision.

The ad claims this 2003 Viper can be repaired, and for a price tag of $19,950, this might be a good idea. Of course you'll need the right Viper specialist to bring this thing back to life. It has just 30,563 miles on the clock.

Your first warning here should be the driver's side airbag; it's been deflated. This 1998 Viper also has some frame damage, but the seller didn't go into specifics. That's your second warning. Price tag? $19,800.